I'm a Warrior

On a whim, I signed up to participate in the Warrior Dash. The Warrior Dash is a running competition with insane obstacles held in various cities all over the country. When I signed up it was 9:00am when my co-worker, Carly, asked me to join her for the Central Texas race. I was persuaded with the promise of free beer at the end of the race. It seemed like a good idea at the time and free beer (not including the $50 registration fee) was right up my alley. Later, I realized I was having LASIK two weeks earlier and doing an obstacle courses with possible mud and dirt run flying in my eyes seemed like less of a good idea.

Pre race War-Eeyores 

Not wanting to bail on my friend I purchased stylish motorcycle goggles to protect my eyes, decorated matching shirts with Carly, and made sure my other friends were too busy to watch me so as to limit me from any real embarrassment.

Originally the event was set to take place in Austin, but due to the popularity of the event it was moved out to Cedar Creek, which actually 30 minutes East of Austin. Never having participated in a Warrior Dash we really didn't know what to expect. Lets just say it was like a 5K meets boot camp meets the Renaissance festival.

We lined up and ran 3.2 miles with 10 obstacles; which quite obviously from the pictures included running through mud. We jumped over cars, ran through tires, climbed over haystacks and rope courses, leaped over fire, crawled through mud, among many other creative tests of strength and agility. Thirty or so minutes after we began we were fully drenched in mud and sweat. We were hosed down, given a fuzzy viking helmets and most importantly... a beer. We stuck around for a few more rounds and long enough to listen to some music and to climb the mountain of muddy tennis shoes!

The event lasted 2 days and races started every 30 minutes with hundreds of people in each heat. People were really quite creative with their attire; as the Warrior Dash is clearly not about winning but rather just to have a good time. The Warrior Dash takes place all over the US with ten locations in 2010 (two of which were in Texas because we obviously have numerous Warriors in Texas). Next year there are over 16 races, including one in Australia. I would do the Warrior Dash again, but it doesn't look like it will be near Austin in 2011. I'm not too worried though, other pointless and fun events coming through Austin all the time! :-)

http://www.warriordash.com/

Go E.A.S.T.

My mother would be so proud. I have found that I live in the artistic epicenter of Austin.  Always the one to encourage any "cultural" activities, growing up, she insisted our family frequent museums and theaters as often as possible. While it was fun to take a 45 minute trip from the suburbs into Houston it sure is nice that I don't have to drive into town to get my fill of culture anymore; culture is literally in my backyard.

Pump Project Studios 

No. I am not exaggerating. The East Austin Studio Tour, aka E.A.S.T.,is hosted by Big Medium Studios on Bolm Road and approximately 0.50 miles from my front door. E.A.S.T. is a 9 day event where hundreds of artists throughout the area know as East Austin open their studios and front doors to the public. Visitors of the tour get a chance to meet artists, watch demonstrations of their work, and purchase art. Art includes sculptures, paintings, jewelry, drawings, music, clay works, interactive art, glass blowing, metal works, photography, print making, book binding, modern, classical, eccentric, and much much more. There are types of art I have never heard of on display. Encaustic? My spell check doesn't even register that as a word.

And of course...there are parties. Pre-parties, after parties and throughout the tour many of the artists are smart and offer wine and beer at their studio. They know you are more likely to spend hundreds of dollars on artwork if you are drunk. Free culture and alcohol? Yes please! Every year I have lived in Austin I have visited studios all over my 'hood and every year it gets bigger and better. I conveniently (and oh so very greenly) ride my bike around the East Side with friends to check out the art, attend parties and even meet new neighbors. In fact, my friend Jessica and I pretty much mark the anniversary of our friendship solidifying during our first E.A.S.T. experience in 2007. I have nothing but positive experiences on the tour.

Just imagine what's inside...

When most people think of East Austin they think of the "ghetto" or the "bad part of town." Well that is just silly for more reasons than I can begin to list. As it turns out Artists like the East Side, and everyone knows artists are lovers, not hooligans. The East Side in Austin is considered  the area East of I-35, which stands as a physical socioeconomic dividing line. Where Christmas lights never come down, there are fast food joints on every corner, a pawn shop next to every Pay-Day Advance, a run down house next to a eco-friendly home, and artists and minorities live in perfect harmony.  As it turns out, starving artists need an affordable place to live and with them they naturally bring their art! Art People = Trendy People. Trendy People + East Side = Trendy East Side.

I could write forever about the unique art I have seen, the intriguing people I have met, and how much fun it is to ride around town on bikes with friends 10 deep in our newly formed bicycle gang. I have a Huffy from circa 1989, purple splatter paint. Don't be jealous. Be jealous of E.A.S.T. and get down here a dose of art and culture for yourself. Anyway isn't art in the eye of the beholder? So what good is it for me to tell you what I saw if you don't see it yourself.

November 13-21, 2010 
November 19-27, 2011
http://www.eastaustinstudiotour.com/
http://www.bigmedium.org/east.htm

Austin Film Festival

If you know me well you know that I would never be considered a film expert or even someone who watches movies often. I grew up in a home where watching anything besides the news was almost illegal. My brother and I would sneak in some quality Jerry Springer before our parents came home and then we were only allowed 1 hour of television which generally consisted of The Simpsons and Home Improvement. When our Dad was out of town I remember going to the video store with my Mom and "sneaking" movie time. Clearly Movies are related more as a guilty pleasure rather than a lifestyle. 

Not surprisingly, I have a dearth of knowledge on anything to do with the film industry. I know when I like a movie, but I probably couldn't tell you all the actors much less who the producer or the writers were. I do however, have y friend, Trever, who knows a lot more that I could ever care to know about films. I only enjoy about 10% of the movies Trever presents me, but that's not surprising since we have two totally different lifestyles. 

The only photo I took... I was watching movies!

When my brother Harlan was offered two producer badges to the Austin Film Festival for Parkside's involvment in the Film and Food Gala he naturally asked his wonderful sister and her movie fanantic friend Trever if they wanted the badges. Little did Harlan know these badges were worth about $700 a piece, because surely he would have tried to sell them. The Producer badge granted priority access to the week of movies, the conference, and of course parties. 


While I didn't partake in the conference nor did I take the week off of from work to spend to go to movies, I did see quite a few unique films and rub shoulders with famous writers and producers at various free parties around Austin. To be honest, I didn't quite know who I was rubbing shoulders seeing that I don't know who famous screenwriters and producers are, much less what they look like. I'm not complaining, because I still go my free drinks and shwag. :-)


The word on the street is the Austin Film Festival is unique because it focuses on the writers. It is also unique because it is in Austin. Luckily, Austin has the wonderful Alamo Drafthouses, an IMAX, the historic Paramount, and numerous other movie watching venues to host dozens of movies throughout the city. While the Austin Film Festival is less glitzy and well known as other film festivals such as Sundance or Cannes it is close to home and suitable to the Austin culture. And for me, it was an affordable fun new experience. I love the fact that I was able to    take part in some of the arts and culture Austin has to offer for free! 


The films I saw: I Love You Philip Morris (feature film), Dog Sweat (documentary), Treme (HBO series premier), Burned: Life in and Out of Texas Youth Prisons (documentary), Paradise Recovered (feature film), Weakness (feature film), and Black Swan (feature film, and my fave!).  

http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/mission

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Film_Festival

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Austin City Limits. ACL. 3 days of awesomeness. It's all the same. Just don't get it confused with the ligament in your knee or the PBS show Austin City Limits. While the TV show is what inspired the music festival, and many of the featured artists have performed at the festival it is, in fact, not the same. Many people are often confused as the TV show has been around for 35 years while the Austin City Limits Festival only began in 2001. With the awesomeness of ACL one would think that it has been around for years, however, past weekend was just the 9th year of the festival's existence. 

While I am by no means a music, concert, or music festival expert I am certainly lucky to enjoy Austin City Limits in my city every year. I have been to Austin City Limits 3 of the 4 years that I have lived in Austin and this year was another exceptional experience. With over 65,000 people in attendance EACH of the three days I don't think I am alone in loving this festival.

One of the best stages... natural acoustics with the rock wall!

Essentially there are +130 bands, 8 stages, and 3 full days of music. The music ranges from country to rap with a lot of rock and alternative in between. My favorite shows were Mayer Hawthorne, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Matt and Kim (the literally climbed on top of the stage and danced ON TOP of the crowd). I put a few samples of music that I saw on the side bar so you can pretend like you were there with me! 


Besides the excellent selection of music my favorite things about ACL this year were the things that made this music festival unique to Austin. Taking place at Zilker Park; a park inside the city along the banks of Town Lake with beautiful  weather and the Austin skyline as the backdrop for the stages. Sunny skies, light breeze and low humidity kept everyone mostly comfortable throughout the weekend. Being within the city allowed people to transport themselves easily to Zilker park via foot, bus, bike, or convenient drop off and parking locations with shuttles around town. I was able to exercise all but the bus portion of forms of transportation used to arrive and depart from the festival all weekend. Lucky for me my friend Emily lives downtown and we were able to bike from her place with ease!


With the sun shining drinking water for festival goers was a priority; and since I personally drink my recommended 8-10 glasses of water daily, I especially appreciated the FREE water refill stations inside the park. Friendly volunteers filled water constantly throughout the weekend. Not only does this limit dehydration and emergencies, but also saves ACL guests money and thousands of plastic water bottles. Yeah Austin for being so ECO Friendly! Beyond the free water*, the food available for purchase is 100% Austin. From Aquarelle's French fare to Freebird's burritos all of the food is brought in from local restaurants for a price point of $5-$8  an item. This is a pretty good deal as many of the vendors don't normally have a meal under $20 on their regular menu. This weekend I got to eat at the Salt Lick, Aquarelle, and Hudson's on the Bend for about 20 bucks in one weekend! 

ACL at night

Beyond my basic needs of food, water, music, and great weather, Austin City Limits also provided numerous other amenities that make ACL easy to attend. Tons of beer and freebie tents, fashionable concert t-shirts from American Apparel (yeah hipster), artisans selling their local goods, and of course... police that are really there just for show who enforce next to nothing. What else could I ask for? Oh wait... yeah... almost all of my Austin friends attend ACL! That is the very best part! I know I can buy a ticket and not worry about finding someone to rock out with because everyone is there and having a great time. I highly recommend Austin City Limits and entire package it comes with because I LOVE it. :-) 


*yes I realize nothing, including water isn't really free when you pay $185 for a 3 day pass... but I paid for that months ago so it feels like it is free. 

Courtesy of Hill Country Conservancy FB page... View of Zilker from above

http://www.aclfestival.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_City_Limits_Music_Festival
http://austincitylimits.org/ 

The TEXAS State Fair

Is it fair to say that I love Austin because it is in Texas and therefore I can enjoy things in ALL of Texas? That might be a stretch, but my friends tell me that I Love Austin because it is in Central Texas and close to places I might need to visit. Most of the places in Texas (besides Austin) are kinda like family. You want them close enough to be able to visit with ease, but far enough away that it doesn't happen every weekend. No offense to any family in particular but most people need a little space to grow up and become an individual, just like Austin :-). That's just my personal opinion.

Big Tex

This past weekend my friends Jessica, Emily, Casi and I made the trip up to the Dallas Fort Worth area to experience the Texas State Fair. While there is a natural Austin vs. Dallas vs. Houston rivalry and writing about Dallas is essentially heresy I am justifying it because it is the TEXAS State Fair and it is only 3 hours away. Close enough to Austin to visit but by no means do I want to be there every weekend.

It is no surprise that the Texas State fair is the largest state fair in the United States (every thing is bigger and better in Texas). With over 3 million visitors over a three week period and permanent fair grounds it is difficult to compare. I checked, and there is lots of history on the Texas State Fair but I am more interested in all the fried delicacies offered at the fair than the history. In short, the Texas State Fair has been running since 1886, Big Tex is a large statue that has welcomed fair goers since 1952, and activities include: a livestock show, an auto show, museums, live music stages, carnival rides and games, a giant ferris wheel, a garden show, pig and dog races, creative arts, and other attractions. The most important of attractions include food. In 2005 the Fair began the Big Tex Choice Awards and competitions arose for the most creative and best tasting fried foods.

This being my maiden adventure I am glad I had an expert on hand to lead the way. Casi, being from the DFW area was the only one of the four that has ever been to the fair. The whole ordeal was overwhelming. However, she and her family (who we also joined there with my brother Harlan) directed us to convenient parking, short lines and the must do's of the Fair.

Where is his body?

I learned several things.  There will be lines, but they move fast. Fletcher's is the only place to get Corn Dogs. If there is a long line there is a shorter line for the same thing just a few minutes away. You must have an appetite for fried food. And ride the ferris wheel.

My winner... fried snickers

Inevitably, the large group split up but thankfully, we were well prepared with the tips from the locals. In accordance with our new found knowledge Jessica, Emily and I each had our own Fletcher's corn dog. It was delicious. The rest of the day we shared several different fried foods while touring the fair grounds. In order of my personal favorite to least favorite of the foods we tried: Fried Snickers, Fried Oreo, Fried Guacamole, Fried Frito Pie, Fried Ice Cream, Fried Peanut Butter Macaroon, Fried Beer. I know, I'm surprised Fried Beer was gross too, but it was basically beer in a dough pouch with no real flavor. Other delicacies we did not have a chance to try but would have if our stomachs were up for it... Fried Margarita, Fried Butter, Chicken Fried Bacon, Fried Lemonade, Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly, Fried Cheesecake, a Green Goblin (fried chili stuffed with chicken, guacamole, and cheese), pizza on a stick, and of course other typical fair food such as Caramel Apples, Funnel Cakes, sausage-on-a-stick, and much much more. I'm shocked there wasn't a booth to purchase fried Tums. Maybe next year I'll bring it.

Jessica was adamant about wanting to ride the carnival rides, so Emily and I both agreed to join her for one a piece. I chose my ride early on the food journey purposefully, I have a nickname from my brother and it didn't come from having a strong stomach. Looking back,  it might have served me well to get rid of all that fried goodness at the end of the day, but bulimia is pretty uncool.

After a day of beautiful weather and an overall fantastic experience at the Texas State Fair we took the journey back to Austin. While this adventure took place outside of Austin I love that I can go and indulge on fried food on a quick trip but I don't have to be tempted but once a year.

http://www.bigtex.com/sft/AboutUs/StateFair.asp

Foul Bingo

You've heard of Bingo, but have you heard of Chicken SH** Bingo? Allow me to enlighten you to one of the more redneck activities Austinites enjoy on any given Sunday. This past Sunday I introduced, my friends Jessica and Eric and my out-of-town guest Steve, to the wonders of Chicken Sh** Bingo.

The setting for Chicken Sh** bingo takes place inside a true dive bar on the North side of town called Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon. Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon is a tiny white and Texas orange building with a steeple flanked by a futon store and car inspection site amidst a series of strip malls. The one room setting is just large enough to contain a bar, a band, a few tightly packed tables, and a pool table. Decorations include a Nascar billiard light, beer signs, Kodaks of customers from what appear to be the 80's, a sign that reads general dentistry, two tiny TVs, and of course, a set of longhorns. It is unclear how long this place has been around as there is no working website for the bar. Furthermore, collaborating historical information on dive bars in the Austin area is sparse. Google Fail. Using context clues I will presume that Ginny's has been around for at least 20-30 years, if not longer.

Ginny!

The bar's namesake, Ginny, is an actual person. She appears to be in her 70-80s with a a grown daughter and granddaughter reportedly also named Ginny*. Ginny still serves up beers and regulates the proceedings of Chicken Sh** Bingo weekly.

On Sunday's the pool table is covered with plywood board with a chicken wire cage placed atop numbers 1-50. The bar begins to fill up around 3pm and overflows into a tailgate in the parking lot until the proceedings begin around 5pm. Tickets are sold to the quickest customers to queue around the table for $2 a pop. Ginny then fills the cage with feed and places her chicken in there for the masses to await her excrement to fall on their chosen number. When it falls the pot of around $100 in "donations" is awarded to the lucky ticket holder.

Possibly winning tickets

While you await the chicken to sh**, Ginny provides the humans with $2 Lonestar Bottles and free chili dogs served out of Ginny's crock pot. The famous Dale Watson Band performs and a few customers attempt to two step in the tiny space provided. The staff are wonderful, they treat you like you are a guest in their own home trying to make you feel as welcome as possible.

Chicken not Sh**ing

I have attended Chicken Sh** Bingo on various occasions, but have never won. They generally run 3 rounds, however, on this most recent visit, the first round took over an hour and a half for the chicken to do her business and we had to leave before we could win. I suppose there is no way to regulate the speed of digestion, but it would have been nice to see the Sh** we came for.

Be forewarned this event isn't for everyone and they only take cash.Nonetheless, I will continue to attend and one day I will go and the Chicken will Sh** on my number. I just know it.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/ginnys-little-longhorn-saloon-austin

*not verified, just found in my nearly fruitless google search.

Rough and Tumble

This past weekend guests were in town and not wanting to dissapoint expectations of "Keeping Austin Weird" it was necessary to find something beyond bars to entertain us on a Saturday evening.  It was decided we would check out the TX Lonestar Rollergirls for the championship game between the Hellcats and the Cherry Bombs at the Austin Convention Center. If you have never seen a roller derby or the Drew Barrymore movie, Whip It (inspired by the TX Lonestar Rollergirls), then you probably have no idea what to expect from such an event. The TX Lonestar Rollergirls are a unique breed of sexy, self assured, athletic, and fierce women that take their job as part entertainer part athlete seriously. I say part entertainer because there is more than just speed and toughness on skates that these women require to make the TX roller derby a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Hellcats

In simple terms the roller derby is played on a banked track with five members of  two teams attempting to have one skater (aka the "jammer") from each team pass members of the other team as many times as they can until the lead jammer calls it off. With eight minute quarters one would expect the game to go quickly, however this is where the entertainment portion of the evening comes to play. To begin with, the women are scantily clad in "uniforms" that display the uniqueness of their personality and plenty of their skin. I can only assume it is required of all roller girls to wear some form of ripped fishnets, short skirts (or apparently just underwear is suitable), and decorative items to accentuate their distinctive names. Of the names my favorites include: Honey Homicide, Miso Vicious, Pain N. Simple, and Kat Von Speed. I am not exactly sure but I think it might be like stripper names, but for the roller derby. 

Cherry Bombs

Competitive instincts and and assertive personalties result in hard earned penalties. Although all the teams practice together and they are all presumably friends off the rink, on the rink the 'bows are thrown and attitudes raised. Minor penalties such as trips are retributed by the spin of a wheel that delegates creative challenges like pillow fights, tug-of-war, and my personal favorite... the dance-off. Major penalties include unsportsladylike conduct or unnecessary roughness which send the offender to the penalty box (after the fight runs its course). We literally saw one woman stand behind another woman and smack her to the floor in one fell swoop. This gave new meaning to the term "bitch slap". I imagine these women watching WWE while they get their tattoos touched up. To help guide spectators, the entire event is emceed with hilarious commentary by several individuals who must have just missed the tryouts for last comic standing. Finally, placing the Austin stamp of approval on this event live music and alcohol are inevitably present. 

It is apparent that everyone involved is incredibly passionate about the sport and the entire roller derby community. The league is skater owned and operated and has been attributed to the resurgence of roller derby around the country. I wouldn't hold your breath for me to be cutting up my fishnets and pulling out my underwear to get beat up by a bunch of women on a roller rink anytime soon. Let's be honest, I can't even roller skate! I'll leave the tearing up of the rink and clothes to the professionals and take you out with me to watch next season.  

Saturday Evenings January-August - various locations - Tickets $10-$15. 

http://www.bggw.com/about.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TXRD_Lonestar_Rollergirls

Setting the Pace on the Lake

I have recently taken the liberty of excusing myself from blogging due to my busy travel and social life that took over the month of August. On a whim, my friend Jessica and I took a two week trip to Australia.  Australia lived up to our expectations and we succeeded in saturating every moment with kangaroos, koalas and of course adventure that could fill up a blog all of its own. However, I digress, as I am here to blog about Austin; and Austin, I am back and I still love you dearly. :-)

After acclimating myself back to routine I was more than thankful to have a three day weekend to soak up all that I love about Austin. Going out with friends, dinner at a new restaurant, swimming at Barton Springs, brunch, watching a friend play tennis, swimming at the pool, parties in the neighborhood, and of course a new adventure! 

As September hit Austin the 100+ degree weather finally dropped back down to somewhere in the 80's range and completely bearable and perfect for a day at the lake. Today my friend Emily agreed to take me up on checking out Pace Bend Park on Lake Travis, with Lucy, a picnic, and a few beers in tow. Just about 30 minutes West of Austin off HW-71, Pace Bend offers hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding, cliff jumping, swimming, and access points for boats and jet skis. With nine miles of shoreline there was no shortage of peaceful quite areas to park our car and have a relaxing day on the beach, even on Labor day. 

Having heard Pace Bend was a leash free area I knew Lucy would be in heaven when I opened the car door leading her to her freedom. Just out of the car and slathering on sunscreen we were abruptly informed by the unpleasant park ranger that Lucy was only allowed off leash in the water and what we thought was a fact was only a false rumor. I fully blame that man for the splotchy burn and the subsequent stubbed toe and cut finger that I suffered chasing Lucy when she spotted a vulture... 

Shortly after the setback of the rule enforcement a man in a truck with two jet skis parked himself right next to our picnic. Yes, I am completely aware of how assuming it is for a man with no other friends present to park his two jet skis next to two women on the beach. However, it is not surprising that we obliged his offer to ride his said jet skis that afternoon. Ranger Rain on Our Parade also informed us we were in the wrong area for jet skiing. We quickly moved out of his jurisdiction and had a pleasant afternoon with no further interruptions. At this point we canceled any plans to take a hike and spent the afternoon jet skiing and playing fetch with Lucy, in the water, of course. 

We departed our jet ski friend and journeyed further along the shoreline to watch brave souls jump the limestone cliffs several stories high into the water. As much fun as jumping off cliffs sounds, I plan on saving that challenge for the next excursion to Pace Bend. I also plan on making the trip back to Pace Bend quicker than I got out there in the first place. I am shocked it took me so long to venture out to this park because we absolutely loved it! 

http://www.co.travis.tx.us/tnr/parks/pace_bend.asp

Love IN Austin!

Besides things I love about Austin, I love that Harlan and Casi are IN Austin so that can be a part of their lives. More specifically I love that I was a part of their recent engagement story. Had you asked me 10 years ago if I was going to be a part of my brother Harlan's proposal or even liked him enough to be around long enough to get to know his girlfriend I would have laughed out loud. Growing up, Harlan and I fought like cats and dogs and got in arguments just so we might get the other person in trouble. Now, we talk daily and I can't remember if we've fought since High School. 

A series of events led Harlan to make the decision to propose to his girlfriend, Casi, this weekend. I guess that's how it normally works out, but Harlan's original plan was foiled due to an unexpectedly discovered email to Casi's mother. While worse things have happened (cause she essentially said yes when she realized what she had stumbled upon), Harlan was incredibly disappointed. I quickly worked to make Harlan feel better about the situation and develop a new and even better scheme. 

Fortunately, there are a lot of wonderful places in Austin to propose, however, it isn't so easy to get a suspecting girlfriend to said places on short notice. Harlan created a convincing email that we sent through my friend Emily's cousin who works in a reasonable position at the Capitol with a logical involvement in "Austin Young Chamber of Commerce", that invited us lovely ladies to Zilker Botanical Gardens on a Saturday evening happy hour. 

Casi recently agreed to be my wing woman as needed so I was able to easily convince her this would be a good opportunity for her to excel in her new position if she were to join me. Harlan and I worked out the exact details as Casi readily agreed to join me at this free happy hour. Not allowing much time for error, I helped Casi get ready. I rushed her along and ensured her wine glass was never empty. Casi was none the wiser to my tricks and went right along with our plan. 

We walked along our path... I urged Casi forward and stopped walking as Harlan came out from nowhere. Their special moment was out of ear shot but it seems the point got across and Harlan snagged himself a fiancé by the end of the conversation. Casi's family and best friend were hidden out of the way and came and joined the couple after the question was... well implied... Harlan forgot to say the words, will you marry me? Good thing she helped him along and asked, "was there something you wanted to ask me?" 

After the pictures were taken, we all went for a wonderful dinner at Parkside, of course. Harlan was able to impress his future in-laws with a superb meal and excellent service. Celebrations lasted well into the night and the happy couple never went without a smile. 

I am thrilled that I have a new future family member and that I was able to be a part of the momentous occasion! I love that family lives in Austin and we were able to pull of a wonderful night. 

http://www.zilkergarden.org/

http://www.parkside-austin.com/

Barton History Lesson Springs

In case you didn't already know, at one point in my life I majored in History. Today, when looking for a few fun facts about Barton Springs I was overwhelmed/kinda excited about the rich history related to Barton Springs. No lie, the thought crossed my mind to do a fun research project on Barton Springs. Go ahead...call me a nerd. Don't worry, I will keep the facts to a minimum so no one gets bored!

According to just about any source Barton Springs is the crown jewel, must see, number one natural tourist attraction in all of Austin. If you don't believe me just check in with the Olmec people who roamed in 5,500 B.C., Indian tribes who took a dip along the Comanche Trail, the famed conquistador Cabeza de Vaca, Franciscan Friars on their way to San Antonio, or Uncle Billy Barton. While all of these people endured the Texas heat and relished in the wonders of Barton Springs they are all now, in fact, deceased. With that said, I would just take my word for it. Barton Springs is awesome.

Barton Springs is a series of springs enclosed by man made walls spanning nearly 3 acres to create the largest natural swimming pool in an urban area. The fresh water is constantly fed by fissures in the limestone floor of a rate 26 million gallons a day! Unlike your typical neighborhood pool the water in Barton Springs will always remain a cool 68 degrees since it is constantly flowing from underground. After catching some sun on the grassy knoll it is always a test of courage to take the plunge into the icy cool water. Besides having your heart stop due to shock you will be surprised to find the pool floor is muddy, rocky, and full of algae and plant life. For the truly daring there are diving boards.

On any given day at Barton Springs you will have exceptional people watching opportunities. Austin's finest from the topless to the full body tattoos are on display. Some musically inclined will bring their bongos or guitar and then, out of nowhere, girls in hula hoops appear. Often you hear the barking dogs on the outside of Barton Springs on the "free side" where there is no regulation and distinct smells of the grassy nature. It's ironic how inside the gates lifeguards are strict on the rules of no food or drinks, however just on the other side of the fence illegal activity is politely asked to be put away by the police that occasionally patrol.

Free side or not, it is only $3 dollars and you know it goes to pay the lifeguards and keep the pool natural and beautiful. There has been a charge on the pool since the 1800's when Uncle Billy Barton owned the land. Barton later donated the land to the city of Waterloo - when it became the new Texas Capitol in 1839 (it all comes together now... Waterloo records, Icehouse etc... Austin's namesake before it was Austin).

The only recorded person who ever disliked Barton Springs was none other than Sam Houston, bitter about Austin (errr Waterloo) becoming the capital city of Texas and fearing Indians he stated; loosely, he wouldn't risk his scalp to the @%&* hole called Austin. While good old Sammy may have had some valid points I would be willing to take that risk to call Barton Springs my home! I love love love the amazingness of Barton Springs and maybe one day I can bore you with the full length history lesson!



http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm

http://www.texasescapes.com/SplashAcrossTexas/BartonSpringsTexas/BartonSpringsAustinTexas.htm

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/pools_schedule.htm

Indiana Jones Adventure

In keeping with the Alamo Drafthouse theme... I would like to recall my favorite adventure with my good friend Trever. Up until now all the events have been current but I cannot neglect to recount the Indiana Jones Adventure. I am no Indiana Jones movie buff nor do I really care to be the first person to see any movie but yet again I was convinced by Trever to tag along for something different. 

By tag along I mean Trever needed me to purchase tickets to the said adventure as I was the only one willing to put both tickets on my credit card knowing full well it would take a month to get paid back. (I love you trev! :-))

In 2008, when Indiana Jones Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opened we joined about 60 mega fans on a tour bus around Austin for "one-of-a-kind danger flavored excursion." No lie, that's what their blog said. http://blog.originalalamo.com/category/uncategorized/page/17/. With that kind of marketing how could I pass it up?

Our excursion began on a Wednesday afternoon and provided an "Indy Fedora" and an unlimited supply of Tecate (cause that's what Indiana Jones drinks when he drinks beer, obvi) for the bus ride to Cypress Valley Canopy Tours. If we could hear it over the excitement of the crowd, Indiana Jones movies played on repeat for our entertainment.   A short ride later we arrived and were asked to secure our fedoras for some zip-lining through the forest. It's like a roller coaster in the woods! I have some pretty quality pictures from this. I don't recall but I believe we were then to search for artifacts throughout the forest. I'm thinking I missed this to zip line a second time or chat it up with the new friend Trever and I made, Zach, who happened to be the guy who organizes special events for the Alamo Drafthouse. 

Next, we were on to a studio on the East Side to watch "Texas Snake Man" Jackie Bibby charm snakes. Jackie Bibby is not your average snake charmer... this man is a world record holder for some pretty safe choices in life. He played with the snakes, sat in a tub full of snakes (87 is his record) and put 10 rattlesnakes in his mouth and swung them around like it was no big deal. We watched him do the latter while we were provided the fine cuisine of alligator and naturally... rattlesnake. It tasted like chicken! With a little more beer we left the studio and returned to the Alamo Drafthouse to return to our strategically reserved seats for the midnight showing of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. 

The movie was ridiculous.... aliens... really? I won't be watching that again anytime soon. The adventure was also ridiculous, in a good way though. I loved it and I obviously have not forgotten how an average movie can be awesome at the Alamo, even if it is just for one night. 

http://www.texsnakeman.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367882/

Movies to the Max

When I moved to Austin I knew music was big deal, but I had no idea about the film culture that thrives here. One of my first roommates, Trever, moved to Austin because he was so obsessed with film and movie scene. He enlightened me to the likes of independent film, horror flicks, actors and directors from Austin, movies filmed in Austin, and of course, the Alamo Drafthouse. Supposedly, one of the main reasons why Trever moved to Austin was for this unique movie theater. At first it seemed a little strange to me that someone would move to a city for a movie theater. However, I have since learned that various publications such as Entertainment Weekly have named the Alamo Drafthouse as the best movie theater in the U.S.!

What's so great about a movie theater that you move to a city for it? For one thing, this movie theater serves alcohol. Need I say more? Probably not, but allow me to elaborate.

To accompany your beverages of choice you can also order food - and not just bar food, but chef prepared originals related to classic movies or specific to movies opening that month. For example you can get the "Godfather" pizza, obviously loaded with marinara and other Italian toppings; or right now you can get "The Carrie" a classic cosmopolitan. The food is always changing and always a treat.

Beyond the promotion of local food and beer choices the Alamo Drafthouse expands the movie going experience by offering unique movie openings and events to the extreme. Recently the Back to the Future Trilogy was presented with 4 actual Delorians and an appearance by Christoper Lloyd - Doc Brown in the flesh! For the opening of Transformers a car crushing machine/transformer entertained in . Sex in the City openings have included prizes to local boutiques, a pair of Manolo Blahnick shoes, character related furniture, and of course signature drinks. Trever convinced me to go to the Indiana Jones premier that included a bus ride to zip line in the woods, tasting rattlesnake, and of course snake charmers. For July 4th weekend I am sad I will miss the sold out Jaws event held on Lake Travis. The rolling road show is projecting Jaws while guests float in the water with surprise "shark attacks" and "killer prizes".

The events of the Alamo don't end at new movies. There are weekly events such as Weird Wednesday  and Terror Tuesday - late night screenings of exploitation movies from the '70s and horror flicks from the '80s. It is a blast from the past for only a dollar! I have never been, but they also have Master Pancake theater where comedians make light of various movies, sing-a-longs and quote-a-longs to classic movies, and special screenings of big games or finales of TV shows. Any night of the week you will find an original event held at one of the 3 original Austin Alamo locations.

The owners of the Alamo have allowed their business to expand out of Austin to other towns such as Houston and San Antonio with hopes to open more than 200 other Alamo Drafthouse locations throughout the country. These other locations will be franchised so it is unlikely they will be able to compare to the original Alamo in the heart of downtown Austin on 6th street. I suppose Austin can share its gem of a movie theater with other cities, but let's not forget where the original began!

http://www.drafthouse.com/
http://blog.originalalamo.com/
The awesome pictures are from my friend Andrew's website http://www.requiemamericana.com/

Flying Away

There comes a time when I have to leave Austin and seek adventure elsewhere. When I do leave I obviously have things to look forward to, even though I'll probably miss something fun going on in Austin. Nonetheless, all is not lost when I fly out of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. 

Yep that's right, I love ABIA. I have traveled a lot and I can compare our little airport with the rest of the world and I know that this airport is special. Austin is a small city, so naturally we have a small airport that is easy to get through and navigate. Yet, despite the small size, Austin is not limited in ability to ensure efficient and timely travels as well as provide all guests with a uniquely Austin experience from the moment they touch down until the second they leave. 

To begin with, arriving an hour in advance to the airport is more than enough time for any flight so I never have to leave Austin any earlier than necessary. If I do have a little extra time I can eat at any one of the local restaurants I would normally drive all over town for, right in the terminal. I can stop anywhere from the Salt Lick to Amy's Ice Cream to get a taste of Austin before I leave. You won't find a McDonald's or Panda Express in this terminal. You also won't find a Brookstone but I can pick up a gift at a local store like Waterloo Records or Book People. For guests of Austin it is clear supporting local business is our pride and passion. 

After a long trip it is nice to feel at home the moment I step off the plane. I know I am home when I hear the sound of live music greeting me in the baggage claim.  With the music and guitar sculptures any person can see Austinites take the "Live Music Capital of the World" title seriously.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport provides an atmosphere with local pride and welcoming elements that make me realize how fortunate I am to call this place home!


http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport/default.htm

BRUNCH!

It's been established I like trying new things. I also really like food. Naturally, I like eat out at various restaurants around Austin. When I was a poor graduate student my only chance to eat out was when I was taken on a date; but now, a working woman, I can afford a nice meal for myself! 

While I still enjoy that free meal that accompanies dates I quickly feign interest and I am on my own again for dinner. Girlfriends are a great option for dining out, but they often get invited to their own free meals and then where does that leave me?  Well, since I have read Never Eat Alone, by Keith Ferazzi, eating alone is just not an option...or something like that. 

Lucky for me, my brother Harlan came to the rescue by moving to Austin just in time.  Theoretically, the best part of Harlan living in Austin is that I get to spend more time with him. However, our work schedules conflict so we have a standing date for Church and brunch every Sunday morning. 

Prior to our first Sunday brunch date I had been to brunch maybe 3 times in Austin. Considering we had no reference for where to go so we first went to Taverna, because everyone knows they have $1 bellini's and $1 mimosas. After this meal we decided both kept our eyes open for other places that served Sunday brunch. 

We quickly found that brunch in Austin is a BIG DEAL. Every type of restaurant from hotels to dive bars open their doors on Sunday morning for specials on drinks, a lavish buffet, or their rendition of eggs Benedict. Dining experiences vary from the classic to contemporary, the cheap to overpriced, places you can walk right up to to those that are worth the wait.  It is evident that some patrons go to brunch to be seen while others are attempting to survive their hangover.  

With so many places to choose from we generally look for good drink specials first. As Harlan likes to say, "the only thing that gets me through Church this early in the morning is knowing I can drink afterwards." Any wonder we are Catholic? Narrowing down our options to good drink specials one has to weigh the cost, is it better to have "bottomless", a carafe, or cheap individual mimosas? Next we must allow those places with a great reputation and no drink specials to sway us because lets be honest, a mimosa is virtually the same anywhere you go, but an egg is certainly not the same at every restaurant. Then of course, lets not forget, buffet or individual plates? Lastly we allow every other factor from price to time they open determine where we settle on for the day. According to Chowhound there are almost 2,000 restaurants in Austin, and Urbanspoon will tell you about 169 places that serve brunch but I know for a fact many are not listed. Oh the decisions. 

Considering this is a weekly activity and I have only been to about 10 or 12 restaurants out of at least 200. I have a long way to go. From my calculations that will take about 4 years to complete. I will be an expert by that point but for now these are my 3 top choices:

Food: Olivia  olivia-austin.com

Buffet: Moonshine  www.moonshinegrill.com

Drinks: Taverna www.tavernabylombardi.com

I also know that within the next few months I would like to try - Paggi House, Lamberts, Bess, Union Park, and Franks but really I want to try ALL the places with brunch in Austin!


I will keep you posted on what I discover and, if you ever want to join Harlan and I for brunch we are open to guests at our table! 

Floatin' the River

It isn't summer in Central Texas until you have had at least one float on the River. Using the term floating can confuse outsiders who often think of white water rafting or kayaking down a river because that's what most rivers offer. While you could kayak down parts of the river you certainly won't find white water rapids... and that all seems like a lot of work. Floating down the river involves only 3 essential items: an inner tube, beer, and sunscreen. 

Just South of Austin on your way to San Antonio you can stop in San Marcos or New Braunfels and have your choice of tubing companies and Rivers to float. Transportation and a tube cost about $15 anywhere you go for a float ranging from an hour and a half to 5 hours. Of course, there is the added cost of renting an extra tube to hold your beer cooler, but that never seems to bother anyone. 

This time around we decided to stop in the small town of Martindale, just outside of San Marcos and off the San Marcos River in Don's Backyard. Off the beaten track and down a long dirt road TOOBING scrawled across a giant wooden sign signified we were in the right place. There were certainty no questions when Don was there to greet us at the gate. This picture doesn't do him justice, but if you ever go back I don't think much will change about the shirtless and leathery old man with yellow ruler suspenders named Don. 

As you can imagine this is a pretty high class location with all kinds of amenities with two total employees to collect money, have forms signed, drive school buses full of college students and beer. Not shockingly it took a while to get onto the river and not everyone in our group was asked to sign a waiver. 

After we finally got into the river, we took our group of 10 and two completely full beer coolers safely tied into their tubes and to us (of course) to journey down the river for the next 3 hours. The temperature was cool but perfect for a day in the sun. In fact, the temperature is always perfect on the San Marcos River, as it is fed by natural springs  from the Edwards Aquifer. The springs also ensure a constant movement down the river at a steady leisurely Sunday pace. Only occasionally does one risk injury from the "rapids" wrapping around rocks, but if you can't manage those you are probably just drunk. In some places the river is deep enough for you to jump in off a rope swing, while in other spots it is better to get up and walk through the rocky bottom to get you moving. No matter how I get there, which river I float down, or where I stop along the way there are always friends to make and a suntan to be had on a river trip. 

To truly understand Texan hospitality, our laid back lifestyle and to see the natural beauty of Texas I suggest taking a float down the river. If you find it difficult to relax and soak up the sun for 3 hours, I can guarantee someone will offer you beer and you will wonder what took you so long to get here. 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/dons-fish-camp-eskimo-tubes-martindale

http://www.sanmarcosriver.org/

Inspired

In general I don't "believe" in rallies, marches, or picketing. I figure, what's the point? It's pretty hard to change the way people feel about their politics. However, I learned, politics is not always the cause and sometimes it is simply to raise awareness and support. Through the encouragement and persistence of my friend Jessica to join her in expressing her passion, I decided to do something different and march in the Men Rally For Change. 

On a beautiful Saturday morning, motivational leaders and groups spoke out against domestic, sexual, and physical violence while promoting healthy relationships and safe communities down at the Mexican American Cultural Center on Town Lake. Organizations involved included the Hip Hop group PUBLIC OFFENDERS, Soul Raiders Reagan High School Marching Band, the teen group No Kidding, and Safe Place domestic violence center.  To explain, PUBLIC OFFENDERS is a  quartet that includes a young woman and three men who rap out against domestic violence. No Kidding is a nonprofit organization that sends actual teen parents out to schools to share their experience of being a young parent with their peers.  And while it may seem that a Marching Band speaks for itself, this white girl from the suburbs has never seen a marching band with as much rhythm and personality as the Soul Raiders.  All of these organizations are new to me, but have inspired an new confidence and admiration for the minority and disadvantaged youth in the Austin community.

The Hip Hop Group PUBLIC OFFENDERS gave a passionate performance, showing there is more to rap about than sex, drugs and violence. The Soul Raiders Reagan High School Marching Band led the group in a march through East Austin; literally "waking up the neighbors" to the cause.  Popular songs from the likes of Beyonce and Kanye were played with intermittent choreographed hip hop dance breaking up the march for entertainment. People came out of their houses, watched from their store fronts, and joined in the cause as the parade of people and music passed.

I have few words, no music, pictures or video to post to give this event any justice. Now I understand and have been swayed by my experience of attending a "march for change" in person. As it turns out, simply writing or talking about change doesn't inspire the way real action from real people can. Although I never doubted it, I can attest that inspiration, hope, and talent are alive and well in Austin, TX.

Men Rally for Change
http://www.menrallyforchange.com/index.html
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Men-Rally-For-Change/208687691493?ref=ts

P.U.B.L.I.C. O.F.F.E.N.D.E.R.S
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:754219
http://www.myspace.com/poffenders

Soul Raiders Reagan High School Marching Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTIbXDA6fD8
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Soul-Raider-Marching-Band-Austin-Tx/370087350095

Natural Beauty

Austin is known for being an active and outdoorsy kind of community. It is hard to escape the energy of Town Lake, as it cuts right through the middle of Austin. It is a misnomer, but Town Lake is actually different parts of the Colorado River.  It may be a trick to distinguish locals from the out-of-towners, but Austinites have named the Colorado River many names by breaking up the river with dams, creating the Highland Lakes.  Lake Austin, Town Lake, and Lady Bird Lake are all different Lakes within Austin city limits. No matter where you are at in Austin the Lake is absolutely amazing!  

Town Lake has to be one of my most favorite places in Austin. If not mine, it is definitely the number one thing my dog Lucy loves about Austin. We can run, walk, jog, or bike along the trail any day of the week. On a hot summer day I can sit in the shade while Lucy plays with other dogs in the park or cools off in the water for a swim. I actually taught a young timid Lucy to swim by jumping into Town Lake myself and now she clears half the lake in hopes of catching a duck. Between the swans and squirrels this place is doggy heaven. 

I believe that the convenience and beauty of Town Lake has contributed greatly to my effort to stay in shape. It is hard to convince myself to NOT go running when I have beautiful scenery to admire and inspire along the way. In particular I love the East side loop, between Pleasant Valley and I-35. It is not only close to home but it is also a little less crowded with more spots to jump in and for Lucy to be leash free. 

Sometimes I leave Lucy at home and other great memories are formed on Town Lake. Everything from kayaking to party boating, with an awkward first (and last) date on a speed boat in between, have all transpired on Town Lake. In fact, the sunset picture at the top was taken when I first moved here and I think I have been in love ever since. 

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/trails.htm

http://www.texasoutside.com/townlake.htm 

(all photos taken with my iphone... imagine what real pictures look like!)