Discover Tons of Creative Local Crafters and Vendors at Austin Flea

May 9, 2013 by · 2 Comments
Austin Flea T-Shirt

Austinot Brittany checking out the event t-shirts at Austin Flea

Every 6-8 weeks, Austin Flea gathers dozens of Austin’s most creative individuals together to showcase and sell their unique products.

The Highball hosted the event for two years.

But due to current renovations there, The Rattle Inn has stepped up as host. The March 2013 event at 610 Nueces (off W. 6th St.) was jam-packed with vendors: downstairs in the bar and lounge area, upstairs on the patio, and lining the sidewalk along Nueces. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arts, Culture, Entertainment, Events ·

Make Way for Austin Mini Maker Faire: Creativity Gone Wild

April 25, 2013 by · Leave a Comment
R2-D2 at Austin Mini Maker Faire

R2-D2 at the Austin Mini Maker Faire

This guest blog post is by Lizzy Newsome.

Do you like shiny things? Does the smell of hot glue make your pulse race? Do you truly believe that 3D printing is the wave of the future?

Then it’s time to have a little conversation about Austin Mini Maker Faire! This one-day gathering at the Palmer Events Center on Sunday, May 5th, brings together the city’s most dedicated crafters and tinkerers, with exhibits covering the complete spectrum of handmade, from Arduino to Zoo (Robot Petting Zoo, that is).

Also featured: Tinkering Workshop, 3D printers, an inflatable planetarium, and a special exhibit from the Austin Bike Zoo (two zoos!). [Read more...]

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Lorenzo de Zavala Building Houses 40,000 Cubic Feet of State Archives

March 5, 2013 by · 2 Comments
Lorenzo de Zavala State Library and Archives Building

Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building in Austin: Traditional home of the Travis letter

Through this Thursday, William Travis’ 1836 “victory or death” letter is on display at the Alamo in San Antonio. Returned for the first time to the site where it was penned, the Travis letter is protected by a $20,000 display case, black curtains and temporary AC units.

But these measures aren’t enough to protect a relic that holds this much historical significance. So not far from the letter, during every minute of public display, representatives from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin are taking turns keeping watch. Just in case.

I met two of these archivists-turned-guards recently, during a visit to the Lorenzo de Zavala State Library and Archives Building near the Capitol Building. It’s safe to say that guard duty wasn’t part of the job description when John Anderson and Laura Saegert became archivists for the State of Texas over three decades ago. Although they’re filling an unusual role now, I believe their motivation has remained constant throughout their notable careers. John, Laura and their team members are dedicated to preserving Texas history and expanding public knowledge of the treasures they preserve. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, History ·

Laguna Gloria: Outdoor Paradise Free to Visit in the Middle of Austin

January 8, 2013 by · 4 Comments
Laguna Gloria Austin

Laguna Gloria on Lake Austin

There’s a quiet retreat waiting for you. And if you live in Austin, it’ll only take you a few minutes to get there.

Feel free to take your dog, child, significant other, or best friend. But you may find that Laguna Gloria becomes your favorite place in Austin to explore all by yourself. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Museums · Tagged: ,

East Austin Studio Tour Exposes Matchless Artistry on Eastside

November 19, 2012 by · 4 Comments
Revival Cycles during EAST

Revival Cycles on Bolm Rd.

I was at a house party in East Austin last week, and one of my friends told me, “I’ve never been this far east before!”

I’m not surprised. Years ago when I was at UT, the common recommendation was to stay away from the eastside. The area was old and “not safe.”

These descriptions still apply to parts of Austin’s eastside, but those who venture under I-35 to previously unexplored territory are surprised by what they find. Good food, unique local businesses, nightlife and a vibrant art community are right on our doorstep, with a flavor all their own.

One of the best representations of the underrated beauty of the eastside was displayed [Read more...]

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Inherit Austin Tours Historic Downtown Deco Worth Keeping

September 25, 2012 by · 3 Comments
Art Deco Brown Building in Austin

Deco lettering of Brown Building on Colorado, 1938

What would you do if the Austin you know and love was being threatened by strip malls and national corporations?

Large changes are easy to spot. But historical and cultural landmarks can be quietly replaced, one at a time, until our city’s architectural heritage is gone.

Behind every old building is a special story. Without the buildings, the stories are told less, and that part of who we are as a city is lost. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, History ·

Texas Military Forces Museum Is the Best Kept Secret In Austin

September 20, 2012 by · 8 Comments
The Texas Military Forces Museum Great Hall in Austin Texas

Great hall at Texas Military Forces Museum

The military knows something about keeping secrets. The Texas Military Forces Museum, however, shouldn’t be one of them.

Imagine a world class museum in the heart of Austin that is not only accessible to the general public, but free.

That’s right. Free. [Read more...]

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The People’s Gallery Promotes Local Artistry at Austin City Hall

September 6, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Trapped Breath Glasswork by Nicholas Dertien

Nicholas Dertien experiments with glass – “Trapped Breath”

If you’re an Austin artist, your work can be displayed at City Hall. All you need to do is apply…and be selected over nearly 400 of your peers.

Think you got the chops?

The People’s Gallery is in its 8th year at Austin City Hall and runs through January 10, 2013.

The exhibition exists to “showcase regional artistic endeavors and to encourage public dialogue, understanding, and enjoyment of the visual arts.”

It’s great to live in a city that values cultural depth and development, wouldn’t you agree? [Read more...]

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Young Austinite Wins Ride on Historic Tall Ship Still Sailing

July 24, 2012 by · 10 Comments
Bow of the Eagle Tall Sailing Ship in U.S. Fleet

The bow of the Eagle

Editor’s Note: Because the Austinot’s founder, Eric Highland, is a 20-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard, I was delighted when I first heard the following story. I’m grateful to Richard for sharing his story and aspirations with our community, and for the example he sets for his generation of young Austinites.

 

 

This guest blog post is by Richard Barr Dent.

What motivates a high school junior to compete for a ride on one of the last sailing tall ships in the United States fleet?

At four, it shocked me to leave Cincinnati. “Austin is hard,” I told my grandmother. No tree leaves changed colors in Autumn. No snow for sledding in the winter. Luckily, I realized we were only three hours away from the Texas coast. Trips to Galveston, tours of the Elissa, the tall ship that is the pride of Texas, and nights spent aboard the U.S.S. Lexington with my Cub Scout Pack 29 kindled my maritime interest. Before Austin, my only exposure to the sea was the movie Muppet Treasure Island. [Read more...]

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Austin Book Fair Brings Community Together This Weekend

June 28, 2012 by · 6 Comments

What will become of the bound book in the age of Kindles and Nooks? Will pages disappear alongside the scroll and clay tablets? If the citizens behind the Austin Book Arts Fair have anything to say about it, the answer is a defiant, printed and bound, “No!”

This weekend, the Austin Book Arts Fair will celebrate one of mankind’s greatest inventions: the humble book. Taking place on the beautiful grounds of the Villa at Laguna Gloria, owned and operated by the Austin Museum of Art, the Austin Book Workers promote books and book arts throughout Central Texas. This is the perfect event for children and adults who believe in the power of books to transform and enrich life. [Read more...]

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Austin Nonprofit Revitalizes City Using Unique Art

May 31, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Looking for a date spot in Austin this weekend? Well hold on and let me tell you about a unique place you can check out with your significant other. Austin is known for its off-the-wall approaches to art. This weekend, you have a chance to get an artistic take on something you may have seen a thousand times before, just never like this.

Local artist Heather Trolleston has been working with the “Urban Musuem,” named Art on the Way, to display her Spiral Plexus artwork.

Art On The Way (AOTW) is an Austin nonprofit organization/museum which purposefully utilizes public and private plots of land that would otherwise fall into disuse. AOTW reclaims this land and does something incredibly special and beautiful it. You may have seen a few of their older displays driving across the city. Basically, they transform forgotten pieces of land into venues where local artists can [Read more...]

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Austin Art Exhibit Displays Hope in Homelessness

May 23, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Visitors to Gallery at the J examine Daniel Read's exhibitThe invention of the camera gave us the ability to capture the world around us in fleeting moments of time. Then, few people could afford to own a camera and film was limited. What remains of that era are family portraits, and images of important events and political figures.

Today, cameras are widely accessible and digital features allow us to create and discard photographs with barely a thought. We take pictures of our cocktails at parties, our dogs when they fall asleep on our chest, a dandelion on the side of the road.

From one perspective, these types of photos are excessive or [Read more...]

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Is Angel Sword the Best Sword Maker in the World?

May 15, 2012 by · 26 Comments

Daniel Watson of Angel Sword in TexasA few months ago, if someone had asked me who makes the finest swords in the world I would have replied without hesitation, “the Japanese.” This shows my level of local ignorance.

What if I told you that one of the world’s most talented master sword makers lives and operates in Austin’s backyard?

Don’t believe me? It’s true. Not only that, but this American master sword maker has blown away every single world record in Japanese sword cutting and they aren’t getting the trophy back any time soon. He hasn’t beaten the Japanese by a small margin; he has decimated them. This master owns the charts.

All of them. [Read more...]

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Art on the Green at Laguna Gloria: Exceptional Date Spot

May 1, 2012 by · 4 Comments

Gentlemen, it’s time to suit up.

The Austinot is all about helping you out, so it’s our job to tell you about events like the one at Laguna Gloria. There is a lot to experience in this great city of Austin, and we love to sift through everything it offers and show you what’s worth paying attention to. Well, hold on a second and let me tell you about the perfect date location – guys, I’m talking to you.

The AMOA-Arthouse is one of my favorite places in Austin. If you haven’t checked out their location on Congress, definitely head that way to enjoy some amazing contemporary art. Right now, though, I want to tell you about their Laguna Gloria location. It is located at 35th Street and Lake Austin. Austinites throughout history have fallen in love with its beautiful landscapes and [Read more...]

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Tom Gimbel of Austin City Limits: This Is What I Want to Do

April 30, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Tom Gimbel General Manager of Austin City LimitsThis is the story of a man who got what he wanted. Mix one part passionate, one part competitive, one part positive, and you get Tom Gimbel.

Throw in a few parts happenstance, and you get Tom’s life: An amazing journey from record company intern to General Manager of Austin City Limits. Where he ends up – nobody knows.

 

The Early Years: Amazing Records

Since the time Tom was a student at The University of Texas 25 years ago, he was a fan of music across the board. But playing in local bands wasn’t enough. In order to become more educated about music, he decided to intern at a local record company. He flipped open the phone book and Amazing Records was listed first. His offer to work for free was [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Entertainment, History, Music · Tagged: ,
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