Et Cetera Archives - Page 33 Of 34

The Tao of Zilker – Philosophy And SXSW 2012 Events

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Dustin Vegas

SXSW involved choosing between countless events for me. There were endless decisions to make – where to eat, who to listen to, what films to see. People could not stop talking about which artists were worth their time and money.

After a week of decisions and complex plans, my friends and I took some time off from the festival. We had to find our bearings again. So we made for a simpler place – Zilker Park.

We knew that we had to change how we approached SXSW. All the calculating and planning had exhausted us.

This was an opportunity to use something I learned about while studying philosophy at UT Austin. Instead of making all those decisions ourselves, we decided to follow the “Tao of Zilker.” [Read more…]

Experiencing SXSW Like a Local – A Guide for the Perplexed

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Dustin Vegas

Did you know the Austinot is on Facebook? Click HERE to keep up-to-date with our Austin adventures.
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It’s halftime for South by Southwest (SXSW) 2012 in Austin, Texas. By now, you have played with the latest technology and software on the market. You have wined and dined at the swankiest parties and after parties. The film segment of SXSW is rolling along and the music segment just began. So much to do. So many choices.

Three things remain constant no matter where the festival takes you:

You gotta eat, you gotta drink, and you gotta get around town. So do as the locals do – live like an Austinite.

You can’t expect to party hard on an empty stomach. Luckily for you, Austin is famous for it’s local food stands.

People sell gourmet-style cuisine from their trailers, trucks and even smart cars. And we’re not talking about grimy peddlers trying to [Read more…]

People Watching at SXSW 2012

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Dustin Vegas

Forget meeting people at the SXSW parties. People watching is the best way to experience all the different personalities SXSW brings to Austin.

There was a soft, hungover buzz in the air when I began watching my fellow festival-goers today. The city stirred back to life after yet another night of company-sponsored parties and after parties. Crushed Monster and Red Bull cans lined the sidewalks like breadcrumbs back to Sixth Street. I watched bleary-eyed twenty-somethings in suits stagger from their hotel rooms and toward the Convention Center.

You can tell a lot about these people. Despite their partying, they have the self-determination to get themselves out of bed the next morning. These are the movers and shakers of my generation. They burn the candle from both ends. Interactive technology is a new and powerful market to capture, so only the smartest and most dedicated people can handle the lifestyle.

Sixth Street is eerily quiet as tourists wander zombie-like from their hotel rooms.

The quiet hum of the morning slowly grew into a roar as people flooded into the streets and toward their [Read more…]

How to Survive and Thrive at SXSW 2012

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Brittany Highland

SXSW 2012 starts today!

If you’re involved in film, music or the interactive media world, this is a don’t-miss event. But how can you navigate all the crazy-ness that is SXSW? Normally easy facets of traveling and living day-to-day become complicated when 40,000 people descend on one part of a city.

Click on the podcast player above to listen to this week’s podcast episode!

Listen to our podcast episode to discover:

How to find a play to stay
Your best transportation options downtown during SXSW
Interactive, Film and Music highlights, especially for non-badge holders
A special opportunity to win your share of $50,000 from a company debuting at SXSW this year (click HERE for even more details)

Interested in sponsoring a podcast episode? It’s easy to [Read more…]

$50,000 Up For Grabs In Worldwide Scavenger Hunt During SXSW

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Eric Highland

Claim your share of $50,000 in a worldwide scavenger hunt during SXSW! It is pretty simple to participate, and this post will help you PWN the competition!

The scavenger hunt is put on by Freelancer.com. But before you go jumping to their site, read on for some quick tips to help you get ahead before it even starts.

I’ll be providing some good info on how you can get a leg up on the competition in this post.

But first, the basics:

Sign up and create a team
Complete as many tasks as possible
Team with the most points wins

Here are the prizes:

Grand Prize: $25,000
Second Place: $10,000
Third Place: $5,000

Also there will be ten $1,000 daily prizes.

Now for the inside scoop on how you can get a leg up on your competition: [Read more…]

Mel Brooks’ Broadway Musical Young Frankenstein In Austin!

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Dustin Vegas

Check out what is coming to Austin this weekend. Young Frankenstein, the side-splitting Broadway musical, will be on stage live at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

The Austinot will be spending an evening in the castle of Dr. Frankenstein – oops, I mean Fronkensteen – and his snarky servant Igor.

Very few stories can compare with the comedic genius of Young Frankenstein. I make a point to watch the movie every year.

A lighthearted parody of the traditional horror genre, the story revolves around Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the grandson of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein.

A well-known medical lecturer and teacher, Frederick has done his best to distance himself from his grandfather’s reputation. He even went so far as to change the pronunciation of his last name.

Can you blame him? Not a lot of raised hands when “Dr. Frankenstein” asks [Read more…]

UT Open House – The Biggest Open House In Texas

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Eric Highland

Hook ’em baby! This Saturday is the Explore UT Open House!

That’s right folks the University of Texas is opening its doors to the world. Touted as “The Biggest Open House In Texas” on the UT website, this event is sure to please.

People of all ages will be descending upon the UT Campus Saturday March 3rd from 11am-5pm to explore all that UT has to offer.

But this is more than just an open house… so read on Longhorn fanatic and get ready to get immersed in some burnt orange culture.

UT is huge, and there are so many things to see on Saturday that even though the official open house starts at 11, the activities really start at 9am.

There are over 400 programs that are taking place on campus, let’s look at [Read more…]

32 Cent Brisket at Rudy’s to Support Texas Firefighters

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Brittany Highland

Texas Independence Day is March 2nd, and our favorite state will be 176 years old this year. Instead of sharing this piece of trivia around the water cooler and forgetting about it, take a suggestion from the Austinot:

Visit Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q between 2 and 4 PM on March 2nd, and buy some brisket! Each person can get a quarter pound of Rudy’s juicy brisket for only 32 cents. Amazing deal, huh?

But here’s what makes the deal even more amazing: All 32-cent collections will be given to volunteer firefighters in Texas, in partnership with the State Firemen’s & Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas.

Unless you took a timely vacation to the fjords of Norway, you were probably around for the searing Summer of 2011. Our volunteer firefighters played an indispensable role in protecting our land and homes!

So combine your love for good brisket with your appreciation for local heroes all over the state, and make [Read more…]

Austin Entertainment: Top Austin Model Casting This Saturday

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Eric Highland

Do you want to make your mark in the Austin entertainment scene? Top Austin Model Casting is taking place this Saturday, February 25th, at Lanai Rooftop Lounge from 6 to 9PM.

This event will feature a live DJ and some great drink specials from Lanai Rooftop Lounge. Come see and be seen by some of the most active movers and shakers in the Austin model and fashion industry.

For new models [Read more…]