Bill Tucker - The Austinot

827Ray’s Brings Casual Elegance to Lake Travis Area

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Bill Tucker

The baked goat cheese appetizer is one of a dozen reasons to visit 827Ray’s (Credit: 827Ray’s)

Ever stare at a restaurant menu and start to panic? Feel your mind spin as you frantically search Google for food definitions? What’s a haricot vert? Why would I want a deconstructed tuna tartar? Can’t I just get a steak?

While I love exploring the new flavors and exciting techniques of Austin’s exploding food scene, sometimes I crave simple goodness. Enter 827Ray’s, a new French-inspired restaurant in northwest Austin by Lake Travis. A refreshing blend of upscale class and down-home charm, 827Ray’s delivers quality cuisine without the need for a dictionary or pretense. [Read more…]

Local Austin Film ProGamer Premieres This Week at Austin Film Festival

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Professional gamer White Ra competes for big cash and glory in ProGamer (Credit: ProGamer)

Imagine an NBA arena packed to the rafters on a Saturday. Stage lights flash across the at-capacity crowd. Monstrous displays broadcast the evening’s match-ups. An exuberant emcee walks onto the stage and announces the first bout. The crowd roars as the combatants go to their respective corners, put on headphones, and man their mouse and keyboard.

Oh, I’m sorry. Did you think I was talking about professional wrestling? A heavyweight bout? I was actually setting the scene for an eSports tournament. Professional gaming has become a worldwide sensation, attracting millions of fans through webcasts and live events. “ProGamer,” directed by Austin native Justin Agnew and premiering at this year’s Austin Film Festival, provides an inside look into this pixelated phenomenon and the personalities that make it tick. [Read more…]

20 Things I Learned During Weekend One of ACL Fest

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Bill Tucker

The ACL Fest entrance welcomes music lovers from all over Austin, and the world
(Credit: John Cabuena/Flipintex Fotos)

Confession time: Weekend One of Austin City Limits Music Festival was my first ever. As a newborn at the event, I attempted to absorb as much as possible from three days of crowds, sun and mind-blowing music. Not only did I walk away with a greater appreciation for one of Austin’s most anticipated concerts, but I was re-invigorated by our community’s love for live music.

Here are 20 things I learned during Weekend One of Austin City Limits Music Festival. Maybe you’ll make similar discoveries during Weekend Two. Most of all, I hope you’ll have a memorable experience that’s uniquely your own. [Read more…]

ACL Eats Guarantees You’ll Eat Well During ACL Fest 2016

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Bill Tucker

ACL Eats at Austin City Limits Music Festival

Welcome to ACL Eats (Credit: Lars Plougmann via Flickr CC)

When I covered SXSW last year, I felt super prepared. Comfortable shoes, sunscreen, plenty of water. Ear protection for when I found myself inches from a subwoofer in a tiny venue. Everything I needed to survive the five-day event. There was one exception: I kept forgetting to eat.

By the time my stomach started rumbling, restaurants were packed to the gills. Food truck lines stretched 30 minutes long. Finding sustenance was an utter disaster.

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2016 wants to solve this issue with ACL Eats, a dedicated home for over 30 of Austin’s finest food trucks and eateries. From burgers to Pan-Asian, burritos to popsicles, there’s a flavor for everybody at ACL Fest. Below are some of the foods I’m looking forward to most. [Read more…]

Your Ultimate Guide to Local Artists at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2016

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Gina Chavez Austin City Limits Music Festival

Gina Chavez will be lighting up the Austin City Limits Music Festival stage on opening day (Credit: Bill Tucker)

If SXSW is for tourists, then Austin City Limits Music Festival is for locals. For two weekends a year, Zilker Park transforms from an oasis of laid-back leisure into a celebration of music from around the world. From chart-toppers, to indie darlings, to oldies looking for one last chance in the spotlight, ACL Fest attracts artists like chips to queso.

But what about our hometown heroes? As headliners like Radiohead, Mumford & Sons and LCD Soundsystem grab the marquee, local talent tends to get lost in the schedule, swallowed by acts with deeper pockets and wider reach.

But no more! There’s plenty of local to love at this year’s festival, so we’ve compiled a list of every ATX artist playing over ACL Fest’s two long weekends, and the times to check them out. Listen local! [Read more…]

Mobley’s One Man Band Generates the Energy of Ten

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Austin native Mobley hangs out before his August 20 show at Spider House Ballroom
(Credit: John Cabuena/Flipintex Fotos)

The air surrounding Spider House Ballroom was hot and sticky the night I met Mobley. The venue had been celebrating their 20th anniversary since 2:30 p.m. that afternoon. Having suffered one rainstorm and expecting another, a muggy, sweaty crowd waited for the Austin native to perform. When I asked Mobley before the show which stage he was on, he answered, “The wettest one.”

His start time of 10 p.m. came and went. The crowd grew restless as Mobley, wearing a black hat, jacket and sunglasses in the ninety-degree evening, dragged mountains of gear onto the rain-slicked stage. A keyboard and sampler rack. Stage lighting. Guitars. Drums. Up on the roof of Spider House Café, a tech aimed a video projector at the screen set towards the back of the stage. All for a one-man band. [Read more…]

My Sweet Austin Bakes Tasty Treats in West Campus

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Walk into a world of delicious at My Sweet Austin (Credit: Bill Tucker)

Few people consider cookies for breakfast. But on a cloudy Saturday morning in Austin’s West Campus neighborhood, I was doing just that. Sampling tarts, cupcakes and macaroons while moving trucks brought dozens of UT students back to school in the area around me. I felt like a kid sneaking treats in Willy Wonka’s factory. It felt good to be so bad.

And this local bakery more than delivered. Nestled on a quiet street in a lively part of town, My Sweet Austin has made a name for itself in the ATX baked goods scene. While still owning a young business, head chef Sara Mayes has concocted a menu full of fresh, lively flavors that leap off the baking sheet and into your mouth. [Read more…]

Austin’s 6th Annual Quesoff Set to Celebrate All Things Queso

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Expect lots of this at the 6th Annual Quesoff at Mohawk (Credit: Quesoff)

Queso. Simply saying the word activates saliva glands and rumbles the stomach. A staple of appetizer menus, backyard barbecues and UT game day snack spreads, this melted cheese sauce is as Austin as the Longhorns’ Burnt Orange.

But not all queso is created equal. The 6th Annual Quesoff on August 20, 2016 at Mohawk, aims to separate the pretenders from the contenders. Queso makers from around Austin will be pitted against each other in a battle of cheesy supremacy, all in support of a great cause. This is a delicious way to spend a Saturday afternoon. [Read more…]

The Wafel Guys Bring Belgian Flair to Austin Foodie Scene

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Dive into a delicious treat courtesy of The Wafel Guys (Credit: The Wafel Guys)

Every other week, the company where I work does “Waffle Wednesday.” Two employees pull out a set of waffle irons, mix instant batter and cook breakfast for the office. Sometimes they go all out with toppings. Other times, they just supply the basics. Regardless, walking to my desk with the smell of breakfast in the air makes Hump Day that much easier.

Before meeting The Wafel Guys, that was the extent of my waffle experience: either fluffy pancakes with square divots in them, or frozen disasters hastily toasted. A delivery device for syrup and butter.

After tasting the legitimate, authentic Belgian treasures created by these culinary upstarts, ordering breakfast at a local diner simply won’t do anymore. Once you’ve tried the real thing from The Wafel Guys, you never want to go back. [Read more…]

Grupo Fantasma Delivers Latin Flavor to Austin City Limits

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Bill Tucker

Grupo Fantasma exploded onto the Moody Theater stage during their Austin City Limits taping (Credit: Scott Newton)

When a 10-piece Latin funk band starts their Austin City Limits taping with a rendition of “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin, you know you’re in for a special evening.

Grupo Fantasma gave the energetic crowd exactly that. Delivering a powerful, body-shaking blend of samba, merengue and Latin jams, this groove-tastic Austin staple blew the roof off the Moody Theatre. My foot still aches from the constant toe-tapping. [Read more…]

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