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Try Cable Powered Wakeboarding at Quest ATX

June 24, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Earl Ball of Quest ATX

Managing partner, Earl Ball, has been wakeboarding since college

Have you ever wanted to wakeboard, but you don’t have a boat or the other equipment you need? Quest ATX has you covered.

How It Started

A wakeboarder since college, Earl Ball worked at and managed businesses in the wakeboarding industry for 10 years until last September, when he opened Quest ATX with partners Bill Vaubel and Jerry Taylor.

After choosing their location at 10815 FM 1625, the trio got busy setting up Austin’s first and only cable powered wakeboarding park. Cable power means no boats and shorter wait times for customers.

When I asked Earl why the Quest ATX team chose to go with cables, he replied, “With a boat, you…have fewer people on the water. With cables, we can have up to [Read more…]

Filed Under: Activities, Discoveries

Donating to Local Charity Makes These Cookies Sweeter

June 4, 2014 by David Thomas 2 Comments

Lets Big Chipper cookies

Lets Big Chipper cookies at the Texas 4000 for Cancer Atlas Ride (Photo credit: Lets Big Chipper Facebook)

What’s sweeter than eating a soft peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie? Knowing a third of the price of the cookie is going to charity, that’s what.

Cookies and Charity

Karen Davis and her husband, Michael, were inspired to start Lets Big Chipper by a shopping excursion in Austin with one of their daughters. Their oldest walked up to a nondescript clothier on the Drag and said she wanted to buy a pair of Toms shoes. When Karen asked about the brand, her daughter mentioned how shoe sales benefit children in need.

After reading Blake Mycoskie’s book Start Something that Matters, the Davises took their love of baking and created a startup company where $1.00 of every cookie sold goes to a local charity. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Discoveries, Local Business

2014 Republic of Texas Biker Rally Adds Family Activities

May 28, 2014 by David Thomas 2 Comments

Sammy Hagar Performing Live

The Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, is booked as the Saturday night headliner at Travis County Expo Center (Photo Credit: rotrally.com)

With bikes, beer and a new element of family friendliness, the Republic of Texas Biker Rally (ROT Rally) is back for 2014 and bigger than ever.

Expo Center Busy with Music and Events

The nation’s largest ticketed motorcycle rally returns to the Travis County Expo Center June 12-15th.

This year, event organizers have stepped up their game by booking top notch music acts for the main stage.

Thursday night features Black Star Riders: The New Thin Lizzy. Friday’s headliner will be Reverend Horton Heat, whose frantic fusion of punk rock and rockabilly will get people’s blood flowing. Saturday night’s headliner is the Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar. The former Van Halen front man will kick off the annual Saturday night adults-only [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events

Clown Dog Bikes: Giving Business Away Is Good Business

May 21, 2014 by David Thomas 2 Comments

John Chisolm Clown Dog Bikes Repair

Owner John Chisholm happily works on a customer’s wheel – Clown Dog Bikes does 500 repairs a month

Fifteen years ago, hardcore Austinite and McCallum High School grad John Chisholm and his business partner Bryce Holt opened Clown Dog Bicycles in a small shopping center at 2821 San Jacinto.

Flanked by a pub and a restaurant, Clown Dog Bikes is a stone’s throw from the northern end of UT’s campus, equidistant from I-35 and Guadalupe, and just south of 30th St. On top of the centralized location, parking is pretty convenient with a mix of free and paid parking. They aren’t planning on going anywhere soon.

Customer Focus

John Chisholm and his crew made a number of commitments when they opened the shop: never alienate customers, never make a customer feel substandard because of their choice of bicycle, and help anyone who walks into the shop. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Discoveries, Local Business Tagged With: bikes, biking

Dress Up, Spell Words, Fight Illiteracy at Great Grown-up Spelling Bee

May 6, 2014 by David Thomas 1 Comment

The Great Grown-up Spelling Bee benefits the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas

The Great Grown-up Spelling Bee took place on April 29, 2014 to support Literacy Coalition of Central Texas

Why would grown adults dress up in costume, parade onto a stage and try to spell words? Well, we do live in Austin, but there is a greater good to consider: literacy.

We live in a world where literacy is a necessity. Helping people reach this goal is why Austinites dressed up in costumes for another year and participated in the Great Grown-up Spelling Bee last Tuesday evening.

The Event

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I walked through the doors of the Zach Topfer Theater. The night turned out to be a blast. Volunteer workers dressed in their best bee-themed garb and assisted participants and fans. The corporate-sponsored teams huddled in small groups, strategizing, practicing, and psyching themselves up for the knockdown, drag-out war of words they’d soon participate in. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Et Cetera, Events, Non-Profits

Moontower Comedy Festival Is Back and Bigger Than Ever

April 22, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Fred Armisen is one of the headliners for the 2014 Moontower Comedy Festival.

Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen is one of the headliners at Moontower Comedy Festival 2014 (Photo credit: austinculturemap.com)

If you haven’t noticed already, I’m a fan of stand-up comedy. Fortunately for me, I live in Austin freaking Texas where the comedy scene has been so successful that Cap City Comedy Club is consistently referred to by nationally-touring comics as one of their favorite clubs. I live in a city where the successes of showcases like Punch! have paved the way for other showcases to take hold throughout town. I live in a city that now has its own comedy festival that’s now in its third year.

It’s a Comedy Buffet!

Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival is back on April 23–26, 2014. They aren’t pulling any punches this year, as their lineup represents the cream of the crop: nationally-known comics, high-end local performers and a reunion of the vaunted sketch comedy troupe, Kids in the Hall. Marquee comedians like Demetri Martin, Dennis Miller, and  Mike Birbiglia are expertly teamed with local talent like Funniest Person in Austin Winners Matt Bearden, Mac Blake and Lucas Molandes, in a mix of shows spanning four nights, ten venues and over 100 performers. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Nightlife Tagged With: comedy, paramount

Lemonade Day Austin Mixes Business Skills and Fun

April 9, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Mikaila Ulmer Lemonade Day Austin

Mikaila Ulmer turned her experiences at Lemonade Day into a distribution deal with Whole Foods Market (Photo credit: Austin.LemonadeDay.org)

Several months ago, I was journeying with my fiancé on my neighborhood’s hike and bike trails. The trails led us to our neighborhood duck pond, where we came across a young girl selling cups of lemonade with the help of her mom. The day was warm and it looked like business was good for her. I had my druthers about the quality of the product, but I bought three cups anyway. It was good lemonade.

Selling lemonade in America is the quintessential introduction into the world of entrepreneurship for young children. Our city, always willing to support and encourage creativity, is taking lemonade stands to a whole new level through Lemonade Day Austin.

Who Has the Best Lemonade?

Austin’s Best Tasting Lemonade Competition is a lemonade brewing competition showcasing 25 young lemonadistas (new word), ages 5-17. The young group of Michael Dells and Steve Jobses will compete in categories like Most Creative Recipe, Best

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Austinot Loves, Discoveries, Entertainment, Events

SXSW Cares: Fighting Tragedy With Charity

April 3, 2014 by David Thomas 1 Comment

James Moody Mohawk Club Owner in Austin

James Moody, Mohawk Club owner, helped set up SXSW Cares (Photo credit: AustinChronicle.com)

When I think of our city, I tend to look at it as a person transitioning from childhood to adulthood. It’s called puberty, folks. Austin is still transitioning from a small college city to a bustling metropolis. And as our city grows, we will experience hardships and trying times. How we react to these situations will define Austin’s character.

On Thursday March 14, 2014, a man was stopped downtown for an alleged DWI. The situation escalated rapidly as he chose to run from authorities. The chase ended at the Mohawk Club on 10th and Red River, as drove through a crowd of people waiting to get into a SXSW event. He was eventually apprehended by APD. The immediate result of the mayhem was two dead and 23 wounded. Since the occurrence, two more victims have passed away. Rashad Charjaun Owens is now facing capital murder and aggravated assault charges, and more may be added since not all of the victims are out of the hospital.

The incident sparked a debate about our city. It’s almost like hearing parents talk about their adolescent child. “The city is too drunk,” some say. “It’s not the people’s fault; it’s a lack of effective mass transit,” others reply. Still others place blame on SXSW, the police, and a plethora of other targets.

Regardless, of the reason(s) why things went down as they did, the fact remains that, as of this writing, four people are dead and others are still in the hospital. In sobering instances like this, Austin’s people show their true character. And in this case, our city shines. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Austinot Loves, Discoveries

Austin Helicopter Tours: Fresh Perspective Without the Traffic

March 27, 2014 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Bell Long Ranger Helicopter in Austin

Austin Helicopter Tours pilot Justin Little stands in front of the Bell Long Ranger (Photo credit: David Thomas)

With over 138 people moving to our fair city every day, a guy has to wonder, what’s the best way to see our city and the surrounding area? Surely being jammed between a diesel 4×4 truck and a Prius isn’t the most desirable option. Have no fear, loyal reader, Austin has helicopter tours.

How It Began

In June 2012, Randy and Stacy Riggs expanded their San Antonio-based Alamo Helicopter Tours to Austin and opened Austin Helicopter Tours. Randy and Stacy are old hands in the helicopter business – Randy has 42 years of helicopter flying experience. Their current team consists of seven pilots who are FAA certified in a variety of helicopter designs.

I had the privilege to speak to Justin Little, one of the pilots for Austin Helicopter Tours. A little over five years ago, Justin wanted to learn how to fly a helicopter (it’s taking everything in my power to not call them choppers). Three months into the self-paced course, he earned his private pilot’s license. A year and a half later, he walked away an instrument-rated commercial pilot, and a certified flight instructor.

Helping People Experience Flight

Justin gave me a nice nickel tour of the Austin Helicopter Tours facilities. There are several helicopters for different purposes. Their largest is a Bell Long Ranger. This helicopter, built by the company who produced the famous UH-1 “Huey” helicopter, is capable of seating seven people and [Read more…]

Filed Under: Activities, Discoveries, Local Business

The Funniest Person in Austin Contest: 6 Weeks of Comedy Mortal Kombat

March 18, 2014 by David Thomas 7 Comments

Mac Blake Funniest Person in Austin

2013 Funniest Person in Austin winner Mac Blake stays busy hosting Mac and Cheese and co-hosting Jazz Cigarette (Photo courtesy of austinculturemap.com)

What would you do if there was a contest showcasing something you love to do? Would you not be doing everything possible to participate? For Austin standup comics, their opportunity is the 2014 Funniest Person in Austin contest, hosted by Cap City Comedy Club.

The Laff Stop opened in 1986. Ten years later, the name changed to Cap City Comedy Club. A year after that, the club started its Funniest Person in Austin Contest. This contest, now in its 17th year, draws in enough contestants for the competition to last roughly six weeks, and has gained the attention of national entities like Comedy Central. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Nightlife Tagged With: comedy

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