Erin May - The Austinot

Indie Orchestra Night Fuses Popular Artists, Choir, Orchestra

February 23, 2015 by Erin May Leave a Comment

Self-taught composer Nathan Felix will debut sections from his second orchestra at Indie Orchestra Night (Credit: Nathan Felix)

Imagine a show that combines the dramatic power of a symphonic orchestra, the full range of a choir and the modern edge of indie musicians. Indie Orchestra Night, which will be presented by the Texas Choral Consort on March 7, 2015, involves the musical prowess of a wide spectrum of talented individuals. In other words, this will be an epic concert for Austinites.

The brainchild of self-taught composer Nathan Felix, who has roots in the indie rock world, Indie Orchestra Night required creative risks for the artists and lots of coordination. Those who see the show will be immediately impressed by the sheer amount of musicians on stage—between the Texas Choral Consort and the orchestra, there will be 120 musicians accompanying the indie artists.

To create this progressive orchestral show, Felix and Brent Baldwin of Texas Choral Consort reached out to Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater, Dana Falconberry, Zeale and The Rocketboys to join the ranks and collaborate on a truly unique concert. [Read more…]

5 Places to Find East Side King in Austin

February 9, 2015 by Erin May Leave a Comment

Follow this strange creature to East Side King

East Side King was created by Paul Qui and Moto Utsunomiya as a side project when the chefs worked together at Uchi and Uchiko. Since that time, the number of East Side King food trucks has multiplied, and two brick and mortar locations have opened up as well.

Paul Qui is perhaps best known for winning Top Chef Texas in 2012. To the advantage of Austin foodies, he has continued to dig his creative roots deep into Austin’s food scene.

Additional media exposure has spread the word about East Side King, benefiting the business itself and Austin’s reputation as a foodie attraction. The trailer empire was featured on an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. One of the newest trailers, dubbed Thai-Kun after chef Thai Changthong, was ranked 8th on a national list of best new restaurants in 2014 by Bon Appetit.

However you heard of it, there are now 5 places in Austin to experience the Asian-inspired street food of East Side King. [Read more…]

Little Herds: Nonprofit Introduces Bug Eating to Austin

January 26, 2015 by Erin May 2 Comments

Little Herds Dish of Calamari with Mealworms

A calamari dish made with mealworms (Credit: Little Herds via Flickr)

Crickets: the food of the future. Healthy, sustainable and exotic–what’s not to love?

This may come as a shock to some, but many people have recently begun developing this concept in the western world–one of the only places on earth where eating insects is not widely accepted. Little Herds is a non-profit created in Austin that educates the public about entomophagy, the practice of eating insects.

Once you get over the initial shock and gross factor, the logical reasons for cricket consumption become surprisingly compelling. [Read more…]

5 Outstanding Independent Bookstores in Austin

January 9, 2015 by Erin May 7 Comments

South Congress Books interior

It’s a community space, haven for collectors, performance venue and political hub. It’s all of these things—and a bookstore.

It’s not enough to simply house books anymore. Instead, independent bookstores in Austin have nestled into niches, attracting local bibliophiles to experience something unique.

Although the future of brick and mortar bookstores is unknown, in Austin there are many independent bookstores that continue to succeed. BookPeople, for instance, is the largest independent bookstore in Texas. But many more businesses have continued to crop up in Austin, proving that bookstores still hold relevance here.

Below are some of the bookstores that give this city character and feed the literary lovers who live here. [Read more…]

Procrastinator’s Guide to Festive Christmas Eve Activities in Austin

December 24, 2014 by Erin May Leave a Comment

Flying pig on a polar bear, glowing angel dolls and a snowman snow machine – Mr. Littlefield’s light display is full of eccentric cheer

Your decorations have been out for weeks. Family is in town and holiday stress may be running high, but fortunately there are still unique Christmas Eve activities and events in Austin that can complement mounting anticipation for tomorrow.

In fact, for those who only have Christmas Eve and Christmas day off work, today may present the perfect time to participate in holiday activities you haven’t had time for yet.

On Christmas Eve, Austin offers experiences not typically available any other time of year. You can re-learn how to ice skate, drive slowly past houses decked out with spectacular light shows and browse impressive local gift and art shows. [Read more…]

3 Austin Music Venues That Go Beyond Mainstream

November 24, 2014 by Erin May Leave a Comment

Entrance to the underground Elephant Room

Austin is often hailed as the Live Music Capital of the World. While this grandstand title is nice, if your musical tastes don’t fit into popular genres, you may wonder where to find unique music to enjoy.

If you’re looking to move beyond mainstream, read on to learn about a few of my favorite Austin music venues in town. While by no means an exhaustive list of offbeat music spots, my collection features vastly different options, all worth checking out for a change of pace. [Read more…]

Be a BookPeople Person at Texas’ Largest Indie Bookstore

November 10, 2014 by Erin May Leave a Comment

Colorful mural in BookPeople’s children’s area

BookPeople is a literary playground. Who needs a slide when there’s a Happy Hour book club and a maze of quirkily decorated shelves, each laden with new worlds to discover?

You may not be familiar with the BookPeople name because of its status as an independent bookstore. But its success is immediately apparent by its three story building located right across from Whole Foods and Waterloo Records on 6th Street. In fact, BookPeople is the largest independent bookstore in the state of Texas and was voted Bookstore of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly back in 2005.

Independent it is, and proud to be local. In fact, local is a critical part of BookPeople’s identity. According to one employee named Will (“They call me Wilbur”), “Being independent, we get to find different ways to interact with the community.” The drive to create opportunities, he said, is how BookPeople has continued to grow in the face of an allegedly dwindling publishing industry. “And it’s a fun place to work,” he added.

Opened in 1970 as “Grok Books” (grok means to fully understand something—a delightful reference to Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein), BookPeople has continued to grow over time as a beloved Austin classic. [Read more…]

Become a Maker at LeafDistrict Artisan Workshops

October 17, 2014 by Erin May 3 Comments

LeafDistrict glassblowing workshop (Credit: Kelli Niewohner)

If you’re tired of routine social activities and want a new way to spend time with friends or reconnect with yourself, the intimate creative workshops shared through LeafDistrict may offer you the perfect solution.

LeafDistrict is a virtual platform that artisans or “makers” use to connect with the community. Created as the brainchild and labor of love by Kelli Niewohner and Nicole Lutz, the website hosts workshops that bring crafts as common as knitting and as wild as glassblowing to those in Austin ready to indulge their creative side or try something new.

These workshops are a fulfilling way to spend your time because there is always something tangible you take [Read more…]

Elizabeth Street Cafe Brings French-Vietnamese to South First

August 25, 2014 by Erin May 1 Comment

Elizabeth Street Cafe on South First Street in Austin

Influenced by the colonial history between France and what is now Vietnam, Elizabeth Street Cafe offers the quaint atmosphere and charm of a French bistro while serving complex and flavorful Vietnamese style food.

The appearance of the restaurant itself is picturesque, with sea green shutters, striped canopies and a pink door. Bright blue iron chairs topped with sea green cushions dot the patio. A large striped canopy and outstretched umbrella shade the waitresses, themselves a crucial part of the atmosphere, clothed as they are in Vietnamese inspired dresses with [Read more…]

Winebelly: Tapas Wine Bar with Surprising Influences

July 28, 2014 by Erin May 1 Comment

Welcoming interior at Winebelly

Winebelly is true to its name. It invites the purple-tongued, the cheek-flushed, the loud-laughers, and you are unlikely to leave without a satisfied stomach.

A comfortable wine bar on Oltorf and South 1st St, Winebelly’s dark paneled bartop wood and golden booths invite guests to relax. At the same time, the venue maintains the class and food quality demanded of any successful wine joint.

The tapas bar was opened in 2013 by the same family who owns the Hai Ky Vietnamese restaurants in Austin. The Winebelly tapas and vino bar is vastly different from the Vietnamese go-to, but its local Austin roots are unmistakable.

Local ingredients are used in many of their plates and local beer, including the potent Devil’s Backbone, is served on tap and in bottles or cans at decent prices. [Read more…]

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