Laura Darby - The Austinot

Romance at Austin Italian Restaurants: Carmelo’s Ristorante Italiano

February 6, 2013 by Laura Darby 2 Comments

Find Carmelo’s at 504 E. 5th St.

Want a taco? Austin has a million places to go to get one. Some BBQ? Absolutely. But until I visited Carmelo’s downtown, I wasn’t sure that I could experience really wonderful Italian food in our southern capital city.

The trope of the romantic Italian restaurant is pervasive in movies and TV. Sadly most Italian restaurant experiences don’t measure up to their cinema counterparts, and we just have to be glad that they don’t simulate scenes from The Godfather and that we can walk out alive. From red and white gingham table cloths to greasy, undercooked garlic knots, a lot of Italian restaurants are too cheesy in every sense of the word. [Read more…]

Top 5 Survival Tips for Carnaval Austin

January 30, 2013 by Laura Darby 3 Comments

Carnaval at the Palmer Events Center in Austin

Palmer Events Center on Carnaval night

One of the first things I noticed upon moving to Austin is the proclivity for dress up parties.

In New York, any costume you wear you have to wear on the subway, which is probably why people end up just going pantsless.

Carnaval Brasileiro is a popular event that happens during the “coldest” time of year in Austin, ironic considering the standard levels of nudity that pass for costumes at the yearly event.

There is a yearly theme. Last year, it was the Wizard of Oz. This year, the theme is Peter Pan. The theme is not overtly stated in any of the website content, but novice Carnaval attendees can be easily distinguished by their lack of theme adherence. [Read more…]

With the Highball Closed, Does Kung Fu Saloon Measure Up?

January 21, 2013 by Laura Darby Leave a Comment

After the holidays, I resumed my search for a replacement to the Highball. Of course, no two places are identical. But the Highball had provided me a place to eat and drink, and offered more entertainment than just watching my drunk friends fall down. Thus far on my search, I’ve visited The Goodnight and The Common Interest. These spots aren’t trying to be The Highball, but each has elements of entertainment that overlap with The Highball in some way.

This time, I tried out Kung Fu Saloon on 6th Street. It has a much different vibe than [Read more…]

With The Highball Closed, How Does The Common Interest Measure Up?

December 5, 2012 by Laura Darby 2 Comments

The Common Interest

Last month after The Highball shut its doors for a year, I started a pilgrimage to find a decent replacement that had the charm and engaging side activities of The Highball. After pricey disappointment and a lack of karaoke at The Goodnight, I decided to try an Austin karaoke standard: The Common Interest Karaoke Bar and Grill.

Both The Highball and The Goodnight have very swanky interior décor, one more intentionally than the other. The Common Interest, however, is *straight 80’s*. It’s not called The COMMON Interest for nothing. [Read more…]

The Highball Faces Year Long Closure, Does The Goodnight Measure Up?

November 26, 2012 by Laura Darby 6 Comments

The Highball Austin Closed for Renovations

Searching for a substitute to The Highball

Editor’s Note: As of May 2018, The Goodnight on West Anderson Lane has closed. A new location is planned for West Sixth Street.

This past week marked the last we’ll see of The Highball for at least a year, while they complete renovations that are part of the Alamo South Lamar complex takeover.

What will Austinites do in the interim?

As a faithful patron of the Highball, I’m taking it upon myself to find out. [Read more…]

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