Talena Ramnath, Author at The Austinot

Prohibition Creamery Serves Booze-Infused Ice Cream in East Austin Bungalow

August 19, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Prohibition Creamery East Austin

Prohibition Creamy on East 7th Street (Credit: Amy V. Cooper)

Austin is revered as one of the booziest American cities, hosting hundreds of bars to satisfy parched residents and tourists on steamy evenings during the summer months. In terms of other refreshing treats, Austin is also well-known for ice cream, snow cones, gelato and sorbet through establishments like Lick Honest Ice Creams and Dolce Neve.

Laura Aidan decided to combine both delights into an ice cream parlor and cocktail bar establishment called Prohibition Creamery. Opening on East 7th Street in mid-July 2016, Prohibition Creamery has already gathered an influx of fans due to its handcrafted, all-natural ingredients blended smoothly with wine and liquors such as bourbon and tequila. [Read more…]

Isla’s Caribbean Style Draws Rum Enthusiasts to Warehouse District

August 1, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Isla Caribbean cantina Austin

Isla’s Caribbean cantina decor, cocktails and fare provide a small island retreat (Credit: Andrea Calo)

Editor’s Note: After changing its focus to Peruvian fare in December 2016, Isla closed down in May 2017.

Austinites are familiar with the Warehouse District’s Péché, a distinct absinthe bar on 4th Street that celebrates pre-Prohibition era cocktails and French cuisine made with fresh, local ingredients. Owner Rob Pate emphasizes education and intimacy within the space, cultivating an atmosphere that encourages friendly rapport between bartenders and patrons.

But if you’re searching for a lively evening with friends, Peche’s sister bar will deliver. Directly next door to Péché, Isla is a vivacious Caribbean cantina. The same executive chef, John Lichtenberger, and pastry chef, Yolanda Diaz, serve simple but impacting flavor combinations. [Read more…]

Tempting Lineup Planned for Trailer Food Tuesdays This Summer

July 18, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Aerial view Trailer Food Tuesdays at Long Center

Aerial view of Trailer Food Tuesdays at The Long Center (Credit: Trailer Food Tuesdays)

By occupation, The Long Center is no stranger to large indoor and outdoor events. Whether it’s a large-scale musical act or a summer treat like Sound & Cinema, Austin residents and visitors suffer no shortage of entertainment on these active grounds.

Now in its fifth year and going strong, Trailer Food Tuesdays is no exception. As a segment of The Long Center’s “All Summer Long” series, this free event features over fifteen food trailers, live music and other entertainment provided by local vendors. [Read more…]

Chinese Cuisine Meets Louisiana Po’ Boy at General Tso’Boy

July 6, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

General Tso'Boy Austin Texas

Chinese-American meets po’ boy fusion at General Tso’Boy, located within Domain Northside’s Rock Rose district

Editor’s Note: General Tso’Boy is closed. The last day of service was Dec. 14, 2017.

Domain Northside’s Rock Rose district in North Austin is making a name for itself as Austin’s newest entertainment destination with bars, cafes and restaurants debuting constantly. General Tso’Boy, helmed by owners Jessica and Gary Wu, added their po’ boy fusion restaurant to the mix on June 21 of this year.

Pairing classic Chinese-American dishes like General Tso’s chicken with Easy Tiger toasted French bread, General Tso’Boy offers a complementing combination of salty, sweet and spicy flavors. [Read more…]

Fliers4nothin Taps Into Austin’s Keep It Weird Art Culture

June 20, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

fliers4nothin Fliers in Austin

fliers4nothin, a project founded by a local graphic design artist, depicts funny political and social commentary on colorful, simple fliers (Credit: fliers4nothin)

You may have seen neon fliers posted around East 6th Street or South Congress with simple designs bearing funny commentary. The messages depict living in Austin, politics, being a millennial and beyond. Friday evenings are usually the best time for spotting them, as the newest versions appear on street poles and bar flier boards as part of a project dubbed “fliers4nothin.”

“If you’re looking for secrets on the street, you might laugh and you might enjoy the city a little more. I’ll enjoy the city a little more because I get to place secrets around the street for all of the people,” the artist behind the project shared with a laugh. [Read more…]

Crux Climbing Center Opens Multi-Purpose Space off South Congress

June 6, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Crux Climbing Center Austin

Crux Climbing Center brings a unique facility to Austin’s climbing scene (Credit: Derrington Building Studio)

Off of South Congress stands the massive, angular structure of Crux Climbing Center, the newest bouldering and rope gym to inspire Austin residents to place hand on rock. The 22,000 square foot facility opened on May 7, 2016 with a huge competition, Setter Showdown, that drew hundreds of climbers from around the United States.

Local climbers Matt Twyman and Kevin Goradia partnered with East Austin architecture firm Derrington Building Studio to create a space that is incredibly unique to athletes, yogis and those searching for a gym with a comfortable but modern aesthetic.

“Ultimately, our vision is to make it a home. Climbing is very community-centric, and people just want to have a place to go gather and hang out. Climbing is almost like a second part of it. You spend more time hanging out with friends. We wanted a place where people enjoy being that is comfy and clean as they climb, read, do yoga and whatever else,” shared Twyman.

BarkHappy App Connects Dog Owners in Austin

May 31, 2016 by Talena Ramnath 1 Comment

BarkHappy App Dog Play Dates in Austin

Both owners and dogs get to improve their social life through the BarkHappy app
(Credit: Pawstin via BarkHappy)

Austin is home to multiple dog parks and businesses featuring a flurry of pup companions seated or strolling alongside their owners. There is no lack of dog presence, and the city of Austin is positioned at the forefront of the no-kill cause due to the efforts of Austin Pets Alive!

However, dog owners are still left with questions about which Austin venues are accessible to their furry family members. Could an app exist to detail dog-friendly places, and connect dog owners for puppy play dates? Ninis Samuel posed these questions after adopting his dog Kerby and noting how much Kerby enjoyed adventuring with him. He decided to do something about the need for information. [Read more…]

Buzz Mill Team Opens Music Venue Grizzly Hall on East Riverside

May 17, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Grizzly Hall Austin Music Venue

Restored wood outlines the walls of Grizzly Hall, creating the same rustic vibe as co-owned Buzz Mill
(Credit: Dave Creaney)

The Buzz Mill on East Riverside has been serving caffeine and booze for the past three years, enticing customers with its lumberjack decor, live music, a spacious outdoor patio space and delicious in-house eats. I particularly enjoy grabbing a brunch plate of chicken and waffles paired with grapefruit mimosas and a large group of friends.

Now, the crew behind The Buzz Mill is expanding operations with Grizzly Hall, their debut music and event venue. Showcasing music and comedy shows, art exhibitions, film events, and beyond, the space is poised to become a popular nightlife option.
[Read more…]

Volunteers Unite for Women Build Week and Habitat for Humanity

May 3, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

National Women Build Week Austin

Girls Night Out for Austin Habitat for Humanity kicked off National Women Build Week

On April 28, 2016, women volunteers in pink hard hats gathered together in the Lowe’s parking lot off Brodie Lane for Girls Night Out, the kick off event for National Women Build Week. In partnership with Lowe’s locations across the country, Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program encourages women to dedicate their time to assist in building homes for families in need of affordable housing.

This service impacts recipient families by providing them the independence of homeownership. At the same time, volunteers are educated in construction skills as they build the framework of a house. The event revolves around the idea of empowering women to inspire each other as they make a tangible difference in their community. [Read more…]

Logro Farms Demonstrates Sustainable, Full-Cycle Farming in Austin

April 14, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Ryan Sansbury Logro Farms

Ryan Sansbury, co-founder of Austin’s Logro Farms

What Austin resident hasn’t heard of Jester King Brewery and Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza? Adjacent to these local favorites is a relatively new sustainable farm you may not have heard of, but don’t doubt that Logro Farms has been gaining massive traction over the past three years.

Two friends from Houston, Ryan Sansbury and Jeremy Bastian, conceived the idea of a sustainable, full-cycle farm in Austin. After trying their hand at brewing kombucha and beer, and then making cheese, gourmet oyster mushrooms proved to be the ultimate choice. With oyster mushrooms, the duo could create a quality, healthy product while enabling its accessibility to the public through home-growing kits.

In 2013, with an outpouring of support from the Austin community through a Kickstarter campaign, Logro Farms came to fruition. “Our mission is all about low-waste local farming. We sell our products to local Austin and Central Texas restaurants, and we ship our kits all across the world. We can do fresh for local, and we can also do grow-at-home for everybody,” said Sansbury.