Et Cetera Archives - Page 24 of 35

The Scarlet Rabbit’s Cuisine Drops You Down the Rabbit Hole

July 15, 2014 by Cris Mueller Leave a Comment

The Scarlet Rabbit in Round Rock, TX features Alice in Wonderland decor

Editor’s Note: Scarlet Rabbit closed May 14, 2017.

Chef Rob Snow breezes out from behind a curtain just as you might imagine the Cheshire Cat to appear, billowy in the night sky. And with that, I began my journey down the rabbit hole at The Scarlet Rabbit.

This fresh faced restaurant concept features cowboy cuisine using the flavors of Texas and the Gulf Coast, complimented by a Cajun flair.

Sound like a mouthful? Wait, there’s more. Rob and his business partner, Rich Taylor, methodically pair southern style comfort food with an Alice in Wonderland themed bistro. The result is sophisticated plates with whimsical finesse and imagination. [Read more…]

Austin Streets Brightened by Real Life Mystery Machine

June 30, 2014 by Guest Blogger 11 Comments

Shaggy and the Mystery Machine in Austin

This guest blog article is by Kendra Wright.

I have an obsession with weirdness and oddities. It’s probably why I adore our quirky little city so much. When I discovered that a real life Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo was cruising our streets, I was determined to dig up the details.

Next thing I knew, I was dressed up as Velma Dinkley and going behind the scenes with a life sized Scooby to get the story.

If you’ve ever wondered who is behind the brightly colored mystery mobile, you’re about to get an Austinot insider scoop. [Read more…]

Icenhauer’s Summer Sippers Take the Catwalk on Rainey St

June 16, 2014 by Cris Mueller Leave a Comment

The ladies of Icenhauer’s summer cocktail menu

Icenhauer’s, the majestically modest bar located at 83 Rainey Street, is widely known for their creative house made infusions and their lady-centric, ever-changing cocktail menus.

I spent a couple hours with one of the craft geniuses behind the delightful cocktail recipes, Stuart Thompson. Thompson guided me through the newly released summer lineup, featuring 7 attractive libations, and shared the story behind the namesake of each.

I see no need for a fanciful introduction, so let us cut to the chase. Without further ado, here are the ladies of Icenhauer’s summer menu… [Read more…]

Love Your City with Keep Austin Beautiful

June 9, 2014 by Matthew Champion Leave a Comment

Keep Austin Beautiful logo (Credit: Keep Austin Beautiful)

Have you ever wondered what those green “KAB” signs along Austin roadsides stand for? The ones that say so-and-so has adopted this road?

I know I have, eventually so much that I looked into it. Those signs are put in place by Keep Austin Beautiful, an organization that has been keeping the Austin community looking good for nearly thirty years. [Read more…]

aRoma Italian Kitchen Opens on South Lamar

May 20, 2014 by Cris Mueller Leave a Comment

aRoma Owner Dave Whitney, Executive Chef Jason Garcia and Restaurant Manager Carlos Cueva

Editor’s Note: aRoma is closed as of November 2017. Another Italian restaurant named ManinPasta is expected to take its place.

As the outline of South Lamar continues to change and quickly rise upward, Austin welcomes a new kid to town, aRoma Italian Kitchen & Bar.

Located at 3403 S. Lamar, aRoma has cozied up as a neighbor to our beloved Broken Spoke, bringing with it a new chapter of local Italian cuisine that reaches the south end of Austin. The contemporary kitchen boasts rustic recipes complemented by sleek presentation and fresh, local flavors, plus from-scratch pasta, dough, mozzarella and more. [Read more…]

ATX Safer Streets Exclusive Video Interview

May 19, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena 1 Comment

Sara Levine, Founder of ATX Safer Streets

What happens when a normal citizen becomes fed up with a city’s lack of action in response to a city-wide crisis? Over 3,500 signatures and more than 42 pages of testimonials from frustrated Austinites get collected, demanding action.

Sara Levine founded ATX Safer Streets after she received an overwhelming response to her petition calling for action. In less than two months, with the help of Butch Dowdy, Joseph Doyle, and several other volunteers, Sara has made considerable progress.

The first call to action was to gather data about drinking habits, driving habits and local transportation options. Austinites reponded: 651 anonymous respondents gave critical insight into our late night transportation habits. The data was alarming [Read more…]

Midway Food Park Offers Good Food and Family Fun

May 15, 2014 by Matthew Champion Leave a Comment

Busy day at Midway Food Park (Photo credit: Midway Food Park)

Editor’s Note: Midway Food Park shuttered in 2018.

Texas weather can be crazy, but living in Austin does provide you with a hefty share of beautiful days throughout the year. A good place to take advantage of those pretty days is the Midway Food Park, which offers a variety of fresh cooking and has plenty of room to stretch your legs and let the kids run all their energy out before they get home.

Midway Food Park is right off 360, about a mile shy of Westlake just past Barton Creek Mall (1905 S. Capitol of Texas Hwy). It’s also a stone’s throw from the Greenbelt, if you’re looking for more outside activities afterward. It has ten food trucks, a nice playground, an air-conditioned restroom trailer, plenty of parking and ample space to grab a table or spread out a blanket and eat picnic-style. [Read more…]

Wearable Hope Makes Philanthropy Stylish

May 8, 2014 by Samantha Champion 3 Comments

The making of a Wearable Hope campaign shirt

One of the most beautiful things about our city is its charitable spirit. A recent Greenlights study revealed that the Austin area has more non-profits than any other major city in the southwest United States, 4,000 in Travis County alone.

No matter your passion, there’s a non-profit dedicated to supporting a cause you care about. But beyond volunteering, how do you show your support for the charitable organizations working to better our city? Austin-based Wearable Hope makes raising awareness as easy as getting dressed in the morning. [Read more…]

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…]

Best Austin Craft Beer Joints: Porter Ale House and Gastropub

April 21, 2014 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Your friendly neighborhood bar, set to the background of South 1st traffic

Editor’s Note: Porter Ale House closed on July 27, 2017.

The craft beer scene in Austin is blowing up. For every new brewery that opens, there are at least three bars that pop up, eager to serve you the best local beers that Austin has to offer.

Continuing the tradition Eric started with his Best Burger Joint in Austin series, I’m profiling and reviewing the best craft beer joints in Austin, with the occasional stop or two at bars that have room for improvement. I’ll take into consideration everything from beer selection to ambiance to overall value, and everything in between.

Please join me as I try to catalog your favorite watering holes in Austin, and let me know what you think in a comment below.

First Impressions: Porter Ale House and Gastropub

The 78704 zip is home to plenty of good bars and some of the best restaurants in town, but it was never quite considered a craft beer destination. The opening of ABGB last year started to change that reputation and the recent debut of Austin’s first dedicated craft beer bottle shop, Whichcraft, further solidified this status. Further south, just within the boundaries of the 78704 zip code on South 1st near 71, Porter Ale House and Gastropub is another welcome addition to the now thriving craft beer scene in South Austin. [Read more…]

The Event

First Impressions: Porter Ale House and Gastropub

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