Culture Archives - Page 14 of 15

Is Angel Sword the Best Sword Maker in the World?

May 15, 2012 by Eric Highland 149 Comments

A few months ago, if someone had asked me who makes the finest swords in the world I would have replied without hesitation, “the Japanese.” This shows my level of local ignorance.

What if I told you that one of the world’s most talented master sword makers lives and operates in Austin’s backyard?

Don’t believe me? It’s true. Not only that, but this American master sword maker has blown away every single world record in Japanese sword cutting and they aren’t getting the trophy back any time soon. He hasn’t beaten the Japanese by a small margin; he has decimated them. This master owns the charts.

All of them. [Read more…]

Art on the Green at Laguna Gloria: Exceptional Date Spot

May 1, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 4 Comments

Gentlemen, it’s time to suit up.

The Austinot is all about helping you out, so it’s our job to tell you about events like the one at Laguna Gloria. There is a lot to experience in this great city of Austin, and we love to sift through everything it offers and show you what’s worth paying attention to. Well, hold on a second and let me tell you about the perfect date location – guys, I’m talking to you.

The AMOA-Arthouse is one of my favorite places in Austin. If you haven’t checked out their location on Congress, definitely head that way to enjoy some amazing contemporary art. Right now, though, I want to tell you about their Laguna Gloria location. It is located at 35th Street and Lake Austin. Austinites throughout history have fallen in love with its beautiful landscapes and [Read more…]

Tom Gimbel of Austin City Limits: This Is What I Want to Do

April 30, 2012 by Brittany Highland 2 Comments

This is the story of a man who got what he wanted. Mix one part passionate, one part competitive, one part positive, and you get Tom Gimbel.

Throw in a few parts happenstance, and you get Tom’s life: An amazing journey from record company intern to General Manager of Austin City Limits. Where he ends up – nobody knows.

The Early Years: Amazing Records

Since the time Tom was a student at The University of Texas 25 years ago, he was a fan of music across the board. But playing in local bands wasn’t enough. In order to become more educated about music, he decided to intern at a local record company. He flipped open the phone book and Amazing Records was listed first. His offer to work for free was [Read more…]

Pushing Boundaries at AMOA-Arthouse’s Austin Art Exhibit

April 18, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 4 Comments

Austin art is the heart and soul of this city. Dallas has its shopping malls and sky scrapers. Fort Worth has railroads and industry. Lubbock has…sand.

Our art is what makes this city so characteristically weird and eclectic. From live music to oil painting – it doesn’t matter. There is nothing more Austin-esque than creating, appreciating and supporting local Austin art.

Luckily for us Austinites, the AMOA-Arthouse at the Jones Center is currently hosting its annual Five x Seven art exhibit and fundraiser. You can support one of most eclectic museums in town by purchasing inexpensive and handmade local art. Which is much better than sand.

The Five x Seven exhibit is based on a challenge. Years ago this Austin art museum challenged artists to submit works of art that were no bigger than five by [Read more…]

Strolling the Sidewalk with Austin’s “Other” Artists

April 10, 2012 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

This guest blog post is by Amy Lynch.

One of the most beautiful things about Austin is its ability to bring seemingly opposing forces together in perfect harmony. We do, after all, call ourselves “the live music capital of the world,” so it stands to reason that we should be able to pull off such a thing.

But aside from music – the thing we’re globally known for, and the very thing that formed the foundation more than 20 years ago of what is now the juggernaut known as South by Southwest – we’re home to a burgeoning colony of another kind of artist.

Some may never have played an instrument in their lives; others may be completely and utterly tone deaf. Luckily for their art, though, it doesn’t matter one bit.

Local artists recently converged by [Read more…]

The Blanton – A Great Austin Museum For UTexas Students

April 3, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 4 Comments

Visiting an Austin museum can be a rare experience for UTexas students who would rather spend their downtime on 6th Street. The Blanton Museum of Art, however, is something every Longhorn should take the time to see. I spent an afternoon walking around the museum to pin down exactly why I love it so much. If you haven’t been, I definitely encourage you to spend some time enjoying its many exhibits.

The museum is ever-changing and alive because Blanton’s collection grows and changes all the time. No two visits to the Blanton Museum are the same. I remember visiting their Turner to Monet exhibition once and, despite my deep respect for the 19th century masters, intended to skip the exhibit during my next visit. But alas, the museum had moved on to a new exhibit by the time I returned! The museum has exhibited everything from famous portraits to Central American folk art. [Read more…]

Reenacting the Battle of Goliad, Texas and Goliad Massacre

April 3, 2012 by Brittany Highland 4 Comments

There are few Texans who don’t enjoy rubbing in the fact that Texas was once its own country. It’s one of the things that the rest of the country hates about us.

But many people, especially in my generation, don’t consider or even know about the decisive battles in the Texas War for Independence that led to victory over Mexico.

Growing up, I was lucky to have two younger brothers who were Boy Scouts. Because of them, I got to tag along on many camping trips and educational adventures. One such adventure was to Goliad, TX for the annual reenactment of the 1836 Goliad Massacre and the battles of Goliad leading up to the Massacre. Goliad was an important location during the Texas War for Independence. Though the events there were tragic for Texas and its allies, they compounded with the fall of the Alamo to galvanize Texas forces to continue the fight for freedom. [Read more…]

Top 5 Reasons to Visit the Texas State History Museum

March 5, 2012 by Dustin Vegas 1 Comment

The Lone Star State is filled with things to be proud of. One of the factors that contributes significantly to Texas pride is the deep and rich history of the state. If you’re trying to convince your friends that Texas really is the best place in the world, the Bullock Texas State History Museum is for you.

Here are my top five reasons why the Bullock Texas State History Museum is worth experiencing:

1) It is beautiful. Right away, I noticed the giant lone star in its courtyard. The Lone Star symbol came about during the Texas Revolution in the mid-1830s, when Texas won its independence from Mexico. Today, it remains a manifestation of independence and the Texan fighting spirit.

Powerful without being ostentatious, the museum’s star says a lot about the Texas state of mind. I could not help but gawk at its elegance and size.

Behind the star is the larger-than-life museum. Massive stone pillars run from floor to ceiling, interspaced by crystal clear windows. I half-expected to [Read more…]

Austin Chronicle Short Story Contest Winners Announced

February 16, 2012 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

On February 8, 2012, the winners of The Austin Chronicle‘s 20th annual Short Story Contest were announced at an evening reception.

BookPeople, one of the sponsors of the contest, hosted the reception with finger foods and wine – a delightful mingling of literary lovers and slightly apprehensive finalists.

The contest was narrowed down to ten finalists by February 3rd, and getting to that point alone was a tremendous achievement. This year, 568 short stories were submitted! [Read more…]

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble! – Boxing in Texas

February 10, 2012 by Eric Highland Leave a Comment

Boxing, or the “Sweet Science” as it is called by lovers of the sport, is all over Texas. Have you ever been to a professional fight? Let me describe it for you…

The atmosphere is electric, the tension palpable and the first time you hear Lupe Contreras say, “It’s time to see who’s mas macho!” Jimmy Lennon Jr say, “It’s Showtime,” or Michael Buffer with his signature “Let’s get ready to rumble!” you’ll get immediately hooked into this world of the professional pugilist.

There is nothing like sitting ringside at a professional fight, nothing. [Read more…]

The Early Years: Amazing Records

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