Discover the Best Things to Do in Austin, Food & Drink deals and more!
Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata entrance in East Austin
In a home off of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in East Austin reside Scott and Jen Webel, owners of the Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata. I remember visiting the museum when I first moved to Austin, and since then it has remained in the back of my mind as an oddity I wanted to learn more about. Where did all of these weird items come from, and why are they in someone’s home? [Read more…]
All this talk about the changing landscape of the Red River District is enough to make you cry. But there’s something new to the area that can help: stand up comedy.
Austin’s comedy scene has been left largely unexplored by many Austinites. Until now. One of newest open mic nights in town, Stand Up Empire at Empire Control Room & Garage, is proof that Austin’s comedy scene is on the rise. [Read more…]
Whether it’s Memorial Day, Labor Day or the Fourth of July, everyone loves long weekends. But there always seems to be a lot of pressure to plan the perfect weekend. And with so much happening within city limits, it’s hard to know where to go and what to do.
No matter which holiday is coming up, I’ve put together the ultimate long weekend itinerary for Austinites. [Read more…]
Keep Austin Weird. What does that even mean? Is it just a self-proclaimed slogan we slap on coffee mugs to sell at gift shops? Is Austin even that weird, or are we just a bunch of hipsters who want you to think so?
I’ve been doing a bit of exploring to get to the bottom of this. My verdict? Yep, Austin’s weird.
Before I get into some examples of said weirdness, here’s a fun fact: “Keep Austin Weird” was adopted by the Austin Independent Business Alliance as a way to promote local, small businesses. Since being introduced, the slogan has inspired a cultural evolution, opposing commercialism and encouraging the city to instead adopt a sense of individuality. So think of it as a movement, rather than merely a slogan.
Anyway, enough with the history lesson. Let’s get to it. You want weird? Here are five can’t miss things to do in Austin that keep our weirdness alive. [Read more…]
Libraries need to be easy to access, like this one in West Austin mounted on a fence
Perhaps you’ve seen one — a small case in a neighbor’s front yard filled with books. A sign attached encourages passers-by to “take a book, return a book.”
Curious? These Little Free Libraries combine social good with signature Austin weirdness to encourage reading in the community.
I first discovered these unique lending libraries while walking in my East Austin neighborhood. One morning, I noticed a clever little case fashioned from a tree stump in a neighbor’s front yard. Sometime later, I realized my regular Friday morning group run through West Austin passed another little library, this one built into a fence. Once aware of their existence, I started spotting little libraries all over town.
Picturesque moment underneath Barr Mansion’s pecan tree (Credit: Barr Mansion)
The question’s been popped, the ring presented and your heart is aflutter with pre-marital bliss. Love is in the air. You excitedly share the news with loved ones and what are the first questions they ask?
“Have you set a date? Where’s it going to be?”
And that’s when it hits you. You have to plan a party for hundreds of people with no past experience. Among the catering, DJs, linens and favors, the most crucial factor is probably first on your list: pick a magical venue. [Read more…]
So I packed up all of my things and decided to move to Austin because, you know, nobody else is doing that nowadays. On my way down here, I had that restless feeling that I was forgetting something. We’ve all experienced this. It didn’t hit me until I had arrived, but there were actually two things I had forgotten to bring with me: a belt and friends.
While a belt is an easy item to replace, attempting to build an entire social network from scratch can be a tad arduous. Luckily, Austin is a remarkably welcoming city filled with tons of events and activities designed to bring people together.
In just two months of exploring what Austin has to offer, I’m here to tell you that making new friends in Austin is a lot easier than you think. Here are some of the best places to meet people. [Read more…]
Dog House Drinkery Dog Park in Leander
Attention dog parents! You know that feeling when you come home from a long day at work and your best buddy is super excited to see you? You pet him and feed him, but after a long day you really want to go out and have a drink with some friends. The guilt of leaving the poor little guy at home without sufficient playtime starts to set in…
Turns out, you can have the best of both worlds at this bar/dog park. Bring your dog or dogs to Dog House Drinkery Dog Park in Leander and both you and your best buddies are sure to go home happy. [Read more…]
At Deep Eddy, one pool serves both recreational and lap swimmers (Credit: City of Austin PARD, Aquatics Office)
Visiting Austin and need a watery workout? Love to swim laps but hate paying for a club or committing to group lessons? Austin has several great pools for those who like to drop in and bliss out to the lane’s black stripe.
Here are nine Austin area pools that have drop-in lap swimming. Check individual websites for fees, which vary according to age, residency and pass discounts. [Read more…]
Guest article by Dawn Sarnecky
It’s no secret that Austin’s east side is a little grittier than the rest. I’m drawn to this kind of environment for its uniqueness and beauty. Since movin’ on up to the east side (thank you, Jeffersons), I’ve adventured out to discover gems that could give Sunday Funday on Rainey Street a run for its money.
Be prepared for some of the best bars in town to make your Sunday blues disappear and get a head start on the upcoming week with my guide to Sunday Funday in East Austin. [Read more…]