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The author at St. Edward’s Park in Austin
I don’t know about you, but I’ve happily said goodbye to last year. Now that we’re officially in the new year, I need to stick to my resolutions. I’ve come up with some friendly tips for staying healthy, learning a new skill, and getting involved in the Austin community. I think you’ll find many of my suggestions to be manageable, no matter your interests and time constraints.
The Morning Jo’s running group at Jo’s Coffee (Credit: Andrew Holmes)
Guest article by Lee McClendon
Austin has a lot to offer, so FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is one thing you don’t have to worry about in our unique, beautiful city. Besides the nightlife, art events, and live music, there’s another option for people that doesn’t cost a penny: free fitness. [Read more…]
Author Joleen Jernigan pampers herself with bubbly and oysters at Aviary (Credit: Mike Thompson)
“My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—It gives a lovely light!” This poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay could describe many Austinites, working and playing with all we’ve got. All the more reason to take care of ourselves along the way.
Austin was an early adopter of the wellness movement. Wellness and self-care are buzzy concepts now, and for good reason. We are lucky to reap the benefits of decades of old-school Austin hippies, health nuts, and fitness fiends who paved the way for us. [Read more…]
Airstream glamping at Lake Bastrop’s North Shore Park
I wouldn’t describe myself as an outdoorsman. Sure, I love sitting outside, preferably with a taco and a beverage. And yes, one of my favorite activities is riding my bicycle around Lady Bird Lake’s Hike and Bike Trail.
But I’ll be real with you guys. I’m not great at the great outdoors. Yet, there I was at Lake Bastrop’s North Shore Park in late November, sitting outside by a roaring fire as the temperature dropped below 30 degrees.
Bastrop is aglow with the warmth and twinkly lights of the season (Credit: Colin Guerra)
Shine on, you beautiful diamond! From now through the end of the season, festive holiday light trails adorn Texas Hill Country, and we’ve discovered the best and brightest dazzlers around.
We adore Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, but this article goes above and beyond for my kind of people who are truly extra in their love of shiny objects. I’m eternally beguiled by the night and mesmerized by shiny objects, so I’m way into the holiday light trail scene.
These aren’t your subtle, modest light displays, but rather full-on Clark Griswold affairs. If you crave holiday glitz and are up for a quick road trip, then these nine Hill Country destinations will satisfy your quest to shine on.
[Read more…]
Ceramic bowls by jpear Design
The holidays can be a joyous time of year with friends and family. But this season can also be stressful, as you try to find the perfect gift for those you love.
Whether you’re looking for arts, crafts, Texas foods, or gift certificates, our team at The Austinot believes local gifts make the best gifts! So here’s a rundown of the best bazaars, fairs, and markets in Austin to make your holiday shopping a breeze. [Read more…]
Are you ready to lace up and feel like a kid again? (Credit: Kurt Larson)
Austin Roller Rink is tucked away behind Southside Flying Pizza on Manchaca. While it can be hard to find, it’s easy to love. Usually, whenever I tell people I’m off to a night of skating at Austin Roller Rink, I’m met with a wistful nostalgia. “The last time I went, I was a kid,” they’d say.
Thankfully, we need not reminisce in perpetual longing for our younger, more carefree days. Austin Roller Rink is accessible to the inner child in all of us.
[Read more…]
Jim Miles leads a group into The Driskill Hotel for story of The Suicide Bride
Isn’t it sad we only get ghouls and spooks one night each year? If, like me, you’re a fan of all-things-Halloween every day, then I have the thing for you: Walking Ghost Tours! Owned and operated by Jim Miles, the tour company offers insight into Austin’s dark past. Part historian, part ghost enthusiast, Miles has melded his passions into an experience everyone is bound to enjoy. [Read more…]
Exec. Director Taelor Monroe planting trees with Permaculture Design Course students
(Credit: Austin Permaculture Guild)
Wild humans still exist. Humans who live close to nature, are in tune with their circadian rhythms, and live in cooperative societies. They wake and sleep according to the rising and setting of the sun, and perhaps grow or forage much of their own food.
On the other hand, some humans are urban dwellers through and through. They sit in traffic and go to grocery stores, and most likely have unnatural sleeping patterns. These are two extremes of the same spectrum, with various shades of gray in between.
If you identify more with the second camp, then chances are there has been at least one moment, however fleeting, when you’ve considered leaving your responsibilities behind, and escaping to live in the woods. Modern society, with all its spoils, can feel isolating, disenfranchising, and disempowering.
But before you quit your job and disappear into the wilderness, let’s explore those shades of gray. There is a system that aims to create a new paradigm for the way we live. It’s called permaculture. [Read more…]
As an unabashed east Austin lover, I offer a warning to those who are making it their home: try not to fall in love with the neighborhood too much. Yes, it’s the most fun part of Austin. Yes, it has everything you need to live your best life. Yes, there are new bars and restaurants popping up every week that need to be tried. But, it’s still important to visit other parts of the city every once in a while. Maybe?
For the people flooding into the many, many new apartments and condos in the neighborhood, let me tell you it can be difficult to venture out. These days, I find myself lacking motivation to leave east Austin for even a few hours.
As my first year with The Austinot comes to a close, I’ve decided to pen an ode to my neighborhood, which doubles as a word of caution. What follows are the top 10 reasons you might find yourself never leaving east Austin. [Read more…]
