Activities - 2/23 - The Austinot

9 Must-see Texas Hill Country Holiday Light Trails

December 4, 2018 by Joleen Jernigan 4 Comments

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.
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Austin’s Best Bazaars, Fairs, and Markets for Your Holiday Shopping

November 19, 2018 by Jessica Pino Leave a Comment

Holiday Bazaars Fairs and Markets in Austin

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…]

Austin Roller Rink Provides Rock and Rolling Good Time for All Ages

October 31, 2018 by Katrina Cervantes Leave a Comment

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.
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Walking Ghost Tours of Austin Reveals Creepy Side of Downtown

October 17, 2018 by Vi Chetan Leave a Comment

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…]

Austin Permaculture Guild Aims for Greater Harmony With Environment

September 21, 2018 by Katrina Cervantes Leave a Comment

Austin Permaculture Guild Planting Trees

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…]

10 Reasons You Never Have to Leave East Austin

August 28, 2018 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

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…]

No Bad Days: Insider’s Guide to Lake Travis

August 14, 2018 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

When Austin’s summer temps surpass a punishing 100 degrees, it’s time to cool off in a swimming hole. Lake Travis, roughly 30 minutes from central Austin, has been a watery, refreshing respite from Austin’s heat, traffic, and citified stress since 1942. This is your detailed guide to spending a flawless day in and around Lake Travis.

Lake Travis, one of a series of manmade lakes around Texas, is a branch of the Colorado River. The Lower Colorado River Authority created Lake Travis when it built Mansfield Dam (part of the Highland Lakes project to create lakes throughout central Texas).

The lake measures approximately 63.5 miles, snaking up and around west Travis County nearly to Marble Falls. It’s our largest body of water in the area and has spawned a lifestyle centered around boating, water sports, yacht rock, and easy living.

I spent a few days out at Lake Travis in order to share these adventures with The Austinot’s readers. These tips are a good start to getting to know the area and its activities. Enjoy! [Read more…]

Virtually Tour Austin Central Library’s Impressive Six Floors

August 8, 2018 by Amanda Gagnon Leave a Comment

There are six floors to wander through and explore at Austin Central Library (Credit: Amanda Gagnon)

Even though Austin Central Library has been open for a while now, I recently visited for the first time. The building itself is stunning and I was pleasantly surprised by what the library offers to visitors.

Of course, you can check out books and other media. It’s a library. But did you know you can record a podcast from one of the shared learning rooms? Or that there are reading porches and a rooftop garden? How about the newly opened cafe?

I could have spent all day at Austin Central Library and can’t wait to return for another visit. [Read more…]

Become a DIY Crafting Master at North Loop’s Crafts & Drafts

July 31, 2018 by Vi Chetan Leave a Comment

Some of the crafting supplies available at North Loop’s Crafts & Drafts

Wine and paint parties took us by storm a few years ago. The simple premise has turned out to be incredibly entertaining and successful. But we aren’t all painters! I know I’m definitely lacking in the fine arts department…

Ananda Neureither, who found herself on the way to yet another wine and paint party, wondered about variations on the theme. Her crafting and DIY prowess soon manifested as Crafts & Drafts, a local workroom where you can take classes or host your own event.

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Guide to Austin’s Nightlife Districts for Bachelor Party Planners

July 24, 2018 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

You’ve seen them. Young men roaming the city, with an eye for adventure and matching t-shirts. They touch down in Austin on Thursday or Friday, live their best lives for as long as they can, and then go back to whatever reality they came from.

Bachelor parties are everywhere in Austin, and for good reason. Our city offers the best food, drink, and outdoor activities. There’s the amazing weather, and accessibility within the city that makes it easy to navigate from place to place. If you’re planning a bachelor party in Austin, know you have options–most of all the option to keep it uncomplicated and fun. [Read more…]