Activities Archives - Page 20 of 27

Light a Fire and Blow at Hyde Park’s Blue Moon Glassworks

November 3, 2014 by Cris Mueller 1 Comment

Glass blown ornaments at Blue Moon Glassworks

Glass blown ornaments from Blue Moon Glassworks

Tucked neatly into an envelope of leafy boughs in Hyde Park, Blue Moon Glassworks and owner Jim Berry have breathed life into an artistic niche in Austin for more than 14 years.

The store is filled with a colorful and ingenious array of one of a kind glass creations, and today my own unique collection of blown glass ornaments sits among these treasures.

Jim grew up in a home filled with artistic craft projects which he learned to recreate later in life. After retiring, he found himself learning new techniques and even selling pieces, soon setting out with a personal agenda to teach. At that, Blue Moon Glassworks was born. [Read more…]

Rō Fitness: Best Cardio Alternative to Running

October 29, 2014 by Jessica Pino Leave a Comment

Rowing machines out on the deck of Rō Fitness (photo credit Rō Fitness)

Even if you love running, rowing – or better yet the rowing machine – is the best low impact cardio alternative out there. And Rō Fitness is Austin’s only indoor rowing studio.

You’ve probably tried the rowing machines at the gym before with no results. But that’s likely because you were doing it wrong. After taking just one class at Rō Fitness (your first class is free), your workout routine will be changed. [Read more…]

Haunted ATX: Austin Streets in Spooky Ride with Freaky Facts

October 23, 2014 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Chris English and the Haunted ATX hearse

Guest article by Kendra Wright

There are multiple ways to experience the weird side of Austin. You can cruise the streets via a Segway, you can catch a ride in a real life Mystery Machine, and now the Austinot has discovered yet another unforgettable approach to exploring our city…and it’s unlike any way you’ve ever seen it before.

What if I told you your next great adventure involves riding in a hearse driven by a blood drawing Phlebotomist and planting your butt checks on the same seat Carl from The Walking Dead once used?

Interested? Read on. [Read more…]

Become a Maker at LeafDistrict Artisan Workshops

October 17, 2014 by Erin May 3 Comments

LeafDistrict glassblowing workshop (Credit: Kelli Niewohner)

If you’re tired of routine social activities and want a new way to spend time with friends or reconnect with yourself, the intimate creative workshops shared through LeafDistrict may offer you the perfect solution.

LeafDistrict is a virtual platform that artisans or “makers” use to connect with the community. Created as the brainchild and labor of love by Kelli Niewohner and Nicole Lutz, the website hosts workshops that bring crafts as common as knitting and as wild as glassblowing to those in Austin ready to indulge their creative side or try something new.

These workshops are a fulfilling way to spend your time because there is always something tangible you take [Read more…]

House of Torment Is the Best Haunted House in Austin

October 16, 2014 by Robert Luke 1 Comment

Commander Nemesis
(Credit: House of Torment)

Halloween is my favorite holiday. Every year, one of the things I look forward to in Austin is our coolest haunted house, House of Torment.

I never used to think of Halloween haunted houses as having large or small budgets. They all blended together. However, in the last ten years House of Torment has dominated the market in Austin, becoming the go-to place for Halloween scares.

Starting in 2003 at North Cross Mall, House of Torment eventually moved to the former Laser Quest building in Highland Mall’s parking lot. Back when I was in high school, Laser Quest was a rad laser tag attraction that had multiple stories (and before that it was the movie theater for Highland Mall). Eventually it was shut down and in 2005 the building was renovated into a haunted house attraction. This former laser tag building was perfect for a haunted house because it had multiple stories, paths to walk through and the walls were already painted black.

Film Quality Production

Over the years, House of Torment had raised the production quality to the point where it feels like walking into a big budget movie. [Read more…]

3 Affordable Downtown Group Fitness Classes

October 7, 2014 by Adrienne Albregts 3 Comments

Maybe you’ve noticed: Austin is a good looking town. The locals take care of themselves, which might have something to do with combatting the BBQ and Tex-Mex that’s always on the menu. Also, our weather doesn’t require us to put on that “extra layer of fat” in the winter months. It’s fantastic.

Maybe You’ve Also Noticed…

Austinites are obsessed with supporting local businesses. We keep it close to home. Personally, I keep it literally as close to home as possible because I don’t own a car. So when I started looking for a downtown gym, I thought I’d be out of luck [Read more…]

Get a Leg Up on Austin Dog Park Etiquette

September 18, 2014 by Adrienne Albregts 3 Comments

There’s a protocol regarding acceptable human behaviors behind the gates of Austin’s dog parks. If you are new to town (or old to town and new to dog ownership), here’s what you need to know about Austin dog park etiquette.

The First Rule of Dog Park Is: We Do Not Talk About Dog Park

The second rule of Dog Park is [Read more…]

Top 5 Unique Study Spots in Austin

September 8, 2014 by Jessica Pino Leave a Comment

Austin Public Library Carver Branch

Summer is behind us, football season is in front of us, and somewhere in between are books for studying. Labor Day not only marks the time when wearing white is “not permitted,” it also unofficially marks the start of school. But studying doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Whether you’re a Longhorn, Hilltopper or frequent the ACC, here are five unique study spots to get you through the semester. [Read more…]

Your Guide to Ditching the Car in Austin

September 3, 2014 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Credit: Van Sutherland via Flickr CC

Guest article by Adam Rosenfield

When you think Austin, you think of the outdoors. You remember walking from show to show at SXSW or standing for three days straight listening to bands at ACL. You think Barton Springs, and you think of the Whole Foods on Lamar. But do you think of walking to those places?

No matter what anyone says, Austin is like most other Texas cities, in that residents are very car-dependent. Live on Riverside, but work at the Arboretum? Heck, most residents think they can commute there in 10-15 minutes barring traffic.

Are you familiar with a transportation service called Capital Metro? Did you even know there were buses in Austin? Did you know there are vehicles in Austin other than buses that will A) Preserve the environment, but also B) Get you to your destination without wasting gas?

I’m here to demonstrate the litany of ways to get around Austin without a car, and discuss the most walkable neighborhoods in Austin. [Read more…]

Have You Seen This Colorful Surprise on UT’s Rooftop?

August 20, 2014 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

James Turrell, Interior of The Color Inside, 2013. Photo by Florian Holzherr. Courtesy of Landmarks, the public art program of The University of Texas at Austin.

The Experience

When a bird flew inches above our oval cutout, some of us gasped and then laughed at our response. Our slowly changing focal point had shifted suddenly and shot us out of a relaxed, contemplative state and back to the reality that we were staring at something ever-changing, yet accessible: the sky.

If you haven’t visited James Turrell’s Skyspace titled The Color Inside, you may not understand the full thrill of the bird sighting. Turrell’s art piece is an incredible permanent space located on the rooftop of the Student Activity Center on UT’s campus. The Color Inside was commissioned by Landmarks, UT’s public art program, and describing the piece isn’t an easy task. [Read more…]

Film Quality Production

Maybe You’ve Also Noticed…

The First Rule of Dog Park Is: We Do Not Talk About Dog Park

The Experience

Recent Posts

Welcome to The Austinot