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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.
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…]
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…]
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…]
