Austin Insider Blog

View Full Post Austin Arts & Culture Fall Preview

Published: 8/29/2014

With so many wonderful and eclectic arts & culture choices in Austin, I thought that it would be helpful to create a fall preview. Here are some of my "can't miss" suggestions: Blanton Museum of Art James Drake: Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash) October 19, 2014 January 4, 2015 James Drake, Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash) Chapter 9, 2012 2013. Mixed Media on paper. Photo courtesy of the artist, James Drake 2013. Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash) represents the culmination of two years of active creation by contemporary artist James... read more

Tags: Fall Arts & Culture Museums

Posted in: Arts & Culture

View Full Post Labor Day Weekend in Austin

Published: 8/27/2014

The first Monday in September is a time to celebrate the hard work and achievements of American workers. Check out some of our top picks for Labor Day Weekend in Austin, and be sure to thank Grover Cleveland for your three-day weekend! The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival is a seven-day live performance independent festival that showcases improv, sketch, stand-up and other acts surrounding Labor Day Weekend. Check out some of the different shows at theaters across the city - this year's festival will host over 500 performers in 120 shows! Cool off during the last bit of summer at... read more

Tags: Comedy Events Holidays LGBTQ Live Music

Posted in: Events

View Full Post Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum

Published: 8/25/2014

The Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum is a perfect blend of all things Austin: amazing local art casually set in a lush garden of local native Texas plants. The space is truly a relaxing and peaceful oasis only blocks from the hustle and bustle of downtown. "The Spirit of Flight" at Umlauf. Photo Courtesy of Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum. Noted 20th century American sculptor Charles Umlauf gave the bronze and stone sculptures occupying the garden to the city of Austin in 1991. These pieces are placed strategically throughout the space and interact, each... read more

Tags: Family Parks Multicultural Arts & Culture Outdoors

Posted in: Arts & Culture

View Full Post Austin Instagram Walk

Published: 8/22/2014

Do you love to take photos of Austin with your phone? Interested in meeting up with other photographers? In partnership with 365 Things to do in Austin , we are hosting an Austin Instagram Walk, September 6th at 9 a.m. What: Austin Instagram Meet-up and Walk. If participants use the #TrueAustin hashtag when posting Austin photos to Instagram and/or Twitter over that weekend, they will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate to Trace . Selected photos will also appear on austintexas.org ! When: Meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 6, 2014 Where: Let's all gather at the Willie Nelson statue... read more

Tags: Events Tours

Posted in: Uncategorized

View Full Post Austin Duck Adventures

Published: 8/20/2014

For the young and young at heart, the Austin Duck Adventures Duck Tour is sure to quack you up!I recently had the pleasure of taking the tour with a 2 year old, 7 year old and someone around 60 (love you mom!) and all of us had a great time! Fair warning - all passengers are supplied with duck-bill kazoos, and all of the kids on board get to keep them. And bring them home. And re-use them for days! The tour guide was so much fun and shared a combination of Austin facts, statistics, and trivia while entertaining our group with songs and dances. The tour lasts a little over an hour and departs... read more

Tags: Austin Visitor Center Family Tours

Posted in: Family

View Full Post Austin Weird Homes Tour 2014

Published: 8/18/2014

Austin is weird. That's great! The zany, wacky and wonderful culture of Austin, Texas is the reason artists, musicians, start-ups and innovators all thrive here. Sights from Flamingo Ranch. Photo by Matt Glazer. Of course, with the rise in Austin's popularity as a destination for business and relocation, comes one startling fact: according to a 2014 Zandan Poll, nine out of 10 Austinites think Austin is weird, but over half say it's becoming more similar to other major US cities. The annual Weird Homes Tour highlights the many wonderful homes and people... read more

Tags: Events Iconic Austin Tours Weird

Posted in: Arts & Culture

View Full Post Amy's Ice Creams

Published: 8/15/2014

Considered an Austin ice cream institution, Amy Simmons opened the first Amy's Ice Creams on Guadalupe Street in 1984. There are now more than 13 Austin locations, including one in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport ! Amy's is famous for their Mexican Vanilla ice cream but they actually rotate more than 350 flavors and also serve frozen yogurt and fruit ices. Amy's staff are always in a happy mood and love performing tricks with the ice cream; throwing it in the air and catching it in fun ways. And don't forget to add crush-ins to your favorite creation (fruit,... read more

Tags: Family Iconic Austin

Posted in: Family

View Full Post Austin Artist Interview: Riders Against the Storm

Published: 8/14/2014

RAS' Self-Titled EP. Local Austin band Riders Against the Storm (RAS) has made waves recently in the city's music scene as the first hip-hop group to win band of the year at the Austin Music Awards. The husband and wife duo of Jonathan "Chaka" Mahone and Ghislaine "Qi Dada" Mahone took some time to discuss their musical style, Austin's music vibe and where they like to go for food and fashion. Your music career has taken you all over the country and you could easily settle in a different city. Why have you made Austin your home base? What makes it special?... read more

Tags: Live Music True Austin

Posted in: Live Music

View Full Post Exploring Blue Hole Lagoon

Published: 8/11/2014

Summer in Texas is all about finding a cool place to play, so look no further than Blue Hole ! Located just 45 minutes south of Austin approaching Wimberley, Blue Hole has crystal-clear water that stays 75 degrees year-round, and is surrounded by tall cypress trees which offer plenty of shade. Blue Hole is the Disneyland of Texas swimming holes! There is a beautiful, well-manicured grass lawn on the edge of the swimming hole perfect for setting up chairs or blankets and spending the day lounging in the sunshine. Visitors can pack a cooler and spend their time in the shade where picnic... read more

Tags: Family Summer Hill Country Outdoors

Posted in: Outdoors

View Full Post Old-School Austin Tex-Mex

Published: 8/8/2014

Austin is loaded with regional Mexican restaurants, trendy Mexican restaurants, Mexican fusion restaurants; expensive weekend brunch Mexican restaurants (don't pretend you don't know the outfits I'm talking about). But I'm inviting you to climb into the way-back machine. We're going back 50 years or more, back to a time before Tex-Mex was called Tex-Mex. Back then, there were five Austin Mexican food restaurants of note: El Rancho, El Matamoros, El Toro, El Gallo, and El Patio. If you wanted Mexican, you had to go to one El or the other. Of those, three survive: Matt's... read more

Tags: Iconic Austin Tex-Mex Eat & Drink

Posted in: Eat & Drink

Posts from August 2014

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