About.com Austin

Fun Fun Fun Fest This Weekend

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:44:41 +0000

The fourth annual Fun Fun Fun Fest takes place in Austin this Saturday and Sunday. Put on by Transmission Entertainment, this increasingly popular festival features progressive and underground music in the genres of punk/hardcore, indie rock, and hip hop/DJ. There will also be some comedy shows.

The event will be held at Waterloo Park in downtown Austin and will feature four main stages, one for each genre. While most of the bands are emerging and lesser-known, there will be a few big names there, such as Ratatat, Danzig, Of Montreal, and Pharcyde. Several local food vendors will be there, including Frank, Woodland, Tiff's Treats, and Boomerang's.

Will you be attending Fun Fun Fun Fest? Which act are you most excited about?

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Fun Fun Fun Fest This Weekend originally appeared on About.com Austin on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 13:44:41.

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Holiday Shopping Starts Early with Shop787

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:38:41 +0000

Launch 787, the events company behind Austin's Fashion Week, is featuring a new event this Sunday called Shop787. It is a way to do some holiday shopping before the crowds and chaos begin, and it is also fundraiser and book drive for the Dell Children's Medical Center.

More than 50 local shops, designers, and artists will be at Shop787 selling goods. There will be a food court with vendors including Malaga, Judges' Hill Restaurant, Sushi A Go Go, and The Cupcake Bar.

"While there have been many shopping events in the Austin area, we felt there was a void that really celebrates local business in a unique environment," said Matt Swinney, Founder of Launch787. "It's a great opportunity to keep holiday shopping dollars in the local economy while also supporting a more-than-worthy charity in Dell Children's Medical Center."

Advance tickets are $5 through Shop787.com. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 (or $5 with the donation of a book for the medical center). Tickets include all beverages (alcohol from Tito's Vodka and Brown Distributing and non-alcoholic beverages from Sweet Leaf Tea).

Shop 787 takes place Nov. 8 from noon to 6 p.m. It will be held in the courtyards at the Mosaic at Mueller, an apartment community near I-35 and 51st Street.

Holiday Shopping Starts Early with Shop787 originally appeared on About.com Austin on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 13:38:41.

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Austin Ghosthunters Take on the Driskill Hotel

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:59:10 +0000

Austinites Alexandra Parrish, David J. Neff and Aaron Bramley have been hunting ghosts for the last six months with their show Ghosthunting and Milkshakes, the only Central Texas paranormal TV show. It airs on Facebook, YouTube, iTunes and Time Warner Ch. 16.

Alex believes in ghosts and Dave doesn't. On each show they investigate supposed hauntings in Texas, and at the end, determine a winner based on the amount of evidence obtained. The loser buys the winner a milkshake. In their first-ever Halloween episode, the team investigates downtown Austin's notorious Driskill Hotel.

The opulent hotel opened in Austin in 1886 by Colonel Jesse Driskill, but closed just six months later. After several more openings and closings, in 1999 it was fully restored to its original grandeur.

One of the ghosts at the Driskill is said to be Colonel Driskill himself, who is accompanied by the smell of cigar smoke. Smoking is not allowed in the hotel, and in the video, a staff member says she and most of the other staffers have all smelled cigar smoke at least once and in various areas.

Another ghost is the Texas ladies' man, who haunts guest rooms of beautiful women and supposedly lays out the clothes that he wants them to wear that night. Another spirit often seen is a young girl bouncing a ball. It is thought that she is the ghost of a Senator's daughter who fell to her death down the hotel's grand staircase while chasing a ball.

Have you ever encountered a ghost at the Driskill?

Austin Ghosthunters Take on the Driskill Hotel originally appeared on About.com Austin on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 15:59:10.

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Action! Austin Film Festival Begins

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:29:56 +0000

The 16th annual Austin Film Festival kicked off yesterday. Each year, this festival brings a dearth of A-list talent together, including screenwriters, directors, actors, and agents, for screenings, panels, and parties. Director Ron Howard will be there this year accepting the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award. The caliber of panelists is astounding; they include Shane Black, the writer/director of Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang; Paul Feig, director of Weeds, 30 Rock, The Office, and Mad Men; and Damon Lindelof, producer of Star Trek and creator/writer of Lost.

If you love film, you can purchase the full conference badge for $375 and participate in nearly everything. You can also just show up to individual screenings and buy a ticket without a badge or pass, though you might not get in. If you plan to go to several films but don't want to attend the actual conference, buy the Film Pass, which will give you priority access to the more than 190 film screenings, plus several premieres. The films range from local to international, and many of the films are in the film festival's competition.

The regular Film Pass costs $42. The other option is the Lone Star Badge; this costs $95 and gives you priority over regular attendees AND Film Pass holders. It also includes admission to an entire day of panels at the Screenwriters Conference on Saturday and admittance to the Pitch Finale Party Saturday night. People with these passes can also purchase Pitch Competition tickets ($15, limit two), which are not available to regular Film Pass holders. You can buy these passes online. Will you be attending the Austin Film Festival this year? What are you most looking forward to?

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Action! Austin Film Festival Begins originally appeared on About.com Austin on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 12:29:56.

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Home Sales and Foreclosure Filings Up in Austin

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:22:17 +0000

The economy is in a strange place; the stock market is now performing better than it has in a long time, but most of us know people who were recently laid off (I know two people in Texas who were axed in the last few weeks).� Austin's housing market also seems to be going in two different directions.

According to the Statesman, foreclosure filings in the Austin area have risen 52 percent from the same time last year, with 1,300 homes on the auction block on Nov. 3. They got the numbers from Foreclosure Listing Service Inc. The company's CEO and president, George Roddy Sr., is quoted as saying, "Despite recent announcements that the recession is over and we are poised for recovery, I fully expect foreclosure postings to remain high well into 2010."

The Statesman also reported that sales on existing homes in the Austin area have risen 6 percent, which is the first time there has been year-over-year growth in more than two years. Pending sales, which are home sales that will likely close in October, are up 24 percent from this time last year. "As the deadline for the first-time homebuyer tax credit approaches on Nov. 30, we may continue to see increases in home sales into October and November," said Jay Gohil, chairman of the real estate board, to the Statesman.

What do you think -- is Austin's housing market getting better or worse?

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Home Sales and Foreclosure Filings Up in Austin originally appeared on About.com Austin on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 22:22:17.

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Che Bella! La Dolce Vita is Tonight

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:28:13 +0000

Want to live the high life? Tonight is Austin's annual La Dolce Vita, a posh food and wine festival that has been around for 20 years. It benefits the Austin Museum of Art's exhibition and educational programs.

The event will be held at Laguna Gloria, an Italian-style villa owned by the museum, and will be decorated like the movie set from Fellini's La Dolce Vita. Sample food from 50 of Austin's best chefs,� hang out in the Twin Liquors Cigar & Scotch lounge, and bid in the auction of wine glasses designed by 20 local artists. There will also be live music and dancing.

The event is from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $100; the scotch lounge costs an extra $20.� There is free on-site parking for Vespas, but vehicles cannot park at Laguna Gloria. Instead, park free at Seton Medical Park Tower Lot (1801 38th Street) or the TXDOT Parking Lot Building Lots 9 & 10 (3500 Jackson Avenue) and ride the free shuttles over to Laguna Gloria.

Che Bella! La Dolce Vita is Tonight originally appeared on About.com Austin on Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 10:28:13.

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Halloween Is Here!

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:55:26 +0000

Well, it's not exactly October 31 yet, but Austin is already enjoying fall and gearing up for Old Hallow's Eve. If you love Halloween, there's no need to wait until the end of the month; you can start celebrating in Austin right now.

Pumpkins are pouring out of the doors at grocery stores. Two of Austin's haunted houses -- Mansion of Terror and House of Torment -- are already open for business. Many family friendly Halloween activities are up and running in the Austin area, and there are many more are to come on Halloween night. Local restaurants are serving up pumpkin-flavored dishes, such as Kerbey Lane's famous pumpkin pancakes (even Jamba Juice is now serving a pumpkin smoothie for fall -- I tasted a sample of it yesterday and it was delicious).

What Halloween activities are you participating in before the big event?

Halloween Is Here! originally appeared on About.com Austin on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 15:55:26.

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ACL Recap, Zilker Park to Close

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:25:51 +0000

Well, 2009's Austin City Limits festival was another smash hit. Thousands of locals and visitors descended upon Zilker Park to see bands such as Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, John Legend, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (I took this photo at that amazing show!). The weather on Friday was perfect. However, not all went well.

Tickets were sold out, so the crowds were a overwhelming and it was difficult to access some of the shows. Despite rows and rows of porta-potties, the lines were extremely long (sometimes 15-people deep). Additionally, cell phone signals were very spotty due to the high concentration of people, so it was difficult to meet up with friends.

On Saturday, it rained throughout the day, leaving the recently renovated Zilker Park and (and its concertgoers) wet and muddy. While Sunday's weather was much better, the Zilker Park remained a muddy mess. The city announced that the park will be closed until the end of the month in order for them to clean it up.

What was your reaction to ACL this year? What were your favorite performances?

ACL Recap, Zilker Park to Close originally appeared on About.com Austin on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 13:25:51.

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Austin City Limits Approaching, Has iPhone App

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:29:50 +0000

Austin City Limits, the annual three-day music festival that brings thousands of people from across the globe to Austin, is back for its eighth year. With over 100 bands playing on multiple stages, the city is abuzz with talk of which bands to see.

This year, determining your schedule on the fly is easier than ever because an iPhone application for ACL has just been released. I downloaded it and played with it today (called "ACL Fest") and it is absolutely brilliant. You can view the schedule by day and/or stage, and you can select shows you want to attend to make a custom schedule. You can view a list of the bands currently playing in addition to a map of the festival grounds. If you have an iPhone, you have to download this app.

The Austin City Limits website has a list of 11 festival tips that you should be sure to read before you go!

Austin City Limits Approaching, Has iPhone App originally appeared on About.com Austin on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 18:29:50.

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Get Scared for a Good Cause

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:53:33 +0000

This year, two haunted houses in Austin are supporting local charities. Read on to learn how you can help Austin non-profits by getting scared this Halloween.

Mansion of Terror
This acclaimed haunted house in Round Rock is having eight charity nights this Halloween season. On each of these scheduled nights, a portion of proceeds will go to a local charity. Norm Glenn, CEO of the haunted house, said in a press release, "I really thought that when the going gets tough is when we need to help out non-profits and the people they serve the most, that�s what led to our Non-profit Nights." Here is the schedule of which nights are assigned to nonprofits:
September 25th - Best Friends Animal Society
October 1st - Lights. Camera. Help.
October 2nd � Capital Area Food Bank
October 9th - Goodwill Industries
October 10th � Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas
October 16th - Carinos Foundation
October 23rd - Planet Cancer
November 13th - SCARE for a CURE

SCARE for a CURE
SCARE for a CURE is a local non-profit organization that raises funds for a different Austin charity each year with its haunted house. The net proceeds of this year's SCARE for a CURE haunted house will go to the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Central Texas. The first haunted house launched in 2007, in which they raised $5,000; this went toward helping breast cancer recovery. Last year, they raised $10,000 for four scholarships for students who were affected by cancer. It is Austin's only interactive and full-contact haunted house, so this is not for those who scare easily!

Get Scared for a Good Cause originally appeared on About.com Austin on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 11:53:33.

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