AroundAustin.Com

Austin Maker Faire 2007

Woohoo!  Make Magazine is bringing the Maker Faire to Austin on October 21 & 22nd.  Make Magazine is a quarterly project magazine which has highlighted projects like a VCR Cate Feeder, a Carbon Fiber iPod Case to complex Robots.  The Silicon Valley version  of the Maker's Faire attracted over 20,000 people and looked like a science fair gone wild. 

This two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It's for creative, resourceful folks who like to tinker and love to make things.   Get your tickets early at

https://store.makezine.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=39

Free Night of Theatre 2007

The Theatre Communications Group's Free Night of Theater 2007 gives away free tickets to plays in many cities including Austin. Currently, the earliest show begins October 12, while the last play date is December 2; check this page to see ticket availability. More tickets and times may be added later.

via Dealnews

Justice Pest Services

A critter had crawled into one of our vent pipes in the house and died.  Yuck!  The smell was horrible.  I couldn't quite get to it...and my wife wanted it out now.  We called a number of services to get rid of it.  Have you considered signing up for our Platinum program....How's next Monday...we'll send someone out to give you an estimate tomorrow....An estimate?  I wanted, well much more importantly my wife wanted ... that critter out now so the house was usable.  We weren't in the mood to be upsold and frankly an estimate was just not that important.

A friend recommended Justice Pest Services.  We got Mr. Justice on the phone, and he was apologetic that it would take him till that afternoon to get there to help us.  He had a some appointments that he had to take care of but he'd swing by our house on the way home.  Mr. Justice called me about 30 minutes before he needed someone at the house (none of the I'll be there sometime between noon  and 5:00.  He was there on time, got rid of the dead critter and the house smelled better.  After solving our problem he offered to help us put screens up on the vents so it didn't happen again.

Simple customer service from a local Austin business, what a wonderful way to win customers.  I've already got Mr. Justice on speed dial for our pest control needs. 

Justice Pest Services, (512) 261-2465, http://www.justicepestservices.com

Imperial Rome - The Houston Museum of Natural Science

On a recent business trip to Houston I had a couple of spare hours between meetings so I dropped in to view the Imperial Rome exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  The exhibit includes hundreds of artifacts, including ancient ceramics, terracottas, portraits, reliefs, sarcophagi, urns, jewelry, and bronze and marble statues, reveal the brilliance of Roman art and culture while showcasing the Roman influences still prevalent in modern society

Luckily a tour was just about to start when I dropped in and it truly made the exhibit worthwhile.  Without the tour guide, all I'd have seen was a bunch of artifacts with no context.  With the tour guide I got a detailed history of this powerful civilization whose last remnants finally disappeared just a few years before Columbus sailed for the Americas.

Artifacts include:

A Roman Military Diploma.  This diploma was an important document because it awarded Roman citizenship to foreign veterans and their children after 25 years of service. 

A Roman sarcophagi for a wealth merchant and his wife that held their ashes.  Roman sarcophagi of the wealthy were frequently placed on the Appian way. 

Beautiful Roman Glass.  The Romans had figured out how to create large glass objects.  They added metal to all their glasswork.  A tradition that continues today.

Corpus Christi Pier Panorama

On a recent trip to Corpus I took a VR Panorama off a pier near downtown. 

If you'd like to see the full screen panorama please go to TexasPanoramas.com.

July 2007 Calendar Background

Want to use this as your screen background?  In Windows XP

1. Click on the picture (which will take you to Flickr
2. Right click, and on the menu that pops-up choose "Set as Background"

Road trip to Corpus Christi, Texas

It has been a stressful few months so we decided to take a trip to the beach.  In these times, flying just adds to the stress level so we decided to drive down to Corpus Christi.  The quickest way to Corpus is I-35 and then I-37 after San Antonio...crowded and again stressful.  So we got on Mapquest and told it to avoid highways and found a . cool route from Austin, TX to Corpus Christi, TX  that used Hwy 183 and then Hwy 77.  I only knew Hwy 183 in Austin--crowded and dangerous.  I learned it actually starts in South Dakota and ends in Refugio, Texas (and was the last US Highway to be paved).  South of Austin it goes through beautiful rolling country, some of the best barbecue in Texas, and then Highway 77 takes you to the missions at Goliad.

Profits from Prints to go to Miracle Foundation

AroundAustin.com has been having tremendous success donating Austin Photography to silent auctions for charity around town.  So far, we have donated to Zachary Scott Theatre, Austin Under 40 (Sunshine Camps), Leadership Austin and soon to Lifeworks.  We will announce a formal program for requesting donations of prints for silent auctions. 

Meanwhile, we are going to start a program to donate profit from prints to The Miracle Foundation.  We have gotten to know Carolyn Boudreaux of The Miracle Foundation over four years.  She has such tremendous passion for improving the lives of orphans living in horrendous conditions.  To be honest when we first met her we didn't believe she could make a difference in such a huge problem from Austin, Texas.  Four years later we're believers.  So AroundAustin has decided to donate all the profits from the prints we sell for this year to The Miracle Foundation.  To make it simple--when we get a check from Imagekind, I'll write a check to The Miracle Foundation--no deductions for any expenses.

You can buy prints from Imagekind by clicking on the button below. 

Las Manitas Loan - Austin City Council Members Response

I sent a note to the Mayor and all all Austin City Council Members regarding the Las Manitas loan.  I'm including their unedited response below.  I will post other responses as I get them.  Your comments are welcome. 

---

Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 5:51 PM
To: CityPio, Pio; McCracken, Brewster; Kim, Jennifer; Martinez, Mike [Council Member]; Leffingwell, Lee; Dunkerley, Betty; Wynn, Will; Cole, Sheryl
Subject: Submitted from City Council web site - Las Manitas
Date/Time Submitted: 1750 hours
Subject: Las Manitas

Comments:

I am concerned about the city basically gifting $750,000 to Las Manitas. I have run my own business within the city limits for over 18 years. I have had to compete on an even footing with all other businesses. I lease my space, and trust me my lease costs are tremendous. I have moved my business multiple times in the last few years as landlords have changed, buildings have been repurposed or a landlord has decided to use his/her building for some other purpose. I have always done so at my cost. Can you please explain the rationale for gifting that much money to a restaurant? Restaraunts do not provide high paying jobs; there is no hope that we will ever recover the money based on additional tax base. Just a few months ago the city council and the city manager were telling us that there is a $24 million dollar deficit in the budget. There are roads within the city limits that need to be fixed. There are improvements that need to be made to our schools. Wouldn't that be a better use of our money?

As much as I like their food, this is just a restaurant; this is not a vital community service like a hospital, a school, or a road. I strongly oppose this gift.

From :  Dunkerley, Betty <Betty.Dunkerley@ci.austin.tx.us>
Sent :  Wednesday, June 6, 2007 4:41 PM
Subject :  RE: Submitted from City Council web site - Las Manitas

The money used for the program is coming from some of the unbudgeted fees paid by the owners of  the very tall new buildings downtown.  These funds will continue to accumulate from other high rise buildings as well as the interest and principal payments from this loan so that other retail businesses on Congress and 6th Street who meet the criteria can use the funds. If you are a retail business in the 6th and Congress area, you may be eligible.  This program resulted from studies done in this area that showed the need for assistance to increase and maintain retail, since many buildings in the area are historic and very difficult and expensive to update. We have enough bars in the area.   Additionally, the City will have a first lien on this property and if owners do not meet strict monthly guidelines, the loan will not be forgiven.  bd 

---

Jennifer Kim's Response -  Recieved 6/18/2007

Thank you for your recent letter expressing your opposition to the loan for Las Manitas.

I understand your frustration regarding this action, and I want to explain to you my thought process in reaching my decision. I believe that small business is the backbone of Austin, and that we, as a city, must take action to preserve the small businesses that are a vital part of our community. As a previous small business owner, I understand some of the challenges faced by these businesses.

While I do understand that citizen's opinions about this loan vary widely, I believe that it is important for the City to help small businesses to remain on Congress Avenue. The Council created a revolving loan fund for small businesses. The funding for this loan program is from private developer's fees from projects on Congress Avenue, including the Marriott hotel, and not from taxpayer dollars. The repayments from the Las Manitas loan will total $269,000 over the next five years, paid in monthly installments of $4500 - that amount is not forgivable. I specifically pushed for the repayments and to ensure that accumulated funds would be accessible to other small businesses in the future.

Another consideration was the alley access that the owners of Las Manitas had, but that was needed by the developers of the Marriott hotel. Without the City stepping in to help save Las Manitas, the builders of the Marriott may not have gotten the alley right-of-way that they need to develop the hotel. The hotel will help Austin to win bigger and more profitable conventions. This generates jobs, more sales tax and more hotel tax for arts funding. I was looking for a win-win, and I believe this compromise accomplishes that.

Your feedback is important to me and helps me to serve you better as your council member. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my office if I can be of further assistance.

Warmest Regards,
Jennifer L. Kim
Austin City Council Member, Place 3

June 2007 Calendar

Want to use this as your screen background?  In Windows XP

1. Click on the picture (which will take you to Flickr
2. Right click, and on the menu that pops-up choose "Set as Background"

Capes and Kids on Congress

Run Tex brings back popular philanthropic family mile benefiting The Miracle Foundation

Saturday May 19th The Miracle Foundation will be hosting the 2nd Annual 'Miracle Mile' in partnership with RunTex and the Congress Avenue Mile.  RunTex will be donating 100% of the registration fees from the Miracle Mile to The Miracle Foundation. Families, kids, baby joggers and dogs are all welcome!

Donning superhero capes signifying the power of change, all participants of this one-miler will receive bright orange t-shirts and capes. RunTex has dubbed this dedicated initiative, The Miracle Mile in honor of The Miracle Foundation.

“Encouraging, demonstrating and living a life combining both fitness and philanthropy is what we’re all about, “ says Paul Corrozza of Run Tex.

RACE FACTS:

• Saturday, May 19th, 2007—9:00 A.M.
• Location: Front step of the Capital building at 11th & Congress Avenue
• Race length: one mile
• End Location: South of the Congress Avenue Bridge
• Packet Pick-up: Available at RunTex/Riverside Friday, May 18 from 9 a.m.-6:00 p.m..
• Also available 30 minutes prior to the race near the starting line.
• Suggested donation: Adults/$20, Children/$10, Pets/$5
• Each participant receives a t-shirt and superhero cape
• TO REGISTER: www.miraclefoundation.org or call 329.8635

Fresh food and live music at the Austin Farmer's Market

Live Austin Music, unique food, fresh, locally grown produce--the Austin Farmer's market at Republic Square Park combines all of these ingredients every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.  The Austin Farmer's Market is a growers-only market with dozens of local farmers from the Central Texas Region.  Generally, the market restricts its vendors to produce from a 150 mile region.  At the Farmer's Market you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs and plants.  There are also plenty of prepared foods--farm products turned into jams, salsas and honey.

It was mid-morning and I was hungry so I grazed on Breakfast fajita tacos, some savory kolaches, and for dessert, fruit filled turnovers.  I also sampled, some local honey, goat cheese, and the "world's best" hot sauce (which was a rather spicy sauce with a creamy base).  We bought a small piece of English Toffee Cake for dessert for the evening.  For dinner, we picked up some fresh kale and fresh beets.  We sauteed the kale in olive oil and garlic; the beets was made into a borscht with a lovely fresh color.  Both dishes highlighted the freshness of the ingredients.

We finished our shopping at the plant vendor--they had a gorgeous basket of container strawberries and lots of fresh herbs.  You get a wider variety of herbs at the Austin Farmers Market than you do at most nurseries.  Also, with a guarantee that they're locally grown insures that they will survive in the Texas climate.  We ended up picking some Greek Oregano.  It's flourishing on our deck.
The Austin Farmer's Market combines the best ingredients of the Austin lifestyle--the outdoors, live music, and great food. 

http://www.austinfarmersmarket.org/

6th Annual Rod & Kustom Round Up

I spent a good deal of my time under the hood of cars when I was younger.  Some of this was because I enjoyed it, some of it was because I just couldn't afford to take the car in to the mechanic.  From checking the oil to replacing the head gasket and the clutch...I somehow managed to fix it with dad's help.  The car I'm driving now...well you can't even get to the engine.  Honestly, it isn't under the hood...and I'm pretty sure it isn't in the trunk.  Heck if I know where they put the darn thing.

The Sixth Annual Lonestar Roundup was held at the Travis County Expo center this weekend.  They had acres of cars that came from the day (pre-1963) when you could pop the hood and identify the parts--spark plugs, carburetors, distributor caps, all there.  The sounds...oh the sound....the deep throaty rumble that shakes your bones.  The cars were beautifully restored mechanically and cosmetically by their owners.  The paint jobs on the cars were amazing--beautifully polished to a glistening red, an insane joker painted on the hood, a rat painted in the engine compartment. 

All this combined with perfect weather, good food (grilled alligator anyone?), great music, and even a wedding made for a memorable afternoon.  The only thing we did wrong....didn't allow for enough time.  Next year, I'll make sure I can spend all afternoon...and bring a hat.

Pictures from the event are at Tejas Photos.  More information is available at www. lonestarroundup.com.

Wow what a night - Austin Under 40 Awards

I spent the evening at the Austin Under 40 Awards sponsored by Deep in the Heart of Texas--What an extraordinary night!   The Austin Under 40 Awards recognizes Austin men and women under 40 who have achieved extraordinary professional success and also perform outstanding community service.

KXAN's Michelle Valles and co-host Cliff Redd did a brilliant job emceeing the event.  My friends Corey Bell from Trifusion, Jeff Turk from Formaspace, and Rob Johnson, Chief of Staff at the Lieutenant Governor's office were all nominated.  Not only did Corey win the Business award he won the night's top honor--Austinite of the Year.  Awesome!

The event raises money for Sunshine Camps--a camp for underprivileged kids.  One of the methods used is a silent auction.  AroundAustin donated a picture.  It was thrilling to see a high bid of $400 on the picture.  Cool huh. 

To get more information about the event go to http://www.austinunder40.org/

March 2007 Calendar

Want to use this as your screen background?  In Windows XP

1. Click on the picture (which will take you to Flickr
2. Right click, and on the menu that pops-up choose "Set as Background"

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a quick day trip from Austin that encompasses four historical Spanish churches and a long period of Texas History.

The Alamo is the most famous of San Antonio's missions and unfortunately the only one most people take the time to see. The San Antonio Mission trail stretches south for 9 miles from The Alamo along the San Antonio river and has four beautiful 18th century Spanish churches--San José, Concepción , San Juan and Espada. The missions were built by Franciscan friars to help convert the Indians. The Coahuiltecans helped the friars build the missions because Apache and other enemies were threatening them and they could find safety behind the thick walls. One of the neat things about the Missions is that the four mission churches within San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are active catholic parishes, and hold regular services.

Mission Concepción

Andersons Coffee - Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans

Last year my friend Jeff wanted some prints of Austin pictures that I had taken.  He offered to pay for the prints.  No way, friends don't pay for prints.  Instead, I asked Jeff to give me a pound of his favorite coffee--Jeff is a coffee aficionado.  Jeff gave us a pound of Ethiopian Yergacheffe coffee, and a pound of Kenyan Masai coffee and a very generous gift certificate to Anderson coffee. 

Andersons coffee is a bean roaster, founded in 1972, whose shop is located in Jefferson Square in central Austin (not far from Seton).  Jamie Anderson learned the basics of roasting coffee from Alfred Peet of Peet's Coffee & Tea in Berkeley California.  In fact, Andersons Coffee started out by reselling Peet's coffee until the volume became too high and it became a bother for Peet's coffee.  Alfred Peet generously helped Jamie find a roaster so that he could roast coffee locally.  Coffee is roasted fresh at Andersons' in small quantities, corresponding to daily demand. 

The cool thing is that quality doesn't cost more.  The beans are fresher than Starbuck's, but they are also cheaper.  Go by the store, buy a cup of coffee--they usually have two to three blends brewed.  Browse the different coffee, teas, sweets (I'm addicted to Strawberry Licorice), jams, jellies, tea pots, and coffee makers. 

Oh one of the nice things about Andersons Coffee is that they honored that gift certificate even after it had expired--don't you just love locally owned stores.

Andersons COffee, www.andersonscoffee.com, 1601 West 38th Street #2, Jefferson Square, Austin, TX  78731 (512) 453-1333

Shorn like a Sheep

I did it again.  I made the mistake again.  I went to one of those place, Superclips...Great Cuts...whatever.  As many of you know I prefer going to a real barber--Alan.  Well, unfortunately, Alan had to go out of town on a family emergency and I had to get my hair cut--a friend got me tickets to the Inaugural Ball and I wasn't going to go looking like a sheep dog (pictures from the ball if I manage to make it during the Ice Storm). 

At any rate, I dropped in at 4:00 p.m. today.  They got me right into a chair (got to admit they're convenient).  I started regretting my decision a few minutes later as I was being poked and scraped by clippers that haven't been sharpened since the store opened; my head pushed around; combs being dragged through my hair.  All the while the "stylist" was also answering phone calls, greeting customers who walked in through the door, doing everything but concentrating on the haircut.  I couldn't get out of their fast enough.  Oh the haircut, well it's tolerable. 

I swear I've learned my lesson this time.  I just need to find me an alternate barber...just in case Alan can't accomodate me. 

Want to keep up with what the ice storm is doing?  LCRA Meteorologist has set up a blog at http://brose.statesmanblogs.com/. 

January 2007 Calendar & Screen Background

Want to use this as your screen background?  In Windows XP

1. Click on the picture (which will take you to Flickr
2. Right click, and on the menu that pops-up choose "Set as Background"

We don't ever have a White Christmas

We don't ever have a White Christmas in Austin, instead we have to rely on other things to get in the holiday spirit in Austin.  Some of the things that get me in the holiday spirit in Austin are:

• The Papa Noel Christmas Tree Vendors popping up around town.  It's one of the first reminders that the Holidays are just around the corner.
• The release of the KGSR CD.  The KGSR CD is a collection of live, in-studio music recorded Septemeber to September focused on Austin Music.  It's a favorite Christmas gift and it benefits a worthwhile charity--the SIMS foundation which offers low-cost mental health care for Austin musicians.
• Lights, Lights, Lights - From the lights on The Capitol Christmas tree (and the decorations on Congress), to the wacky and wierd lights on 38th street and of course the Zilker Park Christmas tree--this is a surefire way to get in the mood.
• If all of this hasn't managed to get me in the mood, going to the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar with my wife surely does the trick.  It's open 11 a.m. to 11 a.m. through Christmas Eve (and yes I've bought gifts on Christmas Eve).  The show features gifts from artists and craftspeople and best of all Live Music.
• The holiday cookie selection on La Michocana on South First--spectacular--and don't forget to pick up a few homemade tortillas made fresh.
• Ballet Austin's Nutcracker with local celebrities making cameo experiences as Mother Ginger.
• Performances at Zachary Scott Theatre including Martin Burke in The Santaland Diaries, and of course, Rockin Christmas Party!
• The ice rink on top of the flagship Whole Foods store.

Whew!  That's a busy schedule. 

J.J. "Jake" Pickle

Mike Chapman's post on Jake Pickle bought back several memories of Austin's US Representative from 1963-1995. 

Mr. Pickle changed Austin's landscape.  He steered money to the University of Texas, and today the University's J.J. Pickle Research Campus is named in his honor. He pused for relocating Austin's main airport from Robert Mueller Municipal Airport to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. He helped bring SEMATECH and the MCC consortiums to Austin.

Swad - Indian Vegetarian Cuisine

Some of my favorite childhood meals were eaten at the ubiquitous snack carts of Bombay (now Mumbai)--dosas at Juhu Beach, spiced milkshakes at Chowpatty Beach, bhel puri at the stand on Linking Road, thali's at Shoba.  The closest I've come to getting that style of food in Austin is at a little place called Swad on North Lamar. 

Austin Skyline at Twilight

Saturday Night was crisp and clear.  Finally got a decent shot of downtown.  Now I'm looking for other alternative views that'll show both the Capitol and UT Tower.  Any thoughts?

Pavlov’s Reindeer: Starbuck’s Holiday Cups Signal the start of the season

Although advancing quite rapidly through my years, I’m still a child when it comes to big boxes stacked in the corner of Starbuck’s for a week saying, “NO SNEEK PEEK’s”.

I’m not usually one to be swayed by such commercial anticipation but I have to admit the cloaked build up is working.

It got especially interesting when I began questioning my favorite baristas on the contents. It seems they are also in the dark. Even the managers received only line drawings indicating the theme. I understand around midnight tonight is the great unveiling and if you’re not in management, you’re not even allowed to be present (midnight rendezvous anyone?).

Imagine my delight when I arrived this morning (one day early) and was greeted with the first official red cup of the season....and the only one of the morning, I might add. Talk about a conversation starter....seriously, I was greeted by more than a dozen face-to-face interactions all before 7:00 a.m. ....the power of connectivity tied to a red cup?

Maybe that’s a bit strong but I do know that I have been smiling all morning at the thought of my new....er, friends who made my morning!

Now if Bucks could just link the cups to an automatic-reaching-for-the-checkbook-to-give-to-the-charity-of-your-choice, they could truly harness a world of goodness!

Give A Miracle: Austinites teaming up locally to spread the love, globally

We’ve always understood Austin had some cool people doing cool things but when they collaborate....watch out world.  Nav Sooch, Caroline Boudreaux, Trevor Romain, Austin Java...how do they connect?

Austin entrepreneur Nav Sooch created the Sooch Foundation.  The Sooch Foundation helped build 10 cottages in India to house orphans. Caroline Boudreaux from The Miracle Foundation got together with Trevor Romain, noted children’s author and illustrator to introduce the Give A Miracle Program which is designed to fill the cottages with household goods, health care necessities, furniture, etc. to create a fully functional village for the kids.

By going to Give A Miracle Program you can be a part of this powerful circle.

All this from a corner table at  Austin Java!

Texadelphia Cheesesteaks on Anderson Lane

Our offices have been near the corner of Anderson Lane and Mopac for 18 years.  We're bored of the food choices.  I was thrilled when my friend Mark finally opened a Texadelphia on Anderson Lane.  Chip Rosenthal talks about it in his blog and covers it better than I can.  Like him I love the chicken cheesesteaks.  Unlike him I like the Texas version of the cheesesteak as well.  Like the patio and the "garage doors" that they can open in the few weeks where it's not blazing hot or cold in Texas.  Surprisingly they have decent salads (yeah I hassle poor Mark about having healthier food every time I see him). 

Nature Nurture: The Zilker Bluffs Tree Planting Project

The rarely disputed “Jewel of Austin”, the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, is getting just what it deserves—more trees.

In a massive effort to improve one of the most heavily used sections of the Trail—the area on the south side of the lake just east of the MoPac Bridge and Roberta Crenshaw Pedestrian Bridge—this currently sparse and exposed stretch will benefit from instant shading.

Town Lake Trail Foundation’s fledgling program, has already sold 39 trees to both individuals and corporations. Putting money behind green ideologies, the most expensive ones went first. Currently, 74 additional trees are available for “adoption.”

Check it out, www.townlaketrail.org ....adopt a tree in someone’s name today!

Photo copyrighted by Catherine McMillan

November 2006 Calendar Wallpaper

Want to use this as your screen background?  In Windows XP

1. Click on the picture (which will take you to Flickr
2. Right click, and on the menu that pops-up choose "Set as Background"

Austin's most confusing parking garage

I went to visit my friends at Anthony Barnum PR for a very productive discussion on social media today.  They're in the beautiful Frost Bank tower.  Maybe all the intellectual horsepower in that room sucked my brain dry but getting in and out of the Frost Bank parking garage is tough.  I couldn't find a consistent way to go up floors, it seems like every floor offers a new and unique puzzle on how to get to the next floor.  There are half floors I never did quite figure out to get to...and managed to wind all the way down to the bottom only to find out that wasn't the visitor's exit.  Damn!  Gotta turn around in a tight space and go up and up and up...to find the visitor's exit.  Did the people who designed this parking garage get fired from their jobs designing carnival mazes?

Extreme Livestrong Bands

Lance Armstrong's book got me through some extremely tough times.  To thank him, I buy hundreds of his yellow bands, wear them, and give them away to friends and family.  Now, internationally renowned Austin based jewelry designer Kendra Scott, whose life was also touched by cancer, has come up with a gorgeous limited edition gold edition version of the famous bands to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Lance's diagnosis. 

Kendra's version comes in either 18K white or yellow gold engraved with the Livestrong slogan with a yellow diamond set in the "O." The men's version is a cuff design and the women's band is an oval-shaped bangle with a clasp. Both versions have the Lance Armstrong Foundation slogan "Unity is Strength" inscribed on the inside. There will be 10,296 of the bracelets produced and each one comes with a custom designed black obsidian display base with glass cover. The band will retail for $10,296, with a substantial portion of the purchase price going directly to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Visit 10296.com for more information on purchasing this bracelet.

Huff & Puff up 102 Steps - 785 feet

Mt. Bonnell Park (3800 Mount Bonnell Road) offers one of the best lookout points publicly accessible in Austin, 785' above the Colorado river.  The park is 1 mile past W. 35th street on the top of Mt. Bonnell Road (also accessible by 2222).  There is usually ample parking at the base, but be careful about leaving valuables in the car--the parking lot does have a reputation for car break-ins. 

The summit of Mt. Bonnell is 200' about the parking lot--102 steps will take you to the top.  The stairs are paved and have a nice handrail; it is an easy climb.

From the top you can see the city to your back (ok if you're short you might have to hop up on the picnic table), Tom Miller Dam (near Hula Hut) on the left, and 360 bridge on the right.  The park has 5 picnic tables so if you get there early you can have a nice picnic as the sun sets or just enjoy the breeze. 

Dry Creek Saloon, one of Austin's legendary bars, is close by on Mount Bonnell Road.  Mayfield Park (with peacocks) and Laguna Gloria are on 35th street.

2006 US Open, New York City

Got to fly Jet Blue for the first time out of Austin to Boston for  a recent East Coast swing.  I've always liked Southwest Airlines for domestic flights but I might have a new favorite airline.  Plenty of legroom, efficient check-in, assigned seats, DirectTV and satellite radio at every seat (it truly helps pass the time).  Heck even the snacks were decent (choice of 3-4 snacks instead of just peanuts).  If you have a chance to try them--Highly Recommended.

The highlight of this trip was getting to go to the 2006 US Open (Ticketcity got me hooked up).  The US Open is a quick subway trip from Midtown Manhattan (thanks to AMEX we got to stay 2 blocks from Broadway).  The Open is a blast.  Compared to going to a UT football game it is an intimate stage--only 23,000 in Arthur Ashe stadium, and the outside courts are like watching a match at a neigborhood tennis court (well OK the guys and gals playing there make the average club player look like they're playing 1/2 speed).  You do run into major tennis stars on the grounds of the tennis center--Jimmy Connors was signing autographs and having his picture taken the day we went.  Cool trip and highly recommended if you're a tennis fan.

Pictures are at:

http://www.tejasphotos.com/gallery2/v/eastcoast/usopen/

Pictures of the extended trip are at:

http://www.tejasphotos.com/gallery2/v/eastcoast/?g2_page=5

This was also the first trip that we used Priceline.  We sure lucked out.  Got 2 hotels that were $200 on Expedia/Travelocity for $99.  If you're a geek and in Boston/Cambridge you need to try out Hotel MIT.  It basically is a Radisson hotel with geeky decorations like Robots in the lobby, circuit boards for lamps, pictures of famous scientists in the rooms.  The throw on the bed was filled with equations--been too long since engineering school I could only identify about half of them.

Mole and Chili's East of I-35

A group of us decided we wanted to go out for brunch.  Fonda San Miguel's was closed so we looked at the Fearless Critic book and El Chile on Manor Road (Follow 26th just East of 35) popped up.  We met there at 11:00 a.m. on a hot August day...well the breeze was blowing and it didn't feel insanely hot so we sat outside--by 1:00 it was toasty!

I love chili's--the only food that I've had that is sometimes too hot for me is Thai--so I started with a Chilango Margarita which is a "spicy orange infused margarita."  Yep cayenne pepper in a margarita...it added a nice bite.  One of my favorite dishes at San Miguel (in McKinney, Texas) is Pollo con Mole Rojo and they had it on the menu.  Well grilled chicken doused in a good smoky mole sauce with hints of cinammon.  The beans and rice were nothing to write home about but the mole was great. 

One of the complaints I've read about El Chile is that the service level drops as it gets crowded.  We were lucky and it wasn't very crowded and the service was excellent.  With reasonable prices, a decent menu with unique items, and so close to downtown it's worth a try.

El Chile Cafe Y Cantina
www.elchilecafe.com
2209 Manor Rd
Austin, TX 78722
(512) 457-9900

Central Market Cooking School--Food TV come alive

Fat carries Flavor, Pinot Noir goes beautifully with Salmon, Brachetto d'Aqui is a wonderful light sparkling RED dessert wine that goes well with dark chocolate, Salmon gets its characteristic pink color from eating shrimp (and most farm raised salmon gets it from food coloring).  These are just few of the things we learned at an evening class at Central Market's Cooking School given by Chef Paul Schunder and Wine Director Seth Pollard. 

The cooking classes are given upstairs at the Lamar Central Market in a Studio style.  There is a large mirror above the cooking area so you can how the chef is cooking a particular meal.  For me, it's always impressive to see a good chef prep the ingredients--I have abysmal knife skills.  A fine dice can take me and hour...hmmm...maybe the Knife Skills class should be next (that one is hands one).  After the chef prepares each course, it is served to you to eat (yum!). 

Chef Schunder did a great job highlighting how he chose the ingredients; emphasized when it was worth paying for an expensive ingredient (the Jumbo Lump Crab was a garnish and visible so it was worth it, paying for Beluga Caviar is insane).  He also highlighted particular techniques--how to get that fine dice, how to get the skin of a salmon.  Wine Director Pollard did an equally fine job explaining the wine choices--why a crisp sparkling wine goes well with Rich Oysters, for example.

Central Market Cooking School Information

Best Places for Birthday Cake

At least once a month, sometimes two or three times per month we have office birthday's to celebrate.  It's great to get some sugar to get going again in the late afternoon.  The Austin American Statesman has an interesting article on the best places in Austin to get Birthday Cake.  Our office cakes seem to come from Mad Cakes or Upper Crust.  Among the cakes on the list:

1. Coco (Tres) Leches Cake from Chez Zee
2. Hyde Park Fudge Cake from Texas French Bread
3. Traditional White Sheet Cake from Lone Star Bakery
4. A 3-D sculpted cake from Cakes, Chocolate & More
5. White Cake with strawberry filling from Lucy's Cakes
6. Mexican Vanilla or Chocolate Praline from The Cake Place
7. Four-Layer Triple Chocolate Cake from Ann's Kitchen
8. Chocolate Cake filled with vanilla cheesecake mousse from Costco
9. Dark Chocolate Decadence Cake covered with Ganache from the Pastry Queen
10. Gateau Marisa from The Upper Crust Bakery

My favorite cake at Upper Crust is the Gateau D'Amour.

Via AAS

Gelato's - North Austin Gelato

Hazelnut, Tiramisu, Mango, Raspberry...YUM!!!  A small cup of rich Gelato can frequently satisfy the palate better than a pint of ice cream.  Tonight we stopped in at Gelato's (512-371-9858, 9070 Research Blvd # 303, Austin, TX 78758).  Gelato's is in the strip center on the southwest corner of Burnet and 183 (same center as Trudy's and Benihana).  Despite the address it faces Burnet.  They actually stay open till 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 p.m. on weeknights. 

Friendly service, average decor (although I really liked some of the paintings and photos on the wall).  They had Go, Checkers and Chess sets scattered about--we ended up playing chess for over an hour.

Besides a variety of gelato flavors they serve coffees of various sorts (went for just a plain decaf tonight), sandwiches and bagles.  Decent gelato, good coffee, friendly service--if you're in the neighborhood it's worth a drop-in.

Austin Photography for your websites & presentation

One of the frequent requests I get is for the use of some of the photographs in the albums for websites and presentations.  The Austin skyline and Pennybacker (360) bridge pictures are particularly popular.  As an experiment I'm putting some of the pictures up at Shutterpoint.  Check there if you want to use a particular photograph on your website or for a presentation. 

Indian Food Health & Nutrition Guide

Indians have among the highest rate of coronary arterial disease and diabetes around.  AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) has developed a cookbook and nutrition guide when eating Indian food.  It's available at:

http://www.aapiusa.org/care/healthandnutrition.htm

Look towards the bottom for the PDF cookbook download.

Renewing your Driver's License?

A little white card in the mail....crud....can't renew the driver's license online.  They want to see my social security card.  Last time I saw that card was in high school.  I have never held down a real job and thus never had to produce it.  After digging through piles of boxes, I actually found the card my social security card was attached to...hmmm...wonder if that'll be good enough.  I went down to the DPS main office to renew the driver's license and it looked like people were waiting in line for tickets to the Texas-Ohio State game (anyone got any to share?)...crap...looked like a several hour wait.

Here's a clue...If you need to get your Driver's License renewed and can't do it by mail or online I'd highly recommend going to an alternate office such as the one on 1500 Congress (near the Capitol) between 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.  I was told by the Sergeant that's a slow time.  At peak time (lunch) I waited 15 minutes.  There's parking out front (take quarters). \  Oh yeah take cash/check they don't take credit cards.  You can find alternate offices where you can renew your driver's license at the DPS website.

Whew!  Legal again. 

Downtown on PBS

An Emmy award winning series on KLRU...no no not that one....a new one...DOWNTOWN:  As Austin as it Gets.  This program which airs on KLRU on Thursdays at 7:30 quickly became a must record on the DVR.  The program has decent production value, interesting stories and places and people we recognize.  Some topics from last season - Congress Bridge Bats, Bike Messengers, and a new program at Travis County jail to decrease the rate of recidivism.   Downtown Austin Alliance, Action Figure and KLRU.  Tune in!

http://www.downtownaustin.com/news/tv/

Best Places for Brunch

According to the Fearless Critic, a book recommended by my friend Shari, the following are the best places for Brunch in Austin. 

1. Café at Four Seasons
2. El Chile
3. South Congress Café
4. Capitol Brasserie
5. Manuels
6. Fonda San Miguel
7. Taverna
8. Green Pastures
9. T&S Chinese Seafood
10. 1886 Café and Bakery
11. Hill Country Dining Room
12. Curra Grill
13. Dona Emelias
14. Hoovers Cooking
15. Polvos
16. Eastside Cafe
17. Marco Polo
18. Hyde Park Café
19. Tien Hong – Dim Sum
20. Satay

The Fearless Critic is an Austin restaurant guidebook. Three local food writers rate and reviews more than 390 restaurants in the greater Austin area, including Round Rock, Pflugerville, Dripping Springs, and the Hill Country. The book comes complete with numerous sets of cross-referenced lists that help you find the ideal restaurant for every occasion.  I just paged through the book quickly but I've got one on order.  Full review to follow.

Interestingly, I've eaten at most of these places but not for brunch.  I've tried Manuel's and Tien Hong for brunch.  Very different but both are decent.  Fonda San Miguel's brunch is legendary.  Did they forget a favorite place?  Add your thoughts in comments.

Iron Rock Raceway - Superkart racing at ABIA

Ever flown in to Austin and seen karts racing around near one of the runways at Austin Bergstrom?  That's Iron Rock Raceway - a karting track that's open to the general public.  Yesterday, as part of an Austin EO  event I got to race a 9 hp Kart around the short track.  The top speed for this Kart was around 45 mph.  The Karts are low to the ground, have an open cockpit and the turns are tight--45 mph feels plenty fast.  I can't imagine how fast the 40 hp High Performance Kart would feel.  Although Iron Rock Raceway generally works on a membership basis you can go and rent the Karts from MRP Austin. 

Art 4 Change Art Show

Please mark your calendars for the Art4Change Art and Music Show coming up this Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. at the Parish on 6th st to benefit the Miracle Foundation--an awesome charity run by my friend Caroline Boudreaux.

It's going to be a really cool event with local Austin artists William Stidham, Josh Williams, Sebastian Pfeiffer, and Richie Deegan showcasing their artwork along with live music by Jim Scarborough, Showdy, D.J. Polecat, and appetizers provided by Jazz.  Our precious orphans' artwork will be available for purchase, and William Stidham is donating a painting to raffle off.  Just bring a $10 donation for the door!

The best part is that all proceeds will go to The Miracle Foundation in order to help us raise money for orphans.

More information at The Miracle Foundation website

July 4th Fireworks

It's been a busy weekend...dinner at the Driskill, time at Horseshoe Bay and Fredricksburg and watching fireworks last night at our favorite spot (across the lake from Carlos and Charlies).  One of the cool things is watching all the boats gather on the lake before the fireworks.  The not so cool part, driving home and wondering about drunk drivers on the windy roads.  Luckily, Travis County Sherriff's were out in full force (saw 3 cars on 2769).  Uploaded a couple of pictures of the fireworks in the Favorite Austin Pictures and Austin Everyday Pictures to the left...more pics at

http://www.tejasphotos.com/gallery2/v/fireworks/

Missed the fireworks on the lake?  You can still catch them at Zilker Park starting at 8:30 p.m. on July 4, 2006.  The Austin Symphony will be performing with the help of the Texas National Guard (they'll help with the 75mm howitzer cannons for the 1812 overture).  Full details are at:

http://www.austinsymphony.org/season/july/

Lake Travis Panorama

One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer day is to head out to Lake Travis and take the boat out.  This year Lake Travis is extremely low (659' right now, full is 681').  So if you're going sailing especially with a full keel watch out for those sometimes islands.  This time I decided to just take a few pictures. 

If you want to see a larger version of this panorama go to http://www.tejasphotos.com/laketravis.htm (remember you can use the mouse to scroll, the shift key to zoom in, the Ctrl key to zoom out).

24 Hours in Austin

MSNBC has an interesting article called "24 hours in Paris"--basically what to do if you only have a 24 hour layover in Paris.  Got me thinking what would I recommend for 24 hours in Austin.  I'll pull something together soon.  Your thoughts...comments are open.

MSNBC Article --24 hours in Paris

Deepak Chopra - The Soul of Leadership

TiE  invites you to spend An Evening with Dr. Deepak Chopra as he speaks on leadership and life. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from one of the great thinkers of our time, up close and personal.

The event will be held at J.J. Pickle Research Center in the Big Tex Auditorium at 7:30 pm. Cost is $20 for TIE members and TIE student members, $40 for non-members and registration is limited, so sign up soon to guarantee your seat.

Known worldwide as the author of over 42 books translated in 35 languages with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. These books include, "Peace is the Way", "The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life", "The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence","Golf for Enlightenment: The Seven Lessons for the Game of Life", "Grow Younger, Live Longer: 10 Steps to Reversing Aging" and "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success". Deepak Chopra continues to transform our understanding of the meaning of health. He is the Founder of the Chopra Center at La Costa in Carlsbad, California where he continues to revolutionize common wisdom about the crucial connection between mind, body, spirit and healing. History will view Deepak Chopra as the man who set the cornerstone for a medical model that promotes greater self-reliance and self-awareness as the most valuable personal and societal assets for creating health.
 
When: Tuesday, May 9th, 2006 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Where: J.J. Pickle Research Center in the Big Tex Auditorium (10100 Burnet Road)

To Register:  www.tie-aus.org

2006 Texas Greek Festival

May 12 & 13 from 6:00 pm to Midnight at Fiesta Gardens

The Sixth annual Texas Greek Festival is a celebration of Greek food, music and culture right here in beautiful Austin. We welcome you to join the fun of a Greek "bouzouki" band, traditional dancing, authentic Greek food and delicious pastries. Bring the whole family and enjoy a day of festivities including:

• Live Greek Music and Dance Show - OPA!
• Authentic Greek Food - Lamb, Gyros, Greek Salad, Souvlaki, Spanakopita,
  Baklava, etc.
• Greek Wine and Beer (and soft drinks too)
• Greek History and Culture
• Children Activities - clowns, face painting, drawing, and more activities for the kids

Tickets:
$5 in advance - contact tickets@texasgreekfestival.com for advanced tickets
$7 at the door
Kids under 12 are free

Round and Round you go -- Austin Veloway

Spring is here...time to get out of the gym and do some real exercise.  One of my favorite places in Austin to go rollerblading is the Veloway.  I've had some memorable fast runs on this trail--and some spectacular crashes.  It is also a decent place to test out the road bike or take kids biking since there are no cars to get in the way. 

The Veloway is a 3.1 mile loop set aside exclusively for bicycling and rollerblading set in Slaughter Creek Metropolitan Park.  It's a wide, one-way trail through generally rolling hills except for one short steep incline (especially if you're on blades).  The trail is usually open from dawn to dusk.  To get there take Mo-Pac (1) south past Slaughter about 1/4 mile and turn left (you'll see a sign for the Veloway). It's located near the Wildflower Research Center.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/trails.htm

Airport Fast Park

Security checks, dragging heavy bags, early morning flights ... all contribute to the stress of airport travel these days.  Airport Fast Park makes it just a bit easier.  Park in a covered parking lot, behind a fence and the shuttle drive picks you up from the car (no dragging bags to a bus stop), helps you with the bags and delivers you to the airport.  The little touches truly help, such as writing your car's location on your ticket for you, and free bottles of water (both coming and going) and a free newspaper.  I'm a fan.  They usually have a coupon on their internet site so check before you go.

Airport Fast Park, 2300 Spirit of Texas Dr, Del Valle, 78617 - (512) 385-8877http://www.airportfastpark.com/main/getcoupon.aspx