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Fourth of July Free Admission at the LBJ Library: From Lyndon B. Johnson to The Beatles!

July 1, 2015 by

Even if you spent every open hour, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., exploring the collection at the LBJ Presidential Library on July 4, you wouldn't come anywhere close to seeing every document in stock. It's home to more than 45 million pages worth of historical papers, and this Independence Day, you have access to all of them free of charge.

Since the LBJ Presidential Library is only roughly a mile away from Elan East, take full advantage of complimentary admission on the Fourth of July to delve a bit deeper into your country's history. The LBJ is one of just 13 Presidential Libraries across the nation, and it plays host to papers that changed the course of history—including pages documenting Lyndon B. Johnson's entire career. On July 4, you can also enjoy Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!, a temporary exhibit created by the Grammy Museum. More than 400 items pay homage to the meteoric rise of the world's first record-busting boy band, including records, artifacts from tours, and even instruments played by The Beatles.

4th of July Free Admission at the LBJ Library
LBJ Presidential Library
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 4
2313 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78705
freefuninaustin.com/2015/06/dont-miss-free-events-in-austin-this-july-2

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Celebrate the Globe’s Best-Known Band at “Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!” Exhibit, Opening Saturday

June 11, 2015 by

Only the best of the best musicians receive a Grammy, so it makes sense that the Grammy Museum only showcases the work of top performers from the past and present. Unsurprisingly, The Beatles land on that list. That's why the Grammy Museum curated and designed "Ladies and Gentleman…The Beatles!" The traveling exhibit portrays the everlasting impact that the band had on the music scene at the time, and how it continues to affect tunes today.

The exhibit will be on display at the LBJ Presidential Library, just a little more than a mile from Elan East, beginning this Saturday, June 13. It follows the trajectory of The Beatles' career from the moment they set foot on American soil in 1964 through the highest point of their fame in 1966. More than 400 items commemorate the historic band, including rare photos, artifacts from their tours, and instruments actually strummed by some of The Beatles, contributed by private collectors.

The LBJ Presidential Library
Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!
June 13, 2015 through Jan. 10, 2016
2313 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 721-0200
www.lbjlibrary.org/press/ladies-and-gentlementhe-beatles-exhibit-to-open-june-2015

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Free First Sunday at the Bullock Museum: Take an Interactive Trip Across Texas

June 4, 2015 by

You only have to travel five minutes from Elan East to take a tour of the entire state of Texas. That is, if you plan a visit to the Bullock Museum's Free First Sunday this weekend. An event held every month, the Free First Sunday invites museum visitors to Travel Across Texas via a series of historical exhibits—all free of charge between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. on these special days.

Bring your whole family along and check out the artifacts and art that tell the story of your home state. In addition to the typical exhibits, Free First Sundays also include activities the keep the entire clan entertained. Learn how to make your own work of art that pays homage to Texas, enjoy an activity hosted in one of the colorful galleries, or drink in the knowledge of a local expert at a special presentation. Free First Sundays inspire creativity and teach at the same time, so they're a great way to get your little ones excited about history.

The Bullock Museum
Free First Sunday
12 to 3 p.m. Every First Sunday of the Month
1800 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 936-8746
www.thestoryoftexas.com/visit/calendar/free-first-sunday-travel-across-texas

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Local Breweries Represent at the Germany-Inspired Austin Maifest This Weekend

May 27, 2015 by

Rahr & Sons Brewing. Austin Beerworks. Circle Brewing. Hops & Grain, Saint Arnold, Pedernales. These are just a handful of the Texas breweries that will represent at this year's Austin Maifest. The third annual installment of the beer festival, it continues to celebrate craft breweries not only from around Austin, but also from all over the state of Texas.

Make the quick two-mile drive from Elan East this Saturday to sip some of the finest suds from brewmasters in your area. They whip up special German beers for the Texas-German Bier Festival, as it's more formally known. Buy an advance ticket for $25, and you can snag a sample from 10 of the breweries on this year's roster, including the six previously mentioned businesses.

In addition to the suds, Austin Maifest also offers German fare by local business Smokey Denmark's Smoked Meats, plus bowling for groups of revelers. Enjoy the tastings or grab a pint at the rooftop biergarten, which overlooks the pulsing heart of Austin.

Austin Maifest
Saengerrunde Hall and Scholz Beer Garden
1 to 7 p.m. May 30
1607 San Jacinto Boulevard
Austin, TX 78701
www.facebook.com/MaifestATX

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Celebrate 150 Years Since the Civil War Cease Fire at Austin’s Guns of 1863

May 15, 2015 by

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War cease fire, and the Texas Military Forces Museum intends to celebrate. On Saturday, May 16 it will host the Guns of 1863 event at Camp Mabry, which is only four miles and a 10-minute drive from your apartment at Elan East.

The program pays homage to the men who laid down their lives during the Civil War with reenactments, demonstrations, and exhibits. At 1 p.m., Union and Texas "soldiers" will recreate a scuffle just like it actually happened during wartime. Throughout the rest of the day, you can witness firing demos of the weapons that armed either side. Guests will also learn exactly what it was like to live through the conditions that Civil War soldiers endured, and they can watch the infantry drill just like they would have 150 years ago.

Guns of 1863
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16
Camp Mabry
2200 W. 35th Street
Austin, TX 78703
www.txmf.us/txmf-upcoming-events

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The Contemporary Austin near Elan East: See Eclectic Art

January 30, 2015 by

The Contemporary Austin is a new type of art museum, a "museum without walls." It's composed to two buildings in Austin, the Jones Center and The Art School, as well as an outdoor garden at Laguna Gloria. The various locations double as integral parts of the vibrant Austin community, so the eclectic works of art housed therein feel like natural parts of the scenery.

So it makes sense that the displays themselves stray from convention. Past exhibits have included 17,000 Observations by a pair of L.A. artists known as Lucky Dragons. The unique installation at Laguna Gloria married music and sculpture in a fresh way. Tom Sachs: Boombox Retrospective 1999-2015 is a current exhibit running through April of this year, and you'll find bits and pieces of it at various The Contemporary Austin locations. Go see it for yourself and you might just be impressed by the way American sculptor Tom Sachs recreates the boombox to represent different ideas and concepts.

Visit The Contemporary's website to learn more about this distinctive Austin museum near Elan East.

The Contemporary Austin
Austin, TX 78703
www.thecontemporaryaustin.org
www.yelp.com/biz/the-contemporary-austin-laguna-gloria-austin

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Hops and Grain: East Austin Microbrews

July 17, 2014 by

Texas has always had a proud and iconoclastic microbrewing scene, and one of the latest additions is Hops and Grain. They brew craft beers with a focus on sustainability. That translates into making sure that they package all of their beers into easily-recyclable aluminum cans, making dog treats from spent brewery grains, and giving back a portion of their profits to local environmental groups. They also work to source as much raw materials from community farmers and growers around Austin.

None of this would matter if the beer wasn’t good, but thankfully the brewers have excellent taste and produce some very well-regarded beer! Some of their most popular include the Half Nelson IPA and the bourbon-barreled Brown del Roble. At the on-site tap room, you can get pours of just about everything they offer for a very nice price, as well as take home some beer for later.

Hops and Grain
507 Calles Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 914-2467
http://www.hopsandgrain.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hops-and-grain-austin-2

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East Side Glass Studio: Glass-Blow Your Own Masterpiece

July 10, 2014 by

Shara Funari and Leigh Taylor Wyatt arrived at glass blowing from very different backgrounds. Shara didn't pick up the art until 2004, honing what was then a hobby at a public glass blowing studio in 2004. Leigh relocated to Texas in 2006 specifically to further her glass blowing career and to be closer to family. However, for both women, glass blowing eventually evolved into a passion; this is why they opened East Side Glass Studio in Austin.

At the studio, the public can come in to watch Shara and Leigh blow glass, or they can join in themselves. Intro classes are held a few times over the course of a month, teaching newbies the basics of glass blowing. Visitors can come in for a one-off experience where they learn the bare-bone fundamentals and then create their own glass masterpiece in a single session.

East Side Glass Studio
507 Calles Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 731-1702
www.eastsideglassstudio.com
www.yelp.com/biz/east-side-glass-studio-austin

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Capital City Bakery: Sweet Treats

June 12, 2014 by

Austin has one of the largest populations of food trucks per capita of any United States city, and most of them are exceptional. One of the best on the East Side is the Capital City Bakery, a purveyor of delectable sweets that are also 100% vegan. Environmental responsibility is a big part of their business plan, with bakery boxes made from recycled materials and ingredients sourced locally whenever possible. This doesn’t come at the expense of quality, though – all of their products look amazing and taste even better.

Some of the favorites that locals rave about include the delicious cupcakes, available in dozens of flavors from rich, decadent chocolate to light, fruity strawberry and creamsicle. The dense vegan brownies are out of this world, as are the incredible cookie sandwiches – try the peanut butter cookies stuffed with Fluffer-Nutter. Prices are very reasonable and the bakers could be some of the nicest people in town.

Capital City Bakery
1110 E. 12th Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 666-7437
http://www.capitalcitybakery.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/capital-city-bakery-austin

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Treat Your Hair to a Trip to Salon Aura Veni

June 5, 2014 by

Salon Aura Veni isn't your typical hair salon. Yes, its stylists boast an array of specific talents (go to Leigh for short hair and Lori for hair extensions), and yes, they take on every styling task you can imagine, from cutting and coloring to curling and straightening. However, the stylists at Salon Aura Veni rely solely on the highest quality products to achieve their jaw-dropping cuts and colors.

These include Kevin Murphy products, a professional line that shies away from any harmful parabens or sulfates. Pureology, another brand the stylists enlist, also shirks all sulfates in favor of safer ingredients that won't damage strands. Moroccan Oil is another common name in professional hair care, one known for its powerful antioxidant ingredients and UV protection; it's generally used to condition hair to shiny and soft.

Salon Aura Veni
210 W. Riverside Drive
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 474-2872
www.auraveni.com/Salon_Aura_Veni/About.html
www.yelp.com/biz/salon-aura-veni-austin

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