Get Creative at Dougherty Arts Center
February 27, 2013 by
The City of Austin runs Dougherty Arts Center to provide creative outlets for people of all ages. The Center's Butridge Gallery showcases Austin-area artists, while the 150-seat community theatre is available to local theatre companies and nonprofit groups. The Arts School offers intensive and sympathetic instruction for children and adults. Reasonably-priced courses in ceramics, photography, drawing, jewelry and much more are open to everyone at all skill levels.
Dougherty Arts Center
1110 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 974-4000
www.yelp.com/biz/dougherty-arts-center-austin
Trapeze Austin: Circus Arts Classes
February 6, 2013 by
Thrill-seekers looking for a new experience should book a class at Trapeze Austin, where the high swings beckon daredevils of all ages. Trapeze is actually an exceptional full-body workout that engages your core muscles, improves your balance and gives you a serious adrenaline rush. Classes here are suitable for all experience levels, from first-timers to seasoned gymnasts. The instructors here are incredibly supportive and knowledgeable, and they specialize in soothing the many anxieties that students feel. They take you through each movement step by step, working with you until you have it right, and once you accomplish it there’s no feeling quite like it. Their unwavering positivity can make the seemingly impossible tricks come within reach. Classes run either one or two hours, and you can also book the space for parties, corporate team-building events and more.
Trapeze Austin
9501 Manchaca Road
Austin, TX 78748
(512) 608-1071
http://www.yelp.com/biz/trapeze-austin-austin
Flipnotics: Live Music Daily
January 23, 2013 by
Flipnotics is a laid-back coffee shop in South Austin's Barton Springs neighborhood. This little cafe has a legion of fans that enjoy the comfy atmosphere and reasonably-priced drinks. In addition to caffeine, Flipnotics makes a mean milkshake — try the moonquake with a double shot of espresso in vanilla ice cream blended with bananas. Light snacks include pastries, pie, breakfast tacos, and empanadas. The cafe is surrounded by decks, so you can enjoy your coffee and relax in the sun. Need distraction or inspiration? There's live music every night of the week.
Flipnotics
1601 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 480-8646
www.flipnotics.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/flipnotics-coffeespace-cafe-austin
Water 2 Wine: Make Your Own Wine
January 9, 2013 by
Have you ever wanted to try to make wine yourself? No, not like that old I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel stamp the grapes. Austin’s Water 2 Wine is a full-service custom winery that lets budding vintners blend their own wine, let it age and take it home when it’s done. The process is simple: each sessions starts with a tasting, where the staff lets you sample different wines and tells you about the grapes that produced it. Then you select a juice or blend to create your very own wine with, as well as “pitching” the yeast to start the fermentation process. It takes about 45 days for your wine to be drinkable, at which point they’ll bottle it and label it for you. If you don’t want to do it yourself, Water 2 Wine also offers an excellent selection of vintages from around the world.
Water 2 Wine
4036 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 428-9463
http://www.yelp.com/biz/water-2-wine-austin-2
Central Market: “An Amusement Park for Food Lovers”
December 4, 2012 by
Grocery shoppers in the Austin area know that there’s a superb spot to visit when you’re looking for the best bread, produce and other edible goods, and that’s Central Market. The popular chain actually started in Austin with a mandate to bring as much fresh food from all over Texas to local shoppers as possible, describing it as “an amusement park for food lovers,” and it’s grown significantly since the early days. Now customers rave about the excellent selection and fair prices. The produce section here is absolutely enormous, featuring both the staples and some more unusual products, all kept fresh. If you’re feeling peckish, stop in at the store’s café for some excellent pre-cooked food. The tamales in particular are quite popular, but everything here is great. Some complain that the aisles are too narrow, but with the sheer volume of stuff they pack into this store, it’s kind of a necessity.
Central Market
4477 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 899-4300
http://www.yelp.com/biz/central-market-austin
Austin Playhouse: Local Theater
November 6, 2012 by
When it was conceived in 2000, Austin Playhouse became a point of convergence for much of the talent-replete city’s theatrical brainpower. Austin Playhouse brought together a wide array of producers, artists, and directors to work with local legend Don Toner, a luminary of Austin’s theater scene. Since then, Austin Playhouse has became one of the premier venues for local theater while still staying small. You won’t see massive reproductions of Don Giovanni here, but you’ll be able to catch shows like Boeing, Boeing (about a man’s attempt to juggle his love for three flight attendants) and an adaptation of A Room With a View. Tickets typically run around $24 for a show, but the playhouse offers deals for students, seniors, and members of the military. Check Austin Playhouse’s website for the current season’s schedule of shows.
Austin Playhouse
3601 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 476-0084
Check Out Austin Fan Fest 2012!
October 26, 2012 by
Celebrating 2012's inaugural U.S. Grand Prix, Austin Fan Fest 2012 comes to downtown Austin from November 16-18th. If you haven't heard, the U.S. GP is a Formula 1 race taking place that weekend at Austin's newly constructed Circuit of the Americas race track, and Austin Fan Fest brings the city even more fun with an array of musical acts from all over the country, along with great local and regional bands.
Fan Fest's headline performers Aerosmith, Flo Rida, and Enrique Iglesias will play on main stages for the Fest's three night engagement, while smaller stages will showcase acts like Lupe Fiasco and The Wallflowers.
Around downtown Austin, attendees can also interact with F1 racing related installations, like racing simulators and Formula 1 cars. Arts exhibits, parties, and family friendly events all over downtown make the whole thing complete.
Want to know more? Click here to learn about Austin Fan Fest 2012.
Salvage Vanguard Theater: An Independent Theater Arts Group
October 9, 2012 by
With a credo like “Keep Austin Weird,” it’s not surprising that the city boasts a large number of independent arts and theater organizations. One of the most well-established is the Salvage Vanguard Theater, which has presented exceptional plays and other performances for years. The company stages a wide variety of materials, from drama to comedy and even puppetry. Tickets are sold on a sliding scale as well, making it affordable for the community. The performance space is small but comfortable, with good sightlines and decent seating. The theater also hosts a wide variety of educational programs and other creative venues for actors, directors and more. The Merlin Works Institute for Improvisation is one Austin’s best resources for developing your improve skills, both for actors and non-actors. The theater also runs a series of summer day camps for kids, yoga seminars and more. It’s a fantastic resource for the whole community.
Salvage Vanguard Theater
2803 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78722
http://www.yelp.com/biz/salvage-vanguard-theater-austin
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