Archive for July, 2009

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July 10, 2009

Pub Dash for a Good Cause

I’m headed out of town tomorrow for vacation in Park City, Utah, but if I were here this weekend, I’d definitely be doing:

Pub Dash benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: “Where Happy Hour Never Closes“

This is a fun sports-themed event from 7-11pm on Saturday, July 11. Enjoy happy hour prices all evening long with the wristband you get for signing up. Party with us as we “dash” from bar to bar while wearing your most outrageous athletic attire and get creative because prizes will be awarded to the best guy and girl outfit. The team with the most points will win the Grand-Prize; Details of the games will be announced at registration so come ready for anything!!!

$900 worth of prizes up for grabs and provided by: Castle Hill Fitness, Fit City Training, Betty Sport, Rowing Dock, L4 Sports, & Rogue Equipment.

Registration will be available for $20 at Little Woodrows between 4-5pm day of event, IF we are not sold out. Space is limited, 150 people permitted, so sign up fast!

Registration @ Little Woodrow’s, 520 W.6th st.
Time: 4-5pm
Food provided by: Screaming Goat and La Fantabulous

Come in Teams of 5 or come to mingle and create a team at registration :)

Bring an ID and receipt for wristbands and Pub Dash Packets.

Dash schedule:
5pm- Union Park
6pm-Key Bar
7pm-Mother Egan’s
8pm-Molotov
9pm-Annie’s West
10pm-JBlacks
11pm-The Ranch

Join us. Think. Drink. Help.

*We are dashing for cancer so fees are totally tax deductible, this is a great opportunity for businesses to sponsor a team and get write-off all at the same time. :)

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July 10, 2009

Looking Through Car Windows

Traffic artUniversally shared yet a solitary experience, looking through car windows is a world we rarely take the time to see. Artist Alec Drummond takes us on the highway to explore it.

Opening reception tomorrow,Saturday July 11th, 7pm featuring live music by Treachery of Others.

Bay6 Gallery
5305 Bolm Rd. #6
Austin, TX 78721

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July 9, 2009

The Rumors are True: Annie’s is Good

Lunch at Annie'sExcuse the iphone quality, but how good does that plate look??

That’s some eggplant something (thin slices of eggplant wrapped around polenta in a marinara sauce with cheese), ratatouille (yum!!), and pear-walnut salad. Lovin’ it.

Much has been written about beloved Annie’s, so I won’t repeat the same. I will say this: make sure you’re prepared for a cafeteria-style ordering experience. You can order food made-to-order, but you can also just make selections from the hot and cold cases.

Check out Camille Styles‘ take here and Annie’s bar manager and Tipsy Texan David Alan’s take here, make sure to click around the rest of his blog for long descriptions and history of the Annie’s cocktails.

I will say, however, that a certain someone had the meatloaf at Annie’s and said it was downright bad, and I’ve heard service can be spotty. Our service, however, was friendly and attentive, from the counter guy to the busboy.

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July 8, 2009

SoLa Summer Solstice Party

SoLa flyer
Join ENVY Magazine for a SoLa Summer Solstice Party tomorrow, July 9 from 6-9pm at SoLa Home (2520 Bluebonnet), not to be confused with SoLa boutique. It’s the perfect happy hour to kick off your (early) weekend in style, checking out condos from SoLa while pondering what a Houston/Dallas magazine is doing hosting an Austin party (which, for the record, they occasionally do, this isn’t the first time).

Free food and drinks from delicious spots like Roaring Fork (food coma…), The Belmont, Rio Grande, Sweat Leaf Tea, Corona, Wahoo’s, Absolut Vodka, Primizie Osteria Cafe and many more!

Facebook invite is here, or just show up.

Posted in Eating, free, Going Out, One-time event, Shopping | 1 Comment »

July 8, 2009

Free Live Music at Jo’s on Second

Jo’s Coffee is hosting its first-ever summer music series at the Second Street location–which we all know is home to the best veggie sandwich in the entire world. Every Tuesday and Thursday all summer long, live music will rock from the patio, while inside there’ll be deals like burger slider specials and $2 tallboys on Tuesday nights or buy-one-get-one-free Jo’s famous hamburgers and $2 Lonestar tallboys on Thursday nights.

Summer Music Series Line-up for July and August:

JULY

July 9-30 – Marshall Ford Swing Band (every Thursday)

July 14 – Eric Hisaw

July 21 – Matt the Electrician

July 28 – Betty Soo

August series TBA, but Amy Cook will play every Thursday and rumor has it she might bring along some friends … some famous friends …

Jo’s features wireless internet and dog-friendly patios. For more info, www.joscoffee.com or 512.469.9003.

Posted in free, Going Out, Music | 2 Comments »

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July 7, 2009

All the Single Ladies, All the Single Ladies … or Sirens N’ Boots Wednesday Night

Pardon the Beyonce reference, as Sirens N’Boots just sounds smokin’ hot, right, like a burlesque show in cowboy boots, like Southern songstresses ready to kick ass while lookin’ good?

I mean, that’s what I’m like every night.

Anyway, tomorrow night a three-piece all-girl group of singer-songwriters is eschewing their individual reps to form an act called Sirens N’ Boots that hits Antone’s at 9pm Wednesday before criss-crossing the rest of Texas and coming home for a July 21 show at Cactus Café. Combine alt-folksy Aly Tadros with sweet rocker Sarah Peacock and redheaded siren Alyse Black and it’s a recipe for awesome.

Let’s meet the players:

ALY TADROS: Classical guitarist. Tom Waits meets Ani DiFranco meets Fiona Apple plus a flamenco guitar. Debut album, Things Worth Keeping, recorded and produced by Duane Lundy (Ben Sollee, These United States, Vandaveer), set for release August 22, 2009.

SARAH PEACOCK: Pop rocker. Janis Joplin meets Alanis Morissette in a charming pop-powerhouse package. Debut album, Straight For Your Heart, on Maze Records in Nashville, TN.

ALYSE BLACK: Don’t-pigeonhole-her-jazz singer. Bjork meets Billie Holiday meets Tori Amos meets Portishead. Sophomore album, For You, recorded and produced by Ryan Peacock (Foo Fighters, Ra Ra Riot, Blonde Redhead, The Gossip), due out October 1st, 2009. Debut album, Too Much & Too Lovely, won 1st place in Billboard’s Annual World Song Contest in Jazz.

… and then, let’s go to Antone’s tomorrow night at 9m to REALLY meet the players. Here for their myspace page. I can’t believe I just referenced myspace.

Posted in Going Out, Music, Things to Do! | 3 Comments »

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July 7, 2009

Cupcake Meetup Today at 3!

Last minute sugar rush: Carrie from Bella Cupcake Couture (designer cupcake wrappers) is hosting a cupcake tasting at Mozarts at 3pm TODAY. You’re invited to come sample and/or bring some to share, there will definitely be several flavors of Wicked Cupcakes to try (aren’t her cake designs amazing? Graduation cake and cupcakes pictured below is hers), and Laura from L’s Cupcake Cafe (so been wanting to try those) will also be bringing treats!

Wicked Cakes Graduation Cake

Posted in Eating, free, One-time event | 1 Comment »

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July 6, 2009

Breakfast with Lance Armstrong

Well, technically Lance is off in France competing, but Third Base Downtown will be showing the first Team Trials stage of the tour, scheduled to start at 7:30am and end by 11am tomorrow morning, July 7th. Third Base will serve breakfast and mimosas. All profits from the event will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which supports cancer research, diagnosis and survivor care.

“Austin is a huge cycling town and supporting Lance Armstrong as he competes in the Tour has become something for us all to look forward to,” says Brendan Puthoff, co-owner of Third Base. “This event with the Lance Armstrong Foundation will be a really great way for us to kick off the Tour while at the same time raising money for the Foundation.”

All Third Base locations will be showing every televised stage of the Tour de France on its forty plasma TVs from July 4th through the final stage on July 26th.

Posted in Eating, Good people/services, One-time event | 2 Comments »

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July 5, 2009

My Beloved Johanna to Bo Salon

My sweet, happy, pixie of a hairstylist called me earlier this week to tell me the happy news: she’s moving to Bo Salon! This is the woman who single-handed-ly changed me majestically into a blonde from a lifetime brunette without any tears or second-guesses. She’s a goddess of hair. And really good at cutting and styling too.

Yelpers, my go-to for info, have nothing but good things to say about the South Congress salon and the other stylists. Even though I JUST got my hair done, I can’t wait to need to go back again and check out the other full-spa services Bo also offers … because I’d go anywhere for Johanna.

Posted in Beauty, Things to Do! | 2 Comments »

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July 2, 2009

Kenichi – good at raw fish

Kenichi has been Austin’s downtown sushi spot for quite some time (8+ years?), but with the recent additions of Imperia (a personal fave), Yu Sushi Igazyu, and coming-soon Piranha sushi and the stiff competition from heavily-discounted-happy-hour-hitters Kyoto, Silhouette, and Maiko (also a fave), the venerable spot is ramping up its image and offerings.

There’s a new happy hour menu with 50 items under $5–including rolls, plates, snacks, and booze. Sake sangria? Yes, please.

Yellowtail at KenichiWhen we went for a sampler, we didn’t get any rolls. Instead we got an array of tiny bites, some better than others. We started with a fantastic amuse bouche of melon curry soup–not very melon-y, very flavorful. Yum.

After that arrived a fan of yellowtail with serranos: I hogged the fish from everyone else at the table and ate two.

After that, another delicious raw fish …

Raw fish at Kenichi

Then a disappointing tofu bite (although in its defense, I’m not a big tofu fan) and a scallop that was fine, but not divine, which is what I was hoping for. A seared tuna bite was pretty delicious, flaky and peppery.

They did introduce me to something new: the shshshshs (can’t remember the name) pepper, a grilled pepper served as a snack in Japan. Crispy and mild, Pepper at Kenichiit was very tasty.

Kenichi is doing some exciting stuff: happily accommodating requests like brown rice rolls or no-rice rolls, plus this summer they’re partnering with charities and donating sushi and their cool mobile sushi bar. Like …

The Grand Opening of Bikram Yoga Downtown on Thursday, July 16, 6-9pm

The Bikram Yoga Downtown studio is on the ground floor of the new Gables Pressler residential development at 507 Pressler Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Kenichi will be providing food for the opening, which will also feature healthy drinks from Daily Juice and gift bags from By George, W3LL People, and more for the first 100 guests. This is where I practice Bikram Yoga (currently out at Davenport Village), so I CAN’T WAIT for this studio to open. The people are amazing, friendly, and supportive, and the yoga is HOT!

So back to Kenichi: The bottom line at Kenichi is that the raw fish was great. If what they’re trying to compete against is an influx of sushi restaurants rather than the Chinatown next door, they’re in good shape. I need to go back and try some more rolls. But their non-sushi offerings didn’t cut it for me. Which is totally fine, since I’d be going here for sushi anyway. :-)

Lastly, just for you, lucky readers, we have a virtual coupon. Enjoy a free app of edamame or dynamite shrimp any time (not just happy hour) when you mention This is Life in Austin. Enjoy!

Also, have a good laugh at this:

Best Happy Hour in Austin
“Best Happy Hour in Austin. Voted by Kenichi Staff.”

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