Foodie-focused Paleo cookbook? Austin writer Melissa Joulwan’s new book ‘Well Fed’ makes me drool.
December 31st, 2010: New Year’s Eve. The cedar count is at a record high. I want to die. I’m not just coughing like a coal miner, I’m also hacking up an alien green substance. My eyes, crusted over, painfully and relentlessly itch. Plus, they’re so swollen that I look like I was just hosed down with pepper spray. In this state, there’s no way in hell that I’d be seen in public. I decide to skip New Year’s celebrations for the first time in my adult life. I also decide to take control of my health and alter the true source of my allergies, my eating habits, and switch to the Paleo diet on January 1st.
Yes, we Austinites love to blame cedar for our allergies, but in fact, it’s our own eating habits that contribute to a good deal of the suffering. It sounds hippie, but many of the foods we eat, grains (like wheat and corn), sugar, alcohol, dairy, and processed foods, irritate our body, open us up to infection, and keep us in a state of low-level inflammation. And when our body is inflamed, it turns our immune system into a gang of trigger happy teenage boys hopped up on meth and testosterone, overreacting to the slightest perceived threat, even if the threat isn’t real. That’s why our white blood cells attack everything, including things like pollen or our own cells.
The Paleo diet attempts to return us to a time of simple eating by eliminating the foods our ancestors didn’t eat: grains, legumes, sugar, processed food, and dairy. Not only did our bodies not evolve to eat those things (especially the processed food), but they are all the top inflammation-causing bad guys. By kicking them off your plate, you take control of your health, look younger and lose weight.
Fast forward to December 31st, 2011: For the first time in almost a year, I had allergies–bad, bad allergies. After a week of heavy sweets and lots of holiday drinking, my body was once again pissed off. Thankfully there’s a new tool to help me get back on the clean eating train: Well Fed, a Paleo cookbook by Austin writer Melissa Joulwan.
Mel works with me at my jobby job. She’s the person that originally suggested I go Paleo. Not only has it helped my allergies, it has also been the perfect solution for my Celiac’s Disease.
Making the switch to Paleo was difficult at first; I love cooking–but I often felt severely limited by ingredient choices. We’ve been programmed all our lives to think that every meal has to have grains or a starch. To cook Paleo, to me, felt like I was learning to cook all over again.
Mel made me realize that it’s usually not the starch that we love, it’s the stuff that you put on it. But when I checked out Paleo cookbooks, I felt still like I was in for a bland existence. One of the few sources of inspiration was Mel’s blog, The Clothes Make the Girl. It had recipes that were not only easy to make, but also super tasty.
This past December, with the release of Well Fed, Mel has taken her blog one step further. Full of beautiful photographs of delectable looking dishes, Mel makes even the most refined palate water. And the recipes aren’t bland. Whether you like Middle Eastern, American, Asian, Pacific Islander, or European Cuisine, there’s a recipe in Well Fed that will whet your whistle.
But don’t let the varied dishes scare you, Mel makes it super easy for everyone:
- It won’t cost a fortune. Well Fed isn’t full of crazy veggies or spices that you have to spend a lot of money on. Almost all of the ingredients can be found at the farmers market or at H-E-B, so cost doesn’t get in the way of health.
- You don’t have to be a rockstar chef. From basics to advanced, Mel walks you through everything you need to enter the Paleo world.
- Even busy folks can benefit. One of my biggest obstacles to eating healthy is time–and Mel takes that into consideration. Well Fed not only has tips and tricks for planning and saving time, but it also includes several adaptable “Quick Meals” and snacks.
- Better than going out to eat. Mel really considers all the hassles of going Paleo, but doesn’t make you compromise. Whether it’s salads, sauces, or extravagant dishes, Well Fed includes everything to make you NOT want to go out. It’s even got DESSERTS and comfort food!
And all those beautiful pictures? Mel’s husband shot them…and then they ate the food. No tricks. This ish is REAL.
REVIEW: Overall, Well Fed is a well-thought, beautifully shot foodie-focused foray into the Paleo diet. It’s recipes are broad enough that I’m giving it to my athletic college-aged, short-on-time cousin and my struggling-to-get-healthy, only-care-about-cost mom.
FREE SNEAK PEEK: Mel’s got the first 30 pages of Well Fed up on her site for free download. Check it!
BUY IT: You can buy Well Fed directly from Mel’s site as an e-Book or a printed, softcover version.
WIN IT: We’ll be giving away a copy of Well Fed on the Republic of Austin Facebook page from 2-4PM TODAY. Head over there to learn how to win.
Mel will be signing the book this weekend at CrossFit Austin. She’s super personal and loves to answer questions. Copies will also be available for purchase!
What: Well Fed cookbook signing
Date: Saturday, January 28
Time: 12:00 noon
Location: CrossFit Austin, 8708 South Congress, Suite A180
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Oh the 90′s: That which is not a distant blur has become an idealistic memory. And while you can relive most of the aural highlights 47 minutes an hour on 101X, nothing can replace the sonic splendor that was K-NACK 107.7, Austin’s original alt-rock station.
The early 90′s saw Austin’s airwaves in a barren state–until the fall of 1991, when new upstart K-NACK started broadcasting. Suddenly Austin had direct access to the burgeoning alternative rock sound, then known as “college rock.” Plus, Austin artists were also featured in heavy rotation.
Yes, dear readers, there was a time when Austin radio didn’t just play variations on mainstream, but kept it local ALL the time.
But K-NACK wasn’t just a radio station. They built a community around the local scene. And by putting out their “Homegroan” CD compilations, they shined a light on Austin bands that might not have had the resources to get their sound out. Remember, this was Pre-Internet!
Truth be told, I’m a little biased. In the fall of 1997, I started an internship at the station. For almost two months, I’d drive up to Georgetown on Wednesdays to help out around the studio. Man, the CD library was epic. My internship ended early because the radio station got sold.
K-NACK's mascot logo was this image, affectionately known as the Psychobaby.
Found this misprinted Psychobaby sticker in my scrap book!
So what did Austin music in the 90′s sound like? Pickings on the InterWebs have been pretty slim, but I was able to find some stuff. Check it out:
90′s Austin bands played on K-NACK:
Sincola – “Bitch”
Retarded Elf – “What Up, G?”
Mumbleskinny – “Devilman”
Mojo Nixons – “Elvis is Everywhere”
Asylum Street Spankers – “Jerry the Junker”
Ugly Americans – “Vulcan Death Grip”
Stranger Than Fiction – “When Mystery Loves Company”
El Flaco – “Sister”
Sixteen Deluxe – “Honey”
Gal’s Panic – “Fuentes”
Bo Bud Greene – “Mira La Punk Star”
Wannabees – “Itchin Jenny”
You can catch several of these bands and more this weekend at the K-NACK Reunion at the ND. Here’s the full line-up:
Friday, January 27
Midnight SIXTEEN DELUXE
10:45 PM SINCOLA
9:30 PM BO BUD GREENE
9:00 SEED
Saturday, January 28
Midnight WANNABES
10:45 PM BUG / SPLINTER
9:30 PM GOMEZ (TX)
8:00 PM K-NACK CLASS REUNION: Come have a beer with K-NACK alums.
Hosted by Raydog. With the K-NACK Crew in the house: Max Pace, Lynn Lawless, Trina Quinn, Melody Lee, Rachel Marisay, Drew Bennett, Ken Fusion, Jason Jenkins, Cary Delmark, Alan Cross, The Rude Luvah, Jess Webb, Biff Raffe
WIN: If you want to win a pair of passes to the weekend’s events, go to Republic of Austin Facebook page between 10AM and NOON today! Look for the question 
EXPERIENCE: K-NACK 107.7 Reunion; (Friday, 01.27; Saturday 01.28); 8P-2A (Meet and greet with the K-NACK Crew at 8!); The ND (501 Brushy between E 5th and E 6th, 78702); Tickets $10/night or $17/wknd; More info; Facebook Event
And if you’re still feeling nostalgic, join the K-NACK 107.7 Psychobaby Time Capsule group on Facebook.
How many of those bands do you remember?
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Austin electrofunk meister neiliyo brings the party on his new EP Aquinnah [REVIEW + LISTEN]
They say love and marriage mature a man. At least, that seems to be the case with Austin’s neiliyo. The electrosoul singer recently took Annie Ray to New York City and Martha’s Vineyard to propose to the “gimmie more” photographer. Not only did neiliyo come back with a new fiancé, he also had a head full of ideas. The end result is Aquinnah, his 6th EP.
*Hold up.*
Before I continue with the review, I have to get this off my chest: Y’all know we’ve loved neiliyo since day 1. His live shows explode with energy. His tracks can make you shake your ass–but the mix on the recordings always was a little off. Sometimes the vocals were too loud. Sometimes it was the guitar. Not so on the new EP: neiliyo’s production combined with Love at 20′s Mike G‘s mix make this album sound larger than Austin.
*Phew*
Now that I’ve cleared the air, let me get back to the review.
Aquinnah has been burning up my playlist since I got it last week. Based on the whirlwind of emotions neiliyo experienced during his engagement weekend last summer, Aquinnah expertly combines the chill beach vibe with the hyperactivity of the Big Apple. With waves of intricately woven samples layered on top of urban beats, Aquinnah displays a sophisticated maturity that demonstrates neiliyo’s growth as an artist over the last year and a half since his last album. In fact, I might go as far as to say that Aquinnah represents a continued evolution towards a unique ‘electrosoul’ sound that blends 90s dance sensibility with an 80s urban/soul crooning.
[Check out the dance party of a Voyeur Music Video for neiliyo's "Kinda Pissed" on the Lamar Pede Bridge]
Opening track “Beach Party” sets the tone for the album: a preppy weekend retreat to a beach house out on Martha’s Vineyard. The sampled voices on the background with the distorted beats remind me of Machine Drum minus the basswaves. Like tracks from the Game Night album, there’s something almost singsong and care free as he sings, “I hope it doesn’t rain, but if it does it’s ok, we’re getting wet anyways.”
“Flowers,” the second track, starts with a sample groove from 90′s classic “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” by P.M. Dawn. Lazy Saturday exploring a small coastal town. Is he gonna do it? Is he ready to pop the question? Following the 90′s style, neiliyo tells a story and then follows it with a dreamlike, funky bridge. And it’s even got that slow-jam horn, in TLC style. Distorted beats, layered chords and whispered vocals make this song sound like a distant summer memory. In fact, I can’t stop singing the refrain: “Flowers dancing, on the sidewalk, I am freaking out. Was it worth it? Would you go back? Yes, with out a doubt.”
The third track, “Aquinnah,” is pure genius. It gives me chills. Part Prince, part chill wave, part Anita Baker, this is truly evolved neiliyo. Track opens with distorted cymbals crashing on top of claps and some phat beats–kind of reminds me of Peaches’s first album–except chill. Running away from the beach house, neiliyo and Annie Ray run out to a light house. 80s soul crooning in a falsetto, he asks, “Would you be…would you be my baby? For the rest…for the rest of my life?” There’s a break that drops some rimmed out booty bass beats and the sickest guitar solo this side of 1983. It’s a poetic love song. I can’t stop playing it…at all. I hope neiliyo continues this direction.
Fourth track “NYC Summertime” is a classic summer jam. It’s got all the energy of a 90s party jam plus a heap of Spank Rock. Dueling acid-like synth lines and singalong lyrics are guaranteed to make this a club banger. “Taxi cab pick me up. Hit that train. Make that bus. Watch the sign, don’t step across, but don’t forget my favorite line, it’s New York City summer time.” “So hot it blows my mind, It’s like a jungle sometimes, but it’s no wonder why: It’s New York City Summer Time.” “This ain’t no Austin, Texas, you ain’t on West Coast time. Change your plans. Stay Inside. It’s New York City Summer Time.” “Blackout windows sleep till 5, it’s New York City Summer time.”
LISTEN: neiliyo – “Aquinnah” EP
Full disclosure: neiliyo and I DJ every week together at #kitchen. He’s been teasing these tracks for the last couple months. And with all honesty, I’m so proud of my homie. He really turned it up to 11 on this album. After a couple listens, you’ll be hooked, and it might just be a part of your spring soundtrack. Head over to neiliyo’s soundcloud to download Aquinnah for free.
Austin dance musicians, neiliyo just upped the game. How you gonna answer?
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20 tripped-out photos of the beautiful Architects of Air Luminaria at Austin’s Long Center
Have you noticed a big, silver, inflated thing in front of the Long Center? No, it’s not a giant bouncy castle from a carnival. Nor is it an early SXSW corporate promo venue. it’s actually a Luminaria, an inflatable sculpture you enter to be transported to a magical place, created by British art company Architects of Air,
This last weekend, a group of friends and I hit up the Architects of Air Luminaria. Even after reading all about Luminarias and watching videos on the Architects of Air site, we had no idea what to expect. What we discovered was probably one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
When you’re inside, you totally forget about the real world. Beautiful colors bathe walls and wash over skin, making things look surreal. And veins of light flow throughout the ceiling, as if on a set for Tron.
When you are walking around inside the Luminaria, it’s kind of like walking around the inside of a space station. There’s something clean, minimal, and airy about the structure. But it doesn’t feel fragile.
Some of the rooms soar like an Arab mosque. And the calming awe that permeated my body as I wandered from tunnel to chamber was probably what the unwashed peasants felt when they walked into a cathedral for the first time. Both magnificient and peaceful, I could understand why they quickly converted to Catholicism.
Exploring the structure really turned all of us into little kids. Lying on the floor in the big chamber, we looked at the ceiling and giggled. Other folks did some yoga poses.We wanted to fly. We pretended to be aliens and robots. We wanted to live there.
The Luminaria itself, made of a special tarp-like plastic, is handcrafted over four months. The things that look like glowing lights are actually light collectors that channel the sun light.
Planning your trip to the Architects of Air in Austin:
- Try to get a group together. Not only does it get you a little bit of a discount, if you call the Long Center, they’ll arrange for you to skip the line once your group is present.
- You’re gonna have to take off your shoes, so be sure to wear clean socks–especially if you’re one of those people who can’t stand to walk around barefoot.
- Bring a camera!!
- Get their early. The lines can be upwards of an hour to get in.
- The structure is cold in places and hot in others. Bring a hoodie.
- Go with someone who will explore and play. It’s also a great place for a date.
- You’re kids will love it–but they may be frustrated with not being able to jump on the walls or climb. Most of the kids there were super chill. I think the Luminaria has that effect.
EXPERIENCE: Architects of Air; (Thursday, 01.19; Friday 01.20); 10A-5P (Last admission at 5PM); The Long Center (701 W Riverside Dr, 78704); Tickets 8$ (For group pricing, please call 512.457.5161); More info
For more pictures, you can also check out my personal flickr page, here.
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From brewskis to booze, we Austinites are blessed with a healthy variety of locally-sourced adult beverages. Whether you want vodka, rum, gin, beer, or wine, it’s easy to find an Austin alternative to give you what you need to get drunk. And now we can add another brewery to the list–but this one doesn’t make ales, stouts, porters, or lagers. Nope, the new kid on the block makes something completely different, but still equally refreshing: hard cider.
Yes, thanks to Austin Eastciders, we now have a local source for hard cider. And although their first brew, Gold Top, debuted in November while I was on my walkabout, I tasted it for the first time this weekend at Cheer Up Charlie’s on the East Side. I’ll be honest, it was delicious.
My first sip of Austin Eastciders Gold Top apparently blew my face out:
Ya see, back in August, I had to switch to a strict gluten free diet. That meant no more beer. And since a brutha’s gotta have some sort of frothy adult bev while out on the town, I’ve been forced to try pretty much every hard cider commonly available at the bars. In fact, I’ve grown into a discerning hard cider connoisseur.
Most hard ciders, to me, are too sweet. Wood Chuck tastes like a Jolly Rancher. Hornsby’s is meh. Strong Bow is tolerable. Original Sin is pretty good. But Austin Eastciders Gold Top, produced with 12 different Texas apple varieties and more than 40 different antique English apple varieties, is effing amazing. With a nice balance of crisp sweet with a smooth dryness, it kinda reminds me of Martinelli’s Apple Juice.
Since my vampiric skin didn’t want to photo properly, I got my homeboy Happy to show off a bottle of Austin Eastciders Gold Top for me:
According to a press release from Austin Eastciders:
The vintage apple varieties used [in Gold Top] include Texas-grown old Southern cider apple Winesap, alongside amazing English varieties like Cap Of Liberty, Brown Snout, Bloody Butcher, Sheeps Nose, Harry Masters Jersey, Hangdown, Porter’s Perfection, Kingston Black and Lambrook Pippin. Gold Top is made in an extremely natural and traditional way. It is almost 100% apples and is made with the minimum of ingredients. There is no concentrate, no artificial flavorings or colorings and much of the fruit is grown using better than organic farming
practices.
And these guys seem to know what they’re doing (also from a press release):
Austin Eastciders make old style cider. We use vintage bittersweet and bittersharp apple varieties to produce ciders which are drier, smoother and more complex than many modern hard ciders. For us, making old style cider is about following the traditions that made cider the ‘Original Drink of America’, the most popular drink in the land until Temperance broke up the party. We use antique cider apple varieties to produce flavors that have not been widely experienced in America since Prohibition. We use the wild yeasts from the apples for a slow, natural fermentation. And we add nothing to our cider which isn’t present naturally in the fruit, no concentrate, no colorings and no artificial sweeteners.
For this first batch, the apples were shipped off to a processing facility in the UK. But Austin Eastsiders founder Ed Gibson says that won’t always be the case. In an email interview, Gibson shared his plans to open a production facility and brewery in East Austin this summer:
I would love to say it will be sooner, but our current aim is to have our East Austin production facility open by mid-summer.
Given that this will be classed by TABC as a winery rather than a brewery, there is potentially a lot more flexibility of use. For example, a Texas winery can sell its products directly onsite, whilst a brewery cannot. We want to try and take advantage of that and make the place a real destination, a space that can also be used for events/shows/parties. We also want it to be in the heart of East Austin, so we’re setting ourselves a high bar! But we have some interesting options and we’re hoping to confirm a space very soon.
You can keep up with Austin Eastciders’s developments via their Facebook page. You can also find out where to buy Gold Top and read more about the company on their recently launched homepage.
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There really are few things more horrifying than watching the news and discovering a friend was the victim of a gruesome murder. The nature of most news shows is to grab your attention with some sort of sensational or emotional lede. And if it’s a horrifying murder, you’re already in a state of disbelief…but that disbelief turns into shock when the picture and name is someone you know. Like a nightmare or a movie, you don’t think it’s real. An Internet search confirms the worst. Your heart breaks.
This has been the experience that many folks in this city and I have relived over the past 24 hours after hearing the horrible news of Esme Barrera’s murder [Here's a beautiful tribute from Waterloo Records, where Esme had a part-time job]. Last night I dreamt about it, except this time two more of my friends were victims to this monster. And even though I know my friends are ok, the dreams were so real that I still can’t shake the sense of shock and loss.
When you find out a special person in your life has passed and her murderer is still on the loose, your shock turns to anger and fear. You want revenge and you want to be safe. These are both natural responses, but taken to extremes, they can be harmful and crippling. We, as a city, need a level check to make sure either one doesn’t get out of hand.
Get the word out with this flyer.
I love this flyer. It’s attention grabbing. It’s informative. It’s instructional. Everyone needs to know about these crimes so they can be cautious and prepared. It should be shared across Facebook, tumblr, twitter, and the Internet.
BUT
A Crime Sketch is not a photograph.
What this flyer does not do, however, is give a clear picture of the murderer. Yes, it includes the police sketch, but the guy looks pretty generic. It’s not a photograph, and we need to remember that.
Just for the sake of experimentation, do a quick Google image search for “bald black man” (be sure to be in Safe Search, unless you want porn). If your search was like mine, you’ll find a lot of pictures of folks who fit the description and vaguely resemble that sketch. Here are a couple of examples:
I’m not saying all black people look the same. I’m saying that it’s easy for a lot of people to look like a generic sketch. And when that generic sketch is coupled with “bald black dude in his 30s,” it can lead us to fall back on racial stereotypes. As a city still recovering from a racist past, we need to be aware when old habits start to creep back into place.
Stay vigilant–not scared.
Instead of being scared of a shadowy image of a person, channel that energy into being alert and ready in all situations. Know how to protect yourself. Carry mace. Also, practice healthy preventative measures: Stay in groups. Look after each other. Use the buddy system. Men, please walk women to their car or door. It’s not sexism, it’s being a gentleman.
I’ll probably get hate mail for this post. Please know that I want this guy to be captured. I’m horrified by Esme’s murder and the violent crimes these women suffered. Like others, I’m 100% saddened by the loss of such a beautiful person. That guy needs to go to jail. But let’s be smart about how we channel our anger and fear. When we convert those emotions into prejudice, violence and paralysis, we end up injuring ourselves.
Stay safe, y’all. And please consider donating to help Esme’s family cover the costs of the funeral.
You may have noticed that it’s been a little quiet around here. Well, my gypsy soul needs to wander. Thankfully, my jobby job includes a massive amount of vacation time. I’ve been taking advantage of that and traveling a lot. In fact, I just barely unpacked from my trip to LA (see pictures here), and I’m about to leave for a backpacking/biking/camping trip through Italy, followed by a visit to Germany to see my friends. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and after saving, I’m finally gonna do it. I’ll be gone until mid-December.
I started this blog in 2009 as a way to share my love of Austin with the world–and the love the city has returned is amazing. We’ve won awards. Our traffic is crazy. And over 4000 of you beautiful people have liked Republic of Austin on Facebook. I never imagined it would turn into something as big as it has. I am truly humbled.
But after 2.5 years of writing the Republic of Austin blog, editing our videos, and running the twitter/Facebook/tumblr feeds almost every day, I need a bit of a break. I also need a little time to clear my head. For this next chapter of my life, I’m opening my mind to possibilities I never would have imagined a few years ago–and the noise of Facebook/twitter/tumblr plus writing blog posts, and setting up and shooting interviews doesn’t really allow me to be calm with myself and my thoughts. To do that, I truly need to unplug.
In the meantime, you can follow the journey on my personal blog, my personal twitter feed, and my personal flickr. Since I’m leaving my phone and laptop in the United States, and taking only my backpack and a pocket-sized camera, I can’t promise any regular updates.
Thanks, again, for all the support y’all have given me and the blog. There are some exciting things coming down the pike. Stay tuned!
<3 + V + \m/,
Chris Apollo
With Austin having the third worst traffic congestion in the country and more than 700,000 folks expected to move here over the next couple decades, it might be time to finally think realistically about building some sort of urban rail to help ease the congestion of this fine city. Of course, Austinites always seem to want better public transit, but voters don’t want to pay the costs. The result, as noted in the recently-released 30-year Comprehensive Plan proposal for Austin, comes at the expense of our general public health and air. And although the Texas Legislature approved the Lonestar Line in 1998 to connect Georgetown to San Antonio via rail, little has been done to provide an effective solution to help commuters.
So it’s time to think big, folks. It’s time to let our minds wander a bit and dream up something that could last hundreds of years and help many generations to come. It’s time to consider effective solutions that people will use.
Thanks to Cavallari Stewart, we can imagine a world in which Austin already has a subway. The Massachusetts design firm started Transit Authority Figures, a side project that begin by fantasizing improbable solutions in smaller towns. They’ve recently branched out to larger cities, and wanted to share a draft of their subway map of Austin. Check it:
[Click image to see a zoomable map of Austin's Subway System]
I really love the thought they’ve put into this. Looking at this map, I imagine my morning commute going something like this: Walk to the Bouldin Creek subway stop, hop on the train, and after a short trip, I get off at the West 6th stop. Viola! Quick. Easy. No hassle. And how nice would it be to go out downtown on the weekends? Ot what about a family trip to Deep Eddy?
Here’s a close up:
According to the key, the stops would stretch deep into the suburbs:
They want the maps to be as realistic as possible, so they’re crowdsourcing this draft. They hope to get feedback from the folks that would potentially use the subway, if it existed. Here’s Creative Director Rob Stewart with a little more:
This is our first draft of the Austin Subway. Our hometown was easy to map because we knew where the stops should be and where the lines should run (and it’s small). For Austin (big), we’ve been studying maps and traffic patterns and consulting friends. But it’s important to get feedback from people who really know and love the metro area.
The lines all run out to the suburbs so that it serves commuters as well as urban dwellers. We wanted to connect hospitals and airports, colleges and museums, shopping centers and public spaces. We also want to make sure there is plenty of local flare—places only folks from the old neighborhood might get—as if the subway had been built 100 years ago.
Ok, me first: For starters, Congress Avenue north of the river is just called “Congress Ave,” not “N Congress.” Also, the Barton Hills stop seems like it might be a little too far east to service the neighborhood that lies west of Bouldin Creek, not north of it. And what neighborhood is Bailey Park?
What do you think of the map? Do the locations of the lines and stops make sense? Are there high traffic places or popular destinations along the lines that don’t have a stop and should? Or are there ways the stops or lines should be renamed? It’s the little details, things that only people from Austin would know, that make these maps endearing to the people that live here.
Let’s imagine this was real. What would you improve? Leave messages for the creators in the comments!
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Sometimes Austin’s musical heritage is so loud, it drowns out some of the other arts, like film. For those of you who didn’t grow up watching ‘Dazed and Confused’ or ‘Slackers,’ Netflix that ish like now. Not only are they key pieces of Austin’s history, but you might learn a few things about our fine city: Everyone smokes weed. Everyone is a conspiracy theorist. And our high schools are rampant with unruly teens.
Debuting at this year’s upcoming Austin Film Festival, “Austin High” hopes to spark that j and pass on the tradition to the next generation. Set in current day Austin, “Austin High” shows the battle between a city government hell bent on eradicating everything weird, and the blazed out high school that fights to maintain their way of life. That life, of course, involves smoking hella weed. And if the trailer is any indication, it also includes some madcap hijinx.
Check out the trailer:
Did you notice the name of the High School in the trailer? It was Lady Bird High School–and its mascot is a big black dillo. That explains this sign I found earlier this summer stashed behind the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar.
There may have been more marijuana-related paraphernalia in that trailer than there is in the entire glass case at Planet K. And with an ensemble cast and multiple takes, it could get expensive buying the bricks of weed required to shoot a movie. Good thing their special effects crew knew how to turn some over-the-counter herb (oregano) into the stickiest of the icky. Apparently all it takes is some egg whites, sugar, and a little Kool-Aid.
Check out this behind-the-scenes video explaining the process:
Not convinced yet? Here’s the full synopsis:
Welcome to Ladybird High, nestled comfortably amongst the soul-searchers, aging hippies, and nouveau weirdos of famously freewheeling Austin, Texas. At Ladybird, it’s always 4:20, even for Principal Samuel Wilson. But when the community is rocked by a citywide crackdown on marijuana use, local leaders are determined to make an example of Samuel, his staff and students. When asked to support their iron-fisted efforts, Samuel is beset with the task of cleaning up his beloved school without compromising his life philosophy.
Austin High is a coming of age comedy for the young at heart, featuring an ensemble cast right from the source. Knowing there’s more than just fun at stake, Samuel’s daughter and crew of oddball friends try to keep him honest along the way. In the city officials’ “war on weird,” Samuel and the rest of the blazed faculty, students and staff of Ladybird High School will have to conform or pay the price. The fight is under way, and everyone must find the courage to stand up and defend the city they love, before it’s stripped of its unique essence and mutated into the latest American strip mall: a drab monument to consumerism.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m a sucker for late-night comedies. And, well, y’all know I love Austin. Can’t wait to check it out at the Austin Film Festival on October 22nd!
Speaking of AFF, have you bought your Austin Film Festival film pass yet? It’s only $50 for access to all movies during the eight days (October 20th-27th, 2011) of film screenings, including entry in the priority Film Pass line and admittance to the Film Pass Party.
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Austin psych pop band Candi & The Strangers perform ‘Femme Sonique’ at a mannequin warehouse [VOYEUR MUSIC VIDEO]
Our “Voyeur Music Video” series is a lot like porn for music lovers. Shot in one take at locations around the city, the videos are intimate, stripped down and raw–nothing like traditional live performances. Enjoy!
It’s time! After shooting all summer long, we’re kicking off our new season of Voyeur Music Videos! Shot in one take, these videos snatch the musicians out of the music venue and plop them down in locations around the city. Like amateur porn for music lovers, these are stripped-down sets by some of our favorite musicians. And this season, we’ve got a slew of diverse artists that represent the full gambit of Austin music.
Kicking off the new season of Voyeur Music Videos is Austin psych pop band Candi & The Strangers. With their lush soundscapes, Candi & The Strangers bring a style that reminds me of the aural incarnation of pop art. Full of dreamy pinks and oranges, their synth-heavy sound mimics the swirls of liquid psychedelic light projections. And the vocals, layered in reverb, have an almost shiny, plastic feel, as if sung by a mannequin who has come to life.
For the video, we decided to represent that plastic, pop art sound by surrounding the band with eerie naked mannequins. Shot in a fixtures warehouse off Cameron road, the band was surrounded by arms, legs, and lots and lots of perky plastic boobs. The end result is something that could have been shot in Andy Warhol’s Factory: a beautiful fusion of sound and style.
WATCH: “Femme Sonique” by Candi & The Strangers
Kind of in love with Erik Woffor’s omnichord. Like an electronic harp, it’s really effing sexy. I’m also in love with Samantha’s Casio SK-1
Erik Wofford plays the Omnichord
Samantha Constant plays the Casio SK-1
Earlier this year, Candi & The Strangers released their debut album “10th of Always.” You can pick it up at End of an Ear on South 1st or at Waterloo. You can also download “10th of Always“
Currently, band members Angie and Greg Rose are on an old-fashioned road trip through the US. In the meantime, songwriting team John and Samantha Constant and producer Erik Wofford have teamed up with Shiny Object to create an animated feature called Children of the Tone. The band also worked on the soundtrack to Man on a Mission, which will have its theatrical debut in New York in January.
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Find something Austin-related that you want to share? Photos, screen shots, articles, news? Email us at tips@republicofaustin.com.
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