Cover Story
A Conversation with Greg Daniels – Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008
Greg Daniels speaks about his career at the Austin Film Festival.
Radio Stars Who Are Fit to Print
Radio players in print
Voter Suppression Allegations in Harris County
Could CD 10 race be affected?
Pharoahe Monch, Forgive Me
Local beats and thinking back on hip-hop circa ’99
Horns Defeat Sooners 4-0, and More Soccer News
The Longhorns pick up a win and a tie, ‘Maradona by Kusturica’ premiere, and more
The Imprecise Science of Polling
Once again, the Cornyn/Noriega numbers yo-yo
The Lineup
Recommended music for the week of October 24-30
Hail to the Hustle: Vote Early, Vote Often
Hustling Senatorial hopeful Rick Noriega
Real Mavericks on ‘Nightline’ Tonight
And they don’t like McCain-Palin using their family name
Early Voting, Day 3
When did voting suddenly become popular?
AFF: Titans of TV vs. The Online World
Comparing notes between the Titans of TV and The Online World.
Houston Hate Mailer
Conservative PAC treads line between liberal-bashing and racism in hobnail boots, throws in homophobia for good measure
With a Healthy Colt, UT’s No. 1 Ranking Is the Real McCoy
Some Longhorn football fans will tell you the fabled 15-14 win in 1969 over Arkansas is the game. I lean toward the 1977 UT-OU matchup that saw third-string quarterback Randy McEachern come in after first- and second-teamers Mark McBath and Jon Aune were thrown around the field like rag dolls. McEachern knew that his job…
Choose or Lose
A local veteran takes to the stage
Doing Prop 2 Some Justice?
Think tank weighs in on Stop Domain Subsidies amendment
Talk About a Benedict …
Dem primary loser endorses Libertarian in Pct. 3 commissioner race
Closer Look at Pct. 3 Contributors
Big names appear in Daugherty and Huber’s donors
Money Watch on Local Races
Numbers for CD 10, U.S. Senate, and county commissioner
More Hank, Better Hank
Hank Williams Sr. gets Unreleased
Know Your Poll Worker
County clerk again warns voters to beware polling place misinformation
Early Voting, Day 2
Travis County still posting great numbers
Cell Phone Prompts Systemwide Lockdown
Phone calls from death row to a state lawmaker prompt a systemwide prison lockdown
Noreiga TV Ads
Democrat doesn’t have Cornyn’s bank account, but he has produced ads
Doherty’s First TV Ad
Democratic challenger goes after McCaul
Party With a Mission: Raise East Austin Turnout
Southwest Key offers music, refreshments, and voting
AFF Review: ‘Bunnyland’
Johnny Tesar is an American eccentric. As amateur archaeologist and would-be entrepreneur, Johnny collects more than seven thousand rocks and crystals around Pigeon Forge, Tenn., exhibits them to the public in his trailer, and attempts to convince archaeological academics that his collection describes an ancient civilization. Unfortunately, Johnny also finds himself implicated in the slaughter…
Brother, Can You Spare a Surplus?
Perry looking to slash state agency budgets again
Two-Timin’ Jesus
Hayes Carll’s new music video catches the Big Guy in the act
UT Hosting Debate on Visions of McCain and Obama
Event Thursday at LBJ School, free and open to public
My Texicalli Chair
The treasures of the Danny Roy Young tribute
Maker Faire: Mission Accomplished
This year’s Maker Faire was exhausting, but the inspiration was boundless
Early Voting Off to an Amazing Start
Totals almost double that of 2004
If You Encounter This Guy, Call 911
Man confronted by voting officials when caught giving incorrect voting info
Press My Buttons and Turn My Wheel
Andy gets so turned on by public engagement.
If You’re White It’s All Right
Cleveland reporters find that blacks there are far more likely to be imprisoned for drug crimes — but if you’re white, well then, it’s allll right.
‘The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life’
Insight into and from one stinking rich man
Don’t Let Up, Texas Obama Director Says
“This race is going to tighten up,” Sepúlveda warns
Miss Banks
Yesterday I went to the Paramount to check out the AFF screening of Role Models, the new big-budget comedy from director David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer). From the flash-mob parade of zombies on Congress Ave. regaling those of us waiting in line with cries for “equal rights!” and, of course, “brains!,” to the less…
AFF Review: ‘A Quiet Little Marriage’
The young, mildly hipster, NPR-listening couple Dax (Cy Carter) and Olive (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) are in nearly every scene of writer/director Mo Perkins’ A Quiet Little Marriage, which hums along on a central conceit: When Dax discovers a grand deception being perpetrated by Olive, instead of confronting her, he embarks on an equally devious strategy.…
AFF Review: ‘The Atom Smashers’
Tiny, theoretical formulae have been making huge news lately, and not only on Wall Street. Scientists in Switzerland recently turned on the CERN Hadron Collider, a massive “atom smasher” with a 14-mile circumference designed for the express purpose of discovering the sub-atomic building block of the universe, dubbed the “god particle.” Unfortunately, CERN is glitchy…
AFF Review: ‘Lost and Found’
A few personal items lost at a rural train station provide the links to connect a variety of characters that might not otherwise realize the other exists in this poetic Japanese import from writer/director Nobuyuki Miyake. Achingly sad, yet astonishingly lovely, Miyake’s tender film features many lithe performances that could have easily devolved into intransigent…
It’s Getting Scary!
And we are having a contest! For tickets! To Ghouls Night Out!
AFF Review: Six Man, Texas
Not your usual Texas football
Girl Talk’s Gestalt
Gregg Gillis and his monster mash-up brain
Go Vote RIGHT NOW
Early voting starts today; take advantage and avoid long Election Day lines
AFF: The Dopeness
Who is KK Downey?
CD 10 Ads Now Hitting the Airwaves
McCaul and Doherty both buying TV spots
Democratic Rally With Noriega Monday Night
Event at Victory Grill kicks off early voting
AFF: The Wackness
AFF film review Psycho Sleepover
Bee Oh Ay Par Tay
Some pics from our party honoring Best of Austin winners.
My AFF Friday
From a sunny barbecue to a film about the shrouded mysteries of Sonny Liston’s boxing career in Phantom Punch to the comedy Shallow Grave that’s just about as dark as they come
Fearmonger Boosts Campaign … of Opponent; Noriega on Rise
Donations flood Minnesota race and Texas U.S. Senate contest
Texans Stun Fans, Win Game
The Houston Texans manage to miss shooting themselves in the foot by an inch, hope to tame the Lions today
Skating and Shooting
Austin film makers talk about filming Roller Derby when there was no Roller Derby to film
All the Ladies in the House
Kirsten Smith and Shauna Cross whip up some good old-fashioned girl power
Obscenity vs. Inanity
For those who wanted an insider’s perspective on the bizarre world of Hollywood ratings negotiations, writer/director Jake Kasdan (Zero Effect, Walk Hard) was happy to oblige with a bit of MPAA-related absurdity at this afternoon’s Writing Comedies: PG-13 vs. R panel at the Driskill Hotel: “Two ‘fucks,'” he explained, “is the limit for a PG-13…
Friday’s TV Development Talk
Robert Markovich, Director of Original Project Development for the Starz Network and Mark Stegemann, past writer on Scrubs, My Boys, and now the famously popular Greek discuss how TV shows get made and how to break in.
Sentimental Doom Death Song
Monarch Event Center’s metal christening
October Is Still the Busiest Month
There are still more food events for Sunday, Oct. 19
October Is the Busiest Month for Events in Austin, Part II
A full weekend of food events is ahead for busy Austinites
The Roy Williams Era Begins
Cowboys hemorrhage next draft to acquire UT alum Roy Williams
Over and Out
Giving Film Fight III the big kiss-off
‘Boys Will Be Boys’
Jeff Pearlman’s new book exposes the excesses and successes of the Nineties Dallas Cowboys
Closing Statements
That’s it. I can’t take it anymore. When somebody accuses me of being motivated by middle-class guilt first thing in the morning, that’s when I take my computer and go home. So I’m going to take my computer and go home. Metaphorically. I actually haven’t left my home in days. So, thanks to everyone who’s…
Can Noriega Catch Cornyn?
Democrat close, but two and a half weeks out, it may be too late
W, meet Laura. Laura, meet W.
W. kicks off AFF at the Paramount
Supreme Court Says ‘No’ to Ohio GOP
The Supremes said neither GOP nor appeals court have right to interfere in Ohio election process
Love Songs for the Loveless
The Magnetic Fields change positions at the Paramount
Hail to the Hustle: Searching for Joey Plumber
Zero! Zero? Zero.
The Lineup
Recommended music for the week of October 17-23
At Home in the World of One’s Woes, And It’s a Wide, Wide World
The nitty-gritty of what speaks to us and why
Headlines
• Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 20. For early-voting info and Chronicle endorsements, and for election coverage, see “Campaign Trail.” And vote! • The stock market rallied Monday after the U.S. and European nations announced plans to inject capital directly into major banks – a plan favored by several economists, including Paul Krugman. The New…
More Reasons to Shed Tears for TIERS
Health and Human Services’ TIERS program still plagued by rising costs and poor quality
Year of the Fish
Year of the Fish is an animated fairy tale for adults that transposes the story of Cinderella to a Chinatown massage parlor.
Best Bookstore
Where have you registered your child? Being able to set up a must-read list for baby is just one of the ways that BookPeople keeps young readers engaged. Whether it’s story time or literary day camp, Austin’s biggest independent bookstore makes reading fun – and keeps it that way.
Best Journalist
Forget your fancy journalism degrees and chasing down stories. Professional contrarian Kelso works his cranky corner to pick up stories and has established his role as fixture on bar stools and in eateries of South Austin to formulate his triweekly column. As the man himself told his readers, “I’ve decided to stay on forever and…
Best Sign
Like a page from a big Rolodex full of pithy quotes and witticisms, El Arroyo’s message board has been eliciting grins down on West Fifth for many years now. It continues to win the hearts of “BOA” voters with that patented Austin self-expression, which is so tenderly encouraged here in our fair city, at all…
Best Bar Ambience
The Belmont continues to hold sway over the sophisticated set, despite a rash of more-recent club openings that haven’t fared as well. Matt Luckie and Daryl Kunik are the guys who can turn straw into gold and have their fingers on the pulse of Austin’s nightlife like no other bar owners in town. Among their…
Best Place to People Watch
No wonder we all wear dark sunglasses. We’re all scanning the crowd. That tan 40-year-old man in the red banana-hammock riding his 10-speed or the European topless crowd toward the back or even the class-skipping share, looking for a solar cure for last night’s dorm-room tequila. Barton Springs’ true scenery is the people. Keep your…
Best Sweets/Goodies
Hot, fresh-baked cookies and brownies made to order and delivered all across town. What an ingenious idea! Add-ons like miniature milks (chocolate and regular) and birthday balloons are the special touches that make this Austin favorite a gorgeous, chocolaty mainstay. Tiff’s superfriendly staff (now, at two locations!) is standing by the phone and Internet ready…
Best Sportscaster
Since joining KXAN (Channel 36) more than a decade ago, sports anchor Roger Wallace has delivered many a smooth sportscast, replete with the necessary info on local and national sports figures. This year, he put a lot of that knowledge to good use for 25 days, following and covering Texas athletes at the Beijing Olympics.…
Best Local Team
With the University of Texas bringing home the hardware in this category, one could safely assume the “team” referred to here would be the Colt McCoy-led juggernaut known as Longhorn football (which this entire town revolves around), but don’t forget about their nationally respected soccer, track & field, swimming, softball, baseball, et al. programs.
Best Environmentalist
A human switchboard for all things sustainable, Clark earns Austin’s respectful adoration for the fertility of her imagination and the durability of her projects. Austin CarShare, Austin EcoNetwork, Citizen Gardener, and the soon-to-exist One Earth Bank are all founded by this supercharged mitochondria of green.
Best Car Wash
With a little TLC and lots of soapy concoctions, the hardworking Genie Car Washers thoroughly lather up, vacuum out, and wax off your baby, all in a speedy and professional manner. Best part? They have killer coupons in darn near every publication this side of the Mississippi.
Best Tattoo Artist
There is no shadow. There is just Karen Slafter, whose reputation precedes her, making it about a month and a half before you can even get into her chair. Pretty rad for an art that is usually a boys’ club. The wait’s well worth it, though, not just for the name, no, but for the…
Best Local Hardware Store
The success of this local treasure in a big-box world, opened in 1970 by Truman and Ann Breed, may be its butch/femme appeal. Go to one side of the store for door hinges and bulldog hooks, then meet your companion on the other side to approve selections of Jay Strongwater and crystal stemware. Tip: Try…
Best Patio View for an Afterwork Drink
Yes, yes, yes, we all know about Opal Divine’s divine Cracked Pepper Fries, but Opal Divine’s Penn Field location in SoCo knows how to beat the Texas heat by offering a patio decked out with fans, misters, and shady trees. High above the street, the sunsets are golden, and the rest of the world seems…
Best ‘If You See the Lights on, Come on In’
Dropping by to hear a sizzling set of blues at this legendary club can be a hit-or-miss prospect these days. Sometimes it’s open, sometimes it’s not, or sometimes just for special events. Though a new mural – honoring Lavelle White, Austin’s own queen of soul, and Johnny Holmes, who founded the Victory Grill in 1945…
Best Community Asset Chef (Female)
In addition to raising a family, running a business, and donating countless hours and hors d’oeuvres to charity, chef Quincy Adams Erickson is a founding member of the local chapter of women’s culinary service organization Les Dames d’ Escoffier. This past executive board member of the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival not only…
Most Seductive Queso
Austin is committed to queso. We love a late-night seduction after a night of dancing and carousing. We love a reason to get out of bed on a lazy Sunday. Queso! Our insatiable queso-craze has spawned a competitive playing field of melty goodness clamoring for our taste buds. Torchy’s green-chile queso has captured the desire…
Best Roving Reporter
How much do we love Amy Hadley? Let us count the ways. Whether engaging in outré acts of physicality for her “Fit for Friday” series, popping up in any number of unique Austin locations for her morning segments, or tugging heartstrings in her “Forever Families” series, this plucky, porcelain-skinned goddess among newsies handles each segment…
Best Place to Bocce
Though you can play boccie ball just about anywhere there’s a stretch of grass, we’ve been waiting for some real boccie courts to show up in town and take their rightful place among the shuffleboards, pool tables, and other classic games we like to play with our friends when we’re out and about and feeling…
Best Stress-Free April 15
Foundation Communities offers relief from tax-preparation anxiety in the form of this free program that runs mid-January to mid-April. Nine different locations, staffed by countless volunteers, make it more than convenient. Instead of dropping a bill at large corporate tax centers, taxpayers earning within certain limits can take care of their yearly pain through this…
Best Naughty Guilty Pleasure
Just a skip off of I-35 is the coy, stylish boutique known as the Bazaar, where women have guiltlessly dropped dough to feel sexy and accessorized. Right next door is the Bazaar costume annex, which not only carries every type of disguise (Santa suits, wigs, facial hair, tiaras, etc.) but also great cover for any…
Best Evil Genius
Credit Whurley – also known as William Hurley, a visionary systems theorist, skateboarder, and self-proclaimed evil genius – with leading the efforts to form a community among Austin tech geeks. The chief architect of open-source strategy at BMC Software and the man behind BarCampAustin, Whurley is all about connecting people and encouraging involvement in collaborative…
Best Breath of Fresh Air
Lots of life-forms thrive in the silver ducts of central air-conditioning systems: dust and dander, mold and microbes. Texas Green Air sucks ’em all up with a giant snaking vacuum cleaner, washes down the interior of the air handlers, kills mold spores, and cleans out your dryer vents for good measure. This young mom-and-pop company…
Naked City
News briefs from Austin, the region, and beyond
Nukes Not So Nice for Texas Groundwater
South Texans are banding together to demand tougher regulation of uranium mining
Flow: For Love of Water
Documentary about the degradation of the world’s water supply through environmental indifference, chemical irresponsibility, mass privatization, and corporate chicanery.
Best Cheap Thrill
Two dollars. Two hundred pennies. And a swimsuit. That’s for the teens. For the wee ones, it costs a mere buck to roll in the spacious green lawn (watch out for the sunbathers!), to make a splash off the diving board, and to giggle and frolic in the ice-cold, revitalizing water. For those really low…
Best Architectural Trend
Because turning the lights off will only do so much good. A really eco-conscious household or business is one where energy-saving is built into every switch, and every fitting is recycled and recyclable, and Austin’s progressive building community, backed by Austin Energy Green Building, is ready to design a sustainable future.
Best Window Display
Year after year, Gail Chovan and her band of merry ruffians make us ecstatic that black is the new black. If you’re thinking that every original idea must have surely come and gone, go directly to the front window of Blackmail. Always inspiring and sometimes controversial, these displays set an inarguable design standard.
Best Bar Staff
Maybe it’s just the Cold War talking, but you’d think a Russian-inspired bar would be stiff, strict, banal, formal, even mean. Rocky IV bias? Perhaps. But the fact that all the bartenders at Molotov seem to be genuinely nice, warm, efficient, and the type to make conversations unforced, easy, like two friends catching up, well,…
Best Scenester/Mover & Shaker
These prodigal siblings may not realize they were cut from the same cloth, born of the same womb: the belly of the dishy diva. Prodigal? Both Stephen “Your Style Avatar” MacMillan Moser and Diane “Kitty of Foodies” Murray lived opulent and crapulent lives back in those fabled Austin Eighties, then left Texas to find themselves…
Best Local Author/Poet
This local funny man may have cut his teeth as part of the fabulous Sinus Show, but his literary persona has since grown wings. Encapsulated in both novel and short-story form, his biting wit and spin on the world make for intelligent humor and foreshadow a long career in the written, spoken, and comedic worlds.…
Best Sportswriter
With 90,000 fans in the stands, the last thing the Horns need is one more cheerleader. Kirk Bohls knows it. He calls it like he sees it, win, lose, or draw. Thirty years of sportswriting bring a lot of knowledge, including detailed analysis – be it around player stats, strategy, rankings, or an opponent’s history.…
Best Place for a Picnic
Lay a blanket down, and revel in all the room you’ve got to throw a stick to your pooch or a Frisbee to your dreadlocked friends. Someone smell patchouli? If space is what makes your special picnic a romantic getaway right here in the city, then Zilker is your park. There are haunts by the…
Best Grassroots Movement
Where were you on Feb. 23, 2007? If you were with 20,000 other Austinites on Auditorium Shores, watching Barack Obama before he was even a serious front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, thank Texans for Obama. These determined activists saw the hunger for change and have fought tirelessly to keep that campaign energy high.
Best Computer Repair
Where geekiness is godliness, Logic Approach is the best place to upgrade the old or recapture data once thought completely lost. They work hard-drive miracles, dole out sage advice, and stock an unprecedented amount of spare parts. Fast, economical, convenient, professional miracle workers for today’s digital needs.
Best Veterinarian
A vet who knows how you feel when your animal companion is ailing is a gem beyond price. But Brykerwoods Veterinary Clinic, a petite office which wins the dedication of our readers this year for its emotionally perceptive service, is also affordable. We woof, meow, squawk, and nibble in its honor.
Best Music Gear
You know how you and your buds broke it down to “Pour Some Sugar on Me” with the cutlery and the glassware at Magnolia the other night (much to the chagrin of your server)? It’s high time you guys started that monster rock group. Pile into your tour bus, and stock it up with all…
Best Philosophical Guidance by an Apartment Complex
We recognize the need for apartment complexes to use their signage to attract new tenants (“If you lived here, you’d be home by now!”), but there’s something refreshing – and quintessentially Austin – about a complex that encourages us all to stop and smell the roses. “Enjoy being” reads the sign at the West Annie…
Best DJ to Rally the Rumpshakers
Between beat-boy dance-offs to “Can We Kick It” and sweaty group sing-alongs of “Baby Got Back,” this little trickster rallied the rumpshakers to the sounds of cumbias and vallenatos. Homegrown DJ Orion, resident DJ at Creekside Lounge this summer, opened up our sonic palates, inciting one and all to grab a partner and infuse moves…
Best Community Asset Chef (Male)
Whether this Z’Tejas founding chef is spearheading the Operation Turkey Day event that serves up a sumptuous Thanksgiving meal to 400 Fort Hood soldiers and their families or rounding up fellow chefs to participate in the annual Share Our Strength gala to fight hunger, Jack Gilmore’s a guy who regularly puts his cooking and organizational…
Best Blackboard Jungle for Budding Auteurs
Austin is a city rich in arts and culture and offers a wide variety of opportunities for up-and-coming visionaries. When it comes to filmmaking – especially for children – there are a number of venues that offer classes here and there, but when you compare variety and quantity, Austin School of Film stands out. Its…
Best Sci-Fi Chum
Squishy, the official mascot of Austin’s only hybrid science-fiction and humor zine, wants to know: Got chum? If you’re lacking in the chum department (who isn’t?), getting your fix – along with a healthy helping of Squid Grrrls, comics, and short stories – can be done by getting your tentacles on a copy of this…
Best Place to Cool Your Heels on a Saturday Night
More precisely a family section of the newly designated Butler District Park, the area features a meadow, a circular climb (or run!) observation hill overlooking Lady Bird Lake and Downtown, and a magically programmed fountain which plays with children (and braver grownups) like a whimsical home sprinkler system designed by Willie Wonka. For the scholarly,…
Best Stylist for Curly Hair
We love curly hair – but don’t always love the responsibility of it. Fortunately, there are masters who are trained to tame, and when it comes to curly hair, Bô Salon’s founder, Ron King, has some of the best hands in the business. From the catwalks of New York to the pages of Vanity Fair,…
Best Place to Dig for Vintage Treasures
Step inside Out of the Past, and take a deep breath – don’t you dare call it a room full of junk. Every square inch of the store is piled high with vintage treasures, and many require intricate excavation to be discovered. From old plates to stuffed E.T. dolls to wacky paintings, classic toys, records,…
Best Family-Friendly Septuagenarian
This year marks the 70th year of operation for Austin’s Planned Parenthood (also known as Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capital Region) – and as much as things have changed (Have you heard? Birth control is legal now!), boy, they’re a lot of the same (Have you heard? Some women have been refused birth control…
Best Cut & Dye
We’ve named Salon Intuitions, the hip hairdo joint at the Triangle, Best Cut as an homage to their oh-so-talented staff, former Toni&Guy hairdressers who dared to dream and decided to cut ties with the mall chain to manifest their own vision. Salon Intuitions reflects everything these daring folks imagined having in their own salon, and…
Res Publica
Events for good citizens, Oct. 16-22
Reefer Madness: Drug Laws Are So Fifties
Advocacy group calls for a return to the Seventies on sentencing
Best Clothing
Basic play duds and special-occasion extravaganzas, every shade of the rainbow and then some. This place has options galore, and if the staff weren’t so helpful, we could almost be overwhelmed. But they are, so you can find all: cuter-than-thou threads for every little one, from baby’s day one to chic preteen gear.
Best Austin Landmark
For many years after it was built in 1937, the Tower at the University of Texas was the tallest building in Austin and could be seen from just about any place in town. The years have shrouded the iconic structure in a forest of skyscrapers, but to anyone who has ever driven the upper deck…
Best Actor/Actress
We always knew we’d lose her to a more adoring audience. Babs has been a regular contributor to this paper for years, but her true love is the stage. She’s certainly carved her place as a grand dame of Austin theatre – perhaps the grand dame since the passing of Karen Kuykendall. Barbara Chisholm is…
Best Beer on Tap
The outdoor patio! The comfy couches! The darts! Oh, oh, ohhh, and all that beer! So, so much great beer. So much on draft to choose from, so many countries represented. USA, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Beerzistan. It breaks our heart that the Ginger Man will soon be moving to make way for more condos, but…
Best Wine Selection
As the condos rise, so must our cultural cachet. Pinkies up darlings, your palate is thirsting for a well-guided tour of the world’s grapes. The oenophiles at Hyde Park’s Vino Vino are ready to share the nuances of their passion, offering hundreds of wines by the bottle. Chances are if you can’t pronounce it, it’s…
Best Local Blog
Like a box of candy at our sides, Austinist is easy to reach into and pick out a piece or two … or three or four. Though part of a chain of “-ists,” Austinist knows Austin, and Austinites love it for its bite-sized news of local events, food, art, and entertainment.
Best Talk/News Station
Whether you like your news tight and hard or loose with attitude, the local NPR affiliate is the place to which readers flock come rush hour. The University of Texas-operated station dominates the airwaves with international news, national stories, and local profiles. It’s 90.5 KUT, where Texas Music Matters.
Best Place to Camp
Adventurous campers dive into Lake Travis from the high limestone cliffs, and families bring their pets and barbecue on the more mellow flats on the opposite side of the loop. Since the park is only 30 miles west of Austin, Pace Bend is the perfect weekend getaway and a reminder of just how beautiful Central…
Best Job
Every one of us had one that stood out from the rest. The teacher who pushed us harder, made us wonder, and had a very significant hand in making us who we are today. In a mostly thankless profession, with heavy responsibilities and little accolades and pay, these tried-and-true heroes are the keys to unlocking…
Best Contractor/Home Service
This tie goes to two local, female-owned companies that have the foresight to meld innovative design ideas with the sweat and labor to implement them. Room Fu has design consultation and interior design for almost any budget and taste. Whether you’re looking for modern and eclectic or cozy and accessible, Robin Callan’s design guru eye…
Best Antiques/Collectibles
Nothing common here – just an extraordinary time capsule of extraordinary finds: clothing from bygone eras, architectural elements, estate jewelry, 19th century books, and just about anything you can (or can’t) imagine. Uncommon Objects is not your mom’s thrift store; it’s a labyrinthine journey through time, with hundreds of items begging you to take them…
Best Naughty Business
Where most places would say that sex sells, here, sex excels. With costumes to dress up or smack down, toys for the most intimate of playthings, props, accessories, tasty edibles, and world-class service and advice, this is the holy grail for seekers of that delicious forbidden fruit. Its workshops syllabi run the gamut from stripping…
Best Preservable Artifact
After being hidden by boards for over 22 years, the fabled rats of Raul’s mural re-emerged only after the closing of the Showdown, and just long enough to be documented by the Musuem of Popular Culture before disappearing into the walls again. Painted in 1979 over the period of exactly one night by Sarita Crocker…
Best Freak Show
The last, or maybe just the newest, traditional touring freak show in America. What’s that you say? “Freak” is a bad word? Then how about weird, marvelous, awesome, inspiring, educational, historic, entertaining, and even a little risqué? A glorious rebellion of biomorphic diversity in a world of physical orthodoxy.
Best Culinary Sisterhood
The Austin chapter of this international women’s culinary service organization boasts the membership of the crème de la crème of entrepreneurs, chefs, pastry chefs, winery owners, chef educators, public relations experts, and food writers – working together for a better Austin and providing scholarships and mentors for young women to follow in their footsteps. Whether…
Best Empowerment for Families
The programs at Any Baby Can aren’t just for babies or new mommies. Kids and adults of all ages benefit from the awesome free offerings of this Eastside nonprofit – from literacy classes to teen-parenting workshops to childhood cancer support groups. An especially admirable program called Comprehensive Advocacy and Resources for Empowerment is for families…
Best TV Reporter Who Can Write
The sound-bite world of TV news can make the on-camera talent look a little superficial, but that’s just image. When KVUE’s Elise Hu isn’t skillfully trimming down policy nuance for the idiot box, she’s raising hell in her sometimes scathing, take-no-prisoners Political Junkie blog. She writes so well that she’s good enough for print. (Just…
Best Place to Start a Bike Trip
In a town with more than its fair share of great bicycle shops, it isn’t enough that Lance Armstrong, the most famous American cyclist in the world, is the owner. Named for the French pronunciation of “yellow jersey,” the shop takes full service a step beyond the usual with a cafe, repair shop, clothes, classes,…
Best Sultan and Sultress of Sugar
Sweet butter cream; luxurious fillings; springy, scrumptious sponge cake decorated in flowers and frosting and towering like a creamy castle – it’s a creation almost too glorious to cut into. Almost. It takes just one bite to be transported to sugar-coated heaven. Two to be resurrected. And three to fall hopelessly in love. Groom cakes,…
Best Place to Find Your Perfect Fit
Let’s face it: Austin is a denim-wearing town. Don’t try to change it. (Seriously, don’t; you’ll only embarrass yourself – too often by revealing yourself a transplant.) Jeans are comfortable and practical and, damn, they can look hot, too. That is, of course, if you have a pair that fit right for your body. Under…
Best Fugitive
Although there is a host of (mostly bad) official theories, nobody knows the identity of the man (men?) in the cargo pants and Longhorn gimme cap, who in June joined the long list of Texas outlaws by burning down the Governor’s Mansion. What if you send a message and nobody knows what it is? We…
Best Effort to Close the Austin Health-Care Gap
We can earn 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and still be poor … but not poor enough for Medicaid. That’s where Project Access steps in. No more trips to the emergency room with a false name and address to get health care. No more staying at a crappy job just in case you get…
City Hall Hustle: Puttering Around
Saving Muny (again) and watching the economic clouds
‘Chronicle’ Endorsements
Nov. 4 General Election
Best DVD Selection
It’s not just about having what came out two weeks ago. It’s about having two stores filled with decades of classics from around the world to help build up the next generation of Kaels, Eberts, and Knowleses.
Best Bathroom
Duck into the cool, dim hush of the Driskill, and be transported to a time when a gunfight in the lobby was not unheard of. These days, the watchful gaze of Col. Driskill from his truly enormous portrait on the grand staircase still reminds us to be civilized as we relax under the famous stained-glass…
Best Art Gallery
Garnering regular awards since 2006, the Blanton has continued its affair with Austin by adding yet another extension to its complex, the Edgar A. Smith Building, home to its new museum shop and cafe (opening Nov. 16). Its collection is vast, and it would take many more buildings to show it all off. As it…
Best Beer Selection
The outdoor patio! The comfy couches! The darts! Oh, oh, ohhh, and all that beer! So, so much great beer. So much on draft to choose from, so many countries represented. USA, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Beerzistan. It breaks our heart that the Ginger Man will soon be moving to make way for more condos, but…
Best 24-Hour/Late
It should come as no surprise that these two tied – asking a group what it deems the best late-night dining joint is bound to start a shouting match split between Kerbeyians and Magnolians. And rightfully so: Both offer tasty food at all hours of the night, which is a blessing when you’re jonesin’ for…
Best Local Blogger
Admittedly, Eileen Smith, aka Pink Lady (aka IIIIN), is too loud for book clubs. She drinks too much, and you’d have to cover your kids’ ears every other word. True. But her blog is funny as hell. Let her blow off steam, rant, rave, hurl insults at Starbucks employees on her way to her desk…
Best TV Anchor
“Michelle, ma belle. These are words that go together well, my Michelle.” The gorgeous evening newscaster and savvy reporter has earned popularity through her hundreds of public appearances for charity. Austin adores her. Though her run at KXAN is over, she is still, not surprisingly, everywhere. Accessible, compassionate, and always on the ball, Valles is…
Best Place to Skate
There are good reasons why both the local flat-track derby league and the Texas Speed Club make their home under the big, sparkly skate. With lessons and times for every age and ability, and maybe a Texas Rollergirl to give you the odd tip about toe-stops, everyone can get eight wheels under them.
Best Local Issue
Is that best pronounced “most intractable”? Want soaring gas prices or underfunded public transport? Is that an essential rail-link or a white elephant boondoggle? Meanwhile, the pro- and anti-toll-road forces draw more blood, and developers argue that mixed-use is the future. The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is attempting to get all the region’ cities…
Best Dry Cleaner
Dry cleaners are dry cleaners, right? Cut and dried. Unless you really use them. If you do use them, Reid’s has a sterling reputation for excellent service and has been a “Best of Austin” winner since 2000. But wait! Is that an upstart we hear on the horizon? What’s its name? Westbank? Hardly an upstart,…
Best Car Dealership
Howdy Honda wants nothing more than to make you happy and to make you feel welcome – its name says so. Whether you prefer an upfront car salesman or one who does the five-hours-long dance with you or one who will know when to just back off, they’re happy to accommodate. Fill out an online…
Best New Local Business
Yarn never had it so hip. When the Knitting Nest set up shop in South Austin, its bright, colorful new digs were welcomed by local crafters and newbies alike. It offers classes and personal instruction, a knitting lounge, and a friendly, personable staff. Carrying the largest supply of Cascade Yarns in the Southwest United States,…
Best Proof of Austin’s Non-Hippie Heritage
Before it was cosmic cowboy central (and wayyy before it was condo central), Austin was the gay place – a fertile field of boho intellectualism, full-on politics, and mid-century style filtered through a Hill Country lens. Last spring, the Heritage Society of Austin shined a light on some of that era’s surviving gems, including those…
Best Hot-Rod King
In the metal-flake and lacquer world of cars, Mercury Charlie reigns as one of the hot-rod monarchs, having won the John D’Agostino Kustom D’Elegance Award at the 2008 Sacramento Autorama. He was also profiled in the book Hot Rod Kings, has been featured in six car magazines, and interviewed on the Travel Channel. Since opening…
Best Filling, Healthy Salads
At Leaf, the quickest salad-tong-wielding employees in the South will mix a bevy of fresh, local ingredients into a massive bowl of green goodness. Inside, think Subway, only a stratosphere healthier. Choose from more than 30 farmers’ market ingredients to create your own salad to be assembled by your very own “saladsmith” – whom we…
Best Johnny- or Janey-on-the-Spot Child Care
At first glance, Tree Tops might seem like your everyday kid-care haven. But what sets it apart from the rest is its glorious drop-in service. You read right: drop-in childcare. Day and night, Monday-Thursday, 6:30am-12mid; Friday, 6:30am-2:30am; and Saturday, 8am-2:30am. So if you have an itch to take your sweetie out for dinner and a…
Best Urban-Development Echo Chamber
While you may not always agree with them, these three local bloggers – Mike Dahmus of M1EK’s Bake Sale of Bile infamy, Austinist Urban Development Editor Shilli (né Shawn Shillington), and Chris Bradford, aka the Austin Contrarian – bring a refreshing, sometimes contrary perspective to Austin’s ongoing development discussion, airing thoughts and facts sometimes contrary…
Best River Shuttle
Sure, there are tons of tube rentals all along the Comal and Guadalupe rivers. Some even offer shuttle services to get you back to your car when you are through lazily floating the day away. But did you know that a shuttle bus will pick up you and your group of friends all the way…
Most Austintatious Outdoor Commode
Whether or not these mobile handy cans are named for the defunct music venue of the same name, Austin Outhouses ain’t your poppa’s porta-potties. Colored eye-popping pinks and blues, built with a little extra elbow room, and even coming with optional hand-washing stations, these convenient latrines make construction sites and outdoor festivals a little more…
Best Place to Shop European in Your Own Town
For Austinites who like a little Old World blended into their own world, this place is a firecracker. You’ll find an 18th century French sword among intricate tapestries, exquisitely carved wooden tables, and daintily painted serving trays. Such variety is surprising, but it’s no accident: Owner Pat Monroe scours France to find these treasures, so…
Best Law-Abiding Law Enforcers
Under newly enacted House Bill 2391, Sheriff Greg Hamilton and the TCSO have speedily implemented the cite-and-release law for various misdemeanors, thereby saving citizens unnecessary jail time and the taxpayers mucho administrative and incarceration dollars. We applaud the county forces for understanding the importance of the law and applaud their willingness to take appropriate action.
Best Farm-to-Table Initiative
We all know that locally grown, organic, in-season produce is the best kind to grace our tables. How about the added benefit of directly supporting a local farmer to boot? That’s what community-supported agriculture is all about, and Johnson’s Backyard Garden shines brightly among the lot. With convenient neighborhood pickups located all around this fair…
Point Austin: Unpropped
Prop. 2 is about much more than a vote against the Domain
Nov. 4 General Election
Early Voting Oct. 20-31
Best Haircut
Birds has a fanatical following among the hip crowd, which doesn’t care to spend the outrageous prices charged by many other salons. But mainly it has salons cool for young men who would rather play Guitar Hero than read GQ. Birds knows what their customers want (even the young ones) and has carved out a…
Best Bed & Breakfast
This is its fourth appearance in “Best of Austin.” You love it – you really, really love the Austin Folk House. This affordable ($95-225) and cozy, centrally located bed & breakfast offers high-rent amenities with down home comfort. Notable for its divine breakfasts, the Folk House serves up quality and sincerity as it proves once…
Best Clothing Designer
Another win for this Austin designer and more love from our readers, as Chia snags Best Clothing Designer three years in a row. Chia has established herself as perhaps the most visible of local designers, and her cheap, chic, and simple designs continue to charm her fans and public. Chia is a critical cog in…
Best Beer/Wine Prices
It’s not enough to have a literal warehouse stocked with every imaginable spirit from the ends of the world. It’s not enough to offer an amazing deli for gorgeous nibbles and an international selection of treats. It’s not enough to have a staff superknowledgeable about the liquidities encased on the shelves. No, they have to…
Best Business Dining
Inviting atmosphere, sophistication, not too formal or stiff: These establishments have just the right ambience for the Austin business crowd. And they’re both centrally located. So the only real question is whether you and your associates prefer the savory flavors of seafood or wood-fired American classics.
Best Local Entertainment Website
Like a box of candy at our sides, Austinist is easy to reach into and pick out a piece or two … or three or four. Though part of a chain of “-ists,” Austinist knows Austin, and Austinites love it for its bite-sized news of local events, food, art, and entertainment.
Best TV Reporter
Considering her streak of winning this award, we wonder what would ensue if she worked more than the three days a week she anchors the “Weekend Daybreak” news? World media domination? Culpepper’s been at KVUE since 1998, making intrepid reporting her schtick. It’s her put-me-in-coach attitude that gives her that poise, that eloquent character, it’s…
Best Place to Tube
“Tubing? What’s tubing?” New Central Texans only get one chance to utter that ill-informed phrase before getting slapped upside the head, then fitted for the inside of a truck tire and taken directly to the Guadalupe River. “It’s like sitting for two hours with your ass in a bucket of cold water,” one editor notes.…
Best Local Politics Blog
If political blogs aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on (think about it), then why do so many politicians keep refreshing the page at BOR? Proudly partisan, fiercely combative, and well-connected enough to beat a lot of “real” journalists to the punch.
Best Florist
Nothing could brighten up a Congress commuter’s traffic-congested drive home more than flower petals leading to Ben White Florist other than, perhaps, the flower shop’s sunflower sign and blue bicycle-wheel fence. This florist does more than just encourage folks to buy local, it does it itself by stocking Wimberley-grown Texas blooms. Check out its weekly…
Best Comic-Book Store
In a year when comic-book movies were bigger than ever but local comic-book stores closed like old issues, Austin Books thrived by doing what it does best: carrying a huge selection of not just the big name titles but the indie, the obscure, the limited run, and the rarely seen.
Best Pet Store
One trip to this pet palace, and you begin to remember what retail used to be like. Established in Austin more than a half-century ago, Bark ‘n Purr offers exceptional customer service for both you and little Muffin, along with a complete line of pet-care products, accessories, and pet food. Austin loves local: Who need…
Best Resort Homage to Austin
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa offers so much more than the escape of horseback riding, golf, waterslides, live music, s’mores parties at the fire pit, or simply laying out on a chaise under a heavenly canopy of perfect Texas sky. It offers culture: our culture. We’re not talking about some banjos and cowboy…
Best Intersection of Health Food & Cocktails
“Healthy” and “cocktail” are two words that rarely find themselves in the same sentence – until now, that is. So what do you get when you muddle one part juice expert, one part fresh-squeezed fruit juice, and a dash or two of exotic superfoods (Himalayan crystal salt, fresh coconut water, goji berries, raw cacao) and…
Best Fusion of Tea and Chocolatey Goodness
Oh! The deep and creamy cocoa dances a cold, cold tango with the faintest traces of the Earl’s most excellent brew to bring this level of tongue heaven to your mouth. Doesn’t matter what sort of meal you’ve preceded it with, Eastside Italian eatery Stortini’s homemade Earl Grey-and-dark-chocolate gelato will quiver your taste buds with…
Best Kid-Friendly Coffeehouse
Jungle Java is Mom and Dad’s dream: Grab a triple espresso, and enjoy some much-deserved time to yourself while Junior runs off to play basketball, climb a wall, or fly down one of the five slides. Free Wi-Fi, a decent food menu, a special area just for toddlers — this jungle has it all.
Best Way to Keep Your Southbound Frequency Modulated
Make your southbound drive corporate-free and brain-sane: Keep it locked on college and community frequencies all the way to San Antone. Start off in Austin at your No. 1 preset, KVRX/KOOP 91.7FM, and hear community talk and free-form programming during the day and college craziness at night. Once you hit Kyle, the signal starts to…
Best Runner Training Facility
If you could imagine what the secret love child of RunTex and Bettysport would look like, it would most likely resemble Rogue Equipment. The store specializes in all things that aid runners, especially those who are participating in one of Rogue’s running training programs (they get a 15% discount in the store). Located in a…
Best Asian Market Experience
Who hasn’t been in need of cow tongue, a few duck hearts, or even pig uterus for an evening meal? Now, finally, MT Supermarket is the one-stop shop for all of the above. Boasting 55,000 square feet of truly authentic Asian cuisine, this megamart may be the crown jewel of the new Chinatown Austin. A…
Best Place to Stock Up on Fairy Castles
Elena Bailey, owner of Happiness, warned us the first time we stopped by her garden shop, “Once you get your first succulent, you’ll be an addict.” Well, check us into rehab, then: After buying our first Fairy Castle, a small cactus appropriately named for its charming appearance, we’ve been back for more every week or…
Best Midwives Tale
Nurse midwives and their advocates are thanking their lucky stars for Dr. Christina Sebestyen, an ob-gyn doc at St. David’s North Austin facility, who moved mountains to give midwives a very real presence at the medical center – now the only local hospital that employs the collaborative Midwives Model of Care. That’s what we call…
Best High Tech Co-op
Remember how being your own boss looked cool until your home office became more office than home? Don’t feel like shushing that coffeehouse poetry slam just because you’ve got a client calling? Where other business service centers just have rules and cubicles, this pet-friendly commercial hothouse brings small entrepreneurs together in both physical space and…
Playing Through
UT inherits the curse that goes along with their No. 1 ranking
Nov. 4 Joint General and Special Elections
Travis Co. Sample Ballot
Best Nature Day Trip
Tigers, tortoises, goats, emus, and more live out their glory years at this charming rescue zoo tucked in the West Austin hills. It’s a pint-sized place, small enough for a kiddie choo-choo train to circle every half hour but big enough to win the hearts and the votes of Austin families year after year.
Best Billboard
Perched high at the intersection of MLK and Guadalupe, this visual declaration of All Things Awesome is the ultimate pimp of Cartoon Network’s nightly programming block of animé, comedy, and innovation that’s made Adult Swim a cultural phenomenon. Proudly taking a long residence at one of the most obvious and well-trodden corners, this billboard morphs…
Best Comedian
Perfect delivery, flawless audience interaction, biting commentary, and truly interesting anecdotes with hilarious, brilliant payoffs make Matt Bearden the Best Comedian in Austin. And we know it’s only a matter of time until he’s recognized as one of the best comedians in the country. Until that happens, we’ll be front row center at all of…
Best Cocktails/Cocktail Menu
From the Brown Bar’s jaw-slacking list of specialty martinis to 219 West’s mouthwatering Southern cocktails, both watering holes have enjoyed our readers’ attention in the “Best of Austin” but never before in a tie. Both offer scrumptious appetizers (and then some), but each has its own take on hospitality served alongside the colorful, exotic cocktails.
Best Cheap Date
Only in Austin can two of the hippest homegrown places to grab a beer and a slice of pie or canoodle during a flick also be the most economical date places. Home Slice, with its delectable pies by the slice and cold brews by the pitcher, holds the title for when you want to see…
Best Local News Website
Sometimes you want a fancy website with lots of bells and whistles. Not when you are trying to get your news. You want it quick and dirty, a simple format that’s easy to peruse in a hurry, with information instantly, videos to give it to you visually, and the top stories (not only of the…
Best Weatherperson
Congratulations, Jim, on your 10th “Best of Austin” win. The people have spoken once again in favor of KXAN’s chief weathercaster. He always gives it to us straight and has a sixth sense about what Mother Nature might bring on his “First Warning Weather.” Let’s just hope the local NBC affiliate and Time Warner Cable…
Best Pool/Billiards
This Sixth Street delight has been around for years, which means it’s got to be doing something right. It’s the pool, says it right there in the name: “Billiards.” Take the Wild West and give it over a dozen pool tables, all shiny green and seriously well-kept; a prime locale that spans over 22,000 square…
Best Local Politics Blogger
What happens when a blogger joins the accursed mainstream media? In the case of Eileen Smith, InthePinkTexas.com’s own delightfully dissolute Pink Lady turned TexasMonthly.com editor, it just means more outlets to let that gloriously acid tongue lash incoherent vice presidential candidates and illiterate baristas with equal relish.
Best Hair Salon
In a short time, this 26 Doors salon with the funky Fifties flair has fomented a fiercely fanatical following. With an array of stylists, each with a wide range of experience, Urban Betty can handle just about any hair issue under a hat. In a town with very creative hairdressers, this vote of coiffure confidence…
Best Computer Store
Step into the bright, white light of the Apple Store; smile at fellow Mac buddies; and check out the latest version of the iPod. We love the clean, simple designs that mimic Apple’s user-friendly details. And whenever your iWhatever or gWhatever gets sick, you can count on the Genius Bar to serve up a fix.
Best Record/CD Store
With record stores all over the country dropping like flies, Waterloo Records is the mirage in our vinyl and polycarbonate desert. We love how the bins aren’t separated by genre but color coded by stickers, making the selections easy to peruse. And we can count on getting turned on to great music in the listening…
Best Room for Listening
Sure, Dell Hall is easy on the eyes – all that warm cherrywood paneling and those dusky green seats are so soothing to look at – but the concert venue is absolute ecstasy on the ears. The care with which the Long Center designers and acoustician Mark Holden of JaffeHolden constructed the hall allows every…
Best Local Champions of the Lush Life
When ColdTowne Theater’s Tami Nelson and Michael Jastroch get to channeling the likes of Nick and Nora Charles in their tipple-happy sketch comedy Lovey and Lovey, even teetotalers in the audience get a little drunk on the brash badinage and gin-soaked barbs the hilarious couple unleashes. Hell, if they could just get Arthur Simone’s Buddy…
Best Hangover Preventative
Sure, you could scarf down a slice of pizza or a greasy brat in a drunken 2:15am haze, but you’re just gonna be hungry in an hour when you stumble into your darkened house fumbling for the bong. There, in the dead zone of Seventh, between Trinity and Neches, sits the blue van known as…
Best Kids Photographer
After losing her home and family photos in Hurricane Katrina, Lindsay Stradtner was driven to capture new memories. Since moving to Austin, Stradtner has been rebuilding her life with her husband and three children – whom she documents beautifully and honestly in her blog – while at the same time building an impressive portfolio as…
Best Web Source for Soul Citizens
SoulCiti.com began in 1998 as a modest electronic mailing list reaching out to African-American Austinites with once-a-week dispatches of news tidbits and entertainment listings. These days, it’s hard to imagine going without SoulCiti six out of seven days of the week. It has evolved into a valuable daily Web resource for a historically underserved part…
Best Soccer Player
Playing for the Under-23 (amateur) Austin Aztex, Gallardo was tabbed as Goalkeeper of the Year in the 67-team Premier Development League; immediately after the season ended, he became the first signing for the Aztex pro team that will start play next season in the United Soccer League’s First Division. The 23-year-old native of Torreón, Mexico,…
Best Big Boozy Expansion
When Old Navy and its sales racks moved out of the Hancock Center, it was enough to make the Chronicle offices turn to drink. Now Twin Liquors is moving from its much smaller current home in the mall and turning the 15,000-square-foot Old Navy site into a medley of liquor store and palate education emporium.…
Best Reinvention of a Convenience Store
The sign still reads Sunrise Super Stop, but Hyde Park Market, Deli & Organic Grocery is a serious upgrade from your everyday gas-and-sip establishment. In addition to supercheap gas, Boar’s Head meats, Mediterranean eats, and frozen Amy’s pizza, this convenience store proudly claims to stock “8,162” options for your wine, beer, and tobacco pleasuring. And…
Best Museum Muse
Behind every great group of artists, you’ll find someone who cracks the whip. At the quirky South Austin Museum of Popular Culture (much as she did at the Armadillo World Headquarters), it’s Leea Mechling who prods the museum board, balances the books, oversees the mailings, coordinates the schedule, helps curate the exhibits, writes the program…
Best Hungry Lawn Guy
For most creative-class types, there’s a pretty clear distinction between making a living and living one’s dreams. In Austin, the line gets a bit thinner, as so many folks in this town are invested in our creative culture. So when a local musician names his yard-mowing biz Starving Artist Lawn Care, it strikes a chord.…
Page Two: The Best of Austin
A concept in search of an author; characters in search of a form; memory in search of meaning
The Carmadillo
Austin’s Best New Little Armored Ride
Best Party Place
No chlorine, no filters, just sweet running water, ready for your kids to splash in with or without swim shoes: West Lake Beach is an award-winning family-owned secret. A modest entry fee grants access to this unspoiled party place, which also offers volleyball courts, grills, picnic tables, and a horseshoe pit. Everyone from toddler to…
Best Cheap Motel
This bighearted motor lodge was opened in 1966 by the Dye family; the Osbon family owned and ran it from 1981 until selling the motel in 2004. In 1984, the Coen Brothers set part of their neo-noir classic Blood Simple on the grounds. Nestled between big roads and the city’s southwestern urban expansion, the Heart…
Best Comedy/Improv Troupe
Lucky Austinites have been riding the resurgence of improv and comedy troupes, and facing this kind of comedic talent, how could you choose just one? Ever since ColdTowne relocated home base from NOLA to AusTex, it’s brought the laughs with notable aplomb and genius. Blown out of the creative nostrils of Mr. Sinus Theater, Master…
Best Drag Show
With the likes of Kelly Kline, Jame Perry, Rachel Blackstone, Nadine Hughes, Erica Andrews, and Vanessa Gordon shaking their groove things at Charlie’s on Sundays, appearances by the United Court of Austin and its bevy of royal beauties are somewhat rarer … but every bit as entertaining. There is a vibrant drag scene in Austin,…
Best Drive-Through
The real reason for that traffic jam at Lamar and Barton Springs Road. Patrick and Kathy Terry’s home of hormone-free beef, real potato fries, daily delivery vegetables, freshly baked buns, and that richly marbled double-chocolate shake is a reminder that the drive-through is a Great American Art.
Best Local TV News
Watching Tyler, Olga, Mark, and Mike on the evening news is like settling down with old friends and catching up on the latest … every night. We trust and depend on our pals at the ABC affiliate to keep us up to the minute, and they’re always there when we need them. Isn’t that the…
Best Annual Event
We’re lucky to have a festival of this size right in the heart of our own city – no camping, no long drives. It may be hot and dusty, but we can still shower and sleep in our own beds every night (after the afterparties, of course). The wide range of acts and local flavor…
Best Scenic View
More than 200 feet above the city, Austin’s favorite “mountain” offers spectacular views of the Colorado River and Lake Austin as it winds through the cedar-covered hills. It’s a steep climb up the stone steps, but once you’re there, you’re on top of the world.
Best News Story
No, Rick Perry didn’t lean his shiny coif too close to the tanning lamp. A broken motion sensor, only one trooper on duty, and a Molotov cocktail. Alone, these don’t amount to much. Together, they resulted in catastrophic damage to a 152-year-old state treasure. This blaze was the result of a lone arsonist, someone who…
Best Health Services
Health care shouldn’t be confined to the rich or insured. Since 1970, People’s has been the bedrock of nonprofit medical service, and as such, Austin holds these volunteer doctors and nurses in high esteem. Let’s repeat that: volunteer doctors and nurses. To them, people are not numbers, consumers, or the bottom line – just people…
Best Convenience Store
One visit to Whip In, and you’ll be in love. If the impressive selection of beer, wine, snacks, and cigars isn’t enough to make you swoon, speaking with any one of the knowledgeable, friendly employees will have you down on one knee, ready to propose.
Best Shoe Selection
Ever since its debut in Austin, Nordstrom’s fabled shoe department has delighted customers with the most desirable lines of shoes on the market. But what’s a shoe store without attentive service? You’ll never find out at Nordstrom – the staff’s expertise in fit and knowledge of styles is just as legendary as the selection of…
Best Structural Update
The former Lester E. Palmer Auditorium overlooking the shores of the former Town Lake has shed the cocoon that age has bestowed upon it and emerged as the sleek and contemporary Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts overlooking the shores of Lady Bird Lake. Keeping the original stage house (the…
Best Place to See WMD (Wigs of Mass Destruction)
If it’s true that “the higher the hair, the closer to heaven,” then the cross-dressing participants in the United Court of Austin’s annual coronation festivities are virtual goddesses. Once a year, the tall gals whip out their most elegant finery, most exotic make-up, and highest heels and top the ensemble off with hair. That’s Hair…
Best Healthy Grub Downtown
Eating Downtown during the day can be like working Downtown during the day: monotonous. The options for 9-to-5ers have been as droney as the hum of the computers we stare at day in and day out. Then a glimmer. Tucked under the glacier-esque Frost Tower, WeFuse has come to revitalize our spirits with fresh Asian…
Best Kids Water Park
Round Rock’s Rock’n River makes the rather mundane municipal pool into an endless playground of water-oriented activities that will keep both kids and their parents joyful and, perhaps more importantly, cool. With crazy slides and water cannons, an aquatic jungle gym, tunnel showers, and floor geysers, parents wistful memories of adolescent summer days at water…
Most Eco-Friendly IRA
This past year, Adam and Marty Butler, brothers and principals of this Eastside advertising agency, wanted a way to promote ecology and healthy living. After talking about how biking to work could help solve many of the ecological problems our country faces today, they wanted a way to promote this idea, in-staff. So they launched…
Best Starry-Eyed Dream
Never heard of the Austin Planetarium? That’s probably because it doesn’t exist – yet. Believe it or not, Austin is the largest city in the U.S. without a planetarium. Hopefully, things are about to change – and they will, if the Friends of the Austin Planetarium have anything to say about it. The nonprofit, started…
Best Books to Change the World
MonkeyWrench Books has a brain-watering selection of materials – from Howard Zinn’s lesser-known narratives of history to the Rhizome Collective’s how-to for urban permaculture – including everything anyone needs in order to bone up on politics, social theory, and alternative lifestyles. The volunteers who run this nonprofit DIY info shop are committed to educating, motivating,…
Best Subterraneans
Is it any coincidence that this bastion of constitutionalists is as far as possible from big government breeding ground the LBJ School and still next to the UT campus? Proudly subversive, literally and spiritually underground, this is the one-stop literary shop for every conspiracy-loving (and dreading) reader. After all, what other bookstore has a “Ron…
Best Resource for Surviving the Future
The Rhizome Collective’s Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew have spent years figuring out how to provide basic needs – food, water, waste management, energy, and shelter – through affordable, environmentally sustainable systems that not only have a Mr. Wizard-esque wow factor but will actually help city dwellers someday survive a future in which energy and…
Best Neighborhood Cleaners
Keeping pleats pressed and buttoned-up wearables starched, this neighborhood dry cleaners is family-owned and -operated and well-steeped in the Downtown tradition of friendly, fast efficiency. Coupons, frequent-patron cards, and an honest smile every time are what keep the regulars happy. Quick turnarounds and quality service are what make newcomers stay.
Day Trips
Enjoy a tour through the best weird places around Texas
The Cola Sisters Speak
Arcie and Shasta’s Best Public Access TV Show
Best Restaurant
From its aptly named neighborhood burgers to those scrumptious sweet-potato fries to the ever-so-Texas Frito pie – this restaurant has quickly moved from a great burger joint to an Austin institution. When you add to all that the wonderful playscape, pint-sized menu for the kiddos, and a fantastic selection of ice-cold brews for the grownups,…
Best Historic Site
Here’s a building that knows a thing or two about fires. The ever-growing demands of governing an ever-growing state are still contained within its august Renaissance revival corridors. Just a shame there will be all those politicians clogging the place up in the new year.
Best Composer
The brilliance Reynolds captures in notes and melodies for projects both grand and small has affixed him as an integral lightning rod for so many of Austin’s musical endeavors. Whether wearing his Golden Arm Trio hat or lending orchestral magic to reels, live performance, Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly, or off-Broadway glory, his inspired multi-instrumentalist…
Best Gay/Lesbian Hangout
Oilcan’s is back in the running again after an absence of a few years due to the opening of Rain. With “Best of Austin” awards dating back to 1994, Oilcan’s has long ruled the gay scene, until the upstart, Rain, hijacked its throne in 2005. Winning continually ever since, Rain finds once again that its…
Best Farmers’ Market
Saturday mornings are the time to begin planning your meals for the week by picking the foods that are in season at the market. We all know that buying fruits and vegetables direct from the farmer is the best way to ensure quality and freshness, but the Sunset Valley Farmers Market is so much more.…
Best Locally Produced TV Show
Like the old-timer showin’ them young’uns how to do it right, Austin City Limits has been around the block and knows all the turns. It has grown up with Austin these past 32 years and continues to evolve, presenting Austin and the world with the best in music, time after time. Can’t teach an old…
Best Basketball Court
The proximity to swimming doesn’t hurt, but it’s the crowd that makes this the place to get down, street-ball-style. You know, with players who do that whole around the back, between the legs kinda thing, schooling one another, in one another’s eyes and such. As sleek as outdoor hoops can get. It’s groomed nicely, but…
Best Solitude/Quiet
Whether you’re walking, running, or biking, the beauty and serenity of Lady Bird Lake is entrancing. The fish, nutria, swans, geese, ducks, and turtles are a constant reminder of this glorious natural gift bestowed upon us. But if we close our eyes just a little bit, we can go to a place that is a…
Best Nonprofit Group
It seems pretty simple. Church? You go over here. State? You stay over there. While the religious right tries to bundle them together, the Texas Freedom Network fights back to protect each from the other because it (and its many pious and nonbelieving members) values the independence of thought in the classroom and the state…
Best Landscape Services
We all like having someone to call when a lawn or garden crisis strikes at 3am. A subset of the larger Southwest Key nonprofit group, Southwest Key Maintenance may well be the only landscaping and cleaning company with 24-hour emergency service. Its affordable annual package delivers 30 visits a year for less than $30 each.…
Best Drugstore/Pharmacy
If you moved here because you like it weird but you’re still standing in line like a robot in those big chains, please step over to People’s. The good folks at this independent pharmacy live by that Tom Edison quote: “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patients in…
Best Small Record/CD Store
From Ratatat to Rat at Rat R. From rare Prince to Bonnie “Prince” Billy. From Shearwater to Bongwater … oh, hell, we could do this all day. But for the best in a human-scaled record store, lend an ear to our readers. This win says a lot in a town that has experienced a small…
Best View From a Fast-Food Joint
No VIP lounge, no valet waiting for a tip, just you, one of Schlotzsky’s famous Originals, and one of the best views of our changing skyline. Grab your food, and make a beeline for the outside stairs to a vine-covered patio with a view that extends over South Lamar, the river, and on to the…
Best Remixing Renaissance Man
Taking another’s work and restructuring it can be a dicey proposition, but when remixer Francis Preve takes on electronica, he handles the task deftly and with thrilling results. But is that all that Preve does? No way. In addition to remixing and sound designing, he’s also a teacher, journalist, author, and editor. Preve may not…
Best Hoes
It’s said that the origin of the name “hoecake” is from the field-hand method of pouring cornmeal-heavy hotcake batter onto the blade of a hoe and cooking it over a fire. We just know that we are total ho’s for the hoecakes at Hoover’s Cooking, celebrating 10 years in their popular Manor Road location. Like…
Best Place to Walk or Run Outside After Dark
Head to Butler District Park – just west of the Palmer Events Center, between Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road – when you or the kids need a safe outdoor location to walk, jog, or bike after dark. The broad, paved walkways with scads of bright lighting make it ideal. Enjoy a beautiful park setting,…
Smoothest AM on the FM
Veteran deejay Bryan Beck knows what his listeners want to hear and gives them exactly what they expect: that smooooooth, soothing baritone and the tunes that define KGSR’s Texas triple-A reign. The station’s “Radio Austin” sound is due in large part to Beck’s tenure, which began in 1987. Beloved by his fans and colleagues, Beck…
Best Walk in the Park
Minutes from Downtown, this West Austin wilderness opens to the public at 9am on the second Saturday and Sunday of each month for guided tours. The hike winds through woods along the Balcones Fault uplift, providing the docents plenty of stories to tell about the geology, plants, fauna, and natural history of old Austin.
Best Clothes for the College Budget
With the newest location subtly located in the not-so-subtle Triangle, SoLa’s clothing, jewelry, and sunglasses draw the many young, beautiful women from around Austin with senses of artistic urban chic – and for reasonable prices (or at least reasonable enough that it won’t stand out on daddy and mommy’s credit-card bill). The original location on…
Best Synergistic Block Revival
First BookWoman moved up North Lamar. The strip was drab but had potential. Now Ruta Maya’s headed to the block in 2009. Bringing old-skool dykes and feminist grrrls into contact with world-class world musicians, Rasta families, and the varied folx who populate Ruta Maya can only increase world peace. No one is free until everyone…
Best Situation Room
Flash to any command center from the silver screen, and what comes to mind? Basically the streamlined, flat-screen-flanked CTECC, as it’s acronymically known. Housed in a certified green building, the CTECC coordinates city, county, and transportation responses to major events – as they ably demonstrated once hurricanes Gustav and Ike made landfall earlier this year.…
Best New Eastside Evolution
Soma Vida is the brianchild of three visionary single mothers who transformed a beautiful old Eastside house into a wellness center and hub of community energy. With yoga, acupuncture, psychotherapy, herbal medicine, child care, massage, coaching, a community gardening project, a co-working space, and various classes, Soma Vida offers an ideal place to contemplate balance,…
Gay Place
Really. What does this Pride Coalition do?
Best Shoes
Austin’s mini-Carrie Bradshaws know the spot to find those hot Ninas for kids to complete that perfect outfit. Seriously, these boots would fit right in on SoCo! Your kicks are like windows to your uh … soles? No! Self-expression, dude! How about a sweet pair of Keds to show off a bodacious ollie on your…
Best Hotel
Exceeding its former glory with a massive overhaul in 2000, the San José quickly won accolades and capacity reservations for sleek design and comfort. Even locals who simply drop in for drinks in the lush courtyard swear they’ve been on vacation afterward. Regular guests also know about the serene little concrete pond (and some say…
Best Dance Company
They caper, they twirl, they arabesque, they pas de ciseaux and fondue: Ballet Austin expands ballet’s vocabulary and Austin’s artistic mastery anew each season. Its stark, riveting interpretation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with music by Philip Glass, is an example of its top-quality innovation in contemporary ballet.
Best Jukebox
Triskaidekaphobia? Pssssh! Dominating the tunes for the last 13 years, Casino el Camino’s jukebox gets more traffic than the intersection where it lives. Even while we were in line checking out the latest batch of CDs, the guy behind us was impatiently fidgeting, in need of his Bad Brains fix. In honor of those 13…
Best Food Event
Yeah, yeah, keep Austin weird, we know. Well how ’bout an annual festival in the middle of the sweltering Texas summer centered around hot sauce? That’s just plain crazy and, for the past 18 years (way before weird), tremendously popular. The array of colors, textures, and variations in spicy ingredients dares attendants to be their…
Best Media Personality
According to his MySpace page, 101X’s Jason Dick believes, “Stalkers + Internet = MySpace.” Surely the popular morning-show host is used to these things by now, but at 26, he’s among the youngest of the hit voices on the airwaves. His morning show (with British Deb) is loud. The music is rock & roll. The…
Best Bike Ride
Whether you’re walking, running, or biking, the beauty and serenity of Lady Bird Lake is entrancing. The fish, nutria, swans, geese, ducks, and turtles are a constant reminder of this glorious natural gift bestowed upon us. But if we close our eyes just a little bit, we can go to a place that is a…
Best Swimming Hole
It will knock the wind right out of you, the average 68 degrees year-round. But go ahead, jump in. And just try to catch your breath.
Best Public Service
None of this “blue dot in a red sea” nonsense. The Travis County Democratic Party has seen a state that is going from purple to crimson, and the party is spreading out across Central Texas to help other county parties perform what many Democrats see as the biggest public service: taking back the House.
Best Laundromat
Just one in a long line of entrepreneurial successes for John Dorgan and Conrad Bejarano, the owners of … that whole block it seems (I Luv Video, Spider House). But this section of their domain is special, a way to do laundry that’s better for the environment, safer for your family, and less harmful for…
Best DVD Rental/Purchase
Vulcan Video manages to effortlessly kick the collective asses of all the national chains, largely due to its outstanding staff. Friendly and helpful in spite of their penetrating depth of cinematic erudition, they can guide you skillfully through Vulcan’s comprehensive inventory. They will also let you bring your dog in and may even pet him.
Best Thrift Store
It’s not just about getting great prices on used goods and color-coordinated selections of gently worn clothes (though that certainly is part of its charm); it’s also about retraining and rehabilitating those less fortunate than ourselves. Everyone wins when you shop at Goodwill!
Most Excellent Expansion
This modest shelter for Central American refugees and immigrants has added a second house across the street from its first homey casa. At peak times in the season of migrant work, people sleep on the floor in the bunk rooms, kitchen, living room, and office. With a second building, Casa Marianella now has classroom space…
Best Secret Place to Party
Did you guys know that there is a slammin’ place to party above Emo’s Lounge on Sixth? It’s true. The Beast House is only open for special events a few times a month and is sponsored by Camel, but the parties are always free, with killer DJs, live entertainment, and free grub. As if that…
Best Homegrown Remedy for Wartime Gas Prices
A tomato bought at the local supermarket is likely to have traveled more than 1,000 miles by airplane or truck. A tomato grown in our own yard will travel just the distance to our salad. BioGardener helps homeowners design, build, and sustain food gardens in their own yards. Eat better, inspire neighbors, drive less, and…
Best South by Southpark
Where can you order a California roll while your other half noshes on a burger and beer and all the while your tyke plays on a killer playscape? The Grove at Southpark Meadows, of course! Gone are the days of our angsty youth watching Smashing Pumpkins and the like in the sprawling South Austin outdoor…
Best Conflict Resolution on Wheels
Your kids have issues they gotta work out? Your staff just not cooperating to get stuff done? There is no “I” in team, people. Who can bring us all together? At last, somebody in Austin can offer help for far less cash than a therapist. Not Your Usual Bikes offers tours on its seven-seater Conference…
Best AIDS Fundraising Couple
Here, there, and everywhere, these two can be spotted at virtually every HIV-and-AIDS-related event in Austin, either on the boards, committees, or just as generous supporters. From the Octopus Club’s Octo Tea Dance, ArtErotica, and Oscar and Rubber Ducky parties to AIDS Services of Austin’s events (Erwin is a board member) such as the Red…
Best Combination of Crafts and Double Dutch
Originally the brainchild of Austin designers Jesse Kelly Landes, Tina Sparkles, Karly Hand, and Jennifer Perkins, last year’s fifth annual Stitch fest – complete with a full bar and a cafe outfitted with sewing machines for the compulsively creative – brought arts and crafts to a whole new deliriously frenetic level that left us inspired…
Best Vintage Shopping (South of Ben White)
If the spike in housing has forced you into the boonies, fret not. Head out on Manchaca Road past William Cannon and Slaughter Lane to Goodbye Hello Consignment and Resale, the coolest consignment shop in South South Austin. The emphasis in clothing is closer to classy than kitschy but all high quality. The furniture rarely…
Best Sleep-Deprived Volunteers
Every Sunday, 6am, for the past three years, Lynne Samuelson and members of her catering crew have been feeding the homeless at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless with good food that is not only nutritional but truly made with love. The menu often features protein-packed gumbo, stews, casseroles, and chili, served hot and…
Best Pet Whisperer
Dr. Kathryn Van Winkle, one half of the two-vet team that is the Barton Creek Animal Clinic, may be the closest thing to a dog whisperer that Austin has. And that’s a great thing when your pooch or puss ain’t feelin’ so good. Van Winkle and her team are smart, kind, and gentle. Whether your…
The Common Law
Jury Duty – What If I Don’t Show Up?
Staking Out the Senate
A few Dem wins could temper the Republican majority’s agenda
Call + Response
Documentary pairs celebrities with musicians to inform viewers about the issues of child slavery and human trafficking in the U.S. and around the world.
Best Tea Room
With more than a hundred varieties of superior loose-leaf tea, carefully selected from producers throughout the Orient, the Steeping Room is an exceptional tea shop, as well as Austin’s finest tearoom. Here you will find stellar quality baked goods, innovative salads and sandwiches, and superb teas (both hot and iced) served in just about the…
Best Sports/Rec Program
Once again our readers give a nod to West Austin Youth Association’s programs. But this place isn’t only about sport: WAYA’s “positive coaching” principles mean that kids learn more than just how to win a game. And they can participate (almost) as soon as they learn to play – kids can take Sportball classes starting…
Best Hotel/Motel Pool
Exceeding its former glory with a massive overhaul in 2000, the San José quickly won accolades and capacity reservations for sleek design and comfort. Even locals who simply drop in for drinks in the lush courtyard swear they’ve been on vacation afterward. Regular guests also know about the serene little concrete pond (and some say…
Best Emergent Filmmaker
Bob Ray was in the right place at the right time when he started filming some friends starting a Roller Derby league. But it was his tireless efforts, taking his documentary Hell on Wheels to every film festival and skate rink that would have him, that got him and his movie the fame they deserve.
Best Karaoke
Last call at bars is 2am, but that doesn’t mean you have to go home. Oh no. Especially not when there’s a microphone with your name on it at Austin Karaoke. It’s open as late as 5am on some nights and has private rooms, making this place a hit with groups of pals who are…
Best Intimate Dining
A proud practitioner of the international Slow Food movement – which does not mean that your food will crawl out of the kitchen, but rather that your meal will be derived from as many local sources as possible – Wink wholeheartedly embodies this theory of cooking in its chicly intimate dining and wine bar settings.…
Best Morning Radio Show
Ah, the return of the The Morning X! A bracing, irreverent wake-up call with the ever-popular Jason and Deb! Mornings on 101.5FM are guaranteed to make you smirk and snicker, especially when the two listen to Jason’s complaints and recount whatever adventures they’ve been up to. This includes the usual embarrassing personal experiences, but Deb’s…
Best Bowling Alley
An addictive pastime, bowling embodies good, clean, all-American fun. First bowlers are sure to get hooked by the charm of these classic lanes. The Dart Bowl cafe serves up some serious truck-stop enchiladas and munchies; there’s also a full bar. Be sure to check out the sweetest deal on Mondays: $1 everything! Shoes, lanes, even…
Best Swimming Pool
Swimming lanes cover one half and free-swimming the other; the best of both water worlds can be found at Deep Eddy. Whether you’re a splishing kid, a splashing adult, or wishing simply to escape the heat, the free-swim side is no-holds barred. For structured swimmers and newbies alike, the lanes are wide open and welcoming.…
Best Scandal
No, Rick Perry didn’t lean his shiny coif too close to the tanning lamp. A broken motion sensor, only one trooper on duty, and a Molotov cocktail. Alone, these don’t amount to much. Together, they resulted in catastrophic damage to a 152-year-old state treasure. This blaze was the result of a lone arsonist, someone who…
Best Movers
Noted as a responsible and caring way to help seniors transition to higher-care facilities, Heavenly Care has truly proven that angels walk among us. Any moving situation can be stressful and scary. Thankfully, this team of consummate professionals has the heart to make the transition an attentive, secure, and respectful one.
Best Fantasy/Gaming Store
Fantasy gaming isn’t just about level-seven elf mages, cloaking spells, and summoning … things. It’s about participating in a socially constructed narrative. That’s why Dragon’s Lair isn’t just a store, it’s a community — a community preparing an assault on Overlord Zarkknon’s crystal redoubt deep within the Blood Realm of Dimension XII.
Best Vintage
The gang at Room Service knows what you want – from the quirky to the sublime – long before you do. It could be the exact Knoll coffee table you’ve dreamed of; an original, official acid-washed Dirty Dancing jacket (still with tags!) that you missed out on the first time; that stunning Marimekko in the…
Most Surprising Local Design Events
Unless you live in a Downtown loft, the last place you expect to find that comfy block-party feeling is the Design Within Reach showroom, but there it is. Art divas who eschew aspirational materialism for personality cults/reverse snobbery go largely unmissed at DWR’s popular mix of events, which embrace the local and lubricate the mix…
Best Street-Party Fundraiser
KLRU’s annual fundraising Block Party is one of the biggest, splashiest, and most far-reaching events in Central Texas. The party really began about 20 years ago as the Austin City Limits Gala but has morphed into the Block Party, with more than 800 attendees and top-name entertainment such as Robert Randolph, Los Lonely Boys, and…
Best Local Corner Store
Live Oak Market’s laid-back style and welcoming staff make any patrons feel like they are part of the neighborhood. The former 7-Eleven now contains a wealth of corner-store foodie goodness. Its shelves are stocked with local drinks and snack products from goat-milk ice cream to homemade kombucha, gourmet sandwiches, and an excellent selection of international…
Best Way to Channel Your Inner Child
They’re songs for kids! Who doesn’t love songs for kids? Commie pinkos, that’s who! Okay, it ain’t Mr. Waffles, but it is communicative in a way that isn’t pandering or condescending, which makes McDermott’s kiddie ditties quite satisfying for the chronologically adult set. Skip yoga, put the tunes on the stereo, and posture around your…
Best Creepy Lakeside Serenity
Consecrated in 1993, this shaded inlet along the north side of the Trail at Lady Bird Lake is easy to miss. Don’t, because the ornate temple scaffolding – now grown over with vines – and the clay-colored Voodoo Pew provide a beautiful view of the water and the occasional possum. Artists T. Paul Hernandez, Robert…
Best Reason Not to Drive
As gas prices skyrocket, eco-awareness rises, and traffic congestion becomes a total drag, a lot more Austinites (including Chronicle staffers) have been hopping on the bus at 3,000 stops around town. With positive 2008 changes such as the upcoming MetroRail, new buses, expanded service, simplified ‘Dillo routes, and new regional partnerships, Cap Metro deserves kudos…
Best Day to Buy Dickies
Every day’s a good day to buy Dickies, you say? Well, you may want to rethink that once you learn that Today’s Style hosts its 15% Off Everything (except stuff already on sale) Sale on Tuesdays. Don’t let the modest size of its two convenient locations fool you – their inventories are huge. With their…
Most Daliesque Redneck Wear
Leave it to Lubbock-damaged punk rock stalwart Jimmy Bradshaw (Squat Thrust, Passed Out Flyers) to find a way we can cherish his talents long after our hearing is done for – namely by creating (what else?) really twisted Western wear. At first glance, ZZZThreadZ shirts look like standard-issue embroidered vintage – until you notice that…
Best Spark on the Electric Utility Commission
“I like to do things that have relevance,” this 91-year-old South Austin gal told us 10 years ago. A true believer in all things progressive, Shudde (pronounced “shoo-dee”) is still running on her own brand of alternative energy: She recently marked her 31st year serving in her appointed position on the city’s Electric Utility Commission.
Best Place to Cure Your Road Rash
We dinged our baby – bad. A cannonball-sized dent in the back of its shiny red bumper. First three places turned us down flat; fourth one wanted to replace the whole shebang for more than $1,000. Then we found Bumpers Scuffs Plus. Matt explained our options then worked his magic while we waited. Forty minutes…
Dems Building Serious War Chests
Who’d a thunk? Democrats are actually outraising Republicans in some hot House races.
Quarantine
An L.A. apartment building is quarantined in this new horror film, and a news crew’s videotape may be the only proof of the strange goings-on.
Best Tea Selection
A British accent might find its way past your lips after you step into this beautiful store dedicated to the art of teatime. A formidable array of tea sets greets you at the door, along with goodies like stone-ground, South American Taza chocolate (an amazing organic cocoa creation only found here in Austin). Bulk teas…
Best Summer Camp
Stage moms take note: Cranking out talented tots since 1980, KidsActing now boasts multiple alumni on Broadway and network television. Which is good, because having the chance to star as a pint-sized Danny Zuko in Grease (one of three afterschool musicals and a multitude of classes offered this Fall) would make anyone wanna ditch their…
Best Hotel/Motel Staff
Famous for its Sunday brunches, luxurious digs, stunning cuisine, and celebrity regulars, Four Seasons is also quite beloved in Austin for how it treats its guests. The standards here are high, with touches of Texas friendly. Rigorous training? Quality control? Perhaps the staff at this four-star hotel are as hospitable and professional as our readers…
Best Film Series
When the Texas heat threatens to keep Austin seared, nothing beats melting the summer days away in the belly of the nearly century-old theatre, lost in the magic of Hollywood. Film-history buffs can break down cinematography and art direction in the Hitchcock and film noir pairings, while Eighties-o-philes can revel in the the guilty pleasures…
Best Live Club/Party DJ
What makes Austin Music Award-winner Todd Burgener more than just a DJ? He doesn’t just play at a party; he is the party, understanding that the success of an evening at a club or party is essentially in his hands. He’s not just a master behind the turntables but a master emcee as well, whipping…
Best Local Food Company
The Interweb was supposed to bring us closer, but let’s face it: It killed snail mail and any remaining excuse to interact face to face. On a bright note, it did give us Greenling. Place your order online, and look forward to a nice delivery person coming to your door laden with locally grown organic…
Best Music Station
Maybe you love them because they give you a reason to drink wine on a blanket in the park listening to blues. Maybe you love them because they celebrate singer-songwriters, with an ear tuned to true Texas tunes. Maybe you love them for bringing it back to when saying you were rock & roll actually…
Best Dance Classes
The proof is in the step, ball, change. The proof is also in the more than 500 students Go Dance teaches every week: those trying out salsa, swing, Country & Western, the foxtrot, waltz, rumba, bolero, tango, or simply preparing for their wedding dance. They cover it all, with 20 dedicated instructors who move what…
Best Tennis Court
Let’s face it. Getting to the gym to burn those tacos off is not that easy. Putting some snazzy short shorts and sweatbands on to thwack tennis balls at your friends, however, can be a little more inspiring. Noah Rippner and Brie Rippner-Parsons, brother-and-sister founders of Rippner Tennis at South Austin Tennis Center, which they…
Best State Legislator
It could have become Watsongate, but the laconic former mayor laughed off his little slipup on MSNBC’s Hardball With Chris Matthews to become the Tito’s Vodka-sippin’ hero of the Texas Democratic Convention. But beneath the bonhomie is the sharp political mind that is already making a mark in the Texas Senate.
Best Pedicure/Manicure
Once spring had sprung, Aziz made sure our digits – all 20 of ’em – were trimmed and gleaming. It saw us through the rough times of a parched summer, and now that fall has fallen, it will keep our hands and feet soft and winterized. Getting a mani/pedi can be a chore, but Aziz…
Best Fashion Accessories
Bat those eyelashes, girl. Toss that hair. You’re shopping at Flirt, basking in its third year as a “BOA” winner. This popular UT-area favorite presents signature lines such as Necessary Objects handbags, Lucca, LA Made, and Matt & Nat, among others. Their 30%-off happy hour every third Thursday and a newly expanded goddess shopping space…
Best Clothing
Strut owner Javier Hernandez is a real Austin success story. A retail clerk as of just a few years ago, he is now owner of four Strut stores (three in Austin and one in San Marcos) noted for their trendy yet affordable selections of women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. Legions of ladies swear by Strut,…
Best Ambassador and Choral Director
There’s a whole town just east of us giving that old truism “learning at the foot of the master” some legs … and some voice. Jazz master and Smithville native son Hannibal Lokumbe (né Marvin Peterson) came home to Central Texas to settle in Bastrop after Hurricane Katrina. For the past two years, the Grammy-nominated…
Best Sunshine on a Stage
“Radiant.” “Lustrous.” “Luminous.” “Resplendent.” Writers have worn out their thesauri coming up with words to describe Jill Blackwood on stage. The willowy, winsome actress is just so, well, sunny that a comparison to Sol invites itself. Blackwood is naturally that way – lively, cheerful, perpetually flashing that million-watt smile – but in a show, it’s…
Best Saviors of Local Dining Landmarks
When we were researching a story on Austin’s landmark restaurants recently, an interesting coincidence emerged. Three of the 19 restaurants featured in the story had been reborn (Hill’s Cafe), revitalized (the Tavern), or successfully relocated (the Frisco Shop) because of the intervention of local radio personality Bob Cole and his fellow investment partners. Cole and…
Best Way to Guarantee Nap Time
Kids who come to this 9,000-square-foot indoor wonderland don’t get bored — they get exhausted. Their parents, on the other hand, get to relax. There’s a story stage, slides, a giant purple alligator made of foam, and a volcano with foam lava cubes. It’s the perfect place to bring kids 7 years old or younger.
Best Day Trip
An hour east of Austin, La Grange has all of the elements for a weekend minivacation. Anchored by the historic Fayette County Courthouse, the town square is lined with shops including the oldest continuously operated drug store in Texas and an Internet cafe selling custom-made coffee drinks. Take the kids to the Jersey Barnyard, a…
Best Reason Not to Frame It Yourself
Kerbey Lane’s oldest business is also perhaps its most inconspicuous. Ex-Marine reservist and East Austin native Alex Calderon bought the little white house across from the all-night eatery in 1969 and set out across Texas to find moldings ranging from vintage Vatican to metallic pink. His three boys, Alex Jr., Ray, and Mark, inherited their…
Best Designer Bags
When we found ourselves in need of unique baby gifts earlier this year, craft designer extraordinaire Wendy Irwin whipped out signature, one-of-a-kind diaper bags that really hit the spot. Unfortunately, she no longer makes the roomy baby bags, but we were happy to be introduced to her line of purses, wallets, and reusable grocery totes.…
Best Birthday Boy
“All the way with LBJ” said the campaign buttons our Sixties Democratic counterparts wore. More than 40 years after LBJ stepped down as president of the United States, Texas couldn’t agree more. With the 100th anniversary of Johnson’s birth, Central Texas pulled out all the stops: basking in the national congressional resolution marking the day;…
Best Sports Executive
With the 40-acre behemoth looming, Austin’s always been a tough town for professional sports. And soccer? Well, football means one thing to the rest of the civilized world, but it means gridiron in Texas, and previous attempts in building amateur soccer here had ranged from optimistic to embarrassing. So Phil Rawlins had at least two…
Best of Austin 2008
Icon After Icon This is our 19th year of presenting to you your favorites and ours. We are pleased as pudgy puppies to have TV stars Arcie and Shasta Cola and their new pal Carmy the Carmadillo grace our “Best of Austin” cover this year. But instead of you having to read me yakking it…
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Approval ratings and violence, horses and food, and more
Quorum-Buster Ponders Craddick’s Fate
Will the House Speaker keep his job, or will the Craddick casualties see him get his comeuppance?
Sex Drive
Sex Drive is part endearing emo love story, part gross-out semen gag-fest, and, very occasionally, a smart, inspired, non-sequitur-laden hoot.
Best-Kept Secret
What made our readers reveal their best-kept secret? Is it the handcrafted sandwiches or homemade cupcakes and cookies? No, it’s that place where they say your name to say hi and shake your hand goodbye. That’s why this tiny eatery with the big heart has enchanted Hyde Park and the North Campus area: It’s just…
Best Teen Hangout
OMG, when your parents are being totally lame and that dude down the street is being a creeper, there’s only one option: Text your BFFs, get someone’s cool/mysterious older brother to drive, and just hang out — “chillax,” if you will — at Barton Creek Square Mall. A movie theatre, a food court, Hot Topic…
Best Interior
Duck into the cool, dim hush of the Driskill, and be transported to a time when a gunfight in the lobby was not unheard of. These days, the watchful gaze of Col. Driskill from his truly enormous portrait on the grand staircase still reminds us to be civilized as we relax under the famous stained-glass…
Best Museum
We Texans love Texas history, and the Bob Bullock Museum is a testament to that love: Costly and sumptuous, the exhibits are visually stunning, as well as painstakingly researched and brilliantly curated. The dynamic story of Texas practically reaches out and grabs you, and if that isn’t thrilling enough, there’s an IMAX theatre, too!
Best Movie Theatre
We’re spoiled, and it’s almost unanimous: Austinites would rather not see a movie at all if they can’t watch it with a bucket of beer and a Godfather pizza. The very best in innovative and original programming, great community events, world-class menu-movie pairings, and film-geek staff all make this homegrown movie theatre the best in…
Best Lunch Delivery
There are fast sandwiches that are just okay, the kind you eat when you’re hungry and in a rush. And then there are those sandwiches that are so packed with yum that you wait with bated breath, counting the seconds until they arrive. Luckily, this speedy shop has as much of a handle on efficiency…
Best Non-‘Chronicle’ Publication
Since 1995, this weekly has been bringing the news to Southwest Austin. Between the coverage of elections, local business, community news, civic meetings, district school news (and sports!), and columns about nearly all of the above, its crew keeps busier than a weatherman in a tornado. Southwest Austin appreciates all that busy.
Best Day Trip – Dry
This ancient lump, once completely underground, eroded away to become the giant, beloved granite stone it is now. Enchanted Rock is one fierce batholith and is consistently one of Central Texas’ most popular sites. With it’s tendency to awe and inspire, this day trip destination challenges all adventurous visitors. Can you make it to the…
Best Activist
Take any neighborhood in Austin, and you can probably find the sweet green fingerprints of activist Mary Arnold on it. Where Austin is human-sized and lovely in a homegrown way, Arnold has likely researched, written, and testified mightily for it to be that way. At age 72, she is our living treasure of civic justice.…
Best Unsung Behind-the-Scenester
Why is TCRP’s director so unsung? Because he’s usually too busy representing clients and causes to beat his own drum. Fighting back against corporate interests and government abuses, he proves that civil rights, due process, legal representation, and that strange old concept of justice aren’t just for people who can afford it.
Best Printer/Copies
It all started back in 1971. Through the offset Seventies and the Xerox Eighties, Ginny’s served as Austin’s versatile and speedy one-stop print shop. (Ahhhh, we remember afternoons constructing many a gig flier at her convenient locations!) But as the industry has changed, so has nimble Ginny’s. Last year, it merged with the Lithoprint Co.,…
Best Furnishings/Home
Swedish design, modern utility, economical bonanzas, and gorgeous little meatballs – ever since that happy blue-and-yellow box opened its doors to us two years ago, our apartments, dorm rooms, houses, and homes have been better for it. Chairs, bookshelves, linens, closets, lamps, rugs, kitchenware – all with the added touch of European sensibility and chic…
Best Architect Changing the Face of Austin
Jamie Chioco is among those changing the face of Austin’s urban space. A former associate with Dick Clark Architecture, Chioco’s more public works can be seen everywhere, from the futuristic Galaxy Cafe that looks like the Jetsons may be dropping in at any minute to both By Georges to the Amli’s Royal Blue Grocery Downtown.…
Best Dance Mobilizer
“Strength in numbers” is a truism that applies as well to dancers as political movements and labor unions, and no one in Austin grasps that better than Ellen Bartel, who has spent almost as much of her time here bringing dancers and choreographers together as creating work for her own Spank Dance Company. Thanks to…
Cheapest Way to Get Your Bond On
Plunked almost improbably in the epicenter of the circus that is Sixth Street, Parkside is a calming, classy oasis of oysters, ingenious apps, and perfectly grownup drinks (no Flaming Dr Peppers here, thank you very much). They’ve got all kinds of $3 drink specials to soften the blow of the beginning of another work week,…
Best Texas Team at the Smithsonian
Pat Jasper and Dawn Orsak honed their chops for years putting on events together for the local nonprofit Texas Folklife Resources. Dawn’s passion is for Texas food ways, while Pat tends to specialize in the many forms of Texas music. Together, they made the perfect team to curate the monthlong “Texas: A Celebration of Music,…
Best Way to Turn a Kid Vegan
Parents! It’s cool! Those peanut-butter cups and chocolate-chip cookies are A-OK! Of course, we can all agree that sweet treats are only acceptable in moderation, especially for hyperactive kiddos, but Celeste’s Best treats are made with vegan goodness and without the stuff that gives indulgence a bad reputation. You can find Celeste’s Best at local…
Best Get-Fit-Quick Scheme
Whether you’re bikini-bound or looking to shave some time off of your mile, this coed, three-week intensive boot camp is all you need to achieve your goal. Relying on no tools but the willing body and the beautiful backdrop of Lady Bird Lake, these encouraging trainers whip you into a blissful exhaustion that has never…
Best Reasons to Spread ‘Em
For the brave, daring to go fully bare, down there, it’s off to the oft-feared Brazilian waxer. Thankfully, Jessica at Milk + Honey and Esty and Montana at Montana skin-care studio have perfected the craft of making you feel comfortable in the most uncomfortable positions. The pain is (as much as it can be) fleeting,…
Best Eastside Wine Fix
Don’t let the facade of “convenience store” fool you. Tucked inside this Eastside secret is an astonishingly good collection of wines. No place in a 3-mile radius can boast a better selection of fermented grapes at better-than-expected convenience-store prices. It’s also stocked with a surprisingly varied collection of organic varieties and local growers.
Best Blogger Aptly Reppin’ Austin’s Bodacious Bike Culture
There’s never been a shortage of commentary online and off from Austin’s bombastic bike community, but not until this year’s debut of the blog Austin Texas Bike … Stuff, or ATXBS.com, did local pedal pushers have a forum focusing on the wild side of biking in Bat City. The clean-lined blog is a treasure trove…
Best Steward of Downtown Green Space
As the executive director of the Austin Parks Foundation, Charlie McCabe knows balance is key. From overseeing improvements to Austin’s ever-expanding trail system, the acquisition of land for park space, Republic Square enhancements, and Downtown park master-planning to the fundamental challenge of creating a symbiotic relationship between green space and urban space, it’s heavy responsibility.…
The Hightower Report
The Myth of Georgian Democracy; and McCain, the Anti-Maverick
Don’t Vote on Election Day!
Do yourself (and everyone else) a favor this year: Vote early
The Secret Life of Bees
Despite the sincere coming-of-age story at the heart of this movie rife with singers-turned-actresses, there’s no denying the pleasures found in the film’s soulful matriarchy.
Best Afterschool Activity
Stage moms take note: Cranking out talented tots since 1980, KidsActing now boasts multiple alumni on Broadway and network television. Which is good, because having the chance to star as a pint-sized Danny Zuko in Grease (one of three afterschool musicals and a multitude of classes offered this fall) would make anyone wanna ditch their…
Best Texas Amusement Park
This summer’s heat was relentless. No duh, we’re in a drought. According to this vote, many of you found an excellent option to extinguish the heat: Pack up the car with family or friends, and take a trip down to New Braunfels to spend the day at a wet wonderland called Schlitterbahn. For those who…
Best Motel
It’s the 1938 tourist court that underwent the makeover that sparked the SoCo renaissance. If you don’t have a reason to stay at this local lodging landmark, make up one. Storming this category for eight years running, it remains a nostalgic haunt for some, and for others, the unique, individually decorated rooms are a new…
Best Performance Space
With the pristine acoustics of the 2,400-seat Michael & Susan Dell Hall matched by few in the world, along with the flexibility of the Debra and Kevin Rollins Studio Theatre and the glorious outdoor City Terrace, the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts has given Austin a versatile world-class venue…
Best Neighborhood/Dive Bar
Tucked away in a strip center in the Windsor Park neighborhood, this new kid on the block is the coolest new hangout in the area. Nomad specializes in cocktails, beers, and wines from around the world, as well as coffee. The service is friendly and fast, and it’s never too crowded to find a table.…
Best Neighborhood Grocery
What’s not to love about our friendly neighborhood co-op? Knowledgeable and enthusiastic employees, tasty treats for full-on vegans and meat-and-dairy lovers alike, an excellent deli for hungry lunchers, a wide variety of organic and natural foods, and more locally produced food products than you can shake a stick at.
Best Photographer
What an eye. This master behind the lens captures things in his subjects quite possibly unseen even by themselves. As a mainstay contributor to The Austin Chronicle, Wolfson continuously reminds us of the heights of quality work and distinction that can be brought to subjects, from local celebrities to national rock legends. Each shot is…
Best Day Trip – Wet
It’s hot as hell in Austin. Luckily, we Texans have a few options to combat cerebral meltdown. Pack a car full of friends, and flip a coin. Heads if you’re in the mood for slippin’ and twistin’ across miles of slides and tunnels. Tails if you’re ready for jaw-dropping nature at its best. Schlitterbahn’s got…
Best Austin Booster
Talk about doing Austin a favor – a really, really big favor – Eugene Sepulveda just seems to give and give and give. As a professor at UT’s McCombs School of Business, he prepares his students for the rewards and pitfalls of modern business. As a philanthropist, he teaches Central Texans how to give. As…
Best Appliance/TV Repair
The greenies forgot an “R” before reuse: as in repair (not replace!). If that broken appliance served you well until it … well, broke, then don’t give up on it yet. Take it to the Wizards instead, and get it another lease on life. Beats shovin’ it in the back of a closet. Or a…
Best Recording Studio
When Kurtis Machler opened this studio on the south side in 1999, it was with fingers crossed. Now, with credentials stretching from Hunt Sales to Jesus Christ Superfly and then some, Million Dollar Sound has a third home off South First and Stassney with more rooms, better sound, and a view of the greenbelt. Who…
Best Gardening Store
Chemicals schmemicals – that’s what these guys say. You don’t need to use gross toxins to keep insects off your plants. Do it the organic way. They’ll show you how. Their grounds are amazing, everything you could ever want to discover: vegetable gardens, an herb garden, an orchard/vineyard, a butterfly garden, xeriscape, and even a…
Best Bar Interior
Gold rush funeral home meets Tamale House. What if your great-great-uncle died while you were watching Deadwood, and later, as his favorite bluegrass band plays the wake and drinks bathtub gin inside while his widow can finally acknowledge the true love of her life, a bajo sexto player and his mariachi band play on the…
Best Fundraiser to Keep You on Your Toes
Ballet Austin’s biggest fundraiser of the year is a glittering trip to fantasyland. From the White Nights of Imperial Russia, to an evening of Frank Sinatra tunes, the themes for the fete are varied and diverse but always pulled off with tremendous style. Previews of the upcoming season, cocktails, dining, and dancing draw the bigwigs…
Most Beloved Burlesque Performer
Austin’s burlesque scene is filled with glittering starlets like a sky full of sequins, all of whom rallied around Cardinal Cyn when she broke her leg earlier this year. That scarlet hair. That alabaster skin. A dash of Tempest Storm, a splash of Rita Hayworth, and possibly the only woman alive that can sashay on…
Freshest Bubble Tea Brew
Poor decision-makers beware: This Japanese tearoom-cum-gift shop might blow your mind. The menu, full of teas flowery, fruity, black, spicy, and otherwise, is so extensive it’s housed in a binder. And you must also choose embellishments of fruit, tapioca pearls, or milk. But once that tea is brewed and sweetened to perfection, you’ll take one…
Best Lunchtime Company
Best known as one-third of the three-man main show on KLBJ’s long-running Dudley & Bob Morning Show, Charlie Hodge added a few more hours to his überearly rise this year to host the new midday, hourlong Half-Time Show, from noon to 1pm. Hodge expands his presence as the Morning Show third man (time to upgrade…
Best Island
If all dogs do go to heaven (which we’re pretty sure man’s best friend does), heaven better live up to Red Bud Isle. When a mutt (and his or her person) needs to hit the “paws” button on the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s just a strain of the lead down Lake Austin…
Best Response in a Crisis
It’s not their job. That’s the first fact that everyone should remember when thinking about how the volunteers with these two charities stepped up to help the Hurricane Ike evacuees. It was the Red Cross that staffed shelters and the Capital Area Food Bank that handed out emergency supplies to those that had fled the…
Best Little Greenhouse in Austin
Widely known for carrying one of the largest collections of native plants in Central Texas, Barton Springs Nursery is a homegrown favorite. And it’s no wonder: Seeds, shrubs, pottery, herbs, grasses, roses, and gardening gifts – they stock all this along with the advice and direction to start every aspiring organic gardener on the right…
Best Cabbie With a Cause
You may have spotted this politically savvy woman of long, curly salt-and-pepper locks behind the wheel of her hybrid-fueled Yellow Cab or perhaps on the TV news, advocating for the transit rights of blind and disabled residents, who make up a good chunk of her customer base. There’s a reason for that. Hannah goes the…
Best Way to Get in a Celebrity’s Mouth
So, the world is ending, and our only hope is to send DNA samples of Earth’s best and brightest to space in the hopes of being cloned. Maybe not, but that didn’t stop NC Soft honcho Richard Garriott from busting through the stratosphere in a Russian commercial space flight last week armed with genetic material…
Arts Review
Zach Theatre’s fine staging should be required viewing at this historic moment
Cornyn vs. Noriega
Cornyn and Noriega debate nothing to talk about
W.
Oliver Stone’s Bush portrait is a tale of two movies: one a humanizing portrait of a failure as a young man, the other a damning but unsurprising look inside an administration gone loopy on ideological zealotry.
Best All-Ages Music Venue
The Red River scene may change, but no condos can put the kibosh on Emo’s and its teen-loving ways. Whether the act is local electro or Sweden’s best exports, Emo’s keeps the neons lit, the doors open for all three stages, and the water coolers full. Just don’t try to use your fake, because the…
Best Toys
Good luck tearing your child (or yourself) away from Terra Toys. Once inside the expansive, well-organized store, there’s not much hope of getting out — the only thing that could make this place any better is if the dragon outside breathed free $100 bills instead of smoke. Find a toy here for any age, kid…
Best New Building (Past Five Years)
Winning Best Architecture or Best New Building for five years now, the Frost Bank Tower has reached its term limit for that award. We are proud to bestow this honor a final time to the building that has brought Austin architecture into the 21st century. Though no longer Austin’s tallest building, it remains a standard-bearer…
Best Place to See Local Art
The city could have gone the safe, boring route of lumpen political portraits, but through the People’s Gallery program, it opened itself up to works from the representational to the surreal, somber, playful, and even fuzzy, all from local artists. The Enchanted Forest provides a safe haven for creators to build magical, unique, large-scale installations.…
Best New Club
It’s about time we gave the masses a new direction to stumble. Seventh Street. The new Sixth. On one hand, we have Black & Tan. Ask a hipster, and you may hear it called “the new Beauty Bar.” Oy. Ask the owners about it, and they just want to play good music and find the…
Best Outdoor Dining
When the Texas weather turns mild for a few months in the spring and fall, nothing feels more like Austin than dining alfresco under the pecan trees along the Barton Springs Road strip. Shady Grove’s combination of good Texas roadhouse food, cold beer, and people-watching makes everybody feel like somebody.
Best Public-Access TV Show
Sexy, sassy, and one of a kind (except that there are two of them, plus the omniscient and close-up-happy cameraman), the Cola Sisters jumped on to public-access television just a few years ago and have been riding it hard ever since. As the hostesses of our readers’ favorite ChannelAustin TV show, Cookin’ Good, the Cola…
Best Fitness Classes
When you can’t tell a bicep from a baguette, it’s time to make a quality-of-life upgrade. The five days per week camps can be spotted on the shores of Lady Bird Lake breaking records in log-lifting, jump-roping, and the group sprint. Whether your core is quivering Jell-O or rock solid, the sergeants at Austin Adventure…
Best City Official
As a member of the City Council, he worked hard enough that we elected him mayor. After his deft handling of the influx of Hurricane Katrina survivors, we elected him again. Smart, insightful, sophisticated, handsome, and successful, this Democrat has sidestepped many partisan issues in favor of leading Austin as a unified city. His development…
Best Auto Service/Repair
A rumble, a grumble, a squeak from your trusty jalopy? Pull into the pink and purple awnings of Flamingo Automotive, and bask in the personal care of these engine experts. It’s the most stylish garage in Austin, with mod Miami decor and staffed by hunky and honest mechanics. Vroom!
Best Shoe Repair
The name says it all – and whether you wear Skechers or Manolos, the Austin Shoe Hospital will give your tired footwear a new lease on life. With complete services and product lines for shoe care, ASH’s multiple locations ensure that your feet will never have to go too far without the best.
Best Green Business
Austin loves green, and Austin loves Eco-Wise, because it colors us that way. From building supplies and housewares to personal-care items, baby clothes, and pet care, Eco-Wise has it all for smart shoppers who really care about themselves, their children, their homes, and the future of the planet we call home. Eco-Wise: made in Austin…
Best Dead Zone in a Fly Zone
Blink, and you might miss this curious plot of Texas history, located just a whisker north of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. This small cemetery, host to dears departed circa mid-19th century, finds itself at the crossroads of progress. The Texas Highway Department respected the peace of her inhabitants when it carved out the current traffic configuration…
Best Imitation of Frenchie Cinephilia Circa 1968
We love this repertory cinema founded a few years ago by a couple of crazy college kids who were inspired by the legendary Cinémathèque Française of Henri Langlois and Austin’s own pioneering Cinematexas program of the Seventies. Monday nights at the Texas Union Theatre, the Cinematheque introduces a whole new generation to classic cinema –…
Best All-Day Mexican Breakfast
This South Austin neighborhood favorite is well-known for it’s authentic Interior Mexican fare. All day, every day, Curra’s offers 12 different Mexican breakfasts, including migas, huevos motulenos, huevos sucios, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and breakfast tacos. When you add in their robust, vanilla-kissed blend of Oaxacan coffee, full bar, and fresh juices, Curra’s Mexican breakfast can’t…
Healthiest Base for Local Frozen Treats
Late Austin health-food entrepreneur Reed Murray bought White Mountain Foods in the early Eighties and used it as the foundation for a very successful artisan food company that produces yogurt, tofu, tofu products, and seitan. White Mountain yogurt has long been acknowledged as the best yogurt on the market, and now it is the base…
Best Neighborhood Newspaper
Though it sometimes depends on syndicated filler, Ken Vargas’ Friday biweekly keeps a broad area of southern Travis County neighborhoods informed, inside and outside of the city. With an emphasis on politics and the area’s growth spurt, as well as near-to-the-heart topics like high school football, SCR is becoming the dependable voice of the new…
Best Ladies’ Day Shoot Out
Ladies, get your guns! Monday nights are for the girls at Red’s Indoor Range. As if free gun rental and half off the hourly rate weren’t incentive enough, the extremely courteous and knowledgeable staff sure gets us fired up. Learn the sport, or practice for your own defense. The staff patiently explains your weapons of…
Best Reunited Barbers
It was a sad day when Phyllis Nunez left Gaitan’s Barber Shop. We even commemorated her new location with a “Best of Austin” back in 2006, just so loyal fans from the landmark Hyde Park shop could find her. The very week the issue came out, however, Phyllis excitedly called to tell us she had…
Best Locally Designed Cosmetics
Whether trying to achieve the sublimely exotic or sun-kissed freshness, Rochelle Rae’s palette of colors offers a stunning range of cosmetics, custom-made for the Austin climate. From foundations and concealers to eye and lip colors, Rae says it’s “a mineral make-up line created to take the heat, like the women who wear it.” Judging from…
Best Christmas Warriors
A year ago, the Christmas Mountains were a just scrap of scrubland in far West Texas. But when the General Land Office tried to sell the property to private buyers, it was Environment Texas that first shook the branches, raised a firestorm of public protest, and made caring about public lands an act of Texas…
Easiest Donations
How has Charitable Auto Recycling been able to donate more than $4 million within the last six years to local charities? By turning trash into treasure. The Niederwald auction shop has figured out how to get the highest possible dollar value for donated vehicles, then turn that around into generous cash flow for local public-service…
Arts Review
The work here, while not so new, showed that area black dance is living and diverse
Great Works of Political Fiction
Donna Keel claims not to know Tom Craddick – that’s weird, right?
Karzzzz
A remake of the 1980 hit Karz, this new Bollywood film is about reincarnation.
Best Arcade/LAN
The latest video games? Check. Comfy chairs? Check. Dark relaxed environment? Check. Tek Republic is one of Austin’s last great public-gaming centers for gamers and geeks alike. And with an all-day pass costing only $20, how could you not afford to “pwn noobs” all day?
Best Video-Game Rental/Purchase
Remember when you found that indie book or record store that, despite its wide selection, also had the best prices? Now, imagine that the store sold video games and was actually doing well for itself but still retained its independence. That would be GameFellas. With great deals on new games and an expansive collection of…
Best Public Art
Benefiting the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, the Austin Museum of Art, American Youth Works, and the Austin Children’s Museum, Gibson Guitar’s Austin GuitarTown dazzled us with its launch in November, 2006 from multiple locations touting 35 10-foot-tall guitar sculptures and 30 smaller guitars, embellished by artists and celebs of all kinds. Truly capturing the…
Best Theatre Director
His Best Theatre and Best Stage Director awards date back more than 10 years. Dave Steakley has grabbed the Austin theatre scene by the vocal cords and has issued peals of joy. Whether adding a special musical twist to an old favorite (such as his post-hurricane take on Porgy & Bess) or presenting fresh, new…
Best Party of the Year
It’s the biggest industry party in the world. Cutting-edge multimedia technology and focus on the newest developments in the video-game industry? Mm-hmm. The best and brightest filmmakers, plus all aspects of the art and business of indie filmmaking? Oh yeah. Panels people talk about for years and music so cool you won’t hear about it…
Best Place to Take a First Date
Grapevines hanging from the roof and a thousand cupids peeking out of corners beckoning in love, sweet love, make this Italian dining place a perfect first-date location. Gorgeous varieties of wine, music tinkling from the piano keys, lovely pastas, and lighting just dim enough to see the twinkle in your sweetie’s eyes. Add to that…
Best Radio Music Deejay
According to his MySpace page, 101X’s Jason Dick believes, “Stalkers + Internet = MySpace.” Surely the popular morning-show host is used to these things by now, but at 26, he’s among the youngest of the hit voices on the airwaves. His morning show (with British Deb) is loud. The music is rock & roll. The…
Best Gear/Sporting Goods
For practically everything you could do outside, REI should be your first stop for gear, instruction, clothing, edibles, and electronics. Camping? The store can fit you in the gear you need whether you’re sleeping in a cabin or “digging your own hole”-style roughing it. Skiing? Accessories, skis, boots, snowboards, and racks to keep it all…
Best Council Member
This chrome-domed crowd-pleaser comes from the rough and tumble world of the Austin Firefighters Association, but as a council member, Martinez has displayed real political savvy on when to tread lightly and when to bore fully ahead. The result has been consistent, solid leadership on matters like public safety and City Hall reform. Martinez’s straightforward,…
Best Barbershop
Hipper than thou and cheaper than dirt, Birds wins again in the Battle of the Barbershop. With a menu of cuts and chemical treatments that are easy to digest, Birds is casual and fun without a hint of salon prissiness, and both convenient locations bring clean lines, good looks, and low prices to the people.
Best Spa
Austin shows its love for the Lake Austin Spa Resort – not just by going there but by voting it Best Spa again and again. The spa packages are truly divine and make fabulous gifts (note to foodies: consider enrolling in its Culinary Experience, an interactive cooking school with visiting chefs from around the country).…
Best Liquor Store
Like H-E-B with beer goggles on, Spec’s rocks its many bright, white aisles with so many choices in every department of alcohol consumption, you could slur your words just lookin’ at ’em. The larger-than-life selection includes liquors from every color of the rainbow, beers, wines, and killer keg services. Spec’s brings it up a notch…
Best Futuristic Skyscraper
Like the sparkling spires rising from the Emerald City of Oz, the 360 glances back on an art-deco past while steadfastly steering Austin into the future. Currently our tallest building, the “green” 44-story 360 is home to many of Austin’s elite but also surprisingly offers some of the most affordable new Downtown living. And as…
Best Keeper of the Fosse Flame
The reason we revere Bob Fosse wasn’t just the slinky, sexy moves that were his choreographic signature; it was how he could slip all that jazz into a show and make it come alive in ways that thrilled and captivated us. Robin Lewis mastered Fosse’s moves on Broadway in the tribute show Fosse, but what…
Best Asian Street-Style Food
Lulu B’s does the Vietnamese equivalent of the taco truck. Sister co-owners have brought Vietnamese flavors from the West Coast and onto the south side of town, alleviating the taste buds of patrons who are tired of driving to the north side for a decent bowl of vermicelli noodles. Lulu B’s is known mostly for…
Most Ridiculously Friendly Staff
A visit to Emerald City Press is not unlike walking into a bar full of friends that are just so happy to see you. “Hey, how was your weekend?” “Girl, that dress is cute! Where’d you get it?” “Ugh. I had a date from hell last night.” The line between customer and server is indeed…
Best R&B Dream Come True
KAZI started as the dream of University of Texas professor Dr. John Warfield 26 years ago. Austin’s oldest community radio station thrives under the guidance of Steve Savage, with a small staff and a team of volunteers who keep jazz, hip-hop, reggae, and gospel music alive and well in the ATX, digging deeper than your…
Best New Little Armored Ride
Created in the art-car tradition, this fire-breathing armadillo is the child of husband-and-wife team C.J. Anderson and Kate Bower, with conceptual assistance from friend Avi Hartman. So, the fire actually comes out of the Carmadillo’s eyes, and it’s more of a go-kart than a car. But both are moot points, because it’s really the most…
Best Small Imprint Broker
Cynthia Riley Loera is improving Austin one house at a time. She believes strongly that the way we live makes or breaks communities. Her goal as a Realtor/broker is to support clients through life’s changes while steering them toward the best option for the environment, Austin’s neighborhoods, and one’s stress threshold. Her company, Rocket Science…
Best Metallurgy
Lubbock son Charles Lokey started a video store in Garland in 1984, expanded it to include music at Austin’s Arboretum in 1988, and 20 years later continues both on Anderson Lane with Austin’s best selection of heavy metal discs, stickers, and Ts. Full-service video rental and music one-stop never takes a back seat to the…
Best Citizen Communicator
The publisher of the Austin Environmental Directory, Paul Robbins is a consistent force for progressivism in the city. A fixture at City Council’s citizen communications, nearly every week this self-described consumer advocate and environmental activist challenges council members intelligently and directly in the three minutes he’s allotted. Give ’em hell, Paul.
Most Welcome New Celebrity
Unpretentious, irreverent, and a bit of a ham – is Uno a typical Austinite or what? Technically he lives in Leander, but it’s not like we’re going to run into the pooch formally known as “K-Run’s Park Me in First” at the vet, right? We’re just proud the insanely charismatic 2008 winner of the Westminster…
Arts Review
AMOA’s dual exhibit of art made a century apart shows some things never change
New Plan Aims to Heal Insurance Ills of Small Biz
Nonprofit launches project to help small businesses provide health coverage
What We Do Is Secret
Darby Crash, the L.A. punk rock junkie godhead leader of the Germs who died of an overdose in 1980, is revivified in this long-gestating but strangely sterile biopic.
Best Birthday Cakes
Awesome adventures in sugar and flour have won Lucy’s Cakes 30 years of accolades. A cake is an edible work of art as well as a catalyst for celebration. In their hands, you can experience cake as record player, cake as butterfly, cake as cowboy … cake as anything you can imagine. The three generations…
Best AM Radio Station
On the 69th birthday of our local news-and-talk radio station, we celebrate its enduring intellectual friskiness. KLBJ-AM offers diverse views, provides whip-smart commentary, gets us out of bed hyped to go, and puts us to bed with food for thought.
Best Public Space
Green grass. Wide open spaces. The gleaming skyline backdrop behind our beloved Central park is the only clue that this lush oasis is smack-dab in the middle of a bustling urban center. From the Barton Springs Pool to the soccer fields, from Austin City Limits to Blues on the Green, even the simplest picnic or…
Best Visual Artist
Artist Jean Graham enacts the ancient art form of mosaic on both the visual and community levels. Tiny pieces (neighbors) come together to make a shimmering whole (community) that tells a story (giving our best and working together for peace and beauty). Her murals are “of the people, by the people, for the people,” located…
Best Place to Dance
Tease your hair to its highest heights, and strap on your brightest leggings, because Sundays at Elysium present serious Eighties awesomeness. On other nights, this repeat “Best of Austin” offender rocks with live bands and DJs pumping out industrial, Nineties, and more. And as Austin’s goth central, you know this is the place for All…
Best Restaurant When Someone Else Is Paying
Uchi’s well-earned reputation precedes it, and its menu is so tempting that somewhere between the mesmerizing Uchi Shot (quail egg yolk and sea urchin) and the Tako Pops (octopus on a stick), your date will finally come out of the cuisine-induced haze to realize that the evening will cost more than a car payment. After…
Best Radio Talk/News Host
Got a story the dreaded mainstream media is ignoring? Just go to any progressive event, and look for the tall bald guy carrying the bundle of papers. That’s Kobierowski, KOOP Radio’s own speaker of truth to power, whose Texas Politics Today tag team with Deece Eckstein specializes in holding political feet to the fire.
Best Golf
“Old Muny,” as most Austin golfers affectionately refer to the city course in Old West Austin, has challenged hackers and duffers, as well as some of the legends of the game, since 1928. The 18-hole course isn’t the most difficult, the easiest, nor the prettiest. It doesn’t have the fairest greens nor the greenest fairways.…
Best Elected Official
As a member of the City Council, he worked hard enough that we elected him mayor. After his deft handling of the influx of Hurricane Katrina survivors, we elected him again. Smart, insightful, sophisticated, handsome, and successful, this Democrat has sidestepped many partisan issues in favor of leading Austin as a unified city. His development…
Best Bicycle Repair
Fitted with two master mechanics and a full-time staff of knowledgeable, friendly mechanics, Bicycle Sport Shop has your best and safest riding experience in mind and one of the very best guarantees in the business, standing by not only the products they sell but the services they perform, as well.
Best Tailor
Take it in; let it out; raise this; lower that; fix this; replace that. With Ace Custom Tailors at your back, you need never feel uncomfortable or self-conscious about your ill-fitting clothes again. From wedding gowns to bathing suits, Ace isn’t happy with the fit unless you are happy with the fit … and that’s…
Best Local Bookstore
Doesn’t it say something when an author announces a signing in Austin and the automatic presumption is it’ll be at BookPeople? Two stories of literature, proving that the downfalls of both the independent bookstore and the printed word have been exaggerated.
Best Monument to Solar-Powered Sustainability
Named for original owner Minnie Harden, this flamingo-pink Eastside duplex is the result of 3,500 volunteer hours over three years under the leadership of community activist Bo McCarver. It’ll soon house a low-income family and features two wheelchair-accessible gardens and two 400-gallon rain barrels. The back half is an experimental solar home with rooftop solar…
Best Lyrical Dream Yet to Be Realized
Designer Ryan Willis had a dream and built a mind-blowing book: lyrics of three Public Enemy albums presented with the aesthetics of a medieval Bible. Line numbers like a hymnal so you can reference Chuck D by verse and chapter. On fine hand-laid paper with the revolutionary verse of Public Enemy, this book is set…
Best Cheap Tacos Out of a Window
Manor Road has some great choices for tacos to go. Some of the most underrated, tastiest, and undeniably cheapest are available at Alayna’s unassuming little window next to the R&C Laundrymat in a small strip center just east and up the street from other flashier taquerias. Here, breakfast tacos, including migas and chorizo, are just…
Most Satisfying Ice
For a devoted ice aficionado (or fiend or addict – call us what you will), the frozen water at Golden Chick is superior. This ice crumbles like a gently broken Grecian column. It’s tubular, not cubed, and chomps easily into smaller crystals with no dental trauma. A 64-ounce cup can last half a day in…
Best Reason for TV News
Last year was the television storyteller’s 30th year at KXAN-TV, an almost unheard of tenure in a business known best for empty sound bites and staff market-climbing. Swift has kept faith in his own personal narrative style – rooted in Central Texas (he’s a homeboy) – that grows from the details of a story and…
Best Pingpong Room
One of the most popular sports in the world (thanks, mostly, to China) has finally found a cozy underground club to call home in Austin. (Could it have anything to do with the spate of terrible pingpong movies over the last year?) Early in the week, three tables, located in the no-man’s-land between La Zona…
Best South South Austin Computer Repair
So why would you look way out Manchaca Road for computer repair? Because it’s so affordable waaaaaay south in the county. Owner Dave Davis keeps his in-store crew busy with reputable repair services and legit, registered program installations. Plus, as the sign says, no city sales tax!
Best Mother-Daughter Design Team
We were devoted fans of Kathryn Davis’ cute custom aprons fashioned from retro-print cottons and hand-embroidered antique pillow cases long before we discovered the delightful creations of her equally talented daughter, Chia Guillory. Nimble fingers and an eye for both form and function certainly run in the family. Now Kathryn’s darling aprons and Chia’s adorable…
Best Defenders of Habeas Corpus
Forget empty rhetoric in vacuum-sealed classroom: This UT grad course puts students to work defending not just Guantánamo Bay detainees but the U.S. Constitution itself. Taking high-profile cases and real defendants all the way to the Supreme Court, this clinic’s challenges of the Detainee Treatment Act and the Military Commissions Act are reminders that constitutional…
Sweetest Santas on the Scene
When Hurricane Ike ravaged the Gulf Coast last month, one of the first nongovernmental relief crews on the scene was Austin’s Mobile Loaves & Fishes, with catering trucks loaded down with provisions and dozens of bighearted volunteers eager to get relief into the hands of the people. No surprise. This is old hat to this…
Luv Doc Recommends: Keep Austin Young: Celebrating the Life of Danny Roy Young
Sunday night’s Keep Austin Young concert at the Music Hall might be a little misleading. A quick scan of the lineup reveals that pretty much everyone on the bill qualifies for an AARP discount … or soon will. Surely this irony wasn’t missed by the promoters. More likely they embraced it because the Keep Austin…
