Dining Out in a Pandemic World PAGE 36 30 Things Every Austinite Must Know PAGE 52
Matthew McConaughey Prepares For His BIGGEST Role Yet (Hint, it’s right here in Austin!)
0_Cover.indd 3
7/1/20 10:29 AM
0_Cover.indd 4
7/1/20 10:30 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 1
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 2
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 3
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 4
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 5
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 6
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 7
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 8
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 9
7/1/20 10:33 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 10
7/1/20 10:34 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 11
7/1/20 10:34 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 12
7/1/20 10:34 AM
August 2020
52
30 Ways to Earn Your Austin Stripes
Playing chicken sh*t bingo, renting a costume from Lucy in Disguise, and singing karaoke at Ego’s are just a few things you must do before you can truly call yourself an Austinite.
62
The World According to McConaughey
The Academy Award–winning actor prepares for his latest role as the Minister of Culture for the city he loves.
Matthew McConaughey is leaning into his role as Austin’s cultural ambassador.
MILLER MOBLEY
1-21_FOB.indd 13
August 2020
13
7/1/20 10:34 AM
E D I T O R ’ S L E T T E R 18 | T O P A T T O R N E Y S 69 | W E I R D H I S T O R Y 104
Contents Scout 21 Fine Southern Gentlemen pay it forward 2 2 Teenage CEO Mikaila Ulmer creates a buzz 2 4 Clarksville’s charming blend of Old and New Austin 26 House of Margot Blair blossoms 2 8
21
Mobley’s new album strikes a chord 30
Feast 33 Veracruz All Natural’s dynamic duo 3 4 The future of Austin dining 3 6 Cheap eats, new cideries, pantry essentials, and more 38
AISD’s fall pandemic plan 4 6
48
34 14
1-21_FOB.indd 14
Peter Pan’s Margaret Dismukes Massad hits a hole-in-one 4 8 Celebrating the Victory Grill’s 75-year legacy 5 0
ON THE C OV E R
McConaughey, by Miller Mobley
A RT: C O U RT E SY A L I N E K R AT Z ; G O L F : D R E W A N T H O N Y S M I T H ; V E R AC RU Z : C L A I R E S C H A P E R
Beat 45
August 2020
7/1/20 10:34 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 15
7/2/20 12:30 PM
August 2020 | Vol. 28 | No. 8 Editor in Chief Chris Hughes Creative Director Sara Marie D’Eugenio EDITORIAL Executive Editor Madeline Hollern Senior Editor David Leffler City Columnist Kim Krisberg Contributing Writers Lee Ackerley, Jolène M. Bouchon ART Contributing Photographers Levi McConaughey, Livingston McConaughey, Vida McConaughey, Miller Mobley, Adam Moroz, Claire Schaper, Drew Anthony Smith, Kate Zimmerman Turpin Contributing Illustrators Rob Dobi, Rami Niemi, David Wilson DIGITAL Digital Manager Abigail Stewart Digital Media Coordinator Rosie Ninesling INTERNS Manuela Guerra Fletcher, Christina Long, Laiken Neumann, Jennifer Xia
ADVERTISING Publisher Stewart Ramser Associate Publisher Julie A. Kunkle Digital Sales Manager Misty Pennock Account Executives Robert Blake, Mike McKee, Tina Mullins, Christina Olivarez , Maxine Pittman, Stephanie Schillaci Ad Sales and Sponsorship Coordinator Jillian Clifton Graphic Designer/Production Manager David Hassman
WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA austinmonthly.com
16
1-21_FOB.indd 16
August 2020
7/2/20 12:30 PM
CEO Todd P. Paul President Stewart Ramser Vice President of Sales Julie A. Kunkle Editorial Director Rebecca Fontenot Cord Director of Operations Hollis Boice Audience Development Director Kerri Nolan EVENTS Events Director Macaulay Hammond ACCOUNTING Accounting Manager Sabina Jukovic
CONTACT US Mailing Address 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100 Austin, TX 78701 (512) 263-9133 Advertising Inquiries advertising@austinmonthly.com Job Inquiries jobs@austinmonthly.com Story Ideas ideas@austinmonthly.com Letters to the Editor feedback@austinmonthly.com Subscriptions, Renewals and Address Changes Austin Monthly P.O. Box 15815 North Hollywood, CA 91615-5815 (818) 286-3160 subscriptions@austinmonthly.com austinmonthly.com/subscribe Back Issues and Bulk Orders info@austinmonthly.com or (512) 263-9133
August 2020
1-21_FOB.indd 17
17
7/1/20 10:34 AM
From the Editor New Beginnings EARLIER THIS YEAR, when conversations first began concerning this issue’s cover story on Matthew McConaughey, his friend and long-time collaborator Richard Linklater shared an anecdote that proved prescient: “I’ve heard from other directors that Matthew likes to overthink things (i.e., he wants to talk), which I personally love,” he told me. “With Matthew, you get a very encompassing experience.” That proved to be the case as the actor took a vested interest in our feature, “The World According to McConaughey,” (p. 62) from the outset. As I would quickly come to realize in my reporting, McConaughey is extremely deliberate when he commits to anything, whether it’s an expanded role at his alma mater or an article in his home’s city magazine. And for news of this magnitude—that of his christening as Austin’s first-ever Minister of Culture—he wanted the timing to be juuuuust right. Beyond coordinating its publication with Mayor Adler’s official announcement, he also wanted the article to align with our editorial vision. So, he targeted the August issue to coincide with the Newcomer’s Guide on p. 52, seeing as how much of his message is directed at the 150-plus new residents that arrive in the capital city every day. Additionally, he liked the idea of participating in the roll-out of the magazine’s redesign—a project more than a half-year in the making—with all of its implications of renewed purpose. Our new look and logo, the results of a collaboration with renowned local designer DJ Stout at Pentagram, represents a turning point for us at Austin Monthly. Since I came onboard last spring, we’ve wanted to update the aesthetic to coincide with more modern sensibilities and editorial content that is (in our estimation) more progressive than at any other time in the publication’s past. Yet, on the latter point, we also know we have a long way to go. As the country grapples with its racist history, journalism has rightfully been called to task for its lack of diversity in both coverage and personnel. We’re determined to change that. Besides the necessary behind-the-scenes efforts, I’m looking for input from our readers on stories that we should be covering and from writers and artists whose work we should be including in these pages. As McConaughey said regarding his newfound responsibilities in the city, “Great leaders also know when to follow.” To implement real change, it often takes the voice and actions of many. We’re here. And we’re listening.
Chris Hughes Editor in Chief chughes@austinmonthly.com @cmhughestx @chris_hughestx
This issue officially marks the debut of our redesign, which as been in development for more than six months. The first thing you’ll notice is our new logo, which represents Austin’s two distinct sides: boldness, with a thick typeface, and quirkiness, seen in the sassy curve of the “u” and “n.” Pentagram partner DJ Stout and designer Haley Taylor customized a typeface into what you see today. Our body type is now larger and condensed for better readability. We also introduced added white space into our look, with the intent of giving our art and text more room to breathe. Finally, the section openers are no longer full-page images, allowing us to focus on stellar standalone imagery. —Sara Marie D’Eugenio, Creative Director
18
1-21_FOB.indd 18
E D I TO R : M E G A N B E D F O R D
B EH IN D T H E N EW LO O K
August 2020
7/1/20 10:34 AM
1-21_FOB.indd 19
7/2/20 12:30 PM
20-31_Scout.indd 20
7/1/20 10:37 AM
Heavy Metal wares. Morales hand-fabricates each piece using metals like copper, brass, and silver in her South Austin home studio, often molding the objects with a hammer. Each decor piece takes anywhere from three days to a couple of months to create. To make the Copper Lichen design, she hammered a copper sheet and added chemical patinas in green, blue, and brown to give it the appearance of tree bark. “A lot of my work is very inspired by nature,” she says. “I’m a tree lover.” brasscopperart.com
C O U RT ESY A L I N E K R AT Z
Arianna Morales began college as an engineering major because, in her native Venezuela, it was considered a more serious career choice than her real passion in the arts. But after moving to the U.S., she enrolled at a community college and threw caution to the wind. “I took my first metals class in Houston, and I fell in love,” Morales says. After getting a degree in jewelry and metalsmithing at the University of North Texas, she created Brasscopper, a line of one-of-a-kind jewelry and
August 2020
20-31_Scout.indd 21
21
7/1/20 10:37 AM
Scout Company to Watch TEE TI ME Owner Justin Weems picks three of his favorite Fine Southern Gentlemen designs.
Lone Star Lonely Tee I’ve always loved country band tees from the ’80s and ’90s. I designed this one for local country artist JD Clark. He was shy about having his face on a tee, but it sold out at the first show he released them at.
Common Threads
SINCE 2007, SCREEN-PRINTING and design shop Fine Southern Gentlemen has built up a national following by selling T-shirts that range from vintage photos of Dolly Parton and Bernie Sanders to clever Texas-centric slogans like “Armadillo by Morning.” But like so many small businesses in Austin, the company was forced to furlough the majority of its staff in mid-March. “We were banking on a big SXSW, and obviously that didn’t come through, and everything just completely stopped,” owner Justin Weems says. After chatting with local businesses like Hotel Vegas, Kinda Tropical, and The Electric Church that were looking for new ways to generate income, Weems came up with the Austin Will Survive campaign: a program where brands could send in their own logo or design and have Fine Southern Gentlemen sell, print, and deliver T-shirts at no cost to the companies. “In the first month, we were able to do $150,000 in fundraising shirts,” Weems says. Better yet, the extra production allowed him to bring his whole staff back to work within a few weeks. “As long as everything was breaking even, I was cool with everybody joining in,” he says. As a sign of the times, FSG also began partnering with designers selling T-shirts that benefit Black Lives Matter and other racial justice organizations, and the company has started selling bandana and face mask designs. “There was so much uncertainty out there, and I’m not really the type to just sit back and watch it happen,” Weems says of this spring. “We had to figure out some way to survive.” 22
20-31_Scout.indd 22
August 2020
Killin’ Time The Clint Black song that this lyric comes from has always stuck with me, and it was exactly how all of us have been feeling through quarantine.
S H I RTS : C O U RT E SY F I N E S O U T H E R N G E N T L E M E N
Faced with a changing business landscape this spring, Fine Southern Gentlemen decided to pay it forward. By Madeline Hollern
Southern Pleasures I pitched this idea playing off the Joy Division album Unknown Pleasures (hence the name). Hannibal Buress even wore it on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
ADAM MOROZ
7/1/20 10:37 AM
20-31_Scout.indd 23
7/1/20 10:37 AM
Scout Arts & Lit
Hive Mind For teenage entrepreneur Mikaila Ulmer, a million bottles of lemonade sold is just the beginning. By Madeline Hollern SOMETIMES, A STROKE of bad luck can change your life for the better. When 4-year-old Mikaila Ulmer was stung by two bees in the span of a week, her parents encouraged her to do some research on them to overcome her newfound fears. “I learned that they were important pollinators, that they were dying at an alarming rate, and also that they made honey,” she says. Confident, ambitious, and wise beyond her years, Ulmer had already signed up for the Acton Children’s Business Fair and Austin Lemonade Day. Her experience with the bees inspired her to make her great-grandmother’s flaxseed lemonade recipe for the events—only instead of using sugar, 24
20-31_Scout.indd 24
Me & the Bees Lemonade CEO Mikaila Ulmer debuts Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid on Aug. 18.
she sweetened it with honey. For the next few years, she continued selling cups of lemonade outside of her house, donating a portion of proceeds to organizations that supported bee conservation. The endeavor turned into a bottled beverage enterprise for her family, and in 2009, BeeSweet Lemonade was born. With Ulmer at the helm as founder and CEO, the Austin-based brand now known as Me & the Bees has sold more than a million bottles of lemonade. In 2017, the wunderkind was named one of Time magazine’s 30 Most Influential Kids. And this month, 15-year-old Ulmer debuts her first book: Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid. Part memoir and part business guide, the book weaves together corporate terms and lessons alongside Ulmer’s personal narrative. For the teenage entrepreneur, it was important to include tips like how to set a company budget and give an elevator pitch. “These are things that I think are really important to teach in schools but often times aren’t,” she says. “So, it’s a fun way to learn about business and a little bit of financial literacy while also reading a fun story.” In the book, she details her 2015 appearance on Shark Tank, which she calls a “nerve-citing” experience. “It was nerve-wracking because I was sitting in front of the Sharks—they’re just kind of staring at you as a 10-year-old—and it was also very exciting,” she says. Ultimately, she secured a $60,000 investment from FUBU CEO Daymond John on the show. She also chronicles the opportunities she’s had to meet the Obamas and her admiration for the family. “Their movements with increasing healthy options in school cafeterias, with saving the bees— they literally had a beehive in the garden of the White House—and also their nonprofit. I just really looked up to Mrs. Obama for being some-
C O U RT ESY M E & T H E B E ES
“It’s not just the product you sell but the story you tell,” Ulmer says.
August 2020
7/2/20 12:40 PM
one who could do it all, and also Mr. Obama for being the first African American president.” In 2015, the business owner was stunned to find out that her company was being sued by another competitor named Bee Sweet. As a result of the trademark dispute, she eventually had to pick a new name for her brand. “Changing the name and realizing that it’s not just the product you sell but the story you tell, that was definitely one of my biggest lessons,” she says. “It’s not just the name, the logo, and the color. Even though that’s really important, that’s not the entirety of your company.” As the founder of a Black-owned business, Ulmer says she felt both disappointed and ultimately hopeful in the wake of the police brutality, protests, and calls for racial equality this summer. She is partnering with an organization called Building Black Wealth that is akin to a QVC for allBlack companies, and she emphasizes the importance of having a network of Black CEOs to mentor and collaborate with young entrepreneurs like herself. “One of my favorite Blackowned businesses is Mented Cosmetics,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot from them.” In addition to supporting racial justice causes, her company continues to donate a percentage of profits to bee conservation efforts like Heifer International, National Beekeepers Association, and the local Sustainable Food Center. Ulmer has also started her own nonprofit, Healthy Hive Foundation, that works to save wild, native, and honeybees that are influential to agriculture, the food supply, and the ecosystem. While her lemonade can now be found across 40 states (in more than 1,800 stores including Whole Foods Market and HEB), and her brand has also started to sell lip balm, Ulmer always has her eye on expansion. “My goal with Me & the Bees is to become like the Hello Kitty of lemonade, so I want to have different products, flavors, and partnerships,” she says. Her advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs? Dream like a kid, find something you enjoy, and use resources like business plan templates and free graphic design online. “We’re literally born in the age of technology,” she says. As luck would have it. August 2020
20-31_Scout.indd 25
25
7/2/20 12:40 PM
Scout Neighborhood Guide
What to Do in Clarksville Slurp oysters, shop for records, and post up at a soda fountain on this classic stretch of West Austin. By Madeline Hollern FOUNDED BY FREEDMAN Charles Clark in 1871 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, Clarksville is a vibrant neighborhood that has morphed into a hot spot for dining, nightlife, and culture. But despite its growth in recent years, the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood maintains an elusive Old Austin charm, with shops and restaurants housed in bungalows, charming all-day cafes, and thriving historic establishments.
1
2
A hub for tony restaurants, Clarksville has four concepts by McGuire Moorman Hospitality alone—including Clark’s Oyster Bar (1), known for its alluring patio and lobster rolls, and Swedish Hill, an all-day bakery and café with destination pastries like cardamom morning buns and buttery Kouign Amanns. Just down the street, Lin Asian Bar features an array of artful ocean offerings (see its seafood delight with bird nest) and a weekend dim sum service.
Sip
3
26
20-31_Scout.indd 26
Combat triple-digit temperatures with a Thai basil–infused margarita on the spacious patio of Bar Peached, a barcentric restaurant from the team behind the Peached Tortilla. Housed in a purple bungalow,
Nightcap offers cheekily named libations like Joining the Milam-High Club (with Ben Milam bourbon) and Before the Pickle Gets Tickled (with Dripping Springs Vodka and cucumber).
Shop Located on the edge of Clarksville, Waterloo Records has been an essential part of the city’s music scene since 1982. Owner John Kunz’ legacy shop retains a loyal fanbase with a vast selection of new and used vinyl and plenty of listening stations to preview albums before purchasing. Grab a snack or six-pack at 93-yearold Fresh Plus Grocery, which highlights food and beer offerings from local producers such as Buddha’s Brew, Epic, and Hops & Grain. Feeling sporty? Load up on stylish activewear at
Outdoor Voices (2), which opened its first nationwide brick-andmortar here in 2014.
Explore Celebrating its 40th anniversary this month, Wally Workman Gallery (3) features a two-story exhibition space that showcases the work of more than 50 contemporary artists. For families with little ones, West Austin Park beckons with a small swimming pool, off-leash dog area, and plenty of space for walks and picnics.
Reminisce Go back in time with a burger and milkshake at the retro diner and soda fountain inside Nau’s Enfield Drug pharmacy, founded in 1951. Openings could be affected by COVID-19. Check websites or call ahead before you go.
C L A R K ’ S : C O U RT ESY M C G U I R E M O O R M A N H O S P I TA L I T Y; S H O P : C O U RT E SY O U T D O O R VO I C ES ; G A L L E RY: C O U RT E SY WA L LY WO R K M A N G A L L E RY
Dine
August 2020
7/1/20 10:37 AM
August 2020
20-31_Scout.indd 27
27
7/1/20 10:37 AM
Scout Lifestyle
Every Rose Has Its Thorn Grappling with the loss of large events, House of Margot Blair is putting the petal to the metal. By Madeline Hollern WHEN CARLY BLAIR started her floral business in 2009, the economy was in a recession, she was denied funding to open a brick-and-mortar, and she was working four part-time jobs to make ends meet. So, this spring, when she lost $30,000 from the cancellation of both SXSW and the majority of her scheduled weddings and events, the entrepreneur took the disruption in stride. “We started during crazy economic times. That’s what I keep trying to remind myself of: that I’ve done this before,” Blair says. “There’s really no curveball that I haven’t already seen. It’s just about putting my head down and working.” Long before she started House of Margot Blair, she discovered her talent for floral arrangements by helping out at her aunt’s flower shop as a teenager. A few years later, Blair dropped out of college and moved to Austin, where she landed an internship with a wedding planner that furthered her interest in flowers. Her sister helped her secure her first gig as a wedding florist via popular marriage website The Knot—unearthing a myriad of new opportunities for Blair’s blossoming career. After weathering the financial crisis, she went full-time with her business in 2012 and eventually opened a brick-and-mortar on Lake Austin Boulevard. With her signature romantic aesthetic, she gravitates toward blooms like peonies, ranunculus, garden roses, anemones, and poppies. “It’s a juxtaposition of ultra-luxe mixed with edgy color combinations that make it modern and fun and unexpected,” she says. And then COVID-19 hit. Because so many weddings and events have been canceled, scaled back, or postponed until next year, Blair has been forced to find other ways to drum up business. One method has been her virtual floral arrangement classes, in which her company delivers blooms to local participants’ homes and she gives step-by-step instructions via Zoom. Another is her new Margot by Margot Blair service, a less-customized floral option with set prices and arrangements for small-
er weddings, events, and even dinner parties. “It’s a way for people to get that high-end, large-scale look that we’re known for, but on a lower budget,” she says. Although flowers and weddings may seem like superfluous expenses in times of uncertainty, the florist believes small indulgences can alleviate the pains of a particularly difficult stretch. “I remember a story about back in war times with now-Queen Elizabeth II. When she was getting married, people gave part of their fabric rations to her so that way she could still have a wedding dress. And to me that kind of proved that for people, even in the worst of times, a wedding is something that they still want to celebrate, and they’ll use whatever means possible to be able to do it,” she says. “Flowers make people happy.”
House of Margot Blair founder Carly Blair in her Lake Austin shop.
“There’s really no curveball that I haven’t already seen,” Blair says. 28
20-31_Scout.indd 28
August 2020
KATE ZIMMERMAN TURPIN
7/1/20 10:37 AM
August 2020
20-31_Scout.indd 29
29
7/1/20 10:37 AM
Front and Center Multi-talented artist Mobley proves a oneman band can pack a punch. By Lee Ackerley
Mobley releases his second album, Young & Dying in the Occident Supreme, in early fall.
30
20-31_Scout.indd 30
AS CONCERT CANCELLATIONS turned from a trickle to a downpour in mid-March, Mobley sat in disbelief while show after show dissipated into the ether. Prior to SXSW waving the white flag, the multi-instrumental artist was on the cusp of national recognition, having signed with Last Gang Records in February and set plans to tour until the May release of his second full-length album. Suddenly, with its promotional runway cut short, Mobley was forced to put his latest project on the backburner and do what he does best: improvise. To appreciate his unique sound, you have to know his unorthodox path to musical acclaim. Long before becoming a full-time musician in 2015, he studied film at the University of North Carolina, spending his free time cutting vocals in the woods behind his dorm and mixing music in the backseat of his car. These early solitary experiences, along with the technical skills he accrued post-college as a web designer, eventually propelled him to master a variety of instruments—such as guitar, keyboard, and an Akai drum machine— while incorporating cutting-edge lighting displays into his performances. Set to be released early this fall, Mobley’s second album is as timely as it is powerful. Staying
true to his self-described “post-genre pop” sound, Young & Dying in the Occident Supreme is an eclectic mix of electronically driven tracks that are as cinematically expansive as they are lyrically potent. While each song starkly differs from the next, his message—a critique of Western hegemony and imperialism—serves as a consistent social commentary throughout the collection. No song better embodies this impassioned rebuke of oppression than “James Crow,” a tonguein-cheek treatise on racism that explores W.E.B. Dubois’ concept of double consciousness. Channeling Motown’s R&B and soul–inspired signature sound, the track paints James Crow as the updated and more palatable (but equally diabolical) version of Jim Crow, lathering deep-cutting lyrics in a cascade of smooth pop instrumentals. “I conceived that song as this meta performance art type of thing,” he says. “I wanted to create the situation where crowds of people, often predominantly white people, are getting up and dancing and singing about James Crow.” After channeling his efforts into virtual concerts during spring’s shelter-in-place ordinance, Mobley establishes his place in Austin musical folklore with the new album, which is a rare combination of catchy hooks, diverse arrangements, and impactful songs that strike at the core of the social movements that have consumed America in 2020. “My work speaks to this moment, because it’s a product of this moment,” he says. “The forces that are driving people out into the streets right now, and that are driving popular unrest and the uprisings, they’re acting on all of us in different ways… those themes are borne out in the music.”
ANDREW BENNET T
Scout Music
August 2020
7/1/20 1:54 PM
August 2020
20-31_Scout.indd 31
31
7/1/20 10:37 AM
32-43_Feast.indd 32
7/1/20 10:40 AM
SARA MARIE D’EUGENIO
The Inside Scoop Long before plant-based burgers, charcuterie, and well, everything, swept over the city, Jam Sanitchat was dishing out vegan ice cream that put dairy versions to shame—that is, if you knew where to find it. As the chef admits, her uber-creamy creations have been “hidden in plain sight” for 10 years, a well-guarded secret by fans of her desserts at Thai Fresh in Bouldin Creek. Made with coconut milk, gluten-free baked goods, and seasonal pro-
duce (beets, Texas peaches), Sanitchat’s dairy-free ice cream is now getting its star turn in a standalone shop on Holly Street called Gati. The first of many locations in the works, the shop will feature a full coffee program, morning pastries, and a number of eclectic ways to consume your favorite ice cream, such as stuffed into gluten-free hot dog buns—a composition the chef calls, appropriately enough, the ice cream dog. –Chris Hughes August 2020
32-43_Feast.indd 33
33
7/1/20 10:40 AM
Feast Tastemaker
Maritza (left) and Reyna Vazquez in front of their newest location at The Line Austin downtown.
BE S T SERV ED BOL D The migas taco might get all the buzz, but there are several other bites worthy of your attention.
Sister Act From coastal Veracruz grit to capital city royalty, the Vazquez family continues to push the bounds of great Mexican food in Austin. By Chris Hughes REYNA AND MARITZA Vazquez might be the owners of Austin’s most celebrated taco truck, Veracruz All Natural, but their mother Reyna is the unflappable personification of the brand. A native of Veracruz, Mexico, the elder Reyna is described by her family in glowing anecdotes that tell of toil and sacrifice. If you want to know how the Vazquez sisters discovered the stamina to work double shifts to get their initial restaurant off the ground—one sibling sleeping on the trailer floor, while the other tended the plancha—or found the perseverance to deal with the shuttering of several Veracruz locations under the city’s extreme development, you only have to look to the family matriarch. While operating a small taqueria out of their home in Veracruz, the elder Reyna not only tended to her family, but to a constant stream of cus34
32-43_Feast.indd 34
August 2020
tomers that would drop by for picadas, empanadas, and tostadas. Between all three meals, she would either walk or take the bus to a distant grocery store (“No one has a car in Veracruz, so you’re usually walking,” Maritza says) and lug back heavy bags of ingredients for the next crop of diners. By the time they were 9, respectively, each daughter was helping their mother in the kitchen, learning not only the family recipes, but also the endurance it takes to manage a successful restaurant. Occasionally, that would involve a trial-by-fire normally reserved for people twice their age—such as the time 10-year-old Maritza was placed in charge after her mother was taken to the hospital. But those lessons learned—and the almost superhuman fortitude exhibited—helped establish the Vazquez sisters as two of the most important
Agua Frescas Available in bright flavors like cantaloupe and cucumber, they’re the perfect accompaniment to alfresco summer dining. Al Pastor A two-day marinade and organic pork shoulder makes for some of the best al pastor in town—especially when served on a house-made corn tortilla. Picada de Pipian A specialty of Veracruz, Mexico, it consists of red pipian mole and queso fresco layered on a crimped, open-face tortilla. Look for it at the restaurant’s upcoming brick-and-mortar.
CLAIRE SCHAPER
7/1/20 10:40 AM
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
restaurateurs in Austin today. When they both moved to the city in 1999 (Reyna only 16, and Maritza 19), neither spoke English, and their social circles were often limited to immediate family on their father’s side. Yet they worked as waitresses at a Mexican restaurant, building up capital to start a venture of their own. “We decided pretty early on that we wanted to be our own bosses, but we didn’t feel confident enough because we didn’t speak the language and we thought that was going to make it especially tough. And it was,” says Reyna. “There’s a lot that goes into opening a business, especially coming from Mexico, being immigrants and women without papers.” In 2006, Reyna launched a shortlived trailer on East Cesar Chavez that sold juices and snow cones, but lagging sales outside of summer months made her reassess the business. By 2008, she partnered with her sister and changed the focus to breakfast tacos, which they prepared on portable hot plates aboard their ill-equipped trailer. Despite the limitations of their setup, Veracruz All Natural gained a fast reputation for its fresh salsas and tacos, particularly the migas, with its crunchy tortilla strips, tomatoes, onion, and avocado. The dish even made a believer out of food writer (and notable breakfast taco skeptic) J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, who wrote about it for Serious Eats in 2013. Accolades poured in almost as swiftly as customers hungry for the “all natural” part of their name. Fresh, organic ingredients that are prepared daily have defined the Veracruz experience from the very beginning, and that has potential partners lining up in hopes the Vazquezes will plunk down another turquoise trailer on their property. Even after the highprofile shuttering of their brick-andmortar on North Burnet (leveled to build condos), and several relocations across the city, the brand maintains three mobile concepts, a storefront in Round Rock, a juice truck, and a new location inside The Line Austin downtown. And the duo isn’t slowing down anytime soon. “We have people calling us with some new opportunity every day,” Reyna laughs. “Believe me, you’ll be seeing a lot more Veracruz.”
GREAT DESTINATIONS
FAMILY-FRIENDLY STAYCATION IN LAFAYETTE Rôder (pronounced row-day) in Cajun French means to roam or run the roads and Lafayette is the perfect destination to pile the family in the car and rôder. Whether you’re passing through or planning a vacation with the family, the Happiest City in America has something for everyone. LafayetteTravel.com
VISIT SALADO Located 45 minutes north of Austin, the Village of Salado is so close, yet so far away. The picturesque Salado Creek winds through our historic district, next to art studios, and through the most inspiring scenery in Central Texas. A trip to Salado helps you escape the hectic Austin life. VisitSaladoTexas.com August 2020
32-43_Feast.indd 35
35
7/1/20 10:40 AM
Feast Cutting Edge
In Search of Tomorrow From pushing digital borders to shifting to meatless menus, many Austin restaurants are exploring what it means to operate in a pandemic reality. By Jolène M. Bouchon
36
32-43_Feast.indd 36
director of operations Ben Schwartz, leading diners through meal prep, plating, and conversation. For tonight’s selection, which is highlighted by poached shrimp Panzanella, precise instructions outline what to refrigerate and when to preheat the oven. Kitchen equipment calls for nothing more complicated than a sauté pan. There are also nice little flourishes like Foxtail-branded coasters and menus. Still, even with our mise en place completed and our cramped kitchen brightened by freshcut flowers from the garden, the question nags: How, in the name of Julia Child, can an evening in front of a computer screen compare to the ministrations of a waitstaff, a beautiful space, and tucking into a meal prepared by someone else? Surprisingly well, it turns out. It’s clear that Pressley and his team (including chef de cuisine Aiko Lyne and A/V producer
Foxtail Supper Club’s virtual fine-dining experience is just one way chefs are getting creative.
TAY LO R P R I N S E N P H OTO G R A P H Y
THIS LOOKS…SMALL, I think, as I survey the collection of Cryovac bags containing modest portions of pork belly and spaghetti squash. My skepticism isn’t assuaged as I unpack a lamentable number of small plastic containers filled with poppy seeds, pickled spring onions, and other ingredients to assemble the evening’s meal from Foxtail Supper Club. The latest concept from Emmer & Rye alum Page Pressley, the immersive— and virtual—fine-dining experience was specifically tailored to flourish during the time of coronavirus. Rather than eating in a traditional brickand-mortar (which Pressley originally intended as a single-seating, communal dining spot flanked by an affordable all-day neighborhood café), customers purchase a $150 “seat” at a live dinner party, which comes with a five-course meal kit for two. Twice weekly, the chef then jumps on Zoom with August 2020
7/1/20 11:53 AM
SU PP ORT IN G PL AY E R Local restaurateurs suggest ways to lend support beyond tips and to-go orders. Be Direct Third-party delivery services charge as much as 30 percent of each sale, so order directly from restaurants. Think Small Seek out mom-and-pop restaurants, says Miguel Cobos. “I’m talking about the the Ceviche 7s and the Cuantos Tacos of this town.” Go Big Visit saverestaurants.com to get behind legislation that supports the independent restaurant stablilization fund.
C O U RT ESY F OX TA I L S U P P E R C LU B
Practice Patience Restaurants may be open, but most are understaffed. Instead of writing a bad Yelp review, anticipate a few flubs.
Andres Thaggard) have plotted out every moment, layering guided meal prep with dining and conversation. As the evening progresses from the initial breaking of bread—quite literally, with Ligurian focaccia—we fall into easy conversation that ranges from plating technique to practical cooking tips. For instance, metal changes the flavor of caviar, so we’re instructed to use a wooden spoon to transfer the white sturgeon roe into the horseradish crème fraîche sauce that’ll be drizzled over fine slices of wagyu beef carpaccio. And as our barren pile of dishes attests, the evening still felt quite special—even if it wasn’t equivalent to a night out. That’s because Foxtail replicates what the best restaurants do well: They grant us the gift of focus—on company, on a moment, and on the alchemy of ingredients paired just so. It’s a model that Pressley is committed to growing, as they move to distribute meal kits nationally. Of course, transitioning to all-virtual dining isn’t feasible for most existing operations. But as area restaurateurs struggle to stay afloat, many are leaning on digital avenues to augment and reinforce their culinary visions. Pre-pandemic, Nixta Taqueria’s operations manager, Sara Mardanbigi, might have showed you the molino they use to grind heirloom corn as you tuck into one of chef Edgar Rico’s beet tartare tostadas. Today, there’s just limited patio seating, and social-distancing requirements inhibit conversations that once transpired at their lively indoor counter. Instead, the duo has tapped furloughed employees to create a documentary on the nixtamalization process,
bolstering their mission to educate customers on the wonders of heritage corn. They’re also leveraging online ordering platforms to aid their neighbors. Located in a food desert between section 8 and million-dollar housing, the couple strives to make Nixta a community connector. Now patrons can add a box of fresh produce from the Sustainable Food Center’s Fresh Grocery Program to their lunch orders, which the couple distributes to neighborhood families in need, along with recipe suggestions from Rico. Several other area chefs have started offering online cooking classes for those trapped at home. Krystal Craig, co-owner of East Side Italian spot Intero with husband Ian Thurwachter, says they’d always wanted to offer classes. Mayor Steve Adler’s stay-at-home order actually accelerated that goal as they turned to hosting live virtual classes on fresh pasta making and guided chocolate tastings. Physical spaces aren’t the only casualties as ingredients themselves prove elusive. Though manufacturing shutdowns have cut production of paper goods and packaging, the skyrocketing cost of meat has had the most dramatic impact. With increased consumer demand and decreased production capacity due to COVID-19 infections at many of the major meat-processing plants around the country, wholesale beef prices have risen over 60 percent since March. That has area restaurateurs rethinking how they source their beef—and whether they even want to. Bryce Gilmore (Odd Duck) points to centralized production as one of the major vulnerabilities in the meat supply chain. Instead, he’s increasingly sourcing from smaller, community-based processing facilities, such as I O Ranch in Evant, Texas. For Miguel and Daniel Cobos, whose mission is to educate customers on the intricacies of border cuisine at Vaquero Taquero, that means the opportunity for their vegetarian offerings to thrive. The brothers always wanted to offer meatless tacos more representative of pre-colonial Mexican cuisine, such as rajas poblanos, but knew it’d be a tough sell to carnivorous Texans. Now, Miguel says, the higher prices are motivating guests to expand their palates. “This crisis has definitely reminded us that humanity lives in an excess that is unnecessary,” Cobos says. COVID’s effect on the restaurant industry has undoubtedly been huge, and many of the creative solutions that have been explored during this period could have lasting ramifications, even after a vaccine has been discovered. Whether it’s in the realm of digital hospitality, menu upheavals, or diversifying profit models, chefs and restaurateurs will have to remain nimble. By adapting to the times, restaurants don’t just serve us, they reflect the moment—just as they reflect the communities they serve. Dining is, as M.F.K. Fisher said, a “communion of more than just our bodies,” and finding the means to connect has never been more precarious. Or more important. August 2020
32-43_Feast.indd 37
37
7/1/20 1:57 PM
Feast Where to Eat
Where to Eat Cheap Eats AMERICAN
•
Q UA L I T Y S E A F O O D
Best of the best
This unassuming spot is both a restaurant and a wholesale market, and the seafood spread is unlike any other in town. Visit the store and sample the famous gumbo and oyster po’boys. Lunch and dinner Mon-Sat. 5621 Airport Blvd., (512) 454-5827 $$
$ Most entrees under $10 $$ Most entrees $10 to $25 $$$ Most entrees
Bricker returned with another winning trailer-brewery combo. Parked in front of Zilker Brewing on the East Side, Spicy Boys doubles down on the hallowed pairing of fried chicken and beer. The wings are deliciously sauced, but it’s the fried chicken quarter that will make you a spicy fanboy. Lunch and dinner Tue-Sun. 1701 E. Sixth St., (512) 538-9658 $
what you’ll find here: generous chunks of white fish bathing in a broth of toasted chili oil, silky mapo tofu, and crispy Chongqing chicken scattered with dried peppers. When making dining plans, it’s been all too easy to dismiss the UT fast-food milieu—but not anymore. Lunch and dinner daily. 1914 Guadalupe St., Ste. B, (512) 284-7671 $$
ASIAN
• DEE DEE This food truck’s name means “good, good,” which is not hyperbole. Located behind Radio Coffee & Beer, the menu features Northern Thai
over $25 For a full directory of Austin Monthly's restaurant picks, visit austinmonthly.com/ restaurants.
• S P I CY B OYS After the success of Soursop, the popular St. Elmo Brewing Company food truck that serves addiction-level sambal wings, chef-owner Teddy
C H I N A FA M I LY R E S TAU R A N T
The Drag seems an unlikely place for such serious food, but that’s
street food such as pad kaprow, spicy stir-fried pork topped with a variety of garnishes, and the laab moo, minced pork laden with flavorful spices. The trailer also offers traditional Thai dishes with vegetarian substitutes. Lunch and dinner Wed-Sun. 4204 Manchaca Road $
BAKERIES + COFFEEHOUSES BAT C H C R A F T B E E R & KO L AC H E S
The Czech kolache has a long history as part of Texas’ food culture, but Batch offers a fresh, modern spin on a beloved classic. With more than 400 single-bottle beers and buttery kolaches made from scratch by chef Jasmine Jones, this is not the highway gas station pastry joint of your youth. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Tue-Sun. 3220 Manor Road, (512) 401-3025 $ • BIRD BIRD BISCUIT Chef and co-owner Brian Batch turned to a top-secret “biscuit whisperer” to create a buttermilk biscuit recipe that yields flaky, fluffy results each and every time. Try the Queen Beak biscuit sandwich, which comes with a fried chicken thigh and a slathering of baconinfused chipotle mayo. Breakfast and lunch daily. 2701 Manor Road, (512) 761-4922 $ COSMIC COFFEE & BEER GARDEN
Discada’s signature taco.
38
32-43_Feast.indd 38
Partners Paul Oveisi and Patrick Dean restored a
SARA MARIE D’EUGENIO
KEY
August 2020
7/1/20 10:40 AM
Feast Where to Eat
once-barren lot into nearly an acre of green space, incorporating the permaculture principles Oveisi had been applying in his own backyard. There’s a biological pond, vegetable garden, enclosed chicken coop, and verdant native vegetation. Grab a cup of specialty coffee or a cocktail and linger in the certified wildlife habitat. Open daily. 121 Pickle Road, (512) 481-0694 $ RADIO COFFEE &
he actually staged at the source. Taking that bagel know-how back to Texas in 2017, he began a series of pop-ups that turned into a permanent residence at Wright Bros. Brew & Brew. Every one of the chef’s bagels, schmears (try the smoked lox or lime, scallion, and poblano), and house-cured toppings is perfection. Open daily. 500 San Marcos St., Ste. 105; 801 Barton Springs Road, (512) 831-2199 $
BEER
Sip Merit coffee, partake of a cocktail or two, and sample the 25-plus draft beers on tap at this South Austin hot spot. Pair drinks with local treats from Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop and Clever Baking Co., or head outside for tacos and Thai street food from the Veracruz All Natural and Dee Dee trailers parked next to the outdoor patio. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. 4204 Menchaca Road, (512) 394-7844 $
C O U RT ESY AU ST I N E A STC I D E RS
R O C K S TA R BAG E L S
The authentic New York– style bagels at this walk-up window in East Austin might just give your morning breakfast taco a run for its money. Don’t miss the salt-rosemary bagel, bacon cream cheese, or bagel sandwiches. Breakfast and lunch daily. 1900 Rosewood Ave., (512) 524-1401 $ R O S E N ’ S BAG E L C O.
Tom Rosen was so serious about creating an authentic New York–style bagel, with a perfect crust-to-chew ratio, that
• SOUR DUCK MARKET
In chef Bryce Gilmore’s hands, “fast casual” becomes so much more than a quick lunch. Equal parts bakery, market, restaurant, and beer garden, it serves up easy meals that showcase the same level of commitment to ethically, seasonally sourced ingredients as you’d find at the chef’s other restaurants (Odd Duck, Barley Swine). Think a smoked brisket melt made with 44 Farms beef and tater tots embellished with chicken skins and a deviled egg dip. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. 1814 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., (512) 394-5776 $$
BRE AKFAS T + BRUNCH M AG N O L I A CA F É
The cafe is always open, and it’s always slinging great breakfast food. Choose from several types of pancakes, Magnolia “Mud” queso, or the flavorful Pasta Caspian, with grilled chicken, artichoke
SPOTLIGHT DRINKS
Austin Eastciders Barton Springs The brand’s newest taproom features exclusive ciders, pizza from chef Page Pressley, and booze blended on-site. WHEN SHADY GROVE shuttered after almost 30 years in business this spring, it only seemed to exacerbate the identity crisis Barton Springs Road has been suffering for years. What once was a sturdy bedrock of dining and entertainment options has become a rotating door of short-lived concepts. Hoping to staunch the bleeding and resuscitate the street’s former destination status, Austin Eastciders has pegged the former Uncle Billy’s Smokehouse space to build its second taproom, which marketing vice president Dave Rule says will be “the fullest expression of the brand.” Larger and more ambitious than its first location in East Austin, the new Austin Eastciders space features two bars, a full Cuvée Coffee program, an on-site spirits distillery (expect vodka, gin, and rye whiskey), and a dining program developed by chef Page Pressley (Foxtail Supper Club). Smoked meats, salads, sandwiches, and, especially, pizza, are the focus here, because as Rule attests, “There’s no better combo than cheese, bread, and cider.” Regarding the latter, all of the cidery’s many flavors will be poured on draft, as well as house-fermented specialty ciders that will only be available for purchase at the Barton Springs location. As a bonus, the company is also partnering with local artisans like Katie Kime in a pop-up retail area that will sell custom collaborative merchandise such as shirts and pet apparel. austineastciders.com —C. Hughes August 2020
32-43_Feast.indd 39
39
7/1/20 10:40 AM
Feast Where to Eat
hearts, and black olives. Open daily 24 hours. 1920 S. Congress Ave., (512) 445-0000 $ PA P E R B OY
Slow down your hectic morning with a visit to chef Patrick Jackson’s two breakfast-focused restaurants (including a new brick-and-mortar), where free copies of the Austin American-Statesman and The New York Times are available upon request. Order the oatmeal, topped with ingredients like bacon, granola, and fruit, or the savory steak-and-egg sandwich. Breakfast and lunch Tue-Sun. 1105 S. Lamar Blvd.; 1112 E. 12th St. $
BURGERS + SANDWICHES CA S I N O E L CA M I N O
This downtown spot raises the bar by offering great burgers in a rock ‘n’ roll setting. The Amarillo Burger, with roasted serranos, jalapeño jack, and cilantro mayo, puts other pub grub to shame. Lunch and dinner daily. 517 E. Sixth St., (512) 469-9330 $
fare to the capital city. Along with partner Conor Mack, Smith serves some of Austin’s most coveted pastrami, which he pairs with crispy coleslaw and Russian dressing on Otherside’s signature sandwich. Don’t forget to purchase a Dr. Brown’s cream soda to wash it all down. Lunch and dinner daily. 1104 W. 34th St., Ste. D, (512) 407-9702 $ POOL BURGER
OTHERSIDE DELI
Derrick Smith spent five years slinging pastrami at Philly’s famed Hershel’s East Side Deli before moving to Texas. Missing that brined and smoked meat so elegantly served between rye, he opted to introduce the best version of his hometown
Like other McGuire Moorman Hospitality restaurants, Pool Burger is meticulously decorated and executed. The burgers are delicious— the meat is juicy and mouthwatering, the buns buttery and toasty, and the accoutrements crisp. French fries here are of
PANTRY ES SENTIAL S
AN IMAGE ON Reddit went viral in 2017 showing the raw ingredients (and the proportions of said components) in a jar of Nutella. Originally published in the German newspaper, Die Welt, it divulged what we were really eating when digging into that sweet brown goop: mainly palm oil (32 percent) and sugar (58 percent). Even the math-averse know that doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for cocoa and hazelnuts. Luckily, the team behind standout gelato shop Dolce Neve has unveiled an emulsifier-and-preservative-free version made from 55 percent organic hazelnuts. Rich and chocolatey, its sweetness is balanced by visible chunks of hazelnuts, perfect for smearing on bread or dolloping on top of ice cream. Purchase a jar at one of Dolce Neve’s two area locations ($17). —C. Hughes
40
32-43_Feast.indd 40
Otherside Deli’s reuben with house corned beef.
SARA MARIE D’EUGENIO
Dolce Neve’s Hazelnut Spread
August 2020
7/1/20 10:40 AM
August 2020
32-43_Feast.indd 41
41
7/1/20 10:40 AM
Feast Where to Eat
MEDITERR ANEAN T LV
Another food truck success story, this partnership between Berty Richter and Emmer & Rye’s Kevin Fink brings world-class Israeli cuisine to downtown. Taking over the vacated Easy Tiger spot in the Fareground food hall, TLV offers outstanding breakfast options such as shakshuka and pillowy sufganiyot (doughnuts typically eaten during Hanukkah) with fillings like Turkish coffee cream. Richter’s sabich and silky hummus are not to be missed at lunch and dinner. Open daily. 111 Congress Ave., (512) 608-4041 $
• D I S CA DA No need to overthink this truncated menu, which serves killer elotes and just one type of taco: discada, made by “cowboy-wok cooking” slow-simmered beef, pork, and vegetables. Topped with cilantro, onion, and chunks of pineapple, it’s one part Northern Mexico, one part Mexico City, and, now, blessedly, one part Austin. Although you can choose from three, five, or eight, we suggest going big on your taco order. Lunch and dinner Tue-Sat. 1319 Rosewood Ave. (512) 945-7577 $ L A S T R A N CA S
Even though they’re known for serving “the best carnitas in town” (proclaimed by taco journalist Mando Rayo), it’s impossible to order an unsatisfying combination from Las Trancas’ carne-centric food truck menu. Pro tip: Ask for their creamy,
The Queen Beak sandwich at Bird Bird Biscuit.
jalapeño-heavy “VIP” green salsa to balance sweeter meats like lengua with a touch of heat. Lunch and dinner served daily; 1210 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 701-8287 $ • VAQ U E R O TAQ U E R O
Throw a dart and you’ll hit a winner on Miguel and Daniel Cobos’ streamlined menu, whether breakfast tacos stuffed with options like machado, nopales, and seared Oaxaca cheese, or the remarkable al pastor freshly shaved off the trompo. Salsas are all house-made, tortillas are kneaded right in front of guests, and each dish is assembled with care. Breakfast and lunch Tue-Sat. 104 E. 31st St., (512) 383-5582 $ • V E R AC R U Z A L L N AT U R A L
Capitalizing on the success of its three food trucks, the award-winning taqueria now has a juice trailer, and a new location inside The Line Austin hotel as well. In addition to trying its famous tacos, stuffed with everything from migas to tilapia, order the guacamole and quesadillas. Or just stop by for a midday pick-me-up courtesy of a freshpressed juice or agua fresca. Breakfast and lunch daily; dinner Mon-Sat. Five Austinarea locations $
Openings Hold Out Brewing 1208 W. Fourth St., May 7 Vic & Al’s 2406 Manor Road, May 22 Veracruz All Natural (at The Line Austin) 111 E. Cesar Chavez St., May 23 Commerce Cafe 118 S. Commerce St., Lockhart, May 29 Huckleberry Hospitality (food truck) 2340 W. Braker Lane, June 13 Neighborhood Sushi 1716 S. Congress Ave., June 18 Enchiladas Y Mas 1911 W. Anderson Lane, July 7
Closings Yuyo 1900 Manor Road, May 28
Restaurant days and hours could be affected by COVID-19. Please call or visit websites first.
42
32-43_Feast.indd 42
St. Roch’s Bar 515 Pedernales St., June 1
Townsend 718 Congress Ave., June 4 Cafe Josie 1200 W. Sixth St., June 5 Pitchfork Pretty 2708 E. Cesar Chavez Ave., June 8 Be More Pacific 7858 Shoal Creek Blvd., June 11 Daruma Ramen 612 E. Sixth St., June 17 (*The owner has plans to open a different location)
Coming Soon Lutie’s Garden Restaurant 4100 Red River St., Late Summer Qi 835 W. Sixth St., Late Summer Tiki Tatsu-ya 1300 S. Lamar Blvd., Late Summer Verbena 612 W. Sixth St., Late Summer
As of a Late-June Press Date
B I S C U I T: S A R A M A R I E D ’ E U G E N I O ; C H E C K : F E N G Y U/ S H U T T E RSTO C K
MEXICAN + TEX MEX
the crinkle-cut variety, and with a stellar veggie burger, even non-meat eaters will leave happy. Lunch and dinner daily. 2315 Lake Austin Blvd., [512] 334-9747 $
August 2020
7/1/20 10:40 AM
August 2020
32-43_Feast.indd 43
43
7/2/20 12:46 PM
44-51_Beat.indd 44
7/1/20 10:45 AM
In a Class of Its Own COVID-19 and Austin’s shelter-in-place policy upended the 2020 school year. Now, with AISD set to re-open, administrators and lawmakers have the daunting task of planning for an uncertain future. By Kim Krisberg
ROB DOBI
44-51_Beat.indd 45
August 2020
45
7/1/20 10:45 AM
Beat The City
An AISD staffer hands out free curbside meals during the spring semester.
BACK TO S CHO OL The ripple effects of COVID-19 could continue to be felt across AISD campuses come fall.
$10 million New expenses incurred by AISD while adapting to COVID-19 during the spring semester.
46
44-51_Beat.indd 46
reduced-cost school meals. “We know learning is important,” says Katy Escandell, AISD’s interim director of academics. “But most of all, we needed to make sure our kids were safe and healthy and that they knew we were here to support them.” In the weeks following the shuttering of campuses, Escandell says AISD staff worked tirelessly to shift the entire school district (the fifth-largest in Texas, with nearly 81,000 students) to remote learning. That meant quickly scaling up new technology needs, training thousands of teachers on the transition to virtual classrooms, and making sure students had the tools to continue learning. As part of its efforts, the district distributed almost 18,000 laptops and 995 portable hotspots, and parked school buses equipped with Wi-Fi in areas with high densities of apartment complexes. “Our teachers really were amazing,” Escandell says. “But it’s been really difficult, too. There’s no playbook for this. We’ve kept our students first,
5th AISD’s rank among largest school districts across Texas.
1/4 Ratio of local students without reliable internet access, per district estimates over the summer.
>790,000 Curbside meals served by AISD staffers to students after schools shut down in mid-March. C O U RT ESY A I S D
FOR THE AUSTIN Independent School District (AISD), spring break is typically a time to kick back and unwind. But on March 13, the Friday before students went on vacation, district administrators took the unprecedented step of closing campuses to combat the spread of COVID-19. Later that day, food and nutrition staffers were ready to hand out thousands of school meals at the curbside. Though these steps felt temporary at the time, the effort resulted in nearly 800,000 meals distributed at sites throughout the city by the end of the semester. Across the board, AISD has taken the lead in aiding Austin’s youth since the global pandemic hit town. Among the district’s immediate priorities was maintaining access to critical school-based services like meals and mental health counseling— initiatives that are especially vital for students in low-income households and in situations where parents are essential workers. In local schools alone, roughly 54,000 children and teens rely on free and August 2020
7/1/20 10:45 AM
“It’s been really difficult. There’s no playbook for this.” and we’ll continue to do that as we move into this next chapter of ambiguity and the unknown.” Rapidly transitioning to remote schooling was an unprecedented undertaking for AISD, but it also provided key lessons for its Re-entry Task Force as it plans for the fall. The scenarios facing the district are complicated and unpredictable (including adjusting to the mid-summer spike in new COVID-19 cases), so it’s preparing a variety of potential safety measures, including requiring staff and children to wear masks and readying plans for safe physical distancing in classrooms, on campuses, and on buses. Still, the pandemic’s impacts extend beyond safety measures: Early research suggests many students are falling behind academically and that sustained remote learning may have worsened existing racial and socioeconomic gaps in academic achievement. Adding to that complexity is COVID-19’s economic effects on local communities and a decline in the tax revenue AISD depends on to fund its programming. According to Nicole Conley, AISD’s chief financial officer, the district projects a budget deficit of between $50 million and $55 million for fiscal year 2021—a combination of new needs and anticipated losses in local taxes. This shortfall could grow if Texas legislators opt to reduce school funding as they respond to the pandemic’s wider economic fallout, too. Though the district hopes some of this funding will get reimbursed through federal relief funds from FEMA and the CARES Act (from which Texas is expected to receive more than $1.5 billion in emergency education support), Conley says that process could take years. To staunch the bleeding, the Austin school board also dipped into its reserves in late June to approve a $1.65 billion budget. As AISD begins its first-ever pandemic school year, significant challenges remain. The district estimated that up to 20,000 students still didn’t have reliable internet access by early summer, says Michelle Wallis, executive director of AISD’s Office of Innovation and Development. Wallis also heads the Austin Ed Fund (a nonprofit foundation that supports AISD’s programs), which launched its first-ever Crisis Support Fund in March. By June, she says, the nonprofit had raised more than $2.7 million to support a range of support services, like telehealth, interpretation and translation for non-English speaking families, meal delivery, and a new digital platform for the district’s youngest learners. But with the pandemic looming large in Austin— where, as of late June, confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths have more than doubled since Gov. Abbott reopened the state—students’ needs (and the district’s challenges) could continue growing. “You don’t miss your water until your well runs dry,” Conley says of the hole left in the community when AISD closed in March. “And we’re really seeing that with our schools.” August 2020
44-51_Beat.indd 47
47
7/1/20 10:45 AM
48
44-51_Beat.indd 48
August 2020
DREW ANTHONY SMITH
7/1/20 10:45 AM
Beat Straight Talk
Margaret Dismukes Massad Owner, Peter Pan Mini Golf Following World War II, American entrepreneurship flourished—including in Austin, where Clifford Dismukes started a miniature golf course called Varsity Links in 1948. In the 72 years since, the establishment (now known as Peter Pan Mini Golf) has become a beloved hometown icon that’s even made it onto shows like Friday Night Lights. The woman behind it all? Margaret Dismukes Massad, who has helped the family-owned business continue to prosper in its eighth decade of existence. Interview by David Leffler
How did Peter Pan Mini Golf get started?
It was shortly after the end of World War II, and people were looking for family-friendly recreation. Butler Park Pitch & Putt was located just across the street, and started around the same time frame, so we really just complemented one another well. While the original name,Varsity Links, didn’t last long, people loved the idea of Peter Pan as a place to take their kids. It’s been a family operation since day one: My Uncle Clifford started the business, but his two brothers—Jack, and my father, Glenn—got involved early on. My dad was responsible for the course design and concept that we enjoy today. He eventually took the operation over full-time after Clifford passed away in the early ’60s. The course’s whimsical sculptures—including the massive Peter Pan statue in the front— are arguably its biggest draw. Who built them?
My dad built all of those as a hobby. He’d just go to the dime store and pick out figures to model his sculptures after. For example, the pig with
the top hat was based on a ceramic piggy bank. From there, he’d carve little miniature replicas out of clay in our garage. He’d eventually scale them up to size by forming metal skeletons, spraying them with polyfoam, and then carving them into their shapes. He loved the process of creating, and it shows in his work. Which is your personal favorite?
That’s so hard to say! [Laughs] I love the T-Rex and Peter Pan because they were big parts of my childhood. Peter, for instance, was based on the Jolly Green Giant green bean logo; the T-Rex, on the other hand, is a reference to Dad’s love of dinosaurs. Building that was such an undertaking that, in order to transport it, he had to cut its tail off and bring it over as a wide load in the middle of the night. Believe it or not, we actually had an 8-foot brontosaurus in our backyard growing up—a test run that he’d created while preparing for his prehistoric masterpiece. Needless to say, we were the only kids on the block with our very own dinosaur. Your course is teeming with Old Austin nostalgia. What separates
it from other entertainment spots in the city?
My brother, Mike (who passed away in 2015), led the charge to keep this place old school. Very little has changed over the past seven decades, which was an intentional move. For instance, we don’t have any moving windmills or streams. The prices are inexpensive for entertainment, and we don’t gouge people on concessions. We’re also BYOB, so people love bringing coolers. On a Saturday night, you might not see any kids at all—just a bunch of adults having a party. We’ve kept things simple and in line with the Austin vibe. Growing up in Austin, I celebrated a number of birthdays at Peter Pan. Does it remain a draw for those kinds of celebrations?
It’s funny, I didn’t have any of my own birthday parties here when I was a kid, but that’s a key draw for us. I’ve also heard countless stories from couples who went on their first dates here, and we’ve hosted a ton of engagements, too. Back in May, we had a bride who was planning on having a big traditional wedding. But after COVID-19 came around, she and her husband had a small wedding ceremony at Zilker Park before coming here to golf. Getting to play that kind of a role in the community—helping people find some joy in the little things—that’s what makes this place special, what makes me so proud to continue my family’s legacy. What kind of legacy do you think your family’s business has in Austin today?
We’re so enmeshed in the culture. I love thinking that people can come here and have the exact same experiences that their parents did before them. We’ve received so many pictures from people over the years like that. In fact, when I was attending McCallum High School, the cheerleaders took their yearbook photos next to Peter Pan. Those sentiments speak to the carefree joy this place evokes. Peter Pan never grows up: He’s ageless. That definitely aligns with our company ethos of never changing, sticking to what originally made us so beloved by the community. It’s Neverland—you never have to grow up here. August 2020
44-51_Beat.indd 49
49
7/1/20 10:45 AM
Beat Business
House of Blues
Johnny Holmes gave Black Austinites a safe place to escape Jim Crow—and built a historic venue in the process.
50
44-51_Beat.indd 50
AUGUST 14, 1945, better known as V-Day, was one of the most momentous days in American history. Across the country, people took to the streets to rejoice in Japan’s surrender to the United States, officially marking the end of World War II. But in East Austin, where the town’s African American community had been relegated by the city’s segregationist 1928 “Master Plan,” there were few places to revel in the occasion’s celebratory mood. For Johnny Holmes, a Black serviceman, that wouldn’t do—so he created his own juke joint, the aptly named Victory Grill, that same day. Over the next 15 years, the establishment evolved from a small operation selling drinks and 10-cent hamburgers to the premier live music venue in town. Thanks to Holmes’ connections in Texas’ burgeoning blues and jazz scenes (he served as B.B. King’s road manager in the state for years), the club became a landing spot for entertainers playing the Chitlin’ Circuit, where Black musicians and comedians were welcomed during segregation. A staggering lineup of artists graced its stage during that time, including James Brown, Ike and Tina Turner, Billie Holiday, and T.D. Bell. It also birthed the careers of a number of local acts, such as Albert Lavada Durst, who became Texas’
first-ever Black radio deejay when he took to Austin’s airwaves in 1948. The Victory Grill didn’t just survive in the face of inequity and systemic racism: It thrived, says Harrison Eppright, an East Austin native and manager of visitor services at the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It was the place where Black Austinites could enjoy themselves in a way they couldn’t anywhere else in town, without suffering the indignities of racial segregation. This gave it an air of pride, and it prospered,” he says. “Everybody thinks we didn’t have live music until Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings] came along, but that’s not true. There was a thriving scene in the city long before then— and the Victory Grill was a focal point of that.” The venue’s East 11th Street location formed the backbone of Austin’s Black downtown at the time, Eppright says. Restaurants, diners, and businesses lined the bustling area’s sidewalks, giving it a vibrant ambience teeming with blues music and the wafting scent of barbecue being smoked nearby. Beyond the concerts the Victory Grill hosted and the culture it cultivated, though, it was a congregating ground for Black Austinites seeking to escape Jim Crow. “The value of this space extended far beyond entertainment. It was a place for respite, where conversations about how to mobilize and organize the civil rights movement were held,” says Pamela Benson Owens, executive director at Six Square . “It wasn’t just about hearing James Brown. It was about being in an environment where you could be yourself at a time when segregation and racism defined this city.” But as the years passed, the Victory Grill, like much of East Austin, fell victim to the urban blight that struck many Black communities after the abolition of Jim Crow in the 1960s. With African
P H OTO G R A P H S : C O U RT ESY T E X A S H I STO R I C A L C O M M I S S I O N ; N E WS PA P E R A D : C O U RT ESY C A RV E R M U S E U M
Seventy-five years after being founded in the days of segregation, the Victory Grill is harkening back to its heyday as a cultural epicenter. By David Leffler
August 2020
7/1/20 10:45 AM
American artists able to perform at a broader array of clubs, the Chitlin’ Circuit dissipated; furthermore, families (typically those with economic means) began moving out of the neighborhood. With little aid from the city and urban renewal targeting the area, poverty spread throughout the East Side. Many Black businesses began to suffer or close down entirely—a trend that Eppright describes as “economic hemorrhaging”—leaving the area exposed to the creeping gentrification that has driven out the majority of its Black residents and erased much of the region’s storied past. And yet, through all of this, the Victory Grill still stands. Thanks to preservation efforts by organizations like Six Square, and the Holmes family’s steadfast commitment to keeping its doors open, the venue— which is designated as a national landmark—is making a comeback after spending years in disrepair. Glenn Williams, a close friend of the Holmes family and the owner of The Rolling Rooster (an on-site chicken and waffles restaurant that opened in April), has worked to revamp the building over the past two-and-a-half years. Beyond preserving its original bar and stage, Williams says the biggest addition to the space’s interior is a black-and-white mural created by local artist Chris Rogers, which depicts figures who have played there over the years, like B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Billie Holiday, and Gary Clark Jr. The Victory Grill’s renaissance couldn’t come at a better time. As Austin grapples with its racist history, Benson Owens says it’s vital to safeguard spaces that reflect our city’s complicated past. Even more, with The Rolling Rooster now serving hot plates and Williams working to revive the club’s live music legacy, Austinites can actively engage with one of our most important monuments to Black history. “As we talk about preservation, especially on the East Side, and gentrification, we have to build for the future while recognizing our roots,” she says. “This place was a beacon of hope where people could go and forget about poverty, discrimination, and fear. Now more than ever, we need to recognize the value of spaces like that.” August 2020
44-51_Beat.indd 51
51
7/1/20 10:45 AM
Newcomers’ Guide:
30 Ways to EARn Your Austin Stripes Whether you’re new in town or just want to fall in love with the capital city all over again, we’ve compiled an essential bucket list for any Austinite. Get ready for ghosts, gardens (both beer and botanical), and the best damn brisket on the planet.
By Madeline Hollern and Trey Gutierrez 52
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 52
Illustration by Rami Niemi
August 2020
7/1/20 10:53 AM
BY TK
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 53
August 2020
53
7/1/20 10:53 AM
1
● Learn the Who’s Who in BBQ You know about Aaron Franklin, but here are four other barbecue pros to familiarize yourself with.
3
Miguel Vidal, Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ
Any pitmaster who believes huevos rancheros should come topped with a gargantuan slice of smoked brisket is a hero in our books.
Evan LeRoy, LeRoy & Lewis
Combining Texas traditions with outside-the-box innovation, LeRoy serves options like citra-hopped sausage and cauliflower burnt ends.
Try the Essential Austin Dishes BREAKFAST TACOS
Made with a corn or flour tortilla base, these morning staples are loaded with savory ingredients like eggs, cheese, bacon, chorizo, and potatoes.
Get the migas originales at Veracruz All Natural or a classic bacon, egg, potato, and cheese at Mi Madre’s.
LeAnn Mueller, La Barbecue
A descendent of Central Texas barbecue royalty, Mueller’s piled-high sandwiches are as Instagram-worthy as they are delicious.
Tom Micklethwait, QUESO
You’ll find this melted cheese appetizer on menus across the city. Try the creamy American cheese variety or a stringy queso fundido.
Order the Bob Armstrong Dip at Matt’s El Rancho, queso fundido at Fonda San Miguel, or Kerbey Queso at Kerbey Lane Café.
BRISKET
A hallmark of Texas barbecue, this cut of beef is cooked slow and low on a pit until it’s smoky and tender.
Helmed by James Beard Award–winning Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue has arguably the best brisket in town. (See #2 for more options.)
These lime-and-tequilabased cocktails offer a twist on traditional margaritas and are often served in a martini glass with a skewer of olives.
Drink one of these Austin originals at Cedar Door (where they were invented) and Curra's Grill. They pack a punch, so plan a sober ride in advance.
MEXICAN MARTINIS
54
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 54
Micklethwait Craft Meats
In addition to stellar ’cue, the chef specializes in unforgettable sides like jalapeño cheese grits and lemon poppy slaw.
Did you know that the Texas Hill Country is one of the fastest-growing wine destinations in the country? The area boasts dozens of vineyards, with many located along a scenic stretch of Highway 290. Take a day trip to nearby cities like Fredericksburg and Hye to experience standout varieties at wineries such as Southold Farm + Cellar and Pedernales Cellars. For those who favor beer or liquor, Driftwood and Dripping Springs are hubs for breweries and distilleries. Make a reservation at Jester King Brewery to sip its farmhouse ales and walk along its new 2-mile hiking loop, or sip amaro on the patio of Revolution Spirits. wineroad290.com
4 Get Spooked at The Driskill
Opened in 1886, The Driskill Hotel is filled with history, grandeur, and, some say, paranormal activity. Sit on a cowhide stool at the bar and order an Old Fashioned before exploring haunted spots like the
Q U E S O : S A R A M A R I E D ' E U G E N I O ; J E ST E R K I N G : C O U RT E SY G R A N G E R C OATS ; I L LU ST R AT I O N S : DAV I D W I L S O N
Visit a Hill Country Winery, Brewery, or Distillery
August 2020
7/1/20 11:36 AM
5 OYST E R : S PAY D E R PAU K / S H U T T E RSTO C K ; FA R O U T LO U N G E : RO G E R H O ; TAC O : S A R A M A R I E D ' E U G E N I O
Eat the Best Gulf Coast Oysters Never mind Austin’s landlocked status—Quality Seafood Market has been bringing a taste of the Texas coast to the capital city since 1938. Savor fresh seafood like shrimp, red snapper, and black drum or indulge in a fried catfish platter. Whatever you order, add on a few of the restaurant’s shining stars: succulent Gulf Coast oysters on the half shell. qualityseafoodmarket.com
stairs: It’s said a young girl died there in 1887 after chasing a ball that fell down the steps. Many still hear a mysterious giggle and the sound of the bouncing ball. driskillhotel.com
6 Visit the Far Out Lounge The unassuming stone cottage now known as the Far Out Lounge and Stage has a surprisingly colorful history. The more-than-100year-old South Congress building was rumored to have played host to legendary outlaw gang the Newton Boys in the 1920s, back when the watering hole was called The Last Chance. In 1972, the location was also featured in the music video for Willie Nelson’s version of Townes Van Zandt’s iconic “Pancho and Lefty,” which included both Texas country legends. Today, the venue exists as a laid-back outdoor space and listening room, featuring a wide array of local musical talent curated by veteran South Austin talent booker Lawrence Boone. thefaroutaustin.com
● Eat Breakfast Like a Real-Deal Austinite Don’t be lulled into burger tunnel vision because of the signature dish on the Dan’s Hamburgers marquee. Essentially a full takeout diner, the classic drive-through (established in 1973) features one of the best under-the-radar breakfast menus with options like omelets, breakfast tacos, and scratch-made biscuits to satisfy any craving (or stave off a hangover). dans-hamburgers.com
August 2020
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 55
55
7/1/20 10:54 AM
8 Cool Off at a Swimming Hole
❶
❷ Allen’s Boots
Cowboy up with boots and Western wear at this 43-year-old staple.
Kendra Scott
❸
Flagship
Stag
This popular hometown brand
Splurge on high-end menswear
56
August 2020
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 56
❹ By George
Browse luxe men’s and women’s apparel at this chic boutique.
❺ Service Menswear
ELIZ ABETH ST
In need of retail therapy? Head to iconic South Congress Avenue.
from brands like Faherty, Alex Mill, and Gitman Vintage.
W MONROE ST
Shop on SoCo
features a full array of the designer’s jewelry and home decor.
W ANNIE ST
●
W MILTON ST
In a city where summer temperatures regularly venture into the triple digits, it’s no surprise that communal swimming holes are considered as distinctly “Austin” as queso and live music. Central Austin pools like Deep Eddy and Bartholomew are great spots for a quick and convenient dip, while swimmers seeking a daycation will surely fall in love with the natural watering holes of Krause Springs in Spicewood or the eternally flowing waterfall that overlooks Hamilton Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs. For spring-fed pools like Big Stacy and Barton Springs, naturally heated waters mean temperatures remain manageable even during winter months. (In fact, a New Year’s morning “polar bear plunge” at the latter has become one of its most popular traditions—see #14.)
❷
❺ ❹
W GIBSON ST
In typical (read: pandemicfree) years, crowds gather on the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge nightly from March to October a little before sunset to see 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats take flight. Want to feel like a true Austinite? Join locally based Bat Conservation International, which works to protect these winged creatures and their ecosystems. batcon.org
H A M I LTO N P O O L : F OTO LU M I N AT E L LC / S H U T T E RSTO C K ; B ATS : B I L DAG E N T U R ZO O N A R G M B H / S H U T T E RSTO C K
9 Help the Bats
S CONGRESS AVE
❶
❸
This indie shop brims with stylish denim, accessories, and one-of-a-kind sneakers.
7/1/20 10:54 AM
14 13 ● Belt It Out at Ego’s Bar
11 Take a Great Photo The Oasis Snag a spot on the patio of this Lake Travis restaurant before dusk to see some of the best sunsets in the Hill Country.
T H E OA S I S : A M A D E U ST X / S H U T T E RSTO C K ; M I C RO P H O N E : M I Z K I T/ S H U T T E RSTO C K ; K I T E S : C O U RT E SY O F T H E A B C K I T E F E ST
Hi, How Are You? Featuring a frog named Jeremiah the Innocent, this character painted on a wall off Guadalupe Street by the late artist Daniel Johnston inspired a nonprofit that encourages conversations about mental health. Mount Bonnell Walk up more than 100 stairs to soak in a panoramic view of Austin and Lake Austin from the highest point in the city.
Tucked underneath an office building at the back of a parking lot, Ego’s is the definition of a hidden gem. Experience the most spirited karaoke in the city at this South Austin dive, where high-energy crowds sing along to everything from “Little Red Corvette" to “All My Exes Live in Texas.” The queue to sing fills up in a hurry, so arrive early if you want a turn at the mic. facebook.com/ egos
I Love You So Much Local musician Amy Cook spray-painted this SoCo mural that’s become the preferred photo op for visitors, bachelorette parties, and couples.
12
Plan Ahead for 2021 Most festivals have been canceled this year due to COVID-19, but they should be back next year. In addition to SXSW and ACL Fest, add these three events to your 2021 to-do list. ABC Kite Fest
Polar Bear Plunge
Austin Trail of Lights
A local tradition since 1929, this much-anticipated March celebration brings thousands of Austinites together to fly kites.
Here’s a “cool” way to kick off the New Year: Every Jan. 1, brave attendees gather to splash into 68-degree Barton Springs.
During this annual two-week event in December, view more than 2 million holiday lights that illuminate a 1.25-mile path in Zilker Park.
Check Out Weird Wednesday at Alamo Drafthouse
Whether hosted live or virtually, Alamo Drafthouse’s weekly night of indulgent B-movie madness keeps concepts like good taste and political correctness at arm’s length. Distinct, and far removed from your typical midnight movie cringe-fest, the theatre chain’s signature series takes genre flick fandom to nerdy new heights. More often than not, you’ll be watching a newly restored—or recently unearthed—piece of film once lost to time. Whether the
evening’s feature presentation is a blaxploitation film like J.D.’s Revenge or a low-budget slasher like Silent Night, Deadly Night III, you won’t want to miss the customary pre-show introduction, wherein a Drafthouse staffer gets granular on each subversive masterpiece. To celebrate the long-running genre series, founder Tim League is even turning the event into a book published by the Drafthouse’s publishing arm sometime next year. drafthouse.com August 2020
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 57
57
7/1/20 10:54 AM
15 ● Learn about the Cosmic Cowboy Ask any true-blue Austinite, and they’ll tell you: The city’s flair for the weird and musical emerged during its heyday in the 1970s, when hippies and country boys rubbed elbows at
legendary venues like Threadgill’s and Armadillo World Headquarters. This melding of two diametrically opposed subgroups—along with a healthy dose of Lone Star beer, marijuana, and the occasional tab of LSD— birthed the long-haired, hard-rocking ramblers referred to as “cosmic
cowboys.” Though the term was originally coined on musician (and then-Austin resident) Michael Martin Murphey’s rustically charming 1973 release, Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir, the phrase came to describe a movement of hardpartying, freewheeling individualism that
16
consumed the capital city in the mid-'70s. ¶ At the forefront of this revolution was a young Willie Nelson, who, adorned in pigtails and equipped with his famous Martin N-20 guitar, Trigger, became a cultural icon who redefined country music. Alongside a cadre of generational artists, including Jerry
Jeff Walker and Doug Sahm, Nelson cemented an aloof, easygoing cool factor that remains here to this day. So, whether you’re two-stepping at a honky-tonk or sipping a Texas beer to ease the heat this summer, give a nod to the cosmic cowboys whose legacy Austin has been forged in. —David Leffler
Walk Around Zilker Botanical Garden Tucked just west of Zilker Park is a serene 26-acre natural refuge of exotic flower and butterfly gardens, bonsai trees, waterfalls, streams, and even dinosaur sculptures. Look closely in the lush Taniguchi Japanese Garden, and you might notice that several of the koi ponds are actually shaped to spell out the word “AUSTIN.” zilker garden.org
Watch a UT Game at Scholz Garten
Established in 1866, this beer garden is not only a favorite haunt for politically minded citizens on both sides of the aisle, but a time-honored game-watching hub for UT football fans. (After all, what other bar can say they once hosted a celebration for the Longhorns’ first undefeated season in 1893?) Tucked away behind the pub, you’ll find unassuming Saengerrunde Hall—the meeting place for German historic singing group Austin Saengerrunde—which has a six-lane bowling alley that is one of the oldest continuously operating bowling centers in the U.S. Though the alley is used primarily by club members, non-members are still able to rent the space for four hours at a time. scholzgarten.com 58
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 58
18 Listen to Jazz at The Elephant Room
Strong classic cocktails and the near-deafening bridge of a good jazz standard—as performed by some of the city’s most prolific musicians—serve to ensure this basement bar feels worlds away
G A R D E N : S I VO/ S H U T T E RSTO C K
17
August 2020
7/1/20 10:54 AM
● Get Weird Five funky Austin events and places. Eeyore’s Birthday
What started in 1963 as a springtime study reprieve for UT students has grown into an annual Pease Park bash for Austin’s hippie subculture, complete with craft beer and drum circles. Chicken Sh*t Bingo
At this weekend activity at the Little Longhorn Saloon, the rules are simple: Take a ticket, and if the chicken does his business on your bingo number, you win a cash prize. Lala’s Little Nugget
19
ROT U N DA : S V E TO L K? S H U T T E RSTO C K ; C H I C K E N : VA L E N T I N A _ S / S H U T T E RSTO C K ; B L AC K P U M A S : LY Z A R E N E E
Whisper in the Rotunda at the Capitol Simply driving by the 132-year-old Texas State Capitol or exploring its grounds isn’t enough. Instead, any Austin rookie must enter its rotunda, look up at its 218-foot-high interior dome, and speak into the echo chamber. Even the slightest whisper will boom like a microphone around the walls shellacked with the portraits of former state governors and past presidents of the Texas Republic. Pretty cool, huh? tspb.texas.gov
from the nightly shenanigans lighting up downtown Austin. Just don’t forget to tip the band once you’re finished channeling your inner Kerouac. elephant room.com
If Santa and his reindeer permanently perched on the roof of this North Austin establishment hadn’t already tipped you off, this festive bar celebrates Christmas all year. Cathedral of Junk
This South Austin spectacle is as impressive a piece of DIY pop art as it is an architectural feat. The multistory tower features 60 tons of discarded items, including Barbie dolls, bicycles, and street signs.
21
Buy the Essential Austin Albums Waterloo Records owner John Kunz names five local albums to add to your collection. BLACK PUMAS Black Pumas
“Singer Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada front this psychedelic soul band, which landed a Best New Artist Grammy nomination.” RED HEADED STRANGER Willie Nelson
“After his 1973 move to Austin, Willie crafted this timeless multi-platinum masterpiece, with musical help from his pianist/older sister, Bobbie.” 1000 KISSES Patty Griffin
“Released in 2002 after her move to Austin, this
album was ranked one of the ‘50 Best Albums of the Decade’ by Paste magazine.” THE ESSENTIAL STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE Stevie Ray Vaughan
“The late guitarist’s Lady Bird Lake statue watches over us and our Violet Crown city. As the album title suggests, this one is essential." THIS LAND Gary Clark Jr.
“Waterloo first championed Gary as a teen. This Land’s Woody Guthrie–inspired title track is the triumphant anti-racism anthem.”
Hippie Hollow
Currently closed due to COVID-19, in better times guests can strip down at this clothing-optional park above Lake Travis. Rock climbing may be required to reach the water during drier months, so hiking boots are encouraged, even if pants aren’t.
22
Catch a Show at a Classic Venue
To navigate the city’s famed live music scene, one needs to understand the specialty of each stage. First, there’s The Continental Club, an intimate dive where you’ll catch living legends of both the Texas rock and blues scenes. Next, head to Stubb’s BBQ or Mohawk to see buzzier new artists like the Black Pumas, who have four sold-out shows slated for Stubb’s in September. Lastly, visit Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater, home of the titular PBS show that put Texas music on the map. Built like a recording studio, you’ll never find better live sound quality to experience the likes of Robert Plant and Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler. August 2020
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 59
59
7/1/20 10:54 AM
23
24
Dinosaurs, castles, and giant sneakers make up South Austin’s most famous front nine. Here, we highlight three of the best holes.
BURNET
BURN-IT
It’s easy to burn the midnight oil on this trendy North Austin stretch of bars and restaurants. Maybe that’s why locals put emphasis on the first syllable, not the second.
GUADALUPE
GWA-DUH-LOOP
One would think this UT campus thoroughfare would be referred to with the traditional Spanish pronunciation of GWA-duh-loop-ay. But alas, Austinites usually just lop it off three-quarters of the way through.
KOENIG
KAY-NIG
Despite its spelling, there’s no “Oh” sound in this street name.
MANOR
MAY-NER
Both a bustling road in East Austin and a suburb located east of town, these areas are both pronounced like MAY-ner, not MAN-ner.
MENCHACA
MAN-SHACK
Named after a Texas Revolutionary soldier named Jose Antonio Menchaca, the South Austin street has a pronunciation that defies all logic. Even after changing the name from its previous spelling (Manchaca) in 2019, Austinites continue to butcher it.
MILL-ER
Hotly debated among locals, who often call it MEW-ler, this street was actually named after late city commissioner Robert Mueller (not the FBI Director), who pronounced his last name MILL-er.
T. Rex
The towering green-and-yellow dinosaur is an ideal spot on the golf course to snap a photo. (For an example, turn to page 48.)
Captain Hook
Complete with a sword, sideburns, and his signature hook, Peter Pan’s nemesis also has a curious crocodile lurking behind him.
Texas Totem Pole
Once featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, this totem pole is carved with a Texas motif of cowboy boots, a horse, an armadillo, and more.
25 Marvel at Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin
The final masterpiece of late multi-media artist Ellsworth Kelly, Austin is a pillar of the Blanton Museum’s permanent collection. The 2,715-square-foot stone art installation was designed as a haven for quiet, blissful reflection and features the reflections of glass windows in a rainbow spectrum of colors. blantonmuseum.org 60
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 60
E L L S WO RT H K E L LY: C O U RT E SY B L A N TO N M U S E U M O F A RT/ T H E U N I V E RS I T Y O F T E X A S AT AU ST I N ; M I N I G O L F : D R E W A N T H O N Y S M I T H
Pronounce Street Names as the Locals Do
MUELLER
Play a Round at Peter Pan Mini Golf
August 2020
7/1/20 10:54 AM
28 ● Find “Transcendent Junk” For Your Home at Uncommon Objects Whether you’re into kitsch or rare antiques, you’ll want to set aside at least an hour to explore this bizarre trinket emporium in South Austin that stocks everything from Victorian jewelry and esoteric garden statuary to a range of taxidermied animals (both real and imagined). uncommonobjects.com
●
Clever, irreverent, and occasionally outrageous, the famous sign in front of Tex-Mex eatery El Arroyo on West Fifth Street has been delivering daily zingers for more than three decades. This year especially, the roadside beacon provided a muchneeded dose of levity during the shelter-in-place ordinance, with quips like “Hope the Weather’s Nice Today for My Trip to Puerta Backyarda,” and “Remember When U Wished the Weekend Would Last Forever? Happy Now?” Having developed a national following, the sign has even inspired three books and boasts more than 265,000 Instagram followers at @elarroyo_tx. elarroyo.com
● Change Your Identity at Lucy in Disguise
27 Get a Creepy Lesson in Presidential History at the LBJ Library This 10-story political history museum houses such treasures as the presidential limousine and the desk where LBJ signed the 1965 Voting Rights Act. But chances are the library’s disturbing animatronic dopplegänger of our nation’s 36th president, programmed to tell some of Johnson’s most beloved jokes, is what you’ll remember for all the wrong reasons. lbjlibrary.org
Gearing up for a Halloween bash or a spirited theme party? South Congress’ Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds has literally got you covered. Peruse the famous costume shop’s racks of thousands of superhero outfits and jewelry pieces, colorful cowboy and go-go boots, and the coup de grâce, its far-out wall of artisan-crafted latex masks, whose many unsettling visages range from creepy clowns to Kim Jong Un. lucyindisguise.com
30 Test Your Austin Knowledge 1. The city of Austin was originally called what? a. Greenville b. Waterloo
c. Riverdale d. Lakeview
2. Janis Joplin got her start at what now-defunct local establishment? a. Threadgill’s b. Shady Grove
c. Hill’s Cafe d. La Zona Rosa
3. Which popular brand is NOT based in Austin? a. Bumble b. Titos’s Vodka
c. Lululemon d. Yeti
4. In describing the city’s liberal reputation in conservative Texas, which politician called Austin “the blueberry in the tomato soup?” a. Lyndon B. Johnson b. Ann Richards
c. George W. Bush d. Rick Perry
5. Who was the first-ever guest on Austin City Limits television show in 1974? a. Willie Nelson b. Stevie Ray Vaughan
c. The 13th Floor Elevators d. Jerry Jeff Walker
6. Which film by Austin director Richard Linklater was nominated for best picture? a. Dazed and Confused b. Bernie
7. Which quarterback led the Texas Longhorns football team to its most recent national championship in 2006? a. Major Applewhite b. Vince Young
August 2020
52-61_FEA_NewcomersGuide.indd 61
c. Boyhood d. Before Sunrise
c. Colt McCoy d. Chris Simms
1) b 2) a 3) c 4) d 5) a 6) c 7) b
E L A R ROYO : S A R A M A R I E D ' E U G E N I O ; L B J : L B J P R E S I D E N T I A L L I B R A RY/A L A M Y STO C K P H OTO
Laugh at the El Arroyo Sign
61
7/2/20 1:03 PM
The
World According
Film star, sports mogul, and mascot for all things burnt orange. Now, you can add one more feat to the résumé of Austin’s most famous resident: Minister of Culture…for the entire city.
to
McConaughey 62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 62
7/1/20 10:58 AM
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Levi, Vida, and Livingston McConaughey
By Chris Hughes
August 2020
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 63
63
7/1/20 10:58 AM
The only light
The World According to McConaughey
in Matthew McConaughey’s darkened office is a “Just Keep Livin” neon, but the white letters are radiant enough to make him stand out in beatific contrast. He slouches in front of his widescreen computer monitor, a spit curl shining on his forehead, wearing a raglan UT shirt that looks old enough to have been plucked from the wardrobe of David Wooderson, the Dazed and Confused character that elevated the homegrown actor into a household name in 1993. But, as I would discover over a series of Zoom interviews this May, McConaughey is always forthcoming—especially when he “starts to rap,” his colorful way of describing his habit of turning banal conversation into philosophical musings. When asked if his weathered shirt dates back to his undergrad days, McConaughey breaks into his signature cackle. “Nah,” he says. “It’s just one of those shirts that tries to look vintage.” Although he credits his outfit to chance—the blind results in a game of closet roulette—it seems an unintentional reminder of simpler times. For several months, our plan was to have me shadow the recently appointed professor of practice in the Moody College of Communication around UT’s
64
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 64
campus as he inhabited his latest role as mentor and university sage. I’d attend his Script to Screen class that he developed with director Scott Rice in 2015, a practical learning experience that he says “puts some science behind the magic and mystique of making movies.” We’d wander over to the Frank Erwin Center where he acts as Minister of Culture, often donning a burnt orange three-piece suit as he parades the sidelines at basketball games, exhorting fans and players like an unofficial assistant coach. Finally, he’d escort me to the six-plus acre site southeast of Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, where the new $338 million basketball and events arena is slated to open in 2021— a project in which he’s a part-owner. (Technically, he’s a player in a larger group called ArenaCo, which consists of concert promoters Live Nation and C3 Presents, Los Angeles–based sports venue company Oak View Group, and himself.) But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the world went in quarantine, and the scope of the article was thrown into question. That’s why there are a couple of LCD screens and dozens of miles between me and Austin’s most conspicuous citizen this spring afternoon. Both of us have entered into what he calls a “forced winter,” where society is required to hunker down and take inventory like any sort of hibernating mammal. For McConaughey, similar periods of self-reflection have yielded career epiphanies and existential revelations, and he hopes the current time squirreled away at home has a similar effect. Although he’s a self-professed “hedonist,” and is better known as the bongo-drumming, clothing-averse wild child of Austin, McConaughey is surprisingly introspective. He’s also not one to waste an opportunity, regardless of its bleak foundations. For the past several years, he has been navigating a path of his own design, progressing
All in the Family Isolated in his home during the pandemic, McConaughey has been spending lots of quality time around his children: Levi (11), Vida (10), and Livingston (7). By encouraging the trio’s shared passion for photography, he’s allowing an unprecedented look into their private life. “For the first time ever, I’m inviting Austin into our kitchen to show you how we roll,” he says.
August 2020
7/1/20 11:46 AM
from one milestone to the next: Teacher and emissary at his alma mater leading to local sports maven leading to this latest role, one that he hopes will preserve the integrity of the city that help put him on the map—Austin’s newly minted Minister of Culture. TAKING INVENTORY While filming The Newton Boys around Austin in 1997, McConaughey and director Richard Linklater would often stay up late after shooting, comparing notes and rapping “about the old riddle of life.” On television, Marshall Applewhite’s Heaven’s Gate cult was then putting up a number of public-access-style advertisements, and the two caught one of its videos preaching their twisted gospel of rejuvenation through extermination. “Their leader was saying ‘we all needed to die’ or something stupid, and I just remember Matthew saying he wanted to take out a billboard that instead was positive and life-affirming,” Linklater says. “He always had these ideas that he wanted to sprinkle out into the world. Even at 26, he wanted people to embrace life and be their best selves.” Although McConaughey acknowledges the anecdote, he insists the urge to spread uplifting maxims goes back much further. “This is not a setup,” he says, as he pulls out a Ziploc freezer bag filled with bar napkins, coasters, and scraps of paper that are scrawled with random meditations on life. He digs his hand into the bag (he says he has at least 30 of these lying around the house) like an emcee at a raffle drawing and reads one from 1996 that riffs on a quote from Jenny McCarthy: “I’m a sex symbol as long as the public thinks I am.” Another from ’91 triggers a kind of stoner’s staccato giggle: “A cool dood listens.” One Heinek-
en coaster from a bar in Amsterdam contains the beginnings of a short story that he intends to write someday about a bike shop owner named Josef—an actual person he met while traveling across Europe with Cole Hauser and Rory Cochran after the filming of Dazed and Confused. Some of them date back to when he was 15, but the practice began picking up real momentum
“We need to look inside ourselves, so we don’t look back with regret as we turn into one of those big cities that grew too fast and lost their DNA.” during McConaughey’s first “forced winter.” Two weeks out of high school, and with no real direction in his life, his mother Kay suggested a year studying abroad. There were openings in Sweden and Australia, and he chose the latter because there were no language barriers, and down under, there was always the slight possibility of “running into Elle Macpherson on a beach,” he says, with an impish little wink. “I’m like, let’s go! G’day mate!” Staying with a strict family on the outskirts of Sydney, McConaughey found himself without friends, a car, or familiarity with his surroundings. An extrovert his entire life, the native of Uvalde, Texas, fell into a deep depression from the culture shock, and eventually dropped out of school to enter a “work experience” program. Between non-paying jobs as a carpenter, a barrister’s assistant, a bank teller, and several others, he would head to the library to read Lord Byron and other English Romantic poets. At night, he began writ-
All photo names were chosen by McConaughey’s children. (1) Summertime (2) Man on the Moon (3) Machete Man
August 2020
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 65
65
7/1/20 10:58 AM
ing fiction and letters, many addressed to himself in 14-page screeds. “For the first time in my life, I was forced to go inward,” he says. “Before that, I was the guy who went to keggers and chased girls. I never read books or kept a diary. But that’s what helped me keep my sanity during that forced winter.” Returning to the States a year later, McConaughey was a transformed person. In a true sliding
As a father, at 50, he thinks about legacy a lot these days: “doing something that will stand the test of time.” doors moment, he relinquished his youthful intentions of studying law at SMU and followed his older brother Pat’s advice to head to Austin, where people more prone to bare chests and a bohemian lifestyle (as he knew his brother was) fit in seamlessly. “Pat is my lucky charm, and my muse on so many levels,” he says. “I take everything he says to heart. So I went to UT where I found out very quickly, the only rule here in Austin: ‘All you gotta be is you.’” Not long afterward, while on a date at the bar at the Hyatt downtown, he met producer Don Phillips, who was in town casting for a small film called Dazed and Confused. After four hours of drinking and chatting about golf, family, and movies—the date long since abandoned—the two found themselves standing atop a table in the throes of a good time. A manager stepped in and asked them to leave, and in a taxi escorting them back to
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 66
their respective lodgings, Phillips leaned over and asked: “You ever done any acting?” Austin would never be the same. CALLING AUDIBLES Over the past several months, without the distractions of film, school, or sports—including his obligations as a co-owner of the city’s first professional team, Austin FC, which will start play in Major League Soccer in 2021—McConaughey has been able to focus on his latest project: Minister of Culture for Austin. The title, which has been in discussions for a year, had been kept under wraps through June 2020, as Mayor Steve Adler struggled to find an appropriate time to formally announce the appointment. But around City Hall, Adler says McConaughey has already been acting in that role for months. Starting in March, the actor began a series of public service announcements on Instagram that dealt with health and safety in the time of coronavirus. His initial video, “Because Every Red Light Eventually Turns Green,” emphasized community values of accountability and resilience. In others, he reached out to the Latino community with the help of pro boxer Canelo Alvarez, or created characters like bounty hunter “Bobby Bandito” (filmed by friend Jeff Nichols, who directed McConaughey in 2013’s Mud), which encouraged Austinites to wear face masks while out in public. Every post has garnered hundreds of thousands of views (some millions), and each one was quietly produced under the jurisdiction of his new position. Adler concedes that the city-wide Minister of Culture title is so unfamiliar that its responsibilities are largely ambiguous. But McConaughey prides himself on overpreparing for every situation. Sports
7/1/20 10:58 AM
McConaughey has used his role in UT athletics as a springboard to bigger things within the city.
ing in the MLS was its appeal as an international game, which, he hopes, will bring together disparate parts of the city in a communal setting. “If you took a snapshot from the sky,” he says, moving his hand like an aerial drone, complete with whistling sound effects, “I hope the stadium looks like the beautiful rainbow diversity of what Austin is: fun, wild, hospitable, and rocking.” Besides forging tangible spaces to bring Austinites together, he also wants to provide better career opportunities for current residents. Like his recent efforts in the Moody College of Communication, which involves connecting the various degree programs (radio-television-film, journalism, C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 1 0 2
C O U RT ESY U N I V E RS I T Y O F T E X A S AT H L E T I C S
(4) Who Wants Cow on the Fire? (5) Pennybacked (6) Motorcycle Man Hook ’Em, Let’s Ride
August 2020
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 67
The World According to McConaughey
analogies are often employed when describing his various philosophies and interactions with the world, and what he’s learned in both acting and in life is that when he outworks the competition, he can react like a quarterback controlling the line of scrimmage. “I’m like Vince Young in the game,” he says, referring to UT’s star player from the early 2000s. “I’m calling audibles. I don’t have to think about it, because I’ve already done all the legwork. I can just trust my instincts.” His behind-the-scenes prep work has coalesced into a multifaceted strategy. One prong of that approach is already in the works, with the construction of the 20,500-seat Austin FC stadium. For McConaughey, a major motivation for invest-
67
7/1/20 10:58 AM
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 68
7/1/20 1:47 PM
B LO O M I C O N / S H U T T E RSTO C K
AUSTIN’S TOP ATTORNEYS
If you need legal expertise, put your trust in one of these 258 lawyers in 38 specialties ranging from adoption law to land use to technology.
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 69
69
7/1/20 1:47 PM
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 70
7/1/20 1:47 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 71
71
7/1/20 1:47 PM
ARBITRATION AND
Christine Henry Andresen Cha Law Group, PC (512) 394-4230
MEDIATION
ANTITRUST LAW
Gregory J. Casas Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200
Karl Bayer Karl Bayer - Mediator, Arbitrator & Court Master (512) 345-8537 Greg Bourgeois Lakeside Mediation Center (512) 477-9300
Albert Lin Husch Blackwell LLP (512) 472-5456
Lori Pickle Dwyer Murphy Calvert, LLP (512) 610-9639
AVIATION
Lauren Schoenbaum Ruffner Schoenbaum, PLLC (512) 275-6277
Mike Slack Slack Davis Sanger LLP (512) 795-8686 BANKING AND FINANCIAL
APPELLATE LAW
Elizabeth G. Bloch Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200
Ben Cunningham Lakeside Mediation Center (512) 477-9300
Sarah Christian Winstead PC (512) 550-3545
Stephanie Cagniart Baker Botts, LLP (512) 322-2537
Eric Galton Lakeside Mediation Center (512) 477-9300
BANKRUPTCY AND
Sara Berkeley Churchin Enoch Kever, PLLC (512) 615-1220
Mark Hawkins Armbrust & Brown, PLLC (512) 435-2300
Ryan Clinton Davis, Gerald & Cremer (512) 493-9600
Jeff Jury Burns Anderson Jury & Brenner, LLP (512) 338-5322
Nicole Leonard Córdoba★ Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200 Wade C. Crosnoe Thompson Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP (512) 703-5078 Kendyl T. Hanks Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200 Lisa Hobbs Kuhn Hobbs, PLLC (512) 476-6003 Melissa A. Lorber Enoch Kever, PLLC (512) 615-1205 Shelby L. O’Brien Enoch Kever, PLLC (512) 615-1225
Patrick Keel Patrick Keel, MediatorArbitrator (512) 293-0300 Amy Lambert Friday Milner Lambert Turner, PLLC (512) 472-9291 Thomas J. Mitchell III Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389 Bert Pluymen Pluymen Law, PLLC (512) 415-9111 John S. Rubin Rubin Law Firm (512) 439-2299 ATTORNEYS FOR NONPROFITS
Amanda G. Taylor Butler Snow, LLP (737) 802-1811
Mollie Cullinane Cullinane Law Group, PLLC (512) 298-2898
Jana K. Terry Beckstead Terry, PLLC (512) 827-3575 Jennifer D. Ward Law Office of Jennifer D. Ward, PLLC (512) 344-9367
WORKOUT
Lynn Butler Husch Blackwell LLP (512) 472-5456 Dorothy K. Lawrence Dorothy Butler Law Firm (512) 699-5632 Layla D. Milligan Office of the Chapter 13 Trustee (512) 912-0305 Ron Satija Hajjar Peters LLP (512) 637-4956 Eric Taube Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP (512) 685-6401
CIVIL LAW LITIGATION
Kevin Brown Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP (512) 685-6405
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 72
Greenberg Traurig, LLP Husch Blackwell, LLP The Carlson Law Firm Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC Wright & Greenhill, PC McGinnis Lochridge, LLP DC Law, PLLC Thompson Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP
Katherine Chiarello Wittliff Cutter, PLLC (512) 960-4865
Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP
Heidi A. Coughlin Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389
GoransonBain Ausley, PLLC
Kyle Dingman Dingman Law Firm, PLLC (512) 953-3393
Zinda Law Group, PLLC
Baker Botts, LLP
Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, PC
Allensworth and Porter, LLP
Lessie Gilstrap Fritz, Byrne, Head & Gilstrap, PLLC (512) 476-2020
Burnett Turner, PLLC
Mark Taylor Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP (612) 685-6404
Callie Haley★ Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389
Friday Milner Lambert Turner, PLLC
Jameson Watts Husch Blackwell LLP (512) 472-5456
Eric A. Johnston McGinnis Lochridge, LLP (512) 495-6064
BUSINESS LAW
April Lucas McGinnis Lochridge LLP (512) 495-6156
Sehar Aijaz Law Offices of Sehar Aijaz, PLLC (956) 410-1916 Natalie Lynch Lynch Law Firm PLLC (512) 900-2630
Ranelle M. Meroney Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP (512) 687-6909
◆ Legacy Award These attorneys represent the best of the best with more than 30 years of experience ★ Rising Star These attorneys are bright up-and-comers with less than 5 years of experience
72
Top Firms
Coldwell Bowes, LLP Enoch Kever, PLLC
Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP Lakeside Mediation Center Ruffner Schoenbaum, PLLC Scott Douglass & McConnico, LLP Thompson Salinas Londergan, LLP Wittliff Cutter, PLLC
B LO O M I C O N / S H U T T E RSTO C K
ADOPTION LAW
August 2020
7/1/20 1:47 PM
Rudolph “Rudy” K. Metayer Chamberlain McHaney, PLLC (512) 474-9124 Jorge A. Padilla Jackson Walker, LLP (512) 236-2044 Archie Carl Pierce◆ Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389 Robert Ranco DC Law, PLLC (512) 888-9999 Eleanor Ruffner Ruffner Schoenbaum, PLLC (512) 275-6277 Morgan C. Shell★ Wright & Greenhill PC (512) 961-4389
Ryan Shelton Edmundson, Shelton, & Weiss, PLLC (512) 596-3624 CONSTRUCTION
Will W. Allensworth Allensworth and Porter, LLP (512) 708-1250 Joe R. Basham Allensworth and Porter, LLP (512) 708-1250 Heather M. Beam Thompson Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP (512) 703-5039 David P. Boyce Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389
PLLC (512) 614-4105 CRIMINAL DEFENSE
Samuel E. Bassett Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, PC (512) 476-4873 Leslie Boykin Law Office of Leslie J. Boykin, PC (512) 912-9977 Claire Carter Claire Carter Legal (512) 375-6257 Margaret Chen Kercher Law Office of Margaret Chen Kercher, PLLC (512) 522-7581
Kelly Ausley-Flores GoransonBain Ausley, PLLC (512) 515-3588
EDUCATION
Paige Duggins-Clay Husch Blackwell, LLP (512) 472-5456
Hannah Hembree Bell Hembree Bell Law Firm, PLLC (512) 765-7002
Kristi Godden O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo (512) 494-9949
Leslie J. Bollier Bollier Ciccone, LLP (512) 477-5796
Scott Schneider Husch Blackwell, LLP (512) 472-5456 Jamie Turner Walsh Gallegos Trevino Russo & Kyle, PC (512) 454-6864 ELDER LAW
Lindsey Drake Drake Law, PLLC (512) 524-3697 H. Clyde Farrell Farrell & Johnson, PLLC (512) 323-2977
Jessica L. Mangrum Thompson Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP (512) 703-5014
David Gonzalez Sumpter & Gonzalez, LLP (512) 381-9955
Terry Garrett The Garrett Law Firm, PLLC (512) 800-2420
Jerry Negrete The Chapman Firm, PLLC (512) 872-3840
Elizabeth A. Henneke Lone Star Justice Alliance (512) 394-5791
EMINENT DOMAIN
Craig A. Nevelow Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389
Tychanika Kimbrough★ Kimbrough Legal, PLLC (833) 553-4251
Rekha Roarty Bollier Ciccone, LLP (512) 477-5796
Amy Lefkowitz Lefkowitz & Haire, PLLC (512) 543-1622
David Reiter Reiter, Brunel & Dunn, PLLC (512) 779-3341
Amy C. Welborn Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP (512) 687-6918
Perry Q. Minton Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, PC (512) 476-4873
COMMERCIAL
CORPORATE COUNSEL
LITIGATION
Jessica Blacklock Potts Blacklock Senterfitt, PLLC (512) 614-4108
Yurbin Velasquez DC Law, PLLC (512) 888-9999 Jesse Z. Weiss Edmundson, Shelton, & Weiss, PLLC (512) 596-3058 Kennon L. Wooten Scott Douglass & McConnico, LLP (512) 495-6341 CIVIL LAW
Amy M. Emerson Allensworth and Porter, LLP (512) 708-1250
TRANSACTIONAL
Emily Willis Collins★ Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200 Rick Harrison Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP (512) 685-6402
David Courreges Courreges, PC (512) 765-4951 CORPORATE FINANCE
Mysha Lubke Baker Botts, LLP (512) 322-2541
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Lee Potts Potts Blacklock Senterfitt,
Brian J. Roark Botsford & Roark (512) 476-1900 Erin Shinn Law Office of Erin Shinn, PLLC (512) 610-2100
Luke Ellis Marrs Ellis & Hodge, LLP (512) 215-4078 ENERGY, OIL AND GAS
Becky H. Diffen Norton Rose Fulbright US, LLP (512) 536-4581 Tricia “TJ” Jackson Husch Blackwell, LLP (512) 472-5456
Bradley M. Coldwell Coldwell Bowes, LLP (512) 774-6458 Sam D. Colletti Noelke Maples St. Leger Bryant, LLP (512) 480-9777 Leigh De La Reza Noelke Maples St. Leger Bryant, LLP (512) 480-9777 Patricia J. Dixon Gray & Becker, PC (512) 482-0061 Kacy Dudley Dudley Law, PLLC (512) 617-3975
Olga Kobzar Scott Douglass & McConnico, LLP (512) 495-6354
Lydia Fearing Dorothy Butler Law Firm (512) 699-5632
Stephanie S. Potter Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, PLLC (512) 479-0300 FAMILY LAW
Elizabeth F. Wiggins Law Office of Price & Wiggins, PC (512) 354-1880
Michael Burnett Burnett Turner, PLLC (512) 472-5060 Kristiana Butler GoransonBain Ausley, PLLC (512) 515-3588
Rick R. Flores Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, PC (512) 476-4873
Jason W. Snell The Snell Law Firm, PLLC (512) 477-5291
Charles F. Bowes Coldwell Bowes, LLP (512) 774-6458
Kristen A. Algert◆ GoransonBain Ausley, PLLC (512) 515-3588
Kelly Caperton Fischer GoransonBain Ausley, PLLC (512) 515-3588 Jonathan P. Friday Friday Milner Lambert Turner, PLLC (512) 472-9291 Amy Gehm Amy Gehm, Austin Family Law (512) 327-7272
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 73
73
7/2/20 1:21 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
74
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 74
August 2020
7/1/20 1:47 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 75
75
7/1/20 1:47 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
Courtney Hatchett★ Thompson Salinas Londergan, LLP (512) 201-4083
Andrew Robertson Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, PC (512) 476-4873
Kara Borchers Jones Law Office of Kara Borchers Jones, PLLC (512) 337-5030
D. Micah Royer III Coldwell Bowes, LLP (512) 774-6458
Jodi Lazar Lazar Law (512) 477-1600 Erin Leake Vaught Law Firm, LLC (512) 605-0999 Lisa Londergan Thompson Salinas Londergan, LLP (512) 201-4083
Raul Sandoval Jr. Sandoval Family Law, PC (512) 580-2449 Ilana Tanner The Law Office of Ilana R. Tanner (512) 814-7013 Scott A. Thompson Scott A. Thompson Law, PLLC (512) 222-8287
HEALTH CARE LAW
Fletcher Brown Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP (512) 685-6423 Joe Geraci Husch Blackwell, LLP (512) 472-5456 Amanda Hill Hill Law, PLLC Shannon Meroney Meroney Public Affairs (512) 499-8880 Rachael K. Padgett Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC (512) 480-5110
Nikki G. Maples NGM Family Law, PLLC (512) 617-3952
Marshall A. Thompson Thompson Salinas Londergan, LLP (512) 201-4083
Aishah McCoy Law Office of Aishah McCoy (512) 872-7845
Cristi Trusler Trusler Legal, PLLC (512) 481-0330
Sujata Ajmera Clark Hill, PLC (512) 499-3605
Mary Evelyn McNamara Rivers McNamara, PLLC (512) 439-7000
Travis L. Turner Burnett Turner, PLLC (512) 472-5060
Iris Albizu Albizu Law Firm (512) 861-5638
David Minton Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, PC (512) 476-4873
Jami Milner Turner Friday Milner Lambert Turner, PLLC (512) 472-9291
Mehron P. Azarmehr Azarmehr Law Group (512) 732-0555
Aubrey L. Morgan The Law Office of Aubrey L. Morgan, PLLC (512) 481-9950
Jimmy Vaught Vaught Law Firm, LLC (512) 605-0999
Julian Rivera Husch Blackwell, LLP (512) 472-5456 IMMIGRATION LAW
GOVERNMENT AND
Carly Gallagher Murray Law Office of Carly Gallagher Murray (512) 633-2204
ADMINISTRATIVE
Scott Nyitray Burnett Turner, PLLC (512) 472-5060
Karen M. Kennard Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200
Cheryl Powell The Carlson Law Firm (512) 671-7277
Deborah C. Trejo Kemp Smith, LLP (512) 320-5466
Richel Rivers Rivers McNamara, PLLC (512) 439-7000
76
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 76
Elizabeth Ross Hadley Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200
Jason Finkelman Jason Finkelman Attorney at Law, PLLC (512) 348-8855 Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch Lincoln-Goldfinch Law (512) 599-8500 Daniella Lyttle Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC (512) 215-5225 Matthew Myers MW Law (972) 460-8353 Adrian Resendez Brough & Resendez, PLLC (512) 792-9510
August 2020
7/2/20 1:21 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 77
77
7/8/20 10:15 AM
ADVERTISEMENT
Julie Sparks J. Sparks Law, PLLC (512) 900-4774 INSURANCE
Henry Moore Law Offices of Henry Moore (512) 477-1663 Nancy G. Scates Walters, Balido & Crain, LLP (512) 472-9000 Lee H. Shidlofsky Shidlofsky Law Firm, PLLC (512) 685-1400 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Andre Brunel Reiter, Brunel & Dunn, PLLC (512) 646-1107 Laura Robinson Dunlap Codding (405) 607-8600 INTERNATIONAL LAW
Sandra D. Gonzalez Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200 Martin Lutz McGinnis Lochridge, LLP (512) 495-6024 LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Amy Beckstead Beckstead Terry, PLLC (512) 827-3575 Susan P. Burton◆ Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton, LLP (512) 328-1540 Jairo Nikov Castellanos Wiley Walsh, PC (512) 271-5527 Connie Cornell◆ Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton, LLP (512) 328-1540 Leslie Dippel Travis County Attorney’s Office (512) 854-9513 Sarah T. Glaser Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, PC (512) 322-5881
78
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 78
August 2020
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 79
79
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
Jasmine Harding Doyle & Seelbach, PLLC (512) 643-7239 Austin Kaplan Kaplan Law Firm (512) 553-9390 Blair J. Leake Wright & Greenhill, PC (512) 961-4389 Laura Merritt Boulette Golden & Marin, LLP (512) 732-8903
Laurie M. Higginbotham Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346 Hunter Hillin Hillin Law, PLLC (512) 236-1418 Jacob Mancha The Carlson Law Firm (512) 346-5688 PERSONAL INJURY
Tom Nesbitt DeShazo & Nesbitt, LLP (512) 617-5562 Stephanie S. Rojo Thompson Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP (512) 703-5047 Karen Vladeck Wittliff Cutter, PLLC (512) 960-4865 Colin William Walsh Wiley Walsh, PC (512) 271-5527
Jamal K. Alsaffar Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346 Eugene W. Brees◆ Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346 Hayden Briggle Briggle & Polan, PLLC (512) 472-1926
LAND USE ENVIRONMENT
Samia R. Broadaway Baker Botts, LLP (512) 322-2676
Kenneth P. Gober III Lee, Gober & Reyna, PLLC (512) 800-8000 Thomas R. Harkness◆ Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346 Steven Haspel★ Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346 Elissa I. Henry Elissa I. Henry Law Firm, PLLC (512) 766-4529 Robert A. House Law Office of Robert House, PLLC (512) 872-2264 Randy Howry Howry, Breen & Herman, LLP (512) 751-8237
DEFENSE
Dan Christensen DC Law, PLLC (512) 888-9999
Tasha L. Barnes Thompson Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP (512) 703-5038
Scott Crivelli Gibbs & Crivelli, PLLC (800) 488-7840
Todd Kelly The Carlson Law Firm (512) 346-5688
J.T. Borah The Carlson Law Firm (512) 804-7277
Joshua Crowley The Carlson Law Firm (512) 346-5688
Nathan L. Kennedy Gray & Becker, PC (512) 482-0061
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Jeff Edwards Edwards Law (512) 623-7727
Judy Kostura Kostura & Putman, PC (512) 328-9099
Roberto Flores The Carlson Law Firm (512) 671-7277
Adam Loewy Loewy Law Firm (737) 888-5051
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
PLAINTIFF
Michelle M. Cheng Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 80
Joseph Caputo Zinda Law Group, PLLC (512) 246-2224
Drew Gibbs Gibbs & Crivelli, PLLC (800) 488-7840
Tom Jacob Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346
Paulina Williams Baker Botts, LLP (512) 322-2543
80
Elecia Byrd ★ Zinda Law Group, PLLC (512) 246-2224
Josh Fogelman FVF Law Firm (512) 982-9328
August 2020
7/2/20 1:22 PM
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 81
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
Christine Londergan★ DC Law, PLLC (512) 888-9999 Jaime Lynn The Carlson Law Firm (512) 671-7277 Nick Merz★ The Carlson Law Firm (512) 346-5688 Parker Polan Briggle & Polan, PLLC (512) 472-1926 Bethbiriah Sanchez★ Sanchez Law (512) 400-2420 Kimberly Solomon Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP (512) 687-6915 Neil Solomon Zinda Law Group, PLLC (512) 246-2224 Guilherme Vasconcelos★ DC Law, PLLC (512) 888-9999 Scott S. Vasquez Vasquez Law Firm (512) 975-8300 William O. Whitehurst Jr.◆ Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC (512) 476-4346 John C. Zinda Zinda Law Group, PLLC (512) 246-2224 PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE NON-MEDICAL DEFENSE
Paige Arnette Amstutz Scott Douglass & McConnico, LLP (512) 495-6300 Michael W. Johnson Cook Brooks Johnson, PLLC (512) 381-3003 REAL ESTATE
Sara M. Foskitt Foskitt Law Office, PLLC. (512) 368-8070
82
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 82
August 2020
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 83
83
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
Cara Mittleman Kelly Greenberg Traurig, LLP (512) 320-7200 Jennifer MacGeorge MacGeorge Law Firm, PLLC (512) 215-4129 Emily Morris The Morris Law Firm, PLLC (512) 309-5351 Jill G. Murphy Ruffner Schoenbaum, PLLC (512) 275-6277 Farren Sheehan Sheehan Law, PLLC (512) 251-4553 TAX LAW
Danielle Ahlrich Martens, Todd, Leonard & Ahlrich (512) 542-9898 Lorri Michel Michel Gray & Rogers, LLP (512) 477-0200 Robert E. Reetz Jr. McGinnis Lochridge, LLP (512) 495-6020 TECHNOLOGY/VIRTUAL
Slade Cutter Wittliff Cutter, PLLC (512) 960-4865 Jennifer M. McGrew Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, PC (512) 338-5438 TRAFFIC LAW
Virginia Kay Covarrubia Haller and Covarrubia, PLLC (512) 982-6069 Eugene Haller Haller and Covarrubia, PLLC (512) 982-6069 WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING
Katherine Akinc Brink Bennett Golden, PLLC (512) 643-3338 Leigh Vance Banaszak Barnes Lipscomb Stewart & Ott, PLLC (512) 328-8355
84
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 84
August 2020
7/1/20 1:48 PM
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 85
85
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
Elizabeth Brenner Elizabeth Brenner, Attorney at Law (512) 338-5322 Jessica A. Brown The Law Office of Jessica A. Brown, PLLC (512) 730-0574 Susan J. Haney The Haney Law Firm (512) 476-2212 Caitlin Haney Johnston The Haney Law Firm (512) 476-2212 Brooke Hardie Hardie Law, PLLC (512) 374-4922 Ifeoma Ibekwe Ibekwe Law, PLLC (512) 505-2753 Julia Jonas The Karisch Law Firm, PLLC (512) 328-6346 Tracy Kasparek Kasparek Law (512) 215-3407 Alison Lenner McGinnis Lochridge, LLP (512) 495-6079 Eric W. Nelson Warren & Lewis (512) 469-9500 Elizabeth Nielsen Nielsen Law, PLLC (512) 522-2890 Carolyn Collins Ostrom◆ Collins Ostrom, PLLC (512) 617-1560 Pamela Parker◆ Parker Counsel Legal Services (833) 733-2668 Douglas J. Paul McGinnis Lochridge, LLP (512) 495-6170 Brad Wiewel The Wiewel Law Firm (512) 480-8828
86
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 86
August 2020
7/2/20 1:22 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 87
87
7/2/20 1:22 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
WORKER’S COMPENSATION
Chadwick Lee The Chadwick Lee Law Firm (512) 419-1234 Gary L. Rodriguez Law Office of Gary L. Rodriguez, PC (512) 326-2622
METHODOLOGY & DISCLAIMER Austin Monthly partnered with DataJoe Research, a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification that conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create the list, we facilitated an online peer-voting process in which licensed attorneys could nominate their most esteemed peers for inclusion in the list. DataJoe then tallied the votes and generated a list of winners. Professionals cannot pay to be part of the list. We recognize that there are many good lawyers who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding attorneys in the region. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective attorneys may not appear on the list. Disclaimers DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from Austin Monthly and DataJoe. If you see an error in the information listed, please contact info@ austinmonthly.com. AWARD PLAQUES Attorneys: Congratulations on this honor! Celebrate this award with a custom plaque to display in your office. Visit austinmonthly.com/plaques for pricing and details.
88
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 88
August 2020
7/1/20 1:48 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 89
89
7/2/20 1:22 PM
90
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 90
August 2020
7/1/20 1:48 PM
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 91
91
7/1/20 1:48 PM
92
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 92
August 2020
BY TK
7/2/20 10:46 AM
BY TK
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 93
August 2020
93
7/1/20 1:48 PM
94
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 94
August 2020
BY TK
7/1/20 1:48 PM
BY TK
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 95
August 2020
95
7/1/20 1:48 PM
96
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 96
August 2020
BY TK
7/1/20 1:48 PM
BY TK
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 97
August 2020
97
7/1/20 1:48 PM
98
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 98
August 2020
BY TK
7/1/20 1:48 PM
BY TK
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 99
August 2020
99
7/1/20 1:48 PM
100
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 100
August 2020
BY TK
7/1/20 1:48 PM
August 2020
68-101_FEA_Attorneys.indd 101
101
7/1/20 1:49 PM
The World According to McConaughey C O N T I N U E D F RO M PAG E 6 7
advertising, etc.) in an environment of experiential learning, he’d like to build avenues of “cross-pollination” between local businesses and universities. In McConaughey’s ideal world, graduates of UT, Huston-Tillotson, and other area schools would have a more direct pipeline to better jobs in the city. He and the mayor are aligned in this regard, because, as Adler says, “The more we hire people that live here, we’ll have fewer people coming to take those jobs. And it will make the quality of life better for those that are already here.” Although neither comes right out and says it explicitly, they have their own concerns regarding the record number of California and New York expats arriving daily. Not only because it’s driving skilled Texans to seek economic betterment outside the state, but for McConaughey, it’s sapping the culture that has long made Austin a unique place to live. And that’s the impetus behind the other major directive in his Minister of Culture role, a values campaign that will emphasize an array of dos and don’ts (horn honking and lawsuit-chasing are especially big targets), as well as a litany of aphorisms that will be splashed across murals, bridge abutments, buses, and in pamphlets provided to hotels for South by Southwest visitors. “There are a lot of people moving here that need a little initiation,” he says, punctuating the last word in four distinct syllables. “An education of who we are. Don’t move here from San Francisco or Seattle and try to turn this town into the reason you left the last place. You moved for a reason. We need to shepherd ourselves and have the confidence to say this is who we are. We need to look inside ourselves as a city, so we don’t look back with regret as we turn into one of those big cities that grew way too fast and lost their DNA.” BUILDING A LEGACY Two seemingly inconsequential things happened on the set of Dazed and Confused that not only changed the trajectory of the movie, but McConaughey’s life moving forward. First, he was given a mixtape by director Richard Linklater consisting of songs he thought David Wooderson would listen to in his 1970 Chevelle. Rather than telling McConaughey who the character was, he let him do the research and figure it out for himself— establishing a collaborative environment that led to major script rewrites and a much more substantial role for the older stoner-philosopher who still prefers hanging out with high school girls. The other was more impromptu and organic. Linklater says that the moment McConaughey first showed up at Top Notch and uttered his improvised (and now iconic) “alright, alright, alright” at the red-headed Marissa Ribisi, the rest of the cast looked up to him with the kind of reverence reserved for a cooler older sibling. Even though most of them were far more established in their careers, McConaughey became a leader on set, rallying them in motivational pep talks that helped fuse the sprawling ensemble, like a coach in a locker room huddle. “He was a young guy with no real experience, and yet he was someone everyone looked up to,” Linklater says. “Matthew is the kind of person who accepts that with a certain kind of grace. It’s not an aggressive thing. It just seems to fall on him, and he takes it sweetly.” Through his many endeavors over the decades, he’s used both experiences to help carry out his lofty ambitions. He’s leveraged his platform to become an educator and an influencing presence within UT sports. Vice president and athletics director Chris Del Conte says he’s deeply ingrained in the planning of the new basketball arena (“He’s involved with the design, the furniture, you name it, my man is involved.”), and 102
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 102
August 2020
7/1/20 10:58 AM
he is leaned upon as a sounding board for issues affecting the department, including a recent exchange about best practices to use during the COVID-19 pandemic. McConaughey candidly admits to staking out the Minister of Culture title at a university level so that he could prove his merit and move on to bigger things. As a father, at 50, he thinks about legacy a lot these days: “doing something that will stand the test of time.” There’s a reason why he and his wife, designer and model Camila Alves, have chosen Austin to put down roots. Because they see the city as a place to make a meaningful impact. “I can live anywhere in the world, but this is where I want to raise my children. Austin is where I got started, and it’s a city that’s treated me well,” he says. “I look up though, and we’re growing so fast. I have to ask: ‘Do we have control of this thing?’” That takes us back to that first mixtape filled with Ted Nugent and other ’70s rock that aided McConaughey in channeling the character of Wooderson on the set of Dazed and Confused. Not only has he repeated the practice to develop Rust Cohle (True Detective), the chestthumping Mark Hanna (The Wolf of Wall Street), and Dallas Buyers Club’s Ron Woodroof, the part that won him an Oscar in 2014, he’s using it to shape his message as the city’s first Minister of Culture. Those aphorisms and affirmations soon to be seen on billboards and sides of buildings? He sees them like lyrics in a larger song. Songs that weave together into a mixtape. An earworm the entire city wants to hum along to. This isn’t legislation, he’s quick to interject, but a vibe and a set of principles that motivates the community into working together for the benefit of a booming metropolis—one that doesn’t have to be sacrificed at the altar of progress. “I just want to give Austin our soundtrack,” he says. “I see that as core messaging reminding us of who we are. What investments can we make today that will give us more R-O-I tomorrow?” He claps his hands together with a jarring smack, and his voice rises an octave. “We can’t let it slip away from us. And that’s going to take all hands on deck. C’mon!” August 2020
62-67,102-103_FEA_McConaughey.indd 103
103
7/1/20 10:58 AM
Weird History Prehistoric Discovery
Elephant in the Room Mastodon mania consumed 1980s Austin after seven skeletons of the prehistoric creatures were unearthed downtown. By Rosie Ninesling a UT professor and paleontologist, dated the ancient remains at 17,000 years old. As word spread, mastodon fever overtook Austin. Capitalizing on this attention, TCC threw an “I Saw the Mastodon Day,” and kids from across the city flocked to see the excavation site. Branded shirts and caps were distributed, and vendors sold themed street food, like the kitschy “Mastadon Fajitas” (which were, thankfully, just made of beef). Despite the initial excitement, most people today are oblivious to Congress Avenue’s prehistoric legacy. The children once awash in wonder are now grown, the unearthed bones now plastered and tucked away at research centers. And yet, a fittingly off-beat tribute still remains nearby: The underground jazz bar The Elephant Room was named in honor of the discovery.
Workers carefully excavate the remains of several mastodons.
Volume 28/Number 8, August 2020, Austin Monthly (Publication No. 001-163), is published monthly, 12 times a year, by Open Sky Media, Inc., 1712 Rio Grande Street, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78701. Subscriptions are $14.95 per year for 12 issues. For customer service inquiries or to change your address by providing both the old and new addresses, contact: Austin Monthly, P.O. Box 15815, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5815. Telephone (818) 286-3160 or email subscriptions@ austinmonthly.com. Periodicals postage paid at Austin, TX, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2020 by Open Sky Media, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts without return postage will not be returned. DISCLAIMER: Advertisements in the publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Austin Monthly, PO Box 15815, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5815.
104
104_WeirdHistory.indd 104
C O U RT ESY T R A M M E L L C ROW C O M PA N Y
ON A CHILLY December morning in 1984, construction workers were digging below ground to make way for an office tower at the corner of Third Street and Congress Avenue. Fifty feet above them, Alton Briggs, a local archaeologist hired by Trammell Crow Company (TCC)—the developer constructing the soon-to-be high-rise—peered down from the sidewalk. It was Briggs’ last day on the job, and, outside of uncovering an old pistol and a handful of glass vials, his discoveries had been slim. Sipping his morning coffee, Briggs’ eyes suddenly widened as a 10-foot white tusk rolled out of the mud. “Stop!” he yelled, racing down to the site. According to Aubrey Haines, director of construction at TCC, they uncovered the skeletal remains of seven mastodons—the biggest discovery of its kind at the time. Within days, Ernest Lundelius,
August 2020
7/1/20 11:02 AM
0_Cover.indd 6
7/1/20 10:30 AM
August 2020
M AT T H E W M C C O N A U G H E Y • N E W C O M E R S ’ G U I D E
7/1/20 10:29 AM
0_Cover.indd 1