Austin Monthly May/June 2025

Is the Texas THC Industry Going Up in Smoke? PAGE 37 Ben Kweller Finds Meaning After Tragedy PAGE 64

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GET OUTTA TOWN! 60 WAYS TO TRAVEL TEXAS (AND BEYOND) THIS SUMMER

P H OTO C R E D I T

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M A Y /J U N E 2 0 2 5

44

Away We Go! Swim, surf, sightsee, or jet-set: From the Lone Star State to London, we’ve got your summer travel plans here.

64 Reflections of Light

C H A D WA D SWO RT H

Indie rocker Ben Kweller processes the tragic loss of his 16-year-old son on a new album, Cover the Mirrors.

Musician Ben Kweller in his Dripping Springs recording studio.

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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M A Y /J U N E 2 0 2 5

Contents

Editor’s Letter 22

26

Scout Liz Fox Roseberry’s viral earrings are turning heads 25 Find your ASMR fix with this crunchy, crackling slime 26 Get lit with this roundup of great reads from local authors 28

Feast Sterrato makes classic Italian cuisine with Asian flair 31

Inside Austin’s first bar devoted to women’s sports 34

Beat New regulation could stifle the budding cannabis industry 37 This nonprofit plans to use old city buses to help local musicians 40

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25 years of home runs and hot dogs with Round Rock Express 42

Weird History 74

ON THE C OV E R The Austin Tourist founder Yvette Arriaga cuddles a cow at Calvary Farms, by Bill Sallans.

Wardrobe: Tecovas at Domain NORTHSIDE

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S L I M E : C O U R T E SY S N O O P S L I M E S .C O ; P I Z Z A : C O U R T E SY ST E R R ATO I TA L I A N S P EC I A LT I E S ; CA N N A B I S : C O U R T E SY T E J AS TO N I C

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Beat the heat with a cool cocktail at these five new bars in town 32

Beautiful work.

THAT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL ON YOU.

May/June 2025 | Vol. 33 | No. 3

General Manager Randi Stevenson Editor-in-Chief Madeline Hollern Creative Director Mara Esquivel EDITORIAL Executive Editor Bryan C. Parker Contributing Writers Darcie Duttweiler, Hamilton Jones, Laurel Miller, Ruvani de Silva, Sophia Talley

We work to make sure our patients who undergo any procedure gain confidence and a sense of well-being.from looking, feeling and functioning at their best.

ART Contributing Photographers Kaylee Greenlee, Bill Sallans, Chad Wadsworth Contributing Illustrators Paige Renée Berry, Stephanie Elizabeth DIGITAL Digital Manager Abigail Stewart ADVERTISING

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Editor’s Letter

Taking the Time

“YOU SHOULD leave for the airport three hours early,” my dad told my mom and me as we prepared for an impromptu winter trip to New York City. I laughed, brushing it off as a classic father trope. I live 15 minutes away and we weren’t jet-setting to Paris— why would we need such an early arrival? But as Mom and I got to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that December morning and drove past a line of TSA Pre-Check passengers snaking out the front door, I had a sinking feeling: Dad had been right, and now we were going to miss our flight.

At first, we struggled to figure out where to even go, as anxious travelers undulated throughout the ticketing area and employees pointed us to the end of a line that seemed miles from the security checkpoint. Thankfully, there was a method to the madness, and we managed to make it to our gate with enough time. But if one thing was clear, it’s that burgeoning Austin had far outgrown its airport.

While doing research for this issue, I chatted with AUS Public Information Office division manager Kimberly Hey, who noted that ABIA was designed to serve 15 million passengers a year but accommodated more than 21 million in 2024. Fortunately, the facility is undergoing a multi-year expansion that will include 20-plus new gates, more parking spots, an Arrivals and Departures Hall, and 13,000 square feet of additional floor space—so help is on the way.

The summer months beckon us to hit the road or hop on a plane, which is why we chronicled a comprehensive guide to travel in our latest cover feature, “Away We Go!” (page 44). In the article, we highlight statewide spots from viral amusement rides and vineyards to areas where you can surf the waves, slide down sand dunes, or discover hidden grottos. As an upside to all the growth in the capital city, our direct flight options have also, well, skyrocketed, so we feature some of the 80 available nonstop flights in the article as well (page 49).

While temperatures rise and wanderlust settles in, I hope you take the time to plan a getaway with your loved ones this summer—not only for an escape, but an opportunity to bond and make memories. After all, it’s these indelible journeys that we end up remembering for years to come.

H AY D E N WA L K E R

Madeline Hollern Editor-in-Chief madeline@austinmonthly.com @madelinehollern @madelinehollern

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Ear and Now

J U ST I N C O O K

Never mind simple studs or basic hoops: Liz Fox Roseberry is rewriting the rules on earring design with her mix-and-match “jackets.” Inspired by artist Alexander Calder’s wire mobile sculpture exhibit in New York, the former graphic designer traded her computer for pliers, which she uses to craft dangling pieces that can pair with any stud. Playful Saturn orbs showcase her out-of-this-world spirit while her signature matchstick earrings bring the metaphorical heat. The versatile anodized aluminum pieces all function as wearable art—and conversation starters. “I love the possibilities with mismatching,” Fox Roseberry says. “People are always asking, ‘What’s on your other ear?’” The local designer has garnered more than half a million followers on TikTok with her candid commentary and whimsical dance posts. Actress Lily Collins has even sported her designs on Emily in Paris. “That was super wild and so fun,” she says. “It’s like hearing your song on the radio for the first time!”

Shop her eponymous line at lizfox roseberry.com. —Darcie Duttweiler

Scout The Substance

Ooze the Boss How one UT student built a cult following (and social media stardom) with slime.

JUNGMIN KANG HAS managed to turn play into dough. In fact, the enterprising college student began her squishy, scented empire from her childhood bedroom at age 13.

Mesmerized by satisfying ASMR slime videos, Kang decided to try making her own. With $200 borrowed f rom her pa rent s, she launched Snoopslimes—named after her pet bunny—posting her homemade creations in daily Instagram posts.

Kang began experimenting, mixing up unique textures like crunchy “snowfizz,” which she says is “super crackly,” and stretchy, smooth butter slime that “you can poke and make satisfying bubble pops with.”

That playful approach paid off for the young entrepreneur.

Within a year, Kang had amassed more than 1 million followers.

She quickly moved into an office and hired staff to manage orders. Now, at age 21, Kang has turned her slime obsession into a multimillion-dollar gig, proving that “kid stuff” can be serious business.

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Thebrandoffersanextensiverange of slimes, textures,scents, and themes, including DIY kits and a popular monthly subscription box. With a team of approximately 40 employees, a warehouse, and a creative director, the company continues to innovate with new slime experiences.

Notably,Kangmanagesallthisgrowth alongside her studies in Human Dimensions of Organizations at the University of Texas at Austin, applying academic insights to cultivate a positive workplace. But social media isstillherplayground,with9millionfollowershooked on Snoopslimes’ creative content. Celebrity shout-outs, including Victoria Beckham and Charli D’Amelio, and brand collaborations, like Glow Recipe and Make-A-Wish, prove slime can make a meaningful impact beyond just play.

“Even adults enjoy it,” Kang says. “You need to feel slime for yourselftoknowthatit’snotjustamesskidsmake.Youcanreduce anxiety, and it’s super fun and therapeutic!” Want to get in on the ooey gooey goodness? Head to snoopslimes.co.

P H OTO S C O U RT E SY S N O O P S L I M E S.C O

BY DARCIE DUTTWEILER

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Scout Get Lit

The Write Stuff Whether you’re hopping on a plane or basking by Barton Springs, these new books from local authors are the perfect summer companion. BY MADELINE HOLLERN

The Human Scale: A Novel

BY LAWRENCE WRIGHT

Whether he’s writing about Scientology, Al-Qaeda, or catastrophic global pandemics, Lawrence Wright knows how to captivate an audience. The Pulitzer Prize–winning author and New Yorker staff writer’s engrossing new novel follows Palestinian American FBI agent Tony Malik, who teams up with an Israeli cop to solve the murder of Gaza’s Israeli police chief. An exploration of the Middle Eastern conflict woven into a thriller, Lawrence deftly blends complex characters and an intricate timeline that culminates in the horrific Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Screen to Screen: The Poster Art of Austin City Limits On top of showcasing iconic performances by world-class musicians, Austin City Limits produces stunning screen-printed posters that have accompanied every concert for the last two decades. Take a trip down memory lane as you flip through more than 280 posters, from flying zebras for The Revivalists show in 2019 to a comic pop art design for Sheryl Crow in 2004. The book features behind-the-scenes details from select designers and staffers, as well as a foreword from the red-headed stranger himself, Willie Nelson, who appeared on the show’s pilot episode in 1974.

Silent Witness: How DNA Uncovered the Truth and Empowered My Healing

BY ASHLEY SPENCE

As a college student in 2003, Ashley Spence endured a brutal sexual assault during a home invasion that nearly killed her. In Silent Witness, she recounts her traumatic experience and healing journey that would later become a call to action. After DNA evidence identified her unknown assailant and brought him to justice more than a decade after the attack, Spence created the DNA Justice Project, which educates the public and policymakers on the importance of forensic DNA. Gripping, poignant, and eye-opening, her memoir will leave readers in tears—and ultimately inspired.

Greek Lovers

BY RACHEL UPSHAW

Texas Takes Shape: A History in Maps from the General Land Office

For those who love Grecian comedies like Mamma Mia! and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, this debut novel by Rachel Upshaw will provide an ideal escape in every sense. Filled with playful rom-com tropes and spirited high jinks, Greek Lovers is told from the point of view of three women who travel to the island of Naxos. In writing the book, Upshaw drew inspiration from her own Hellenic love story: She met her real-life Greek husband, Spiros, while living abroad.

Opa! Debuts May 6.

History buffs will love this visual tale of Texas, which shows the state’s evolution from Spanish and Mexican rule to becoming the Republic of Texas and joining the U.S. In addition to more than 100 maps, the book has accompanying essays on topics like Indigenous cartography, frontier surveys, and military mapmaking. Spy illustrative timelines of the Texas Revolution and even an 1894 map of Travis County among the artifacts. With commentary on changing borders, power, and political upheaval, the historical topics feel just as relevant today. Debuts July 1.

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A R T WO R K C O U RT E SY AU T H O R S

BY MARK LAMBERT, JAMES HARKINS, BRIAN A. STAUFFER, AND PATRICK WALSH

WHAT IGNITES YOUR CREATIVE SPARK?

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Umami Mia!

P H OTO C O U RT E SY ST E R R ATO I TA L I A N S P EC I A LT I E S

At first glance, Sterrato Italian Specialties has all the trappings of a classic Italian joint—wood-fired pizzas, scratchmade pastas, chopped salads. But look a little closer, and you’ll find the South Austin food truck weaves together an artful fusion of Korean, Japanese, and Mediterranean ingredients. Chef Thomas Malz (Carpenters Hall, Bangers) describes the menu as autobiographical, akin to painting a landscape where flavors form the color palette. A sweetand-smoky Shiro Dashi Caesar pops with bacon-esque katsuobushi and umami hondashi, while shoyu lemon aioli makes the Fritto Misto sing and Korean rice cakes replace traditional penne in the Ttok ala Vodka. To carefully craft his pizza dough, Malz blends Italian semolina with Texas rye flour locally sourced from Homestead Gristmill, one of many small-batch producers that the eatery supports. “Sterrato” means dirt or unpaved road, and Malz credits his co-founder Bartho Saayman’s rural upbringings with their devotion to the land. “Sterrato is the source material—the root of the journey—off the beaten path where most farms are,” he says. Follow the food truck, located on the Still Austin Whiskey Co. patio, at instagram.com/sterratoatx. —Ruvani de Silva

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Feast Raising the Bar

Powder Room

Mother’s Ruin

Wet Hot Austin Summer

From popular new NYC transplants to posh speakeasies, here’s where to grab a cocktail this season.

POWDER ROOM

MOTHER’S RUIN

THE SCOOP: Cleverly tucked away behind Manny’s downtown, this dazzling speakeasy features plushy furniture, a gorgeous gold-ceiled bar, and a cosmopolitan verve that feels like an art deco Miami hot spot.

THE SCOOP: A beloved NYC transplant, this East Side newcomer with a large wraparound bar feels like a mix of Cheers and Coyote Ugly.

Here, the ultra-friendly staff will make you an amazing craft cocktail—then shake and rattle the hanging bar lamps as they pour a shot into your mouth.

WHAT TO DRINK: Sip on a smoky mezcal libation like The Dogs of War (featuring clarified mango and Sorel hibiscus) or opt for a classic Old-Fashioned made tableside.

PRO TIP: Relish the chance to unplug as you enjoy unforgettable live music performances and people watching. The bar actually seals your phone while you’re there. (Trust us, this is liberating.)

Heydey Social Club

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DETAILS: 301 W. Fifth St., loboshospitality.com/venues/ powderroomatx

WHAT TO DRINK: Cool off with a boozy Frozen Slushy or put some hair on your chest with the habaneroand-tequila-based Space Billboard.

PRO TIP: Don’t miss a late-night order of its famed Old Bay waffle fries with caramelized onion dip: The bar’s kitchen stays open until 1:30 a.m. (Practically unheard of in Austin!)

DETAILS: 1401 E. Sixth St., Bldg. A, Ste. 204, mothersruinaustin.com

P H OTO S C O U RT E SY P OW D E R R O O M ; M OT H E R ’S R U I N ; H E Y D E Y S O C I A L C LU B : G A R R E T S M I T H

BY MADELINE HOLLERN

PAPERCUT THE SCOOP: For those who savor the finer things in life, this East Side lounge pairs culture with cocktails: The bar doubles as an art gallery featuring artists like Andrew Smenos and Nathan Burgess.

3rd Annual

WHAT TO DRINK: In addition to a rotating beverage menu based on the current exhibition, the space also has a signature cocktail list including the Why Wait?, made with Yokka Koji awamori along with chocolate and peanut butter.

PRO TIP: Look for Jasmine Zelaya’s powerful mural on the bar’s exterior wall, which was painted during SXSW as a celebration of reproductive freedom.

DETAILS: 908 E. Fifth St., Ste. 107, papercut.bar

P H OTO C O U RT E SY T H E F LOW E R S H O P N YC.C O M / T H E- F LOW E R - S H O P-AU ST I N ; PA P E R C U T

The Flower Shop

HEYDEY SOCIAL CLUB

THE FLOWER SHOP

THE SCOOP: Perched on the eighth floor of the Hyatt Centric hotel, this breezy rooftop bar boasts breathtaking views of the downtown skyline and Congress Avenue.

THE SCOOP: Groovy, baby! This New York City bar transports guests into a ’70s-inspired setting replete with floral banquettes, kitschy art, and a leopard pool table.

WHAT TO DRINK: While Heydey has plenty of refreshing tequila-based libations, the space also offers an impressive zero-proof menu, including a Lyre’s Amalfi Spritz.

WHAT TO DRINK: Beat the heat with Tommy’s Prickly Pear Margarita or a Cold Brew Martini.

PRO TIP: Grab a sunset cocktail here before a show at Paramount Theatre, located next door.

DETAILS: 721 Congress Ave., heydeysocialclub.com

Central Machine Works • June 14

PRO TIP: Come hungry—the three-story East Austin concept makes a mean maitake mushroom rigatoni and katsu chicken sandwich.

DETAILS: 1300 E. Seventh St., theflowershopnyc.com/ the-flower-shop-austin

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Feast Girl Power

By highlighting women’s athletics, this new sports pub is changing the game. BY SOPHIA TALLEY

From top: 1972 owners Marlene du Plessis and Debra Hallum; the decor includes framed Sports Illustrated covers; the bar’s interior.

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DEBRA HALLUM WAS in sixth grade when she realized girls’ sports were treated differently.

She was a basketball guard who could also throw a mean discus and shotput—but only during her PE class. Her tiny hometown of Marietta, Oklahoma (pop. 3,000) prioritized boys’ sports, so she never got to wear a school uniform or ride a bus to a competition.

NowanAustiniteformorethan 20 years, Hallum and her partner, Marlene du Plessis, are ready to shift the narrative. The pair’s highly anticipated concept, 1972 Pub, opened this spring on The Drag, bringing the first women’s sports bar to Texas.

They are continuing the trend that originated in Portland in 2022 with the Sports Bra, the first bar in the country centered around women’s athletics. Named for the year Title IX was signed into law—which ap-

K AY L E E G R E E N L E E

A League of Their Own

plied gender equity to women’s sports at colleges and universities— their new pub has become the 14th of its kind in the U.S. Many landlords refused to ink a deal with 1972, thinking the concept wouldn’t succeed. “Everything started to fall into place, except to find a space,” du Plessis says. “We looked at many different places, and they would say, Yes, no comment. We’ll talk about it.” But after finally finding a space across the street from the UTcampusanddebutingthisspring, 1972 Pub has had an overwhelming response: around 500 customers on opening day and lines out the door through March Madness. (In what felt like a divine sign from the universe, UT’s women’s basketball team madeittotheFinalFourthisseason.)

Inside the bar, Sports Illustrated covers adorn the walls, paying homage to history’s greatest female athletes. With more than a dozen pieces of sports memorabilia, the pub displays equipment from local teams and has women who play for Austin’s football and ultimate frisbee teams sign the Wall of Fame.

Violet lighting complements purple seats, tables, and merchandise, and signature cocktails named after iconic female athletes like the “Mia” and the “Simone” pair well with menu items such as elote hushpuppies or Crackerjack ice cream sundaes. All are welcome (including men), and families can bring their children until 10 p.m.

With their groundbreaking concept, the owners hope to not only defy the odds but help elevate women’s sports in turn. As part of this commitment, 10% of 1972’s profits will be donated to local efforts supporting women’s and youth sports. That way,thenextgenerationofsixth-grade girls will know that they can be athletes, too. 1972pub.com

Budding Heads As Texas hemp businesses clash with lawmakers, new restrictions could crush a growing industry that brings millions of dollars to the local economy.

BY BRYAN C. PARKER

PA I G E R E N É E B E R RY

AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Beat The City Aaron Owens, a Texas farmer and owner of Tejas Tonic, stands in a field of hemp crops.

SEEING GREEN Much is at stake in the conflict over industrial hemp.

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An ardent faction of Texas Republicans— spearheaded by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Charles Perry—have moved for an all-out ban of THC products in the current legislative session with Senate Bill 3. That proposed law, which would still allow products with other chemical compounds found in hemp such as CBD and CBG, has already passed the Senate and is currently being considered by the House.

Ultimately, one of these bills would have to receive approval from both chambers of the legislature to become law. Patrick has threatened to force a special session if heavy restrictions aren’t passed before the current period ends in early June.

Hemp industry workers like Owens and some legislators have concerns about the broad nature of the Senate bill. “My hope is that we can have a more reasonable conversation than what we’re hearing in the Senate right now,” Democratic Rep. James Talarico says. “I would imagine most Texans would not be in favor of a total ban.”

Talarico is right: A recent poll from the University of Houston found that 62% of Texans (including 71% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans) support legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes by people 21 and older. “Dan Patrick is certainly in a tiny minority here in the state who want to see it banned,” Talarico says.

The Democratic legislator from Round Rock isn’t alone in his thinking. His Republican colleague Ken King filed House Bill 28, which serves as a response to the more restrictive Senate bill but would still drastically curtail the growing industry. HB28 calls for the complete ban of all edibles, smokables, and synthetic cannabinoids along with the new guidelines for rigorous testing of the chemical potency of products.

$268 million

Tax revenue generated by the hemp industry.

$32,000

Nationwide average revenue derived from one acre of floral hemp.

53,300

The number of jobs created by the hemp industry in Texas.

40,201

Jobs that could be lost if THC is banned entirely.

100+

Different cannabinoids found within the cannabis plant.

P H OTO C O U RT E ST Y T E J AS TO N I C

SINCE GRADUATING FROM high school in Abilene in 2001, Aaron Owens has spent the better part of two decades cowboying in West Texas. He went from training horses as a ranch hand to helming his own cattle operation specializing in Corriente, a small breed of bull used in rodeo roping events. Then, in 2017, Owens decided to invest in Texas’ burgeoning hemp industry. Within a few years, he’d sold all his cattle, moved to Dripping Springs, and formed a new business, Tejas Tonic.

Although Texas wouldn’t legalize industrial hemp broadly until two years later, the entrepreneur had been in touch with friends working in the cannabis industry in Colorado and could smell the opportunity that would soon be budding in his home state. In 2019, House Bill 1325 authorized the production and retail sale of industrial hemp products, so long as they contain less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

“We grew our first crop in Dripping Springs in 2020, and it was an epic success,” says Owens, who is also a founding board member of the Texas Hemp Coalition. “We had a massive party with people driving from Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio to help us put plants in the ground for the first time—it was a cultural milestone.”

Today, he runs one of the largest organic hemp farms in the Lone Star State, located just outside of Austin, where he grows and processes cannabis to manufacture both beverages and gummies.

It’s a perfectly legal business, and it’s just one small part of an industry that generated $4.3 billion in revenue last year with an estimated total economic impact over $10 billion. But all of that could be in jeopardy if some state lawmakers get their way.

@ Austin_Monthly

Reading between the lines of the bill, it becomes clear that only one viable type of cannabis product remains: beverages. Notably, the bill also moves oversight of hemp production from the Departments of Agriculture and State Health Services to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC).

“Big liquor is interested,” Owens says, adding that alcohol lobbyists in the state have enormous power to sway policy. “As a hemp industry, we’ve got to work together, and we’ve got to learn how to dance with big liquor.”

I n addit ion to out l aw i n g mos t hemp consumables, the bill specifies that products cannot contain any cannabinoids other than THC, CBD, and CBG. Isolating those few chemical compounds from more than a hundred others contained within hemp raises another huge problem for growers and processors: “That introduces a new step that is going to be very complicated and cost a lot of money,” Owens says.

If enacted, the restrictions on chemical compounds could gut the industry, putting many of the existing businesses—an estimated 8,500— out of commission. It would likely mean that a lcohol cor p orat ion s w it h more robu s t infrastructure and deeper pockets would be handed control of the hemp industry.

And that’s not the only concern about limiting the ingredients present in hemp. “It takes all 130 compounds working together to make it the most effective,” Owens says. Proponents of that thinking say using the “whole flower” or “full spectrum” provides an “entourage effect” that offers a variety of benefits—and there’s some scientific evidence to support the concept.

A double-blind study published by Johns Hopkins University last year showed that D-limonene (a chemical compound found in hemp) reduces anxiety sometimes caused by THC alone. These sorts of findings have led Owens and many others to claim that lawmakers are making a knee-jerk reaction when more understanding is needed.

Back when he was ranching, Owens prided himself on being able to breed the best cattle at any rodeo. “I’ve always nerded out on genetics,” he says. “I got cattle that were the roughest and the toughest, the best horns, they ran the hardest.”

He has always taken that same approach with processing hemp. He was fully convinced of the “entourage effect” long before it was studied in a lab—proof that there’s plenty of wisdom to be gleaned out there on Texas ranches.

The situation unfolding in the legislature right now essentially features three major players: lawmakers out for a political victory, an alcohol industry interested in cashing in on a new product, and a collective of upstart farmers and entrepreneurs who’ve spent the last half decade pioneering hemp in the state of Texas. “We’re not going to stop, because that’s who we are,” Owens says. “We like to help people with cannabis.” To put it bluntly, those in the hemp industry face an uphill battle in the Lone Star State, but their hopes remain high.

AustinMonthly @Austin_Monthly Austin Monthly @Austin_Monthly

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Beat Innovation

Rock and Roll A new nonprofit plans to turn old buses into functtional spaces for working musicians in Austin.

BY BRYAN C . PARKER

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Former city buses could be repurposed for a variety of uses, including crash pads or rehearsal spaces.

R E N D E R I N G S BY I SA A R C H I T ECT U R E

BANDSANDBUSES have a storied con nnection, but Austinite Michaael Winningham’s latest ould take the relationship to endeavor co a whole new w level. Winningham has been playing in lo ocal groups like The Glass Family, Palo Duro, and Gold Beach for over two decades, but by day, he works as a contractor and developer of affordable housing with his company, Industry. Those two worlds collided when he staarted thinking about how to use insights from his housing g work to benefit all the artists facing Austin’s rising cost of living. “I was really trying to figure out how to create spaaces for musicians and incorporate them into our projectss,” he says.

After coming up with the idea to turn old city buses into functionall resources like crash h pad ds, green rooms, and rehearsal spaces, the entrepreneur formed a new nonprofit, Junkyard, to pursue the concept. According to Winningham, city buses are attractive to transform thanks to LED lighting systems, efficient air and heat, and extremely secure compression-powered doors. “I’ll have a weatherproofed shell that I can gut, place on properties in Austin, and make them free and accessible to musicians,” he explains.

Junkyard is working to acquire vehicles through a variety of sources, including cities like Austin and Bastrop as well as private companies that are shedding old inventory. The used buses range from $8,000 to over $40,000, but that cost can be mitigated through sponsors and partnerships. Once purchased, Winningham’s team will build walls inside the shell of the bus and add foam insulation, soundproofing material, and other finish-outs, resulting in about 350 square feet of flexible space.

Winningham even has a plan for vetting the musicians who will use these vessels free of charge: Junkyard will work with established entities that serve the music industry—such as HAAM, SIMS Foundation, and the Texas Music Office—to register participants who can sign up to use a “junk pod” through an app. Think of them as musician-specific workshare spaces available free of charge.

The final step of the process is securing locations for the buses. Luckily, Winningham’s work in the development world provides insights into underutilized urban areas.

Plus, junk pod installations don’t need to be permanent, and they can occupy smaller portions of larger lots. If the landowner decides to use the property for something else, the bus can always roll on to the next stop on the tour.

Ultimately, anything that makes Austin more affordable for artists is a route we can all get on board with.

Beat Play Ball

ARE FOREVER As the Round Rock Express celebrate a milestone anniversary, we reflect on iconic moments from a quarter century at Dell Diamond. BY BRYAN C. PARKER

THERE’S SOMETHING IDYLLIC about a summer afternoon at the ballpark. The voice of the announcer as batters step up to the plate, the smell of popcorn, and the electrifying crack of the wooden bat are etched into our collective psyche. For 25 seasons, the Round Rock Express have been celebrating America’s pastime in Central Texas. According to team marketing exec Laura Fragoso, the club operates with a guiding principle set forward by CEO Reid Ryan (Nolan’s son): “Bring joy to others through the game of baseball.” In the spirit of fond recollections, we’re digging into all the fun facts and memorable moments created over two-and-ahalf decades at Dell Diamond.

ORIGIN STORY

QUIET ON THE SET

Across two separate seasons of Fear the Walking Dead, Dell Diamond appears in nine different episodes. The site serves as a settlement for a faction of survivors but is eventually overrun and destroyed. Not that we want a zombie apocalypse, but there are worse places to be stuck—at least we’d have a solid supply of nachos.

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P H OTO S C O U RT E SY R O U N D R O C K E X P R E S S

Co-founded by Nolan Ryan in the year 2000, the Express take pride in their connection to the legend’s stalwart career: the most strikeouts ever with 5,714 and an astonishing seven no-hitters. The club even borrowed their moniker from the famed pitcher’s nickname in the big leagues, “The Ryan Express,” derived from the locomotive-like power and speed of his pitches.

TALENT SHOW

Ready for a bit of baseball trivia? Which team claims 1. Jose Altuve, 2. Max Scherzer, 3. Yu Darvish, 4. Roger Clemens, and 5. Jacob DeGrom as former members? Forget the Rangers, Astros, or Mets—everyone on that list once played for the Round Rock Express. At various times, the team has been an affiliate for the Astros and Rangers, both of which have recently won World Series. In other words, a lot of top talent has come through Round Rock.

1

2

3

4

5

NUMBERS

GAME Breaking down some eye-popping stats of a season with the Express.

1,372 Loads of Laundry

P H OTO S C O U RT E SY R O U N D R O C K E X P R E S S ; T E A M H E A D S H OTS : E S P N .C O M

ALTER EGOS

The Express has left the station—please welcome the Round Rock Donuts. For a few games each year, the Express like to take the field under an alias, complete with themed jerseys and ballcaps. The team has also recently played as the Round Rock Briskets, and their longstanding alternate mascot, the Chupacabras, makes an appearance each year. This year, the club will become the Ryan Express 34s in honor of the pitcher’s jersey number.

COMIC RELIEF PITCHER

Back in 2010, Billy Ray "Rojo" Johnson (aka actor Will Ferrell sporting a huge fake mustache) took the mound at Dell Diamond and cracked open a beer before tossing his first pitch. After being ejected by the umpire, Rojo started a brawl with the opposing team by chunking his glove at the batter before finally being chased off the field.

With all those grass and dirt stains, the organization uses a battery of high-powered industrial washing machines to get those uniforms cleaned quickly and efficiently.

10,800 Baseballs

Even if a ball gets a little dirty or scuffed, a new one is used to make sure it’s clearly visible, resulting in an abundance of balls deployed each game. Umpires also introduce a new ball anytime one is fouled out of play or hit out of the park as a home run—an unforgettable souvenir that money just can’t buy.

PRO TIP

Don’t miss key promotional giveaway nights commemorating this milestone season and honoring the team’s Hall-of-Fame owner: a Hawaiian shirts emblazoned with Ryan’s face, H a limited-edition bobblehead, and miniature replicas of Dell Diamond featuring an audio snippet of his voice.

77,745 Hot Dogs

What’s more classic than a hot dog at the ballpark? On Wednesdays at Dell Diamond, you can chow down on this classic fare for just $1—and that’s a price that even Costco can’t beat.

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AWAY We GO!

LAUREL MILLER

GREAT ADVENTURES FROM A TO Z

FROM COW CUDDLING TO SURFING TO SLIDING DOWN SAND DUNES,

HERE ARE DOZENS OF FUN WAYS TO GET OUT OF TOWN THIS SEASON.

C O U R T E SY WAC O S U R F

BY MADELINE HOLLERN

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R E E M DITI

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Curiouser and curiouser! Enter the trippy, mind-bending world of Meow Wolf Houston, which opened its doors last Halloween in the Fifth Ward. A treasure trove of Easter eggs and hidden portals, the interactive museum includes the work of more than 60 Texan artists. Don’t miss Cowboix Hevvven, a mystical honky-tonk within the exhibit that serves bites such as Frito Pie and fried bologna, and look for Houston homages like a mural with a winged DJ Screw.

(Rest in power.) meowwolf.com/visit/houston

TA R I C K FOT E H

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ARTSY

CRYSTAL BEACH

BEACH

SWIM, SURF, AND SIGHTSEE AT THESE SANDY HAVENS ON THE COAST.

Part of a 27-mile expanse of pristine beaches on the Bolivar Peninsula, this crowd pleaser is a great destination for camping and fishing.

Accessible via a 20-minute ferry ride from Galveston, Crystal Beach has beloved restaurants like the Stingaree Restaurant & Marina, which offers Gulf snapper and redfish (and will also cook your catch). crystalbeach.com

PADRE ISLAND

A L L I M AG E S F R O M I STO C K P H OTO.C O M

Bird-watchers, rejoice: This popular island is home to more than 380 avian species, including snowy egrets and yellow-green vireos. Comb the shore for shells and sea beans, and wake up early to get a glimpse of a sea turtle hatchling release, which typically take place from around mid-June to August. nps.gov/pais/index.htm

ROCKPORT BEACH

Home to Texas’ first Blue Wave Beach—a clean, responsibly managed space known for accessibility and swimmable waters—Rockport Beach is an ideal place to take the whole family. Explore the ocean via jetski or sailboat or just dive in. Avian enthusiasts will love the bird sanctuary on the west side of the beach, where blue herons, roseate spoonbills, and egrets flock. rockportbeach-texas.com

MUSTANG ISLAND

No vacation to Corpus Christi would be complete without a visit to this sandy stretch. Rent a canoe or kayak to explore the paddling trail, which passes through some of the best shallow-water fishing areas in the state, and grab your surfboard to enjoy the waves. The island also offers nearly 100 campsites for those who want to stay overnight. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mustang-island AUSTIN MONTHLY

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Follow Yvette!

P H OTO : B I L L SA L L A N S. M O D E L : Y V E T T E A R R I AG A O F @T H E AU ST I N TO U R I ST. WA R D R O B E : S H O R T S L E E V E D E N I M D R E S S, T H E A N N I E C OWG I R L B O OTS, A N D R O S E I N L AY B E LT F R O M T EC OVAS AT D O M A I N N O R T H S I D E .

@theaustintourist for more adventures

Meet Reba!

The longhorn cuddling cow

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CUDDLING

Want to boost your mood? Studies show that interacting with animals lowers blood pressure, decreases cortisol, and elevates levels of serotonin and dopamine. At family-owned Calvary Farms near San Antonio, you can reap the benefits in the most adorable way: snuggling with their resident rescues, including cows, goats, alpacas, and miniature donkeys. Owners Molly and Jason Eittreim have created a kid-friendly, neurodivergent-inclusive refuge that also features a “sensory suite” to help individuals with autism control their sensory input and self-regulate. Guests can even sign up to cuddle with a Texas longhorn named Reba. Holy cow! calvaryfarms.org

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DIRECT FLIGHTS

MAXIMIZE YOUR VACATION TIME BY FLYING NONSTOP FROM AUSTIN. No need to waste hours sitting in the Houston or Dallas airports on a layover this summer: While the capital city continues to grow, so do our direct flight options out of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). As of March 2025, the airport featured 80 nonstop destinations with 248 departures, according to Public Information Office division manager Kimberly Hey. More than 21 new nonstop flights have launched this year, including new destinations like Reno and Milwaukee. “In general, airlines will offer more direct flights during the summer because that’s when most people are traveling for leisure,” Hey says. If you have the flexibility, she recommends booking your travel for mid-week: “Every day is pretty busy, but Tuesdays and Wednesdays are our least busy days.”

Here are a few international direct flights available at AUS.

MEXICO CITY NONSTOP FLIGHT: 2 hours 30 minutes AIRLINES: Aeromexico, Delta

WHAT TO DO: Feast your eyes on spaces like Casa Azul (aka the Frida Kahlo Museum) and the most visited museum in the country, the Museo Nacional de Antropología.

A L L I M AG E S F R O M I STO C K P H OTO.C O M

VANCOUVER

LONDON

NONSTOP FLIGHT: 4 hours 40 minutes

NONSTOP FLIGHT: 9 hours 25 minutes

AIRLINE: WestJet (launches May 11)

AIRLINE: British Airways

WHAT TO DO: View the iconic totem pole collection at Stanley Park and take a scenic ride on the Sea to Sky Gondola.

WHAT TO DO: In addition to Buckingham Palace and the London Eye Ferris Wheel, check out the inaugural SXSW London from June 2 to 7.

AMSTERDAM NONSTOP FLIGHT: 9 hours 30 minutes AIRLINES: Delta, KLM WHAT TO DO: Take a boat tour through the city’s famous canals and learn about art history at the Van Gogh Museum and Rembrandt House.

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CAN’T MAKE IT ABROAD THIS SUMMER? CHECK OUT THESE FOREIGN-INSPIRED ADVENTURES IN THE LONE STAR STATE.

PARIS

Unlike the real Eiffel Tower, Paris, Texas’ 65-foot replica boasts a red cowboy hat. A visit to this town near the Oklahoma border calls for some pâtisserie from Paris Bakery, a stroll around the historic downtown, and perhaps, a detour to see the “Jesus in Cowboy Boots” memorial at Evergreen Cemetery.

STONEHENGE II

Skip the flight: A replica that’s 90 percent the height and 60 percent the width of the original exists in Ingram. Made by the late Al Sheppard and his neighbor in the ’90s, the sculptures now reside at the Hill Country Arts Foundation, along with two Easter Island moai reproductions.

ATHENS

DUBLIN

The self-proclaimed “Irish Capital of Texas” throws a hell of a St. Patty’s celebration, but Dublin is also home to the world’s oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant, the Rodeo Heritage Museum, and award-winning Veldhuizen Cheese. Book a touratthelatterandstockuponfarmsteadcow’sandsheep’s milk cheeses.

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A L L I M AG E S F R O M I STO C K P H OTO.C O M

Other states have tried to claim the hamburger as their own, but compelling research shows this East Texas town is the beefy sandwich’s birthplace. A man known as “Old Dave” is saidtohaveservedthefirstburgeratacafenearthecourthouse in the late 1880s before debuting it at the 1904 World’s Fair.

Finally! After years of anticipation, Albert Hotel opened its doors this January to much fanfare. Dreamed up by the hospitality masterminds behind New Waterloo (South Congress Hotel, Otoko), the full-service Fredericksburg haven beckons guests with an eye-catching circular pool and well-appointed eateries, including the main restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred Austin chef Michael Fojtasek (Olamaie). Take the time to indulge in some Texas-inspired pampering in its signature spa, which features a floral “Lavender Dreams” massage and warm basalt stone “Enchanted Rock” treatment. alberthotel.com

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FREDERICKSBURG

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GEAR UP

BON VOYAGE! BRING THESE ESSENTIALS FROM LOCAL BRANDS ON YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE.

Shield your eyes at the pool or during an impromptu sand volleyball game with these stylish sunnies. ROKA San Remo Air Sunglasses in Matte Black Frame - HC Fusion Mirror Lens ($235) at roka.com

Whether you’re hiking up Enchanted Rock or planning a camping trip to Colorado, this sturdy backpack will protect your belongings in style.

YETI 27L Ranchero Backpack in Olive ($275) at yeti.com

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Take a snooze in the airport, on the plane, or in the backseat of the car with this handy pillow.

Kammok Puffin Pillow ($49.95) at kammok.com

F R O M TO P TO B OT TO M : STO K E P R OV I S I O N S.C O M ; Y E T I .C O M ; R O K A .C O M ; K A M M O K .C O M

Grab a protein-packed snack for the road trip.

Stoke Provisions Original Beef Snack Sticks ($22 for a 10-pack) at stokeprovisions.com

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HANG TEN

F R O M TO P TO B OT TO M : C O U RT E SY WAC O S U R F; AV R O L I F E .C O M

For a totally tubular getaway, you don’t need to head to the coast.

Waco Surf’s unique surf lagoon simulates the real thing with pneumatic tech that uses compressed air to move the water.

“The cool thing about a pneumatic system is the variability,” says co-owner Mike Schwaab. “At the push of a button, we can change it from a big wave to a small wave, from a fast wave to a rolly wave.” For those who prefer more chill than thrill, the park features one of the world’s longest lazy rivers, a nearly mile-long waterway that meanders for a full 45 minutes, plus slides and a cable park. But anyone old enough to swim well can handle the surf experience, Schwaab assures: “There are kids that come out here that are 6 years old that surf better than I do.” The full park is open May 10 through Sept. 7, and surfing is available March through mid-December. wacosurf.com

Keep the sun out of your eyes as you drive out of town.

Tecovas Cowboy Patch Trucker Hat ($30) at tecovas.com

Dealing with traffic or flight delays?

This on-the-go powder drink will help keep you chill. AVRO Calm ($19.95 for a 10-pack) at avrolife.com

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ICONIC HOTELS GET A TASTE OF HISTORY AT THESE TREASURED SPOTS IN TEXAS.

THE ADOLPHUS

Dallas’ first luxury hotel was established by none other than Adolphus Busch, founder of Anheuser-Busch. Opened in 1912, the Beaux Arts masterpiece has been beloved by presidents and celebrities alike. But there are also purported ghosts, a real-deal Texas watering hole (Rodeo Bar), and high tea at The French Room, proving this grande dame has something for everyone. adolphus.com

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JEWELRY

It’s not called the Turquoise Trail for nothing. The 50-mile route along Central New Mexico’s Highway 14 between Tijeras and Santa Fe will thrill Native American jewelry buffs and art lovers alike. Following a visit to Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum, purchase the namesake semi-precious stone at trading posts, galleries, and studios en route before grabbing lunch at Madrid’s legendary Mine Shaft Tavern and Cantina. In Santa Fe, make a pilgrimage to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and bookmark Aug. 29: The date marks the 101st annual burning of Zozobra, a community cultural event where they set alight an enormous effigy in front of a cheering crowd. santafe.org

GAGE HOTEL

At the northern gateway to Big Bend is a sleepy town called Marathon, where you’ll find this 98-year-old property rife with Old West artifacts, taxidermy, and original architectural details like stamped tin ceilings. Relish gorgeously outfitted rooms around a hacienda-style courtyard, casitas, and a restored 1882 house. After hiking or lazing poolside, sip a Ranch Water at the hotel’s White Buffalo Bar. gagehotel.com

KIDS

Want to make the little ones squeal with delight?

Head to DFW to explore the new Peppa Pig Theme Park in North Richland Hills. Opened this March, the wee amusement park features attractions like the Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat Ride and Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster, a perfect first coaster experience for kids. The theme park also hosts live shows with Peppa and friends—and has a splash pad to keep cool on those blazing hot summer days. peppapigthemepark .com/dallas-ft-worth

P H OTO S C O U R T E SY T H E A D O L P H U S ; G R A N D G A LV E Z ; G AG E H OT E L ; ZOZO B R A F E ST I VA L : M E L I N DA H E R R E R A ; P E P PA P I G CA RTO O N : P E P PA P I G . FA N D O M .C O M

GRAND GALVEZ

Galveston’s “Queen of the Gulf” opened in 1911 and has withstood over a century of hurricanes and ownership changes. The iconic pink Spanish Colonial Revival hotel is the only historic beachfront property on Texas’ Gulf Coast, and a 2022 remodel restored its ornate Jazz Age interiors to former glory. The paranormal activity is also a draw; if that intrigues you, explore the supernatural realm by requesting Room 501. grandgalvez.com

HOTEL SA I N T AUGUSTINE: JULIE SOEFER; BRIDAL VEIL FAL LS WATERFA L L :ISTOCK PHOTO.CO M /WIRESTO CK; Y E L LOW W I L D F LOW E R S : I STO C K P H OTO.C O M /A DV E N T U R E _ P H OTO

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LUXE

To stay in a Bunkhouse Hotels property is to be dazzled by the details. True to form, the Austin-based hospitality company behind Hotel Saint Cecilia and Hotel Magdalena went above and beyond with their first Houston property, which debuted this past winter in the Museum District. At Hotel Saint Augustine, slip into a custom kimono robe before luxuriating on Italian Sferra linens or your own private screened-in porch. Burled walnut and marble accents, in-room Bluetooth speakers, sage green bathrooms, and a vinyl listening room in the lobby are just a few of the highlights of the Montrose property. bunkhousehotels.com/hotel-saint-augustine

MOUNTAINS

There’s a pilgrimage that many Austinites make in the summertime: If you can’t stand the heat, escape to Colorado. On the Front Range, take in a Rockies game at Denver’s Coors Field or hop aboard the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Colorado Springs. For an outdoor adventure, go whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River, and catch one of the region’s many fests, from Bluegrass in Telluride (June 19-22) and Food & Wine in Aspen (June 20-22) to Crested Butte Wildflower Festival (July 11-20). Looking for an iconic overnight? Enjoy horseback riding at legendary 107-year-old property The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs or brave a stay at The Stanley Hotel, the haunted lodge in Estes Park that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. colorado.com AUSTIN MONTHLY

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AS H L E I G H A M O R O S O

N

NATURE

The Burnham family has elevated relaxation to an artform with their dreamy two-story, one-bedroom cabin rental outside of Marble Falls. Situated on 200 bucolic acres, the Hill Country Hammock House boasts modern decor with an emphasis on natural materials, a concrete shower big enough for two, a king canopy bed, and a balcony fronted by 12 feet of sliding glass overlooking a wildflower-festooned meadow. Snooze in the two-person hammock, toast s’mores around the fire pit, and immerse yourself in the warm-weather soaking tub. The great outdoors, indeed. instagram.com/ hillcountryhammockhouse

Loren Hotel Austin

O

Downright Austin Hotel

OVERNIGHT

No need to suffer through highway gridlock for a brief getaway. Book an overnight stay with the best view of the city at Loren Hotel Austin. Ascend the glass elevator for expansive views of Lady Bird Lake and downtown at its stylish rooftop restaurant, Nido, and enjoy bar snacks like bluefin tartare and octopus carpaccio on the breathtaking terrace. If you’re seeking a playful staycation, Downright Austin Hotel is just the place to keep cool thanks to its Swim Club, an aquaand-peony-accented fever dream billed as a “historic pool turned social club.” Featuring a bar program designed by Travis Tober (Nickel City), the venue is essentially an ongoing pool party with live music and DJs. For those who want a hotel that doesn’t feel like one, head to Frame Hotel - SoCo, which eschews front desks and utilitarian decor in favor of zen water features, private lanais, and verdant gardens canopied by Heritage Oaks. thelorenhotels.com/austin; instagram .com/downrightaustin; framehotel.com

LO R E N H OT E L : DA N I PA R S O N S ; D OW N R I G H T + SW I M C LU B : P H OTO F U S I O N M E D I A ; D O L LY PA RTO N -T H E M E D A I R B N B : N E W B R AU N F E LSVACAT I O N R E N TA LS.C O M

“I’M JUST A SIMPLE COUNTRY GIRL”

PARTON

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Sure, we all love Dolly, but Heather Sage takes her adoration a step further. Her two-bedroom, one-bath Texas Farmhouse–style rental at 8Sages in Gruene is a luxurious, 1,200-square-foot paean to the busty blonde singer. Dolly Cottage features vaulted ceilings, a plunge pool, and a fire pit, and it’s conveniently located across the Guadalupe River from Gruene Hall. Grab an inner tube and head to the water before exploring the tiny town’s surprisingly lively nightlife. instagram.com/8sages_gruene

QUICK FLIGHT

Calling all millennials! If you grew up watching Total Request Live on MTV, you likely swooned over the smooth vocals and slick dance moves of the Backstreet Boys. Now, fans can relive their late ’90s glory with a direct flight from Austin to Sin City. This summer, the pop quintet will quit playing games with our hearts during select dates from July 11 through Aug. 17 at the city’s buzziest venue, The Sphere Las Vegas. sphere.backstreetboys.com

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T H O M P S O N SA N A N TO N I O : H YAT T.C O M / T H O M P S O N - H OT E LS ; M O N A H A N S SA N D H I L LS STAT E PA R K : T P W D.T E X AS .G OV

R SAND

ROOFTOP

From taking a day trip to the trendy Pearl district to spending a weekend strolling along the Riverwalk, there are plenty of reasons to head to the Alamo City. But did you know one of the best views sits atop the Thompson San Antonio? Enjoy a panoramic vista of the city from 20 floors up on this breezy rooftop expanse occupied by The Moon’s Daughters bar—and peek at the stars from its built-in telescope. themoonsdaughters.com

For those who’ve dreamed of visiting the Sahara, the 3,840-acre series of dunes between Odessa and Midland is an accessible alternative. Sail down slopes up to 70 feet high on a sand disc at Monahans Sandhills State Park and learn more about the region at the Dunagan Visitors Center.

There’s also an 800-acre equestrian area with three campsites and a small general campground.

Whether you’re in the saddle or on foot, the glowing sunset is the perfect end to the day. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/monahans-sandhills

S

TERMINAL If you feel like the capital city has outgrown its airport, you’d be correct: “Our infrastructure is only designed to serve 15 million passengers,” says AUS Public Information Office division manager Kimberly Hey. “In 2024, we served 21,762,904 arriving and departing travelers.” Thankfully, ABIA is undergoing a massive multi-year expansion called Journey with AUS. Soon, the airport will receive international arrivals improvements, a new outbound baggage handling system, and 13,000 square feet of additional floor space for security screening and passenger queuing (to name just a few of the planned upgrades). By 2030 or so, the airport will have a new Concourse B and tunnel with at least 20 new gates, a Yellow Garage with 7,000 spots (replacing the current Red Garage), Midfield Taxiways, and an Arrivals and Departures Hall. “It’s not just about accommodating the number of rising passengers—it’s also about preparing for the future and ensuring that Austin remains a key player in the global economy,” Hey says. In the meantime, the airport just welcomed Antone’s and Half Moon Empanadas, plus a new coffee robot installation. Now that’s AUS-some! austintexas.gov/AUSJourney

U

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UNDERGROUND

Discover what lies beneath at this tucked-away bed and breakfast near Fredericksburg. Located next to Enchanted Rock, Trois Estate has a hidden hallway that leads to a secret slide, which ends up inside an unforgettable grotto. The magical underground cave features stalactites hanging from the ceiling and climate-controlled waters where you can swim year-round. The grotto can also be accessed via a hidden door in an old chapel on the property. Fuel your sense of wonder—then cool off as you float in the calming oasis. troisestate.net/bed-and-breakfast

T E R M I N A L : AU ST I N - B E R G ST R O M I N T E R N AT I O N A L A I R P O R T ( AU S ) ; T R O I S E STAT E B E D A N D B R E A K FAST: T R O I S E STAT E . N E T

A LOOK AT ALL THE UPCOMING CHANGES AT AUSTIN-BERGSTROM.

V

VIRAL SENSATION

P H OTO C O U RT E SY R A I N FO R E ST CA F E

You never quite know what the internet will latch onto next. Lately, Gen Z and millennials are having a retro renaissance with Rainforest Cafe, making a trip to Galveston’s Seawall that much more appealing. Hop on its kitschy 22-year-old River Adventure Ride for an animatronic dose of swinging monkeys, robotic snakes, and leaf-eating giraffes that will bring you back to your Chuck-E-Cheese heyday—or at least inspire a fun TikTok video or two. rainforestcafe.com

William Chris

W Becker Vineyards

WINERIES

Get ready to swirl, sniff, and sip to your heart’s content: Fredericksburg is home to more than 75 vineyards, wineries, and tasting rooms. Featured in the top 100 of the World’s Best Vineyards list three years in a row, William Chris has led the mission for Hill Country producers to create wines made with 100 percent Texas-grown grapes. In addition to producing stellar vino, Becker Vineyards turns into a veritable Provence in late spring and early summer with its fragrant lavender fields.

Sparkling wine fans can cool off with brut cuvée and pinot noir rosé at Heath Sparkling Wines, and families can take their kiddos to sneak a peek of Blake the rhino while they sip Chardonnay at Rhinory. For those who are feeling social, Meierstone Vineyards hosts everything from star-gazing parties and Mother’s Day celebrations to estate dinners and DJ sessions. Cheers! williamchriswines.com; beckervineyards.com; heathsparkling.com; rhinory.com; meierstonevineyards.com

If you associate South Padre Island with calming beaches and icy cocktails, think again: The Texas Gulf Coast Island is also home to Gravity Park, which boasts one of the tallest reverse bungees in the world. Test your mettle as you strap into The Rocket, a small capsule for two that launches guests into the air at speeds of up to 70 mph.

Thrill seekers will also love the Skycoaster, a giant swing ride where they can pretend to be Superman while soaring through the air. After braving these thrills, go ahead and reward yourself with that frozen drink. gravitypark.squarespace.com

Heath Sparkling Wines

Rhinory

Meierstone Vineyards

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x

F R O M TO P TO B OT TO M : W I L L I A M C H R I S V I N E YA R D S ; AU T H E N T I CT E X AS.C O M ; H E AT H S PA R K L I N G .C O M ; R H I N O RY.C O M ; FAC E B O O K .C O M / M E I E R STO N E V I N E YA R D S ; G R AV I T Y PA R K : I N STAG R A M .C O M

XTREME THRILLS

Y YURTOPIAN

With two Hill Country locations within an hour of Austin, this glamping destination makes for an easy getaway.

The original Wimberley resort has six climate-controlled yurts with outdoor kitchens, hot tubs, fire pits, and private decks, plus a dedicated Spa Yurt situated on 26 wooded acres. While both properties at The Yurtopian are for adults only, Dripping Springs is nearly double the size and features 10 pet-friendly yurts—in case you want to bring Fido along for the adventure. theyurtopian.com

ZEN

P H OTO S C O U RT E SY M AG G I E G E R , T H E Y U RTO P I A N ; P O N D, J A PA N E S E T E A G A R D E N .

Craving a break from technology? Unplug for an afternoon of botanical bliss inside San Antonio’s Japanese Tea Garden at Brackenridge Park. Savor the sounds of the 60-foot waterfall as you walk alongside the koi pond and admire the verdant blooms. Guests can even buy hand-painted umbrellas from the gift shop to shade their leisurely strolls.

For more relaxation, check out soothing events like sound baths and jazz in the garden.

Ahhh. saparks.org/japanese-tea-garden

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P H OTO C R E D I T

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September/October 2024

REFLECTIONS OF AFTER THE

TRAGIC LOSS

OF HIS 1 6 -Y E A R - O L D SON, INDIE

B Y B R YA N C . PA R K E R

PH OTO S BY CH A D WA D SWO R TH

ROCKER BEN KWELLER N A V I G AT E S

EMOTIONAL

CURRENTS AND SEARCHES FOR

U N D E R S TA N D I N G ON A NEW ALBUM,

COVER THE MIRRORS.

an overcast day in the fall of 2024, Ben Kweller grabbed an acoustic guitar and curled up in a plush armchair in the corner of his Dripping Springs studio to write a new song.

As a lifelong musician who’s recorded around a dozen albums, Kweller haddonethiscountlesstimesbefore.

But this instance felt different, as he contemplated how to translate into music all the grief, confusion, and pain he’d experienced over the past year and a half. Peering through his tangles of russet hair, he began to strum, and a deluge of memories started to flow.

“Crystal child, double Gemini/A million songs in his head,” Kweller began. “Summer smile, a breezy laugh, long hair waves in the wind/ Nothin’ like being by his side, wish I could see him again/Oh, Dorian, where did you go?”

Eighteen months earlier, on Feb. 27, 2023, Kweller lived through the waking nightmare that every parent dreads.

He and his wife Liz’s 16-year-old son, Dorian Zev, had been hanging out at a friend’s house all evening, and he was uncharacteristically overdue for his 9 p.m. arrival home. After checking an app on his phone, Kweller sensed that something was wrong: The dot marking Dorian’s location had been idling ominously for too long. He jumped in Liz’s car and drove toward his son as fast as he could, navigating the twisting roads and rolling terrain of the Hill Country west of Austin where the family’s spacious ranch is located.

“There’s usually a lot of deer on the road at night,” he remembers. “But there was nothing around—it was desolate.”

Kweller’s heart sank as the red-and-blue flashers of emergency vehicles came into view.

He was suddenly trapped inside an intrusive thought taking physical form. When a car accidentally edged across the center line of the narrow, two-lane road, Dorian had swerved to avoid it. But along the shoulder, a broken branch— one of so many felled by a recent freeze—came

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through the windshield and struck him in the head, killing him instantly. A young woman driving on the road behind Dorian’s SUV had watched the scene unfold and pulled over to call for help. If it weren’t for her, the Kwellers might never have known exactly what happened.

Dorian was a torrent of ideas and enthusiasm, a “friend to all,” as his father puts it—always eager to meet someone new and up for any adventure. A member of the high school drumline and a budding musician who’d just released his first single using his middle name, “Zev,” as a moniker, Dorian was scheduled to play a debut show with his dad at SXSW in just a few weeks. “My middle name is Lev, which means heart, and his middle name is Zev, which means wolf,” Kweller explains.

“So together, we were the heart of the wolf.”

Dorian’s musical awakening mirrored the age his father was when he became an overnight sensation. Plucked out of his native Greenville, Texas, by Above: Kweller lounges in a major label execs, Kweller and chair where he writes his band Radish took off, drawmusic. Opposite page: The songwriter sits beneath a ing comparisons to Nirvana portrait of his son, Dorian, and landing him in rooms with in the family’s home. pop stars such as Madonna when he was just a teenager.

P H OTO C R E D I T

“ T H I N G S S TA R T E D T O H A P P E N I N T H E D A R K N E S S , I N T H E A F T E R M AT H O F L O S I N G H I M , T H AT W E R E L I T T L E S PA R K L E S O F L I G H T.”

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Most of Kweller’s young adult life was filled with fortune and serendipity, thanks in part to his happy-go-lucky spirit. After signing to Mercury Records, Radish toured the world, leading to a chance meeting with Liz at a show in Boston when he was just 17. Essentially childhood sweethearts, the couple fell head over heels in love and married in 2003. Even after Radish didn’t pan out, Kweller’s solo career found success almost instantly, attracting the attention of artists like The Lemonheads and Wilco. He became a household name in New York City, toured the country with The Strokes, and was the first artist signed to Dave Matthews’ ATO Records.

His first son, Dorian, was born in 2006, followed by Judah in 2010. The family moved from Brooklyn to Austin in 2008 in pursuit of a slower pace of life and proximity to nature. The Kwellers loved hiking on the greenbelt and finding cool bodies of water for swimming. An outdoor enthusiast with boundless energy, Dorian spent hours skating on a homemade ramp built in the front yard. He’d gotten an offer to be sponsored by a skateboarding company just hours before the accident.

The harrowing late February night marked the beginning of a long journey for Ben, Liz, and Judah, as they’ve tried to make sense of an incomprehensible tragedy. That process of pain and healing is chronicled on Kweller’s new album, Cover the Mirrors, scheduled for release on May 30—Dorian’s 19th birthday.

“If there’s one thing that severe trauma teaches you, it’s what it feels like to be completely out of control,” Kweller says. “You’re living in complete chaos. Nothing seems real.”

P H OTO C R E D I T

STEPPING STONES In the immediate aftermath of losing Dorian, Kweller was reeling. Standing in the kitchen of the family home—a family suddenly smaller in the blink of an eye—he and Liz felt paralyzed, entirely unsure what to do next. “Well, we need to call the rabbi,” Liz said. It was such a simple idea, and yet it gave the couple a clear purpose and direction.

That first action set off a chain of necessary steps and questions to answer: When would the funeral be held, who else needed to be called, and where would Dorian’s body be buried? That final one felt particularly difficult. Kweller hadn’t even made formal plans for where his parents would be buried yet, much less his son. But in an occurrence that seems stranger than fiction, the family had previously discussed creating a burial site on their ranchforwhenhisparentsdideventuallypassaway.

Kweller spent a few weeks looking into it back in 2021, verifying that their land met the requirementsforestablishingaprivatecemeteryaccording to Texas law. He and both of his sons even walked

to the edge of the land and picked out a spot. Without Above: Kweller stands beside a sense of urgency, they lines marking the heights of his sons, Dorian and Judah. hadn’t formalized anything Opposite page: The musician with the necessary paperoutside of his recording studio work. Wracking his brain in Dripping Springs. for who he could call now, afterDorian’sdeath,Kweller remembered a local judge handing him his personal cell phone number on a scrap of paper.

“Things started to happen in the darkness, in the aftermath of losing him, that were little sparkles of light,” the musician says.

The simple kindness reflected by that scrap of paper was the first one. Hoping there was some way the judge could help, Kweller dialed the number. The voice on the other end of the line kindly told him that the process usually took months to complete but asked for a little time to check into it. An hour later, the judge called back with news: The state would approve the burial—just move forward and they could sort out the paperwork later.

“That was the first moment of something positive that I could be grateful for amidst the biggest tragedy,” Kweller says. “I was so out of control, and I just wanted to be able to control something.”

Judaism prescribes several rituals that should be carried out over the days and months following the loss of a family member. Shiva—the Hebrew word for seven—refers to the week immediately after the burial. It’s an intense period of mourning, during which the family stays at home, generally in a single room, and the community supports them with food and necessities. Mourners usually sit as low to the ground as possible—there are even special chairs for this—to signify their grief.

Mirrors are covered with a cloth, as it’s a time for introspection

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feel through these rituals of healing. “I could be completely bitter and think ‘Why am I so unlucky? And f*ck the world, f*ck God, f*ck all of it,’ but that would be pretty miserable,” he explains. “Or I can try to find the beauty that I’ve always had a hunch existed in the world.”

Just like Dorian, Kweller is a double Gemini, meaning two different aspects of his astrological chart are in the same sign.

For him, it’s a lens to view the world, and like the metaphorical twins represented by his sign, he’s always found duality within his experiences. One of the earliest bits of BK iconography is a skull alongside a bright red strawberry; the imagery has adorned everything from socks sold at the merch table to the backdrops on stages at music festivals.

Going all the way back to his days playing in Radish, Kweller evoked that sense of the bittersweet. “We called our music sugar metal, and that’s always sort of stuck with me,” he says. “Just sort ofthedualityofsalty/sweet,happy/sad,light/dark.”Hehadalready suffered through the darkest hours of a long night, but Kweller was beginning to see the soft tinges of dawn on the horizon.

rather than being concerned with your own outward appearance.

These traditions to honor the dead are also meant to help the living begin to heal. When you’re consumed with grief, in the face of unfathomable loss, this is what you do: call the rabbi, get out the Shiva chairs, cover the mirrors. These stepping stones form a pathway across a river of sorrow to keep you from being carried away by the current.

In those toughest days early on, more sparkles of light emerged. Friends were a lifeline, showing up in ways large and small but equally vital. Continental Club owner Steve Wertheimer and his wife, Gabby, delivered meals to the family ranch, and fans turned up all over the country as shows became memorial celebrations of life for Dorian.

“We played his song ‘How I Am,’ which is one of my favorite tunes,” Kweller says. “I’d break down almost every night from that, just talking to him and yelling at him.”

Longtime friend and collaborator Ed Sheeran called with an offer to open for a stint of tour dates throughout the summer. It was another act of kindness, and an opportunity that gave Kweller a chance to keep working without having to be the focal point every night.

“Even in your own tragedies, you can always find gratitude,” says Kweller, admitting that the remark often catches people off guard. “When you hear a person lost their kid, it’s like ‘God, that’s so horrible.’ And it is—” he says, pausing emphatically. “It’s the worst thing. Then, to hear that they have gratitude? It’s like, ‘What the f*ck is wrong with this person?’”

But Kweller saw his life moving forward as a choice, one enabled by the agency he’d come to

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A L I G H T T H AT N E V E R G O E S O U T On the one-year anniversary of Dorian’s death, Kweller’s mom, Dee, brought over a Yahrzeit candle. Standing in the kitchen, family and friends lit the ceremonial flame, which burns for 24 hours and signifies carrying on the light of the departed family member. The Jewish tradition is practiced each year, but the first anniversary in particular marks a turning point away from grieving and back toward life. It was around that time that a realization crystalized in Kweller’s mind: “I know I’m going to make another album, and clearly this is what’s hitting me now, so it was just going to be colored with the emotions of losing Dorian.”

Shouting out the feelings on tour was one thing, but creating a lasting record that reflected the depth and range of emotions over the past year presented an entirely new challenge. But in the same way that religious practices provided a roadmap, Kweller’s career as a musician gave him a keen sense of how to put one foot in front of the other.

“In the middle of this complete chaos of losing my son, I was able to find comfort and stability in the idea of making an album,” he says. The emotions were raw, but he had practical matters to consider: “An album has to have an opening track.

It has to have a closing track. There are boxes to tick,” he says.

Music is its own religion, and songs are sacred rituals. The familiar routine of creating an album anchored Kweller just as traditionsoffaithhadintheweeksimmediatelyaftertheaccident.

He also had a head start, since he’d already been working on snippets of lyrics, melodies, and riffs before that tragic night.

Some of them were even collaborations with Dorian—and the songwriter was eager to give life to those unfinished parts of his son that still had a future.

“Like ‘Trapped,’” he gives as an example, “That’s one of the last songs Dorian was working on. We worked on it together sitting on his bed and in this back room before the barn was done.” Now converted into a proper studio with warm cedar walls and a vaulted ceiling, the space used to be an open-air barn with a dirt floor and miscellaneous items: a punching bag, a rope swing, bicycles. “That was where we recorded a lot of Zev music,” he says.

P H OTO C R E D I T

Kweller wears Dorian’s tattered skateboarding shoes.

P H OTO C R E D I T

“ I C O U L D B E C O M P L E T E LY B I T T E R A N D T H I N K ‘WHY AM I SO UNLUCKY?’ OR I CAN TRY TO FIND T H E B E A U T Y T H AT I ’ V E A LW AY S H A D A H U N C H E X I ST E D I N T H E WO R L D.”

Inaliteralway,Dorianhelpeddevelopthesongs on Cover the Mirrors. And Kweller invited Judah and Liz into the process more than ever before.

“Judah would come over after school and hang out with me and the band and listen back to stuff,” Kweller says. “He’s got such good taste in music that I really trust and love his opinions—and same with Liz.” Letting go of the reins was a big departure for the songwriter, who says he’s generally pretty committed to the version he hears inside his head.

The family members weren’t Kweller’s only collaborators. Cover the Mirrors also features contributions from Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee, The Flaming Lips, MJ Lenderman, and Jason Schwartzman’s project Coconut Records.

It’s fair to see all that communal outreach as an extension of the traditional community support that came immediately after Dorian’s passing.

One afternoon, Kweller was sitting on Dorian’s bed, playing a riff he’d been toying around with idly when Judah walked into the room. “Dude, that’s the coolest thing you’ve ever made,” he told his dad. “Make that a song.” The noodling progression ended up becoming “Dollar Store,” a slow-burning indie rock anthem that recalls Siamese Dream–era Smashing Pumpkins and features backup vocals from Crutchfield. “I really was enjoying everyone else’s input, and we were all missing Dorian,” Kweller says.

Moments on the new album dive headlong into intense angst and sadness, including anti-folk missive “Park Harvey Fire Drill,” raucous first single “Optimystic,” and brooding meditation “Depression.” The new record also includes an abundance of string arrangements, a rarity for the artist. “It adds to the funeral-esque requiem feel—like we’re at a ceremony,” Kweller explains.

In some ways, he could compartmentalize the actual recording process—like telling a story about something that happened to someone else. But at times, the raw emotions and visceral memories came flooding back—the song remembers when, as Texas songwriter Hugh Prestwood once wrote.

“There were moments tracking this album with Chris Mintz-Plasse on bass and Ryan Dean on drums and me standing in the middle with my guitar, where I’d be singing a song and just start crying,” Kweller says. “Definitely, there were times where it just got to be too much.”

Anyone who knows Kweller, whether personally or through his music, can tell you that his presence radiates with levity and sincerity. All good vibes and smiles from a guy who’s unafraid to be earnest—the human embodiment of an upbeat text message with an exclamation point.

Take, for example, the cover art for his 2000 debut album, Sha Sha: a lo-fi photograph of the

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P H OTO C R E D I T

BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY

P H OTO C R E D I T

songwriter brushing his teeth while wearing a fur-lined trapper hat. It’s at once humorous and nonchalant, but there’s an unmistakable intimacy. Among the songs on that first record is “Lizzie,” an open-hearted confessional about falling in love with and missing his then-girlfriend, now-wife Liz. Even when artists draw from their personal lives, rarely are they so concrete or forthcoming. But that’s just how Kweller is.

“I err on sharing more than concealing,” he says. “I’ve never been good at being that kind of an artist, so I just naturally go the other way where I’m like,‘Whatdoyouwanttoknow?Here’severything!’”

When the Kwellers released a statement about Dorian’s death, it read much differently than you might expect. It wasn’t a perfunctory announcement of the news and a plea for privacy. Instead, it overflowed with admiration and love, and it also gave a very clear picture of what happened that fateful night: “He was going the speed limit, phone in its holder, seatbelt on, doing everything right. He was freestyle rapping to his favorite instrumental playlist when an oncoming truck drifted towards him.”

The language was unflinching, with no room for speculation about impulsive choices or underlying causes. And in that way, it implicitly asked anyone who read it to confront an impossibly difficult question: Why do bad things happen to good people for no reason?

It seems like an unanswerable inquiry, and yet Kweller has a perspective that addresses it with a sage-like wisdom. “It’s not our job to try to control everything,” he says. “Our free will applies to how we react to what unfolds. You have to have humility, gratitude, awe. Of course, I wanted more than 16 years, but that’s what I got.

The whole lesson is of acceptance.”

In some ways, Cover the Mirrors is a reflection of the musician’s first album—a 43-year-old Kweller staring into a mirror at his younger self.

On Sha Sha, an adolescent version of the aspiring artist brimmed with excitement at the future that awaited and sang about falling in love with a woman he casually calls his “soulmate.” Now, Kweller is looking back at tragedy and figuring out how to find those sparkles of light that have always been so easy for him to see. What unites them is a similar emotional resonance, an artist tapping into raw feelings and channeling them directly into song. It makes sense, because so much of Cover the Mirrors channels Dorian.

And any parent can tell you that looking at a child often feels like peering back through time at a former version of yourself.

The record harkens back to Kweller’s debut not only lyrically but also sonically. Guitars have the ’90s crunch of teenage spirit, songs pulse with urgency, and every piano note feels more tender than ever before, tuned to a frequency that only Kweller can hear completely. In light of the powerful context, the fact that it’s his best

album since Sha Sha seems almost secondary.

Above: The songwriter sits at a piano. Opposite page: Kweller lies Much of the material beneath a guitar with a strap bearing came together organically, his son Dorian’s middle name, Zev. throughfragmentsofsongs stitched together, but for “Oh, Dorian,” Kweller sat down to write with intention. It was the final song written in the collection and is the most overtly about his son.

He began with recollections and flashes of moments the family shared. But then, he began to think about all of Dorian’s friends at high school and everyone else who was missing him. Those perspectives took hold in his mind, and the song became a collective memory. It wasn’t really what he thought he would write when he started, but the song just poured out of him.

A bittersweet progression unfolds with a breeziness that personifies the easygoing nature that everyone loved about Dorian.

Even as it moves between uplifting major chords and somber minor chords, there’s a bright B note that floats throughout the entirety of the song—a sustained sparkle of light that permeates everything.

“Sometimes, you sit down to write a song and say, ‘I’m going to write a song about this.’ And it’s like fighting a fight that you just can’t win,” Kweller says, imparting a quarter century of insight.

“Because sometimes you have to let go and let the song be written instead of trying to write it. That’s what I did with ‘Dorian.’ It’s not what I wanted; it’s not what I intended, but it’s the perfect song that it was meant to be. It’s that letting go thing.”

Kweller is waxing philosophical about what he’s learned as a songwriter, of course. But everything he said also describes his process of healing over the past two-and-a-half years. He could have just as easily been talking about grief.

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Weird History Birds of a Feather

Talon Show The mysterious origin of Austin’s green parakeets reinforces the city’s fabled weirdness.

BY HAMILTON JONES

YOU DON’T HAVE to be an avid bird-watcher to spot those relentlessly noisy grackles as they swarm over H-E-B parking lots. But there’s a more eccentric avian species you may have seen around town: green parakeets that have called our city home for about 50 years. These winged creatures aren’t native to the area, which has led many to question how they wound up here in the first place.

“It’s generally agreed that the monk parakeets were deliberately released, probably a few batches at a time,” says Austin Energy’s environmental program director Eric Stager, a longtime Austin transplant and enthusiastic birder.

These feathered fugitives might have been pets that became too much of a nuisance for their owners, or they might have flown the coop one day when their handlers weren’t paying attention. In any case, the practice of immigrants transporting animals to new lands—whether intentional or not—has a long history. “Since the 1700s, British immigrants would introduce birds from back home, such as house sparrows,” Stager says.

Usually, domesticated animals don’t fare well when liberated into the wild, so how have these birds managed to survive?

“The monk parakeets are a hardy breed—as colonizing, subtropical species, they survive the winter temperatures from the warmth of their communal nests—sometimes as big as a car,” Stager explains.

Though not as ubiquitous as bats, armadillos, or grackles, the monk parakeet has emerged as another sigil of the city for those in the know. They’ve even generated enough local enthusiasm to be adopted as the name of one of Austin’s burgeoning sandlot baseball teams, the South Austin ’Keets.

The vibrant birds provide an interesting commentary on regional pride. When the conversation turns to “How long have you been in Austin?,” any newcomer with insecurities can look to the monk parakeet for a kindred spirit who originated elsewhere but added some color to the city’s vibrant collage of residents. Anytime you feel skittish about how long you’ve nested here, find camaraderie with monk parakeets, the unofficial mascot of local non-natives.

Volume 33/Number 3, May/June 2025, Austin Monthly (Publication No. 001-163), is published bimonthly, six times a year, by Hearst Newspapers. Subscriptions are $14.95 per year for six issues. For customer service inquiries or to change your address, contact: Austin Monthly, PO Box 2127, San Antonio, TX 78297-2127, 512-387-6234, or subscriptions@austinmonthly.com. Periodicals postage paid at Denver, CO, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2025

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