November/December 2022

RESTAURANTS

25+ MUST-TRY SPOTS DEFINING HOW WE EAT NOW

The Best New Restaurants in Austin Stunning Sichuan, pizza perfection, and swoon-worthy sushi made 2022 a dining year to remember.

Making How Charley Crockett’s wild life and Gulf Coast Sound is bringing him a newfound fame.

HAYDEN SPEARS

Clams and dumplings at Mashama Bailey’s riveting new restaurant, Diner Bar.

Scout 31

With electronic music now everywhere, Austin is having a dance dance revolution 32

Festive events turn Galveston into a winter wonderland 34

Get lit at these four great Central Texas bookstores 36

Feast 39

Merry Monarch Creamery makes treats fit for a king 40

Chef Fiore Tedesco on the lure of the Feast of the Seven Fishes 42

Beat 45

Teacher vacancies point to a bigger crisis in public education 46

From Uchi to P. Terry’s, architect Michael Hsu has transformed Austin dining 48

Success sticks for one local slime company 50

A rundown of the best, worst, and weirdest moments of 2022 52

ON THE COVER Toshokan, by Hayden Spears

Editor in Chief

Chris Hughes

Creative Director

Sara Marie D’Eugenio

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor

Madeline Hollern

Associate Editor

Bryan C. Parker

Contributing Writers

Laurel Miller, Fiore Tedesco

ART

Contributing Photographers

Jessica Attie, Tyler Dane Hansen, Lisa Muller, Hayden Spears, Jordan Vonderhaar

Contributing Illustrators

Remie Geoffroi, Ben Kothe

DIGITAL

Digital Managers

Rosie Ninesling, Abigail Stewart

INTERNS

Caroline Coco, Layla Hall, Noor Iqbal

ADVERTISING

Publisher

Stewart Ramser

Vice President of Sales

James R. Smith

Senior Account Executive

Tina Mullins

Account Director

Dana Horner

Account Executive

Annemarie Gist

Sales Operation Manager

Kiely Whelan

EVENTS

Events Director

Lauren Sposetta

CEO

Todd P. Paul

President

Stewart Ramser

Vice President of Sales

James R. Smith

Editorial Director

Rebecca Fontenot Cord

Director of Operations

Hollis Boice

CIRCULATION

Audience Development Director

Kerri Nolan

Circulation Manager

Julie Becker

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

Open Sky Media, Inc. 512 W. MLK Jr. Blvd., PMB 374 Austin, TX 78701-1231 (512) 387-6234

subscriptions@austinmonthly.com austinmonthly.com/subscribe Back Issues and Bulk Orders info@austinmonthly.com or (512) 263-9133

Editor’s Letter

Getting in the Spirit

ONE OF THE perks of being a journalist is having the interloping ability to jump into others’ lives, at least temporarily. So it was in 2018, when I was afforded the opportunity to drive over to Georgia’s Tybee Island to take part in the annual oyster roast of chef Steven Satterfield (Miller Union in Atlanta). From personally chiseling off the bivalves from oyster reefs to building the fire pit near the tributary dock, everything felt like an event. Even though I was an outsider among family and friends, it seemed like I’d been a part of the tradition for years, as I was immersed in the culture and the natural patter of its regular participants. Why can’t dining out have this kind of communal magic? I wondered that day. Little did I know that, soon after, a similar type of ambition would become a reality right here in Austin.

While researching this year’s “Best New Restaurants” list (p. 56), what stood out was that aim for the immersive and experiential. Most assumed that dining would be altered after the deleterious effects of the pandemic, but not many could’ve guessed just how much chefs would transform their way of thinking. What could possibly cajole the dining public from the hermetic shells they’d carefully constructed over the past three years? Backyard dinner parties like those at Midnight in the Garden, where guest chefs team up with sommelier Alex Bell (Aviary) for themed events guaranteed to elicit lasting memories. The sushi spectacle at Toshokan that starts like a Scooby-Doo episode with mobile bookcases and hidden hostel rooms—then devolves into an all-out karaoke bash. Or food truck vendors stepping outside the confines of their trailers to host multicourse tasting menus that touch upon their most intimate personal histories (e.g. SXSE, Tare Austin). Look up from your plate, and you realize just how far we’ve come from a hostess stand, a fixed menu, and some after-dinner mints.

Another kind of unforgettable experience is observed in Bryan C. Parker’s profile on Charley Crockett, “Legend in the Making” (p. 70), whose exhaustive life on the road has finally yielded a growing stardom for the throwback honkytonk musician. In addition to releasing 11 albums in the last seven years, Crockett has benefited from a kind of antiquated myth-making that seems more in line with his paternal ancestor, Davy (yes, ye of the coonskin cap). In today’s social media–driven age of celebrity, Crockett has emerged out of sheer force of will, not to mention an ability to spin a mean yarn out of his long rise from San Benito. Just like his culinary counterparts rethinking how we celebrate a night on the town, Crockett is injecting a breath of fresh, countrified air into a music scene that was ready for a shakeup.

PARTY HEARTY

Want an exclusive reservation to try a number of the spots on our Best New Restaurants list? Head to austinmonthly. com/bnr2022 to purchase tickets for our big dinner event this November.

Chris Hughes Editor in Chief chughes@austinmonthly.com

@cmhughestx @chris_hughestx

Fowl Play

Maggie Stephens is an organized maximalist. “If you can have one, why can’t you have 50?” she asks, surveying her West Campus studio. Around her, boxes of knickknacks, toys, and other small objects found at thrift stores and garage sales are sorted by color and theme. What started as a Christmas crafting party in 2016 turned into a full-time passion for the artist, who carefully glues each item onto wreath frames, mirrors, and more. Much like an I-Spy book, the end product usually has a hidden

surprise woven in—a testament to Stephens’ deliberation and sense of humor. (In her Nest Egg III wreath, pictured above, see if you can spot two hungry foxes camouflaged among the birds.) “I love the idea that you can take ugly things and make them more interesting,” she says. “Or sad things, orphan things that no one wants, and make them beautiful.” View her Made by Magpie pieces and inquire about custom orders at madebymagpie.com.

—Rosie Ninesling

I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Electronic music is on the rise, as dance clubs, deejay sets, and late-night warehouse parties surge in a post-pandemic Austin. BY

BRYAN C. PARKER

IT’S AFTER MIDNIGHT on a Friday in late August, and the steady pulse of a driving beat resonates even outside the glass doors of The Concourse Project. Inside, a vibrant array of laser lights dart around a fog-filled room packed with swaying bodies as a shadowy silhouette commands an assemblage of mixers beneath a giant disco ball. Located past the airport off Highway 183 in far Southeast Austin, the space is a mecca for electronic dance music fans. Since opening in September 2021, Concourse has already booked some of the genre’s biggest acts, including Steve Aoki, Diplo, and Marshmello.

With their company, RealMusic Events, co-owners Kelly Gray and Andrew Parsons began producing electronic music shows in Austin in the fall of 2009 at clubs like Sky Lounge, Republic Live, and Kingdom—the latter of which became the company’s primary hub of operation until it closed in 2018. (Now helmed by their former business partner, Garrett Boyd, Kingdom reopened this September with the same focus.) While renowned for its dive

bars and honky-tonks rife with indie and country artists, Austin has always had a contingent of dance music lovers, according to Gray. But she’s seen an uptick in its popularity in recent years, as a network of devotees have created a tightly knit scene.

“There’s something different here with the community—people are always commenting about how they’ve found their lifelong friends or partners because of these shows,” says Gray, who sees Concourse as an influential polestar in the rising trend. “Before, the size venue that we have would seem too big for dance music shows in Austin, but now we’re regularly sold out.”

That escalating trend aligns with a national interest in electronic music, as deejays have appeared at marquee festivals across the country. No longer bound to genre-specific events like Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan, or Ultra Music Festival in Miami, electronic artists like The Chainsmokers and Odesza have headlined stages at ACL Fest in recent years.

The Concourse Project marks the first dedicated electronic music venue in Austin large enough to attract internationally renowned artists on a regular basis. Not only does the space feature a 15,000-square-foot warehouse and a smaller outdoor patio, but it also sits on 15 acres of land capable of hosting large field-based shows, like Seismic Dance Event, a multi-day festival organized by RealMusic Events. This November marks the fifth installment of the gathering, which brought out around 3,000 attendees per day in its last iteration. This year, it’s expected to draw more than 5,000 festivalgoers daily, headlined by artists like Gorgon City, Fatboy Slim, and Jamie xx.

BRYAN

Touring deejay duo Solardo performs to a packed room at The Concourse Project.

It’s not just larger spaces that have expanded the reach of dance music in Austin, as some of the city’s mainstay clubs have also increasingly relied on deejay sets. Red River bar Cheer Up Charlies has typically featured live bands multiple times a week but pivoted to more frequent events with dance music after reopening in May 2021. “People just wanted to let loose and forget and move their bodies because everybody was inside for so long,” says owner Maggie Lea.   Lea also points out that being stuck at home for months gave plenty of aspiring deejays countless hours alone in their rooms to hone their skills, and as Austin grows, the population will undoubtedly represent a wider set of interests. “People who moved here during the pandemic came from places that had more of a focus on electronic music,” she reiterates.

Dylan Reece, an Austin-based deejay who performs at Cheer Up Charlies as well as clubs like Neon Grotto and Coconut Club, says, “I’ve noticed that there are not only way more deejays, but there are styles and scenes that are being represented that maybe didn’t used to be.” Those genres range from techno, house, and trance to Latin pop and cumbia.

Both Reece and Lea note that Austin’s queer community constitutes a sizable portion of dance music’s fandom here. That’s true not only of the popular clubs in Austin’s gay district on Fourth Street, but also of a growing late-night warehouse scene. Such pop-up shows are driven by known promoters who produce events in a variety of makeshift venues, the location of which is generally announced last minute. “These are not clubs that are going to be on Google Maps or Yelp or something,” he says. For example, the event series Body Mechanics features electronic music that focuses on a sex-positive ethos. Though not an expressly queer event, inclusivity is a central tenet of its promotion. These shows start late and go even later—well after 2 a.m.—and skirt liquor laws by allowing patrons to bring their own beverages or simply not having sanctioned bar sales.

Like Gray, Reece sees an incredible camaraderie among dance music fans and the burgeoning community in Austin. So, when night falls, and your lonely heart calls, there’s a dance hall for you, whether you’re seeking a line of two-stepping cowboys or a sea of ravers. With Austin’s expanding array of electronic music, you won’t have any trouble finding a dance partner—or even a few thousand.

What to Do in Galveston

No locale gets into the holidays quite like this Texas island, where visitors can get Dickensian, explore a world made of ice, and discover a live-action version of The Polar Express. BY

MADELINE HOLLERN

Houston’s famed Anvil Bar, while Yu won a James Beard Award at Oxheart in 2016.) For some of the best seafood on the island, head to Shuck’s Tavern and Oyster Bar, which opened downtown in November. The small eatery only uses fresh daily catches in its standout fare, such as parmesan panko grilled oysters, snapper ceviche, and redfish po-boys.

Celebrate

IF YOU VIEW this Gulf Coast destination as merely a summertime spot for beach getaways, think again. Beyond its sandy shores and fresh seafood, Galveston has plenty of new attractions and accommodations to warrant the four-hour drive from Austin this winter. Case in point: In November, Royal Caribbean will debut its much-anticipated new $125 million terminal, which will be used to cater to the Allure of the Seas, the biggest ship to ever homeport in Texas. From new cruises and reimagined hotels to a trio of holiday events that beckon kids of all ages, the island is a perfect location for a seasonal sojourn.

Stay

Don’t miss the arrival of Hotel Lucine, a former seaside motor court that is being transformed into a chic hotel by Austin design group Kartwheel Studio. Slated to open by the end of the year, the beachfront space will highlight a buzzworthy restaurant concept (see “Dine”) and an incredible rooftop bar overlooking the ocean. Looking for something glitzy? The Grand Galvez (est. 1911) recently underwent a $100 million, Great Gatsby –inspired facelift that featured the renewal of its Peacock Alley, a grand marble walkway decorated with crystal chandeliers and ornate

iron detailing. Other eye-catching additions include a new Italian marble fountain, a 1915 Ford Model T Speedster on display, and a handmade Murano glass tile mosaic at the entryway.

Dine

Make a reservation at The Fancy (1), the new restaurant debuting inside Hotel Lucine, which uses French cooking techniques with coastal ingredients. The concept is helmed by acclaimed Houston restaurateurs Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu, who are moving to Galveston to head up the hotel’s food and beverage program. (Heugel is the mastermind behind

The coolest event on the island returns to Moody Gardens Nov. 19 to Jan. 7. Comprised of towering ice sculptures crafted by a team of expert artists from Harbin, China, ICE LAND (2) boasts more than 2 million pounds of frozen tundra carved into a Caribbean Christmas theme. At Dickens on The Strand (Dec. 2-4), guests can check out whimsical events like Dickens Victorian Bed Races (literally, beds on wheels that careen down the street) and Albert’s Whimsical Whisker Review, a lively beardand-mustache competition judged by members of the Austin Beard Club. Climb aboard The Polar Express Train Ride (Nov. 11-Dec. 23) at the Galveston Railroad Museum. Attendees can arrive in pajamas and give a golden ticket to gain access to the train, which takes a quick trip to the “North Pole.”

Cruise

Interested in exploring tropical hot spots like Cozumel and Honduras during the holidays? In addition to the arrival of Royal Caribbean’s new terminal, the city’s port will now host other new cruise lines, including Norwegian and (starting in December) Princess

Turning the Page

How opening an indie bookstore during a global pandemic taught author Ryan Holiday the virtues of stoicism.

BY MADELINE HOLLERN

TIRED OF LIVING in Bastrop County but commuting to Austin, Ryan Holiday started searching for office space in 2019 when his wife had a wild notion: “She saw this amazing building and said, ‘What if that was your office and we opened a bookstore underneath?’” he remembers. “And I said, ‘That’s the craziest idea I’ve ever heard,’ but for once the crazy idea was coming from her.”

Crazy or not, the book lovers went for it and planned to open their store, the Painted Porch Book Shop, on Bastrop’s Main Street in summer 2020. But just as the shop was being constructed, the COVID-19 lockdown was enacted, and the owners were forced to put everything on pause until January 2021. One month later, the historic freeze destroyed its roof. “There’s nothing quite like opening a small bookstore in a rural town in Texas to challenge and test one’s stoicism,” Holiday says. “Thankfully, stoicism is basically ‘focus on what you can control.’”

Leaning into his philosophical practice, the author began writing a four-part book series on the cardinal virtues of stoicism: courage, self-discipline, justice, and wisdom. (His second book in the series, Discipline is Destiny, came out this fall.) Following those tenets has paid off, as the shop not only survived but flourished as a community hub. While most small bookstores carry around 10,000 titles, Painted Porch only has about 750 books—a curated selection of the owners’ most life-changing titles. Now that the world has re-opened, the store has hosted events like the launch of Navy Seal Jack Carr’s new book, In the Blood, and a somewhat-controversial drag queen story time reading for kids. “[During the pandemic], people realized how much they missed going to a local bookstore and just browsing,” Holiday says. “So much of the world has become digital. I think there’s something special about a place to go to find physical books.” thepaintedporch.com

SHELF AWARENESS

From classic shops to forthcoming literary destinations, here are 3 can’t-miss bookstores in the Austin area.

Malvern Books

Bond with fellow book lovers at this nearly decade-old independent bookstore located just north of the UT campus. The space has a curated selection of lesserknown literature and poetry and hosts several book clubs, with themes ranging from works by Texas authors to books written by women, women-identified, trans, and nonbinary writers. malvernbooks.com

Vintage Book Store & Wine Bar

Located in a 142-year-old building on the East Side, this brand-new space combines two of our favorite things: reading books and sipping wine. With a convivial vibe, the shop fosters connection through regular community events like live music and trivia nights and will also have a free book exchange stand on its patio. vintagebooks andwine.com

First Light Books

Keep an eye out for this much-anticipated shop, which is slated to debut next spring inside the former North Austin Station in Hyde Park. The community bookstore will share the building with the second location of boutique grocery store Tiny Grocer, in case you want to crack open some natty wine with your next adventure.

Dream Team

Besides creating some of the greatest watering holes Austin has to offer, Arjav Ezekiel (Birdie’s), Jeremy Murray (High Noon), Nathan Hill (White Horse), and Jessica Tantillo (Kitty Cohen’s) all have one thing in common: They love a good hotel bar. Whether it’s the Raffles in Singapore, The Connaught Hotel in London, or the capital city’s own Hotel Saint Cecilia, the star hospitality clique has always been drawn to these oases of escape. To instill that sense of respite at their new joint project on East

Sixth, Day Dreamer, the group has borrowed pieces of each destination, such as a bubbles-based wine list (“more Champagne method, less pét-nat,” says Ezekiel) and a Crawley Champion Shaker machine that can whip up a perfect gin fizz and other egg white cocktails. “We very much want people to walk through these doors and not be reminded they’re in the heart of the entertainment district,” says Murray. “It’s all in the name: It’s a place to get away.” Chris Hughes

JESSICA ATTIE

The King and Ice

With his new online brand, chef Gregory Maze is giving frozen treats the royal treatment.

BY LAUREL MILLER

CREAM OF THE CROP

Just a few of the unexpected ingredients Maze works with to turn each scoop into a singular sensation.

Olive Oil

The fruitiness of first-pressed Spanish Picual olives is showcased in sundaes garnished with seasonal toppings like lavender and caramelized almond-rosemary brittle.

WHILE ICE CREAM and sushi make for strange bedfellows, comparing the two makes perfect sense to Gregory Maze of Merry Monarch Creamery. When the former Uchi apprentice launched his online company and food truck 19 months ago, he applied the same ethos of peerless ingredients, precise technique, and flawless composition to a rotating lineup of seasonal ice creams that’s racking up ardent fans among Austin’s culinary elite.

Taught by former Uchi pastry chef Philip Speer about the integral balance of savory and sweet (think white miso mixed with Oreo cookies), Maze has created a word-of-mouth phenomenon. Available through online drops, the micro lots of composed, ultra-premium ice cream sell out fast. Not even the necessary trek to Maze’s Brentwood trailer for pickup has proved a deterrent.

But a superlative scoop this is. Made from 16 percent butterfat, each flavor takes months of culinary development, as Maze searches out the highest-quality fruit, spices, and herbs, such as peak Texas peaches and additive-free purées from Boiron, a French company that sources regional varietals like Mirabelle plums and Morello cherries. After being added to milk from Hill Country Dairies coop and organic Shirttail Creek Farm eggs, the ice cream and sorbets are processed in small batches in a Carpigiani gelato machine. The end result: lush, flavor-packed pints with a sublime mouthfeel—even when spooned straight from the freezer.

Every labor-intensive component of a Merry Monarch flavor is made in-house, from nut pastes to add-ins like rye brown butter chocolate cookies, vanilla marshmallows, and strawberry-pink peppercorn ripple. “Ice cream is really about chemistry, and the seasonal variations in milk and fruit sugar content necessitate constant tinkering,” says Maze, who takes a hands-on approach throughout every step of the process.

As it gets closer to becoming a brick-and-mortar shop, the online brand has focused on expanding its repertoire of custom flavors and cultivating relationships with chefs like Tsuke Edomae’s Michael Che, who serves it at his Mueller sushi restaurant.

“I hadn’t thought of putting ice cream on my menu, but when I tried Greg’s, I could feel the love and passion,” says Che. “I formed a partnership with him because I believe the world needs to taste his creations. It’s truly God’s work.”

Smoked Malted Barley

Added for greater depth in his “Oaxacan Cupcake” flavor, which also contains cacao, espresso, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and chocolate -pecan sheet cake.

Shiitake Mushrooms →

Maze uses the mushroom stems to make a tea that’s mixed with white miso, tamari, and hazelnut oil to form an earthy base for shiitake gianduja.

LAYLA HALL

Seas and Greetings

As a child, Christmas Eve was a seventh heaven for L’Oca d’Oro chef Fiore Tedesco. Now, he’s making it one of the capital city’s most anticipated holiday events.

DEC. 24 HAS always been my favorite day of the year. Until I was 12, family members numbering in the dozens would descend upon my grandparents’ tiny two-bedroom apartment in Troy, New York, for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Although the Italian tradition typically means a day of fasting followed by a meatless banquet at night, my family took the idea of “abstinence” with a hefty grain of salt. Or at least a generous dose of saltwater.

From noon until the wee hours of the next morning, we’d come together to eat, wrestle, cuddle, and cry, the cacophony of sounds competing with The Benny Hill Show and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh

In blaring from the TV in the parlor. I felt the most loved and whole I’d ever feel in my entire life in that marathon span of hours together. It was the day that mended all the wounds experienced throughout any given year. Whether my dad was in prison, I was getting bullied in school, or I was simply stuck trying to make sense of the world, I could close my eyes and know that Christmas Eve was just around the corner.

The bounty of food prepared by my grandparents was like a magic trick. The never-ending platters of squid salad, a haul of shrimp cocktail that would have fed the entire Italian Brigands, and towers of fried smeltz scattered over yesterday’s newspaper. The shimmering spectacle was like a chandelier turned upside down on the table.

The finale, though, was always reserved for spaghetti and clams.

Given the gratuitous grazing that preceded that course, you could nonetheless sense the anticipation as the pasta was being plated. Bathed in a slick garlicky sauce of olive oil, white wine butter, and parsley, the aromas erupted from the bowl and saturated every surface in its vicinity. On Christmas morning, I’d often wake to the slight tingly heat of the garlic left behind on my chin.

The excitement surrounding the sight of that presentation would actually make me cry a little—or just shake with anxiety. Upon reflection, I now know it was a cathartic release. The visual and edible signals that everything would be OK.

In 1990, my grandmother’s health started failing, and we relocated the feast to my uncle’s house the following year. It was still a thrill for my family to get together, but the day had been sapped of some of that early Tedesco alchemy. I struggled with this void for years and attempted to fill it by hosting the event for friends and loved ones when I moved to New York after turning 19. Even in an ill-equipped studio apartment, the mise en place and the cleaning and preparation of the fish turned on a light in me. Grandma and Poppy had quietly communicated their love through food, and I quickly realized it was the same for me.

When we opened L’Oca d’Oro in June 2016, there were early struggles at the restaurant, but I knew that if we could just make it to Christmas Eve, everything would be all right. And, magically, that proved true. Even today, the holiday makes me feel like my 8-year-old self, as I’m flooded with memories of my grandparents, laughing cousins, the texture of the wallpaper in the parlor. With each passed platter of fried bay shrimp or calamari and carrot salad, guests become more like family members. New special moments not only draw us all closer— they help keep those older memories intact. Grandma probably would’ve yelled at me for changing her spaghetti and clams recipe, but carrying forward those traditions of comfort and community? Well, I know she’d be proud of that.

L’OCA D’ORO SPAGHETTI AND CLAMS

Serves 4

For the clams

48 littleneck clams

1/2 cup semolina flour

2 t ablespoons olive oil

6 thyme sprigs

1/2 teaspoon red chile flake

2 garlic cloves, sliced

3 cups white wine

1. Submerge the live clams in an ice water bath and add flour. Let rest in the bath for 2 hours then drain, making sure to discard any clams that are not firmly closed.

2. Heat the olive oil on medium high heat in a wide sauté pan. Add the garlic, chile flake, and thyme to the plan.

3. Add the drained clams to the pot, giving a toss to get everything coated. Add the white wine and cover the pot to let the clams steam open. This should take no longer than 5 minutes. Once they are all open, turn off the heat, and remove the lid.

4. Remove half the clams from their shells, reserving the other half for garnish.

5. S train the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer to remove any grit. Pour about 1/4 cup of the clam liquor over the shucked clams and reserve the rest for the pasta.

For the pasta

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage

1 p ound spaghetti

2 t ablespoons olive oil

1 t ablespoon garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon red chile flake

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup lacinato kale, chopped

4 t ablespoons butter

1/2 cup flat parsley, chopped 24 shucked clams

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove casings from the sausage and place in an even layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until mostly cooked through.

2. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water and add spaghetti, cooking until al dente.

3. While pasta is boiling, place a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, chile flake, black pepper, and kale, and cook for 2 minutes. Add rendered sausage and cook for another minute.

4. Add about 1 cup of clam liquor to the pan and let reduce slightly. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to the pan. The sauce should thicken and start to cling to the noodles. Add the rest of the butter, half the parsley, and reserved clams and toss together.

5. Divide the pasta into 4 bowls and garnish with the remaining clams in their shell, parsley, and a squirt of olive oil.

Learning Curve

Attrition has long plagued public education, but a staggering number of unfilled teaching positions this year evidences a crisis point for schools in Central Texas.

BY BRYAN C. PARKER

WHEN I STARTED teaching high school in East Austin in January 2007, my daily commute on I-35 took me past a billboard that read: Want to be a teacher? When can you start? The nonchalance of the ad always struck me as demeaning after I’d spent five semesters in UT’s rigorous teacher training program, but it was hard to ignore its accuracy. I took over for a person who resigned halfway through the year, and education’s high turnover rates were a key issue facing schools at the time. More than a decade later, nothing has changed.

At the onset of this academic year, districts in Central Texas faced a daunting staffing shortage. Following a flood of resignations last year, Austin ISD scrambled to fill over 500 vacant positions less than a month before the first day of classes. Weeks into the school year, that number still topped 200. A recent study from Brown University found that there were at least 36,000 openings nationwide, with another 163,000 positions held by underqualified educators.

To stem the mass exodus, districts such as Pflugerville and Round Rock ISD have taken drastic measures, such as requiring instructional coaches—experienced personnel who support teachers in planning, assessment, and data analysis—to return to the classroom. AISD has offered signing bonuses between $500 and $1,500, and a general salary bump of 2 percent to attract new talent. And all of those districts have even called upon central office personnel and retired employees to help fill in the gaps.

In years past, AISD refused to pay the surcharge required with “retire rehires,” who no longer contribute to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. However, the district has reversed course this year for people like Frank Pool, who began teaching in 1976 and is now back at Akins High School as a full-time employee after a 13-year hiatus. He says his years of experience make the job manageable, but adds that he’s seen education’s increasing demands force out great employees. “I kind of feel like

Michelle Gamboa resigned from teaching ninth grade in AISD at the end of last school year.

SCHOOL DAZE

America’s education system is in trouble, and the numbers back it up.

3.3 million

Approximate number of public school teachers in the U.S.

44%

Percentage of teachers who say they feel “burned out” according to a recent Gallup poll.

$52,191

Starting salary for a teacher in Austin ISD with no previous experience.

11%

Percentage of new teachers in Texas who leave the profession after just one year.

0

The number of years of experience required to be a classroom educator.

Their decision to leave rarely falls on just

.

one thing—it’s everything

it’s the battlefield, and they call in the reserves, and you’re stepping around the bodies of the fallen,” he says.

Low salaries are certainly one deterrent, but the greater issue is that the compensation doesn’t reflect the enormous demands of the job. A clear pattern emerges when talking to teachers: Their decision to leave rarely falls on just one thing—it’s everything.

Teachers face a growing mountain of obligations, including fulfilling new mandates like HB 4545, which requires one-on-one remediation for students who failed the state’s standardized test; creating individualized plans for students with special needs; learning new tech like online grading software; calling parents; trainings around everything from bloodborne pathogens to preparing for active shooters; and documenting each of these tasks to prove one’s adequacy. That’s all in addition to planning and grading, which already must be done outside the hours that teachers are in front of students.

“It felt like what I was doing was diverging from my original passion that attracted me to teaching,” says Michelle Gamboa, who resigned from AISD in May. After teaching in South Korea and California, Gamboa was shocked at Texas’ over-emphasis on standardized test scores and the pressures placed on teachers and students. “You care so much about the students and want what’s best for them,” she says, “but when outside of the classroom, all these forces are beating down on you, it’s hard to continue sacrificing yourself.”

Adrian Prado, who resigned from Round Rock ISD last year, taught Career and Technology (CTE) classes, vital skills in preparing students for a 21st-century workplace. Teachers like him are among the most difficult to find, as these specialized professionals command much larger salaries outside of the school system. Nonetheless, those abilities often translate to an even larger workload, as Prado was forced to teach multiple courses simultaneously—usually called “stacked classes,” where two sets of students share a single classroom during the same period. The result, unsurprisingly, is a limited ability to adequately address the needs of either group.

Facing widespread vacancies, schools will fill them however possible, even to the detriment of students. Florida recently passed a law allowing veterans to take classroom positions without teacher training or even a bachelor’s degree, for example. Ultimately, the problem hinges more on turnover than shortage. There are ample qualified candidates to do the work, but the profession is too broken to retain them, creating a revolving door of personnel that seems to spin faster each year.

It’s alarming that some parents have become such vocal critics of teachers, seeing as how the job bears many of the same relentless, multifaceted demands. But for all those that want to micromanage reading curriculums or abolish discussions of sexual identity and race, it’s easy to get a firsthand glimpse into the vocation. AISD will be hiring for now and forever into the future. Want to be a teacher? When can you start?

Michael Hsu

Architect

Any time you head out for a night on the town, chances are, you’re seeing the work of Michael Hsu. Born in Taiwan and raised in Houston, the visionary architect got his start at Dick Clark + Associates before landing his breakthrough project, Uchi, in 2002. Now, his eponymous firm has more than 90 employees across five cities. Hsu has created concepts as varied as upscale Sway, mixed-use South Congress Hotel, and laid-back P. Terry’s, transforming the hospitality landscape of the city one stellar project at a time.

INTERVIEW BY MADELINE HOLLERN

Your grandfather was an architect, and your mom was a painter. Did your family encourage a creative profession?

They didn’t outrightly encourage me. Being in an immigrant family, it’s a first-generation immigrant thing that you do something practical. So, I went to UT on an engineering scholarship; I was going to design computer chips. I got washed out of that program pretty quickly, but my roommate at the time was an architecture major, and it was so much fun watching what he did that I was helping him on projects. I tried to transfer into architecture, and they were like, “Yeah, not with that GPA,” so then I studied fine art for a year just to get a portfolio before I got into the program. The pendulum swung one way, then the other, then landed in the middle, which is where I’m the happiest. It’s a right brain–left brain thing.

In your 20s, you worked with famed Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. How did that experience influence your career?

I was traveling through Europe on a UT program and had my portfolio with me and knew I wanted to work with him. I kind of snuck into the office and just happened to get an interview. So, I spent over a year in Europe traveling and then working there and another Dutch firm. It’s where I

learned that for me to be a good designer and a happy designer that I needed to travel. Travel is a huge part of what generates energy for my [company] leaders and myself.

You’ve said designing Uchi was a watershed moment. What was your inspiration for that project? When I was in school 25 years ago, the best restaurants in Austin were in little cottages: Jeffrey’s, Zoot. So, it was really just making a comfortable house. [Uchi means “house” in Japanese.] I think that approach to hospitality is something we find so important: that you want people to feel at home. Even when you do something that is very elevated, that level of comfort has to always be there.

A decade ago, when your firm was selected to design Lamar Union, there was uproar over the development. Were you surprised by that reaction?

I’d been in Austin long enough to not be surprised, even though I was like, I can’t imagine people are going to be upset that we’re going to turn a parking lot into a place where 600 people get to live. It’s right next to downtown, and we’re going to bring restaurants in. It sounded like a great thing to me, but the love for nostalgia and the past—to me, it’s a huge indicator of how much care and passion people

have about this city. We saw a lot of apartments going up, and a lot of architects don’t really want to do those projects. When we were approached, we were like, yeah, we’re going to say yes to this, because that’s something we always strive to do is participate. We do the P. Terry’s, where you can get $3 burgers, but we’ll also do an Uchiko. That’s important to us.

How do you envision the future of Austin architecture and city planning?

I hope Austin can inform architecture in a way that creates a different city than the cities that you think of as 20th-century—like Houston, Dallas, Atlanta. I have this belief that Austin can be an incredible 21st-century American city in the way that New York and Chicago were in the 19th century. We have a different set of problems and a different geography. Now that technology is here, I feel like there’s an incredible opportunity to create the city in a way that is innovative. You go to Dallas and Houston—I love those cities, but I’m like, why are we building for cars still? Can’t we have walkable neighborhoods? That’s what I’m hoping for, including sustainability and environmental things. There are a lot of great thinkers here.

You keep a low profile, despite your renown. Is that on purpose? It’s such an Eastern thing. It’s also a Gen X thing. We were the stepchild generation, in between these important generations. And I think being an immigrant in Austin, you had to be scrappy. Austin back then isn’t what it is now. I was happy to just do anything. When you start with that, your mindset is just different.

How do you blow off steam?

I remember when I came to UT, my first job waiting tables, I scraped the money together and bought a motorcycle. I raced motorcycles for a long time and then had kids, and then just transferred that to cars. I do club racing at COTA at the Formula 1 track. For a while there, I was a nationally certified instructor for Porsche. I love it. Just getting in that flow is fun.

Do you have a motto?

One of my mottos is “Learn how to be comfortably uncomfortable.” Just try to keep growing and looking ahead.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Life in the Slimelight

Austin-based Peachybbies harnessed a social media trend and turned an unlikely product into an online sensation. BY

BRYAN C. PARKER

IN 2016, A YouTube trend caused a nationwide shortage on a surprising substance: glue. Videos on how to produce homemade slime using the adhesive and borax went viral, propelled by the rising popularity of ASMR videos, in which stimulating sounds—like soft, breathy whispering or the crinkling of paper—elicit a pleasant tingling along the scalp and neck. With their aurally and visually satisfying poking and pulling of the gooey substance, slime videos fit right into the phenomenon. It was in this arena that Peachybbies owner Andrea O. made a name for herself as she amassed hundreds of thousands of views for her own YouTube demonstrations. As fans clamored for her to sell her custom concoctions, she obliged with delicious scents like cookies and cream and textures ranging from cloud dough to jelly slime. Today, the company has more than 5 million followers on TikTok, as well as famous fans like Kim Kardashian, who has plugged the products on Instagram. Every Friday at 6 p.m., the business releases a new batch of slime on its website and sells out within minutes, if not seconds. In just the last year alone, Peachybbies has sold over 100,000 units of slime, prompting the company to move into its third produc tion facility within two years—the latest, a 25,000-square-foot warehouse in North Austin, which they hope will finally meet demand. Here’s a breakdown of what makes it the most sought-after slime around.

Activator Pen

Every order comes with an activator pen filled with liquid borax to reinvigorate older slime. Just add a few sprays to make it stickier and improve consistency.

Scents

Peachybbies sources its fragrances from the same oils that candle companies use, though owner Andrea O. is prone to create her own custom blends to get the perfect aroma. While scents like the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough may smell scrumptious, none of these slimes are actually edible.

Toppings Inside its themed slimes, you’ll find colorful bits and charms, such as tiny crescent moons in the Prism Potion, or miniature creatures like a turtle in the Rainbow Road.

Textures

From smooth butter slime to crunchy bingsu, the brand makes 10 different textures, with plans for more. According to Andrea O.’s therapist, the soft feel of slimes like De-Stress Dough can even be calming and healing for adults.

The Best and Worst of 2022

From brisket thieves and rabid raccoons to UT players getting more parking tickets than touchdowns, this year provided an abundance of material for our annual rundown of the city’s good, bad, and just plain weird.

Coming Out on Top

After the home he’d been remodeling burned down, then his truck and trailer were towed, Terry Gonzalez got creative. Using leftover pallets from a Circle K sign, he built a new type of “mobile home” on top of his sedan. An ongoing project that now includes chandeliers, a functioning AC window unit, and a recliner, it’s become the fascination of local social media. Gonzalez is even carving out a skylight so his pets can catch a little sun.

Cutting the Mustard

The Horns may not be back (will they ever?), but that doesn’t mean they can’t win the “tastebud championship.” As part of the new Wild West of collegiate NIL rules,

players are profiting from endorsement deals with Gatorade, shoe companies, and luxury car dealerships. UT’s star running back, Bijan Robinson, created his own Dijon mustard, Bijan Mustardson, with chef Joe Gentempo (MML Hospitality), which is being marketed as a “touchdown in your mouth.” *chef’s kiss*

Give Me Five

It was hard to get through a single episode of Queer Eye’s sixth season with dry eyes. Filmed in Austin before and after the pandemic, the feel-good Netflix show put the capital city on full display, spotlighting inspiring locals and companies like rapper BlackLight, Asian-American bakery OMG Squee, and inclusive gym Liberation Barbell Club. And the experience didn’t just impact viewers: Fan-favorite host Jonathan Van Ness enjoyed the city so much that he decided to move here for good.

◄ Unprotected Text

Call it karma, or just comeuppance for Austin’s biggest media buffoon. During Alex Jones’s defamation trial, filed by the parents of the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy, the Infowars host was caught perjuring himself when his lawyers accidently sent the entire contents of his phone to the plaintiffs’ legal team. The phone documents even revealed his longhidden finances, which showed Jones made up to $800,000 a day. Sadly, those figures weren’t a hoax.

Sign o’ the Times

Early last year, a bevy of billboards popped up with the aim of luring Austinites to Ohio by taking a jab at Austin’s cost of living. The grass is always cheaper, one could say, but any perks of the midwestern state were conspicuously absent from

the ads. Worth noting: More than 50,000 people moved to Austin in 2021, while the Buckeye State lost more residents than it gained. Does advertising work? It just didn’t.

Sophomore Effort

Don’t call it a comeback—the Verde and Black supporters had faith all along. Following a dismal inaugural season in which the club scored the league’s fewest goals, Austin FC flipped the script and made the playoffs in just its second year. With every home match to date selling out, the stalwart fanbase has proven they’ll show up at Q2 however lackluster the results—but it’s certainly more fun when your team is on top.

Labor of Love

A spate of Austin workers found strength in numbers, as employees from Alamo Drafthouse, Book People, Via 313, and Starbucks all unionized in recent months to advocate for better working conditions and improved pay. Though some of Texas’ right-to-work policies make unionizing difficult, it’s not impossible. As existentialist author Albert Camus wrote: “Every rebellion implies some kind of unity.”

Class Act

Sports are famous for Cinderella stories, but NFL star Anthony Harris gave the term a whole new meaning. Pflugerville widow Holly Soape contacted Harris via Instagram to ask if he’d accompany her daughter (and Harris’ biggest fan) to a father-daughter dance. To her surprise, he not only agreed but also fronted the cost of hair, makeup, and a dress for 11-year-old Audrey—a little fairy tale magic in the wake of tragedy.

► Thrice Bitten, Not Shy

Albino squirrels and turtle ponds are so last millennium. Now, the campus critter of choice is the cuddly raccoon. Unfortunately, the ones loitering outside the McCombs School of Business are a bit on the defensive, as several students were attacked by them in April, causing three to get rabies vaccinations as a precautionary measure.

Where’s the Beef?

The price of brisket has gotten so out of hand that, apparently, it’s becoming the edible equivalent of catalytic converters. La Barbecue has been the target of numerous break-ins this year, but in August, a thief jumped its fence and took off with more than $3,000 worth of beef straight from the smoker. The actions of the bovine baron are so strange that co-owner Ali Clem can only speculate that he works for a rival restaurant or food truck.

Raising the Roof

As companies like Tesla, Meta, and Google put down roots in Austin and coastal transplants heed the allure of mild winters and no state taxes, the city’s housing market grew at a breakneck pace in the first half of the year, topping out with a median home price of $667,000 in May 2022. Luckily, this type of meteoric growth couldn’t go on forever, as that number dipped to a (slightly less egregious) $546,000 median home price in August.

Child’s Play

A Facebook post got skewered by the likes of Reddit’s r/Austin channel and Twitter’s @EvilMopacATX this summer as an Austin couple sought a nanny for their two children. The desired candidate had to be between the ages of 24 and 28, have a master’s degree, provide their own housing, and bring their own educational materials and daily snacks, as the cabinets would be “locked during the day while we work.” The pay? A measly $18 a day for four-and-a-half hour’s work, far below the state’s minimum wage.

Give ’em Hell

Not even a dip into icy Barton Springs could combat the sweltering temps in the capital city this summer. In July, Camp Mabry recorded a mean temperature of 90.6, a full 4.8 degrees higher than the average of that month. The season also marked the hottest sevenday stretch in the city’s history, July 7-13, when the average high-and-low daily temperature was 92.9.

Illegal Formation

As the saying goes: You win some, you lose some. After trouncing the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks 52-10 in the Sept. 3 season opener, Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers discovered that his Porsche had been towed from Manor Garage while he was passing for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Sadly, this wasn’t the first vehicle-related infraction that the football squad had experienced on campus: In August, UT receiver Agiye Hall got suspended from the team after being arrested for trying to remove a parking boot from his car.

Signing Off

All of Austin mourned after saying good night and good luck to famed radio personality John Aielli, who died in July at age 76. The host of KUT’s Eklektikos for more than 50 years, Aielli was renowned for playing music as varied as the Titanic soundtrack and experimental punk rock in the same hour block. While off the air, he was often spotted at neighborhood coffee shops, where he brought his own reading lamp. In that spirit, we’ll leave a light on for you, John.

For the Birds

In a business deal that famously flew out the window, billionaire South Africanturned-Texan Elon Musk promised to purchase social media app Twitter for $44 billion before walking back that pledge. Twitter subsequently sued Musk for trying to pull the plug, and the Tesla CEO accused the app maker of lying about bot and spam accounts. The fiasco is still playing out in court like a giant game of chicken.

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation, PS Form 3526-R. 1. Publication Title: Austin Monthly. 2. Publication Number: 001-163. 3. Filing Date: September 19, 2022. 4. Issue

Frequency: Bimonthly. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: Six (6). 6. Annual Subscription Price: $14.95. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701. Contact Person: Kerri Nolan; Telephone: (512) 263-9133. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: Open Sky Media, Inc., 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Stewart Ramser, Publisher, 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701; Chris Hughes, Editor in Chief, 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701; Madeline Hollern, Executive Editor, 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701. 10. Owner: Open Sky Media, Inc., 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701; Hadley Capital Fund II LP, 1200 Central Ave., Ste. 300, Wilmette, IL 60091; Hadley Capital Fund II SBS LP, 1200 Central Ave., Ste. 300, Wilmette, IL 60091; Alan Mitchell Holdings, LLC, 1555 Sherman Ave. #120, Evanston, IL 60201; Jim Wood and Nikki Wood, 1465 Vistazo West, Tiburon, CA 94920; Stewart Ramser, 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12. (Does not apply.) 13. Publication Title: Austin Monthly. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: September/ October 2022. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average Number of Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; Number of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: A. Total Number of Copies: Average: 18,842; Actual: 21,907. B. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution: 1: Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 8,030; Actual 10,548. 2. In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS: Average: 1,685; Actual: 2,020. 4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Through the USPS: Average: 0; Actual: 0. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 9,715; Actual: 12,568. D. Nonrequested Distribution: 1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 3,835; Actual: 3,626. 2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail: Average: 0; Actual: 0. 4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: Average: 3,187; Actual: 3,812. E. Total Nonrequested Distribution: Average: 7,022; Actual: 7,438. F. Total Distribution: Average: 16,737; Actual: 20,006. G. Copies not Distributed: Average: 2,105; Actual: 1,901. H. Total: Average: 18,842; Actual: 21,907. I. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average: 58%; Actual: 62%. 16. Electronic Copy Circulation. (Does not apply) 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November/December 2022 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: Chris Hughes, Editor in Chief. Date: September 19, 2022.

THEBES T NEW RE S T STNARUA NI TSUA

Con Todo’s Mexican vanilla paleta slathered in salsa macha.

BYCHRIS HUGHES + PH

OT O G

R A PHS BY HAYDEN SPEARS

Closet-sized tasting counters. A focus on the intimate and experiential. And food trailer hideaways where chefs are creating four-star-worthy dishes in the most unexpected places (like your local gas station). A lot has changed over the last couple years, but that just means capital city dining has become deeper and more dynamic than ever.

Grilled rock shrimp at Canje presented with smoked chili and papaya.

A stealthy bookcase serves as the hidden entrance to Toshokan.

TOSHOKAN

AFTER ENTERING THROUGH the retractable bookcase that disguises Toshokan’s six-seat sushi counter, you’ll notice an acoustic guitar and a map studded with pins. It’s the only real decor in the converted lodging inside Native Hostel, and, as you’ll come to find out, these details are just as important as the slabs of fatty New Zealand king salmon and Hawaiian hamachi resting behind the counter. Because for chef Saine Wong, this isn’t just a restaurant; it’s the ultimate expression of who he is as a person.

The map on the wall represents his love of travel, and each jutting pin represents the global inspiration he takes with every dish on his 14-course omakase menu. For instance, the herbaceous Peruvian salsa verde that puddles beneath delicate wafers of sliced scallop. He learned the sauce from a fellow traveler who whipped it up on a four-day hike on Machu Picchu. Or there’s the lightly burnished wagyu short rib perched above craggy spires of a potato pave. It’s a nod to all

the braised beef he remembers from his time in Belgium—just one part of a self-described “eat, pray, love” journey that began in 2018 following a devastating breakup.

That painful moment from his past turned into revelation, though, and after landing in Austin with the original Sushi|Bar concept, he’s since disbanded to launch the greatest one-man show in the city. Toshokan not only hinges on perfectly executed nigiri (such as unagi smoked tableside), but also friendly repartee. By the end of any evening, you feel like you’ve known Wong your entire life, which makes the presence of that guitar far less intimidating. Like Chekhov’s gun, it most definitely plays a part in the festivities, as he loosens up guests with karaoke classics like “I Want It That Way.” The entire Toshokan experience is an endearing culinary surprise, so don’t be shocked—even in a room full of strangers—when Wong starts strumming chords and you find yourself singing along to the Backstreet Boys. toshokanatx.com

Chef Saine Wong layers Hokkaido scallops over a Peruvian salsa verde.

CHANGE OF HEARTH

Slices and sides on a tray have had their day. Now, pitmasters are finding inventive new ways to dish up a number of ’cue classics.

When You’re Craving... Try Instead

Pork ribs

Texas hot links

Potato salad

Brisket

Pulled pork sandwich

Smoked pork ribeye

Briscuits at Radio Coffee & Beer

Mediterranean chicken sausage KG BBQ at Oddwood Brewing

BBQ butternut mashers

Distant Relatives at Meanwhile Brewing Co.

Coconut cream soup Yeni’s Fusion on Burnet Road

Pork belly burnt end kolaches

Kerlaches on Webberville Road

Each sweet pig slice comes with an acidic jolt courtesy of fresh chimichurri and house-pickled okra.

Beef and pork are bypassed for more flavor per casing: smoked chicken, olives, feta, and sun-dried tomato.

The concentrated sugars in smoked butternut squash is contrasted with the mineral bite of benne seed butter.

This Texas twist on Indonesian empal gentong soup combines brisket with a fragrant coconut broth.

Chopped brisket is a standard here, but don’t miss the fatty pork belly that’s smoked until caramelized.

DINER BAR

MASHAMA BAILEY MIGHT be a James Beard Award winner with star appeal, having appeared on Netflix’s Chef’s Table series, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a healthy dose of skepticism surrounding her entrée into Austin. To put a finer point on it: How would her brand of Southern food translate outside the immediate history and sourcing of The Grey’s homebase in Savannah? As the chef herself says, “Finding regional identity has been key.” Inspired largely by a trip through Mexico last October, not to mention her gastronomic ramblings around the capital city, she’s nailed that distinction. Quail that’s roasted and sprinkled with za’atar in Georgia is instead chicken-fried and accented with a coffee demi-glace at Diner Bar. Her fascination with Kenyan ugali gets a Mexican glow-up here, as it’s plated over toasty salsa macha. Even her famous clams and dumplings—a dish that helped put her on the map—is revitalized with a jalapeño-forward potlikker sauce that announces her new (dare we say, better?) Lone Star identity. thedinerbar-austin.com

UN MUNDO DE SABOR

There was a moment in 2021 when Luis Mendoza didn’t think his business would make it. In just a few short months, his trailer on William Cannon had suffered broken pipes, a historic winter freeze, and his lot being converted into a COVID testing site. Down to his last $400, he made a last-ditch move to The Thicket on South First and watched his fortunes change overnight. Starting this February, diners finally got an unadulterated glimpse into some of the finest West Texas–style Mexican food in the city: crispy, buttery barbacoa tacos made from 44 Farms beef cheek; pan-fried Hi-Fi Mycology mushrooms nestled over a garlicky white bean puree; and ethereal enchiladas rojas that get a boost of earthy complexity from chile colorin blended into the radiant ruby sauce. Location as salvation? There’s a sliding doors moment where Un Mundo de Sabor never makes it to its redemptive second act, and, in hindsight, it’s one of the greatest gastronomic losses imaginable. instagram.com/ unmundodesabor_austin

BUFALINA

WHEN STEVEN DILLEY was forced to shutter his original Neapolitan pizza joint on East Cesar Chavez in 2021, it signified one of the last great indignities of pandemic dining. But if you ask the owner, he’ll admit that for all its scrappy DIY charms, his OG restaurant was always a work in progress. At Bufalina’s new location just down the street in the Holly neighborhood, former Le Cowboy chef Grae Nonas gives it an even greater facelift, with a menu that feels far more diverse and malleable. For instance, half-moon-shaped ricotta pansotti that are bathed in a verdant walnut pesto dusted in fennel pollen, and extended antipasti options like fried bread schmeared with orange-scented Stracciatella cheese. What’s old is not just new again; it’s reinvented. bufalinapizza.com

PECAN SQUARE CAFÉ

UNLIKE MOST OTHER concepts within the MML Hospitality group, its latest venture can’t be explained in a two- or three-word sound bite. It’s a cozy neighborhood restaurant dictated by the seasons. It’s Mediterranean-fare-by-way-of-the-California-coast. And then there’s the sourcing: Texas-grown ingredients as seen through a Nancy Silverton–inspired prism. Ultimately, though, it’s a spot dictated by the space itself. With wood paneling complementing the original exposed beams and slanted ceilings of the former Café Josie, co-owner Larry McGuire saw a spiritual connection to Sonoma’s Sea Ranch–style of the ’60s. And that became the entire vibe. You can feel it in the bounty of Steelbow Farm lettuces mingling with tuna conserva on a Provençal salad just begging for a sunny patio. Or chef Chelsea Fadda’s bright, semolina-based pastas, like pillowy goat milk ricotta ravioli dotted with basil oil and a touch of sweet corn. In MML’s relentless expansion, they’ve ticked the boxes on everything from slice shop to oyster shack, but its most indefinable might just be its greatest magic trick yet. pecansquarecafe.com

While working under the great Miguel Vidal at Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, Kareem El-Ghayesh had a revelation of sorts: “If you can eat barbecue on a flour tortilla, why not a shawarma wrap?” That innocent inquiry became a long-running pop-up where El-Ghayesh explored the smoked meat arts in the context of his Cairo roots starting in 2017. Now at his first solo spot, located on the patio of Oddwood Brewing, he’s doing for Middle Eastern barbecue what his former mentor accomplished with Mexican-tinged flavors. Yes, you’ll find expert post oak–smoked brisket, but here it’s served over cinnamon-scented turmeric rice studded with raisins and a squiggle of tahini sauce. Pork ribs are rubbed down with fenugreek, oregano, and coriander, then lacquered in a pomegranate molasses sauce. And El-Ghayesh’s can’t-miss lamb bacon ribs (think spare ribs with more belly fat) are complemented by a tart chimichurri that favors mint and chiles over parsley. kgbbq.com

BE OUR GUEST

LIKE EVERYONE IN the service industry, sommelier Alex Bell found his livelihood flipped upside down in 2020. As he watched his chef friends anguish over how they would pay their bills amid the pandemic, the Aviary beverage director considered losses to the human spirit: “I saw a huge gap of connectivity that I don’t think any of us realized just how much the experience of dining brings to us,” he says. Inspired to create a safe dining environment, Bell began Midnight in the Garden that November by transforming his South Austin backyard into a dreamy al fresco space, complete with a multicourse meal by chef Damien Brockway (Distant Relatives). Since then, Bell has grown his business to feature larger, sensory-forward themed meals curated by some of the best chefs in the city. Here are five elements that make each feast unforgettable. —Madeline Hollern

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED

Three other spots where dinner is served with a side of adventure.

SXSE FOOD CO.

With a goal of promoting Lao cuisine to a public largely uninformed on the topic, Bob Somsith launched a series of themed dinners in 2020 such as “Maternal Influences,” where he exposed 15 lucky diners to the preparations of his ancestors. Formerly at 4th Tap Brewing, it has since reopened at Vacancy Brewing in South Austin. $95 per person

Setting

From intimate gatherings in Justine’s Secret House to 40person parties under the skyscrapers in Republic Square Park, the dinners take place in surprising venues across the city. “We partner with locations that are guaranteed to provide a unique and fully enthralling experience,” Bell says.

Tarot

Every meal features a specialized tarot card created by a graphic designer in Denver. To craft each deck, Bell speaks with the chef about their inspiration and energy. “It can be imagery, words, poems, or albums that inspire them,” Bell says. For instance, this card (2) featuring a rooster and rolling lavender fields, which accompanied chef Justin Huffman’s (Justine’s) French-leaning spread.

Decor

“I love the idea of the seedy alongside the more opulent and celebrated,” Bell says of their design aesthetic, now handled by girlfriend and partner Jaycee Grover. She looks to incorporate seasonality to suit each distinctive menu. All of the water glasses, plates, and bowls boast classic vintage depression glass, and the duo likes to scour finds from vintage dealers and estate sales to adorn the tablescapes.

Food

Each chef receives carte blanche in creating their menu, which has a minimum of six courses. When Foreign & Domestic owners Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley did a “Nose to Tail” theme, they served duck neck boudin sausage and beef tongue shawarma. Meanwhile, Osome’s John Gocong executed a full omakase sushi experience, including

this caviar-topped tuna tartare (1).

Wine

Bell chooses from winemakers who practice a low-intervention methodology. Almost approaching a form of dinner theater, he presents each glass with spirited tangents on its origin and history: “I think it’s so important to go beyond the bottle, and venture into the human connection—because so much of what the Garden is about is human connection.”

TARE AUSTIN

If you think Michael Carranza’s truffle-topped king crab hand rolls are to die for at Texas Sushiko, head inside Texas Sake Company for an even greater introduction to the chef’s skills. Once a quarter, four ticketed guests are invited to experience omakase like chawanmushi and ice cream made from LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue beef tallow. $150 per person

APT. 115

Former Barley Swine chef Charles Zhou has injected new life into the cozy confines of this 4-year-old East Side wine bar. Moving beyond its once-rote selection of cheese and charcuterie, Zhou’s 10-course tasting menu includes elaborate small plates like duck three ways: soup dumpling, egg custard, and Korean ssam. $125 per person

CANJE

IF YOU STILL think the chicken option on a menu is culinary malpractice—a phoned-in fallback for the unadventurous, or worse, the Keto crowd (*eek!)—well, you haven’t tried Tavel Bristol-Joseph’s heritage jerk variety at Canje. No banal bird, this glistening, crackly skinned specimen is burnished in a pickled pineapple-ginger glaze that teases the senses with a floral spiciness. Already a pantheon protein around town, it’s just one dish among dozens that deftly taps into the chef’s Guyanese childhood. Converting Last Straw’s beachy interior into the type of tropical ambience best suited to capture Bristol-Joseph’s latest was the easy part of the Canje conversion. Filling the Afro-Caribbean-sized hole in the local dining diaspora? That was a far more daunting challenge, but one the Food & Wine best new chef has handled with ingenuity, and certainly no shortage of swag. canjeatx.com

The four women owners of this Thai truck outside Corner Bar like to say their brand of cooking has a “playful attitude.” And, sure, you can see that in presentations like their Killer Noodles, an Instagram favorite with tangles of pork belly–topped drunken noodles wriggling out of a classic Chinese takeout container. But don’t let those stylistic flourishes fool you, as this is the most serious Thai street food in the city. To wit, look no further than rotating seasonal specials, such as plump fried softshell crab that shatters over custardy egg curry sauce, or flame-grilled pork skewers served with fiery nam prik noom green chile dip. Considered alongside trailer-mate Brown’s Bar-B-Que, it makes for the easiest watering hole decision whenever happy hour strikes. kiindiatx.com

IN 2018, VINH Thai was working a 9-to-5 as a financial analyst when he caught the ramen bug. He was so serious about the category, he moved to New York just to stage under the famed Keizo Shimamoto at Ramen Shack. Now, after a string of sold-out pop-ups at Seoulju, the chef is overseeing his own brick-and-mortar in Cedar Park, where he’s getting to flex the full range of his ramen repertoire. This includes a brothless mazesoba and an unparalleled shoyu version that explodes with umami thanks to three types of dried fish whisked into the dashi. When Thai says his “focus is on the art of ramen,” he means making everything from scratch, an attention to detail that has separated him from every other practitioner in town. ramen512.com

CON TODO

FOR CHEF JOSEPH Gomez, a sacred rite of passage in his Brownsville youth was slipping across the border to Matamoros to partake in bars like Zero Zone. But what stood out even more than skirting Texas’ stricter drinking laws was what happened afterward, when El Ultima Taco and other taquerias beckoned with their aromas of mesquite-smoked sweetbreads and queso fresco–shrouded bistec cradled in warm corn tortillas. It was those flavors he sought to emulate when he eventually opened his own trailer last October behind Celis Brewery. In addition to those tacos so fundamental to Rio Grande Valley cooking, Gomez rounds out his menu with painterly paletas, ocean-fresh ceviches, and seasonal tostadas, like one with heirloom tomatoes and a chile morita–peanut vinaigrette, that are as gorgeously composed as anything from a Michelin-starred destination. instagram.com/contodotx

EL MARISQUERO SEAFOOD

Who says you can’t find a slice of paradise next to the pump? Located outside of a Shell station on the I-35 feeder road, just north of Lady Bird Lake, you’ll find this blue trailer connected to a nautical-themed covered patio. The banda music is bumping while guests are mixing micheladas from beers purchased next door. And nothing goes better with this ambience—or Austin’s perpetual state of summer—than Luis and Esteban Alcaraz’s cooling ceviches that showcase fresh seafood trucked in daily from the Gulf. Mahi-mahi, skeins of shrimp, and red octopus rounds are prepared in towering platters layered with finely diced cucumber and onion. Natives of Guadalajara, the brothers prepare everything Sinaloanstyle, including a lesssaccharine coctel de camarones that utilizes a house-made shrimp stock (not just the typical Clamato), and an electric aguachile rojo made from chiltepin chiles that their family personally trucks over the border from Mexico. instagram.com/ elmarisquero.atx

THE URGE TO SPLURGE

Ready to test the bounds of your bank account? In this current era of excess, bigger and bolder are the dish du jour (yes, even at food trucks).

$240-$350

Dry-Aged Tomahawk Ribeye with Crab-Stuffed Lobster at J. Carver’s

Weighing anywhere from 35 to 65 ounces, these bone-in, Flintstone-sized cuts are procured from famed Chicago beef purveyor Fred Linz, who expertly dry ages each steak for 50 days. Grilled over an oak flame and splashed with roasted shallot butter, they can be taken over the top with a whole roasted Maine lobster tail crammed full of fresh Maryland crab meat.

$175

Seafood Plateau at Dean’s Italian Steakhouse

Be the envy of the Dean’s dining room as you dig into three types of East Coast oysters, colossal U8 Gulf shrimp, a bowl of yellowfin tuna tartare bejeweled with avocado and Calabrian chile flake, and chilled Alaskan king crab legs as big as your forearm.

$90

Caviar & Pringles at Texas Sushiko

Home to The Austin Winery, St. Elmo Brewing, and Still Austin Whiskey Co., The Yard complex now has a baller new way of soaking up all that booze: 20 gram tins of Russian Ossetra caviar that can be shoveled in via the saddle-shaped vehicle of Pringles sour cream and onion chips.

$65

Pu Pu Platter at Tiki Tatsu-Ya

Some of the pirate-ship-portioned libations at this cocktail bar are stiff enough to knock out Blackbeard and his entire crew, so you need some serious sustenance to stay perpendicular. The pro move: a catchall of crispy mochiko-battered wings, crab rangoons, house pickles, barbecue-glazed beef skewers, and taro root fried into their version of tater tots.

$60

Grilled Whole Fish at Maie Day

Using black drum or vermillion snapper from the Gulf, chef Michael Fojtasek slits the flesh and post-oak chars it until the skin is crackly enough to eat on its own. Each shareable specimen is served in its entirety with a fancied-up Italian gremolata that gets a smoky hit from kale fanned over an open flame.

DEAN’S ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE

AT THIS TONY white-tablecloth restaurant inside the JW Marriott, nothing comes without a heaping serving of extravagance. An appetizer of meatballs? Japanese A5 wagyu is ground into the beef blend. That twice-baked potato nestled next to your surf-and-turf? Yes, those are black truffles shaved over the crown of melted taleggio and fontina. Even the optional steak toppers include foie gras and lobster butter to take your Fred Linz heritage filet to the next level. That is all to say: This is not your average night on the town. Helmed by executive chef Michael Eccles—a crack steakhouse specialist who’s spent time at Fleming’s and Bob’s Steak and Chophouse— Dean’s practices a type of pomp and luxuriousness that best rewards those looking for pure treat-yourself escapism. deanssteakhouseaustin.com

TIKI TATSU-YA

YOU’D BE FORGIVEN for driving by Tatsu Aikawa’s latest on South Lamar without ever giving it a second glance. A nondescript exterior only marked by the cheeky signage, “Aikawa Tropical Tours,” it belies the island wonders inside. Step around the back, though, through the type of dummy Japanese-themed bus terminal that Nathan Fielder might erect, and you’re transported to a rollercoaster of sights and sounds: a choreographed seafaring soundtrack, towering volcano shadow boxes, and a flowing shisa dragon water fountain. But it wouldn’t be an Aikawa concept if it weren’t a feast for all senses, a feat he pulls off in dishes like grilled trumpet mushroom musbui capped by mango kimchi and tare sauce, or a house-made Spam, balanced in its requisite saltiness by sweet pineapple jam speckled with chicharrón furikake. tiki-tatsuya.com

What happens when you take the near-burnt char of New Haven apizza, the crispy undergirding of Rhode Island bar-style pies, and the size and foldability of New York’s top slices? You create a category unto yourself, which is what Allday’s three owners have pulled off at their converted tiny home behind Day Dreamer on East Sixth. Its remarkable style-less style—topped with ingredients like housemade ricotta and moist meatballs (the addition of potato flakes is key)—will almost assuredly have you disavowing any arbitrary categories of old. Although a highly succinct menu, everything shines, including a gelato soft-serve that can be elevated with La Colombe cold brew or a squirt of Graza olive oil. instagram.com/allday.atx

ALLDAY PIZZA

IF RAMEN TATSU-YA and Uchi can find new life in the Bayou City, it seems only fair that Austin can borrow one of Houston’s finest. This stellar restaurant from chef William Chu stampedes onto the Sichuan scene with note-perfect renditions of fiery twice-cooked pork and an intoxicatingly sour-spicy stew of thinly sliced beef and pickled cabbage. Yet those lines outside on the weekend are here for one reason, and it’s not the old-school Street Fighter II arcade machine inside the lobby. It’s the juicy Peking duck, elaborately served with hoisin sauce, matchsticks of scallion and cucumber, and a basket of gauzy spring pancakes. Damn near selling out every night, its sought-after status is challenging any dish Aaron Franklin ever plated on butcher paper. bamboohouseaustin.com

BAMBOO HOUSE

HOG HEAVEN

Canje’s signature wild boar pepper pot requires dozens of man hours, international sourcing, and even a local hunter. Here’s everything that goes into the divine swine.

STEP 1

Cassareep is the key ingredient in any Caribbean pepper pot.

Tavel Bristol-Joseph’s cousin in Guyana makes it for him, boiling down black cassava with water, sugar, and chiles in massive outdoor drums.

Not only is it crucial for developing its molasses-like texture, but it also burns out the trace amounts of cyanide in the root vegetable.

STEP 2

Like Jessie Griffiths at Dai Due, the chef focuses on feral hogs to encourage sustainability.

Canje has actually hired a local hunter to trap the invasive, highly destructive animals.

STEP 3

Bristol-Joseph breaks down the hogs and uses the bones for a wild boar stock. The various cuts of meat are then braised seven to eight hours until tender. Also, by doing it in a convection oven, the

meat maintains its structure and doesn’t fall apart.

STEP 4

The wild boar stock, along with brown sugar, onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon sticks, orange peel, ginger, and his cousin’s homemade cassareep is simmered into a stew for several hours.

STEP 5

Before service, the chef finally introduces the braised pig meat into the broth. Each bowl is then garnished with fennel fronds or edible flowers for a burst of color.

Charley Crockett on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Canyon Lake.

You can’t beat Charley Crockett in a game of two truths and a lie.

Try this one on, for example—guess which one of these statements is made up: 1) He hopped a freight train in a New Orleans railyard and rode to California to work on a marijuana farm; 2) His singing and guitar playing with freestyle rappers on New York subway cars landed him a management deal with Sony execs when he was destitute; 3) After getting busted for trafficking pounds of weed, he smoothtalked the judge into probation for a felony charge and resolved to turn over a new leaf.

If you guessed that it is a trick question and all three are true, you might just have the same sort of gut instincts Crockett has honed through a life on the road. That, or you’ve already heard about the musician’s oft-recounted personal history, which also includes life-saving open heart surgery at age 34 and a familial connection to famed frontiersman Davy Crockett—facts among the less exhilarating details of his life.

Before all the accolades and sold-out shows and tours alongside Willie Nelson and Jason Isbell, the intrepid Texan lived hard but free as he “hoboed” (to borrow a Crockett-ism) all over the North American continent, France, Morocco, and Spain. His

Crockett is known for his magnetic live performances, like a recent one in New Braunfels.

picaresque exploits sound like a song someone boozily dreamt up around a campfire. But if you really want to understand Charley Crockett, the first thing you need to know is where he comes from.

Standing onstage at New Braunfels’ Whitewater Amphitheater on the banks of the Guadalupe River this August, the 21st-century cowboy, clad in gray denim and floral western wear, swaggers with bravado. He hikes his guitar up near his chin and looks down its neck like a rifle barrel. As he cuts loose during one song, he does a twirl, then catches the eye of his girl, Taylor Grace, standing side-stage and shoots her with finger guns. Pausing between tunes early in the set, he addresses the crowd with a heavy drawl: “I’m from San Benito, Texas, and I’m proud of that every day I walk this earth,” he says. “But sometimes, to make something of yourself, you gotta wander a long way from home.”

Born in San Benito, Crockett spent his earliest days down the road in Los Fresnos, living in a baby blue single-wide trailer that stood out against the green Spanish daggers and dusty brown terrain of South Texas. Black alligators prowled the marshlands adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico just a few miles east of Crockett’s unremarkable digs. Also housing his mother and grandmother, the 15-foot-wide box sat on the edge of a resaca, a U-shaped body of water formed when a river bend meanders so widely that it splits off and becomes something new.

The term is specific to the parched lakes formed by the Rio Grande and its distributaries, which carve through the caliche soil near the border. A dense composite of sand, gravel, clay, and silt that forms over thousands of years, it’s ill-suited for growing just about anything. But the ground itself is an apt analogy of the cultural, geographical, and musical tapestry of the region—a harsh landscape that not only gave Crockett a clear sense of self, but also exposed him to a wide swath of lifestyles.

Like the desert dissolving into swamp, American and Latin cultures meld into one in Los Fresnos. Here, the music of Gulf Coast blues and Cajun zydeco collide with Texas country and Tejano rockabilly. “It’s this rich, unique culture without notoriety,” Crockett says.

As far as he has wandered since his youth, the soul of South Texas has stayed with him. By the time he was 9, he’d already moved up to the Dallas suburb of Irving, and his journey branched off into a multitude of directions over the next 30 years. San Benito may have been behind him, but in his mind, he never really left.

Off the Cuff

CONSIDERING HIS REPUTATION for cowboy hats, boots, and pearl snap shirts that match his Americana sound, Crockett’s musical prowess has an unexpected origin. In a portable classroom behind Las Colinas Elementary School in south Irving, he and his classmates would bang out beats on a desk and take turns freestyle rapping. Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, and Dr. Dre had taken over the early ’90s airwaves,

and hip-hop was the preferred genre of any self -respecting sixth grader.

An avid athlete, Crockett played basketball and football, and those rap sessions became the social currency of his teammates as a permanent fixture on bus rides to games. Those experiences not only gave Crockett a musical foundation, but also ingrained in him essential skills of improvisation and community building.

With his single mother perpetually occupied making ends meet, he spent summers in New Orleans visiting his uncle—a card dealer and gambler who also worked at a burlesque club on Bourbon Street. The impressionable youth explored the French Quarter on his own, taking in the decadent spectacle of brass bands and other street performers. Those classmates, family members, and hustling musicians around him seemed to be simply playing life by ear, riffing as they went along—an ethos Crockett couldn’t help but adopt.

At 19, Crockett got unwittingly tangled up in a stock fraud scam (what he calls “some backdoor Texas mafia sh*t”) thanks to his older brother and needed to get out of town fast. Based on comments from his mother and the description of one acquaintance high on acid, he saw Northern California like the 1920s folk song “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” about a hobo’s dreamland where cigarettes grow on trees and the cops all have wooden legs.

With just a few bucks in his pocket, he hitched the first of many rides from strangers, as he fell into an itinerant lifestyle along the West Coast. Sometimes he played his pawn shop–purchased Hohner acoustic guitar on street corners for spare change, but mainly he took on farming jobs: hauling soil, digging ditches, pounding t-posts, and shoveling horse manure. California dreams gave way to visions of Bob Dylan’s West Village, and he utilized his charm and guitar-playing skill to make his way to the other side of the country within a year of leaving his native Texas.

In New York, the aimless wayfarer tried to busk in parks and on street corners, but the police quickly drove him underground. Falling in with a rotating cast of rappers on subway platforms, he tapped into the beatboxing heyday of his Irving youth, as the group laid down freestyle songs that often incorporated lines about his growing subterranean crowds.

Fans of Charley Crockett might glance at his first group, called the Train Robbers, and see it as wildly disparate from the musician they know today. But really, it only underscores the connective tissue between hip-hop and Americana music. Both genres are born of grassroots communities of people—folk music in the purest sense. Both often center on social hardship and rely on repetitive musical motifs that allow others to join in, improvise, and riff with ease. And both owe just about everything to Southern blues.

Videos of Train Robbers performances still survive today, like one YouTube clip with Crockett in a ragged knit sweater and beanie. Set on a moving subway train, one member strums a guitar while Crockett croons a chorus, his eyes squeezed shut, voice strained albeit melodically alluring. By the end, several passengers have unsheathed their

phones to record the performance. If you know anything about the temperament of New York City subway riders, their modest applause is equivalent to a panel of Olympic judges leaping from their seats with scores of nines and tens.

After a husband-and-wife duo affiliated with with Sony subsidiary Legacy Recordings saw one of those underground performances, Train Robbers signed a management contract in the summer of 2012. But as the deal unfolded, Crockett became increasingly disenchanted, especially after the execs insisted on “moldability” with regards to his musical style and image.

“It was so artificial, so far from what I thought it would be, that I just spun into a deep depression,” he says. “The kind of freedom you’re sold in the United States is an illusion.” Standing there in that high-rise near K-Town with his street-performing cohorts, he suddenly announced he was walking away from it all.

Today, that story has become another anecdotal arrow in the Charley Crockett quiver. He turns to it often, repeating it in interviews and onstage to his legion of new fans. Some among the thousands of devotees undoubtedly hear these tales and chalk it up to schtick, a gimmick, or even worse, a lie. But if you ask Crockett a follow-up question, he’s quick to rattle off other layers of detail to add to the patina: The office was clean but not fancy; there was a side door that led into an adjacent room with selections from Sony Legacy’s historic catalogue.

It’s theoretically possible that aspects of these stories are embellished, but anyone who casts doubt on Crockett for his mythos misses the point entirely. For one, there’s plenty of corroborating information already out there in the public sphere. And secondly, if any of the specifics were fabricated, it would still mean that Crockett is among the greatest living storytellers making music today. Frankly, it’s hard to say which is more impressive.

The musician’s impeccable attire portends his traditional country and blues stylings.

On the Streets

IF CHARLEY CROCKETT’S life, or his songs, sound like they’re merely mimicking tradition, as though they’ve been extrapolated or borrowed, it’s only because he has walked in the footsteps of those who’ve shaped the mythologies of roots music and the American West: Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and many more who have wandered the country destitute, or near to it. Another apt comparison is Samuel Clemens and his creation of Mark Twain. The white suit, cigar, and nom de plume might’ve been part showmanship for the author, but like the outsized Crockett, Clemens’ time as an itinerant worker and riverboat captain gave him a hell of a lot of life experience to draw upon.

From the time he left Dallas in the spring of 2007 until he rejected the corporate machinations of Sony and New York City in the summer of 2012, Crockett migrated with the seasons, usually leaving behind the chilly Northeastern winters for the warmer climes and familiar neighborhoods of New Orleans. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, much of the city remained in ruins, but that made it all the more enticing for nomadic artists seeking out access to some civic amenities. According to Crockett, the population vacuum and general lawlessness allowed a wave of street culture to descend upon The Big Easy. “The oldest, most traditional music in America was being played by gutter punks, train hoppers, rich kids who wanted to live a transient lifestyle, and multi-generational New Orleans brass bands,” he explains.

On those well-worn Louisiana thoroughfares, he learned what can’t be cultivated almost anywhere else—traditions passed down orally and musically from one set of performers to the next. For example, he’d fall into a jam session playing a song like “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen,” a tune originally written for a Yiddish musical comedy in Brooklyn. Popularized by swing trio The Andrews Sisters, and recorded by the likes of Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald, it nonetheless was a street standard in New Orleans for almost a hundred years. His version of the song wound up as the final track on Crockett’s first album, A Stolen Jewel, released in 2015.

From that early recording up through his most recent work, you can hear the woozy brass and sultry blues notes of New Orleans. They are sounds common in Gulf Coast music, a genre that overlaps with, yet exists independently of country. The pristine pedal steel and polished production of

“You write a song out of the places you go and the people you meet.”

Nashville and Memphis are well established, but the music that originated along the tip of the Florida coast all the way around to South Padre Island has never been as readily accepted by mainstream markets. It’s a backyard moonshine of styles, a messy amalgam of Latin American, Western, and Southern sounds.

Crockett, who has called his own style “Gulf Coast Boogie-Woogie,” acts as a bridge between various subgenres, unafraid to be informed by them all at once. He boasts an encyclopedic knowledge of not only music, but also the credos and edicts of its creators. Conversations with him can feel like a crash course in musical history as he references B.B. King, Bob Marley, and Townes Van Zandt to make a point. Crockett knows that he stands on the shoulders of giants—but he also recognizes that’s the best way to become a giant himself.

“For me to listen to a contemporary artist, I have to have a sense that the artist knows where music comes from; I need that fealty to roots,” says music historian Joe Nick Patoski, who has written for Rolling Stone and penned biographies of Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Selena. “Charley Crockett’s got a distinctive voice. I can hear him sing… and know who it is. I hear a direct connection to honest, authentic country music.”

His lineage to Davy Crockett echoes his musical emphasis on honoring forebears. A fixation of the media, its merit has been a fait accompli passed down from generation to generation in the Crockett family. “My grandfather, who is also Charley Crockett—one of the proudest things in his life was our lineage to Davy Crockett,” he says of the renowned Alamo soldier.

After almost a decade of sleeping on hard pavement and park benches, living on the streets had begun to take its toll. He’d written off New York and had come to know New Orleans’ seedier side a little too well, so Crockett headed back out to California by hopping a train. While doing odd jobs on a ganja farm in Mendocino County, he began to self-record what would become his debut album, A Stolen Jewel. Friends dropped by casually to cut a track in the rudimentary farmhouse that passed for a production space.

It was around that time—among the rolling hills of the countryside, which stood in such stark contrast to New York City—that Crockett vowed to raise enough money to build his own studio and abandon the big music labels for good. He just had to sell enough weed to make it happen. Beginning by mailing packages to acquaintances, he graduated to making large personal deliveries around the country. In 2014, Crockett was on Highway 81 in the Appalachian Mountains when he saw the flickering red-and-blue flashers of a Virginia State Police officer in his rearview mirror. His window tint just a shade too dark, a fedora sitting askew on his head, and the gold chain around his neck were profiling chum for any cop. “I knew I was f*cked right away,” he says in hindsight. Arrested for felony possession and trafficking, he was booked and thrown in jail.  Sitting there in county lockup, Crockett pondered his future: If you don’t get out of here, what good is the road that you’ve been on?

After posting bail, he devoted himself to finishing A Stolen Jewel, which he completed by his 2016 court date. With that disarming megawatt smile and evidence of his productivity physically in hand, Crockett convinced the judge he was ready to make something of himself and was allowed to serve out a sentence of probation. His songs had saved him from hard time, and determined to make good on his promise, he headed back to Texas without a second glance.

In the Spotlight

LOOKING FOR A fresh start, Crockett landed in Austin, closer to home than he’d been since leaving Dallas a decade before. He put his head down and got to work in the studio with the same tenacity he had as a street performer, when his earnings for the day translated into what he ate that night—or didn’t.

Over the next seven years, he made 10 more albums, including three just within the past 14 months: the country triumph Music City USA, the covers compilation Jukebox Charley, and his narratively driven new effort, The Man from Waco. All of that is in addition to a grueling tour schedule that takes him from venues as disparate as the Lubbock fairgrounds to a festival in the Netherlands, totaling approximately 200 shows per year. It’s a clip practically unparalleled in modern music.

That tireless pace accounts for much of his rising notoriety, although Austin’s impact on his musical perspective can’t be overlooked. Besides A Stolen Jewel and some spot recordings in Georgia, most of Crockett’s work has been forged in and around Austin. The fortuitous decision to settle in the capital city gave him connections that opened doors to more like-minded collaborators. With its own resistance to rote categorizations and an affinity for cult heroes, his new home suited him well, although it wasn’t easy at first.

Standing on a street corner on South Congress in 2015, Crockett strummed his guitar as passersby glanced down at a mostly empty guitar case. He’d played all over Dallas, becoming a household name in the city’s famed Deep Ellum district, but Crockett was having trouble making inroads in the Live Music Capital. Eventually, a friend let him in on a secret: He’d land more shows and sell more tickets if he cut down on so many free performances.

More tangible help came from friend Jay Moeller, who let Crockett sit in on a few songs with his band The Moeller Brothers during several shows at the Continental Club. A foot in the door was all he needed, as that led to his own 2017 residency, which drew the attention of managers and agents—calls that would eventually lead to a partnership with revered distribution and management group Thirty Tigers (Sturgill Simpson, Patty Griffin).

Back when he hitchhiked and worked as a nomadic field hand, Crockett had few worries and nothing to lose. Today, he has more on his itinerary than he’d probably prefer. “I am absolutely finding it confining,” he admits. If there’s one thing that can

stop Charley Crockett, it’s himself. He has paved a highway to success, and with it an accompanying cage of obligations. His shows still have the same electric energy, and there’s no obvious sign of wear, but it’s fair to wonder if he can maintain the patience for an increasingly tethered lifestyle.

That’s part of the reason why Crockett longed to recapture the feeling he had while making his debut album in a California farmhouse. As he prepared to record The Man from Waco in the fall of 2021, he found the perfect spot just outside of Lockhart at Bruce Robison’s studio, The Bunker, which is situated among horse ranches, goat farms, and an abundance of live oaks.

The album marks Crockett’s creative pinnacle, as it seamlessly integrates his blossoming musical prowess with an unparalleled talent for weaving story out of lived experience. “You write a song out of the places you go and the people that you meet,” he says. The Man from Waco isn’t James Hand, who Crockett has previously honored with a covers album, nor Billy Joe Shaver, which is another popular conceit of the album’s titular character. And it’s not Crockett either. “It’s just a fictional story,” he says. “Like Willie Nelson’s not actually the red-headed stranger if you listen to the record. He’s a guy from Blue Rock, Montana.”

Recorded primarily to 2-inch analog tape with musicians playing live in a room together (as opposed to each player laying down their parts on separate tracks over time), The Man From Waco captures an aesthetic more recognizable on albums from half a century ago. According to Crockett, he would not have been able to make this version of The Man From Waco had he ceded creative control along the way. “I treat the music business the same way I did playing out of a guitar case in New Orleans or subway cars in New York City,” he says.

With each increasingly successful album cycle, Crockett’s star swells in luminescence, as he headlines dream venues like the Grand Ole Opry. He’s not quite filling stadiums yet, but as the singer points out, “There’s a lot of people filling stadiums that might not be a footnote in music history in 30 years.” It would undoubtedly be easier to find some shortterm fame by caving to this minute’s musical flavor, but anyone who’s had lasting success has carved out a trail less obvious—like the Rio Grande cutting a winding path through that unforgiving terrain near Los Fresnos.

“I still see myself as a barefoot kid from South Texas on that hard caliche soil underneath those mesquite trees,” he says wistfully. Charley Crockett’s river may have wandered all over the world, but the headwaters remain unchanged.

There, on some craggy boulder, he has etched his name with a diamond-sharp stone picked up along his journey. Weather faded, it can always be found by those who are seeking—a palimpsest that reveals an age-old story. Another guy whose songs they sing around a campfire. The man who conquered New York City and came back to Texas triumphant. Who took on the law and bested them with a song. The tale of a man who knew who he was when he was just a boy: the legend of the San Benito Kid.

Out of the gore and gumption of its Weird Wednesday series, Alamo Drafthouse was able to fashion a lasting relic of Old Austin and its most important contribution to movie history yet: The American Genre Film Archive.

BY CHRIS HUGHES

At 7 p.m. in late June, it’s still blisteringly hot in Dallas as the sun reflects off the windows of the dry cleaners, abandoned shoe stores, and quinceañera shops on Jefferson Boulevard. Best known for its role in Lee Harvey Oswald’s escape route from Dealey Plaza, the Texas Theater remains standing amidst its hardscrabble Oak Cliff neighbors, although its Venetian-inspired front façade is in noticeably better shape after Oliver Stone’s remodeling efforts in 1991, which the director funded while shooting JFK .

Under its famous marquee—with neon stars seemingly shooting off into orbit—a line has formed that quickly snakes past the barred windows of a jewelry store and down the length of Madison Avenue. Dressed predominately in horror T-shirts for movies like The Evil Dead and Basket Case, the crowd is buzzing to be let inside for the theater’s Indoor Drive-In Geek Out event, hosted by Shudder star Joe Bob Briggs.

The leading authority on genre and exploitation movies, Briggs became a household name in the ’80s and ’90s on late-night television shows like TNT’s MonsterVision before having a recent career renaissance on the AMC-owned streaming service. Just as he does as host of Shudder’s The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs, which has become a phenomenon since its debut in 2018, Briggs is here today to present a double-bill of B-movies in his well-curated, wisecracking redneck persona. Real name John Bloom, the TV host is actually a Pulitzer Prize–nominated investigative reporter (Texas Monthly, Rolling Stone) who has cultivated his Briggs alter ego into a critic/carnival barking icon of all things horror.

After the autographs and selfies of a lengthy meetand-greet, the Dallas native steps onto the main stage and addresses his “mutant” congregation. Rarely breaking character, Briggs (née Bloom) nonetheless takes a moment to get introspective before playing Ed Hunt’s 1988 camp classic, The Brain. On the screen, he projects the logo for the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), with which he’s partnered on his live nationwide tour, and heartily sings its praises while encouraging everyone to donate to the nonprofit.

Based in Austin, the organization is now the largest genre film archive, distributor, and conservationist in the world. Housing a catalogue with more than 6,000 titles, it not only provides 35mm prints to cinemas like Joe Bob Briggs’ Texas Theater event, but it also restores forgotten films for the home video market, and, most importantly, saves movies that might otherwise be lost to the scrapheap of time.

“America is just awful about preserving its film legacy,” says founder Tim League. “A lot of the traditional archives, they focus on more high-end or art-driven projects. But our film history is very fragile around the edges, and it’s most fragile in these pop categories.”

Started in 2009, AGFA was largely forged on League’s personal collection of film elements, something he’d started collecting while building Alamo Drafthouse into a repertory behemoth. But that mining for the rare and niche has never stopped, and now the organization harbors the last surviving prints of a number of titles, such as Miami Connection, Effects, and a majority of the Tai Seng Hong Kong action movies—many of which have accumulated a cult following through Alamo’s weekly “Weird Wednesday” programming.

The fickle nature of the public’s viewing patterns has always affected the sentimentality of the film industry and its habits of posterity. But with the growing interest in genre films—the horror category had a 12.75 percent market share in 2021, an all-time high—many are now turning to AGFA for those original materials, including labels like Shout! Factory and Arrow that are looking to create remastered editions, as well as exhibition houses hoping to promote the works of masters such as Mario Bava and Dario Argento. For example, when New York’s Museum of Modern Art put together a 10-week horror retrospective over the summer, AGFA played a key role

Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League started AGFA with films from his own collection.

as it provided prints of many of those films, including Black Christmas, Slumber Party Massacre, and Takashi Miike’s Audition.

“It still amazes me that films considered trash when I first reviewed them are now revered by college professors,” Briggs said in a recent Fangoria article. “It makes you think we don’t understand ourselves.”

That sentiment lies at the heart of his ongoing traveling tour, where the crowd consists of all types: arthouse film geeks mingling with goth-outfitted horror lovers; fresh-faced newcomers raised on A24 and Blumhouse seated next to socialites who best remember Joe Bob from his 11 years on The Movie Channel. But this evening in Dallas, everyone is in lockstep, a legion of genre advocates just happy to be among the converted. In fact, after Briggs recites his monologue on the evening’s cerebellum-themed movie bill, he asks everyone to raise their right hand and take the “mutant oath.”

“We are sick/We are disgusting/If life had a vomit meter, we’d be off the scale/We believe in blood, in breast, and in beast,” the crowd dutifully repeats. It’s a bawdy chant that the host has perfected over decades of life on the air, and one in which many at the Texas Theater can recite by rote. Briggs has seen his off-color declaration reach broader audiences until, tonight, when its sensibility has struck at something even larger. Everything he’s been championing through the various iterations of his raunchy, gore-doting persona now pierces the very heart of the mainstream. “We will party like jungle animals/We will boogie ’til we puke/The drive-in will never die,” he proselytizes. “Amen.”

STEPPING INSIDE THE wide, echoing halls of the former Baker School in Hyde Park is like a peek inside Tim League’s brain. Rare one-sheets and original lobby cards for cult films like Class of 1984 and High School Confidential! line the walls, alongside the works of Mike Mitchell and Tyler Stout, artists who’ve contributed to Alamo’s pop art screen-printing branch, Mondo. A functioning public high school until the 1980s, the 3.35-acre property serves as the headquarters for Alamo, AGFA, and, until it was acquired by Funko in June 2022, Mondo. Relics from its past life can still be found scattered about, such as the occasional chalkboard, cafeteria table, and scarred wooden desk. In fact, the latter are currently occupied by a frightening menagerie of bearded mannequins groomed in the Shenandoah style. These suspender-clad figures, milling about outside of abandoned classrooms, were once part of an Amish wax museum in Eastern Pennsylvania. Disturbing players in a roadside attraction that ran until 2016, they’re just one of many scores of miscellany that League has accumulated over the years.

A dedicated collector since his youth, the entrepreneur graduated from rocks, coins, and beer cans (a 4,000-item stockpile he scavenged in West Virginia and his native Ohio) to, eventually, films and

movie memorabilia. Film trailers, picked up in the projection booth of his and his wife Karrie’s first cinema venture—the ill-fated Tejon Theater in Bakersfield, California—proved a gateway to VHS tapes and 35mm oddities.

As thoroughly documented in Lars Nilsen’s book, Warped & Faded, it was a chance conversation with director Quentin Tarantino in 2000 that really set League on his obsessive path to building a film print archive. Once considered illegal to own after their theatrical runs, these 35mm reels were nonetheless found by older collectors cherry-picking from three hubs of the National Screen Service, then sold in the back of mail-order magazines like Big Reel. One such haul was found by collector Harry Guerro in a dilapidated warehouse in East Prairie, Missouri. Exposed to the elements, many of the thousands of cannisters of film were rusting and rotting in the non-climate-controlled film depot. Unable to transport the load in its entirety back to Guerro’s New Jersey home—a caveat of the surly warehouse proprietor—he tipped off League to the find.

Months later, the Alamo Drafthouse owner rented a Ryder truck and drove up to Missouri. Although much of the collection was mold-covered or sitting underwater, he knew there were rarities among the mounds of celluloid, which had become vinegarized (a chemical reaction that occurs when film is exposed to fluctuations in temperature and humidity). League crawled back to Austin driving 30 mph, the bed of his truck practically scraping the ground as he lugged more than 20,000 pounds of film cannisters in a vehicle that could only handle half that. Tossing damaged prints in fast-food dumpsters along the way, he was finally able to make it to Alamo’s original Colorado Street location before the truck collapsed.

Prospecting through the lot, League and his staff found multiple copies of Rooftops and the much-maligned Garbage Pail Kids Movie, but the trip also yielded genre gold in the form of Andy Warhol’s Dracula, The Hills Have Eyes, and Argento’s directorial debut, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage. As film critic Jerry Renshaw of The Austin Chronicle would later write, “some titles are so obscure they don’t even have listings in the exhaustive Internet Movie Database (IMDB).” This cinematic treasure trove was not only the impetus behind Weird Wednesday, but it became the foundational mother lode of what would grow into the American Genre Film Archive.

Looking to expose filmgoers to this kind of material—much limited to the regional drive-in circuit—League launched free midnight showings under the original name of “Something Weird Wednesdays.” On Feb. 21, 2001, Alamo screened its first-ever entry in the long-running series, Shock Waves, a 1970s Peter Cushing vehicle about a race of Nazi zombies emerging from a shipwreck. Under the supervision of Lars Nilsen (then a programmer at Alamo Drafthouse), it became a rallying cry for film geeks everywhere and solidified Austin’s cine-

AGFA’s film elements are scattered across the Baker School and multiple Alamo locations.

phile reputation. The thrill of discovery was intertwined with the visceral impact of witnessing movies like Paul Schrader’s lesser-known classic Rolling Thunder or Southern hicksploitation favorite Psycho From Texas in a packed theater. And the idea of “discovery” was truly integral, even to the Alamo staff, as they implemented “Reel One Parties,” where they’d show only the first reel of movies selected from their growing vault. Many proved to be schlockmeister trash, but occasionally, they’d discover the next great underappreciated gem, such as Miami Connection, a 1987 martial arts movie initially confined to the Orlando market. Purchased by AGFA co-founder Zach Carlson for $25 on eBay, it’s now owned by Drafthouse Films, the distribution company League founded in 2010.

The punk rock attitude of Weird Wednesday pushed Alamo into another stratosphere of popularity, and the Colorado location soon gave way to The Ritz (now closed) and 40 other cinema offshoots as far away as LA, Omaha, and Yonkers. The gratis screening policy was abandoned, and a new $1 admission soon gave way to a sequence of price hikes (today, it’s up to $8). Even the tone of Weird Wednesday has gone through several evolutions, as it has developed into more of a regional anomaly dictated by the whims of programmers strewn across the country. Still, the weekly series remains a cornerstone of Alamo’s brand identity, a selling point for each new franchisee who wants to bring the boozy theater experience to their pocket of the U.S. But the DIY spirit of those transgressive early years, filled as they were with such mystery and film-raiding ambition, is still alive and well. That relentless search for the elusive, partnered with the pressures of a changing Austin, created a doting shrine that would forever raise the visibility of genre film around the globe.

ORIGINALLY BUILT FROM the empty hull of a parking garage on Colorado Street, Alamo Drafthouse was forever in a charming state of disrepair. But as it neared the end of its 10-year lease in 2007, the largely vacant street where it had set up its creaky,

makeshift cinema had morphed into an entertainment hub. Rent doubled, a new breed of bougie tenants had moved into the neighborhood, and the Leagues were panicking about the future of their weird little business. Squeezed by the city’s infatuation with unchecked growth, Tim and Karrie researched grants and flirted with the idea of turning their downtown spot into a formal nonprofit.

The duo went so far as developing an organization called Heroes of the Alamo, which aimed to raise funds from regulars in a membership-type subscription. At the last minute, though, the Austin Alliance approached them about taking over the Ritz on Sixth Street, and, faced with the prospect of cheaper rent and better infrastructure inside an iconic theater, the couple conceded their original cinema home. But what to do about the donations they had already collected from Alamo loyalists? They changed the focus of their fledgling nonprofit and turned it into a mission of film preservation.

Taking all those prints that Tim had hunted down in fanzines and dank backcountry warehouses, they placed them in better storage conditions to avoid any further decomposition. Additionally, the newly coined American Genre Film Archive became a safe harbor for other serious film collectors. Lacking for room in their own homes, enthusiasts like Dan Halstead and Stephen Romano began storing their most prized possessions in AGFA’s Austin office (then the upstairs of the Alamo Drafthouse Village location) on permanent loan for the company to screen and care for.

With the hiring of Sebastian Del Castillo, the organization’s modus operandi came more into focus, as the projectionist took it upon himself to better log, inspect, and even book the inventory to other theaters, film festivals, and museums. Another milestone came in 2014, with the passing of Mike Vraney, founder of distributor Something Weird in Seattle. One of the country’s preeminent collectors of genre film and a trailblazer for the promotion and redistribution of these types of “lost” movies, Vraney had amassed close to 300 tons of 35mm films in his near three decades in the field.

His wife and business partner, Lisa Petrucci, was contacted by AGFA, and soon League was on his way to Seattle to comb through the cargo containers sheltering the Something Weird archive. Daunted by the breadth and variety of the collection, not to mention the price of purchasing it all, he proposed another solution. Funded by a Kickstarter campaign in 2015, AGFA was able to purchase a 4K scanner and start restoring many of Something Weird’s more important films—such as The Zodiac Killer, She Mob, and The Curious Dr. Humpp—for theatrical, streaming, and Blu-ray release.

With that partnership in place, AGFA had officially become a preservationist company with a home video arm. The grassroots nature that held the organization together with the duct tape of love and volunteered labor was being usurped by concrete steps to make it a driving force in genre distribution.

Alamo’s “Weird Wednesday” screening series was the spiritual predecessor of AGFA.

Reel Talk

AGFA creative director Joe Ziemba picks the 6 films to set you on your path to cult film fandom.

Bad Black

From its legendary premiere at Fantastic Fest to its AGFA Blu-ray release as part of Wakaliwood Supa Action Volume 1, Bad Black has proven to be the greatest action movie ever made in Uganda for $200.

Boardinghouse

The first shot-onvideo horror film to be blown up to 35mm and released theatrically, this crazy 1982 slasher features chainsaws, pie fights, killer refrigerators, people-eating beds, and one psychic gigolo wearing a leopard-print thong.

Double Agent 73

A longtime Weird Wednesday staple, this sublimely strange crime epic from filmmaker Doris Wishman creates collisions between surrealism and exploitation that feel like they materialized from an alternate universe.

Soon, it had forged a star-studded advisory board with Petrucci, filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson and Nicolas Winding Refn, and even hip-hop star RZA. And that growing cachet has opened doors in all facets of its operation, including archeological recovery. For instance, while working on the commentary track for The Violent Years with Rudolph Grey, the foremost expert on Ed Wood, AGFA creative director Joe Ziemba casually brought up the exploitation director’s famously vanished last film, Take It Out in Trade. “I’d been obsessed with finding that movie for years, and when I asked [Grey] about it, he just stops, and goes: ‘Oh, I know it exists,’” Ziemba says.

With clues provided by Grey, AGFA did enough sleuthing to finally track down the sole known copy and bring it back out into the world, fully restored. “We ended up finding it in LA with a descendant of one of the producers,” he says. “It was just sitting in his closet, unmarked. I don’t think he realized how important this film was.”

That kind of professional progress also made other leaders in the category stand up and take notice. Physical media stalwarts like Severin, Arrow, and Vinegar Syndrome all started hiring AGFA to handle bookings and theatrical rights for their various catalogues. This programming effort can’t be understated, as creating a cult classic takes legitimate sweat equity. Even if something is available on Blu-ray, today’s oversaturation of content can cause it to become lost in the public eye. As AGFA’s theatrical sales director Bret Berg says: “Getting 50 people in a room together is incredibly powerful. These things are cyclical, and there needs to be a

Effects

Cobbled together with loose change by George Romero’s friends, Effects is a mesmerizing DIY frightmare that no one talks about, but everyone should. The 35mm print in the AGFA archives is the only known film element in existence.

Pathogen

Released when the filmmaker was 15, it is one of the most accomplished horror movies ever made by a person who couldn’t legally drive a car. AGFA was honored to bring this essential chapter of Austin film history to Blu-ray for the first time this year.

renewal in interest for movies to live on. You have to work at it and re-educate programmers and the audience to recognize the value of these films.”

Today, AGFA loans out more films than the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences every year. It also works with The Association of Moving Image Archivists on film projection workshops to ensure the proper handling of older, more vulnerable movie stock. With the resolve of its swelling ranks, AGFA now partners with more than 400 theater clients in North America and 150-plus internationally, including Suns Cinema in Washington DC, the BFI in London, and New York’s famed Metrograph in Lincoln Center. Its home video division is releasing a dozen titles each year, and it has educated audiences to the point where they’ve stopped punching down on low-budget films once shoehorned into the derogatory “it’s so bad it’s good” designation. With movies presented in a respectful way, new generations of admirers are being forged, as they contextualize works like Frank Henenlotter’s Brain Damage (one half of the Joe Bob Briggs event in Dallas). No matter the blood, breast, or beast count, those audiences are seeing what makes them so unique and engaging, they should be celebrated.

“It’s an invaluable service they’re doing,” says Henenlotter, who has done commentary on a number of AGFA + Something Weird Blu-ray releases. “Many of these movies didn’t play in mainstream theaters, and so they’re being rescued from oblivion. There’s a lot of sh*t out there, but the talent is weeding through all that to find these gems. They’re an extinct species, and I truly think we should be studying them just like we do dinosaurs.”

Treasure of the Ninja

Throughout the 1980s, Black filmmaker and martial artist William Lee wrote, produced, directed, and starred in dozens of action epics. This is his most beloved movie and an inspiration to anyone with a dream or appreciation for spin kicks.

Looking for legal advice? Trust the expertise of these 300-plus lawyers in 40 specialties ranging from adoption to workers’ comp.

ADOPTION

Meghan Alexander Gottfried Alexander Law Firm

1505 W. Sixth St. 512-494-1481

Christine Henry Andresen Cha Law Group PC 4103 Menchaca Road 512-394-4230

ANTITRUST

Gregory J. Casas

Greenberg Traurig LLP

300 W. Sixth St., Ste. 2050 512-320-7238

Mark B. Tobey

Husch Blackwell LLP

111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-9740

APPELLATE

Doug Alexander

Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP

515 Congress Ave., Ste. 2350 512-482-9301

Elizabeth “Heidi” G. Bloch

Greenberg Traurig LLP

300 W. Sixth St., Ste. 2050 512-320-7228

Stephanie Cagniart

Baker Botts LLP

98 San Jacinto Blvd., Ste. 1500 512-322-2537

Kendyl T. Hanks

Greenberg Traurig LLP

300 W. Sixth St., Ste. 2050 512-320-7225

Peter C. Hansen

Jackson Walker LLP

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2319

Lisa Hobbs

Kuhn Hobbs PLLC

7000 N. Mopac Expy., Ste. 315 512-476-6003

■ Legacy Award: These attorneys represent the best of the best with more than 30 years of experience.

★ Rising Stars: These attorneys are stand-out up-and-comers with less than 5 years of experience.

Tracia Lee

Tracia Y. Lee PLLC 512-814-6167

Melissa A. Lorber

Enoch Kever PLLC

7600 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. B200 512-615-1205

Shelby L. O’Brien

Enoch Kever PLLC

7600 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. B200 512-615-1225

B. Ross Pringle

Wright & Greenhill PC 4700 Mueller Blvd., Ste. 200 512-961-4389

Todd T. Smith

Law Office of Todd T. Smith PLLC

111 Congress Ave., Ste. 400 512-982-3643

Amanda G. Taylor

Butler Snow LLP 1400 Lavaca St., Ste. 1000 737-802-1811

■ Jimmy A. Vaught

Vaught Law Firm, PC 5929 Balcones Drive, Ste. 201 512-342-9980

Dale Wainwright

Greenberg Traurig LLP

300 W. Sixth St., Ste. 2050 512-320-7200

ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION

Greg Bourgeois

Lakeside Mediation Center 3825 Lake Austin Blvd., Ste. 403 512-477-9300

Bruce Clark

Clark ADR 3624 N. Hills Drive, Ste. A205 512-241-1800

Kathleen Coble

Coble Family Law and Mediation PLLC 1301 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. C120 512-477-4700

Sam D. Colletti

Noelke Maples St Leger

Bryant LLP 901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 200 512-480-9777

Ben J. Cunningham

Lakeside Mediation Center

3825 Lake Austin Blvd., Ste. 403 512-477-9300

Jonathan P. Friday

Friday Milner Lambert Turner PLLC 3401 Glenview Ave. 512-472-9291

Eric Galton

Lakeside Mediation Center 3825 Lake Austin Blvd., Ste. 403 512-477-9300

Mark Hawkins

Armbrust & Brown PLLC

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1300 512-435-2300

Jeff Jury

Burns Anderson Jury & Brenner LLP 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Bldg. 4 512-338-5322

Patrick Keel

Patrick Keel MediatorArbitrator 2814 Glenview Ave. 512-293-0300

Amy Lambert Friday Milner Lambert Turner PLLC 3401 Glenview Ave. 512-472-9291

Thomas J. Mitchell III Wright & Greenhill PC 4700 Mueller Blvd., Ste. 200 512-961-4389

Jeff Rose

Rose Resolution Group 3701 Bee Caves Road, Ste. 103 512-637-0931

John S. Rubin

ATX Bilingual Mediation 3901 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 260 512-439-2299

Paul J. Van Osselaer Van Osselaer Dispute Resolution PLLC 2305 Cheswick Court 512-593-5104

ATTORNEYS FOR NONPROFITS

Mollie Cullinane

Cullinane Law Group PLLC 1122 Colorado St., Ste. 301 512-298-2898

Albert Y. Lin

Husch Blackwell LLP

111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-703-5726

AVIATION

Mark Pierce

Thomas J. Henry Law PLLC 4401 West Gate Blvd., Ste. 200 512-520-0221

Derek Quick

Slack Davis Sanger LLP 6001 Bold Ruler Way, Ste. 100 512-795-8686

■ Mike L. Slack

Slack Davis Sanger LLP 6001 Bold Ruler Way, Ste. 100 512-795-8686

BANKING AND FINANCIAL

Sarah Christian Winstead PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2100 512-370-2876

BANKRUPTCY AND WORKOUT

Lynn Hamilton Butler Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-9758

Brian T. Cumings Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5626

Christy Heimer Heimer Law Offices PC 6633 E. Hwy. 290, Ste. 205 512-291-7105

Dorothy Lawrence

Dorothy Butler Law Firm 151 E. Mercer St., Ste. E Dripping Springs, 512-699-5632

Layla D. Milligan Office of the Attorney General PO Box 12548 512-475-4933

Eric J. Taube

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1800 512-685-6401

Denise A. True

Denise A. True, PC 108 Wild Basin Road, Ste. 250 512-768-0604

Jameson J. Watts Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-1179

Jennifer F. Wertz

Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2247

BUSINESS

Meera del Mel Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-537-5751

Connie Ditto

Beckstead Terry Ditto PLLC 9442 Capital of Texas Hwy., Arboretum Plaza 1, Ste. 500 512-827-3575

Natalie Lynch Lynch Law Firm PLLC 4408 Spicewood Springs Road, Ste. 412 512-900-2630

Dee Dee C. McKee Law Office of Dee Dee C. McKee PLLC 512-668-9733

Emily Morris The Morris Law Firm PLLC 512-309-5351

David Reiter

Reiter Brunel & Dunn PLLC 6805 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. 318 512-779-3341

Lauren Schoenbaum Ruffner Schoenbaum Murphy Banaszak PLLC 901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 290 512-275-6277

Jana Terry

Beckstead Terry Ditto PLLC 9442 Capital of Texas Hwy. Arboretum Plaza 1, Ste. 500 512-827-3575

Jennifer D. Ward

Law Office of Jennifer D. Ward PLLC

2499 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. B203 512-344-9367

CIVIL LITIGATION

Maria Amelia Calaf

Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-213-6094

Katherine Chiarello

Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-960-4524

Leslie Dippel Travis County Attorney’s Office

314 W. 11th St., Ste. 500 512-854-9513

C. Robert Dorsett Jr.

Dorsett Johnson & Swift LLP 3503 Wild Cherry Drive, Bldg. 6 512-600-4365

David M. Gottfried

The Gottfried Alexander Law Firm

1505 W. Sixth St. 512-494-1481

Callie Haley

Wright & Greenhill PC 4700 Mueller Blvd., Ste. 200 512-961-4389

Randy Howry

Howry Breen & Herman LLP 1900 Pearl St. 512-751-8237

Eric A. Johnston

McGinnis Lochridge LLP 1111 W. Sixth St., Bldg. B, Ste. 400 512-495-6000

Blair J. Leake

Wright & Greenhill PC 4700 Mueller Blvd., Ste. 200 512-961-4389

Rachel McKenna Almanza Blackburn Dickie & Mitchell LLP 2301 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. H 512-474-9486

Rudy Metayer

Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5657

Marianne W. Nitsch

Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5757

Robert Ranco DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-379-5344

Eleanor Ruffner Ruffner Schoenbaum Murphy Banaszak PLLC 901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 290 512-275-6277

Jason W. Snell

The Snell Law Firm PLLC 1615 W. Sixth St., Ste. A 512-477-5291

Asra Syed

Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-956-5630

Guilherme Vasconcelos DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-262-9635

CLASS ACTION

John R. Davis

Slack Davis Sanger LLP 6001 Bold Ruler Way, Ste. 100 512-795-8686

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Lessie C. Gilstrap

Gilstrap Law Group 1801 E. 51st St. Ste. 365-295 512-813-2061

Jennifer Settle Jackson Ruffner Schoenbaum Murphy Banaszak PLLC

901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 290 512-275-6277

David C. Lawrence

Rigby Slack Lawrence Berger

Akinc Pepper + Comerford, PLLC

3500 Jefferson St., Ste. 330 512-782-2063

Christopher R. Mugica

Jackson Walker LLP

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2016

Timothy P. Ribelin

Husch Blackwell LLP

111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-1153

Joshua A. Romero

Jackson Walker LLP

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2035

Cindy Saiter

Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP

303 Colorado St., Ste. 2400 512-495-6306

Gavin R. Villareal

Baker Botts LLP

401 S. First St., Ste. 1300 512-322-2652

Emily Willis Collins

Greenberg Traurig LLP

300 W. Sixth St., Ste. 2050 512-320-7274

Kennon L. Wooten

Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP

303 Colorado St., Ste. 2400 512-495-6341

CONSTRUCTION

Will W. Allensworth

Allensworth

303 Colorado St., Ste. 2800 512-708-1250

■ David P. Boyce

Wright & Greenhill PC 900 Congress Ave., Ste. 500 512-961-4389

Kendall Bryant

Gorthey, Bryant, & von Kreisler PLLC 604 W. 12th St. 512-580-2858

Tony Ciccone

Bollier Ciccone LLP 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. G, Ste. 200 512-477-5796

Craig Courville

Wright & Greenhill PC 4700 Mueller Blvd., Ste. 200 512-961-4389

Amy M. Emerson

Allensworth

303 Colorado St., Ste. 2800 512-708-1250

R. Carson Fisk

Andrews Myers PC 919 Congress Ave., Ste. 1050 512-900-3032

Jerry Negrete

The Chapman Firm 3410 Far West Blvd., Ste. 210 512-872-3840

Rekha Roarty

Bollier Ciccone LLP 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. G, Ste. 200 512-477-5796

★ Hailey L. Suggs

Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC

401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5615

Amy C. Welborn

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP 901 S. Mopac Expy., Bldg. 1, Ste. 480 512-582-6603

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Jenifer Renzenbrink Smith Latham & Watkins LLP 301 Congress Ave., Ste. 900 737-910-7306

Chris Shuley Sedera, Inc. 7171 Southwest Pwky., Bldg. 3, Ste. 350 800-473-5472

CORPORATE FINANCE MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Brad Knippa

Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2284

Lee Potts

Potts Blacklock Senterfitt PLLC 4800 Bee Caves Road, Ste. 100 512-614-4105

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Samuel E. Bassett

Minton Bassett Flores & Carsey PC 1100 Guadalupe St. 512-476-4873

Leslie J. Boykin

Law Office of Leslie J. Boykin PC

609 W. Ninth St. 512-912-9977

Claire Carter

Claire Carter Legal 910 West Ave., Ste. 12 512-375-6257

Rick Cofer

Cofer & Connelly, PLLC 602 W. 11th St. 512-200-3801

Melissa de la Garza

Law Office of Melissa de la Garza 1400 W. Sixth St. 512-657-2583

Jason English Hernandez & English LLP 3800 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 200 512-640-4099

Rick R. Flores

Minton Bassett Flores & Carsey PC 1100 Guadalupe St. 512-476-4873

David Gonzalez

Sumpter & Gonzalez LLP 3011 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 200 512-381-9955

Virginia Greenway

The Law Office of Virginia W. Greenway PO Box 300442 512-478-1900

Robert Kiesling

Law Offices Of RRK - Robert R. Kiesling

13785 Research Blvd., Ste. 125 512-436-2779

★ Tycha Kimbrough Kimbrough Legal PLLC

4425 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 105 833-553-4251

Randy T. Leavitt

Law Office of Randy T. Leavitt 1301 Rio Grande St. 512-476-4475

Amy Lefkowitz

Lefkowitz & Haire PLLC 1307 Nueces St. 512-543-1622

Brian McConnell

The McConnell Law Firm PLLC 1114 Lost Creek Blvd., Ste. 440 512-477-7776

Christopher Perri

Chris Perri Law 1304 Nueces St. 512-269-0260

Brian Roark

Botsford & Roark 1307 West Ave. 512-476-1900

Allison Tisdale

The Hull Firm 1004 West Ave. 512-599-9999

Steve Toland Peek & Toland 1214 E. Seventh St. 512-474-4445

Amber Lyn Vazquez

Vazquez Law Firm 608 W. 12th St. 512-220-8507

EDUCATION

Marty Cirkiel Cirkiel Law Group. P.C. 1901 E. Palm Valley Blvd. Round Rock, 512-244-6658

Kristi Godden

O’Hanlon Demerath & Castillo 808 West Ave. 512-494-9949

Goz Odediran

Odediran Law Firm PLLC 13809 Research Blvd., Ste. 500 512-886-5069

Scott Schneider Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-1145

ELDER

Lindsey Drake Drake Law PLLC 1213 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. 100 512-524-3697

H. Clyde Farrell Farrell & Johnson PLLC 1004 Mopac Circle, Ste. 100 512-323-2977

EMINENT DOMAIN

W. Brad Anderson

Jackson Walker LLP

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2043

Luke Ellis

Marrs Ellis & Hodge LLP 809 W. 12th St. 512-215-4078

Noah M. Galton

Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2026

Nicholas P. Laurent

Barron Adler Clough & Oddo LLP 808 Nueces St. 512-478-4995

David Todd

Todd Law Firm 3800 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 200 512-472-7799

ENERGY, OIL, AND GAS

Becky Hollis Diffen

Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP 98 San Jacinto Blvd., Ste. 1100 512-474-5201

Tricia “TJ” Jackson Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-370-3464

Olga Kobzar Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP 303 Colorado St., Ste. 2400 512-495-6354

ENTERTAINMENT

Amy E. Mitchell

Amy E. Mitchell, PLLC 4413 Spicewood Springs Road, Ste. 303 512-505-0845

FAMILY

Thomas L. Ausley

GoransonBain Ausley PLLC 3307 Northland Drive, Ste. 420 512-454-8791

Elizabeth J. Ayala

Bollier Ciccone LLP 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. G, Ste. 200 512-477-5796

Caroline Badinelli

Caroline Badinelli Attorney at Law 4425 S. Mopac Expy. EC Gaines, Bldg. II, Ste. 105 512-960-4110

Leslie J. Bollier

Bollier Ciccone LLP 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. G, Ste. 200 512-477-5796

Michael Burnett

Burnett Turner PLLC 6034 W. Courtyard Drive, Ste. 140 512-472-5060

Lisa Bustos Bustos Family Law PLLC 4009 Banister Lane, Ste. 420 512-776-2768

Kristiana Butler

GoransonBain Ausley PLLC 3307 Northland Drive, Ste. 420 512-454-8791

Kelly Caperton Fischer GoransonBain Ausley PLLC 3307 Northland Drive, Ste. 420 512-454-8791

Leigh de la Reza Noelke Maples St. Leger Bryant LLP 901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 200 512-480-9777

Patricia J. Dixon Gray & Becker PC 900 West Ave. 512-482-0061

Kacy Dudley

Dudley Law PLLC 3101 Bee Caves Road, Ste. 260 512-617-3975

Alyson Falk Falk Family Law 608 W. 12th St. 512-409-2703

Lydia Fearing Law Office of Becky Beaver 3500 Jefferson St., Ste. 210

Amy K. Gehm

Law Office of Amy K. Gehm 1114 Lost Creek Blvd., Ste. 310 512-327-7272

Hannah Hembree Bell

Hembree Bell Law Firm PLLC 4413 Spicewood Springs Road, Ste. 121 737-377-1555

★ Thomas M. Just

Bustos Family Law PLLC

4009 Banister Lane, Ste. 420 512-766-2768

Jodi Lazar Lazar Law

500 W. Second St., Ste. 1900 512-477-1600

Erin C. Leake

Vaught Law Firm, P.C. 5929 Balcones Drive, Ste. 201 512-342-9980

Lisa Londergan

Thompson Salinas Londergan LLP

8911 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. 4, Ste. 4260 512-201-4083

★ Clare Mattione

Modern Family Law 8701 N. Mopac Expy., Ste. 105

Aishah McCoy

Law Office of Aishah Mccoy Esq

7500 Rialto Blvd., Bldg. 1, Ste. 250 512-872-7845

Mary Evelyn McNamara

Rivers McNamara PLLC 1209 W. Fifth St., Ste. 200 512-439-7000

Joe D. Milner

Friday Milner Lambert Turner PLLC

3401 Glenview Ave. 512-472-9291

Jami Milner Turner

Friday Milner Lambert Turner PLLC 3401 Glenview Ave. 512-472-9291

David F. Minton

Minton Bassett Flores & Carsey PC 1100 Guadalupe St. 512-476-4873

Carly Gallagher Murray Law Office of Carly A Gallagher 13785 Research Blvd., Ste. 125 512-633-2204

Cheryl Powell

The Carlson Law Firm 1717 N. I-35, Ste. 305 Round Rock 512-671-7277

Andrew Robertson

Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey 1100 Guadalupe St. 512-914-3477

Angelica Rolong Cormier

GoransonBain Ausley PLLC 3307 Northland Drive, Ste. 420 512-454-8791

D. Micah Royer III

Coldwell Bowes LLP 1510 San Antonio St. 512-472-2040

Carlos G. Salinas

Thompson Salinas Londergan LLP

8911 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. 4, Ste. 4260 512-201-4083

Raul Sandoval Jr.

Sandoval Family Law PC 611 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 225 512-580-2449

Susannah A. Stinson

Bollier Ciccone LLP 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. G, Ste. 200 512-477-5796

Marshall A. Thompson Thompson Salinas Londergan LLP

8911 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. 4, Ste. 4260 512-201-4083

Melissa M. Williams

Law Office of Melissa M. Williams 1114 Lost Creek Blvd., Ste. 310 412-477-5448

Gracie Wood Shepherd

Friday Milner Lambert Turner PLLC 3401 Glenview Ave. 512-472-9291

Jason Wright Law Office of Jason Wright PLLC

3600 W. Parmer Lane, Ste. 100 512-883-9435

GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE

Jenna Reblin Malsbary Travis County Juvenile Probation Department

2515 S. Congress Ave. 512-854-7000

Jennifer S. Riggs

Riggs & Ray PC

3307 Northland Drive, Ste. 215 512-457-9806

Elizabeth Ross Hadley

Greenberg Traurig LLP

300 W. Sixth St., Ste. 2050 512-320-7227

Deborah C. Trejo

Kemp Smith LLP

2905 San Gabriel St., Ste. 205 512-320-5466

HEALTH CARE

Fletcher Brown

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1800 512-685-6423

Ellee Cochran Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-1136

Laura Diamond

Dalrymple Shellhorse Ellis & Diamond LLP 901 S. Mopac Expy., Bldg. 1, Ste. 280 512-422-8810

Joseph V. Geraci Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-703-5774

Amanda Hill Hill Law PLLC 12600 Hill Country Blvd., Ste. R-275 512-826-1007

Hal Katz Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-703-5715

Jack E. Skaggs

Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2343

IMMIGRATION

Iris Albizu Albizu Law

111 W. Anderson Lane, Ste. D-207 512-861-5638

Mehron P. Azarmehr Azarmehr Law Group 2720 Bee Caves Road 512-732-0558

Carolyn Gutierrez Bartelli Boulette Golden & Marin LLP 2700 Vía Fortuna, Ste. 250 512-732-8907

Cecilia Castillo Bernstein Law Office of Cecilia Castillo Bernstein PLLC 6108 Diamond Head Drive 929-277-7212

Jason Finkelman Jason Finkelman Attorney at Law PLLC

100 Congress Ave., Ste. 2000 512-348-8855

Kalani Hawks Villafranca Hawks Villafranca Law PLLC 2028 E. Ben White Blvd., Ste. 240-3945 512-675-2945

Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch Lincoln-Goldfinch Law 1005 E. 40th St. 855-502-0555

Daniella Deseta Lyttle Lyttle Law Firm PLLC 1811 W. Ben White Blvd., Ste. 101 512-215-5225

Eliana Maruri Maruri Law Group 3901 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 260 512-595-0242

Adrian Resendez Brough & Resendez PLLC 1213 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. 100 512-792-9510

INSURANCE

Lana L. Freeman

Mitchell Williams Selig Gates & Woodyard PLLC

500 W. Fifth St., Ste. 1150 512-480-5127

Brytne D. Kitchin

Mitchell Williams

Selig Gates & Woodyard PLLC

500 W. Fifth St., Ste. 1150 512-480-5128

■ Henry Moore Moore & Bomben PLLC 2901 Bee Caves Road 512-477-1663

Rachael K. Padgett

Mitchell Williams

Selig Gates & Woodyard PLLC

500 W. Fifth St., Ste. 1150 512-480-5110

Nancy G. Scates

Walters Balido & Crain LLP 9020 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. 1, Ste. 170 512-472-9000

Lee H. Shidlofsky Shidlofsky Law Firm PLLC

7200 N. Mopac Expy., Ste. 430 512-685-1400

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

Lea N. Brigtsen Williams Simons & Landis PLLC 601 Congress Ave., Ste. 600 512-793-9216

André Brunel

Reiter Brunel & Dunn PLLC

6805 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. 318 512-646-1107

Leah Buratti

Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-566-3909

Mateo Z. Fowler MZF Law Firm 1211 W. Sixth St., Ste. 600-143 281-546-5172

Anna Kuhn Pirkey Barber PLLC 1801 E. Sixth St., Ste. 300 512-482-5236

Emilio B. Nicolas Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2304

James R. Ray III Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC 1717 W. Sixth St., Ste. 250 512-391-6177

INTERNATIONAL

Sandra D. Gonzalez HID Global 611 Center Ridge Drive 737-465-7703

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

Amy Beckstead Beckstead Terry Ditto PLLC 9442 Capital of Texas Hwy., Plaza 1, Ste. 500 512-827-3575

Jason Boulette Boulette Golden & Marin LLP 2700 Via Fortuna, Ste. 250 512-732-8901

Craig Carter Jackson & Carter PLLC 6514 McNeil Drive, Bldg. 2, Ste. 200 512-473-2002

Jairo Nikov Castellanos Wiley Walsh PC 1011 San Jacinto Blvd., Ste. 401 512-271-5527

Jennifer Rappoport Colimon Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-960-4162

Connie Cornell Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton LLP 1607 West Ave. 512-328-1540

Sarah T. Glaser Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend PC 816 Congress Ave., Ste. 1900 512-322-5881

Austin Kaplan Kaplan Law Firm 3901 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 260 512-553-9390

Kevin Koronka Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-1162

Nicole S. LeFave Littler Mendelson PC 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-982-7261

Laura Merritt Boulette Golden & Marin LLP 2700 Via Fortuna, Ste. 250 512-732-8903

Tom Nesbitt DeShazo & Nesbitt LLP 809 West Ave. 512-617-5560

David C. Courreges University Federal Credit Union 8303 N. Mopac Expy. 512-421-8160

■ Ann Price Boulette Golden & Marin LLP 2700 Via Fortuna, Ste. 250 512-732-8904

Stephanie S. Rojo Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons LLP 701 Brazos St., Ste. 1500 512-703-5047

Robert W. Schmidt Crews Law Firm PC 701 Brazos, Ste. 900 512-346-7077

Adam H. Sencenbaugh Haynes And Boone LLP

600 Congress Ave., Ste. 1300 512-867-8489

Ted Smith Cornell Smith Mierl Brutocao Burton LLP 1607 West Ave. 512-328-1540

Colin William Walsh Wiley Walsh PC 1011 San Jacinto Blvd., Ste. 401 512-271-5527

Scott W. Weatherford Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2073

LAND USE ENVIRONMENT

Samia R. Broadaway Baker Botts LLP

401 S. First St., Ste. 1300 512-322-2652

Natasha J. Martin Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5639

Paulina Williams Baker Botts LLP

401 S. First St., Ste. 1300 512-322-2652

MEDIATION

Bert Pluymen Pluymen Law PLLC 2705 Bee Caves Road, Ste. 225 512-415-9111

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE PLAINTIFF

Jamal K. Alsaffar

Whitehurst Harkness Brees

Cheng Alsaffar Higginbotham and Jacob PLLC

1114 Lost Creek Blvd., Ste. 410 866-566-4346

Michelle M. Cheng

Whitehurst Harkness Brees

Cheng Alsaffar Higginbotham and Jacob PLLC

1114 Lost Creek Blvd., Ste. 410 866-566-4346

■ Thomas R. Harkness

Whitehurst Harkness Brees

Cheng Alsaffar Higginbotham and Jacob PLLC

1114 Lost Creek Blvd, Ste. 410 866-566-4346

Jay Harvey

Winckler & Harvey LLP

6836 Bee Caves Road, Bldg. 3, Ste. 333 512-306-1800

PERSONAL INJURY

Hayden Briggle

Briggle & Polan PLLC

1609 Shoal Creek Blvd., Ste. 304 512-400-3278

Elecia Byrd

Zinda Law Group PLLC 8834 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. 304 512-877-5658

Cassandra Fox Charles

DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-379-5344

Dan Christensen

DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-262-9635

Scott Crivelli

Gibbs & Crivelli 1802 Lavaca St. 800-488-7840

Roberto Flores

The Carlson Law Firm 1717 N. I-35, Ste. 305 Round Rock 512-671-7277

■ Rick Freeman

Rick Freeman PC 3660 Stoneridge Road, Ste. B102 512-477-6111

Drew Gibbs

Gibbs & Crivelli 1802 Lavaca St. 800-488-7840

Kenneth “Tray” Gober III

Lee Gober & Reyna PLLC 11940 Jollyville Road, Ste. 220-S 512-800-8000

Michael Guajardo

Slack Davis Sanger LLP 6001 Bold Ruler Way, Ste. 100 512-795-8686

Elissa I. Henry

Elissa I. Henry Law Firm PLLC 1000 Heritage Center Circle Round Rock, 512-766-4529

Laurie M. Higginbotham Whitehurst Harkness Brees Cheng Alsaffar Higginbotham and Jacob PLLC 1114 Lost Creek Blvd., Ste. 410 866-566-4346

Robert House Law Office of Robert House PLLC

6500 River Place Blvd., Ste. 250 512-872-2264

Laura Ramos James Ramos James Law PLLC 2512 S. I-35 Frontage Road, Ste. 310 512-537-3369

L. Todd Kelly The Carlson Law Firm 11606 N. I-35 512-346-5688

Nathan Kennedy The Carlson Law Firm 135 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. A 512-804-7277

Brandon Lange DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-379-5344

Adam Loewy Loewy Law Firm 7000 N. Mopac Expy., Ste. 200 512-280-0800

★ Christine Londergan DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-262-9635

Jaime M. Lynn

The Carlson Law Firm 1717 N. I-35, Ste. 305 Round Rock 512-671-7277

Jacob Z. Mancha Carlson Law Firm 11606 N. I-35 512-346-5688

Catherine E. Marsolan Wright & Greenhill PC 900 Congress Ave., Ste. 500 512-961-4389

■ Stephen Nagle

Stephen G. Nagle & Associates 1501 W. Sixth St., Ste. E-1 512-480-0505

Amber Russell Law Office of Amber Russell PLLC

6500 River Place Blvd., Bldg. 7, Ste. 250 512-777-3135

Pete Rutter DC Law PLLC 1012 W. Anderson Lane 512-379-5344

Bethbiriah G. Sanchez Sanchez Law 4360 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 111 512-400-2420

Kimberly E. Solomon Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP 901 S. Mopac Expy., Bldg. 1, Ste. 480 512-582-6493

PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE NONMEDICAL DEFENSE

April Lucas McGinnis Lochridge LLP 1111 W. Sixth St., Bldg. B, Ste. 400 512-495-6156

Lauren Ross

Herring & Panzer LLP 1411 West Ave., Ste. 100 512-320-0665

REAL ESTATE

Kate D. Davy Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5624

Sara M. Foskitt Foskitt Law Office PLLC

3901 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 260 512-368-8070

Jason Gorman Compere & Gorman PLLC

901 S. Mopac Expy., Bldg. 2, Ste. 150 512-270-4757

Alexandra C. Jashinsky Husch Blackwell LLP 111 Congress Ave., Ste. 1400 512-479-1182

Jill G. Murphy Ruffner Schoenbaum Murphy Banaszak PLLC

901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 290 512-275-6277

Julia Elizabeth Null Clayton & Ramirez Law, PLLC 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Bldg. 3, Ste. 250 512-687-0744

Jenny Roan Forgey Winstead PC 401 Congress Avenue, Ste. 2100 512-370-2863

Kendra Roloson Dubois Bryant & Campbell LLP 303 Colorado St., Ste. 2300 512-457-8000

Farren Sheehan Sheehan Law PLLC 1601 Pfennig Lane Pflugerville 512-251-4553

Michelle Moore Smith

Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2017 TAX

Danielle Ahlrich Reed Smith LLP 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 1800 512-623-1777

Rodolfo R. Colmenero Vacek Kiecke & Colmenero LLP 901 S. Mopac Expy., Bldg. 3, Ste. 410 512-472-2464

Kristie Iatrou United States Tax Court PO Box 13528 210-521-0673

Winston Krause Krause & Associates 504 W. 13th St. 512-477-6707

TECHNOLOGY VIRTUAL

Slade Cutter Wittliff Cutter PLLC 1209 Nueces St. 512-825-0544

Kristine L. Devine HWG LLP 512-637-4479

Jennifer M. McGrew Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati 900 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Fl. 5 512-338-5438

WILLS, ESTATES, AND PROBATE

Katherine C. Akinc Rigby Slack Lawrence Akinc Pepper + Comerford PLLC 3500 Jefferson St., Ste. 330 512-225-6586

Michael J. Baldwin

Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2355

Leigh Banaszak Ruffner Schoenbaum Murphy Banaszak PLLC 901 S. Mopac Expy., Ste. 290 512-275-6277

John W. Conner

Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-480-5612

Claire D. East

Thompson East PLLC 1301 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Ste. C-120 737-301-6375

Wendi Lester Efflandt Heritage Law 1625 Williams Drive, Bldg. 1, Ste. 101 Georgetown, 512-930-0529

Emily Franco McGinnis Lochridge LLP 1111 W. Sixth St., Bldg. B, Ste. 400 512-495-6072

Kristy Goldman Goldman Law Group 4300 N. Quinlan Park Road, Ste. 210 512-649-5341

Caitlin Haney

Johnston The Haney Law Firm 808 W. 10th St., Ste. 100 512-476-2212

Brooke Hardie Hardie Alcozer 1607 Nueces St. 512-991-8673

Iffy Ibekwe Ibekwe Law PLLC 4413 Spicewood Springs Road, Ste. 307 512-505-2753

Julia Jonas The Karisch Law Firm PLLC 9111 Jollyville Road, Ste. 225 512-328-6346

Tracy Kasparek Kasparek Law PO Box 161371 512-215-3407

Alison Lenner McGinnis Lochridge LLP 1111 W. Sixth St., Bldg. B, Ste. 400 512-495-6079

Eric W. Nelson Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody PC 401 Congress Ave., Ste. 2700 512-790-3742

Elizabeth Nielsen Nielsen Law PLLC 8705 Shoal Creek Blvd., Ste. 105 512-522-2890

Douglas J. Paul McGinnis Lochridge LLP 1111 W. Sixth St., Bldg. B, Ste. 400 512-495-6170

■ Stan M. Putman Jr. Kostura & Putman PC 2901 Bee Caves Road, Ste. L 512-328-9099

Michelle Rosenblatt Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2321

Erin N. Tuggle Jackson Walker LLP 100 Congress Ave., Ste. 1100 512-236-2065

Brad Wiewel Texas Trust Law PLLC

1601 Rio Grande St., Ste. 550 512-480-8828

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Chadwick Lee The Chadwick Lee Law Firm 1000 Heritage Center Circle Round Rock 512-419-1234

HOW THE LIST IS MADE

Using an online survey, Austin Monthly solicited peer nominations from attorneys in the Austin area, asking them to nominate up to three attorneys per practice area who they would trust with the legal care of themselves or their family. To ensure the nomination process is peer-based, full contact information was requested before nominating and attorneys were asked to limit their nominations to lawyers whose work they’ve personally witnessed.

Austin Monthly then tallied the results, selecting the top percentage of vote recipients in each practice area before submitting the final list to our fact-checking process, which includes a review of good standing with the state bar association. Attorneys do not and cannot pay to be a part of the list. We recognize that many good attorneys are not included on the list; this is only a sampling of a huge array of talented professionals within the region. We encourage all consumers to do their own research before selecting a lawyer.

Austin Monthly uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. It does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. Austin Monthly 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. If you see an error in the information listed, please contact info@ austinmonthly.com.

ATTORNEYS

Congratulations! If you’d like to display this accomplishment with a plaque, please visit our official store at austinmonthly.com/plaques.

Scaling Up

Burgers weren’t the only draw at Holiday House, as pet gators once roamed the Barton Springs Road restaurant.

BY ROSIE NINESLING

ON A SPRING morning in 1964, a municipal dog catcher hovered over UT’s Littlefield Fountain, net in hand, while an elusive 4-foot-long alligator scuttled underneath the algae-filled water. Reports hinted that it belonged to a fraternity, but when nobody claimed the reptile, police planned on dropping him off at a zoo. That is until restaurateur Ralph Moreland showed up at the station ready to adopt.

After naming him Charlie and advertising him as “living decor,” Moreland kept the animal at Holiday House, his hamburger joint on Barton Springs Road. Although he occasionally escaped, Charlie generally maintained a peaceful life until 1970, when the Holiday House mascot was found mysteriously stoned to death in his man-made moat. Moreland, understandably, was heartbroken, and looked to fill that void by stuffing Charlie and mounting him above the bar counter. He also quick-

ly brought home another 8-foot-long alligator as a surrogate sidekick.

Less than a decade later, Charlie II was kidnapped and found hanging from a tree next to Lake Austin. Was it the same killer striking twice? No one can say for sure, but despite his massive jaw being duct-taped shut, the reptile was miraculously in good health—albeit, a little lonely.

Returned to his pen in front of the restaurant, Charlie II barely moved, prompting many to mistake him for a statue. Moreland wanted a happier ending for his second pet, though, so when the restaurant closed in 1982, he shipped him to an alligator farm in Rockport with the hopes that he’d find true love.

Within months, that touching gator goal came true. “He’s happy as a bug in a rug now,” Moreland confirmed in a 1982 Statesman article. “I would never have the heart to bring him back.”

Holiday House owner

Ralph Moreland built a moat for the gators that he kept on-site.