b e s t
o f
e v e r y t h i n g
INSIDE
© Peter Max 2010
T h e
How Austin Became the Live Music Capital of the World
Austin Fashion Week
Music to the Max
Looks that Rocked
Iconic Pop Art
5 september/october 02010 0 5
6
88066 27519
0
austinlifestylemagazine.com 6 88066 27519 0
Meet the Artist
PETER MAX Saturday, October 9th • 6 – 9pm Sunday, October 10th • 12 – 3pm RSVP please: 512.478.4440
All Art © Peter Max 2010
Valet Parking
Russell Collection 1137 West 6th Street Austin
Join us for a special uncrating party on Friday October 1st • 6 – 8pm. Recent works will be available for acquisition. Exhibition previews by appointment begin October 2nd.
A N N O UN C I N G A US T I N LY R I C OP ERA’ S
2010-11 SEASON
Ignite Your Soul !
Call 800-31-OPERA to buy season tickets or visit www.AustinLyr icOpera.org
LA TRAVIATA By Giuseppe Verdi
November 6, 10, 12, 14, 2010
THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS By Gioachino Rossini
january 29, February 2, 4, 6, 2011
FLIGHT By Jonathan Dove
April 9, 13, 15, 17, 2011
THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT By Michael Nyman IN CONjUNCTION wITh
The Austin Chamber Music Festival
july 9, 10, 11, 2010
Contents
austin lifestyle
september/october 2010
austin music: brenda ladd; bob dylan: © 2010 peter max; house: courtesy rough hollow
48 60
fe ature s 48
56
How Austin Became the Live Music Capital of the World Music to the Max
The Colorful Notes of Peter Max
56
60
Life at the Lake
austinlifestylemagazine.com 3
Contents
austin lifestyle
september/october 2010
Austin Fashion Week 5 pages of fresh looks!
64
19
de partm en t s 11 new & noteworthy 14 hottest happenings 16 that's entertainment fa sh ion & beau ty 19 what's haute Austin Fashion Week 25 fashion forward Closet Classics 26 beauty Body Scrubs 28 active austin Jump Fit Austin 30 A day at the spa JW Marriott San Antonio Resort and Spa
72
P h i l a n t h ropy 33 social graces 36 social register hom e 41 what's hot First Class Home Entertainment 44 home decorating tips and trends Art as Inspiration 46 in the garden Tend to Your Trees
41
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Scott Newton
EDITED BY Terry Lickona and Scott Newton
FOREWORD BY John Mayer
30 26
FOOD 64 savor Bess Bistro & Walton’s Fancy and Staple 68 sommelier’s secrets Willamette Wine 70 accidental epicurian Gourmet Food with a Side of Music
i n eve ry i s s u e 6 contributors 8 letter from the editor 72 off the shelf 73 wired 74 Expert opinion 75 web extras 76 your lucky stars on the cover “Portrait of Willie Nelson,” 16×20, mixed media on paper, 2010. © Peter Max 2010. Original photo by Brenda Ladd
4 austinlifestylemagazine.com
P LUS 79 k e e p au stin well Your Guide to Staying Healthy
CLOSE WITH SOMEONE LOCAL Hay Compere PLLC is an Austin-based Attorney Title Office offering title and escrow services.
Whether you or your clients need assistance with a purchase or refinancing transaction, Hay Compere PLLC provides quality, personal service unmatched in the industry.
BETH COFFEY Marketing Director
STACEY COLEMAN Escrow Officer
In addition to title services, Hay Compere PLLC provides professional full service legal counsel in the areas of business, real estate, and construction.*
Legal
Title
*Attorneys not Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
contributors
Austin Lifestyle’s Cover art Uncrating! Be among the first to see the mixed media original of Willie Nelson by Peter Max, commissioned exclusively for the cover of the Live Music issue of Austin Lifestyle. Join us to raise a glass as we uncrate this unique portrait at the Russell Collection! Enjoy Sparkling Sweets with desserts provided by Walton’s Fancy and Staple, champagne provided by Barefoot Wines, and music by Grammy-nominated guitarist and composer, Susan McDonald. Meet feature writer John T. Davis and cover photographer Brenda Ladd. Photographer Scott Newton will also be on hand to sign copies of his newly released book Austin City Limits: 35 Years in Photographs. Hosted by Austin Lifestyle and Lisa Russell Join us October 1, 2010 from 7-9 pm at The Russell Collection, 1137 West 6th Street
Special Thanks to
6 austinlifestylemagazine.com
John T. Davis has lived in Austin for over three decades, writing about the music, personalities and culture of Texas and the Southwest for a variety of regional, state and national publications. His byline has appeared in the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, Texas Monthly, Texas Highways, San Antonio magazine, Billboard and Newsday. He is also a frequent contributor to Austin Monthly. He has been interviewed by VH-1, CMT and NPR and has appeared in the documentary film, Lubbock Lights. He is the author of the book Austin City Limits: 25 Years of American Music and has assisted in the preparation and editing of several other volumes, including biographies of musicians Jerry Jeff Walker and Johnny Bush and a travel guide to Texas. In 2008, he conducted a class of one-on-one interviews with musicians for the Austin Live Music Academy at the University of Texas. That same year, he was a featured panelist at the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. In 2009, he was awarded a Lone Star Award (Third Place) in the “Magazine/Features” category in a statewide contest sponsored by the Houston Press Club. This is his first article for Austin Lifestyle.
Brenda Ladd is a dynamic force in the world of photography and photo education, focusing on faces, fine art and culture in Austin and beyond. As a featured photographer with Austin Lifestyle this month, Brenda illuminates one of her favorite subjects: Musicians. As a closet jazz singer, Brenda feels passionate about photographing the legends and unsung heroes of the rich music scene in Austin. Her artistic celebrations of artists grace the walls of many collectors and music lovers as photographs, giclee fine-art prints and paintings. Look for her one-woman exhibit at Studio2 in March 2011. Renowned as a portrait artist, pinhole/fine-art photographer, naturalist and educator, Brenda’s images have been featured in Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine, The Pinhole Journal, The Austin American Statesman, The Nature Conservancy and on the covers of several books. Her teaching credentials include The University of Texas at Austin, Rocky Mountain School of Photography and workshops at her beautiful studio, Studio 78704. www.brendaladdphoto.com
John T. Davs: MKB Photography/Mary Keating Bruton brenda ladd: courtesy brenda ladd
You Are Cordially Invited to
letter from the editor
t h e
b e s t
o f
e v e r y t h i n g
T h e ly r i c s t o o n e o f m y fav o r i t e B o n J o v i s o n g s must have been written
publisher Shawn K. Lively
about Austin: I always knew, that I’d like this place / You don’t have to look too far, to find a friendly face / I feel alive when I’m walkin’ on the street / I feel the heart of the city poundin’ underneath my feet / Yeah let the world keep spinning round ‘n’ round / This is where it’s all goin’ down, down, down / That’s why I, love this town / That’s why I, keep co-min’ round. For our Live Music issue veteran music writer, John T. Davis, chronicles how Austin became the Live Music Capital of the World (p. 48), and associate editor, Dana Reinart, celebrates the fortieth anniversary of an Austin music favorite, Asleep at the Wheel, with band founder and leader, Ray Benson (p. 16). If you happen to be an aspiring musician or if you just like to sing in the shower, we’ve got a gig for you (p. 75). Many people are initially drawn to Austin for the music and happily discover that there is more – so much more – to this very vibrant city. Austin is one of those places where you immediately feel welcome and once you get here you wonder what took you so long—at least that’s how it was for me. Millions of people must relate to those feelings each year when participating in the whirlwind of events that take place during the two most jam-packed months of the year. During September and October tourists and townies alike will take in the sights and sounds of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the Texas Book Festival and the Austin Film Festival (see New and Noteworthy p. 11). Not to be missed is the annual Home Builders Association Parade of Homes, this year located in the upscale lakeside community of Rough Hollow (p. 60). The heart of the city was certainly pounding as models and local fashionistas strutted their stuff, showing off the latest vibrant creations of the Austin fashion community – we’ve got it all from Fashion Week 2010 (p. 19). One look at the very colorful Willie Nelson image on our cover – the iconic vision of Peter Max – is all it takes to make me feel alive. The legendary artist reveals how music inspires his art and the secret behind his enduring passion for self-expression after five decades of painting (p. 56). Join us on October 1 at the Russell Gallery as we uncrate the original painting that graces our cover. After a relatively lazy, hot summer, the social scene heats up with the Ballet Fête (p. 38), and Lone Stars and Angels (p. 39). Get back on your bikes for the LIVESTRONG Challenge (p. 37) and the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride (p. 14). Prepare to be awed as the aerial dancers of Blue Lapis Light float among the stars high above the Long Center Terrace (p. 12). Champions for Children welcome New York Times best-selling author, Lee Woodruff (p. 36). When you think you are about to drop from all of the activity, you can always duck into Bess Bistro or Walton’s Fancy and Staple for refreshment or nourishment (p. 64); or, check out the Accidental Epicurean’s suggestions for gourmet food with a side of music (p. 70). Then try Jump Fit, the latest fitness craze to work off all of the calories you consumed along the way (p. 28). As the last verse of Bon Jovi’s song says, “No matter where you’re from, tonight you’re from right here and this is where it all goes down, down, down.” Whether you are a townie or a tourist, I encourage you to let the world keep spinning ‘round and ‘round as you enjoy the best of everything that this city has to offer. In September and October, Austin is where it all goes down. That’s why I love this town!
associate publisher Michelle Steves
Deborah Hamilton-Lynne
Editorial editor-in-chief Deborah Hamilton-Lynne associate editor Dana Reinart copy editor Kait Miesch intern Meredith Merritt contributing Writers Camille Abbott, Brenda
Audino, Robin Campbell, Jill Case, John T. Davis, Linda Ginac, Daniel Ramirez, Laura Waldman, Roxanne Wilson Art & Production design Creative & Sons
www.creativeandsons.com assistant art director / WeB designer
Daniel Ramirez contributing PHOTOGRAPHERs Logan Boyd, John
Doye, Jenn Hawkins, Jerry Hughes, Linda Hughes, Brenda Ladd, Phillip Leach, Robert Leake, Scott Newton videOGRAPHERs Connie Dowdle, Robert Leake
sales & Marketing director of sales and marketing Tracy Stewart account executives Kristen Donner,
Rachel Kelly, Jason Moore For advertising information, please e-mail ads@austinlifestylemagazine.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@austinlifestylemagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe online at www.austinlifestylemagazine.com JOB INQUIRIES See current postings and apply online at www.austinlifestylemagazine.com Austin Lifestyle is Austin owned and operated and published by Texas Lifestyle Media, Inc. © and ™ 2010 Texas Lifestyle Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Follow us on Twitter: @lifestyleaustin Become a fan on Facebook!
8 austinlifestylemagazine.com
brenda ladd
I Love This Town
New & NOT EWO RTHY foodie alerts
Royitos
Ninth Annual Austin City Limits Music Festival Three days, eight stages, 130 bands – it must be that time of year again – when music aficionados from all over the world come to Austin to see what is so great about the self-proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World. This year, townies and tourists alike will not be disappointed. If you didn’t score a ticket, save your vigor for the night life – all of your favorite performers will grace the stages of Austin’s most legendary music venues at the ACL Aftershows! Little known fact: ACL Fest benefits the Austin Parks Foundation. editor’s picks Headliners Eagles, Muse, Phish Austin Favorites Spoon, Robert Earl Keen, Band of Heathens, T. Bird and the Breaks Must See Blues Traveler, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, Norah Jones, The Flaming Lips, The Black Keys Up and Comers Charlie Mars, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Miike Snow, Beach House
Trailer Food Explosion! Austinites love the quirky trailer treat phenomenon. Its exploding popularity has even caught the eye of the Food Network. Advertising guru and GSD&M cofounder, Roy Spence has entered the group with his flashy Airstream, Royitos, located across from Idea City and Whole Foods featuring his signature hot sauce (WE DON’T DO MILD) and two dollar breakfast tacos. Other new and notable trailer treat entries: East Austin Trailer Park and Eatery on East Cesar Chavez (we recommend Iggi’s Texatarian’s Southern style vegan food) and the Longhorn Food Court at MLK Jr. Boulevard and Rio Grande Street (check out Lucky J’s Chicken and Waffles). If you want to impress your guests with an “I can’t believe this came from a trailer” don’t miss The Flying Carpet’s Moroccan offerings at Gibson and Congress. To map out your next meal, visit www.austinfoodcarts.com.
ACL: Ashley garmon; royitos: courtesy royitos
October 8-10, Zilker Park. www.aclfest.com
Stiletto Stampede Who can explain the relationship between women and their shoes? Fortunately, there are times when that fascination parlays into good fun for a good cause. Honoring all cancer survivors, the unique run benefits the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Participants must wear heels at least 2.5 inches high, and there is even a heat for your pooch. www.idealheel.com
Your Mom’s Burger Bar Friends in town for ACL Fest? For a musically themed offering, try the Willie Nelson, a half-pound burger wrapped in bacon, served with honey barbeque sauce, onion rings and stuffed with American cheese – the brainchild of local restaurateurs Ryan and Gina Blackmore. www.eatatyourmoms.com Austin Restaurant Week Many of Austin’s best restaurants come together to provide fabulous and affordable meals. Proceeds benefit the Sustainable Food Center. September 19-22 and 26-29. www.restaurantweekaustin.com
austinlifestylemagazine.com 11
NEW & NOTEWORTH Y
Best Kept Secret
Fifteenth Annual Texas Book Festival Bigger and better than ever, the Texas Book Festival attracts two hundred of the nation’s most accomplished authors and over forty thousand participants each year. Readings, panel discussions, cooking demonstrations, children’s tent, live music—all free! Notable authors include: Former First Lady and Book Festival Founder, Laura Bush, author of Spoken From the Heart; Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham, author of By Nightfall; Michele Norris, host of NPR’s All Things Considered, and author of The Grace of Silence; Anna Dewdney, children’s author of the Llama Llama books; Justin Cronin, author of The Passage; and Amanda Hesser, author of The Essential New York Times Cookbook. October 16 and 17, Texas State Capitol. www.texasbookfestival.org
Seventeenth Annual Austin Film Festival and Conference The film world comes to Austin, and they come to have a good time. Where else can you rub shoulders with the Vice President of Production at Paramount, an agent from William Morris, the writer/director of The Blind Side and the Creative Executive Director of Development for Disney Animation Studios? Perhaps you would like to have a drink with Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men, at the Filmmakers’ Happy Hour or eat with Richard Linklater and Lawrence Kasdan at the Film Texas Barbeque Supper. If world-class film premieres followed by panel discussions with the writers, actors and directors are your thing, then check out the Austin Film Festival and Conference – the first event of its kind to bring professional and amateur screenwriters and filmmakers together to celebrate the role of the screenplay in filmmaking and to discuss the considerable creative possibilities of writing for film and television. Equally important, the Conference brings producers, agents and screenwriters together to foster the sale of screenplays and to launch long-term, successful careers. October 21-28. www.austinfilmfestival.com
12 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Blue Lapis Light is Austin’s most innovative dance company. Choreographer Sally Jacques’ site-specific aerial dance has been performed in some of the most interesting spaces around Austin: inside the cavernous Seaholm building, from the top of the Intel Building and on the side of the Jake Pickle Federal Building downtown. Jacques’ newest work draws inspiration from the modern architecture of the Long Center and seeks to connect heaven and earth through dance. The performers will float between the columns and the ring of the Long Center Terrace. Be prepared to be awed and amazed. September 27-October 3, Long Center for the Performing Arts. www.bluelapislight.org
Motif wins Icon Honors for Innovation Award Sponsored by the Gift & Home Trade Association, the inaugural award was presented to the Kyle-based contemporary retailer, Motif (see their design on p. 44). Given in celebration of ‘extraordinary manufacturing, sales and retail achievement,’ Motif was the only Texas company to be recognized. Motif was in good company – retail winners in other categories included Anthropologie and the Museum of Modern Art. www. motiffurniture.com
book festival: courtesy texas book festival; blue lapis light: courtesy blue lapis light; filmstrip: istockphoto
Blue Lapis Light
Kat h y W oma c k Ga llery originals • prints • gifts
Women and Wine Series - Oasis Edition ®
www.kwomack.com 512-288-0238
The Treasury Austin Lifestyle Ad1 1
8/17/10 3:14:49 PM austinlifestylemagazine.com 13
NEW & NOTEWORTH Y > h ot tes t h a p p en i n gs
S ep t ember 1 – Oc tob e r 13
Se pte mbe r 24 – 2 6
Oc to b e r 6 – 17
Movies in the Park Republic Square Park www.austinparks.org
International Gem and Jewelry Show Palmer Event Center www.intergem.com
Cowboy Noises The Long Center www.thelongcenter.org
Se pte mbe r 24 – O c to b e r 16
The Baron’s Men present A Midsummer Night’s Dream Curtain Theatre www.thebaronsmen.com
North by Northwest Theatre Company Presents Talking With The City Theatre www.nxnwtheatre.org
Se pte mbe r 2 6
Oc to b e r 11
University of Texas v. UCLA DKR – Texas Memorial Stadium www.texassports.com
“Fore” the Kids LTEF’s Annual Golf Tournament The Hills of Lakeway Signature Course www.laketraviseducation foundation.org
The Busby Foundation presents Flavors of the Town Hyatt Regency Austin www.flavorsofthetown.org S ep t ember 9 – Novembe r 2 8
RENT Zach Scott Theatre www.zachtheatre.org S ep t ember 1 0
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile; Loudon Wainwright III Bass Concert Hall www.texasperformingarts.org S ep t ember 1 1 – 1 2
Bridal Extravaganza Palmer Event Center www.austinweddings.com S ep t ember 14
Jon Anderson Paramount Theatre www.austintheatre.org S ep t ember 1 9
Don McLean One World Theatre www.oneworldtheatre.org S ep t ember 1 9
Tommy Tune & The Manhattan Rhythm Kings The Long Center www.thelongcenter.org S ep t ember 22
The Big Give Fundraiser The Belmont www.ilivehereigivehere.org S ep t ember 23
Delfos Danza Contemporánea Bass Concert Hall www.texasperformingarts.org S ep t ember 24 – 26
Ballet Austin Season Opener Carmina Burana & Kai The Long Center www.thelongcenter.org
14 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Se pte mbe r 2 6
Silicon Laboratories Austin Marathon Relay Auditorium Shores www.kintera.org/faf/home/ Se pte mbe r 2 6 – 2 7
World’s Fair of Cosmetic Arts & Sciences Convention Center www.armstrongmccall.com Octo be r 1
Suzanne Vega One World Theatre www.oneworldtheatre.org Octo be r 2
Turner to Monet: Masterpieces from The Walters Art Museum Blanton Museum of Art www.blantonmuseum.org Octo be r 2 – 3
Austin Maternity, Baby and Toddler Show Palmer Event Center www.bebepaluzza.com Octo be r 6
Building Bridges Dinner and Auction Austin Hilton www.arcofthecapitalarea.org Octo be r 7
Buena Vista Social Club’s Omara Portuondob Paramount Theatre www.austintheatre.org
Oc to b e r 9 – 17
S e p t e mb e r 9 – 2 6
Austin Shakespeare presents The Tempest The Long Center www.austinshakespeare.org
Oc to b e r 13
Chris Isaak Paramount Theatre www.austintheatre.org Oc to b e r 14
La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival AMOA – Laguna Gloria www.amoa.org Oc to b e r 15
S e p t e mb er 2 5
Benise River Bend Centre www.oneworldtheatre.org
Texas Mamma Jamma Ride Ride Against Breast Cancer Reunion Raanch www.mammajammaride.org
Oc to b e r 15 – 3 1
Always…Patsy Cline TexARTS Keller Williams Studio www.tex-arts.org Oc to b e r 16
Austin Oyster Urban Adventure Race Runtex – Riverside www.oysterracingseries.com Oc to b e r 20
Drumline Live! The Long Center www.thelongcenter.org Oc to b e r 22
Fourth Annual Hill Country Nights The Salt Lick Pavilion www.hillcountryconservancy.org
O c to b e r 23
Cirque de la Symphonie Austin Symphony The Long Center www.austinsymphony.org O c to b e r 25
Luciana Souza Trio Hogg Memorial Auditorium www.texasperformingarts.org N ov e mb e r 2 – 7
Shrek the musical Bass Concert Hall www.texasperformingarts.org
the tempest: kimberley mead; texas mamma jamma ride: courtesy texas mamma jamma ride
S ep t ember 9
editor’S PICKs
Voted the Best Place in Austin to Get Married by Austin360.com
Austin’s Premier Venue For Live Music and Special Events
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tommy Emmanuel
9/16 & 17
Don McLean
9/19
BJ Thomas
9/24
Nikki Yanofsky
9/30
Suzanne Vega
10/1
Billy Cobham
10/13
Brian Culbertson
10/14
Benise at River Bend Centre
10/15
My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm Still In Therapy
10/17
California Guitar Trio
10/24
Little River Band
10/29
www.OneWorldTheatre.org • 512.32.WORLD
austinlifestylemagazine.com 15
NEW & NOTEWORTH Y > th at ' s en ter ta i n m e n t
Boogie with a legend by dana reinart
When contemplating a performer’s legendary status, you might begin by examining the criteria associated with that which one might consider legendary. Legends are often incredible chroniclers of time, distinguished by their unique perspecasleep at the wheel tives. Repeatedly, they www.asleepatthewheel.com inspire positive emotions and actions in their followers, bringing people together through their craft. Insightful and accessible, their legacy lives on forever in the lives they touch. Despite the fact that this Austinite has merit to this title on stature alone, Ray Benson, the conspicuous, animated captain of the beloved western swing band, Asleep at the Wheel, celebrates the band’s fortieth anniversary this year and is often recognized as a living legend. Ray Benson’s perspective is unique - a Jewish hippie from Philly who has traveled all over the world singing country music and performing with the likes of Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and George Strait to name a few. He has played an integral role in the cultivation of Austin’s ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ standing, including an appearance on the first regular episode of the popular live television program Austin City Limits for PBS. A nine-time
16 austinlifestylemagazine.com
a ride with bob: the bob wills musical In 2005, Ray Benson set out to commemorate his idol Bob Wills’ 100th birthday. The salute was a musical play performance based on Benson’s missed meeting with the legend in 1974, just before Wills’ death. Written by Ray Benson and Anne Rapp, and performed by twenty-five actors and musicians, with several dozen costume changes on a colorful theatrical set, A Ride With Bob includes the live performance of fifteen of Wills’ best known songs in a plot that interweaves Ray Benson’s present day with various stages in Wills’ storied career. With an overwhelming positive response from Asleep at the Wheel fans, the band has made the act part of what they do. Ray Benson and his talented crew will be performing A Ride With Bob, followed by a concert in celebration of the band’s fortieth anniversary at the Long Center, Friday, September 17 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, September 18 at 2:00 pm. www. aridewithbob.com.
ray benson and a ride with bob: Brio Yiapan
Ray Benson
Grammy Award winner, he served as the State Musician of Texas in 2004 and is a co-founder in the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. In 2009, the American Music Association honored AATW with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Performance. Benson bridges decades with his music – an amalgamation of blues, cowboy, polka, folk, Dixieland jazz and fiddle playing with toe-tapping tempos from a steady mixture of strings, steel guitar, piano, bass, drums, a horn or two and Benson’s well-heeled Baritone pipes (which more recently have been complemented by the mellifluous vocals of Elizabeth McQueen and Jason Roberts). Never afraid to try something new, AATW has had hit songs, The Letter That Johnny Walker Read and House of Blue Lights and noteworthy collaborations with renowned artists such as Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and, more recently, Leon Rausch. He’s revived classics from notable song writers including Cindy Walker, telling stories of past with a Western Swing twist, and taken tried and true hits such as Get Your Kicks (on Route 66) and made them his own. AATW devotees are hard to peg. From rednecks, to hippies, to businessmen, fans are a sundry group of all ages and walks of life. Remarkably, the band hooks them all in and keeps them coming back for more. Benson remarked, “The musicianship of the people in the band is first and foremost. We have such a high level of musicianship and I think they bring people back because they know that they are going to be playing are at the top of their game.” The message is simple, as Benson puts it, “Get up and dance!” – Who could resist? Benson has also done his part in carrying on the legacy of former legends of his craft – so much so that he’s been likened to his long-standing idol, Bob Wills, The King of Western Swing. He’s been pegged The Post-Modern King of Western Swing. Despite the accolades and years at the helm, we probably won’t see Benson passing on the torch anytime soon. AATW just released a new album, It’s a Good Day, with famed Texas Playboy vocalist Leon Rausch. As for the legacy, Benson is confident the future is secure. “My band now has people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. It will actually be six months, but I’ll be 60. So obviously, the band is in good hands.” To those looking for a long-lasting career, Benson’s advice is, “Love what you do and don’t expect anything but the love of it in return…I always say, if you can do anything else, do it, because that means that you can be happy. If you can’t be happy unless you’re playing, then that’s the ticket. Be happy and play.” His insight also shines through his light-hearted disposition; he’s always been one to live life to the fullest. Hats off to you, Ray Benson, a legendary figure celebrating forty years of doing what makes him and his ardent fans happy.
Season Opener
Carmina Burana Sept 24-26 ~ The Long Center Choreography: Stephen Mills | Music: Carl Orff Musical Accompaniment by Conspirare and The Austin Symphony
Kai Choreography: Stephen Mills | Music: John Cage The 48th Annual Production of
The Nutcracker Dec 4-23 ~ The Long Center Choreography: Stephen Mills | Music: Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
La Sylphide Feb 11-13 ~ The Long Center Choreography: August Bournonville | Music: Herman Severin Løvenskiold
Studio Theater Project
Mar 25-Apr 3 ~ AustinVentures StudioTheater New works by Nicolo Fonte & Stephen Mills
For Show Tickets: Visit www.balletaustin.org or call 512.476.2163
World Premiere
The Magic Flute May 6-8 ~ The Long Center Choreography: Stephen Mills | Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
What’s hau te
jerry hughes
Austin Fashion Week
After seven straight days of style mania, it’s safe to say that Austin can add “Fashion” to the list of artistic endeavors that make this city so dynamic. The atmosphere was saturated with creative energy and an encouraging spirit that was not only enjoyable but also inspiring! Behind it all was an imaginative community of designers, photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists, models, videographers, performers…the list goes on and on. In this section we showcase the best of everything from eco-friendly fashion to radiant jewelry, red hot designs and a plethora of only-in-Austin pieces (still keepin’ it weird). For even more coverage visit www.austinlifestylemagazine.com.
Celestino by Sergio Guadarrama
austinlifestylemagazine.com 19
w h at 's haute
Cody Sigel
Alessa Designs
Jewels Rule
From delicate designs with rubies and emeralds to vintage Chanel chains and all-natural materials to stunning, show-stopping pieces with glitz and glam, jewelry was the star at Austin Fashion Week. With an astounding amount of talent and creativity, all the participating designers sparkled in our eyes! Congratulations to the Critic’s Choice for Best Designer, Dean Fredrick, and People’s Choice for Best Designer, Tracy Tenpenny Design!
Shaesby
Dean Fredrick
Louise Fischer Cozzi
Taylor Mosley
Catherine Nicole
20 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Cody Sigel, Louise Fischer Cozzi: Jenn Hawkins; Tracy Tenpenny, Dean Fredrick, Alessa Designs, Taylor Mosley, Catherine Nicole, Shaesby: Courtesy of the designer
Tracy Tenpenny Designs
w hat 's haute
Betsey Johnson
Sabra Johnson
Feosh
Celestino by Sergio
Sophisticated Socialite
Ciarla, Pearl Southern Couture: Courtesy of the designer
Sabra Johnson: Jenn Hawkins; Celestino, Betsey Johnson: Jerry Hughes; Feosh: Phillip Leach;
Guararrama
Elegant looks that suit the austin lifestyle
Ciarla Bride
Ciarla Bride
Celestino by Sergio Guadarrama
Pearl Southern Couture austinlifestylemagazine.com 21
w h at 's haute LIne & Dot
Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent Malissa Long Wear
Chloe Dao
Downtown Dame
Classy casual looks for work and play
Feosh
Malissa Long Wear
22 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Cynthia Vincent, Yoshimi: Linda Hughes
The Yoshimi Collection
Feosh: John Doye; Malissa Long: Jenn Hawkins; Line & Dot, Chloe Dao, Meline: Jerry Hughes;
Meline Collection
w hat 's haute The Yoshimi Collection Louise Black
Boudoir Queen Rene Geneva Design
Funky Fashionista
Apron Allure, Yoshimi: Phillip Leach; Boudoir Queen (red): courtesy of the designer
Betsey Johnson, Boudoir Queen (pink), Rene Geneva: Jerry Hughes: Louise Black, Rachelle Briton: Linda Hughes;
fierce looks that keep austin weird
Rachelle Briton Designs
Apron Allure
Betsey Johnson
Boudoir Queen
austinlifestylemagazine.com 23
AUSTIN AUSTIN FASHION WEEK AUSTIN FASHION WEEK FASHION AUSTIN WEEK AUSTIN FASHION WEEK WEEK FASHION
BUSINESS LISTINGS
William Behr Photography business listings 5233 Byers Avenue Ft. Worth, TX 76107 BUSINESS LISTINGS 817.929.2791 William Behr Photography William Behr Photography www.williambehr.com 5233Avenue Byers Avenue BUSINESS LISTINGS 5233 Byers BUSINESS LISTINGS Ft. Worth, TX 76107 William Behr Photography Deborah Main Designs Fort Worth, Texas 76107 William Behr Photography 817.929.2791 5233 Byers Avenue 1906 Collier St. 817.929.2791 5233 Byers Avenue www.williambehr.com Ft. Worth, TX 76107TX 78704 Austin, Ft. Worth, TX 76107 www.williambehr.com 817.929.2791 512.477.9807 817.929.2791 Deborah Main Designs www.williambehr.com www.deborahmaindesigns.co www.williambehr.com 1906 Collier St. Main Designs Deborah Austin, TXMain 78704 Deborah Designs IMiko Images 1906 Collier Street Deborah Main 512.477.9807 1906 Collier St.Designs 8701 W. Parmer Ln #11228 1906 Collier St. Texas www.deborahmaindesigns.co Austin,Austin, TX Austin, 78704 TX78704 78729 Austin, TX 78704 512.477.9807 512.662.3098 512.477.9807 512.477.9807 IMiko Images www.deborahmaindesigns.co www.ivanmikoimages.com www.deborahmaindesigns.co 8701 W.www.deborahmaindesigns.com Parmer Ln #11228 Austin, TX 78729 IMiko Images Dina Chavez IMiko Images IMiko Images 512.662.3098 8701 W. Parmer Ln #11228 Customized Apparel For Women 8701 W.8701 Parmer Ln #11228 www.ivanmikoimages.com Austin, TX Rockstardina@aol.com 78729 W. Parmer Lane #11228 Austin, TX 78729 512.662.3098 956.655.0633 Austin, Texas 78729 512.662.3098 Dina Chavez www.ivanmikoimages.com www.etsy.com/shop/Rockstardina www.ivanmikoimages.com Customized Apparel For Women www.ivanmikoimages.com Rockstardina@aol.com Dina Chavez Tommy Kile Photography Dina Chavez 956.655.0633 Customized Apparel 408a West For 51stWomen St. Dina Chavez Grant S. Reid Photography Customized Apparel Women www.etsy.com/shop/Rockstardina Rockstardina@aol.com Austin, TXFor 78751 Customized Apparel for Women 11202 Whiskey River Drive Rockstardina@aol.com 956.655.0633 512.300.9376 956.655.0633 Tommy Kile Photography www.etsy.com/shop/Rockstardina www.tommykile.com 956.655.0633 Austin, Texas 78748 www.etsy.com/shop/Rockstardina 408a West 51st St. Rockstardina@aol.com 512.568.9767 Austin, 78751 TommyTX Kile Photography MLW Malissa Long Wear Tommy Kile Photography 512.300.9376 www.etsy.com/shop/Rockstardina www.grantsreid.com 408a West 51st St. Mlwear.com 408a West St. www.tommykile.com Austin, TX51st 78751 512.712.3495 Austin, TX 78751Kile Photography 512.300.9376 Tommy styleGIO photography & design 512.300.9376 MLW Malissa Long WearPhotography www.tommykile.com Grant S. Reid 408a West 51st Street Serving Austin & San Antonio www.tommykile.com Mlwear.com 11202 Whiskey River Drive Austin, Texas 78751 512.814.8785 or 646.280.8785 512.712.3495 MLW Malissa Long Austin, TXWear 78748 MLW Malissa Long Wear Mlwear.com 512.568.9767 512.300.9376 www.styleGIO.com Mlwear.com Grant S. Reid Photography 512.712.3495 www.grantsreid.com www.tommykile.com 512.712.3495 11202 Whiskey River Drive Toombas Jeans Austin, TXReid 78748 Grant S. Photography styleGIO photography & design Grant Reid Photography MLW Malissa Long Wear 512.568.9767 11202 S. Whiskey River Drive Serving Austin & San Antonio for the Curvy Woman 11202 Whiskey River Drive www.grantsreid.com Austin, TX 512.814.8785 78748 or 646.280.8785 PO Box 3107 512.712.3495 Austin, TX 78748 512.568.9767 www.styleGIO.com www.mlwear.com Pflugerville, Texas 78691 512.568.9767 styleGIO photography & design www.grantsreid.com www.grantsreid.com Serving Austin & San Jeans Antonio Toombas for the Curvy 512.626.7764 Woman 512.814.8785 or Box 646.280.8785 styleGIO photography P.O. 3107& design www.toombas.net styleGIO photography & design www.styleGIO.com Serving Austin & San Antonio Pflugerville, TX 78691 Serving Austin San Antonio 512.814.8785 or&646.280.8785 512.626.7764 512.814.8785 or 646.280.8785 Toombas Jeans for the Curvy Woman www.styleGIO.com www.toombas.net www.styleGIO.com P.O. Box 3107 Pflugerville, TX 78691 Toombas Jeans for the Curvy Woman Toombas Jeans for the Curvy Woman 512.626.7764 P.O. Box 3107 P.O. Box 3107 www.toombas.net Pflugerville, TX 78691 Pflugerville, 512.626.7764TX 78691 512.626.7764 www.toombas.net www.toombas.net
24 austinlifestylemagazine.com
fashion forward
M ust- H ave Wardrobe Basics
Closet Classics
Black The Black Dress Black Blazer Black Heels Black Dress Pants
Frugal tips for Building a wardrobe for any season by Robin Campbell
dress: istockphoto; rings: robin campbell
A r e yo u w o n d e r i n g what the fashionistas have in store for Fall 2010? Not to worry – you should be in good shape as the list has not changed that much from year to year. Before you bust out the bucks, take a close look in your very own closet. That’s right – your closet! You may be surprised to find that most of what you need is already there. Okay, I admit it, I’m addicted to accessories. Without them, my life would be dull, lifeless and honestly I would rather not go there. When I see a simple black dress, I view it as a blank canvas with so many opportunities for embellishment! Give me a black dress and I’ll take you from a breakfast meeting to a cocktail party. On the other side of the coin don’t get me started on jeans and a white blouse –
the possibilities are endless. The point I am making is that knowing when to accessorize and when to keep it simple is an art that comes naturally to some women and leaves others filled with fear. The solution is to incorporate a few great wardrobe staples to create your very own style. In an economy that dictates frugality, how can one justify that new Diane Von Furstenberg dress? May I suggest digging deep into your closet and pulling out the vintage dress then updating your look with accessories! You can also reverse that philosophy and mix vintage accessories with a new pair of skinny jeans...just a thought. Either way you can turn heads without breaking the bank. Building a classic wardrobe that wears well for years is the true mark of a savvy, yet frugal fashionista.
Top 10 Must-Have Accessories 1. Statement Necklace the one you wear to create envy or admiration 2. Pearls long and layered (although a single strand is always a classic) 3. Rhinestone Brooch turns ordinary into smashing 4. Animal Print anything! 5. Black Leather Handbag a great investment
6. Bangles thin or bulky cuff 7. Chandelier Earrings always worn without a necklace, or Studs real or CZ...I’ll never tell 8. Cocktail Ring a conversation piece 9. Great Pair of Shades always adds an element of mystery and chic 10. Scarf or Shawl for style and comfort
White White Blouse White Tee White Shell (tank) Denim Dark Jeans Boyfriend / Worn Jeans Color You know what color works for you; work it into your look with rich fall jewel tones to add a pop of personality throughout your wardrobe (a blouse, shoes, handbag…) Shoes Dress Pumps Strappy Heels Ankle or Knee Boots Animal Print Flats Handbags Black Hobo Animal Print Clutch Structured Satchel Over-The-Shoulder
austinlifestylemagazine.com 25
be aut y
Body Scrubs the secret to radiant skin Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Now you know the ultimate secret to getting the clear, radiant skin you’ve always wanted! Our skin produces over five billion cells every day. Without regular exfoliation, dead skin cells will sit on the outermost layers of the skin making skin feel dry and clogging pores. Using an abrasive material such as sugar rubs away dead skin cells revealing the silky-smooth skin below. Oils and creams are often paired with bath and shower scrubs to lock in hydration for the newly exposed cells. Oils provide many benefits to your skin including moisturizing skin, delaying sagging and wrinkles and healing some infections. Add exfoliating scrubs and essential oil to your daily routine and enjoy the skin you are in!
1
3
Make your own Scrub
2
4 5
7
Pampering your skin with a homemade scrub is easier than you may think. Many of the products you keep in your pantry are perfect for making your own body scrub. Combine an exfoliant (such as salt, brown sugar, rice bran or coffee grounds), an oil (such as coconut oil, almond oil or olive oil), and your choice fragrance and voilà – you’ve got your very own body scrub treatment! Try Austin Lifestyle’s recipe for Rise and Shine Body Scrub. With the awakening aroma of eucalyptus and tingling sensations of peppermint oil, you’re sure to get the day off to a great start!
Rise and Shine Body Scrub 6
1 sumbody Salt Scrub in Lavender Wave: $18.95 - $29.95. sumbody, www.sumbody.com 2 Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Body Polish: $28. Neiman Marcus, www.neimanmarcus.com 3 DERMAdoctor KP Duty Body Scrub: $44. DERMAdoctor, www.dermadoctor.com 4 Whish Exfoliating Sugar Scrub in Lemongrass: $41.14. milk + honey, www.milkandhoney.com 5 Sephora Dry Oil in Vanilla Cupcake: $8. Sephora, www.sephora.com 6 Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish: $60. W3ll People, www.w3llpeople.com 7 Eminence Blueberry Soy Sugar Scrub: $48. Blossom Day Spa, www.blossomskinandbody.com
26 austinlifestylemagazine.com
½ cup of white sugar 1/3 cup of almond oil ½ teaspoon of lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint oil 1/8 teaspoon of eucalyptus oil sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)
active austin
Watch Roxanne’s workout in action at www.austinlifestylemagazine.com
Jump Fit Austin Austin’s Latest Fitness Craze Austin is arguably one of the fittest cities in the nation. You might
ask, “What does that actually look like?” Each issue I’ll scour Austin and highlight a way for Austinites to stay active. Sometimes it will be an oldie-but-goodie and other times it will be Jump fit austin something new and surprising. Read the article, www.jumpfitaustin.com watch the video online and decide if it is something you want to try for yourself. Whatever you do, don’t try it at home... when exercising, doing it with two or more friends is always better than going it alone. For this issue, I found a fitness craze that is hopping around the country – JUMP FIT Austin. Think boot camp on steroids, actually on magical boots. The boot is a cross between a ski boot and a pogo stick. The technology, created by NASA, is designed to be easy on the joints and the knees. For my inaugural excursion, I grabbed my friend Kristina and met with owner and instructor, Stacy Francois. If Stacy’s figure was any indication of what the boots can do, I was all in. Roxanne Wilson Stacy confirmed that after a month, her students’ www.roxannewilson.com bodies transformed considerably. The magical boots were exhilarating. I was astounded by how much I could actually do in them. Each new student is given an orientation and an assessment of their fitness level. What happens next is catered towards your personal abilities – classes include running around the
track, high knees, booty kicks, pendulum swings with weights, hopping, pushups, tricep presses, bicycle abdominals and jumping rope. The classes are held on a track, which ensures a level ground. We started with one lap around the track to warm up our bodies and warm up to the three-pound magical boot. After our warm-up, Stacy had us jump right into hopping in the boots. All I could think was “don’t face plant!” I was pleasantly surprised Workout Rule #1: with how well we were actuPace Yourself ally able to move. The weight of the boot catches up to you pretty It is easy to get caught in the moment quickly, and with forty-five min- and push yourself to the point of becomutes to go, I was totally exhausted. ing anaerobic. It’s important to rememThis is one workout where you ber that any new type of exercise you feel everything you are burning do is exactly that – new. Your body has off. The magical boot enhances to learn the rhythm of the exercise and your workout twofold. A mile in condition itself accordingly. Fight the the boot is the equivalent to two urge to shoot for the stars as you begin miles in your basic running shoe. a new routine or program. Good meaIf you are looking for a little suring stick: If you are going at a pace jump in your workout, grab a as intensely as the instructor, you need girlfriend and give JUMP FIT a to dial it down, at least initially. Save that try. You’ll laugh and sweat as you gusto for the times when your body is more familiar with the pace and groove jump off the pounds. of the workout.
28 austinlifestylemagazine.com
robert leake
by Roxanne Wilson
OPENING SEPTEMBER 2010 FOR CHILDREN AGES 2⅟₂ AND UP
Low student to teacher ratios with highly-qualified faculty.
Stunning state-of-the-art facilities.
Internationally acclaimed, highly-portable curriculum includes Mandarin and Spanish from the earliest age.
Global family of schools with an impressive graduate placement record in the U.S. and internationally.
PRIVATE TOURS OFFERED DAILY
601 Ranch Road 620 South, Lakeway, TX 78734 www.abercorninternational.org (512) 481-2472 auslife@abercorninternational.org
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010
Deli • Bakery • Gifts Catering • Florist
HILTON AUSTIN / 500 EAST 4TH STREET VIP RECEPTION 5:30 PM / EVENT 6:30 PM / COCKTAIL ATTIRE
609 West 6th Street Greeks Walking of the Donkeys by Melissa H.
Austin, Texas
(512) 542-3380 waltonsfancyandstaple.com
austinlifestylemagazine.com 29
JW Marriott San Antonio Resort & Spa Chill out at the biggest jw marriott resort in the world by deborah hamilton-lynne
So m et i m es a day at the spa becomes a great getaway that just happens to include a day at the spa. After spending fifteen days in waiting rooms at two hospitals following my father’s heart attack, I was in desperate need of a great getaway – a place where I could chill out, rest and restore my soul. Knowing that everything is always bigger in Texas, I was skeptical that I would find the peaceful retreat I was seeking at the largest and newest JW Marriott recently opened in the rolling hills of San Antonio; but I had forgotten the legendary hospitality and service, as well as JW marriott san antonio attention to detail, for which these resort & spa luxurious hotels are known. During 866.882.4420 college, I worked as a lifeguard at www.jwsanantonio.com the Marriott on Canal Street in New Orleans and the orientation for all employees was extensive and precise – Marriott is a hospitality corporation determined to provide the best for its guests. Once employed by Marriott you are a member
30 austinlifestylemagazine.com
of the family and expected to treat the guests as you would treat visitors to your own home. Those memories came flooding back to me when I entered the resort and was immediately greeted warmly by everyone from the valets to the doorman to the front desk staff. The lobby was stunning with a balcony overlooking a downstairs bar area and a massive floor-to-ceiling window that showcases the beautifully landscaped property and hill country. Have no fear – although this place is huge (see the JW Marriott by the numbers), you immediately feel comfortable and at home. The limestone and wood architecture reflects the Hill Country and the extensive artwork, both contemporary and traditional, is by Texas artists. The walls are also lined with photographs of German and Hispanic settlers of San Antonio and of the original ranch on which the property was built. It may seem impossible for such a large resort to have the feel of a boutique hotel, but there are several small, intimate spaces arranged around fireplaces, outdoor benches around fire pits, a library and even a gathering space built to resemble a Sunday house you might find in Fredericksburg. One look at the spa and the private, adults only pool with its inviting private cabanas and I knew that it was definitely the place to chill out. The 26,000 square foot spa includes thirty treatment rooms – two of which are couples treatment rooms, complete with fireplaces. In addition to your treatment, a day at the spa, whether you are a hotel guest or a day visitor, entitles you to use of the sauna, steam room, whirlpool and inhalation room Spa use without a treatment is a very
spa lobby, staircase: barbara Kraft; all others: courtesy jw marriott san antonio resort & spa
a day at the spa
reasonable $30 and worth every penny. Lunch at the Replenish Spa Café is served in an open kitchen where the chef can discuss the choices from the healthy menu as you watch the food being prepared. Drawing from the local folklore and tradition of the Curanderos – healers who lived along the Texas-Mexico border and used indigenous plants and herbs – the Lantana Spa has created rituals and treatments reflecting the Texas heritage and experience. Upon arrival, you are given a piece of red ribbon for the ‘Seven Knots ritual’ and asked to tie seven knots as you release your worries and stress. With the seventh knot completing a circle, you place your ribbon in a bowl on a table under a magnificent 30-foot-long chandelier made of hundreds of suspended quartz crystals and release your worries as you head into a treatment room. The ultimate spa escape features a spa journey, a fifty minute facial and a deluxe manicure and pedicure. For my day at the spa I chose to enjoy the Spirit of the Curanderos Energy Spa Journey. Designed to heal both the mind and body, this journey was just what the doctor ordered. Utilizing Hill Country lavender to balance and calm, the journey begins with a gentle exfoliation followed by a very restful massage with lavender oil and warm stones. The finale is an extremely relaxing body wrap and incredible scalp massage. I spent the afternoon by the pool completely relaxed, restored and renewed, amazed at what a difference a short getaway and a day at the spa could do for my body and my soul. In Texas, bigger may be better, but at the JW Marriott each guest and every detail is attended to individually. Make your reservation and be prepared to chill out.
By the Numbers Everything is bigger in Texas, and the first JW Marriott resort to be built in Texas is no exception. • 600 acres of rolling Hill Country with an adjacent 100-acre bird sanctuary. • 30,000-square-foot lawn with waterfalls, fireplaces and a spectacular Hill Country vista. • 1002 rooms including 85 suites. World-class accommodations designed with a Texas touch of hand-tooled leather, local artwork, copper and iron. • Two 18-hole TPC golf courses designed by legendary golfers Greg Norman and Pete Dye. • 6-acre water park with 650-foot rapid river ride, 3 water slides, a 1,100-foot-long lazy river and too many pools to count – children’s pools, hot and cold plunge pools, whirlpools, activity pool and adult pool. • 7 dining options, including Cibolo Moon restaurant, featuring authentic Texas cuisine at reasonable price points starting at $15 – chicken fried steak, bison meatloaf, BBQ brisket. Not to be missed is the Cibolo Moon bar which features 100 different tequilas. Vegetables and herbs come from local growers as well as a 5,000-square-foot organic garden on the property. • 120 square feet of television screen in the High Velocity sports bar which features 24 different local craft beers.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 31
Tuscan ambiance and sunset views... the incomparable Lake Travis experience.
A truly unique setting for your social events, Wedding ceremonies, Receptions, Rehearsal dinners, and Corporate events 103 Yacht Club Cove Austin, TX 78734
512.261.3444 www.grilleatroughhollow.com
soci a l gr aces
Austin Fashion Week: Bright Lights, Idea City dress for success photographs by phillip leach
1
2
3
5
8
4
6
9
7
10
1 Kristen Chin 2 John & Fernanda Vezina 3 Loranne Lamont, Rory McNeill, Shelia Flores 4 Susan Platt, Greg Boyd 5 Dorothy Stewart, Arianna McKinney, Tony Juarez 6 Renee Schroder, Andrea Hernandez, Zayra, Helen Hutka 7 Angie Shaul 8 Jette Momant, Mandy Lauderdale, Revlynn Lawson 9 Weston Lipscomb, Charlotte Lipscomb, Cindy Howard, Sandy Carey 10 Kara & Matt Swinney
austinlifestylemagazine.com 33
soci a l gr aces
Sportsman’s Club Kick-Off Dinner the rise school photographs by Logan Boyd
1
2
4
3
5
7
8
6
9
1 Bill Little, Frank Denius 2 Coach Will Mushcamp, Coach Gene Stallings, Coach Mack Brown, Coach Darrell Royal, Coach Greg Davis 3 Sally Brown, Chris & Carol Wilson 4 Coach Mack Brown, Coach Greg Davis, Bill Bayless 5 Edith Royal, Ruth Ann Stallings 6 Ryan Reid, William & Sonja Talbot, Gina Cowart 7 Greg & Amanda Dowell 8 Jill & Sam Shackelford, Donna & Steve Hicks 9 Mandy Myers, Coach Gene Stallings, Coach Mack Brown, Ruth Ann Stallings
34 austinlifestylemagazine.com
soci a l gr aces
The Brian Jones Celebrity Golf Tournament the boys and girls club of the capital area photographs by j erry hughes
1
2
4
7
5
8
3
6
9
1 Tim McCray, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Kenny Sims, RA Johnson, Rodney Firth, Ovie Dotson, Billy Joe Dupree, Brian Jones, Eric Metcalf 2 Brian Jones, Helen Jobes 3 Michael Christman, Dr. James A. Broaddus 4 Stefany Green, Joe Taylor, Brian Jones, David Squire 5 Terrell & Amelia Gates, Teresa & Dr. Matt McCarty 6 Mike McCray, Terry Dauenhauer, Lauren Huffman, Michael Christman, Billy Joe Dupree 7 Gary Harrison, Helen Jobes, Deborah Norman, Steve Parsons 8 Ovie Dotson, RA Johnson, Eric Shropshire, Kenny Sims, Raymond Clayborn, Rodney Firth 9 Doug Archer, John Suter, Helen Jobes, Keith Yankowski, Harold Johnson
austinlifestylemagazine.com 35
soci a l register
Chair Marsha Lockett
Champions for Children Awards Luncheon
The Chair Marsha Lockett is a familiar face and voice in Texas. She has hosted radio and television programs and anchored newscasts in major markets. An Austinite since 1994, Mrs. Lockett serves as master of ceremonies for benefits around the state and does voiceovers for commercials and charitable organizations. A graduate of Baylor University, Marsha and her husband David are the parents of two, Jay and Lauren. A founding member of Impact Austin and the Women’s Alliance for Dell Children’s Hospital, Marsha is drawn to organizations that help children. Naturally, she was enthused about the work of the Helping Hand for Children, where she has served as a mentor and has been active on many committees involving the community. Marsha’s goal for Champions for Children is to introduce the business community to the important work Champions for Children of the Helping Hand Home Awards Luncheon and to those October 19 who serve the Hilton Austin vulnerable chilwww.helpinghandhome.org dren in Central Texas. “I have a real heart for Champions for Children because it honors those that are so unselfish and deserving. These are people that are in the trenches day in and day out. They get very little pay and even less recognition, so for one day we get to say ‘thank you’ and put the spotlight on them. It is such a privilege to be a part of this.”
36 austinlifestylemagazine.com
The Organization and its Mission Since 1893, Helping Hand Home for Children has provided a safe haven for the most vulnerable children in our society: those who are abandoned, neglected and abused. The residential treatment program serves forty-one children ages 4 to 13 who have been severely abused and neglected. The Home also serves up to thirty children in the child placement agency, which provides therapeutic foster care and adoption services. In addition, the onsite University of Texas – University Charter School provides specialized educational services designed to help the most socially and academically challenged children succeed when they enter the public school system. The mission of the Helping Hand Home is to provide a place to heal and restore each child to a healthy family setting. Executive Director Ted Keyser is passionate about the children, whose young lives were once filled with fear, pain and chaos, and helping them learn to trust adults to take care of them as they reclaim their childhood. “These children come to us broken with horrific stories and we have an incredible responsibility to restore hope in their lives and build trust. Often the people who work here are the first people who have ever been there for these children. The money that we have been able to raise with the support of the community has allowed us to raise the standard of care we provide. The hope for us is that something, just one thing that we do will reach them and change their lives.”
jerry huges
helping Hand home for children
The Event The annual Awards Luncheon provides an opportunity for non-profit and business professionals to come together and recognize the unsung heroes that are changing children’s lives in the greater Austin community. The 2010 luncheon will honor remarkable individuals who strengthen our community through their hard work each day. The honored recipients are caregivers and volunteers who have been selected for their exemplary work with children in crisis. The keynote speaker will be Lee Woodruff, co-author of the New York Times Best Seller In An Instant, which chronicles her family’s humorous and compelling journey following her husband Bob’s roadside bomb injury while reporting in Iraq. She recently published her second book, Perfectly Imperfect – A Life in Progress. The mother of four, Lee is a contributing editor for Good Morning America, reporting on a variety of home and family related topics. The 2010 Award winners include: Meredith Cooper, Executive Director of Wonders and Worries; Carolyn Nicewarner, volunteer at CASA of Travis County; The University of Texas Wranglers, student volunteer group; Demetria Hernandez, Foster parent at Helping Hand Home; Texas State Supreme Court Justice Harriett O’Neill; and Pam and Neel White, Philanthropic Honorees Champions for Children.
soci a l register
President Doug Ulman
courtesy livestrong
The LIVESTRONG Challenge livestrong
the PRESIDENT AND CEO Doug Ulman knows what it means to live strong. He overcame Chondrosarcoma during his sophomore year in college and malignant melanoma twice almost immediately after that, and then went on to help Brown University to three Ivy League Soccer Championships in four years. As a nationally recognized cancer advocate, Doug has dedicated his life to helping others. Overwhelmed by his own cancer diagnosis, Doug was dumbfounded by the limited resources available to young people with cancer. As a result, in 1997, Doug and his family founded the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a non-profit organization that provides support, education and resources to young adults, their families and friends who are affected by cancer. He served as executive director of the Ulman Cancer Fund for four years before joining LIVESTRONG, the Austin-based organization founded by Lance Armstrong to inspire and empower fellow cancer survivors, as director of survivorship in 2001. Today, Doug is the foundation’s president and CEO. Since the launch of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign in 2009, Doug has spent much of his time meeting with leaders around the globe securing commitments to reduce the global cancer burden. Here at home, he has met with members of Congress and high-level Obama administration officials, including Vice President Biden, to weigh in on the healthcare debate. As the leader of the LIVESTRONG movement, with the goal of making cancer a global priority, he is literally changing the way the world views cancer.
“The lack of awareness about cancer – a disease that claims eight million lives around the world every year – is astounding,” says Doug. “LIVESTRONG is proud to have a positive impact on the lives of those who are affected by cancer and give them the resources and support they need to fight the disease.” Doug believes that we all have an obligation to bring positive change to our world and the communities in which we live. Every day he is energized in his mission by stories he hears from cancer survivors – both uplifting and heartbreaking. The more he realizes his ability and his imperative to affect change, the less willing he is to live with the status quo. “Nobody chooses cancer, but we all can choose to fight it with everything we’ve got,” says Doug. “At LIVESTRONG, we seek to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors and unite people in the fight against cancer.”
THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS MISSION Cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death in 2010. More than 560,000 Americans will lose their lives to cancer this year, and more than twelve million Americans are currently living with the disease. When champion cyclist Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer in 1996, he declared himself not a cancer victim but a cancer survivor. He took an active role in educating himself about his disease and the treatment. Armed with knowledge and confidence in medicine, he underwent aggressive treatment and beat the disease.
In 1997, during Lance’s treatment, before his recovery and before he even knew his own fate, he created LIVESTRONG. This marked the beginning of Lance’s life as an advocate for people living with cancer and a world representative for the cancer community. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $350 million for the fight against cancer, and 81 percent of those funds have gone directly to support programs and services for survivors. LIVESTRONG fights for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today and connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. For more information about LIVESTRONG, visit www.livestrong.org.
THE EVENT The LIVESTRONG Challenge is the foundation’s signature fundraising event and is a multi-day, multi-sport fundraising series. Over the past thirteen years, Challenge participants have chosen to walk, run or ride to raise the livestrong challenge more than $60 million for the fight against cancer. One October 22-24 hundred percent of partici- www.livestrong.org/ teamlivestrong pant and donor gifts to the LIVESTRONG Challenge series goes directly to support programs and initiatives in the fight against cancer. The LIVESTRONG Challenge will take place in Austin from October 22-24. To learn more, visit www.livestrong.org/teamlivestrong.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 37
soci a l register
Chair Andrea McWilliams
Fête 10 don rogers
ballet austin
The Chair Andrea McWilliams is an Austin rarity – a native. Raised just steps from the Texas Capitol, McWilliams attended both Austin High School and the University of Texas. She and her husband, Dean, are also raising their three children in Old Enfield. McWilliams is the co-founder and President of McWilliams & Associates, a governmental affairs consulting firm. She was recently named the top grossing lobbyist in Texas. A well-known philanthropist and community volunteer, McWilliams supports numerous non-profits and arts organizations. She comes by her affinity for Ballet Austin naturally, having attended Ballet Austin classes as a child and later enrolling all of her children in classes at the Academy. Serving as Chair of the Fête, McWilliams’ goal has been to not only create the ‘Party of the Decade,’ but also to make the event accessible to all Austinites. When discussing the event, McWilliams’ enthusiasm is contagious, “My goal is to introduce the ballet and its mission to more Austinites. Many people are not aware that, fête 10 in addition to performance, September 10 Seaholm Power Plant Ballet Austin is a center for the community. It is not only www.balletaustin.org a place for young children to learn dance, it is also a fitness center and a place where people can exercise, and learn about creating a healthy lifestyle. I grew up with Ballet Austin and it is really an honor for me to be able to take this event to the next, more inclusive level.” With a lofty goal of raising $275,000 and attracting
38 austinlifestylemagazine.com
over seven hundred participants, it is evident that the compact powerhouse that is Andrea McWilliams will definitely succeed.
R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts.
The Event The Organization and Its Mission Ballet Austin is the fifteenth largest classical ballet company in the country. With a rich history spanning fifty-three years, a commitment to education as well as lifelong fitness and acclaimed productions in Austin and across the nation, the organization is equally committed to the international craft of dance as it is to the community it serves. As distinctive and dynamic as the city it calls home, Ballet Austin welcomes audiences near and far to participate in its “classically innovative” vision for the democratization of dance. Ballet Austin Academy serves more than nine hundred students each year as one of the largest classical ballet schools in the country. The Butler Community School (BCS) serves over three thousand people of all ages and skill levels with yearround classes in ballet to modern, hip hop to hula, and jazz to Broadway. The BCS is also home to one of Austin’s top-ranked Pilates Centers and offers a wide variety of instruction including yoga and Feldenkrais. The company has developed outreach initiatives that reach thirty-one Central Texas school districts and two hundred other area nonprofits, engages families to dance together and invites patrons to informational talks. In 2008 Ballet Austin became a founding resident company for the state-of-the-art Joe
In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Artistic Director Stephen Mills, Ballet Austin is taking the opportunity to look back at the past decade and to make the most of the ‘Power of 10.’ With three distinct components, the Fête will have something to appeal to everyone and include every budget. The evening begins at the Butler Dance Education Center with A Dinner to Dazzle, an exclusive catered dinner. After dinner, guests will be joined by 150 Decade of Dance ticket holders in the AustinVentures StudioTheater for a tribute performance to Mills. The Party of the Decade will continue as it moves just two blocks west to the historic Seaholm Power Plant. This third act of the evening will host a combined crowd of over seven hundred. The historic venue will be transformed into a visual tribute to Ballet Austin, featuring larger than life projections of ten years of ballet, grandiose set pieces and props from past productions, food and cocktail stations themed to notable ballets, and live music. Party of the Decade guests will delight in cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a Flash of Fashion runway show by Neiman Marcus presenting Carolina Herrera, music by Kevin Ahart and his Big Band and The Fête10 High Volt Dance Party with entertainment until 1 am. Tickets range from $125 to $1000 per person and may be purchased through the Ballet Austin Web site.
by kait miesch
soci a l register
Scott Nietschmann and John Hay
greer evans photography
Lone Stars and Angels st. jude children’s research hospital
The Chair Scott Nietschmann began his involvement with St. Jude in 2001 during his career as the Chief Operating Officer for Chili’s Restaurants. “We as a company decided to choose one specific organization to raise money for each year…We felt it best to combine our efforts of over one thousand Chili’s Restaurants to help make a huge impact on one specific organization each and every year. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was our obvious choice as their combination of great research and many wonderful achievements matched what we were looking for.” Inspired by founder Danny Thomas’ mission to help save the lives of sick children, Nietschmann continued his interest and involvement with St. Jude after he left Chili’s in 2005. Scott served on the Professional Advisory Board, and after moving to Austin, began working to introduce the knowledge of St. Jude’s research and mission as well as fundraising efforts to Austin. Scott and his wife, Lori, currently reside in Austin. They are the owners of SNL Restaurant Ventures, which include four Fish City Grills in the Austin area. They have two children, Jeff and Gigi.
The New Advisory Board Member John A. Hay, III’s connection with St. Jude began with his mother’s long-time involvement as a National Board member. After
graduating from The University of Texas School of Law and opening his own law firm in Austin, Hay Compere PLLC, John has become involved with various charities and organizations in Austin and was a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society 2010 Man of the Year campaign alongside his law partner, Brad Compere. John supports Lone Stars and Angels and St. Jude in particular because of the hospital’s unique research programs. Motivated by the impact that St. Jude has made on local children, John’s goal is to interest and involve the young Austin business community in the mission and the organization that is St. Jude’s Research Hospital. As a new Advisory Board member, John plans to contribute by bringing young, new ideas and a fresh approach for raising awareness as well as fundraising in support of this dedicated organization.
The Organization and its Mission St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of the world’s leading pediatric cancer research centers. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. The Memphis-based hospital works to provide incomparable patient care, conduct unsurpassed scientific research, offer treatment for children across the country and around the world, and share the knowledge it receives through research
with hospitals, medical schools and other institutions worldwide. Founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance and all patients are treated without regard to the family’s ability to pay. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. St. Jude was also named the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital in the 2010-2011 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report.
The Event Celebrate the tremendous effort St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital puts forth to find cures and save the lives of children suffering from cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. Enjoy delicious food, beverages including beer, wine and a specialty drink featuring Austin’s very own Tito’s Vodka as well as lone stars and angels live entertainment October 28 provided by Texas The Driskill Hotel Country artist Cory www.stjude.org/austin Mo r row. T h e re will also be a silent auction with items from businesses in Austin and the surrounding Hill Country, including great restaurants, spas, hotels and family entertainment.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 39
Back for a Second Season
Local Business, Music, and Lifestyles. Everything Austin
Epic Films • 512.494.8888 • Paddington Media
What’s hot
first class home entertaiment Attract attention with the most innovative Audio-Visual Elements
Zikmu Wireless Speaker System Philippe Starck designed the Zikmu Wireless Speaker System exclusively for Parrot, the Paris-based wireless device company. With the Zikmu, you can stream music from your wireless device or phone, or from your PC using Wi-Fi or Mac using Bluetooth. Transmitting 360 degrees of immersive sound, Zikmu is a daring blend of design and acoustics that’s completely portable. With its slim profile, the next-generation speaker integrates harmoniously into any interior. By placing your iPhone, iPod or iPod Touch in the docking station built into one of the two columns, you can listen to your favorite music while recharging the device. Price: $1,600. Design Within Reach, www.dwr.com
austinlifestylemagazine.com 41
w h at’s hot
Black Diamond Screen The Black Diamond Projector Screen allows any projector to perform well in either a bright or dark environment by rejecting ambient light, while enhancing projector contrast over 900%. Black Diamond is the only screen that absorbs all unwanted ambient light in a room. Ambient light is absorbed above, below, and even in the path of the projector, allowing the screen to maintain and preserve the projector’s contrast and creating over 300% more contrast compared to all other screens. Produced by Austin-based company Screen Innovations, a list of local retailers is available online. Price upon request. Screen Innovations, www.screeninnovations.com
Bose Lifestyle V35 home entertainment system The Bose Lifestyle V-class home entertainment system delivers vivid surround sound that brings movies and music to life. And now, it’s designed to let you enjoy the experience more easily than ever before. Engineered with exclusive Bose Unify technology, this system uses easy-to-follow onscreen messages to guide you through the setup process. It even verifies when you’ve made the correct connections. Enjoy up to 6 HD video and audio sources—such as your Blu-ray player, cable box and gaming system. The system also includes a builtin AM/FM tuner and dock for your iPod or iPhone. $3,299.95. Bose, www.bose.com
42 austinlifestylemagazine.com
The Crosley Revolution Crosley’s Revolution is a turntable of firsts – the first batterypowered Crosley turntable, the first with a platter smaller than a teacup saucer and the first with a wireless transmitter for cord-free enjoyment. Users can tote this two-speed turntable with them to vinyl swaps or to a friend’s house. Featuring a USB hookup for easy analog-to-digital transfer, the Crosley Revolution will allow users to free their favorites from the grooves for digital enjoyment across a variety of devices. This small but mighty turntable also features a headphone jack, passive audio out, and a dynamic full range speaker. Price: $149.95. Crosley Radio, www.crosleyradio.com
Crosley’s Full Size 10-Disc Jukebox With a sound that will knock your socks off and a body to go with it, this musical marvel cranks out your tunes while percolating bubbles flow endlessly and a kaleidoscope of neon colors pour through the arched columns. This 10disc CD jukebox is updated for modern times, featuring a 10-disc changer, iPod dock, AM/FM radio, full function remote control and storage base. Each unit is painstakingly crafted to the highest of standards. $2,695.95. Crosley Radio, www.crosleyradio.com
Modbox by Ligne Roset The Modbox line by Ligne Roset is a modular furniture collection offering an alternation of thick and thin panels. Two complementary ‘families’ fall under its umbrella: arches (central elements with thick-panelled structures, designed to accommodate today’s audio-visual equipment) and surrounds (which complement the arches and offer ‘closed’ storage). New for 2010, the collection is based on a stacking of chests of drawers and allows user experimentation in final form. Its versatility makes it perfect for any size home entertainment system. Price upon request. Ligne Roset, www.ligne-roset-usa.com
Sonic Spotlight Speaker At only 3 1/8 inches diameter, Monitor Audio’s Sonic Spotlight is a loudspeaker offering extraordinary sound quality for a truly innovative application. Its precision engineered micro-design allows for a surprisingly coherent and detailed performance from a standard halogen down-lighter hole. The secret to the design’s success is that in spite of its size, and unlike many other in-ceiling speakers, it provides a dedicated enclosure for the driver, which is rigid and mineral-filled, giving improved quality and consistency to mid-range and bass frequencies wherever the Sonic Spotlight is installed. Price upon request. Monitor Audio, www.monitoraudiousa.com Full HD 3D System Recognizing the innovative quality of the Panasonic Full HD 3D VIERA Plasma HDTV, the Consumer Electronics Association named the Full HD 3D plasma television a winner of its prestigious 2010 Innovations Award. The new 3D Full HD Blu-ray Disc player also received the Consumer Electronics Association’s esteemed Innovations Award for its innovative 3D technology. By delivering full 1080p-resolution image to each eye, Panasonic’s Full HD 3D technology offers consumers the highest possible visual experience. To enjoy Full HD 3D programming, users wear a stylish and lightweight pair of active-shutter glasses. Pricing varies with size. Panasonic, www.panasonic.com
Seagate FreeAgent Theater The Seagate FreeAgent Theater media player consists of three components: a media player dock, a PC dock and a FreeAgent Go portable hard drive. Placing the FreeAgent Go portable hard drive into the PC docking station automatically copies your photos, movies and music from your PC to the drive. Dock the drive into the FreeAgent Theater media player and your entire media library is at your fingertips with HD playback and crystal clear Dolby Digital 5.1 audio surround sound. You can also plug your digital camera, USB flash drive or external USB hard drive directly into the FreeAgent Theater and enjoy the same high-quality viewing experience. Price upon request. Seagate, www.seagate.com
austinlifestylemagazine.com 43
decor ating tips and trends
Grammy 89 Peter Max oil on canvas, 30" × 40" price upon request The Russell Collection www.russell-collection.com
Art as Inspiration by steven lora
To o o f ten d eco r ative ar t is an afterthought in residential interior design. While a gallery can get away with grouping unrelated paintings on a wall, this approach is not usually effective for the home. A proven way to achieve a cohesive interior design is to begin your design with the artwork. If Steven Lora you find a paintPresident, MOTIF Modern Living ing that you www.motiffurniture.com love – one that you cannot live without – then you must design your room around it. By employing a few tried and true designer tips, you can create a room that appears to be custom designed to showcase your favorite piece of art with striking results.
Begin with a Painting that Speaks to You. If you use a painting for the basis of your design, it should be a painting that you love. Living with a painting that represents substantial investment is easy if the painting speaks to your soul. Absent of love at first sight, consider an abstract painting,
44 austinlifestylemagazine.com
giclée or print that has one or two dominant colors and an orientation similar to that of your wall. Draw Your Color Palette from the Painting. When you look away from the painting, what colors do you remember? While this Peter Max original included many bright colors, the dominant colors are black and red, so those are the colors that are emphasized in the design for this room. Using a dark sofa beneath the painting adds balance to the room; the artwork would have appeared visually “unsupported” if the furniture beneath it was a lighter color. Reflect the Style and Spirit of the Painting. The dark background and frame of this painting made us think “bachelor pad.” The subject of the painting – a Grammy award – and the painting’s psychedelic, pop-art style suggest youth. The interior design supports the mood of the painting and incorporates a sleek, modern look.
Contemplate Size & Scale. A treasured piece of art should be the centerpiece of the room. The furniture around it should be chosen with an appropriate scale in mind. Because most walls in homes are wider than they are tall, you may find yourself looking for paintings that are large horizontal rectangles. This vertically-oriented painting works in this room because the ceiling is high and the sectional is smaller in scale. Accessorize Using Odd Numbers. Select accessories for their colors, interesting shapes or the stories behind them, and try to group them in odd numbers, as these groupings are most appealing to the human eye. The effect is subconscious, but utilizing this simple design trick suggests to your guests that the room was professionally decorated. Incorporate Elements of Nature. Modern design can look cold and impersonal without an organic touch. In this case, we used silk flowers to bring the outdoors in, but you could also incorporate rocks, seed pods, shells, twisting branches, or even a goldfish! The element of metal is also reflected in the screen behind the sofa.
jerry hughes
Designer Tips for Building a Room Around Your Treasured Work of Art
Camille Abbott Broker, CRS, GRI, CLHMS
Serving the Austin Real Estate market since 1984
8008 Spicewood Lane Austin, Texas 78759 512-529-1299 www.camilleabbott.com ahs_ad2_printready.pdf
8/23/10
11:56:24 AM
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
austinlifestylemagazine.com 45
in the g a rden
Tend to Your Trees Maintenance Tips for a Healthier Environment By Sandy Schutze
O f t en b e w i l der ed by the immense beauty and strength of trees, we, as cohabitants of this lavish Hill Country setting, sometimes take for granted the important environmental benefits our trees have to offer. In addition to increasing property values by enhancing your landscaping, the far-reaching benefits of trees include controlling erosion, the addition of valuable shade and protection which lowers energy usage, removal of gaseous pollutants, absorption of carbon and release of oxygen back into the atmosphere and valuable habitats for birds and other wildlife. By maintaining and caring for your trees and lawns, you will contribute to a healthier environment for all of us.
1
advise you on planting more trees on your property. There are definite cautionary measures used to plant properly and keep your trees alive. Arborists will be able identify certain tree diseases and treatments and ensure limbs are removed correctly. They also know and understand all of the applicable ordinances affecting preservation and/or removal of trees.
Knowing your trees can greatly influence their treatment and placement. While some can live with exposed roots, others may need to be planted deeper; you will want to plant a full-canopied tree in an area where you get more sun exposure to make the most of its shade. For helpful information on the identification of trees, visit the “How To ID” section of the Texas Forest Service Web site at texastreeid.tamu. edu. The City of Austin’s Grow Green website (ci.austin.tx.us/growgreen) is a great source for information on effective maintenance and pruning needs and also includes lists of the appropriate species of native trees to plant in your area.
Adding mulch around trees and shrubs controls weeds, minimizes water loss and will provide protection when it gets colder. Avoid applying mulch against the trunk or stems of plants because it stresses stem tissues and may lead to insect and disease problems. Place mulch out to the the tree’s drip line or beyond. Instead of raking leaves when they start to fall, mow them over, being careful not to hurt any exposed roots, and you can either add them to your already-mulched areas or keep them in place. As the leaves biodegrade, they add beneficial nutrients.
2
4
Consider contacting a certified arborist to ensure good health and longevity for your existing trees and to
46 austinlifestylemagazine.com
3
Don’t forget to apply compost to your lawn as topdressing. (You will also want to add another ¼- to ½-inch
of compost this fall.) Rake in the compost evenly and you will improve the water-holding capacity of your lawn and the microbes in the compost will greatly improve your soil.
5
Lastly, continue to find ways to recycle and try to purchase items made from recycled materials.
what to pl ant in september and october Vegetables beans, summer squash, peas, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, garlic, carrots, endive, lettuce Herbs caraway, lemon balm, thyme, oregano, parsley, rosemary, dill, coriander, cumin, fennel, sage, catnip Perennials wax begonia, sunflower, marigold, daisy, impatiens, butterfly weed, carnation, euryops, indian blankets, salvia, sedum, monkey grass Bulbs viola, calla, daylily, spider lily, liriope, daffodil, hyacinth
Rare and Well Done
Perry’s Famous Pork Chop Friday Lunch Available 11 am - 4 pm for $10.95
Austin • Dallas • Houston
PerrysSteakhouse.com
Social Hour M–F 4 – 6:30 pm featuring half-price appetizers and specials on wines and martinis
austinlifestylemagazine.com 47
Kenneth Threadgill was cold. It was December 6, 1933 and Threadgill, a café owner and part-time bootlegger, had been waiting in line all night outside the downtown courthouse to snag Travis County Beer License #1— the first such license issued after the repeal of Prohibition. Threadgill returned to his gas station/beer joint out on the Old Dallas Highway (today North Lamar) tired but happy. Over the years, his homey establishment would welcome an influx of University of Texas beatniks and folk singers—including a shy, artistic young girl named Janis Joplin.
* Johnny Holmes was exuberant. It was VJ
Day, 1945—the latest War To End All Wars was finally over. The returning black GIs who would soon be pouring through Fort Hood would head to the tony nightlife scene on East Eleventh and Twelfth streets in segregated Austin, and Holmes would be there to welcome them with a plush new showroom and restaurant. In the celebratory spirit of the day, he decided to call it the Victory Grill.
* Eddie Wilson needed to take a leak. It was 1970 and he’d been drinking
beer at a joint on the corner of Riverside and Barton Springs Road when nature called. The line at the men’s room was long so he stepped out back to attend to business. As he zipped up, he noticed a big empty building next door. Austin had been without a major rock emporium since the Vulcan Gas Company had closed its doors the year before. Wilson, a budding entrepreneur and band manager, saw in the old National Guard Armory building a Lone Star version of the Fillmore West. Together with his partners, Wilson opened the Armadillo World Headquarters on August 7 of that same year. And with that, the party well and truly got started. 48 austinlifestylemagazine.com
austinlifestylemagazine.com 49
Willie Nelson, The Backyard, July 4, 2010; Photo by Brenda Ladd.
50 austinlifestylemagazine.com
t wasn’t as though Austin, Texas was destined to be the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World.” The Muses did not get together over the Hill Country, give each other a high-five and shout, “Strike up the band, by Zeus!” America boasted great music cities as the twentieth century reached its halfway mark— New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Memphis, Chicago, Kansas City and, most of all, New Orleans. Austin was not among them. But Johnny Holmes, Kenneth Threadgill and Eddie Wilson, along with fellow club owners and the legions of musicians they helped nurture, began the process that would transform a small city in the heart of Texas into an international musical landmark. Austin was, in the 1950s, not a great city in any regard—it was a state capital, a distinction it shared at the time with forty-seven other burgs. It had a university that struggled in the Forties and Fifties for distinction in the face of meddling right-wing regents. There was an Air Force base on the city’s southern limits…and that was about it. In Texas alone, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio all had deeper musical pedigrees. But there was something to the place…always had been. Nomadic Comanches lingered by Barton Springs and it is impossible to believe they didn’t make music with drums and eagle bone whistles as they took their ease beneath the ancient pecan trees. Free-thinking German immigrants formed Saengerrundes—fraternal singing clubs. Mexican immigrants combined Bohemian polka beats with border melodies in East Side cantinas. Black church choirs and itinerant blues singers warred for their listeners’ souls. Beer-sign neon glistened on honky-tonk hardwood dancefloors in hardcore country roadhouses like Dessau Hall and the Skyline Club out on the edge of town. Something about the place beckoned—the blackland coastal prairies ran up against the escarpment of the Balcones Fault, creating a welcome break in the sameness of the landscape. The Hill Country, with its shady belts of oaks and flowing artesian springs, summoned thirsty souls. A bohemian spirit that managed to thrive in the strict university environment encouraged a certain playfulness in the face
of the hide-bound conformity that ruled much of the rest of the state. There was, in novelist Billy Lee Brammer’s memorable phrase, “room enough to caper.” Playwright and songwriter Jo Carol Pierce summed up the languid, beckoning sense of place well for the Washington Post: “Austin is where all the Texas kids who grow up in towns where being different could get you maimed or killed come and get to be themselves. Which results in a lot of notes and ideas and energies, all mingling and sparkling, like metaphysical bumper cars…Yep, you can feel it all right. It’s all around. It’s in the swing music…and in the weird, barbecue-smelling air, and the Christmas lights that drape the bungalows all year long.” None of this was lost on Willie Nelson when he first rented an apartment south of the river in 1971. Nelson was an A-list songwriter in Nashville (he’d penned “Crazy” for Patsy Cline and “Hello, Walls” for Faron Young, among others) who had only enjoyed middling success with his own recordings. Willie never disdained Nashville, in and of itself. When you have a product to sell, he explained, you have to take it to the store. Nashville was the store. Nevertheless, he’d always considered the dancehalls of his native state his natural environment; even if the records weren’t selling, he could always work in Texas. In November of 1970, Nelson recorded a new song entitled “What Can You Do To Me Now?” A month later, two days before Christmas, his Nashville house burned down. Nelson dashed into the watersoaked, smoking wreckage and emerged with his treasured Martin guitar and a stash of much-needed marijuana. Call it a sign. Nelson packed up his extended family of relations and bandmates and set
The one-two punch of Willie Nelson and Austin City Limits really put Austin’s music on the map and made many music fans sit up, take notice and want to move here. austinlifestylemagazine.com 51
Posters from the author’s collection. Artists from left to right: D. Wilkins (Victory Grill), Danny Garrett (Ray Charles & Muddy Waters); Guy Juke (Marcia Ball); and Jagmo (John Lee Hooker).
up a temporary Lone Star base camp in a bankrupt dude ranch on the outskirts of Bandera, in the Hill Country. He was back in Texas, but he wasn’t home. His sister Bobbie played and taught piano in Austin, and the more Nelson saw of the laid-back college town with the bubbling-under music scene, the more enamored he became. He saw a fusion taking shape he’d always dreamed of—young Texas kids, raised on rock ‘n’ roll, belatedly embracing the native country, folk and blues that had long since permeated Austin at places like Threadgill’s, the Victory Grill and James White’s crown jewel of a honky-tonk, the Broken Spoke. Nelson came home, in a real sense, when he stepped onstage with his band at the Armadillo World Headquarters on a steamy night in August of 1972. Pretty much everybody thought he was nuts – or suicidal. A hillbilly singer playing for the same crowd that dug Frank Zappa and Ted Nugent? Years later, as he prepared to tee off for a round of golf at his recording studio/golf course fiefdom outside of town, Nelson explained his crazy-like-a-fox rationale: “I knew all along that the kids would respond to what we were doing, and my band knew that I knew, so they weren’t worried,” he said. “But my booking agent thought I was crazy, and so did the industry people in Nashville, New York and Los
52 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Angeles. But they didn’t know what we did, they never got out of their offices to check out what was happening.” What was happening, at least in Austin, was a happy frisson of circumstances—a cheap cost-of-living and a relaxed vibe that attracted creative sorts, a young audience of students, capitol staffers and airmen with time on their hands and money in their pockets, and a certain laissez-faire attitude when it came to musical barriers. “People asked me why all you musicians moved here in 1973, ‘74, ‘75,” said Asleep At the Wheel bandleader Ray Benson, “And I wasn’t trying to be a wise guy, but I tell them that rent was a hundred dollars a month and pot was ten dollars a bag. You couldn’t get any better than that. And there was a ready-made audience that came to the Armadillo, Soap Creek Saloon and the Split Rail.” Musical genres began to melt and run like tar on a hot patch of downtown asphalt. Musicians had to be able to sit in with everyone to make a living, so their own influences spilled over and mingled onstage and on record. Folk-rocker Steven Fromholz called the resulting gumbo “Freeform-country-rock-science-fiction-gospelgum-bluegrass-opera-cowjazz music.” What happened, he went on to explain was this: “All these guys who were drinking tequila and all these guys who were smoking pot said, ‘Here,’ and they swapped. You had rednecks and you had
hippies and they were all there for one reason: They loved to get loaded and listen to music and we were doing something they all liked. It was kind of crazy.” Austin’s flyover location helped, too. “Austin, being relatively isolated from other cultural and musical influences from New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, could develop as an incubator for singers/songwriters/musicians to develop and experiment with their own sounds,” theorized Austin City Limits executive producer Terry Lickona. Across town from the Armadillo, at a tucked-away honky-tonk called Soap Creek Saloon, Doug Sahm held sway as embodiment of the new cross-pollinating musical ethos. Unlike most of the city’s musicians, Sahm had actual radio hits with his band, the Sir Douglas Quintet, and as such was something of a mentor to the locals. His frequent shows at Soap Creek were speedof-sound Texas music primers that leapt from Western Swing to the bayou R&B of Bobby “Blue” Bland and the blues shuffles of T-Bone Walker to a conjunto polka to a Cajun breakdown and finally winding up back at his own neo-psychedelic hits, “She’s About A Mover” and “The Rains Came.” Sahm notwithstanding, over the years no one has exemplified this, let’s say, elasticity better than Nelson, who has recorded with everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Waylon Jennings and crafted albums
‘You had rednecks and you had hippies and they were all there for one reason: They loved to get loaded and listen to music and we were doing something they all liked. It was kind of crazy.’ based on everything from reggae to American Songbook standards. The artistic freedom in the city was breathtaking. “Audiences actually encouraged performers to show them something new and completely different,” wrote journalist and author Joe Nick Patoski. “The only price was the absence of all the material trappings associated with success.” Some things never change.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 53
Today the city boasts over two hundred live music venues and is home to over nineteen hundred bands and musicians. Music is the way Austin shows itself to the world. The “progressive country” movement of the mid-1970s, spearheaded by Willie, Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphey and Rusty Weir, eventually foundered in a blizzard of cocaine, provincial ignorance (Marcia Ball’s group, Freda and the Firedogs, let an opportunity to work with legendary soul/R&B producer Jerry Wexler slip through their fingers), lackluster national sales, and changing tastes. The Armadillo, the temple of Austin music for a tumultuous decade, closed its doors on New Year’s Eve 1980. (But ‘Dillo co-founder Eddie Wilson went on to re-open Kenneth Threadgill’s abandoned gas station as a restaurant and club). Meanwhile, a young generation of blues musicians, mentored by the scene that Johnny Holmes and other East Side clubowners had helped create, and nurtured by Clifford Antone, a blues devotee from Port Arthur with a downtown club of his own, picked up the musical mantle. The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton and Marcia Ball painted a different face on Austin’s musical persona. Vaughan, in particular, vaulted to a magnitude of international stardom that even Willie might envy before he perished in a helicopter crash in 1990. The scene kept spinning off new iterations: Younger singer-songwriters took up the storyteller’s mantle first worn by the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff—hometown girl Nanci Griffith, a gangling Texas Aggie named Lyle Lovett and his compañero from College Station, Robert Earl Keen as well as singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams…The 1978 appearance of the Sex Pistols at a club in San Antonio jump-started a hometown punk/New Wave/DIY boom in the city. Punk standard bearers The Clash took West Texas rocker (and Austinite) Joe Ely under their wing. The True Believers, spearheaded by Alejandro and Javier Escovedo, in turn gave The Clash a run for their money. Ingredients of the gumbo might change, but the cauldron kept simmering. It was the phenomenal longevity of the PBS music series Austin City Limits (now in its 35th year) that took Austin to the world. The image of the city as a bohemian oasis where musicians ply their trade on a bucolic hill overlooking the city skyline (to this day some folks think the show is filmed outdoors) became its most significant and enduring cultural export. “Millions of people have seen and heard Austin through the window of ACL, and that feeds the impression that music – live music – is the heart and soul of this city,” said ACL’s Lickona.
54 austinlifestylemagazine.com
The series in turn became the namesake for a wildly successful outdoor festival, overlooking the real skyline, which attracted A-list talent from Bob Dylan to Coldplay to Pearl Jam, as well as young music fans from all over the world. To paraphrase the character in John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, when the legend becomes fact, market the legend. Thanks largely to the South By Southwest interactive music and film festival, launched as a music-only event in 1987, Austin finally transcended its small-town mentality (a business meeting often consisted of sucking down a joint and a six-pack by the lake in the Seventies) to become a truly international music bazaar. As Casey Monahan, who has interacted with the city’s music scene first as a journalist and now as head of the state’s Texas Music Office noted, “Beginning in the early-to-mid-1980s, music people in Texas, and especially in Austin, came together (mostly through the Texas Music Association) to press governments, chambers of commerce, media and business leaders to begin to consider music as an industry with huge growth potential and not solely as a diversion. “Music is a dominant part of Texas culture that helped to define who we are to the outside world, whether they be tourists, television viewers, transplants or relocating businesses. The one-two punch of Willie Nelson and Austin City Limits really put Austin’s music on the map and made many music fans sit up, take notice and want to move here.“ Today, according to the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau website, the city boasts over two hundred live music venues and is home to over nineteen hundred bands and musicians. The calendar is dotted with annual festivals, including SXSW, the Austin City Limits Festival, the Urban Music Fest, the Fun, Fun, Fun Fest, the Pachanga Festival and more. According to a city report presented in 2005, roughly one billion dollars and over eighteen thousand jobs can be attributed to the direct or indirect influence of music and related industries on the local economy. Thanks in large part to ACL and SXSW, but also due to the tens of thousands of greater- and lesserknown musicians who have labored in the city’s clubs, honky-tonks, juke joints, coffeehouses, listening rooms, beer joints, concert halls and, yep, street corners over the decades, live music has become the city’s inescapable cultural signifier. Music is the way Austin shows itself to the world. “So many things contributed to the history of our music scene, from Threadgill’s in the Thirties to what was going on at the Victory Grill in the Forties to the psychedelic era of the Sixties to Antone’s legacy that lives on today,” said Rose Reyes who, before she became the Austin Convention and Visitor’s Director of Music Marketing, managed singer Tish Hinojosa and produced shows for Texas Folklife Resources. “I love Austin so much, I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she continued. “I enjoy the culture of other music cities, but at the end of the day this town has my heart. You can’t put your finger on it, but you can be yourself here. It’s welcoming to artists and particularly musicians. They can be themselves; they don’t have to be like anybody else.” Or, as Willie Nelson—still going strong at 77—once sang: “Miracles appear in the strangest of places…” Somewhere out in the Hill Country, the Muses are still dancing. AL
Robert Plant, Austin City Limits, September 15, 2002; photo by Scott Newton.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 55
A M © Peter Max 2010
music to the
“Audio DNA,” poster, 24 × 36, 1967
56 austinlifestylemagazine.com
X A The Colorful Notes of Peter Max by deborah hamilton-lynne
he Encarta World English Dictionary defines the word icon as “somebody famous for something: somebody or something widely and uncritically admired, especially somebody or something symbolizing a movement or field of activity.” Peter Max, arguably the most famous American painter of our time, supersedes that definition. Labeled America’s painter laureate, Max himself is beyond iconic stature – he is a living legend whose artistic creations are iconic as soon as they are created. Becoming prominent in the 1960s, Max, with his vibrant surrealistic style, is said to have influenced the art world with the same impact the Beatles had on music. Inspired by his love of astronomy, Max combined his celestial images and vibrant colors to create a style coined, “Cosmic Art.” He was well ahead of his time when he seized on the media-print explosion with the advent of four-color web presses and turned his original art into iconic posters. He sold millions in just nine months. They hung in dorm rooms (including mine) throughout the country. It has been said that Max’s posters were to the Sixties what MTV was to the Eighties – radical, revolutionary and in demand. To say that Peter Max is prolific is an understatement. He has painted for more than five decades with no end or plans for retirement in sight. He has painted six United States Presidents (including forty-four Obama portraits to celebrate the inauguration of the 44th President); all four Beatles – John, Paul, Ringo and George; images of Lady Liberty every year since the bicentennial; a Continental Airlines
© Peter Max 2010
T
Jumbo Jet; a 600-foot stage at Woodstock and notables as different as the Dali Lama and Mikel Gorbachev. In the late 1960s Max’s art was so in demand that he was licensed by seventy-two corporations to create his trademark graphics for everything from clocks to ashtrays to fondue pots to socks and t-shirts. Max has also provided official and iconic images for Earth day, the United States Olympic team, several Super Bowls, the Kentucky Derby, the U.S. Open, the World Cup, the World Series and the Indy 500. When asked how he stays creative and keeps going after all of these years, Max’s enthusiasm for his work was incredible. “I am constantly painting. Mornings I can’t wait to get into the studio. Evenings I don’t want to leave. I wish there were more hours in the day so that I would have more time to paint. I am
austinlifestylemagazine.com 57
© Peter Max 2010
“Portrait of Taylor Swift,” mixed media on canvas, 32 × 32, 2010
constantly involved in making art. When I come into my studio all I need is one thing – the will to paint and it is always there. I love the empty canvas and the blank idea. I never know what I will paint and I love the sense of urgency I feel to fill that blank canvas.” Born in Germany, Max lived in Shanghai, Tibet, Israel and France before his family settled in Brooklyn, New York. His multi-cultural background with its rich diversity of influences had a lasting impact on his art as well as his expansive world view. The vivid colors and euphoric images of his paintings took root in China as the young boy watched parades with brightly colored dragons floating against the sky. He was also inspired by the wind chimes, gongs and chanting of the Buddhist monks. He listened to American jazz on Shanghai radio and began a lifelong love affair with music. In high school and in art school in the Fifties,
58 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Max and his friends often spent Friday nights in a small Manhattan club, the Five Spot, where he soaked in the music of jazz legend, Thelonious Monk and often sketched the musicians as he listened. Interviewed by Nick Spitzer of Tulane University in April of 2010 for American Routes Radio, Max drew on the relationship of his art to the music of the times during the 1960s, “It was a time when people were learning to let go and be free. The American consciousness exploded. We became aware that we are all one humanity and one gigantic universe. It was a time to live in peace and love and to be conscious of how we live. That was the best thing to come out of the Sixties.” Max is always eager to talk about his passion for music, “I love music. I am a complete nut for good music. It can be anything. It can be rock and roll, bebop, jazz – I love the whole range of music.”
As Max paints in his studio there is always music playing. When asked how the music influences his painting, Max relates his vibrant, flowing, euphoric style to the music he hears. “Music gives me enthusiasm. I always listen to music when I paint. I am like a composer. I conceive composition, texture and shapes, and then I take a look at the whole and how it works together. Color in a painting is just like a musical note. Take one note by itself and it is just a note, but when you place it surrounded by four or five other notes then it becomes something amazing. It is the same thing with color. Colors work best in combinations – vibrant and flowing combinations.” Quoted in his 2010 interview on American Routes Radio, Max further discussed the relationship between music, art, color and sound,” Color and art are something we see with our eyes. Music is with the heart and our ears. This amazing music that comes out of this country is beyond belief. From Rock and Roll to jazz to whatever is happening today. There has been music for centuries, but nothing as inventive or as great as letting yourself go completely. Letting the soul literally soar by itself and that’s what jazz does. Every color belongs to music and every good note belongs to art.” In 1962, Max was commissioned to paint an album cover for Meade Lux Lewis, a blues piano player. The cover won the Annual Society of Illustrators Award. Several commissions for Riverside Records followed. Max has painted countless musicians – the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, Steven Tyler and Aerosmith, Bob Dylan and, most recently Taylor Swift and Austin’s own Willie Nelson. He has also painted official images for
© Peter Max 2010
© Peter Max 2010
“Portrait of The Rolling Stones,” mixed media on canvas, 26 × 32, 2005
“Portrait of Elvis,” mixed media on canvas, 56 × 36, 2007
I love music. I am a complete nut for good music. the Grammys and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Max has an entire network of videos on YouTube, including an incredible interview showcasing his psychedelic images set to Wall of Denial from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble album. From all appearances, Peter Max shows no signs of slowing down. His love of music beckons and he has plans to make an animated feature focused entirely on music. Music to the Max means that Peter Max will continue to produce iconic images set to the music he loves, “I just keep creating. I am like a jazz pianist. I improvise and keep reinventing. When I paint I never know where I will begin. I just keep going. I am more creative than I have ever been in my life.” Fortunately for us, Max’s paintings, including his original portrait of Willie Nelson painted for our cover, will be on display at the Russell Gallery. On October 9 and 10 the maestro himself will be in residence at the gallery. More than an icon, Peter Max will be surrounded by his colorful work – I wonder what music will be playing in the background. AL
austinlifestylemagazine.com 59
Luxurious living and amazing views are only a couple of reasons to live in Rough Hollow; opposite: dusk settles over the natural inlet from which the community takes its name.
Life
at the lake by camille abbot t
60 austinlifestylemagazine.com
L
Living at “the lake” has always held an allure for many Austinites. In my days at The University of Texas, a trip to the shores of Lake Travis was always an event. We “packed a lunch” and headed out for a day in the sun. Few houses dotted the landscape and the lake was considered “out of town.” For that matter, before the popularity and expense of living in Westlake, many Austinites owned summer homes or cabins on the west bank of Lake Austin, which was also considered “out of town.” Today the waterfront landscape of Lake Travis is the primary residence of many and the shores of Lake Austin in the acclaimed Eanes Independent School District is a much desired location. Historically, the community of Lakeway was established in the late 1960s as a second home destination. It offered golf, waterfront, a marina, a hotel and vacation homes of all sizes and shapes. Families from Houston and Dallas came to Lake Travis to get away from it all and enjoy beautiful Lake Travis for a weekend or a week. Many thought of retiring there and several did. My graduation was spent with my family on Lake Travis – and I thought that was really something special. That was then. This is now. Today, Lakeway is a bedroom community to Austin and has become a highly desirable, close-in, bustling area with its own police department and an acclaimed school district. Ranch Road 620 is now a four-lane highway and offers all the conveniences of living in town. Businesses, grocery stores and fine dining as well as TexMex and barbeque coexist along this super highway. Residents from larger
austinlifestylemagazine.com 61
The community pool is one of the many ammenities residents enjoy; top right: the sun sets on boaters living the lake lifestyle; bottom right: the marina has over 200 slips.
cities are not daunted by a thirty minute commute into Austin and are amazed at the sparkling lake and surrounding Hill Country. Sprawling mansions perch over the cliffs of the lake and on a bright sunny day the lake sparkles like a diamond. The boats have gotten bigger and faster – just like Austin. In July, Lake Travis hosted Aquapalooza with Brad Paisley, an event accessed only by water which drew a reported seventy thousand participants. Lakeway has come into its own as a community with a very distinctive, attractive and active lifestyle. Enter Rough Hollow: a planned community of primary residences with a marina on Big Rough Hollow and homes ranging from $300,000 to $1,000,000 plus. In all, there are a total of 1787 acres, including Big and Little Rough Hollow – a place that, in the early Nineties was simply an inlet. This year, Rough Hollow is the site of the Parade of Homes. Rough Hollow offers its residents a lifestyle on the lake that surpasses all others. The marina is its own oasis with its beautiful pool and fitness facility. Members receive a 10% discount on dining at The Grille at Rough Hollow. The Ships’ Store offers anything a boater could want as well as boating apparel. The day I visited, I was treated by Judd Brook, the on-site agent, to lunch at The Grille at Rough Hollow – my salad was not only delicious but could have easily fed two people. Judd’s enthusiasm for the project is obvious and his knowledge of the project is endless.
62 austinlifestylemagazine.com
The developers of Rough Hollow, Haythem Dawlett, John Scardino and Tim Hendon are no strangers to Lake Travis. Their goal was to share the majesty of the Hill Country and the fabulous Lake Travis and they are committed to preserving the beauty and natural “roughness” of the area. It is a master planned community “where you can count on the best customer service, uncompromising integrity and simply a great place to call home.” There is a 22-mile trail system at the heart of the area that includes the marina and club house with fitness facility and pool. If you own a home then you are a member! It can be summed up as local vision and oversight backed by national resources and experience. Additionally, residents can take advantage of the four golf courses at Lakeway as well as the swim center and all it has to offer through elective memberships. Rough Hollow offers this lifestyle to a wide range of prospective residents with something that appeals to everyone. Rough Hollow is broken into “pods” of price ranges and sizes. Prospective buyers can start at $340,000 and end up at over a million. Standard Pacific Homes offers nine floor plans ranging from 2,200 square feet to 3,200 square feet with three to five bedrooms and two- to four-car garages. In addition, the residences are energy certified. Grand Haven Homes offers fifteen floor plans featuring wood floors and their own proprietary concept of “Lifezones.” Coventry Homes offers nine floor plans
2010
Parade of Homes
Zbranek Custom Homes is one of the featured builders for the 2010 Parade of Homes in Rough Hollow. With a 30-year track record of home building, they have always strived to play an active role in Lakeway. The home built by Steve Zbranek, the current president of the Home Builders’ Association of Greater Austin, is one of the three parade homes that is sold. Located in the Bluffs of Rough Hollow, this Tuscan-style home boasts fabulous lake views, an open floor plan and state-of-the-art technology. Interiors are designed by Babs McMaude of John William Interiors.
ranging from $399,000 to $526,000 and square footage from 2,386 square feet to 4,121 square feet. The Enclave offers custom homes from $700,000. All offer the best of everything to their residents. In the fall, Rough Hollow will host the Parade of Homes in The Bluffs, a much anticipated event showcasing seven fabulous homes, three of which are already sold (priced from the $600,000s). Builders include VII Custom Homes, Jenkins Custom Homes, Master’s Touch Custom Homes, Stonewood Custom Homes, Zbranek Custom Homes, Triton Custom Homes and Rostrada Builders. The tour will run October 16 through October 31. It will feature a first-hand look at Tuscan and Hill Country Contemporary custom home designs which offer views of Lake Travis and the Hill Country. At the time of this writing, homes were under construction and a beehive of activity in anticipation of the event. Rough Hollow is changing the way people look at the Lake Travis lifestyle. “Out of town” has become close-in. With tempting amenities, stunning views, endless sunsets and gourmet food, there is much to see and do when you visit Rough Hollow. This is definitely not the sleepy lake community of my memories. It’s much better than I could have imagined – way better – but don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself! AL
Incorporating community outreach to the Lake Travis Youth Association (LTYA), this home provided a vehicle for the homebuilders to donate $110,000 to the organization. With the help of Haythem Dawlett, the developer of Rough Hollow – who provided an additional $40,000 contribution – they were able to contribute at total of $150,000. Steve Zbranek and his partner, Tony Holt, believe that supporting the outstanding youth programs offered by the LTYA is one of the best ways to give back to the community where growth has paralleled the growth of their business. Zbranek Custom Homes exclusively builds pre-sold custom homes. Rough Hollow is one of the few planned communities that offer a lake lifestyle and a single-site parade – meaning several different builders create single custom homes. The 2010 Parade of Homes was a wonderful opportunity for Steve and Tony to showcase their work and give back to the community. The original Parade of Homes, where “Dream Homes Become Reality,” is an annual tour of homes presented by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Austin. The HBA has presented the Parade of Homes in the greater Austin area for the last fifty-seven years. Tours allow visitors to check out the latest in architecture design, interior decorating, pool design and landscape design. For the latest updates and more information on homes, tickets and hours for the 2010 Parade, visit www.hbaaustin.com.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 63
s avor
Bess Bistro intimate ambience in historic surroundings
64 austinlifestylemagazine.com
s avor
B e s s i s a n a u t h e n t i c b i s t r o in the Stratford Arms building at 500 West Sixth Street, Austin’s Old Pecan Street. Originally the Stratford Apartments built in 1918, the vintage building’s old bank vault is now Bess’ kitchen – a treasury of great food. Where coins and currency were once counted out, today carefully selected beers, wines and liquors are served from a stunning pewter bar custom-made in Montbazon. The Sixth Street entry to Bess is a canBess Bistro opied stairway to the Bess 500 West 6th Street Experience – a unique blend 512.477.2377 of casual elegance, cheeky www.bessbistro.com ease and European flair, mixed with good ol’ Southern come’n get it. The menu deliberately defies classification. Creole-inspired Shrimp Bess beckons comfortably beside Croque Monsieur. Lamb Scallopini tantalizes...Shepherd’s Pie tempts. Natural, organic and light offerings are right at home with Chicken Pot Pie and Bacon Shrimp and Grits. The menu’s common thread is the passion of the chef.
Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Salad 3 slices locally farmed or Heirloom tomatoes 3 slices fresh Mozzarella 1.5 oz Mizuna 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic reduction sea salt fresh cracked pepper Mix the mizuna and the extra virgin olive oil together; place the mixture down the middle of the plate. Layer the slices of the tomato and the Mozzarella, alternating between the two. Sprinkle the balsamic reduction over the top of the tomatoes and Mozzarella and add salt and pepper to taste.
Mussels and Pork 17 PEI Mussels ½ cup pancetta, rendered 1 tsp shallots, diced 1 tsp garlic, minced ½ tsp red pepper flakes ½ cup Chablis ¼ cup Plum Tomato purée 3.5 oz butter, cold 1 tbsp scallions, sliced grilled bread Sauté the shallots and garlic together in a skillet with the pancetta. Then add the mussels and the Chablis to the pan and cook down. Add the tomato puree to the mix and add the red pepper flakes. Steam the mixture until the mussels open, add cold butter and melt into sauce. Add scallions and slices of grilled bread to garnish.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 65
savor
A bout the Chef Chef Camden Stuerzenberger’s innovative style of American European Cuisine has allowed him to make his mark as a culinary artist. He was born and raised in Dallas and graduated from the Texas Culinary Academy. He has worked at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and the Oasis in Austin, Texas. He is currently executive chef at Walton’s Fancy and Staple. In April 2010 he also added to his resume, executive chef of Bess Bistro. Stuerzenberger believes that “making simple and delicious food that is made from the freshest ingredients and passion is what keeps people coming back to Bess and Walton’s.” He prides himself on being customer service oriented and creating a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.
B ess B istro Happy Hour Chicken Pot Pie Yields 6 servings
6 oz chicken breast 4 oz chicken thigh 4 oz butter 4 oz flour ¼ cup turnips, diced ¼ cup parsnips, peeled and diced ¼ cup carrots, peeled and diced ¼ cup celery, diced ¼ cup yellow onion, diced 6 cups heavy cream 2 cups chicken stock 1 tsp thyme Tabasco ¼ cup peas salt white pepper 1 6" circle puff pastry* 1 egg – for egg wash
66 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Season the chicken with salt and pepper then roast till done. Sauté the vegetables in the butter. Add the flour. Slowly add in the chicken stock. Once the stock has thickened add the heavy cream. Season with the thyme salt and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender. Add the diced chicken and peas. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pot pie in to a casserole dish. Cover the top with the puff pastry and brush with egg wash. Bake till golden brown. *The puff pastry can be purchased from Walton’s Fancy and Staple, with 24-hour notice.
Bess Bistro is known for its tasty morsels menu. Monday through Friday from 2:30 - 6:30 you can enjoy this menu, half price, including their Mussels and Pork. While you are there, try a signature drink, like the Vespa: 11/4 oz Absolut Pear vodka 1/2 oz triple sec Squeeze of peach purée Splash of Prosecco Raspberry or Peach Slice for garnish Pour Absolut Pear vodka and triple sec into an iced shaker. Pour a squeeze of white peach purée. Shake until cold. Strain into a martini glass. Top with a splash of prosecco. Add a raspberry or frozen peach slice as a garnish.
Walton’s Fancy and Staple Wa lt o n ’ s Fa n c y a n d S ta p l e is a gourmet delicatessen/bakery and café offering delicious Cuisine2Go, one-stop floral services, catering and delivery. For thirty years Walton’s has served Austin and West Lake Hills from our Bee Caves Road location. We now offer downtown residents, businesses and visitors the same level of uncompromising service from our historic location at 609 West Sixth Street. Stop by for coffee and Walton’s a scone and come back for a sandwich. Fancy and Staple Daily fare and services include: sandwiches, salads, soups, 609 West 6th Street cheeses, charcuterie, breads, pastries, sweets, coffee, arrange512.542.3380 ments, cut flowers, floral design services and plant services, caterwww.waltonsfancyandstaple.com ing, gift and picnic baskets. Walton’s Fancy and Staple provides all of the bread and desserts for Bess Bistro. Pastry Chef Sandi Reinlie hand-crafted the Cast Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler for the Bess menu as well as other favorites like the Chicory Brownie, Beignets and Flourless Truffle Cake.
Cast Iron Peach Cobbler Yields 6 Servings
Biscuit Cobbler Topping 5 ¾ cups flour 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar 2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp cinnamon 5 tbsp butter (frozen) 3 oz sour cream 3 tbsp cream 1 egg ¾ cup coarse sugar Dice butter and freeze. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Smear frozen butter into dry mixture. Smear in sour cream and heavy cream. Knead dough by hand until it comes
together. Chill, and then break into pieces and then flatten on top fruit filling mixture. Fruit Filling 4 lbs peaches, whole 1/3 cup flour ½ cup brown sugar 1/3 cup sugar 1/8 tsp salt 1 tbsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cardamom 6 oz (12 tsp) butter ¾ cup brown sugar Peel, pit and cut the peaches into 6 pieces. Butter the cast iron skillet. Mix together flour, brown sugar, sugar, salt, cinnamon,
cardamom and vanilla. Add in peaches and mix until fruit is evenly coated. Melt butter and brown sugar together and pour over the fruit and place in the skillet. Place flattened biscuit cobbler topping on top of the mixture in small pieces, brush with egg wash and coarse sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. The top should be golden brown and bubbly. Salted Butter Caramel Sauce 1 oz butter ¼ cup sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream ¼ tsp vanilla ½ tsp kosher salt Melt the butter in large heavy bottom sauce pan. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring frequently until sugar is golden brown and starts to smoke. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in HALF of the cream until smooth. Stir in the remainder of the cream, vanilla and salt. If it is lumpy, whisk over low heat until dissolved. Drizzle sauce onto skillet mixture, add your favorite vanilla ice cream and enjoy.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 67
sommelier’s secrets
Left: acres of Pinot Noir grapes in Oregon’s Willamette Valley; above: Brenda visits the Domaine Drouhin winery.
Willamette Wine Oregon Pinot Noir from Vineyard to Glass By Brenda Audino
I recently visited several renowned wine makers in the Northern Willamette Valley of the Oregon wine country. While they often disagree on whether it’s best to use a single vineyard for purity of the vineyard’s expression or which specific Pinot Noir clone makes the best wine, they all seem to agree that in order to produce great Oregon Pinot Noir, they must begin with great grapes. Great grapes start in the vineyard. The soil should be well-drained and ideally the vines are planted on slopes to aid in the drainage and allow for better exposure to the sun. Brenda Audino, csw Oregon is well-known for their rainwww.twinliquors.com fall and the area usually receives about forty inches of rain a year primarily during the spring and winter months. Therefore, it is important to take full advantage of the sunny growing season prior to the late fall rains. Fortunately the Northern Willamette Valley is located at the 45th parallel (equivalent to Nova Scotia, Canada) so there is approximately an hour of extra daylight during the growing season as compared to California. With clement weather for a short period of time, the vineyard managers and winemakers have found it necessary to utilize some extremely manual processes to assist the vine and grapes in reaching their full potential. These vineyard practices include sucker removal (focuses the growth to the main part of the vine and fruit), leaf removal (makes every leaf count and eliminates shade on the fruit and other leaves), shoot positioning (maximizes sun exposure to all leaves), and cutting off green grapes (decreases competition and encourages ripeness to the remaining grapes). They will often cut off or drop about half of their potential crop to enable the remaining grape clusters to obtain optimal ripeness.
68 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Another important aspect of the vineyard is the amount of microbes that live in the soil. Whether the soil is sedimentary, volcanic or windblown, healthy soil needs to have plenty of active microbes. These microbes are critical in the breakdown of nutrients from the soil and bedrock while enabling the delivery of these nutrients to the grapevine. Using sustainable practices Oregon winemakers and vineyard owners have become stewards of the land. Growing grapes in a sustainable manner is both a priority as well as a lifestyle for most Oregon winemakers. A variety of certifications pertain to this natural practice including Salmon Safe, LIVE (Low Input Viticulture & Enology), Oregon Tilth Certified Organic, Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine and Demeter USA. Pinot Noir is a finicky grape that does not like to be handled excessively. Many Oregon wineries implement gravity flow through the winemaking process. Several wineries in Oregon are perched on hillsides enabling the building to be comRecommended prised of multiple stories. The grapes Oregon Pinot Noirs arrive at the upper ground floor story where they are sorted and deA to Z Pinot Noir, $17.99 stemmed. The grapes are then transWillakenzie Pinot Noir, $23.99 ported up a conveyer belt and gently deposited into fermentation tanks Rex Hill Pinot Noir, $23.99 where they will undergo the fermenDomaine Drouhin tation process becoming wine. After Oregon Pinot Noir, $42.99 the fermentation process is complete, the wine flows into oak barrels, large Archery Summit Pinot Noir Cuvee, oak vats or stainless steel vats for $44.99 aging. The finished wine is blended Ken Wright Wine Cellars, $66.99 using a single vineyard, variety of vineyards and/or Pinot Noir clones Savoya, McCrone, Carter and other depending on the winemaker’s prefsingle vineyards erence. This gravity flow process of winemaking eliminates the need to use pumps, which can damage the delicate nuances of Pinot Noir. Oregon Pinot Noir is something very unique from the cool region of the Willamette Valley. Next time you are looking for a great wine to enjoy with your favorite foods and good friends, pick up a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir and consider the process and care it takes to bring the wine to your glass. Cheers to the dedicated winemakers of the Willamette Valley.
I T ’S T I M E
To line it up. To make a move. To get in the game.
It’s time to see the newest Jack Nicklaus course. Skywater offers beautiful homes and homesites among the rolling hills and star-filled skies of the Texas Hill Country. And construction on our Jack Nicklaus signature golf course is underway. Enjoy full access to all the amenities of Horseshoe Bay Resort including three existing championship golf courses, tennis, restaurants and yacht club on Lake LBJ. It’s time to make a move to the place you’ve dreamed about your whole life. (830) 596-7600 info@skywatertexas.com
2 austinlifestylemagazine.com Obtain the Property Report, required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. SW Ownership LLC. All rights reserved.
Homesites from the $200’s
skywatertexas.com
accidental epicurian
Gourmet Food with a Side of Music The Best Places for Fine Dining and Live Music Austin cl aims the title of ‘The Live Music Capital of the World’ and backs that claim to fame with more venues per capita than any other city in the world. Unfortunately, gone are the days when live music gourmands could enjoy fine live music offerings accompanied by fine cuisine. The landscape has changed since Threadgill’s and Liberty Lunch served up tunes alongside good food. It has become increasingly difficult to find a good dinner served with a healthy side of music so the Accidental Epicurean took on the challenge.
Stepping through the doors at the East Side Show Room, you find yourself expecting music. Whether it’s the candlelit lighting, the red velvet drapes or the dramatic furniture in the waiting area, everything screams of ancient Vaudeville or the fineast side showroom est smoky jazz rooms of the 1940s. It comes as 1100 East 6th Street no surprise that great live music is served up (512) 826-3414 nearly every night. The feast for your ears is www.eastsideshowroom.com full of soothing jazz ensembles, singer/songwriter showcases and even a velvety chanteuse named Lex Land, who bridges all of these genres. The side of music is not the only temptation at the East Side Showroom, the restaurant presents one of the most authentic menus in Austin. Supplied by only local sources, the menu boasts such hearty and romantic offerings as the light grilled quail and peaches and the incredibly sinful T-bone steak and frites. The frites would steal the show if not for the steak itself, the seemingly endless cocktail ‘portfolio’ or the equally delicious tunes that usher you through a perfect date night. Be forewarned. This is definitely not for the fast food and music single set. East Side Show Room is a long, slow, luxurious bottle of wine and your favorite LP played by candlelight to be savored for a few hours.
Uncorked Hidden behind a highway gas station and surrounded by condominium developments, Uncorked appears to be a simple establishment stashed away in an older home/restaurant conversion. There is, however, another secret of this East Austin haunt; the back porch reveals not only a stage that hosts a variety of upcoming music acts playing frequently on Saturday nights, but also the best sunset view
70 austinlifestylemagazine.com
in Austin East of Mopac. With a menu well beyond their wine bar persona, you can also enjoy the view with the full spectrum of appetite pleasers. Small appetites can welcome uncorked plates of olives and charcuterie, while 900 East 7th Street those hungry for more can feast on rack (512) 524-2809 of lamb or steamed mussels in a saffron www.uncorkedtastingroom.com tomato broth. The view and the menu are anything but typical accompaniments to live music, and far beyond the normal beer and burger option.
Justine’s No, we’re not late to the party in celebrating Austin’s toast-of-thetown restaurant. In fact, we’ve been dining on the soupe à l’oignon that haunts us even on summer days, when a piping hot soup is the most distant thought. So, like the rest of the dining public, this destination restaurant has taken root in our hearts for its undeni- justine’s able ambience and its tireless devotion to late-night 4710 East 5th Street hours. Recently, Justine’s has given us yet another (512) 385-2900 reason to celebrate — as of this past summer, they www.justines1937.com cleared some of their precious dining space to make room for national recording artists in a series known as the Nellcote Sessions. Sharing the same name as the legendary Rolling Stones’ recording session that produced their most critically acclaimed songs, the environment at Justine’s is no less legendary. The set-up implies a home studio feel and brings a family mood to the “session.” The first artist in the series, Rocco Deluca, is renowned for his lyrical depth, insight and mood – all of which compliment the fare at Justine’s. Truly, the only way to have improved on this popular toast-of-thetown venue was to add a side of music. Bravo and Bon Appetite!
jenn hawkins
East Side Show Room
100% of Net Profits Benefit Charity
off the shelf
Creativity Abounds!
music and art rock in the live music capital of the world by j ill case
GLENDA PIERCE FACEMIRE
MUSIC
IN THE
UTP-4221
KITCHEN
PR INC IPA L PHOTOG R A PHY B Y
SCOTT NEWTON
The Art of Peter Max Charles A. Riley II and Peter Max This issue’s cover art of Austin favorite, musician Willie Nelson, is one of Peter Max’s stunning creations. This iconic pop artist became famous in the ‘60s with his graphic, brilliantly colored pop posters. However, Peter Max is not a “one trick pony.” His artwork, showcased in spectacular fashion in this beautiful coffee table book, encompasses many different styles. Peter Max has painted the portraits of six of our American presidents, and he has also painted a 777 Continental Airlines passenger jet. His work includes everything from ethereal landscapes to vivid abstracts. This book, created with the cooperation of the artist, shows how a modern-day working artist goes about creating the works that define him. The next best thing to owning an original, this is a wonderful book to set out for friends to enjoy. The pictures truly speak for themselves.
72 austinlifestylemagazine.com
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Scott Newton
EDITED BY Terry Lickona and Scott Newton
FOREWORD BY John Mayer
Austin City Limits: 35 Years in Photographs Scott Newton Another icon…this time one of our own. Austin City Limits, the iconic television show, has been around since 1974, making it the longest-running popular music series in American television history! Scott Newton, the in-house photographer for the show since 1979, has put together a first-class photography book filled with images of music legends from classics Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles to contemporary artists such as John Mayer, Elvis Costello, Wilco and Norah Jones. The photos show everything from intimate, human moments to compelling performance shots. Scott Newton says, “It has been my life’s work over the last thirty-one years at ACL to photograph the musicians who have appeared on our stage and to attempt to capture a sense of the invisible muses who move them.” He succeeded, and his muse will move you.
Music in the Kitchen: Favorite Recipes from Austin City Limits’ Performers Glenda Pierce Facemire with Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant If you love Austin City Limits, you must have this book (and not just for the recipes). From appetizers and desserts to main dishes and soups, you’ll find recipes from 130 of the artists who have graced the stage of Austin City Limits in the past thirty-five years. The recipes are just a small part of each artist’s story. Each recipe includes biographical information about the artists’ musical careers, information about their favorite charities and photos of the artist. Featured dishes include Willie Nelson’s Tequila-Mango Salsa, Shawn Colvin’s Swedish Pancakes and Joss Stone’s Veggie Lasagna. Choose a dish for your next party and put the book out for your guests to enjoy—they’ll love taking this culinary journey through Austin City Limits.
w ired
The Musical Web surfing the insider sites By daniel ramirez
WWW.AUSTINLIVEMUSIC.COM With more music venues per capita than any major metropolitan city, one could go to a different spot every night of the week for six months and still not have covered them all! How do the insiders keep up? Worry no more, Austinlivemusic.com has taken all the work out of getting the most from Austin’s live music offerings by compiling all venues and events into one database, allowing you to search for concerts by date, band name or venue and even tracks your shows of interest. www.GROOVESHARK.com When the infamous Napster was forced into a weaker, paid version of itself, the demise of free music online suffered mightily. With Grooveshark, the world at large can once again indulge in a playlist of their own making, moving through suggested songs that are placed alongside the listener’s selections. Grooveshark signals the return of the internet’s most powerful weapon in social connection, the killer mix tape, made better with suggested additions and the freedom to control how and when each tune plays. www.thedownplayer.com If you want to be in the know The Downplayer is for you. They post the newest songs from the hottest bands, alongside the first tracks from bands that don’t yet exist. All the songs posted are available to own through downloads, rather than having to stream the tunes online. www.NPR.ORG/MUSIC National Public Radio proves that there is hope for radio’s future. With a playlist that is more comprehensive than any music magazine, NPR covers every genre in depth, usually featuring a live performance or two from around the country in addition to their reviews. NPR also maintains a significant tie to Austin as it is intimately involved in all things SXSW, hosting opening night for the past three years, as well as arguably the most relevant concerts of the entire convention.
austinlifestylemagazine.com 73
expert opinion
Changing Lives One Note at a Time careerists in the music business
T h e d r e a m o f b e c o m i n g a f a m o u s m u s i c i a n commonly
occurs at a young age, at a time in your life when you are told by everyone that “you can be anything you want to be.” Because the life of a musician is generally portrayed as fun, glamorous and fortunefilled, it is a highly sought-after career choice for many people. Living the life of a career musician can be tough, but those who have the calling feel strongly that the hard work pays off. They are driven by an inner passion that knows no limits. Two of my favorite performers are the talented artists, singer-songwriter Ben Burgess and guitarist Susan McDonald. I recently had the opportunity to speak with them about their careers as musicians. Walk down Sixth Street in Austin on any given Saturday night and you will hear the sounds of a hundred bands spilling onto the street, blending and mixing in the most extraordinary ways. Sometimes harmonious and interesting, other times discordant and downright disturbing. It was on one of those nights that my husband and I were making our way through the crowd when one band’s sound seemed to cut through the chaos. Maggie Mae’s was vibrating with the soul-shaking, groundbreaking sounds of Ben Burgess. Burgess’ music has been described as a unique blend of jazz, funk, reggae and rock n’ roll. His songs will awaken your senses like a case of Red Bull and get you moving and grooving in ways you never thought possible. Ben Burgess Ben’s passion for music began the day he www.benburgessmusic.com was born. His mom was a disc jockey in college and his dad taught him how to play the susan mcdonald guitar. Growing up with music, it came as no www.guitar9.com/ surprise to those close to Ben that he would summsusanmcdonald.html make music his life’s work. Ben has come a long way since his days of playing a toy guitar and writing his first song. He recently sold a song to Disney that will be performed by the Jonas Brothers and opened for Willie Nelson at the Willie Nelson Picnic at The Backyard.
74 austinlifestylemagazine.com
Ben is quick to tell you that pursuing a career in music is far from easy, stressing the importance of treating your music career as a business. When he’s not performing on stage or writing songs, he spends countless hours booking gigs and marketing himself across the country. At the end of the day, the thing that makes it all worthwhile is “being able to provide music that brings out raw emotion in people.” Contemporary Classical Guitarist, Susan McDonald’s music has been described as enchanting, warm and heartfelt, while she herself describes it as “Segovia with an attitude.” A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Susan has entertained audiences around the world performing at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall. Influenced by her father, a harpsichordist and composer, Susan realized her passion for music at a very young age. “The first time I ever laid eyes on a guitar, I fell madly in love with it.” The guitar belonged to her older sister who, in a classic sibling rivalry move, wouldn’t let her touch it. She took matters into her own hands and created her own “guitar” out of a shoebox and rubber bands! When Susan is not performing at any number of famous venues, she can be found playing her classical guitar for patients in cancer hospitals. Playing in cancer hospitals changed her world view and her place in music. It is what made her realize that she was on a “mission to touch people’s souls.” One of the many things that Ben and Susan agree on is the idea that musicianship should be handled as a business. Both dedicate exhaustive hours practicing and rehearsing to better their last performance. Susan recommends that all young musicians study marketing and know the importance of networking. This seems to align with what Ben believes, “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” and urges young musicians to be “kind and respectful because you never know who you are going to meet.” Building a career in music can be rewarding, but people need to think about the sacrifices that come with the journey to stardom. Musicians spend extensive amounts of time on the road travelling to performances. They typically play on nights and on weekends. Often it takes years to build a fan base and “get noticed” so many musicians must support themselves by taking a day jobs to cover the bills. As for making it big, Ben said that he is “still trying to get there. I’m paying my bills.” To be able to say that and live your passion as Burgess is, I’d say he’s got a pretty good thing going. Susan has earned recognition as one of the most exciting new talents on the international music scene. She has self-produced four CDs, two of which, “The Cathedral” and “Comfort,” were nominated for Grammy Awards. I would wager to say that she has made it in the music business.
ben burgess: chad harlan; susan mcdonald: david stence
by linda ginac
Web Extras Visit our Web page for features that go far beyond the magazine in your hand! Sign up for tickets to Market Days at the Junior League of Austin's 2010 Christmas Affair, books from Off the Shelf and more!
Austin Lifestyle July/August Launch Party See the photos of our party with actor and director Todd Allen at the Lion and the Rose
More, More, More From Austin Fashion Week Runway photos, videos and exclusive interviews with Austin's hottest designers! 40th Anniversary of Asleep at the Wheel Read the entire interview with Ray Benson by associate editor Dana Reinart.
Champions for Children Luncheon Read more about the keynote speaker, Lee Woodruff, and her story as a bestselling author and contributing editor for Good Morning America and her fam family's journey to recovery following her husband Bob's roadside bomb injury in Iraq.
Austin Lifestyle Blog: Visit the AL Blog for on the spot reports from ACL Fest, The Texas Book Festival and the Austin Film Festival.
Do You Love To Sing? Here's your chance to show us how much you love living in the Live Music Capital of the World. Listen to Bon Jovi's I Love This Town, record your cover version of the chorus and send it to us at info@austinlifestylemagazine.com. Be sure to choose a location that shows us what you love about Austin. Everyone who submits a video is entered in a drawing to win dinner for two at Eddie V's. dr
tho
e hundred t Fiv
nd six hu usa
ed minut ndr es
nty five we
y our luck y stars
by L aura Waldman
September We will have a wallop of imagination activation in the middle of the month. You may enjoy gossamer wings or stir around in befuddlement. The planets are revisiting spots that were activated last May, so pick up any creative projects that were tabled in the dizzying activity of summer.
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
ARies mar 21–apr 20 Doubts about all of your overdrive expansions since last June are a signal to rest and regroup. Your insecurities can be a roadmap for improvement. Wait until after September 12 to take important actions.
LIbra sep 23–oct 22 Alter your usual routines to accommodate new horizons. You have strong motivations to make more money this fall. Work hard for the next five weeks, and tweak your ideas the second week of October.
Taurus apr 21–may 20
scorpio oct 23–nov 22
Around September 14 someone may react to you with emotional intensity. Your calm steady demeanor can soothe the fires. Take care not to absorb energy that doesn’t belong to you.
Watch your mouth. You could really sting someone with your words around September 14. Instead, use your sharp mind for some profound research. sagittarius nov 23–dec 21
Directed by Dave Steakley
Gemini may 21–jun 21
Choreography by Robin Lewis
A great idea or strong intuition can be applied in your career. Even if it seems improbable, trust your gut. Nail down the details after September 12.
You may want to hide out and contemplate your navel after the middle of the month. Honor your solitude, and keep a hand in to manage all the career thrusts you made in the summer.
Cancer Jun 22–Jul 22
capricorn dec 22–jan 20
You may question the tenets of your childhood religion. Follow your enthusiasm for a new vision of the meaning of life. If a teacher wows you, remember that your soul is the source of wisdom.
You may cross swords with some friends. Be sure that you are not trying to control them because you are actually feeling scared. Take leadership in your volunteer activities instead.
Music Direction by Allen Robertson
ZACH transports you to NYC’s lively East Village bohemia where artists, musicians, and hipsters of all persuasions unite as sparks of love ignite in a show full of heart. An all-star lineup of Austin’s finest rock vocalists brings energetic life to this passionate story of an unforgettable group of friends and lovers. Viva la vie boheme!
LIVE! ON STAGE SEPT. 16-NOV. 28! ZACH’S Intimate Kleberg Stage
Tickets: 476-0541 x1 or online: zachtheatre.org
R I V E R S I D E D R . & S . L A M A R B LV D . 76 austinlifestylemagazine.com
AQUARIUS jan 21–feb 19 Leo Jul 23–aug 22 If you reminisce about your childhood with someone you love, it can amplify the emotional intimacy. If you feel scattered at the end of the month, write lists and stick to time priorities. Virgo aug 23–sep 22 A new alliance could be founded on shifting sands. Integrate the inspiration that this person brings you, but don’t make major commitments until next spring.
Revisit some moneymaking ideas from early June. Trim your social media connections so that you can focus on your most important people. pisces feb 20–mar 20 The shy fish made some bold moves this summer. If you are tempted to put something on the back burner, ask a friend to encourage you to proceed.
October Love, Sex and Money (and how they tangle together), are the big themes in the stars this month. Mars and Venus conjoin in the sultry sign of Scorpio. Venus turns backwards from October 8 to November 18. Plan a glamorous retro look for your social event wardrobe. Think Elizabeth Taylor in the ‘50s and ‘60s. ARies mar 21–apr 20 If an old flame finds you on the internet, you may remember the hot summer romance days of your youth. Check in with your financial advisor this month to update your diversity of assets.
LIbra sep 23–oct 22 Bad hair days are a worse disaster for you than for any other sign. Stick with your current tried and true style. You can change your look more successfully just before Thanksgiving.
Taurus apr 21–may 20
scorpio oct 23–nov 22
Some deep talks with your spouse or partner could reset your desire quotient this month. If you are game for snuggling, that can be just as effective.
You may find yourself thinking racy thoughts, renting racy movies or doing racy things! If you can’t find anyone to play ball with you, go work out or dance to sublimate your energy.
Gemini may 21–jun 21 If a workplace attraction is inappropriate for you, you better shield your energy and dress like a dork. If there is such a thing as ‘all systems go,’ be on the lookout for subtle signals.
sagittarius nov 23–dec 21
Cancer Jun 22–Jul 22
capricorn dec 22–jan 20
If you are feeling a creative block, don’t worry. You will be renewed in six weeks. Your kids may complain about boredom.
You may feel like stepping down from some of your leadership positions and just hanging out with friends. If they are too busy to see you, don’t take it personally.
Pull out some of your favorite spiritual books and do the exercises in them. Your relationship with yourself and your Higher Power may be most important to you.
Leo Jul 23–aug 22 You may want to redecorate your house this month. Try a heavy cleaning and wait until mid-November because your tastes will change.
AQUARIUS jan 21–feb 19 There may be some intrigue going on in your career. Don’t be totally bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Someone else could be calculating.
Virgo aug 23–sep 22 Your relations with siblings have seen better days. Be wary of your critical thinking and practice acceptance. You can make up before the holidays start.
pisces feb 20–mar 20 If you feel like going back to school, go ahead and prepare your applications. Wait until after October 18 to send them out. If you want some renewal, go alone to a beautiful chapel and meditate.
Call 512-474-2331 to register today or visit us online at AustinLyricOpera.org
Laura Waldman 512.291.8299 www.laurawaldmanastrology.com
austinlifestylemagazine.com 77
E
xceptional home in gated Community of West Rim Estates. This property is a showcase of architecture and design, loaded with custom features and impeccable finishes. Exquisite finish out features fresco ceiling paintings, imported tile, triple crown molding, custom woodwork & moldings throughout. Amazing floor plan makes entertaining a dream!
Main area features a dramatic entry, executive office with travertine floor, black granite desk and built-in mahogany cabinets, formal living area with striking limestone fireplace, media room with wood beam ceiling and large bar. The generous master suite features a private patio and a spiral staircase to fitness room with full steam shower, plus you will not want to miss the impressive master bath & extravagant custom closet with built-ins, surround sound and dressing area. The beautiful chef’s kitchen has top of the line appliances, four pull out dishwashers, Dacor stove, massive center island, copper basket weave ceiling tiles and a large copper hammered farm sink. The kitchen flows gracefully to the living and dining areas via butler’s pantry. Upstairs is a separate office with wood floors, two spacious bedrooms complete with two full bathrooms. Each bedroom has its own private game room/playroom/sitting room. Plus you will not want to miss the amazing views of downtown Austin. The lower level boasts a private guest quarters with separate entrance, kitchenette and full bath, plus a 300 bottle wine cellar with imported fresco painting of Bacchus the Wine God. The outdoor living area is truly an oasis! Swimming pool with waterfall covered grotto, attached spa, built-in BBQ and multiple patios for al fresco dining. The property comes with a smart home automation system with surround sound and surveillance system. This home has easy access to downtown, shopping, restaurants, Lake Austin and highly rated Eanes ISD! For more information go to http://www.2805trailviewmesacv.com
Year After Year, Ranked As One Of Austin’s Top Real Estate Teams! Call or email me today for a private showing of this property or if you know of anyone looking to buy luxury properties be sure to tell them to give me a call at 512-784-7169 or email me at Kathleenbucher@mac.com.
Elite 25
SM
1801 S. Mopac Expwy. Ste. 100 Austin, TX 78746 cell: (512) 784-7169 Ofc: (512) 794-6644 Fax: (512) 306-1216
ke e p aus tin well
kee p au stin well
Your Guide to Living Well Every Day
austinlifestylemagazine.com 79
Keep Austin Well Cosmetic and Holistic Dentistry
contents kee p au stin well
81 Research Leads To Advancements In The Fight Against Cancer 82 TCMS Physician Profile: Thomas B. Coopwood, md, facs 84 When A Salad Can Be Bad For Your Health 87 Saving Money And Lives:
Comprehensive care with a personal touch...
Five Years Of Progress At Central Health
• General and Cosmetic Dentistry • Limited Root Canal Treatment editor Stephanie Triggs, Director, Community and Government Relations contributing writers Thomas B. Coopwood, md , facs , Beth Hellerstedt, md , Stanley Wang, md Art Director Daniel Ramirez Advertising Kristen Donner, kristen@austinlifestylemagazine.com contact us striggs@tcms.com about TCMS The Travis County Medical Society is a component society of the Texas Medical Association, a statewide professional organization of licensed physicians. Its more than 3,100 members include approximately ninety percent of all practicing physicians in the Greater Austin area. In addition to activities promoting high standards of medical practice, the Society provides representation and advocacy for patients and physicians at all levels of government and medicine.
• Limited Oral Surgery • Teeth Whitening • Non-surgical Treatment of Periodontal Disease • Safe Metal Removal • Laser Therapies Available
1221 West Ben White Blvd., Suite 110A
(512) 443-5813 www.naturaltoothfairy.com We accept Care Credit
80 austinlifestylemagazine.com
kee p au austin stin well
104,141 Texans are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer in 2010. To them, new research equals
HOPE. A
ccording to the Texas Cancer Registry, in 2010 an estimated 104,141 Texans will be diagnosed with cancer and more than 37,000 people will die from the disease. Recent reports suggest that the number of patients developing cancer has declined, and the number of patients who are cured of their cancer is increasing. This positive change is due to prevention, early detection and new treatments developed in clinical trials.
Many people think that clinical trials (or research studies) occur only in large institutions. Cancer patients in the Austin area have access to the most promising therapies without leaving the city. Research taking place locally is making a difference in the future of cancer care, and ensures that more patients have a chance to participate. Currently, only 3 percent of adults with a cancer diagnosis participate in clinical trials, which slows the development of new therapies. Through participation in clinical trials, patients can help physicians identify and develop new treatment options. In addition, clinical trials provide patients the first opportunity to benefit from the most promising drugs, while always receiving the current standard treatment. Participating patients are volunteers who not only expand their own treatment options, but ultimately provide a tremendous service to other patients and physicians in the search for better treatment. Since 1999, Texas Oncology in Austin has participated in more than 200 research studies. Currently, our patients are part of 35 studies exploring treatments for all types of cancer and blood diseases and cancer prevention by identifying high risk patients. The practice plans to embark on 10-15 additional clinical trials in the coming year. Texas Oncology is a member of Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas’ (CPRIT) Clinical Trials Network (CTNeT), which will establish a research platform where trials from community and academic institutions can be accessed across the state. By their nature, clinical trials have a specific set of parameters, and patients must meet those parameters to qualify.
quality of life. Others find that current treatments are not ideal for their particular cancer and request to be among the first to participate in a research study. Others participate to feel that they are part of the solution for future patients. Participating in a clinical trial is a personal decision that should be made in consultation with a physician to discuss the associated benefits and risks. Clinical trials allow patients to be actively involved in their healthcare; to gain early access to new treatments and expert medical care, since investigators are often specialists in the disease area being studied; and to help others by contributing to medical research. Advances in Treatment Options A cancer diagnosis can be a life-altering, daunting experience. It doesn’t have to be a helpless, hopeless moment. With innovations in cancer treatment and promising new research developments, many more patients are cured of their disease. The search for new, more effective treatment options is a primary concern for oncologists who strive to identify new treatments to improve cancer care. For example, our researchers are involved in an exciting and distinctly different way to fight metastatic triple negative cancer, a resistant type of breast cancer. Drugs called poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, or PARP inhibitors, disrupt a cancer cell’s ability to repair itself and reproduce by producing a chemical called PARP. As the PARP chemical is disrupted, cancer cells remain damaged and die, limiting the spread and ultimately killing the cancer. The new treatment greatly reduced tumor size in a significant number of patients. Research breakthroughs like these give patients more victories in their fight against cancer. Beth Hellerstedt, md is a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology–Austin Central. www.texasoncology.com
There are many reasons why patients choose to make a difference by participating in a research study. Some seek a longer or better
austinlifestylemagazine.com 81
kee p au stin well
TCMS PHYSICIAN homas B. Coopwood, , PROFILE Tis a retired surgeon with a
md facs
Thomas B. Coopwood, md, facs
“It is our duty as physicians, individually and collectively, to continue to work for the welfare of our patients, both sick and well, and prevent the erosion of quality compassionate care.”
distinguished career spanning more than thirty years. Dr. Coopwood graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and then from Baylor Medical School in Houston. He served as chief resident under Michael DeBakey, MD during his residency training in Houston. Dr. Coopwood served as Chief of Surgery and Chief of Staff at Brackenridge Hospital (now known as the University Medical Center Brackenridge), and Chief of Surgery at St. David’s Hospital. In 1995, he served as President of the Travis County Medical Society (TCMS) and was honored as Physician of the Year by Brackenridge Hospital in 1988 and by TCMS in 2004.
82 austinlifestylemagazine.com
kee p au stin well
Since retiring, he hasn’t slowed down and is still busy serving the Austin Community. He was appointed to the Central Health (formerly the Travis County Healthcare District) Board in 2004; he is now in his second term and serving as Chairperson of the Board of Managers. he coordinates the multi-discipline sports health services for over 600 University of Texas student athletes and serves as medical director of the training room clinics, supervising UT team physicians and trainers. Describe your practice and your philosophy of medicine. I was a general and trauma surgeon in Austin for 33 years before retiring in 2003. My philosophy of medicine is always doing what is best for the patient. Be available. Be compassionate. Work hard. Why did you become a physician? My grandfather and father were both physicians and after my father was killed in WWII, my vocation and life’s work was set. How or why did you choose your specialty? I worked as a Junior Medical Student with E. Stanley Crawford, MD at Baylor. His talent, demeanor and caring turned me from family practice to surgery. What did you find most rewarding about practicing medicine? Making sick people well – with or without surgery. What did you find most challenging about practicing medicine? Not always being able to help the patient to recover. Please describe your relationship with your patients. I felt that I had a good rapport for the most part and felt my patients knew I had their best interest at heart. What set your practice apart? What special or unique services did you provide? Availability, hard work and compassion. Describe your commitment to, and involvement in, the community. Since August 2004, I have served on the Board of Managers for Central Health. Our mission is to provide access to health care to those who need it most. I’m also on the board for Art Alliance Austin. I am still active in TCMS as a member of the Retired Physicians’ Organization, the ED/EMS Advisory Committee, and as Chair of the Disaster Planning Committee. What is something you would like people to know about you that they may not know? That my wife is an RN; I have two sons who are surgeons, a daughter who was an RN, and a son who is an orthopedic representative. We are a medical family. What is something you would like your patients to know that they may not know about practicing medicine or about a general medical fact or perception? That it is a good life – hard at times – but with many rewards. I’m proud to say I’m a doctor!
austinlifestylemagazine.com 83
kee p au stin well
When A Salad Can Be Bad For Your Health
F
or many of us, choosing to eat a salad is an expression. We are saying to ourselves, “I am doing something good for myself by eating a salad.” However, in some cases the salad you are eating may not be as healthy as you think. In fact, there are some popular salads that are less healthy than other items on the menu, including burgers. The good news is that if you spend just a little time reading about what is in the food you are ordering, you can make easy choices to order healthier meals.
For example, at Chili’s, the Quesadilla Explosion Salad comes with 1400 calories, 88 g fat, 26 g saturated fat, and 2360 mg sodium. By comparison, the Old-timer burger has 1260 calories, 62 g fat, and 16 g saturated fat, all lower than the Quesadilla Explosion. Unfortunately, the burger does come with an unhealthy 3140 mg of sodium. A healthier choice would be the smaller Caribbean Salad with Grilled Chicken, which has 560 calories, 24 g fat, 4 g fat, and 470 mg sodium. The point is not to compare the restaurants to each other, because each offers different tastes. Rather, note that at each of these establishments, simply choosing a different item on the menu can save you a massive amount of calories, fat, and sodium, without having to go to a different restaurant. Salad choices are important at fast food restaurants as well. At Wendy’s, the Chicken BLT Salad with croutons and dressing weighs in at 790 calories, 53.5 g fat, 13.5 g saturated fat, and 1665 mg sodium. But the Mandarin Chicken salad is only 180 calories, 2 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, and 630 mg sodium. Even if you add in the dressing, almonds, and noodles, you would still be better off at 550 calories, 25.5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, and 1250 mg sodium.
84 austinlifestylemagazine.com
The numbers in these examples were all taken from the nutritional documents provided by the restaurants themselves and are available on their websites. I discussed more examples on TV recently (http://tinyurl.com/fox7salads). Unfortunately, not all restaurants post their nutrition information online, but in some cases such information may be available upon request. For those who are on weight loss diets, choosing a lower calorie salad over a higher calorie salad can save well over 1000 calories. For those following low sodium diets, choosing the wrong salad can put you well over your recommended daily allowance in a single sitting. The American Heart Association now recommends that most Americans limit their daily sodium intake to less than 1500 mg. Reducing salt intake can lower blood pressure by at least 2-8 mm Hg and reducing Americans’ blood pressure by even just 2 mm Hg can lower our rates of fatal heart attacks by four percent! Considering the fact that heart disease remains this nation’s #1 cause of death in both men and women, with over one million heart attacks contributing to over four hundred thousand deaths in the United States annually, such a small improvement in blood pressure could save thousands of American lives every single year. The take-home message is not that salads are unhealthy, but rather that there are clear differences between “good” and “bad” salads. Whether you are following a low calorie diet for weight loss or a low sodium diet for heart health (or both), simply educating yourself about the nutritional content of your meal options can help you stay on your diet…and maybe even save your life or the life of someone you love. Stanley Wang, md | Austin Heart | www.austinheart.com
kee p au stin well austinlifestylemagazine.com 85
kee p au stin well
Come see why patients travel to Austin from all over the United States for their comprehensive care by one of our fabulous female doctors. Go to our website and listen to what other patients are saying about their dental experience.
86 austinlifestylemagazine.com
2303 RANCH ROAD 620 SOUTH • SUITE 140 • AUSTIN, TX 78734 512.263.8284 • www.AustinHealthyDentist.com
kee p au stin well Central Health Board Chairperson Thomas Coopwood, MD and President & CEO Patricia Young Brown attend University Medical Center Brackenridge’s (UMCB) 125th Anniversary celebration
Saving Money And Lives Five Years Of Progress At Central Health
I
n 2004, Travis County voters rallied behind a simple but effective message – “Save Money. Save Lives.” – and approved the creation of a healthcare district. When Central Health, formerly Travis County Healthcare District, officially began work the following year, it focused funds and strategies on ways to deliver on that promise. Today, looking back on the organization’s first five years, Central Health has helped Travis County make significant strides toward becoming a model of a healthy community. The Travis County medical community was instrumental in defining the need, building the support, and securing the creation of Central Health. “Physicians know all too well the challenges the healthcare system faces in ensuring access to care,” says
Thomas Coopwood, md , facs , chairperson of the Central Health Board of Managers, past chief of staff at University Medical Center Brackenridge, and former president of Travis County Medical Society. “A healthcare district serving Travis County was urgently needed not just to sustain but also to enhance the network that meets the primary health care needs of so many in this community.” Since beginning operation in 2005, Central Health’s efforts have helped more people receive the care they need, when and where they need it — which has, in fact, saved money and saved lives. These accomplishments, improving the quality of life of thousands in Travis County, are evidenced by the service expansions that Central Health has been able to achieve while having the lowest tax rate of all urban
austinlifestylemagazine.com 87
hospital districts. Central Health’s success also demonstrates sound management and wise stewardship of limited public dollars available to support community health care.
kee p au stin well
In addition to owning University Medical Center Brackenridge (operated by the Seton Family of Hospitals), Central Health administers the Medical Assistance Program that provides access to care for Travis County’s uninsured and underserved. Central Health works in partnership with CommUnityCare, its non-profit affiliate of federally qualified community health centers, and also contracts for care with a network of additional primary and specialty providers. The creation of the district integrated programs formerly housed within the City of Austin and Travis County, both of which transferred portions of their property tax rate to the new district. This spring, Central Health released several of the milestones from the organization’s first five fiscal years and set the stage for more progress to come. Highlights from the five-year report card include:
Enhanced Emergency Care After nearly $6.5 million in new investments from Central Health and additional support from its partner, Seton Family of Hospitals, University Medical Center Brackenridge earned Level 1 Trauma Center status. This means Brackenridge is providing the widest range of emergency care services possible to the people of Central Texas.
More People Covered More than six thousand people in our community now have access to the care they need, as enrollment in the Central Health Medical Assistance Program has expanded by nearly eighty percent since 2004. Central Health has also supported other solutions to connect people to care. One example is TexHealth Central Texas, a non-profit corporation that offers low-cost health benefits programs to small businesses that otherwise can’t afford coverage for their employees.
More Providers and Better Access Central Health has expanded the network of primary, specialty and urgent care providers. These new providers, together with additional locations and expanded hours, have helped more people access the care they need when they need it. Total primary care visits in the Central Health network have increased by 25 percent since 2005.
Expanded Mental Health Care Our community faced a crisis in 2004, as people in need of emergency mental health services were turned away from the overcrowded Austin State Hospital. Central Health led a collaborative effort that created more inpatient beds, intensive outpatient care, crisis respite care, mobile crisis outreach and expanded emergency services. As part of that collaborative, Central Health now invests more than five million dollars per year for mental health services.
Simpler, Easier Enrollment Central Health has streamlined screening services so people can get to care quickly and easily. These services include “virtual enrollment,”
88 austinlifestylemagazine.com
financial screening at provider locations, re-enrollment by mail, and a new customer service call center that streamlines application appointment scheduling. This call center – launched last year – processed nearly thirty thousand calls in its first six months. These achievements set the stage for continued advances and better responses to the challenges we face – as individuals, as a community and region, and as a nation – to provide accessible health care for those who need it. “We will continue to need to innovate as our community grows and as medicine and our healthcare system grow more complex,” says Dr. Donald Patrick, retired executive director of the Texas Medical Board and past chief of staff at University Medical Center Brackenridge, who along with Dr. Coopwood has served on the Central Health Board of Managers since its inception. “The impact of federal healthcare reform and other initiatives that affect the delivery and funding of care will be of great importance to us going forward.” The community’s ability to meet these challenges will depend on sound and effective management of the healthcare system’s resources and of the taxes paid by businesses and individuals. The track record so far is a sign that Travis County residents and its medical community can have confidence in Central Health’s ability to help meet the community’s health care needs. Central Health exists to respond to the needs of the people of Travis County. The organization has launched a new community planning initiative, Central Health Connection, to engage Central Texans in talking, imagining and acting to create a model healthy community. The support of residents, businesses, health care professionals and community leaders working together has played a major role in creating Central Health and making these successes possible. As national health system reform rolls out, continued support of Central Health as a local resource to meet health care needs will continue to assure future success. Christie Garbe, Chief Communications and Planning Officer for Central Health. Please join in the healthy conversation at www.CentralHealthConnection.net.
Move To
High-Profile Address
The tallest address in Texas can be yours. Move into The Austonian and the comfortable luxury reserved exclusively for our residents and their invited guests. Enjoy more than 40,000 square feet of private amenities – 12,000 square feet of outdoor leisure space, entertainment and workout facilities 600 feet above the city, and so much more. Contact us today, and see how you could be living in the height of luxury.
200 CONGRESS AVENUE CALL 866-467-5239 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY OR VISIT THEAUSTONIAN.COM TEXT THE WORD “AUSTIN” TO 59192 MARKETED BY MORELAND PROPERTIES
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY; WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED OR QUALIFIED THIS OFFERING. Likewise, no federal or other state agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. You should obtain the property reports required by applicable federal and/or state law for this property and read it before signing anything. This is not an offer to sell, or solicitation of offers to buy, any condominium units or subdivided land in New York, New Jersey or any other state where such solicitation or other offer to residents of such states cannot be made or where prior registration is required. All advertising, promotional materials, site plans, artist’s renderings, and pricing information associated with the project and/or any units, if any, are preliminary in nature and are subject to change without notice. The developers reserve the right to make modifications and changes to the information contained herein. Renderings, photos and sketches are representational and may not be accurate. Dimensions, sizes, specifications, layouts and materials are approximate and subject to change without notice.