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Contents
august
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features On the Town Bar None Alternative Nightshifts The Distillers The Hot List
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d e pa rtm e nt s
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o n t h e c o v e r : A da m B r ya n at M i d n i g h t c o w b oy p h o t o g r a p h y b y M i c h a e l T h a d Ca r t e r
Communit y
Style
Social Hour
22
Things We Love
44
Kristin Armstrong
31
Behind the Scenes
84
Exposed: Miguel Angel
34
Product Pick
86
Perspective: Adam Bryan
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My Life
90
My Austin: Chanel Dror & Eric Tarlo
82
Style Pick
92
Arts
Dining
Arts & Entertainment Calendar
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Dining Pick
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Artist Spotlight
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Our Little Secret
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Clockwise from Top Left: jeff peace photo by adam voorhes; justine's photo by matt rainwaters; Kat Edmonson photo by Valeria Castillo; home bar photo by bill sallans; Swift's Attic photo by evan prince; ColdTowne Theater photo by bill sallans.
T R IBE Z A
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Anniversary
Editor’s Letter
PUBLISHER George T. Elliman EDITOR + creative director Lauren Smith Ford editorial assistant Lisa Siva Events + Marketing Coordinator Staley Hawkins Senior Account ExeCutives Ashley Beall Andrea Brunner Kimberly Chassay principals George T. Elliman Chuck Sack Vance Sack Michael Torres interns Raechel Kelley Tyler Neal Paige Turner Issue Design by Robin FInlay mailing address 706a west 34th street Austin, Texas 78705
year
A cold winter night
with the people I love all together. My favorite DJ on the decks playing a mixture of hip hop and Future Islands. A martini in every hand. A tie around every man's neck. A blood-red shade on every girl's lip. We lose ourselves to the night...
Columnist Kristin Armstrong Illustrator Joy Gallagher Writers
This is the perfect Austin night on the town for Miguel Angel, a local photographer who spends his nights documenting the after dark scene in Austin, Special thanks to cocktail connoisas he describes in this month’s Exposed profile. seurs and just about the hardest Culture Map Editor Caitlin Ryan starts her night at working creative couple in the business, Robin Finlay and Adam Rio’s Brazilian on the East Side, where she savors the Voorhes, who contributed a great Brazilian flavors and a cold caipirnha cocktail (read deal to this issue with Robin's always clever design and Adam's flawless more about what to order in “Our Little Secret”). photography. Gracious hosts Dr. John Hogg and David Garza often the find the perfect night out to be a night in, entertaining guests around their spectacular bar (see a few of our other favorite at home bars in “Bar None”). Everyone seems to have their own version of how to experience the Austin scene, and we enjoyed stepping out to discover them for this year’s Nightlife Issue. We were honored that photographer Adam Voorhes, a master of conceptual still life photography, not only took the beautiful portraits of the guys featured in “The Distillers,” but he also photographed and made the specialty cocktails in the story—how’s that for multitalented! We sent writer Jacqueline Rangel out on the town to check out all the newest places on the scene, from where to find the most savory late-night snack or a creative cocktail menu. Discover them in “The Hot List,” thoughtfully photographed by Matt Rainwaters. Next month marks the ninth annual TRIBEZA Style Week, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. Stay tuned on tribeza.com for all the details. Until then, we wish you many memorable summer nights out in Austin.
ph (512) 474 4711 fax (512) 474 4715 www.tribeza.com
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Phillip Pantuso Jacqueline Rangel Clay Smith Karen O. Spezia Photographers Michael Thad Carter Valeria Castillo Cody Hamilton Kristopher Orr John Pesina Angeliska Polacheck Evan Prince Annie Ray Matt Rainwaters Bill Sallans Adam Voorhes Founded in March 2001, TRIBEZA is Austin's leading locally owned arts and culture magazine. Copyright @ 2012 by TRIBEZA. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the publisher, is prohibited. TRIBEZA is a proud member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce.
Lauren Smith Ford lauren@tribeza.com
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Social Hour
A selection of party pics from happenings in every corner of the city. 2
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June Issue Release Party
We celebrated the release of our June Outdoors Issue with a backyard party at Bar 96, sponsored by Petrified Design and Mockingbird Domestics. July's cover star, Iba Thiam of Cazamance, created an global menu of lamb sausage, hummus, prosciutto and more, paired with drinks by Deep Eddy Vodka and Crown Imports.
June Issue Release Party: 1. Kerri Curtis, Leah Bean & Sarah Reeves 2. Audrey Rickel, Erin Baroni & Jenna Strahan 3. Taylor Darland & Katie Mousavi 4. Sarah Johnson & Matt Fajkus 5. Tyson Pendergrass & Julian Neel 6. Kelsey Hayenga & Matt Pearson 7. Jayson & Ashley Clauer 8. Maria Schweider & Andy Thibodaux 9. Lauren Hub, Albert Swantner & Allison Daly 10. Lindsey Carlton, Sara Crumley & Rachel Daly.
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social hour
austin
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Brightest Party Ever
Leadership Austin hosted a vibrant, Pop Art-themed evening on the Long Center City Terrace. Against a backdrop of the glowing downtown skyline, guests enjoyed a stunning, aerial performance by Lapis Light, as they recognized Charles Barnett, Sam Planta and Courtney Clark for their inspiring contributions to the Central Texas community.
Art Bra Austin
The Breast Cancer Research Centers of Texas hosted a night of fashion, fun and fearless women fighting breast cancer at the Austin Music Hall. Guests enjoyed live music and bites from Olive & June and NoRTH, while the highlight of the evening was a fashion show featuring beautifully designed art bras.
Brightest Party Ever: 1. Jennifer Wijangco & Jason Stoneberg 2. Vanessa Fuentes & Dani Thibodeau 3. Matt & Kelly Valdez 4. Kerri & Jason Qunell 5. J.R. Ruiz & Malavika Vinta 6. Ashley O'Bryan & Whitney Roberts Art Bra Austin: 7. Kim & Tim Dowling 8. Jeremy Von Stilb & Clint Grounds 9. Jamie Cox & Tracy Haddock 10. Evan Voyles, Gail Chovan, Laura Lee Kozusko & Deborah Carroll.
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social hour
austin
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LiveVibe Summer Concert
LiveVibe hosted an intimate house concert featuring musicians David Ramirez and Matthew Mayfield at the beautiful Reilly residence, overlooking Lake Austin. The evening kicked off with exquisite hors d’oeuvres by Trento Restaurant and continued with unforgettable performances, benefiting rock and roll cancer charity Love Hope Strength.
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Toast of the Town
This spring, the St. David’s Foundation presented an exclusive evening with celebrity Chef Kent Rathbun. Jazz chanteuse Kat Edmonson flew into the city from New York and entertained the crowd with her old-world sound throughout the night, which benefited the foundation’s Neil Kocurek Scholarship Fund for students studying health care professions.
Hot Spots, Cool Drinks
AMOA-Arthouse celebrated the three finalists in the competitive Texas Prize exhibition on the Jones Center rooftop. Chefs Aaron Franklin, John Bullington and Ben Hightower partnered with mixologists David Alan, Bill Norris and Joyce Garrison to create exquisite food and cocktail pairings, inspired by the cuisine of hot places.
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LiveVibe: 1. Michael Dickson & Jenn Walley 2. Walter Marcantoni, Nak Armstrong & Brian Dillard 3. Margaret Farris & CJ Vinson 4. Christina Shipley & Michael Nance 5. Juston Street & Monica Partier Toast of the Town: 6. Kent Rathbun & Lane Strickland 7. Robena Jackson & John Whitfield 8. Leslie Robnett, Pamela Merker & Ellen Troxclair Hot Spots, Cool Drinks: 9. Lindsey Reynolds & Kelsey Orr 10. Andres Calles & Emily Urban 11. Janie Wang, Darlene Lee & Janel Wang 12. Sarah Harshaw & Erin McReynolds.
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community
column
After Hours I am a single woman, and as such, I should It is not me, and truth be told, has not been BY K R I STI N ARMSTRONG have somewhat of a nightlife. I should know me since I carried my college crazies into my what hot restaurants just opened, what bars are fun and have eliearly 20’s life in Austin and indulged them until they burned out of gible 30 and 40-somethings, and I should spend quality time at the their own volition. The typical M.O. for divorced people is to either bar at the W. a) move into a high rise downtown and act like they are 20 again (or Alas. date people of said age) or b) dress up, go out as often as possible and i l lus t r at i o n by j oy g a l l ag h er For a limite d- e dit i on p r int , c onta c t jo ygall agh e r@g m ail .c om .
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community
column
I decided posthaste that men without children, faith or dogs and men who start most sentences with “meanabuddyamine” are not for me.
troll for potential dates. Instead, I got divorced and nested like Big Bird on Sesame Street, pouring my entire heart, time and energy into my little flock. Looking back, I can see my circuit of driving to and from Casis Elementary, running at the lake, going to the gym (a quiet one, not Lifetime or Pure Austin where people actually meet people), working from home and going to Randall’s on Exposition (usually wearing stale running clothes) was probably not the most fruitful path for a single woman. I probably could have been spending more time at Pure Austin. I could have gone to Whole Foods all the time, regardless of the fact that it would eventually render me broke, and my kids would revolt (or starve) at the lack of processed, packaged food. I could have made more of a point to pursue friendships with divorcees, so I had a nimble pack to stalk prey. I could have gone out to more live music (since I actually do love that). I could have made more of a point to stay up past ten, even though I am a morning person. I could have taken some informal classes at UT. I could have joined CrossFit. I could have mustered up the chutzpah and gotten a babysitter and actually gone to the parties, galas and fundraisers I politely get invited to (I do, however, have a doctor's note exempting me from galas. I’m highly allergic). I could have said yes more often to the well-intentioned people who tried to set me up, instead of shutting them down as quickly as a metal door under siege between Jedis and Stormtroopers on Death Star. (Ah, if only Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory lived nearby. He would love me, and it would be totally mutual.) In semi-recent history, I dated someone who referred to himself in the third person. Then I dated an adorable man-child. He was cute, so fun and always had a game on. But every bartender knew him by name (think Norm, in Cheers), and if it were my kid’s recital vs. Jazz Fest (SxSW, Kentucky Derby, ACL, Mardi Gras, Superbowl, Final Four, Burning Man, a ski trip, Mexico trip, gotta work late or any excuse to go to Vegas), I know it would ultimately be “your-kid-who?” We did not match. I decided posthaste that men without children,
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faith or dogs and men who start most sentences with “meanabuddyamine” are not for me. But one friend of mine, a very pushy one too I might add, asked me to meet this one guy. I eye-rolled compliance, stating for the record that I do not date NED’s (men who are Not-Even-Divorced). She said, “Of course you can’t date him yet. He’s not single. But you could try being his friend. He will likely be single for a-bout five minutes after his divorce
is final. He’s that special.” Ugh. Whatever. I’ll babysit another grieving, whining person who wants to trash his ex and complain about how hard it is to have kids All. Weekend. Long. Fine…one dinner (and he’s buying). At that dinner, I did not once roll my eyes. And he did not trash his ex. He spoke of his children with joy, love and reverence—just the way I speak of mine—and he has them full time, not just alternating weekends. He is close with his whole family, the way I am with mine. He loves God. And dogs. I left quite happy and honored to be his friend. Our friendship continued over months. I ended things with man-child. His divorce finalized. We planned a road trip together— me, him and our collective six children—and our destination included his entire family of origin. The fact that I did not immediately have a nervous breakdown and head for Alaska (to live, not vacation) spoke volumes. I really wanted to go (and so did my kids!). He bought a Suburban with two rows of bench seats, two built-in DVD players and six headsets so we could all go together. I swooned. That may be, quite possibly, the most romantic thing to occur in my lifetime. I fell in love with him as he baited my kids’ hooks with shrimp on a pier. My nightlife is undergoing a revival. The other night I ate a grilled venison burger (Deer meat? Bambi? Me? Are you freaking kidding me? It was delicious. Shot by his son.) and massaged his kids’ feet while we watched a terrible movie about a dog who could drive a car. It was total bliss. It just goes to show what can happen when your nightlife is actually infused with real life. It just may, after nine years, be my total undoing.
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community
profile
exposed
Miguel Angel Founder, ulovei
O
ver the course of his four years in the Marines, Miguel Angel began a career as a combat photographer, chronicling his experiences around the world, from Japan to Iraq. Today, as he scopes out Austin’s nightlife scene, Angel’s approach to photography hasn’t changed much: “It’s different content,” he admits, “but it’s still about building relationships with people.” You won’t find Angel in the corner, snapping clandestine photographs of unsuspecting partygoers. Instead, he immerses himself in the crowd—one of the aspects he likes best about nightlife photography. “That’s why the photos come out the way they do,” he remarks. “I love being out there, interacting with others, showing people that Austin offers something a little unexpected.” In fact, much of Angel’s work celebrates the diversity of Austin nightlife, promoting underrepresented cultures and groups, from the LGBT community to the East Side and the hip-hop scene. “We’re overcoming barriers, just by talking about these things,” he says. And Angel doesn’t just talk—since relocating to Austin from Del Rio five years ago, he has taken up DJing, videography and promotion, in addition to his “grittier” style of photography. “It’s really direct,” he says of his aesthetic, inspired by his subjects and the chameleon-like quality that nightlife evokes. “When you go out at night, you can be a completely different person,” he says. “That’s why I do it.” For more information about Miguel Angel’s work, visit ulovei.com. L. SIVA
9 Questions for Miguel
What’s your idea of the perfect party? A cold winter night with the people I love all together. My favorite DJ on the decks playing a mixture of hip hop and Future Islands. A martini in every hand. A tie around every man's neck. A blood-red shade on every girl's lip. We lose ourselves to the night, and in the morning, we go to Whataburger. What is the most beautiful place in the world you have ever seen? That would be the Island of Okinawa, Japan. I spent a whole year there and fell in love with the culture—so much that I had both my arms, full chest and back covered in traditional Japanese tattoos. Plus the weather was always nice…except for
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the occasional tsunami. When and where are you the happiest? When I’m with my mother at her house. I feel so at peace when I visit her—it’s so different from my nightly routine. She doesn't live in Austin, so I truly look forward to these moments. What song makes you the most nostalgic? Right now it would be Johnny Polygon— "limosexsuperstar." I like the way he rhymes, the lyrics, the beat. I'm a big fan of his music. The synths in this song are so powerful that I get chills when listening to it. What is one thing most people don’t know about you? My time in the military. I spent four years in the Marines, from June 2003 to June 2007. People are really surprised when I tell them, especially when I mention I was in Iraq.
If you weren’t in your current career, what else would you try? A chef. I like to cook. I like to eat. I like preparing food for other people. What is your most treasured possession? A teddy bear that I have had since I was two years old. It's my longest-lasting possession. If you could see any musical artist, dead or alive, perform, who would it be? Notorious B.I.G. He is the best rapper of all time and died way too soon. What has been the most memorable night of your life? My birthday this year was pretty special because of the people. The three most important women in my life spent it with me—that's all I really need to have a good night. P h oto g r a p h y by CODY H A MILTON
community
perspective
i n hi s ow n wor ds
Adam Bryan Owner, MOTEL
2000 miles away from home, MOTEL owner Adam Bryan discovered a blossoming nightlife scene in Austin
I
relocated to Austin from the west coast on a whim and a motorcycle, and if you asked me why, I wouldn't have an answer. I didn't know anyone living in Austin, and unlike many transplants, I'd neither been to SXSW or ACL nor ever had aspirations to attend UT. During the four years of calling Austin home, I've never seen Barton Springs or jogged around Lady Bird Lake (which I'm certain is not actually a lake but a river). I rarely eat BBQ, and I'm admittedly perplexed by the worship of the breakfast taco. But when asked why I stayed, the words fall sure as dusk—the warm, humid, easy nights. I've always been a night owl even as a kid, so growing up in a small farming community was a tough gig, but nightfall during the brief summers always brought relief. I remember the dark back roads we drove, every window open, heavy country air flowing past our faces (and airing out the vehicle before hitting city limits.) After high school I headed further down I-5 to Portland, where culture, rather than cattle, ruled the night, and found a lifestyle built into the dark hours. Gaining employment in hospitality allowed me an indulgent schedule: secret supper clubs, rogue art installations, pirate radio stations, a figurative and literal warehouse of nocturnal shenanigans. But the skies were rarely filled with stars, and it never seemed to stop raining, so I began to consider what the night could be with a friendlier weather system. After a brief stint in San Francisco, I jettisoned any belongings
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that weren't essential to a proper motorcycle adventure and pointed in a southwardly direction. Enter Austin. It was mid-October as I careened through a moonlit hill country, dodging armadillo carcasses in a late push to make last call in the capitol city. I'd been on the bike for over 2000 miles, and when the bartender cracked my first Lonestar, the spray settled on my arm like a welcoming toast. The air was warm, heavy, filled with cicadas, and that cold, sweating can was the perfect contrast. I decided right there that this must be the place and began settling in and meeting people, who, like the weather, were a hell of a lot nicer than I was accustomed to. I had arrived just in time to witness the gestation of Austin's young culinary scene, the opening of the new ACL studio and Randall Stockton's domino development of East Sixth Street. Digging deeper into the night, I romanced in honky-tonks, watched Bastrop burn from Mt. Bonnell and "liberated" my share of apartment complex pools. But most nights you're more likely to see me where I've been for the last decade, behind the bar, slinging the drinks that fuel your nightlife. From that vantage point, I assure you the future of Austin's nightlife is bright. The caliber of service and choices are on the rise, as is consumer knowledge and demand, the latter firmly placing Austin in the sights of big city entrepreneurs like New York cocktail maven Kathryn Weatherup and Los Angeles'
Varnish alumn Chris Bostick. Sweeten the pot with the recent vacancies of confiscated Yassine Enterprise properties, and we could very well bear witness to a significant shift in Austin's nightlife. But with our population on the rise, these new developments will not come easy. Over the years, the city of Austin, along with conservative neighborhood committees, have doubled down on strict zoning with conditional use permitting to obstruct smart development such as local, walkabout neighborhood services like pubs and restaurants. This short-sighted attitude is not only unsustainable, but it also bears dangerous consequences by forcing consumers to drive downtown rather than walking or biking to their local hangout. Our central business district suffers as well from this imbalance of services rendering many areas unusable during day hours and overrun with imbibers in the evening who eventually drive home, intoxicated, directly through those areas that prohibit localized late night development. In spite of the challenges we face as a city, neighborhood and business community, I am confident that our best nights are ahead of us, evidenced in areas like North Loop, boasting local hangouts Foreign & Domestic, The Tigress and Drink.Well. Head farther south to find Barley Swine, Lick and Henri’s full of Zilker residents. Finally, to put my money where my mouth is, this fall you can find me in East Austin, behind the bar of course, serving the neighborhood at MOTEL. See you there. P h oto g r a p h y bY M i c h a el T h a d Ca rt er
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AUGUST Calendars
GODFREY
arts & entertainment
August 22-25, 8pm Cap City Comedy Club
Entertainment Calendar Music SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER
August 1, 8pm Antone’s
August 2, 4pm Antone’s DIRTY PROJECTORS AND WYE OAK
August 2, 9pm Emo’s East
UNPLUGGED AT THE GROVE
Thursdays, 8pm Shady Grove HIROSHIMA
August 3, 7 & 9:30pm One World Theatre GIRL TALK
August 4, 7:30pm Whitewater Live Music Amphitheater THE BODEANS
August 5, 5pm Waterloo Records RELIENT K WITH HELLOGOODBYE, WILLIAM BECKETT & HOUSE OF HEROES
August 5, 7pm Emo’s East
HARTMAN FOUNDATION “CONCERTS IN THE PARK”
August 5, 7:30pm The Long Center
KGSR’S BLUES ON THE GREEN: QUIET COMPANY, AUGUST 2012
August 8, 7:30pm Zilker Park VINCE GILL
JERRY FEST
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THE EASTERN SEA & WILD CHILD
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August 11, 6:30pm ACL Live at the Moody Theater YANNI
August 17, 8pm Bass Concert Hall REDD VOLKAERT, DALE WATSON & HIS LONE STARS
August 18, 3pm The Continental Club
CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH
August 18, 8pm ACL Live at the Moody Theater
A CHORUS LINE
August 10-September 9 Georgetown Palace Theatre TIGERS BE STILL
Through August 11 Hyde Park Theatre SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER
Through August 12 The City Theatre CABARET
August 16- September 9 The City Theatre WOMEN FULLY CLOTHED
August 31, 7pm One World Theatre XANDADU
WILLIE NELSON
Through September 2 ZACH Theatre
PAT GREEN
Through September 2 ZACH Theatre
August 23, 7pm The Backyard at Bee Cave August 24, 6:30pm ACL Live at the Moody Theater KAZI’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMERFEST WITH LAKESIDE
August 25, 10am Marchesa Hall CHRIS ISAAK
August 26, 6:30pm ACL Live at the Moody Theater
Theater CHESS
August 2-12 Rollins Theatre
FULLY COMMITTED
Comedy TOMMY JOHNAGIN
August 1-4, 8pm Cap City Comedy Club TOM SIMMONS
August 8-11, 8pm Cap City Comedy Club THE NARRATIVE IMPROV JAM
August 17, 8pm Hideout Theatre
OUT OF BOUNDS COMEDY FESTIVAL
August 28- September 3 Multiple Venues
Film 101X SUMMER CINEMA: WAYNE’S WORLD
August 1, 8pm Central Market North
CINEMA EAST SUMMER OUTDOOR FILM SCREENINGS
Sundays, 9pm Yellow Jacket Track Field
WORLD CINEMA CLASSICS
August 7-12 Paramount Theatre SCIFI CLASSICS
August 14-16 Stateside at the Paramount NEW CLASSICS
August 28-September 2 Paramount Theatre CINEMA41
Thursdays, 7pm Salvage Vanguard Theater
Children FRIDAY FAMILY FUN: MR. JOHNNY & SHARON
August 3, 6:30pm Kaleidoscope Toys
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
August 4, 10:30am Scottish Rite Theatre
SUMMER READING CELEBRATION
August 11, 12pm BookPeople
LEGO KIDSFEST
August 31, 4-8:30pm Austin Convention Center
Other 6TH ANNUAL ICE CREAM FESTIVAL
August 4, 10am Fiesta Gardens
R. A. SALVATORE
August 10, 7pm BookPeople
LAKE TRAVIS HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT
August 11, 7am Mansfield Dam Park
AUSTIN BEAD BAZAAR
August 11, 10am-6pm Palmer Events Center
PUBLIC OBSERVATORY NIGHT
August 11, 8:15pm Eagle Eye Observatory
FALL HOME & GARDEN SHOW
August 17-19 Austin Convention Center RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY FULLY CHARGED
August 22-26 Frank Erwin Center BAT FEST
August 25, 4pm-12am Congress Avenue Bridge 5TH ANNUAL NOCC BALANCE 5K AND KIDS K
August 26, 7am The Domain
HOT SAUCE FESTIVAL
August 26, 6pm Fiesta Gardens
sm 速
chuck hughes, BROKER U. S . A R M Y, R E T I R E D
512.689.5949 www.BatCityRealty.com info@BatCityRealty.com
arts & entertainment
C A l e n da r s
Arts Calendar Group Show: 100 Degrees Reception, 6-8pm Through September 1 AUGUST 11 PRO-JEX GALLERY
Neil Coleman: Nudeworks Reception, 6-9pm AUGUST 18 SCANLAN GALLERY
Texas Mysticism: Paintings by Jeffrey Brailas, Earl Staley and Lynn Rand Reception, 2-5pm Through October 21 AUGUST 24 GALLERY SHOAL CREEK
Paper III: Prints, Drawings, Sculpture Reception, 6-8pm Through September 22 AUGUST 24 GRAYDUCK GALLERY
Hollie Brown: Solo Show Reception, 7-9pm Through September 9 AUGUST 24 & 25 RUSSELL COLLECTION OF FINE ARTS
Bernie Taupin Receptions, 6-9pm
Ongoing AMOA-ARTHOUSE
Collection Selections: The Barrett Collection Through August 12 AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER
The First Picture Shows: Historic Austin Movie Houses Through August 19
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BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART
The Human Touch: Selections from the RBC Wealth Management Art Collection The Collecting Impulse: Fifty Works from Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Through August 12 Go West!: Representations of the American Frontier Through September 23 THE BOB BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM
Texas Music Roadtrip Through October 14
Ice Ball benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters’ programs for at-risk youth.
EVENT p i c k
Ice Ball
GRAYDUCK GALLERY
Saturday, August 25, 7pm Hilton Downtown austiniceball.org
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
s temperatures climb to record highs this month, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas offers an elegant escape from Austin heat—the eighth annual Ice Ball, benefiting the organization’s services for underserved youth. An evening of cuisine, drink and inspiring stories, the Ice Ball promises to be an unforgettable winter wonderland. “It’s a bit of a nontraditional gala,” admits BBBS CEO Brent Fields. “Guests come decked out in everything from slacks to tuxes, cocktail dresses to evening gowns.” In true Austin fashion, the Ice Ball is thus equal parts stunning soirée and rock and roll bash: rather than a seated dinner, guests can sip on frosty cocktails as they explore an array of ice sculptures and delectable small plates by some of the finest restaurants in the city, such as Cru and Moonshine. Throughout the evening, local cover band Radiostar will also entertain guests with a nostalgic homage to the eighties, delivering high-energy performances of old favorites. The true stars of the gala, however, are the children that BBBS has served for the past 40 years. “Ice Ball is an interesting balance of a great environment and the stories of kids we’ve impacted,” Fields observes. In addition to live and silent auctions featuring getaways to Costa Rica and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, guests will have an opportunity to learn more about BBBS from the organization’s volunteers. Proceeds from Ice Ball support BBBS’s life-changing programs for Austin youth. R. KELLEY
Calder Kamin, Areca Roe and Casey Polacheck: Cohabitation Through August 20
Robert Lang: Many Fold Manifolds Caitlin Hill: Paintings on Silk Through August 19 Logan Stollenwerck: A Bouquet for Mrs. J Through September 3 LORA REYNOLDS GALLERY
Manscape: Man as Subject and Object Roy McMakin: A Few Drawings Through August 11 RED SPACE GALLERY
Mikaylah Bowman: The Girl Who Lies Through August 26 TESTSITE
Teruko Nimura: Just Because 11.3 Through August 7 WOMEN & THEIR WORK
Leticia Bajuyo: Event Horizon Through August 30
A
photo by Laura T. Reed.
AUGUST 4 WALLY WORKMAN
JUNE 10—AUGUST 12, 2012
An intimate look at the human condition, with work by Nan Goldin, Roy Lichtenstein, Kehinde Wiley, and other leading contemporary artists. The Human Touch: Selections from the RBC Wealth Management Art Collection
www.rbcwealthmanagement.com
The of of Texas at Austin | MLK |atMLK Congress TheUniversity University Texas at Austin at Congress Austin, TXTX78701 | www.blantonmuseum.org | (512) 471-7324 Austin, 78701 | www.blantonmuseum.org | (512) 471-7324 Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BlantonMuseumofArt LEFT: Roland Fischer, Untitled (L.A. Portrait) (detail), 1994–2000, chromogenic print and acrylic on fiberboard, 55 ½ x 63 ¾ in., Collection of RBC Wealth Management
museums & galleries
Art Spaces Museums
artist spotlight
Honora Jacob
H
onora Jacob has been drawn to paint ever since she was a child: “I love how it can drip and flow,” she says, “or be as thick as icing on a cake.” This love for her medium illuminates Jacob’s work, each piece as vibrant as the women who inspire it. One of Jacob’s recent paintings, entitled “Enigmatic Memory of Love,” features a woman draped in a striking red dress. Faceless, her head enveloped in a cloud of delicate butterflies, the woman offers the viewer a stunning window into the female psyche: behind the painting’s soft, eloquent lines lies a rich landscape of symbolism, exploring the metamorphoses that occur in the many stages of a woman’s life, from puberty to childbearing. When Jacob first began to paint professionally, these female figures served as an expression of her own narrative, but in her recent work, the largely faceless women have come to represent the collective female experience. Elusive yet alive with activity, the butterflies that flutter in and out of Jacob’s pieces, for example, illustrate the way women think, feel, remember and dream—an exercise in introspection that Jacob strives to evoke in the viewer. “I hope my work would call forth a personal memory, idea or emotion from each viewer,” Jacob says. “The artist places his or her intention into the work, but we all demand our own, unique histories be heard.” Honora Jacob’s paintings will be on display in a group exhibition at the Wally Workman Gallery from August 4th to September 1st. For more information on Jacob and her work, visit honorajacob.com. R. KELLEY
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Austin Children’s Museum
201 Colorado St. (512) 472 2499 Hours: Tu 10–5, W 10–8, Th–Sa 10–5, Su 12–5 austinkids.org AMOA-Arthouse The Jones Center
700 Congress Ave. (512) 453 5312 Hours: W 12-11, Th-Sa 12-9, Su 12-5 arthousetexas.org AMOA-Arthouse Laguna Gloria
3809 W. 35th St. (512) 458 8191 Driscoll Villa hours: Tu–W 12-4, Th-Su 10–4 Grounds hours: M–Sa 9–5, Su 10–5 amoa.org Blanton Museum of Art
200 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. (512) 471 7324 Hours: Tu– F 10–5, Sa 11–5, Su 1–5 blantonmuseum.org
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
1800 Congress Ave. (512) 936 8746 Hours: M–Sa 9–6, Su 12–6 thestoryoftexas.com Elisabet Ney Museum
304 E. 44th St. (512) 458 2255 Hours: W–Sa 10–5, Su 12–5 ci.austin.tx.us/elisabetney
French Legation Museum
802 San Marcos St. (512) 472 8180 Hours: Tu–Su 1–5 frenchlegationmuseum.org George Washington Carver Museum
1165 Angelina St. (512) 974 4926 Hours: M–Th 10–9, F 10–5:30, Sa 10–4 ci.austin.tx.us/carver Harry Ransom Center
300 E. 21st St. (512) 471 8944 Hours: Tu–W 10–5, Th 10–7, F 10–5, Sa–Su 12–5 hrc.utexas.edu LBJ Library and Museum
2313 Red River St. (512) 721 0200 Hours: M–Su 9–5 lbjlib.utexas.edu
Mexic–Arte Museum
419 Congress Ave. (512) 480 9373 Hours: M–Th 10–6, F–Sa 10–5, Su 12–5 mexic–artemuseum.org O. Henry Museum
409 E. 5th St. (512) 472 1903 Hours: W–Su 12–5
Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum
605 Robert E. Lee Rd. (512) 445 5582 Hours: W–F 10–4:30, Sa–Su 1–4:30 umlaufsculpture.org
image courtesy of Honora Jacob.
arts & entertainment
arts & entertainment
Galleries Art on 5th
1501 W. 5th St. (512) 481 1111 Hours: M–Sa 10–6 arton5th.com The Art Gallery at John-William Interiors
3010 W. Anderson Ln. (512) 451 5511 Hours: M–Sa 10–6, Su 12–5 mannfinearts.com Artworks Gallery
1214 W. 6th St. (512) 472 1550 Hours: M–Sa 10–5 artworksaustin.com
Austin Art Garage
2200 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. J (512) 351-5934 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–6, Su 12–5 austinartgarage.com Austin Art Space Gallery and Studios
7739 North Cross Dr., Ste. Q (512) 771 2868 Hours: F–Sa 11–6 austinartspace.com
Austin Galleries
1219 W. 6th St. (512) 495 9363 Hours: M 10–3, Tu–Sa 10–5 or by appointment austingalleries.com B. HOLLYMAN GALLERY
1202-A W. 6th. St. (512) 825 6866 Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5 bhollymangallery.com Birdhouse
1304 E. Cesar Chavez St. By appointment only birdhousegallery.com
champion
La Peña
Creative Research Laboratory
Lora Reynolds Gallery
800 Brazos St. (512) 354 1035 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–6 championcontemporary.com
227 Congress Ave., #300 (512) 477 6007 Hours: M–F 9–5, Sa–Su 9–3 lapena–austin.org
2832 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. (512) 322 2099 Hours: Tu–Sa 12–5 uts.cc.utexas.edu/~crlab
360 Nueces St., Ste. C (512) 215 4965 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–6 lorareynolds.com
Davis Gallery
Lotus Gallery
837 W. 12th St. (512) 477 4929 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 10–4 davisgalleryaustin.com
1009 W. 6th St., #101 (512) 474 1700 Hours: Mo–Sa 10-6 lotusasianart.com
Flatbed Press
lytle pressley contemporary
2830 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. (512) 477 9328 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–6 flatbedpress.com Gallery Black Lagoon
4301-A Guadalupe St. (512) 371 8838 Hours: W–F 3–7 galleryblacklagoon.com Gallery Shoal Creek
2905 San Gabriel St., #101 (512) 454 6671 Hours: Tu–F 11–6, Sa 11–4 galleryshoalcreek.com grayDUCK gallery
608 W. Monroe Dr. (512) 826 5334 Hours: W–Sa 11–6, Su 12–5 grayduckgallery.com Haven Gallery & Fine Gifts
1122 W. 6th St. (512) 477 2700 Hours: M–Sa 11–6, Su 11–4 havengalleryaustin.com Jean–Marc Fray Gallery
1009 W. 6th St. (512) 457 0077 Hours: M–Sa 10–6 jeanmarcfray.com
1214 W. 6th St. (512) 469 6010 Hours: M-F 9-5 lytlepressley.com
Maranda Pleasant Gallery
2235 E. 6th St. (713) 922 8584 By appointment only bigmodernart.com Mass Gallery
916 Springdale Rd. Hours: W 7–9, Sa 12–5 massgallery.org The Nancy Wilson Scanlan Gallery
6500 St. Stephen’s Dr. (512) 327 1213 Hours: W–F 9–5 sstx.org Okay Mountain Gallery
1619 E. Cesar Chavez St. By appointment only (512) 293 5177 okaymountain.com Positive Images
1118 W. 6th St. Hours: M–Sa 10–5, Su 11–4 (512) 472 1831
Pro–Jex Gallery
1710 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. C (512) 472 7707 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 12–4 Red Space Gallery
1203 W. 49th St. By appointment only redspacegallery.com
Russell Collection Fine Art
1137 W. 6th St. (512) 478 4440 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–6 russell–collection.com sofa
301 E. 33rd St., #7 By appointment only sofagallerytx.com Stephen L. Clark Gallery
1101 W. 6th St. (512) 477 0828 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–4 stephenlclarkgallery.com studio 10
1011 West Lynn (512) 236 1333 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–5 studiotenarts.com Studio 107
411 Brazos St., #107 (512) 477 9092 Hours: Tu–Sa 1–6 studio107.com Testsite
502 W. 33rd St. (512) 453 3199 Hours: Su 2–5 fluentcollab.org Wally Workman Gallery
1202 W. 6th St. (512) 472 7428 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–5 wallyworkman.com
M u s e u m s & Ga l l e r i e s
Women & Their Work
1710 Lavaca St. (512) 477 1064 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 12–5 womenandtheirwork.org Yard Dog
1510 S. Congress Ave. (512) 912 1613 Hours: M–F 11–5, Sa 11–6, Su 12–5 yarddog.com
Alternative Spaces ARTPOST: The Center for Creative Expression
4704 E. Cesar Chavez St. artpostaustin.com Austin Presence
2785 Bee Cave Rd., #336 (512) 306 9636 Hours: Tu–F 10–6, Sa 10–4 austinpresence.com Bay6 Gallery & Studios
5305 Bolm Rd. (512) 553 3849 By appointment only bay6studios.com
Domy Books
913 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 476 DOMY Hours: Tue–F 1–9, Sa 12–9, Su 12–7 domystore.com Julia C. Butridge Gallery
1110 Barton Springs Rd. (512) 974 4025 Hours: M–Th 10–9:30, F 10–5:30, Sa 10–4 ci.austin.tx.us/ dougherty/gallery.htm Pump Project Art Complex
702 Shady Ln. (512) 351 8571 pumpproject.org
Quattro Gallery
12971 Pond Springs Rd. (512) 219 3150 Hours: M–Tu 10–3, W–Sa 11–4 quattrogallery.com Roi James
3620 Bee Cave Rd., Ste. C (512) 970 3471 By appointment only roijames.com Space 12
5305 Bolm Rd., #12 (512) 385 1670 bigmedium.org
3121 E. 12th St. (512) 524 7128 T-F 10-5 space12.org
Clarksville Pottery & Galleries
United States Art Authority
Co-Lab Project Space
To have your gallery considered for listing in the Arts Guide, please send a request to events@tribeza.com.
Big Medium
4001 N. Lamar Blvd., #200 (512) 454 9079 Hours: M–Sa 10–6:30, Su 12–4 clarksvillepottery.com
613 Allen St. (512) 300 8217 By appointment only colabspace.org
2906 Fruth St. (512) 476 4455 unitedstatesartauthority.com
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style
things we love
Cinema Ea st Though this city is no stranger to outdoor film series, indie film buffs Maggie Lea and Carlyn Hudson—the duo behind Cinema East—offer Austinites a one-of-a-kind viewing experience. Cinema East is dedicated to the independent film scene, offering a curated lineup of thoughtful works, followed by Q&A sessions with the film crew. “The industry has changed so much, and there’s just not much room for the little guy anymore, so we fill that gap,” explains Hudson. For three dollars, guests gain access to unforgettable works, as well as pre- and post-screening parties, all while enjoying the classic ambiance of an outdoor theater. August 19 marks the series’ end-of-season celebration, where Lea and Hudson will screen Girl Walk // All Day, a feature-length dance music video tuned to the sounds of Girl Talk. For Cinema East’s full lineup, visit cinemaeastaustin.com.
Ava Arenell a With her sultry and nostalgic voice, singer Ava Arenella recalls decades past for Austinites seeking a taste of the jazz age. “I’ve always been in love with vintage,” she remarks. “My style is very midcentury.” Equal parts Edith Piaf and Frank Sinatra, Arenella’s music pays respect to both French culture and the zenith of American jazz in the 1950s and 60s. The so-called “Little Jazz Bird” performs songs rich with soulful lyrics and melodies—and you’ll never find her without a striking, vintage ensemble she’s thrifted from around town. Despite her reverence for the past, however, Arenella also forward to her upcoming album, featuring unique interpretations of jazz standards. Until then, you can catch her performances at the East Side Show Room on August 1 and 15. “I am interested in breathing life into older music,” she notes. “I am a vintage person through and through.” Visit avaarenella.com for more information regarding upcoming performances.
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The Highball
Outfitted with red pleather, mirrored panels and retro carpet, The Highball brings the allure of the 1960s to Austin’s nightlife scene. Part bowling alley and part time machine, the Highball comes complete with manual score tables and the first ever manufactured automatic pinsetters. “I fell in love with the aesthetic,” says Tim League of the bowling alley’s vintage vibe. Founder and CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse companies, League describes The Highball as a “dimly-lit, cozy lounge,” where guests can enjoy a full menu of classic fare and carefully crafted drinks by mixologists Ryan Schibi and Bill Norris. Offering a weekly variety of themed nights, including a Razzle Dazzle Sideshow Cabaret, The Highball is the perfect way to add some old-school fun to your afterhours routine. For reservations and more information about The Highball, visit thehighball.com. P. TURNER & R. KELLEY
Ava Arenella photo by annie ray; cinema east image courtesy of cinema east.
Things We Love
AUSTIN tarrytown : soco : travis heights : lake austin : westlake
SOLD - 1704 South 3rd St.
11913 Musket Rim
PENDING - 411 West Mary 3207 Churchill Dr.
CHRIS LONG
Broker, Elite 25 512.289.6300 www.chrislongaustin.com GOTTESMANRESIDENTIAL real estate
Singer-songwriter Kat Edmonson (pictured) captivated guests with her stunning voice during Danika Boyle’s The Mistress and the Muse Salon.
On the Town by Au ro r a B el l a n d L i s a S i va
Whether they channeled Gertude Stein in Paris or the Stonewall Riots of 1969, Austinites gathered for three unforgettable evenings on either side of the Atlantic.
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P h oto g r ap h y by Va l er i a C a s t i l lo
The Mistress and the Muse For Hemingway, Paris was “a moveable feast,” and last October, Austinite Danika Boyle brought the feast back to the City of Lights.
D
anika Boyle’s unique gathering takes its name from the two women who drove the salon’s theme. After falling in love with Paris at a young age, Boyle thinks of herself as the city’s mistress: she enjoys the benefits of an intimate relationship without the bureaucracy and harsh winters that come with living in Paris, but she also sacrifices “the deeper connection, the miracle of spring understood only after experiencing winter.” The Muse, on the other hand, was the woman who inspired Boyle to bring her stateside salons to Paris—singer-songwriter Kat Edmonson, whose sparkling sound was made for the City of Lights. After hearing Edmonson perform in Austin—the singer splits her time between Austin and Brooklyn—Boyle instantly knew “how perfect [Edmonson] would be in Paris; how the French and American expats would love her if they could experience her.”
The evening in Paris, which concluded a culinary tour of the south of France and Paris that Boyle led through her tour company, Petite Pêche & Co., was a perfect mélange des traditions—paying homage to the origins of the salon and to the expatriate culture of the 1920s. Like the très sophistiqués Parisians of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries who met in private apartments to discuss the arts, as well as the “lost generation” of international artists and writers who met in Gertrude Stein’s apartment, Boyle’s guests gathered to converse and to hear Edmonson sing. For Boyle, the salon is a means of “curating the right artistic experience for the right audience,” which she calls a “new ‘old’ way of connecting people around their gifts.” Boyle’s first salons developed organically when she and her husband, music producer David Boyle, lived in New York City. They found themselves surrounded by musicians, who would often stay for dinner and end up in the living room, gathering for jam sessions around the Boyles’ Steinway. This sort of intimate performance, Boyle notes, “promote[s] not just the art but the artist.” Boyle later began hosting salons in Austin, which has become for her what Paris was for artists in the 1920s, “fostering creativity through collective interaction with other great artists.” To that end, the Mistress and the Muse was not only an opportunity for music lovers to enjoy an evening of conversation and performance, but also for both Austinites and Parisians to engage with one another. Throughout the evening, sounds of conversation both in English and French filled the apartment, which was rented by guests Charlotte Warren and Dale Cole as a donation in kind. And the perfect apartment it was, from the archetypal Haussamanian façade of carved limestone and wrought iron balconies, to the herringbone parquet floors, double vitrage windows and spacious rooms for entertaining. Large prints from contemporary fashion photography provided a lovely
Like its historical counterparts of the 1920s and the Enlightenment, Danika Boyle’s Parisian salon celebrated cuisine, conversation and the arts.
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antithesis to the antique French and Oriental furnishings. In contrast to the quintessentially Parisian location, Boyle’s menu honored American heritage. Along with the fruit, cheeses, pâté and baguettes requisite of a French soirée, Boyle served guacamole, miniature hamburgers and hotdogs. And to drink, what could be more American than a mint julep? For dessert, Sandi Reinlie, Pastry Chef at Vespaio and Enoteca, followed the same culinary theme, creating a pecan pie bar and chocolate brownie with raspberry ganache. The Mistress and the Muse marked Reinlie’s fourth trip with Boyle, and the pastry chef takes cooking in Paris as a welcome challenge. “I come on these trips when I’m looking for the inspiration that keeps me going in the everyday life in the kitchen,” she says. After exploring French pastry and working within the constraints of an unfamiliar kitchen, she “goes home a little bit better of a chef.” Like so many Americans before them, guests from Austin were inspired by the beauty of France. For Lisa O’Neill, this spanned from the exquisite interior of the Palais Garnier opera house, to Monet’s water lilies at the Orangerie, to the countryside and the mountains of southern France. Photographer Charlotte Warren was equally struck by “the romance of Paris.” What makes the city special, she says, is “the beauty and the evocative feelings of history and culture.” As she prepared for her performance, however, Edmonson was most moved by the dedication of Parisian artists to their craft: “There’s plenty of passion here in Paris,” she says, smiling. Her own passion for her art is evident when she performs, and when heard in Paris, Edmonson is simply enchanting. As the evening came to an end, Boyle’s muse sang a selection of classic and original pieces (she released her second album in March), accompanied on the guitar by David Blenkhorn, an Australian expat whom she had met the night before. Sitting on the edge of a large, antique dining chair, Edmonson leaned forward and sang to the guitar, her voice, at once creamy and piquant, filling the salon. And though she sang that she was not in love—“I don’t believe in Paris or spring”—guests couldn’t help but fall for the city and the salon rich with such culture, beauty and joie de vivre.
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Kinfolk’s Spring Picnic This March, Kinfolk brought elegant gatherings out of its pages and into a century-old pecan orchard for an inspiring spring picnic at Johnson’s Backyard Garden.
O
pening up a volume of Kinfolk magazine is like a journey into an enchanting world of food and friendship. Built by an international community of creative people, the magazine celebrates the beauty of simplicity and the magic of gathering friends around a table. It was only natural to transform this philosophy into an evening of cuisine and conversation, shared by the people who inspire and are inspired by the magazine. This year, the Kinfolk staff traveled the country from coast to coast, seeking out communities that embody the magazine’s manifesto of collaboration and craftsmanship. “The magazine draws on contributors from all over the world, revealing the ways we commonly enjoy spending time with friends and family,” Features Editor Julie Pointer observes. However, the community Kinfolk brought together with each volume had maintained many of its relationships online, and it was time to bring them face-to-face through the kinds of gatherings the magazine espouses. To that effect, Kinfolk launched a series of 12 dinners in order to bring together contributors, artisans and creative individuals in a different city every month. Each dinner, Pointer notes, has had a character of its own, whether Portland’s festive ambiance or Brooklyn’s social atmosphere. In March, drawn by the city’s support for small businesses and enthusiasm for craftsmanship, Kinfolk headed to Austin for a beautiful spring picnic at Johnson’s Backyard Garden. “We knew we would get many interesting folks on board,” Pointer remarks. “Austin has a really inspiring, small-scale community of artisans—and that’s what Kinfolk is all about.”
As the sun began to set at Johnson’s Backyard Garden, guests enjoyed the refreshing simplicity of a classic picnic.
Austin’s creative set indeed came alive for the Kinfolk dinner, which was shaped by diverse artisans in every corner of the city. “We were connecting with the people who were connecting with us,” Pointer says. “We were excited to meet with them in person and feel like part of a whole community.” Though an installment of a nationwide series, the picnic boasted a distinctly Austin vibe: from Mara Ambrose’s handdyed napkins to stunning floral arrangements by Nouveau Romantics and jars of blackberry cobbler from Blackbird Bakery, local artisans worked together to craft every aspect of a perfect evening. Complete with picturesque, open fields and a magical feast laid before the guests’ eyes, the picnic was a scene straight from a storybook. Beneath a canopy of aromatic, century-old pecan trees at Johnson’s Backyard Garden, the 35 dinner guests found creamy picnic blankets on either side of a low, wooden board fashioned into a makeshift table, laden with jars of pâté from Contigo, wine from the Robert Mondavi Private Selection, fresh spring salads and more. Delicate wood burned salt cellars by Natalie Davis of Tool & Tack decorated the table, while a curious dog or two wandered among the guests, who were beginning to settle on the blankets and pour wine. “We always try to make the dinners really familiar-feeling and welcoming,” Pointer says. “Everyone is meant to feel as though they belong here, and when you’re sort of sprawled on the ground in a beautiful setting, it becomes easier to talk with someone and have a real conversation.” To complement the relaxed atmosphere of the evening, Alice Crow and Ann Lowe of Any Style Catering developed a rustic menu of picnic fare with a Texas twist. Guests passed around family-style plates of P h oto g r ap h y by k r i s to p h er O r r
Shaded by century-old pecan trees, guests explored a sprawling feast with wine from the Robert Mondavi Private Selection and cuisine by Any Style Catering.
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queerbomb muffaletta sandwiches made with meats from Salt & Time, pickled vegetables harvested from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, deviled eggs and decadent strawberry mascarpone ice cream. “The menu was very simple in the sense that it was picnic-ready fare, but very beautiful,” Pointer observes. In fact, “simple but beautiful” was an underlying theme that colored the entire dinner, which focused not so much on creating an haute cuisine, Michelin-starred experience, but rather on taking pleasure in sharing a meal with a vibrant group of people in a beautiful space. As the sun began to set, against a backdrop of flickering candlelight along the length of the table, Rob Lowe and Michael Muller of the acclaimed instrumental group, Balmorhea, treated guests to an enchanting, sonic feast, both plaintive and lush. After dinner, the guests lingered late into the night, not quite ready to break the spell of the intimate gathering. There is, in fact, something magical about a beautiful evening in a pecan orchard, enjoying good company and the gentle strumming of a guitar under the night sky. Forgoing elaborate place settings and extravagant cuisine, the Kinfolk picnic was an invitation to Austinites to rediscover the city’s vibrant, creative community through the simple act of sharing a meal outdoors. “Sometimes, we get caught up making entertaining a big affair, when it can be effortless and easy,” Pointer admits. “I hope guests realize that bringing people together doesn’t have to be ornate or complicated.” As with each Kinfolk dinner, the intent of the picnic was thus to inspire and remind guests that connecting with friends and family can be both unfussy and elegant: “It really can just be as simple as going into your backyard with a picnic blanket and a couple of boards to set your plate on,” Pointer remarks. Ultimately, as the evening wound down and the candlelight began to dim, Austinites left the picnic reacquainted with the art of gathering and the brilliance of simplicity.
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In June, QueerBomb took Austin by storm, championing the city’s unique and diverse LGBT community.
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n June 28, 1969, at a nondescript bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, a riot broke out. Though New Yorkers in the 1960s were no strangers to sociopolitical upheaval, this riot was different: for the first time, LGBT patrons and supporters resisted police discrimination, sparking a movement that endures today. 80 years later, Austinites pay homage to the Stonewall Riots with QueerBomb, an annual, explosive celebration of the city’s vibrant LGBT community. Like its predecessor, QueerBomb was born from a shared desire for change. Dissatisfied with the increasing corporatization of Pride celebrations across the country, the founding members of QueerBomb sought to mobilize the local community and create an event that truly honored the historical foundations of the LGBT movement. “We felt strongly that there should be zero sponsorship, that it would be forever and always free,” says committee member and Hotel San Jose GM Bobby Johns. “We wanted QueerBomb to be open to everyone who wanted to come and celebrate.” The result was an evening unlike any the city had seen before—a fearless street rally and procession honoring both the diversity and the solidarity of the LGBT community. When over 1000 people took to the streets to march for the first ever QueerBomb—the expected turnout was 300—the founding committee began to appreciate the magnitude of the movement they had inspired. “We realized,” Johns says, “that we had created a community.” Two months ago marked the third annual QueerBomb, which began at the Pine Street Station. With its eclectic, historic vibe, the East Side location was the perfect complement to the people who gathered there that evening. “It sang to us,” Johns smiles. The décor was simple and largely handmade, celebrating the DIY spirit of the event: sheets spraypainted with the QueerBomb logo fluttered in the breeze, and members brought decorations they had been crafting all year. As the sun set over the downtown skyline, guests trickled into the yard, some in jeans and
This year’s QueerBomb drew marchers from across the country, who danced, drummed and marched into downtown Austin.
t-shirts, others in vivid costumes, from glow stick hairpieces to papiermâché rooster heads. Honoring QueerBomb’s manifesto of unity, diverse nonprofit organizations, including AGLIFF and PFLAG, welcomed guests at their tables, as they prepared to rally. “Austin is just one of those cities that’s cooking,” committee member Paul Soileau—better known for his performances as Rebecca Havemeyer—observes. There is a revolutionary new generation ready to fight for equality, and “if we can tap into that energy for a good cause, we can create something magical.” Once the sun had set, the rally began, centered on a bare, understated stage with a microphone. QueerBomb attendees gathered to hear the stories of four speakers, each of whom came from the local LGBT community. “We don’t bring headliners in from out of town,” says Soileau. “We wanted it to come from Austin.” This year, Soileau emceed as Rebecca, but in the last few minutes of his speech, he removed his wig—a gesture that paid tribute to the drag queens of the 60s and 70s. “It’s a reminder that I may be a clown, but I’m also up here to deliver a message to you,” Soileau notes. And that message was powerful indeed: “I want people to look back at QueerBomb and think, ‘They were about love and joy and happiness and nothing else,’” Johns says. The last speaker of the evening was Patrice Mallard, an AfricanAmerican lesbian activist who had grown up in the Jim Crow South. When she announced her daughter was celebrating her own coming out that night, the outpouring of support and pride from the audience was P h oto g r ap h y by A n g el i s ka P o l ac h eck
tremendous. “You could see the activism reignite in her,” Soileau recalls, “and it charged the crowd.” With that, QueerBomb burst onto the street and headed for the heart of downtown Austin. As they marched along East Sixth Street and under I-35, cheers erupted, reverberating beneath the tunnel and along the procession of people, which spanned five blocks. Unlike many Pride celebrations, confined to areas commonly frequented by the LGBT community, however, QueerBomb sought to bring the march to the forefront of Austin nightlife. Accompanied by a raucous drumline and the bold sounds of the Minor Mishap Marching Band, the march arrived on Congress Avenue, in full sight of the Capitol. “You can feel the excitement in the air,” says Johns. “The cars are going the other way and honking, and we all start screaming. The noise is incredible.” Despite the summer heat, the energy upon returning to Pine Street Station was equally unforgettable. Marchers of all stripes and colors flooded into the backyard, embracing one another as tears streamed down their cheeks. Exhilarated cries of “We did it!” echoed throughout the after-party, which culminated a momentous day of action and solidarity. Guests danced the night away to a lineup of DJs and mingled with QueerBomb participants from across the country. That night, no one was turned away, as people from all walks of life joined together in a movement for acceptance, a celebration of difference. “This is the new wave of the way it should be,” Soileau says, “and it’s working beautifully in Austin.” tribeza.com
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Bar N o n e by Lisa Siva
Meet three Austinites who have brought the art of mixology back home.
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n the 60s and 70s, a well-appointed bar was the domestic accessory du jour. As nightlife-seekers increasingly ventured outdoors, however, the home bar began to fall out of favor and became a relic of some long-gone, nostalgic era. Nevertheless, despite the never-ending list of wonderful bars, gastropubs and cocktail lounges the city has to offer today, these three Austinites are dusting off their countertops and bringing the home bar into the 21st century.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SALLANS
For Dr. John Hogg (left) and David Garza (right), a home bar is the perfect space to entertain guests and be adventurous with drinks.
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Jewel-Box W h e n Dr . Joh n Ho g g and partner
David Garza christened the bar in their Westlake home, their treasure trove of glittering bottles took the spotlight. Though their friends were bemused to find the tequila next to the vodka, Dr. Hogg had developed the bar to be a visual centerpiece as much as a functional component of the home, arranging bottles by color and height rather than by type of liquor. “I have always been fascinated by the beauty of bottles,” he says. “It’s like jewelry.” Though he doesn’t think of himself as a mixologist, Dr. Hogg enjoys experimenting with liquors and unique flavors for his guests. Whether he’s mixing a cocktail inspired by a friend’s personality or picking up tips from his favorite restaurants—taking cues from Z’Tejas, he often adds a PA G E bit of jalapeno crushed with sugar to his drinks—Dr. Hogg loves the freedom to create that a home bar offers.
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A sleek, minimalist bar allows the bottles to take center stage.
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Above all, he notes, a home bar should be a space where guests feel comfortable to unwind and stay a while. To that effect, his builds upon the home’s timeless aesthetic, fusing antique and modern components for a sleek, yet comfortable atmosphere. Much of the home boasts a rich, walnut wood paneling, a theme that the bar continues for an intimate feel. 1930s Parisian Lucite chairs line the deep granite counter, while the bar’s mirrored walls reflect a gorgeous view of the city skyline and Lady Bird Lake. Unlike commercial bars, Dr. Hogg says, home bars allow guests to drink in a more relaxed setting, where they can take a tasting tour of the world. Rather than keeping them tucked out of sight in a cabinet, Dr. Hogg thus displays his jewel-box of bottles proudly, each one carefully crafted and together, a work of art that guests are free to explore: “A home bar,” he says, “lends itself to adventure.” A native Austinite, David Garza is a local construction executive and also works in the petrochemical industry. Dr. John Hogg, a physician and native Texan, grew up hosting charitable events and fundraisers, where the art of entertaining was a natural part of life.
Lil’ House
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ucked in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of Lady Bird Lake is an early twentieth century home that Robert and Maia Reeves have transformed into a hidden oasis with their eighteen-month-old son, Rex. Though his wife took on the project of redesigning much of the house, as a loyal patron of East Side Show Room and Haddingtons, Robert Reeves decided to create a cocktail bar of his own. Today, adjoining their home is the cozy annex he affectionately refers to as the “Lil’ House,” an intimate space that functions as a bar but feels like home. “I come from a big family, so entertaining has always been about having friends and family over,” Reeves says. When they do host gatherings, the bar inevitably becomes the focal point, where guests can relax with a drink. “This isn’t a commercial bar. It feels more like a kitchen,” he observes. But it’s also a kitchen you’ve never seen before, taking cues from influences as diverse as the Prohibition Era and Mad Men. Overhead, along the sloping ceiling are punk rock posters, while turntables in the back of the room are ready to play a selection from Reeves’ extensive vinyl collection. The bar itself is flush against a wall, with light trickling onto a slate countertop inspired by a century-old absinthe bar in New Orleans. Above, shelves of liquors from around the world—including a jenever from Amsterdam that Reeves picked up on his travels—glimmer invitingly. Though you’ll often find Reeves experimenting with cocktails he’s discovered around the city, his favorite to whip up is a classic Manhattan, a recipe he keeps in mind while stocking his shelves. When it comes to designing a home bar, says Reeves, “figure out what you like and play to that. And it will be right, because that’s what’s right for you.” Robert Reeves is the CTO of Datical, an Austin-based software company in the IT Service Management industry.
A nod to Edith and Archie Bunker, Robert Reeves (pictured) and his wife, Maia, personalize their space in the Lil’ House with their own, distinctive chairs.
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Time Machine F r a m e d b y a n a n t iqu e a rc h e d w i n d ow
and glass shutters, the bar at the heart of Kendra Scott’s home is a step back in time. A Mediterranean-style villa built in 1929, the house is steeped in a delightful, oldworld charm, one that continues into the bar, together with its nostalgic, yet elegant atmosphere. “It has character,” Scott says. “It’s a quaint, simple design—but very beautiful.” The shutters themselves were once a part of the original construction of the home, and when shut, they offer a glimmering centerpiece for the dining room—“It’s only a bar when you want it to be,” Scott laughs—but when open, they unveil a carefully curated selection of bottles and glassware, ready for a lively evening or an intimate gathering. Though the cozy space adjoining the kitchen was not initially intended to be a bar, it quickly became a “central hub” for guests anywhere in the house, Scott observes, and it was a natural addition to her home. “We love to have friends over,” she remarks, “and having a bar is just part of that entertaining spirit.” Despite its antique elements, however, the bar is designed to be familiar and relaxed, an inviting space to mingle and enjoy a drink. “I wanted it be a place where people could congregate and be comfortable and playful,” she says. That same playfulness is infused in the gatherings that Scott hosts for friends and family. She enjoys experimenting and recreating cocktails she’s PA G E discovered on her travels—her favorite is a vodka gimlet from The Ivy in Los Angeles—or even bringing in a bartender to whip up drinks for a themed party, whether a Halloween “Spooktacular” or an African-inspired soirée. “Having people in your home is the most special way to celebrate,” Scott says. “And having that bar element brings the party home.”
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Kendra Scott is the founder and CEO of Kendra Scott Jewelry, a line of handcrafted pieces sold at boutiques worldwide. As her company continues to expand, she remains committed to her founding philosophies of “Family, Fashion & Philanthropy.”
Jewelry designer Kendra Scott (pictured) preserves her home’s historic character in the effortless design of her bar.
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E s s e nt i a l s
thing else you need. 2. Ice. Lots of it. 3. Vermouth. I prefer Spanish, which has a bit of spiciness to it. Be sure to chill it or be prepared to throw it out. 4. Strong whiskey. I use Willett Rye Whiskey. 5. Good glassware. Which finishes off the list of everything you need for a Manhattan—so there you go!
1. Glassware. I love interesting glassware—and they don’t all have to match. From beautiful goblets to hand-carved, jewel-toned glasses, be creative and don’t be afraid to experiment with unique pieces. 2. Fresh ingredients. We like to use wonderful, fresh ingredients like crushed raspberries, fresh mint and limes. 3. Vodka. We’re so blessed that we live in such a cool city that creates incredible vodkas. As a local Austin woman, I like to support our local Austin businesses, whether it’s Tito’s or Deep Eddy or Savvy. 4. Atmosphere. Make sure it’s in a great central location, but have a quaint, comfortable atmosphere. 5. Accessories. I love having parties with a theme, so make sure all the elements—the glasses, the stirrers, the napkins—work with it. Recently, we had a Candy Gems party, for example, and used rock quartz as the stirrers. It’s fun to create around a theme that’s unique and special.
S ig n at u r e Dr i n k :
S ig n at u r e Dr i n k :
2 parts rye whiskey 1 part vermouth 3 drops mole bitters 3 drops grapefruit bitters
2 oz vodka 1/2 oz simple syrup 1/2 oz maple syrup 1/2 oz lemon juice fresh mint sprigs
Stir all ingredients 33 times—in honor of 1933, the end of Prohibition—and strain into a chilled glass. With a channel knife, peel a twist of orange for garnish.
Shake all combined ingredients over ice, and strain into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.
Discover three takes on the perfect home bar.
Dr. John Hogg 1. Glassware. There are the basic three: you’ll want a have-all tumbler for any occasion, a champagne flute and a good wine glass. 2. Accessories. Cloth napkins and attractive stirrers are always a nice touch. 3. Citrus. You always need a lemon and lime—and a cutting board! 4. Garnishes. I love mint. We grow it at home and pick it fresh. It’s good in just about everything, from diet coke to margaritas—it adds a mojito-like twist. 5. Liquors. You can’t go wrong with the essentials: gin, vodka, rum, whiskey, scotch and tequila. These are great for party trays as well. S ig n at u r e Dr i n k :
Margarita
3 parts 100% agave tequila 2 parts triple sec orange liqueur 1 part lime juice Stir together and strain into a glass. It’s a killer mixture!
Kendra Scott
Robert Reeves 1. Bitters. I love the Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters and Bob’s Bitters Grapefruit Bitters. The guy gets some experimental stuff and always has a good deal on some-
M a n h a tt a n
The Ivy Gimlet
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PongRock co-founders Richard Panter (pictured) and Dustin Maxey launched PongRock for ping pong enthusiasts seeking both competition and camaraderie.
P h oto g r a p h y by A n n i e R ay
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Tuesday nights find “Skeena Fey” (above) and “Brewbarella” (below) in 80s-inspired workout garb as they warm up for a beer-fueled game of Brewskee-Ball at Scoot Inn.
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Brewskee-Ball’s vibrant members, like “Skeegur Ros” (pictured), keep the atmosphere quirky and lighthearted—a perfect fit for Austinites.
E.C. Cooper warns that the Tuesday night division of Brewskee-Ball is “by far the craziest.” This particular Tuesday doubles as “Class Picture Night,” so many people at the Scoot Inn are colorfully costumed: one wears bunny ears with cat whisker appliqués, another a rainbow wig and high heels; a third dons a fullbody egg costume and gives his name as “Humpty Dump-skee.” They all take turns at the Scoot Inn’s three vintage Skee-Ball machines, rolling ball after ball up the four-foot lane as their teams cheer them on and swig $2 cans of Austin Beerworks, the league’s sponsors. The rambunctious eastside bar is home to the Austin chapter of Brewskee-Ball, a bar-based competitive Skee-Ball league founded in New York by “Skee-EOs” Eric Pavony and Evan Tobias, following a life-changing day trip to Coney Island in 2005. Cooper managed the bar that first hosted the league in Manhattan’s East Village. In 2009, he moved to Austin and started the local chapter, becoming the first missionary of Brewskee-Ball Inc.; there are now leagues in San Francisco, Charlotte and Wilmington. Between sixty and seventy teams compete in “skee-sons” of eight weeks, with the top 32 teams qualifying for the chance to win the annual grand prize of Brewskee-Ball: the Brewskee Mug. “It’s three crystal mugs filled with beer, to be chugged atop the lanes in victory,” Cooper says with delight. The top 32 individual rollers also compete for the B.R.O.T.Y. (Best Roller of the Year) crown. If the popularity of the Austin league is any indication, skee-ball may follow roller derby and coed kickball as the next retro pastime to undergo a full-fledged revival among the twenty- and thirtysomething set. While the costumes and corny rollernames (e.g. Ted Kaczynskee, The Great Gatskee, Brewbacca) may signify an uber-enthusiasm bordering on irony, there’s no doubting the affectionate goodwill between the diverse crowd that comes together for Brewskee-Ball. “I joined because I didn’t have any friends after moving to town,” Amy “Doozles” Spencer says. “Now, Skee-Ball is my life.” The dominant theory for success among Brewskee-Ballers is that having fun translates into better rolls. Thus, plentiful libations and geniality are crucial. “As I’d hoped, Austin is a perfect match for BrewskeeBall,” Cooper says, as he looks forward to the “Skeeson 12” sign-up party on September 5. It’d be hard to disagree. tribeza.com
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“Basically, we like to drink beer,” Dewberry states. Then he corrects himself: “Good beer.” -Dan Dewberry
Anyone who’s set foot in a bar recently will have noticed an increase in the number of locally-made craft beers on tap. Indeed, craft brewing is on the rise: according to the Brewers Association, the industry grew 13% by volume in 2011, expanding on a 12% growth in 2010. Similar to the Slow Food, locavore and organic movements, the craft beer movement values inventiveness, taste and quality ingredients. Austin is one of nation’s epicenters for growth; this year alone has witnessed the debuts of microbreweries like Adelbert’s, South Austin Brewing Co. and Twisted X (in Cedar Park). Homebrewing is increasingly popular, too. If you’re a craft beer enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard of the ZEALOTS (Zymurgic Enthusiasts of Austin Loosely Organized Through Suds). The ZEALOTS are a homebrew community that meets on the second Saturday of each month at the Gingerman to exchange brews and ideas. They also meet weekly for revolving happy hours at one of Austin’s growing number of brewpubs.“Craft brewing piggy-backed on the food movement,” says Dan Dewberry, a homebrewer of 16 years and a longtime member of the ZEALOTS. “Since the boom of that market, we’ve gotten a lot more people.” The monthly meet-ups at the Gingerman routinely draw over 50 enthusiasts, with nearly as great a variety of brews, from hoppy IPA’s and sour lambics to smooth pilsners and stouts with chocolate and
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blueberry notes. The individual brewers are fittingly heterogeneous. “We have several doctors who are regulars, alongside tons of blue-collar folks,” says Corey Martin, the group’s president (aka “Primary Fermenter”), though there are no dues or official expectations. “The one thing we all have in common is a passion for homebrewing.” Though several newcomers show up every month, one would be hard-pressed to find a better bar than the Gingerman when the ZEALOTS are dispensing their brews. The club and its members have won many awards: Martin’s Munich Dunkel won Sam Adam’s nationwide Long Shot contest last year, and his brother, Kerry, perfected a Weizenbock recipe that was brewed as St. Arnold’s Divine Reserve #7 in 2009. Mark Schoppe, another regular, scored the most points at the National Homebrew Competition in Seattle this year, while the ZEALOTS as a whole finished fifth nationwide. This month, the ZEALOTS will have their second Saturday meeting at Emma Long Park for their annual picnic and awards ceremony. If you like beer, you’re invited, they say. They’ve been going strong for almost twenty years, with no signs of a hangover. As the slogan on one of the club’s shirts reads: Beer is their obsession, and they’re late for therapy. “Basically, we like to drink beer,” Dewberry states. Then he corrects himself: “Good beer.”
Member Whitney Roberts (pictured) toasts to the ZEALOTS’ passion for craft beer with a glass of Uncle Billy’s Organic Amber.
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Friends Dustin Maxey and Richard Panter are seated at a table at Lavaca Street Bar & Grill, registering new entrants for the upcoming season of PongRock, the local ping pong league they started. They’re about to tell me all about it—but first, they insist on buying me a beer. At PongRock, a cold Lone Star or Shiner in one hand is as essential as a paddle in the other. Beer has been a part of PongRock from its inception. One night in March 2010, Maxey, 29, and Panter, 28, were drowning their sorrows in Maxey’s garage, having been steamrolled in a charity tournament sponsored by the Austin Table Tennis Association. The players who’d beaten them were nationally-ranked, “hardcore table tennis guys. They killed us,” Panter says. It was nothing like the easygoing games they played in the garage. That’s when the idea for PongRock struck—why not found a league that recreates those beer-and-trash-talk-filled games with their friends? “I wanted to start a league where I’m good,” Maxey says. “In my garage, I’m good.” Maxey created a website and the two began entreating their friends to sign up. When 48 people—many of whom Maxey and Panter didn’t know—registered for the inaugural season, they realized they were onto something. Organizing and operating a ping-pong league, which included promotion, finding a venue and buying tables, was a learning experience. “We were pretty cavalier about it at first,” Maxey says. “The first season, we scheduled round-robin tournaments, but whenever people didn’t show, it screwed everything up.” They adjusted to the current format, where competitors sign up for designated table and time slots on arrival and play best-of-three games to 11. The top finishers compete in a finals tournament at the end of each season, with the winner receiving a ping pong table. There are random skills competitions each week, too, including around-the-world, beer pong and trick shot contests. The league meets on Wednesday nights at Lavaca Street Bar & Grill, which serves up discounted beverages to players. Seven seasons in, PongRock is now a smooth operation and a more popular one than its creators, who are also launching a Cornhole League at the Belmont this month, ever imagined. That doesn’t mean it’s very profitable, but Maxey thinks they’ve found a unique niche.
“We care enough to make it happen—to buy PongRock members Johnny Gamez (left) and Arthur Vargas (right) gear up for the league’s weekly meet at Lavaca Street Bar & Grill.
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tables, design shirts, organize everything—but don’t really care if it makes money. We just want people to have fun.” -Dustin Maxey
Wally Workman Gallery
100 Degrees Group Show
1202 W. 6th St. Austin, TX 78703 512.472.7428 www.wallyworkman.com
painting by Tracey Harris
Bootleggers aren’t exactly known for keeping meticulous archives, so it’s difficult to verify whether the winding roads in WestLake were really laid out long ago by moonshiners intent on evading the police. That’s the rumor, at least. The authorities gave as good as they got, however: An article in the Austin American-Statesman in October 1938 heralded the destruction by the state’s Liquor Control Board of 1,428 liquor stills in three short years. “Moonshiners on Their Last Legs,” the headline blared. The times have changed: local distilleries are now in full swing, brewing award-winning liquors with a distinctly Texan twist. From the perfect fusion of sweet tea and vodka to rum with a hint of pecan, we meet five local distillers at the forefront of their craft.
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WHISKEY
Garrison Brothers
A staunch bourbon loyalist, Dan Garrison of Garrison Brothers (pictured) captures the flavors of Texas in his whiskey.
Dan Garrison used to work in high-tech until he woke up one day, and the company had been sold. The next logical choice? Buy a ranch with his family in Hye, near Fredericksburg, to create “the first real, authentic straight bourbon whiskey made outside of Kentucky or Tennessee.” The notion isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds, though: in just a few hot summers, Garrison discovered that Texas’ cyclical climate can yield a bourbon that tastes like it’s been aged for decades. Today, Garrison Brothers produces only a few hundred barrels each year, preparing each bottle by hand. And it’s not just the state’s climate that shapes its flavor profile—the distillery stresses the Texas-made quality of their ingredients, like the corn they acquire from Muleshoe, in the Panhandle, and the Hill Country rainwater they purify before using it in the distilling process. Unlike other Central Texas distillers, however, Garrison Brothers wants to stick to one drink: bourbon, although they will produce variations. “Bourbon is the nectar of the gods,” Garrison says. “I don’t understand why anyone would drink anything else.” He especially relishes the stringent adherence to authenticity bourbon demands: “With bourbon, it’s 100% authentic— you can’t add food coloring, red dye #7, caramel extract or seasoned wood chips,” he says. “All of the contents come from the barrel, the rain and the grain.” Look for Garrison Brothers bourbon everywhere in Texas west of I-35 (including Austin) and in Houston.
COCKTAIL
indian summer Although Dan Garrison's recommended cocktail is "two parts glass, one part Garrison Brothers," this little gem manages to highlight the subtleties of Garrison Brothers while celebrating the long, hot Texas summer. Use an extra-large ice cube to help it fight the heat.
2 oz Garrison Brothers Whiskey 1/2 oz fresh lime juice 3/4 oz Allspice Dram 1 dash Angostura Bitters Shake with ice to chill. Strain into a rocks glass with an oversized ice cube.
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GIN
Waterloo Gin
COCKTAIL
chocolate chinato This after-dinner cocktail is for advanced drinkers. Hints of spice and chocolate combine with Waterloo’s botanicals for a unique experience. Try it with an extra 1/2 oz of Waterloo for a gin-forward flavor. Either way, this is a fantastic drink to end an evening.
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1 oz Waterloo Gin 1/2 oz Barolo Chinato 1/2 oz Drillaud White Cocoa Combine and shake with ice to chill. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino cherry.
Austin rum aficionados already know about Treaty Oak Platinum Rum, the first offering from Treaty Oak Distilling, launched in 2007. That rum was notable for the fact that distiller Daniel Barnes found the last sugar cane mill in Texas (in Santa Rosa, in South Texas) to process the molasses he used. Last November, the company issued Waterloo Gin, another product invoking Austin’s history— not to mention one that can boast Texas ingredients as proudly as their first liquor does. Barnes calls Waterloo Gin a “Texas-style gin.” If that has you scratching your head, try another geographical reference: Waterloo Gin, Barnes says, could also be called a London dry gin that has Texas flavors and botanicals anchoring it. The intent behind Waterloo Gin is to be anything but meek: you would expect, for example, that Barnes would use local juniper, but the Texas lavender, grapefruit and lemon he adds to the mix are a definite departure from traditional gins. His has a distinctly floral aroma and taste that make it especially refreshing right now, during our summer onslaught of heat and dazed languor. Some of the other flavors in Waterloo Gin include rosemary, anise, coriander, licorice root, ginger and pecans. Look for their new Starlite Vodka in stores soon and aged versions of their rum and gin before the end of the year.
co c k ta i l r ec i p e s by A dam Vo o r h e s
Daniel Barnes of Treaty Oak Distillery (pictured) nods to Austin history with his Waterloo Gin and regional ingredients.
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Left to right: Spirit of Texas owners Shaun Siems, Michael Rajski and Jason Malik created a rum with their own, signature twist.
COCKTAIL
pecan street daiquiri This play on a traditional daiquiri uses Falernum to highlight the unique depth of Pecan Street Rum. It's easy to make and easy to drink.
2 oz Pecan Street Rum 1 oz fresh lime juice 1 oz Velvet Falernum 2 dashes orange bitters Combine with ice and shake vigorously to froth. Strain into a coupe glass with a sugar rim.
Shaun Siems, the president of Spirit of Texas Independent Distillery, doesn’t pretend that the creation of his company’s Pecan Street Rum resulted from a lightning-bolt eureka moment—it was more of a “what if?” experiment. “One day, we were trying different yeast strains and I said, ‘What if we put some Texas pecans in there?’” Siems recalls, “and it turned this beautiful golden color, and the smell that was coming out was wonderful.” Spirit of Texas was created in Pflugerville in 2009, when Siems and two friends, who also worked in high-tech, all took interest in
RUM
Pecan Street Rum
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establishing a distillery. At the time, the beer market was saturated, and other liquors took too long to produce, so they decided upon rum as their first creation (they intend to sell whiskey and gin products in the future). In addition to Pecan Street Rum, Siems also manufactures Spirit of Texas Rum, a smooth, white rum better suited to fruity drinks than the pecan-steeped variant. As its name suggests, the Spirit of Texas Independent Distillery has yoked Texas’ rebel character to its own identity—“Everyone is entitled to our opinion” is the company’s new slogan. “We do things the way we do them,” Siems says. “That’s what we feel is the way to go.” After building their own stills and creating a rum starring a nut no one else had thought to emphasize, their confidence seems well-earned. The market must agree: Spirit of Texas rums are already available in more than 200 stores across the state.
With his farm-tobottle philosophy, Jeff Peace of Bone Spirits is changing the way we look at moonshine.
MOONSHINE
Fitch’s Goat Moonshine Moonshine gets a bad rap—all those antiquated notions of gut rot and involuntary blindness. It doesn’t help that Wikipedia defines moonshine as “any distilled spirit made in an unlicensed still.” Jeff Peace’s Bone Spirits, a distillery based in Smithville, is entirely legal and licensed and actually has three other farm-to-bottle drinks on the market besides their Fitch’s Goat Moonshine: Smiths Premium Vodka, Moody June Gin and Fitch’s Goat Whiskey. But moonshine takes a little bravado to sell. The natural state of whiskey before it’s aged, moonshine is perceived as whiskey’s redneck cousin, the one you just don’t bring to an elegant affair. Peace says that perception is all wrong. “There’s a niche for clients and customers who don’t necessarily like that oak flavoring and coloring of whiskey,” he says. “We can offer it straight after the triple distillation run, unaged, straight to the consumer. The taste profile knocks your socks off—it’s grainy and has a sweet nose to it.” That’s putting it mildly. Sipping this clear alcohol is a little like putting fire in your mouth. The surprise is how nicely complex the taste is, with notes of vanilla and banana. “You don’t have to kill it with a cranberry and tonic—it’s gentle enough to sip,” Peace says. I hope we can bring some class to this category. We’re not serving it in a jug, it’s 87 proof, and we’re putting a really nice label on it in a crystal glass bottle and saying, ‘Give this some attention. It’s a sipper’s drink.’”
COCKTAIL
fitch’s julep Peach-soaked moonshine turns a standard julep into a Texas tradition. Slice a peach into eighths and combine with Fitch's Goat in a Mason jar. Let it sit in your fridge for at least two days, preferably a week.
10 mint leaves 1 sugar cube 2 dashes orange bitters 3 oz peach-soaked moonshine Mint sprigs In a rocks glass, combine and muddle the first three ingredients. Top with crushed ice, add moonshine and garnish with mint.
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VODK A
Deep Eddy Vodk a Celebrated for the success he made out of Sweet Leaf Tea, Clayton Christopher speaks of Deep Eddy Vodka as a kind of gift to the city that espoused his first venture. “We wanted something that was part of the DNA of Austin,” Christopher says, mentioning that his business partner, Chad Auler, grew up swimming at Deep Eddy Pool. When it came time to brand their vodka, they sought a name that would both be memorable to customers outside Austin and ring true with homegrown Austinites. The result was Deep Eddy Vodka and its sweet tea-infused counterpart, Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka. What sets Deep Eddy apart is its unique distillation process, which rids its vodka of the medicinal taste that so many others impart, while affording the sweet tea variant a nice, mellow bite after the initial burst of sweetness. When Christopher began studying how vodka is made, he realized that a column still is a formidable weapon in the creation of artisanal vodka—this rare, oddly-named device controls temperature more finely than traditional methods allow. “Through being able to control the temperature really precisely, you’re able to burn off the bad compounds,” Christopher explains. Deep Eddy Vodka continues to be made in a column still, each batch undergoing the distillation process 10 times. Now available in 16 states and still made from Hill Country aquifer water (the sweet tea version also uses Goodflow honey), the two vodkas remain true to the city that inspired them.
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COCKTAIL
heirloom martini For this savory cocktail, you'll need the perfect summer tomato. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a garden in your backyard, keep your eyes peeled at the farmer's market. One good-sized tomato, squeezed and strained, will provide plenty of water. Look for heirloom varieties like Brandywine or Cherokee Purple.
6 basil leaves 1 dash garlic salt 3 dashes celery bitters 2 oz tomato water 2 oz Deep Eddy Vodka 1/4 oz olive brine In a shaker, combine and muddle the first three ingredients. Add ice and remaining ingredients. Shake to froth and strain into a cocktail glass with a smoked salt rim.
Handmade by Clayton Christopher (left) and Chad Auler (right), Deep Eddy Vodka bears an unmistakable Austin stamp.
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Whether you prefer winding down your summer evening with a cool drink on one of the city’s best open-air patios or tucked away in a clandestine, speakeasy-style cocktail den, this list will give you plenty of options for savoring every minute of those long, August-in-Austin nights.
HotList b y J acq u e l i n e R a n g e l
The
p h oto g r a p h y by m at t r a i n wat e r s
Diners linger late into the night at Justine’s Brasserie, a French bistro with an Austin flair.
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Clockwise from top left: From an expertly pulled shot of espresso at Cenote to the Blueberry Lemon Thyme Smash at Salty Sow, Austin has something for every night owl. End your after-hours prowl with a pint at Javelina or Chef Harold Marmulstein’s porchetta special.
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As the sun sets, the tumblers come out at Weather Up, offering a menu of specialty cocktails by mixologist Kathryn Weatherup.
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THE ART OF THE
COCKTAIL
W eather U p 1808 E. Cesar Chavez St.
This New York-based cocktail lover’s dream has made the jump to Austin. Setting up shop in the burgeoning East Austin area, Weather Up occupies a stately perch on the corner of East Cesar Chavez and Chicon. Its dimly-lit, wood-paneled interior invites patrons to explore the world of artisan cocktails—either at the bar itself or tucked away in one of the uniquely tufted leather booths and banquettes that line the opposite wall. Of course, given its spacious exterior, you also have plenty of Austinstyle back patio seating to choose from. Whichever you prefer, you’ll soon discover that the process of settling on your sipper of choice takes center stage with Weather Up’s impressively extensive selection of hand-crafted cocktails.
M i d n i g ht Cow b oy 313 E. 6th St. (512) 843 2715
Behind a nondescript door in the heart of the bustling Sixth Street strip lies a
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reservations-only cocktail bar unlike anything to hit the Austin nightlife scene in recent memory. Marked only by a series of faux-aristocratic names on the building’s list of buzzers, the entryway sets a proper tone and beckons patrons inside—after ringing the right doorbell. Only once you’ve been whisked to your cozy private booth, do you forget the Sixth Street mêlée and let your eyes and mood adjust to the speakeasy ambiance. This is the type of bar where you won’t have to yell to be heard. In fact, the most rewarding part of the experience is watching your bartender deftly concoct your drink using the various liquors, tinctures and syrups atop a tableside beverage cart, all the while fielding even the most minute of your cocktail questions. Sure the call-ahead, reservations-only mentality may be slightly more exclusive than what Austinites are used to, but it’s a hoop worth jumping through.
MORE THAN
MixED NUTS
made from a combination of fresh brisket and chuck to enjoy with your beverage of choice while lounging at this laid-back pinnacle of Austin patio perfection.
Violet Crown Social Club + Via 313 Pizza 1111 E. 6th St. (512) 614 4461
Although separate entities, Violet Crown Social Club and the Via 313 food trailer in its front parking lot have a nicely symbiotic relationship: Via 313’s deep-dish, Detroitstyle pizzas are just the answer for late night revelers looking for a savory bite, while Violet Crown’s unassuming yet cozy interior and breezy outdoor areas are a convenient place to sit, should you find yourself craving a cold beer to wash down your unforgettably delicious, square-shaped arugula and soppressata-topped pie.
MIXED-USE
CONCEPTS
Jav e l i n a
C e n ote
Like a beacon at the south end of Rainey Street, new neighborhood staple Javelina is hard to miss. Its bright bulbs will draw you in, but its Austin-style pace, comfort food menu and spacious, wraparound patio areas will beg you stay. When it officially debuted in early March, Javelina was the first bar on the street with a much-needed added bonus: a fully-equipped kitchen. What does that mean for you? Sliders, salads and an assortment of “Javelina burgers”
Is it a coffee shop? A wine bar? A funky, quiet date spot that oddly feels like your own front porch? All three—and proud of it. While Cenote might be best known for its café, it’s a gem of a new concept along East Cesar Chavez that shines consistently throughout the day—and well into the evening. Cenote has taken up residence in a restored early 19th century house, giving it enough charm to kick-start any timid conversation while also inviting larger
69 Rainey St. (512) 382 6917
1010 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 524 1311
Clockwise from left: Equal parts wine bar and coffee shop, Cenote has a cure for whatever ails you. For porkcentric, late-night fare, head to the Salty Sow or quench your thirst with a Jamaica Sour at El Naranjo.
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Justine’s spacious patio is the perfect place to unwind with a cheese plate and a glass of wine.
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groups to settle in at one of the numerous picnic tables that dot its front yard. For a more intimate vibe, you can also sip your beer, wine or late-night java at one of the smaller, candlelit tables inside.
Henri’s Cheese & Wine 2026 S. Lamar Blvd. (512) 442 3373
One part cheese and charcuterie shop and one part neighborhood wine bar, Henri’s is the type of place that makes you wonder why it wasn’t there a long time ago. Since opening its doors this past spring, the cozy South Lamar establishment has been giving patrons the choice of experience—you can either swing by to pick up the necessary specialty grocery goods to host your own small soirée or pull up a chair and peruse the in-house menu of wines, beers and, of course, cheeses. The beauty of Henri’s lies in its refreshingly warm, yet cool and modern environment. Simply put, it doesn’t feel like your average wine bar. The staff is friendly and helpful, providing honest opinions on pairings and tastings that will encourage you to think beyond your normal comfort zone.
LIV E LY L O C A L
FLAVOR
E l Nara n jo 85 Rainey St. (512) 474 2776
From popular trailer to beautiful Rainey Street restaurant, El Naranjo is an Austin success story with a distinctly Mexican
upbringing. After selling their first restaurant concept in Oaxaca, Mexico, husbandwife team Iliana de la Vega and Ernesto Torrealba put down Rainey Street roots with the original El Naranjo trailer. Not only is the food decidedly impressive, but the restaurant also boasts both a healthy (but not too overwhelming) selection of tequilas and an array of inventive cocktails too. Having opened earlier in the summer, this traditional Mexican food locale has injected a Latin flavor and spice to the popular nightlife neighborhood. Granted, the kitchen operates on normal restaurant hours, but the later weekend bar service makes it the ideal spot for a post-bar botana and an interesting drink. Consider it your chile-fueled respite from the Rainey Street storm.
S a lt y S ow 1917 Manor Rd. (512) 391 2337
As the latest brainchild of the team behind popular South Congress burger outpost Hopdoddy, Salty Sow is an interesting study of food, drink and flow. It’s no surprise that the cocktails are just as impressive as the menu items at this Manor Street establishment, but it’s the varied dining experiences housed within one restaurant that truly impress. Whether seated at an outdoor high-top cocktail table, indoor booth, exterior patio table or closer to the adjacent bar room, the restaurant offers plenty of options depending on your mood. Hushed tones and muted lighting throughout the entire space keep the vibe laid-back, placing an emphasis on your dining partner—perfect for the late night tête-à-tête or even for the rowdier group of friends catching up over a beer or glass of wine.
O LDI E S B U T
GOODIES
J usti n e ’ s Brasser i e 4710 E. 5th St. (512) 385 2900
This is the type of place that commandeers your night—in the best possible way. Once you walk through the front gate, you’re encouraged to take a seat and stay a while, no matter the hour. The staff at Justine’s won’t hurry you through your experience, which is a good thing, as time tends to pass a little more slowly at this East Austin destination. Although the restaurant has been catering to the local Francophile set since 2009, its convivial atmosphere and unpretentious approach to French dining continues to make it a perennial favorite for lingering over a meal or enjoying a crème brûlée and bubbly nightcap.
Pa pi Ti n o ’ s 1306 E. 6th St. (512) 479 1306
Nestled between hipster haunt Rio Rita to its right and a nondescript set of offices to its left, Papi Tino’s sits gracefully along East Sixth, twinkling white lights running through its trees, subtle sounds of live piano music drifting from its windows. After coming on the scene last summer, this renovated house-turned-restaurant quickly became a local favorite as much for its satisfying Enchiladas Suiza as for its spicy jalapeño-infused Picaritas. Now, a little more than a year later, this charming oasis of Mexican flavor has solidified its place on many an Austinite’s rotating list of go-to establishments.
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community
MY AUSTIN
Chanel Dror & Eric Tarlo’s
Perfect Night Out ACL at the Moody Theater 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd. (512) 225 7999 acl-live.com
M
y Austin story is a typical one. I first arrived as an eager UT freshman, then fell in love with the city and thought I’d stick around for a while after graduation. With that, my personal progression of nightlife revelry was quintessential as well: frequenting “Dirty 6th” while I could still stomach it, moving west as an enlightened upperclassman, then reaching what I consider to be true local status by heading out to the newest (or oldest) dives and hotspots, both in and out of downtown. Ever since the W landed itself on the corner of 3rd and Lavaca a year and a half ago—and with it, an updated, originally contentious, Austin City Limits studio— going out has been turned up a few notches. While Eric and I have yet to reach the zenith of Austin social-dom as ACL donors, we’re fortunate enough to have some great friends at KLRU and Moody Theater who make it possible for us to take part in one of Austin’s proudest attractions each month. I’ll never forget our first taping together: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue on a Monday evening, while the studio was still on campus. We danced until the very end, marched behind the brass band all the way to the freight elevator in true jazz parade fashion and then spotted ourselves on PBS four months later. It was simply incredible. Since the studio moved to neighbor the trendy W hotel, our ACL routine has changed from a long queue outside the communications building with two complimentary beers to one that’s quite a bit more special. Since Eric works downtown, I often take a Car2Go to meet him at The Living Room at the W for drinks (specifically, for back-to-back jalapeño cucumber lemonades). Then, we head upstairs to the venue just before showtime. After 90 minutes on our feet, we’re typically starving by the time the taping ends, and The Peached Tortilla and 24 Diner always hit the spot when it comes to late-night eating downtown. It can be a tad bit overwhelming to keep up with booming Austin nightlife these days. But we take comfort in knowing that many more nights spent at ACL lie in our future, and that those nights out will undoubtedly be among our best and happiest memories. Chanel Dror
Chanel is Assistant Editor at CamilleStyles.com, a lifestyle media company, and Eric is Sales Manager at SpaceCraft, an Austin-based website building software.
P h oto g r a p h y by CO DY HA M I LTO N
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style
b e h in d t h e s c e n e s
ColdTowne Theater Executive Director Michael Jastroch takes us backstage behind six years of laughter. ColdTowne’s improv classes are for all performers, says Jastroch: “It’s about connecting with the ability to play pretend.”
Michael Jastroch aims to provide a space for “young comedians of all stripes.”
F
Seven nights a week, ColdTowne serves up an engaging new kind of comedy with a “punk rock” streak.
Founded by the eponymous ColdTowne improv trio, the theater has since welcomed a family of comedians from around the country.
ColdTowne Theater is located at 4803 Airport Blvd.
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ounded six years ago by New Orleans transplants Michael Jastroch, Arthur Simone and Justin York, ColdTowne Theater serves up a refreshingly different kind of comedy on Airport Boulevard: “What we do is a little like jazz,” says Jastroch. “You don’t always know what’s going to happen, but it will always be funny.” After evacuating New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Jastroch, Simone and York set up shop as a small improv workshop next to I Luv Video. ColdTowne Theater has since grown into a regular part of the city’s nightlife, offering a variety of pay-what-you-want shows seven nights a week. Part comedy club, part conservatory, ColdTowne has brought its characterfocused philosophy to young comedians and enthusiasts across town, many of whom you might find in front of the theater’s iconic brick wall today. “There is something you get from watching a live performer,” Jastroch says. “We want people to have the same feeling they have walking away from an incredible rock show.” L. SIVA P h oto g r a p h y by b ill s a ll a n s
style
product pick
David Alan’s Toolbox Tipsy Texan founder David Alan reveals the tools—and toolbox—of his trade.
D
avid Alan is a self-proclaimed “vagabond bartender.” Whether he’s developing menus for the likes of Annie’s Café and Bar and Drink.Well or instructing students in the art of the cocktail at Tipsy Tech, he is never without his traveling case of bar tools. His is not an ordinary bartender’s toolbox, however: thrifted from a local vintage store, Alan’s carrying case is actually a Samsonite makeup bag from the 1950s. “It smelled like someone’s grandma’s powder puff when I got it,” Alan recalls. With plenty of room for bar tools—his staples include a WMF Parisian Shaker and an antique Ganger mixing tin—the chocolate brown carrying case has since become a regular fixture, accompanying Alan wherever bartending takes him. “It was a functional and economical option,” he says. And unlike commercially available bags, Alan’s toolbox has a vintage charm that’s all its own. L. SIVA
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P h oto g r a p h y by a da m vo o r h e s
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James M. White James White, owner of legendary dance hall The Broken Spoke, shares a look at his decades in the honky-tonk scene. 1. Me and Bobby Duval, a true fan. 2. Lady Bird Johnson couldn’t wait to dance! 3. I first booked Willie in 1967. He’s still the same person, short hair or long. 4. I love Buck Owens’ music—it will always wake you up and get you going. 5. Clifford Antone gave me this shirt on my birthday and always told me to show off the ace up my sleeve. 6. Dolly Parton and me. I even got a small part in Wild Texas Night! 7. The 1948 Flex Flyer bus—there ain’t another one like it. 8. Me, my darling, sweet wife, Annetta, and Michael Caine. He sat up on the bandstand taking it all in. 9. I once saw Tex Ritter ride out onstage at the Capitol Theater on West 5th Street. Then, to be able to see him sing at the Broken Spoke—that is showbiz at its best. 10. What an honor to book George Strait for seven years—he has the best voice in country music. 11. I booked Bob Wills on a Friday night in 1966. He opened up the front door with his fiddle under his arm, a cowboy hat on his head and a cigar in his mouth. 12. Me and President George W. Bush—he was the first one to arrive at his party!
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style
pick
Pelóns Just steps away from the likes of Stubb’s and the Mohawk, Pelóns serves up modern Tex-Mex with an old-world flair.
T
hough a charming dining spot at any hour, Pelóns after sunset is simply enchanting: shaded by 500 year-old oak trees and gently lit by rustic, wrought-iron chandeliers, this Tex-Mex destination offers a slice of old Mexico at the heart of Austin’s music scene. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick bite, an elegant dinner or post-concert drinks, Pelóns is the perfect place to linger the evening away. Built on the former site of the historic Jaime’s Spanish Village, Pelóns pays homage to its culinary predecessor with a surprising Equal parts restaurant, bar and Spanish village, Pelóns offers a twist. Owner Doug Guller—founder of other local institutions dining experience for everyone. like Beale Street Tavern and the Parish—envisioned Pelóns as an inviting space for all guests, no matter the occasion. “We bar serving up an array of Tex-Mex favorites, including the signature wanted to the décor to be comfortable for everyone,” Guller says, Pelóns margarita. 508’s dark, wood-paneled interior, airy windows “whether you just saw a concert at the Mohawk, are tailgating for the and decades-old fireplace complement the bar’s old-world aesthetic, UT game or celebrating your grandmother’s 80th birthday.” To that while the “fun and comfortable vibe makes you feel like you’re ready effect, Pelóns is actually a trio of dining hotspots, each with a vibe for a good time,” Guller observes. of its own: the first is the eponymous restaurant, which continues The crown jewel of Guller’s latest venture, however, might very the culinary legacy of Jaime’s Spanish Village. “In reopening a Texwell be Zorro, the nondescript food trailer on the outskirts of 508. Mex restaurant, we wanted to make sure we represented it in good Offering bar patrons and walk-up guests casual cuisine on the go, fashion,” Guller remarks. The menu accordingly boasts a selection Zorro was a natural addition to Pelóns. “Austin is in love with its food of well-crafted Tex-Mex staples, from Ceviche to Chile Relleno, all trailers,” Guller observes, “so we just embraced that.” Zorro’s menu served up in Pelóns’ Spanish-inspired atmosphere, complete with features Pelóns distinctive fare with a more playful twist. stone walls and antique statuary. Offering mini fajitas and the infamous Mexi-Dog—a In addition to authentic Tex-Mex cuisine, postPelóns decadent, bacon-wrapped hot dog—Zorro rounds out the concert night owls will find a perfect late-night haunt 802 Red River St. Tex-Mex trifecta as a welcome addition to the city’s music in Pelóns’ bar counterpart, 508. What was once a spare (512) 243 7874 district and an iconic eatery in the making. P. TURNER greenroom for Stubb’s BBQ is now home to an intimate pelonsaustin.com
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P h oto g r a p h y by E va n P r inc e
NEW LATE SUMMER MENU & WINE LIST Weekly Dinner Specials Thursday-Saturday 4 8 0 0 B U R N E T R OA D | W W W. A P O T H E C A R Y AU S T I N.CO M | 51 2 . 371.16 0 0
section psu dining i cbks e c ti o n
Overlooking Congress Avenue is Swift’s Attic, an intimate restaurant that takes its culinary cues from around the world.
Swift’s Attic 315 Congress Ave. Ste. 200 (512) 482.8842 swiftsattic.com
F
rom top to bottom, Swift’s Attic is a winner. This exciting newcomer, perched above bustling Congress Avenue in the former Kyoto sushi space, offers one-stop shopping for a great night on the town. Dinner or drinks, nibbles or nightcaps: it’s all under Swift’s soaring attic roof. Its successful chemistry is hardly a fluke: the staff is a dream team of Austin restaurant vets: co-owners C.K. Chin (Imperia, Kenichi) and Stuart Thomajan (Paggi House), executive chef Mat Clouser (Uchi, Kenichi, Jeffrey’s), sous chef Zack Northcutt (Mulberry, Haddington’s), pastry chef Callie Speer (Parkside) and bar manager Jeff Hammett (Kenichi). Chin works the front of the house with warmth and ease, while in the kitchen, Clouser and Northcutt whip up genre-defying culinary delights. The seasonal, evolving menu is meant for sharing and touches on
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countless global inspirations. One night, there were blistered shishito peppers served with a cheese and banyuls vinegar dipping sauce, a delicious foil to the peppers’ heat. Next were crispy squid fries with roasted garlic aioli. Peeler Farms chicken meatballs were wrapped in ginger and served with an exotic squid ink emulsion. A twist on the Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich was served open-face and topped with decadent foie gras and Niman Ranch pork belly. Only a sardine special disappointed, the fresh fish overwhelmed by a cloying marinade. Save room for dessert. Pastry chef Speer invents wildly creative sweets like her signature “Popcorn & a Movie,” a crunchy, creamy, sweet and salty concoction. Although listed on the appetizer menu, we also enjoyed grilled local peaches served with a sweet-savory topping of crema fresca, thyme and honey. Bar manager Hammett keeps the creative
juices flowing behind the bar with cocktails like the “1984,” a refreshing elixir of gin, cointreau, lemon, lime and bitters. There’s also an impressive and fairly priced wine list, where I scored a favorite bottle of Alois Lageder Italian white for a mere $24. The beer list runs 20 deep with tasty boutique brews. Swift’s Attic plays coy with its modest entrance: a narrow, non-descript staircase that leads up to a spacious loft pulsing with energy and style. The century-old warehouse has been restored to its original glory, where vaulted ceilings and brick walls have been exposed to showcase its vintage character. Skylights provide flattering light, as do whimsical chandeliers shaped like birdcages and mod ‘60s starbursts. Votives soften the mood—and the high-energy noise level. The large, open room is split between the dining area and the bar. Diners can choose from intimate two-tops, cozy booths or festive communal tables. The bar features a welcoming L-shaped bar, plus nooks and crannies for stealing away. Swift’s Attic has two very different personalities at lunch and dinner. At night, the scene is electric, sexy and fun. Lunch is a more sedate affair, offering sandwiches and other menu items more suitable for business lunches. But regardless of when you go, you’ll have a great time exploring this distinctive new restaurant. K. spezia P h oto g r a p h y by EVA N P R I N C E
Real Estate Marketplace 1036 Liberty Park 17, Villas at Treemont
$789,000 Close in convenience/low maintenance lifestyle. Immaculately landscaped/gated community. This light filled sophisticated villa home has it all! Empty nesters will love lock n go lifestyle. Families will love proximity to Eanes schools and neighborhood park. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts- near Zilker, Barton Springs Pool and Barton Creek Greenbelt trail head at Spyglass. Walk to Panera Bread, Amy’s Ice Cream. Master and all primary living down. All granite and stainless in kitchen. Covered back patio and fenced backyard. 4 bed/3.5 bath BETH CARTER, REALTOR, GRI Moreland Properties 799-7427 | beth@moreland.com
809 Cuernavaca Dr, 78733
$1,795,000
This unique work/live space, is located on 10+ park-like acres in Eanes ISD, cantilevered high over a canyon with serene views. Soaring interior spaces with glass walls and the roof top deck look out to tree top vistas. This amazing estate has no zoning and over 530’ of road frontage with a walled and gated entry. Great opportunity for a single family estate, commercial use, retreat center, music/film studios or creative space. www.LiveCanyonRidge.com DARA ALLEN, Broker 512-296-7090 dara@daraallen.com DaraAndAssociates.com
1817 Chalk Rock CV, 78735
4313 Travis Vista DR, 78738
This beautiful custom home is situated on a large lot in a gated community of the Barton Creek Country Club. Nestled on a cul-de-sac, the 5 bedroom home has plenty of room to play in the backyard or add a pool. The main level features the master suite, guest suite, study and entertaining areas. The second level features a media/game room and 3 bedrooms with en-suite baths. Social membership to Barton Creek Country Club conveys. www.1817ChalkRock.com
This elegant white stucco home located between Lakeway and Serene Hills welcomes guests with sweeping hill country views to the east. Custom built with an artist’s inspiration, the expanses and scale will serve as the perfect backdrop for a carefully curated art collection or the cozy intimacy of creative family photography. Clean lines serve as a classic setting. Over 1.5 acres of privacy yet minutes to the Hill Country Galleria, hospitals and grocery stores.
DARA ALLEN, Broker 512-296-7090 dara@daraallen.com DaraAndAssociates.com
SUSAN GRIFFITH
$829,000
TRIBEZA is pleased to announce that the complete Dining Guide is now online. We hope that readers will find it easy to access and use.
AUGUST 2012
$895,000
AMELIA BULLOCK REALTORS
512-327-4800 x 164 sg@ameliabullock.com www.susangriffithrealestate.com
8000 Carlton Ridge CV, 78738
$1,195,000
Immaculate Entertainer’s Delight! Corner lot home located on one of the finest lots in Belvedere, with Hill Country views & 1.51 acres of usable space. Arched doorways, beamed ceilings & rock walls lead to the many patios with a pool, spa, waterfalls & outdoor fireplace. Interior features include a formal dining, great room & downstairs master suite w/a library, fireplace, coffee bar, private patio & exercise room. www.8000CarltonRidgeCV.com
Use the QR code or go to http://tribeza.com/guide/dining-guide
DARA ALLEN, Broker 512-296-7090 dara@daraallen.com DaraAndAssociates.com
our little secret
Caitlin Ryan’s Rio’s Brazilian
Rio’s Brazilian 408 N. Pleasant Valley Rd. (512) 828 6617 riosofaustin.com
96
august 2012
tribeza.com
I
f there ever were a way to make lovely but landlocked Austin feel like a quaint, colorful beach town, Rio's Brazilian figured it out. Grab a seat beneath one of the many colored umbrellas outside, and the casual Brazilian eatery takes on the form of a beachside bar—only, this would-be surf shack overlooks Pleasant Valley Road rather than the sand and sea of Ipanema. I first heard about Rio's by word of mouth when in a desperate search for gluten-free dining options around town. Yucca, the centerpiece of many Brazilian meals and snacks, is a root vegetable that's naturally glutenfree and an exceptionally great substitute
for french fries or dough for salgadinhos, an empanada-like pastry filled with meats, cheeses and veggies. The best item on Rio’s menu, in my humble, allergy-ridden opinion, is the Bolinho de Aipim de Queijo, a yucca root pastry stuffed with smoked gouda cheese and roasted red pepper. The white sangria is so sweetly refreshing and packed with fresh tropical fruit that you’ll have to be careful not to reach for it as if it were water. Even more fun? BYOC: Bring Your Own Cachaça. Come armed with a bottle of that Brazilian rum, and Rio's will provide all other ingredients needed for a classic Brazilian cocktail like a caipirinha. You don't come to Rio's to have a rushed meal; you come to Rio's to forget about your to-do lists and time constraints and surrender yourself to a slow-paced, Latin-inspired dining experience. And there is always plenty to take in beyond the palate. It's a diverse crowd that visits Rio’s, whether in the form of a drum circle or an adventurous, food-loving couple looking for off-the-radar restaurants. Settle in at a table in Rio’s eclectic interior, and you can easily imagine that the patrons have just stumbled in from a long day at the beach in search of an authentic, freshly prepared meal or strong tropical drink. For me, a few hours spent at Rio's is a transformative experience that is the next best thing to an actual plane ticket (or at least a cheaper alternative) to South America. Not only is the food fresh to order and true to its roots, the atmosphere never fails to ignite my wanderlust. I have no doubt that Rio's has a long-lost-brother of an establishment nestled in a quiet nook somewhere on the exotic Brazilian coastline. Caitlin Ryan Caitlin Ryan is the Editor-in-Chief of CultureMap.com, Austin's daily digital magazine. As fate would have it, before moving to New York City and back, as well as working internationally, she began her publishing career as an editorial assistant at TRIBEZA. P h oto g r a p h y by Bill S a ll a n s
Shown: All manner of Kaiser lamps by Christian Dell and table series by Arne Jacobsen.
115 West 8th Street Austin 512.480.0436 scottcooner.com