20 T IVE ANN
H
R SA
ISSU
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4106 Wayfarer Way wayfareratx.com
4500 Spanish Oaks 4500spanishoaks.com
8101 Magnolia Ridge magnoliaatx.com
411 W St Elmo 411StElmo.com
ACC ES S TO AUSTI N ’S E XC LU S I V E PROPERTIES All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Nicole Kessler –
Broker Associate 512.657.3939 nicolekessler.com
CONTENTS
MARCH 30
Holly Herrick is the head of film and creative media at the Austin Film Society, one of three local initiatives pivoting to virtual programming.
DEPARTMENTS
Social Hour p.!16 Kristin’s Column p.!18 Tribeza Talk p.!20 Calendars p.!24 Karen’s Pick p.!50 Dining Guide p.!54 A Look Behind p.!56 FEATURES
The Reel Deal p.!30 20 Years of Austin Curated p.!42
36
DJs and club owners join writer Graham Cumberbatch for a state of the union on the past, present and future of Austin dance music.
ON THE COVER DJ Q spins records for an outside set in Zilker Park. PHOTOGRAPH BY MOYO OYELOLA
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H O L LY H E R R I C K : R I L E Y R E E D ; DJ : M OYO OY E LO L A
Playing House p.!36
NEW HOMES – REMODELS - POOLS
o d c us to mho m e s . co m
ALL NEW ON
TRIBEZA.COM
BRIGHT & COLORFUL
Go inside this colorful home by Etch Design Group and uncover the details of its inspiring design. tribeza.com/etch-design
Follow us @Tribeza on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Stories from this issue are available at tribeza.com, in addition to fresh content daily. Keep up by subscribing to our Tribeza Talk newsletter. tribeza.com/sign-up-newsletter
MEET ASHLEY
As Austin’s top dating coach, Ashley Kelsch helps her clients learn strategies to get what they want in their romantic lives and feel empowered. And now, she’s writing a column for Tribeza. Read her datadriven approach to dating. tribeza.com/datingcoach-ashley-kelsch
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OUR SHOP IS OPEN
Fresh style essentials, home décor ideas, delicious food and wine —Tribeza Shop is filled with great finds. Browse and buy from beloved brands from Austin and beyond. tribeza.com/shop
LEVERAGE GLOBAL PARTNERS
EDITOR’S LETTER
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Doubling as our Music & Film issue, this month’s features manifest that ongoing mission with two stories on the current shape of Austin’s creative industries. In “The Reel Deal,” writer Courtney Runn shares a roundup of how our beloved film institutions are pivoting in the age of virtual programming (p. 30), while Graham Cumberbatch conducts a masterful state of the union on the past, present and future of Austin’s dance music in “Playing House” (p. 36). Without forgetting the difficult things behind us and the ongoing work ahead, my hope is that these pages help you remember to mark your own milestones with gratitude. We are, as always, so grateful for your ongoing support, and we look forward to sharing stories that continue to inspire for many years to come. With gratitude,
Hannah J. Phillips Executive Editor
P H OTO G R A P H B Y R I L E Y R E E D
REMEMBER FIRST PICKING UP A COPY OF TRIBEZ A AT
Houndstooth Coffee on North Lamar, probably sometime in 2014. Houndstooth has long been known for its commitment to quality and community, so it was a fitting place to stumble across a magazine that likewise upholds those values. And just look how both Houndstooth and Tribeza have continued to grow over the years, celebrating 10 and 20 years, respectively. Granted, the events of the past year have certainly put a different spin on how we celebrate. From birthdays to relationships to career triumphs, we’ve all had to get creative on how to mark major milestones without recourse to the usual means of festivity. Moreover, moments of cheer can feel awkward and downright out of place in the midst of rolling traumas. But—and let me emphasize that conjunction—I would argue that this past year has also made celebration more important than ever if we are to move forward with hope. As we compiled our 20th-anniversary issue, it was not lost on me that this month also marks the anniversary of the dramatic global shift that took place in March 2020. And while that’s by no means cause for celebration, I do think we can look back at all we have survived by working together—even as we have been forced to be apart. Nowhere was this more evident than in the incredible outpouring of service we saw last month from our restaurants, community leaders and individual Austinites after the devastating winter storm. While our production for this issue came to an obvious standstill, I was inspired to see so many step up to support their neighbors. After all we’ve been through—globally, nationally and now locally—returning to our Anniversary issue made me that much more eager to honor Tribeza’s legacy of celebrating the incredible people who are making Austin the beautiful city it is and can be (“20 Years of Austin Curated,” p. 42).
P U B L I S H E R ’' S L E T T E R
I
REMEMBER OUR 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY A S IF IT WERE
yesterday, and now, in what seems like the blink of an eye, here we are celebrating 20 years. I feel so honored to be at the helm of Tribeza for our 20th anniversary, which, given the current challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, is quite an achievement for a local publication. We owe many thanks and a lot of gratitude first and foremost to our numerous print and digital advertisers who have supported Tribeza over the years. Next, of course, are our readers, who pick up the magazine, subscribe to it and follow us online. Finally, our many contributors and staff, who over the years have enabled our success through the production of the print edition and, more recently, digital content. I hope you will enjoy our look-back special (p. 42), which highlights some of our favorite print covers and features. I am so very proud of the stories we have told over the past 12 years of my leadership and equally excited by what lies ahead in Austin’s future. Like it or not, I think we will see more growth and development in the next five years than we have seen in the past 10. And with this growth will come exciting new people and things to cover. Tribeza’s mission remains the same, to bring attention to the undiscovered Austin, telling the stories of architects, artists, chefs, designers, musicians, filmmakers, independent businesses and community leaders who are making an impact in our city. As I reminisce on the years behind us, what has been most fun for me are the many people whom Tribeza has brought into my life. There is no doubt Tribeza has opened a lot of doors and helped with many great introductions, a number of whom have become friends and partners in other businesses. There are too many to name, but you know who you are. Please continue to pick up Tribeza on stands, read us online and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Happy 20th anniversary, Tribeza!
George T. Elliman CEO + Publisher
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TRIBEZ A AUSTIN CUR ATED
M A R C H 2 02 1
20 YEARS
N O. 2 3 0
CEO + PUBLISHER
George Elliman
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Hannah J. Phillips
ART DIRECTOR
Alexander Wolf
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
Aaron Parsley
DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER
Holly Cowart
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Krissy Hearn
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Paul Krushin
PRINCIPALS
George Elliman Chuck Sack Vance Sack Michael Torres
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Vanessa Blankenship COLUMNISTS
Kristin Armstrong Karen O. Spezia WRITERS
Graham Cumberbatch Hannah J. Phillips Courtney Runn Kahron Spearman COPY EDITOR
Stacy Hollister
PHOTOGR APHERS
Holly Cowart Jonathan Garza Moyo Oyelola Riley Reed
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTR ATOR
Elaine Almeida
706A West 34th Street Austin, Texas 78705 ph (512) 474 4711 | fax (512) 474 4715 tribeza.com Founded in March 2001, TRIBEZA is Austin’s leading locally-owned arts and culture magazine. Printed by CSI Printing and Mailing Copyright @ 2021 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. S U B SC R I B E TO TR I B EZ A VISIT TRIB EZ A .COM FOR DE TAIL S
presents
Mexico,
BORDER
And BEYOND S e l e c t i o n s f r o m t h e J u a n A n t o n i o S a n d o va l J r. C o l l e c t i o n
M é x i c o , L a F r o n t e r a y M á s A l l á : S e l e c c i o n e s d e l a C o l e c c i ó n J u a n A n t o n i o S a n d o v a l J r.
December 19, 2020 to August 22, 2021 In early 2020, Juan Antonio Sandoval Jr. (1946 - 2021), a former reference librarian and subject specialist for art and Chicanx studies at the University of Texas at El Paso, donated his vast collection to Mexic-Arte Museum, which he had amassed over 30 years. A large part of the exhibition is dedicated to the artworks focusing on the Life and Experiences in the U.S./ Mexico Borderlands.
As part of the exhibition, the Mexic-Arte Museum will be posting a series of online lectures from M a r c h 6 t h - M a y 1 s t . info@mexic-artemuseum.org
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
The Life and Experience in the U.S./Mexico Borderlands has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Official Mexican & Mexican American Fine Arts Museum of Texas
419 Congress Ave. Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 480-9373 www.Mexic–ArteMuseum.org
info@mexic-artemuseum.org
/mexicarte
@mexic_arte
@mexic_arte
#Border
Caroline Rose is one of four musicians with new projects to check out this month, p 20.
P H OTO G R A P H B Y K AY L CO O P E R
INSIDER
COMING UP ROSES
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AUSTIN FLEA AT ABGB Austin Flea held a series of masked-up and distanced markets ahead of Valentine’s Day, including a stop at ABGB on January 31. Visitors supported local businesses by shopping handmade goods and vintage finds, including jewelry, artwork and more. The organization also recently launched a virtual marketplace, continuing to connect Austinites with quality makers in lieu of in-person events.
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“THIS IS NOW” EXHIBITION VIP PREVIEW West Chelsea Contemporary (formerly Russell Collection) welcomed its official grand opening on February 5 with a VIP preview night for the exhibition “This Is Now.” The vibrant and immersive show featured internationally recognized artists, from Yayoi Kusama to Salvador Dalí, in the gallery’s revamped 7,800-square-foot space. During the intimate evening, guests enjoyed music by the Spice Cadets, cocktails by Lalo Tequila and scrumptious bites from Spread & Co.
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LEGACY COMMUNITIES GROUNDBREAKING: 1. David Camp, Jake Jalufka & Steve Osborne 2. Mandy van Streepen & Chris Jalufka 3. Amy Davis, Marilou Webb & Jeremiah Marchand-Simons 4. Philip Jalufka & Philip Kass AUSTIN FLEA AT ABGB: 5. Zach Gordan & Roxane Gordan 6. Paige Charbonnet, Jessie Beigel, & Alejandra Rodriguez 7. AC Holmquist & Bird Holmquist 8. Matthew Ritchie & Myla “THIS IS NOW” EXHIBITION VIP PREVIEW: 9. Tracey Cofield & Michael Cofield 10. Taras Klitchyk, Julia Dixon, Mila Sketch & Courtney Freeman 11. Minh Do & Hua Liu 12. Paige Cunning & Sophia Keshishian
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L E G AC Y CO M M U N I T I E S A N D “ T H I S I S N O W ” P H OTO G R A P H S B Y J O N AT H A N G A R Z A . A U S T I N F L E A P H OTO G R A P H S B Y C A S E Y W O O D S
LEGACY COMMUNITIES GROUNDBREAKING On January 27, Legacy Communities assembled its team to celebrate a milestone for the Addie at Westlake. With construction well underway, the Addie will soon be home to 46 private residences boasting Hill Country views in the Westlake area. Legacy will also continue to expand its Austin portfolio throughout the year, including a highly anticipated South Austin community named the Station at St. Elmo.
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Your Your Austin Austin Area Area Real Real Estate Estate Experts. Experts. Rooted Rooted in in family, family, ready ready to to help you find your place. help you find your place.
Rough Rough Hollow Hollow Lakeway Lakeway
McCormick McCormick Ranch Ranch on on Lake Lake Austin Austin Christina Christina and and Michael Michael Underwood Underwood theunderwoodteam.com theunderwoodteam.com underwoodteam@compass.com underwoodteam@compass.com 512.415.3986 512.415.3986 All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity. construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.
KRISTIN’S COLUMN
Marking the Moments By Kristin Armstrong Illustration by Elaine Almeida
A
S TRIBEZA CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY, I WANT
to pause, mark the moment and celebrate too. I’m always happy for a reason to raise a glass of bubbles and ref lect, and since I have contributed a column for 17 of those 20 years, I feel like part of the family. This magazine has changed about as much as our fine city has in the past 20 years: different looks, different editors, different artists and illustrators, different stylists, different advertisers, different themes and perspectives on the culture and vibe that is uniquely Austin. Whether you are a visitor or prospective inhabitant looking to get a feel for this place, or a longtime resident looking for familiar faces in photos, new places to check out or what to wear when you go—there is something for everyone. Tribeza always hails to the creators, and creators have always been drawn to Austin. Musicians, artists, chefs, architects, filmmakers, authors, craftsmen, designers, techies and entrepreneurs alike find their passion and their people here. That spirit is exactly what brought me here, and found me my real home, way back in 1993. This magazine is gorgeous; it captures our life and community with an artistic eye. And after a year like 2020, perhaps we can all appreciate the elements and subtleties of art and beauty more than ever. My art is writing, my medium is words, and my canvas is the page. Yet I have learned over many years in my craft that my deeper, underlying gift is as a translator. I love taking feelings, encounters and awakenings and
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translating them into a universal, shared experience and understanding. When that happens in spoken or written word, I can feel the exquisite pleasure of connection, and the spark illuminates the channel between my head and my heart. I am in my zone, in flow, completely ushered into the present moment. For one second or several, I lose track of time and the awareness or encumbrances of self and I transcend. I wish everyone the blessing of work that feels less like effort and more like joy. There is a sweet spot where passion and purpose align, where giving and receiving intersect and alchemize our experiences into mutual healing and collective meaning. This is where past heartaches become comfort for another, past loss becomes shared gain, past pitfalls become a communal springboard, past mistakes become collaborative wisdom and past joys multiply and expand. I am grateful that this publication is not only lovely to look at, but also a welcoming place that invites deeper connection. For almost 20 years, I have had the good fortune to share my craft and my heart with you. I have been free to explore themes and ideas that really matter to me—things that grab my attention and hold it, things that have broken my heart and mind wide open, and put me back together again. I tell my kids, my friends and my clients that whenever we are together, this is sacred space. And sacred space is also what I share with you here. Allow this milestone to serve as a reminder of how important, even crucial, it is to mark the moments and milestones in our own lives. Not just the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and funerals. I mean also marking the private, personal moments of growth, healing and release. The moment you realized you actually could love again. The last wave as you pull out of a college dorm parking lot. The instant you recognize that you did, indeed, respond differently this time. When you realize you just held a memory lovingly and loosely, without the agonizing clutch of absence in your heart. When you notice you received a compliment without shrugging or shrinking. When you figure out you can own a mistake without identifying as a failure. When you savored a sweet moment of success and felt truly, completely worthy. There are as many milestones as there are miracles, for the eye that is looking for them. For all that we have witnessed together, please accept a deeply held thank you. I look forward to the adventure ahead.
tribeza.com
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T R I B E Z A TA L K
CAROLINE ROSE
Sounds of Spring
Born in Long Island, New York, Austin resident Caroline Rose described her character-driven fourth studio album, Superstar, to Newsweek: “I think it was important for me to be honest about certain things that I’m kind of ashamed of, or embarrassed by in my life. I realized that it makes for a better story if I turn into a character and make it more like a movie.” Tongue firmly planted in cheek, the persona pursues a satirical glitz-pop hero’s journey with indie leanings, tinged with Chaka Khan/Rufus-flavored R&B (“Got to Go My Own Way”) and ’80s pop drench (“Feel the Way I Want” and “Someone New”).
FROM R AP TO BLUES/POP AND SOULFUL GUITAR, THESE FOUR MUSICIANS HAVE FRESH TUNES FOR ALL E ARS THIS SE ASON
Z ACH PERSON
Without question, vocalist/guitarist Zach Person looks and sounds like the “next big thing,” made evident with “Can’t Stop Running,” a white-hot blues/pop burner. The single led to a self-titled EP, an alltoo-brief affair, blending Delta slide blues, desert-dusted rock and traditional R&B foundations with thoughtfully placed electronics. Obvious comparisons to Lenny Kravitz and Gary Clark Jr. aside, the former American Idol contestant aims to make his mark, starting with his full-length debut for BlackDenim Records, slated for April 2021.
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Z AC H P E R S O N : P O R T R A I T B Y C H R I S TO P H E R D U R S T; C A R O L I N E R O S E : P O R T R A I T B Y C A R A R O B B I N S ; D E E Z I E B R O W N : P O R T R A I T B Y M OYO OY E LO L A ; DAV I D R A M I R E Z : P O R T R A I T B Y C H A R L E S W I T T M AC K
By Kahron Spearman
DEEZIE BROWN
“You also have to have that other person, like a partner in crime,” future Hall of Fame hooper turned producer Chris Bosh shared with Complex back in October about up-and-coming star Deezie Brown’s breakthrough on the Bosh-produced I Want It All. “Dr. Dre had Snoop and Eminem. Your favorite producer always had that artist they worked with.” Brown, the multitalented Bastrop native, isn’t easy to square with his melodic mashup of Texas slab flows, André 3000–esque bar play and penchant for the unconventional. Alongside rap comrade EC Mayne, Brown released the drippy Candy Blue Like Screw, a tribute to the sound and foundation laid by Houston legend DJ Screw.
DAV I D R A M I R E Z
On “My Love Is a Hurricane,” the title track of singer-songwriter David Ramirez’s gorgeous and tortured fifth full-length album, the Houston native wrenches: “You were expecting a sweet rain / You got hit with the hurricane / Dark clouds, heavy debris / I know what it’s like to love me.” Ramirez’s penchant for amorous self-flagellation on “Hurricane” stems from a sentimental doom centered around his 1983 birth, occurring days following Hurricane Alicia’s landfall. With the great storm as romantic metaphor, Ramirez walks even further from his folk foundations, as his potent anxieties now play in full over a lush amalgam of indie, R&B and gospel flourishes. tribeza.com
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T R I B E Z A TA L K
SXSW Online 2021
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YE AR’S STAR-STUDDED (VIRTUAL) LINEUP
A CO N V E R S AT I O N W I T H THE REDHEADED STR ANGER
D E M I L OVATO : DA N C I N G W I T H T H E D E V I L
As an opening-night headliner of the now-virtual South by Southwest film festival, Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil sets to unpack the truth behind the famed pop singer’s turbulent life and near-fatal overdose in 2018. Speaking with candor rarely heard among her peers, Lovato is sure to keep fans’ rapturous attention throughout its four parts and will be available to watch on YouTube the following week, starting March 23.
TO M P E T T Y, S O M E W H E R E YO U F E E L F R E E
Showcasing never-before-seen footage from 1993– 1995, while Petty was recording his seminal album, Wildflowers, Somewhere You Feel Free is a love letter to the titular artist at the peak of his creative powers. Director Mary Wharton showcases a vulnerable Petty along with mega-producer Rick Rubin and members of the original Heartbreakers lineup.
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W I L L I E N E L S O N : P H OTO B Y PA M E L A S P R I N G S T E E N ; D E M I LOVATO S T I L L : CO U R T E S Y O F O B B M E D I A ; TO M P E T T Y L E G AC Y, L LC / WA R N E R M U S I C G R O U P
One keynote speaker at Austin’s premier event is none other than the city’s patron saint, Willie Nelson. The legendary musician, author and activist returns to SXSW for a conversation with Texas Monthly’s Andy Langer about his monumental career, extensive philanthropic work and the launch of his cannabis companies, Willie’s Reserve and Willie’s Remedy.
Dedicated. Experienced. Authentic.
Lisa Matulis-Thomajan
LE T U S H E LP YO U F I N D YO U R P L AC E I N AU S TI N .
512.739.2460 lisa@thomajanladnergroup.com
thomajanladnergroup.com
Jennifer Ladner 512.827.9255 jennifer@thomajanladnergroup.com
All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate bro erage. ompass is a licensed real estate bro er. qual ousing pportunity. Thoma an is a team of real estate agents affiliated with compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local laws. Equal housing opportunity.
C ALENDARS B E S U R E T O C H E C K W E B S I T E S F O R U P D AT E D I N F O R M AT I O N A N D S A F E T Y P R O T O C O L S
Entertainment MUSIC MAYSA March 5 One World Theatre SHINYRIBS March 5 Gruene Hall SIR WOMAN March 5 Empire Control Room GRAHAM WILKINSON ALBUM RELEASE March 6 The Far Out Lounge SATSANG March 6 Antone’s Nightclub GOOD VIBES ONLY March 10 & 24 Long Center (Virtual) CAS HALEY March 11 Antone’s Nightclub DEVIN THE DUDE March 11 Come and Take It Live JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS March 12 The Backyard Amphitheatre SYMPHONIC ENCHANTMENT March 12 Austin Symphony Orchestra (Virtual) BLUE WATER HIGHWAY ALBUM RELEASE March 13 Antone’s Nightclub CORY MORROW March 13 Gruene Hall
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AN EVENING WITH JONATHAN TERRELL March 13 & 14 The White Horse
SUE FOLEY BIRTHDAY BASH March 27 Antone’s Nightclub
BILL GATES: HOW TO AVOID A CLIMATE DISASTER March 8 BookPeople (Virtual)
JAMEY JOHNSON & RANDY HOUSER March 18 – 20 Whitewater Amphitheater
JANE MONHEIT March 28 One World Theatre
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY DISCUSSION W/ TEXAS FARMERS’ MARKET March 8 Virtual
SONGS UNDER THE STARS March 18 – May 9 ZACH Theatre
RAY WYLIE HUBBARD W/ CHRIS KNIGHT March 29 The Backyard Amphitheatre
SPRINGFEST 2021 March 18 – 20 The Cathedral ATX
JOE BONAMASSA March 31 – April 1 ACL Live at the Moody Theater
NIGHT CAP March 19 Empire Control Room
TAMECA JONES April 2 Antone’s Nightclub
ROGER CREAGER March 19 & 20 Gruene Hall
ZACH PERSON LP RELEASE April 2 Empire Control Room
CHASING WONDERLAND: PELVIS WRESTLEY March 20 Virtual CODY JOHNSON March 20 Dell Diamond PAT GREEN March 20 Nutty Brown Amphitheatre IVAN NEVILLE: PIANO SESSIONS March 26 Antone’s Nightclub MIDLAND March 26 Dell Diamond SAMANTHA FISH March 27 Paramount Theatre
OTHER MOVIE NIGHT March 3 – 31 CMW Brewery
BIKE NIGHT March 9 – October 12 Circuit of the Americas JURASSIC QUEST DRIVE THRU March 12 – 28 H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
BRIAN REGAN March 27 & 28 ACL Live at the Moody Theater SPRING ANTIQUE WEEK March 29 – April 3 Round Top
HYPHENATED: AN ASIAN AMERICAN BOOK CLUB March 15 Asian American Resource Center (Virtual) SXSW FESTIVAL & CONFERENCE March 16 – 20 Virtual & Various Locations TIM DILLON March 18 – 20 Paramount Theatre
TAILGATE SERIES: DRIVE ‘N DRAG SAVES 2021 March 5 – 7 H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
SPRING BLOOMS CHOCOLATE TASTING March 21 Delysia Chocolatier (Virtual)
ROOFTOP YOGA AT THE RILEY March 7 – 28 The Riley Building
ABC KITE FEST March 27 & 28 Virtual
SELTZERLAND 2021 March 13 Onion Creek Golf Club
AMPLIFY AUSTIN DAY March 4 & 5 Virtual
FUEL WEEKEND March 5 – 7 & 12 – 14 W Austin
2021 DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH March 24 – 28 Austin Country Club
STAY HOME BOOK CLUB March 22 bbatx (Virtual) GLENN FRANKEL: SHOOTING MIDNIGHT COWBOY March 23 BookPeople (Virtual)
SEEDLING’S FAB FIVE April 23 Four Seasons Austin
We invite you to join this year’s Fab Five honorees, Nora Comstock, Simone Talma Flowers, Yvette Ruiz, Mark Williams and Victor Sáenz in support of Seedling’s mentor program, bringing hope and resilience to children affected by parental incarceration. To purchase tickets, sponsorships or join the fun for free, visit bit.ly/FabFive2021.
Tarrytown | Buyer Rep
Tarrytown | Buyer Rep
Downtown
Tarrytown
Rollingwood | Buyer Rep
Westlake | Buyer Rep
Westlake
Travis Heights
Tarrytown | Buyer Rep
Downtown | For Sale
ANNA HARDEMAN | 512.797.5122 | annahardeman.com | Gottesman Residential Real Estate
C ALENDARS B E S U R E T O C H E C K W E B S I T E S F O R U P D AT E D I N F O R M AT I O N A N D S A F E T Y P R O T O C O L S
Exhibitions STAYCATION IV: (UN)PROMISED POTENTIAL Through March 14 MASS Gallery BEHIND THE SCENES: THE ART OF THE HOLLYWOOD BACKDROP Through March 21 Bass Concert Hall VARGAS-SUAREZ UNIVERSAL: SPACE JUNK TELEMETRY Through March 26 Bale Creek Allen Gallery MARTHA TUTTLE: MA/MA Through March 27 Lora Reynolds Gallery BUCKY MILLER: SLOW SEASON Through March 28 grayDUCK Gallery CHANGARREANDO W/ CYNTHIA TREVIÑO: INSTAGRAM TAKEOVER March 1 – 31 Mexic-Arte Museum (Virtual) BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS March 4 – July 6 UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum OUTSIDE IN POP-UP ART SHOW OPENING March 5 914 Congress Ave. NOTHING IS: LEON ALESI & AMY BENCH March 5 – April 3 ICOSA Collective JOYCE HOWELL: SOLO SHOW March 6 – 27 Wally Workman Gallery
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DANIEL WANG: NIU-NIU March 6 – 28 Martha’s Contemporary GREG PIWONKA: POWER STRUGGLES March 6 – 28 Martha’s Contemporary HOPE FOR SPRING: THE FLOWER OF TEXAS March 10 – April 11 Neill-Cochran House Museum REBECCA ROTHFUS HARRELL March 11 – April 10 CAMIBAart Gallery PROVOCATEURS March 12 – May 9 West Chelsea Contemporary ART FREE-FOR-ALL March 13 – 19 The Contemporary Austin - Laguna Gloria MANIK RAJ NAKRA: WILDLIFE March 13 – May 1 Big Medium TRANSCENDING LANGUAGE March 13 – May 1 Flatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking GREY IS GOOD: ART, CREATIVITY & AGING WELL March 23 Blanton Museum of Art DRAWN: FROM THE COLLECTION OF JACK SHEAR March 27 – August 22 Blanton Museum of Art
Art SPACES MUSEUMS BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART 200 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. (512) 471 5482 Hours: Tu–F 10–5, Sa 11–5, Su 1–5 blantonmuseum.org THE BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM 1800 Congress Ave. (512) 936 8746 Hours: M–Sa 9–5, Su 12–5 thestoryoftexas.com THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN –JONES CENTER 700 Congress Ave. (512) 453 5312 Hours: W 12–11, Th–Sa 12–9, Su 12–5 thecontemporaryaustin.org THE CONTEMPORARY AUSTIN–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 thecontemporaryaustin.org ELISABET NEY MUSEUM 304 E. 44th St. (512) 974 1625 Hours: W–Su 12–5 austintexas.gov/department/ elisabet-ney-museum FRENCH LEGATION MUSEUM 802 San Marcos St. (512) 463 7948 Hours: Tu–Su 1–5 frenchlegationmuseum.org
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM 1165 Angelina St. (512) 974 4926 Hours: M–W 10–6, Th 10–9, F 10–6, Sa 10–4 ci.austin.tx.us/carver HARRY RANSOM CENTER 300 W. 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 lbjlibrary.org
GALLERIES ADAMS GALLERIES OF AUSTIN 1310 RR 620 S. Ste C4 (512) 243 7429 Hours: M–F 10–6, Su 10-2 adamsgalleriesaustin.com AO5 GALLERY 3005 S. Lamar Blvd. (512) 481 1111 Hours: M–Sa 10–6 ao5gallery.com ART FOR THE PEOPLE 1711 S. 1st St. (512) 761 4708 Hours: Tu–Th 11–6, F-Su 11–7 artforthepeoplegallery.com
MEXIC–ARTE MUSEUM
ARTUS CO. 10000 Research Blvd., Ste. 118 (512) 761 6484 Hours: M–Su 12–6 artusco.com
419 Congress Ave. (512) 480 9373 Hours: M–Th 10–6, F–Sat 10–5, Su 12–5 mexic–artemuseum.org
ARTWORKS GALLERY 1214 W. 6th St. (512) 472 1550 Hours: M–F 10–5, Sa 10–4 artworksaustin.com
O. HENRY MUSEUM 409 E. 5th St. (512) 974 1398 Hours: W–Su 12–5 THINKERY AUSTIN 1830 Simond Ave. (512) 469 6200 Hours: Tu–F 10–5, Sa–Su 10–6 thinkeryaustin.org UMLAUF SCULPTURE GARDEN & MUSEUM 605 Azie Morton Rd. (512) 445 5582 Hours: Tu–F 10–4, Sa–Su 12–4 umlaufsculpture.org
ATELIER 1205 1205 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 434 9046 Hours: Tu-F 11-4 atelier1205.com AUSTIN ART GARAGE 2200 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. J (512) 351 5934 Hours: Tu–Su 11–6 austinartgarage.com AUSTIN ART SPACE 7739 Northcross Dr., Ste. Q (512) 763 0646 Hours: F-Sa 11–5 austinartspace.com
AUSTIN GALLERIES 5804 Lookout Mountain Dr. (512) 495 9363 By appointment only austingalleries.com BALE CREEK ALLEN GALLERY 916 Springdale Rd. #103 (512) 633 0545 By appointment only balecreekallengallery.com BIG MEDIUM GALLERY 916 Springdale Rd., Bldg. 2 (512) 939 6665 Hours: Tu–Sa 12–6 bigmedium.org CAMIBAart 6448 Hwy 290 East, Ste. A102 (512) 937 5921 Hours: F-Sa 12–6 camibaart.com CENTRAL LIBRARY GALLERY 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 974 7400 Hours: M-Th 10-9, F-Sa 10-6, Su 12-6 library.austintexas.gov/ central/gallery CO-LAB PROJECTS 5419 Glissman Rd. (512) 300 8217 By event and appointment only co-labprojects.org DAVIS GALLERY 837 W. 12th St. (512) 477 4929 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 10–4 davisgalleryaustin.com DIMENSION GALLERY SCULPTURE AND 3D ART 979 Springdale Rd., Ste. 99 (512) 479 9941 Hours: Th-Sa 10–6 dimensiongallery.org
DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER 1110 Barton Springs Rd. (512) 974 4000 Hours: M-Th 10–10, F 10–6, Sa 10–4 austintexas.gov/department/ dougherty-arts-center FLATBED CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY PRINTMAKING 3701 Drossett Dr. (512) 477 9328 Hours: W–F 10–5, Sa 12–5 flatbedpress.com FLUENT COLLABORATIVE 502 W. 33rd St. (512) 453 3199 By appointment only fluentcollab.org GRAYDUCK GALLERY 2213 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 826 5334 Hours: Th–Sa 11–6, Su 12–5 grayduckgallery.com ICOSA COLLECTIVE 916 Springdale Rd. #102 (512) 920 2062 Hours: F–Sa 12–6 icosacollective.com JULIA C. BUTRIDGE GALLERY 1110 Barton Springs Rd. (512) 974 4000 Hours: M-Th 10–10, F 10–6, Sa 10–4 austintexas.gov/jcbgallery LA PEÑA 227 Congress Ave., #300 (512) 477 6007 Hours: M–F 8–5, Sa 8–3 lapena–austin.org LINK & PIN 2235 E. 6th St., Ste. 102 (512) 900 8952 Hours: F-Su 12–4 linkpinart.com
LORA REYNOLDS GALLERY 360 Nueces St., #50 (512) 215 4965 Hours: W–Sa 11–6 lorareynolds.com LOTUS GALLERY 1009 W. 6th St., #101 (512) 474 1700 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–6 lotusasianart.com LYDIA STREET GALLERY 1200 E. 11th St. #109 (512) 524 1051 Hours: Sa–Su 12–5, By appointment M–F lydiastreetgallery.com MARTHA’S CONTEMPORARY 4115 Guadalupe St. (512) 695 1437 Hours: W-Su 12-7 facebook.com/ marthascontemporary MASS GALLERY 705 Gunter St. (512) 535 4946 Hours: F 5–8, Sa–Su 12–5 massgallery.org MODERN ROCKS GALLERY 916 Springdale Rd., #103 (512) 524 1488 Hours: Tu–Sa 11–6 modernrocksgallery.com MONDO GALLERY 4115 Guadalupe St. (512) 296 2447 Hours: Tu–Sa 12–6 mondoshop.com NEBULA GALLERY 217 W. 2nd St. (512) 239 9317 Hours: Tu–W 1–6, Th–F 1–7, Sa 12–7, Sun 12–6 thenebulagallery.com NORTHERN-SOUTHERN 1902 E. 12th St. Hours: Sa 3–6:30 northern-southern.com
OLD BAKERY & EMPORIUM 1006 Congress Ave. (512) 974 1300 Hours: Tu–Sa 9–4 austintexas.gov/obemporium PREACHER GALLERY 119 W. 8th St. (512) 489 0200 By appointment only preacher.co/gallery PRIZER GALLERY 2023 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 575 3559 Hours: Sa 12–5 prizerartsandletters.org STEPHEN L. CLARK GALLERY 1101 W. 6th St. (512) 507 0828 Hours: Tu-Sa 11–4 stephenlclarkgallery.com VISUAL ARTS CENTER 2300 Trinity St. (512) 471 3713 Hours: Tu–F 10–5, Sa 12–5 utvac.org WALLY WORKMAN GALLERY 1202 W. 6th St. (512) 472 7428 Hours: Tu–Sa 10–5, Su 12–4 wallyworkman.com WEST CHELSEA CONTEMPORARY 1009 W. 6th St. (512) 478 4440 Hours: M–Su 12–6, By appointment 10–12 wcc.art WOMEN & THEIR WORK 1311 E. Cesar Chavez St. (512) 477 1064 Hours: M–F 10–6, Sa 12–6 womenandtheirwork.org
WONDERSPACES AUSTIN 1205 Sheldon Cove, Ste. 2-A Hours: W–Th 3–10, F 4–11, Sa 10–11, Su 10–8 austin.wonderspaces.com YARD DOG 916 Springdale Rd. #103 (512) 912 1613 Hours: F–Sa 1–5, yarddog.com
FREDERICKSBURG ARTISANS — A TEXAS GALLERY 234 W. Main St. (830) 990 8160 artisanstexas.com CATE ZANE GALLERY 107 N. Llano St. (512) 300 0898 catezane.com FREDERICKSBURG ART GUILD 308 E. Austin St. (830) 997 4949 fredericksburgartguild.us INSIGHT GALLERY 214 W. Main St. (830) 997 9920 insightgallery.com KOCH GALLERY 222 W. Main St. (830) 992 3124 bertkoch.com LARRY JACKSON ART & ANTIQUES 201 E. San Antonio St. (830) 997 0073 larryjacksonantiques.com RS HANNA GALLERY 244 W. Main St. (830) 307 3071 URBANHERBAL ART GALLERY 407 Whitney St. (830) 456 9667 urbanherbal.com
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delysia.com
P H OTO G R A P H B Y R I L E Y R E E D
FEATURES
REEL REALITY
Three film initiatives pivoting to virtual programs, p. 30.
THE
REEL
Three local film initiatives ushering in the new age of virtual cinema
DEAL BY COURTNEY RUNN PORTRAITS BY RILEY REED
Like every creative field, the film industry took a particularly hard hit during the pandemic. In Austin, some beloved institutions permanently closed their doors (RIP, I Luv Video and Vulcan Video), while others have barely survived. But the desire for entertainment and cinema hasn’t stopped. A loss for theaters has been a gain for drive-ins, and streaming services continue to dominate the industry. To learn how local film initiatives are navigating a rapidly evolving cinemascape, we talked to the teams at the Austin Film Society, Hyperreal Film Club and Alamo Drafthouse about what’s giving them hope that Austin will retain its status as an independent film haven for years to come. 30
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Holly Herrick stands outside the AFS Cinema, currently closed due to the pandemic.
AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY In the Mood for Love
Nothin’ No Better Miss Juneteenth
This year, cinephiles didn’t have to travel to the snowy mountains of Park City, Utah, to experience America’s premier film festival, Sundance. Instead, viewers could kick back in their cars on a warm January Hill Country evening and watch the Texas sunset while waiting for a drive-in screening to begin. Forced to skip a year or reinvent itself according to CDC guidelines, Sundance opted for the latter. Rather than stream an entirely virtual experience, the festival partnered with independent film organizations throughout the country to host outdoor screenings alongside online premieres. Since Austin annually submits more films to the festival than any other city aside from New York and Los Angeles, it was a natural choice for satellite venues, and the Austin Film Society, a longtime partner and friend of the festival, was the fitting host. While virtual COVID-era f ilm festivals might lack industry networking opportunities, they provide a new level of accessibility. Holly
Herrick, head of film and creative media at AFS, says the festival was a local success, with turnout by AFS regulars and newcomers alike. “What Sundance really underscored is what a robust film community we have here and how important it is to the culture and the economy of our city,” Herrick says. “The reason AFS has the Cinema is because we think it’s indispensable to having a film ecosystem in Austin.” While the AFS Cinema (opened in 2017) has yet to reopen, the organization has stayed busy with a robust virtual schedule. It awarded more than $146,000 to 28 directors, produced virtual discussions, hosted drive-in showings and launched an at-home streaming platform. “Through our ability to have a virtual cinema, we’re able to draw more constant attention to Texas filmmakers,” Herrick says. “We have a whole slate of Texas-made and AFS-supported films that are streaming on our site now and that wouldn’t have happened if we weren’t forced into this digital space.”
WATCH:
AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY’S VIRTUAL CINEMA GIVES ACCESS TO NEW FILMS, Q&AS WITH FILMMAKERS, A CATALOG OF TEXAS FILMS AND PREMIERES.
DISCUSS:
CONNECT WITH
AFS hosted outdoor screenings at Laguna Gloria and Zoom panel discussions with Richard Linklater as part of its virtual programming.
OTHER AFS MEMBERS THROUGH THE AFS DISCUSSION CLUB.
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WATCH:
DIVE DEEP INTO CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF MEXICAN CINEMA, ARAB WOMEN FILM DIRECTORS AND BLACK FILM THROUGH VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING ON HYPERREALFILM.CLUB.
HYPERREAL FILM CLUB Jenni Kaye, Tanner Hadf ield and Dav id McMichael used to meet weekly over croissant doughnuts at Uncle Nicky’s cafe in Hyde Park to hash out their dreams for the Hyperreal Film Club, their nonprofit devoted to an “eclectic mix of the world’s greatest movies.” Prior to 2020, the trio produced ambitious immersive pop-up events, hosted weekly family movie nights and offered aspiring filmmakers a platform to display their work via VHS zine parties. The pandemic forced the founders back to the drawing board. Now they check in via Zoom, reimagining a community-centric nonprofit in a time of isolation and fostering a passion project when burnout is inevitable. “Nothing is forever. That’s what last year taught us,” Kaye says. With a limited budget and capacity, they’re honing in on what sets them apart: connection. While they can’t facilitate in-person community, their reach now extends beyond Austin with online watch parties, film reviews and roundups, and a new weekly podcast. In June, they turned to a longtime supporter and friend, Graham Cumberbatch, to produce virtual programming. Through a two-month multimedia series, “Black Is Not a Genre,” Cumberbatch examined Black contributions
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to eight genres, exploring his thesis that Black films are often grouped in a separate category and not valued for their significant contributions to genre. “It’s the way history is written. Whoever has the pen gets to decide,” he says. “When a certain group of people don’t have any opportunity and the films don’t get distributed, of course they can’t be in the canon. For me, it’s about uncovering that and resituating it.” Following Cumberbatch’s summer series, Hyperreal launched two more collections, focused on female directors in the Arab world and Mexican cinema, respectively. Sharing their platform with other creatives—and paying them for their content—is another way Kaye, Hadfield and McMichael hope to keep supporting the community, as they’re increasingly and acutely aware of the industry’s mounting losses. “The waves from this year, we will probably only begin to understand them 10 years from now,” Hadfield says. The Hyperreal founders can only speculate what the future holds for film communities like their own, but they’re hopeful for a renaissance. “The hopeful thing is that people care,” McMichael says. “People are being creative. People are continuing to invest energy and adapt.”
READ:
READ WEEKLY MOVIE REVIEWS FROM CONTRIBUTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY ON HYPERREALFILM.CLUB.
LISTEN:
STRAIGHT TO VIDEO PODCAST EVERY FRIDAY: CATCH NEW EPISODES EXAMINING HOW THE FILM INDUSTRY IS WEATHERING THE PANDEMIC.
Hyperreal Film Club founders Jenni Kaye, Tanner Hadfield and David McMichael. tribeza.com
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Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League outside the theater chain’s South Lamar location.
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ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE WATCH:
RENT OUT YOUR OWN THEATER FOR A PRIVATE SHOWING OF THE FILM OF YOUR CHOICE THROUGH PRIVATE ALAMO. AT HOME, RENT OR BUY NEW RELEASES AND FAVORITE FLICKS THROUGH ALAMO ON DEMAND.
When Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League passed the CEO baton to Shelli Taylor in 2020, it was in hopes of expansion. Instead, they spent the year making sure the iconic theater chain survived. In March of last year, the company closed all 41 theaters throughout the country and laid off 5,000 employees: It’s been a slow crawl toward a shred of normalcy ever since. When Governor Greg Abbott greenlighted the reopening of movie theaters in May, Alamo was one of the few in Austin to hold off, waiting until August to make the process as safe as possible. By February of this year, 16 theaters had reopened, with about 15% of employees rehired. The pandemic forced League to return to the creativity and budget-slashing of the Alamo’s early startup days. In an attempt to stave off mounting debt and layoffs, he announced an auction of movie posters from his personal collection—a success, but not a long-term solution. Other innovations are paying off, too: Before
the pandemic, 70% of the revenue came from large studio releases like Wonder Woman. Now about 50% comes from private theater rentals, a pre-pandemic feature now automated so anyone can book a theater online. “People are much more comfortable going to a movie with their pod or family or their friends. They’re more afraid of the unknown, so [personal theater rentals] really started meeting that need,” League says. The company also introduced Alamo on Demand, a streaming service that allows users to rent or buy new releases as well as old films. Virtual trivia nights have sold out, and soon Austinites will be able to rent movies from Vulcan’s vast collection for free (the Drafthouse bought the beloved video store’s catalog). “I’m a firm believer that people love movies. They love the experience of coming to the cinema and the night out,” League says. “I feel very confident we’ll have a role in this world as a cinema operator for a long time to come.”
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The pandemic has forced DJs like DJ Q to get creative with outdoor sets.
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PLAHOUSE YING FOR AUSTIN DANCE MUSIC, DJS ARE CULTURAL ARCHITECTS, BUILDING THE CITY’S DANCE ETHOS FROM THE GROUND UP
AUSTIN’S TITLE AS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD COMES WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT
BY GRAHAM CUMBERBATCH PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOYO OYELOLA
fine print around which genres get the main stage and which ones have to build their own. “Austin is where DJs come to die,” Q Davidson, stage name DJ Q, remembers telling friends and family when he first moved here from the Bay Area in 2010. DJ Q came to Austin for two reasons: first, because he’d heard the seismic 2008 recession had landed more softly in Texas than elsewhere; second, because he assumed Austin’s stature as a music mecca would make it the perfect next step in a burgeoning electronic music career. Despite boasting a decade of residencies and packed houses in San Francisco, Caen and Moscow alongside Chicago house legends like Jesse Saunders and Gene Hunt, Q quickly became disillusioned with what he calls the buddy-buddy politics of Austin’s club scene. Compounded by the community’s lack of exposure to classical house and techno, the increasingly uphill climb of steady gigging found Q questioning his resolve. But a serendipitous run-in with a kindred Midwestern selector convinced him to keep going. Detailing the night in a group video chat, Q recalls walking in on a packed house set by DJ Shani at East Sixth Street’s Volstead. Shani (Shani Herbert, to her friends and daytime accounting clients) was in the zone, and Q was inspired. Afterward, she pulled him aside. “‘Q, they do like house music,’” he recalls her saying. “‘They just don’t know what it is. You just have to keep giving it to them.’” Both Midwest natives—Q and Shani hail from Milwaukee and Chicago, respectively—the DJs’ musical connection is about more than shared geography. The Black postindustrial sounds of the Midwest are the lifeblood of global dance music; the fact that they both landed in Austin around the same time—two house music apostles marooned in the land of the honky-tonk—is a testament to the vast reach and cosmic pull of the music. Whereas Q always knew he’d be a DJ, Shani studied Spanish and literature with dreams of becoming “the first U.S. diplomat to Cuba.” Her focus changed when she realized her politics of liberation and unity aligned perfectly with her love of dance music. tribeza.com
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“I liked dance music, but I thought, ‘We gotta fight the revolution. We gotta have people together,’” she explains. “Little did I know, that is pretty much the foundation of house music and dance culture.” Shani’s assimilation to Austin, like Q’s, hasn’t been easy—and the fact that white culture has so aggressively co-opted their preferred genre despite its Black origins certainly doesn’t help. When Q recalls a conversation with a local club manager who tried to credit European artists like Paul Oakenfold as the original architects of house music, his frustration is palpable. For Shani, these struggles are even steeper for a Black woman in A Milwaukee native, a male-dominated profession. With Q made the trek south to Chicago, a 17-year radio show and multiyear the cradle of house stint in Paris to her name, the fact civilization, as a young music enthusiast. that she spent so long waiting in the wings here speaks as much to her humility as it does to Austin’s persistent habit of suppressing Black female talent. In a way, Shani and Q’s ongoing struggle for affirmation within the dance sphere itself is symbolic of the genre’s quest for validation in the Austin music landscape as a whole. Nonetheless, they’ve managed to find community and sustenance through their love of the music. The resulting dichotomy between jaded fatigue and hopeful energy is a common thread across conversations with DJs, club owners and ravegoers alike. On the one hand, the city’s electronic music scene offers a hypercreative, often off-the-grid haven for Austin’s most marginalized nightlife tribes. On the other, the fringe nature of these communal practices, pioneered by marginalized Black, Brown and queer creatives, has made it hard to gain a foothold in a historically segregated, largely monocultural music scene. The Austin dance scene’s continued survival speaks to the enduring power of the music and the quiet persistence of its local practitioners. They don’t come much quieter than locally revered mixmaster and self-professed homebody Bill Converse. When Converse first moved with his family from Lansing, Michigan, to Austin in 1998, he already had a budding reputation as a savant of sorts, having started DJing at the tender age of 11 and, with his parents’ blessing, traveling to house and techno hot spots in Detroit and Chicago to learn from the best firsthand. But down
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in Austin, there weren’t many mainstream clubs playing dance music outside the era’s festival-saturated EDM wave. Apart from a few house parties with friends, Converse largely spent his early Austin years honing his now-renowned turntable skills in his bedroom, playing the music he’d become enamored with back in Michigan: hard Detroit techno, disco-infused drum patterns and experimental house. Meanwhile, he argues, Austin’s general musical sensibility was (and still is) largely confined to dudes and their guitars. But over the next couple decades, things began to change: Still largely eschewed by conventional clubs, the emerging dance scene found a home in upstart bars, off-theclock restaurant spaces and empty warehouses. Converse credits Chain Drive, the dearly departed old-school leather bar in what is now the Rainey Street District, for being among the first spots to let him take over the DJ booth. Other catalysts he cites are venues like Cheer Up Charlies, founded by partners Maggie Lea and Tamara Hoover, and word-of-mouth dance parties at Tamale House East and former sushi bar Silhouette. “The nature of the music, it’s just better in an unestablished kind of space,” he says. “It’s like there’s more room for the abstract ideas, for the music to take shape. Those kinds of spaces are more fun to play.” That same DIY energy continues to fuel Austin’s underground electronic scene, even as rising real estate prices make similar makeshift venues fewer and farther between. But for dance music to really thrive in any city, it needs a place where it can go toe-to-toe with more-established regular venues. That’s exactly what Texas natives Brian Almaraz and Cole Evans had in mind when they envisioned the Coconut Club as a first-rate dance den worthy of the genre’s biggest acts. “I felt like the most exciting stuff I was seeing around town was at house parties or at these pop-ups and one-offs,” Evans explains. “So we really wanted to provide a proper dance floor with the right sound, in a fun location that just felt really exciting to come to.” If the house party is Wednesday night Bible study, the Coconut Club is Sunday service. Avid nightlife and music scene fixtures, Almaraz and Evans
Born and raised in Chicago, DJ Shani remembers the exact moment she fell in love with the house sound while attending a rave for her 17th birthday.
DJs ARE ARTISTS; THEY NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON THEIR ART. tribeza.com
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B I L L CO N V E R S E P H OTO G R A P H : K AT R I N A FA I R L E E
By the time Bill Converse released his debut LP, his rising profile as a producer had already seen him play much bigger stages in Paris and Berlin.
met as bartenders at Cheer Up Charlies around 2011, shortly after moving to Austin from San Antonio and Dallas, respectively. When Almaraz started DJing at Cheer Up and other spots around town, he noticed a void: Dancers were looking for a regular place to hear more eclectic sounds, and electronic-leaning DJs sought an outlet free of the constraints of traditional downtown circuits. Most clubgoers don’t realize how often club owners restrict what DJs can play while also putting the night’s financial onus on their shoulders. For Q, this conf lict of artistic perception and economic interest is among the most frustrating elements of the local scene. “DJs are artists; they need to be focused on their art,” he laments. “And then you have the owner saying…‘You are responsible for the livelihood of every bartender, every door person, every host.… It’s your fault [if] we’re not successful,’ but if the DJ is successful…he’s not rewarded.” It’s a lose-lose scenario that the Coconut Club founders are working to reform. Modeled after the multif loor dance cathedrals of Chicago, Miami, New York and Berlin, the space is built specifically to center the DJ as both conductor and orchestra, promoting a relationship between management and talent that’s rooted in mutual respect and ample artistic runway. “It’s symbiotic,” says Evans. “In making Coconut Club, we knew an integral part of it was letting the DJs be the centerpiece. They should be the ones curating the night.” The idea worked: When it opened in 2019, the Coconut quickly became a multitribe meeting place for enthusiasts from all across the dance music spectrum. As Evans notes, it’s become a nexus for real connection in a city where “it’s really easy to end up isolated.” (Almaraz and Evans met Q and Shani by booking them at the club.) Even after the initial struggles COVID-19 ushered in, including mandatory closures and a brief reopening, Almaraz thinks they’ve landed on a somewhat sustainable format for now. While the downstairs dance floor remains closed, the open-air rooftop provides a makeshift alternative for those looking for a safer way
“I’ve always done music just for my own accord,” he says, “but it’s becoming more of a source of income for me.” For Shani, the fact that dance music—best appreciated in sweaty, close contact with others—simply isn’t built for Facebook Live or socially distant settings has made survival harder. Nonetheless, she finds hope in what she sees as a growing willingness among electronic music freelancers to stand up for themselves in the industry. “I think people going forward are going to be more focused on recognizing their value and getting paid their worth,” she says. “I feel like people of color, queer people, trans people, anyone that really is not Caucasian [now] have the pride and confidence to say, ‘Hey, I’m not getting paid 10% of the bar.… I can’t just do this for the love or for the exposure.’” Even working as passionately as Evans and Almaraz do to value talent at their venue, keeping a club open is hard and getting harder DJ Shani gets into in Austin’s increasingly amusement-park-style the zone at the approach to development. While he has a posiCoconut Club’s rooftop patio. tive outlook on the future, Evans is still anxious about some of the roadblocks Austinites of color have been lamenting for years. “Austin pats itself on the back all the time for diversity,” he says. “But it’s the most gentrified city in America. There are a lot of really beautiful artists in Austin, but the gatekeepers here are becoming increasingly corporate-minded.” Still, Q has seen the scene survive in cities with even larger-scale gentrification, and Shani adds her Chicago experience as reason to hope. “What we did to maintain the culture was to keep doing it,” she says. “We didn’t let big business knock us down. We just kept doing it and doing it.… And then this tiny block party with maybe 200 people [turned into] 10,000 people, and the Obamas showed up.” From an economic perspective, optimism is often hard to muster, but one thing Austin’s dance music denizens can bank on is that dance music—whether house, techno or bass—is steeped in a history of survival. The roots of the genre and its subgenres are all the product of a Black diaspora that created the blueprint for how to protect one’s art and culture in times of strife and oppression. These lessons will keep Austin’s electronic music community going strong until the dance f loors are full again.
IT’S STRANGE TO HAVE TO ASK PEOPLE NOT TO DANCE IN A DANCE CLUB. to get their BPM fix. But, as Evans is quick to add, the ironies of social distancing are more than a little obtrusive: “It’s strange to have to ask people not to dance in a dance club,” he says. Nonetheless, the community is coping. DJs are finding new creative outlets, turning to virtual spaces like Twitch.tv and Instagram Live to keep their skills sharp. Others like DJ Q have invented their own stages: Before the deep freeze in mid-February, his impromptu Black History Month sessions were the perfect soundtrack for afternoon hangs at Zilker Park. Meanwhile, many listeners have found ways to show their support digitally, tipping via Cash App and Venmo for livestreams and buying original music online. For Converse, returning to his home production roots has been an unexpected balm for the loss of traveling gigs.
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Model Nicole Trunfio was the cover star for our most recent redesign in the September 2019 Style issue.
YEARS OF AUSTIN CURATED Celebrating two decades of the people and stories that continue to define Tribeza Since its founding, Tribeza’s mission has always been to inform, inspire and surprise our readers with beautiful photography and stories about Austin’s most innovative citizens. As our city has grown, so has our magazine, and it’s our honor to celebrate the incredible editors, artists, photographers, musicians, leaders, philanthropists and chefs who have graced our pages over the years.
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The Summer 2020 issue celebrated our beautiful skyline and Austin’s resilience during the early days of the pandemic.
Our October 2016 Architecture issue showcased a modern farmhouse designed by architect Stuart Sampley.
LAUREN SMITH FORD: EDITOR + CREATIVE DIRECTOR, 2006–2014:
I loved when we were able to give photographers and artists complete creative freedom to approach stories and shoots however they wanted, like this 18-page spread with legendary photographer Dan Winters. We photographed Zoe Graham, one of the breakout stars of Boyhood, and Antonio Bond of Transplant Floral did the amazing floral installations.
MARGARET WILLIAMS, EDITOR, 2017–2019:
My first issue was the Music issue in 2018 with the cover on the guys from Midland. It was my first shoot on set with Tribeza, and it was amazing to work with Harper Smith, who is a total badass. We drove around town like renegades, and it was a blast.
In 2018, we reinvented our annual Style Week celebration, ditching the runway to bring our Fall Fashion Lookbook to life.
HANNAH J. PHILLIPS, CONTRIBUTING WRITER FROM 2017, EDITOR FROM 2020:
For my first Tribeza cover story, I interviewed the all-female team behind a Bouldin bungalow. It was also the first time my words were paired with the photographs of the inimitable Casey Dunn, whose work I had followed for years. tribeza.com
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Randal Ford photographed the first dual cover in September 2016. Graham Cumbercatch styled our Fall 2020 photoshoot at the Commodore Perry Estate, captured by Philip Edsel.
Holland Taylor sat down with Tribeza for our September 2019 issue to discuss her one-woman show about former Texas Governor Ann Richards.
Photographer Matthew Johnson explored small town life in Brady, Texas, for our 2017 Travel issue.
Since its inception, our annual Interiors Tour has showcased the enviable work of Austin’s best interior designers.
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We sourced the cover for our first and only travel issue from readers, including this shot of Big Bend by Kenneth Simpson.
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Held in 2015, this Dinner x Design event paired varying dishes with stunning tablescapes from five local designers, like this elegant look created by Fern Santini.
YEA RS Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik sat down to discuss their local business venture and food revolution, Lettuce Grow.
Ahead of our first LookBook Live, this gorgeous 2017 cover story was shot at the historic and then-newly renovated Mattie’s.
TheCaption most here meaningful story teekay on the wasshorter probably our side feature onbe Gary would Clark Jr: I did helpful etc the interview and got to work with Harper Smith again. We went to Austin High, so we shared that longtime Austin connection and we did the shoot at Antone’s. He’s just a nice guy and it was such a great shoot.—MW
On Instagram, we brought our love for beautiful photography to an expanding audience, built new relationships and made friends along the way. tribeza.com
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I loved capturing Ty Haney with Aaron Pinkston for our May 2018 Outdoors issue. We shot at House Park and Shoal Creek and the result was gorgeous.—MW
Tribeza’s annual Style Week has become one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year.
This piece on the magic that Jack Sanders has created at The Longtime sent me back to childhood and my family’s deep-rooted love of baseball.—HJP
Tribeza Shop and Tribeza Trusted launched in 2020 to foster partnerships with beloved brands that offer products and services relevant to our readership.
A Rollingwood project by Alterstudio was our 2017 Architecture cover.
Our March 2019 issue celebrated 35 years of Richard Linklater’s Austin Film Society.
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I was a little nervous before meeting these two titans of Texan cuisine, but interviewing this pair gave new meaning to the phrase “down to earth.” Aaron Pinkston’s portrait captures their banter well, and Franklin’s corny dad jokes are my abiding memory to this day.—HJP
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Artist Claire Oswalt gave us a look into her midcentury home and studio for our 2017 Interiors issue cover story.
Nourish: Alongside our first-ever Wellness issue, we established a brand new signature event and wellness retreat in 2019.
Athlete and philanthropist Andy Roddick was the cover profile for our December 2010 People issue.
To celebrate the opening of ACL Live in 2011, Willie Nelson joined us for our 10-year anniversary cover.
Our March 2017 Music issue featured a photo essay on two of Austin’s honky tonks. Our Look Behind also celebrates the legacy of Broken Spoke owner James White (p. 56).
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Contigo and Blue Starlite make the perfect pair, p. 50.
P H OTO G R A P H B Y H O L LY CO WA R T
FOOD + DRINK
DINE OUT, DRIVE IN
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KAREN'S PICK
The scrumptious rabbit gnocchi is a must-try.
Dinner and a Movie GIVE THE CL ASSIC DATE NIGHT A CRE ATIVE (AND OUTDOOR) SPIN AT CONTIGO AND THE DRIVE-IN By Karen O. Spezia Photographs by Holly Cowart
S
OME CLASSIC PAIRINGS SEEM ETERNAL: CHIPS AND SALSA,
Topo Chico and tequila, dinner and a movie. While the pandemic certainly threatened to undo the latter, shuttering restaurants and movie theaters during lockdown, the quintessential night out is not quite dead. With a little ingenuity—and a sweater—the dinner and a movie lives! Both the meal and the movie are alfresco. Start by dining at Contigo, a sprawling outdoor restaurant with an urban ranch vibe and vittles; then, cruise around the corner to the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In, a completely open-air movie theater. Boom! You’ve got a modern-day, virusaverse dinner and movie night out on the town. Adjacent to the East Side’s Mueller development, this winning duo has charmed Austinites for a decade. Inspired by the ranches of South Texas, Contigo opened in 2011, when Mueller was still in its infancy. Childhood friends Ben Edgerton and chef Andrew Wiseheart rolled the dice on opening a new restaurant in this up-and-coming area. Now, some 10 years later, their gamble proved to be a winning bet. Almost entirely outdoors, the restaurant’s socially distanced picnic tables and four-tops are scattered throughout the rambling compound, which features a welcoming, rugged farmhouse look and stylish accents. On cooler nights, there are heaters at every table, and when the weather warms, leafy trees and umbrellas create a canopy of shade.
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A colorful roasted carrot salad.
The rugged farmhouse-style restaurant is almost completely outdoors.
Contigo’s menu is a sophisticated take on rustic ranch food, showcasing a seasonally revolving selection of greatest hits plus fresh new additions. The crispy green beans are a perennial favorite and for good reason: Crunchy, tempura-battered legumes are served with a spicy Sambal aioli and make the perfect foil to a frosty beer. The fried cheese curds are a seasonal offering but equally addictive: light, fluffy nuggets of fried cheese that are dusted with grated Parmesan and fresh herbs, then served with a creamy umami-bomb dipping sauce. They’re like fried mozzarella for grown-ups. Another signature dish is the burger, made with local Windy Bar Ranch beef and served with double-fried, thin-cut french fries. The Philly cheesesteak is also a mainstay, loaded with grilled tri-tip, onions and poblanos; sprinkled with everything spice; tucked into a toasted hoagie roll; then drizzled with yummy beer-infused homemade “cheese whiz.” Contigo does wonders with rabbit: Even if you think you’re not a rabbit fan, trust me on this. The meat is always fresh, sweet and tender and simmered with roasted carrots, cipollini onions, herbs and savory au jus. Whether it’s tucked into a potpie or shredded atop homemade gnocchi, it’s one of my favorite dishes in town. Although Contigo’s soul is rustic ranch, beer is not the only offering coming out of the cantina. The cocktails are as classy as any highfalutin bar around. The refreshing El Pepino, a staple since day one, is a mix of
CONTIGO 2027 ANCHOR LANE (512) 614-2260 CONTIGOTEXAS.COM
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KAREN'S PICK
Kick off your evening with the Frozen Painkiller or refreshing El Pepino before diving into the burger and fries.
blanco tequila, cucumber, lime and mint. Another crowd-pleaser is the Frozen Painkiller, a tasty and stealthily potent blend of light and dark rums, plus coconut, pineapple and orange juices. Although Contigo offers a few modest desserts, I recommend saving room for candy and popcorn at your next stop: the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In. Located just half a mile down the road, this multiscreen outdoor theater is spread across the vacant fields and woods bordering a municipal golf course and the defunct Moose Lodge. If you’re looking for ways to Keep Austin Weird, your search ends here. This authentically and unapologetically quirky theater is not your old-school drive-in. Colorful twinkle lights are haphazardly strung along its dirt paths, fences and trees. Battered vintage trailers double as the concession stand, restroom and equipment storage. For added ambiance, thrift store décor like plastic mannequins and discarded movie memorabilia are scattered throughout the grounds. The setting is intimate, with only a handful of cars or seats allowed at each of its half-dozen screens, some reserved for in-car viewing and others for watching in socially distanced lounge chairs outside of your car. And speaking of intimate, BSL endorses making out in your car, as long as you keep your clothes on. Shows run the gamut from classics to kid-friendly animation, cult horror films and new-release indies. Admission includes a bag of popcorn, a soft drink and a box of retro movie theater candy like Milk Duds, M&Ms and Skittles. Serial entrepreneur (and mad genius) Josh Frank started
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BSL a decade ago but continues to tinker with his creation, like adding the new Drive-In Diner, where meals are delivered to your car on 1950s carhop window trays. He also runs BSL theaters atop a downtown Austin high-rise and in Round Rock. So get back out there. Grab your boo or your buddy, your mask and your sweater, and make a night of it. Dinner and a movie might not look the same, but it still ticks all the boxes. This venerable combo isn’t dead. It’s just different.
BLUE STARLITE MINI URBAN DRIVE-IN MUELLER: 2015 E. M. FRANKLIN AVE. ALSO DOWNTOWN AND ROUND ROCK (707) 374-8346 BLUESTARLITEDRIVEIN.COM
Blue Starlite’s walk-up forest screen is an intimate and unforgettable experience.
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24 DINER
EL ALMA
HILLSIDE FARMACY
600 N. Lamar Blvd. | (512) 472 5400
1025 Barton Springs Rd. | (512) 609 8923
1209 E. 11th St. | (512) 628 0168
Chef Andrew Curren’s casual eatery promises
This chef-driven, authentic Mexican restaurant with
Hillside Farmacy is located in a beautifully
delicious plates 24/7 and a menu featuring
unmatched outdoor patio dining stands out as
restored 1950s-style pharmacy with a lovely porch on
nostalgic diner favorites. Order up the classics,
an Austin dining gem. The chic yet relaxed setting is
the East Side. Oysters, cheese plates and nightly dinner
including roasted chicken, burgers, all-day
perfect for enjoying delicious specialized drinks
specials are whipped up by chef Sonya Cote.
breakfast and decadent milkshakes.
outside for the everyday 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. happy hour!
34TH STREET CAFE 1005 W. 34th St. | (512) 371 3400 This neighborhood spot in North Campus serves up soups, salads, pizzas and pastas — but don’t miss the chicken piccata. The low-key setting makes it great for weeknight dinners and weekend indulgences.
ASTI TRATTORIA 408 E. 43rd St. | (512) 451 1218 The chic little Hyde Park trattoria offers essential Italian dishes along with a variety of wines to pair them with. Finish off your meal with the honey-and-goat-cheese panna cotta.
BARLEY SWINE 6555 Burnet Rd., Ste. 400 | (512) 394 8150 James Beard Award–nominated chef Bryce Gilmore encourages sharing with small plates made from locally sourced ingredients, served at communal tables. Try the parsley croissants with bone marrow or Gilmore’s unique take on fried chicken.
CAFÉ NO SÉ 1603 S. Congress Ave. | (512) 942 2061 South Congress Hotel’s Café No Sé balances rustic décor and a range of seasonal foods to make it the best place for weekend brunching. The restaurant’s spin on the classic avocado toast is a must-try.
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ÉPICERIE 2307 Hancock Dr. | (512) 371 6840 A café and grocery with both Louisiana and French
HOME SLICE PIZZA 1415 S. Congress Ave. | (512) 444 7437 501 E. 53rd St. | (512) 707 7437 For pizza cravings head to Home Slice. Open until 3 a.m.
sensibilities by Thomas Keller–trained chef Sarah
on weekends for your post-bar-hopping convenience
McIntosh. Lovers of brunch are encouraged to stop in here
and stocked with classics like the Margherita as well as
for a bite on Sundays.
innovative pies like the White Clam.
FONDA SAN MIGUEL
JULIET ITALIAN KITCHEN
2330 W. N Loop Blvd. | (512) 459 4121
1500 Barton Springs Rd. | (512) 479 1800
At Fonda San Miguel, authentic Interior Mexican food is
The greatest stories are told with family over food
lovingly served inside a colorful hacienda-style restaurant.
and wine. Juliet Italian Kitchen embodies just
The art-adorned walls and indoor, plant-filled courtyard
that, bringing nostalgic and classic Italian American
provide a pleasant escape in North Austin. Visit the Sunday
cuisine to the heart of Austin on Barton Springs.
brunch for a new menu with the most delicious interior
From family-style dinners, to weekend brunch
Mexican brunch cuisine.
al fresco, to neighborhood happy hours, Juliet Italian
GUSTO ITALIAN KITCHEN + WINE BAR 4800 Burnet Road | (512) 458 1100 Nestled in the Rosedale neighborhood of north-central Austin, Gusto captures the warm, comforting, everyday
Kitchen is yours to call home.
JUNIPER 2400 E Cesar Chavez St #304 | (512) 220 9421 Uchi Alumni Chef Nicholas Yanes fuses central Texas
f lavors of Italian cuisine. Dishes range from house-made
inf luences and local farm produce with Italian
antipasti to hand-formed pizzas, salads, panini, fresh pasta,
fare. Start with puffy potatoes and the Chef ’s Brand
entrees featuring Texas farm raised meats, and scratch
New Cadillac Negroni.
desserts. Craft cocktails, beer on tap, and boutique wines.
HANK’S 5811 Berkman Dr. | (512) 609 8077 Delicious food and drinks, an easygoing waitstaff and a kid-friendly patio all work together to make
JUSTINE’S BRASSERIE 4710 E. 5th St. | (512) 385 2900 Justine’s is a quaint French brasserie deep in East Austin. Don’t let the short drive deter you — the experience of eating traditional French plates among
Hank’s a favorite neighborhood joint. With happy hour every
exquisite works of art and decorative string lights makes
day from 3-6:30, the hardest task will be
for one idyllic evening with a significant other.
choosing between their frosé and frozen paloma.
AS R E S TAU R A N TS R EO P E N, B E S U R E TO C H EC K T H E I R W E BS I T ES FO R U P DAT E D H O U R S , S A F ET Y P R OTO CO L S A N D TO-GO/DELIVERY OPTIONS.
KEMURI TATSU-YA 2713 E. 2nd St. | (512) 893 5561 Kemuri Tatsu-Ya is a Japanese-Texan mash-up that injects seriously good food with a sense of humor. The East Austin joint features Asian-inspired smoked meats and seafood, along with yakitori, ramen, and izakaya classics meant for sharing. Drinks are also an integral part of the meal, so come thirsty. LA BARBECUE 2027 E. Cesar Chavez St. | (512) 605 9696 Though it may not be as famous as that other Austin barbecue joint, La Barbecue is arguably just as delicious. This trailer, which is owned by the legendary Mueller family, serves up classic barbecue with free beer and live music.
LORO 2115 S. Lamar Blvd. | (512) 916 4858 Created by James Beard Award winners Tyson Cole and Aaron Franklin, this Asian smokehouse is a welcome addition to South Lamar. The expansive indoor-outdoor space, designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, is welcoming and open, and unsurprisingly the food does not disappoint. Don’t miss out on the sweet corn fritters, smoked beef brisket, thai green curry or those potent boozy slushies.
LAS PALOMAS 3201 Bee Caves Rd., #122 | (512) 327 9889 One of the hidden jewels in Westlake, this unique restaurant and bar offers authentic interior Mexican cuisine in a sophisticated yet relaxed setting. Enjoy family recipes made with fresh ingredients. Don’t miss the margaritas.
ODD DUCK 1201 S Lamar Blvd | (512) 433 6521 Famed food trailer turned brick-and-mortar, Odd Duck is the first venture from acclaimed chef Bryce Gilmore. Expect seasonal fare and drinks with a strong Texas inf luence sourced locally whenever possible.
THAI FRESH
OLAMAIE 1610 San Antonio St. | (512) 474 2796 Food+Wine magazine’s best new chef Michael Fojtasek creates a menu that will leave any Southerner drooling with delight over the restaurant’s contemporary culinary concepts. The dessert menu offers a classic apple pie or a more trendy goat cheese-caramel ice cream. Also, do yourself a favor and order the biscuits.
TINY BOXWOODS
THE PEACHED TORTILLA 5520 Burnet Rd., #100 | (512) 330 4439 This cheerful spot is sure to clear your weekly blues with friendly staff, fun food and a playful atmosphere. Affordably priced, you’ll find culinary influences from around the world with a healthy dose of Asian and Southern options. PICNIK 4801 Burnet Rd. | (737) 226 0644 1700 S. Lamar Blvd. | (512) 293-6118 A perfect place to find wholesome food for any type of dietary restriction in a bright and airy setting. This place truly lives out the “good and good for you” concept with paleo-friendly options and thoughtfully sourced ingredients.
A restaurant, cooking school and market all in one place. When you’re done dining on traditional Thai favorites, stop by the adjoining coffee bar for freshly brewed joe, homemade ice cream and an array of baked goods.
1503 W. 35th St. | (512) 220 0698 This Houston-based brand now serves its simple and delicious food in Austin’s Bryker Woods neighborhood. Favorites include house-ground burgers, salmon Provencal salad and their chocolate chip cookies.
VERBENA 612 W. 6th St. | (512) 991 3019 Located in downtown’s chic new Canopy hotel and designed by Lake Flato Architects, Verbena offers vegetable-forward dishes that highlight regionally sourced meat, fish and poultry. Chef Nic Yanes (Juniper, Uncle Nicky’s) is at the helm.
WALTON’S FANCY AND STAPLE 609 W. 6th St. | (512) 542 3380 Owned by actress and Austin resident Sandra Bullock, Walton’s is a dreamy brick-walled bakery, deli and floral shop. Take some pastries home after indulging in gourmet sandwiches and fresh salads for lunch, or stay for the rotating dinner menu. Most importantly, make it before 2 p.m. to order the legendary biscuit sandwich served only during breakfast!
SUERTE 1800 E. 6th St. | (512) 953 0092
MATTIE’S 811 W. Live Oak St. | (512) 444 1888 Mattie’s is a glorious urban paradise offering upscale American classics. While the cocktails are top-notch and the cuisine is nothing short of outstanding, Mattie’s ambiance and atmosphere are unmatched.
909 W. Mary St. | (512) 494 6436
Helmed by executive chef Fermín Núñez, Suerte was inspired by extensive travels through Central Mexico. Artisanal masa is the highlight, made from local heirloom corn and used in distinctive dishes rarely found on Austin menus. Order the delectable Suadero Tacos, perfect for sharing with friends.
YARD AT WALLER CREEK 701 E. 11th St. | (512) 478 1111 The YARD is not your typical hotel dining experience. Led by executive chef Lonny Huot, enjoy savory American cuisine with Texas f lavors like the Beer Braised Short Rib and the Chorizo & Pepper Jack Grits Cakes Benedict. tribeza.com
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A LOOK BEHIND
Goodbye to a Legend CELEBR ATING JAMES WHITE OF THE BROKEN SPOKE By Hannah J. Phillips"Photograph by Matt Conant AUSTIN ICON JAMES WHITE PASSED AWAY IN LATE JANUARY, LEAVING BEHIND A RICH LEGACY
at his equally iconic honky-tonk, the Broken Spoke. Founded in 1964, the dance hall hosted countless country superstars and legends over the years, including Roy Acuff, George Strait and, of course, Willie Nelson. The Redheaded Stranger first started frequenting the Broken Spoke long before he moved back to Texas from Nashville, and the venue remains one of his favorite haunts to this day. We covered the iconic hall and its owner in a 2017 photo essay for our Music + Film issue, and we’re honored to celebrate White’s legacy again here.
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