urban family

amber gugino | October 3, 2012 | 1 Comment

Downtown Austin Pharmacies: CVS Pharmacy Now Open on Weekends

Probably not the most urgent of news, but I got really excited about it none-the-less.

The pharmacy at CVS on 5th street, the only pharmacy in downtown Austin proper (the now closed Live Oak Pharmacy used to the closest next best thing), is now, finally, open on weekends!

For those living in downtown Austin condos like the Austonian or the Brazos Lofts, especially…your prescription filling life just got a lot easier.

And, just to be clear, this is NOT a plug for CVS, simply a plug for convenience.

Filed Under: austin condos, austin lifestyle, austin news, austin retail, Congress Avenue District, downtown austin, life, life in austin, retail, urban family

amber gugino | September 19, 2012 | 1 Comment

ZOMG – Topfer Theatre at ZACH Theatre Brings Austin Theatre Back to the Forefront of Austin Culture

Be on the lookout for performance of famous balcony scenes to happen at this exterior, front-facing balcony of the theatre. I'm also told that the balcony will actually end up being made of glass, rather than the metal pictured here.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a personal tour of ZACH Theatre’s new mainstage, The Topfer (pronounced top-fur) Theatre earlier this week. This theatre allows ZACH to truly make the jump from a small professional theatre to premiere regional theatre by providing a new, state of the art performance facility as part of downtown Austin’s already growing culture and arts scene. Downtown Austin needs a real regional theatre, and this structure and the excitement it will bring to the theatre and arts community is a huge step in the right direction.

Per an article in the Austin Chronicle (link) – ZACH Theatre had been contemplating building a third theatre in its complex as early at 1985, when they held over some funds from that year’s bond election to help fund building a third theatre. In 2000, the economy stalled, putting the project on hold, but, through a kick-start of funding of $10 million through the 2006 City of Austin bond election, and then fueled by direct private donation – the project was revived in 2007. Overall, it’s a $22 million project, and they still need to raise about $2 million for completion.

The ZACH Theatre compound falls within the Zilker Neighborhood Association, but it is easily accessible to downtown Austin condos and homes and, really, feels like a part of downtown to many. I was told the ZNA was supportive the variances Zach Scott needed to build the Topfer Theatre.

As a college Theatre Major and all around theatre nerd, I was soooooo impressed with the Topfer Theatre and Kuykendall Stage.

Some tidbits:

Celebrated Austin actress Karen Kuykendall has her ashes kept under the stage, isn’t that crazy?! (What’s even crazier is that there are no “r”s in “Kuykendall”!)
The Topfer Theatre has a LEED Silver Certification
Over 70 new parking spots have been added to the ZACH Theatre compound
40 new trees were added to the lot, as well
The AC and other mechanical components of the theatre have a separate foundation from the stage – this is to minimize any possibility of noise and rumbling during performances.
The theatre’s design is taken from the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago (the house is a little narrower)
The theatre house seats ~420
The theatre was designed by the same architects who did The W – Andersson-Wise Architects

Now, for the good stuff – the pictures (please note that the theatre is still having final touches done to it – not fully finished yet)!

: The walk up.

: The beloved Martin Burke welcomes you!

: The first floor lounge, where they will have a full bar and concessions.

: Wow. I can’t wait to see a show here.

: The magnificent house of the Topfer Theatre. I die.

: One of 4 actor dressing rooms. Nice digs.

: This is where the two foundations in the Topfer Theatre meet. To reduce any possibility of noise interference during productions, the theatre has all of its clink and rumble-prone machinery put on a separate foundation.

: The women’s restroom at the Topfer Theatre. Quite an upgrade from the old theatre!

: Another view of the sky lounge.

: The interior of the 2nd story sky lounge in the Topfer Theatre.

: The view from the 2nd story sky lounge at the Topfer Theatre. At night, it’s supposed to be even more incredible. Imagine sipping a cocktail with this view!

: Be on the lookout for performance of famous balcony scenes to happen at this exterior, front-facing balcony of the theatre. I’m also told that the balcony will actually end up being made of glass, rather than the metal pictured here.

For more incredible pictures and theatre fun facts – check out Bryan Kosarek’s Gay in Austin Texas Blog.

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Interested in searching for Austin homes for sale in or near Downtown Austin? Be sure to check out our property search to view Austin homes for sale.

Additionally, here are some condominiums in Downtown Austin that are near the theatre – to learn more about these individual buildings, visit their pages:

Filed Under: austin art, austin condos, austin lifestyle, Austin photos, images, austin recreation, austin small business, austin towers, austin towers and high rises, development, downtown austin, high rises, urban family

Jude Galligan | July 8, 2012 | 8 Comments

The ONE & ONLY Way To Activate Downtown Austin Parks On A Regular Basis

Have you been to any of downtown Austin’s parks recently?

I walk near and around them almost everyday. Yet, they fail to draw me in.

Over the last couple of years, Republic Square Park has received a nice face lift. Smart people and private money ensured the auction oaks are preserved and cared for. Add to that good programming such as the Alamo Drafthouse’s Movies in the Park and the Saturday morning farmers market.

Republic Square is doing the best of the downtown parks. Still, most of the time downtown Austin’s parks are empty. That’s the unfortunate truth.

And, this is the reason:

During the week (daytime) Republic Square Park offers nothing to attract workers, visitors, or residents. It is neither a conduit nor a destination for most people.

Here’s how we fix it. [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin parks, downtown austin, urban family, urban planning

amber gugino | June 18, 2012 | 1 Comment

Glee. (Indirectly) Making Downtown Austin a Little More Environmentally Friendly

Oh, Glee. I sometimes enjoy you, but often I am overcome with shame for watching you. But, last week – you actually accomplished something useful. Because of you, Glee, I finally recycled my big ol’ bag o’ batteries.

Okay, let me explain. See, up until last week, I had been keeping this huge Ziploc bag stuffed with used up AA batteries under my kitchen sink. I didn’t know where to take them and I always seemed to forget to Google a nearby location. So, the bag o’ batteries just kept getting bigger.

And then I started seeing this Glee PSA about recycling batteries. Over. And over. And over again. [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin condos, austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin recreation, austin restaurant reviews, austin retail, austin small business, downtown austin, life, life in austin, miscellaneous, retail, small business, urban family

amber gugino | May 23, 2012 | 12 Comments

Fishing Pier Coming to Lady Bird Lake in Rainey Street, Downtown Austin

The focus is on inclusion. That’s what Nicole Harmon of Core Health Foundation, a non-profit spin-off of Core Health (a for-profit facility focusing on rehabilitation of those suffering with brain injuries), tells me. The project is a fishing pier, located on the northern shore of Lady Bird Lake, just south of the Holiday Inn off I-35 in the Rainey Street District. The project has been in the works for over 8-years, but was officially approved in 2010, and construction is expected to be complete in 2013. And while the driver and primary purpose of this project is for [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin parks, Austin photos, images, development, downtown austin, Downtown Austin Districts, lady bird lake, life, life in austin, miscellaneous, Rainey Street District, Real Estate, urban family

amber gugino | April 2, 2012 | 6 Comments

Wanderlust LIVE – Open House on April 13th

We wrote about the changing face of the Railyard district not too long ago, and one of the new establishment mentioned was Wanderlust, a new Yoga Studio and Live Music Venue that’s opening soon on the northeast corner of 4th and Brazos.

Well, we’ve recently learned a bit more about the concept and wanted to share…..

So a short summary of the back-story – apparently, Austin locals Ashley Spence Clauer and Joanna Kutchey were so inspired by the Wanderlust Festival, that they decided to bring it to Austin!

And here are some excerpts from a press release sent by their marketing department directly to our office:

Located in a revamped historic warehouse in the heart of the entertainment district of downtown Austin, Wanderlust LIVE’s impeccably designed space is not your average yoga studio. Featuring two studios—one for regular classes and one with a built in stage and top of the line sound and lights—the 6,000 square foot Wanderlust LIVE will offer Austinites a new place to rock out, consciously.

……

Truly bringing the festival experience home, Wanderlust LIVE will feature organic eats by Austin’s Blenders and Bowls—serving healthy and delicious organic acai bowls, natural fruit smoothies, coffee, tea and more. The studio’s outdoor patio seating will provide ample space to eat, relax after class or sip a beverage at Wanderlust happy hour. At all live music and other special nighttime events, attendees also may enjoy organic beer and hand picked biodynamic wines. And inside, the Wanderlust LIVE Boutique will offer specialty yoga gear and apparel.

It looks like this place is going to have a few uses – retail, restaurant / bar, live music venue, and yoga studio. What’s not to love? And, they’ll be hosting an open house on April 13th, the Friday before they open to the public.

I know that I’m getting a little excited about it after reading about it – and will definitely want to check it out!

Filed Under: austin neighborhoods, austin news, austin recreation, austin retail, austin small business, downtown austin, life in austin, miscellaneous, Railyard District, retail, small business, urban family

amber gugino | April 20, 2011 | 13 Comments

Downtown Austin Home Bicycle Tour (Free Tickets – $44 Value)

We are awarding 2 free tickets ($44 value) to 1 lucky DAB reader for this AWESOME bike tour happening this Saturday, April 23rd, beginning at 9:30AM. MEET UP AT WHOLE FOODS ON LAMAR. Winner will also receive 2 FREE Downtown Austin Blog t-shirts (priceless?)! [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin news, austin parks, austin recreation, austin small business, austin transit, downtown austin, life in austin, small business, urban family

amber gugino | March 18, 2011 | 1 Comment

Live (Work, or Play) in Downtown Austin? Join DANA (Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association)

Jude and I are both on the board of the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA) – a grassroots community organization dedicated to improving the lives of those who live, work, and / or play in the Downtown Austin Community. It’s an organization that we believe in, and an organization that is affecting positive change in our community.

For our readers who are downtown residents (or, who spend a significant amount of time downtown for work or for pleasure), I urge you to become a member of the organization.

A little info: [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin condos, austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin news, austin parks, austin recreation, austin small business, development, downtown austin, Downtown Austin Districts, Downtown Austin lofts, condos, apartments, high rises, life, life in austin, miscellaneous, small business, urban family, urban planning

amber gugino | February 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Fat Guy Cycling Club – Downtown Austin Bicycle Rides

My friend Zeke had a vision. He had a vision to make workouts fun and accessible to guys who don’t usually work out and who generally don’t really like working out. He had a vision to blend exercise with exploring. Zeke (and the other founding members of the group) made his vision into reality with a small (but growing) bike club call “Fat Guy Cycling Club.” The group does weekly (weather permitting) bike rides around central and downtown Austin, usually followed by a pretty manly lunch. Downtown Austin Blog loves his concept, and asked him to write a very short blurb on his group….

amber gugino | December 13, 2009 | 6 Comments

G’Raj Mahal Cafe (Not Garaj Mahal) – MENU, HOURS, and REVIEW: Indian Restaurant Now Open in Downtown Austin

9/25/2012: Breaking news….G’raj Mahal announces through their Facebook page that they are expanding! 2nd Location will be at 73 Rainey Street, and it looks like they will have live music. Check out our story on the details of G’raj Mahal’s expansion here.

7/3/2012: Updated menu below! Large groups should note that G’raj Mahal now only takes a maximum of 3 credit cards per order – no matter how many people are in the group. I was told by a server that this policy has been around for years, but I’ve been with several large groups there and June 2012 was the first time this happened, so I think it’s actually relatively new. This policy seems particularly odd to me personally because the minimum credit card order there is $10 (last time I checked, unless they’ve changed that, too), so logic would tell me so long as the total bill for each card is larger than $10, there shouldn’t really be an issue from a fees perspective. I guess maybe it has to do with the servers not wanting to take the time to run multiple cards? I’ve asked Sidney Roberts, the owner – but she has yet to give me a response or reason on the issue….will keep you updated!

Incidentally, it’s also worth noting that the gratuity for parties of 5 or more is now 20% (it used to 18%, per their older menu).

7/2/2010: G’Raj Mahal is currently open from 5pm-12am on Weekdays, 5pm-3am Fri-Sat. CLOSED Mondays. Also looks like all delivery will now be going through Longhorn Delivery (contact info on menu). G’Raj Mahal is BYOB!!!

Sidney, the owner also wanted me to let everyone know that the lamb is halal, blessed, and grassfed – for those following strict diets.

REVIEW:

If somebody asked me what I thought about eating Indian food made in a truck, my *go-to* response would be – “less good choice.” At least, that was until I tried G’Raj Mahal Cafe (no website yet, but you can find them on Facebook), located at 91 Red River Street in Downtown Austin. Ummmmm…super yummy!

This gem opened a couple of weeks ago, and when I had the opportunity to try it out the other day, I was very pleasantly surprised. I had the Vegetable Goan Coconut Currie with the Classic Vegetable Samosa, which was all washed down with a Mexican Coke:

Looking at the menu, I initially thought the pricing seemed way super high. After all, this is food made from a trailer. However, the food was made to order, tasted fresh and high-quality, and the portions were generous. While I still think it’s a bit on the pricey side, I also believe that it’s worth it.

**UPDATE 12/14/2009: The owner (Sidney aka Ms. GM) just contacted me to tell me: “FYI…We reduced our prices this week slightly for the entrees as much as we could. However, we use such high grade ingredients, we are somewhat restricted to obey our food costs. We will soon have a late night menu with $5-8 items like naan wraps, lamb burgers, Indian “taco” salad, and spicy goan sausages.” Once I’ve received the updated menu, I will post it.

G’Raj Mahal Cafe does table service and take-out. The table service I experienced was friendly (even deferential) and the overall vibe was good. I would note that there is no indoor seating, but the outdoor seating is covered, and what I would describe as breezy, surrounded by peacefully flowing pieces of gauzy white fabric. Here’s a shot of the typical table:

Overall, I think it’s a good, unique addition to the downtown Austin restaurant landscape, gives the east side of Congress a quality casual dining option, and is a small business that I will support. It’s just a few steps from our residence at The Shore Condos. My only real complaint so far is that it’s only open for dinner (from 5pm-3am everyday). I think a Saturday/Sunday lunch (business permitting) would be awesome.

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