downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog
Perhaps you’ve noticed the elegant fashions in the window next to Annie’s on an evening stroll down Congress Avenue. Perhaps you’ve seen the sign with the simple, but apt, words “Dress Shop.”
Perhaps you haven’t.
But you should.
Dress Shop is, you guessed it, a dress shop selling dresses, jewelry, handbags, and ladies undergarments. It’s located 315 Congress Avenue, right above the Elephant Room, and just south of Annie’s. And the dresses are [Read more…] about Dress Shop Austin
Actually we’ve got a nice little Sunday planned. We’re going to Home Depot to pick out some wallpaper, then maybe we’ll hit Bed Bath and Beyond… I don’t know! I don’t know if we’ll have enough time….
That’s what you say if you’re Frank “The Tank” Picard and you live in the ‘burbs.
But, if you’re lucky enough to live in downtown Austin, your Sunday probably looks quite a bit different. I know mine usually does.
Take today, for example. This afternoon, I “trekked” over to Zach Scott Theatre to do a little volunteering, and was then actually lucky enough to be able to see the show that’s currently running on the Kleberg Stage – “Red Hot Patriot,” a play about the revered Texas icon, Molly Ivins (played by Barbara Chisholm). Good show. And, with the 2011 Legislature now in session, this play seems particularly appropriate to see. AND, for the antsy among us, it’s the perfect run time – ~78 minutes, no intermission, and they sell booze at the concession stand before the show. The fast and easy way to get in a little culture!
A couple of weeks ago, Jude blogged about a new African eatery opening up in the Rainey Street district.
Well, we’ve had a chance to try it – and a detailed review is on the way (basic review: bunny chow is yummy!), but in the interim, I wanted to post the menu. If any of our readers happen to try it – would love to hear your thoughts! See below (click for image page, then click again to enlarge)!
Over the past few weeks, an interesting “struggle” has been growing between Austinites on the issue of whether the Best Wurst sausage cart should have its sidewalk permit renewed to vend in front of Parkside Restauarant. The scene is the southeast corner of East 6th Street at San Jacinto, the heart of the East 6th Historic & Entertainment District.
Best Wurst has been selling yummy treats from its cart there for 17 years and has grown quite a popular customer following. The owner, Jon Notarthomas, is a hard-working Austin musician and entrepreneur. He pays $450 per year for the vending permit and transacts tens of thousands of dollars in business from his cart.
Parkside is a lovely fine-cuisine restaurant that opened in the circa-1920 building where Dan McKlusky’s steakhouse previously existed. Shawn Cirkiel, the chef, and his Austin family purchased their building, valued by TCAD at $1.6 million, and completely renovated the property when opening the restaurant a couple of years ago.
Sidewalk vending permits must be renewed every 3 years and it is now that time for Best Wurst. Parkside is opposing the renewal. There are many reasons involved but the basic one is simply “incompatibility”. This restuarant is not happy with having another food vendor directly outside of its front door. City officials are caught in the middle.
There are many opposing perspectives arising through discussions of this matter:
“Old/Iconic Austin” versus “New/Emerging Austin”.
Upscale dining versus inexpensive street food.
Property owner rights versus temporary permitted uses.
Large investments and big taxes on property+liquor+sales versus modest investments, small fees and sales tax only.
The sensibilities of Austin’s sidewalk vending permit process versus national best-practices for kiosk-style vending in public common areas.
The growing desire for East 6th to revitalize itself to make better 24/7 use of its century-old historic district presence versus maintaining its more recent four-decade reputation as “Dirty 6th” where young folks go to get shitfaced.
Phew. That’s a lot to take in right there.
What do you think about all of this?
Loads of media coverage and other resources available if you’d like to absorb further before weighing in: News story on the Austin American-Statesman’s Austin 360. TV coverage on News 8, Fox News and KXAN. Best Wurst’s website and its new Save The Wurst Facebook site with some 3,000 fans. Parkside’s website.
Looking for a quiet place to focus and get some work done? Look no further than the Tea Embassy. Located in the heart of Original Austin, this bungalow is filled with old-world charm.
[flickr-gallery mode=”photoset” photoset=”72157624435207150″]
