Monthly Archives: January 2012

This Weekend: FronteraFest

Frontera Fest 2012
If lackluster movies and television shows simply aren’t cutting it in the entertainment department, Hyde Park Theater’s got just the thing: FronteraFest.  The long-running annual event describes itself as “five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre.”  Its theatrical feats are accomplished thanks to a partnership with ScriptWorks, an organization that supports emerging playwrights and develops original dramatic work.  As FronteraFest’s popularity has grown over the years, it’s now spilling over from Hyde Park Theater into Blue Theater and Salvage Vanguard Theater, both on the Eastside. Ticket prices vary by performance; shows range from comedy to tragedy, with a heavy dose of absurdity to keep things fresh. It’s fitting, really, since Austin wouldn’t have it any other way.  The festival runs through February 18; visit Hyde Park Theater’s website for more details.

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Filed under Weekly / Ongoing Events

Cool Spot: Maoz Vegetarian Cafe

Maoz Vegetarian Cafe

There’s a new vegetarian mecca in town; Maoz has opened its latest location at The Triangle,  making Austin the latest city to join the veggie haven’s growing global empire. Its first cafe opened in Amsterdam in 1991, and it’s since franchised across Spain, France, the UK and the US. Its popularity lies in its freshly-prepared falafel, served in a pita or atop a salad, with a self-serve salad bar offering several dozen toppings from veggies and antipasti to sauces and garnishes. The Belgian and sweet potato fries are two beloved favorites, too, counterbalancing the chain’s predominantly nutritious offerings with just a little bit of salty sinfulness.  You can wash down your meal with fresh-squeezed carrot, apple or orange juice, or you can opt for a true classic – the Arnold Palmer (black tea and lemonade) to top it all off. Bon appetit!

4601 North Lamar Boulevard, in The Triangle
Visit the website for more info
Open Sun-Thurs 11a-11p, Fri-Sat 11a-midnight

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Filed under Cool Spots, Eatery

This Weekend: The Austin Gorilla Run

Why did the gorilla cross the road?  To get to the other side, of course. But why did the gorilla run a 5K across downtown Austin, though?  Simple: to benefit other gorillas who don’t get the chance to enjoy such tomfoolery.  The Austin 2012 Gorilla Run stomps through the heart of town this Saturday with proceeds benefiting the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund.  The event is… well, just what it sounds like: a 5K in which all participants wear gorilla suits for the 3.1-mile trek beginning and ending at the South First Street Bridge.  Although registration (available online) is $99.95 per person, the gorilla suit is included in the cost.  Live music and lunch (courtesy of Fado) will also be provided.

Saturday, January 21; see official website for more details.

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Filed under Annual Events, Events, Family Fun, Outdoors, Weekend Activity Ideas

This Weekend: Let the “Architects of Air” Luminarium Experience Blow Your Mind

architects of air

In 1992, the Architects of Air interactive light exhibit debuted outside the Sydney Opera House in Australia, and it’s been mesmerizing audiences around the globe ever since. This month, the acclaimed luminarium experience visits Austin, bringing with it a halting sense of ethereal majesty. Visitors remove their shoes and step into a large-scale, hand-made PVC structure vividly illustrating light and form in a visually stunning display throughout the elaborate journey from one end of the space to the other. Tickets are available for $8 per person on the day of visit; The Long Center proudly hosts the exhibit through January 20th.

Exhibit runs January 14-20; see the Long Center website for details.

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Filed under Art, Events, Family Fun, Weekend Activity Ideas

Cool Spot: Epoch Coffee, Open 24/7

epoch coffee

After a blissful break for the holidays, it’s back to the old grind in January. When we’ve been out of the office for so long, we can find ourselves with more work to do in a day than actual time to do it; for those late-night sessions that have you climbing the walls and needing to get out of the house, Epoch Coffee comes to the rescue.  Nestled into a residential neighborhood in north central Austin on West Loop, not far from Lamar Boulevard, the funky, laid-back coffee house is open 24/7 and has something for everybody.  If all you need is wi-fi and solitude, settle into a back corner table with a strong triple-shot latte; if it’s a little diversion you’re seeking, the old-school, living-room-style establishment has an assortment of books, newspapers and board games too.  With a simple selection of pastries, breakfast tacos, sandwiches and small snacks, you won’t starve during your all-nighter either, and in case you need to escape your professional bubble for a moment or two to break the monotony, the crowd and baristas are always up for conversation with new friends.

221 W North Loop Boulevard

Visit the website for more info
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week

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Filed under Coffee, Cool Spots, Eatery