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Your A-List: Best Pool Hall
Good pool halls are dark, cavernous, smoky, offer a huge array of tables and hopefully have some music playing and a dartboard are two. No wonder, then, that The Grand (formerly Eric’s) on Airport Boulevard is the winner of this week’s Your A-List poll for Best Pool Hall.
The Grand, which took home 40 percent of the vote, is located in a non-descript strip center a few blocks west of I-35 and always seems to have available tables, a fact that seems to be greatly appreciated by the eclectic and friendly crowds who frequent the joint. The Grand also earns points for having a friendly bar staff and its massive bar.
Others receiving votes
- Buffalo Billiards, 22 percent
- The Warehouse Saloon & Billards, 12 percent
- Clicks Billiard’s Inc., 8 percent
- Stardust Club, 6 percent
- Dave & Busters, 5 percent
- The Side Pocket Billiards, 4 percent
- Main Event Entertainment Center, 2 percent
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The sly genius of Norm MacDonald
Norm MacDonald, one of the funniest men in comedy, took the stage a couple of weeks ago for the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget, formerly of “Full House” and currently of ironic iconic status as an actor playing himself and overcussing comic. As you may be aware, these roasts usually feature ‘friends’ of the roastee and various comics generally doing very blue humor. Leave it to MacDonald to break the roast mold.
After a scathing first few acts, which, while hilarious, featured mostly homophobic jokes and blue humor that unfortunately can’t be repeated or linked here, MacDonald came out with an intentional ironic juxtaposition of styles and a nod to the meshugeneh comics of the legendary Friars Club in New York, where these style of celebrity roasts became legendary.
MacDonald, who sat reading a sports page through most of the acts, refused to play to expectations of the night, but did play exactly to type. While his dry humor and intentionally flat jokes from 50 years ago may have made many in the audience roll their eyes or wonder what the hell was going on, he absolutely killed with the comics on the stage. Much like his time on the anchor desk at “SNL,” which ended way too soon, it seems MacDonald continues to leave many in the general public scratching their head while his peers roll with laughter.
(If you wanna see some people really get loose, including octogenarian Cloris Leachman, and Gerg Giraldo and Jim Norton, who seem to only kill at the roasts, just search for the roast on YouTube. But it is very blue, as you can imagine; so you’ve been warned.)
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Rage Against the Machine to, well, rage against the machine in Denver
Anyone who has seen YouTube footage of (or was lucky enough to be at) Lollapalooza in Chicago knows that Rage Against the Machine is back, in full effect. The politically charged band which recently got back together to the delight of fans everywhere were on fire in Chicago, and now they are bringing their message this month to Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention.
From the press release:
Rage Against the Machine has joined forces with the Iraq Veterans Against the War and Tent State University to perform as part of the “Tent State Music Festival to End the War” on Wednesday, August 27 at the Denver Coliseum. They will join the Flobots, The Coup, State Radio, and Wayne Kramer. Doors open at 9:30 AM, show begins at 11:00 AM. Tickets are free and available by lottery. Sign up for the lottery, with a valid photo ID (person must be present) at Tent State University at Cuernavaca Park between 11AM and 6:30 PM (look for the Tent State Music Festival booth near the IVAW Tower) Sunday, August 24 through Tuesday, August 26 during the D.N.C. Winners will be notified by email Tuesday evening, August 26. Go to tentstate.org for more info.
For a taste of what fans in Denver can expect, check out this Rage clip from Lollapalooza.
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Your A-List: Best Dive Bar
Someone stumbled home to his computer from a long night of swillin’ beer and tellin’ lies just in time to put Lala’s over the edge in the Your A-List poll for Best Dive Bar. The North Austin bar with charm beat out the classic Deep Eddy Cabaret and Ginny’s Little Longhorn by four and five votes respectively. The close race proves that despite tapas bars, condos and nouvaue cuisine, many Austinites still hold the dive bar near and dear to their hearts, as well they should.
Just like any good dive bar, Lala’s, which is located on Justin Lane just off of Burnet Road, features a pool table, killer jukebox, seputagenarian bartender, confined space for drinking that instigates conversation between strangers, a host of colorful regulars and a full bar, naturally. And the pièce de résistance, year-round Christmas lights. You ain’t gonna find that at no yuppie bar on West Sixth Street.
Others receiving votes
- Hole in the Wall, 10 percent
- Horseshoe Lounge, 8 percent
- Poodle Dog Lounge, 7 percent
- The Jackalope, 6 percent
- G&S Lounge, 6 percent
- Carousel Lounge, 5 percent
- Baryfly’s, 4 percent
- Scoot Inn, 4 percent
- Trophy’s, 2 percent
Write-ins: C. Hunt’s Ice House, Donn’s Depot, Ego’s, The Ginger Man
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Your A-List: Best Queso
Everybody in Austin seems to have an opinion about everything. And nowhere is that statement more evident than when it comes to queso. The Your A-List poll for Best Queso was as hotly (no pun intended) contested as any we’ve had, with four different establishments taking home double-digit percentages of the vote. In the end, Austin landmark Kerbey Lane narrowly edged out the even older landmark Matt’s El Rancho 17 percent to 16 percent for the crown, while Torchy’s and Magnolia Cafe rounded out the top four with 14 and 12 percent respectively.
With everyone and their madre serving queso in Austin, you can’t just melt some Velveeta and call it a day. You have to somehow set yourself apart. Kerbey has done so by adding guacamole to their queso, and offering the upgraded Cowboy Queso, which features black beans and guacamole covered with queso and topped with pico de gallo. According to their site, the stuff is so popular that the folks at Kerbey make 150 gallons of the award-winning queso every week. I think my heart just exploded.
Others receiving votes
- Maudie’s, 9 percent
- El Arroyo, 7 percent
- Z Tejas, 5 percent
- Polvo’s, 5 percent
- Sazon, 4 percent
- El Mercado, 4 percent
- Nuevo Leon, 3 percent
- Zocalo, 2 percent
- Azul Tequila, 1 percent
- Santa Rita, 1 percent
Write-ins: 10th Street Tacos, Alamo Drafthouse, Chango’s, Chuy’s, Curra’s, El Chile, Fonda San Miguel, Jaime’s Spanish Village, La Perla, Lamberts, Manuel’s, Posse East, Rio Grande, Texadelphia, Texican Cafe, Tres Amigos, Uncle Billy’s, Vivo
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Kanye West vs. The Charlie Daniels Band
For years now, political strategists have studied consumer habits in music, food, shopping, etc. to help gauge voters’ political affiliations and to better target their candidates’ communications.
For instance, these highly paid strategists look at research data on whether people prefer to shop at Whole Foods or Wal-Mart, drink Bourbon/Scotch or Gin/Bourbon, etc. Very scientific stuff.
It looks like these pollsters can now add a few more questions to their list, such as Black Eyed Peas or The Charlie Daniels Band? Willie Nelson or Gretchen Wilson?
According to a report in the New York Times Caucus blog, the two parties being planned for the national political conventions could not be more opposite, with the Republican National Convention’s line-up looking ready to party like it’s 1988.
A sampling of what to expect at each convention:
Democrats National Convention in Denver
Music
- Black Eyed Peas
- Willie Nelson
- Kanye West
- Jerry Jeff Walker
- Jennifer Lopez
Celebrities
- Quentin Tarantino
- Spike Lee
- Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Neil Patrick Harris
- Cheryl Hines
Republican National Convention in St. Paul:
Music
- Gretchen Wilson
- Cowboy Troy and John Rich
- The Charlie Daniels Band
- Sammy Hagar
Celebrities
- Tim Daly
- Kerry Washington
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Confessions of a junkie
I have spent hour upon hour upon hour locked inside my dark living room for the past month, interrupted only by quick visits to my local dealer for a fix and to the kitchen for rehydration supplies. I have a problem, and I’m big enough to admit it.
I’m addicted to “The Wire.” I know my chase of the dragon is about six years later than many, but after listening to and reading the (this season’s political buzzword) full-throated endorsements of the show by friends and critics for years, I finally fell into the abyss that is addiction to one of the most engaging and intelligent shows in the history of television. Once upon a time I battled with a brief addiction to “24,” but that show is the Pixy Stix of TV narcotics compared to “The Wire.” After renting the first disc of Season 1 just a few weeks ago, I have now watched every episode of the Peabody Award-winning show’s first four seasons.
Created by David Simon, the HBO show, for those of you who have been living under a rock, explores the socio-political dynamics of Baltimore set against the city’s police department and its relationship with the community and the criminal justice system. Very simply stated, the show has an incredible ability to weave multiple compelling narratives while dramatizing the social issues that have led to the plight of Charm City’s crumbling inner city. Generally refusing to pass judgment on many of the characters (with the exception of corrupt politicians), “The Wire” instead portrays most as victims of circumstance, caught up in a zero-sum game that leaves everyone frustrated with a cemetery’s worth of bodies in their wake. The writing, acting and cinematography all represent the best of what TV can be, with each show engaging the emotions and intellect of the breathless viewer in the way the best crime novels do.
As I neared the end of Season 4 last weekend, I took a few breaks, slowly stringing out the final remnants of the fuel to my addiction. Imagine my relief, joy and surprise then when upon returning the last of the discs to I Love Video, I was told that Season 5 would be coming out next Tuesday, Aug. 12. Until then I guess I can go back and listen to the commentaries to keep the shakes at bay.
(If you haven’t watched “The Wire,” get thee to a video store post haste. But make sure to block out a few weeks from your social calendar in advance. And stock the fridge. As an aside: I find it sad, weird, troubling and ridiculous that several of the actors from the show are not getting stronger film parts now. That should, and I hope will, change.)
Photos: Meet the cast of “The Wire”
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Your A-List: Best Basketball Courts
Located in the lovely park located off of MoPac that marks the northern terminus of the Johnson Creek trail, the courts offer solid footing, good nets and even better competition. Granted, it’s no Rucker Park, but when you tire of playing at your gym’s court (or on your Xbox) and want to really test your skills, slap on a headband and head over to the crowded Enfield courts on a weekend or after rush hour on a weekday and see what you’ve got.
Others receiving votes
- Downtown YMCA, 25 percent
- Barton Hills Playground, 7 percent
- Shipe Park, 6 percent
- Walnut Creek, 5 percent
- Brentwood Park, 4 percent
- Adams-Hemphill Park, 3 percent
- Clarksville Park, 3 percent
- Tanglewood Park, 3 percent
- Alamo Park, 2 percent
- Gillis Park, 2 percent
- Ramsey Park, 2 percent
- Wooten Park, 2 percent
- Givens District Park, < 1 percent
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Your A-List: Best Place to Buy Used Records
To be the king, you gotta beat the king, and as it stands now, Waterloo Records doesn’t look to ready to leave its throne as Austin’s preferred music source any time soon. With 68 percent of the vote, one of the anchor’s of the Austin music scene is the winner of the Your A-List poll for Best Place to Buy Used Records.
Although it may have moved locations since its birth in 1982, and quadrupled in size, the mission of Waterloo to promote good music from around the world and Texas in particular, has never changed. And while there may be t-shirts, bumper stickers, DVDs and more for sale at the venerable store on Lamar Boulevard, they still carry that which rests in the heart of all good music lovers — vinyl. With over 5,000 used records, and a selection of new vinyl that grows daily, Waterloo continues to be a beacon for audiophiles and music lovers from Austin and around the world.
Others receiving votes
- Cheapo Discs, 11 percent
- End of an Ear, 6 percent
- Half Price Books, 5 percent
- Antone’s Records, 4 percent
- Austin Record Convention, 2 percent
- Backspin Records, 2 percent
- DJ Dojo, 1 percent
- Sound on Sound, < 1 percent
- Friends of Sound, < 1 percent
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SlyDial introduces a new way to be a coward (or shy)
Oh, the Internets, is there anything you can’t do? A co-worker recently passed along to me a site that must be a tentative teenager’s wildest dream, or a timid person of any age, for that matter. You ever wish you could call that girl/boy whom you met the previous night (or three nights previously, or whatever the “rule” is) but didn’t really have the nerve or desire to talk to the person? Maybe you just wanted to leave them a message asking them to call you or telling them how awesome you thought they were. Enter SlyDial.com. The internet site allows you to bypass the chance that the person you’re calling may actually answer the phone, instead directing you straight to their voicemail. To use the service, you simply dial 267-SLYDIAL from any landline or mobile phone, and when prompted, enter the U.S. mobile phone number of the person you want to “slydial.” From there you are immediately connected to the person’s voicemail. And the service is absolutely free. Timidness solved, gamesmanship advanced.
Of course, you could also use the service for calling back a client or a parent to whom you don’t want to talk, but I think we all know who will get the most mileage out of this service. Gentlemen, start your cell phones.
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Your A-List: Best Place to Rent a Canoe/Kayak
When you’re driving over one of the bridges crossing Lady Bird Lake on a sunny day, you’ve probably noticed that the lake is often spotted with canoes and kayaks. Ever wonder where all of those watercraft come from? A safe bet would be that many of them originated at Zilker Park Boat Rentals, with 50 percent of the vote, the winner of the Your A-List poll for Best Place to Rent a Canoe/Kayak.
From 10 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends until the summer sun sets over West Austin, you can rent a watercraft from the folks located inside Zilker Park for either $10 an hour or drop $40 and paddle all day to your heart’s content.Whether you and the family or a date want to head out for a leisurely paddle or you’re just looking for some alone time on the water, with a fleet of 17-foot Alumacraft and Grumman canoes and both Frenzy and Malibu Two Ocean Kayaks, Zilker Park Boat Rental has you covered.
Others receiving votes
- Texas Rowing Center, 17 percent
- Austin Canoe & Kayak, 20 percent
- Rowing Dock, 11 percent
- REI (north location), 3 percent
- Lone Star Kayaks, 3 percent
- Kozmik Kayaks, 1 percent
- Capital Cruises, < 1 percent
- Mud Outdoor Center< 1 percent
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Your A-List: Best Arcade
Live music, art exhibits, comedy? Sure, those things are nice, but who doesn’t like a good old-fashioned night of video game playing? Add to the mix food and cocktails, and Dave and Buster’s has come up with the recipe for alternative adult entertainment. With 56 percent of the vote, the arcade that doubles as a bar and restaurant serving a variety of standard pub grub and a host of cocktails and assorted beers, is the winner of the Your A-List poll for Best Arcade.
Others receiving votes
- Main Event, 21 percent
- Austin’s Park and Pizza, 15 percent
- Blazer Tag Adventure Center, 5 percent
- Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex, 3 percent
Write-in: Einstein’s
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Austin author appears on ‘The Daily Show’
If you were watching “The Daily Show” last night, you may have seen a silver-haired gentleman with a bit of a Texas-Kentucky hybrid accent talking to Jon Stewart about how Americans are becoming segregated by their beliefs. That kindly gentleman was Austinite and former Statesman staffer (and O.G. blogger) Bill Bishop, author of “The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America is Tearing Us Apart.” Bishop examines how people sort themselves “largely according to lifestyle, and that correlates these days with politics. The net result is that moderation is out and homogeneity is in,” according to Bishop.
In a nod to his city of residence, Bishop even referenced a Statesman article about how gun sales have been strong in the Austin area this summer due to some buyers’ fears that the next administration could tighten gun regulations.
Check out the video of Bishop below, as well as this informative article from The Economist. If you are more aurally inclined, check out the engaging podcast my good friend did with Bishop for the The Economist, direct from Austin’s own The Green Muse coffee shop.
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Oliver Stone’s ‘W.’ trailer
The trailer for Oliver Stone’s new film “W.” has hit the Internets. I am sure the White House and Republicans in general will be thrilled at the depiction of the 43rd president. From the trailer it seems as if Stone will portray the former Texas governor as a rudderless young man hooked on booze, women and general good-timin’ who failed his way upwards, disappointing his family at every turn before finally getting his act together and ascending to the nation’s highest office. Sounds like one of those it-would-be-funny-if-it-wasn’t-true type stories.
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Review: Kathy Griffin at The Long Center
Kathy Griffin has had a long, if not illustrious, career in entertainment dating back almost 20 years, as evidenced by the mildly humorous and somewhat self-serving montage of clips that ran prior to her introduction at The Long Center Friday night. But her true rise to stardom, and the reason she is now able to sell out shows for over 2,000 people, can be attributed to her hit reality television show, “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.”
Apparently, after considerably minor television success left her wanting, Griffin figured out the best way to get more fame was to be shameless and extremely self-effacing in promoting herself as a fringe star who could get no respect from an industry that she in turn decided to deride on any and every occasion. Call it a variation of the Rodney Dangerfield syndrome. If she was going to get little respect, she was going to call attention to that fact and then dice up those who were getting the star treatment despite marginal talent and gigantic egos.
Say this for Griffin, her strategy has been a huge success thanks in large part to her ability to swallow enormous amounts of pride that most celebrities would find unthinkable. As a result, Griffin has positioned herself as the dissed everywoman. Unfairly overlooked for bigger talents, she’s used her animus to fuel her hysterical cries that the emperor has no clothes, the role of emperor in this case played by much of the Hollywood establishment.
After a few local references to get a crowd that needed no cajoling even more smitten with her, Griffin began her show by discussing rumors about Lindsey Lohan’s sexuality. “Let’s get her, shall we?” Griffin asked the audience. This line of interrogation more or less set the mood for 90-plus minutes of celebrity gossip and bashing. From Lohan to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, from “The View” (from which she has been banned) to “The Hills” Griffin’s entire act played out like an audio version of US Weekly or a gossipy blog. Truth be told, one who does not kneel at the altar of celebrity chat might have a difficult time navigating the name-infested waters of a Griffin show.
Some comedians mine comedy gold using irony, wit, high-brow satire or prescient observations about the human condition. Griffin? Not so much. She plays to the audience’s most simple natures, taking a four-letter-word knife to the heart of their dual fascination and disdain for the culture of celebrities.
Not a joke teller, Griffin simply shares stories about her brushes with celebrities and the personal opinions she has about them. And she’s got a lot of both. To her credit, Griffin knows her audience and she has them eating from her hand from the first riff to the last as she impressively meanders in a stream-of-consciousness manner. In her acerbic style, Griffin demystifies celebrities, and calls them out for their flaws, and here is where she really finds her connection with the audience. These celebrities are overpaid, over-privileged cartoons who need to be taken down a notch, and revealed as flawed human beings — just like the rest of us. In the old days, she’d be called a sassy broad who doesn’t take any guff. She’s the girl at the dinner party who calls it like she sees it and says what others are too scared to utter for fear of being considered callous or politically incorrect. Unfortunately, all of her targets are so obvious and generally such caricatures of themselves already that their mere existences are the joke. Oprah Winfrey is an omnipotent narcissist? Tom Cruise is delusional? Kim Kardashian is famous simply for having a sex tape? Well, knock me over with a feather.
Griffin has become one of the head contractors in the cottage industry of celebrity gossiping. That combined with her unabashed self-promotion and ability to make jokes at her own expense have led her to a level of fame she probably only once imagined possible. And, if anyone’s got a problem with that recipe, in the words of her recent DVD (and much of her merchandise on sale Friday night), “Everybody can suck it!”
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United States Art Authority closing
What started out as a catch-all performance venue to help promote the Austin arts scene is no more. At least for now. The United States Art Authority announced today that it is closing its doors effective immediately and indefinitely. The space, owned by the proprietors of I Luv Video, Spider House (to which it is adjacent) and Eco Clean, has hosted myriad creative endeavors over the past year, from fashion shows to lounge acts, with attendance ranging from sparse to sold-out.
Details from the owners are a little vague regarding the shuttering of the performance space and bar, but it apparently stems from problems with the city.
“We really thrive on the vibrant culture of Austin, and our efforts have always been to participate and promote this scene in our own small way,” said co-owner John Dorgan. “That’s our great strength, and that’s why we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to work with the city to reopen the Art Authority in the coming months.”
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Is ‘Wall-E’ overrated?
Statesman film critic Chris Garcia and I both coincidentally ended up seeing the Pixar film “Wall-E” Thursday night, about a month after its release. I had pretty high expectations going in, as the film had received boffo response from critics and audiences alike. Leaving the movie, I was mildly entertained and maybe a little touched, but I was puzzled by the incredible response to a film I thought to be only a little above average. With that in mind, I e-mailed back and forth with Garcia today (Friday) to get his take. What follows are the printable parts of our conversation.
Matthew Odam: OK, so maybe something is wrong with me, but I don’t quite understand all of the fuss surrounding “Wall-E.” Critics were uniformly wow’d and Rotten Tomatoes has it as its highest rated film, just barely beating out “The Dark Knight.” Wow! I appreciated the message, and the lack of anthropomorphism, but I thought it was kinda boring. Is something wrong with me?
Chris Garcia: First, yes, there is something wrong with you. You possess a heart of coal. Second, forget Rotten Tomatoes. They gauge on a “thumbs-up/thumbs-down” system, so even if you sorta liked a movie, it registers as a positive review. I would give “Wall-E” three stars, despite experiencing yawning (and I use that word deliberately) chasms of boredom watching it. I started thinking of the weather and moose during the middle part of the film, not a good sign
M.O.: I would agree with three stars. The first part did not have dialogue for maybe 15 minutes, save for Fred Willard’s character doing that speaking billboard thing. It bored me a little, but I did like the neo-realismo slant to things: A war-ravaged country in which people (a robot) searches for human connection and identity. Maybe that’s a stretch, but I liked the post-apocalyptic visuals, although was bored by the lack of dialogue. But the second and third acts spiraled into the expected.
Chris Garcia: I’m a little tired of the knee-jerk hosannas for all things Pixar. “Ratatouille,” in my estimation, is pretty lame, yet the critics and crowds went equally gaga over it as they are on the charming if emotionally hackneyed “Wall-E.” Don’t get me wrong: Pixar makes MIND-BLOWINGLY quality films — I adore both “Toy Story” movies, “The Incredibles,” “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters, Inc.” Still, I expect a little more critical vigor applied to them, not just responses guided by sheer gut delight. Now, I think the first 20 minutes of “Wall-E” are by far the most hypnotic, charming and conceptually interesting. (Small correction, MO: It’s not a ‘war-ravaged’ Earth; it’s just been polluted and poisoned by its own inhabitants for livability.)
M.O.: You say ‘tomato’ … I KNOW it’s not actually war ravaged, but the idea in the sense of destruction is somewhat similar, despite the thematic importance in both of how that ravaging ocurred. I have not seen an animated movie in the theaters since “Ants,” but I did like how this one was not about cutesy animals talking and going for cheap laughs. But between that (fortunate for me) absence and the fact that the movie is very a much a meditation on how humans are becoming lazy and absorbed in and by technology and losing our ability to relate to others, and even ourselves, I don’t see how in the world this movie was attractive to children. I know it should be G-rated because there is no real violence or lewdness, but I can’t imagine how or why a 9 year-old would like this film. Maybe kids are a lot smarter and more conscientious of socio-political and psychological matters than I was at that age, but, I just don’t see its appeal to kids, especially with the plodding open and its complete lack of dialogue.
Chris Garcia: And also let’s make it clear that we are only having this discussion out of MILD puzzlement over the angelic choruses we’ve been hearing about “Wall-E” and how it doesn’t quite live up to such blinding, high-wattage enthusiasm. That said, I do think kids are more aware and downright smarter about these things today. And I think the film’s message is nicely integrated into good old fashioned storytelling. Maybe it’s the pacing that’s off and could possibly bore kids. For me, it was when people entered the story that things got predictable and followed old cartoon story patterns and my sense of wonder waned. Suddenly even the robots were acting like people and the film stopped taking chances.
M.O.: Sure. I only thought it worthy of a little bit of discussion because we both saw it on the same night several weeks after it came out to some serious, serious praise. I did think there were some interesting similarities between the “Buy-N-Large” world in “Wall-E” and Mike Judge’s film “Idiocracy.” Yet, with one, “Wall*E,” the stuido gets behind it and pushes it like crazy, and in the other, “Idiocracy,” the studio did everything it could to prevent the film from being finished and distributed. Maybe Judge should stick with animation.
Chris Garcia: The analogy to “Idiocracy” is unavoidable and germane. Pixar’s lucky NO ONE saw the (underrated) Judge flick.
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Your A-List: Best Morning News Anchor/Team
When you wake up in the morning, you want to be greeted by a television personality with whom you can connect, someone who feels like a friend or part of the extended family. In a competitive market with several familiar faces, it is with distinction then that Univision 62’s recent addition Leslie Montoya, host of “Despierta Austin” (“Wake Up Austin”) has earned the top spot in the Your A-List poll for Best Morning News Team/Anchor.
One of Ms. Montoya’s already loyal viewers shared her opinion of the broadcaster with us via email: “I love Leslie. I think she’s very articulate and her enthusiasm is contagious, and we really like when she’s on the air.”
Others receiving votes
- KXAN: Sally Hernandez and Chris Willis, 32 percent
- KEYE: Fred Cantu and Elizabeth Dannheim, 17 percent
- KVUE: Melissa Gale and Jason Hill, 5 percent
- Fox 7: Joe Bickett and Katherine Kisiel, 3 percent
- News 8 Austin: Todd Boatwright, < 1 percent
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Your A-List: Best Sno-Cones
The Your A-List poll for Best Sno-Cone was a classic north vs. south battle. Representing South Austin was the popular SnoBeach Hawaiian Shaved Ice. But hailing from North (north-central) Austin, it was Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs, with 33 percent of the vote, that took home the honors.
Built out of an old white house, Casey’s sits at the corner of 51st Street and Airport Boulevard. Bringing the snowball tradition of Southern Louisiana to the hot climates of Austin turned out to be a no-brainer for original owners Suzy Casey Gallagher and Kit Thompson. The stand has been serving up soft flavored ice with vibrant flavor and color now for over a dozen years in the eclectic neighborhood it calls home. With over 60 flavors of shaved ice, ranging from Bostom cream pie to bubble gum, there is something for every sweaty body with a sweet tooth.
Others receiving votes
- SnoBeach Hawaiian Shaved Ice, 32 percent
- Raspas, 20 percent
- Jim-Jim’s Waterice, 8 percent
- Sno-Cones, 3 percent
- Snocones, 2 percent
- Shelby’s SnoCones, < 1 percent
- Baety’s Snocones, < 1 percent
- Snowcones, Etc., < 1 percent
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Your A-List: Best Tapas
Sure Texans love steaks and barbecue and other hearty foods. But we’re not some kind of barbaric class who can’t enjoy small plates with a more international flare. Even someone in cowboy boots on can admit to enjoying the convenient delicacies of tapas. With 39 percent of the vote, the winner of the Your A-List poll for Best Tapas in Malaga.
The beauty of a tapas restaurant is that if you don’t like what you’re eating, try a bite of something else. The menu is vast, from red peppers stuffed with goat cheese to warm artichokes with manchego to smoked chicken raviolli, and with an extensive wine menu, you can spend all evening mixing and matching flavor components until you feel as if you couldn’t eat another bite (read: plate).
Others receiving votes
- Saba, 19 percent
- Fino, 12 percent
- Louie’s 106, 11 percent
- Tierra del Fuego, 5 percent
- Segovia, 4 percent
- Hyatt Regency Austin’s Marker 10 (write-in), 4 percent
- Taste Select Wines, 3 percent
- Wine Cellar at Barton Creek Wine Bar, 2 percent
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Matthew McConaughey: Public Frienemy #1
With Michael Barnes of Out and About fame out of town enjoying some much deserved time off, I guess this little piece of “news” falls to me. The oft-mocked sometime-Austinite Matthew McConaughey and his girlfriend Camila Alves are featured in the latest OK! Magazine, as the actor who came to fame playing Wooderson in “Dazed and Confused” opens up to the magazine about the details behind the birth of the couple’s son, Levi.
And, per his M.O., McConaughey left nothing back in his ecstatic oversharing of the ritual of chilldbirth. Some of the pure gold from brutha Matt:
“Contractions started kicking in, and we found a great rhythm,” McConaughey told OK! “We had a 14-hour session, her and I did. I sat there with her, right between her legs. We got tribal on it. We danced to it. I was DJing this native Brazilian music.”
Alright, alright, alright.
Matt Mc also shared his thoughts on realizing that his child was a boy, just as the couple had expected.
“I had him for the first 15 minutes because they had to take care of Camila,’ he relates. “I said, ‘Come here, little man.’ I saw the [male appendage] and screamed that we’d been right all along about him being a boy. Then I brought him over to her.”
The story in OK! will probably lead to more sarcastic jabs at JKL for being an oversharer and a self-involved, country boy neo-hippie. But I must admit, despite the fact that I don’t really need to know the details of his child’s birth (nor, probably does anyone), in a world of celebrity artifice and careful calculation, Public Frienemy #1 generally just lets ‘er rip, critics and public opinion be damned. Whether he is doing a bit with his panphilosophical, earth god shtick or just loves sharing his unabashed joy of his life, the wonders of the universe and his body, you gotta admit the dude commits and seems content to leave the inordinate amount of psychoanalysis, judging and critiques of his perceived narcissism to waft away on the wind.
JKL,new dad.
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Actually it was formerly Eric’s Billiards. Just FYI.
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Congrats to the staff and owners!!
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