Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2009 > May > 13
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Your A-List, Best Place to Get Married
That day you say “I do.” In front of other people. That’s the most important thing. They witness it. It’s a public, social act, not just the joining of two people already engaged.
(Kip and I traveled all the way to Toronto for this social blessing, but who’s complaining?)
In Austin, readers voted One World Theatre the best place to get married. The Italianate villa, planned as a private residence above Barton Creek, later a nonprofit theater showcasing world arts, it now is a premium location for tying the knot. Twenty-nine percent of you said so.
Laguna Gloria, last year’s winner, also located amid natural beauty, came in second with 16 percent. Green Pastures, the gracious grande dame of South Austin restaurants, took third will 11 percent. Zilker Botanical Gardens, right there in urban Zilker Park, earned 7 percent.
The next three — Barton Creek Resort, Vintage Villas and City Hall were virtually tied. As were the next three — Mount Bonnell, Mansion on Judges’ Hill and Umlauf Sculpture Garden. Garnering less than 3 percent were the French Legation, Plantation House and Caswell House.
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Your A-List, Best Sports Bar
A sports bar can be a thing of social beauty.
Which sports bar did Austinites choose for the top spot in the A-List poll? An oldie but goodie: Lavaca Street Bar, already a hang-out for amateur sports teams. And now with a Hog Island Deli attached. Lavaca Street scored 33 percent of the tally.
Third Base, the phenomenally successful venture with two big locations, came in second with 19 percent. Pluckers, also quickly expanding, racked up 14 percent, while the renovated The Tavern intercepted 11 percent.
Docs, also with multiple locations and a supremely informal feel, chalked up 9 percent, while Irish-themed Fado won 4 percent. Reckoning 3 percent or less were Aussie’s, Joe’s Bar, Bikini’s, Champions, Mulligans, Legends and Buffalo Wings and Rings.
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The Jaycees on the comeback trail
The Jaycees mixer at Cissi’s Wine Bar was a modest affair. A dozen people, politely spaced, introducing themselves and sipping top-flight wines.
Gregory Johnson, Jason McBridge
Almost everyone there had a story about the Jaycees, their Junior Chamber of Commerce memberships, their civic projects, including, in the past, the fireworks on Auditorium Shores.
Jason Denny, Rico Reyes
It wasn’t until the end of the recruiting meeting that I discovered — and had to ask twice to make sure I wasn’t mishearing — that only eight or nine people had signed up as Jaycees. Total. They need 50, I believe, to earn a chapter from the national organization.
Joe Chauncey, Shopia Cardenas
What had happened? The Austin Jaycees once claimed more than 1,000 members in the go-go ’80s. “The economy,” said one former Jaycee. But it had to be more than that.
Tim Owen, Raj Nadkarni
So when I got home, I did a few minutes of Google research to discover the 1984 Supreme Court Decision in Roberts vs. United States Jaycees. Seems the national organization resisted women as members. SCOTUS decided otherwise. Now I remember! Guess the whole thing fell apart. Still, there are men and women in small businesses hoping to gain leadership experience through civic projects, so why not reorganize along modern standards? Logical.
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Mayor Will Wynn’s Best Speech Ever
Just days before his term ended, Mayor Will Wynn gave the best speech of his career. Or at least in my hearing.
The Mayor
Acknowledging an honor from Leadership Austin at the home of Annette Carlozzi and Dan Bullock, Wynn spoke of the leadership lessons he had learned this week from the parents of Nathaniel Sanders II, the young man fatally shot by an Austin police officer. Raw with emotion, Wynn had spent an hour with the parents on Tuesday, after dealing with the post-shooting crisis on Monday. He credited Nathaniel Sanders Sr. with preventing more violence with his presence at the crime scene.
Daniel Roberts, Caroline Roberts
“Six years ago, I was about to take office, it was hot, humid, the economy was in a ditch,” Wynn said about another African American shot by an Austin peace officer. “Now, it’s hot, humid, the economy is in a ditch, and we’ve come full circle.” The two dozen guests — gathered for a sort of pre-party for Leadership Austin’s fundraising Best Party Ever in June — were visibly moved.
Lee Thomson, Leslie Lockett
I also spoke at length with co-host Carlozzi, about the home she shares with still-new husband Bullock. The Blanton Museum of Art curator carefully blended her collection with Bullock’s — the two came to the marriage with contrasting aesthetic tastes. I admired their view over a nature preserve below Jester Estates and their contemplative Big Red Sun landscaping.
Holly Jackson, Annette Carlozzi, Heather McKissick
I shuddered, however, upon seeing the mammoth Alexan apartment complex on a mountain across the canyon, and after hearing about feral pigs and coyotes snacking on neighbors’ pets.
Emily Shaw, Lulu Flores, Amy Welborn
Another conversation informed me of Lee Thomson’s post-Leadership time — she served as its director before Heather McKissick. “I sleep until I wake up,” she said, smiling contentedly. She and her husband traveled a lot in the first months of retirement, which was exhausting. Now she’s putting her toe back into civic involvement. Which is good, since there’s a lot of good will waiting for her return to the field.
