Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2009 > October > 07
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Out & About Celebrity Roundup 10/07/09
Austin celebrities in the news for Oct. 1, 2009.
Some Texas stereotypes on the show, according to the Associated Press story: “One teen drives a Hummer, another mother fires off some rounds at a gun range and in a state that often brags about doing ‘everything bigger,’ there’s quite a bit of money being spent. The premiere of the eight-episode series also featured the group attending a polo match and one teen’s impending meltdown if she doesn’t get a Range Rover.”
The Houston Press, that city’s alternative weekly, put its hands on a delicious YouTube video of Dennis Quaid in 1978’s “The Seniors.” “It’s awesome in its `70s craptacularness: The hairstyles, of course, but so much more.” Ah, now that’s the charming Dennis I remember from Bellaire High School and the University of Houston, though he was also a pretty serious actor. (Not in this movie.)
Starstruck reporter Chris Littman spent a day on the Austin set of “Friday Night Lights,” and reported it for Sporting News. “If you didn’t know where the show was filming, you’d have no idea what was going on — except for the scattered production trucks throughout this particular neighborhood in Austin. (I was told Landry would kill me if I revealed the location.)” We won’t tell either, Chris, but it’s not that far from the newsroom.
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Your A-List: Best Running Trail
Not sure why we bother to count the votes in this category.
The Lady Bird Lake Trail outdistanced all others with 78 percent of the A-List vote.
Rugged, scenic Barton Creek Greenbelt fell way behind with 7 percent. Mystical Enchanted Rock State Nature Area — which seems to receive votes in A-List contests no matter the category — tied with Lake Georgetown and Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Um, are we talking about the one that’s 400 miles to our northwest?
Closer candidates — Pease Park, Walnut Creek Park, Bastrop State Park, McKinney Falls State Park and McKinney Roughs — lost to that far-out selection with 2 percent or less.
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Your A-List: Best Sandwich Shop
A relative newcomer beats two entrenched old-timers in the A-List contest for Best Sandwich Shop.
Thundercloud and Schlotzsky’s, which trace their Austin roots back decades, slathered up 22 and 7 percent respectively. Rapidly spreading Jimmy John’s took 6 percent.
Making do with 5 percent or less were Delaware Subs, Hog Island, Texadelphia, New World Deli, Texas French Bread and Jersey Mike’s.
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Your A-List: Best Music Venue
Austin claims more than 150 music venues. 150. Yet not all of them are ideal for consuming music. Blame lazy bookers, poor acoustics, chatty customers.
Stubb’s, alternating indoors and outdoors on Red River Street, pounded out 30 percent. Antone’s, originally home of the blues, now incredibly eclectic, fell far behind with 6 percent. Finely tuned the Parish got 5 percent, while critically acclaimed Emo’s drummed up 4 percent, Just ahead of indoor/outdoor La Zona Rosa.
Settling for 3 percent or less were Paramount Theatre, Momo’s, Elephant Room, One World Theatre, Beerland and Tim’s Porch at the Backyard.
Really, there’s not a bad spot on this list.
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Your A-List: Best Gym
Gyms serve many purposes in Austin. Fitness fits into the overall scheme. So does socializing, flirty or friendly. And for some, it’s just another place to go, a chance to get out of the house. Hey, if it leads to good health …
Virtually tying for second place were 24 Hour Fitness (3 Austin locations) and Lifetime Fitness (2 Austin locations), each taking between 16 and 17 percent of the tally. Veteran Gold’s generated 13 percent. UT’s renovated Gregory Gym and the YMCA pulled down close to 8 percent.
Ending up with 6 percent or less were Castle Hill, Hyde Park Gym, the Hills Fitness Center, Body Busienss and Premiere Lady.
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The Great Scotts at 5 Fifty Five
I had always wanted to see the high-rise residence of Elisabeth Challener and Brett Bachman.
Brett Bachman and Elisabeth Challener
The managing director of Zach Theatre and the high-tech exec live at 5 Fifty Five, the lofty homes in Hilton Austin downtown.
Dr. Bill Jones and Anton Nel
Although they don’t perch way up in the penthouses, theirs is a pretty expansive space with major views on three sides.
Ted Siff, Janelle Buchanan, Richard Hartgrove
Their indoor entertainment area is the size of our house, as is their unique patio, located above the health club and peeking down onto the hotel’s swimming pool.
Dave Steakley and Karen Frost
I was there mingling with the Great Scotts, the support group for Zach Theatre. Talk about your Fortunate 500 bonanza, including Joe Long in a bright blue, modern sports jacket.
Dennis Karbach, Mary Tally and Robert Brown
Part of the evening was devoted to “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the theater’s current production.
Lynn Yeldell and Robert Brown
Also to the soon-to-be-revealed renderings for Zach’s new theater campus plans at Riverside Drive and Lamar Boulevard. (Look to Jeanne Claire van Ryzin’s news reports on the subject.)
Just as some other major Austin arts groups are slowing down and turning inward, Zach appears to be opening up socially and financially.
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Hawks in the ‘Hood
For the second year running, a family of hawks has made its home in our Central Austin neighborhood. Their presence tells us something about the human and non-human evolution of our town.
Clearly, the green, fecund, mostly residential character of our city favors species that had abandoned such haunts during my youth. Protection against threats like hunters probably helps. Personally, I find their presence thrilling.
To judge from our neighborhood’s message board, however, not everyone is pleased. Nobody weeps over the loss of a few grackles or rock doves (street pigeons), but area chickens and show pigeons have also been harassed. A similar discussion arose last year when foxes returned to our yards with sly intentions aimed at area poultry and pets.
These human/non-human contacts do not take on the high drama that attend coyotes hunting the hills and canyons of West Austin (although I saw one not two blocks east of downtown). Or the rare report of a mountain lion in the wilds of our preserves. Still, hawks are pretty efficient predators and the discussion will not go away.
They also play into the ongoing tension between those who want to preserve the almost rural character of our near-in neighborhoods and those who negotiate for more urban-style density. Despite what some readers presume, I do not take sides. I like nature close at hand. But I also abhor sprawl, traffic and freeway culture. Which means, I’m open to enlightened, pedestrian-friendly density.
If we are going to stay green, we’re going to attract hawks. I can live with that.
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Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon lands on ‘Worst Bar’ list
The place of pride went to Newport Bar & Laundry in Chicago, Ill.: “The servers are rude as hell, and the prices aren’t that cheap, but you can do laundry there! They actually have washers and dryers! Why didn’t anyone think of that sooner?”
At least Comedy.com admits to its subjectivity: “to some people this list will read as the Worst Bars In America, to others it may read as the Best Dive Bars In America, and yet to others it may read as We Don’t Give A Damn As Long As They Sell Booze.”
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