The Blanton Museum Of Art – Cool Things To Do In Austin
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Found at The University of Texas at Austin, the Blanton Museum of Art offers enrichment and inspiration to visitors of all ages through it’s original works of art and serves as a connection between the University and the world through art and culture, The Blanton Museum offers intellectual and visual stimulation through beautiful and valuable art. Besides the permanent collection of over 17,000 works in a variety of mediums such as Western European Art from the 14th through 20th century and modern and contemporary art from the Americas, you will find exhibitions with a broad range of artistic expression and history.
“The Blanton Museum of Art is one of the foremost university art museums in the country and has the largest and most comprehensive collection of art in Central Texas.”
Because of a generous gift from Archer M. Huntington, whose wife, Anna Hyatt Huntington was a noted sculptor, the Blanton Museum of Art was born. The monies from Huntington provided a portion of the cost for the new building in 1963.
At the time of this writing the Blanton Museum of Art is offering these wonderful special exhibits:
The Rules of Basketball: Works by Paul Pfeiffer and James Naismith’s “Original Rules of Basket Ball”
Into the Sacred City: Tibetan Buddhist Deities from the Theos Bernard Collection
Restoration and Revelation: Conserving the Suida-Manning Collection
William Hogarth: Proceed with Caution
Future exhibits:
Through the Eyes of Texas: Masterworks from Alumni Collections
Lifelike
The Nearest Air: A Survey of Works by Waltercio Caldas
Imperial Augsburg: Renaissance Prints and Drawings, 1475-1540
Just to name a few.
Some past exhibits include:
The Collecting Impulse: Fifty Works from Dorothy and Herbert Vogel
The Human Touch: Selections from the RBC Wealth Management Art Collection
American Scenery: Different Views in Hudson River School Painting
The Marco Polo Syndrome: Contemporary Cuban Art
Go West! Representations of the American Frontier
While you are visiting the Blanton be sure to check out the Blanton Museum Shop where you’ll find art-inspired gifts including jewelry, textiles, ceramics, games and puzzles. And don’t forget to stop by the Blanton Cafe for salads, pizza, sandwiches and drinks.
Blanton Museum of Art
MLK at Congress (200 East MLK )
Austin, Texas 78701
Front Desk: (512) 471-5482
Admission Cost
Current UT faculty/students/staff – Free
Adults – $9
Seniors (65+) – $7
College students with valid ID – $5
Youth (13 – 21) – $5
Children 12 & under – Free
Active-duty military receive free admission year round
For More Information
Be sure to check their website for parking and holiday hours – http://blantonmuseum.org/visit/hours_and_admission/
Also there’s a two for one coupon – http://blantonmuseum.org/files/2012/deccoupon.pdf
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Austin Neighborhoods – Georgetown
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Georgetown is known as the Red Poppy Capitol of Texas because of the burst of Wild Red Poppies that happens in the town every spring. They even have a festival of the same name each April.
If you haven’t been to Georgetown you are in for a special treat. Located only 20 miles north of Austin, Georgetown is well known for its Historic Architecture in the downtown and residential neighborhoods. Over 180 Nationally Registered Historic homes and buildings create a one of a kind charm that feels like something from long long ago.
Georgetown is the county seat of Williamson County. One of the many wonderful things to do there is visit the Inner Space Caverns. The story goes that in 1963 the Texas Highway department was drilling through 40 feet of solid limestone when they came upon what is now the Inner Space Cavern. One of the employees was lowered into the cave while standing on the drill bit. What a cool thing to see! “Among the amazing variety of formations found within the cavern you will see beautiful helictites, ancient flowstones, and giant columns.”
Besides the beautiful and preserved beauty of the city and downtown, you’ll find the oldest university in Texas in Georgetown. Southwestern University, only about a half mile from the downtown square. There’s a large retirement-oriented community called Sun City which constitutes more than one-third of the population of Georgetown.
For those beautiful sunny days, you’ll want to check out the nearly 9 miles of hike and bike trails along the North and South San Gabriel Rivers (which both flow through the city) and the beautiful granite trails that loop around the San Gabriel Park. There’s also a dog park located under a pecan tree grove, providing plenty of shade. And, there’s the Berry Springs Park and Preserve , this 300 acres is utilized for recreation such as camping, hiking and fishing. There are plans to have the 2.5 mile hike and bike trail connect to the city’s other trails.
Georgetown is a great place to live, it offers something for people of all ages and isn’t that far from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
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Cool Things To Do In Austin – The Driskill Hotel
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If your budget doesn’t allow a nights stay at the wonderful historic Driskill Hotel, you might just want to stop by for a before dinner drink to enjoy the turn of the century architecture and beauty.
The hotel was built in 1886 by cattle baron Jesse Driskill. It’s location in downtown Austin makes it convenient to some other wonderful destinations, such as The Long Center for the Arts, the Austin Convention Center, the Texas State Capital, Lady Bird Lake, the Moody Theater and a plethora of fine dining and shopping opportunities. And don’t forget about the famous 6th street for music and night spots.
The Driskill Grill has been featured in many ‘top’ lists including Zagat’s and has received many awards including Foder’s Choice Award and OpenTable’s Diners’ Choice Award.
If you are looking for a unique place to hold your company meetings, the Driskill could be for you. With over 18,000 square feet of meeting space and nine meeting rooms you might just find this to be an ideal and interesting place to do business. Uniquely combining beautiful decor, many historical reference, the rich colors of the Texas Hill Country and turn of the century elegance with up to date convenience and technology capabilities.
“All recently-renovated luxury accommodations include – A blend of contemporary and unique historical artwork, Custom Driskill beds with luxurious linens, Signature Driskill custom furniture, Spacious work Desk with complimentary wireless or wired high-speed Internet, Plasma televisions with pay-per-view movies and premium channels, Plush terry robes, Fine English imported personal care amenities, Regal bath linens, Artfully stocked mini-bars, In room safes, Custom vanities, showers and tubs. Guests have 24/7 access to the Executive Business Center including: Dell workstations, Color laser printers, Facsimile machines, Office supplies, Copiers, Secretarial services.”
Besides the above mentioned amenities the Driskill offers Pampered Pet Program, and Bike Rentals. For the children checking in, each child is deputized with a sheriff’s badge, receives a sheriff’s certificate signed by Colonel Jessee Driskill, the hotel’s founder, a Driskill Hotel coloring book and crayons and are treated to milk and cookies from the 1886 Cafe & Bakery.
Driskill Hotel Details
604 Brazos Street
Austin, Texas 78701
Reservations and Sales 800-252-9367
Local phone – 512-474-5911
More About the Driskill Hotel
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Austin Neighborhoods – Arboretum
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Personally, I love the funky vibes of the older parts of Austin. But, not everybody feels that way and I totally understand. The Arboretum is a bit different, with it’s own awesome youthful hip vibe. Some want to compare it to other cities, but no way am I going to do that. The beautiful and attractive area of Austin called Arboretum has more than just shopping. Although that’s another great reason to make it your home!
You’ll find all kinds of shopping here, a beautiful outdoor mall with the same name, and lots of other top retail names like Banana Republic, Pottery Barn, Barnes and Noble, Restoration Hardware and Nine West, just to name a few. You won’t be a bit disappointed in the variety and quality of the great restaurants, like Z-Tejas, Edgewater Grille, Manuel’s, The Cheesecake Factory, TGI Fridays, Kenobi Sushi, Thundercloud Subs and Amy’s Ice Cream just to name a few. There’s also a Randall’s, HEB, and Whole Foods located in the area.
This is a convenient part of town northwest of downtown Austin and only 20 minutes away, it’s an easy commute. But you may not need to commute, Arboretum area may have everything you need and want. Some of the areas top employers are near, such as IBM, the University of Texas research center, Dell, 3M, Motorola and Texas Instruments.
For the outdoor lovers there’s the Bull Creek District Park, with walking and bike trails, volleyball courts, picnic areas, a creek for swimming and even a dog park where your pets can go leash free.
With the high tech jobs and the younger vibe it’s no surprise that this area attract young professionals and families with children. There are plenty of apartments, condos, duplexes and townhomes here, and even some new construction homes.
With such a large selection of night spots, employment opportunities, movie theaters, gyms, health facilities, shopping and restaurants, you may never want to leave this awesome area of town!
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Austin Neighborhoods – Tarrytown
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You’ll find gracious homes, old churches and beautiful parks in the neighborhood of Tarrytown. It is a place to find upscale and affluent homes, both large and small. It is known as a clean and quiet place to live in west Austin. You’ll also find apartments, condos and duplexes for rent. The area offers easy access to downtown and the UT campus.
“The neighborhood is located in ZIP Code 78703 and is bordered by Lake Austin Boulevard on the south, Lake Austin on the west, West 35th Street on the north and Mopac Expressway on the east. Major roads in the area include Exposition Boulevard, Enfield Road and Windsor Road.” ~Wikipedia
In the heart of Tarrytown is Reed Park. The huge 6 acre park offers outdoor lovers several options of enjoyment, including a swimming pool, barbeque pits, a playground and picnic tables. There’s also a creek and nature trail. Tarrytown is home to the Lion’s Municipal Golf Course. Since 1934, many famous golfers have played on the course, including Ben Crenshaw. There’s a 22 acre park on the edge of the area, the Mayfield Preserve. The formal park offers beautiful gardens, tame deer, peacocks and ponds with water lilies. Next to the park is Laguna Gloria, a Mediterranean mansion built in 1915 that is now part of the Austin Museum of Art, offering classes and exhibits.
Another outdoor offering is Eilers Park, where you’ll find Deep Eddy Pool. This popular swimming pool is a summertime gathering place with movie nights in the warm months.
The Tarrytown shopping center offers vegetarian fare, but there are plenty of restaurants serving meat like Zoot, a five-star restaurant serving seasonal foods. Other restaurants include Hula Hut, on Lake Austin Boulevard and the well known Magnolia Cafe, open 24 hours and serving sandwiches and breakfast. There are two Randall’s grocery stores, one near the center and one on the south side.
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Cool Things To Do In Austin – Lake Travis
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If you love water sports Lake Travis is the place for you. This beautiful lake created by daming up the Colorado River is one of the most loved lakes in Texas. The Mansfield Dam, built from 1937 to 1941 is 266 feet high and 7,089 feet in length.
What makes this lake so popular? When you visit you will understand. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful with crystal clear aquamarine water, there are more fun things to do on this lake than one article can describe. But let me just list a few of the awesome offerings; sailboating, windsurfing regattas, competition ski boating, river cruisers and houseboats. Lake Travis offers marina facilities, public parks, boat ramps, picnic areas, restaurants, boat and jet ski rentals and lots more. And then there’s the weather, our 90 to 100 degree summer days are an obvious fit for some fun in the sun on Lake Travis.
And, yes, there’s plenty of fishing on Lake Travis as well, you’ll find Large Mouth and Guadalupe Bass, Catfish, Crappie, White Bass, Striped Bass and Sunfish…
“Lake Travis is noted for producing good numbers of large mouth bass, although they tend to run small. Very few trophy large mouth bass have been caught. White bass runs occur in the spring (February-May) in the major creek arms, the Pedernales River and the upper end of the Colorado River arm. A low-density striped bass fishery is available in the extreme lower end of the reservoir. Blue, channel, and flat-head catfish occur throughout the reservoir.”
If scuba diving is your thing, you are in luck, there are several off-shore opportunities including Starnes Island, Wreck Alley, Oasis Wall, Shaker Plant, West Point and Cypress Creek Wall. Arrange for any style of diving: Deep Diving, Night Diving, Navigation, and Exploratory Dives.
Still want more, how about biking, birding, hiking, camping, swimming, canoeing, people watching and tanning. Yes, we are pretty sure you’ll find whatever you are looking for on Lake Travis!
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Austin Neighborhoods – Barton Hills
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Barton Hills – The story goes that in 1837 “Uncle Billy” Barton first lived near the natural spring on the southern bank of the Colorado River, now the springs, pool, this and several other neighborhoods enjoy the name of the first resident.
Barton Hills is bounded by South Lamar and Zilker neighborhoods to the east, Barton Springs Road and Zilker Park to the north, Barton Creek and the Spyglass-Barton’s Bluff neighborhood to the west and the Capital of Texas Highway to the south. ~Wikipedia
In 1956 this beautiful hilly area was given life when Austin’s annual Parade of Homes was held in Barton Hills. The catchy slogan “the largest air conditioned suburb in the world” was created to describe the young neighborhood.
You’ll find easy access to Austin attraction from this well located area, like Zilker Park and Townlake. You’ll have no shortage of shopping with many stores like Central Market, Borders Bookstore, and Target close by. And the elementary schools are ranked high by the state, so you’ll find lots of young families and children.
You might want to start out your residence in Barton Hills in an apartment or a condo and then move into one of the ranch-style homes. There’s easy access to highways like Mopac and Loop 360 for getting to work.
The locals have given the shopping area to the south the nickname Bubbaretum, the idea is that south Austin is Bubba-friendly (this name is more about aging hippies than rednecks), this contrasts to the more upscale area to the north where you’ll find the Arboretum.
If you are looking for a beautiful laid back lifestyle with easy access to almost everything, check out Barton Hills.
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Vanishing Texas River Cruise – Cool Things To Do In Austin
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“Vanishing Texas River Cruise by Canyon of the Eagles is the premier ecological cruise of Texas. Departing from Lake Buchanan in the Central Texas Hill Country, our cruises provide you spectacular views of Lake Buchanan, the Colorado River, native Texas wildlife, waterfalls, world-class bird watching and wintering Bald Eagles.”
The Vanishing Texas River Cruise offers venue for your special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and corporate events. If you want something out of the ordinary, this is the cruise for you.
Besides helping make your special occasions super special this cruise line offers you the opportunity to travel the Colorado River canyon with raptor rescuers from Last Chance Forever, The Bird of Prey Conservancy. You will get to observe the release of once injured birds back into the wild and hear rescuers will tell the story of the journey and rehabilitation of the birds.
How beautiful the scenery and how exciting to watch birds given another opportunity to soar under their own power. This is a once in a lifetime adventure that you will remember forever. On-board the tour boat you will enjoy other interesting passengers including hawks, owls and maybe a beautiful bald eagle. This is wildlife conservation in action.
“Last Chance Forever is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that rescues birds of prey and along with Vanishing Texas River Cruise, a premier ecological tour group, partner to provide an awesome opportunity for a limited number of participants. Call soon, as seats are filled quickly.”
For Reservations Call
1-800-4 RIVER-4 – toll free
(1-800-474-8374)
512-756-6986 – locally
Learn More About This Exciting Opportunity
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Austin Neighborhoods – Hyde Park
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The first thing you’ll notice when you enter Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood is the beautiful architecture, trees and that most of the homes have front porches… And maybe the most wonderful thing is that you can walk to the local cafe!
“Located in Central Austin, Hyde Park is defined by W. 38 Street to the south, W. 51 Street to the north, Duval Street to the east, and Guadalupe Street to the west. It is situated just north of the The University of Texas and borders the neighborhoods of Hancock and North Loop. [2] Hyde Park traces its origins back to 1891 and is considered to be Austin’s first suburb.[3] The neighborhood was originally developed by Monroe Martin Shipe in 1891 as a “White Only” streetcar suburb with a large artificial lake, but it has since become one of the most densely populated areas in the city’s urban core.” ~Wikipedia
Today at the center of the community are several popular cafes, Mother’s (Vegetarian), Asti (Italian) and the Hyde Park Bar and Grill. Some of the local accommodations include Fresh Plus Grocery Store, a dry cleaners, Hyde Park Gym, and a shopping center featuring an H-E-B grocery store. You’ll also fall in love with the tree shaded streets, B&B’s and other unique businesses.
Every year the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association holds a home tour. There’s also the Elesabet Ney Museum, the former studio and portrait collection created by 19th century sculptor. The museum offers a range of educational programs, exhibits, special events, workshops and lectures throughout the year. And no story of this neighborhood would be complete without mention of the oldest golf course in Texas (built in 1899), Hancock Golf on east 41st street.
Because Hyde Park is so close to the University of Texas campus you’ll find faculty and students. There are many young professionals and families loving the quiet welcoming community.
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The Nutcracker – Cool Things To Do In Austin
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Ballet Austin Presents The Golden Anniversary Production of The Nutcracker – December 2012
Prepare to be delighted this Holiday Season as Ballet Austin celebrates the Golden Anniversary (50 years) of Austin’s Holiday Tradition; The Nutcracker. This production is the longest running in the State of Texas. Don’t miss this beautiful celebration for fans of all ages.
Each performance features a different Austin personality in the role of Mother Ginger. Be with Clara as she receives her gift of the Nutcracker. Feel her sadness when her beautiful gift is broken and revel in the magic as Drosselmeyer handily makes it new again. Then marvel as the tree grows and the toys come to life…
As if Ballet Austin isn’t treat enough, you’ll revel as Tchaikovshy’s wonderful score is brought to life by the Austin Symphony Orchestra!
Choreography by Stephen Mills
Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Featuring the Austin Symphony Orchestra
Celebrate with Us!
The Long Center
701 West Riverside Drive
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 474-5664
Performance Times
7:30pm | Dec 8, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22
2pm | Dec 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23
We wish you and your family the brightest and merriest Holiday Ever!
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