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20-Something, Austin, Hipstercrite Life, Pop Culture, Travel

I’ve Angered Some People in Detroit

The weirdest thing happened the other day. The piece I wrote about what the next hipster cities will be was read by more than 45 people and my mother. In fact, in some of the towns I mentioned in the post, the article got passed around like a cheerleader in a frat house (sorry to any of you who were cheerleaders. I’m not sorry if you were in a frat).

The article predicts that Chattanooga, Tennessee, Asheville, North Carolina, Burlington, Vermont, Detroit, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Richmond, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland will be the next hipster cities.

My article did not sit well with everyone and even prompted a few humorous articles in Detroit in where I’m lambasted for making fun of a city I’ve never been to (it’s true…though like the hipsters I mentioned in the post, I would love to go to Detroit to see all the delicious ruin porn). One article titled “Dear People Who Don’t Know Anything About Detroit, Your Jokes Are Dumb“, I particularly liked. Even Curbed Detroit (more…)

February 24, 2012 by
20-Something, Austin, Hipstercrite Life, Travel

What Are the New Hipsters Cities to Move To?

Sometimes it feels like there is no place more hipster-plentiful than Austin, Texas. The city has become the poster child of what young creatives and entrepreneurs are discharging into this world. When you look up the word ‘Austin’ in the thesaurus, the words, ‘old-timey facial hair,’ ‘your grandmother’s eyewear,’ ‘college degree in food carting,’ ‘bee hive hoarding’ and ‘Which Wich eating‘ appear. It’s true that there is no escaping the fauxhemian gorilla-whale that is running amok in our city.

But are other cities unscathed by the beast? Smaller, up-and-coming cities that are like how Austin was before ‘we’ showed up? Cities that hipsters can flock to now that other, older hipsters have crimped their style of being on the forefront of a burgeoning scene? The answer is yes.

Are other cities unscathed by the beast? Smaller, up-and-coming cities that are like how Austin was before ‘we’ showed up?

Forget Austin, forget Brooklyn, forget Portland, forget Silver Lake. What are the (more…)

February 22, 2012 by
Austin, Film, Pop Culture

SXSW Official 2012 Film Line-Up

SXSW just released their official 2012 film line-up yesterday and there are a lot of goodies.

Over the next weeks, I will be posting about some  of the must-see films of the year.

In the meantime, check out the list of films below.
Narrative Feature Competition:

Booster

  • Director & Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin
  • When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.
  • Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail
  • (World Premiere)

Eden

  • Director: Megan Griffiths | Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips & Megan Griffiths | Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim
  • A young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive.
  • Cast: Jamie Chung, Matt O’Leary, Beau Bridges, Jeanine Monterroza, Scott Mechlowicz
  • (World Premiere)

Gayby

February 2, 2012 by
Austin

Update Regarding the Death of Esme Barrera

For those of you familiar with the tragic New Year’s Day death of Esme Barrera or read about it on my blog, the police just announced that the prime suspect in her murder was found dead of an apparent suicide on January 12th. You can read more details at the Statesman or The Chronicle.

The suspect was implicated in several other attacks and sounded like one terrible piece of shit. I’m glad he won’t be able to harm anyone ever again.

I’m so happy that the city of Austin has some sort of answers and I can only pray that the police are right and this will help the Barrera Family have some closure.

January 27, 2012 by
Austin

Austin Is Changing: How Do You Feel About It?

On my CultureMap column, I’ve written a number of posts about how wonderful Austin is and how much I love this adopted city of mine. For this, I’ve received comments telling me to “go home” and that “I’m the problem with Austin’s recent changes.”

These comments make me think of a conversation I had with a waitress at relatively new neighborhood restaurant here in town. The restaurant does not stay open late and caters towards respectable diners, but that hasn’t stop a disgruntled neighbor from chasing down patrons who park in his neighborhood with a hammer.

I think it’s fair to say that some Austinites don’t like change.

The only other town where I saw physical opposition towards not just newcomers, but visitors too, was Marfa, Texas, where a man in a cowboy hat stalked us down Main Street giving us a sermon about the evil city dwellers from Austin, New York and LA.

Change can suck ass. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

I’ve been here 3 1/2 years and even I can remember (more…)

January 23, 2012 by
Austin

Shit Austinites Say

Taking cue from the popularity of “Shit That (insert whomever here) Says”, Austin filmmaking troupe, PossumBox, made this endearing film about the stuff that comes out of Austinites’ mouths. At first I thought this was going to be a biting portrayal of the pretentious hipster jargon that comes out of our mouths, but instead, I think we come across as kind of adorable. What do you think?

Follow these guys:

PossumBox website
PossumBox Twitter
PossumBox Facebook

January 16, 2012 by
Austin, Music

Freddie Mercury Tribute Night Means I Whip Out The Ol’ Chest Hair

ulovei is throwing a sexy tribute night to the man, Freddie Mercury.

I fell in love with the poster art. Isn’t this beautiful? Let’s just take a moment to digest how atractive this artwork is. DO IT!

If you’re into deceased amazingly flamin’ dudes with mustaches and dressing like them, like I am, then check out this Freddie Mercury tribute night next Wednesday, January 18th at the North Door 501 Brushy Street. No cover. 9PM-2AM

I will never be as pretty as Freddie Mercury, though I try and I try 🙁

 

January 12, 2012 by
Austin, Music

Learning Secrets Turns 8 Years Old!

One of my face event throwers/DJs/all ’round cool dudes, Learning Secrets, is turning 8 years old this year. Can you believe it? 8 is the age of a freakin’ 2nd grader! I think. Right? Aren’t we 8 in second grade?

Anyways, they’re planning a big event to celebrate and you should go. Here are the deets:

On Saturday, January 28th our little party is turning 8 years old! We’re going to announce the full line up in a couple of weeks, but we wanted to make sure that since you’ve been a huge supporter for years, that you get a chance at some super discounted tix!

 You know we like to go big for anniversarys. Pat Mahoney from LCD Soundsystem and Andy Butler from Hercules & Love Affair DJed a few years ago. We flew in Classixx and Woolfy for their first time in Austin, and last year we brought back old favorite Tim Sweeney and introduced everybody to the LA band Kisses. This year we’re flying in a band from NYC that we’re huge fans of, as well as two local bands destined to have a (more…)

January 12, 2012 by
Austin, Film, Pop Culture

How Do You Find a Unicorn and Make it Cry?

There is so much talent coming out of Austin, it makes me want to barf. In a good way. Like cotton candy barf.

Austin filmmakers & writers David Ward, John Ramsey and Jack Dreesen and actor Byron Brown made a genius Doritos spec for the chip company’s Super Bowl commercial contest.

It looks like their entry was popular, but didn’t win, which is STUPID! If only marketing agencies could come up with as brilliant spots!

This will be the best 30 seconds of your day.

What do you think? Should they have won?

January 5, 2012 by