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Austin, Fashion/Design, Writing

Citygram: Austin’s Newest Interactive Digital Magazine

citygram_header_srgb2

There’s a new digital magazine on the scene!

Citygram, a new Austin lifestyle app created by Apartment Therapy writer Chris Perez, aims to bring some of Austin’s brightest, smartest and stylish writers straight to your Ipad.

Some of your favorite local personalities have teamed up with Citygram: Tolly Moseley from Austin Eavesdropper, Joanna Wilkinson from Keep Austin Stylish, Jess Simpson from Forgiving Martha, Amy Lynch from OneSmartPopTart, interior designer Sarah Stacey, artist Callen Thompson, Dr. Alex Carrasco and designer Chris McCray (p.s. I’m a contributor too!)

To learn more about this fun new venture, check out Citygram’s Kickstarter campaign and social media profiles:

 

April 11, 2013 by
Austin

Education Innovation: Austin’s PelotonU is Making Higher Education Debt-Free

pelotonu

Surrounded by people who have their Master’s degrees, I often feel like a friggin’ idiot toy with the idea of going back to school.

Until I think about all the debt I’ll accumulate, which is a soul-crushing thought since I’ll essentially be debt-free this year.

During undergrad, I was one of the lucky ones. College cost me next to nothing due to being raised in a single parent, low income household. If I didn’t get the aid and grants that I received, college would have been extremely difficult, maybe even impossible. Though my mother would have held a butter knife to my neck and forced me to go to college ensured I went to college, I would be tens of thousands of dollars more in debt.

College is not cheap, and with reports that high-skilled labor is on the decline, some speculate that higher education might not be worth the price tag (current average: $24,000).

With that being said, that is why the program I’m about to share with you is absolutely essential.

PelotonU is (more…)

April 10, 2013 by
Austin, Music, Pop Culture

If You Love Depeche Mode and Joy Division, You’ll Love Austin-Based Band Knifight

knifight

You know that special moment when you randomly walk into a bar, completely unaware of what musical act is playing there that night, and as you’re ordering your drink, you hear the most transfixing music pouring in from the back? You make your way through the crowd and find yourself planted in front of a five-piece band creating a sound conglomeration of your favorite musicians: m83, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, INXS, any wonderfully moody synth music over the past three decades…

I’ll never forget that night at Cheer Up Charlie’s when I first saw the Austin-based Knifight.

We were scouting locations for our film Loves Her Gun (Cheer Up Charlie’s makes an appearance in it!), and we fell so in love with Knifight’s music, that we asked if we could use one of their songs in our movie. The song we used is one of my all-time favorite songs by anyone: “Girls Don’t Get Crushes”.

If you don’t fall in love with Knifight after listening to that song (and the others listed below from their (more…)

April 4, 2013 by
Austin

Austin Changing: Why My Love for Austin is Being Challenged

austin skyline

When I first drove into this city five years ago, I fell head over heels in love.

Lately, my undying love for Austin has been challenged.

I’ve learned the hard way that writing about Austin as though I’ve lived here a long time will provoke scorn, but to hell with it. Even within the five years I’ve lived here, I’ve seen rapid growth that makes one’s head spin.

Austin has been in influx for decades, but it’s hard for anyone to argue that the “big city” changes have been most prevalent these past 5-10 years.
Unlike LA and NYC- who came into their own decades ago- we’re watching a city grow and mold right before our eyes.

Readers make fun of writers who talk about Austin as though they’ve lived here a long time because they write articles titled this: “Austin is ch-ch-ch-changing: Give up the hate and embrace the non-natives who make our city great.”

This article, which I wrote in January of 2012, was from the perspective of someone who was confused as to why Austinites were (more…)

April 1, 2013 by
Austin, Film, Music, Pop Culture, Writing

Has SXSW Music Gotten Too Big For Its Britches?

SXSW crowd

 via www.lauragibsonmusic.com

 

Well, SXSW is over.

We all survived.

We had a busy week with our film, Loves Her Gun. I won’t bore you with the details, but if you’re interested in reading reviews, awards etc. that the film received, check out our Facebook page.

Participating in the film portion of the festival spoils you. It’s contained and organized, no unofficial events surround it and you casually run into peers and friends within the Austin film community and beyond. It is always a pleasure and a treat to experience this part of the festival.

I could tell the second that SXSW Film and Interactive had ended and Music began when we tried driving out of our neighborhood. Living on the eastside now means you co-exist with official and unofficial music events. No longer do you have to live a couple of blocks east of downtown to experience this; you can live as far as a few miles away to feel the effect. The story I’m about to tell you I already shared on my Facebook (more…)

March 18, 2013 by
Austin, Film, Pop Culture

SXSW Film 2013 Infographic: How Many Films Used Crowd Funding This Year?

Amanda Farmer at Austin Freelance Writer was kind enough to share with me her fascinating infographic on SXSW Film 2013 stats.

It gives tremendous insight into the what films will be debuting at SXSW and how many were crowd funded (our film Loves Her Gun was partially funded by Indiegogo and USA Projects).

I also spy one of our film’s actresses, Heather Kafka, in the infographic!

Make sure to check out Amanda’s work here!

 

SXSW film infographic

 

March 6, 2013 by
Austin, Film, Hipstercrite Life, Pop Culture

One Week Before SXSW!

lhg

 

It’s one week before SXSW starts and one week and one day before the premiere of our film Loves Her Gun.

I’m nervous and I’m excited and hopeful and fearful.

What if no one likes the film?

What if during the film, the audience collectively rises in a wave of anger, throws vegetables or dead animals they had been hiding in their purses and pockets at the screen and tackle me into the theater seats to ensure my broken arms never write again?

Like George McFly to Marty when he sheepishly explains why he can’t ask Lorraine out, “I don’t know if I could take that kind of a rejection.”

This movie is my density.

I’m scared shitless!

I’ve never experienced anything like this.

Will you still love me even if my dangling broken limbs are covered in tomato juice?

Over the next week, I’ll probably be posting a significant amount about the film since it will be taking up a good chunk of my life.

It’s a tough industry and every share and retweet about our film (more…)

March 1, 2013 by
Austin, Music, Pop Culture, Writing

RSVPster: Revolutionizing the SXSW festival going experience

rsvpster

Have y’all heard of RSVPster, yet?

How could you not with their recent FREAKIN’ AWESOME Forbes interview and all.

This brilliant service created by one Austin woman, Jennifer Sinski, is revolutionizing the festival going experience.

So, we all know how insanely Godzilla-like SXSW has become, right? All the unofficial parties, shows, taco face-stuffing contests and free swag that is open to us is often hard to keep up with. Sinski, who was already the go-to party RSVPer for her friends, came up with the idea in 2011 to have a concierge service that does the SXSW RSVPing for you- all for a mere $40. Not only will RSVPster get you on the list of every open, unofficial party and event at the festival, they will also send you a full calendar of dates and time to update to your iCal or Google Cal.

In its first year, RSVPster proved to be popular and Sinski brought on business partner, Miles Dahmann. Word of mouth spread quickly and the site gained customers and press. Now in its (more…)

February 26, 2013 by
Austin, Hipstercrite Life

Why I Need to Meet More Jews

Woody Allen Jewish

I need to meet more Jews.

I came to this conclusion last week after talking to a Jew.

They’re somewhat elusive here in Austin, so anytime I come across one it’s a big freakin’ deal.

Why is it such a big deal?

Because I’m Jewish.

Because when I come across another M.O.B. (Member of the Tribe- a phrase a fellow Jew shared with me), the world and my life finally make sense.

Let me be clear: like many religion-challenged Jews, I’m non-practicing.

My grandmother was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household. At a certain turning point she was like “fffff this shit” and turned her back on the religion. She raised my mother in the Whatever faith, who subsequently raised me similarly. Needless to say religion has never been the terrifying and guiding light in our lives. All my close family members call themselves “spiritual” and shoot the shit with God in their own ways.

Though we didn’t go to temple and because the faith ran down my mother’s bloodline, the Jewy-ness of my (more…)

February 13, 2013 by
Austin, Fashion/Design, Pop Culture

Most Romantic Places in Austin to Instagram on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is coming up!

Since it’s an Instagram world and we all have to live in it, I’ve compiled a list of local spots to take obnoxiously adorable photos with your sweetheart on V-day. You won’t be the first couple to take photos here and you can count on your future kids barfing when they see these cutesy photos of their ‘rents, but heck, it’s your love and you can do whatever the hell you want with it. If you want to suck face in front of Jo’s Coffee while a professional photog snaps your photo, suck away.

Note to Austin-area business owners: If you want to receive a lot of foot traffic and free press, put a romantic mural on the outside of your building. Thank me later by giving me free swag from your business.

What do you think is the most romantic spot in Austin?

you're my butter half austin

The “You’re My Butter Half” toast & butter pat street art on the side of the United Way building 2000 E. MLK – photo via me!

i love you so much austin

The simple yet sweet “I love you so much” text written on the side of (more…)

February 12, 2013 by