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austin

Hipstercrite Life

Home Is Where I Want to Be

…pick me up and turn me ’round.

Where is home?

Is it the house you grew up in? The house you shared with your parents and siblings and where so many beloved memories rest?

Is home the apartment you share with your partner? Your dog? Your friend? The place where you come home to after work, cook yourself a meal and stumble back to after a night out?

Or is home the place you created with your own spouse and children? The place you put so much time, money and energy into being safe, comfortable and loving.

Can you have multiple homes? Like the saying says, can home be wherever you want it to be?

I ask myself this question every time I fly back to Central New York, where I grew up, and every time I fly back to Austin, where I currently live.

And I can never find the answer.

 

farm fresh eggs finger lakes

fresh eggs from my child-hood friend Dan, the urban farmer

moosewood restaurant ithaca

outside Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY

moosewood restaurant eat your veggies

Eat your veggies!

watkin's glen family photo

Mom and Geoff at Watkin’s Glen, NY

you & i

Our first trip (more…)

June 4, 2013 by
Austin, Music, Pop Culture

Nothing Says Halloween Like a Karate Rock Band Wearing Prosthetic Limbs

My boyfriend has a band.

They’re called The Karate Kids.

They sing about the Karate Kid movies including the ill-advised remake starring Will Smith’s son.

They wear prosthetic limbs and perform each of their songs in the kicking crane position.

If this doesn’t sell you on them already, check out some of their songs. Side note- my boyfriend can’t sing. I will never tell him this and I hope you don’t either. It is a fact that he already knows and he doesn’t care. This is what I love about him: the determination to never give up and keep creating. Since he can’t sing, he ends up sounding like a cool higher-pitched Lou Reed/Leonard Cohen-hybrid.

Nicole Atkins (see below) played in the band for a few shows. Sissy Spacek likes them, and Bill Murray told them that he would go to one of their shows, but in truth, HE LIED and didn’t show up.

The Karate Kids are playing Halloween Night 9:15PM at East Austin’s non-douchey, two-steppin’ hipster hangout, The White Horse.

Details are here.

Hope (more…)

October 30, 2012 by
Austin, Fashion/Design, Hipstercrite Life, Travel

East Austin Named One of America’s Hippest Neighborhoods (pics)

Forbes’ named East Austin the  no. 7 hippest hipster neighborhood in America, beating out other popular spots  such as New Orlean’s Warehouse District and Downtown Portland.

Though there is nothing remotely groundbreaking about this honor, it’s always fun to see our little neighborhood mentioned in the press.

The Armageddon-like proportions of Austin’s allergies are making it difficult for me to walk, let alone think right now, so in lieu of a waxed poem about my beloved neighborhood, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite East Austin photos I’ve taken over the years.

Though I’ve had my ups and downs with the neighborhood, there is no place else I’d rather live in Austin (except for maybe Hyde Park).

 

Selfie at Longbranch Inn on 11th Street

Geoff at Thunderbird Coffee on Manor Road

An adorable (and tasty!) Iced Latte with homemade vanilla syrup from Vintage Heart Coffee on E. 7th Street

Delicious homemade bread bowl soup from Gourmands on Webberville (more…)

September 24, 2012 by
20-Something, Austin, Pop Culture

In Defense of the Hipster

My blog’s name is “Hipstercrite”.

I often write about hipsters for my website and others.

Those articles are often my most trafficked.

They’re also the ones that evoke the most wrath.

I can go off about our empathy-challenged Governor or how scared I am of the Republicans, but neither of these subjects compare to the flack I receive for writing about hipsters.

I recently wrote an article for CultureMap about the “10 Most Hipster-Inspired Restaurants, Food Trucks and Bars in Austin“.

It led to a slew of negative comments, though it’s currently one of the site’s most read articles.

My favorite comment being, “The worst part about hipsters is that they’ve led to the existence of Hipstercrite”.

People often comment on how much they dislike hipsters, how hipsters are ruining Austin, how smug hipsters are, etc.

I (not surprisingly) have people that simply won’t read me because of my writing moniker. They make sure to tell me this. They make sure to tell me how stupid (more…)

September 6, 2012 by
Hipstercrite Life

On Growing Up: When You Become Too Scared to Jump Into the Water

Last week, a friend asked me how many jobs I currently I have.

As I rambled off the list of regular employment and one-time projects for the month of September, I realized I counted all the way to 14.

It took hearing this to finally legitimize the stress I’ve been feeling lately.

Going freelance means you don’t know how to say no to opportunities. Or at least I don’t, yet.

If a project comes my way that works in my favor, even if it’s not substantial pay, I will take it.

This goes against many writers number one rule, but considering I’m still relatively new at this, I do not harshly discriminate.

Because of this weakness, I’ve found myself working 14+ hour days. Days that leave me mentally and physically exhausted. My back aches, my knees ache and I often trail off into a world of nothingness when speaking to another human being.

I’m not particularly fond of this current employment set up, but it’s “only temporary”, I keep telling myself.

As I’m sure we all do.

After (more…)

September 4, 2012 by
Austin

Everything You Always Wanted to Know (Or Not Know) About Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

Dudes, I got my wisdom teeth out last Friday.

Let me tell you something, the sound of your teeth cracking like  splintering wood is something you never forget.

NEVERRRR.

After a long gestation, I decided not to go with sedation against the recommendations of many friends.

Luckily, I was only having two teeth removed (one tooth never came into existence and the other is in hiding) and they were relatively easy extractions, otherwise I would have maybe, maybe, gone under.

But not only was it $400 cheaper not to be sedated, but, I’ll be honest, voluntarily putting myself into a  coma is a terrifying thought. It’s even more scary when you hold the knowledge that THREE SEPARATE PEOPLE you know of have died while in the dentist chair. THREEEE!

The alternative to being knocked out is Novocaine, which worked out perfectly.

Since sharing my wisdom teeth perils with friends online and in real life, I’ve discovered that a lot of twenty-somethings are in similar situations that (more…)

August 28, 2012 by
Austin

In.gredients: America’s First Zero-Waste, Zero-Packaging Grocery Store (pictures)

We all know Austin is cool.

In fact, Austin was recently named the fastest growing city in America again (I think I’m going to design a t-shirt that says, “I moved to Austin before it was cool to move to Austin”).

There are a lot of big ideas coming out of this unique city and now Austin can add another innovative business to its growing list.

In.gredients is the nation’s first zero-packaging, zero-waste grocery store in America. Located in East Austin, In.gredients boasts a wide array of locally-sourced produce (which includes milk, meat and cheese), dry goods, condiments and cleaners for purchase.  The concept is simple: customers bring in their own containers and bags (containers are also available for a small fee), fill them up with desired products, weigh them, then pay for groceries at the front counter. No bulky packaging and no plastic bags.

In the days of excess eating and waste, In.gredients hopes to “minimize waste” while promoting “healthy sustainable lifestyles”.

What (more…)

August 9, 2012 by
Austin, Music, Pop Culture

Lindsey Buckingham Ticket Giveaway: Antone’s 8/22

Something really amazing is happening over here at Hipstercrite.

I’m giving away two tickets to the SOLD OUT 8/22 Antone’s show of this BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL MAN:

 Yep, you heard right.

Two tickets to see the super talented Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac.

If you’ve never seen this guy make love to his guitar, you’re in for a real treat. One of the most charming musicians and fantastic guitar players out there.

To enter the giveaway, I’m going to make this a little fun (p.s. it involves dressing up!).

CONTEST RULES:

1.) Hit “like” on the Hipstercrite and Antone’s Facebook pages (if you’re already a fan of both, let me know in comments)

2.) Leave a comment down below that says you’ve done both (you have until 11:59PM Sunday, August 5th to do this).

3.) I will draw names out of a hat at 10AM Monday, August 6th.

4.) I will announce the winner on my blog on Monday!

F YEAH!

July 31, 2012 by