One of the best art studio tours ever, one of the best bands ever, one of the best group of builders ever, one of the best restaurants ever, one of the best coffee shops ever, and one of the best charities ever - that’s six “best evers” - and that’s this week’s Saturday Six Vol XVI
Go: West Austin Studio Tour 2018
One of the many amazing things about Austin is the art. The EAST Studio tour is so good and yes, there’s also a WEST Studio Tour! (You probably already knew this but still act excited with us, because it is exciting.) Big Medium is the ever-working engine that puts on this free, annual, self-guided art event spanning two weekends in May. It provides opportunities for the public to meet the artists and artisans of Austin in their creative spaces. The Big Medium website serves as an overview of the tour stops and a schedule of events. It is intended to help tour-goers choose their own unique WEST experiences, free and open on May 12-13 & 19-20, 2018 from 11am-6pm. We’re blessed to have events like this that support the artists of Austin, so let’s get out there!
Listen: Midlake
Midlake is an American folk rock band from Denton, Texas, and they’ve been jamming since ‘99. True musicians, highly skilled on real instruments and writing timeless and enduring songs - sadly, not too common nowadays. This band has some awesome records, and we know them all by heart. If you’re not familiar we’d suggest starting from the beginning of their catalogue and making your way through it's entirety. Recently we’ve found ourselves spinning Antiphon and think you should too. So, let’s review. Fans of Midlake, yes we are. For a long time we have been. Definitely one of our favorite albums is Antiphon. “The Old and the Young” is such a solid track. Give it a whirl. The end.
Hire: Enabler
Enabler is an Austin based group of makers and welders who can build most aspects of modern and traditional construction. They offer a broad range of services and products from structural work to crafted finish details. Really good people who do really good work is not always easy to come by, and Enabler has the secret recipe. Check out the gallery of some of their projects here ,and scope the site to read more about who the team is and what they’re about. Their mantra is “Constant Splinters” - come on, that’s pretty freakin’ cool.
Eat: Rosewood
Buzz report! We’ve been watching the construction (a tasteful modernized refurbishing of a historical Victorian home) and waiting anxiously for this one - not only because they’re neighbors to our retail store, but also because it looks like it’s gonna be a real gem. Perched on the hill at the intersection of Rosewood Avenue and East 11th Street, Rosewood will be offering a menu inspired by a variety of South Texas influences. By South Texas influences, we mean Hill Country farmers and ranchers as well as Gulf Coast fisherman. With in-house butchering and whole-animal utilization, the kitchen will create compelling menu items, as well as off-menu dishes determined by what is fresh that day. Beer from Texas breweries and a rotating cocktail menu will be most excellent. Rosewood seems to be quite different in a good way, and it’s always nice to have something a little more unexpected and inspirational. We’ll see you there! Dinner Tue-Sun. Opening to the public on May 15th.
Caffeinate: FLEET
There are a lot of rad coffee shops, but these dudes definitely make up one of our regular, if not daily, pit stops. Founders Patrick and Lorenzo are sweet as all get out and so is the coffee they serve. We’d definitely call them “experts” in their craft, but we also love that they don’t make you feel wonky for not knowing all the idiosyncrasies and nuances of the beans and the brew. They say that what they serve is “carefully selected” ,and how they serve is “thoughtfully presented," and we definitely agree. But we’d also add that it’s simple, and that’s just the way we like it - simple. Because it’s refreshing when it’s not overly complicated. Speaking of refreshing, we dare you to try the “E.T.” It’s tonic water, iced espresso, grapefruit juice and simple syrup. Huh? Yeah, and it’s super yummy. Do it.
Give: Meals on Wheels
We’re not asking you to make financial donations here. We’re just saying that there’s an opportunity to give your time, and that’s just as valuable. Meals on Wheels has a program where volunteers pick-up hot, nutritious meals during lunchtime Monday - Friday and hand-deliver them directly to the homes of seniors and persons with disabilities. How cool is that? You can get more info here and sign up to help out. It’s that easy. Pick up the food and take it to someone who needs it. Yes!