The Austonian Blog - Downtown Luxury Condo in Austin, Texas

Downtown Austin Event: Holiday Sing-Along, Tree Lighting and Downtown Stroll on Saturday December 3rd

This Saturday, December 3^rd from 6 to 9p.m., join the Downtown Austin Alliance and KUT 90.5 for the 22^nd annual Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll at the Capitol and along Congress Avenue.

The evening begins with a holiday sing-along hosted by KUT’s John Aielli on the Capitol grounds from 6 to 7 p.m. Immediately following the carols is the lighting of thet 40-foot live tree at 11^th and Congress. The tree will be installed this week and will remain in front of the Capitol until the second week in January.

After the Tree Lighting Ceremony, venture down Congress Avenue for the Downtown Stroll. Congress establishments will stay open late for holiday shopping, food and activities. For a list of activities including live performances, visit the Downtown Stroll schedule here. 

(Photo credit: Visualist Images on Flickr)

 

Downtown Austin Event: Ballet Austin's 49th Annual Production of The Nutcracker

This year is Ballet Austin’s 49^th year to perform The Nutcracker, making it the longest running production of this holiday classic in Texas. Performances will be held weekends throughout December at The Long Center. See the Ballet Austin Nutcracker website for performance dates and times, and to purchase tickets.

While The Nutcracker has been around for hundreds of years and has been performed countless times all over the world, Ballet Austin has been able to maintain an element of Austin in its performance – with the character Mother Ginger. Every year, Ballet Austin’s Mother Ginger Contest “recognizes and celebrates an unsung hero of the community who is generous, respected, influential and adored in the community.” To see the list of nominees and to recognize your favorite, visit their website before the voting deadline, November 30^th. 

Photo by Tony Spielberg

Downtown Austin Event: Small Business Saturday and Holiday Window Walk

This Saturday is the second annual Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and local economies across the country. Small Business Saturday’s began in Austin as an Austin Independent Business Alliance event, but has since developed a nationwide audience. On November 26^th, people across the country are asked to shop local to help fuel the economy. According to the Downtown Austin Alliance, by shifting just $100 of your shopping to locally-owned stores, you can make a significant difference.

Instead of heading to WalMart or Best Buy this weekend, check out local downtown establishments like Hatbox or Dress Shop for holiday gift ideas. Enjoy a cup of coffee at Jo’s instead of Starbucks, and help make a difference in Austin’s local economy.

While shopping in downtown Austin this Saturday, be sure to check out the 2^nd Street District’s inaugural Holiday Window Walk. From November 25^th to January 2^nd, the windows of various 2^nd Street District establishments will feature holiday displays designed and executed by students of the St. Edward’s University Theatrical Design Department. The window displays will feature holiday scenes as well as iconic Austin musicians. Second Street District visitors may vote on their favorite window display; the finalists will be judged to win one of three scholarships provided by Silicon Laboratories.

 

Downtown Austin Event: 21st Annual Thundercloud Subs Turkey Trot

The 21^st Annual Thundercloud Subs Turkey Trot will take place on Thursday, November 24^th. The race, which takes place every Thanksgiving, benefits Caritas of Austin, an organization dedicated to helping those experiencing poverty by providing a safety net and links them to resources to achieve self-sufficiency.

The event includes a 5-mile course, a 1-mile course and a Stepping Stone Kids K. The race begins at The Long Center and continues on a route through downtown Austin. For more information, visit the Turkey Trot website. 

(Photo credit: Austin 360)

Austonian Interior Designer Wins Awards for Three Homes in the Luxury Condo Project

Laura Britt Design recently won five first-place awards at the annual ASID Austin Design Excellence Awards. Three of the awards were for interior design of residences at The Austonian luxury high rise condominium.

The 26^th annual event, held on November 4^th, honored designers in 17 categories.

Laura Britt Design has aided residents of The Austonian in the selection of finishes for their homes and designed the interiors of several units in the building.

Photos of the award-winning residences by Laura Britt Design follow.

Residential: Model Home 

(Unit S, The Austonian)

Residential: Contemporary Large >3,500 sq. ft.

(Unit HC, The Austonian)

 

Residential: Contemporary Small <3,500 sq. ft.

(Unit E, The Austonian)

Private homes at The Austonian are complemented by more than 40,000 square feet of shared amenity space designed by Ziegler Cooper Architects, Gary Lee Partners and Greer Interiors. For more information about interior design at The Austonian, visit these blog posts:

“The Austonian Featured in Architectural Record”

“Award-Winning Interior Design Firm Gary Lee Partners Brings Comfortable Luxury to Austin’s Newest High-Rise Condo”

“Meet the Interior Design Team behind The Austonian”

Austonian Artist Court Lurie on the East Austin Studio Tour

This weekend marks the conclusion of the East Austin Studio Tour (E.A.S.T.), an annual event that invites Austinites to visit the creative epicenter of Austin to discover new talent, see working studios, and support the local arts community.

E.A.S.T. features over 100 artist’s studios and workspaces, one of which is ArtPost at 4704 East Cesar Chavez, where The Austonian Art Collection artist Court Lurie is a resident and steering committee member.  A contemporary artist and abstract painter, Lurie has spent years exploring the intricacies of thought patterns and their expression through action and emotion. Lurie brings that explorative spirit into her work through form, color and texture.

Her piece in The Austonian, titled “Macroscopic View” includes 12 small, richly layered acrylic and resin paintings, all of which are mounted in a maple box frame.  Lurie has shown her work nationally and internationally for 15 years.

The Austonian Art Collection includes more than 100 pieces of local and regional art by artists including Roi James, Lance Letscher and Claudia Reese. A downloadable version of The Austonian Art Collection catalog is available here. 

(Photo: Court Lurie's piece in The Austonian, "Macroscopic View," 2010)

Statue of Willie Nelson statue to be erected 2nd Street (a.k.a. Willie Nelson Boulevard) in downtown Austin

Next year, Capital Area Statues Inc (CAST) will publicly unveil its newest public art piece in downtown Austin—an eight-foot bronze likeness of Austin music icon Willie Nelson. CAST commissioned artist Clete Shields to create the piece, which will be located along Willie’s (and The Austonian’s) very own street, Willie Nelson Boulevard, at ACL Live, which hosts the Austin City Limits music show that Willie helped make famous.

CAST is an Austin-based non-profit whose mission is to celebrate the culture and history of our city through the display of public sculpture. They believe that public monuments can help draw people together “in a shared understanding of our city’s past and the promise of its future.”

The Willie Nelson sculpture is CAST’s third public monument in central Austin. Previous donations include the Philosopher’s Rock sculpture at the entrance of Barton Springs, and the statue of Angelina Eberly firing a cannon on Congress Avenue.

More information about CAST, artist Clete Shields, and the Willie Nelson sculpture is available in a recent CultureMap article. 

(Photo credit: CultureMap)

The Austonian’s Crown Goes Blue Tonight for World Diabetes Day

In support of World Diabetes Day, The Austonian is participating in the “Monumental Challenge” campaign, an initiative to light iconic landmarks and buildings around the world blue as beacons of hope to the millions of people living with diabetes.

The Austonian will change the LED “smile” on the building’s crown blue tonight (November 14^th). The Austonian joins the Alamo, The Empire State Building and other iconic landmarks in countries including Iran, Peru, Russia, Slovenia and Sudan.

World Diabetes Day was introduced in 1991 by the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation in response to the rise of diabetes around the world. Learn more about World Diabetes Day at www.wddusa.org. 

 

Brooks Brothers Clothing Store Opens in Downtown Austin

Last week, Brooks Brothers opened a new Austin location in the historic Scarbrough Building on Congress Avenue. The in a 9,000-square-foot space space was chosen for the prime location, its architecture and rich history. The store offers clothing for men, women and children, as well as products for the home. 

(Photo credit: cbre.com)

 

Downtown Austin Event: Veterans Day Parade on November 11

This Friday, a Veterans Day Parade honoring Gulf War Veterans will take place along Congress Avenue, ending with a memorial service at the Texas State Capitol. The parade begins at 9:00 a.m. at the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and heads north along Congress towards the Capitol. The Commemorative Air Force from San Marcos will perform a flyover during the ceremony.

Mayor Lee Leffingwell and other elected officials are expected to participate.

A viewing stand for the parade will be at the Inter-Continental Stephen F. Austin Hotel at 7^th Street and Congress Avenue.

(Photo credit: photoblog.statesman.com)