The Austonian Blog - Downtown Luxury Condo in Austin, Texas

Annual Barkitecture Fundraiser This Weekend in Downtown Austin’s 2nd Street District

Saturday, October 1^st from 1 to 4:30 p.m. is the annual Barkitecture event in downtown Austin’s 2^nd Street District. Hosted by local nonprofit Animal Lovers of Austin, Barkitecture is a dog-centric fundraiser including a silent auction of one-of-a-kind doghouses designed by local architects, designers and builders. 

Additional pet-friendly happenings include a “pup-stop” play area for pets, information on adoption opportunities, and a Howl-o-Ween Fashound Show. Pet owners may register their dog for the Fashound Show at the festival at 3 p.m. for $10. The proceeds will support local area rescue organizations. 

Visit the Barkitecture website for more information.

Barkitecture is sponsored by Edgewick and Gabardine developed by the creators of The Austonian.

 

Pet Services at The Austonian: Maggie Mae in This Month’s Texas Monthly

Maggie Mae, one of the four-legged residents of The Austonian, is the star in this month’s ad in Texas Monthly Magazine. Maggie Mae was also profiled in Doggie Aficionado. Known as a Second Street regular, Maggie Mae is a miracle dog that was never supposed to live past age five. Now at age 13, Maggie is loving life at The Austonian and seems to consider herself to be the “building’s official princess.”

At The Austonian, pets are part of the family, and making them feel at home is essential. The Austonian offers amenities specifically for residents’ pets including the 600-square-foot dog park on the 10^th floor, the adjacent indoor grooming room, vet and doggy daycare services and a dog-loving staff. With no breed or size restrictions, the building welcomes all furry family members.

For more information about The Austonian’s amenities for pets, visit: http://theaustonian.com/.

Movies this Spring in Republic Square Park in Downtown Austin

The Austin Parks Foundation “Movies in the Park” series begins this Wednesday (April 13) with a screening of Spy Kids and continues on three additional Wednesday evenings in April and May in downtown Austin’s Republic Square Park.

“Movies in the Park” is free and open to the public; kids and dogs (on leash) are welcome. Shows begin at dusk, but there will be an Imagination Playground for kids and additional pre-show entertainment each week. People are encouraged to bring picnics and blankets. Food vendors and public restrooms will be on site. Additional movies (all rated PG) and dates for the series are below.

Wednesday, April 27: Casablanca
Wednesday, May 11: The Hudsucker Proxy
Wednesday, May 25: Napoleon Dynamite

The Zilker Park Kite Festival, one of Austin’s best-known annual events, is taking place this Sunday, March 6, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Festival is a family and pet-friendly event. Admission is free, and people are invited to participate in the Kite Contest, which has categories ranging from “strongest pulling kite” to “most unusual kite.” Registration is at Zilker Park between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of the event.

In addition to the Kite Contest, approximately 30 food vendors are expected at the event. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, bring a chair, and enjoy the festival.

For kite flying rules and more information about the festival, please visit: http://www.zilkerkitefestival.com/.

Encompassing 351 acres, Zilker Park is connected to downtown Austin and The Austonian by hike-and-bike trails surrounding Lady Bird Lake. Zilker Park is home to the spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, the Zilker Hillside Theater, the Zilker Botanical Gardens and a number of areas for playing sports and enjoying the outdoors.

Learn more about the park by watching the KLRU “Downtown” video posted here.

(Photo credit austinparks.wordpress.com)

Pet Services: The Austonian Featured in Doggie Aficionado Magazine

Last month, Doggie Aficionado magazine profiled the Lewises and their dog Maggie Mae, who moved into The Austonian in 2010. The magazine touted pet services at The Austonian including the 600-square-foot dog park on the 10^th floor, the adjacent indoor grooming room (outfitted with the help of the local groomers Dirty Dog) and the dog-friendly staff.

Maggie Mae is a Second Street regular, who loves stopping in at Jo’s Hot Coffee and Mellow Johnny’s for treats. Her transition from suburban life to high-rise digs went well, and the Lewis’ have reported that she’s happier than ever in her new home.

Read the Doggie Aficionado article at the following link. Download Doggie_aficionado.

(Photo credit Jonathan Jackson)

Barkitecture, Nov. 6th in Downtown Austin’s Second Street District

Barkitecture, an Austin favorite event hosted by Animal Lovers of Austin, Inc., is this Saturday, November 6th from noon to 4 p.m. This architecturally-dog-centric fundraiser showcases doghouses created by some of Austin’s best and brightest architects, designers and builders.

This free, family-friendly event includes a silent auction for 27 one-of-a-kind designer doghouses, an Annie Ray PhotoBooth, a Fashound Show, an awards ceremony and the official Barkitecture after-party at Design Within Reach from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Animal Lovers of Austin, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization created to help raise awareness and funding for local area animal rescue groups. Proceeds from the event and donations will be distributed to Blue Dog Rescue, Austin Pets Alive, Austin Dog Rescue and Wee Rescue.

For more information about the event, visit: http://www.austinbarkitecture.com/.

(Photo credit Ed Lehmann)

Trick or Treat in 2nd Street Sale Today, Oct. 28th

Trick or Treat in the 2ND Street at Last Thursday Sidewalk Sale will be held today, October 28th from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last Thursday Sidewalk Sale is a Halloween family event providing special deals on shoes, accessories, jewelry, clothing and edibles from a variety of 2ND Street retailers. In the spirit of Halloween, there will be trick or treating for kids and dogs, and a costume contest for adults. An after party will be held at Malverde immediately following the event.

For a full list of participating retailers, visit: http://www.launch787.com/1topics/events/trick-or-treat-in-2nd-street-at-last-thursday-sidewalk-sale.

As More Second Home Communities Welcome Pets, The Austonian’s Pet-Friendly Amenities Pick Up A Mention in USA Today

Pets are increasingly playing an integral role in today’s family life. According to the most recent National Pet Owners Survey, nearly two-thirds of U.S. households own a pet. Developers of second homes and real estate agents are taking this fact into consideration; now most major cities have real estate firms that specialize in pet-friendly sales.

The Austonian was recently mentioned in a travel article from USA Today about second-home communities offering amenities for pets. The article stated, “Austin has an abundance of large dog parks that often include lakes – 122 acres per 1,000 dogs, according to Forbes.com. Austin’s new Austonian, the tallest residential building in Texas, has a private dog park on a 10th-floor terrace.”

The Austonian offers a variety of services for our four-legged residents. In addition to our private dog park and dog grooming room, we offer dog walking, pet sitting, grooming and vet care through our service partners. For more information about our services, visit: www.theaustonian.com

Read the full USA Today article here.

(Photo credit Thomas McConnell)

This Weekend: Dogtoberfest in Downtown Austin

This Sunday, Blue Dog Rescue will host Dogtoberfest, an event to celebrate 10 years of finding homes for unwanted dogs. Blue Dog Rescue is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end the needless killing of homeless dogs in Central Texas.

Dogtoberfest begins at 9 a.m. at Republic Square Park with the Blue Dog Birthday Walk. Following the walk, a party next door at The Ghost Room will kick-off the event, featuring local artists with The Austin Flea Art Fair. Live music begins at noon, and the entire event will last until about 8 p.m. Refreshments, doggie contests and a silent auction are all part of Dogtoberfest.

For more information about the event, visit: http://www.bluedogrescue.com/events/dogtoberfest2010.htm

The Austonian Pet Care Provider and Downtown Austin Pet Store Lofty Dog Receives National Award

Downtown Austin pet store Lofty Dog was recently named the National Pet Retailer of the Year.  Read the full story in Pet Product News International here: http://www.austinloftydog.com/docs/ppn-retailer.pdf.

At The Austonian, pets are a part of the family, so great care has been taken to make sure that four-legged residents live the life of luxury. Lofty Dog, which is located a couple of blocks west of The Austonian, provides personal shopping and pet taxi service to pets at The Austonian. Other Austin pet services partners include Dirty Dog dog wash, Austin Urban Vet Center and Fetch! Pet Care.

September 2010 events at Lofty Dog include “Ask the Vet Night” and “Poochinis and Peticures.” More information is available at www.austinloftydog.com.