I love hamburgers. I love French fries even more. Sometimes, I eat a burger just for the experience of eating the fries.
Burger joints in Austin are aplenty. From the famous to the infamous, the Capitol city seems to have it all. Of course, ACS took its own burger tour last year since these American creations are so darn tasty.
The experience elevated my sense of burger appreciation. Since the tour, I've been able to enjoy many more burgerr joints, including Elevation Burger (9828 Great Hills Trail) near the Arboretum.
This is some place I never thought I'd lend my money or time to because it just didn't sound so appealing.
But being a lover of fries, I'd give this place an A-. They are cooked in olive oil, which gives them a new and exciting flavor. Plus, olive oil is a healthier oil with omega-3 fatty acid.
The burgers, too, are great. Patrons may choose one patty, two, all the way to ten! (Hence, elevation). But vegetarians, fear not. There is also a menu for you to choose between at least two veggie burgers: I believe one was a roasted flavor, and the other regular. You may also choose an appropriately named guilty free option and get one veggie patty and one beef. On my last visit I tried this burger, and have to admit it was a little weird. My philosophy is if I'm going to get a burget, get a (real) burger.
Elevation may not be out of this world, but I always like trying new things and elevating my experiences. I have yet to try the shakes and other menu offerings, but give it a whirl! Who knows, you might elevate your senses to a whole new level. And isn't that what it's all about?
Cafe Canela (9070 Research Blvd. Ste 303) replaces the former Geaux Burger, formerly Mooyah Burger. When I learned Mooyah closed, I was devastated! But later, because of ACS's 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas Tour, I learned Cafe Canela is the same place but with a little extra on the menu.
Owner Alvaro Valencia managed Mooyah and Geaux. But this time, he's doing things the way he wants because he owns and manages Cafe Canela. Valencia put Tex Mex options on the menu, so customers aren't limited to just burgers or hot dogs. But we highly recommend getting a burger and loading it up with toppings, which come free!
Some burger joints offer the plain Jane burgers; others do theirs up a little more gourmet style. At Cafe Canela, you'll order a simple burger. You have the option of dressing it up how you like, but it doesn't come to the table overloaded. The burger is juicy and the bun is outstanding. Valencia told us he orders the bread from Sweetish Hill Bakery.
This concludes the ACS burger tour. Which burger joint on our list is your favorite? Tell us what we didn't try that you highly recommend.
For months, the Austin Police Department's DNA Crime Lab has been under scrutiny after former employee Cecily Hamilton complained of improper training and personnel issues. But Tuesday, the close watch over the crime lab came to an end when police chief Art Acevedo announced the independent investigation found no wrongdoing by the lab.
"This turned out to be a blessing because again what we have found out and what we've been able to determine - is that we have an outstanding crime lab," said Acevedo.
Acevedo outlined eight findings Department of Public Safety DNA supervisors and Texas Rangers concluded. Some of the results include experts' beliefs the crime lab uses extensive procedures to minimize contamination, that no evidence was found to have contaminated previous cases, and the DNA analyst in question was well trained.
Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said after the investigations launched by APD's Internal Affairs division, the Travis Country District Attorney's Office, and the third-party departments, a backlog of cases started stacking up at the courthouse. The delayed cases did not cause a huge problem, but the more telling news according to Lehmberg is that no prior cases will need to be retried.
"The integrity of this lab, the professionalism of this lab is crucial to the department, to our office and to the entire community," she said.
Hamilton's legal team, including Jerry Smith, said Hamilton never alleged the crime lab contaminated evidence. "She has never once said there was any faulty final product that came out of the crime lab," said Smith. But Acevedo felt he needed to launch a full-scale investigation to clear the lab of any lingering doubts in the public's perception.
"We can't even afford the appearance of not doing the right thing when it comes to evidence that is extremely valuable in convictions and in proving the innocence of the wrongly accused and the wrongfully convicted," said Acevedo.
Lehmberg said the District Attorney's Office will not pursue charges against Hamilton. Sometimes, it's what disgruntled employees do, she said of Hamilton's allegations.
Thousands of visitors will descend upon Austin along with the many locals attending the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park this weekend.
According to the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, a quarter of passes for the festival were purchased by buyers outside of the Lone Star State. Attendance is expected to top 65,000 people for each day of the three day festival.
With the throngs of music lovers flowing into Austin comes millions of visitor dollars that boost the local economy. An estimated $51 million will go to area hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, transportation services and other attractions this weekend. The total economic impact could reach nearly $82 million, including temporary employment, sponsorships and the cost of operating the ACL Festival, according to a report commissioned by C3 Presents, the festival's producers.
The 2010 ACL Festival headliners include The Eagles, Phish, The Strokes, M.I.A., Muse and The Flaming Lips. For more information, visit aclfestival.com.
Neighborhoods in Austin will join thousands of other communities throughout the country for the October edition of National Night Out, a crime awareness and prevention program. The 27th National Night Out kicks off Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at "The Grove" at Southpark Meadows, located at 9300 South I-35.
National Night Out increases crime awareness and prevention by acquainting neighbors with each other, community leaders with neighborhood watch leaders, and the police officers who patrol their streets. Often times, support is strengthened through these personal introductions that helps people increase crime efforts. Police say the night is important to send the message to others that your neighborhood is a safe place to live.
Neighborhoods are encouraged to come together and send the message that we are all working together to prevent crime and keep our neighborhoods safe. Starting at 6 p.m., residents are asked to turn on their porch lights, lock their doors and spend the evening outside with their neighbors, police officers, EMS, and fire fighters. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will speak at 6:30 p.m. about the night and what it means to him as the leader of the Austin Police Department.
For the rest of the nation, National Night Out occurs in August. Since Texas is so hot, the event has been moved to October when it is cooler outside.
Casino El Camino (517 E. 6th Street / (512) 469-9330) is a bar in the heart of Austin's infamous 6th Street District, but it's also a hot little lunch spot for people who know this part of 6th Street in the daylight rather than bar-hopping hours. I've heard how great Casino's burgers are but wanted to taste for myself.
I loaded up the car with two of my buddies and headed downtown, where parking can be limited but not impossible to find. Just remember to take your quarters. The new pay meters accept coins and credit but no paper money, which for me, sent me back out to the meter after changing in my dollars for quarters. All three of us attempted a different burger or variation of burger.
Adolfo got the Amarillo Burger with roasted serrano chiles, jalapeno jack cheese and cilantro mayo. The burger looked a little pink but according to my friend, the flavor couldn't be beat. In fact, he said it's the best burger he's ever eaten - and that includes a couple of Lubbock burger joints that he says puts several Austin burgers to shame. Check out all that green on there and it's all those chiles. "Now that's one spicy burger," Adolfo said.
Next up, my buddy John got the Chicago Burger with Romaine lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese. This is one of the more traditional style burgers on the menu, but definitely not one that is lacking. "You don't just get a tantalizing burger here, there's a whole story you may have never heard, it's a family unlike any I've ever seen and a place where the cooks can express however they feel while cooking and reading up on classwork all at the same time making an awesome burger.," John said.
That brings me to the portion of the story where I talk about the people. Our waitress, Ginger Stevens, is very much a party of the Casino family. For the last 16 years, she's been coming to this place. She began working at Casino about a year and a half ago. The other workers are, well, just like family - or at least they treat you that way, at times being downright rude, but it's all just a part of the charm. Stitch, one of the cooks, is studying for his Ph.D and had his notebook opened as he rolled up the thick hamburger patties. When I went to order at the window in the back, I'd asked him what I should get. He told me it was a bad time because he was busy with bookwork. But he did end up offering a suggestion: the Chicago burger (like John) but with the buffalo sauce! It was a perfect suggestion for me since I love spicy dishes and I wanted to get a more traditional burger. Put the two together and that became my Casino experience.
The fries were crunch and delicious and the burger came juicy. It's hard to get it all in your mouth but somehow, some way, people find it possible and eat these delicious burgers up. Casino was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives as a joint where customers dig the heat, employees mix up great burger recipes and the environment reminds you of being at home among family.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Budget Cuts Create Dire Situation for Charitable Organizations
Austin city employees have begun its month-long campaign to give to charitable organizations as the season of giving gets underway.
Every year, Austin city employees raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local, regional, national and international charities for the Combined Charities Campaign. It began in 1993 and has raised more than $9 million in its 17 years through payroll contributions and special fundraising events. More than 500 approved charities benefit from the campaign.
"Funds raised help support our community and better all of our lives, whether they are used to research the prevention or treatment of diseases, provide a variety of services for individuals in need or to protect the most basic of human needs - air and water, everyone benefits as a result," said Karen Sharp, who chaired the campaign last year. "Every year these contributions are critical to thousands of people here in the Austin area and around the world."
The program is one of the strongest payroll contribution giving campaigns in central Texas. The donations are especially important since many charities have had to cut services due to the recession. "This year we face new and different challenges, but based on the campaign’s track record, city employees have the spirit of sharing and giving and I know we will work hard to exceed last year’s contributions," said Sharp.
Last year, employees exceeded donations from 2007 by 6 percent, bringing in $761,000.
Photo: Donna Ripple (l), Jo Hendrick (r) and other volunteers sort donated food items at the Capital Area Food Bank on October 20, 2009. Items must be cleaned, checked that they are not perishable, meet CAFB standards and are then organized by food type. Courtesy, The Austin Chronicle
Austin 360 is reporting very exciting hamburger news! According to the report, Hopdoddy Burger Bar will open up in early October and will fill the spot on South Congress vacated by Cissi's Wine Bar which closed down earlier in the year.
The brains behind the Hopdoddy burgers are Moonshine chef and Hopdoddy partner Larry Perdido. Austin 360 says Moonshine's Chuck Smith is also on board, along with Guy Villavaso and Larry Foles, the creators of the Roaring Fork, Eddie V's, and Z'Tejas.
The name mix of beer (hop) and the name given to the Aberdeen Angus cow of Scotland (doddy).
Special burgers might include local cabrito or lamb, Perdido said, every burger using brioche-style buns baked in-house. Prices will start around $5 for a basic burger, he said, going to about $9 or $10 for specialty burgers.
The handmade approach will extend to fries made from Kennebec potatoes, ice cream for shakes, even special ketchup and mustard blends, Perdido said. Fountain sodas will use cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup.
You'll be able to find Hopdoddy at 1400 S. Congress and is on the web here. Click this link to read the full Austin 360 article.
Friends and former classmates of the University of Texas gunman, who took his own life Tuesday after parading through campus with an AK47, say they are stunned by his actions.
Colton Tooley came to campus clad in black and a ski mask, carrying the assault weapon, shooting into the air and the ground near the University Catholic Center. Tooley then went to the Perry-Castaneda Library, known as the PCL, where he passed a security guard. The men exchanged hellos, but the guard quickly called UT police dispatch. Police say although Tooley did not hurt anyone else, he certainly had the opportunity to. Tooley ended the incident Tuesday morning when he fired one round at himself on the sixth floor of the library. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tooley was a math major and a bright student, according to people who knew him. They say he showed no signs of being disturbed. The university is looking into behavioral problems, but so far no records have pointed to evidence this would happen. According to Lone Star Texas News, James Allen Fox, a professor of criminology at Northeastern University, says high-achieving students like Tooley can become dangerous. Often times, these students isolate themselves from the world around them when Fox says they need a balance in their lives.
Craig Shapiro, the principal of Austin's Crockett High School where Tooley graduated, said the Crockett community is shocked and saddened by Tuesday's tragedy. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Colton Tooley," said Shapiro in a statement.
Colton was ranked seventh in his 2009 class and was an excellent student, according to Shapiro. "[He] excelled in every subject. His teachers recall him with words such as “brilliant,” “meticulous,” and “respectful,” Shapiro said.
Crockett High School will have additional counselors on campus to assist students and staff who request their services.
With so many good burger places in north Austin I don't see any point in visiting Hat Creek again. The burger was mediocre. Besides the fun sign outside, you lose all character inside. It looks like a fast food restaurant.... it feels like fast food.
Hat Creek Burger Company (5400 Burnet Road) might be easy to spot with the old Arby's sign out front, but you might as well just keep going. With full intentions of putting Hat Creek on the 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas tour after recommendations I should try it out, I must say I agree with the Yelp review above.
The employees are very nice and attended to my order in a very courteous fashion, but I just couldn't help but think Hat Creek's burger is just plain and simple. There's nothing wrong with a plain and simple burger. Not all of them have the frills and added elements of a gourmet burger. But there's just nothing special about Hat Creek. The patty tasted ordinary, and I did not see how they cooked it. The fries were also the very skinny shoestring style, which I am not a fan of.
To be fair, many Yelp reviewers do like Hat Creek and it's only right to include one of them here.
The burger was really good, I'd say good enough to go back. And I really like their fries - on the thin side, crispy, some skin on them.
Another complaint I saw on Yelp that I sort of noticed myself but didn't place a thought to it at the time is the very white, sterile dining room. There's a huge wall that separates the dining room from the ordering area, which seems to be very divisive so customers can't see everything going on at the front. I would enjoy it more if the entire space were open.
I can't in good faith include Hat Creek on the 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas tour because in my opinion, it just wasn't. I am glad I got to try their hamburger, but I don't feel that I'll be going back. But as I always say, try it out for yourself to decide. You can find Hat Creek on the web here, and make sure to check out the video of the place on the Hat Creek media page. It's actually pretty good.
Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.
Walk into Players (300 West MLK) on the UT campus in central Austin and you'll likely by greeted by one of these gentlemen, Daniel and his uncle, Carlos Oliveira. Carlos and partner Eddie Hempe started Players nearly 30 years ago and obviously has a winning recipe for great hamburgers, excellent customer service, affordable food and easy access to a wide variety of people. The Longhorns graduates know how to cater to their audience. You may spot the Longhorns head football coach Mack Brown or any number of sports team members eating a Players burger, maybe a politician or two, workers from neighboring businesses, and of course plenty of college students. The name comes from the arcade games in the dining room, the number of sports team members who love to eat there, and the large flat screen TV you can always be sure to catch a game on!
I first walked into Players several years ago because someone I worked with recommended I go there immediately. I did and yes, it's one great burger. I've been in to dine many other times, so when I walked in Thursday with the intention of reviewing Players, I ordered a burger I normally don't get - the jalapeno cheese burger.
What you'll notice eating the burger right off the bat is that it's juicy and is loaded down with the fixings. But what you'll notice after getting all the way through it is it stays enjoyable and juicy the entire time! Some burgers will start off great, juicy, and full of flavor but gets less juicy and flavorful the closer to the end you get. That's a big difference!
Daniel and Carlos say the secret ingredients to their success include fresh products, made to order burgers and patties cooked over an open flame. Carlos says he also doesn't salt the fries, but rather leaves them plain so the customer can decide how salty to make it.
The affordable price is worth mentioning again. Customers rarely can find a meal under $10 for lunch these days. My jalapeno burger, along with a half order of french fries and a soda, cost me $7 flat. For comparison, last week at Your Mom's Burger Bar, I paid a little over $14 for a hamburger, soda, an order of regular fries for me and an order of sweet potato fries for the little guy. Carlos told me he knows workers nearby and college students can't afford to pay $10 or more for a hamburger. He keeps his prices low and the burgers tasting great. That, along with his winning combination of tasty food and being a truly local business in Austin, means you can't go wrong with Players.
Give Players a call at (512) 478-9299 and drop by to get a burger. This is one Austin staple you can't afford to pass up. You can listen to the podcast with Carlos and Daniel by clicking the play button above, and scroll through the pictures on the slide show below.
Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.
The Black Star Co-Op Brew Pub (7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100) is finally open after plenty of sweat, hard work, and determination!
Black Star, as hinted in the name, is a cooperative style - dare I say business - which is based upon community 'partners' in which customers buy in to the business as members to become part owners in the pub. Basically, the co-operative is owned and run by the people it serves (the members).
With a special focus on local producers, the basic mission and principles of the Black Star Co-op is to foster an environment in which member-owners, as well as the general public, may realize the principles of co-operative ownership, worker self-management, education and community action through the responsible enjoyment great beer and food.
As the first enterprise of this type, we seek to realize an alternative business model for brewpubs and to help expand the co-operative movement into new and innovative areas — both in Austin and around the world.
Today, with an anchor position within Central Austin’s Midtown Commons center adjacent to the Crestview Metro station, and a team of architects, graphic designers, and contractors assembled to lead the build-out with overwhelming input and support from members, the “vision” of the Black Star Co-op is well on its way to becoming a reality in Summer 2010. (Black Star Co-Op web site)
The brew pub for all to share happily opened its doors Tuesday as a soft open. Guest taps right now include 512 and Live Oak, for example, and bar grub is for sale with the kitchen pretty much in full operation. Driving by Black Star Co-Op, which is located in Midtown Commons at the intersection of Lamar and St. Johns Avenue (along Capital Metro's Crestview MetroRail train stop), you'll be able to spot the brewing tanks sitting tall and proud inside the building. Unfortunately, there is no beer in them just yet, but we won't have to wait too much longer at all. (Picture: member-owners, courtesy Black Star web site)
You may notice a big difference when you pay your tab at Black Star. We talked with a manager who told us customers need not leave a tip. She said the mindset behind it is that all the workers, who share equal responsibility doing a number of different tasks throughout their shifts, all earn a fair wage and therefore do not need to be tipped.
Interested in joining? Each membership is $85 with a one-time joining fee of $15. According to Black Star's membership rules, more than one person in a household can join and incur only one joining fee.
Pretty cool concept, really cool brew pub (you should see the inside of this place!), and I'm pretty darn sure there is some pretty great beer on the way. Check Black Star out on the web, call them at 512-452-BEER, or just swing by. The soft opening hours are 4 p.m. until midnight. ACS also did an interview with president Steven Yarak back in March at the Rail 'N Ale Beer Social that you should check out!
From what we gathered walking in the doors and talking to a few of the very cool workers, some of the equipment is still being brought in and some matters are still being attended to.
Hopefully by October there will be some fresh Black Star beer pouring steadily from the taps. In the meantime, though, we will enjoy the guest taps and be thankful for such a great establishment for Austin to enjoy.
Tonight our cell phones ceased contact with Sprint. We're cut off from the mothership. We've sent out the emails telling people about the change, we've answered the questions, and we're starting to get a little bewildered ourselves.
Really, I'm fine with the change. I don't get that many phone calls anyway, and the people that need to contact me know how to do that. But I know that Ryan will have a harder time with the change than I will, because he has more of a need to be connected than I do.
Nevertheless, three days ago we pulled the trigger. Tonight the service is off. We are continuing to answer the questions of "how" and "why," even to ourselves, but it's become more than an exercise in frugality. We're throwing ourselves into what many are calling a social experiment - can a couple with a kid and full-time jobs survive in the modern world without the constant tether of a cell phone?
We spoke with Jay Carter of LivingInAustin.com and the Financial Survival Podcast about how the decision has affected us so far. The entire interview will be part of the Financial Survival Podcast next Thursday, but here's a preview (click the play button above).
Obtaining financial peace is a dream millions of Americans envision, and it's one Sarah and I are actively pursuing. Last night we opened up Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book, after receiving it months ago from a friend Sarah went to high school with (Sandra Horton). Not too long ago, Sandra and her husband achieved financial peace after just two and a half years of major sacrifice, paying off thousands of dollars in debt, including their mortgage. To celebrate, the couple invited family and friends to commemorate the occasion and bought a case of Ramsey's book to pass out to friends. We were one of the lucky ones to get a copy (in the mail) and now have finally taken on the challenge for ourselves.
As boring as the first paragraph might be with no creative frills to state the simple, I want to get right to the point. We are dead serious about doing this. Because of this, Sarah canceled our cell phone service today, amounting to a savings of $200 a month and $2,400 a year. We're opting for a free service offered by Google (Google Voice) to communicate, although it means not staying connected 24/7 as we have become accustomed to in the past few years of our lives. Upon the announcement, many of our friends have congratulated us in this new phase of our lives, and many have said we are crazy. I say it's definitely crazy, but only in the sense that I am crazy to get this debt monkey off my back once and for all.
We tried to sell Sarah's car tonight but that didn't go as expected. But we are going to be tightening down and throwing money at debt, following the Dave Ramsey plan to get the lenders out of our lives and welcoming the peace and love of financial freedom, plus giving to our creator God even more, the proper place the latter two deserve.
But this does bring up an interesting point in the process: becoming less connected than we have known, and allowing ourselves to become vulnerable once again to the simplicity of a couple in love enjoying the bond to a beautiful baby boy. Disconnecting cell phone service means no instant access to email, Twitter, Facebook, voice mail, and phone calls in or out (an emergency phone or employer cell phones notwithstanding). This will hit me harder than Sarah, as she is able to access the internet all day long with the new system we're adopting. I will have to rely on WiFi and wireless internet connection via work for my connections as I rove central Texas on the job. I suspect I will learn the WiFi hotspots of Austin quite well - just as I have learned the restrooms as a man on the go. Because, after all, when a man has to go, he has to go!
In this world of instant connectivity, it will be very interesting, dare I say freeing, to experience time without being connected to the inner-world of the internet 100 percent of the time. I am looking forward to untying myself from the interconnected web of social media and email just as much as I am scared of it. But, in the end, I will come out debt-free and with a higher appreciation of a world I may have been missing because my cell phone put blinders on my eyes. Finally, I will be financially free and understand what it will mean to cut the communications ties.
Amish? Hardly. Insane? Totally. Different? Most definitely. What we need to do? Absolutely.
Where do I begin this story? There's the easy, ever popular and eternally funny your mom joke. Yo Mama's so dumb that she tripped over a cordless phone. Or, Yo mama's so old that when she was in school there was no history class!
I could begin this story on the importance of mothers. Scientific studies point to the overwhelming value of a mother's love, hugs and support.
But maybe this story can simply start by saying how freaking awesome Your Mom's Burger Bar (1701 E. Cesar Chavez Ste. B) is! After several weeks of hearing how much I needed to try Your Mom's, the word of mouth advertisement became too much to resist!
"We don't have [the] budget to have a marketing campaign," said owner Ryan Blackmore Thursday when he personally sat down with us to talk mano a mano about burgers. "When we started out, Yelp hit us up and we started with I think five stars, and it just escalated to where we had nothing but five stars and we became number one on Yelp."
Although Your Mom's is a serious burger joint, it did begin with the infamous 'your mom' wise crack when Blackmore asked his wife where she wanted to go eat lunch one day. She said with a grin, "Your mom's." Blackmore just knew it was to be the perfect name for an up and coming restaurant later on when entering the restaurant biz became a reality.
Blackmore, a California native, moved to Austin from South Padre Island seven years ago with his wife, Gina. He worked in several restaurants, where he says he had to conform to a certain style - one that wasn't his own. But now, he gets to have his own creative outlet and does damn well what he pleases. Mashed potatoes and corn stuffed burger? No problem! He just created it. It's not even on the menu yet and already customers are asking for it because of a Thrillist review giving it lots of props and praise. This is all part of Blackmore's plan to offer great food by great people. "We've done no advertisement, it's just word of mouth and just getting great burgers out there," he said.
I had the Willie Nelson - a half pound beef patty wrapped with bacon and stuffed with American cheese, tossed in honey bar-b-q sauce, topped with a fried onion ring on Texas toast. Man, oh man! I know some people are purists and just like their patty without being stuffed, with only your average fixins', but geez Louise the Willie Nelson is fantastic. You can see the cheese sort of escaping when the burger arrives at your table. But the time you bite into the burger, the cheese is gushing and flavor is just singing like a fat lady at the opera inside your mouth. It quite honestly is one of the best hamburgers I've ever eaten. Writing this review is a little painful as I have to recall the burger without having another one of Your Mom's creations right in front of me. Blackmore himself recommended the Willie Nelson when I ordered, despite my initial desire to have a plain and simple burger to test out this place. But good thing he convinced me otherwise.
As for the fries: crisp and delicious! I can't recall the spices on the regular fries, but I'm almost certain there was cinnamon on the sweet potato fries I'd gotten for my little boy. (He loves sweet potato fries, and loved these twice as much!) I previously heard the french fries weren't always up to par. "That was a learning experience and getting the recipe just right," Blackmore said. "We were basically working out kinks and fine tuning them. Now they are tip top and I get compliments about the fries. Fixed!"
Your Mom's has been at its East Cesar Chavez location for about six months. It's a little tricky to find, but it's basically at the corner of Cesar Chavez and Chalmers behind the red and yellow painted Taqueria Las Cazuelas. Before its permanent residence on the east side, Blackmore had a location downtown for about five months. It was inevitable that he'd move to a spot where he could serve up burgers non-stop.
With so many burger joints out there, there's got to be a copycat. But Blackmore said the copycat he believes copied him is someone everyone knows - the Food Network's Guy Fieri! "I started my stuffing process a little over a year and a half ago. My wife and I were researching some things and noticed that Guy Fieri had started stuffing his burger with chorizo. But I had my chorizo stuffed burger first! When we first thought of it we researched online and couldn't find anyone stuffing burgers with chorizo," Blackmore said.
If there's ever any doubt, just ask the man himself who lays claim to this delicious mouth-watering method. "Oh man, now Guy Fieri's got it, now he's going to coin it and it's going to be his. But make the record straight, I used chorizo first," said Blackmore with a laugh. The only bad thing to say about this excellent burger joint is that who knows what the new generation of your mom jokes will be like with a place like this around. They'll turn the old favorites to compliments. But that might not be half bad. Whose mother deserves to be put down?
You can give Your Mom's a call at 512-474-MOMS. Blackmore also offers catering, which kind of makes me want to throw a party just to have it catered by Your Mom's. Go check them out and then post your own comment below. We definitely want to hear what you have to say. Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.
The University of Texas Longhorns defeated the Texas Tech Raiders Saturday night in a showdown between two rivals. It's the third straight win for UT this season in a season many consider as a rebuilding year.
Commentators kept referring to the 2008 Tech upset over UT when wide receiver Michael Crabtree caught a last second pass from Tech QB Graham Harrell, scoring a touchdown that gave the Red Raiders a 39-33 lead in the last remaining seconds, putting the Red Raiders ahead of the #1 Longhorns in a heartbreaking moment not easily forgotten.
But 2010 turned out to be different as the Longhorns started strong, off to an early lead. By halftime, the score tied up at 14. But the third and fourth quarters proved to be successful ones for UT. The final score to enter the record books was 24 to 14 UT. Read more about the Longhorn victory on SBNation. (Photo by SBNation)
Barton Springs Pool re-opened at 5 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, to resume its normal operating hours of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except for Thursdays, after being closed for cleaning after recent flooding. On Thursdays, the pool is closed for routine cleaning from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Deep Eddy Pool will also be returning to its normal operating hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Deep Eddy has been operating with increased hours to accommodate the closing of Barton Springs Pool.
Most of Bull Creek District Park is open again to the public. The lower section of the park that is south of Bull Creek near Lakewood Drive will remain closed for safety and accessibility reasons.
The H.J. Lutcher Stark Center, a fairly new addition to UT, is the home of a vast collection of athletic accomplishments developed by co-director Dr. Terry Todd. As we first posted in May, when the exhibit opened, the exhibit helps tell the story of why Dr. Todd has loved the world of physical fitness all of his career. The body is a compelling and complex entity. "Our hope is, when people come and see this kind of amazing, almost miraculous complexity revealed, that it will increase people's gratitude for what they have and sense of wonder at exactly what a marvelous machine it is and perhaps they'll take better care of it," said Todd.
The Stark Center is a place Dr. Todd has created to house his extensive collection of artifacts concerning the human body. He and his wife, Dr. Jan Todd, have worked years to gather miles worth of magazines, books and other materials related to physical fitness. They have thousands of pieces, plus actual antique equipment, including a vintage double exercise bike system in which two people "race" as the tracking device ahead of them tells who's in the lead.
CBS News icons Lesley Stahl and Morley Safer offered a rare look inside their experience "growing up" with the Tiffany Network, working alongside newsman Walter Cronkite during some of the biggest stories in history. The conversation touched on topics like how the 60 Minutes legends met Cronkite, women in the media, and the current state of the Fourth Estate.
Stahl, an eloquent speaker, told the audience inside the LBJ Auditorium at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas that she got her start, as many women did in broadcast journalism, because of affirmative action.
"There was a lot of concern the audience would not accept women as authoritative because we had never been in that position to tell the public what went on today," said Stahl. "Would they accept us? So we all had to lower our voices. I remember very deliberately wearing glasses, which I do need. But I could have taken them off for the camera. My mother was always fighting me on this. She kept saying, 'no one's ever going to ask you on a date if you wear your glasses!' We were always trying to present ourselves as people of gravitas, people who had authoritative sounding voices, look serious."
Stahl remembered the time she smiled during a standup, when a reporter speaks directly into the camera for a story. "I remember I told a funny story and I smiled. The producer was livid at me because it was late and on deadline. I had to go out and do it again. It was funny but I wasn't allowed to smile because I was a woman and it would take away from my image."
Image in that day was very important as the evolving role of journalism slowly took hold of the American audience. Safer said he learned Cronkite, who had a humorous side - throwing parties, doing impressions, and acting out a "strip tease" for his guests - would always stick up for his correspondents. "He was a wonderful friend. As a correspondent working 13,000 miles away, you really felt secure that he was somehow watching your back."
Stahl met Cronkite twice. The first was at the local CBS affiliate, where she worked, in Boston. Later, she was invited to a dinner party, similar to Safer, where she earned even more respect for him than she had before. "My first story with having my first dinner with Walter Cronkite, getting to meet him personally, was such a head spinner, I walked out kind of almost as if I was punch drunk in a funny way." Stahl believed she became 'one of the guys' because Cronkite told these vile jokes with a woman present. If he could do that with a woman in the room, she figured, she was in the club.
Broadcast Journalism, A Changing Scene
As time goes on, journalism has changed. It's hard to believe, considering broadcast news still seems in its early years, that the media is changing even more. Technology has a lot to do with it.
"We worked in film," Stahl said of her early career. "Film had to be developed. So you had actual time to think. You had hours to make phone calls. You could actually call people and get opposing views. You could call an analyst and get some depth. Then video came in and that time shrank. The deadline wouldn't be so early. And now it's instant. They don't think at all. The President speaks and two seconds later, the reporter's right there and he's telling you. Or the story happens and before you can make a single phone call, you're called upon."
Safer, who credits 60 Minutes for still using the old fashioned formula of story telling and important investigations, believes the shrinking think time for journalists nowadays is sad. "It really does a disservice to the audience."
Asked of the legacy Walter Cronkite left behind, and if it's still around: "I think the legacy diminishes each year. Part of it is the whole nature of broadcast news has changed so much," said Safer.
Stahl had a different take on Cronkite's legacy, saying the newsman actually shaped history. "Time and again because Walter Cronkite was so trusted, the public listened to him more than they listened to the politicians. He was able to affect the course of history and I would say his legacy is strongest in that sense."
Plenty has changed in broadcast journalism, but many things remain the same. Despite the critics who choose not to trust the news, there are many journalists like Safer and Stahl who continue to make journalism an honored profession with people who work hard for viewers and the people whose stories they tell.
President Barack Obama will deliver his second annual back to school speech Tuesday from Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The message is about encouraging kids to do their best in school and that they can pave their own path toward success. The President's speech will be heard by Texas children at noon. Or should I say some Texas children.
Last year, many conservatives worried President Obama would interject political messages into his speech. Nationwide, however, CNN reports not many people are that worried on this second go-round. Still, school districts in central Texas, including Round Rock and Leander, are allowing parents the chance to opt their kids out of hearing the speech. These are the parents whose children will miss a pep talk from the President himself.
Here is what I came to Masterman to tell you: nobody gets to write your destiny but you. Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it. And nothing – absolutely nothing – is beyond your reach. So long as you’re willing to dream big. So long as you’re willing to work hard. So long as you’re willing to stay focused on your education.
I am excited the President is taking time out of his busy day to talk directly to our children. It's an honor, but it's also inspiring to know that children to hear a message like this will take it to heart and strive for their best. They will work hard in school, excel in their studies, and some will go to college to earn a degree. Others will work hard to learn a trade, perfect their skills in their chosen profession, and become extremely successful.
Parents who feel their children will be bombarded by a political message are doing their children a disservice and teaching them to disregard important figures in our world. When did education become so politicized that some kids will have to miss remarks like this?
An education has never been more important. I’m sure there will be times in the months ahead when you’re staying up late cramming for a test, or dragging yourselves out of bed on a rainy morning, and wondering if it’s all worth it. Let me tell you, there is no question about it. Nothing will have as great an impact on your success in life as your education.
President Obama will encourage school kids to be responsible and punctual, to pay attention in class, do their homework, study and stay out of trouble. I wish all children could hear the message. They are growing up in a tough world with challenges that other generations did not have to face. But President Obama will outline it clearly that the farther they go in school, the farther they will go in life.
A lot of you are having to act a lot older than you are; to be strong for your family while your brother or sister is serving overseas; to look after younger siblings while your mom works that second shift; to take on a part-time job while your dad is out of work.
It’s a lot to handle; it’s more than you should have to handle. And it may make you wonder at times what your own future will look like; whether you’ll be able to succeed in school; whether you should set your sights a little lower, and scale back your dreams.
Maybe children will work harder and learn the value of respecting their leaders by hearing the Commander in Chief let them know their goals are possible. My hope is that the majority of kids will be able to sit in their desks to hear the President for themselves.
The White House released the text of the speech Monday. You can read the entire speech for yourself by clicking here.
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