The Heart of Austin

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Thank you so much for reading our blog at HeartofAustin.com! The West Austin Properties Team loves sharing information with you, and we will continue to share events, real estate news, stories and more at our new site www.WestAustinMarketplace.com. This new site will feature video blogs, as well as our traditional written blogs, enabling us to better inform you of what is going on in and around Austin, Texas! We can't wait to see you there and encourage you to leave comments and questions!

www.WestAustinMarketplace.com

Eeyore's Birthday Party turns "Oh, bother" into "Oh, boy!"

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday tooo youuu, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to EEYORE!! Happy Birthday TO YOU!

Well, Austinites, it's that time of the year again....Eeyore's 47th Annual Birthday Party!! Don't worry this won't be a pity party, but a grand celebration! There will be live music in Pease Park from noon to seven this Saturday the 24th of April. Musical guests Graham Wilkinson and the Underground Township, Mystic Moot and Tavana will be there to jam out until the sun goes down. The party begins at 11AM so grab some hot or cold food (vegetarian included), and wash it down with a coke, juice, spring water or even a Texas beer! 

Admission is free and all food/drink/activity proceeds will benefit non-profit groups in Austin. There will be games for children of all ages, as well as face painting and temporary tattoos. Musicians are also invited and encouraged to play their instruments. Come sing, eat, drink, play, and dance around the Maypoles at the party of the year! Costume contest is included with a chance to win some amazing prizes (gift certificates to Threadgills, Huts, and Frank and Angie's Pizzeria--YUM). Don't have a costume? Feel free to body-paint yourself and a friend and join in on the huge drum circle!

Also joining Eeyore with birthdays this month is West Austin Properties' own Laura Duggan and Austin country star Willie Nelson, both on April 30th! A grand happy birthday to you all! Let the celebration begin!

Submitted by Katy Duggan

West Austin Properties, REALTOR, Buyer's Agent

Contact me today to look at homes! 512-826-4316 or [email protected]

The Mighty Texas Dog Walk is Mightier Than Ever!

     Calling all pooches, big and small, we need YOU to bring the Guinness World Record for "Largest Dog Walk" back to Texas! How? Simply round all the pups you know and attend Austin's 12th Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk this Saturday, April 17th, at 9 A.M. It will take over 10,272 dogs to beat Britain's record, but I think we can do it! 

     The 3 mile stroll starts at the 1st street bridge and takes you through beautiful downtown Austin. There will be plenty of dog watching and vendors en-route with amazing products and services for every dog to enjoy! Let's show the rest of the country and the world why Austin, Texas is ranked in the top five cities for pets!

All proceeds benefit Texas Hearing and Service Dogs. For more information and to register check out the service dogs website. Each dog is $30 when you register the day of and $25 if you register early. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this World Record breaking event! Can't wait to see you there!  

TOP 5 PET FRIENDLIEST CITIES

Based on rankings among six different top 5 lists published by “Forbes,” “Dog Fancy,” AAA, “Men’s Health,” DogFriendly.com, and the Humane Society of the United States, WebVet.com recommends the following five cities as America’s pet friendliest:

1. Portland, Ore. (listed four times; ranked No. 2 twice)
2. Seattle, Wash. (listed three times; ranked No. 2 once)
3. Albuquerque, N.M. (listed three times; ranked No. 3 twice)
4. Austin, Texas (listed three times; ranked No. 3 once)
5. TIE: San Francisco and San Diego, Calif. (each listed twice; each ranked No. 1 once

Race Around Austin at the Capitol 10K

Fellow Austin race enthusiasts, join me and the rest of the West Austin Properties team for one of my personal favorite Austin traditions, the Statesman Capitol 10,000! This Sunday, April 11, is the 33rd anniversary of the largest 10K in Texas, and the fifth largest in the country. Whether you are a competitive runner or simply want to be a part of the action, grab your tennis shoes and join over 18,000 people to support Meals on Wheels and More in this 6.2-mile loop around Austin.

Entertaining to say the least, the eccentric participants of the Capitol 10K embody our city’s motto to “Keep Austin Weird.” H-E-B will be sponsoring a Mad Hatter station where you can create fun hats using a H-E-B bag as your canvas or feel free to transform yourself into a bag monster! 

Late registration begins today so head on over to the North Austin Event Center (formerly the Crockett Center) located at 10601 North Lamar Blvd. to pick up your packet and register. Can't wait to see you there!

Following the Capitol 10K, join us for our open house at 1102 Heritage Way in Central Austin by O'Henry Middle School. The National Association of Realtors has designated this weekend as National Open House Weekend, and West Austin Properties is excited to participate by holding open a house not yet on the market! We suggest you stop by before it's gone! 

This is also the last opportunity to take advantage of the $8,000 Federal Tax Credit. To qualify for the tax credit, the home must be under contract by April 30th and close before June 30th. Call us today at West Austin Properties to take advantage of these low rates, low prices, and stimulating government tax credit. 

Submitted by Katy Duggan, Buyer Specialist

West Austin Properties

512-826-4316 or [email protected] 

   

10 Things I Love About April in Austin

 You are no April fool if you want to spend April in Austin. There are an abundance of festivals, food and wine events, outdoor gardening symposiums and, of course, more music!

1.  The weather is just about perfect and the bluebonnets, our state flower, paint hillsides and roadways blue along with a bouquet of other Texas native wildflowers. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has their Spring Plant Sale and Gardening Festival along with workshops about growing native plants and conservation, a sculpture event and Earth Day activities. April 11-12

2.  Austinities love their dogs and a challenge of any kind! Dog walking is at its best with the Mighty Texas Dog Walk, a fundraiser where dog owners compete for the Guinness World Record for most dogs walked.  Dogs of all shapes and sizes, along with their owners, compete to raise money for service dogs in the Austin area. Walk til your dogs bark for a good cause!  April 11

3.  Easter in Austin is always special from the sunrise service at St. Luke's on the Lake at Lake Travis to the flowering of the cross at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Tarrytown. When we were little girls we took Daddy's finest flowers to the service and stuck them in the appropriate sized holes on the wooden crosses. After service, the crosses were placed on the Church grounds to herald He had risen! Did I mention that my grandparents were founding members of Good Shepherd?  April 12th

4.  Music festivals celebrate Spring all over the area. Take in the Old Settler's Music Festival on any of the four days that you can camp out and enjoy bluegrass, roots and American bands out by the Salt Lick in Driftwood.  If reggae is more your thing, chekc out the Austin Reggae Festival on the shores of Lady Bird Lake and help raise 12 tons of food for the Capital Area Food Bank. The Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival features events showcasing 100 restaurants and 60 wineries in their four day festival, a traditional passage to Spring. April 16-19th

5.  The Umlauf Gardens are some of the prettiest in Austin and celebrate the sculpture of Charles Umlauf in a natural setting close to Zilker Park.  Enjoy it all while strolling through the gardens sipping a glass of wine and enjoying tasty noches and music at the annual fundraiser, the Umlauf Garden Party.  April 23 

6.  Poetry is a staple in Austin, from the international poetry slams to private poetry readings;  Austinites are poets.  The Austin International Poetry Festival is the largest nonjuried poetry festival in the world!  For four days, in many venues, you can hear poetry of all kinds from locals and international participants alike. It will amaze you!  April 23-26

7.  Barton Springs Pool comes alive with visitors sunbathing on the hillside and dipping into the spring-fed waters of Austin's most famous swimming hole. Kids chase pigeons and ride the train around Zilker Park and everyone loves to worship the sun as spring melts into summer! Every day in April

8.  One of the funniest events in April is the Dragon Boat Festival and Race. Yes, it is nutty because Austinites build their 40 foot watercraft, decorate them like dragoss and race them on Lady Bird Lake's Festival Beach. Others get into the act too! It is not to be missed!  April 25th

9.  Take in the works of over 200 professional artists selected from applicants from all over the country as they showcase their art at Art City Austin. There is always lots of local music, food and fun. Bring your sunscreen!  April 25th

10.  April is birthday month!  Yes, Willie Nelson, Eeyore and I all share the same birthday on April 30th. This year Willie and I will be celebrating privately, but everyone can attend Eeyore's birthday at the Austin traditional party in Pease Park. Come dressed for the party in costume and celebrate Eeyore's 46th! April 25th

The Austin housing market is heating up and all things real estate seem to be seasonally normal. As always, if you know someone who wants to buy or sell a home, please let me know! Referrals are the heart of our business.

Submitted by Laura Duggan, West Austin Properties, Austin, Texas on April 9, 2009. Visit our website at www.westaustin.com to find your next home!

 

Family Christmas on the San Antonio Riverwalk

San Antonio is one of those unique cities in the United States made popular by its rich Texas history with the Battle at the Alamo, the Spanish missions, and the River Walk that winds through downtown punctuated by restaurants, bars, galleries, and hotels. At Christmas time, the River Walk turns into a fantasy land. The little river boats that carry tourists through the maze of shops and eateries are piloted by river guides wearing Santa hats as they steer their boats past native Indians playing carols on their wind chimes, a Hispanic Santa on his Christmas throne and beneath the towering cypress trees with mulit-colored lights hanging like stars from their branches. Luminares, white sacks filled with sand to anchor them from the wind and a little candle lit inside, line the river guiding the way for the Holy Family . School and church choirs sometimes fill the boats and serenade diners and tourists along the route with carols and pagentry. The Posada, or procession, is a special Mexican celebration along the River in early December that marks the search of Joseph and Mary for shelter. This is a real special treat for those lucky enough to see it.

This weekend our family and some friends made our traditional hour and a half trek south to San Antonio to wander through the Mexican market, take in the delights of the River Walk and eat our fill of Mexican food at Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery where we enjoyed the mariachis singing, "Feliz Navidad" and oggled the ornate decorations and the array of baked goodies. The Mexican nachos with beef and guacamole were the biggest hit, followed by the authentic chile con queso and traditional tamales. They have fantastic margaritas too, but this was a family day, and we still had to drive back to Austin. Brad and I have been coming here for more than 30 years to fill ourselves with these Mexican dishes and see the Christmas decorations of old. Open since 1941, they used to have tableside juke boxes, and the garland and Christmas lights would stay up year round. We always left with a sack full of traditional Mexican cookies to munch on the way back to Austin. This time, we ate too much and the counter was too crowded to buy them so we left the calories behind. Colorful pinatas lined the ceiling and Mexican vendors peddled their goods from Mexico in the Mexican market next door. Children were dancing on stage, a photographer was selling his photos and a wood carver was making toys in the promenade. It was so festive!

We made our way downtown to the River Center Mall, one of two places along the river where you can embark, where we boarded one of the little riverboats to tour the river. Unlike the arctic chill covering most of the country, the weather was mild and the day inviting for our adventure. Our guide pointed out all of the famous old buildings and we marveled at the amazing and well-preserved architecture of them, some over 100 years old. Christmas lights and decorations added to the enjoyment as we wound our way through the city enjoying waterfalls, winter hardy perennials, mosaics, and statuary. Ice cream at Marble Slab finished our day (and our calorie count!) as we left the Alamo City once again for our short journey back to Austin. It was truly a memorable day, and one of our family's holiday traditions!

Posted by: Laura Duggan, West Austin Properties, December, 22, 2009