Stop #2: Austin, Texas Mural…read more If you are a Texan, you walk proud Texas tall. This mural reminds me of the things Texas is proud of such the hill country, the many waterways, cowboys and cowgirls, beaches (Yes! Texas does have beaches), parks and nature sites and rodeos. The Alamo is prominently featured int he mural (located in San Antonio, TX and one of Texas' top tourist attractions).

First checked this mural out back in 2016 or so and it's been a favorite of mine to show to friends…read moreand family when they're in town. If you're like me and like to do your own tours, make a mural tour and add this to your list. Sometimes when we're in the neighborhood, we'll stop and take pics. I am a huge fan of public art and this adds to the charm of our city.

I think I saw this mural for the first time back in 2016 or 2017 and I have to say it was one of my…read moremost favorite pieces of art back then. Just another example of amazing public art in our great city. We discovered it back then on a self-guided, self-planned mural tour.

This public art mural overlooks East Riverside Blvd and the Colorado River. The mural is to the…read morewest of I-35 on the south side of Riverside. It depicts a skull with butterfly wings, and some mockingbirds and bluebonnets. As you know, mockingbirds are the Texas state bird, and bluebonnets are the Texas state flower. I appreciate the Texas pride in this mural. The wall this mural is painted on is retaining wall, with a residential area behind/above the mural. It's not easy to get to this mural, as it's up on a hill overlooking the roadway.

If I could bottle the feeling of being a weird little kid who just wandered into something magical,…read moreMuseum of the Weird would be it. This place might honestly be my favorite spot I've ever visited. I love oddities, and they are surprisingly hard to find all together like this. Walking through here felt like running away to the circus in the best way. Every room has something that makes you stop and stare. Shrunken heads, two-headed specimens, medical oddities, freak show history, UFO lore, Movie props and replicas! and so much more. I appreciated that it felt more like a cabinet of curiosities than a haunted house vibe. The exhibits are thoughtfully laid out, and there's a genuine feeling of love for weird history here. It doesn't feel cheesy. You can take your time, read signs, and really soak it all in if you want, or just wander around wide eyed and delighted like me. If you're into oddities, curiosities, circus history, strange science, or just being a little weird inside, this place is an absolute must while you're downtown. I left smiling and already wanting to go back. Honestly, if this is your thing at all, you'll get it immediately. One small but important thing to note, especially for the rest of my disabled community: there is no bathroom on site. While they do let you leave and come back if needed, that still means stepping out and trying to find a restroom on a very busy downtown Austin street. It was honestly really stressful and upsetting for me. However...that didn't ruin the experience for me because I love it so much, but it's definitely something to be aware of and the only reason this lands at 4 stars instead of 5.

It is something to do when it's hot. The AC works except in the wax room. It smells awful!!!…read moreThey encourage you to take pics with King Kong which involves getting on knees and climbing up thru the hand. Well my dress had a dark brown wet stain on it as I stood up. Looked like poop -it wasn't but it sure looked like it. Bathroom out of order but they let me in and stain still there. So $25 for 2 to get in and I possibly ruined a brand new dress. Wasn't impressed at all by the place.

"Sunny Day, sweepin' the clouds awayOn my way to where the air is sweet"…read more Perfect way to enjoy Memorial weekend Sunday...the weather was just right and with a nice breeze to enjoy the gardens. The customer service here is always kind and laid back. Always appreciate how helpful staff is too because we turned in a lost key and they went right into action and already had been alerted. The ground are beautiful and it's really peaceful. There are chairs and benches placed throughout the grounds if you choose to take a seat and ponder this is the perfect opportunity. The flowers and many plants are just enjoyable and beautiful. It reminds you that flowers can still bloom in the scorching Texas heat.

Sometimes in life you have to be opportunistic. After boating we saw a sign that stated, "Orchid…read moreshow today". Who doesn't love orchids?! So our car turned right into the Austin Botanical Garden. Cost per car was $6 ($2 discount from living in Austin...score!) The garden was peaceful and serene in the heart of downtown Austin. We spent most of our time in the Japanese gardens, one our favorites. The gardens are nicely laid out and enjoyable to navigate. The solace that pours over you makes the visit more than worth it. The tranquil Japanese garden with koi ponds and stone bridges almost puts you in a meditative state. Informational signs line the garden were clear at making it easy to learn about native Texas plants, sustainable gardening, and seasonal blooms. Now for the orchid show...we thought it was going to be a display of orchids. It was actually a competitive show. Wow...so many beautiful orchids...a fortuitous encounter.

Looks like the sky space has two yelp pages, so I'm posting my thoughts here as well…read more A 5 star review of James Turrell's Skyspace by Courtney T.: https://www.yelp.com/biz/james-turrells-skyspace-austin?hrid=fY2tFreMSX8ZNqVBFwBVaw&utm_source=ashare&ref=yelp-android

I kinda had no idea what to expect. I intentionally didn't read much about The Color Inside. I knew…read moretwo things: Turrell and UT. Oh, and free. FREE. We made a reservation because we wanted to go at sunset. Without a reservation, you might get in but it's first come first served. We arrived extra early because if you're not familiar with UT and all of its ongoing construction, it can be challenging to find the Art Center. We asked some friendly students to point us in the right direction and got to the exhibit right on time. We checked in with the student on duty. There's a circular waiting room to the right of the check in desk where I saw people waiting. Some were sitting on the benches, others were actually lying on the floor. Geez how long had they been waiting? I sheepishly whispered to the student receptionist that I wasn't quite sure what the deal was. She advised that we could go right in. Right in to that circular waiting room? uh, yeah. that IS the exhibit. it fits maybe 20 people comfortably. and suddenly lying on the floor seemed perfectly reasonable. So we laid out our jackets and lied on the floor (there are blankets available at the exhibit in case you are a floor-lier without a jacket). we looked up. the roof is sort of canopy-like, and white, with a big blue oval dot in the middle. there are led lights in the base of the canopy that shine upwards casting a glow on the canopy. so we're lying there. and...we're lying there. and like i said we had no idea what to expect. after a while we saw a red plane fly by and we realized that the blue oval dot was actually a hole to the sky. ok, cool. and we're lying there just looking up. and then, things started to happen. i'm not going to tell you the details of the exhibit. you have to go experience it for yourself and be wowed. i will tell you that the key to the exhibit is patience (and the ability to lie on the floor). if you are patient, you will be vastly rewarded. 5-stars vast.

Pretty sure my mouth was open in excitement the first time we drove down SOCO! lol ..Does not…read moredisappoint. Just about everything your little heart desires is all here on this street . Very vibey , vintage shops , foodie finds , plenty of shopping , fun crowds and yes parking requires some effort but it's worth it . Grab a bite and get your steps in !

South Congress is one of the iconic streets of Austin, TX. It stretches just south of downtown…read moreAustin past Lady Bird Lake. This strip satisfies of everyone's wants...cool boutiques, inviting eateries, captivating street art, and plenty of live music. In addition, vintage clothing shoppers can be easily immersed at a number of vintage shops. There is nothing like the epicenter of the South Congress, The Continental Club. You can purchase from high end stores like Hermes and Chanel to athletic stores like Lululemon and Toms. From elevated restaurants like Aba and Vespio to a variety of food trucks that will satisfy almost any food itch. And if you are in need of some retail therapy, South Congress can satisfy a plethora of shopping tastes. In full transparency, parking can be challenging sometimes, especially during the weekends. For all the benefits that South Congress has to offer, parking is a minor challenge. What makes South Congress memorable, the random jewelry vendors, spray can artists completing paintings live as you look on, street musicians playing their favorite tunes, the random conversation you strike up with another South Congress visitor. South Congress...such a great place to frequent. You literally could spend hours jetting in and out stores, eating ice cream or another treat or listening to live music. It's a fun place to hang out.

One of my favorite things about working on a college campus are the gems (art, music, dance,…read moretheatre) that are available to enjoy.who knows if the arts can withstand the tide that is currently decimating our history so I won't take it for granted and will experience as much of it as I can. The contemporary, modern and Latin collections in the Blanton, along with the art pieces at Rowling Hall are my favorites.

Unpopular opinion loading: as someone who has lived in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, I'm…read moreafraid that this museum leaves very much to be desired, both for the quantity, and quality of the artworks, or lack there of. Basically a single story of actual art, since the first floor is in overly large, check-in area, atrium, and staircase with a large piece of art hanging from the ceiling. The second floor is laid out around the perimeter of said atrium, leaving little space for actual art. I would be surprised if this museum could display more than 20 works at one given time. I've been three times and never seen anything impressive or particularly interesting, and the entire ground can be covered in about 20 minutes if you move at a relatively leisurely pace. One of the times was there Saturday events and it was pretty boring. It was basically a bunch of people congregated outside in the heat because they had declared it wasn't an event with an OK band playing and food. You had to pay for on top of paying for the event. It was the regular art exhibit and there was no where air conditioned to sit in the heat. Whyyyyyyy? The little house outside is cute but it's not worth a visit alone. It's a novelty that wears off within about five minutes. In a city that prides itself on being so artsy, why don't we have any good museums or film houses? Not even one.

We loved our visit. I didn't know anything about the art before coming here but was very pleasantly…read moresurprised. I'm drawn to classically influenced, figurative sculpture, rather than highly abstract contemporary styles. Umlauf's work was precisely that -- it focused on the human form primarily and touched upon themes of religion, war, love, beauty. There were some pieces that took my breath away, particularly the refugee mother and baby pieces. The garden itself is small (you'll likely spend an hour here, at most) but very pleasant to stroll around. The trees were bare when we visited but I can see it being even lovelier in spring/summer. Very reasonable admission fee ($8 per adult). Children 0-4 are free. Super friendly staff. The woman working the front desk was very kind to us and made our family feel so welcome (we brought our two small children). Small parking area but it wasn't crowded when we came (despite it being a weekend afternoon). If you're visiting Austin and you like classical and figurative sculptural work, make sure you add this spot to your itinerary.

A friend of mine was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend and he then committed suicide. Today my…read morefriend's family had a celebration of life ceremony for her. This celebration of life ceremony was a deeply moving and beautifully planned tribute to her life well-lived. The ceremony took place in UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum. The grounds are serene and peaceful with art sculptures sprinkled throughout the garden. UMLAUF is strategically hidden behind Zilker Park in Austin, TX. The garden was a perfect place for my friend's celebration of life. She would have loved the tree canopy, small ponds, and the bronze and stone works in the garden. My friends passing caused me to think about life, death and the dash in between the two. The commentary today came from her younger brother, two friends and her aunt. Their glowing remarks intertwined with snippets of humor helped to soften the moment. One of the comments from her brother is that you need to keep in touch with family and friends, tell them you love them and do not miss those very important moments. Those thoughts resonated with me. Sometimes in this microwaveable society, we do not make time to be intentional and spend uninterrupted time with family and friends. I committed today to be more intentional from this day forward. When my mom and sister passed, I was selected by our family to do the eulogy, which is one the hardest things you can possibly do in life. How can you capture one's life in 15-20 minutes? What topics are most salient to discuss? Inevitably, my mind drifted to gratitude. I am so grateful for my family who loves me unconditionally. I am grateful to all my friends and especially those friends who have been riding with me for 25+ years. "The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." Eleanor Roosevelt

Last summer I finally decided to head up the Lady Bird Johnson park, all because it had the…read moredinosaur animatronic exhibit. I'm a bit of a dinosaur nerd, have been since the early 1970's. I wanted to be a Paleontologist when I was little. So, off to see the dinos I went. There were lots of parents with their kiddos, & grandparents with their grandchildren, a few couples, but I was the only older single. Lol We were all enjoying the animatronic dinosaurs. It's was a cool summer day, and the park was lively in size with plenty of sitting places, and restrooms located throughout. Nice gift shop, & a small little grab & go type of foods. All & all a fun time. I look forward to going back & seeing other exhibits in the future.

I visited my father in Naples, Florida and they have a wonderful botanical garden there. I visited…read moreit several times while I was there. I was inspired to join the Wildflower center right in my backyard!!! It was 60 bucks for the year and what I'm most excited about it being allowed in at 800 before it opens for the crowds at 900. I went for a nice long walk this morning. I can't wait to come back when things are in bloom but also loved having the place mostly to myself on this chilly winter morning.

Here's the tl;dr version:…read more -- Cool local art for purchase -- Supplies for urban artists (or amateurs who are headed over to the Hope Gallery) -- Unique souvenirs for Austin visitors -- #ATXFreeArtFriday Co-founded by a UTexas alumna Molly Maroney and another local artist known as Mouf in 2013, SprATX is a street art startup artist collective, gallery, & supply store, with this brick & mortar location opening in January 2014. Inside, you'll find spray paint, paint markers, stickers, prints, and cool urban apparel for purchase, all of which features the work of our local Austin street artists and often has a motivational, "Keep Austin Weird," or "Austin Pride" kind of message. Chances are that if you have noticed any impressive new mural or live street art event around town (such as at the X Games, ACL Fest, SXSW, FunFunFun Fest, East Austin Studio Tour, or the Long Center lawn) over the past 4 years, SprATX was involved. Their artists have also done work for most of the Alamo Drafthouse locations and numerous corporate clients around the city. As if that weren't cool enough, SprATX is also the creator of #ATXFreeArtFriday https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/atxfreeartfriday/, a weekly art scavenger hunt in which artists of all levels (from hobbiests to professionals) hide their work (stickers, canvases, screenprints, sculptures, textiles, anything goes) throughout the city. The artist posts clues on Instagram and waits for a lucky treasure hunter to find the stash. The finders post their "I found it!" reactions online, tag the artist and #ATXFreeArtFriday, and the cycle continues. Follow @atxfaf_official and the hashtag on Instagram if you want to join the game. The diverse 30+ member collective includes amazing local street scene artists like ZUZU, Roshi K, G52, Truth, Lucas Aoki, and Drib, whose works you've likely viewed all over town. The collective also serves as an incubator for talent around the country through their Artist Exchange Program, which pairs artists from Austin and other cities to co-create murals which are then created and revealed in the partner artist's city. I just love supporting a local business that fosters community involvement and puts beauty into the world. Closed on Wednesdays; otherwise open 12:30-7:30p daily.

One of my favorite spots in Austin. Housing the art of some of the city's very best. A collective…read moreof awesome and inspirational individuals. Stop by and check out the gallery, grab a print, original piece, some stickers or gear! They even have art supplies like markers and cans !!