My own Austin Chronicle

This weekend we took some time to escape to Austin. We went to see the much talked about Stitch show and support a few friends that were a part of it. Stitch was quite the spectacle!! We knew it was a big deal when we arrived to find a line of over a hundred people at the door. We waited 30 minutes to get in (even though we purchased tickets in advance) and wow was it crowded. It's so refreshing to see that kind of support for handmade/crafty artists! I wish we had that kind of vibe in Dallas, but I really think it just doesn't exist. I saw all ages in attendance but mostly it was people under 30. I think having UT in their town makes it the perfect haven for alternative goods and artists.

The upside of Stitch: I loved the atmosphere. Lively music, moody lighting, colorfully clothed shoppers and of course seeing all the handcrafted goodies. The fashion show was amazing and so well orchestrated. I found myself wishing I had my own collection of 4 outfits strutting down the runway. Truly it was well done. OH and my "goodie bag" was packed with coupons, pins, magnets, paint, glue and other fun stuff. Score.

The downside of Stitch: I saw lots of people looking and not as many buying. I also thought the selection was a little redundant. Mostly when it came to screenprinted shirts, purses/bags and vinyl goods. At one point I said to my husband "Didn't we see these at another booth?", thinking maybe a few vendors had more than one booth (but they didn't). I would have liked to see a little more variety, but it was still enough of a selection to go home with some great stuff.

One more note about Austin... Don't eat at Nueva Ondas. We got a recommendation for this place and it had been voted Best Migas in Austin in the Austin Chronicle. It was really terrible! We both ordered Migas and were shocked by the lack of flavor and authentic ingredients. Let's just say soggy tortillas, tomato sauce, strangely bland chorizo and cheddar cheese do not make a good plate of migas. The service was nice and the atmosphere was nice too, but the food is a bummer. Still haven't found a favorite place to get Mexican in Austin. Curras is okay, but not AMAZING. Ah, someday...

Today I'm painting like a mad woman. Yes, I'm getting ready for the show on Friday. So, I may not have time to post much else before then. If you are interested in attending and would like more info take a look at the NEWS page or send me an email with your email address and I'll fill you in.