Empire Control Room & Garage
John Anderson
features
GIFT GUIDE 2009
Homies for the Holidays
The art and science of Austintatious giftology
Wish List
Here's your chance to give back to the areas of our community that need it the most
news
Running the UT Numbers
Unless you're the football coach, budgetary times are dire
BY RICHARD WHITTAKER
Point Austin: The City's Tired Story
Fleet Services may be cleaning up those tires, but there's still a big mess
BY MICHAEL KING
City Hall Hustle: You, Too, Can Be Historic
A herd of West Austin historic house claims worries City Hall
BY WELLS DUNBAR
Headlines
Naked City
News briefs from Austin, the region, and beyond
Res Publica
Citizens' calendar, Dec. 17-21
Developing Stories: The Rail Learning Curve
Spillar outlines city plan to avoid Cap Metro's missteps
BY KATHERINE GREGOR
Long Haul for Ethanol in Travis County?
Commissioner wonders why Cap Metro kept a lid on freight rail proposal
BY AMY SMITH
Railroaded? Cap Metro vs. Veolia
Cap Metro fires its rail contractor, and Veolia strikes back
BY LEE NICHOLS
A Boulevard for Cyclists ... and Cars
Nueces Street could become the street of choice for Downtown cyclists
BY LEE NICHOLS
No Place Like City Hall for the Holidays
A long to-do list for the last City Council meeting of the year
BY WELLS DUNBAR
Capitol Dome to Get a Face-Lift
State Preservation Board announces a year of renovations
BY RICHARD WHITTAKER
Family Planning Contracts Approved
Opponents decry board's contracts with abortion providers
BY JORDAN SMITH
GIFT GUIDE 2009
Politics Gift Guide
Deck the halls – or get decked – with these last-minute suggestions from the News staff
BY THE 'CHRONICLE' NEWS STAFF
Election News
The Hightower Report
Obama's War; and Federal Execution Commission
BY JIM HIGHTOWER
food
The New Traditional
Damian Mandola has the restaurant business in his blood
BY RACHEL FEIT
Casa Brasil Coffee
Casa Brasil strives to more directly connect coffee producers with consumers
BY CLAUDIA ALARCÓN
Fresh & New, Tried & True: 25 Simple New Recipes and 28 Classic and Favorite Recipes From the Eastside Cafe
Fifty-three recipes for the locavore
BY VIRGINIA B. WOOD
Event Menu
This week, Austinites dine for charity and teach the little ones to garden
BY VIRGINIA B. WOOD
Food-o-File
Another successful Eat Local Week, and foodie news about town
BY VIRGINIA B. WOOD
music
Voodoo Lounge
That ol' black magic, West African style
BY AUSTIN POWELL
Off the Record
Stephen Bruton's final cut, a parting gift from At All Cost, and other holiday stocking stuffers
BY AUSTIN POWELL
GIFT GUIDE 2009
Phases & Stages
U2
The Unforgettable Fire
the Relatives
Don't Let Me Fall
Betty Davis
Nasty Gal, Is It Love or Desire
Freddie Hubbard
Without a Song: Live in Europe 1969
Jackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon, Me About You, To Be Free, New Arrangement
Pete Seeger
Live in '65
The Jayhawks, Drive-By Truckers
Music From the North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology, The Fine Print (A Collection of Oddities and Rarities): 2003-2008, Live From Austin TX
Rod Stewart
Atlantic Crossing, A Night on the Town, Unplugged ... and Seated
the Stone Roses
the Stone Roses
Whitesnake
Slide It In 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition: 1984-2009, Slip of the Tongue 20th Anniversary Edition: 1989-2009
Leonard Cohen, Amchitka
Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, Amchitka
Rolling Stones
Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!
Nirvana
Bleach (Deluxe Edition), Live at Reading
screens
Three Guys, a Girl, and a Dog Named Friday
Austin film collective Jollyville Pictures on its ingredients for success
BY MARC SAVLOV
AFCA Announces 2009 Awards
The Austin Film Critics Association hands The Hurt Locker top prize
BY KIMBERLEY JONES
Feed an Artist, Nourish the World
Austin School of Film underground and avant-garde shorts
BY MARC SAVLOV
Screens Reviews
A Christmas Tale
Don't call it a downer: This acid wash of cancer, estrangement, and secreted longing was the surprise feel-good film of last year's winter crop
TV Eye
Do you dream in color? Network execs sure don't.
BY BELINDA ACOSTA
Film Reviews
Avatar
James Cameron's opus is thrilling, lovely, sad, and explosive in all the right ways.
Avatar: Special Edition
Did You Hear About the Morgans?
Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker play a feuding New York City couple who rediscover their love while out West.
The End of Poverty?
This documentary argues against economic globalization and corporate imperialism.
The New Daughter
In this supernatural thriller, Kevin Costner stars as a single dad whose daughter begins behaving strangely.
3 Idiots
Two friends embark on a quest for their lost buddy in this new Bollywood comedy. Opens Wednesday.
Up in the Air
The director of Juno and Thank You for Smoking is back with another film that is perfectly in touch with the times.
arts & culture
Austin Visual Arts Awards
An overflow crowd turned out to see which local artists would be honored
BY ROBERT FAIRES
'Austin: East of I-35'
Photographer Rama Tiru's book brings the Eastside alive in a riot of vibrant colors
BY ROBERT FAIRES
Culture Flash!
Speed talking at AMOA, Correa in as ASO ED, and Ballet East needs your toys
BY ROBERT FAIRES
Arts Reviews
Dionysus in 69
The Rude Mechs' re-creation lets us experience a tragedy in a rare and personal way
A Christmas Carol
Performing Dickens' tale solo asks a lot of a storyteller, but Bernadette Nason delivers
'Holiday Group Show'
Whatever your holiday of choice, this Davis Gallery sampler is worth attention
columns
Page Two: A Constant Marvel
Binder, Beck, and the Big Red Cheese
BY LOUIS BLACK
Letters at 3AM: Conditions on the Ground
This is no war on terror; we're taking sides in a civil war
BY MICHAEL VENTURA
After a Fashion
Your Style Avatar throws it down, then sleeps it off. It's the holiday season.
BY STEPHEN MACMILLAN MOSER
Gay Place
Gay Place knows what it wants for the holidays and has e-mailed Santa her dimensions
BY KATE X MESSER
Day Trips
Texas-born Pulitzer Prize-winning author Katherine Anne Porter left a literary legacy
BY GERALD E. MCLEOD
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Operation Dominic, Columbus' pickles, and more
BY MR. SMARTY PANTS
Luv Doc Recommends: Master Pancake Christmas Show
Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz, Friday, December 18, 2009
BY THE LUV DOC
Feedback
Letters to the editor, published daily
sports
Soccer Watch
Barcelona looking to make history, Aztex holiday gift package, and more
