Life is good

October 26-November 1, 2006

Man, I would love to have more days like the past couple have been. I took a day and a half of (paid) vacation to get paid (some more) to hang out in bars with people I really like and "act" like I'm having a good time. Yes indeedy, an actor's life is the life for me. The Texas Restaurant Association was doing a training module to get their workers TBAC certified, and they needed people to be bartenders, drunks, party-goers, etc. They gave us all the sparkling grape juice we could drink and paid us handsomely while we chatted with our pals, networked, and generally had a great time. Life is good indeed. Please, sir, may I have some more?

So today it's back to the grind, but I have only 100 (one. hundred.) days (that's calendar days -- which include weekends, holidays, sick days and vacation) till retirement, yee haw!!! Can you dig it?

Lots of fun stuff to do this weekend, so dig in and have some fun!!!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel; Austin Swing Syndicate / 8 pm
This is their annual Halloween Ball, so dress up. Now's your chance to dance with a vampire or a nun (or a nun with a taste for blood).

Sergey Vaschenko
Tree House Italian Grill / / 2201 College; 443-4200 / 7:30 pm
Like balalaika music? Then this is your guy.

Chaparral
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189

Glovertango
Cipollina / 1213 West Lynn; 477-5211 / 8-10 pm

Cornell Hurd
Jovita’s / 1619 S. 1st, 447-7825 / 8 pm (family)

Two Hoots & a Holler
Ego’s / 510 S. Congress; 474-7091 / 11 pm

The Gimbles
Guero's / 1412 S. Congress; 447-7688 / 6:30 pm

Djd Milonga
COPA / 217 Congress Ave. / Austin, TX / 479-5002; 9 pm

THURSDAYS - SUNDAYS, thru NOVEMBER 5

Requiem
Intel Shell / 5th at San Antonio / 8 pm If you did not get a chance to see this during the summer, then don't make the same mistake this fall. The work is stunningly beautiful. Tix are $20 and $30 and you can reserve yours by calling 512-474-8497.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27

Gaelic Storm
Paramount Theater / 713 Congress, 472-5411 / 8 pm (family)
Remember the Irish band in "Titanic"? This is them!

Joan Baez
Hogg Auditorium / 24th at Guadalupe / 8 pm
Hey Dan -- think she'll go dancing with you this time? Click here to buy tix.

Studebakers
Artz Ribhouse / 2230 S. Lamar; 442-8283 / 7:30 pm (family)

Lucky Strikes
ZAX / 312 Barton Springs; 481-0100 / 8:00 pm

Jim Stringer's AM Band
Brentwood Tavern / 6701 Burnet Road; 420-8118 / 6:30 pm

James Hand
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189

Dirty Dozen Brass Band
La Zona Rosa / 612 W. 4th, 472-2293

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27 -29

Fire Ant Frolic
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel
Three days of contra dancing to live music in a vintage ballroom.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28

Acoustic Africa
Hogg Auditorium / 24th at Guadalupe / 8 pm (family)
Habib Koité, Vusi Mahlasela and Dobet Gnahoré will all be performing, and it is going to ROCK! Click here to buy tix.

Bayou Cajun Band
Texas Folklife Resources / 1317 S. Congress / 4-6 pm (family)
Peter Schwartz will be sitting in on fiddle, so don't miss it!

Tap Jam
Central Market / 4001 N. Lamar; 206-1000 / 6:30 pm
Acia Gray will be heading up this tap jam with live music by the Mark Devine Quintet.

Austin Lounge Lizards
Cactus Café / Texas Union, UT campus, 23rd at Guadalupe, 475-6515

Sergey Vaschenko
Tree House Italian Grill / / 2201 College; 443-4200 / 7:30 pm

Two Hoots & a Holler
Ego’s / 510 S. Congress; 474-7091 / 11 pm

DJd Milonga
Learn to Dance Austin / 8910 Research; Bldg E-1; 450-0200 / 8 pm

Austin International Folk Dancers Halloween Dance
Hancock Rec Center / 41st at Red River (in the golf course) / 7:30 pm
Costumes encouraged, of course, of course.

Nash Hernandez Orchestra
Austin Rec Center / 1301 Shoal Creek / 8 pm; $7 and $10
Join the Austin Ballroom Dancers for their annual halloween do. Lots of great big band music by the NHO.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29

The Brew
The Oasis / 6550 Comanche Trail 266-2442

Dale Watson
Ginny's Little Longhorn / 5434 Burnet Road; 458-1813

Heybale!
Continental Club / 1315 S. Congress; 441-2444 / 10:30 pm

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30

Dale Watson
Continental Club /1315 S. Congress;441-2444 / $5; 11:15 pm

Bayou Cajun Band
Evangeline Cafe / 8106 Brodie Lane; 282-2586 / 6:30 pm (family)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31

Marc Devine & Denia Ridley
Reed's Jazz Club / 9901 Cap of TX Hwy; 342-7977 / 6:30 pm

DJd Swing Dance
The Fed / 24th at San Gabriel / 9:45 / no cover
Free dance after Four on the Floor’s classes.

Erik Hokkanen's Laboratory
Flipnotics / 1601 Barton Springs; 322-9750 / 8:00 pm

White Ghost Shivers
The Oaks / 10206 FM 973 N / 8 pm; $20
If you've never been to one of the WGS Halloween balls, you've missed some fun!

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Seth Walker
Jovita's / 1619 S. 1st; 447-7825 / 8 pm

Gulf Coast Playboys
La Palapa /Hwy 290 @ Cameron Road / 7:30 pm

Austin Lounge Lizards
Threadgill’s / 301 W. Riverside; 472-9304

ROAD TRIPS

Gruene, TX
FRIDAY, OCT 27
The Gourds
Gruene Hall / 1281 Gruene; 830-606-1281 / 8 pm; $10

Uhland, TX
SATURDAY, OCT 28
Ricky Calmbach
Club 21. Click here for directions.

COMING SOON

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Mundi CD Release Party
Barr Mansion / 10463 Sprinkle Road / 7:30 pm; $12
Not only is the music absolutely fabulous, the venue is too. And there will be tapas. Check this one out for sure, for sure! Click here for advance tix.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4 & 5
Austin Celtic Festival
Fiesta Gardens / 2101 Bergman / 11 am - 9 pm (family)
Music, dancing, crafts, games, men in kilts. Yup, something for everyone. Frankie Gavin will be here, as will James Keane, Dervish, the Prodigals, plus tons of local talent like Cluan, Mundi, Silver Thistles and more, more, more. Rain or shine!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Don Walser Memorial Fund Benefit
Broken Spoke / 3201 S. Lamar; 442-6189 / 4-9 pm (family)
Please support the Walser family during their time of grieving and huge expenses. There will be great music all afternoon/evening by The Pure Texas Band; Texas Swing Kings; Jon Emory; and many guests sitting in. If you can’t make to the show or you just want to donate to the fund by mail, here’s the info -- Donations to off-set medical and funeral expenses can be made to: (donations are not tax deductible)
Don Walser Memorial Fund
P.O. Box 90306
Austin, TX 78709-0306

See ya on the dance floor,

Chris