Strawberries and chocolate. California and Schwarzenegger. Spiderman 3 and Xanax. All classic pairings that destiny and the Austin Museum of Art have been working to outstrip this week, with the presentation of two new exhibits: The Target Collection of American Photography: A Century in Pictures and 24 Summers at Barton Springs Pool: Photographs by Will van Overbeek. Both shows open this Saturday. A Century in Pictures presents nearly ninety photographs taken by men and women... more ›

F R I D A Y [16] [theatre] Rude Mechs present Pale Idiot by Kirk Lynn at The Off Centre (Through Sat, $12, 8pm) [Austinist Review] [theatre] Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity" at Austin Playhouse on Penn Field (Through Sat, $20, 7:30pm) [theatre] "When Pigs Fly" at Arts on Real (8pm) [theatre] Shrewd Productions presents "Xmas Unwrapped! A Holiday Burlesque" at Hyde Park Theatre (Through Sat, 10pm) [theatre] "A Christmas Carol" at The State Theatre... more ›

M O N D A Y [12] [music] UT Ethnomusicology Dept Ensembles at Momo's (8pm) [music] David Newbould at Flipnotics (8pm) [music] Singer-Songwriter Night at Longbranch Inn [music] Elizabeth McQueen at Theadgill's (8pm) [music] Listening party for Ludacris' new album, Disturbing Tha Peace at Nasty's (8pm) [music/shopping] Armadillo Christmas Bazaar with the Eggmen at Austin Music Hall (Check website for dates/hours) [party] Friends of the Spade Christmas Party at Velvet Spade (11pm) [film/food] "Narnia"... more ›

: : FRIDAY : : [music] Moretempo, 10pm-2am @ Copa - $5 [theatre] "Inside a Broken Clock: A Tom Waits Peepshow" @ Arts on Real (Through Saturday) [film] New Movies! @ your local theater [music] The Sad Accordions with Jim Yoshii Pileup, 10pm @ the Ritz [lecture] Gallery Tour of the Ansel Adams exhibit @ The Harry Ransom Center, 6pm - FREE! [art] Jerry Uelsmann and wife Maggie Taylor present their latest works, 6-9pm@... more ›

M O N D AY [ 31 ] music/party · The White Ghost Shivers' Halloween Ball at American Legion Hall! Burlesque, Independence Brew, apple bobbing with the TX Roller Girls, Tarot card readings, a kissing booth and more. The White Ghost Shivers will also be performing a live soundtrack to accompany Buster Keaton's "Cops." ($25, 9pm) music · Galactic, Mofro and New Monsoon at Stubb's music · Halloween Show at Emo's with Flametrick Subs, Satans... more ›

[This post by Austinist contributor Ami] We like to think we’re pretty edjah-macated, worldly, and cultured here at Austinist. Like on occasion, we’ll sip a martini rather than shotgunning our usual can(s) o’ beer. For extra special occasions, we’ll (reluctantly) trade in our flip-flops for closed-toed shoes. Heck, we’ve even been known to watch Antiques Roadshow if there’s absolutely no sporting event, trashy sitcom or good infomercial on TV. But when we really stop... more ›

This week is perhaps best summed up by the words of the English poet William Blake, who remarked: "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom." As much as we'd like to claim that we've actually read Blake, we stole that from 24-Hour Party People. Did we forget anything? Let us know. M O N D A Y film · The Austin Film Society presents the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund screening of "The... more ›