As Christmas approaches, good shows tend to get sporadic and good friends tend to leave town, but the promise of Emo’s Free Week will carry us into the empty canvas that is 2008. Still, we have ten days or so to find that one last good moment of 2007....

The owners of The Broken Spoke on South Lamar have reached an agreement with Ardent Residential (also developing the Four Seasons condos) and Direct Development (also developing the Fifth Street Commons project) to develop a residential/retail project on the lots surrounding The Broken Spoke. The Broken Spoke itself, including the dirt parking lot and oak tree out front, will remain intact. You may remember that Direct Development reached a similar agreement to include the Mean Eyed Cat in Fifth Street Commons....

Although it may just look like a pizza stand parked in a Mobil gas station on Barton Skyway and South Lamar, Giovanni's Pizza Stand may be one of the greatest South Austin pizza joints since Austin's Pizza (Ed Note: and Home Slice Pizza, ahem). Barton Hills residents don't have far to look for value-priced pizza with a ton of toppings to satisfy their hunger after a jump in Barton Springs, a spin around The......

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note Hello, sports fans! I was going to make a lame Super Bowl joke, but my knowledge of the sport is nil to be truly witty about it. One of the more shameful remarks I was heard to utter this week was, “Um…what teams are playing?” Nice. I think I’ll stick to radio. One......

We were flipping through the pages of the Spring 2006 Urban Outfitters Catalogue when this creepy deja vu feeling came over us. Wasn't that us, just the other day, standing in front of Antone's Records looking sassy in our striped watermelon tank top and gigantic heart-shaped earrings? Or we could swear it was us, lounging across the back of that convertible parked outside the Broken Spoke with that come-hither look in our eyes. Then we......

Mayor Will Wynn is set to officially announce his bid for re-election in just a few weeks. His campaign website -- wynnagain.com -- has yet to provide much information, save for a frontpage letter to his adoring public, promising a "substantive, positive campaign focused on the issues that matter most to our community." Burnt Orange reports that Wynn has already managed to raise a hefty $40,430, a record amount since the Fair Campaign Ordinance......

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Alison Coffey and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] If you're like me, you spent the better part of the holidays away from the television, especially if you were at someone else's house and they happen to watch a lot of football. I don't watch football. Or basketball. Or anything with a lot of throwing and catching of balls. I......

Perennial Continental Club staple Dale Watson is calling it quits after this month. According to an interview with the Chronicle's Darcie Stevens, he'll be moving in January to Baltimore (which is almost as exciting at Austin, if you have a particularly vivid imagination) to be with his daughters. We're sure he'll be back eventually, but here are his remaining show dates for the year: Tonight, December 23rd: Dale Watson at the Broken Spoke Sunday,......

M O N D A Y [ 7 ] TV · Screenings of episodes from Twin Peaks and Carnivale, with free popcorn! At Beerland (Free, 7pm) music · Pre-Election Day Party at Stubb's, with the Blues Crawlers, Daniel Kang, Booher/Davis, Pompeii and Roma 79 (10pm) music · Elizabeth McQueen and Jason Roberts at Threadgills (Free, 8pm) film · "The T.A.M.I. Show", documenting the 1964 Teenage Awards Music International - footage includes The Rolling Stones, The......

: : FRIDAY : : [film] New Movies @ Your Local Theater! [music] Willie Nelson @ Stubb's (also Saturday) [music] The Queers, The Vibrators, The Independents (outside) and Wolf Eyes, Prurient and Rubble (inside) @ Emo's [music] CD release show for The Lovely Sparrows & Big Blue Marble @ Beerland [music] The Arm and New Model Army @ Elysium [film/lecture] Rabia Clark presents her short film, "The Dervish Project", 7pm @ Ventana del Sol......

*Photo taken from Austin American Statesman * As you probably have read and seen, the Broken Spoke suffered a blow from a tour bus Sunday night. Following a 15th anniversary celebration for country radio personalities Sam and Bob from KVET, Barbara Snowden of Barbara Snowden and the Geezinslaws decided to move their bus to a better spot. The better spot turned out to be, unfortunately, the side of the structure of the bar. Apparently......

: : FRIDAY : : [film] New Movies! @ your local theater [award] The Writers' League of Texas honors Ann Patchett @ Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum [music] Beta Valentine Instore, 7pm @ End of an Ear [film] aGLIFF kick-offf - films, 7pm party, 10pm @ Great Hills Arbor Theater [music] Hurts to Purr, Sarah Glynn, and 54 Seconds, 10pm @ Stubb's [music] Octopus Project, Voxtrot, Prince Klassen and Treewave @ Emo's [music]......

We're absolutely, undeniably terrified of this week. See you next Monday -- if we can still remember who we are. M O N D A Y [19] film · End of an Ear and Plexifilm bring you "Saint Etienne Presents Finisterre", a film about London by Paul Kelly and Kieran Evans, at the Drafthouse South Lamar. (Free! 9:45pm) music/party · Nic Armstrong & The Thieves take over Club DeVille all night long - and they're......