The Statesman is reporting that Tim Finley (owner of most of the block soon to house a new Marriott) has reached an agreement with the Perez sisters (owners of Las Manitas and a building on the northwest corner of that block). Las Manitas will move from its current location into the building owned by the Perez sisters. The buildings currently housing Las Manitas, Escuelita del Alma and Tesoro's will be torn down to make way for a single 1,000 room Marriott hotel....

The owners of Las Manitas have signed a deal that will allow White Lodging Services Corp., the developers of the Marriott project on Congress Ave, to build over part of the alley running behind the future Marriott site, 211 Congress Ave, where Las Manitas is currently located, and 227 Congress Ave, which the Perez sisters own. Las Manitas will be displaced from its current location, and the Perez sisters' representative declined to comment on......

ACL Previews Austinist Launches Dedicated ACL Page! Preview: Manchester Orchestra and Patterson Hood Preview: Ian Ball and the Little Ones Interview: Paolo Nutini ACL Band Clash, Round 2: The Killers Vs. Björk Weekly Features Tales Of Mere Existence Hots On #9: Sound Off New Release Tuesday: Frisell's Floratone The Argyle Academy New Movie Releases: The Invasion, Superbad, Death at a Funeral, and More Truesday: Friesday The Laurie Show News, Features, and More Travis County......

In the latest twist to the Las Manitas debacle, Lidia and Cynthia Perez have rejected the proposed $750,000 forgivable loan from the city. The financial reasons they provided seem pretextual - even with the strings added by the city after the proposal was passed by city council, the loan was still a bargain from a financial perspective. The first reason sounds more legitimate: "This loan has become way too complicated and caught up in controversy,......

*The views expressed in Truesday are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole. Thank heavens.* -The Editors It isn’t always easy to strike out all by your lonesome, to do your own thing. Lots of weight to take on. All that responsibility and shit. People watching with a mix of curiosity, hope, and ravenous jealousy. But I know how it is: the desire’s always been there, just not the......

In the first bit of Las Manitas news this year that has nothing to do with small business displacement or forgivable loans, Academy Award winning director Jonathan Demme has announced plans to shoot a new film at the embattled downtown eatery. The film (mentioned at the tail end of this Washington Post article) will apparently be a concert documentary featuring Austin roots rocker Alejandro Escovedo. No word yet on a timeframe for the shoot, but......

Yesterday, city council approved a $750,000 loan to Las Manitas by a 5 to 2 vote, with a slight amendment to the terms of the loan. The solution to Las Manitas' problems has proven almost as controversial as the cause, and issues such as loan forgiveness, favoritism and elitism provided fodder for many opinionated individuals in the council chambers and the blogoshpere. One gentleman at yesterday’s meeting was particularly concerned with unfair competition in the......

City Council will vote Thursday on whether to offer to Las Manitas a "forgivable loan" for up to $750,000 under the new Business Retention and Enhancement Program. Las Manitas will need to put $94,000 towards the building renovation, and continue to operate and make interest payments for five years. At that point, the city would forgive the remainder of the loan. The loan will fund a move down the street to 227 Congress Ave, a......

FRIDAY [18] festival • Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations at Palmer Events Center (11:30am-1pm) party • Nightster Launch Party with Riverboat Gamblers at Scoot Inn (Free Bud 8-9pm, Show at 10pm, 21+) art • Closing Reception: The Puppet Show - Puppets and portraits of Mexican artists by fourth-grade students at Sanchez Elementary at Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, 211 Congress (4:30-6pm) books • Milton Burton presents The Sweet and the Dead at BookPeople (7:00pm)......

MONDAY [23] books • David Sedaris at The Paramount Theatre books • Bill Bradley presents The New American Story at BookPeople (7:30pm) art • Artistic License: WorkSpace Artist Jedediah Caesar at the Blanton Museum of Art at The Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress (Included with Museum Admission, 6-7pm) comedy • "Funniest Person in Austin" Contest, Hosted By Mario DiGiorgio (Winner 1999)" at Cap City Comedy Club dance • The Whirling Dervishes at......

The Austin Chronicle kicked off its 19th Annual Restaurant Poll yesterday with a ballot deadline of April 23. Each year the Chronicle covers all the bases from best comfort food to best bathrooms to best wine list. The results will be featured in the May 18 issue of the Chronicle. Here's who we're voting for: FAVORITE RESTAURANT One: El Gringo Two: Vespaio Enoteca Three: Uchi BEST DISHES Appetizers: The Bar at the Roaring Fork......

Ed Note: Please note that the Mobile Art Place opening party mentioned yesterday is not actually free, but is open to those attending Night at the Galleries. Sorry for the inconvenience. FRIDAY [23] music • Maneja Beto, The Interest Kills, The Laughing, White Denim at The Compound ($5, 18+, 9pm, 1300 East 4th Street) comedy • The Frank Mills perform their new sketch show, "One Classy-Ass Show," at Blue Theatre (DEETS) books • Abriendo Brecha......

THURSDAY [22] art • Opening Reception: Owen McAuley at d berman Gallery (6-8pm) comedy • The Frank Mills perform their new sketch show, "One Classy-Ass Show," at Blue Theatre (DEETS) party • Misprint Magazine's Beard & Moustache Competition with performances by Sharp Dressed Men (ZZTop Tribute Band), hosted by Matt Bearden, DJ sets by Stay Gold at Club de Ville (9pm) art • Artistic License: Blanton artist Fabian Marcaccio discusses his work, which is......

Save Las Manitas Concert of Voices Friday, February 23 La Zona Rosa Grupo Fantasma, Alejandro Escovedo, Patti Griffin, James McMurtry, Ruben Ramos, and Jimmy Dale Gilmore will be playing. Hosted by Jaston Williams and Joe Sears of Greater Tuna. $5 fajita plate before the show. Tickets are $25 and are available at Waterloo, Runtex and www.gettix.net. Escuelita del Alma is an awesome asset for the people who live and work downtown. The Marriott project......

MONDAY [19] books • Terry McAuliffe presents What A Party at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Eddie Murphy: RAW at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Liquid Vinyl at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown music • JT Van Zandt and Friends at Scoot Inn......

FRIDAY [9] art • Joey "Jo E" Santori paints a 6'x3' piece live while DJ O'Cal spins at Canvas Bar and Gallery (10am-6pm) art • Contemporary Art Trunk Show thru Feb. 11 at Art on 5th (10am-6pm) comedy • Bog Saget at The Paramount Theatre film • Master Pancake Debuts with Titanic at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Weird Wednesday Reel One Viewing Party at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Spike & Mike's Sick......

THURSDAY [8] film • Austin Film Festival screens an archival 35mm print of Trading Places, with screenwriter Herschel Weingrod (Trading Places, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Brewster's Millions, Space Jam) introducing the film, at Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (7:30pm, $4 General, Free for AFF Members, "Prince and Pauper"-style menu) books • Dalton Gang Poetry Showdown with Ric Williams, Lyman Grant, W. Joe Hoppe and Rob Lewis at Intellectual Property (6:00pm) film • Love Bites, the 80s......

MONDAY [5] art/theatre • Sex Workers Art Show at Arts on Real (7:30pm, $24) film • Eddie Murphy: RAW at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Air Guitar Nation at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown music • Possessed By Paul James w. Paleo, Andy Klier, Ralph White at The Parish Room music • Guy Town Happy Hour at Scoot Inn (7pm) IST List compiled by Allen Y Chen, Sam Armstrong, Shannon Roberts, Adam Rice.......

Benchmark Development has supposedly begun sales of the planned 155 condos in what they are now calling "The Austonian" (the website is now up). The current plan is a 700 foot tall, 55 story tower of condo power above what appears to be (and had better be) ground floor retail on the corner of Congress and Second Street (across Congress from the current location of Las Manitas - BTW, word is that Las Mas......

Students from The University of Texas RTF Department will be showcasing work tonight from their East Austin Stories project. The student filmmakers have collaborated with the community to develop short documentaries in and about East Austin. Film subjects include two-time Grammy winner Ruben Ramos, restaurant owner Nubian Queen Lo-la, the letter-writing campaign of Sanchez Elementary to save local restaurant Las Manitas, respected porcelain artist Sungyong Chung, LBJ High School, family-owned and operated Kings-Tears mortuary, and......

FRIDAY [8] music • Centro-Matic, Those Peabodys, Pink Nasty at Emo's (Inside) music • Anagen, Two Guy Trio at Stubb's music • The Midgetmen, The Boxing Lesson, Sounds Under Radio, Label Me This at Red Eyed Fly music • Fireside Creative Showcase with Shrapnel, Lone Star Porn Star, Nooner, Hundred Year Storm, Bayta Darell, and a chance to win a Gibson guitar autographed by (huh?) Chuck Norris at The Parish Room music • Rescue......

MONDAY [4] film •The Royal Tenenbaums at Austin Java (9pm, Free) film •Fuck: A Documentary at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film •The Conformist at Texas Union (7:30pm) film •Blue at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film •The Da Vinci Code at Café Mundi (8pm, Free) film •Sound Unbound 2: Modern American Composers at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm, $2) music •Bound Stems, Rahim, The Shells, Quiet Company, Bello Ragazzo at Emo's music •Moonlight Towers, The Alice Rose at......

Zagat's 2007 America's Top Restaurants Survey is out and although the setup on this one begs for an immediate rimshot, it's true - we love eating out. In fact, only Houston residents eat out with more frequency *snicker* than Austinites. Hungry Houstonians are eating out an average of 4.2 meals per week while residents of Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth eat out an average of 4 times per week. Trailing in weekly eating-out outings are......

FRIDAY [29] film/aGLIFF • Puccini For Beginners at Regal Cinemas at Arbor (7pm) film/aGLIFF • Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds at Regal Cinemas at Arbor (7:30pm) film/aGLIFF • The Truth or Consequences of Delmas Howe at Regal Cinemas at Arbor (9:15pm) film/aGLIFF • The Sex Movie at Regal Cinemas at Arbor (9:45pm) party/aGLIFF • Opening Night Gala at Austin City Hall (9pm) film • Sinus Show: Terminator at Alamo Drafthouse (7pm & 10pm, $12.50)......

City Council Members Leffingwell, Martinez and McCracken have written a letter to J. Willard Marriott, Jr. stating that "Las Manitas, Escuelita del Alma, and Tesoros are revered local institutions which have significant cultural and historic value to our community ... [l]osing them is simply a losing proposition for everyone involved." They note that the development as it is now envisioned would appear to require several approvals by the Austin City Council and ask Marriott......