Photo from the Austin History Center archives Since so many of you wrote in asking about places to watch the Democratic Presidential Debate, we went ahead and called around town. Below are your best options if you missed out on the Alamo's watch parties or the Texas Democrats' party—both are now sold out. We still recommend calling ahead to make sure the folks below haven't changed their minds, and feel free to share any that......

Photo courtesy Ricardo B. Brazziell Brownout w/ Bavu BlakesFriday, November 16Flamingo Cantina (515 E. 6th St.)Doors: 9pm[info] Bavu Blakes @ B-Girl CitySaturday, November 17Ruta Maya (3601 South Congress Penn Field)10pm set[info] Bavu BlakesSaturday, November 17Plush (617 Red River)$10, Midnight[info]The anticipated long-form paean to Sparkdawg will have to wait for a week: Bavu Blakes, Austin’s biggest rapper, plays three shows and runs a 5k this weekend before hanging up his hat for the holidays. I caught......

There’s a way to fundraise, that is. Established painter, photographer, and filmmaker William Wegman has a series of short works that will screen this Thursday, September 6th at The Design Center of Austin to benefit EmanciPET. It’s a collaboration made in doggy heaven, given that Wegman’s subjects are most often his own Weimaraners – a German breed of dogs known for their beautiful coats and haunting, gray eyes. On the subject of his medium-crossing......

At the end of this month, local urban development coalition Liveable City will be having its annual award ceremony to honor community-led initiatives that have "contributed to preserving the special character of our community and to making Austin a more livable city." This year, the awards will be going to the following: - The Mueller Neighborhood Coalition - Responsible Growth for Northcross - The St. John Neighborhood - Save Town Lake - "Downtown," Austin's award-winning......

The young professional types at Habitat Young Professionals (an official division of Austin Habitat for Humanity) is will host their first ever “Build the HYP” fundraising event this Saturday at 8pm at the Design Center of Austin, 3601 South Congress at Penn Field, Building C. Guests will experience great food and drinks from many local culinary destinations, including III Forks, Moonshine, and Reed's Supper Club. HYP will also raise the roof (Har!) with a......

WEDNESDAY [11] books • JoAnna Barrett presents The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom at BookPeople (7:00pm) film • Texas Doc Tour: "Fish Kill Flea" at Alamo Downtown film • Open Screen Night at Alamo Downtown film • Weird Wednesdays: "Marta" at Alamo Downtown film • Jim Jarmusch Film Series: "Dead Man" at Alamo Village film • "Babe" Organic Vegetarian Feast at Alamo Village film/discussion • Screening of Israeli film director Eytan Fox's "Walk......

FRIDAY [16] art • Artist's Reception: Joan Winter: From Marfa to Sudari at Flatbed Press and Gallery (6-8pm) art • Flatstock 12 Poster Convention at Austin Convention Center (11am-6pm) books • Jack Pendarvis preseents The Mysterious Secret of the Valuable Treasure at BookPeople (3:00pm) books • John Sellers presents Perfect From Now On at BookPeople (7:00pm) sxsw • SXSW Film Festival at Everywhere sxsw • SXSW Music Festival at Everywhere theatre • Austin Shakespeare......

MONDAY [29] opera • Philip Glass' Waiting for the Barbarians at Bass Concert Hall music • Unwed Sailor, Bayta Darell, The Twilight Lieutenants at Emo's Lounge music • Hidden Hand, Kylesa, The Roller, Ironclad at Emo's music • The Fray, Mute Math at Frank Erwin Center music • Hill Country Outdoors' New Member Meeting at Opal Divine's Penn Field film • Darkon: The Movie at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Melody at Alamo Drafthouse......

If you lost your ACL pass and – even after countless screaming matches with Front Gate Ticket employees and hours of scouring Craig’s List for scalpers – you’ve been left sans plans for the festival weekend (or maybe you’re just afraid of tourists/loathe sunshine/whatever), we’ve got an alternative suggestion. An air conditioned alternative suggestion. Go see a play. That’s right, don’t be a pussy about it. It’s just theatre. You might even like it......

Get in touch with twenty of Austin's most innovative young businesses this Saturday at Ruta Maya. Austin Breaking Ground -- an event created as a launching pad for the aforementioned entrepreneurs -- will provide exposure and networking opportunities for companies like 360 Bebe, A Thousand Petals, Zen Blossom and more. For you? It's a chance to check out the up-and-comers while you shake your groove thang to the bitchin' DJ and watch dance performances......

In case you slept on our Sunday heads-up, head to Opal Divine's (South Congress location) tonight if you are an Austin newbie or are just looking for some new drinking buddies. The inaugural edition of Austin Newcomers is going down, and $2 domestic pints will abound. We know it's flooding outside, but the cars will have probably all floated away by 6pm, leaving you with an easy drive to the bar. To recap: This......

Are you new to Austin? Are you missing your bar in New York/Boston/Seattle or wherever you came from? Pining for a happy hour with your drinking buddies? If you're nodding with a wistful sort of look, we may be able to help. Austin Newcomers is beginning a monthly happy hour designed to help connect people 25-35 who are new to Austin. There's not a formal organization, it's just an excuse to drink good beer......

Cine Las Americas is a not-for-profit, multi-cultural media arts center located in Austin which promotes cross-cultural understanding and growth by educating, entertaining and challenging the community through media and film of the Americas. We think they're a vital part in promoting underserved voices in our community, and so we encourage everyone to support them. "How can I possibly help?" you might ask. Well, this weekend, Cine Las Americas is having its second annual fundraising gala......

With the deluge of radio ads promising "drink specials!" and "the biggest screen in town!", it's tough to know which Super Bowl parties might actually be worth getting off of your ass for. We've read the ads, asked around, and looked for a few parties that have something better than average going for them. Our five selections (and the reasons why) follow: - Antone's: Doors at 4pm. Food by Mangia Pizza and Rudy's BBQ.......

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......

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"......

M O N D A Y [5] music · MF Doom, Count Bass D, John Robinson at La Zona Rosa music · Saves the Day, Senses Fall, Emmanuel, Early November at Emo's film · "Shaun Of The Dead" spinoffs at The Drafthouse Downtown (7pm) [link] T U E S D A Y [6] music · Red Leaves at CRL Art Gallery film · AFS screens "The Singing Blacksmith" at The Drafthouse Downtown (7pm) [link]......

If you've been in Opal Divine's and always wanted to try more of their vast selection of whiskey, now's your chance. The Third Annual Whiskey Festival is this Thursday at the Penn Field location, and if the last two were any indicator it will be an event not to be missed. They will be featuring over 45 of the finest single malt whiskies from all regions of Scotland. The Opal's staff will be imparting......

M O N D A Y [ 2 8 ] film · End of an Ear hosts a free screening of Lee Ranaldo and Leah Singer's "Drift" at the Alamo South Lamar (Free, 10pm) [link] music · The Kingsbury Manx, The Standard and The Heavenly States at Emo's film · KOOP Radio's Monthly Film Benefit at MonkeyWrench Books - Gillo Pontecorvo's “The Battle of Algiers”, about the French occupation of 1950s Algeria. (Inc. Beer and......

M O N D A Y [ 2 1 ] music · Elizabeth McQueen and Jason Robards at Threadgill's music · MC Chris (Adult Swim), Snmnmn, The Ergs, America is Waiting, Bring Back the Guns and Karaoke Underground at Emo's music · Redrum and Music Lab put on Battle of the Bands 3! holidays · Marble Falls' Walkway of Lights kicked off last weekend, but you can see it through December 2nd - "meander through......

We haven't gotten around to the weekend IST list - we're still hungover after last night's Le Tigre show at Emo's. Check back tomorrow. F R I D A Y in-store · Knife Party and Assacre at End of an Ear. 6pm [mp3: Assacre - I Feel That Gay Marriage Should] music · David Garza at Stubb's [mp3: David Garza - Eleven is Real] music · The Chapters, Vacation Gold, King Tears Duo, and Sumner......

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. Here's to your livers and wallets making it through this week. MONDAY [books] Will Clarke talks crazy with his latest novel, Lord Vishnu's Love Handles @ Bookpeople, 7pm [film] Starchaser in 3-D! @ Alamo Drafthouse Downtown, 7pm, $1 + $1 Glasses Rental [music] 54 Seconds @ Lucky Lounge [music] Paris 49 @ Continental Club TUESDAY [music] Cafe Tacvba with Grupo Fantasmo @ Stubb's BBQ, Doors at 7 pm [music] Alkaline Trio with......

South Austin is starting to really shape up as an interesting part of Austin with the new-ish Opal Divine’s at Penn Field, the potentially swanky new shops at 3100 S. Congress, the mysterious new place next to Five Oceans and more. However, some local homeowners seem to want to stem the tide of coolness. After reading this Austin-American Statesman article on the subject, we can’t quite put our finger on what some South Austin......

Don't forget to hook up with the Austinist Crew for Happy Hour at the New Opal Divine's Penn Field Location, for those of you who missed the very cool banner on the top of the page. 102.3 is going to be there presenting Shane Bartell by pure coincidence! Should be a good time, especially with the lady killer/Austinist contributor Justin Cox present. Don't forget to check out Ghostland Observatory and Avenue D at Karma Lounge......

Howdy Austinist readers and fans! First off, we love you, and probably more than is appropriate. Certainly this is true of our infamous editor, if not all of the Austinist contributors. Austinist digresses.... This Thursday we are having an Austinist Happy Hour at the new Opal Divine's Penn Field location off of South Congress. If it ends up like the last happy hour, you can be sure Austinist will be practicing our gymnastic abilities on......

It's a sign that we live in a good town that, halfway through the week, there are a bunch of new things to do that we want to share with you. There are so many things happening in the next few days that we're having a hard time deciding what to do. That is a lie. We're going to go to see Ghostland Observatory on Thursday night at The Velvet Spade for the Fischerspooner CD......