Back in the old days, when I still drank, I’d finish up a bartending shift on 6th Street, by which I mean throw back a few cocktails. Then I’d float, heavily buzzed, on down to the 311 Club to see CJ. The 311 was not really “my” kind of place. Except for CJ, a bartender so amazingly skilled I would go just to watch him. Okay, well that and get a little drunker. The thing about CJ was that he could make any customer—big, small, young, old, stupid, suave—feel like his one true love in the few moments it took him to mix a drink, run a charge card, and wink like he meant it. Maybe it was an act, all this showmanship, but I had the feeling that CJ genuinely liked people and wasn’t just shaking it for tips....

FRIDAY: Mohawk: Cracker / Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Club Deville: Robbers on High Street, Great Northern - FREE! Sponsored by The Onion/Sweet Leaf Tea Beauty Bar: DJ Tim Sweeney (DFA records), Learning Secrets, Farah SATURDAY: Red 7: The Paper Chase, Stinking Lizaveta, Death Is Not A Joyride Club Deville: Mates of State, Small Sins, Immaculate Machine Mohawk: Murder City Devils, Those Peabodys Beauty Bar: Bus Driver, Daedelus, Antimc (DJs Mel and Klassen)......

In less than two days, we'll be hosting our big annual pre-ACL party, Local Music is Sexy IV, Thursday night's soiree will feature Austinites The Lemurs, The Corto Maltese, and Brazos on the outside main stage, with DJs Car Stereo (Wars), Ceeplus Bad Knives*, and Markus with a K supplying dance-party jams inside alongside Magic Surprise. We're also thrilled to be bringing in Seattle indie rockers Say Hi To Your Mom* as our headliners. What's......

FRIDAY [27] party/music/awesome • Car Stereo (Wars) and Austinist host a Halloween Bash with Clap!Clap!, carnie games, face painting, fortune tellers, free fangs, "killer" drink specials, a costume contest judged by the fashionistas of Team Fabrication, and more at Beauty Bar (10pm-2am, $3 with, 4 w/o costume) zombies • Zombie Flash Mob at City Hall fashion • Beauty Bar Blowout with complimentary 'dos by Birds Barbershop, makeup applications by MAC artists, DJ Robbie Hardkiss......

[Editors' Note -- Austinist would like to express our most heartfelt gratitude to the following people, organizations, and companies for making this party such a tremendous success. We absolutely adore: Beth, Tito, and Matt of Tito's Vodka, Michelle and Tara of Sweet Leaf Tea, Le and Thomas of FactoryPeople, Alicia of Izze, Matt of Daily Juice, Greg, Janet and Jessica of Liquid Assets and Design Center of Austin, Wes of Solux Design, Adrian of......

The Save Our Springs Alliance may have lost its bid to prevent AMD from building atop the aquifer near 290 and William Cannon, but that's not stopping them from celebrating the holiday season tonight. At Mercury Hall in South Austin, they're hosting a general bacchanal, with "smoked salmon from Chataugua River School, Veggie Tamales from White Mountain Foods, goodies from Manuel’s, Sweet Leaf Tea, Tito’s Vodka, Frozen Margaritas, Shiner Beer," dancing and a silent......

It seems a requirement of living in the South is the enjoyment of iced tea, especially during these long, hot summer months. We've searched the web and found a few recipes that sound both tasty and refreshing--a winning combination! The Carnelian Rose Tea Company out of Vancouver, WA sells a list of awesome sounding teas that would be yummy over ice, we bet. And they offer tips on brewing as well. Epicurious.com provides a......