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Events

Out and About in Austin: 7/24-7/26

July 23, 2009

Hope you have enjoyed this week's cloudy skies and a respite from the blazing heat! Here is another edition of Out & About in Austin, chock full of fun-sounding weekend events:

Out and About in Austin: 7/17-7/19

by Nicole Basham

July 16, 2009

Hope you are keeping cool! It's time for another edition of Out & About in Austin. Here are some fun-sounding weekend events:

Out and About in Austin: 7/10-7/12

by Nicole Basham

July 09, 2009

It's Thursday, so time for another edition of Out & About in Austin. Here are some fun-sounding weekend events:

Out and About in Austin: 7/3-7/5

by Nicole Basham

July 02, 2009

Yay for a long holiday weekend! Here are some events for the upcoming weekend - happy bday to the US of A!

Out and About in Austin: 6/26-6/28

by Nicole Basham

June 25, 2009

Time for another installment of Out & About! Hope you can enjoy some of these fun-sounding events:

Out and About in Austin: 6/19-6/21

by Nicole Basham

June 18, 2009

It's Father's Day weekend! If you don't already have a gift for dear ol' Dad, click here for some home-made and heartfelt Savvy ideas. Onto the weekend events:

Out and About in Austin: 6/12-6/14

by Nicole Basham

June 11, 2009

It's Thursday, so that means it must be time for another edition of Out and About! Here are some ideas for weekend family-centered fun:

Out and About in Austin: 6/5-6/7

by Nicole Basham

June 04, 2009

This week has flown by for me! Are you ready for the weekend? Here are some fun events for the next few days:

Out and About in Austin: 5/29-5/31

by Nicole Basham

May 28, 2009

Welcome to the last installment of Out and About for May. Summer, here we come!

Out and About in Austin: 5/22-5/24

by Nicole Basham

May 21, 2009

Happy almost Memorial Day! Here are some fun events to check out this weekend:

Out and About in Austin: 5/15-5/17

by Nicole Basham

May 14, 2009

It is officially H-O-T in the A-T-X! Here are some weekend events - check the City's pool schedule to see when your neighborhood pool is opening! Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 5/8-5/10

by Nicole Basham

May 07, 2009

Hope you mamas get plenty of R&R this Mother's Day weekend! Here are some fun-sounding events coming up (as always, feel free to email me at beingsavvyaustin@savvysource.com or post a comment for calendar listings or corrections!):

FRIDAY THE 8TH

At 10:00 am, join the bubble mosh pit at Family Connections for Singing with Staci Gray
At 11:30 am, attend the preschool storytime at the Wells Branch Library
At 12 noon, dance to Mariachi Estrella at City Hall, part of Live on the Plaza
At 6:30 pm, join many Austin families at Central Market North for The Quebe Sisters Band

SATURDAY THE 9TH

At 9:00 am, shop til you drop at the Austin Farmers' Market at Republic Square Park (4th & Guadalupe), check out the South Austin Farmers' Market at 2910 South Congress (this one actually opens at 8:00 am) and shop at the Sunset Valley Farmers' Market
At 10:00, hear a special Biscuit Brothers performance at the Triangle to benefit HeartGift, do Family Yoga with Cindy at Ruta Maya and be entranced by the puppeteers of the Scottish Rite Theater as they present Hansel & Gretel
Also at 10:00 am, Pioneer Day takes place at Old Settlers Park, catch Butterfly Days at Wild-Connections or take your 3-4 year old to McKinney Roughs for the Acorn Eaters-Nature Club for Kids (pre-registration required)
At 11:00 am, watch your little one create a Mother's Day Purse at Lakeshore Learning
At 11:30 am, Book People hosts a Motherlovin' Puppet Show, in honor of Mother's Day
At 12 noon, AMOA's Second Saturdays are For Families features Sun Prints & Family Yoga
At 2:00 pm, support SafePlace at Davenport Village Celebrates Moms with food, fun and entertainment for the whole family or head to the Nutty Brown Cafe for Cooper's Quest, a music benefit
At 3:00 pm, Central Market North hosts Texas Fiddle Weekend with performances until 9pm
At 6:00 pm, the Austin Bike Zoo presents Wheels of Wonderland, an outdoor performance based on the works of Lewis Carroll

SUNDAY THE 10TH

At 9:30 am, the Annual Mother's Day Brunch kicks off at Central Market North
At 10:30 am, Ruta Maya hosts their Sunday kids' show with Circus CHICKEN DOG
At 11:00 am, the MOMMA! I Love You Mother's Day picnic will take place at the Alma de Mujer Conference Retreat Center
At 12:30 pm, enjoy Mady Kaye at Central Market South
At 2:00 pm, be entranced by the puppeteers of the Scottish Rite Theater as they present Hansel & Gretel or take in some kid-friendly improv, courtesy of the Flying Theater Machine
At 3:00 pm, Science Sunday takes place at the Austin Children's Museum
At 6:00 pm, the Austin Bike Zoo presents Wheels of Wonderland, an outdoor performance based on the works of Lewis Carroll

Out and About in Austin: 5/1-5/3

by Nicole Basham

April 30, 2009

Um, May ALREADY?! Egads! Here are some fun-sounding events for the weekend:

Out and About in Austin: 4/24-4/26

by Nicole Basham

April 23, 2009

Are you ready for the weekend? Hope you and your family can get out and enjoy some of these cool-sounding events:

Hidden Gem: Brushy Creek Lake Park

by Nicole Basham

April 20, 2009

It's time for another Hidden Gem. Last time I reviewed Mayfield Park, an urban oasis with something for everyone in the family. This time, I'm heading north to Cedar Park's Brushy Creek Lake Park.

The park is 90 acres, only five years old and very picturesque. I actually discovered it trying to find a place to jog sans kid, although I had heard about the sprinkler park, which is open 10-8 from May until September (hence, no children in my photo). I have heard the sprinkler park gets a little nutso in the summer, but I guess that's par for the course. There is also a playground, covered pavilions, picnic tables, BBQ grills and a sand volleyball court.

What makes the park a hidden gem is that in addition to the sprinkler park and usual amenities, there is a fishing pier, a canoe/kayak launch and what appears to be a place to rent some, a hike and bike trail in great condition, and down the trail, Champion Park, with a host of fun possibilities for preschoolers. I love finding places that I think we will "grow into", if that makes sense - just lots of stuff that my son will appreciate more and more as he grows older.

The Lake is a Community Fishing Lake, meaning it's periodically stocked with catfish and/or rainbow trout. Many times I have visited, I've seen families heading out with poles. We still haven't tried fishing with our three year old, but I keep thinking about it, so this might be the first place we try!

A mile and a half down the trail from the main entrance of Brushy Creek is Champion Park, which I discovered will be the venue for the First Annual Dinosaur Day on May 9th. You can access the park from Brushy Creek Road, where there is a ton of parking. Unlike the Dino Pit at the Nature Center, which we also enjoy, Champion Park has a covered area to dig, which makes it MUCH more amenable to the Texas heat. There is also a whale which sprays water and specially designed boulders intended for climbing. Another fishing area is located closeby, and the Trail continues to the Avery Ranch subdivision. You can continue on the trail down to Olsen Meadow Park, which has fields for soccer and baseball and a playscape.

Now that I've reviewed a north and central Hidden Gem, I need ideas on a place to explore that's south! Southie mamas, please send your ideas to beingsavvyaustin@savvysource.com!

Out and About in Austin: 4/17-4/19

by Nicole Basham

April 16, 2009

If you thought there was a lot going on last weekend, check out all that's happening this weekend (!):

Out and About in Austin: 4/10-4/12

by Nicole Basham

April 09, 2009

Hope you enjoy the warm sunshine, the nice breezes and some fun family time at some of these activities happening this weekend:

FRIDAY THE 10TH

Out and About in Austin: 4/3-4/5

by Nicole Basham

April 02, 2009

Happy April! It's Thursday, so here is your Out and About for the coming weekend:

FRIDAY THE 3RD

At 9:30 am, take your kids to see FAST at the Texas Relays
At 10:00 am, sing with Staci Gray at Family Connections storytime or attend the Central Texas Remote Helicopter Fun Fly
At 11:30 am, attend the preschool storytime at the Wells Branch Library
At 12 noon, head to City Hall for T Bird and the Breaks, part of Live on the Plaza
At 6:30 pm, join many Austin families at Central Market North for El Tule (Latin dance music)

SATURDAY THE 4TH

At 9:00 am, shop til you drop at the Austin Farmers' Market at Republic Square Park (4th & Guadalupe), the South Austin Farmers' Market at 2910 South Congress (this one actually opens at 8:00 am), and the Sunset Valley Farmers' Market
Also at 9, head to the Lakeview Pavilion at Old Settlers Park for the 2nd Annual Central Texas Walk-n-Roll or run on over to the Texas Relays
At 10:00 am, Ruta Maya hosts Family Yoga with Cindy, go to the Barton Creek movie theater for the Autism Society of Greater Austin's sensory-friendly screening of Monsters vs. Aliens or or attend the Central Texas Remote Helicopter Fun Fly
Also at 10:00 am, see Laura Freeman's puppet show at Big Red Sun or head to the Austin Children's Museum for Engineering Saturday
At 11:00 am, Lakeshore Learning helps your little one create a light switch cover
At 11:30 am, visit BookPeople for a special storytime where Deborah Kadair will present her new book, I Spy in the Texas Sky
At 12 noon, hit Central Market North for the Herb Festival, featuring hula hooping, a Cafe Art opening reception and "herbalicious" Cafe entrees or see sport heroes up close at the Texas Football Spring Jamboree
At 1:00 pm, celebrate Springtime at the Little Lounge Lizards dance party
At 2:00 pm, explore the Power of Flowers at the TEXplorations storytime at the Bullock Museum
At 3:00 pm, head to the ACC-sponsored Carnival ah! for a singalong with the Armstrong Community Music School or explore the Power of Flowers at the 2nd TEXplorations storytime at the Bullock Museum
At 4:00 pm, experience Lantern Fest, a fundraiser for the Sri Atmananda Memorial School
At 5:00 pm, attend the Family Fun Day Fundraiser at The Hub to benefit the American Cancer Society

SUNDAY THE 5TH

At 10:30 am, rock out with The Strollers at Ruta Maya
At 12 noon, head to Central Market North for Passover in the Hood with arts and crafts, a canned food drive and performances by the Mady Kaye Quartet, Cantor Robbi Sherwin and children's choirs
At 12:30 pm, hear the Sarah Temple Quartet (Brazilian) at Central Market South
At 2:00 pm, hop on over to the Cedar Park Egg-stravaganza or sit back and enjoy kid-friendly improv, courtesy of the Flying Theater Machine
At 3:00 pm, join UT students for fun at the Austin Children's Museum's Science Sunday

Out and About in Austin: 3/27-3/29

by Nicole Basham

March 26, 2009

Believe it or not, it's Thursday! That means it's time for another installment of Out and About for the coming weekend:

FRIDAY THE 27TH

At 10:00 am, listen to Ms. Amanda at Family Connections storytime Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 3/20-3/22

by Nicole Basham

March 19, 2009

It's that time again - here is another installment of Out and About for the coming weekend:

FRIDAY THE 20TH

At 10:00 am, move and groove with Staci Gray at Family Connections storytime or unleash your preschooler's inner cowpoke at the Star of Texas Rodeo Read more...

Out and About in Austin: Spring Break Edition

by Nicole Basham

March 15, 2009

Although the last few days have been rainy and chilly, it seems the sun is back - just in time for Spring Break! For those of you who have kids home from preschool, friends or family here from out of town, or are just drawing a blank about what to do this week, here is a special installment of Out and About for Spring Break:

ONGOING

Star of Texas Rodeo - Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 3/13-3/15

by Nicole Basham

March 12, 2009

Here's a rundown of the preschool/family-friendly events for the weekend:

FRIDAY THE 13TH (yikes!)

At 10:00 am, have a seat for books and a craft with Miss Amanda at Family Connections storytime
At 11:00 am, unleash your preschooler's inner cowpoke at the Star of Texas Rodeo
At 11:30 am, attend the preschool storytime at the Wells Branch Library
At 5:00 pm, take the family to the Ben Hur Shrine Carnival in the parking lot at Dell Diamond
At 6:30 pm, join many Austin families for dinner and playscape fun at Central Market North to hear Bluegrass legend Greg Garing

SATURDAY THE 14TH

At 9:00 am, shop til you drop at the Austin Farmers' Market at Republic Square Park (4th & Guadalupe), the South Austin Farmers' Market at 2910 South Congress (this one actually opens at 8:00 am), and the Sunset Valley Farmers' Market
Also at 9:00 am, unleash your preschooler's inner cowpoke at the Star of Texas Rodeo
At 10:00 am, Ruta Maya hosts Family Yoga with Cindy, celebrate the women of Williamson County at the Williamson Museum or view a sensory-friendly version of Race to Witch Mountain organized by the Autism Society to provide an opportunity to practice "movie behavior"
At 11:00 am, Lakeshore Learning helps your little one create a Leprechaun Wand
At 11:30 am, Abrakadoodle will lead a special storytime about Kitten's First Full Moon
At 12 noon, become a mapmaker at AMOA's Second Saturdays are for Families
At 1:00 pm, take the family to the Ben Hur Shrine Carnival in the parking lot at Dell Diamond or attend the IMAX Family Day at the Bullock Museum with free activities
At 6:30 pm, join many Austin families for dinner and playscape fun at Central Market North to hear bluesy soul funk, courtesy of LZ Love

SUNDAY THE 15TH

At 9:00 am, unleash your preschooler's inner cowpoke at the Star of Texas Rodeo
At 10:30 am, hear excerpts from the new kids' book A New Day is Dawning for our Earth at Ruya Maya Coffeehouse
At 12:30 pm, hear Chicken Strut (groovy funky soul) at Central Market North and enjoy French band Rumbullion at Central Market South
At 1:00 pm, take the family to the Ben Hur Shrine Carnival in the parking lot at Dell Diamond
At 2:00 pm, the Flying Theater Machine's actors and puppets bring you tales from the Old West

Of course next week is Spring Break and South by Southwest, so there is a break in the action for many regularly scheduled activities, but many other offerings to consider as well! Check back here next Thursday for a listing of family-friendly SXSW shows and other events. Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 3/6-3/8

by Nicole Basham

March 05, 2009

Here's a list of preschool/family-friendly events for the weekend:

FRIDAY THE 6TH
Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 2/28-3/1

by Nicole Basham

February 26, 2009

Here's a list of all the events for the weekend I could find that would be fun for families of preschoolers in Austin! Is it really already March?!

FRIDAY THE 27TH
Read more...

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

by Nicole Basham

February 24, 2009

What beautiful weather we've been having! I always consider signing up for a class in January since I expect we'll be homebound or limited to indoor playing, but every year we have been lucky to enjoy nice, sunny days in these "winter" months. As my friend pointed out, we need to imprint this weather on our brains to help us get through July and August!

One of our family's favorite outdoor Austin events is coming up this weekend - the Zilker Kite Festival. Read more...

Austin's Best Family-Friendly Live Music Venues

by Nicole Basham

February 22, 2009

South by Southwest is just around the corner. What better way to show your preschooler what makes Austin special than by going together? In the coming weeks, free day shows will be announced. Although times haven't been confirmed, the schedule for Auditorium Shores on Saturday, March 21 features several kids' favorites, like the Biscuit Brothers and Joe McDermott.

If you haven't taken your preschooler to see live music before, or want a "practice run" before braving the Festival, here are some places you should head first:
Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 2/20-2/22

by Nicole Basham

February 19, 2009

Now on Thursdays here at Savvy Source, we bring you a list of local weekend events to get your family out and enjoying Austin. Have fun, and please let me know if I'm missing anything!

FRIDAY THE 20TH
Read more...

Out and About in Austin: 2/13-2/15

by Nicole Basham

February 13, 2009

On Fridays here at Savvy Source, we bring you a list of local events to get your family out and enjoying Austin. Here's hoping your Valentine's weekend brings you lots of cuddles, hugs, and kisses!

FRIDAY THE 13TH

At 10, the Austin Museum of Art is a special guest for Family Connections storytime and Sesame Street Live's "Elmo's Green Thumb" is showing at the Erwin Center
At 6:30, join many Austin families for dinner and playscape fun at Central Market North to hear Leticia Rodriguez, the "queen of Mexican boleros"
At 7, Sesame Street Live's "Elmo's Green Thumb" plays again at the Erwin Center Read more...

Out and About in Austin, 2/6-2/8

by Nicole Basham

February 06, 2009

Starting this week, I will be bringing some local events to your attention in the hopes of encouraging you to enjoy Austin with your family and friends. Have fun!

FRIDAY THE 6TH

At 10:15, the Oak Springs Branch of the Austin Public Library will host Literature LIVE! in a puppet show adaptation of a humorous African folktale "Anansi and the Moss Colored Rock".
Read more...

99 Things To Do With Your Little One in Austin Before Kindergarten

by Nicole Basham

January 27, 2009

As you may be noticing, Tuesday is List Day here at Savvy Source. In keeping with the month's theme of Resolutions and Reflections, here are 99 Things To Do with Your Preschooler before Kindergarten (in no particular order): Hike to the top of Enchanted Rock Pick strawberries at Sweet Berry Farm Go to a UT game (try soccer, basketball, or baseball if you don't want to shell out the dough Read more...

Bienvenidos, Presidente Obama

by Nicole Basham

January 15, 2009

As a political science major in college, I was excited to talk about the presidential election - albeit in SIMPLE terms - with my two year old son. He could identify both the Obama and McCain yard signs around our neighborhood, and is surprisingly good at recognizing Obama's photo in magazines and the newspaper. I happen to be the "host" parent at our Spanish co-operative preschool on Read more...

Holiday Celebrations, Austin Style

by Jonathon Morgan

December 09, 2008

After posting about the events last weekend I was considering, we ended up having a pretty low-key and nice weekend. On Saturday, we drove to the Loma Alta Christmas Tree Farm outside of Bastrop, where we had a blast picking out a Christmas tree (was the weather gorgeous or what?). During naptime, we were able to get it situated and lights on in time for decorating before dinner (and as Read more...

Keeping the Family Calendar and Giveaway

by Jonathon Morgan

December 08, 2008

Have you bought a calendar for 2009 yet? Despite being a blogger, I am still living in the Dark Ages and keep track of our schedule in a Day-Timer. And I don't have my 2009 insert yet (must.do.THIS.week) - instead I'm hoping I don't lose a few stickers I need to affix on their respective dates for upcoming appointments. I'm also still in a committed relationship with the wall calendar. Read more...

Skating and Singing and Lights...Oh My!

by Jonathon Morgan

December 04, 2008

My email is being flooded with all kinds of fun things to do with the little ones, so I thought I'd quickly list some of the events we're considering on our social calendar for the coming weekend. Have a wonderful weekend! Gingerbread House Workshops at the Austin Children's Museum downtown $28/$33 Member/Non-Member per gingerbread house (3 people per house; includes Read more...

Thank you, Austin!

by Jonathon Morgan

November 27, 2008

You are in town, eager to gorge on yummy food, but looking for a way to escape the kitchen or the TV. Why not venture out to enjoy some of the wonderful things that we have to be thankful for about Austin, and possibly get that heart rate up in the process?? We'll be spending part of the morning jogging on Town Lake (for a native, somehow I just.can't.remember to call it Lady Bird Lake), Read more...

Yo baby, yo mama, yo ga

by Julie Holden

September 11, 2008

Hm. Turns out September is National Yoga Month . Did you know? Apparently this is the time of year when all across the USA, yoga-heads get their pretzel on. There're events planned for the most yoga-centric cities Vancouver , San Francisco , San Diego to name a few. Austin 's day is September 17, when people will gather at The Crossings to attend workshops, lectures, concerts, and, presumably, Read more...

Three Days in and Around Austin: Day 3

by Nicole Basham

July 10, 2008

Now that you've spent some time getting to know Austin and the surrounding landscape, it's time to make sure you get your fill of all things Texan before you head back home. Fortunately, while the capital city does pride itself on being a little different from the rest of the state, there's still a few pockets of good-ol'-fashioned, horse-ridin', armadillo-lovin', country-music-listenin' Read more...

Wednesdays at the park with the austin symphony

by Nicole Basham

July 07, 2008

At first glance, Austin doesn't really seem like a symphony kind of town. The cowboy-hippie charm of the city isn't what you'd normally couple with classical fare -- but the people of Austin have a surprising affection for traditional music. Our symphony orchestra has been one of the cultural foundations of Central Texas for almost a century, performing for a full 98 seasons -- all of which now Read more...

Fun ways to spend the 4th

by Nicole Basham

July 03, 2008

Happy 4th of July, everyone! With parades, fireworks, carnivals and more, this is one of the more family-friendly holidays on the calendar, so there's plenty of ways you and your little ones can get in the spirit. Check it out: The Obvious : Please don't blow off your hand setting off fireworks in the backyard. Instead, leave the explosions to the professionals. The biggest display is down Read more...

Get out of the house this weekend!

by Nicole Basham

June 27, 2008

It's really, really hot -- so I can understand the temptation to stay cooped-up inside with the air conditioning. But chances are, by the end of Saturday morning cartoons the cabin fever will set in and you'll be looking for ways to escape the madness. Fortunately there's plenty going on this weekend -- something, I think, for every disposition. Here's a few of the highlights: The Watermelon Read more...

Eat well, eat local, eat sustainable food!

by Nicole Basham

June 19, 2008

Eating right keeps getting more and more complicated. First you only had to avoid processed food, then you were supposed to start keeping an eye on your fruits and veggies -- just to make sure they weren't modified, going bad or worse -- and now there's talk about eating "sustainable" food (which, believe it or not, is different than produce that's merely "organic"). And if we can't keep it Read more...

Father's day ideas in and around austin

by Nicole Basham

June 10, 2008

We're quickly approaching what is -- ahem -- quite possibly the most important holiday on the calendar: Father's Day. And no matter what your husband says, I promise he'll appreciate it if you and the kids do something nice. While the traditional tie and/or power tool will certainly be appreciated (I could, incidentally, use a larger tool box -- if anyone happens to bump into my daughter or Read more...

45 Things to do With Your Child in Austin Before They Grow Up

by Nicole Basham

May 29, 2008

1. Visit the Botanical Gardens 2. Visit the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens 3. See the Asylum Street Spankers perform 4. Get drenched in the shooting fountains at Butler Park 5. Have a picnic on top of the big hill at Butler Park 6. Fly a kite in the Zilker Kite Festival 7. Check out the Pecan Street Art Festival 8. Have an afternoon snack at Mozart's 9. Drive out to the Dinosaur Park 10. Visit Read more...