Austin’s Art & Architecture
Traveling is a prism of which we see ourselves and how we wish to experience the world. That is to say, this blog post completely eliminates barbecue (pork and beef), whisky and music from an Austin, Texas experience, which in many people’s eyes, is simply sinful. Instead, I focused on discovering wellness hubs as well as art and architectural gems, and to my surprise, there was no dearth of any of it!
If I had to choose a favorite yoga studio in the world, YTX would be the top of the list! Surrounded by hard core yoga ‘elites', fitness fanatics and semi and pro athletes, it is an intense sequence of poses and postures in a heated room that is endurance rich and focus based. Most bodies in the room look like they were carved by Michaelangelo, and most students’ aptitude and skillset for intense workouts is a high bar. Lead by Austin’s top rated yoga instructors, I humbly participated and proudly hung in there. All the while, pouring sweat from all over, including my ear lobes and toes. Stay for the refreshingly cool, lavender-soaked towel brought to your mat at the end of class and grab a refreshing fresh juice or smoothie at their in-house cafe, Juiced Up. Before heading out, shop their cool, hip boutique with the latest, trending yoga gear, perfect for the plane ride home or your next fitness class.
Outdoor cycling groups and fitness groups are ubiquitous around the city, but for more a more solitary run along the water, you can hit the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, also known as the Lady Bird Lake Loop. It is a 10-mile trail and popular destination for walking, jogging, biking, and kayaking.
Vintage red roper boots from a vintage booth, downtown Austin, Texas
A great means to see the scale of Austin and cover a lot of ground in a little time is by jumping on an AO Tours sprinter van. If you’re looking for a unique and informative way to experience Austin’s arts and culture scene efficiently, the AO Tours Austin Art and Architecture Tour is the perfect choice for any traveler. Visit some of the city’s most iconic buildings and public art installations. The 14 seater Mercedes Sprinter tour bus will keep you comfortable while their expert guides keep you entertained. Meet at the Austin Visitor Center, downtown. Keep your eyes wide open for top-notch art work unique to Texas, its own art genre in many ways.
An art gem and haven of Austin is the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden. In 1985, Charles and Angie Umlauf gifted their home, his studio, and hundreds of sculptures to the City of Austin. Today, the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum's Collection consists of over 2000 drawings and 273 sculptures by Charles Umlauf, 59 of which are continuously on view in the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden. The grounds are filled with botanicals unique to Texas, stunning sculptures and offers a nice respite outdoors from long plane rides and car rides.
Make time to experience The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin, which is one of the foremost university art museums in the country, and has the largest and most comprehensive collection of art in Central Texas. The Blanton’s permanent collection of more than 21,000 works is recognized for its European paintings, an encyclopedic collection of prints and drawings, and modern and contemporary American and Latin American art. Located at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Congress Avenue, the museum is across the street from the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and is adjacent to downtown Austin.
Public art is ubiquitous in the Austin metropolitan area, and there is no stronger and massive piece than that by Shepard Fairey and Sandra Chevrier. Both artists were invited by the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation to take part in a weeklong series commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. At first glance, the massive new mural at the intersection of Congress and Cesar Chavez depicts a large superhero. Plastered onto the west side of the Line Hotel, the 12-story display depicts Wonder Woman breaking a chain with her bare hands. The iconic image tears open the mural as if it were a poster, revealing another woman's face whose eyes could cut right through the rush-hour traffic down below. Strong like Wonder Women, this figure represents every woman. In recent years, the organization has strived to bring more urban art to the city as a way to connect local and international artists and create new public spaces; and this mural is an exclamation point for the Alliance’s vision and success.
A massive mural by Shepard Fairey and Sandra Chevrier, who were invited by the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation to take part in a weeklong series commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Take a break from exploring art and museums to grab vegan bites at several culinary hubs: (1) Bouldin Creek Cafe is a well-known local spot with a fully vegetarian menu including many vegan options; (2) Casa de Luz offers a completely vegan and gluten-free experience; (3) Nissi Vegan Mexican is a flavorful vegan Tex-Mex; (4) and The Vegan Yacht hits the spot for plant-based Tex-Mex dishes.
Hot cups of coffees with dairy free options are available at Proud Mary Coffee, which is an Australian coffee company that serves high-quality coffee in cafes in Australia and the United States. The company is known for its premium coffees and Aussie cafe culture. The cool, hip coffee house sources coffee directly from origin and roasts it in-house; showcases featured coffees from around the world, including single varietals from the same farm; and offers coffee subscriptions including ‘wild, mild and curious.’
In between museum and coffee stops are countless vintage clothing booths, and I snagged a pair of prized, vintage red roper boots as an heirloom and memory of the hip, Texas culture. And as they stay in my closet archived in cotton bags and boxed like an art form of their own, I am reminded often of how I have just scratched the surface of Austin Texas — and all the arts and cultures any traveler or aspiring cowgirl would dig.
