Archive for the ‘Autumn Rhea Carpenter’ Category
I recently renewed my membership with the Association of Women Communicationsand am psyched to be back surrounding by such creative, supportive folks in their Freelance Austin group.
In what parallel universe are bowling shoes not toxic, the food menu includes more than nachos and Pabst Blue Ribbon and the entire experience is not bathed in smoke? Such a place really exists! Maybe you already know about such a world, but the closest I’d come to a bowling alley was watching The Big Lebowski, idolizing The Dude. Wait a minute, if you didn’t click that link, you’ve already missed out on the fact that there is an event called Lebowski Fest. Truth.
Fast-forward through movie talk, we discovered this bowling nirvana at Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge at the Village of Fairview. Don’t get me wrong – these types of haunts usually freak me out with their perfectly ironed pants and fancy martini flavors. Maybe this is the suburbia talking, but it was fun.
The way it’s designed with bright reds and blacks and oversized bowling pins and 1950s-esque lighting satisfied the aesthetics-hound in me. I guess they were trying to reach the ‘everyone’ demographic, because the music selections were bizarre: it ranged from Biz Markie to Hank Williams. I cannot figure their rhyme or reason, but it’s okay. Who goes bowling for the music experience?
The culinary choices have veered far away from cheese fries and nachos, while those do still make an appearance on the menu. Our table sampled edamame, sliders, pizza and fries, so we remained pretty true to the blue-collar roots. (Minus the edamame) Other choices include thai shrimp quesadillas, spicy ahi-tuna sushi, mahi mahi fish tacos and three-pepper calamari.
I’m no bowling master, but I enjoyed sampling a different colored ball (I mean weight) on each turn. I got lucky a few times and managed two strikes. Which didn’t mix well with the other gutter balls. And the shoes! The staff does not require you to exchange your shows for a pair of sparkling new bowling shoes. Is that a bygone tradition? (Probably one better left in the past, actually.)
Apparently, after 8pm Splitsville is working to keep the gangstas out. Their dress code reads: No sunglasses/hats/beanies(?)/bandanas/cut-off shorts/baggy or oversized clothing/long shorts/shorts below the knee or athletic wear. Whew. Okay, that just answered my question. The Dude would not be allowed inside sporting his usual outfit. “Man, that’s just like, your opinion.”
Much fun was had at Splitsville, mocking each others’ brilliant bowling abilities and dancing to the oddball music. You should check it out sometime. Just don’t wear your beanie.
It’s interesting how our expectations of a luxury hotel evolve over the decades. In 1923, the historic Art Deco styled Stoneleigh Court (now the Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa) promoted electric lights, a kitchenette with circulating ice water, refrigerated air, (air-conditioning) a men’s smoking lounge and a women’s sun parlor.)
Musician John Arthur Martinez’s Adventure Advice: Order the Frog Legs
Musician, songwriter and producer John Arthur Martinez recently shared songs from his latest CD Purgatory Road in Europe. Become a fan here.
1. Tell us about a recent experience that qualifies as an adventure.
My best laid plans during my recent tour of Switzerland, France and Austria made me feel more like a mouse than a man for a short while.
Thursday, November 18, 2010: We traveled to Einsiedeln, Swizterland, from near Lucerne and witnessed a most impressive mass sung by the monks, young and old, of the Kloster Maria Einsiedeln. Afterward we set-up our equipment, did a sound check, then went to dinner with Ronald, the proprietor of the venue of our show, to his favorite four-star restaurant overlooking the monastery. That night at the Dorfkeller bar they wouldn’t let us off the stage.
John Arthur and his band members waited in the historic French city of Belforte while their autobus was repaired.
We declined a Friday show so that we could use that day to leisurely drive to our Saturday show in Le Mans, France—this was our best laid plan. Friday morning, we were up at sunlight to enjoy Kaffee and breakfast at the Hotel Widder in Kussnacht, then we packed and headed for the French border. Unfortunately, not long after we crossed into France our drummer’s French-made autobus began coughing and sputtering so we pulled off the road into the tiny village of Fontaine and there we discovered an issue with the air quality control exhaust system which stopped us in our tracks.
The nearby Peugot Service Center called an independent wrecker and driver who spoke only French, he towed us 15 kilometers; yes, while we were inside the automobile still, into Belforte and there we were forced to rent a replacement Mercedes van so we could make it into LeMans by midnight. It was a month’s worth of experiences rolled into one full moon day and night. We didn’t make it into Le Mans until midnight where we were greeted to a hero’s welcome by our French hosts. By that time all the fine local restaurants were closed so we settled for burgers and French fries–no, not from McDonald’s.
Our intimate tour of the old city of Le Mans, founded in the 2nd Century, our tour of the Le Mans track and our noon-time meal in the home of host were topped only by the standing ovations we received by the country music enthusiasts present at our show.
2. How do adventurous experiences affect your perspective on everyday life?
I savor the aroma and first sip of coffee every morning, ground fresh. I take the stairs instead of the escalator. I try to make everyday life adventurous when possible.
3. Name one way that people can make their normal lives more interesting.
When in Le Mans it’s easy to keep life interesting, but when you’re closer to home try the frog legs instead of the chicken fried steak next time. Instead of taking the interstate from Central Texas, for example, take the alternate parallel route, U.S. 281, through the small towns and stop for lunch there on the square. Patronize the mom and pops.
4. Can you tell us about an adventure that sounded great on paper but somehow went wrong?
I received a call earlier than expected from the photography shop in Austin, Texas, that my photos for the artwork of my acoustic recording were ready. Excited about the completion of my first recording project available to the public, I hopped into my black Nissan truck and made it over the Pedernales River Bridge on U.S. 71, over a hill and around a curve where I was confronted by an eighteen wheeler in the middle of a U-turn. As I slammed into the breaks it was clear that the middle section of the trailer would take off the cab of my truck, but as I skidded toward him there was nothing I could do.
The driver saw me, and sped up just in time for me to collide with the double tire set of the trailer. My vehicle, like a Mexican accordion, collapsed onto my chest, but meeting the rubber of the tires squarely absorbed the shock and left only the impression of the steering wheel on my chest. Nothing more. No broken bones. No blood.
5. When you’re 80 years old (or if you’re already there, add few years) what adventure memory will you tell repeatedly?
All of the oldtimers and youngsters within an earshot will hear me share the second half of the previous tale, the tale of the collision with the eighteen-wheeler. The rest of the story involves my search for a replacement truck. Living in Marble Falls, I wisely bought a copy of the Austin American-Statesman. Our small town would have too few choices, so I thought. I’m almost sure the first item I circled was, a Ford Ranger, low miles, with a camper shell for my music equipment. I called the Austin number.
It turns out the owner thought he would find more buyers in the Austin area so he posted the listing in the American-Statesman giving his father’s Austin number. They drove the truck back to the Marble Falls location of the owner, the son, where I test drove it and made my decision. The owner revealed that he worked for a software company specializing in recording programs and he offered to sweeten the deal with a complimentary recording package. I accepted his offer, bought the truck, and in my first drive as new owner of the used Ford Ranger as I was driving away from previous owner’s home I heard my song, “The Ride,” on the radio….“Even if we never reach our destination the reward is in the ride.”
The Adventurist Series: Boyce Kinnison Helps Open First Bilingual Chiropractic School in the World
Chiropractor Boyce Kinnison and friends in Santiago de Compestela after completing the 832-kilometer Camino de Santiago ride on bikes.
1. Tell us about a recent experience that qualifies as an adventure. The biggest adventure (or challenge) that I have faced recently is the Barcelona Chiropractic College (BCC) project. Over three years ago a good friend and colleague and I moved to Barcelona. We were very active in the chiropractic community and felt that something big was was happening there. We were invited to a meeting by a colleague and mentor, Adrian Wenban, where he laid on our lap a booklet with a cover sheet that read ‘Schola Chiropractic Barcelona,’ later changed to BCC.
This was it! The project was in its earliest stages, and a few chiropractors and investors had been working on it. We joined the project and helped to make this vision a reality. Since then we’ve been faced with many challenges but have prevailed. In the fall of 2009, we opened Spain’s second chiropractic college – one of eight chiropractic schools in Europe – and the first bilingual chiropractic school in the world.
2. How do adventurous experiences affect your perspective on everyday life? Adventures take me outo of my comfort zone, and I don’t believe you will truly know yourself until you are truly vulnerable. (There are many ways to accomplish this.) Accept a new job, move to a new city, state or country, forge a new relationship or learn a new trade. All of these things will help develop your personality and inner strength. I constantly place myself in these situations and don’t always understand why. Now I realize that it was my subconscious pushing me toward new personal experiences that would make me a more well-rounded person.
3. Name one way that people can make their normal lives more interesting? Say yes! Your subconscious (God, Innate, Buddha, etc,) is always talking and it’s always challenging you to express your full potential. All you have to do is say yes.
4. Can you tell us about an adventure that sounded great on paper but somehow went wrong? I don’t think I have ever had a bad adventure. There have been bad experiences, and even death, but as tragic as they were there was always a lesson to learn. Your perception of the experience is determines whether it is bad or good. You, not the experience, are the one in control.
5. When you’re 80 years old (or if you’re already there, add few years) what adventure memory will you tell repeatedly? When I’ m 80 years old there will be plenty of time to share stories. At this point in my life I find that once I sit down with a beer and good company all the stories seem to blend into one great adventure called life. I’m grateful for every last one of them.
Tourist attractions have always made me cringe. There are the unending lines, bad fashion statements and usual stereotypes fully represented. There’s also the germ festival and overpriced, everything. When planning a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, (the resorts are spread across North America, including Canada, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Washington, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Ohio) the thought crossed my mind that we would be spending the night in a tourist trap.
I was wrong.