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FAMOUS AUSTIN MEN WITH GREAT STREET STYLE In honor of our Men's Issue, we give a nod to local men who always look sharp. Exclusively at Benold’s
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...without whoM this issue would not have been possible
Shane Mccauley photographer Shane McCauley started taking pictures when he was 7 years old and has been photographing the music world since he was a teenager, when he promoted punk shows on his radio show at the local college station. He has published several books to date; he has traveled the globe photographing, filming, and writing for travel blogs and music projects; and he shot the subjects for “The Leading Men” feature (page 90).
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What sparked your interest in photography? In 10th grade the girl I had a crush on persuaded me to join the photography club with her. I remember being in the darkroom and having an image come up in the developer, and that was where I got hooked. What are your sources of inspiration? Music, films, and traveling. New places always help me try to find the romantic aspects of everything I experience. In what environments do you most prefer to shoot? I like the challenge of being given any location and finding what works inside it. I always love beaches and forests, but who doesn’t? What’s the key to putting your subjects at ease? I start by asking my subjects some questions to see what they react to and how, and then try to get natural expression out of them. Describe your dream photo shoot. I would love to do a road trip through America, like Robert Frank, and just do a modern snapshot of where we live now the way he did in the ’50s. What resonated with you about shooting the men in this Austin Way feature? I love Austin for its charm and character.
THE ART OF JEWELRY Philip Zahm Designs
Jean ScheidneS writer
While working in the fashion industry for 15 years, Jean Scheidnes moved from the Austin American-Statesman to Women’s Wear Daily to Neiman Marcus corporate. Her main gig is social media consulting for brands, and she wrote our Arbiter of Taste (page 29). What did you learn while writing about Zoltan David? The time, creativity, and skill that every piece represents is astonishing. And for this world-class, artisanal luxury business to have thrived in Austin, pre-Internet and pre-tech boom, is an extraordinary accomplishment. What’s your one Austin must? My husband and I went to the Broken Spoke on our first date, so that’s our happy place.
Wynn MyerS photographer
Born and raised in Austin, Wynn Myers has been snapping photos since high school and now lives in the Hill Country with her husband and their four pups. She photographed Jason Dial for our F1 feature (page 84). Where do you prefer to shoot? I love shooting with natural light—outdoors or beautiful interiors with great windows. What’s the key to putting your subjects at ease? I have a conversation with them to get to know them a bit. For most, being photographed is an uncomfortable experience; I try to acknowledge that and give my subject time to get comfortable. Giving subjects an action or prop can help a lot.
JaSon cohen writer
Jason Cohen has moved to and from Austin three times since 1990. A contributor for Pitchfork and Eater, among others, Cohen penned the story about Barton Hills Choir for our Hottest Ticket (page 45). How did you decide on your career path? I really liked the band Glass Eye, came to Austin for a college football game, and somehow ended up in grad school writing for the Chronicle. What is your favorite writing topic? These days, it’s food. At other times, it’s music, movies, TV, or sports. What are your Austin loves? The Ice Bats (RIP), breakfast tacos (though Via 313 and Grandma’s Humus are a close second), and Hole in the Wall.
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Yahoo Sports Radio, ESPN 97.5 and Yahoo Sports Radio welcomes our sponsors and fans to the 2015 Grand Prix. We are thrilled to join Austin Way Magazine as we cover the events surrounding the race.
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LONESOME DOVE TITAN’S DINNER SAN ANTONIO’S NEW Hotel Emma and the Pearl Brewery joined
Austin Way for an intimate evening of food and drink at chef Tim Love’s newly opened mark on the Austin culinary scene, Lonesome Dove. The evening began in the intimate wine room with sommelier Patrick Vasquez, who paired four specialty wines with the restaurant’s famous wild-game fettine selection. Guests then migrated to the private dining room for a memorable four-course meal, presented by chef Love and his culinary team.
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Saving the Blues
With a deeply personal new album, gary clark jr., who returns to Austin for Acl Fest, is more than just the future of music—he’s preserving his hometown’s musical legacy by helping to reopen the historic Antone’s. by kathy blackwell
The campaign to reopen Antone’s wouldn’t have worked without Clark, says longtime friend and business partner Will Bridges.
And some thought it wouldn’t last.… Work remains, but in just four years the US Grand Prix has become a game-changer for Austin.
Just the Right Formula
opposite page: photography by paul gilham/getty images; this page: photography by mark thompson/getty images”
BY TOM FOSTER
AUSTINWAY.com 85
J
ason Dial enters a conference room overlooking the track at Circuit of the Americas with a springy gait that belies his football-player frame. The CEO of COTA since 2013, Dial has brought along a giant satellite-view map of the racetrack-and-amphitheater complex, ready to show off the latest features that, he says, will make this year’s Formula One United States Grand Prix weekend, October 23–25, a must-attend event not only for Austinites and all Texans, but for the global, big-money set that jets to Monaco and other exotic locales for the circuit’s other races. In just a few days, Dial will announce that Elton John and his full band will entertain spectators right after this year’s race, and he wants to demonstrate how the track’s giant infield will be transformed into a music venue that can accommodate as many as 70,000 people—five times the capacity of the complex’s heretofore premier concert setup, Austin360 Amphitheater. Then Dial starts in on COTA’s partnership with Pop Austin, the contemporary-art show that will coincide with the race this year and include an exhibition at the track, in addition to its main exhibit hall at Fair Market on East Fifth Street downtown. “So for the price of a ticket, I’m going to be able to go for the weekend of F1 and not only see the highest-tech racing in the world but also see an actual Andy Warhol or Richard Orlinski, and, at the end of the day, see a two-hour Elton John concert, the first time he’s brought his full band to Austin in nine years?” Dial says, practically bouncing in his chair. “Wow! What an incredible entertainment value.” It’s illuminating that Dial is focused on providing value on Formula One weekend. F1 events around the world usually are glitzy affairs attended by people who arrive jason dial in private jets, buy bottle service at special parties, and always dress the part of VIPs. When Formula One came to Austin in 2012, after several years of controversy over government funding and halting progress that more than once threatened to kill the project, one of the big concerns was whether anyone in Texas would care. Although F1 racing is the world’s second-most popular sport—after soccer—it, like soccer, is simply not a big deal in this country. And, not insignificantly, F1’s flashy culture is something of an odd fit with Austin’s easygoing style. In some ways, the Austin Grand Prix has been something of a grand experiment. On one hand, all the extras Dial touts for this year’s race weekend are part of an attempt to create as much appeal as possible for the glamour set. On the other hand, Dial is betting that if he makes Grand Prix weekend about more than a race, he’ll be able to draw more mainstream Americans and Austinites who’ll see it as a good value, an all-around fun experience. A former marketing executive with Procter & Gamble and the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dial is attempting a careful balancing act, and one he appears to be performing well as the race matures into a tentpole event on the Austin calendar. Attendance among locals has grown since the inaugural
race, and Dial expects this year to reach new highs from locals and out-oftowners. “Last year the economic impact of the race—the dollars flowing into Texas that wouldn’t otherwise—was $900 million,” he says, “and we expect it to be that or more this year.” The race community has lauded the track itself, and fans consistently rate the event among the top F1 races worldwide. Yet, Dial knows he has work to do. “Our brand awareness isn’t where I know it should be yet,” he says. “And it’s absolutely critical to our future success that Central Texas and Texas in general really embrace this event.”
The F1-Austin marriage has, well, other partners, too; namely the businesses and events catering to visitors. “Everybody has had to adjust,” says Ginger Leigh, one of the cocreators of Blu, the most successful homegrown race-weekend afterparty, which will be held this year at Brazos Hall following a threeyear takeover of the W Austin downtown. One hallmark of an F1 weekend anywhere in the world is a nightly lineup of ever-more exclusive VIP parties—several of which are like traveling bacchanals that follow the race circuit from city to city. “This city wasn’t used to seeing parties on the scale that accompany an F1-race weekend,” Leigh says. “People come here, and they’re like, ‘OK, the barbecue is great, but we want all-night parties with Champagne flowing, pretty women—New York– or Vegas-style nightlife.’” Blu has provided that, with bottle service and VIP tables, elaborate light shows, a Brazilian martial arts performance, and celebrity guests, including Matt LeBlanc and Keanu Reeves, as well as drivers from the race. But while all that sounds extravagant, it’s intentionally a step less over-the-top than the previous two big traveling parties that came to Austin: Amber Lounge and My Yacht Club. “My take is that those parties are not for Austin people; they’re more for people who travel the circuit,” says Kevin Smothers, cota ceo editorial director of Austin Social Planner, who follows the party scene closely. “My Yacht Club has trapeze artists hanging from the ceiling delivering bottles of Champagne to people. The overall theme is that the wow factor is magnified, and that’s what the crowd expects.” Smothers says much of the usual Austin social set makes it to the race itself—“there’s a whole scene up in the suites,”—but he noticed only a “smattering” of that crowd at the late-night parties the past two years, after a heavy turnout the first year. “It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out this year,” he says. While My Yacht Club will be taking over Ballet Austin again, Amber Lounge has opted not to return this year, so the scene may be trending more toward locally created celebrations such as Blu and a new event co-sponsored by COTA called Apex Nights that will take over Fair Market after Pop Austin closes each day.
“I’m goIng to be able to go for the weekend of f1 and not only see the hIghest-tech r acIng In the world but also see an actual andy warhol or rIchard orlInskI, and, at the end of the day, see a two-hour fullband elton John concert? … wow! what an IncredIble entertaInment value.” —
,
Unlike in Monaco or Barcelona, where the recreational and retail scene around F1 tends to involve mega yachts, in Austin part of the draw is ranch life. Dial says it’s common for people in groups to rent a property outside
1.
3.
how to watch the race
the party scene
F1 fêtes have a tradition of being abundant in both celebrities and Champagne. In years past, the original “Made in Monaco” Amber Lounge and My Yacht Club have targeted international revelers attending the US Grand Prix, especially those with the deepest of pockets (in 2014, individual tickets started at $325, while tables were reportedly in excess of $75,000). COTA’s Pop Austin partnership will result in a slate of new parties this year, Apex, which will take over
the Need for Speed Experience the best of the US Grand Prix. WHEN: Friday, October 23– Sunday, October 25
COST: 3-day passes start at $169; Sunday-only general admission tickets start at $99. WATCH IN STYLE: The staff at the Paddock Club travels to all F1 races across the globe, so it remains a consistently top-tier hospitality offering. A three-day pass includes multicourse wining and dining, a Mumm Champagne bar, exclusive access to the pit lanes, driver interviews, and more; pricing begins at $4,200. The Skybox offers spectacular views of the race at Turns 2, 12, and 19; three-day passes are $1,350. For event packages, visit cotaexperiences.com.
2.
pop austin
Art At the trAck Pop Austin International Art Show will bring a satellite exhibit to cotA while lighting up downtown Austin. by tobin levy The Pop Austin International Art Show, which attracted almost 5,000 visitors over its debut weekend last year, is partnering with Circuit of the Americas to provide cultural programming for Formula One weekend, including a satellite exhibit at the track featuring work from Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Micky Hoogendijk, among others. At Pop Austin’s principal show downtown, “Illumination,” light will be the shared medium. Attendees can expect blacked-out rooms lit by vehicles, including neon, projections, and LED. “We wanted to offer an experience, and we have achieved that,” says curator Lana Carlson. The nature of the exhibition is inherently immersive. There will be fewer pieces than last year (five of the installations are truly expansive), and 17 artists from all over the world—Chile, Italy, Korea, Japan, and, of course, Austin. Among the local artists are Bale Creek Allen and Jason Archer, both of whom
were also featured in the inaugural show. The collaboration with COTA is sure to draw a larger, more diverse crowd to the main exhibition. “I feel like joining forces with Formula One enables us to show the world that Austin is more than a city of artists, but rather a capitol of culture,” says creative director Steve Carlson. Future exhibitions will have different themes. If Carlson has his way, sound will be one of them. “Illumination” will take place at Fair Market (1100 E. Fifth St., popaustin.com). The show will kick off with a ticketed VIP Opening Party on Thursday, October 22, from 8 to 11 pm, for art enthusiasts, collectors, and sponsors. Pop Austin will remain open to the public on Friday, October 23, through Sunday, October 25, from 10 am to 6 pm daily. Tickets for regular show hours over the weekend are $40 per person (children 12 and under are free with a ticketed adult). Tickets for the VIP Opening Party are $200. Pop Austin’s satellite exhibit at the track will be located in the Grand Plaza and is available to all race ticketholders.
Fair Market for three nights following “illumination.” Blu will return this year, but at a different location, at Brazos Hall on October 23 and October 24, says Ginger Leigh who started the party with British expat and Austinresident, Ian Weightman. Blu has drawn a larger local crowd than its imported competitors. Leigh estimates the party is about half local and half visitor and says its appeal to Austinites is it’s a dressier occasion than the city usually sees. The event boasts The Full Tilt Fashion Show (Saturday, October 24, 6–9 pm). Perhaps Blu’s most democratic feature is a $150 general admission ticket with a cash bar. “It opens the door to a lot more locals,” Leigh says. “You want to keep the high-end nature of the party and maintain a certain demographic, but you also want to cater to locals.” Blu inclusive packages are $400 per person, and tables range from a $5,000 table for four to a $50,000 platinum package for eight.
photography courtesy of circuit of the americas (views of the race); adela andea (illumination (bottom right)), nonotak (illumination (top)), shane guffog (red swirls); dave pedley (blu)
WHERE: Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., 512-301-6600; circuitoftheamericas.com/f1
THE WRITER
JUSTIN MARKS Why Austin: Screenwriter Justin Marks attributes much of his success in Hollywood to his decision to move from there to Austin two years ago with his dogs and wife, Rachel Kondo, a fellow at UT’s Michener Center. Marks— who wrote the script for Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book, starring Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, and Bill Murray—is now writing the much-anticipated sequel to Top Gun, which will bring back Tom Cruise as Maverick. He and Kondo have laid down roots in Crestview, where, every day, Marks rides his bike to Little Deli for lunch. “It provides this true peace,” he says. “You get up in the morning and it’s quiet, and you go grab a coffee and feel like you see the same faces every day. It’s the place to write.” His Destiny: Growing up in Houston, Marks saw Top Gun in the theater seven glorious times. “From the opening frame, the sound of the score, and the way the carrier was shot in the magic hour of light, I knew then that I’d never seen any experience like what a movie could be, and I wanted to write them,” he says. “I’ve kind of been writing the movie my whole life.” What’s Next: While in Austin, Marks got into a magical rhythm and churned out the script for the upcoming Starz series Counterpart, an espionage thriller starring Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, set to go into production early next year. With showrunner added to his résumé, Marks has never been busier. Good thing Thunderbird serves strong coffee. Cotton Polo, Ermenegildo Zegna ($275). Neiman Marcus, The Domain, 512-719-1200; zegna.com opposite page: Jacket, Coach ($795). Barton Creek Square, 512-330-9929; coach.com. Shirt, DSquared2 ($580). Saks Fifth Avenue, North Star Mall, San Antonio, 210-341-4111; saks.com. Black denim pants, Dolce & Gabbana ($675). Neiman Marcus, see above; dolcegabbana.com Sunglasses, stylist’s own
in his words: “I’ve never
done writing in my life like I’ve done when I’m in Austin.”
the risk taker
NOAH HAWLEY Why Austin? The Emmy-winning Fargo showrunner likes to say he married into Austin. He and his wife, a multigenerational Texan, were living in New York when he wrapped on the detective series the Unusuals. The couple came to Austin in 2009 to visit her folks for a few weeks and never left. Hawley’s experience shooting the short-lived mockumentary TV series My Generation proved those instincts right. “The crews in Austin are so amazing because the flm community here sprang up around the fact that people wanted to make movies,” he says. “It didn’t spring up around a tax credit, like [in] some other markets.” The Power of Bad Ideas: He admits that the notion of tackling the Coen brothers’ movie masterpiece, Fargo, for the small screen was a “monumentally bad idea.” But FX agreed to let him approach it as a stand-alone, true-crime story told in chapters, as opposed to a recurring series. “That seemed interesting to me,” he says. “For me this limited series, this 10-hour movie idea, feels like a new medium.” What’s Next: The second season of Fargo begins on October 12, set in a different town and with a new cast of characters. “It’s like I followed up my colossally bad idea [by] getting rid of actors that everybody loved, [just] to do it again!” he says, laughing. Meanwhile, Hawley, who is also an author, owes his publisher, Grand Central, a draft of his next novel, an emotional thriller.
in his words:
“I’d rather raise my kids in Austin [than LA].… This is a place where people are creative for the value of being creative.”
THE MENTOR
PAUL STEKLER Why Austin: Seduced from New York in 1997 to teach at UT’s Department of Radio-Television-Film, awardwinning documentary flmmaker Paul Stekler was tasked with completely overhauling the school’s production program. “[More than] 18 years later I can confdently say we have the best production program for its price in the United States,” says Stekler, who has chaired the department since 2010. He arrived in Austin just as the flm scene was catching fre here. “SXSW was much smaller, and the Austin Film Society was just gearing up,” he says. “It was a really cool place to be, and we were able to really revise the flm program here, which was in large part a driver of the growth of the flm community.” His Impact: Any Austin filmmaker worth his or her salt probably owes some form of debt to Stekler, named Mentor of the Year by Variety in 2014. Today the RTF program has 1,000 students, many of whom want to stay and work in Texas. “I used to joke about looking for the film community in New York. There were tons of filmmakers, but there really is a filmmaking community here.” What’s Next: From the originals like Linklater and Rodriguez to the new generation such as Jeff Nichols, Kat Candler, and Ben Steinbauer, everyone is a friend and supporter of the talent RTF is helping groom. “This is a really wonderful place to live as a flmmaker,” says Stekler, who will host the 50thanniversary student showcase screening at the State Theater on November 1. Clothing and accessories Stekler’s own
in his words: “If you have
a support group that you work with and projects that you really want to do, it seems that being in Austin is just fine, as opposed to being unemployed in LA.”
THE BREAKOUT
JESSE PLEMONS
Unstoppable: Since Friday Night Lights, Plemons’s career has soared, with juicy roles as a stolid shop boy in the HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge and a stunningly evil and murderous member of a white supremacist gang on the fnal seasons of Breaking Bad. He firted with various shades of menace alongside Johnny Depp in the gangster drama Black Mass, released in September, and will next be seen playing the tragically devoted husband of Kirsten Dunst, a small-town beautician with big-city aspirations, in the second chapter of Fargo (premiering on FX on October 12). What’s Next: Whenever his directors yell “Cut,” Plemons races back to Austin, where he owns a place on the East Side. All of his best friends are here, like his old Cowboy and Indian band members, who are thinking of reuniting after a two-year hiatus. In the meantime, Plemons is on the lookout for a project to flm back on his home turf. “Friday Night Lights was the best of all possible worlds,” he says.
in his words:
“The goal is to bring more work back to Austin, because it’s the place where I feel more like myself than anywhere in the world.”
photography courtesy of getty images. opposite page: Location: hoteL eLLa; styLing by graham cumberbatch; grooming by stacey hubrath, roar saLon
Why Austin: Jesse Plemons, who can instantly transform his corn-fed mug from earnest bleeding heart to dead-eyed sociopath, remembers coming to Austin as a ffth-grader to see the State Capitol. That feld trip was fun, but it wasn’t until the small-town boy—Plemons grew up on a ranch in Mart, outside of Waco—moved here to play the eternally good and loyal Landry Clarke on Friday Night Lights that the city hooked him. “My world just changed,” he says of his adopted hometown. “The people, the creativity, it feeds me in every way.”
THE PROMOTER
BRIAN GANNON Why Austin: Brian Gannon moved to Austin 10 years ago with a keen desire to work in the flm industry. He cut his teeth as a production intern, working on movies like Friday the 13th, and was immediately struck by the easy camaraderie found among Texas crews. (Austin has 700 union crew members and probably 1,400 who are nonunion.) Gannon joined the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau as its flm and marketing manager, and this summer was tapped to be the next director of the Austin Film Commission, replacing Gary Bond, who over his 30year career assisted with many movies produced locally, including Dazed and Confused and Spy Kids. New Role: Gannon will continue Bond’s mission of promoting Austin’s flm industry to the world, wooing productions with the city’s wealth of local talent and diversity of location. “Every movie that comes to town puts money into the local economy, from putting local technicians to work to hotel rooms to renting cars to lumber to construct sets,” he says. Gannon adds that in the past 22 months more than $170 million was spent here on flm projects, including movies, TV shows, and commercials. The Great Challenge: The hurdle that Gannon—and the flm community at large—faces is reduced incentives after lawmakers slashed $63 million from the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive program in May. “Productions go to where they can get the best deal back from state funding,” he explains. He promises to work hard on behalf of local flmmakers, while also persuading executives on both coasts to come enjoy some fne Austin hospitality. Wool sweater, Theory ($265). Neiman Marcus, The Domain, 512-719-1200; neimanmarcus.com. Long sleeve polo, Ermenegildo Zegna ($575). Neiman Marcus, see above; zegna.com
in his words: “We’re
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Carole Martin
Clay McLaughlin
Desmond Milvenan
Eric Moreland
Stephanie Panozzo
Kathryn Scarborough
Cord Shiflet
Jeannette Spinelli
Will Steakley
Pat Tate
John Teinert
Michele Turnquist
Kumara Wilcoxon
Austin Portfolio - KW
Moreland Properties
Austin Portfolio - KW
Austin Portfolio - KW
Engel & Volkers
DEN Property Group
Gottesman Residential
Moreland Properties
Tate Property
Kuper Sotheby’s
Gottesman Residential
Austin Fine Properties
Austin Portfolio - KW
Engel & Volkers
Engel & Volkers
Moreland Properties
Kuper Sotheby’s
Shannon Windham Gottesman Residential
The Perfect Place for an Approachable & Unique Austin Experience
RESERVE YOUR MOMENT
512.404.3655
1900 University Avenue 路 theCarillonRestaurant.com
Elegance
for every occasion
Featuring exclusive styles by Rachel Allan 1601 W. 38th St. Suite 3, Austin, TX 78731 www.zcoutureaustin.com | 512.380.9884
With soaring views across the stunning countryside, outstanding amenities, acclaimed
ITALIAN FOR LUXURY LIVING
Leander schools, award-winning builders and a location near Austin’s employment center, Travisso truly offers the best in master-planned living.
TRAVISSO.COM NEW HOMES FROM THE $300S TO $800S Taylor Morrison • Toll Brothers Highland Homes • Drees Custom Homes Grand Haven Homes 18088 FM1431 Leander, TX 78641
512-243-8583
All information (including, but not limited to prices, availability, promotions, incentives, floor plans, elevations, site plans, features, standards and options, assessments and fees, planned amenities, programs, conceptual artists’ rendering and community development plans) is not guaranteed and remains subject to change or delay without notice or obligations and may differ by neighborhood or homebuilder. Please visit your Neighborhood Builder and review the Purchase Agreement Documents for details. Offer void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. © April 2014, Travisso, Ltd.