TODO Austin July 2010

Community page 6

Happy Birthday Gallardo.

Volume II, 03

July 2010

by Mindy Heredia

contact@todoaustinonline.com

512.538.4115 www.facebook.com/todo.austin

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contributors Aimee Wenske is a travel and food photographer based in Austin, Texas, and is responsible for the delicious images in the feature story (pages 8-9) and on the cover.

Kenneth Yen is a new TODO contributor, sharing cultural insight on Asians in entertainment with the Kollaboration Talent Show on pages 12 - 13.

Adrienne Clements teaches about sustainability and loves to live and explore all things “green.” She discusses the disastrous BP oil spill on page 15.

Smitha Murphy is a North Carolina transplant and Director of Cultural Awareness for the Network of Indian Professionals, Austin.

She shakes up the Bollywood dance scene on page 7.

David Marks is the music director at St. Andrew’s, a liberal Presbyterian church in Wells Branch. He covers Austin’s multicultural music scene on pages 7 and 10.

Independence Day would not be complete without the classic sounds of an American icon. Join Direct Events as they present Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic at The Backyard (13101 Highway 71 West), Sunday July 4 at noon. Willie will kick off the show, followed by performances from Ray Price, Kris Kristofferson and more. Admission: $55. Visit www.thebackyard.net for details.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It’s time for The Annual Bastille Day Festival at the French Legation Museum (802 San Marcos Street) on July 17. Doors open at 7 p.m. for music, food, dancing and fun. Advance tickets: $8 Door: $10 Children 12 and under are free. For more details, visit www.afaustin.org.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Awarding Students and Promoting Increased Rigor in Education (A.S.P.I.R.E.) will host their very first fundraiser at the Capital City Comedy Club (8120 Research Blvd), July 9 at 8 p.m. Comedian Brad Williams from Mind of Mencia will headline the show. Tickets: $15, purchase online at www. aspiringineducation.org.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Want to show off your ride? How about nighttime drag racing? It’s all possible at Texas Heat Wave Custom Truck and Car Show presented by Custom Sounds. See the hot candy paint jobs and glistening rims, enjoy camping, a volleyball tournament and more July 23-25 at Travis County Expo Center. Call 512.252.0283 or visit www. heatwaveinc.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Brazilian painter Werllayne Nunes’ “Reality x 2 Imagination as Lived Experience” is the current featured exhibit at the Carver Museum (1165 Angelina Street), running through August 28.

Nunes’ artwork is influenced by extensive travel through South America and provides counternarratives to the culture industry’s depiction of the impoverished. Free. Visit www.ci.austin.tx.us/ carver for more details.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ruta Maya Coffee House (3601 South Congress) offers free introduction to salsa lessons provided by Street Salsa every Wednesday from 7:30-8:30 p.m. with food or beverage purchase. Stay to dance to the music of La Mona Loca from 9 p.m.-midnight. $7 cover. La Mona Loca is salsa band Cienfuegos’ expanded eleven piece salsa orchestra. Information at www.musicacienfuegos.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------East Side Show Room (1100 E. 6th St) hosts back-to-back summer experiences every Thursday and Friday in July. East Side Dandies hold court on Thursdays from 10:30 p.m. with hot jazz featuring banjo, stand-up bass, trumpet, clarinet, and guest musicians. The brass jazz band sounds of the Makalani Movement, led by the remarkable Makalani Jones, are presented Fridays at 11 p.m. throughout the month. Visit www. eastsideshowroom.com for details.

Yoga made ESY for You. 1050 East 11th St. #150 ~ 512.779.8543 www.eastsideyoga-austin.com

El Pueblo de las Nubes A photography exhibit in the Main Gallery capturing the richness of the Huichol culture in Jalisco, Mexico. Free admission.

Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10am-9pm Friday, 10am-5:30pm Saturday, 10am-4pm • Closed Sunday

mexican american cultural center

600 River St., Austin, TX 78701 512-974-3770, maccaustin.org

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require special assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities please call 512-974-3770 or 711 Relay Texas.

La ciudad de Austin está comprometida al Acta de Americanos Incapacitados. Si requiere asistencia para participar en nuestros programas por favor llame al teléfono número 512-974-3770 e 711 Relay Texas.

Good Times at Güero’s For great tunes and great rita’s!

Please join us for live music on our outside jardin stage, every Thursday through Sunday. Thanks to the fans & bands who support us!!!

All outdoor shows are “weather permitting”

July Line-up

Taco Bar

---------------------------------------------------Thu 7/1 Bob Fuentes (6:30) Fri 7/2 Los Flames (6:30) Sat 7/3 Ponty Bone & The Squeeze Tones (6:30) Sun 7/4 CLOSED ---------------------------------------------------Thu 7/8 The Fabs (6:30) Fri 7/9 Los Flames (6:30) Sat 7/10 Jimi Lee Band (6:30) Sun 7/11 Tiburon (3:00) ---------------------------------------------------Thu 7/15 Natalie Zoe (6:30) Fri 7/16 Los Flames (6:30) Sat 7/17 Gabe Nieto (6:30) Sun 7/18 Mitch Webb & The Swindle (3:00) ---------------------------------------------------Thu 7/22 Johnny Gimble (6:30) Fri 7/23 Los Flames (6:30) Sat 7/24 Mike Milligan & The Altar Boyz (6:30) Sun 7/25 Mark Alan Quartet (3:00) ---------------------------------------------------Thu 7/29 Los Fabulosos Polka-Sonics (6:30) Fri 7/30 Los Flames (6:30) Sat 7/31 Eve Monsees (6:30) *All shows are acoustic

1412 S. Congress Avenue • Austin, Texas 78704 Open Weekdays 11am-11pm; Weekends 8am-11pm

www.GuerosTacoBar.com

TODO Austin

Volume Ii, Number 03

El Buen Samaritano Receives Dell Foundation Grant to Promote Health Education

By Mindy Heredia

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation recently awarded a grant of $210,000 to El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission of Austin to sustain the services provided by the mission for uninsured children and families. The money awarded will enable El Buen Samaritano to focus on promoting pediatric health through preventative methods, as well as familybased health education programs. From its inception in 1987, El Buen Samaritano has aimed to provide a “hand-up, not a hand-out” to struggling Hispanic families in need. The non-profit organization has been successful in providing services such as healthcare, job readiness skills, health education, emergency food assistance, social services and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Al Perez, Director of Health Services at the Wallace Mallory Clinic, says that although Austin may rank as one of the healthiest cities in the United States, most Latino families, unfortunately, do not fit this role. According to research paid for by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 35%

of children from low-income homes are either overweight or obese. “Most experts believe that changes must start in a child’s home life,” Perez explains. Along with health education, El Buen Samaritano offers nutrition, cooking and exercise classes to promote healthy lifestyles and ultimately transform old habits.

“The Health, Wellness and Disease Prevention programs have played a very important role for local Hispanic families that are at a higher risk for a variety of health issues,” explained Dr. Aliya Hussaini, head of the health portfolio at the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.

“We are honored to continue our work with El Buen Samaritano,” Hussaini said. With the help of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, El Buen Samaritano hopes to reach out to more than 1,300 children to “transform lives by engaging the strengths of working-poor Hispanic families to promote their successful participation in society.”

Bank on Central Texas Helps Low-income Families

New Rec Center Planned for East Austin

United Way Capital Area strives to empower the lives of people in Central Texas by helping them better their quality of life. According to Emily DeMaria, Vice President of Community Development at United Way Capital Area, too many individuals are losing out on their hard-earned money, spending between $230 and $918 dollars yearly just cashing their paychecks. DeMaria explained, “the Bank on Central Texas program will save them money, help them manage their finances and ensure the safety of their hard-earned dollars.” For information on participating bank locations, visit www.bankoncentraltexas.org.

-----------------------------------------------Impact Austin Awards Grants to Five Local Non-Profits Impact Austin, an organization of women who aim to make positive changes in the community, awarded five grants on June 14 to CASA of Travis County, Badgerdog Literary Publishing, Communities in Schools in Central Texas, Austin Parks Foundation and Austin Groups for the Elderly. Donations from 525 members this year enabled the group to award this year’s recipients a total of $105,000. Impact Austin reviews proposals based on categories including culture, education, environment, family and health and wellness. Awards were presented to the selected organizations on June 14th.

-----------------------------------------------Homeless Residents May Have a New Place to Call Home In late June, Austin City Council began its consideration of a resolution to provide land to Mobile Loaves and Fishes. The organization, founded in Austin in 1998, provides food, clothing and shelter to homeless individuals in Austin. Currently, the organization owns 45 gently-used, fully-furnished RVs serving as homes for homeless residents. The non-profit organization hopes ultimately to house more of the growing homeless population with the new land.

Some nearby residents have expressed reservations about the issue, stating that they are uncomfortable with having former homeless individuals living among their children. Nevertheless, developers argue that the park is in need of a new location. Mobile Loaves will spend over $5 million to purchase trailers to be spread out around 14-15 acres near the Austin Bergstrom Airport, provided the city pays for the land.

East Austin residents may soon have a new place to satisfy all of their health and leisure needs. The Central Texas Sports Alliance plans to build an indoor/outdoor recreational facility between 51st Street and Manor Road just off of Springdale in the near future. The proposed $10.5 million project aims to bring over $2 million in annual revenue, as well as an increase in employment opportunities.

The multi-use sports complex will feature several activities, including rock climbing, soccer, basketball, volleyball and an indoor, air conditioned walking track. The facility, to be named Central Texas Sportsplex Champion Center, will also be home to office space, retail shops, restaurants and meeting rooms. According to The Austin Times, the sportsplex has been guaranteed $10 million in New Market Tax Credits, a program providing capital investment for businesses in low-income communities. Developers and local residents feel this section of Austin is in need of such a center to create positive economic impact and provide a safe place for at-risk youth in the area.

04 TODO Austin // july 2010 // TOdOaustinonline.com

Art Director - Dave McClinton www.dmdesigninc.com Executive Editor - Erica Stall Wiggins Senior Editor - Katie Walsh Associate Editors: Brandon Ramiro Badillo, Mindy Heredia, Alexandra M. Landeros, Blake Shanley Contributing Writers/Artists: Joseph Banks, Stefanie Behe, Deborah Alys Carter, Jennie Chen, Adrienne Clements, Isabel Corona, Brandi Cowley, Darren Dias, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Mia Garcia, Anoop Iyer, Pranaya Kondekar, Harish Kotecha, Callie Langford, Julia Lee, David Marks, Brooke Maudlin, Smitha Murphy, Tom Palaima, Mary Parsamyan, Marion Sanchez, Kristina Vallejo, Kuetzpalin Vasquez, Priya Vijayaraghavan, Yvonne Lim Wilson, Kenneth Yen Photographers: Heather Banks, Mark Guerra, JoJo Marion, Maverick Shaw, Mohan Sridharan, Julia Walsh, Aimee Wenske, Matt Ziehr Advertising: Kathleen Ginest, 512.669.3942; or sales@todoaustinonline.com TODO Austin is published by Spark Awakened Publishing. © 2010 Spark Awakened Publishing. All rights reserved.

Unsolicited submissions (including, but not limited to articles, artwork, photographs) are not returned.

By Mindy Heredia

By Mindy Heredia

In early June, the United Way Capital Area launched Bank on Central Texas, a program offering financial education classes geared at helping low income families and individuals open bank accounts. Several financial institutions will participate in the program, eliminating hassle by accepting alternate forms of identification such as the Mexican Matricula card, and providing free or low-cost accounts. Those worried about past delinquent bank history need not fear. In fact, the banks will work with everyone to offer a painless process.

From the Plaza

Publisher/Editor - Gavin Lance Garcia contact@todoaustinonline.com

-----------------------------------------------AISD to “Repurpose” Reagan, Pearce The Austin school board approved in late May a repurposing plan for Reagan High School and Pearce Middle School, two East Austin schools with histories of underperforming. A.I.S.D. Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said that preliminary TAKS test scores have indicated that the schools will rise out of the academically unacceptable category. In the event that the test scores lead the Texas Education Agency to recommend the closings of Reagan and Pearce, Carstarphen recommended to the board, and received approval, for repurposing plans that will provide students early college preparation instruction. The TEA ratings will arrive in the first weeks of August.

-----------------------------------------------Margaret Shaw Dismissed from City Housing Department In the days following last month’s story by TODO Austin Senior Editor Katie Walsh discussing the City of Austin’s municipal accountability issues within the department of Neighborhood Housing and Community Development (NHCD), City Manager Marc Ott dismissed Margaret Shaw as NHCD’s director, reassigning her as the senior program manager of the Economic Growth department.

While an Austin American-Statesman story claims “there were no obvious signs of discontent with Shaw’s work” leading up to the decision, the Texas Housers reported that “signs of trouble for Shaw have been evident to observers for several months.”

NHCD Assistant Director Betsy Spencer temporarily succeeds Shaw as acting director of the department.

On the Cover: Fusion, by Aimee Wenske Food styling by Kathy Phan Visit us at

TODOAustinOnline.com Join us at TODO Austin Multicultural Media for All of Austin TODO Austin is a free, colorful print and online journal for all of Austin highlighting our multicultural heritage. Our mission is to promote the concept of community in an ethnically diverse city.

TODO Austin’s content closely mirrors the changing demographics of Austin.

TODO Austin provides a platform that profiles Hispanic, Anglo, Asian, African American and other individuals, groups and organizations that are representing a positive vision in the community.

WRITE TO US with stories, submissions, etc.: Contact@todoaustinonline.com Editorial – 512.538.4115

Let’s Talk About It

Food, Food Everywhere, and Not a Bite to Eat

By Erica Stall Wiggins

It’s a hot July afternoon in Austin. The cupboards and bare and the dinner hour is approaching quickly. Times are tough, and the car sits broken down in the driveway. The grocery store is over a mile away, but just down the street are three fast food restaurants and a convenience store. What would you do?

If this scenario sounds familiar, you just might live in a “food desert,” an urban or rural area in which access to fresh, nutritious food is limited, usually by distance to a supermarket combined with a lack of access to transportation. Food deserts in urban areas are often found in minority and low income neighborhoods and affect these populations disproportionately. The elderly and disabled are also vulnerable to the effects of food deserts. These areas are not necessarily devoid of food altogether, rather, the choices in these areas are often limited to fast food and convenience store fare.

The National Landscape In January 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture released a report to Congress entitled “Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food: Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences.” The report was the result of a year-long study conducted by the USDA which aimed to assess these areas, identify characteristics and causes, consider how local populations are affected and make recommendations to resolve the problem of food deserts in the United States.

“We have to eliminate food deserts in this country, and we have to do it now.” ­­—Michelle Obama The report found that limited access to nutritious food and easy access to less healthy food choices, such as fast food, may be linked to poor diets, obesity and diet related diseases. The report further stated that access to affordable and nutritious food depends on both availability and consumer demand, and indicates that a combination of consumer behavior, together with higher costs to retailers of developing stores in underserved areas, may be two contributing factors to these areas of nutritional blight. Two recommendations of the report address these issues, the first suggesting that subsidy programs or restructured zoning policies might convince grocers to move into these areas. To address the consumer demand issue, public health campaigns can educate residents on nutrition with the aim of changing buying habits.

In the spirit of education, First Lady Michelle Obama and the non-profit organization Let’s Move are addressing the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States, along with the correlation between access to healthy and fresh foods and health problems in children. “We have to eliminate food deserts in this country, and we have to do it now,” Mrs. Obama stated in a promotional video for the organization, which also focuses on public school food programs and physical exercise. The First Lady was also present to promote a partnership between the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and the Treasury as they released details of their Healthy Food Financing Initiative in February, which aspires to end food deserts in the United States within seven years. The Initiative will attack the issue on many fronts, funding community development projects, construction or expansion of grocery stores and installing refrigerated units for produce in convenience stores being just a few examples.

Austin is No Oasis Austin has its share of food deserts. Similar to national trends, they are found mostly in the lower income areas of the city, and not surprisingly, clustered east of I-35. City planners are in the preliminary stages of addressing the problem in Travis County, and have hard data to back up their assertions that this is a major public health crisis affecting the most vulnerable citizens of the city. “There are not enough grocery stores [east of I-35] that sell basic foods (quality fruit and vegetables, cereal, dairy and meats). Instead, there are a few corner stores where you will find expensive, overpriced packaged food with high calorie content and low nutrition value. Therefore, it is not surprising to find more diet-related diseases such as diabetes and obesity in these urban food deserts,” said Adriana Botello de Prioleau of The Happy Kitchen, a cooking and nutrition program affiliated with the Sustainable Food Center.

Mortality data collected by the City of Austin overlaid with maps of major grocery stores show clearly that diseases related to poor nutrition, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer are much higher in areas devoid of stores which sell fresh foods and larger selections of healthy choices. The City is beginning to investigate programs and ask questions. “Can we incentivize the retailers to consider locating in these areas?”

Public Health and Community Services Assistant Director Shannon Jones III asks. Jones and his team have identified a handful of food deserts along major population corridors, some of which have the added problem of inadequate public transportation. As they move forward, they will meet with retailers, county and health officials to create a comprehensive campaign.

Community Efforts As the City begins to organize around the issue, grassroots organizations are already on the ground and changing lives in east side communities, with education and youth programs creating a groundswell of nutrition awareness and demand for better access to affordable, nutritious foods.

With balanced nutrition for underserved populations as their end goal, The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre (THK) is a nationally recognized cooking and nutrition education program nurturing skills in food selection and preparation. Advice on how to shop within a budget, and free cooking classes for lowincome and minority neighborhoods are just two of their offerings. With the Sustainable Food Center, they will continue to work to improve the nutrition profile in underserved areas through the incorporation of a Food Policy Council and food system planning into neighborhood revitalization efforts. Financial and technical assistance programs targeted to food stores in low-income communities, shopper shuttles, reduced fares and other transportation solutions will aim to help people get to stores.

Urban Roots is a youth development program which uses sustainable agriculture to effect lasting change for youth participants, and to nourish East Austin residents who currently have limited access to healthy foods. Now in its third year, the program offers paid internships to teens aged 14-17, who work a three-acre lot in

Photo by Erica Stall Wiggins

Photo by Erica Stall Wiggins Urban Roots’ Michon and Ashley get ready for a pico de gallo demonstration at Summer Farm Fest.

East Austin, producing vegetables which are sold at local farmers markets and donated to food pantries. The farm offers a safe, comfortable space for the youth, many of whom live in food deserts themselves, to learn about sustainable food practices and nutrition, and gives them hands on experience in helping those in need through work with organizations like Meals on Wheels. Opportunities for public speaking and leadership present themselves to the young farmers by way of speaking engagements at local schools and tours of the farm, two key ways in which program messages of nutrition and community involvement are communicated to the surrounding neighborhoods.

To more directly address the issue of food deserts in Austin, Urban Roots has organized the CAFE (Community Action for Food Equality) Project; working directly with communities to find out what the real barriers are to accessing healthy foods. With assistance from nutrition experts at Texas State University, along with teachers and organizations such as PODER (People Organized in Defense of the Earth and her Resources), the organization will assess neighborhood needs as reported by residents of those areas. “We’re targeting folks who haven’t been asked these questions before,” said Max Elliott, Program Coordinator of Urban Roots.

“It’s a collaboration,” he continued. At the Urban Roots Summer Farm Fest held on June 26, CAFE Project Organizer Shirene Garcia expressed her excitement: “The process is just as important as the result,” she said of the grassroots nature of the work and the input they will request of neighborhood residents. They plan to present an action plan to the Sustainable Food Policy Board, and follow up with a full assessment of the issue in 2011.

With the local organization and support of fresh food production and education programs, residents of Austin’s food deserts may soon join to form a collective voice for nutrition equality. As advocates in Austin and beyond band together to fight this issue, a future where everyone can afford healthy, fresh food begins to look less like a mirage and more like reality.

Vegetables grown and sold on the East Side. Urban Roots plans to harvest 30,000 pounds of produce this year.

Resources: www.youthlaunch.org/programs/seeds www.sustainablefoodcenter.org www.thefoodtrust.org www.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas/ www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/AP/AP036 TODO Austin // july 2010 // TOdoaustinonline.com 05

What produces about eight hundred to a thousand gyrating, hip-hopping, folksy, drama-drenched, color-filled scenarios of fable-esque proportions every single year? Well, it’s not what you’re thinking; it’s Bollywood! And a very significant part and parcel of Bollywood cinema is the Bollywood songs and dances. Bollywood is the Indian counterpart of Hollywood, referring to the city of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) and the heart and soul of Indian cinema, churning out more fantastical escapes than any other country in the world each year. And the irresistible beat of Bollywood is no longer confined to the Indian subcontinent. It has permeated all corners of the world (I defy you to identify anyone who hasn’t heard the song “Jai Ho”), and its popularity has reached wedding party and club-worthy proportions on most continents.

Bollywood’s history can be traced back to the first silent movie made in 1913, but the decade of the 1950s marks the beginning of what we now know to be true Bollywood movies—that is, melodramatic plots conveyed in the form of a musical.

Bollywood films can explore social, political, or moral themes. Some attempt to look at the human condition and hope to be a catalyst for change. Several Bollywood movies have been nominated, awarded world-renowned recognition and showcased at prestigious events such as the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival.

Other Bollywood movies are more light-hearted and could fall into the mold of your classic “romantic comedy.” Boy meets girl. Girl rejects boy. Boy eventually wins girl’s heart. Ah hell, girl’s parents reject boy. Girl’s parents arrange a marriage with seedy, villainous boy. Boy #1 eventually exposes boy #2 for the dark soul that he is, and wins the heart of girl’s family. Or something like that.

Songs and dances are woven into the fabric of the movie and are usually an extension of the situation or emotion that is dominating the plot at that time.

The Bollywood dance style is an eclectic mix of all Indian dance styles, be it classical Indian dance or folk dance and even “western” styles like R&B and hip hop. The same is true for the music and lyrics. The hero or heroine will often perform with a troupe of supporting dancers. Many song-anddance routines in Indian films feature frequent metamorphosis of scenery and costumes between verses of a song, and of course, in keeping with true Bollywood fashion, the performances are generally vibrant, colorful and upbeat.

Bollywood movies are generally pre-recorded by professional playback singers, with the actors then lip-synching the words on screen. The playback singers themselves are celebrities in their own right and have their own following as well. The composers of film music are also well-known, and the soundtrack to the Bollywood movie is as important as the plot, actors and actresses. Often, the movie’s soundtrack is released prior to the movie, to entice potential movie-goers.

started by Ruchika Dias in 2009 and was born out of a love and passion for dance and teaching. Dias, who also holds an MBA from UT Austin, is trained in Indian classical dance and has choreographed and participated in several Bollywood, hip-hop and Indian classical dance performances dating back to her school days. Bollywood Shake’s locations for dance lessons span the Austin area with studios in the south, central, north, northwest and Round Rock areas. They offer dance lessons, Bollywood workout classes and camps for children as well.

They are currently preparing for the grand opening and celebration of their new dance studio. The grand opening, to which all are welcome, is on Saturday, July 10th, 2010 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the new studio on 10700 Anderson Mill Road, #208.

Simply stated on Bollywood Shake’s website: “Some people love Bollywood dances because there are no defined rules like classical dance styles.” For more about Bollywood Shake, visit www.bollywoodshake.com.

Bollywood for a Cause Bollywood for a Cause is a non-profit organization founded by Reetu Jain and her husband, Nehal Sanghavi. Their organization is a “medium for awareness for different social causes through

Bollywood dance.” Reetu also gives private dance lessons and holds workshops, and has organized several performances at various events in Austin, including the 3rd Annual “On Your Feet” show this past April at the Monarch Center. Why has Bollywood dance become so popular? “It’s a fun, light dance form,” Reetu said. She added, “And I think the movie Slumdog Millionaire’s entrance into mainstream culture [in the U.S.] has created a new awareness of Bollywood.” Reetu has been dancing since age 3, with her first performance at age 4. She has training in classical and folk dance, as well as ethnic dance. Reetu also founded Pangea Beach, another non-profit, that promotes “cultural awareness and self-awareness through dance.” Pangea Beach also collaborates with other non-profits in the area. Nehal and Reetu are also in the process of coordinating the world’s biggest choreographed Bollywood dance, to be held sometime in the fall of 2011, with the hope that this massive conglomeration of Bollywood booty-shakers will make it into the Guinness World Records! For more information, refer to their website (www.bollywoodforacause.org) and video regarding Austin’s Race for the “Largest Bollywood Dance” world record.

So you’ve heard a smidgen of Bollywood music somewhere, perhaps at a wedding of one of your Indian friends, or maybe you saw “Slumdog Millionaire,” or went to a club where you were unable to resist dancing to this strange foreign beat. Well, for Austinites who have been bitten by the Bollywood bug, or are curiously fascinated and would like to explore Bollywood dance, there is certainly ample opportunity to do so.

Bollywood Shake Bollywood Shake is a Bollywood dance studio offering dance classes, workshops and dancing camps at various locations around Austin. It was

Bollywood Shake performing at the “Festival of India” in San Antonio, March 2010. • Photo by Darren Dias

Restaurant & Bar

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A Piece of Vietnamese History in Dripping Springs

By Yvonne Lim Wilson

Back in 2007, Austinite Whit Hanks heard that the Catholic Church in Vietnam was selling old churches to make room for newer ones.

Inside, the church is furnished with antique statues of saints, rows of chairs and wooden benches purchased separately from Vietnam.

Three years later, Hanks owns two of these antique churches, which form the centerpiece of Camp Lucy, a new wedding and event destination spot in Dripping Springs, Texas.

As Hanks was wrapping up the deal for the first church, he got word of another old church in need of a home. This church, which originated in the 1930s, is larger than the first.

Camp Lucy, which opened in May, is a place where different cultures, histories and aesthetics intersect and co-mingle, creating a unique experience.

Under Hanks’ vision, the structure became an open-air pavilion without walls. He added antique green tiles that had formerly topped the old Bexar County Courthouse. The result is a stunning marriage between an ancient Vietnamese building and bright Texas accents, resembling vibrant dragon scales.

The story begins several years ago with Hanks’ oldest son Ian, who had been living, and currently lives, in China. During one visit, father and son decided to take a trip to Vietnam and see the sights.

“It was a fantastic experience,” he said. “Then we went to Hanoi. I thought this place was strange because it looks kind of French.”

When Hanks later researched Vietnam’s history and connection to France, he was amazed at the rich antique treasures he found in Vietnam, offered at low prices and delivered in perfect condition.

Collecting antiques has been a lifelong passion for Hanks, which led him to open Whit Hanks Antiques in downtown Austin in the 1980s. Architectural antiques—large doorways, flooring and stairways— became his particular specialty.

“There wasn’t even a word for architectural antiques when I started; it was really just building salvage,” he said.

After that first visit to Vietnam, one crate of antiques turned into many more. Then Hanks heard about the churches. He purchased his first church, which was carefully shipped piece by piece to be reassembled.

“For me, it was about making the thing, and to see if I could pull it off,” he said.

This first church, built in the 1880s, is now the main chapel at Camp Lucy and can hold about 120 people. It features a striking bell tower ready to ring the announcement of a new marriage or express the simple pleasure of a new day.

Both churches are made of ironwood, a very dense and sturdy wood of a rich brown color.

One surprise detail is the heart symbol found on the tiles throughout the churches, all original to the structures. Hanks said he was told that these are the Vietnamese Catholic symbol for love, which is fitting for the wedding venue.

Even the native ash juniper trees were pruned elegantly to look something like a “giant bonsai,” as described by landscape architect Paul Smith of RVI Planning + Landscape Architecture. Smith created an Asian aesthetic using native and droughtresistant plants. “We chose striking plants with bold textures,” Smith said.

As an added touch, Hanks constructed a bridal cottage in a “Hansel and Gretel” or storybook style, incorporating a sense of whimsical British charm.

It’s amazing how these diverse styles and histories—Vietnamese, Catholic, Texas Hill Country and British—come together in one setting to create their own magical sense of time and place.

And to think, it all started with a little trip to Vietnam.

Photo by Yvonne Lim Wilson

Yvonne Lim Wilson publishes Asian Austin at www.AsianAustin.com, an online news magazine featuring news about Asian American people, organizations and events in Austin. Contact Yvonne at yvonne@asianaustin.com.

BAM! Festival A Knockout

By David Marks

The Black Arts Movement (BAM!) Festival showcases the cultural expression of today’s African Diaspora artists through the mediums of music, dance, theater, comedy, art exhibits and cooking. What began as a weekend affair in 2006 has blossomed into an eleven day extravaganza with diverse acts from all over the country. This year’s event was kicked off on June 4 with an outdoor party called “BAM Café,” and concluded its run on June 19 with a New Prayz celebration featuring Soul Fruit, George Powell & Friends, and Chris Spivey & New Destiny serving up some urbanflavored gospel. Between the two dates, Austin was entertained and educated by a dazzling number of artists in many genres, including music, spoken word, dance, and even cooking.

The Black Arts Movement emerged from the ProArts Collective and the African-American Dance Festival founded by Boyd Vance, and is led by Lisa Byrd, assisted by Carla Nickerson and Rachael Mardegian. Byrd holds degrees in philosophy and theater/ public administration. As ProArts executive director, she utilizes her experience gained from an impressive list of previous positions, including Audio Supervisor for the University of Texas Performing Arts Center and Production Director at Ballet Austin. Byrd is also a member of the Austin City Council’s African American Advisory Resource Commission, is Community Co-Chair for the African American Quality of Life Initiative, and serves on the Austin Revitalization Authority board.

Sharing her thoughts about another successful year, Byrd said, “When you see the festival pass-holders and you see them at event after event after event, over a two week period, you almost become like family. That’s gratifying. And to have people say that they are just so grateful that we do this event, or else they would not get to see this type of work in Austin – it keeps us going.”

For more details check out the BAM! and ProArts websites: www.bamaustin.org and www.proartsaustin.org.

TODO Austin // july 2010 // TOdoaustinonline.com 07

Modern Fusion in Austin:

Diversity is Delicious Austin isn’t new to the fusion food scene. In fact, two big local favorites infuse Hawaiian flavors with Texas classics—The Hula Hut brought “Mexonesian” to town with pineapple-topped burgers and tropical Tex Mex, and The Salt Lick, founded by a good ‘ol Texas boy and his Japanese wife, mixes pineapple juice in their barbecue sauce.

In the past decade, the shifting demographics and increasing cultural interaction in the U.S. and Austin seems to have caused an emergence of new fusion cuisines and combinations.

UT Anthropology Professor Brian Stross feels this is partly due to a general shift away from a “neophobic drive,” which, while limiting their palates, protected our forebears from disease and death, and toward a “neophilic drive,” or propensity to try new things.

“Under current circumstances, we see others of different ethnicities safely eating foods which we can then feel free to try,” Stross said.

“It also attests to the many kinds of social relationships (including marriage) between people of different ethnic traditions that help to create some of the new combinations,” he adds. This, plus the presence of a relatively large middle class who can afford to eat out often, allows the “sampling of diversity” and fuels the birth of new fusion foods, Stross posits.

The fuel for fusion is definitely burning in Austin. From East-meets-West combinations like Vietnamese Cajun to Aussie pies with Southwestern fillings, Austin boasts some innovative, funky fusion spots.

Asian Cajun Hot Boiled Pho and Crawfish is tucked away at Parmer Lane and Mopac, a hidden treasure of Vietnamese Cajun fare. Inside, a saxophone-playing crawfish gets down in a Mardi Gras-themed mural painted on the wall, and parade masks and beads glitter on the walls.

The place is relaxed but fiesty, kind of like Nubian Queen Lola’s meets the neighborhood pho shop.

after Hurricane Katrina, when members of the Vietnamese fishing community spread to other parts of the region.

The two cuisines have a few commonalities, like a significant French influence and the heavy use of fresh seafood, spice and rice. The Vietnamese have had a strong presence on the Gulf Coast for more than a quarter century, and as more Vietnamese Americans grew up in Louisiana, the similarities began to mingle.

While Viet-Cajun joints have popped up along the Gulf Coast for several years, they increased in popularity 08 TODO Austin // july 2010 // TOdoaustinonline.com

bring combinations together that people might not expect.”

A native of Vietnam, owner Theresa Tran learned to cook Cajun food at her aunt’s restaurant in New Orleans, where she and her husband lived for 17 years. After a couple of (albeit very successful) years running the first Vietnamese eatery in the Tri-City area in Virginia, they missed the “nostalgic Cajun flavor” of Nola.

“We were raised in New Orleans, a city known for its food. We could have pho whenever we wanted, but we also grew up eating crawfish and gumbo,” Tran said.

So, after visiting a friend in Austin, they decided to pick up and move to Texas; it’s easier to ship crawfish here, after all.

Hot Boiled’s most popular fusion dishes are the crawfish pho, which boasts a broth so flavorful it needs none of the typical hoisin or fish sauce complements, and crawfish fried rice—which might technically be considered a Chinese-Cajun fusion. Another standout is crawfish lo mein, made by request, a cross-section of Chinese, Vietnamese and Cajun cuisines—Vietnamese rice noodles are subbed for the typical Chinese dan mien egg noodle but served in the Cantonese lo mein style, along with plenty of crawfish tails and a good dose of hot pepper. Boiled crawfish come by the pound with corn, potatoes and varying spice levels, offset by a light citrus flavor.

While the Trans describe their love for mixing these two worlds “fusion,” Thuy Phan, President of the Vietnamese American Community of Austin Texas (VACAT), isn’t sure that’s what he’d call it. According to Phan, crawfish pho is still Vietnamese—just influenced

by American tastes.

The Guinness Steak and Potato pie at Boomerang’s

The top-selling Southwestern Chicken pie (also available with tofu) combines chicken, green and red bell peppers, corn, black beans and cheddar cheese in an Adobo sauce, a bold filling that balances nicely with the delicate pie crust. Other hot menu items include a Thai Chicken pie, Curry Chicken (and Curry Veggie) pie and the Migas Breaky Pie—essentially a migas breakfast taco that ditched the tortilla for a flaky crust.

Korean Gets Fresh

“I don’t see it as fusion, I see it as the fishing community in Louisiana introducing Cajun flavors into the Vietnamese mainstream,” Phan said. He explains that the preparation of pho with nontraditional meats (like shrimp) is nothing new, but a response to American tastes that aren’t as fond of the typical tripe and ligament.

The Lee family opened Koriente on East 7th Street in 2004 because, well, they hate to cook—the writing’s literally on their back wall. But amidst the high-cal, high-salt, MSG-enhanced dishes that dominate most Asian restaurants, they struggled to find healthy, balanced options for eating out. And, as they say, sometimes the best way to get something done is to do it yourself. The result is a nutritious menu loaded with fresh cut veggies and new takes on familiar Asian flavors.

Aside from Cajun classics like gumbo and po’ boys and traditional Vietnamese dishes, Hot Boiled further fuses its menu with Japanese and Taiwanese influences in the form of teriyaki plates and boba tea, creating a sampler of innovative new dishes and well-matched familiar flavors.

While the Lee family hails from Korea, and the menu features Korean classics like beef bulgogi and japchei noodles, Koriente is far from traditional Korean food. In fact, the altered flavors and lighter take on such Korean favorites often disappoints those expecting the pure forms of the dishes.

Lone Star Meets Outback

But for those with an open mind and an appreciation for fresh produce, Koriente hits the spot. Jeremy Roh, a Korean American U.T. student, summed it up well— ”good eats, but I wouldn’t really call this place a Korean restaurant. More like a Korean mom who couldn’t find the right ingredients, so she had to improvise.”

The Aussie tradition of savory meat pies gets a Southwestern (and global!) spin at Boomerang’s Gourmet Veggie and Meat Pies at 31st and Guadalupe, where owner Jack Fennell combines his first-hand experience in Sydney with international flavors, including the twang of his home state in the Texas BBQ Pie, stuffed with beef, BBQ sauce, red beans, onions and cheese.

The Hummus Roll at Koriente, a truly Austin inspiration

By Katie Walsh

A U.T. Alum who traveled to Australia with Dell, Fennell envisioned opening an Austin pie shop from the moment he ate his first Aussie meat pie in 2001.

While Boomerang’s serves variations of the authentic Australian meat-and-gravy pie, Fennell also branches out to explore “Austinites’ interest in different cultural cuisines.”

“In Australia, they mix Asian flavors in many pies. I expanded on that with Mexican, Southwestern and traditional American flavors,” Fennell said. “I love to

Hot Boiled owner Theresa

decor make Koriente dessert, Japanese gre crushed pistachios an

The crossing of culina it never gets old. As th world shifts and chan for new fusion foods the globe, the gast tells stories of emigr and innovation—and possible when we res differences. Why sho Diversity is so deliciou

Hot Boiled Pho and

“We like feeding people veggies,” Jay Lee said of his family’s take on Asian. “People say our food is pretty, but it’s easy to make food look good when your ingredients start out that way.”

2501 W. Parmer Ln. St www.hotboiled.com 833.9057

The Mixmix Bibimbap is a popular dish that showcases Koriente’s mission well. In place of seasoned, sautéed namul vegetables, Mixmix features fresh, julienned carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, and bell peppers, and is served with both rice and organic baby greens. The Hummus Roll seems to represent a true Austin spin-off with its unlikely pairing of a Vietnamese spring roll and Mediterranean hummus.

Boomerang’s Gour

The downtown setting, relaxing ambience and playful

3110 Guadalupe boomerangspies.com 512.380.0032

Koriente 621 E. 7th St. www.koriente.com 512.275.0852

U . S . F us i o n :

By Julia Lee

Austinites long for authenticity in their ethnic food. They want the real deal, the genuine flavor from the source, just like it would be if they were there—wherever “there” happens to be. But in reality, there’s almost no authentic ethnic food in America, let alone Central Texas.

Why? Because all food in America is fusion food, whether it’s “all-American” apple pie, or a dish that originated on the other side of the globe. The average dish in the U.S. is both.

A very brief history of fusion food in America: People come to the United States and adapt and adopt ingredients and flavors, creating a cuisine deeply-rooted in what they remember from their previous home, but changed, perhaps profoundly, by their new surroundings.

People already in America encounter a new cuisine and like it so much that we adapt it and adopt it as our own.

That hot dog you’re eating? German. That hamburger? Also German. (Well, actually, cooked ground beef was first served to Genghis Khan’s army in the 13th century. Seriously.) That fried chicken? Scottish! (Well, actually, again, according to Wikipedia, “fried chicken was known as pollo fritto in Italy, it was also known as Ga Xao in Vietnam,” but it was the Scottish who brought it to the American South.) There are entire books written on the history of the different kinds of BBQ in America. Those French Fries? Of course they’re Belgian.

What about that all-American apple pie? People were eating apple pie centuries before the founding fathers signed the Constitution. English apple pie recipes date back to the fourteenth century, and the Dutch were making it in the seventeenth century. Think about any food you eat on a regular basis. The seasonings, flavors, preparation—all started somewhere else.

We love our hamburgers and hot dogs, but Americans also get really excited by new cuisines, new flavors, new ingredients. The first time you eat a Thai yellow curry with coconut milk, you may suddenly want to eat nothing else for a week. With such a burst of intense flavor you think, “it’s so authentic!”—even if you’ve never been to Thailand and have no idea what authentic Thai food is really like. It doesn’t taste like Chinese food or Korean food. And it definitely doesn’t taste like American food. It must be authentic! For new immigrants, authentic food is memories of the old country, and for the following generations, memories of family. But for restaurant owners, serving authentic food is a business. No one would understand an advertisement that said “Thai Food!

Adjusted for American Palate.” It’s Indian or Thai or Chinese, not Indian-American, Thai-American or Chinese-American.

Even though the hyphens are really there—in the food.

a Tran with her Vietnamese-Cajun crawfish

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Is there a single Chinese restaurant in America that doesn’t serve fortune cookies at the end of a meal? Jennifer 8. Lee (no that’s not a typo), author of “The Fortune Cookie Chronicles,” explores Americans’ and the world’s love of Chinese food.

“There are more Chinese restaurants in this country than McDonalds, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken combined,” she tells us. But she argues that most, if not all, of the Chinese food in America isn’t authentic, and bears little, if any resemblance to the food found in any province in China.

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As American as Apple Pie

Burger and Fries: American? Not quite.

If you go to China, don’t expect to get a fortune cookie at the end of the meal. That’s only in America. Fortune cookies are virtually unknown in China (and were actually invented in Japan!). That beef with broccoli you love? There’s no broccoli in China. Not like our broccoli. There’s no General Tso’s chicken either (although there was a General Tso). Those dishes are all American fusion. But most Americans don’t think of this as fusion, unless they’re from the country of origin.

One Austinite from Taiwan carefully avoids Americanisms on Taiwanese and Chinese restaurant menus. “You pick and choose so you don’t pick the American things. I don’t get the beef with broccoli. That’s not how we do beef.”

One huge tip-off that an Asian restaurant isn’t completely authentic: boneless, skinless chicken breast. If you go to Taiwan, expect bones and skin in your food, the Taiwan native says. “We get a whole chicken, not just the breasts. And we always eat the skin. Always.” When was the last time you saw skin, or bones for that matter, in your pho or gang garee? That would have been… never.

But Asian food is not the only homegrown foreign food in America. Lee asks us to consider this: “If our benchmark for Americanness is apple pie, ask yourself, how often do you eat apple pie? How often do you eat Chinese food?”

Now, dear Austinites, ask yourself: How often do you eat Mexican food?

Homegrown Mexican When does a cuisine stop being foreign and start being American? For Mexican food, in all its American variations, that’s happening now.

In his book The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos, food historian Robb Walsh calls Tex-Mex “America’s oldest regional cuisine.” But Tex-Mex is a relatively new term and has only been around about 40 years. Before that, Walsh points out, Tex-Mex was called “Mexican” food, maybe even “Authentic Mexican” food. According to Walsh, the term TexMex was born in direct response to Diana Kennedy’s book The Cuisines of Mexico, published in 1972. She was not a fan of the food of Mexico’s American cousin, and she was not afraid to disparage it. But Kennedy’s book was a huge hit in the states and within a year of its publication, “Tex-Mex” was born.

Walsh isn’t bitter. He believes Kennedy should be thanked “for inadvertently granting Tex-Mex its rightful place in food history.” We, in Austin, should thank Diana Kennedy too, because she has a direct connection to Austin food culture.

She was the menu consultant for Fonda San Miguel.

So what’s Tex-Mex? What are some of the foods you won’t find in Mexico? The fried u-shaped taco, refried beans, margaritas, nachos and the chips and salsa you enjoy as soon as you get to the table—American fusion food at its finest.

But not all “Americanized Mexican” food is Tex-Mex. Cali-Mex and New Mexican are invading Texas and creating a fusion of a fusion of American-Mexican foods. It’s double, triple fusion! They offer different flavors, methods and specialties not found in Texas until relatively recently.

If you move from Texas to California you’ll probably miss queso, but Cali-Mex can be forgiven thanks to the burrito, its greatest export. And the Hatch chiles that Central Market throws a whole festival for every spring are a staple of New Mexican cuisine.

So what do you get when you ask Americans, “what is American food?”

“BBQ, fried chicken, burgers, potato salad, baked beans…

BBQ for sure though—that screams U.S.A.! Meat! Meat! Meat!”

“Hot dogs, hamburger, steak, chicken. The way it’s cooked— not with a lot of stuff.”

“French fries are the thing that pop into my head, strangely enough.” French fries. We can think of them as American even though they have a foreign country right in their name.

That’s the story of American food in a nutshell. It’s a fusion.

Further Reading The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos, Robb Walsh The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, Jennifer 8. Lee TODO Austin // july 2010 // TOdoaustinonline.com 09

Bemba Beat

Maneja Beto Sound Off

By Brandon Ramiro Badillo

Maneja Beto is the poster child of Austin’s Latin Alternative scene. The band has survived unique challenges while staking a claim as standard bearers of Austin Latin rock and, fittingly, their musical themes mine the complications of survival. A favorite of Latin music insiders, the band is finally gaining a critical mass of support from colleagues and promoters after years of crafting their unique sound. Nelson Valente, Alex Chavez, Patrick Estrada, Alec Pardon and Bobby Garza formed Maneja Beto in 2002 and have created genrebending music that steadily chisels away at outdated molds of what Latin music is “supposed” to be, that perception being either Tejano or salsa.

The band strives to build something different; a style that encompasses a large list of influences and miles of creative freedom. TODO caught up with three of the group’s members to talk about their past, present, and future. Maneja Beto’s third full length release breaks this summer (July 31) and serves as front man Alex Chavez’s swan song (the UT PhD is moving to South Bend, Indiana to for a visiting fellowship at the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame).

BRB: How did you guys come together and who came up with the name?

Nelson Valente: I was looking to work with Alex for a while. I had mentioned the idea to Bobby earlier during the summer. He said he could play keys and drums and wouldn’t mind being part of the project. Alex agreed to come by my place Labor Day weekend 2002. We jammed on a tune of mine, he helped out with arrangement and next thing you know Bob, Alex, and I start meeting regularly.

Bobby brings an old high school band mate by the name of Patrick a few weeks later and the nucleus of MB was born. Alex came up with Maneja Beto on a turbulent plane trip heading back to Austin. We threw our ideas in a bag and MB was the first name to be pulled out.

BRB: How would you describe your sound?

Nelson: Perceptions vary. It depends on the listener.

Some might describe it as beautiful; others might just hear noise. I hear a subconscious expression from some, if not all, MB members.

Alex: It is, one could say, hybrid. But I prefer to think of it as a reflection of who we are - rockers and soneros, Mexican and American, anchored in traditions/movements/sounds that are bigger than we are, yet always innovative. There is a huge well

of resources that is folded into what we do. You’ll hear border cumbia and The Smiths; huapango and synth pop.

Bobby: Some might call it, an unmistakable sound.

BRB: How did you find it?

Nelson: Not sure that I can explain how we found it. I wasn’t looking for it. Geography comes to mind. We all come from different parts of Texas, we collaborate here and the city has had a big impact on our sound. Austin is how we found it.

Alex: It was never anything intentional. We never had a discussion about what kind of band we wanted to be. We started playing music together and this is what resulted. I’d like to think the sound has always been shifting and breathing. It’s not really anything fixed. We’re still figuring out what we sound like. It’s a constant process.

Bobby: Okay, look. The guys never want to tell this story. But I think this might be the best time. You’re a friend, no? The real story about how we found our sound sorta went like this: on occasion, we are known to visit bodies of water in search of inspiration. We believe that the water has immense cleansing powers and provides us with the necessary existential head space to really create. On one such occasion, not eight years ago, the Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft our sound from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that we, the Maneja Beto, were to carry that sound to you and others who may share in its joy.

BRB: As veterans of the Austin music scene, what do think are some of the biggest problems facing it?

the way some folks want downtown to look in the next 10-20 years, those trends will continue.

I think the potential net result is less music and lack of venues able to provide quality live music across genres. Having said that, scenes like the current Red River scene happened in a pretty organic fashion. As Austin gets bigger, I’ll be interested to see whether that same organic, authentic feel can be recreated elsewhere, maybe downtown, maybe not. But if you couple all of that, and bring it to a more personal level in terms of our band, with the fact that most folks in this town don’t get a Latin band that isn’t a Latin dance party all day and all night, and the opportunities for a band like us to have space to create/grow/succeed diminish pretty quickly. We love the dance party as much as the next band, but that’s not all we’re about. I think that confuses people some. I think that’s part and parcel of the fact that our scene within the larger scene is so young and there just isn’t a groundswell of folks doing stuff like we’re doing.

It’s getting better in terms of volume, but there’s still a long road ahead.

BRB: Maneja has been together for a long while and been through some ups and downs. How do you continue to stay strong and steady?

Nelson: I’ve stuck around because of the love and admiration I have for this band. Just as important is the creative freedom that the band has afforded me.

Bobby: I do it for the money. Wait, we don’t get paid! Would that be considered a low point? I have to rethink everything now! I think the only real down moments have been when stuff’s not popping off for us, and that one time we had a run-in with the black knight, but what’s a different story. The strong and steady bit, I’d reckon, is about focusing on the music. We work well together; we speak each other’s language in terms of the songwriting process and for me, that’s when I have the most fun. Because we’re constantly writing and creating, perseverance hasn’t really been an issue for me.

BRB: Let’s talk about the new CD. What does this album symbolize, if anything?

Nelson: An end or a new beginning.

Alex: The joy of playing music with one another.

Bobby: Ever heard of Holy Grails? It’s nothing like that. I believe it will represent Chicano’s ontological search for meaning in this rough and tumble world we live in. Wait, no I don’t. That’s just silly. Really though, does it need to symbolize anything other than we’re creating to the extent that we have something we’d like to share with yourself and others?

BRB: What influences and inspirations did you have going into recording this album?

Nelson: Life, carnal experiences. Musically speaking, a slew of records from new bands I’ve discovered and some old stuff I take out once in a while. I just bought Sufjan Steven’s “Illinois” on vinyl. Great songwriting. I saw Celso Piña in concert here in Austin. Dirty Cumbia: just the way it should be played.

The audience was just as inspiring with their chuntaro style of dancing. The energy was overwhelming.

All these experiences make their way into my subconscious via the five senses, and somehow end up at the other end--the output. A lyric or a melody, a whole song.

Alex: As was previously mentioned, songwriting is a process, one that is always shifting and growing. And the material for this album, I believe, is reflective of two solid years of writing and speaks to how far we’ve come in working together. The songs themselves are some of the most unique, textured, and beautiful we’ve ever produced.

Bobby: Dude, that’s like asking an alchemist how he got gold outta something. Or Dr. Pepper telling you what each of their 23 flavors is. I can’t talk about that stuff man. It’s like trademarked or something. That or I have no good answer other than what’s already been said.

Bemba Entertainment will produce Maneja Beto’s CD release party on July 31 at The Mohawk.

Nelson: Lack of good venues that cater to bands of all sorts. Bad PA systems. Not much pay.

Alex: I would say things have deteriorated over time.

Things have fallen through the cracks as the town is overtaken by production companies that focus on putting on huge festivals and giant roadshows.

The live music “culture” of this town has taken a hit. There used to be more than a handful of great bands that were of this town that stood out. There are very few now; fewer places and opportunities to play translate into a less vibrant community for music-making.

Bobby: I think all of that is correct. If you look at

photo by Isabel Salazar

East Side’s Givens Park to Host Urban Sounds “Sundays in the Park,” which launches July 11 in East Austin’s Givens Park (3811 E. 12th), promises to be one of the city’s musical focal points this summer. Each Sunday afternoon from 5:00-6:30 p.m., Victory Grill manager Clifford Gillard will host what he calls a tossed salad of music, art, and community awareness. The organizers aim for the series is to provide a safe and entertaining option every Sunday throughout the summer.

Participants the first go-round include Finesse, Jaye Redd, The Peterson Brothers, Doc Duce, T’Whisky, Ebony Sun, Dub Fresh and more. For those who want to stay up a little later, The Victory Grill (1104 East 11th Street) will host an “after-party” featuring a “Spit-Fest Contest” for ad lib rhymers.

Gillard wants to put an emphasis on young artists

and musicians, but is also looking for other wouldbe entrepreneurs who want to learn the ropes of production, sound, lighting, and the like. His goal goes beyond providing a showcase for local talent; he hopes the events will also serve as vehicles for information and education.

Gillard cooked up the series after observing that on summer Sundays, Givens Park has always been a gathering spot for those wishing to relax or recreate, so he decided to add more substance to the mix. Not only will young artists of all types be welcome to “express themselves,” but the gatherings will teach civic responsibility, as well.

“We have enough civic issues,” Gillard notes, “that we can still be entertaining and still very conscious of what our responsibilities are. One

10 TODO Austin // july 2010 // TOdoaustinonline.com

of the things we’ll be doing in the park during the summer is registering young people to vote.” In a reference to Travis County’s “Challenge 10,000”, whose goal is to register 10,000 18-25 year olds

by October 4, Gillard emphasized the importance of empowerment. He believes that young adults need to be taught to feel the importance of voting and become part of the process. Voting, he states, “should be as empowering as if they have money in their pockets.”

“Sundays in the Park” is scheduled for July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8, 15, 22, and possibly 29. Prospective artists, vendors and sponsors are encouraged to contact Gillard thru his Facebook page, or his company email, anotheroptionproductions@ gmail.com.

By David Marks

Accent Art

By Mia Garcia

Austin Dance Umbrella presents a Summer Youth Dance Camp: Hip Hop & Breakin’ with oLive Dance Theatre, starting July 12. Held on the campus of Reagan High School, at 7104 Berkman Dr., students age 7-19 will learn stretch and conditioning, rock – the soul of dance, freezes and power, the history of Hip Hop dance and Breakin,’ technique, choreography, crew routines, battle techniques and more. Musicality will introduce students to a wide range of classic break beats, soul music and contemporary hip hop tracks that will inspire us to dance on the break… to break and go off…or just listen and cut loose.

Students will be placed according to age into two or three separate groups. Camp will culminate with a performance with oLive Dance Theatre.

The camp will be July 12-24, Mon.-Fri., from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Early drop off is 8:30 – 8:50 a.m.

For more information: www.danceumbrella.com.

Registration deadline is July 5.

There will be no snoozing allowed as Zachary Scott Theatre presents “The Drowsy Chaperone” on the Kleberg Stage. Martin Burke stars as The Man in the Chair, the ultimate Broadway musical fan whose spirits are lifted when his favorite musical springs to life from his imagination in his jungle red Manhattan apartment. Plays through Aug. 1, Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m. & Sun. at 2:30 p.m. On the Whisenhunt Stage, buckle up for “Becky’s New Car.” Lauren Lane, of TV’s “The Nanny,” stars in this play about a millionaire who offers Becky the keys to a new life. This romantic farce by acclaimed Austin playwright Steven Dietz offers a comical exploration about class, wealth and selling out during Becky’s wild ride through a clever twist of events. Plays through July 11, Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m., and Sun. at 2:30 p.m. and 7p.m. For tickets go to www. zachtheatre.org or call 476-0541, x1.

Mexic-Arte opens the 15th Annual Young Latino Artists (YLA) Exhibition Consensus of Taste and Serie Print Project #17 on Fri., July 16, from 6-9 p.m. Curated by Claudia Zapata, the exhibition features the current visual artwork of artists from the past 14 YLA exhibitions, as well as two new artists. American art critic Clement Greenberg’s paper “Can Taste Be Objective” suggests there is a “consensus of taste” in which disputed taste eventually is agreed upon by all parties. This concept is used to showcase past YLA artists’ current work and their development into professional artists. Artists include Jesus Benavente, Candace Briceño, Margarita Cabrera, Bobby Dixon, Santiago Forero, Eduardo Garcia, Ivete Lucas, Randy Muniz, Cruz Ortiz, Matthew Rodriguez, Carlos Rosales-Silva, Abel Saucedo, Rafael Vargas-Universal, David “Shek” Vega, and Jason Villegas. Also opening is Serie Print Project #17, the 17th annual exhibition of fine art of serigraphy. For more info, contact pr@ mexic-artemuseum.org or 480.9373 x84.

Bet your bottom dollar the sun will come out tomorrow and it’ll be a scorcher, but as dusk falls enjoy a cool breeze with “Annie” at the annual Zilker Theatre Summer Musical. In one of the world’s best-loved musicals, a spunky, depression-era orphan, Annie, is determined to find the parents who abandoned her at a New York City orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Follow Annie’s adventures as she befriends FDR, finds a new home with Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy. “Annie” features now classic songs “Tomorrow,” “Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” and more. Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Annie will be performed July 9-Aug. 14 at the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater, across from Barton Springs Pool, 2206 William Barton Dr. Admission is free, with $3 parking per car. Bring your blankets, bug spray and a picnic basket. The musical starts at dusk, Thurs.-Sun. approx. 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 512.477.5335.

Kollaboration Rockets Asian American Performers to Success By Kenneth Yen For the past ten years, the Kollaboration movement has empowered the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community by creating an annual venue for young and talented artists to perform on stage. Kollaboration differentiates itself from the typical talent show—aside from affording undiscovered stars the opportunity to showcase talents that range from dancing, comedy, singing and even the traditional violin, Kollaboration’s larger, social aim is to close the representation gap for APIs in mainstream media.

Kollaboration was founded by Executive Director Paul “PK” Kim in 2000. Under the guidance of Executive Producer Roy Choi, Kollaboration officially became an incorporated 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in January of 2006. The mission statement, “Empowerment through Entertainment,” drives Kollaboration to provide a creative outlet and leadership training for API youth, along with examining entertainment stigmatism among older generations.

According to the latest U.S. Census data, the API community represents quite a substantial and growing number of individuals in the United States. APIs make up 4.4% of the country’s population and are projected to climb to more than 9% by the year 2050. At the University of Texas, APIs make up close to 20% of the school’s population, and yet receive the least amount of funding (via scholarships, grants and other programs) among minority groups.

There are many issues that the API community has had to overcome in this rapidly evolving country—disproportionate representation in

the entertainment industry continues to be problem today, intensified by a lack of support within the API community. Generation gaps between parents and children, combined with a culture notorious for picking out flaws rather than praising accomplishments, creates often insurmountable odds for young Asian Americans to “make it” in entertainment. Those that push past the first couple of obstacles often find it difficult to land jobs outside the “model minority” or “foreigner” role. Institutional disadvantages, along with the lack of support from the older generation of the Asian community, usually forces young APIs to give up their dreams or conform to “acceptable” roles put forth by society. The under-representation of APIs in mainstream media is in part due to these barriers.

This was exactly what Kim set out to change when he created Kollaboration ten years ago.

Originally focused on supporting Korean Americans, the organization has since branched out to embrace the full API community and has produced a number of successful Asian American entertainers along the way.

Kollaboration 2010 rocked the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles this past March. Jason Yang, a recent graduate from the University of Southern California, took home the viewer’s choice award by creating masterful renditions of favorite modern tunes on an electric violin.

In addition to performing a wide range of music himself, Yang also accompanies other artists within the community to help shine light on

Chronicles of Undercover Mexican Girl

By Alexandra M. Landeros

frame of reference

By Blake Shanley

Recipe for East End 11th Success For most of my working life, I had never worked in food service. When I was home from college during the summer, I applied for restaurant jobs but would always be denied for the same reason: no experience. I never understood how my friends got part-time waiter jobs to help pay their way through college. Perhaps I didn’t realize they had started in less glamorous eating establishments like dive diners and fast food chains.

Fifteen years later, I finally got hired to work in food service—fortunately for me, we’ve come a long way since the mid-1990s, and if you want your meal quickly, there are plenty of options beyond McDonald’s and Taco Bell. Most Austinites might think of the cupcake airstream trailer as one of the first mobile eateries in town, but the Mexican taquería trucks are the true pioneers in creative movable cuisine.

Some of the best taco trailers have a very simple menu with the main goal of serving the perfect late-night food for a cheap price. And a little grease doesn’t hurt anybody. At 1 a.m., after a couple of beers, tell me honestly—do you crave a garden salad or a tortilla filled with meat (or cheese, if you are vegetarian)? Sometimes, though, you want variation from tacos, particularly in Austin where it’s possible to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And what a better way to get your fix than at The Best Wurst, which has been around since the early 1990s, long before the airstream cafes. That is where I had my first food service experience.

My first full-day shift was at Pachanga Latino

fellow unknown talents. Additional standout acts included Clara C and Dumbfoundead. The diverse, large number of incredibly talented artists emerging from the Kollaboration stage begs the question—just how many undiscovered and aspiring Asian American artists are out there?

Because of Kim’s vision, many of these unsung stars are now finding their way into mainstream entertainment. Artists such as Jo Koy (Comedy Central), Quest Crew (America’s Best Dance Crew), David Elsewhere (dancer from the iPod commercial) and Dumbfoundead (an L.A.based rapper) have all used Kollaboration as a springboard for success, and inspired young APIs to follow their dreams in the process.

Kim has talked about bringing Kollaboration to Texas for several years, and with the timing and circumstances finally aligning, the show will come to Houston this month, for the very first time, under Director and U.T. Alum Jeff Chen.

As his dream of expanding Kollaboration across the United States finally begins to materialize, Kim himself is bowing out to pursue his own personal ambitions in comedy.

Kollaboration Houston features several Austin Asian American acts, including the U.T. Chinese Yo-Yo team and U.T. graduates Julia Hsu of Julia & Miles and Stephen Jung, a Korean American rapper known as J.U. or Just Underestimated.

While Jung boasts several live performances, including opening gigs for Houston kingpins Chamillionaire, Z-Ro and Slim Thug, he feels that joining the Kollaboration stage presents a unique opportunity.

“At my shows, I’m the minority; I’m automatically being stereotyped as that Asian

Music Festival. Of course, this was the perfect place for me to work as Undercover Mexican Girl, hiding amongst the bratwurst (German-style pork sausage, double ground with nutmeg and pepper) and sauerkraut.

But as this was a Latino music festival, the brat‘n’kraut was the least ordered combination.

The most popular sausages were the All Beef (just how it sounds) and the Smoked Jalapeño (appropriately, being a pork-and-beef Latin version of the Texas hot link). The Best Wurst also offers the All Italian, a Texas variation of the New York sausage seasoned with cayenne & fennel.

Any of these four can be ordered with grilled onions, sauerkraut, or “all the way” (both). And it’s up to you to add as much curry ketchup or spicy mustard as you desire.

So next time you’re at a concert at The Backyard or walking down 6th Street, try The Best Wurst, which is a staple fixture in Austin and is one of the oldest continuously running businesses in the famed party district, thanks to small-business owner and talented musician Jon Notarthomas.

If there’s one thing he shows, it’s that he works incredibly hard and puts his heart into The Best Wurst, and when you take a bite into one of these sandwiches, you are in heaven. (Or hell, as you see me in the photo, drenched in sweat on a hot, humid Texas summer night.)

The Best Wurst : 6th & San Jacinto Wednesday - Sunday, 7 p.m. - 3 a.m. 6th & Red River - Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m. - 3 a.m. The Backyard at Bee Cave (During concerts)

What do you get when you mix: The historic Victory Grill, a legendary jazz and blues venue from the Chitlin’ Circuit dating back to the 1940s, still showcasing incredible musicians 60 years later—with Switched ON, a ridiculously cool new retail spot and repair shop specializing in hard-to-find vintage synths and electronic instruments?

What do you get when you blend: The Texas Music Museum and ProArts Collective, an active incubator for and producer of AfricanAmerican theater arts—with EastSide Yoga, a warm and inviting, humble yoga studio offering a variety of great classes including a donation-only Sunday schedule?

What do you get when you stir together: Blue Dahlia Bistro, a casual yet stylish restaurant serving blueberry blintzes, Niçoise salads and brie tartines in a hidden garden patio out back—with Longbranch Inn, a dark, laid-back, regularlypacked neighborhood watering hole that has whetted a great many whistle for a great many years?

What do you get when you toss: Kenny Dorham’s Backyard, an outdoor live music venue that continuously produces an eclectic mix of amazing jazz, blues and world music shows— including a monthly event called East End Fourth Friday—together with Moxie!, a cool, funky shop filled to the brim with jewelry, clothing, handmade goods and wares, art, gifts and accessories from 30 different Austin designers and artists?

What do you get when you serve up: East Side Pies, a favorite Austin pizzeria attracting folks from all across town thanks to the incredibly fresh and delicious scent always wafting freely out of its open door—with a side of Soma Vida Balance and Wellness Center, a co-working space with massage, naturopathic medicine, somatic psychotherapy and a stationary and art studio?

What if you added to all of that: Equal parts East End Wines, a terrifically knowledgeable but unpretentious wine shop in an old Victorian house; the Quickie Pickie, a highlytrafficked convenience store; The East Village, an art piece/new modern mixed-use building with red, orange and yellow metal panels covering its façade; BYDEE Art Gallery, JKellys BBQ, Modesty Hair Studio, Eclectic Images Photography, Ecoxera, Ideal Soul Mart, The Villager, Peter Staats Photography and Trailer Space Records?

What if you then folded in three new restaurants: 11th Street Station, Zandunga Mexican Bistro and Hillside Pharmacy, with a dash of ARA. and URB.?

VOILA! You have the East End 11th Street Jazz and Arts District, a walkable community of a few short blocks, appearing to have an appetizing recipe for an energetic, well-developed, well-preserved, multicultural, mixed-use neighborhood.

Mmm, tasty.

guy trying to act African American,” Jung said.

“But I feel like Kollaboration will be a good chance to represent and reach out to my Asian community, to stand side-by-side with fellow Asian American performers.”

Jung was recently signed to Ambassador Way Entertainment, a label owned by Brian Angel of MTV’s “Making the Band” R&B group Day 26. His freshman album is due to be released late this year. He hopes that Kollaboration will increase his exposure as an aspiring artist.

Tickets for the inaugural Kollaboration Houston show on Saturday, July 24, 2010 are currently on sale online and can be purchased at KollaborationHouston.org or BrownPaperTickets.com. Doors 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Rd., Stafford, Texas 77477.

Presale general admission $15, VIP $25; dayof general admission $20, VIP $30. All ages welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information visit Kollaborationhouston. org or contact Tawn Le at Marketing@ KollaborationHouston.org.

Kollaboration Houston is excited to announce the 2010 competing lineup, in addition to notable featured acts.

Competing Acts: Chinese Yo-Yo Ira Perez Jomel Sumira JR Kim J.U. Julia & Miles Primus Victory of the People Xwansongs

Featured Acts: Sheng Weng Homegrown J-Stunna UH FSA WyldStyl

Austin Fashion Awards Winner in Best Women’s Cut Nominee: Critics Choice Award for Best Hair Stylist Nominee: Best Men’s Cut Nominee: Makeup Artists, Best Use of Color Best Hair Stylist 2009 Rare Magazine

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Quality of Water = Quality of Life?

by Blake Shanley

We really only have two basic needs as human beings: food and water. These are two incredibly important subjects which we, particularly as Americans, frequently have little knowledge or understanding of with regard to where a product comes from, what is in it and, most importantly, what effects it has on our internal systems. As removed as modern society is from the production of the things we use and consume, we necessarily trust the integrity and intention of government entities, large corporations and mass-production farms to offer safe goods. Our bodies function pretty impressively on the very little actual nutrition we feed them and all of the harmful substances with which they are bombarded daily. But with the wealth of information readily available to us now through the Internet, taking our health into our own hands is becoming a reality for many.

Awareness is Key Our bodies are 60-85% water, depending on our age and gender, but we probably do not spend too much time thinking about what that means. Water is literally feeding every cell, fueling our blood, facilitating the transportation of nutrients and oxygen, and hydrating and lubricating our organs. We take in water by drinking it, by absorbing it into our skin and by ingesting it through our food.

We would likely die within five days without water, whereas we could potentially live more than two months without food. This obviously gives water a very hefty role in our lives and in our health, and it’s a good place to start in trying to gain control of what type of health we maintain throughout our lives.

It is particularly unfortunate that the majority of the water we drink is relatively impure and carries with it a variety of substances that can be harmful to our bodies. We are trusting 60-85% of our body’s health to the water treatment facilities and to the water quality tests. The Environmental Protection Agency certainly

has regulations in place for drinking water, but it regulates only around 90 contaminants. Looking at the Contaminant Candidate List is quite harrowing when you realize it is merely the list of the most serious contaminants that the EPA is deciding to currently acknowledge publicly while it is determined if others are serious enough to regulate.

EPA standards allow the presence of traces of organic and inorganic chemicals, some of the more well-known (and pronounceable) being asbestos, cyanide, arsenic, mercury, nitrate and lead. All of these chemicals are known to be extremely harmful to the human body, though the EPA decided in tiny amounts it is acceptable. EPA standards also allow for minute traces of microorganisms and radioactive contaminants. It is probable that any amount of these contaminants is not good for the human body. It is also probable that even tiny amounts of all of those harmful substances can build up in our bodies over time, leading to much higher, potentially very toxic, levels in the body contributing to a host of diseases and illnesses. A large number of studies and reports would prove this to be true.

The EPA also allows chlorine to be used in the water treatment process, along with other disinfectants and disinfectant byproducts. Chlorine is a powerful chemical supposedly proven to harden arteries, destroy proteins in the body, irritate the skin and sinuses, and aggravates asthma, allergies, and respiratory problems, and is being linked to cancer. And chlorine is the substance we are counting on to rid our water of all of those other harmful substances? Interesting approach, considering this is the water we drink, bathe in and cook our food in.

We know that we need to drink an abundance of water in order for our bodies to function properly on every possible level. In addition to keeping us hydrated, water is also known to have an effect on

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our sleep, our moods, our digestion, our skin, our hair, our bones, our joints, our brain function and every other physiological aspect of the human body. This is a really good reason to start thinking about the water we consume and absorb.

So what can you do to provide healthier, cleaner water for the bodies of you and your family? You can buy filters for your shower and kitchen sink faucets. They can be expensive, and there are some more effective than others, but they can drastically minimize the amount of toxin your body absorbs. Filtered tap water is often healthier than bottled waters (see link to report below). You can also buy large water bottles that you can refill at any grocery store for less than $0.40 per gallon. You should then consciously start drinking more of this cleaner water to make sure your body is properly hydrated. You can also start making some noise about the regulations and water quality tests and treatments by writing letters to your city and state leaders, because if we all scream loud enough, eventually action must be taken.

At nearly 80% of who you are, water is a resource worth fighting for.

Resources: Local Drinking Water Information www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/tx.htm Bottled Water Safety Investigation by the Environmental Working Group — www.ewg.org/BottledWater/Bottled-Water-QualityInvestigation/Safe-Drinking-Water-Guide Water Filters for Every Occasion www.ecowise.com Find Your Representatives www.votesmart.org

Oil vs. Water: The Battle to Kill the Spill

By Adrienne Clements

By Jennie Chen

Madina Market is nestled in a strip mall at 9200 North Lamar Boulevard. While Google says the name is New Medina Market, the red sign outside simply reads “Madina.” Madina is a popular Indian grocery in Austin, and it doesn’t take long to see why. Right inside the door to the left, you’ll see what looks like an entire row of apothecary bottles. Don’t be fooled. These bottles aren’t for playing doctor; they’re for playing chef. They’re filled with extracts, oils and water with a wider variety of flavors than Jelly Belly’s. From lemon, watermelon and pineapple to kewra water and green rose, there are some interesting flavor combinations. For the experimental pastry chef or daring mixologist, this shelf of small bottles is a gold mine. Regular rose water is traditionally used in desserts when soaking cakes in syrup, but it can also be used to flavor cocktails, add depth of flavor to heavy meat dishes, or to lighten up spicy dishes. Like rose water, kewra water has a floral, perfumy and fruity aroma. A popular dish that uses kewra water is the pistachio, almond and cardamon kheer, also known as Indian rice pudding. Other uses for kewra water include flavoring a minty fruit salad or lightening up an intense salad dressing.

common and easiest dishes. Cook lentils until tender, add cooked onions and tomatoes, add spices and serve over white rice. Stacked among the rows of dried goods, you’ll also find dried figs and dried dates. These dried fruits are perfect for baking in holiday cakes and cookies as well as stuffing into roast beef or pork tenderloins. Just because these ingredients are from an Indian grocery store doesn’t mean you can’t use them for other purposes. If you really want to experiment, you could even soak these dried fruits in the previously mentioned extracts and oils.

In the northwest corner of the store, there’s a little room with butchering equipment and large refrigerators. The refrigerators are full of many meats, including chicken, but they also hold meats that you don’t commonly see in other stores. When’s the last time you saw goat at the grocery store? That’s right. You probably didn’t. Madina Market is one of the few places that carries goat meat. The goat meat is fairly reasonably priced, with a discount for purchasing an entire goat. An entire goat might sound like quite a bit, but it really isn’t. The chopped pieces of goat are tender when stewed with vegetables or cooked into a briyani. The bones also make great flavoring in broths and soups. Entire goat pieces can be roasted over coals for several hours and basted in butter to make an incredibly flavorful meat dish. If you’re trying your hand at some Asian or Indian dishes that call for goat, Madina Market is the place to hit up. If you’re a daring chef wanting to spice up your dishes, pun intended, or to add new flavors to your desserts, you’ll want to visit this gold mine of culinary novelties.

We’ve hit a gusher! Normally, that phrase is an oilman’s dream. Unfortunately, the gusher we have hit is 5,000 feet below the ocean surface, and has been flowing freely into the Gulf of Mexico since late April. Apparently, BP and the U.S. Government had not heard the old adage about oil and water until it was too late, and now we are dealing with the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The exact amount of oil being spilled into the Gulf is unknown, but predictions grow monumentally each day.

Unlike the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989, which was caused by an oil tanker hitting a reef off of Prince William Sound and was mainly an ocean surface spill, the BP Deepwater Horizon spill is leaking from a deepwater ocean well, and will continue to flow until completely sealed. This means that clean up strategies will face some difficult challenges. The spill is massive, and has affected the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

and the heavy use of chemical compounds called dispersants, which speed up the natural dispersion of the oil. They are traditionally used only on the surface, but BP is also injecting them at the source of the leak with hopes that the oil will break up before rising to the surface. The long term effects of these chemicals are not known, and could prove disastrous for ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Affected states have established cleanup efforts, and volunteers have been pouring in. At the moment, many states have more volunteers than opportunities. The Texas coast has yet to see major impacts of the oil spill. However, the Texas Land Office, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas Parks and Wildlife are working with federal and state agencies on proactive contingency plans should the oil come ashore. Volunteer opportunities can be found at www.oilspillvolunteers.com.

Devastating effects are already being seen on sea creatures, wildlife and the extremely sensitive coastal ecosystems of these areas. The Gulf is home to a variety of threatened and endangered species, including all four of the sea turtle species that call the Gulf home. Another species of major concern are Blue Fin Tuna who spawn in the Gulf of Mexico; one of two nurseries in the world for the species.

A multitude of strategies are currently being used to contain and clean up the oil, including booms, temporary surface barriers and skimmers,

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Toward the center isle of Madina Market, you’ll find the dry goods and spices. Toward the back, you’ll find the dried beans and lentils. Deep in the heart of Central Texas, we’re used to seeing pinto beans, red beans and black beans. Deep in the heart of Madina Market, you’ll find endless kinds of beans. From plain, white dried garbanzo beans to several varieties of lentils, the possibilities are fairly endless. Legumes are a staple in Indian cooking, with lentils (or dal) being one of the most

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