Austin cabin called ‘Austin Heaven’ really is like Heaven

by Elizabeth Seward on

There’s a cedar log cabin tucked away on a 20 acre plot of land just south of Austin called Austin Heaven. I first discovered the property through Airbnb. The photos depicted a gleaming hand-built cedar cabin with modern appliances. I closed my eyes for a moment to relish the scent of cedar, a scent I’ve taken enough deep gulps of in recording studios to have it imprinted in my mind. As I clicked through the photos on the listing, I became increasingly interested in this cabin and land not solely for leisure, but for my own wedding.

%Gallery-148320%I contacted Melissa, who owns the cabin alongside her husband Mike, to arrange a visit. I drove out of Austin going south on Loop 1 and as soon as the 1 became Highway 45, the scenery began to change. The sky was wider and pine needles had collected on the grounds we passed leading up to the stoplight at the end of 45. A dirt road from that intersection wound us around to our final right-hand turn, a dusty one that pulled us into the parking lot for Austin Heaven. I got out of the car and immediately noticed a change in the air; a change that I could inhale. Again with the pine–the needles were beneath my feet and the scent was pungent in the air. Pines aren’t noticeably common in Central Texas, so this landscape struck me as a rarity.

I could immediately see that the cabin was artfully constructed. Thick logs lined the exterior walls. A long and narrow porch on the front side of the cabin faced a dense tree and shrub gathering. An over-sized porch helped transition anyone exiting from the back door out onto the 20 acres of land awaiting. Sprinkled with trees throughout, the expanse of land was mostly flat and cleared at first, but it became more dense the farther back into it I trekked. Melissa led me through a path toward the property’s pond, which she told me is normally filled with water during non-drought times. This initial visit was during the dead of summer, in the peak of a drought. There wasn’t a drop of water in the pond, and that wasn’t at all to my surprise.

The cabin’s interior was sleek and simple, not overdone, but not lacking in comfort, either. New appliances in the kitchen were immediately juxtaposed against the rustic aesthetic of the cabin. A projector and pull-down screen added a nice touch to the loft and high-ceiling area. The ‘yoga’ room in the cabin was incredibly peaceful and filled with natural light. The beds in both the bedroom downstairs and the loft were plush. A claw-foot tub and vinyl record player were pleasant surprises. I was charmed by the cabin, the property, and Melissa in no time. Melissa, a yoga therapist, graciously listened to my ideas for my wedding. Her enthusiasm about my wedding ideas was the deal-maker for me. She was open-minded and flexible throughout the entire process. I was simultaneously impressed and put at ease by her.

The wedding itself, despite all of the hard work, was a no-brainer. Many of our friends had flown in from NYC or other large cities and the property itself was all the entertainment that they needed. The stars were bright in the night sky and all was quiet outside of our music and conversations. You don’t need much else when you have all that’s included with renting Austin Heaven and you don’t have to expect sky-high prices when renting the cabin and property, either. All of it can be rented for less than $200 a night (for now).

I’ve learned through my travels that vacation rentals like this one aren’t always easy to find. Sometimes the accommodations are right, but the property is wrong. Sometimes the property is a dream, but the property owner is a nightmare. Sometimes the location is perfect as a standalone destination, but the destination itself is too far from anything else to make the trip worthwhile. Upon finding all of the right things in one concise package, I felt it my duty to disclose my Austin Heaven secret with you.

Austin Marathon: why run a marathon?

by Elizabeth Seward on

The Austin Marathon from The Daily Texan on Vimeo.

The Austin Marathon took over the streets of Austin, Texas this past weekend. Established in 1992, the Austin Marathon began just a few blocks north of the Texas State Capitol. The marathon’s course took runners through several other Austin landmarks, as well. The Colorado River, the downtown area, Hyde Park, UT, and Memorial Stadium were all attractions to be seen during the 2012 race. Kenya‘s Edward Kiptum was this year’s winner. From Kenya to Austin, Texas, Kiptum, who trains in Mexico, came a long way to win a race. But what drives marathon runners to run, let alone run around the world?

%Gallery-148165%What makes a person want to run, for the sake of running? Having been in and out of love affairs with running for years now, I feel as though I might know at least a few common answers to this question. But I’m not a marathon runner. I deeply respect marathon runners and on some level, I casually aspire to be one, but I know casual aspirations won’t help to get me through a marathon, or even marathon training. Cities across the globe host marathons each year and devoted runners traverse the world to participate in these scattered races. A long run will, no doubt, expose a runner to the landscape of respective host cities. I see the appeal in that, in fact, this is one of the reasons why I’m tempted to think seriously about training for a marathon. Getting to know a location on foot is intimate; it’s a foundation for long-lasting travel memories. But as for what drives people from every background to suck it up and run 26.2 miles as quickly and efficiently as he or she can–it varies.

George Mallory, an explorer who died climbing Mount Everest, once cited his motivation for climbing with a simple response: “Because it’s there”. Perhaps a response like this is what it boils down to for many runners. A marathon is a challenge and finishing a marathon is an accomplishment that commands respect. To do it just to do it seems reason enough to me, for those who feel a pull toward marathon running.

The drive to push the body beyond perceived limits is not only a reason to run in and of itself, but the endorphin high experienced by any person pushing their body’s limits lasts well beyond the pushing. Whether a person is climbing Mount Everest, running a marathon, or even perfecting fast-moving guitar scales with their left hand, we receive an innate gratification when we reap the rewards of hard, physical labor. Runners, in particular, experience ‘Runner’s High‘.

In the case of marathon running, pushing limits or rewarding surges of endorphins are only the beginning when discussing motive. Although often disputed because of the wear and tear experienced by some marathon runners, long distance running, when practiced properly, can yield remarkable health benefits. Runners regularly confess to physical, mental, and emotional improvements at the hand of their running. Running can be used to lose weight, fight depression, stabilize moods, and even gain a more confident self-perception, among other things. Aside from all of this, long distance running is an engaging hobby, devotional lifestyle, and, if a runner is really into it, a great excuse to travel the world.

Have you ever run a marathon? Do you run regularly? Have you ever traveled to run in a race? Tell us about your running and related travel experiences in the comment section below.

Betelmania: how to chew betel nut in Burma

by David Farley on
In Burma, the streets are stained with red blotches, as if someone decided the pavement needed a more Jackson Pollock look. Walk down any lane in Yangon or Mandalay or anywhere that humans reside in this southeast Asian country, and you’ll see splotches of red on the street. I wondered if following these small red liquid pools would lead me to a hospital where I’d find some poor farmer who had had a bad run-in with a tractor. Or maybe it was that the Burmese needed a lesson in proper table saw safety. I began to wonder why there weren’t more amputees in Burma. But then I realized what I was really seeing. Saliva. Specifically, the saliva of betel nut chewers.

I have a proclivity for trying the local legal narcotic when I’m traveling. In Bolivia that meant chewing coca leaves. In Ethiopia it was chat or, as it’s more commonly known (where it’s chewed in Yemen), qat. In Amsterdam…well, you can figure out what I consumed there. I have to admit: I knew nothing of betel nut. Only that it made people’s teeth permanently red.

A guy I met who works for Intrepid Travel, a tour operator that recently began doing tours again in Myanmar, and he thought it was hilarious I had wanted to try it. He said I’d get slightly intoxicated from chewing betel. Betel also functions as a vermifuge–meaning it helps expel parasites–and an appetite suppressant.

As far as I knew, I had no parasites to expel and I was loving the food here so I didn’t necessarily need to cut down on my eating. But, for better or worse, I’ve always had a hard time turning down the local intoxicant. So when someone extended their hand to me–and that hand contained betel nut (see the photo above)–I couldn’t resist.

Sir James George Scott, a colonial-era chronicler of all things Burma, wrote, “No one can speak Burmese well till he chews betel.” I wasn’t necessarily out to learn Burmese during my week-and-a-half-long trip there (though I did somehow learn the word for “midget”). I was in Inle Lake, about 300 miles north of Yangon, a kind of decrepit looking southeast Asian-version of Venice; a town made of wood and water with canals flanked by rickety teak houses on stilts. I had hired a boat for a while–a deal at $10 for most of the day–to take me around the lake. We stopped at a place that makes herbal cigarettes. As a service to customers, they hand out complimentary food (think delicious tea leaf salad) and, it turns out, betel nut.

The boy rolling the nut held up a leaf, as if to offer. I nodded and he went to work. He slapped some white lime paste on the betel vine leaf and then came cloves, aniseed, and cardamom. Then he broke up some of the betel nuts and placed them with the rest of the party on the leaf. Finally, he opened up a jar and pinched out some tobacco that had been marinating in alcohol for days. He wrapped it up and handed it to me.

I popped the leaf in my mouth and commenced masticating. Immediately my mouth was incapacitated with saliva. I’d lean over the wood railing and spit into the water ten feet below a long stream of red liquid. The taste was bitter and the mint stung my tongue every so slightly. I stood there looking out over the golden temples that dot this town in the middle of the lake, my thoughts interrupted by having to lean over again and drizzle a stream of red saliva into the lake.


Constantly expelling red saliva didn’t make for the most fun narcotic I’ve ever tried in my life. On the boat ride back to the lake-side town I was staying in–having spit out the betel nut before getting onboard–I could feel a curious sensation. A slight tipsy feeling.

When I got back to shore, still a tad light headed from the betel, I didn’t necessarily want to speak Burmese–how could you with all that red saliva in your mouth? And my one word, “midget” (which I can no longer remember), only got me blank stares in return when I uttered it.

Or maybe it was the fact that I was a non Burmese with totally red, (fortunately temporarily) betel-stained teeth and lips that made me look like some kind of freak.

Culinary Cab Confessions: New York City edition

by David Farley on
Ali found me lingering on the corner of Christopher St. and Seventh Ave. S. in the West Village. Before I recently moved out of the neighborhood I’d spent eight years hailing cabs in this very spot. But no ride was probably ever as unusual (or short) as this one.

He laughed when he heard my request. That I wanted him to take me to lunch; to take me the place where he goes. I reminded him about the reputation that taxi drivers had: that they know the best cheap eats in a city. It just has to be a place you go to regularly, I told him. Ali stroked his long grey beard and said, “I know a place. I just went there this morning and had my soup.”


Ali said he’s originally from Istanbul but he’s been driving a cab in New York for 40 years. With that kind of experience behind him, his lunch-finding credibility is huge. Before I could think about it anymore we were stopped at the curb. “That’ll be $3.80,” he said. Really? We were here already? Right here on McDougal St. between Bleecker and W. 3rd Sts.? I had envisioned (and was ready for) an epic ride out to, perhaps, Gravesend, Brooklyn, or Rego Park, Queens to discover an out-of-the-way gem of an eatery. But right here in my own backyard?

“That’s right,” Ali said. “It’s very good Turkish food. Please say hi to Cem, the owner for me.” Which taught me something: the ethnicity of the driver is largely going to determine where I’m taken to eat. At least in New York. I invited Ali join me, but he refused. “It’s too hard to find a place to park here,” he said. I paid the fare and got out. As I was walking into Turkiss, Ali rolled down his window and yelled out to me: “Get the lamb.”
Turkiss, which has a small menu of doner kabobs, lentil soup, and borek, only has two tables. I took Ali’s advice and ordered a lamb doner sandwich. It was a simple concoction: lettuce, tomato, hot sauce, and super juicy, thinly sliced lamb stuffed into a pita. I have to admit: I don’t eat doner kabobs very often. But this was one of the best I’ve ever had. The lamb juice was dripping down my arm after a few bites and I was tempted to lick it off. I wanted to order seconds like the two construction workers sitting next to me. Instead, I just decided to make sure I come back. After all, Turkiss is just around the corner from my office at New York University.

But, I wondered, why hadn’t I heard of this place before? I’ve walked down this street hundreds of times. McDougal St., still associated with the 1960s when Bob Dylan and Co. were hanging around these parts, doesn’t have the best culinary reputation. The street is flanked by casual eateries catering to NYU students. There are a few go-to spots, though: Mahmoud’s Falafel has a loyal following (even though, despite the protests of one particular food-loving friend of mine, I think it’s overrated); there’s Artichoke pizza; (the impossible-to-get in-to) Minetta Tavern; and Saigon Shack (one of the best places to get a banh mi in the Big Apple). But otherwise, everything else is largely forgettable here.


It turns out, Turkiss is only a week old (despite a plan to open months ago). When Cem (pronounced like Jim), the owner, told me this, I said: “And Ali already knows about it?”

“Well, you know taxi drivers,” he said. “They always know about the best places to eat.”

10 Austin landmarks in Austin High

by Elizabeth Seward on


Austin landmarks in Austin High, the movie, aren’t difficult to find. The city’s tried, true, and loved spots make special appearances in scenes throughout the recently released, for lack of a better genre, stoner comedy. It’s a comedy (and it really is funny, I think) depicting a community in support of the legalization of marijuana; a popular cause in Austin. I caught the film during the Austin Film Festival back in the fall. One of the things I liked most about the movie was that, for me, it really felt like Austin. The landmarks representing Austin in the film are good ones. So good, in fact, that I decided to dedicate this post to giving you the run-down of some of my favorite landmarks in the film. And so, here it goes, my favorite 10 Austin landmarks featured in Austin High.1. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
The Alamo Drafthouse, commonly referred to as one or the other (‘Alamo’ or ‘Drafthouse’), is a staple in the Austin community for both locals and tourists alike. Founded in 1997, this movie theater is unlike any other. With several locations within the city of Austin and an expanding fleet beyond Austin, it’s no wonder this cinema has become so popular: it’s also a restaurant/bar. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for tickets–the movie tickets themselves are actually cheaper than most mainstream movie theater tickets. The food and drink menu changes from location to location. Filled with satisfying comfort food (including vegetarian options, seasonal specials, and dessert) and a wide selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, the Alamo is, as far as I am concerned, the only place worth seeing new releases. Even better? The Alamo also features movies aside from new releases. Local films, like Austin High, oftentimes make their debut at Alamo. The cinema also shows older films frequently–I recently saw Over The Top at the Alamo (seriously). They even do themed shows like cartoons on Saturday mornings complete with milk and cereal.

2. Rio Rita
For what I deem the best Bloody Mary in Austin, go to Rio Rita. This joint on East 6th street is a popular spot for a reason. The drinks are both caffeinated and alcoholic (take your pick!). The decor is lacks pretension and, for that, it is welcoming. You can order things like a soy chorizo with Brie wrap. The Wi-Fi is free and all in all, this place does a good job at being a place to eat, drink, hang out, and still get work done.

3. The Highball
The Highball is one of those places that’s a good place to go if you can’t decide on what exactly you want to do with your night. Live music, drinks, bowling, food, private karaoke rooms, and a ballroom make this venue what it is: popular.

4. Hippie Hollow Park
Hippie Hollow Park is the only clothing-optional public park in Texas. Swim, sun-bathe, or hike at your leisure here, dressed or undressed. I could go on, but, really, this sums it up. The rest you have to see for yourself.

5. Waterloo Park
Once the home of the now-expanded Fun Fun Fun Festival, Waterloo Park is a nice park located in the eastern part of Austin’s downtown. Only 10 acres of grassy land make this park small, but quaint. Oftentimes the home base for events in Austin, it’s a great spot for a quiet picnic just west of I-35.

6. Torchy’s Tacos
Everyone in Austin will tell you: you need to try Torchy’s Tacos at least once. And if you really like them, you’ll have no problem returning for more–there are 8 locations in the city of Austin. My favorite? Fried avocado.

7. Lady Bird Lake
Lady Bird Lake seems to be at the center of attention in the city of Austin. It’s the dammed up river that runs straight through the center of town, commonly referred to as a ‘lake’ (it’s not a lake). It is, however, beautiful. This is where you’ll go to see the famous Austin bats. You’ll be right next to these shores when you’re at Auditorium Shores, Zilker Park, Barton Springs, or a number of other Austin staples. Great for hiking, running, leisurely walking, kayaking, biking, and plenty more, Lady Bird Lake is truly a treasure in the middle of Austin.

8. The Victory Grill
The Victory Grill is a historic music venue in East Austin. Originally opened in 1945 as a restaurant and bar for African American soldiers returning home from war, the grill soon became known for live music as well as food and drink. In the 1950’s, most of the popular blues and jazz acts at the time played at the Victory Grill. Etta James, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Billie Holiday, Ike & Tina Turner, and Janis Joplin all graced the Victory stage.

9. Spider House
The Spider House patio bar & cafe is popular in Austin. Food, drinks, and live music make the Spider House a full house on any given day.

10. Beerland
Loud music, cheap beer, pool, liquor, arcade games, live music, and karaoke make this destination the attraction that is. A plus? It’s open 7 days a week, waiting for you.