Very unique! If you are going to Austin, make arrangements for a tour. This house has been…read morefeatured in a lot of different books and magazines.

Keep Austin Weird is one of those phrases that is synonymous with Austin (in addition to barbecue)…read more There is so much interesting art here in Austin that you should consider looking into when visiting Austin, with Casa Neverlandia being one of them. Casa Neverlandia is a three story, colorful home located behind Goodwill Baptist Church, that was created by James Talbot, or as he referred to himself as "Talbot" when we met him for a private tour of his home. Casa Neverlandia originally started out as a one story home built in the early 1900's. Mr. Talbot purchased this home and started to transform it into what you see now in my photos and what you find online. According to Mr. Talbot, he grew up in a military family, traveling all around the world and living in some unusual places that includes a treehouse in Honduras. He has a college degree in architecture and has always been fascinated with building things, as you can see with his home today. To him, he builds this home for himself to reflect upon his spiritual side but also include some unique things for his physical needs, as he lives rather a green lifestyle. My husband and I, along with our little girl dog (yes Mr. Talbot allowed for us to bring our little dog with us) met Mr. Talbot outside of his home on a Sunday afternoon. We were lucky to be the only couple, as another couple was supposed to come but was told the date just didn't work with their schedule. Please note that it cost $15 per person for this tour and you can contact Mr. Talbot via phone or email to schedule a tour. At the front entrance of his home are numerous of doorbells, xylophones and bells. I believe there is over 40 of these things but Mr. Talbot says he can never have enough. He describes the mosaic tiles outside of the home, the snake, the outdoor patio seating area with the clouds element and so forth. Then inside, we see his living room with a beautiful and inviting fireplace and pit to help radiate heat for the first floor, indoor seating area that is meant to be an air alter with cool colors of green and a unique bookcase. We see some current artwork that he has for sale (no obligation to buy) that includes gorgeous hand beaded work and other things and then make our way to the small music room. Next, the kitchen has a lot of function to it more so than just design. Then we make our way up stairs. On the 2nd floor is a room that has a Thai like theme with the bamboo wall panels and red lacquered beams. This room has high ceilings and utilizes natural lighting since there is no lights in this room. Mr. Talbot says this is the room for parties and entertainment for guests. Then up one more floor is Mr. Talbot's room, which was featured on numerous of TV shows, magazines and books. From his bedroom, that has a safari theme to it, you can see a glimpse of downtown Austin. We were then lead to his bathroom where he is currently working on a bath tub with some kind of ocean wave like theme. Being that he has a background in architecture, he is able to create the structure of things the way he wants it. From his bedroom, we walk across a narrow plank bridge to his tree house or a tower. Climb a very narrow ladder and we are on the top of that tower and see great views of Austin. We eventually take a few narrow ladders down to the bottom, now in his backyard. From here, he takes us into his studio (built in the early 90's) and shows us what he is currently working on, which looks like a large clam shell. He uses soda cans that he has collected around Austin to decorate the shell. He also shows us this ocean like mural that will go with this clam shell. Then we eventually make our way outside. He tells us that he saves the rain water in large barrels, as he considers himself camping in his own home. He dresses up or down according to the weather and has a very low electric bill each month and water bill. Mr. Talbots has told us on the tour that he doesn't consider himself to be done with Case Neverlandia, as he is always building and changing things. And said that Casa Neverlandia may be different the next time we come back to Austin for another tour. Our tour lasted about 75 minutes, but we did make small talk with Mr. Talbot throughout. It was well worth our time to come out here and check out Casa Neverlandia and hope you will consider it too, especially if you are looking for something off the beaten path. You can see some of Mr. Talbot's artworks around Austin and a few other things in other states. Casa Neverlandia truly was a highlight of our visit to Austin and am so glad we were able to get a tour. Again as mentioned, it cost $15 per person for a tour and you can call Mr. Talbot at (512) 442-7613 or email him at talbot@talbotworld.com to inquire for a tour.

We loved our visit. I didn't know anything about the art before coming here but was very pleasantly…read moresurprised. I'm drawn to classically influenced, figurative sculpture, rather than highly abstract contemporary styles. Umlauf's work was precisely that -- it focused on the human form primarily and touched upon themes of religion, war, love, beauty. There were some pieces that took my breath away, particularly the refugee mother and baby pieces. The garden itself is small (you'll likely spend an hour here, at most) but very pleasant to stroll around. The trees were bare when we visited but I can see it being even lovelier in spring/summer. Very reasonable admission fee ($8 per adult). Children 0-4 are free. Super friendly staff. The woman working the front desk was very kind to us and made our family feel so welcome (we brought our two small children). Small parking area but it wasn't crowded when we came (despite it being a weekend afternoon). If you're visiting Austin and you like classical and figurative sculptural work, make sure you add this spot to your itinerary.

A friend of mine was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend and he then committed suicide. Today my…read morefriend's family had a celebration of life ceremony for her. This celebration of life ceremony was a deeply moving and beautifully planned tribute to her life well-lived. The ceremony took place in UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum. The grounds are serene and peaceful with art sculptures sprinkled throughout the garden. UMLAUF is strategically hidden behind Zilker Park in Austin, TX. The garden was a perfect place for my friend's celebration of life. She would have loved the tree canopy, small ponds, and the bronze and stone works in the garden. My friends passing caused me to think about life, death and the dash in between the two. The commentary today came from her younger brother, two friends and her aunt. Their glowing remarks intertwined with snippets of humor helped to soften the moment. One of the comments from her brother is that you need to keep in touch with family and friends, tell them you love them and do not miss those very important moments. Those thoughts resonated with me. Sometimes in this microwaveable society, we do not make time to be intentional and spend uninterrupted time with family and friends. I committed today to be more intentional from this day forward. When my mom and sister passed, I was selected by our family to do the eulogy, which is one the hardest things you can possibly do in life. How can you capture one's life in 15-20 minutes? What topics are most salient to discuss? Inevitably, my mind drifted to gratitude. I am so grateful for my family who loves me unconditionally. I am grateful to all my friends and especially those friends who have been riding with me for 25+ years. "The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." Eleanor Roosevelt

A good gallery to enjoy rotating modern art exhibitions…read more Every last week of the season is free, a good way to explore and get introduced to something new! We saw 3 different exhibits in one and it was a great time. The staff is very friendly and welcoming, especially valuable for when this is your first time visiting and you're not familiar with art/museums in general!

I appreciate it as a quiet, cool space for thought-provoking art in the middle of downtown, but if…read moreyou have a limited capacity for museum-viewing, it wouldn't be my top recommendation. It's very small, just two floors plus the rooftop, and can easily be seen in roughly 15 minutes. There are regularly scheduled free admission days, which would be the time to go, if you're curious. I'm glad that I saw it so that I know, and I don't feel like I need to go back.

One of the "must-see's" in Austin…read more Stumbled into this quixotic place a couple of years ago and keep coming back. Celebrating women artists and creators the dual museum/store features all women artists (go figure) with many of them local. If you are looking for something unique, creative, different and just downright beautiful, this is where you go. The fact that you can celebrate women while doing so? Icing on the cake. Go now.

This is my favorite gallery in Austin for the following reasons:…read more 1. The curatorships, collaborations, and openings are inspired and well thought out. 2. The gallery celebrates Texas women artists as well as women artists in general, two subjects that have vastly been overlooked for centuries upon centuries by art circles. I've discovered remarkable talents such as Lisa Ludwig and Sarah Lasley through a show called "Sugarcoated" back in May, which, pointing back to point #1, served pink champagne, frosted animal cookies and doughnut holes instead of the stuffy wine and cheese fare more typically associated with a gallery opening. 3. They encourage new talent, giving several opportunities a year to participate in showings alongside relatively established artists. For $40 you can join as a friend of the organization and have four images of your own art included in their online slide registry project. I believe there is a discounted rate for students and educators. 4. The giftshop kicks ass. Can I say ass? Most of it is tangible, practical art made by local artists or women artists elsewhere. Some of it is less than practical, such as the felt orange bird with pink feathers spewing out of the tail I purchased last Saturday. There's a fantastic selection of books on women artists and some really unique jewelry. Why would you buy anything from a department or corporate store again with such quality, and the money going directly back into the hands of the lady that made them?

Our production's experience while shooting at New Republic was absolutely fantastic. Mindy & her…read moreteam bent over backwards to make sure our shoot went smoothly and provided the support to ensure everyone's experience exceeded expectations. The production value we achieved because of the exterior locations throughout the lot gave our picture a look that we couldn't have achieved elsewhere. No doubt we'll be shooting at New Republic again very soon!

I made a short film at New Republic Studios and plan to make another there. Mindy Raymond and Barry…read moreRogers (I primarily dealt w/them) are very professional/personable collaborators. The facility/studio itself is fantastic and the exterior locales on the backlot are apt for certain genres and styles of media/film. I'd recommend them to anyone and I value my own relationship w/the studio. Hope they continue to flourish. Cheers!

I loved seeing the museum. I highly recommend it. My issue was with the tour guide. I came with a…read moresenior group on a bus. I am handicapped. The bus did not have a lift, so I had to hold onto the bars on the bus to climb up the steps. Because of that, I could not carry my walker up or down the steps, as I cannot walk on steps without holding onto bars or rails. So I had to wait until everyone got out before the bus driver could carry my walker down for me. The tour guide began her presentation without me, and I was fine with that because I thought I would be allowed to ask questions about anything I missed. Boy, was I wrong. I felt highly insulted by her when I tried that. I understand her to be a member of the Texas Historical Society, though I am not sure about that, but accessibility should include being given the same information. When I came in, I told her I was not able to come in with the others, so I missed the presentation. She said, "Next time, maybe you won't miss my presentation with whatever it was that you felt was more important." Not falling and seriously hurting myself is what I thought was more important. I ignored her, but she did not stop. I asked a question, and she continued in a rude, huffy tone and made it clear that she considered me separate from the group. I know this person obviously discriminates against those with mobility disabilities, and I am sure she will for the remainder of her life. But it would be good if she would hide that while doing tours, as it is a form of non-accessibility, and I do not think the City of Austin, the Texas Historical Commission, or whoever supports this museum should be supporting that discrimination.

I don't recall ever reading any O Henry story. Yet, there is a free museum, the home in which…read moreWilliam Sydney Porter and his family lived while in Austin. It's small. The folks there are happy to tell you all about the writer who wasn't always a writer. It's a pretty neat place to look around. Next door is a museum for the Lady of the Alamo, Susanna Dickinson.

The artist at The Cathedral of Junk recommended this museum. I looked it up and didn't know exactly…read morewhat to expect. When my friend and I arrived at this home nestled on the east side, we were warmly greeted by Scott and Jen. They showed us around their garden and then brought us back to their museum which was located in the back of their property. This museum definitely keeps Austin weird. Jen and Scott eagerly told us stories behind their collections. There was a strand of Willie Nelson's hair, parts from the original Ferris wheel, a taxidermy flamingo head and so much more. Some tips: -You need to schedule a tour on their website. -The suggested donation is $10. They accept cash and Venmo -The museum area gets hot, so dress accordingly. They will be kind enough to offer you fans -parking is on the street by the house

Go here! Bring your friends and family! This small museum, housed in an East Austin family room, is…read morea great collection of oddities, mysteries, and jokes. The exhibits are interpreted by the residents with humor and flexibility to suit the tour-goer. The "Impermanent Collection" is enhanced by special themed exhibits, back yard gardens and art, and a bevy of family pets ( Siamese guppy!!). The museum is supported by your donation or purchase of memorabilia.

I went on a date night here and we had so much fun! The staff was so kind, patient, and attentive…read more They play a nice back ground music through the whole store and have amazing lighting and vibes. I love how we both got to pick completely different projects that had detailed instructions. It was nice to be left with our own devices and not walked through all the steps by a person.

I came here for my sister's birthday because we wanted to do something a little more interactive…read morethan just going out to dinner. Funny enough, even though it's called Upstairs Circus, I kept calling it "Uptown Circus" for some reason and still do. My sister had been here once when she first moved to Austin, but it had been a while, so she was happy to go again. We tried to make a reservation for a Monday but found out they're closed that day unless it's a private event. So we ended up booking a Sunday evening during their Sangria Sundays event. Signing up online was quick and easy--no payment required upfront. When we arrived, we were seated at a table and given the option to sit side by side or across from each other. They handed us a laminated flyer with all the available project options, ranging from easy (about an hour) to more challenging projects that can take the full three-hour session. There was a good mix of household items (like coasters and magnetic shelves), jewelry, handbags, clutches, accessories, and even a pricier custom Nike shoe painting project. The sample projects looked very professional, but the final result really depends on your artistic skills and how focused you are during the session. My sister and I decided to pick different projects--she chose a handbag clutch, and I went with coasters. We got all our materials and instructions. One thing I noticed: this kind of activity is probably better suited for people who don't have a ton to catch up on while working. Since my sister and I hadn't seen each other for weeks, we were trying to talk and catch up, which made it harder for me to focus on the project. Some steps were time-sensitive, so juggling both conversation and crafting was a bit stressful. For my coaster project, I initially planned to use a stencil and transfer paper to trace a design, but it didn't work very well. I ended up switching to a simple two-color block design just to make sure I could finish in time. My sister's project was a bit more advanced--she had to do leather hole punching and threading--but she managed to finish and loved how her clutch turned out. Since it was Sangria Sunday, you get one complimentary sangria or mocktail with your reservation, and they keep a card on file if you want to order more drinks. I got a spicy cocktail that actually had really good flavor, even though I didn't finish it. Overall, this is a fun and unique activity if you want to do something creative with a friend or group. I'd recommend it more if you're looking to spend quality time doing something together rather than having a deep conversation--because focusing on the project definitely takes some attention. My sister was happy with her finished product, and I liked mine even if it turned out simpler than planned. It's a cool idea for a birthday, date night, or just a different kind of outing.