This is the best magazine in Austin because it is the funniest. The Onion Austin bureau WISHES it…read morewas this funny. Even when they're lambasting the stupid shit I do and like, I can't help but crack up. Seriously, guys, read Misprint. It's good for you to laugh sometimes.

The reason behind my review is quite simple. As a graphic designer and art director for the Manor…read morejournal my responsibilities are adhere to clean printing techniques as well as technology. Our paper is ready for a step up to a clean looking newsprint. Granite has all what we are looking for in a printer. My team took a field trip to see what Granite is all about. They have a corporate office and then their printer. I've met with their printing crew. I have nothing but a good understanding what they provide. Its a small crew of professionals who have mastered the materials. Spent a couple hours chatting with them and watched them perform their tasks at hand. After highlighting my concerns with our paper, it was apparent that needed to move over and let them take over our printing needs. Thank you Granite Publications for having us for the afternoon and see what you are all about. I'm ready for the upgrade. See you soon!

This corporation exists solely to spin out copies of the scathingly funny and infuriatingly…read morefrustrating restaurant review books reflecting the opinions of Robin Goldstein and his chef buddies. Being a critic of any sort (food, music, book, etc) always is an invitation to be hated and maligned (yet secretly read in an avid fashion). Goldstein's books focusing on restaurants in Austin and Houston are undoubtedly a magnet for abuse and some hero worship. First of all, the writing is very good...and funny. Its combination of rapier sharp wit and sarcasm make for a very entertaining reading experience even if they're dissing your favorite restaurant. However, if you're honest with yourself, you'll find that they're usually quite accurate with their assessments. They are starting a website too. It will be interesting to see whether it competes with or complements Yelp. They have taken a swipe at Yelp-like websites in self-promoting ads in the front of their Houston dining guide... -------------------- "the steak was FATTY, then they reffused to take my 50 cent off coupon. my wife left in tears...the WORST MEAL IVE EVER HAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ready for a Houston restaurant website whose reviews are actually useful? -------------------- Now those are fighting words to someone like myself who finds Yelp extremely useful. Being a Houstonian, I will only comment on the Houston guide. Its highlights (and lowlights) include: (1) The unjustifiably harsh C+ given to Houston's best steakhouse, Pappas Bros, yet, the review is hilarious because it's delivered as a series of Limericks (a favorite past time of this reviewer). (2) The review of the crap food at a local strip joint, The Men's Club, which also received a C+ (probably because grades aren't the only inflationary aspect of its ambiance). (3) The over-the-top gush-age over Da Marco, a very fine but not extraordinary restaurant. (4) The ballage to give Whataburger a C+ too! (5) Their dead-on "D" indictment of Willy G's (another restaurant ruined by the Tilman Fertitta corporate juggernaut). I suspect the Austin reviews engender similar comments.

Oh, Fearless Critic how I love and loathe thee…read more My new dining regime includes checking Yelp and then running to my copy of the Fearless Critic to see how much they match up. Usually if the reviews are varied, I'll be more willing to check it out to see who I agree with more. There are times that I've wanted to throw the book across the room. How dare they make snide comments about some of my favorite places? In the end though, the book has intrigues me. What they focus on tends to be pretty helpful, though I get irritated at their abhorrence to established goodies within the city. I sometimes get the feeling that they rail popular places just to spark controversy. But since controversy sells, more power to them. I've now made it a goal to visit their top restaurants and figure out how much I agree with them. So far, we're at about 50/50, so I'll be interested to see how we end up. It definitely entertaining to peruse a book with a friend and compare all of the differing opinions--a sure fire way to get people talking and keep a strong discussion going.

Hyde Park's buzzing neighborhood association gets some flack for being so meticulous about 'hood…read morepreservation, but they get clicks for being the ones to break the news when significant changes are in store, in 20 pages, every month. Amidst a bath in realtor ads, I get word they're going to build an alley way behind my house next year, or Vino Vino got the support they needed last month, or of holiday parties erupting through the neighborhood. No gossip, just good attention to home ownership. Another reason Hyde Park's such a great place to live. Getting the Pecan Press (named for our original Pecan grove the hood was built in) costs 1 dollar a year and includes membership to the neighborhood association (which means you can vote).

With local heroes like the Austin Chronicle and Texas Monthly, the little guys are often…read moreovershadowed. I stumbled upon The Good Life one weekend when I noticed their newstand outside a retail location on South First. I initially though it was a mass-produced, low-budget publication that personalizes according to city. Not so. The Good Life: A Monthly Journal of Austin Stories is a homebred collection of articles that are informative, anecdotal, and mostly specific to the current interests of our local community. While GL will not blow you away with its content, the stories can be interesting, helpful and relevant. In one issue, they interviewed a group of parents of adopted children. I couldn't help but think how insightful the article was for anyone who was planning on adopting. Good Life is easy to read and has an unusually minimal amount of advertising. The mag is distributed at 350 Austin locales and is 100% gratis. Good Life might be worth a glance.

This It's Ok To Be Healthy monthly serves a demographic better than Tribeza or Rare, and even…read moreAustin Monthly in its COMPREHENSIVE calendar! They cover events ranging (alphabetically) from Art Spaces to Writers and everything in between, and you can literally plan your month from its pages. The design is nothing to write home about, really, and they should make better use of their color scheme to keep the reader organized, but it's big, it's free and it's fine. I like best that they enlist an architect every month to ruminate on design or specific topics (the most recent being the need to densify instead of sprawl) that are really, really good. There's something for everyone in this monthly rag, great for getting your butt in motion.

Finally a Mag (Quarterly) which reviews and supports the thriving visual Arts scene here in Austin!…read moreCheck it out.

The Prensa! This bilingual magazine is about all kinds of…read moreissues impacting the South Texas and Hispanic community. They have lots of great general interest stories about new things around town, or efforts to improve San Antonio. My favorite is the artwork done by local artists and students, along with all the short stories and poetry done by local students. The artwork is always poignant and full of talent. The 'newspaper' does certainly lean a hard left. It is a good news source for recent Americans and the immigrant community. The advertisements are always relevant and topical. This magazine is a full color printed on newspaper. I think it comes out weekly. It's available at local HEBs. The best thing about this magazine is that it's free, Free, FREE! Be sure to pick one up fast, because they always run out at my grocer.

I believe Ink Studios relocated from Atlanta to Austin. I recently Ink to do some branding for me;…read morerepositioning a business with a new logo, business cards, paper system, web presence, etc. I feel like not only do I often get compliments on the logo that I got, but business has also picked up. The work was completed in a timely manner and I really feel like Michael listened to what I wanted and then took it up a level. I would definitely recommend Ink.

Mike did a great job with our graphic work, plus he helped me pull off a idea that I had for my…read morebusiness cards that no one else was willing to try. Very creative, listens to your needs, and thinks outside the box all while being affordable! I no longer use anyone else for my graphic design needs.