Dons Daily

E.A.S.T. (East Austin Studio Tour) 2007

Fragile Equipment
Originally uploaded by -Dons

Desmond and I spent all of last weekend on the E.A.S.T. (East Austin Studio Tour) It was great weather both days (aside from a little rain at the end of Saturday).
There are many great artists all over the Austin East side. We first hit many of the studios on the North side that we did not get to last year.

I will add more later today.

Results Austin 2007 Fundraiser

  Who wants to help? 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Turk Pipkin 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Hany Salem Plays 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

Sunday 2007/11/11 was the Results Austin 2007 fundraiser  It was held at the First United Methodist Church  Schmidt-Jones Family Life Center, which is a very nice space.  Results is a very good organization.  As the Results website says:

Results is a nonprofit grassroots advocacy organization, committed to creating the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty.  RESULTS is committed to individuals exercising their personal and political power by lobbying elected officials for effective solutions and key policies that affect hunger and poverty.

The program, included many inspirational speeches. A new award, Seeds of Hope Award was given to the Whole Planet Foundation.  The keynote speaker was Turk Pipkin, the filmaker of Nobelity. It was a very good event.
I bought a Nobelity  DVD and had Turk sign it.  I also bought a very nice framed print of one of Turk's photos.  The photo is of two young girls.

Kinky Friedman at Texas Book Festival

  Kinky Reads his latest Book 2 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Little Jewford 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Little Jewford 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

Last up for us at the Texas Book Festival was Kinky Friedman  Kinky performed many old favorite songs along with Little Jewford. After quite a few songs, the Kinkster read some from his new book,

You Can Lead a Politician to Water but You Can't Make Him Think

  He also made a plug for his new venture in cigars.

Ephraim Owens at Texas Book Festival

  Ephraim Owens 6 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Ephraim Owens 6 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

Next up at the entertainment tent of the Texas Book Festival was Ephraim Owens.  Ephraim and his band were very good.  I will need to get out and listen to him some more.

Ruthie Foster at Texas Book Festival

  Ruthie Foster at Texas Capitol 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Ruthie Foster at Texas Capitol 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Ruthie Foster at Texas Capitol 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

Next up at the Texas Book Festival, we went to see Ruthie Foster.  She was helping Kathleen Hudson promote her new book,

Women in Texas Music: Stories and Songs

.
Ruthie put on a great show as usual.

The Kitchen Sisters with the Wilkerson Brothers

  Robert Smiling 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Robert talking with The Kitchen Sisters 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Nikki and Andy Laughing it up 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

We started Saturday off at the Texas Book festival to see the Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva.  They have a great mini series on NPR called Hidden Kitchens.    They had so much input from Texas, that they have also released a show called Hidden Kitchens Texas.   There stop at the Festival was to promote their new book and cd compilation of the Hidden Kitchen series. 
They had a couple local Texans at the show to cook.  The 'Wilkerson Brothers', are Robert Wilkerson and Big Andy Wilkerson.  Robert Wilkerson makes his freelines, which are pecan praline but have a very interesting story behind them.  The freelines were very tasty and sweet and.   Big Andy Wilkerson cooks on old tractor plow disks.  He made some tasty looking chicken fajitas.  Check out the Hidden Kitchens stories.

Joe Ely performing at Texas Capitol

  Joe Ely performing at Texas Capitol 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Joe Ely performing at Texas Capitol 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

After the Austin Celtic Festival we stopped to get a good dinner at East Side Pies, which is great place to eat outside on a beautiful day.
Next we went to the Texas Capitol to listen to Joe Ely perform on the Capitol steps. This was part of the Texas Book Festival entertainment.
Joe put on a great show.   It was also a beautiful day to be outside.

Austin Celtic Festival 2007

  Bouzouki Hand Motion 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  All Dressed Up 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Dressed Up Dog 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

Next, in the busy weekend is the Austin Celtic Festival.
This is always a lot of fun every year, and this year was no different.  It is fun to listen to all the great music while watching all the men in kilts.  They even have a Celtic dog parade!

We got to listen to The Tea Merchents (always good), Hugh Morrison, Gregory Grene (very energetic), and Joe Burke.  It was a great day for music and unfortunately we needed to go to another engagement.

Unfortunate Heads at B-Scene

  Unfortunate Heads 4 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Cowboy Karl 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

  Balloon Creature 
  Originally uploaded by -Dons

After my dinner, I went to the Blanton's monthly B scene.  This months craft was the making of leather bands, which was fun.  The museum was staffed by the Texas Cowboys which was a pleasant (on the eyes) change.   
The music this month was by the Unfortunate Heads.  This was a very good band, check out their site and listen to some songs.  They sounded good in the museum.  Some of the bands have been too loud and hard to understand.
Another cool thing at the museum this month was the giant balloon sculptures in the main hall.  They were great.