Hardrock Canyon Community Blog | Hardrock Canyon, Austin TX

Best National Act Performances of SXSW in Austin

Published April 12, 2012

The Music in Austin, TX just keeps getting better and better! SXSW was an absolute blast! So many good bands and parties, it was hard to choose who to see. Hands down, my favorite performance was by Austin’s own The Bright Light Social Hour at Auditorium Shores. Those guys kill it every time and the crowd energy was incredible.Brooklyn Vegan threw several fantastic day parties at Hotel Vegas. With lots of free stuff and multiple stages, it was definitely the spot to go. Saturday, Heartless Bastards put on an excellent set and Okkervil River closed out the show with such force that people from across the street were pressed against the fence to get a look. With all of the dancing and excitement, there was also room for some downtime. Friday we hung out at Home Slice Pizza to get a few slices and enjoy the music. Music in Austin, TX really is the best! I was blown away by the musical styling of Mother Falcon, a group of UT students who perform classically inspired music with an indie rock twist. Catch them around town if you get a chance.
Can’t wait for next year!

Photo courtesy of FlyingPete

Posted in Around Town, food trucks in austin, Hardrock Canyon, music festival in austin, music in austin, sxsw in austin |

Old Settler’s Music Festival 25th Anniversary is Almost Here!

Published April 10, 2012

The 25^th anniversary the Old Settler’s Music Festival starts at the stage in Camp Ben McCulloch, with performances on Thursday night and on Friday afternoon from noon to 4 pm. This nationally-known festival has some of the best American music in history and is held in beautiful Texas hill country.

The festival occurs on April 19 through 22 during the height of the wildflower season, so there’ll be plenty of beautiful scenery for residents to enjoy.

Then the Festival moves across the street to the Salt Lick Pavilion for many more memorable performances. Anyone who wants to see some of the best music in Austin, TX should take the time to check out the Old Settler’s Music Festival.

Camp Ben McCulloch and Salt Lick Pavilion are just a few minutes away from Austin itself. Visitors can expect to enjoy the performances of more than two dozen bands, as well as a variety of performance workshops, crafts and a youth talent competition.

Children’s activities and a music store are also available, with a special “Settle In” show from 4:30 to midnight on Thursday evening.

Photo courtesy of Oldsettlermusicfest.org

Posted in Around Town, music festival in austin, music in austin, things to do in Austin |

Best Comedy Nights in Austin

Published April 7, 2012

With all the things to do in Austin, don’t waste your money on a movie. Are you into edgy, alternative humor, or seeking a family-friendly venue? Whether it’s a weeknight or the weekend, the comedy spots in Austin are ablaze with fun and talent.

Esther’s Follies: Get your taste of Texas-flavored fun at this music, magic, and sketch show. They rip their jokes right from the headlines and perform most Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
The New Movement Theater: Take an improv class or come for the shows, Wednesday through Saturday. Seats are cheap—and sometimes free!
Coldtowne Theater: Originally from New Orleans, they’re billed as “Austin’s main stage for alternative comedy.” Seven nights a week, they feature all forms of comedy, including improv, sketch, stand-up, and music.
Cap City Comedy Club: Enjoy their PUNCH! shows (only $5) featuring improv, sketch, and variety acts, or come to their famous Open-Mic nights. They perform every night, except Mondays.

Bored with the hum-drum things to do in Austin? Comedy clubs are interactive, exciting, and diverse. Or are you a comedian seeking a community of artists? With the motto, “Keep Austin Weird”, this is the place for you. Come experience something off the beaten path.

Photo courtesy of Cult Cultura

Posted in Apartment Living, Around Town, comedy in austin, Hardrock Canyon, theater in austin, things to do in Austin |

Top Performances from Local Austin Artists at SXSW

Published April 1, 2012

People looking for things to do in Austin were NOT disappointed by the events of the South by Southwest 2012 (SXSW 2012). There were a wide variety of local artists performing this year, alongside world-famous bands and artists as well.

This year featured a Free Concert Series at Auditorium Shores with bands/artists such as Little Hurricane, M. Ward, The Shins, and Diamond Rugs. The music conference featured 42 local Austin performers, including:

These are just a few of the artists and performers who contributed to the fun and showcasing. Every year, it seems that SXSW gets better and better since its inception in 1987!

But don’t worry if you missed out on it this year — you can always catch the SXSW conference next year. Of course — it’s also Austin — there are still plenty of things to do in Austin for music lovers!

Photo courtesy of karpati

Posted in Around Town, bands of austin, concerts in austin, Hardrock Canyon, music in austin, sxsw in austin |

Donate to Protect the Environment For Earth Hour on March 31st!

Published March 27, 2012

As a reminder, Earth Hour is coming up this week… Make your Earth Hour pledge here to joinnearly 700 communities and 5,000 team members across the country in taking a step with others towards the sustainability of our planet.

On March 31, 2012 from 8:30 to 9:30 pm local time, people from all over the world will take part in Earth Hour (click here to watch video), an important event that demonstrates that even small steps, when taken on a large scale, can make a difference.

Posted in earth day in austin, Featured, Hardrock Canyon |

Authentic Saint Patrick’s Day Festival in Austin For The Whole Family

Published March 14, 2012

St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration for the whole family in Austin, TX! Finding things to do that include the kids on this Irish inspired holiday can be tough, but Austin offers a some great festivals that the whole family will enjoy. Get ready to party like an authentic Irishman (without all that weird green beer) starting Saturday, March 17th! Click on the link below for event information:

Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade

When: Saturday, March 17

Where: *2 locations

North location: COVER 3
At 2700 W. Anderson Lane across from Northcross Mall in the same plaza as
the Alamo Draft House Village.

South Location: LION & ROSE PUB
At 701 S. Capital of Tx Hwy in Westlake
in the Westlake Shopping Center

Cost: $10 per adult/ $3 per child under 13 years of age/ FREE PARKING!

From parades to music festivals and more, Austin has a lot to offer for an eventful St. Patty’s Day. If you have any other family friendly events to mention, please share them on our Facebook page. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Photo Courtesy of stpatricksdayaustin.com

Posted in Around Town, Featured, Hardrock Canyon, kid friendly st. patrick's day in austin, st. patrick's day festival in austin, st. patty's day festival in austin |

Set Your Clocks Ahead For Daylight Savings This Sunday

Published March 9, 2012

Even though it is a good excuse to show up and hour late, we would not recommend it. On Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 am, you will need to set your clocks FORWARD an hour. Just so you do not forget which way to change your clocks, here is a good phrase to remember:

Spring Forward/ Fall Back

Clocks will need to go back an hour on Tuesday, November 4, and we will remind you again when that time approaches. Daylight savings is always on the second Sunday in March, and it ends on the first Tuesday in November.

If you have any concerns about how Daylight Savings affects your community, leave a comment on our Facebook Page.

Photo courtesy of muyral

Posted in Apartment Living, austin resident updates, Featured, Hardrock Canyon |

Turn Your Clutter into Cash in Austin, TX

Published March 8, 2012

It may be a little early in the season to have a yard sale in Austin, TX, but it is never too early to prepare and start organizing your clutter. A successful yard sale depends on many factors, including the competition. The average consumer is very smart these days and have many resources at their fingertips for pricing, value, etc… so you need to be a little familiar with sales in order to maximize your profit. Here is a great guide to get you started:

Collect Your Clutter Year Round. Label a Yard sale box, and start throwing all of your unwanted junk and clutter in it.

Have A Plan. A week before the sale, go through your clutter boxes and organize. Get your signs together, and price everything. A day before the sale do some final organizing and get ready to make some mulah!

Team Up. Find friends or family to team up with. Not only does this arrangement mean you have more stuff to sell and more variety in sizes and types of things offered, it also means you have more help.

Location, Location, Location. Be sure people can see and access the yard sale easily.

Timing is Everything. Check the local weather, and get started in the early morning. A nice day will bring many more customers.

Clearly Mark Your Prices. It’s easy to want to just stick a big sign on a table saying that everything on that table is a quarter, but, in the long-run, it is much more efficient to go ahead and put price stickers on everything. Instead of having to make up prices on the spot, people will know exactly how much something is. In addition, some people are too shy to ask the price of an item, so you’ll lose a sale if an item isn’t marked.

Price Things to Sell. Price sale items on the low end and have someone actually buy, rather than to have 25 people pick up the items and put them back down on the table because they are too expensive.

Advertise Well. Put some time and effort into making a number of quality, clearly-readable signs which you put in conspicuous places to easily lead to your home. The brighter, bolder and bigger the sign, the better. Put an ad out on Craigslist and Facebook as well.

Mark Things Down on the Last Day. Things are usually pretty picked over by the last day of the sale. That’s the perfect opportunity to get creative and hand out rock-bottom bargains! “Fill a Bag for a Buck” is extremely effective.

Do not forget Cookies and Lemonade. Baked goods–like homemade cookies and bars–sell extremely well at our garage sales. Also, it is a great way to teach your children entrepreneurial skills and let them earn a little money in the process.

Information courtesy of Moneysavingmom.com

Yard sales are a lot of fun, and can be very profitable if carried out properly. Round up your friends, family, and neighbors, and schedule a fun day of organizing your yard sale inventory. With the right amount of people involved, you will be surprised at how quickly you will be ready to sell, sell, sell! If you have leftover clutter that you are going to throw out, donate it!

Be sure to check with the front office to see if there is already an organized neighborhood sale, and advertise your yard sale on our Facebook page.

Photo courtesy of veggiegretz

Posted in Apartment Living, Featured, Hardrock Canyon, shopping in austin, spring cleaning in austin |

March Events for Hardrock Canyon Residents

Published March 2, 2012

There is always something to look forward to here at Hardrock Canyon. This month we will be throwing a few parties, and giving away some fun prizes. There is no better way to get to know your community than to get involved in community activities, so be sure to keep an eye on the events in the “Social” section on our website for future updates. Here is what we have planned for March so far:

March 6- Scentsy party- Come check out Lindsey’s Scentsy Products on March 6th at the office – great for gifts or to light up and freshen your own home! Event is 4:30-6:30pm.
March 10- Brunch at the Office!- 2nd Saturday of the Month Brunch from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. We will be serving waffles with the toppings, fruit, juice, and coffee at the front office!
March 16- Black Jack, Pizza and Prizes- We will be playing black jack for prizes and serving pizza from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. at the front office.

Posted in Apartment Living, Featured, Hardrock Canyon, hardrock canyon party, monthly events at Hardrock Canyon, things to do at hardrock canyon |

4 Great Remedies to Prevent Spring Allergies in Austin

Published March 2, 2012

Unfortunately, for those of us with allergies, the odd winter weather this year will lead to a higher pollen count in Austin this spring. As much as you do not want to miss out on the beautiful weather, avoid the outdoors when necessary if you have seasonal allergies. Stay informed about the weather and the pollen count in the air this spring so you will know what to expect. There is a way to suppress your reaction to the allergens in the air, but you must be weary of the amount of them you expose yourself to if you want to get through this season without any issues. Here are some natural measures you can take to help prevent those allergies from taking over:

Butterbur. The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus), which comes from a European shrub, shows potential for relieving seasonal allergy symptoms. In one Swiss study, butterbur was just as effective as the antihistamine Allegra for reducing allergy symptoms.

Quercetin. This flavonoid, which is found naturally in onions, apples, and black tea, has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown in research to block histamines.

Stinging nettle. The roots and leaves of the stinging nettle plant (Urtica dioica) have been used to treat everything from joint pain to prostate problems. Although some people use freeze-dried stinging nettle leaves to treat allergy symptoms, there isn’t much research to show that it works.

Nasal irrigation. Nasal irrigation with a combination of warm water, about a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda may help clear out mucus and open sinus passages. You can administer the solution through a squeeze bottle or a neti pot — a device that looks like a small teapot. Use distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution. It’s also important to rinse the irrigation device after each use and leave open to air dry.

information courtesy of WebMD.com

There are many other ways to medically treat allergies, but you can supplement with some natural remedies. As always, it is recommended to consult with your doctor about the allergies you are experiencing. If you have any other tips or tricks to deal with allergies this spring, let us know by commenting to this post on our Facebook page.

Photo courtesy of click

Posted in Featured, Hardrock Canyon, Health & Fitness, Healthy living in austin, home remedies in austin, seasonal allergies in austin |

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