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Volume II, 07 | November 2010

ACL photos by Erica Stall Wiggins, pg. 14

TODO Mexico: Beyond the Border By Katie Walsh pg. 5

Bemba (Afro)Beat By Brandon Ramiro Badillo pg. 11

Austin Film Festival Continues Tradition of Accessibility and Diversity By Erica Stall Wiggins pg. 12

Arthouse at the Jones Center, at 700 Congress

Avenue, re-opened October 21-24 with

a bushel of high profile events after an extensive

renovation and expansion project designed by

Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis Architects of New York.

The space is open weekly Wednesday-Sunday,

and the exhibitions and education programs

are free and open to the public. Go to www.

arthousetexas.org for more.

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The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American

Cultural Center, in collaboration with Cine Las

Americas and the Consulate General of Mexico in

Austin, present: El Santo: Superestrella on Nov.

1, 8 and 15. All screenings are at 8 p.m. Free and

open to the public. For more details, go to www.

ci.austin.tx.us/macc/.

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Austin Independent School District presents the

AISD Fall Spring Festival on Nov. 9 at noon at

Zilker Park Burger Center (rain location). For more

information on this and related events, visit www.

austinisd.org/.

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Help Clifford Help Kids 2010 fundraiser is

benefitting American YouthWorks with the

Grammy-award winning Los Lonely Boys on Nov.

18 from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. at the AT&T Conference

Center (1900 University Ave). Be there to enjoy

fantastic food, auctions, live music and more. $25.

[email protected].

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Folktales African American Literary Society

will meet at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19 at the George

Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center

in the Carver Museum Classroom to discuss “The

Girl who Fell from the Sky” by Heidi W. Durrow.

For more info, contact folktaleslitsociety@

hotmail.com.

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Vortex Repertory Company (2307 Manor Rd)

presents Paul Osborn’s Morning’s at Seven from

Nov. 19-Dec. 11. Performances are Thursday-

Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. For

more info on this and other events, visit www.

vortexrep.org.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Paramount Theatre presents A Tuna

Christmas from Nov. 23-28. Comedians Joe Sears

and Jaston Williams portray all 24 citizens of

Tuna, Texas. Purchase tickets online or by phone

by calling 474-1221. For details, go to www.

austintheatre.org.

[email protected]

512.538.4115

MARY PARSAMYAN,

author of Bridge 2

Bridge, is thankful for

a past of struggle and

opportunity because it

has made her stronger

and opened doors for

so much more.

ASHLEY UNDERWOODis thankful for her

family, live music, love

of fall cooking and

all the opportunities

knocking. She assists

in promotions and

graphic design.

SUSHMA KHADEPAUN-PARMAR is thankful

for a loving husband,

for the opportunity to

pursue her filmmaking

passion and for a fall

sans allergies. Check

out her work on pg. 4.

UTHRA MOHAN is

grateful for adding

Spanish to her

list of languages,

traveling and enjoying

scrumptious Mexican

food with a lively and

motivating husband.

She writes about

Navratri Fest on pg. 7.

KATIE WALSH is

thankful for food,

family and all things

cultural. She begins

the new column

“TODO Mexico” on

page 5 and visits the

Southern Foodways

Alliance on pg. 13.

CONTRIBUTORS

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04 TODO Austin // NOV 2010 // TODOaustinonline.com

Be the Change Austin, 2010By Lata Narumanchi

Standing at the south steps of the Texas State Capitol, Ramey Ko, one of Austin’s Be the Change National Day of Service coordinators, spoke to the crowd about how this year’s day of service theme “Leading a Movement” was just the beginning. “Our goal is to make service not just something we do once a year or even once a month, but as Gandhi exhorted, to make it a guiding principle of our everyday lives.”

Coordinated nationally by SAALT (South Asian Americans Leading Together), the idea of celebrating a day of service in honor of Gandhi’s legacy started nearly nine years ago at the University of Michigan, and developed into a national day of community service with over 1,700 volunteers nationwide. The initiative was spearheaded in Austin by the Network of Indian Professionals – Austin chapter, along with several other local organizations. “Among the coalition of South Asian leaders that have come together in planning Austin’s Be the Change event, the discussions have already begun on other initiatives and ways we can continue to foster the spirit of civic engagement from this day forward. The community, after a long time, found common ground through the planning of Be the Change, and we only hope that the ties that bind us only strengthen our presence in and contribution to the Austin community at large,” said Sonia Kotecha, one of the volunteer organizers and the president of NetIP Austin.

Local Austin musician Kat Edmonson, an admirer of Gandhi, sang the national anthem and her track “Be the Change” to the crowd gathered at the footsteps of the capital. In attendance were the volunteers who contributed their time to one of 17 local community service projects throughout Austin, as well as 30 organizations that set up booths to advertise their services. City Councilwoman Laura Morrison was present to proclaim the 2nd of October as “Be The Change Day” in Austin. Guest speakers included Texas State Representative Mark Strama, and two University of Texas graduates, Deval Sanghavi and Parag Mehta.

Closing what was an incredible day of service was Bollywood for a Cause Flash Mob Dance that had the whole crowd up off their feet and dancing along to the 2008 Oscar winning song “Jai Ho.”

DIWALIBy Jay & Sushma Parmar

The word Deepavali literally means “a row of lights (candles).” Deepavali or Diwali, popularly known as the “festival of lights,” commemorates the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom, Ayodhya after a 14 year exile and his defeat of the demon king, Ravana.

To celebrate the occasion, people light lamps in and around their house and light firecrackers. People paint and clean their homes, buy new clothes, exchange gifts and distribute sweets to their family and friends.

While different regions in India have different mythical stories to explain the origins of the festival, the spiritual significance of this festival is much deeper. It is to celebrate the “divine light within us.” The light that illuminates the darkness of ignorance. The festival of Diwali encourages thoughts of universal love, compassion and the oneness of all beings. Diwali is celebrated as a national festival throughout India and Nepal.

As the Indian population in the United States increases, Diwali celebrations are more and more popular here. In the last ten years, Diwali has been celebrated at the White House and given official status by the United States Congress. San Antonio was the first U.S. city to officially sponsor a Diwali celebration in 2009.

Diwali celebrations last 5 days, and each day has its own significance. It is considered to be an auspicious time to start new endeavors, invest in new projects and also give back to the community through charity or service.

In Austin, one such opportunity for charity during this auspicious time is in support of the Austin Bhutanese refugee community. Bhutanese refugees have spent the last 18 years in asylum in Nepal after being forcibly expelled from Bhutan by the Wangchuk dynasty. With help from the International Immigration Organization many have been recently relocated to Austin.

The Indian community in Austin has been working with them over the last several months and is helping them organize a Deepavali celebration. This celebration is an effort to bring together people of Bhutan, celebrate their cultural traditions, and give their children an insight into their heritage. Celebrations begin at 10:00AM on November 6, 2010 at Bartholomew Park on E 51st (Between Manor Road and Cameron Road) Austin, TX 78723.

They are looking for donations to help sponsor food for the approximately 250 people that will attend this event. To be a part of this celebration and/or to donate, please contact Jay Parmar at 512.296.7538 or [email protected].

photo by Jay Parmar

Bollywood for a Cause dance at the Capitol. | photo by Rama Tiru

Court Appointed Special Advocactes of Travis County (CASA)VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHTJerry Rios was born and raised in Corpus Christi and moved to Austin to attend UT. Now he lives with his wife and three children in the Lakeway area. Jerry’s family is passionate about fishing everywhere from the Texas Coast to Cancun to Key West. Jerry is a lawyer whose private practice focuses on the area of business and real estate litigation. In his spare time, he takes on a very different role in the courtroom – that of a CASA volunteer advocating for abused and neglected children. After completing his first year advocating for a child, Jerry is taking on his second case—this time having three children to speak up for. Jerry says he finds this work so rewarding that he would take on even more cases if he had the time! He is proud to be a part of the real difference a CASA volunteer makes in the life of an abused or neglected child.The holidays are approaching, which is often the most difficult time for children and youth in foster care. This year, CASA is short on holiday gift donors. If you’d like to help please visit www.casatravis.org.

TODO AustinVOLUME II, NUMBER 007

Publisher/Editor - Gavin Lance Garcia

[email protected] Art Director - Dave McClintonwww.dmdesigninc.com

Executive Editor - Erica Stall Wiggins

Senior Editors – Harmony Eichsteadt, Jillian Hall, Gabino Iglesias, Katie Walsh

Associate Editors – Brandon Ramiro Badillo, Sonia Kotecha, Alexandra M. Landeros, Esther Reyes, Blake Shanley, Yvonne Lim Wilson

Photo Editor - Jenny Fu www.jennyfutography.com

Contributing Writers/Artists – Mohammad Al-Bedaiwi, Joseph Banks, Stefanie Behe, D’Wayne Bell, Deborah Alys Carter, Jennie Chen, Brandi Cowley, Charlie D’Angelica-Rose, Mia Garcia, Jillian Hall, Paul Hernandez, Gabino Iglesias, Anoop Iyer, Yadira Izquierdo, Sushma Khadepaun-Parmar, Callie Langford, Heather Lee, Julia Lee, Otis Lopez, David Marks, Uthra Mohan, Lata Narumanchi, Jay Parmar, Mary Parsamyan, Kathy Pham, Breanna Rollings, Marion Sanchez, Rupal Shah, Carol Stall, Kristina Vallejo, Kuetzpalin Vasquez, Priya Vijayaraghavan, Katie Walsh, Bowen Wilder, Thomas Yoo, Lina Zia

Photographers – Heather Banks, David M. Collins, Jenny Fu, Mark Guerra, John M. P. Knox, JoJo Marion, Jay Parmar, Mohan Sridharan, Rama Tiru, Aimee Wenske, Matt Ziehr

Advertising – Jake Morse at 817.313.7062 [email protected]

TODO Austin is published by Spark Awakened Publishing. © 2010 Spark Awakened Publishing. All rights reserved. Unsolicited submissions (including, but not limited to articles, artwork, photographs) are not returned.

Visit us at:

TODOAustinOnline.com

TODO Austin: Multicultural Media for All of Austin

TODO Austin is a free, colorful print and online journal for all of Austin highlighting our multicultural heritage. Our mission is to promote the concept of community in an ethnically diverse city.

WRITE TO USwith stories, submissions, etc.:[email protected] – 512.538.4115

Jerry Rios

Let’s Talk About It

Debunking Immigration MythsBy Esther Reyes

The 82nd Texas Legislature, an undoubtedly tough session for immigrant rights groups and organizations across the state, will be a prime opportunity for Texas legislators and citizens to truly consider facts about the contributions of immigrants and to give these facts a fighting chance.

Exactly which facts should Texas legislators and citizens consider? Perhaps those most commonly ignored by politicians and others who tout impractical, unfounded, and emotion-filled “solutions” for a “problem” (i.e. immigration) that in reality is not the real problem. In October, the Immigration Policy Center published a report with answers to the toughest immigration questions. Among the most outstanding facts stated in the report are the following:

• Immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits.• Immigrants are five times less likely to be in prison than the native-born, and crime is lowest in states with the most immigrants. • There is strong and broad-based opposition to local police enforcement of immigration laws (such as Arizona’s SB1070). • Today’s immigrants are integrating into US society just as the generations of immigrants before them.

What do these facts mean for Texas legislators? In essence, it means that our representatives must courageously face reality and help break the fever of fear that seems to plague our society by passing laws that welcome immigrants and benefit us all.

Legislators can be sure to find support from groups in Austin (including of course the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition) and across the state (including member organizations of Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance and their allies) who, more organized than ever before, are strategizing both to defeat impending anti-immigrant bills and advocate for legislation that recognizes the inherent dignity and worth of immigrants as human beings.

TODO Austin // NOV 2010 // TODOaustinonline.com 05

Mexico is not a popular place to go right now, especially among U.S. citizens. With regular media reports of increasing cartel violence, mass graves, kidnappings and a broken criminal justice system riddled with corruption, Mexico has become a scary, dangerous, no-man’s land in the public imagination.

But reality is subjective. It’s true that the drug cartels in Mexico have seized the borderlands. It’s true that public officers from street patrol up to the highest ranks operate from the back pocket of the reining czars. And true that it would be unwise for the average American tourist with limited street smarts to wander around Tijuana or Ciudad Juarez alone at night. But the country of Mexico reaches far beyond its troubled border, and its rich cultural history runs far deeper than the social strife currently stirring its surface. In other words, it’s short-sighted and alarmist to declare the entire country unsafe—much like declaring a patient terminally ill because of a nasty skin rash.

This past August, I traveled to the small fishing village of Puerto Morelos, in the southern state of Quintana Roo, and found a much different Mexico than what’s been portrayed on the news. Located equidistant from Cancun and Playa del Carmen along the Riviera Maya, the media would have you believe that Puerto is suffering under the stronghold of the Zeta cartel, and perhaps that the nearby underground water hole, or cenote (seh-no-teh), that I swam in would be filled with dead bodies. But the cenote was beautiful, the pueblo was peaceful, and none of the residents I spoke to seemed at all concerned about cartels. Even in the resort epicenters of Cancun and Playa, where tourist dollars were flowing despite the low season, I sensed no impending danger; saw no signs of violent crime.

According to folks I spoke with in Cancun and Mexico City, very few of the murders and massacres repeatedly cited in media reports affect innocent bystanders and civilians. In August of this year, the BBC reported that the murder rate in much of Mexico is “unexceptional,” especially when compared to other countries in the region. While Mexico’s overall murder rate at that time sat at about 11.6 murders per 100 thousand people, it was as high as 51.8 in El Salvador and 60.9 in Honduras.

“If you’re not directly involved in drug trade, and if you’re not walking around flashing

expensive jewelry and a ‘wealthy foreigner’ attitude, cartels have no reason to care about you,” one source outside of Cancun told me. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful in high-crime areas, just like anywhere else in the world, but I think American media makes it seem much, much worse than it really is.”

Another contact in Mexico City said, “Mexico is a very large country with some 120 million people; it’s wrong to believe that it is all filled with crime. There’s crime in most large cities of the world. I go out normally, take taxis, go shopping just like I would in Madrid or Buenos Aires or Hong Kong.”

I don’t mean to negate the simple fact that drug cartels are committing heinous, gruesome crimes in parts of the country. Other friends with family in Michoacán and Monterrey said their relatives are afraid to even leave their homes. I’d just like to suggest that the reality of the situation is much more nuanced and multifaceted than what’s conveyed in American news outlets.

The bottom line is, focusing on or sensationalizing the crime and violence in Mexico doesn’t lend itself toward improving the situation internally, and it certainly doesn’t advance relations with other countries. Our perception of Mexico directly influences the way we interact with the country and its people. My friend in Mexico City put it this way:

“There are millions of wonderful, peace-loving Mexicans who lead very normal lives. Mexicans are well educated, polite, they have strong faith and family ties despite the economic calamities they have to face. Surely there is crime amongst the drug cartels and many innocent lives have been lost, however there is hope for change and improvement.”

For the next several months, I’ll be exploring various aspects of Mexico’s cultural fabric and significance as our nearest foreign neighbor, examining contemporary and historical questions of social structure, artistic expression, spirituality and international relations. My hope is to contribute to an expanded understanding of this complex country, with which we’re closely intertwined and yet so disconnected.

Follow me in these coming months, and with open minds and hearts we can honor those who’ve died in turbulent times while working to usher in a new age of tranquility and understanding.

TODOMexico:Beyond the Border

By Katie Walsh

photo by Todd V. Wolfson

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One of the oldest family traditions on the continent is not as commercialized as, say Christmas or Thanksgiving, but the Austin Powwow and American Indian Heritage Festival enjoys its own history nonetheless. Celebrating its nineteenth year this November 6 (10 a.m.-10 p.m. at Tony Burger Center), the event is perhaps the largest one-day powwow in the nation and draws tens of thousands of local and out of town attendees.

Organized by the Austin-based non-profit organization, Great Promise for American Indians, the showcase of traditional dancing, singing, food and arts and crafts originated from the desire of a small group of parents to pass along their native culture to their children. After vastly exceeding their anticipated number of participants the first year, the group worked with the community and Austin school officials to move the event from McCallum High School to its larger Southside facility.

While the powwow delights Austinites, there is a coast-to-coast tribal presence every year which brings dancers, vendors, and attendees to the city. Lois Duncan, Executive Director of Great Promise, says that the festival is highly anticipated because “it is an easy powwow to get to as it is not set up in a rural area, it’s free, and people can experience a really authentic powwow and stay in downtown Austin. It’s the mix of traditional and modern that makes it special.”

For American Indians, powwows offer a social outlet to celebrate their culture as one people. Powwows take place around the nation throughout the year and many of them award cash prizes of sometimes thousands of dollars to the winners of competitive dances. Despite the modern setting, the Austin powwow builds on this design. Duncan explains that traditionally, tribes emphasize the performance of sacred dances with their spiritual significance the driving force behind the movements. “People get into a spiritual space before they dance; it truly is a real powwow experience.”

By being able to set aside hardships and unite together to present some of the most fascinating aspects of their heritage and traditions, American Indians are not only able to preserve and pass down their legacy but are able to debunk some of the myths of which they are frequently associated.

Although Austin does not have as large an American Indian population compared to some parts of the country, the issues that they face as a community are very similar. There are only three small reservations in Texas and many American Indians now choose to live in cities or towns. Having been discriminated against for so long, a destructive social stigma still exists that only serves to further the lack of opportunities available to the population. Duncan cites health problems, alcoholism and

a lack of education as the main issues plaguing tribes around the nation. But she is optimistic that American Indians can and are working to overcome these challenges.

In addition to putting on the powwow and festival, Great Promise works directly with the American Indian population of Texas to combat some of the issues that the community faces. Proceeds from the powwow, as an example, help fund educational awards that the organization gives out to American Indians for college. Duncan, herself of American Indian background, works to bring programs with traditional dancing, drumming, and singing to area schools to raise awareness about the demographic and educate children about their cultural traditions and practices. The organization also hosts native language learning workshops to help preserve and expand the use of the oral expression of the ten most numerous groups of native speakers in the area.

For those looking to make the Austin Powwow and Heritage Festival one of their new yearly traditions, stop by the Tony Burger Center on November 6 to share in the festivities. For more information about Great Promise and the event, visit www.austinpowwow.org.

Passing Down the Legacyby Jillian Hall

photo by Mosqueda Artworks

The big news in the Asian community is the launch of the new Greater Austin Chinese Chamber of Commerce, which held a grand kick-off party on Sept. 25. The group will work to create business opportunities for members and promote U.S.-China trade. Community members came together to offer GACCC President Peter Shen and board members their best wishes for the group.

Congratulations to Eugenia Beh, an active member of the Capital Area Asian American Democrats, who was honored with an award at the Capital Area Democratic Women’s “Celebration of Champions” event on Sept. 21. “It was a huge surprise. It’s very humbling and a huge honor to be mentioned in the same breath as Amy Everhart, a local hero, and Martha Cotera, a local legend,” Beh said of the other award recipients.

Fall is the time for the Autumn Moon Festival, a popular harvest festival celebrated in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines in September. It’s held on the day with the moon is the fullest, and many local Asian groups took time to celebrate this special event.


By Yvonne Lim Wilson

ASIAN AUSTIN: ABOUT TOWN

By Uthra Mohan

INDIAN HARVEST FESTIVAL OBSERVED IN AUSTIN

The Asian American Cultural Center celebrated its Harvest Moon Festival on Sept. 18 with plenty of entertainment and Asian foods, plus a donation of $500 was made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities on behalf of the children of the Magic Dragon Preschool. The event held a special significance as AACC president and CEO Amy Wong Mok celebrated the center’s tenth anniversary.

Families with Children from China hosted an amazing celebration at Central Market North, complete with a lion dance and candlelight wishes. “We like the concept of the Moon Festival -- you’re giving thanks and expressing gratitude. It’s community building,” said Deanne Brown, co-vice president of events for FCC.

The Asian/Asian American Faculty and Staff Association at the University of Texas at Austin welcomed new officers and welcomed new members at its annual welcome reception on Sept. 16. Dr. Al Mok and Alex Pong serve as co-chairs, along with officers Eugenia Beh, Eileen Drake, Doreen Ip-Pong, Smita Ruzicka, Jaya Soni and Jennifer Wang. “My goal this year is simply: community,” Mok said of the

organization’s effort to strengthen the Asian community among faculty and staff at UT.

The Texas Asian Chamber of Commerce hosted Australian sensation Tim Levy on Sept. 27 at a special networking luncheon at the Clay Pit restaurant. Levy and his family are planning on moving to Austin, so look for more chances to meet with the best-selling author of “The Life Summit.” The TACC also kicked-off its Lunar New Year gala planning for February 2011 with a special volunteer meeting and welcomes volunteers to join in planning this grand event, now in its 15th year.

On Oct. 12, many members of the Asian community went to Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about upcoming legislation in an event sponsored by the Network of Asian American Organizations (NAAO) and the Austin Asian American Chamber of Commerce (AAACC). Mayor

Lee Leffingwell, Commissioner Chien Lee, Assistant City Manager Rudy Garza and Austin Water and Utility Director Greg Meszaros were present to discuss the Mobility Bond Proposal and Water Treatment 4 Plant. The presentation ended with a surprise rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Mayor Lee Leffingwell led by Channy Soeur of NAAO.

Congratulations also to Karen Boyer, who was recently named Program Director of the Austin Asian American Chamber of Commerce. Boyer was former Special Events Coordinator at Goodwill Industries of Central Texas and is an active member of the Asian American community in Austin.

Yvonne Lim Wilson is founder and publisher of Asian Austin at www.AsianAustin.com, an online news magazine featuring news about Asian American people, organizations and events in Austin. Contact Yvonne at [email protected].

Navratri or Navaratri, observed in worship of Lordess Durga Devi or Shakti, is one of the most colorful and sumptuous festivals celebrated in India. It is also the biggest harvest festival in Nepal and Bhutan. Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit, “nava” meaning nine, “ra” meaning night and “tri,” meaning the three aspects of our life: Body, Mind and Soul. During these nine nights and ten days, nine different forms of Shakti are worshipped through intense prayers and other ceremonies.

Shakti is an embodiment of power, a manifestation of the Deity in the form of energy. There have been different myths associated with how this festival came into practice. In North India, the effigies of Ravana and Kumbhakarna (two evil forces) are burnt to celebrate the victory of Lord Rama (the good force) over them. In South India, the celebration is focused on the story of a demon king, Mahishasura, who worshipped Lord Shiva and because of this, was granted eternal life. However, he started to harass and kill innocent people and saints and therefore needed to be killed. In order to

destroy him, the three supreme powers united to became Shakti, the Warrior Goddess. After a fight that continued for nine nights, Shakti defeated Mahishasura.

Through revering various forms of Shakti, participants of Navratri build and enhance virtues such as wealth, valor and knowledge. The nine nights are devoted to enriching the body, mind and soul with the subtle energy that is created through rituals, prayers and various cultural activities performed in gatherings.

Celebrated in a large number of Indian communities, a motley of diverse cultures and mostly women-centric, the festivities include rich and splendid embellishments, various religious hymns and regional dances. Garba, originating from the Northwest India, is a folk dance performed during Navratri in much of northern India. Women dressed in indigenous clothes form a circle and dance together. Traditional Garba is performed around a central lamp. The circular and spiral figures of Garba have similarities to other spiritual dances.

Another enjoyable part of this festival is the Golu, which is a striking display of multicolored idols of all the deities along with other creative dolls, craftwork, designs and decorations in the homes and temples of Southern India. It is an entertaining festival for women and children, who arrange colorful displays in their homes and are inundated by relatives and friends.

Starting Oct 8th and concluding Oct 17th, the festivity in Austin this year appeared to be more colorful than ever, with people attending ceremonies, cultural programs in the temple

and hosting guests in their homes. The idol of Shakti/Devi was decorated at temples, ceremonies were performed every night for families to take part in, cultural activities were in full swing on each night, women beautified the premises with a round of Garba, food prepared by volunteers was served in abundance, evenings were lit with bright lights and jewels, homes were adorned with the Golu, and greetings and gifts were exchanged with pleasantries. Navratri reminds us that our lives can be celebrations, because if we are happy, we also spread happiness all around us.

Dragon Dance

photo by Mohan Sridharan

The idol of Durga Devi at the temple.

Thanksgiving is a time known for celebration, overeating and a bit of commercial overindulgence. Furthermore, November 25th is exactly one month prior to another commercially-driven holiday: Christmas, and thus enjoys a bit of holiness-by-association. Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is far from being holy for three main reasons: first, the celebration is built around the horrible genocide of Native Americans and feeds a multiplicity of historical and religious myths; second, Thanksgiving dinners are responsible for a big part of the more than 300 million turkeys that are killed annually in this country and finally; it’s a day of unapologetic gluttony and blatant food-wasting. If that weren’t enough, the festivity is one reserved for the well-off, meaning many Austinites can’t participate.

According to a Census Bureau report published in September, nearly 1 out of every 5 Austinites lived in poverty in 2009, an increase from the previous year. In fact, it seems the numbers have been slowly but steadily increasing since 2006. The American Community Survey, which is based on a nationwide sampling of about 3 million U.S. households, showed that 18.4 percent of all Austinites lived on the unlucky side of the poverty line on 2009, a rise from the already-worrisome 17.1 percent that did so in 2008. Given the current status of the economy, those numbers are not expected to get better in 2010 or 2011.

Hank Perret, Interim President & CEO of Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, issued a statement on their website (www.austinfoodbank.org) the day the report was published in which he said he felt “extreme disappointment, sorrow and shame” about the “unacceptable” situation. Capital Area Food Bank of Texas makes a huge contribution to fighting hunger in the city, as they provide food assistance to 48,000 hungry central Texans every week through their efforts and those of their partner agencies. Nonetheless, it will probably come as a surprise to many people that the number of fellow Austinites regularly feeling the pangs of hunger vastly exceeds the nearly 50,000 mouths the food bank is able to help on a weekly basis. “As a country and state with tremendous resources,” finished Perret’s poignant missive, “we can, and should, do better.” It’s hard to disagree with that.

The fact that Thanksgiving is a holiday known for binging and gormandizing becomes utterly unacceptable when we translate the data from the American Community Survey into the stories of real people, fellow Austinites and, in many cases, children. According to the survey, one of the most striking escalations in poverty rates was that of Austin’s children: 27 percent of related children under the age of 18 and 31.5 percent of related children

under the age of 5 lived in poverty in 2009. That means that a percentage of our future is not getting the nutrition it needs in order to grow into healthy adults. It also means there are many kids going to school hungry every morning. Last but not least, it means that a lot of kids will not get a slice of pecan pie or a chunk of gravy-covered turkey this Thanksgiving.

A plethora of research has shown that having a nutritious breakfast before going to school helps children with their academic achievements. Improved attention in tasks assigned to them during the late morning hours, better performance and fewer errors made while solving basic problems, enhanced concentration, the ability to perform multifaceted tasks quicker and faster memory are some of the benefits of a healthy breakfast. Consequently, to expect undernourished kids to perform at the same level as properly-fed ones is unfair, just like the fact that some children are forced to go to school on empty stomachs when other Austinites can’t find ways to get rid of all the leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and pecan pie.

According to a CNBC article published in November 2009, the total cost of a turkey dinner and all the fixings for a small family was about $42.91, or about 4 percent less than in 2008. On that CNBC article, the small drop in prices was presented as a great thing. However, the federal government set the poverty threshold for 2009 at about $22,000 for a family of four with two children. That means that a turkey dinner for a family of four would represent an expense of 10 percent of their weekly income. Who can spend that much on just one meal?

The number of people living below the poverty level in Austin currently exceeds 350,000. That means it’s likely that the combined efforts of HEB, the City of Austin, a multiplicity of churches and many other institutions put together will still not be enough to put food in all the hungry mouths this Thanksgiving. And this is precisely where some of the historical myths need to be debunked in order to get a point across: Thanksgiving is about sharing.

While popular knowledge states that the Pilgrims and the

Wampanoag Native Americans celebrated the first Thanksgiving

together at Plymouth in 1621, Rick Shenkman, editor at the George

Mason’s History News Network has another version. According to

Shenkman, some Texans claim the first Thanksgiving in America

actually “took place in little San Elizario, a community near El

Paso, in 1598 -- twenty-three years before the Pilgrims’ festival.

For several years they have staged a reenactment of the event that

culminated in the Thanksgiving celebration: the arrival of Spanish

explorer Juan de Onate on the banks of the Rio Grande. De

Onate is said to have held a big Thanksgiving festival after leading

hundreds of settlers on a grueling 350-mile long trek across the

Mexican desert.”

With that version in mind, it’s hard to hear that Hispanics, Austin’s

largest and fastest-growing minority, were more likely than African

Americans, Asians and non-Hispanic whites to be in poverty in

2009, as determined by the American Community Survey. An

estimated 29.5 percent of Hispanics were below the poverty level,

which is more than the 22.3 percent of African Americans, 8.6

percent of Asians and 11.4 percent of non-Hispanic whites. That

means that many Mexicans who, just like the Native Americans,

used to own this great land, now go hungry in it while the rest of

the city celebrates genocide by stuffing their faces.

To put the problem into perspective: according to the Center

for Public Policy Priorities (http://www.cppp.org), a nonpartisan,

nonprofit policy institute committed to improving public policies

to better the economic and social conditions of low- and

moderate-income Texans, the Lone Star state is the 8th worst

among the 50 states when it comes to poverty. The numbers are

truly staggering: 17.2 percent of the state, or almost 4.2 million

people, live in poverty. As far as children go, Texas had the 6th

worst rate of poverty among all states at 24.4 percent, or 1.7

million kids living with unmet needs.

As you can see, the problem is not local: ten other cities, including

Laredo, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston, fared even worse than

Austin in the survey. That being said, please remember that solving

the problems of the world starts by seeking justice at home

first. This Thanksgiving, be grateful for what you have and take

advantage of the greatest gift of all: the ability to share with others!


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BRB: How did Afrofreque come about?

Claude McCan (Claude9): Afrofreque evolved out of a group called Future Light Soundsystem that was playing around Austin in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This group contained Tigre Liu, DJ Resinthol, Fumi Sugawara, Michael Hale, and female vocalist Yashi Vaughn, as well as several other musicians and DJs. Everyone in Afrofreque was in that group except for myself and John Siebenthaler. Future Light’s format was using sampled and turntable beats from the DJs with live musicians and vocals added. The group at one point decided to go in an all live direction, and Michael Hale asked me to stop by rehearsal one night. Everyone seemed happy with the result. It became apparent after a while that the group sounded quite different from Future Light, so the new group was dubbed Afrofreque. This happened in 2003 or 2004. After we had been playing a year or so, our bass player could not make one of our gigs and we got John Siebenthaler to substitute. He ended up staying from then on. Yashi Vaughn was relocated to Dallas for her job and eventually the travel was too difficult and she left the group. We decided to continue with just the remaining members and the lineup has remained constant ever since then.

BRB: How did you find the elements necessary to create Afrofreque’s sound?

Claude9: The elements to create the Afrofreque sound came about in a really organic way from the combination of musical backgrounds of all the members. Tigre Liu and DJ Resinthol had worked together for a long time, and brought the strong hip hop element to the group. Michael Hale and I had worked together in various groups, including the modern reggae band Raggamassive, and they had both been working musicians since the late 70s, so they brought in elements of funk, reggae, and jazz to the mix. I had been working as a producer in electonic downtempo and house music, so that brought an electronic

tinge as well. Fumi Sugawara and John Siebenthaler had strong Jazz and funk backgrounds as well as a hip hop sensibility. We thought that since all these African-derived musics like funk, jazz, reggae, etc. had been used as elements in hip hop since it’s beginning that it was pretty natural for us to incorporate those same elements in a live band hip hop format.

BRB: What was the idea behind the band? What do you want to happen with it?

Claude9: Rather than having an idea or thought out plan behind the music, we had a method of composing it that just happened to bring things out from all of the members. We have always written our songs collaboratively as a group. We improvise different grooves and lyric ideas in rehearsal and then keep editing things until we end up with an arranged song. When we play live we always do one or two completely improvised pieces because we feel the ability to “freestyle,” lyrically and musically, is very important. In fact, several of the songs on our new album “Jewels and Gems” started out as pieces that we improvised in a live setting - “straight off the dome” we call it.

Our plan is to promote our recorded work heavily so that it can hopefully become economically feasible for us to tour and expand our fan base, which is pretty difficult these days. We feel our material and performance has finally become something that we can be proud of so we want to reach more people with it.

BRB: How is this album different from the rest? What direction do you see your music going? What would you like to see change with Austin’s music scene? What is needed?

Claude9: Over time, Afrofreque has become less of a live band hip hop group and more of a hip hop/funk/world beat group. Our new album reflects that. The tone of “Jewels and

Gems” is also a bit more fun and booty-shakin’ than our first one, although there are still some spiritual/social messages in there. We’ve been incorporating some Afrobeat elements in our sound lately, but we will wait until the next album to focus on that. The wait for the next album should not be as long; we have already done most of the recording for it already. So the next record will have more of a world beat feel, but we will still have our trademark hip hop/funk thing happening as well.

During the first few years it was hard for us to find gigs because we didn’t really fit in with most groups in the Austin scene. We weren’t “hip hop” enough for the straight-up hip hop scene, but were too different for the indie rock scene, and even the funk scene was too concentrated on old style James Brown soul/funk for us to fit in. In the last few years that has changed, however, and we are finding more shows that we fit in with. Certainly promoters like Bemba Entertainment, Stangetribe, and Momo’s, along with the Grupo Fantasma/Brownout audience, have had a lot to do with that. What is still somewhat lacking is that the audience is not quite as diverse as the musical offerings. In San Antonio, Afrofreque draws a very “urban” and ethnically mixed crowd and I would like to see more of that here. Austin has always had the reputation of being an Americana, singer-songwriter, indie rock city, and I would like to see the city become known for also having a thriving urban, world beat, and electronic scene as well, because the talent in those genres is definitely here.

BRB: What’s your favorite thing about your product?

Claude9: One of our favorite things about our product is that we can appeal to almost any crowd. Our last two gigs were the Austin Jazz Festival and the Fela Kuti Birthday “Felabration,” and we rocked the crowd both times. There are not many groups that can do that. There is also no other band quite like Afrofreque. We have a unique style of music!

On October 15, the Austin band Afrofreque took the stage at Red 7 in front of a crowd of over 400. Most of the crowd had never heard of this group, and were there to pay tribute to the great creator of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti. As soon as Tigre Lieu (lead vocals) grabbed the mic and began rhyming, the crowd was hooked. The band had played many shows before this one, and have been around for over a decade, but the energy in that room was something different. It was nothing short of magnificent. Afrofreque carried on through their 45 minute set with a captivated audience, and by their last song, they had a few hundred new fans. With an upcoming CD release at Momo’s on November 18th, TODO was lucky to catch up with these Austin veterans while they are still riding that high.

By Brandon Ramiro Badillo

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THE TODO ARTS LISTPRESENTED BY TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS

TEXASPERFORMINGARTS.ORG

Texas Performing Arts is proud to recognize Austin’s many outstanding arts organizationsAUSTIN CHAMBER ENSEMBLE’S SEVEN DEADLY SINS – In its 25th season, the Ensemble presents Jessica Mathaes on violin and Colette Valentine on piano in the world premiere of “Seven Deadly Sins” by LA composer Paul Reale. “Devil’s Trill Sonata” and “Saint-Saens Sonata in D Major” will also be performed. Nov. 5 & 6, 8 p.m., Westlake United Methodist Church, 1460 Redbud Tr. www.austinchamberensemble.com

LA FOLLIA AUSTIN BAROQUE SETS A SACRED TONE – Countertenor Ryland Angel joins La Follia in works of the German Baroque by Rosenmüller and Buxtehude. “Sacred Music of the Early German Baroque” will be presented Saturday, Nov. 6, 8:00 p.m., First English Lutheran Church, 3001 Whitis Avenue; Sunday, Nov. 7, 3:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 8001 Mesa Drive. www.lafollia.org

ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY’S NOCHE FOLKLORICA – The 3rd Annual Noche Folklorica features St. Edward’s Ballet Folklorico group performing traditional dances from: Veracruz, Nayarit, Sinaloa Costa, Tamaulipas Huasteca, Puebla, and Jalisco. Vocalists: Judy Razo and Gladys Hernandez. Flamenco performance by: Elisa Gonzalez Barragan. Tuesday, Nov. 9, 7:00 p.m., 3001 S. Congress Avenue, Ragsdale Center. For info, email: [email protected]

DUCK AND COVER WITH DR. STRANGELOVE - In a truly unique evening of theatre, Texas Performing Arts welcomes the world-renowned L.A. Theatre Works Company performing Peter Goodchild’s classic piece, “The Real Dr. Strangelove: Edward Teller and the Battle for the H-Bomb.” In this fully-staged production of a radio play, we witness the plan to widen America’s nuclear armory, which ultimately set our country on the path to becoming the strongest military nation on the planet - and living with the consequences. Wednesday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m. at Hogg Memorial Auditorium, 2300 Whitis Ave. www.TexasPerformingArts.org.

AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND UPRISE! PRODUCTIONS PRESENT TI-JEAN AND HIS BROTHERS – The much-lauded play, by Nobel Prize-winning Caribbean playwright Derek Walcott, will be performed at ACC’s Austin Mainstage Theatre. Brothers are challenged by the Devil to make him feel human emotion in an ultimate game of high stakes. Weekends, Nov. 12th, 13th and 14th and Nov. 19th, 20th and 21st. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. www.austincc.edu/drama and www.austinlivetheatre.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ORNETTE COLEMAN - Celebrate the legendary Pulitzer Prize winning saxophonist/composer Ornette Coleman’s 80th birthday with a command performance by Ornette and his Quartet in his only Texas engagement. One of the great innovators in jazz, Coleman has played a seminal role in American music and is identified with the free-jazz movement of the 1960s. Bass Concert Hall (E. 23rd St. and Robert Dedman Dr.) on Thursday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m. www.TexasPerformingArts.org

TEXAS FIGHT - The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance presents the world-premiere of “FIGHT,” a new play by third-year MFA in Playwriting candidate, Kimber Lee and directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Technology, Charles Otte, and Lee. Live combat and a full sized-boxing ring take over the stage as Dani Perez, starts training at the boxing gym where her estranged father once reigned supreme. Nov. 12, 14, 17, 18, 19 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. at the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre in F. Loren Winship Drama Building (WIN) at the intersection of 23rd Street and San Jacinto. www.TexasPerformingArts.org

SALON CONCERTS FEATURE AEOLUS QUARTET – Current Quartet in Residence at the University of Texas at Austin, The Aeolus Quartet will perform three pieces by Beethoven, Bartok and Schumann with Rick Rowley on piano. Full concerts are held in private homes featuring a post-concert buffet of hors d’oeuvres and wine. Rush Hour Concert will be held at the Armstrong Community Music School of the Austin Lyric Opera. Full concerts: Sunday, Nov. 21, 4:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m. and Rush Hour Concert, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 6:00 p.m. www.salonconcerts.org

THE KLEZMATICS WITH RICHARD STOLTZMAM - The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Texas at Austin presents the Klezmatics on Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. in Bass Concert Hall. In an Austin-only engagement, the world’s hippest klezmer band is joined by two-time Grammy Award winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, for a Hanukkah celebration to remember. www.TexasPerformingArts.org

The 15th annual OctoTea Dance, the biggest fundraising event held by the Octopus Club, a grassroots, and volunteer fundraising arm of AIDS Services of Austin, will take place on November 7 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Long Center.

One hundred percent of the money raised by the dance event benefits the Paul Kirby Emergency Fund, which provides emergency financial assistance to Central Texans who are living with HIV and AIDS and have nowhere else to turn for basic necessities such as food, utilities, rent, transportation and prescription medications.

OctoTea Dance relies on corporate sponsorships, ticket sales and silent auctions to generate funds. This year, the aim is to raise $100,000. Up on the silent auction block are three color lithographs signed by Salvador Dali, along with other items donated by local businesses. For the first 12 years of its existence, OctoTea was held at the Oasis. Eventually, the event became too large for the venue and was moved to the Long Center.

Octopus Club came into existence in 1989, around a dining room table with four compassionate people wanting to do something to alleviate the suffering of

Austinites affected by AIDS. One of the founding members, Lew Aldridge said, “AIDS started hitting Austin in a big way, and in the beginning, there was no understanding of HIV; and there were no effective treatments. Someone would go to an emergency room with pneumonia or some other opportunistic disease, and AIDS progressed very quickly. If they were lucky and could be stabilized enough to leave the hospital, people did not have any resources to turn to, when their disease escalated very quickly like that. Most lost their jobs, and many were ostracized by their neighbors and family. People were scared. People did not have the cocktail to help fight the disease; and there was no organization they could turn to for help.”

To date, Octopus Club, and its diverse group of volunteers, has been able to raise nearly $1.4 million. Initially, the group threw small parties to raise money. According to Mr. Aldridge, “The goal was to raise $200 at each party. The first year, over $23,000 was raised. That has changed dramatically. While there are still many small parties hosted by individuals at their homes or businesses, some very large parties have also evolved.”

For more information on how to participate or make a donation, please visit www.octopusclub.org/OctoTea15.

OctoTeaBy Lina Begum

The 17th Annual Austin Film Festival and Conference brought scores of film and television creatives, movers and shakers to the film-friendly Texas capital, but managed to keep its trademark atmosphere of accessibility in spite of considerable star power.

The conference, according to the web site, is “dedicated to championing the work of aspiring and established filmmakers, defined as screenwriters, directors, editors, producers, actors and all those artists who use the language of film to tell a story.” The panels, workshops and networking events presented October 21-24 provided up-close and personal insight on industry topics, with a focus on screenwriting, community-building and education.

Competition among films and recognition of achievement are also major components of the conference. Writer, director and Austinite Robert Rodriguez (Machete, Sin City) was honored this year with the prestigious Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking award on Saturday, October 23 at an awards luncheon at The Austin Club. Other honorees included David Peoples (Blade Runner, Unforgiven), who received the Distinguished Screenwriter award, and David Simon (The Wire, Treme), who was recognized for the Outstanding Television Writer award. The three honorees discussed “The Art of Storytelling” at a standing-room-only panel at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel Ballroom on Sunday afternoon. Rodriguez spoke about his writing process; suggesting that grabbing his

laptop upon waking, while still in a dream-like state, allows him to evade his inner critic, who, he confided, is “not awake yet.” On the topic of getting films produced through the machinery of the industry, Rodriguez said, “If you can keep the budget small enough, you can do anything for the amount of money you have. It’s the approach; what you don’t show becomes more important than what you do show. If you can keep the budget low enough, it becomes a win-win situation for the studio.”

The film festival, which ran Oct 21-28, brought world premiers, red carpets and ample opportunity to question filmmakers and cast, many of whom attended screenings and participated in question-and-answer sessions immediately following. Nearly 200 films from 13 countries were shown in theaters across the city. Film passes started at $50, allowing movie-goers access to all of the selections over the week-long event.

“This festival has been incredible in the blending of what I know and recognize as the top talent in Austin and the work they have achieved, together with writers and filmmakers from Los Angeles, the rest of the country and world. It’s great to see the camaraderie and the mixing of artistic spirits,” Austin-based actor and writer Karl Anderson said. “My favorite festival so far!”

You can find the TODO Austin AFF photo album on Facebook at www.facebook.com/todo.austin.

Austin Film Festival Continues Tradition of Accessibility and DiversityBy Erica Stall Wiggins

2010 AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL COMPETITION JURY WINNERS

Best Narrative Feature: Adios Mundo Cruelwriters: Jack Zagha Kababie, Enrique Chmelnik

Narrative Feature Special Jury Mention: Dog Sweatwriters: Maryam Azadi, Hossein Keshavarz

Best Documentary Feature: Louder Than a Bombdirectors: Greg Jacobs, Jon Siskel

Best Narrative Short: Katrina’s Sonwriter: Ya’Ke

Narrative Short Special Jury Mention: The Six Dollar Fifty Manwriter: Louis Southerland

Best Documentary Short: Birthrightdirector: Sean Mullens

Best Animated Short: The Lost Thingdirector: Shaun Tan

Best Narrative Student Short: Down in Number 5writer: Kim Spurlock

Screenwriter David Peoples (Blade Runner, Unforgiven) and Director Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Machete) at the “Art of Storytelling” panel. Photo by Erica Stall Wiggins

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Last month, I embarked on an epic foodie adventure with my dad, cookbook author, journalist and food historian Robb Walsh. Roadtripping used to be one of our favorite ways to spend down time, but we hadn’t hit the road together in years. The destination: Oxford, Mississippi for the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium, where he was speaking and I was on the beat.

The fantastic programming on the theme “The Global South” reinforced an idea that I’d been thinking a lot about since the April fusion food issue—we’re in an exciting time for culinary culture, as influences and innovations are mixing

like never before to blur the boundaries of where one tradition ends and another begins.

We’d begun to experience the Global South before we’d even arrived in Oxford. We found boudin and crawfish kolaches, a Texan spin on Czech pastry that had jumped the border into Louisiana and adopted Cajun fillings. We enjoyed New Orleans-Sicilian spaghetti and red gravy, with praline gelato for dessert.

But the symposium itself truly blew the pants off any previous notion I’d had of the South. Speakers explored Cuban/Southern parallels, the

African heritage of rice in America, and Pakistani fajitas and goat curry croissants in Houston. The “Masa Messiah,” Houston rapper Chingo Bling, topped things off with his thoughts on Mexican-Americans in hip hop and “The Taco Circuit.”

The menu expressed just as much cultural curiosity, if not more, than the program. Noted chefs from all traditions poured their interpretations of the Global South into provocative, yet nostalgic dishes. We ate collard green tamales and refried black eyed peas. Banana pudding tres leches and African yam biscuits. Catfish in the form of West Chinese stir-fry and Masala crabcakes. The

symposium celebrated Southern foodways for their role in tradition and history as much as for their ability to swirl and melt and layer elements of global cuisines into something new.

The journey spoke to me on many levels. Not only was it a great bonding experience for me and the ‘ol pops, it offered a glimpse into a future where cultures continue to collide, where foodways continue to evolve and transform. The symposium brought together food and culture lovers from all around the country for discussion, interaction and exploration of the Global South. The result was delicious and thought-provoking.

Potatoes. Pan-fried, deep fried, oven-baked and sauteed, all categorized in a large and well-known family of fries. With names like home fries, hash browns, steak fries, French fries and chips, it doesn’t take long to realize the incredible diversity of fried potatoes.

Home fries are typically sauteed cubes of potato often served as a side dish in restaurants serving American fare. In Mexican restaurants, the cubes of potato are deep fried with a crispy golden outside and served alongside beans. Hash browns are another breakfast staple consisting of thinly shredded potatoes pan-fried into a cake-like consistency.

The term “fry” is also split into several categories including steak, curly, shoestring and Belgian. The categories become even more complicated when more nontraditional

varieties like sweet potatoes or other roots are introduced. Fries are deep fried in fat, but the preparation and oil used can differ greatly.

The birthplace of the potato fry, many argue, is Belgium. It isn’t difficult to see that the “Belgian fry” has been growing in popularity in Austin, with places like Max Parfait, Peached Tortilla, Enoteca Vesapio, Trio, Frekiot and the soon-to-open Second on Congress serving up these delicious treats. Zarghun Dean explains Belgian Fries at Max Parfait: “Belgian fries are traditionally made using Bintje potatoes, but due to supply, Max Parfait uses fresh Russet potatoes cut by hand,” Dean said. “Traditionally, Belgian fries are cooked in animal fat, however vegetable fat is often used. The oil is really important because it imparts a lot of flavor. Max Parfait cooks their Belgian fries in olive oil in a restaurant fryer. Frying the potatoes in

proper equipment is key as accurate control of the temperature is crucial. The potatoes are fried in two batches: at around 300 degrees for four to eight minutes and then an additional at around 375 degrees for an additional two to four minutes. Frying in two separate batches makes these Belgian fries difficult to master in a home kitchen. The end result should be a fry that is crispy on the outside; airy and fluffy on the inside.”

Belgian fry traditionalists will insist on dressing fries with mayonnaise. The more adventurous eaters will find new sauces being conjured up, including garlic aioli, truffle oil, fancy ketchup, herb aioli, peach relish and spicy Korean sauces. Whichever type of Belgian fry eater you are, there is a fry and a sauce out there to please your palate.

Belgian Fries: The Mother of Deep-Fried Potatoes By Jennie Chen

Crawfish kolaches at Delicious Donuts in Lake Charles

Gourmet shrimp grits at City Grocery in Oxford

African Yam biscuit with sausage and pepper jelly by Nigerian Chef Yewande KomolafeBanana Pudding Tres Leches by Miami Chef Michelle Bernstein

Culinary Cultures Collide: Exploring the Global South By Katie Walsh

photo by Aimee Wenske | www.aimeewenske.com

Austin City Limits Goes Viral

images and words by

Erica Stall Wiggins

1412 S. Congress Avenue • Austin, Texas 78704Open Weekdays 11am-11pm; Weekends 8am-11pm www.GuerosTacoBar.com

TACO BAR

Good Times at Güero’sFor great tunes and great rita’s!Please join us for live music on our outside jardin stage, every Thursday through Sunday. THANKS TO THE FANS & BANDS WHO SUPPORT US!!!

ALL OUTDOOR SHOWS ARE “WEATHER PERMITTING”

NOVEMBER Line-up----------------------------------------------------Thu 11/4 THE BOB FUENTES SHOW (6:30)Fri 11/5 LOS FLAMES (6:30)Sat 11/6 PRIVATE PARTYSun 11/7 THE TEXAS TYCOONS (3:00)----------------------------------------------------Thu 11/11 BUBBA HERNANDEZ Y LOS SUPER VATOS (6:30)Fri 11/12 LOS FLAMES (6:30)Sat 11/13 THE FABS (6:30)Sun 11/14 MATT SMITH’S WORLD (3:00)----------------------------------------------------Thu 11/18 JOHNNY GIMBLE (6:30)Fri 11/19 LOS FLAMES (6:30)Sat 11/20 THE JUANA B’s (6:30)Sun 11/21 TIBURON (3:00)----------------------------------------------------Thu 11/25 CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING DAYFri 11/26 LOS FLAMES (6:30)Sat 11/27 PONTY BONE & THE SQUEEZETONES (6:30)Sun 11/28 CHICKEN STRUT (3:00)

With 130 bands over three days, the

sold-out 2010 Austin City Limits Music

Festival will be remembered for the

picture-perfect weather, but hopefully

even more so for its multi-generational

and genre-bending mix of musical

tastes and styles. It was also the year

that the festival seemed to take hold

of the entire city, branching out from

after-shows into live broadcasts from

the Four Seasons and Threadgills World

Headquarters, with additional shows,

music lounges and parties spilling over

into venues all over the city. TODO Austin

was submerged in the grand melee, and

surfaced with a few captured moments.

Ninjasonik posed for a photo before their set on the Austin Ventures stage.

Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys

Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello) delivered non-stop energy from the AMD stage.

The Austin skyline at dusk on Sunday.

Elizabeth Chi-Wei Sun electrified the Gogol Bordello set.

Jim James (My Morning Jacket) performs with Monsters of Folk.

Beats Antique were one of the break-out success stories of ACL 2010.

Executive Editor Erica Stall Wiggins w/ Uli Bella and Wil-Dog of Los Angeles-based Ozomatli.

TODO Austin met with Ramon Amezcua (Bostich) and Pepe Mogt (Fusible) of Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fusible.

Frame of Reference

Ever since I launched my freelance writing business, Plum, you’d never guess what keeps popping up. Plums! I’ve been eating them lately for good luck and as a daily source of fiber, so I see them around lunchtime. I’ve heard references to plum pudding, plum jobs and to being plum tired. I’ve seen plums as color schemes and decorative motifs. And then I discovered the Mexican Plum at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Who knew there was a plum native to Texas? I certainly didn’t. A Mexican plum (Prunus Mexicana) tree is a small, single-trunked, spring-flowering tree with bark that eventually gets dark and striated, and its fruit is deep red or purple, ripening late in the fall. We were too early in the season to see these plums in their fully ripened state, so the one I picked off the ground was quite small.

Lady Bird Johnson had once said that wildflowers and native plants “give us a sense of where we are in this great land of ours.” The idea of valuing the local environment hit me full force when I’d come home from the supermarket, dwelling on the fact that the tilapia I had just purchased was farm-raised in China, frozen-shipped across the ocean, and that my supposedly organic blueberries were transported from Chile.

Sure, we’d all love to have the most exotic fruits and meats at our dietary disposal, or the ability to show off tropical plants in our summertime garden when it’s hot and dry, but this is

not natural to the earth. We must learn to live with what we have around us. Otherwise, it will disappear. Next time you go to the grocery store, try to find food products that come from Texas. You’ll find it quite challenging. Quite disturbed by this, I realized I needed to change my shopping habits. I had always been curious about going to a farmers’ market.

Early on Saturday morning, I sacrificed sleeping in to go to the Sustainable Food Center of Austin’s Farmers’ Market in Sunset Valley. There wasn’t a ton to choose from. If you wanted meat, there was 100% grass-fed beef, pork, bison, and chicken. (If you want fish, I learned, you better move to the coast.) If you wanted vegetables, there was okra, squash, peppers, garlic, sweet potatoes, basil and garlic. And really not much in the way of fruit, unless you were interested in persimmons or jujube dates.

But I didn’t mind the lack of variety. I enjoyed the simplicity of only having available what was native to Texas, and what was in season for the late summer and early fall. When cooked throughout the week, it felt satisfying to be eating food that I meant to be eating at this time and place. Over time, too, I think I will start to become more grateful for my food. Can you truly appreciate a plum if you can eat it 365 days out of the year? Perhaps there’s a reason plum pudding is a late fall dessert and not a springtime delight.

Hey, you. Yes, YOU. Your immune system is struggling. It’s tired. It’s stressed. It’s fighting. It’s asking you to pay attention to it. You have unintentionally beaten it down with consistent stress, lack of sleep, lack of regular proper nutrition, alcohol, dairy, wheat, sugar and a plethora of other immune system destroyers. fff Time to take a break to feed your body and your spirit with kindness, goodness and super foods to get your machine running properly again. I know it all sounds cheesy, and I will gladly provide any science to back it all up if you’d like (email me at [email protected]), but nearly all disease is now being linked to a neglected, dysfunctional, sluggish immune system, so just do it anyway. What have you got to lose?

And try to do it with a little love…Your prescription, friends, for the next seven days:Every morning, upon waking, Before you do anything else:

+ Chug a large glass of water. HUGE glass. Chug it.+ Go outside and stand in your grass barefoot, in the sun if possible, and take 10 very long, very deep breaths and smile... just smile. No one is watching.+ Take 3 Mushroom Blend capsules, make sure it includes Reishi.+ Take 1 whole-food based multi-vitamin.+ Take 1 Spirulina tablet (yes, they’re icky looking... take them anyway)+ Take a hot/cold shower. This will change your life if you do it regularly.

Turn the water slowly to the hottest your body can stand without burning your skin. Stand under it, letting the water hit the top of your head, your face, your neck, your back, your chest. Breathe heavily and deeply, and stay in the hot water for at least 30 seconds. THEN turn it quickly to COLD. As cold as you can stand it. Scream, yell, laugh. But shock your system with the sudden burst of COLD water. On your head, face, neck, etc. Then slowly back to HOT. As hot as you can stand it without burning your skin. Do this back and forth from HOT to COLD at least 5 times. End with the cold. Every cell in your body will be awake, alive and excited. It’s circulation in high speed and will do incredible things to your body. Read about it.

+ Eat a large handful of Goji berries before you walk out the door.+ NO dairy, NO wheat of any kind (no bread, pasta, etc. None. Zero. It’s one stinking week. You can do it.) + NO sugar. Please. I’m begging you. + Eat fresh veggies, salad, etc. with every meal. Ask for lemon every time and put it on your salad with oil, or put it in your water.+ NO red meat. NO chicken. Choose fish. It’s only a week. You’ll live.

And all day, every day, try to laugh, hug someone, be nice to yourself, do fun things. Just for seven days.

By Blake Shanley

What I Learned from the Native Mexican PlumBy Alexandra M. Landeros

Chronicles of Undercover Mexican Girl:


The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require special assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities please call 512-974-3770 or 711 Relay Texas. La ciudad de Austin está comprometida al Acta de Americanos Incapacitados. Si requiere asistencia para participar en nuestros programas por favor llame al teléfono número 512-974-3770 o 711 Relay Texas. www.maccaustin.org

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, in collaboration with ACC’s The Big Read, presents

Wednesday, November 17, 2010Reception at 7pm, Program at 8pm

Free & open to the public.

Join us for a short dramatic reading in Spanishfrom “In the Time of the Butterfl ies,”

directed by Luis Ordaz of Proyecto Teatro, followed by a presentation by the author.

600 RIVER ST., AUSTIN, TX 78701512.974.3772 • MACCAUSTIN.ORG

author

julia alvarez

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require special assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities please call 512-974-3770 or 711 Relay Texas. La ciudad de Austin está comprometida al Acta de Americanos Incapacitados. Si requiere asistencia para participar en nuestros programas por favor llame al teléfono número 512-974-3770 o 711 Relay Texas. www.maccaustin.org

LA TIERRA Y SU GENTETHE RIO GRANDE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ROBERT RUNYON, 1901-1926

EMMA S. BARRIENTOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER600 RIVER ST., AUSTIN, TX 78701 •512.974.3772 • MACCAUSTIN.ORG

La Tierra y Su Gente is a sampling of the rich and diverse work of Brownsville photographer Robert Runyon (1881-1968) and a tribute to his unique photographic record of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and its people. The exhibit is currently on display in the MACC Community Gallery and runs through January 3, 2011.

C O M I N G I N 2 0 1 1 | M A R C H 1 6 - 1 9Emma Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center

A U S T I N • T E X A S

Pan Americana Festival is an innovative, all-embracing multicultural arts and entertainment celebration designed to foster appreciation of America’s diverse cultures and heritage.

3 1 9 C o n g r e s s A v e n u e , S t e 2 5 0 | A u s t i n , T e x a s 7 8 7 0 1 | 5 1 2 . 5 3 8 . 4 1 1 5w w w . p a n a m e r i c a n a f e s t i v a l . c o m

todo austin november 2010

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