Friday, March 12, 2010

SXSW Tips: Stretch Before Bed

Each night, after a long day of socializing and eating and drinking and walking around, before I get to bed, I try to stretch and massage my legs and feet. It can definitely make a difference since I’m doing so much standing during the day. So rub those tired feet or give them a good soak in the tub. Put your feet up. Stretch your hamstrings and calves. (I also drink a big glass of water and take some vitamins.)

Try to keep good posture during the marathon sessions of panels and parties. If you’re lugging a big laptop around all day, it can definitely take a toll on your back, especially if you’re not used to it. 

Get some rest and see you guys, tomorrow! Sweet dreams, SXSW Baby readers.

Posted by kathryn on 03/12 at 11:48 PM
SXSW Baby! | (0) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Tips: Don’t Forget To Smile, Be Patient, and Have a Backup Plan

Three more things I try always to bring to Austin.

Humor, patience, and a smile. Please don’t forget these at home.

Be friendly! Relax! Oh, and one more thing? It’s not a race. We’re here to learn and have fun!

Expect long lines. SXSW has grown up and become an enormous conference that takes over downtown Austin for nearly two weeks. That’s a lot of people who all want to get into the same bars, clubs, restaurants, and more. Expected attendance for Film is about 7,000 people, with 11,000 expected attendees for Music, and about 12,000 attendees for Interactive!

Show up early to parties and panels. If you’re nervous about an event, it doesn’t hurt to show up earlier rather than later. RSVPs for parties often don’t guarantee entry, so the early birds will be inside, while you’re waiting in line outside. Same for the popular panels and talks. Get to the room 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a seat, or, for some popular speakers, that you get in at all. This can be especially true for keynote speeches.

And know that even if you didn’t get into that one panel, party, screening, show, or club, there’s plenty of fun elsewhere during SXSW. Have a backup plan.

Or just ask around for whatever else might be going on, text message a friend, ping Twitter, or talk to the people who also didn’t get in. Plenty of new friendships have been forged in line for an event or in the hallways of the Convention Center.

Posted by kathryn on 03/12 at 07:13 AM
Interactive | Film | Music | Events & Parties | (0) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Podcast: Ed Hunsinger’s How Not To Be Douchebag at SXSW

Time to start the 2010 podcast coverage of South by Southwest, rather than talk to the Festival organisers, there’s a more pressing matter to be dealt with first. How can you go to SXSW, interact with everyone, and not be a douchebag?

Luckily, I caught up with Ed Hunsinger in San Francisco before we both flew to Austin to talk about his panel, funnily enough called How Not To Be A Douchebag at SXSW (which runs today, Friday, at 5pm)

Today’s Guest
Ed Hunsinger: www.geeked.info, @EdRabbit

Download the MP3 file - RSS Feed - Show notes at The Podcast Network.

Posted by Ewan Spence on 03/12 at 02:13 AM
Interactive | Events & Parties | (0) Comments | Permalink

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Looking for a Music Wristband? 500 More On Sale Saturday

500 music wristbands will go on sale at Waterloo Records on Saturday, March 13. The cost is $165, limit one per customer, and they have to be placed on your wrist at time of sale.

If you miss this sale, don’t worry, starting on Wed 3/17, several of the music venues participating in the Music Festival will also have them for sale.

More information about wristbands.

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 08:30 PM
Music | (1) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Tips: Add These Crucial Numbers To Your Address Book

Just in case, I recommend adding the following numbers to your mobile phone’s address book.

The SXSW Headquarters line is (512) 467-7979.

I’d also enter in the phone number to your hotel’s front desk.

Don’t forget to add in entries for airline customer support if you’re flying in:

• Alaska Airlines: 1-800-252-7522
• American Airlines: 1-800-433-7300
• Continental Airlines: 1-800-523-3273
• Delta Air Lines: 1-800-221-1212
• Frontier Airlines: 1-800-432-1359
• JetBlue Airways: 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583)
• Southwest Airlines: 1-800-435-9792
• United Airlines: 1-800-241-6522
• US Airways: 1-800-428-4322

I would also add a few Austin taxi companies into your phone:

• Yellow Cab: (512) 452-9999
• Austin Cab: (512) 478-2222
• Lone Star Cab: (512) 836-4900

In Austin, I’ve had bad luck trying to hail a cab from the street, so calling ahead is always, always recommended.

And in the rare instance that you want to call 411, use Google’s free 411 service, at (800) 466-4411.

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 08:04 PM
Accomodations & Amenities | Austin Life | (0) Comments | Permalink

Posters, T-Shirts, and Vinyl Shopping during SXSW Music

If you find yourselves with some free time during the Music Festival, take note of these pop-up shops happening:

• Flatstock 24: one of the best poster conventions in the country, with tons of beautiful, silk-screened, limited edition artwork featuring your favorite artists
  Austin Convention Center, Level 1, Exhibit Hall 1
  Thu. 3/18, 1pm-6pm
  Fri 3/19 and Sat 3/20, 10am-6pm

• American Apparel Factory Flea Market: clothing and other items from American Apparel at a deep discount (up to 85% off).
  Mexican-American Cultural Center
  600 River Street (at 6th)
  Thu 3/18, Fri 3/19, and Sat 3/20, 12pm-10pm

• Austin Record Convention
  Early Shopper admission ($20), Thu 3/18 9am-6pm
  Regular, free admission, Fri 3/19, and Sat 3/20, 10am-6pm

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 04:16 PM
Music | (0) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Tips: PSA: Have Plenty of Cash on Hand, Tip the Waitstaff

So you’re a visitor in Austin during SXSW. You’re staying in a hotel, you’re eating, you’re drinking, you’re parking or taking cabs. That convention center latte isn’t going to be cheap either. And neither is paying those nasty ATM surcharges!

Although credit cards may be more convenient, having some cash on hand during SXSW will make splitting the bill with a group of friends much easier, as well as paying for food at a food cart or small items like a bottle of water at the coffee shop. I recommend having lots of small bills on hand.

And don’t forget to tip the waitstaff! Especially if it’s an open bar! After all, Austinites have to put up with tens of thousands of tourists in their town for 11 days straight. They have a lovely city, we’re just visiting....tens of thousands of us, that is! 

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 02:48 PM
(0) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Tips: Bring an Umbrella

Bring an umbrella or rain poncho, in case of sudden thunderstorms.

Yes, it does happen! And it’s not pretty, especially if you’re at an outdoor show and it starts hailing on the band playing!

Be prepared for bad weather one moment, and beautifully sunny skies the next. That’s just the way Austin is.

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 02:07 PM
(0) Comments | Permalink

Food Bloggers’ Guide to Austin

The Food Bloggers Guide to Austin is a compendium of lists of Austin’s best in food and drink by Austin food bloggers. Check out what people in the local food scene have to say about Asian, BBQ, burgers, cocktails, pizza, and more. (Note: many of the destinations listed may require a car, but as a 6th time visitor to Austin, I can say that it’s definitely worth the detour.)

Food, Pure and Simple

• Asian Food in Austin – Foodie is the New Forty
• BBQ – Man Up Texas BBQ
• Breakfast Tacos – Taco Journalism
• Gluten-Free – ATX Gluten-Free
• Pizza – Austin Epicurean
• Tacos – Citizen Taco
• Vegan – Lazy Smurf’s Guide to Life

Unique Austin Experiences

• 24 Hour Eats – Tasty Touring
• Boiled Down List of Awesome – Boots in the Oven (and they KNOW awesome)
• Breakfast Joints, Austin Style – The Cosmic Cowgirl
• Dining Out Sustainably – Austin Farm to Table
• The Newest Food Trailers – Tasty Touring
• Local Favorites – The Rebeccamendations
• Street Food – Austin Food Carts
• Upscale Dining – Foodie is the New Forty

Beer, Wine, and Cocktails

• Drinks Around Town – Fabulous Drinks Austin
• Happy Hours – Misohungry Makes it with Moonshine
• Where to Whet Your Whistle – Misohungry Makes it with Moonshine
• Wine Wednesdays – Fabulous Drinks Austin

Great work, guys!

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 02:00 PM
Food & Drink | (0) Comments | Permalink

Still Looking For Crash Space Downtown?

Checkout the Ride/Room share board, where two SXSWbaby users, Harris and Vas, are looking for roommates!

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 12:51 PM
Accomodations & Amenities | (0) Comments | Permalink

Check In to Win Prizes, Support Charities, and Find Friends

As you might have heard, both Gowalla and Foursquare have updated their mobile phone applications just in time for SXSW Interactive.

Foursquare has also added 16 new badges specific to the Interactive conference and festival and are giving away free Foursquare tattoos. In addition, they’ve also added four new badges specific to the Music conference and festival as well as a contest to win free tickets to SPIN’s showcase at Stubb’s. But more importantly, you can check in for charity with Foursquare. Starting at 9am CT tomorrow, Friday, March 12, every time you check-in on Foursquare in Austin or use the hashtag #sxswHaiti on Twitter, Microsoft and PayPal will donate 25 cents toward Save the Children up, to $15,000! Find out more on the Foursquare SXSW page.

Not to be out-done, Gowalla has also added Gowalla items that lucky folks can find scattered about town when they check in using Gowalla, some redeemable for prizes like Lomography analog cameras, Palm Pixi and Pre smartphones, Adobe CS4, and Eye-Fi cards! Gowalla is also supporting the Livestrong Foundation during SXSW. If you find a yellow Livestrong bracelet and add it to your collection, Gowalla will donate $1. Find out more on the Gowalla SXSW page.

And even if you’re not into checking in on services like Foursquare and Gowalla, you can use the handy sitby.us service to locate your friends in crowded panel rooms during the Interactive conference. It’s a mobile-friendly web site that allows you to check in to a room, mark your approximate location, and add a note that your friends can see. It uses Twitter to figure out who your contacts are and allows for easy posting of location to Twitter. 

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 12:37 PM
Interactive | Music | (0) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Tips: What To Do Upon Arrival to Austin

1. BREATHE: in that sweet Texas air! Mmmm.

2. LODGINGS: Go check into your hotel as soon as possible. Drop your bags off.

3. REGISTER: Go stand in line at the Convention Center to get your badge as soon as possible (lines will get long, heinously long) and bring a pen or something to fill out the registration form.

4. GET THE BAG: Get the Big Bag of conference materials (this is heavy, and filled with swag), go back to the hotel, and empty it out. I usually take out the conference guides/schedules, the Austin Chronicle, and party invites, and leave the rest for *cough* later. The pocket guides are key to SXSW survival. Don’t lose it! Platinum badgeholders, note that the SXSW Music pocket guides and materials sometimes aren’t ready until a few days into the Interactive/Film conferences.

5. BREATHE AGAIN: Take a nap or grab a quiet beer before the insanity starts. If you have time, of course.

6. GET THE PAPER: Going to SXSW Music? No music badge? Find a copy of the Austin Chronicle (Austin’s free alt-weekly) as they’ll have the entire showcase schedule printed up inside as well as a free map. This can easily be removed, and folded up. Also don’t forget to cut off the dangling tail of your wristband.

7. GET READY: Expect exhaustion. You can sleep when you’re dead, right? Cancel all appointments for the day after you get back.

8. GO: And most importantly be ready to: have fun, introduce yourself to strangers, to sleep too little, eat far too well, listen a whole bunch, think so hard your brain hurts, get way too excited, mix and mingle with tons of fascinating people, trade business cards, put names to faces to URLs, take a lot of photographs, drink lots of Shiner or Lone Star or Red Stripe or what have you, rock out, smile until your face hurts, make bundles of new friends, expand your blogroll like nobody’s business, fill up your brain with all sorts of new ideas, talk too much, see a lot of exciting and cool and inspiring things, have a ton of fun, network and party like you’ve never done before.

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 11:43 AM
(0) Comments | Permalink

SXSW Tips: PSA on iPhone Sounds: Please turn them off!

Imagine a conference room full of people trying to listen to a panel with a quiet speaker. A touching story about life at Fray Cafe. A quiet acoustic performance in the back room of the Red Eyed Fly. And the person next to you is thumbing out an email and you can hear them typing every single character.

Click. Click. Click, click, click. Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, whoosh.

Please turn off any extraneous notification sounds and keyboard clicks, or you’ll drive everyone around you insane from hearing those little iPhone typing sounds or an SMS notification wind chime.

In short: don’t be that guy.

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 08:50 AM
Interactive | Film | Music | Austin Life | Events & Parties | (0) Comments | Permalink

Pick Up Your Badge on Thursday, Pick Up Now on 1st Floor

Straight from South By Headquarters, badge pickup begins Thursday, March 11 at 3pm and runs until 10:00pm for those of you arriving in the evening. Badge pickup re-opens Friday, March 12, at 9am.

And, if you’ve been to SXSW before, note that badge pickup has now moved to the first floor of the Austin Convention Center. It is no longer up the escalators on the second floor. For easiest access, enter the ACC on Trinity St between 2nd St and 3rd St. rather than on 4th Street.

Posted by kathryn on 03/11 at 12:25 AM
Interactive | Film | SXSW Baby! | (0) Comments | Permalink

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

SXSW Tips: Dress in Layers

Austin weather in March? Fickle, fickle, fickle! Dress in layers.

Bring a light jacket or sweatshirt, because SXSW can get quite chilly at night, and the Convention Center is highly air conditioned as are the movie theatres! But many of the restaurants and bars have outdoor space.You’ll need to be prepared for multiple types of environments. Multiple t-shirts, tank tops, and a sweatshirt on top usually work well for me.

Austin spring is very unpredictable. It might be hot and humid the whole time you’re there, or it might be overcast and drizzling. Sometimes SXSW is gorgeous and warm, sometimes SXSW is plagued by chilly nights, and sometimes there are sudden thunderstorms!

Dress code tends towards the casual but hip (and painfully hip once SXSW Music starts). Pack accordingly.

Posted by kathryn on 03/10 at 10:33 PM
Austin Life | (0) Comments | Permalink