80's Night each Weds. at Arboretumville

Appearing This Week is Video Vamp

Tejano Central at Baby A's. El Mejor!

Everything you ever wanted to know about Columbus Day?

Columbus Day

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christopher Columbus Holiday
First Landing of Columbus on the Shores of the New World, after the painting by Discoro Téofilo de la Puebla
Observed by	Various countries in the Americas, Spain
Type	Historical
Significance	Celebrations honoring Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas in 1492
Date	October 12 (actual/traditional); second Monday in October (observed in the United States)
2009 date	October 12 (USA)
2010 date	October 11 (USA)
2011 date	October 10 (USA)
Related to	Thanksgiving in Canada, which falls on the same date

Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, specifically the Bahamas, which occurred on October 12, 1492 in the Julian calendar and October 21, 1492 in the modern Gregorian calendar, as an official holiday. The day is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, as Día de la Raza in many countries in the Americas, as Día de las Culturas (Day of the Cultures) in Costa Rica, as Discovery Day in the Bahamas, as Día de la Hispanidad and Fiesta Nacional in Spain and as Día de las Américas (Day of the Americas) in Uruguay. These holidays have been celebrated unofficially since the late 18th century, and officially in various countries since the early 20th century.

Contents 1 United States observance 1.1 Local observances 2 Día de la Raza 3 Venezuela 4 Spain 5 Opposition to Columbus celebrations 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

United States observance

Columbus Day first became an official state holiday in Colorado in 1906, and became a federal holiday in 1934. However, people have celebrated Columbus' voyage since the colonial period. In 1792, New York City and other U.S. cities celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landing in the New World. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison called upon the people of the United States to celebrate Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary of the event. During the four hundredth anniversary, in 1892, teachers, preachers, poets and politicians used Columbus Day rituals to teach ideals of patriotism. These patriotic rituals were framed around themes such as support for war, citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and celebrating social progress.^[1]
Catholic immigration in the mid-19th century induced discrimination from anti-immigrant activists such as the Ku Klux Klan. Like many other struggling immigrant communities, Catholics developed organizations to fight discrimination and provide insurance for the struggling immigrants. One such organization, the Knights of Columbus, chose that name in part because it saw Christopher Columbus as a fitting symbol of Catholic immigrants' right to citizenship: one of their own, a fellow Catholic, had discovered America.^[1]
Some Italian-Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage, the first occasion being in New York City on October 12, 1866.^[2] Columbus Day was first popularized as a holiday in the United States through the lobbying of Angelo Noce, a first generation Italian, in Denver. The first official, regular Columbus Day holiday was proclaimed by Colorado governor Jesse F. McDonald in 1905 and made a statutory holiday in 1907.^[3] In April 1934, as a result of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, Congress and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt October 12 was made a federal holiday under the name Columbus Day.^[3][4]
Since 1971, the holiday has been fixed to the second Monday in October, coincidentally the same day as Thanksgiving in neighboring Canada (which was fixed to that date in 1959). It is generally observed today by banks, the bond market, the U.S. Postal Service and other federal agencies, most state government offices, and some school districts. Some businesses and some stock exchanges remain open, however some states and municipalities abstain from observing the holiday.^[5]

Local observances

Actual observance varies in different parts of the United States, ranging from large-scale parades and events to complete non-observance.
Columbus Day remains a celebration in New York state, and government offices are closed, as are public schools.^[6] Not all universities in the state university system, SUNY, choose to observe the holiday. Denver, Colorado hosts a parade each year, which has been protested by Native American groups and their supporters for nearly two decades.^[7] Virginia celebrates two legal holidays on the day, Columbus Day and Yorktown Victory Day, which honors the final victory at the Siege of Yorktown in the Revolutionary War.^[8]
As in the mainland U.S., Columbus Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. In the United States Virgin Islands, however, the day is celebrated as "Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands Friendship Day." The state of Hawaii does not officially honor Columbus day and instead celebrates Discoverer's Day, commemorating the Polynesian discoverers of Hawaii, on the second Monday of October.^[9] The state government does not treat either Columbus Day or Discoverer's Day as a legal holiday;^[10] state, city and county government offices and schools are open for business, while federal government offices are closed. Some advocacy groups, including those that meet at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and the Chancery building of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, propose an Indigenous Peoples Day for Hawaii.^[11][12] Similarly, the city of Berkeley, California has replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People's Day since 1992.^[13] San Francisco claims the nation's oldest continuously-existing celebration with the Italian-American community's annual Colombus Day Parade, which was established by Nicola Larco in 1868. Nicola Larco was a community leader and founder of La Società Italiana di Mutua Beneficenza (itself established in 1858 and now the oldest continuously-existing Italian-American organization in the United States). Larco was also the business partner of Domenico Ghirardelli (the chocolate king). South Dakota celebrates the day as officially a state holiday known as "Native American Day" rather than Columbus Day.^[14] Columbus Day is not a legal holiday in Nevada, but it is a day of observance; schools and state, city and county government offices are open.^[15]

Día de la Raza

The date of Columbus' arrival in the Americas is celebrated in many countries in Latin America, although not in Brazil, (and in some Latino communities in the United States) as the Día de la Raza ("day of the race"), commemorating the first encounters of Europeans and Native Americans. The day was first celebrated in Argentina in 1917, Venezuela and Colombia in 1921, Chile in 1922, and Mexico in 1928. The day was also celebrated under this title in Spain until 1957, when it was changed to the Día de la Hispanidad ("Hispanity Day"), and in Venezuela until 2002, when it was changed to the Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance). Día de la Raza in many countries is seen as a counter to Columbus Day. It is used to resist the arrival of Europeans to the Americas and is used to celebrate the native races.
In the U.S. Día de la Raza has served as a time of mobilization for pan-ethnic Latino activists, particularly in the 1960s. Since then, La Raza has served as a periodic rallying cry for Hispanic activists. The first Hispanic March on Washington occurred on Columbus Day in 1996. The name has remained in the largest Hispanic social justice organization, the National Council of La Raza.^[1]

Venezuela

Current state (June 6, 2006) of the Columbus Walk in Caracas. The statue was knocked down by activists after a "public trial" during the celebrations of the newly instituted "Day of the Indigenous Resistance" (October 12) in 2004^[16][17]

Between 1921 and 2002, Venezuela had celebrated Día de la Raza along with many other Latin American nations. The original holiday was officially established in 1921 under President Juan Vicente Gómez. In 2002, under president Hugo Chávez, the name was changed to Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance) to commemorate the Indigenous peoples' resistance to European settlement. On October 12, 2004 a mob of pro-government activists toppled the statue of Columbus in Caracas and sprayed allusive graffiti over its pedestal. The pro-Chávez, website Aporrea wrote: "Just like the statue of Saddam in Baghdad, that of Columbus the tyrant also fell this October 12, 2004 in Caracas."^[18] The famous toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue had occurred the previous year.

Spain

See also: Fiesta Nacional de España

Since 1987, Spain has celebrated the anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the Americas as its Fiesta Nacional or "National Day".^[19] Previously Spain had celebrated the day as Día de la Hispanidad, emphasizing Spain's ties with the Hispanidad or international Hispanic community.^[19] In 1981 a royal decree established the Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday.^[19] However, in 1987 the name was changed to Fiesta Nacional, and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6.^[20] Spain's "national day" had moved around several times during the various regime changes of the 20th century; establishing it on the day of the international Columbus celebration was part of a compromise between conservatives, who wanted to emphasize the status of the monarchy and Spain's history, and Republicans, who wanted to commemorate Spain's burgeoning democracy with an official holiday.^[20] Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain's Day of the Armed Forces, celebrated each year with a military parade in Madrid.^[20] Other than this, however, the holiday is not widely or enthusiastically celebrated in Spain; there are no other large-scale patriotic parades, marches, or other events, and the observation is generally overshadowed by the feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar.^[20]

Opposition to Columbus celebrations

It is commonly believed^[who?] that opposition to Columbus celebrations dates to the later part of the 20th century. However, the current group of American Indian activists are not alone historically. In the 19th century, for example, activists sought to eradicate Columbus Day celebrations because they thought the Catholics would use the holiday to take over the country. Similarly, the notion that Columbus was responsible for more calamity and destruction than progress and prosperity has been a recurrent theme ever since Columbus's voyage. Even the notion of connecting Columbus and indigenous population collapse has been repeated periodically for centuries.^[21]
In the late 20th century, some groups voiced opposition to Columbus celebrations. Indigenous groups in particular have opposed the holidays as celebrating the man who initiated the European colonization of the new world. Opposition often focuses on the cruel treatment indigenous peoples faced at the hands of Columbus and later European settlers and the fact that the European conquest directly and indirectly caused a massive decline in population among the indigenous peoples. Some have argued that the responsibility of contemporary governments and their citizens for allegedly ongoing acts of genocide against Native Americans are masked by positive Columbus myths and celebrations. These critics argue that a particular understanding of the legacy of Columbus has been used to legitimize their actions, and it is this misuse of history that must be exposed. Thus, American Indian Movement of Colorado leader and activist Ward Churchill (formerly professor of Ethnic Studies at University of Colorado at Boulder) has argued that:

Very high on the list of those expressions of non-indigenous sensibility [that] contribute to the perpetuation of genocidal policies against Indians are the annual Columbus Day celebration, events in which it is baldly asserted that the process, events, and circumstances described above are, at best, either acceptable or unimportant. More often, the sentiments expressed by the participants are, quite frankly, that the fate of Native America embodied in Columbus and the Columbian legacy is a matter to be openly and enthusiastically applauded as an unrivaled "boon to all mankind". Undeniably, the situation of American Indians will not — in fact cannot — change for the better so long as such attitudes are deemed socially acceptable by the mainstream populace. Hence, such celebrations as Columbus Day must be stopped. (in "Bringing the Law Back Home")

The claim made here is that certain myths about Columbus, and celebrations of Columbus, make it easier for people today to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions, or the actions of their governments.
Norman Solomon reflects in Columbus Day: A Clash of Myth and History that many people choose to hold onto the myths surrounding Columbus whereas historians who deal with the evidence are frequently depicted as "politically correct" revisionists. He quotes from the logbook Columbus's initial description of the Indians: "They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance.... They would make fine servants.... With 50 men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want." In 1495, during the Second Voyage, Indians were transported to Spain as slaves, many dying en route. "Let us in the name of the Holy Trinity," Columbus later wrote, "go on sending all the slaves that can be sold." Solomon states that the most important contemporary documentary evidence is the multi volume History of the Indies by the Catholic priest Bartolome de las Casas. In contrast to "the myth" Solomon quotes Las Casas who describes Spaniards driven by "insatiable greed" — "killing, terrorizing, afflicting, and torturing the native peoples" with "the strangest and most varied new methods of cruelty" and how systematic violence was aimed at preventing "Indians from daring to think of themselves as human beings." The Spaniards "thought nothing of knifing Indians by tens and twenties and of cutting slices off them to test the sharpness of their blades", wrote Las Casas. "My eyes have seen these acts so foreign to human nature, and now I tremble as I write."^[22]
In time for the observation of Columbus Day 2004, the final volume of a compendium of Columbus era documents was published by University of California, Los Angeles's Medieval and Renaissance Center. Geoffrey Symcox, the general editor of the project asserted: "While giving the brilliant mariner his due, the collection portrays Columbus as an unrelenting social climber and self-promoter who stopped at nothing— not even exploitation, slavery, or twisting Biblical scripture— to advance his ambitions… Many of the unflattering documents have been known for the last century or more, but nobody paid much attention to them until recently… The fact that Columbus brought slavery, enormous exploitation or devastating diseases to the Americas used to be seen as a minor detail - if it was recognized at all - in light of his role as the great bringer of white man's civilization to the benighted idolatrous American continent. But to historians today this information is very important. It changes our whole view of the enterprise."^[23]
In the summer of 1990, 350 representatives from Indian groups from all over the hemisphere, met in Quito, Ecuador, at the first Intercontinental Gathering of Indigenous People in the Americas, to mobilize against the quincentennial celebration of Columbus Day. The following summer, in Davis, California, more than a hundred Native Americans gathered for a follow-up meeting to the Quito conference. They declared October 12, 1992, "International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People." The largest ecumenical body in the United States, the National Council of Churches, called on Christians to refrain from celebrating the Columbus quincentennial, saying, "What represented newness of freedom, hope, and opportunity for some was the occasion for oppression, degradation and genocide for others."^[24]
Venezuela's Hugo Chávez complied, renaming the Día de la Raza holiday the Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance) (see above). Since 1994, Costa Rica had changed the official holiday from Día de la Raza to Día de las Culturas (Day of the cultures) to recognize the mix of European, American, African and Asian cultures that helped to compose Costa Rican (and Latin American) culture.^[25]
F. David Peat asserts that many cultural myths of North America exclude or diminish the culture and myths of Native Americans and refers to the comments of Michael Berliner of the Ayn Rand Institute , on Columbus Day 1992, for his display of "prejudice" and "factual ignorance." Berliner hailed the European conquest claiming that Western civilization brought “reason, science, self-reliance, individualism, ambition, and productive achievement” to a people who were based in “primitivism, mysticism, and collectivism”, and to a land that was “sparsely inhabited, unused, and underdeveloped.”^[26] American anthropologist Jack Weatherford criticized that the Americans celebrate the greatest waves of genocide of the Indians known in history each year on Columbus Day.^[27]

Austin Tex Mex: Seven Restaurants That Can’t Be Missed

Ah, yes, it's good to be King!!!!
Tex Mex

cuisine is something that can’t be missed if you’re visiting Austin. If you live in this diverse and exciting city, you’ve probably found some great spots to enjoy this unique form of cuisine. For those not in the know, Tex Mex food takes the best of Mexican food with the best of Southern-American food for a tasty blend of flavors.
If you need to find some new spots in Austin to get your Tex Mex fix, try these restaurants on for size.

1. Baby Acapulco
This restaurant located in the Barton Springs district is well known for its margaritas and authentic dishes. There’s a patio where you can enjoy your food as well as indoor seating. Baby Acapulco often features live music performances that enhance the mood of the restaurant and increase the enjoyable atmosphere.
2. Chuy’s

3. Cisco’s

4. Maudie’s Café

5. Antonio’s Mexican Restaurant

6. Trudy’s South Star

7. Texican Café

As can be expected, Austin is home to some wonderful Tex Mex. Use this list to start exploring what the city has to offer and try out some new favorites.

Weekend of 9/10/10 Highlgihts

Music, Sports, Food, Drinks, and Fun - OLE!

Friday nite: Frank Gomez @ BA Central
Too Blue @ Arboretumville

Sat. Nite: Blue Mist Band @ BA Central
Big UT vs. WY Game on the Big Screens @ Arboretumville
(HOOK'EM HORNS!!!)

Sunday: The Jazz Pharaohs @ Arboretumville Brunch 11am-3pm
DJ Tarek and Licksamba @ Brunch at The Springs 11am-3pm

A Two-fer Tuesday at Baby A's!

A Two-fer Tuesday at Baby A's!

Karaoke @ Baby A's Eastside

& 

Trivia Night @ Baby A's Arboretumville

What are you waiting for?

The Mix Show Live with A.J. Castillo at Baby A's!

The Mix Show @ Baby A’s with A.J. Castillo

September 16, 2010

 
The Mix Show with JK and DJ Bad Boy Pulido will be at Baby A’s on I35 September 16th. The Mix Show will be there from 5-7pm with live music following from A.J. Castillo. 

 
Wherever The Mix Show is at, it is a hot spot so come out listen to the great music and taste the great food.
Address: 5610 N IH-35
Phone: (512)302-1366
Hours:
Sun-Thurs
11AM – 11PM
Fri & Sat
11AM – Midnight
Heading North on IH35: Take the 290 Exit. Go underneath the Highway in the U-Turn and head South on the Access Road. Get in the Right hand lane and Baby Acapulco is located on the right side after the Texaco. If you hit 51st you’ve gone too far.
Heading South on IH35: Take the 51st Street Exit. Merge to the right immediately after exiting the highway and Baby A’s is on the right hand side. 

Heading South on 183: Take the IH35 Exit and Head South. Once on IH35 take the 51st Street exit. Baby A’s is on the Right hand side.
From 290: At the intersection of 290 and IH 35 go south onto the IH 35 axcess road. Baby’s is on the right hand side.
From Mopac: Exit on 2222, and go East. Stay on the skinny road all the way until you hit Hwy 290. Stay on the access road until to get to IH 35. Turn right and Baby A’s is on the right hand side.

Pure Tejano Radio is an online station streaming from Austin, TX. Visit them at any time to jam to your favorite Tejano music 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. You won’t be disappointed.

Para La Gente 95.1FM / 1560 AMAustin’s local tejano radio station doesn’t have a website, but you can catch them in your car and at home by setting the dial at 95.1 FM or 1560 AM or come down to Baby A's on Sept. 16th for one of their live radio remotes and Tejano concerts and meet the gang in person.

Live Band Karaoke Every Thursday @ Arboretumville

NO REST FOR THE WEARY, THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH FUN TO BE HAD

@ BABY A'S...

THURSDAY NIGHTS, THE PARTY CONTINUES WITH LIVE BAND KARAOKE ARBORETUMVILLE...

DO THE HUMPTY DUMP INSTEAD OF HUMP DAY DOING YOU!

TRIVIA WEDNESDAYS AT BABY A'S GREAT NORTH IN PFLUGERVILLE!

What is the the hottest thing in Arboretumville on Tuesday nights?

TRIVIA TUESDAYS AT BABY A'S STONELAKE!!!!

Tuesdays and Wednesdays Just Got Smarter at Baby A's!

Trivia Tuesdays

 @ Arboretumville

7-10pm

AND....

Music Trivia Wednesdays 

@ Baby A's Great North in Pflugerville

7-10pm

Baby A's Trivia Nights:  Where useless knowledge shines!

Austin: Weird and Eccentric - Gotta Love It!

You Know You're In Austin when....

• Your co-worker tells you they have 8 body piercings but none are visible.
• You make over $100,000 and still can't afford a house.
• You never bother looking at the Capital Metro schedule because you know the drivers have never seen it.
• You've been to more than one baby shower that has two mothers and a sperm donor.
• You have a very strong opinion where your coffee beans are grown and can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian.
• A really great parking space can move you to tears.
• You know that anyone wearing pants in November is just visiting from Ohio.
• Your child's 3rd grade teacher has two pierced ears, a nose ring and is named "Breeze." And, after telling that to a friend, they still need to ask if the teacher is male or female.
• You are thinking of taking an adult class but you can't decide between yoga, aromatherapy, conversational Mandarin or one on building your own web site.
• You haven't been to Hippie Hollow since the first month you moved to Austin.
• A man walks on The Drag in full leather regalia and crotchless chaps ...You don't notice.
• A woman walks on The Drag with live poultry ...You don't notice.
• You think any guy with a George Clooney haircut must be visiting from the midwest.
• You know that any woman with a George Clooney haircut is not a tourist.
• You keep a list of companies to boycott.
• Your hairdresser is straight, your plumber is gay, the woman who delivers your mail is straight and your Mary Kay Lady is a guy in drag.
• You occasionally see a guy on a unicycle whiz by you in your car and you say to yourself, "Oh yeah, it's that guy again..."
• You start to worry when you don't see the cross-dressing, bearded guy in-a-tutu-and-bikini-top-who-has-made-a-statement-with-his-grocery-cart-and-cardboard-box-art/shelter on your way to work in the morning. Scarier yet, you know his name is name is actually Leslie.
• You'll make dinner or bar plans around who's got the best margaritas (Well, we all know that is Baby A's, of course!.)
• You have a tough time deciding on one of Austin's eight 24-hour resaraunts (Katz', Kerbey Lane, Star Seeds, Magnolia Cafe, IHOP, Denny's, the Kettle, or Jim's).
• You complain about their prices but still shop at Central Market for the scene.
• You don't even think about getting good seats to the Longhorns football games.
• You know the exact locations of three towing yards.
• Your summer shoes are your Birks and your winter shoes are your Birks w/ socks.
• Your entire wardrobe consists of: a black tank top, a GAP white T-shirt, second-hand Levi's, second-hand cut-off Levi's, overalls, Longhorns sweats, anything polyester from the 70's, a bikini, Tevas, Birkenstocks, and running shoes.
• Dressing up to go out for a woman means throwing a tank top on over the sports bra you've had on all day b/c it's so DAMN HOT.
• You often find yourself wondering why magazine editors insist that swimsuit season starts on Memorial Day when it's really the end of February or at the latest, the beginning of March.
• You consider chips, salsa, Baby A's Queso, and Shiner Bock beer a well balanced meal.
• You find yourself making beaded necklaces to give away as Christmas gifts.
• 100 degrees for three straight months isn't unreasonable, 110 degrees is. And 90 degrees anywhere between May and September seems a little chilly.
• You figure skin cancer is inevitable b/c it's so DAMN HOT even your sunscreen won't stay on.
• When you go out, you make sure you've grabbed your water bottle before checking to see if you've got your wallet and keys.
• You don't mind parking a mile away as long as it's in the shade.
• Nobody's aware that Southwestern went out of style.
• (Gals) You ask yourself constantly if that's a cute guy or a butch girl. And you really don't care either way cuz it's fun to wonder.
• You'd rather ride your bike than get in a car without air conditioning. At least on your bike, you're guaranteed a breeze regardless of traffic.
• You see more Texas flags flying than American flags.
• You spend so much time at the local Coffee House, you finally start bringing in your own CD's for the staff to play.
• Your professor decides in the middle of the Government lecture that now's as good of a time as ever to tell his class of 500 he's gay. Like you didn't know. Like you even care.
• There is no doubt in your mind that you live in the coolest city in the world!

Stay cool, Austin!

How to survive a Texas summer

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Weather forcasters are predicting record high temps this week.
The record is held in 1925 when Austin went 69 days with 100 degrees-plus temeratures. But Austin's National Weather Service representative Joe Baskin said: " We' are not in bad shape. We have had years where we had 20 days of 100 degree weather."
A normal temperature for July of this year is 84.5 degrees and 84.2 in June whereas in 1993 the normal was 85.2 in June and 85.3 in July.
What to do to keep cool:

• Drink water, even if you are not thirsty.

• Fill your bathtub with cool water and get in. Your body will stay cool for a long time after you get out.

• Enjoy your  early walk, run, hike, bike, gardening, or yard work in the morning and evening when it's cool.

• Avoid direct sunlight.

• Use a hint of mint.Try a few minty or menthol products to cool your skin.

• Try a cold stone treatment. Go to the nearest outdoor space and select some smooth rocks, rinse them and lay them in your freezer in a piece of fabric. After about an hour, they'll be cold enough to rest on your wrists, neck and other pulse points to keep cool.

• Take a glass and fill it almost to the brim with ice cubes. Then hold it up to your mouth and blow gently into the cup.

• Breathe like a yogi. Try the yoga practice of shitali pranayama.

• Eat spicy food. It's not a coincidence that many people in hotter regions of the world eat spicy food. Spicy (hot to the taste) food increases perspiration which cools the body as it evaporates.

• Don’t eat; graze.

• Use rubbing alcohol and a wash cloth, pour some alcohol onto the cloth and rub it onto your face, and stand in front of or under moving air and the evaporating alcohol makes it feel around 30 degrees.

• Think cool. You might not be cooler physically, but your mind can help.

• Stick your feet out of your blankets.

• Dress for the heat. 

What to wear to keep cool:

• If you're in a situation where you can go without clothes, this can be the most comfortable, natural way to stay cool. (Not recommended for work situations.)
   
• Put on a swimsuit, or wear your underwear at home.
   
• Wear natural fabrics (cotton, silk, linen) rather than polyester, rayon, or other artificial fibers (with the possible exception of performance fabrics).
   
• Take off your shoes or hat while indoors.
   
• Wear light colors.

• Cover Up. By protecting your skin from the sun beating down, you'll also shade your skin.

Alterations you can make to your clothes and self to cool off:

• Ball up and soak a T-shirt and wear it, re-wet as it dries, and use room-temperature water. Use a synthetic shirt.

• Wet your wrists and temples. Use a piece of ice wrapped in a face cloth to continue after the coolness wears off.

• Wear a short sleeved shirt and put water on the sleeves. Use a squirt bottle, the sink or hose if outside to keep your sleeves wet.

• If you are outside and wearing long pants and you put water on your legs.

•  A bandana, soaked in water and tied around the neck, cools quickly and protects against sunburn. 

 How to keep your house cool:

• Use light-colored roofing. If you have the choice, choose a lighter roof or roof coating. It will reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it

• Plant Trees around for shade

• Don't put rocks, concrete, or brick patios right against the house where they will reflect heat onto walls or windows

Cautions and Warnings:

• Be sure to keep an eye on babies, children, pregnant women, and the elderly because they are more prone to overheating.

• If you experience symptoms of heat stroke or dehydration, call 911.

• Don't let your temperature rise, a body temperature above 104 °F (40 °C) is life-threatening and if it reaches 113 °F (45 °C), it's deadly.

• In many areas, high day temperatures can set off afternoon thunderstorms. Be prepared for such weather situations.

And from the Governor's Office of Emergency Management: 

• Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle during hot weather, even for a short time.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid beverages with caffeine, lots of sugar or alcohol.
• Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. When planning to work outside, do it early in the morning or in the evening, during the cooler hours of the day. Take frequent breaks when working outside.
• Wear sun block, a hat and loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors reflect heat and sunlight, and help your body maintain normal temperatures.
• Remember that sunburn makes the body’s job of keeping cool more difficult.
• Check with a doctor about the effects of sun and heat in combination with prescription drugs, especially diuretics or antihistamines.
• Stay indoors as much as possible. If you don't have air conditioning, stay on the lowest floor of a building out of the sun. Use electric fans because they help sweat to evaporate, which cools your body.
• Eat smaller, well balanced meals, but eat more often.
• Make sure pets are provided with plenty of water and shade.
• The signs of heat illness can include dizziness, nausea, headaches and muscle cramps. If you experience these symptoms, move to a cooler area and rest a few minutes, then slowly drink a cool beverage. Seek medical attention immediately if conditions do not improve.

Other weather and emergency preparedness resources can be found:
Department of State Health Services Heat Precautions Web page
American Red Cross at: www.redcross.org or www.ready.gov
 
For more information, contact Public Information at (512) 424-2138 or visit GDEM’s Web site:

( How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning, 10 Ways to Stay Cool, Five Unusual Ways to Stay Cool)

10Best.com Ten Best Tex-Mex Restaurants in Austin

We may be Number 2 but We Try Harder...

Ten Best Austin Restaurants

Tex-Mex

At 10Best, we're always on the lookout for Austin's best restaurants, and while we appreciate places that have a broad culinary range, we can't help but adore restaurants that specialize in a given cuisine. You'll find any of the restaurants on our list to be fantastic options for Tex-Mex cuisine, and if you're looking to concentrate your efforts, start with the vibrant East Austin area.

 

Antonio's Mexican Restauran

Baby AcapulcoCategory: Tex-Mex - Austin Restaurants

Address: 1628 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704

   

For delicious margaritas and authentic Southwestern dishes, Austin's Baby Acapulco is your best bet. This Austin TexMex restaurant in Barton Springs offers both patio and indoor seating, and regularly schedules live music performances that are upbeat and lively. With a kids menu, enticing appetizers, sizzling fajitas and more of your favorite...

Chuy's

Cisco's

El Azteca

Maudie's Caf

Texican Caf�

The Oasi

Trudy's South Star

Vivo

Lala Song Player - I'll Always Love My Mama by The Intruders

Lala Song Player - I'll Always Love My Mama by The 
Intruders 




]

You want entertainment? Oh, we got it big time!

Entertainment at Baby Acapulco Restaurant
This weekend is smokin' hot. Tonite Naked@2am Central & Billy Brown's Tripleshot intoxicates at Arboretumville.
Saturday nite Naked@2am spreads the love to Arboretumville and it's a SHAKEDOWN at BA Central.

And... in just enough time to get respectable for Mama,
back by popular demand is Mariachi Relampago from 2pm-5pm at Arboretumville to serenade your Mama and make her feel like the special lady she is!

And Remember to Be Good to Your Mother on Mother's Day and Everyday or Else...

Cinco de Mayo at Baby A's!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us at Baby A's!

Come to Baby A's Central off I35 on Cinco de Mayo to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some fun and entertainment.

5pm - 7pm - Pure Tejano Radio will be on hand broadcasting live with prizes and lots of great music.

7-10pm - Live music from the AT Boys. 

So, get your two step on and your big hat and come on down.  Ole!

AND... at Baby A's Arboretumville we'll have Live Tejano music from 7-9pm.  Either way, you can't lose.

In case you've always wondered what Cinco de Mayo is all about...

Cinco de Mayo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which occurs on September 16.

Cinco de Mayo
Battle of Puebla
Observed by	US Americans, mixed nationality citizens of Puebla, Puebla
Type	multinational
Date	May 5, 1862
Observances	Regional celebration in Mexico of battle victory. Celebration in the United States of Mexican-American culture and experiences. Only somewhat celebrated in Mexico. Food, music, folkloric dancing

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday celebrated in the United States and primarily limited to the state of Puebla in Mexico.^[1][2] The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.^[3][4]
Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily.^[5][6] While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States (also voluntarily) and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.^[7] Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day,^[8] which actually is September 16,^[9] the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.^[10]

History

In 1861, Benito Juarez stopped making interest payments to countries that Mexico owed money to. In response, France^[11] attacked Mexico to force payment of this debt. France decided that it would try to take over and occupy Mexico.^[12] France was successful at first in its invasion; however, on May 5, 1862, at the city of Puebla, Mexican forces were able to defeat an attack by the larger French army. In the Battle of Puebla, the Mexicans were led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. Although the Mexican army was victorious over the French at Puebla, the victory only delayed the French advance on Mexico City. A year later, the French occupied Mexico. The French occupying forces placed Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico on the throne of Mexico in 1864. The French, under pressure from the United States, eventually withdrew in 1866-1867. Maximilian was deposed by President Benito Juarez and executed, five years after the Battle of Puebla.
The Battle of Puebla was important for at least two reasons. First, although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army. "This battle was significant in that the 4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years."^[13][14] Second, it was significant because since the Battle of Puebla no country in the Americas has been invaded by an army from another continent.^[15]

History of observance

Cinco de Mayo dancers greeted by President George W. Bush.

According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States, the modern American focus on the people of the world that day first started in California in the 1860s in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico.^[16] The 2007 paper notes that "The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico."^[16]

Observances

Mexico

Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday limited primarily to the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday in other parts of the country.^[17] For the most part the celebrations combine food, music, and dancing.

United States

Cinco de Mayo performers at the White House

In the United States Cinco de Mayo has taken on a significance beyond that in Mexico.^{[16][18][19][20]} The date is perhaps best recognized in the United States as a date to celebrate the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican ancestry, much as St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, and the Chinese New Year are used to celebrate those of Irish, German, and Chinese ancestry respectively. Similar to those holidays, Cinco de Mayo is observed by many Americans regardless of ethnic origin. Celebrations tend to draw both from traditional Mexican symbols, such as the Virgen de Guadalupe, and from prominent figures of Mexican descent in the United States, including César Chávez.^[21] To celebrate, many display Cinco de Mayo banners while school districts hold special events to educate pupils about its historical significance. Special events and celebrations highlight Mexican culture, especially in its music and regional dancing. Examples include baile folklórico and mariachi demonstrations held annually at the Plaza del Pueblo de Los Angeles, near Olvera Street. Commercial interests in the United States have capitalized on the celebration, advertising Mexican products and services, with an emphasis on beverages,^[22] foods, and music.^[23][24]

So Great I Had to Share...

It's great to receive a nice friendly pat on the back every once in a while from patrons who write us via the Baby A's site. Thank you to the author for the kind words and kudos.



Check it, yo....

Comments: This past Saturday night my wife and i held a social munch at your central location starting around 7pm. This could NOT have been a better experience! I have nothing but Kudos for you guys! Ya'll were slammed yet everything went off without a hitch! Thank you baby a's.

First off, we had 5 more show up than we had reserved. No problem! Our waitress and the management worked with us, helped us move tables around and were just so pleasant while doing so. And then there's the waitress.............OMG! Couldn't have had a better waitress! All we heard as the hosts were one good thing after another about this young lady. Her name was Jaime and I personally hope she'll be with you guys for a long time because she's the waitress I'd want! She handled 23 people, whom may i add, were both drinking it up and eating it up, with grace, politeness and with a smile on her face! I can not say enough good things of this young lady! She was so nice and so on top of everything!!!! A great asset to your company i personally believe! And the managers, oh wow!, what nice guys! I know me personally, I was so happy and so buzzed (from your great purples! :-) and for some reason felt the need to reverberate it to the management just how great our night was even though they were slammed doing their job! They were too kind! More polite than they should have been probably! (And guys, I'm so sorry if i bugged ya'll too much!) lol

I could write and write of instances that i was impressed w/ but then I'd get no work done today. Point being.............No matter what issued arised or what we needed, Baby A's, the staff and the management were there to meet those and went above and beyond! Plus we had the best waitress in the house! You've always been my favorite restaurant, (hence why we picked it) and my wife and I will be customers for many many years to come!

See you guys next month and thank you for everything!

Yeah Baby, Brunch at Baby A's!

 

Barton Springs Brunch Menu