Sunday, March 16, 2008
Another year, another SXSW, another oath that I'll never attend again. I may have bitched in previous years about its myriad hassles, but this time it really jumped the shark. Front-page NY Times articles and parties hosted by Perez Hilton and Rachael Ray? C'mon. (I believe the latter was the first SXSW day party I've seen with actual catered food as opposed to Costco platters and beer kegs. That said, it was yummo.)
The rub is that my store will be on the front lines for next year's SXSW. AMLI rented out my roof this whole weekend, in fact -- literally: iheartcomix (don't worry if you haven't heard of them) and several other indie-cred aspirants hosted what amounted to a weekend-long blowout on it. Granted, I doubt there's any way AMLI could host a repeat next year -- the event transpired on the top floor of the building's four-story parking garage, which isn't yet filled with cars only because AMLI's adjacent apartments remain mostly vacant -- but Lambert's was an official event venue this year and last, and all the ground-floor restaurants/retail on my block will be up and and running by spring 2009, so it makes sense that my neighbors will jump into the fray as well. (Then there's the question of whether I wlll, too. I'll have a large open space and 20-foot ceilings, both well-suited for live music and/or private events, but let's cross that bridge later.)
Brief store update: I'll spare you a rehash of all the myriad delays, most beyond my control, but the architectural drawings are truly, finally going to be ready to submit to the city for permit approval this week. More updates once they hit the presses.
The rub is that my store will be on the front lines for next year's SXSW. AMLI rented out my roof this whole weekend, in fact -- literally: iheartcomix (don't worry if you haven't heard of them) and several other indie-cred aspirants hosted what amounted to a weekend-long blowout on it. Granted, I doubt there's any way AMLI could host a repeat next year -- the event transpired on the top floor of the building's four-story parking garage, which isn't yet filled with cars only because AMLI's adjacent apartments remain mostly vacant -- but Lambert's was an official event venue this year and last, and all the ground-floor restaurants/retail on my block will be up and and running by spring 2009, so it makes sense that my neighbors will jump into the fray as well. (Then there's the question of whether I wlll, too. I'll have a large open space and 20-foot ceilings, both well-suited for live music and/or private events, but let's cross that bridge later.)
Brief store update: I'll spare you a rehash of all the myriad delays, most beyond my control, but the architectural drawings are truly, finally going to be ready to submit to the city for permit approval this week. More updates once they hit the presses.
