Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me.
This Rollercoaster Message
A Japanese amusement park is open but has a guideline for guests riding their rollercoasters – scream inside your heart to prevent spreading germs. I’m sure we’re all doing that these days. This inspired local brewery Austin Beerworks to make an imperial stout called Please Scream Inside Your Heart.
Wonderspaces Austin
A new art exhibit space opened up in Austin, and I was invited for a little preview. Wonderspaces features 12 installations from artists around the world in a huge space on the northeast side of town. Because of the big space, limited guest capacity, and lots of safety protocols in place, I felt safe visiting. There are some really cool exhibits to see. My favorite was Body Paint, where your movements create bursts of color on the screen. The photo above shows what it’s like!
Feeling Safe
“I felt safe.” Isn’t that a weird caveat of places we visit these days? It’ll be interesting to look back on this time and remember all the precautions we took when we went out. Or maybe you haven’t gone out. There’s also a lot of judgment on people who are taking vacations, even if it’s a staycation. Remember at the beginning where no one went anywhere? It’s a weird time we’re living in and I will definitely have more appreciation for the little things, like making plans.
Parenthood Now
Can parents have a career while caring for their children at home? This New York Times article shares the thoughts of one parent and the author/blogger of Smitten Kitchen. I’ve said it before and I know it’s a reaching comparison, but taking care of a puppy while working from home has a pinch of the things parents deal with today. Maybe it would be easier if Kaira was a kid that could express her needs but nonetheless, the commitment to care for a needy being is exhausting. I feel for all the parents!
Cat and Shirley
I liked this story about a photographer and her friends who experience homelessness.
Welp
There’s a new Instagram account in Austin that is making a lot of noise in the hospitality industry and has inspired similar accounts in other cities. Service workers are able to submit their stories about management and they usually deal with harassment, unsafe work environments due to employees behaving badly, and bad food handling practices. These stories are not fact-checked and are posted anonymously with permission from the submitter.
Cancel culture has become rampant and it promotes public, online shaming. It can happen to a person/public figure or business. Canceling is a result of how the public reacts. This Instagram account brings to light shortcomings in businesses and gives them an opportunity to fix them. We can either watch how businesses make things right or find ourselves with a shortlist of businesses that do it right all the time. There’s no simple answer, but I like the accountability of the account, especially when it seems like a business needs an extra push to do what’s right.
Finding Cake
Did you see my post about Sweet Cakes 4 U? I made a long drive to Buda (a city south of Austin) to try this cake that my friend Janna has been raving about. It was some pretty good cake but also a good revelation.
Regenerative
I’ve been following TerraPurezza, a local Austin farm, since dining at Apis a few years ago. Their mission is regenerative agriculture and now they’ve been tapped to make it happen on Willie Nelson’s ranch. This article shares the exciting news.
Simone Biles
You know I like Vogue cover stories. This one about Simone Biles gives a look into her life that we haven’t seen before.
Thank you, John Lewis
John Lewis, civil rights leader passed away in July and wrote this essay to be published on the day of his funeral. In the essay, he says, “I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe.”
What’s got you captivated lately?
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