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It is exciting, and hard to believe that the  3rd Annual Austin Modern Home Tour only 2 days away! While the rainy weather might be bringing you down today, it’s going to be a gorgeous Saturday, providing the perfect afternoon for visiting some of Austin’s most  inspiring homes.

Advance tickets to tour the 16 homes and have access to the architect panel at Trulucks are just $10. Advance tickets are ONLY ON SALE THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN 29 at 5:00 PM. After that, you gotta buy your tickets at the door for $20.

Last week, we previewed highlights from just a portion of the homes of the tour, and this week, we’re bringing you information regarding the amazing features of more of these special home. Remember that many of these homes are for sale, and going on this tour gives you first-hand access to the best real estate in Central Texas. If you’re not considering buying, these homes also provide great design tips and ideas on how to update your own habitat to make it more interesting and to better fit your needs. Each home has something remarkable about it, and you can choose to visit all of them, or just the ones that draw your eye.

NOTE: Homes aren’t listed in any particular order, and you can, of course visit them in any order you choose.

Resembling a majestic canyon with striking limestone masonry work, this 3-bedroom, 2 full- and 2 half-bath home, provides 4700 sqft of natural light and high ceilings. Walk in the wide glass front door to an open floor plan, and picture yourself sitting next to the wide fireplace on a cold evening. Imagine watching the sunset from the spacious backyard, or cooking a fancy dinner in the gourmet kitchen with granite counters and custom oak cabinets. This home is currently for sale, so practice your potential new life in this abode by previewing it this Saturday. Presented by ModAustin.net, be sure to stop by 2618 Wooldridge Dr. to view this beautiful home.

View this contemporary Pemberton Heights home designed by Architect Nick Deaver this Saturday on The Modern Home Tour.

Views of downtown and Ladybird Lake mixed with proximity to the great shopping of South Congress give this home a highly desired location. The home has the innovative planning of having primary public living spaces upstairs and private bedrooms downstairs facing an intimate courtyard. All of the homes on the tour have creative use of windows and natural light, but this home in particular uses a solid wall of windows to make the home feel a part of the city that surrounds it. Presented by the forever fashionable Room Service Vintage, visit this home to see 2700 sqft of perfectly designed space.

Located at 204 Annie, this home is nestled in a great neighborhood.

The Modern Home Tour has something for everyone with homes of every size and style of modern design, and this next home demonstrates how a condo can have a huge space, a balcony, a patio area, and still be low maintenance. Located in old Travis Heights, and close to several other homes on the tour, this 78704 gem has a penthouse style floor plan with a dramatic indoor rock garden and fountain. Currently listed on the market, this home is sure to impress anyone interested in eco-friendly architecture with bamboo flooring located throughout. Visit this home at 2106 Eastside Dr next to Big Stacy Park,  and see the 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths for yourself.

The outside patio and deck of this home provide two great relaxing places to spend early mornings and late nights.

Presented by Agave Architectural, this home at 5912 Toscana Ave. sits inside the nation’s largest modern home community of Nine Sixty Nine. Only 6 miles from downtown down Martin Luther King Blvd, this home is located at the highest elevation in East Austin, giving perfect views of the UT tower, the Capitol building, and the rolling hills and landscape surrounding the city. If you haven’t had the chance to explore the Nine Sixty Nine community yet, don’t miss this chance to be incredibly surprised by the beauty of this modern home oasis. This home was built to allow for minimum waste during construction, has many energy saving features, and has natural, low maintenance flooring.

Currently listed for sale, visit this 3 bedroom, 3 bath home to see the future of East Austin eco-friendly living.

The next home brings us back to downtown, and close to everything an entertainment-lover could possibly need: walking distance to 6th street bars for South by Southwest, shopping in the 2nd Street District, and Zilker Park for ACL. The home is the recent winner of the 2008 Wilfried Wang Award from the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, and Architect Bercy Chen Studio was selected as one of ten best international firms in the Architectural Record Design Vanguard Competition. Lounge in this home, then take your bike over to the park. Come sit on the fabulous deck, and check out 2113 Riverview.

This home can be yours, preview it this weekend to picture your potential parties on the upstairs patio.

Urbanspace Realtors brings you this  5 star green built home surrounded by the nature of Bouldin Creek. Highlights include a Chef’s kitchen, a built-in home theater system, and a beautiful patio with downtown views. This home is currently for sale, and you can preview the zen garden with fireplace on Saturday as you gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Add 1105 S. 3rd St to your list of South Austin homes to see on the tour.

With 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, this is a perfect home for a family that loves to entertain.

Driving by this home makes you wonder what it must look like inside. The bright shades of blue on the exterior draw the eye towards this contemporary home located minutes from downtown in hip East Austin. This home boasts reclaimed wood siding, renewable local wood floors, energy star appliances, minimal impervious ground cover, recycled plastic, and a sawdust deck. Currently on the market, and located at 1605 Chestnut Ave, this home has tons of natural light and large sliding glass doors.

Step inside these blue walls to see the spacious floor plan of this East Austin home.

This perfect single-family dwelling looks like a wall of refined wood from the outside, but on the inside this 2400 sqft home provides privacy and style.  This home features passive solar design, slab on grade with diamond ground finish, bio-base and recycled denim insulation. Modern overhanging stairs lead to the open second story, and the outdoor courtyard is the perfect location for breakfast in the shade. This home is presented by Deborah Main Designs, and has creative interior design to inspire every visitor.

Visit this wooden marvel on 702 W. Live Oak

The next home, located at 2900 Willowbridge Circle, puts a modern twist on traditional design. Nestled in Tarrytown, walk up the large concrete path towards this contemporary home resting on a cul-de-sac with a huge yard for plenty of privacy.  The home has 4 bedrooms with an open kitchen, and stands apart from neighboring residences with the large windows and big exposed beams.

Listed on the market, this unique home combines Tarrytown tradition and modern design.

The final home in this preview is perhaps the most grandiose on the tour, and definitely the most interesting home in the popular Mueller development. This location is a multiple winner at 2009 Parade of Homes because of the gorgeous, contemporary, LEED Silver and NAHB Gold certified design.  The home proudly boasts 3 outdoor living areas, 242 sqft outdoor sunset room on the 3rd floor with elevator access, and is currently listed for sale. Drive East on Saturday afternoon to  view this property presented by Streetman Homes.

4217 Camacho St is the location for this 4 bedroom dream home

If you haven’t yet, hurry now to buy your tickets for The Modern Home Tour taking place on Saturday, January 30th from Noon to 6PM. This driving tour is family friendly, you can visit the homes in any order you wish, and see as many of them as you desire. Tickets will also be on sale the day of the event for $20, so don’t miss your chance to get a peek inside some of the most exclusive homes in Austin.

Photo by Randy Cremean

As anyone who has had the joy of seeing The Soldier Thread perform live can attest, the band has a style mixing grandiose, warm melodies with piercing vocals matched to poignant notes of blending a string quartet with escalating guitars. Lyrics of love, longing, and complex relationships overlay this unique soundscape of modern ambient rock, creating something truly beautiful to the ears. The band carries appeal for every listener with their soothing, catchy original sound.  Seeing them in the dark, intimate setting inside Stubb’s will only add to the intensity of their blasting anthemic melodies. Their breathtaking music, which can be compared as part Stars with a hint of Explosions in the Sky, has already obtained notable acclaim in a town where everybody seems to be putting out an album, by reaching the #2 spot at Waterloo Records with their debut EP Fevers and Fireworks.

The band’s full length, Shapes, continues to fall under the their personal mantra “Mend Your Heart With Soldier Thread,” with emotive swelling instrumental waves combined with heartbreaking vocals. The band continues to progress with their sound, and watching them play live is a show not to miss especially due to their increasing popularity.

Catch The Soldier Thread at Stubb’s BBQ on Friday, January 29th playing with New Orleans’ MyNameIsJohnMichael with doors at 9PM and tickets only $8. Tickets can be purchased online here.  Buy one today, and spend your Friday evening being blown away by The Soldier Thread.

We’ve all stood in front of our closets, sighing and flustered, right before a big event thinking that with all the clothes in hanging in front of us… somehow, we still have nothing to wear. Walking down any street in Austin, or going downtown on a weekend night can bring about jealousy towards the person next to you with the better outfit on, and questions loom over where they got that great dress. Now is that time to fix your fashion crisis by finishing up the Modern Home Tour and spending Saturday early evening at Beauty Bar for the Austin Rock N’ Swap clothing party. All is takes is bringing 10 gently-used items you’re looking to trade for entry (or $5), and you’ll be able to drink, find new-to-you recycled fashion, and help a good cause.

The event is sponsored by Austin Eavesdropper and The Year of Living Thiftily’s shop Magnolia Family Vintage. Austin Eavesdropper is the Austin lifestyle blog of Tolly Moseley, who for the past 3 years has chronicled her daily life  including posting photography of her neighborhood, interviewing local artists, musicians, and people of interest, or reviewing the newest restaurant in town.  She is known for hosting The Austin Bleet-up (Blogger Meet-Up Party) and other events combining music and Austin culture, which give those attending the event new and interesting ways of not only going to a party, but also interacting and befriending others with similar interests. Sara Dean, who started The Year of Living Thiftily, started her blog to document her daily outfit posts on recycled fashion much to the delight of readers looking to spend less, but still look good. With all the praise received in favor of her thrift store treasures, she also began an online vintage clothing store, which will also be setting up shop at the party for those looking to browse for vintage finds.

All of your favorite independent boutiques in Austin will be in one place this weekend for Le Garage Sale, and on top of that, all items will have clearance prices! It’s almost too good to be true, but Le Garage Sale makes this shopping dream become a reality by packing the Palmer Events Center on Saturday, January 30th and Sunday, January 31st full of deals on everything from handbags to jewelry to clothing for men, women, and children.

Over 70 retailers join together to make this bi-yearly event happen. You can check out the full list of boutiques by clicking here, and start making your wish list now. The sale will take place from Noon to 5PM on both Saturday and Sunday, and admission is $10 per person per day or a 2 day pass is available for $15 per person.

Be sure to bring cash to the event, only cash will be accepted for the door entry fee and at all of the participating shops. Le Garage Sale not only will help you to find great deals from speciality stores you know and love, but also allows an opportunity to discover a new favorite designer.

Head to the Palmer Event Center this weekend to find the season’s biggest bargains!

Amazing shades for prices you wont find anywhere else! 15% off of your 1st pair of sunglasses and 50% off of the 2nd! Expires January 31, 2010.

Spectacle Sunglasses

One of the many reasons we here at Launch787 are so excited about The Modern Home Tour coming up on Saturday, January 30th is that we finally get to see up close and in person the incredible, unique, well-designed features of the architectural marvels listed on the tour. Each space fits the needs of its owner, and inspires those who visit how to adapt certain building qualities to help you make your own space work for yourself.

NOTE: Homes aren’t listed in any particular order, and you can, of course visit them in any order you choose.

The first home on the tour serves as a 1700-sqft residence and photography studio, providing an ideal meld of creativity, productivity and efficient, comfortable living. With a flexible floor pattern allowing for multiple living arrangements, this 1 bedroom 2 bath home, located on 2412 S. 5th Street, is also energy efficient with concrete floors that stay cool in hot weather, an instant water heater, and a shed roof to allow for rainwater collection. This home was built to survive weather, time, and circumstances. It was made to capture breezes, avoid sun over-exposure, and still provide beautiful lighting for artistic and other projects.

Notice the striking, and practical design of the carport allowing for rainwater collection.

The second home listed demonstrates how a residential duplex can feel like a personal, quite zen oasis. Located on 2015 Cullen Avenue in the edge of the Crestview neighborhood, this home has a large loft interior built by Travis Young of Studio Momentum. The home features both beautiful wooden floors and energy efficient concrete with an open layout to meet the needs of the homeowner. The landscaping around the home gives it a peaceful, calm energy.

The Cullen home is an example of a modern duplex done right.

The third home on the tour is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath 1700-sqft East Austin gem located only 4 miles from downtown and near the Mueller development. The home features spectacular hill country-to-city panoramic views, and is less than 1 mile from a stop on the upcoming Light Rail. Most importantly, this home is for sale presented by The Good Life team, and can be viewed by prospective home buyers. This home has great lighting, open space, and beautiful hardwood floors.

Located at 1707 Greenwood Ave, this home will surely impress all who walk through its doors.

The fourth home on the tour has the claim of allowing access to its lush courtyard space from every room in the house. The home features incredible Brazilian slate located throughout the abode, and has floor-to-ceiling windows serving as a wonderful complement to the recessed lighting of the house.  Located at 2305 Shoal Creek, this home is a nature-lovers bungalow, and is currently listed for sale. See all of the stunning features of this masterpiece on the tour.

This 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1843 square foot home is an open living space with vaulted beam ceilings.

The fifth home on the tour located at 2112 Eva Street in 78704, features custom birch cabinets and stainless steel appliances. This home is currently on the market and is only 1 block from the great shopping and restaurants of South Congress. It has a large private backyard, and an open floorspace perfect for entertaining.

This 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home provides beautiful space and design for anyone looking to live in one of Austin’s most desired neighborhoods.

The stunning sixth home wouldn’t be seen otherwise if it was not included on the tour. Located on the prime real estate of 3402 Mount Bonnell Drive, this glass, steel, and wood home overlooks Lake Austin with a one-of-a-kind pool suspended in the air giving spectacular panoramic views.  This home is energy efficient, has rainwater collection, and is currently listed for sale. See it in person, and be in awe of the amazing architecture and daring design implemented to construct this home.

Swim over Lake Austin in this suspended pool in this 5 bedroom, 5 bath home.

Each home has something unique and different, but you can see them all on The Modern Home Tour on Saturday, January 30th. Buy your tickets today and join us for the cocktail reception following the event at Truluck’s.

The Austin School for the Performing and Visual Arts (ASPVA) is a non-profit organization established to meet educational needs of students in the Austin area gifted in the performing and visual arts, and offers an environment for students to perfect their artistic talents. The school allows students to pursue a strong academic curriculum supervised under passionate, creative teachers, while also fostering each student’s unique talent. The school promotes self-expression, and also looks to become a nationally-recognized institution based on their high quality teachers and students.

The mission of Austin School for the Performing and Visual Arts cannot be met without the help of the community. On Friday, January 22nd, the school will be hosting a benefit and grand opening event to showcase the skills of many of their students and to open their new downtown campus to the public.

Set The Stage for ASPVA will include delicious food from Verde’s Mexican Parilla, a silent auction showcasing selected artists, entertainment by student and professional peformances, and a live concert from nationally-known Austin powerpop group Fastball.

The event will take place at the new downtown location of the school at 1110 Guadalupe Street, only two blocks west of the Capitol, and will happen from 5PM to 9PM on Friday, January 22nd.

Tickets can be purchased online here, and be sure to get them soon to attend this exciting event showcasing the young talent of Austin.

Austin is slowly but surely becoming more and more known on the national fashion scene with help from events such as Austin Fashion Week. The focus on the fashion industry in the city has the additional benefit of the creation of new jobs and companies related to the field to meet the needs of the rapid growth of the industry. Dominic Anton Model Management is one such company. It will bring professional management for Texas model talent giving models and companies the opportunity to connect with each other and create smashing campaigns, relationships, and employment.

Being a major fashion industry player of course means that the Dominic Anton Model Management opening bash will be a stylish affair. The event will be hosted at The Phoenix on Friday, January 22nd.

Unmasking Dominic Anton will have complimentary drinks, wonderful food, music, and of course, many beautiful models.  This is a private event for those interested in the fashion community, and will start at 8PM and continue late into the night in the VIP area of The Phoenix. This party is a celebration for this new face of model managment in Austin, and for more information on how you can attend e-mail: info@dominicanton.com.

Club de Ville will be slightly modifying their rock-n-roll setting on Friday, January 22nd for a new monthly event displaying the talent of local hip hop artists. Called Skills: An Austin Hip Hop Monthly Night, the evening will feature an open mic call for DJs and groups with sign-up beginning at 9:30PM. This is an opportunity to explore your own creative hip hop talent, while also watching the talent of others.

The event is thrown by and for the hip hop community, and welcomes all artists to participate, including: MC’s, writers, producers, DJ’s, BBoys and anyone interested in promoting the Austin Hip Hop scene. You can send an e-mail for booking and more information.

The event is $5, and will be hosted by local indie rap artist Zeale.