Archive for May, 2011

Dear Renaissance Austin Hotel: Please Make Up Your Freaking Mind

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

A while back there was an announcement that “Blue Ribbon Restaurant opened in the Renaissance Austin Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd.” Indeed, the corporate mothership mentioned the Austin version yesterday while crowing that the same menu will be trotted out to different Renaissance hotels around the country.

Fine. Dandy. Except for the fact that Renaissance Austin Hotel doesn’t seem to have ever heard of it, and it isn’t found on their list of restaurants. Calling the Renaissance and asking for the restaurant gets you Banderas-A Texas Bistrot, which I’ve eaten at before, and which I found most notable for its glacial serving pace. And when I called the Renaissance to ask if they had a Blue Ribbon Restaurant, the girl answering the phone said no.

Anyway, Blue Ribbon Restaurant sounds like the sort of place I would like to try, especially since Armadillocon will be in the Renaissance again this year. But only if it, you know, actually exists.

So THAT’S Who’s Buying the Lafferty Estate

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

The Locus Foundation. Sorry I missed that after I posted the original story, though at least one emailer told me that the bidders would do right by the estate.

Though I could probably think of a few other buyers who could do as good a job, certainly the Locus Foundation should do right by Lafferty.

The Signature Art of William F. Nolan

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

As previously mentioned, I attended the World Horror Convention here in Austin, where I moderated a panel with William F. Nolan. I cheekily had him sign some books while I was on the panel (all in good fun), but the real treat was grabbing several more signatures during the mass signing, as he likes to do drawings when signing. Here’s an example (or at least as much as would fit on the scanner) of the art he put on the blank page of “The Final Stone,” his story in Dennis Etchison’s Landmark Cutting Edge horror anthology:

Click to embiggen.

Thanks Bill!

Royal Wedding Unites Chavs, Neds

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

Iowahawk up to his usual mischief.