Nokonah Units 110 & 111 Downtown Austin, Texas Luxury Office Condos 

Units 110 and Unit 111 now available for SALE or LEASE. Class-A office condos in The Nokonah Condominiums one of Austin's finest buildings, located at 901 W. Ninth Street in the popular west end district area near Whole Foods.

Both Units offered for sale together as a package at the price of: $1,399,000.00

Also available for NNN lease: Contact Agent for Rates and Terms

Approx. 4257 square feet of finished out usable space in a high profile high traffic location. Both units include a total 15 reserved, designated parking spaces in a security gated and monitored garage. Access to an additional to 7 spaces in retail parking area. Units include Owners access to The Nokonah's many building amenities. Excellent investment!

For more information about this incredible investment opportunity or to schedule a private showing, Please contact Russell Lewis (512) 657-8769

 Fireworks FINALLY return to Austin, Texas

It happened is a flash…literally…I heard the explosion and stared at my hand, shocked out of my eleven-year-old mind. I had just touched the smoldering punk to the end of the fuse before tossing the firecracker away, but…instead of the familiar sizzle as the sparks made their way to the gunpowder packed cylinder, it immediately exploded... Zip---BOOM! I was frightened as my hand began to go numb while still throbbing in pain. Checking first to make sure I still had all my fingers, I then quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed the mishap. My Dad was in our station wagon, going over some some paperwork and my brother was busily setting off fireworks in a large red ant bed nearby. It took everything I could muster to keep from bursting into tears from both the shock and the rapidly mounting pain. Here’s the deal, there was no way I was going to tell anyone about the accident because I figured it would mean instant banishment from setting off any more fireworks…probably until I was at least 35 year old. Whether that was a realistic fear or not, I wasn’t about to take any chances! In fact, think I was around thirty-five years of age before I finally told him about it and he was not the least bit surprised!

My brother, Mark Lewis and I have had a life long attachment to fireworks (some would call it an obsession) and to building fires in general. It’s probably some sort of primal throwback and I have observed the same fascination in the most unassuming men and sometimes, even some women pyrotechnic types. Though truthfully blowing stuff up is still primarily a boys pastime and no matter what age, that part of the “boy” is probably with men forever, along with a plethora of other maddening behaviors that keep our better halves constantly wondering when the heck we are actually going to grow up! At one time my brother and I seriously explored investing in a chain of fireworks stands but our father, who obviously knew much better told us it would be like having a couple of winos open a liquor store. Fortunately, his wisdom prevailed but we are still extremely serious fans in the amateur sense! And, I can verify that we both are known to spend our extra birthday and/or Christmas cash on a trip to a local fireworks emporium!

Unfortunately for all fans of fireworks, during 2011, almost all of Texas has suffered through a long and incredibly serious drought resulting in massive crop, stock and wildlife losses along with the worst wild fires in the recent history of the state. This past summer we were especially hard hit with the loss of over 1,300 homes in areas near and around Austin, primarily Bastrop. Of course this also resulted in the cancellation of many July 4th fireworks shows along with the banning of all sales of fireworks in many counties throughout Texas. However this December, I have GREAT NEWS. Central has been blessed with a large amount of rainfall in the last month so Austin's 2011 New Year's Event at Auditorium Shores is ON! Click the link for all the info! Also, fireworks stands are open all over and sales are reported to be brisk. I was driving to Houston yesterday and the irony was not lost on me when I even spotted a number of Fireworks Stands around Bastrop with the burned out acreage looming in the background…So, for those of you interested here is a map Austin locations where you can buy fireworks! That said, I am also including a link to The National Council on Fireworks Safety because no one wants the buzz-kill of some ridiculous fireworks mishaps!

PLEASE REMEMBER to use and detonate you fireworks RESPONSIBLY and SAFELY!

So that we can do it all again, NEXT YEAR!

We are going to have a GREAT life together! -Margaret McNally,  May, 1986

Backed up in the inevitable traffic that clogs every parking lot at Christmas, I watch as two people go at it over an empty parking space. Though my windows are up, I can still make out the heated exchange that ends with one of the individuals screaming Happy %#?+* ing...Holidays!!! So much for Peace on Earth, Good will toward men. Though not involved in the ruckus my attitude is almost as dreary. It's been a challenging year and I have a number of things I could gripe about without any encouragement at all. Thirty minutes later I am in the checkout line at my favorite Austin Whole Foods Store and confronted with the most cheerful checkout person on the planet. As I stand there, we get caught up in some funny banter about how much fun it really is during the holidays and my mood completely changes. As the woman finishes bagging my items, she says," The only thing I really have control over is my attitude and I am very happy in spite of things to the contrary in my life". At this point, two of her co-workers laugh and only half jokingly agree that she is often so happy, it can sometimes be irritating to everyone around! I really start laughing at this point because I have had the same effect on co-workers too!

Driving home, stuck in the barely crawling traffic on Barton Springs Rd. I have a chance to enjoy the view of the Zilker Park Christmas Tree. About that time, Hayes Carll's bitter sweet song Grateful for Christmas, about the holiday and family antics starts playing on the radio and I slowly begin to realize just how grateful I am, not only for Christmas but an abundance of good things in my life. As I type this I am cognizant of the fact that there are times when I really don't want to hear a bunch of positive malarkey so...if you are not really in the mood, you better stop reading now. They say that attitude is an inside job and I know for a fact that the checkout lady at the store was absolutely right. No matter what goes on in the world, I have the ability to either get wound up in negativity or choose a different path. I've known it for years but need a gentle reminder now and then.

This year also marks the 25th Christmas I've shared with my wife; we also celebrated our 25th anniversary this past May, 25th.  It's something that I can't quite explain but I have to say that of all the gifts I've received over the years, Margaret is the best thing that ever happened to me. The quote at the beginning of this post is something she told me the day before we got married and in the long run, she was absolutely correct. Though she is a very private person, I decided to make this blog post, my Christmas card to her this year and hopefully she will like it. She recently told me that K.T. Oslin's, Hold me is one of her favorite songs about marriage and like many relationships and families, we have faced all kinds of challenges and somehow managed to survive together and prosper.  Of course, in The Book of Love perspective changes daily and in all relationships it varies from day to day. Ask her about how long we've been married and the answer will range for 25 years to twenty five THOUSAND years...depending on the circumstances! So...my wish for you this Christmas is that, no matter what is going on in your world (and yes, there is plenty to be seriously concerned about) you take a few moments and make a mental gratitude list about what is actually good in your life. It's  gift you give yourself and you might be surprised at your outlook, even for a short time. Because after all...Love actually is...all around!

 Happy Holidays, You are now free to return to any previously scheduled stress levels, if you so choose!

Austin's 5 Star Trailer, The Mighty Cone, makes it's Small Screen Debut!

I've written aboutThe Mighty Cone before in a post describing the incredible rise of Austin's most famous Food Trailer  The quintessential food of the ACL music festival and Austin's finest trailer . Well, the Mighty Cone has continued to be an extremely popular destination for Trailer food featuring the cones for which they have become so popular. As a matter of fact at this year's ACL Music Festival they broke the previous record of cones sold by selling an incredible 30,000 cones over the three day event. Astounding when you realize that it adds up to around 1,000 cones per hour. If you were there, you know what I am talking about; four continuously moving lines and never waiting more than 15 minutes. What makes this more interesting is that quality did not suffer at all!

Earlier this year, The Mighty Cone was featured on Eat Street the highly popular series on The Cooking Channel that spotlights popular food trailers and stands all across the nation. For your enjoyment, I've included the video below so that you can truly appreciate the wonder of The Mighty Cone. Recipes are shared, staff and participants are interviewed including a prominent Austin Real Estate Broker  on the subject of what makes The Mighty Cone...So DELICIOUS! If you get the chance stop by the trailer located at 1600 S. Congress Ave, at the corner of Congress and Monroe and have fun choosing your own favorite cone!

My name is Russell Lewis, I have twenty one years experience assisting buyers and sellers in Austin's finest neighborhoods. I am not all things to all people and concentrate the majority of my business in Central, West and Southwest Austin and the Westlake/Eanes School District. If you or anyone you know is anticipating purchasing or selling real estate and would like to learn more about living The Good Life in Austin Texas I would be happy to be of assistance. Email or call my mobile listed below for a private consultation at your convenience!

As if suffering through the hottest summer on record here in Austin, Texas was not enough, Sunday marks the 21st annual 'The Austin Chronicle' Hot Sauce Festival! Now don't get me wrong, I love this festival and truly it is the largest and most important hot sauce celebration and contest in the world. I just think it is ironic that there is going to be extreme heat on all levels this coming Sunday. Like the hundreds of people who will enter the different categories and thousands who will show up to sample the myriad of hot sauces, I LOVE all kinds of hot sauce but as I've said before I firmly believe believe that pain is not a flavor! However, I do understand that there are varying degrees of the "pleasure spiked with pain" concept. Over the years I know that I have developed a "tolerance" for heat that has raised my personal level of  acceptable heat far above many but I am sure still below that of some of the more notorious chili heads.

I've entered the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival nearly every year since 1991 when the event first started. Over the years I have entered multiple versions of hot sauce/salsa in all categories with very little success but always having a LOT of fun! For years I entered my favorite home version that I make every Christmas, the aptly named "Santa Salsa" which is a hit every year at home, my office and with numerous recipients who are on the Christmas list! It's HOT, SWEET & RIGHTEOUS but is hard to define because one of the ingredients is Piloncillo, Mexican brown sugar and it also contains tomatoes so it does not fit in either the "RED" or "SPECIAL VARIETY" categories and though delicious has never found a following at the competition. The funny thing about this particular salsa is that it does pack a slow developing heat but just before it reaches pain is not a flavor stage...it stops!

In 2007, my daughter Mattie and I decided to try something different and because late season, Texas peaches are so popular around our house, they became the basis for something new. Our first year, we received an honorable mention for the Peach/Red Pepper Salsa (for some reason they no longer give out any awards other than 1,2,3). 2008 saw an improvement when the fresh peach salsa improved to 2nd place. The judges at the 2009 festival did not seem to be impressed with any of the fruit versions and consequently we did not make any showing at all. Last year Mattie left for college and I was on my own and tweaked the recipe and to our complete surprise, 2010 was the year we finally hit the jackpot and landed in 1st place for individual special variety. Though Mattie is again away at school this year, the Peach/Red Pepper salsa will always be "ours" as she helped with the original idea.

This year as always, The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival will be presented FREE to the public (with a donation of three healthy, non-perishable food items or a cash donation to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas), and will take place on Sunday, August 28th at Waterloo Park from 11:00am – 5:30pm. at Waterloo Park. There will be the same levels of competition: individuals (homemade), restaurants, and commercial bottlers. And yes, I will be entering two hot sauces in the special category (Peach/Red pepper and one with watermelon...yeah I know but this IS Austin and we love keeping it weird) and another attempt at the Red category. Honestly, I have a lot of fun in the kitchen doing this every year and have no idea how the hot sauces will fare in the competition. After all, nearly 400 entries are expected and tastes change every year and that kind of involvement is what makes it so much fun (not to mention the adventure of trying all those new hot sauces). Just remember to stay hydrated, try and get a whiff of the salsa before consuming and if it does develop in to some sort of agonizingly painful experience...it will pass...eventually! Come on out, help a good cause, have an exceedingly HOT time and above all, REMEMBER:

UPDATE: Click on the link for results of of my effort in this years competition! http://russelllewis.posterous.com/twice-is-nice-at-the-austinchronicle-hot-sauc

The Alamo Drafthouse Best Place to Enjoy a Movie Without Talking and Texting!

I love going to the movies, always have. Back in the last century, as a child, I used to go to the movies every Saturday morning with friends and we would watch the movie several times until the ushers would kick us out to begin that afternoon matinee. I was hooked from the beginning and went through different phases involving monster movies, war movies, Three Stooges and other wacked comedies up to the day we stayed for our first afternoon movie, Porgy and Bess. Yeah...and even though I was seven years old at the time. I loved it. I saw my first Fellini film at age 12 and movies just became more than a serious hobby. Later in life I also studied film making but honestly my favorite directors skewed wildly from Fellini to Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, David Lynch, Woody Allen, Luis Buñuel, Werner Herzog...wait stop! There are way too many to mention and frankly to say that I am a movie buff is putting it mildly. And though I did not become a film director I turned out to be more than a movie buff but a fan of the entire movie experience. After all, I think fan is short for fanatic!

In 1997, my brother, who was a wholesale food broker here in Austin, told me about a couple who were opening a new movie theater where you could enjoy a movie along with dinner and a bar. What a concept! He was helping them with a menu and supplies and everything that goes in to a restaurant but this one was located in a movie theater. I don't know about you but it can be a hassle to try and sneak "alien food items" into a movie and a six pack? Not impossible but extremely difficult! Now a person could attend a movie, order very good food (this is key at the Alamo Drafthouse, it's not just blah fare) and even get service for adult beverages. The new theater opened as The Alamo Drafthouse and took off in a nice fashion. Austin being a town where new concepts and many offbeat ideas can find a following was the perfect place for the theater to grow! The theater began to draw a consistent and loyal crowd of patrons for all kinds of movies.

The Alamo Drafthouse was not only a place for movies dinner and drinks but the owners were also avid movie fans! They took movies (and the movie experience) seriously. And despite Netflix, online movie streaming, pay per view and all the other ways a person can enjoy a film, there is no duplicating sitting in a theater, lights down, silver screen bigger than life and just losing yourself in the experience. For those who watch movies on a computer, iPad or even an iphone...I don't get it, it just does not work for me and I am not alone. The theater regularly sponsors all sorts of theme movie events and other activities that consistently set them apart from any other movie experience you will ever encounter. If you have yet to check them out, do so soon. The original theater has expanded to several more in a small chain that is now in other cities other than Austin.

One of the very best things about movies at The Alamo Drafthouse is a no tolerance policy for talking, texting and any other activity that disturbs the movie for the patrons. To that end, people who act inappropriately are warned and then if that does not work are politely asked to LEAVE! Recently, this happened and the irate patron called the Box Office and left a scathing message. The owners of the Alamo Drafthouse, kept the recording and turned it into a video clip that now airs before each movie as a warning that they are serious about talking, texting and any other actions that would interfere with a movie experience. Now the video has gone viral and has turned out to be yet another boon for this great theater chain. Check it out below, I have used the censored version but will let you make your own assessment of the caller and her complaint...

...Yeah...I know what you are thinking and we can just leave it at that! Well wait a minute, I actually I cracked up at the comment that every other theater in Austin had no problem with rude and inconsiderate patrons...yeah right! The Alamo Drafthouse is just another one of the things that help keep Austin weird and wonderful at the same time. My name is Russell Lewis, Austin is my home and I love almost everything about our often weird but always fun city. I have twenty years experience assisting buyers and sellers in Austin's finest neighborhoods. I am not all things to all people and concentrate the majority of my business in Central, West and Southwest Austin and the Westlake/Eanes School District. If you or anyone you know is anticipating purchasing or selling real estate and would like to learn more about living The Good Life in Austin Texas. I would be happy to be of assistance. Email or call my mobile listed below for a private consultation at your convenience!

2900 Willowbridge Circle Open House  Sunday, May 15th 2-4PM

This Sunday, May 15th, 2011, I have the privelage of holding open 2900 Willowbridge Circle. This incredible home was one of the highlights of Austin's 3rd Annual Austin Modern Home Tour back in 2010. As far as modern homes this house is nothing short of SPECTACULAR! Rebuilt in 2009 this Austin Luxury Home has breathtaking open expanses, site-built commercial steel doors. Complete with a huge island in an open gourmet kitchen, exposed beams, pecan built-ins, and unique surfaces and textures. A private master bedroom suite includes an interior brick wall sitting area. 4th bedroom has kitchenette stubbed in wall and separate entrance from garage. Unique lighting allows for fabulous showcase for art. Very flexible and open floor plan for living/entertaining!

Offered at $1,690,000 this home is not to be missed!

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see  this wonderful home and learn more about the neighborhood! I will be on-site between 2pm and 4pm Sunday afternoon so please drop by for a tour of this unique property in a relaxed, no pressure environment.

AGENTS, this is an excellent time to preview!

If you have questions or are unable to attend and would like to schedule a private showing, contact me directly at my number or email listed below. I look forward to visiting with you at your convenience! My name is Russell Lewis; I have twenty years experience assisting buyers and sellers in Austin's finest neighborhoods. I am not all things to all people and concentrate the majority of my business in Central, West and Southwest Austin and the Westlake/Eanes School District. If you or anyone you know is anticipating purchasing or selling real estate and would like to learn more about living  The Good Life in Austin Texas, I would be happy to be of assistance.

Win-Win  A Noble Idea Reduced to Meaningless Jargon?

Recently I was on the phone with a younger agent from one of those Mega-Companies discussing some details about his offer on one of my listings. We had just about wrapped up our discussion when he told me, "Thanks Mr. Lewis, I hope we can make this a "WIN-WIN" situation..." I paused for a moment of silence (something I rarely do) and then said, "You know, things were going so well and then you had to say that". His startled reply was "What do you mean?" I responded, using some humor to say that I had been involved in several transactions with other agents at his company who had chanted the same phrase like some sort of  trained Mynah birds. However their actions did not in any manner follow the words! During our conversation I mentioned that I was also a fan of Dr. Steven Covey and his book The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People. This also turned out to be a surprise because he had never heard of Steven Covey and in fact was under the impression that it was a  part of his corporate culture. We ended the call on friendly terms and I later realized that he sincerely meant what he said. During the course of the entire transaction, he was professional on every level and we were able to work out agreeable terms for both sides.

The problem these days is that I see lots of folks paying "Lip Service" to any number of laudable ideas, concepts, buzzwords and soundbites while not putting these things into action. Sounding a lot like all those "sales scripts" we hear on the phone, in seminars and maybe even from a desk near by, repeating the words in a way that can only be described as disingenuous. And really, who is being fooled here? It's become so rampant in all walks of life, business and certainly in the empty words of every  politician. Over the years we have learned that there are winners and losers in every facet of life and without sounding preachy it's just a fact, not everyone is going to receive a trophy. However our business does not ALWAYS have to be adversarial. I began my real estate career after spending sixteen years in the construction industry as a Journeyman Carpenter, Foreman and Furniture Builder. One of the big differences between construction and real estate is that if you have a serious confrontation on a construction site, someone is liable to get punched in the face...for real!  In real estate, the worst case is nothing more than some yelling, name calling, obnoxious posturing and attempted intimidation. And really, I rarely see this type, it's more the passive agressive approach. That does not bother me at all because I am not the sort of person that can be bullied and it's not at all as painful as a black eye. I know from personal experience and I am not proud to admit I've had a couple.

During my first few years in real estate (an extremely tough time in the depths of the S&L Crises) I was pretty aggressive and in fact one of my first Brokers used to say,"Russell is one of the easiest or most difficult agents to deal with...it just depends on how the other agent acts." Over time I began to learn that I could represent my clients without creating conflict and eventually, to not react to unprofessional or abusive behavior from agents seeking to intimidate. As my friend and fellow blogger Alan May wrote in a recent post, "We need to remove our egos...and there is no need to make them cry, "UNCLE"  In fact, our job is to do our best to facilitate a transaction that is acceptable to everyone imvolved and yes sometimes the perspective can be different. Winning (and not the Charlie Sheen version)  can mean lots of different things based on the circumstances. But please...don't try to hide behind useless platitudes while engageing in completely contradictory behavior! AS the saying goes, "If you are going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk!" We have a job to do which involves actually showing up, listening, staying educated, advising, returning calls and handling the hundreds of detals that are involved in any successful real estate transaction. There's a lot more to this profession than spouting jargon...

My name is Russell Lewis, I have twenty years experience assisting buyers and sellers in Austin's finest neighborhoods. I am not all things to all people and concentrate the majority of my business in Central, West and Southwest Austin and the Westlake/Eanes School District. If you or anyone you know is anticipating purchasing or selling real estate and would like to learn more about living The Good Life in Austin Texas I would be happy to be of assistance. Email or call my mobile listed below for a private consultation at your convenience!

1600 West Lynn  – Open House - Sunday, April 10th 2:00-4:00PM

  1600 West Lynn $1,400,000

This Sunday, April 10th, as part of the city wide AvenueOne Properties Open House Tour  I will be holding the home at 1600 West Lynn open from from 2:00--4:00pm. This classic home located in Old Enfield which is, without a doubt, one of the very best of the Old West Austin neighborhoods. A number of years ago I also lived on West Lynn, though south of Enfield Road in the Clarksville neighborhood, I used to run and ride my bike through the area which is populated by many majestic old homes and covered with huge trees and meticulously maintained gardens. Centrally located to downtown, the neighborhood boasts some of Austin's finest homes and there is always a demand for property in the area. To learn more about the interesting history of the area regarding development, background, building restrictions, historical designations and many other details please access the Old Enfield Neighborhood Association website which is one of the best maintained and well developed neighborhood websites in the City of Austin.

The home at 1600 West Lynn Drive was originally designed and built in 1922 in the beautiful Mission Style of architecture utilizing the highest quality craftsmanship and building materials available. The elevation was later changed to its present design. 1600 West Lynn offers the discriminating buyer an opportunity to re-do the home in its original Mission Style with a contemporary twist. Jay Corder, AIA of Design House has designed a new elevation (shown on the inset picture) based on the original design and also has preliminary plans and various bids available for different elements of the home. Located on a large lot with plenty of room for a pool, guest house, garage or other things a buyer may want to incorporate

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see all of the possibilities for this wonderful home and learn more about the incredible Old Enfield neighborhood! I will be on-site between 2pm and 4pm Sunday afternoon so please drop by for a tour of this unique property in a relaxed, no pressure environment. And while you are at it, check out all of the other homes on the AvenueOne Open House Tour.

AGENTS, this is an excellent time to preview!

If you have questions or are unable to attend and would like to schedule a private showing, contact me directly at my number or email listed below. I look forward to visiting with you at your convenience! My name is Russell Lewis; I have twenty years experience assisting buyers and sellers in Austin's finest neighborhoods. I am not all things to all people and concentrate the majority of my business in Central, West and Southwest Austin and the Westlake/Eanes School District. If you or anyone you know is anticipating purchasing or selling real estate and would like to learn more about living  The Good Life in Austin Texas, I would be happy to be of assistance.

When Personal Coaching Turns Weird

The new year always brings renewed interest in bettering ourselves in a variety of ways from physical well being to improving our personal life and even upping our game in the business world. In the past decade there has been an explosion of tremendous proportions in the world of business, work and life coaching and motivation. It seems like every time I turn around I am confronted with a new Coach, Mentor or dare I say it...Guru? So many ways to better yourself with a NEW "proven" plan of action! Often included with many these programs is the ability to have your adviser also hold you to task and act as a 3rd Grade Teacher, no, scratch that...THE person who will hold you accountable for your actions. If need be, I assume that they will also call you on your BS if you do not stay on track and of course "coach" you on ways to get the job done as well as inspire, motivate or even go as far as "Amp You Up" about your occupation and goals whatever they may be!

Now let me say that I have no problem seeking assistance from legitimate, professional sources. When I first entered real estate, my broker employed a professional trainer to give me one on one instruction on a wide range of subjects that I still utilize 20 years later. When I ran my first marathons, I turned to people at my local running store here in Austin, RunTex to help me train for and actually finish the races with causing any permanent physical or mental harm to myself. With that in mind I try to maintain an open outlook toward any new ideas or programs that might help me improve my own business and/or personal life. I am pretty much open and will listen to any suggestions most of the time. The great thing about all this is that in this day and age, there is truly someone for every personality and lifestyle. Keeping that in mind, I recently came across this video by a real estate coach posted on YouTube for what I guess must be an ad for his services and as a motivational message to his followers. Presented here in its entireity and without comment.

Again, the video is presented without critique and I enjoyed the clip in my own particular way because as just about everyone knows, in Austin we like to keep it weird.