These days, financially blessed Austinites could easily drop $250 on a pair of coveted concert or show tickets.
Or $750 apiece for a charity preview dinner at a buzzy new eatery.
Or $1,500 for a platinum festival badge.
Or even $50,000 for a 10-seat table at a nonprofit gala.
When it comes to to entertainment, longtime Austinites are suffering from compounded sticker shock.
At the same time, an Austinite can still see movie for free in the park, pick up a Sonoran hot dog with mounds of condiments for $5 or $6 on South First Street, hear the best musical act in town for the price of a beer and a bucket donation, or treat the kids to a round of miniature golf for a couple of sawbucks.
While New Austin has expanded the range of options for the luxe life, the budget-minded, funky fun of Old Austin has not disappeared. You just have more choices.
For instance, those intimidated by the proliferation of six-digit or seven-digit charity events are throwing social “un-galas” at more reasonably priced venues all over town. And those heated live auctions for vacation and jewelry packages — bid on by a tiny percentage of any charity audience — are now supplemented by “paddles up” pledges that start out at $20, involving 80 or 90 percent of the gala guests.
This weekend, one could spend the equivalent of many good meals for the full-on Austin Food and Wine Festival experience of rubbing shoulders with celebrity chefs, taking notes on cooking techniques and tasting the finest grub and booze the region has to offer.
Or buy a single ticket to a Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival show at the Paramont Theatre for a mere $31.
Both festivals pack plenty of bang for the buck.
So far at Moontower, I’ve hung out at the Esquire Lounge, but also caught razor-sharp Marc Maron interacting with a half dozen other top comics at the Stateside. It was pretty much comedy heaven given all the different comedic styles on display, competing to produce the next bon mot.
After being overwhelmed by the array of comedy choices at a dozen Austin venues, I’m now more accustomed to the festival’s rhythms and plan to devote more time to laughing tonight.
I’ve already reached the bliss point with Austin Food and Wine Festival after the the Taste of Texas pre-party at Republic Square Park. Maybe it was the combination of clement weather, tasty beverages, tangy bites and relatively short lines.
Or perhaps it was the people. I spent quite some time discussing New Austin vs. Old Austin with lobbyist and model A.J. Bingham, civic strategy with managing director Elisbeth Challener and post-newsroom euphoria with former Statesman food writer Kitty Crider.
Other topics that cropped up between samples provided by top Texas chefs: The state of indigenous culture in Costa Rica, the search for perfect local ingredients and the chance to employ Paul Qui to cater one’s wedding with trailer food.
I better get out of the house soon if I’m going to catch anything at Butler Park this afternoon. Will definitely drop by Republic Park again for the big taco showdown tonight before the laugh-fest.