rachely's Blog

So, the 2008 auditions for Austin idol are over and 50 brave people took the stage in front of an audience and judges (including FOX 7's own Keri Bellacosa, who should know all about Idol since she covered it live from Hollywood this year). The judges get to have their say, but here's the chance for the audience to weigh in. Who was the underdog, who knocked your socks off, any weird idol auditions? Any Scooter girls or William Hungs?

Stay tuned for Good Day Austin on Tuesday August 5th where the winner will be announced and come back to the myFOXaustin blogs to give us your two cents.

Also, check out the past coverage from last year's winner Dominique Garcia.

Contestants Try to Be Next Austin Idol
Meet the Newest Austin Idol: Dominique Garcia

Well my excitement over the book led me to cheat and sort of read from end to beginning and everywhere between, so my reviews are more likely to go by topic rather than chronologically. Hopefully we all know how the story ends so I'm not bringing anyone any surprises. We will start will the infamous Laura Hall.

One section of the book I was anticipating was the coverage of Laura Hall's trial. Media was kept out of the courtroom and it left me hungry for the details that were revealed there. I can't fathom how Laura got so far in her education and aspired for a law career and yet said and did so many foolish things after arriving back from Mexico that would allow tons of witnesses to testify against her in the courtroom. She had to know the legal implications that would come from saying things like "I helped to cut up a body," "how many grandmothers can tell their grandkids they cut up a body," "I'm just going to tell people I thought I was on a vacation, they'll never be able to convict me." I can't help but think she must be a sociopath due to her ability to put on a clever and intelligent face for the law firms she applied to and turn into a raving lunatic in the jail house. Most of the damning behavior we have from Laura in the news is talk, but one of the most telling instances of her actions in the book is the moment where she bursts through the door of a bathroom in use by Sharon Cave pushing past a victim advocate screaming that she can do as she pleases.

I understand the letter of the law that would lead a jury to giving Laura only a misdemeanor for helping a criminal flee, but I can't imagine how a jury wouldn't go by the intent of the law. The only reason she escaped a felony charge here is because a warrant was issued for Colton after they had already started their flight. Laura knew full well what he had done when she started the trip to Mexico and as the prosecutors argued, letting her off on this charge only tells criminals "flee quickly, don't procrastinate." Six years: that's all the time Laura will be serving in jail. When she gets out, she will likely move to another state or city, go by her middle name Ashley and keep up a deceptive persona that covers the cold-hearted sociopath I believe she is.

It would be great to believe that Laura was the battered victim that she portrayed herself as in the 48-hours special and in the courtroom. When I saw the photo of her looking pretty, clean and smart carrying a copy of Are Men Necessary (the same book I was reading at the time) I really wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but the evidence just says otherwise.

I'm about to start reading Kathryn Casey's book, A Descent Into Hell, about Colton Pitonyak's murder of Jennifer Cave and his relationship with Laura Hall and I wanted to invite readers and viewers to pick up the book, read along with me and we can discuss it here on my blog.

I was a student at UT when the murder happened, living just three blocks down from the apartment where Jennifer's remains were found in the bathtub of Colton's unit. I was absolutely captivated by the case and how closely some of my own friends resembled the three people this case centered around. I spent hours scouring the internet for any personal detail I could find on Laura, Colton or Jennifer, watched online video of Colton's trial and recorded the 48 Hours episode on Laura.

So, I'm starting the book tonight. I believe it is available at most book stores and is published by Harper Collins. Check back for more as I dive deeper into the book and refresh your memories of the case with these FOX stories:

Appeals Court Upholds Pitonyak Conviction
Jury Sentences Pitonyak to 55 Years in Jail
Store Owner Testifies Pitonyak Bought Hacksaw, Gloves
Evidence From Cave Murder Released

The clothes of the women involved in the FLDS polygamist compound raid have become one of the iconic images of the news story. Just as black Nikes became an icon after the suicide of members of the Heaven's Gate cult in their attempt to chase the Hale-Bop comet, and Bruno Maglis suddenly became a household name in shoes after the OJ Simpson Trial. Now the FLDS wives are selling the distinct clothing after Child Protective Services told them how hard it was to keep the children in the modest clothes when they were so hard to find and buy. I did some research on the FLDS fashion on my other blog, Austin Style Watch, and was fascinated with what I learned and how the blogosphere was responding. Everyone from Tim Gunn to Elle Magazine were weighing in on the pastel, ankle-length dresses and what they meant in contemporary fashion.

What do you think of the FLDS look?
Do you think the FLDS Dress site will have enough popularity that they wills tart selling adult clothes?

For any kid that grew up in Austin, visiting the Capitol and the Governor's Mansion was like a yearly pilgrimage. The teachers would load us up in yellow buses for the trip into downtown and even after years and years of visiting it, the Capitol and Mansion still held an air of polished marble Texas pride and importance. Tour guides would give the most interesting tall tale stories possible showing paintings in the house and senate chambers of bloody battles with Santa Anna and spooking us with the story of the ghost living in the Mansion's back bedroom. Texans are an incredibly prideful lot, to the point that we want our emblem in the hinges of our Capitol doors and are willing to put up the money necessary, $10 million in the case of the Mansion, to keep our landmarks in shape. The destruction of the Mansion was like losing a little piece of my childhood, and for former Texas Governor Mark White it was losing a piece of his personal history (you can watch him speak about his memories here.)

Please share your memories of the Governor's Mansion here with fellow readers and bloggers.

When East Austin is discussed in the news, it is often in reference to the area south of Airport Boulevard, where African American and Mexican cultural and historical areas lie. But the evolution and change of East Austin isn't reserved to this area and the growth is slowly creeping north. In the past few years I've seen an increasing number of my friends moving into homes along Cameron Road behind Capital Plaza. The homes are as cheap if not cheaper than those closer to downtown and are usually in better condition with larger lots.

It has taken a while for hip new businesses to locate in this area closer to the hip new customers, but I think the tide is about to turn with the addition of a new bar along Cameron Road called Nomad. Built in what was once a dry cleaners, the bar has a re-purposed neighborhood feel, reminiscent of what has been accomplished with the North Austin bar The Hideout and Central Austin bar Barflys (both owned by the same people.)

I found out about Nomad from a close friend who has designed the menu for the restaurant. The fare is Italian-themed with paninis, bread and olive oil plates and cheeses, and prices max out around $7. My friend also designed a wine list that pairs a wine selection with each food item. Drinks are incredibly cheap; I had a mixed drink and two beers and paid $6.

For having only been open about a month, the bar was already entertaining a healthy crowd when I visited for the first time on a Thursday night. There are darts, a gaming table, foosball and TV, but Nomad is miles away from being a sports bar or a dive bar.

With close proximity to the Mueller development, the area along Cameron Road is bound to become a big hots pot and I wouldn't be surprised to see it start transforming at the same speed as areas like Manor and Cesar Chavez.

For more on Austin's hip location, visit my other blog, Austin Style Watch