City Cast Austin

By City CastSociety & Culture News News Commentary Daily News

City Cast Austin episodes

May 20, 2025Aaron Franklin's Favorite Austin Restaurants
Aaron Franklin is a barbecue icon, a household name among meat aficionados, and a guru to restaurateurs. At Franklin Barbecue and his second local spot, Uptown Sports Club, Franklin is constantly collaborating with and boosting other local chefs — and for this weekend’s Hot Luck, a food and music festival, he cast his net nation-wide. Aaron Franklin joins host Nikki DaVaughn to share how he personally selects the chefs featured at the festival, what he loves about East Austin, and the restaurants other than his own that he recommends to visitors.
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 20th episode:
Tecovas

Williamstown Theatre Festival
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37 min
May 19, 2025Gentrification, Food Insecurity and Mental Health With Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison
Austin City Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison wants East Austin, where she was raised and now serves, to keep changing. That can put her on the other side of historic preservation at times, but she has her reasons why, and her vision for what East Austin could be. She joins host Nikki DaVaughn to discuss gentrification, food insecurity, and how she found her peace while balancing city council responsibilities and mental health.
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 19th episode:
Tecovas

Williamstown Theatre Festival
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30 min
May 16, 2025Austin’s Newest Music Venue Is a Grocery Store, Marijuana Ordinance Confusion, and Record Heat
Unless you live in a very dark and cool cave, you already know we just survived our first heat wave of 2025. A little early in the season, no? On this week’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to talk about the heat wave that broke records and made national news. Plus, we discuss how a new court ruling could impact Austin’s marijuana ordinance, the latest on state lawmakers’ effort to ban consumable hemp (and how much said ban could cost the state), the grocery store that truly does more and is now hosting a live music series, and our weekend plans, including attending the Affordable Art Fair. Finally, don’t forget to vote for all your faves in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2025!
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 16th episode:
Tecovas

Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off

Austin PBS
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36 min
May 15, 2025Is Austin Truly Safe for Cyclists?
Austin has long had a reputation for being bicycle-friendly — maybe it’s the Lance Armstrong factor, or the extensive hike-and-bike trail system, or the veloway, or the multi-million dollar bike infrastructure projects. But what’s it really like to commute daily on Austin’s streets, solely on two wheels? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Abi Robins, who ditched their truck a year ago and has pedaled all over town since. Robins shares their favorite off-road trails, best and worst bike lanes, how cycling helps them better connect with the city, and the volunteers who cycle around downtown, handing out food, drinks and necessities to folks in need. Plus, how you can be like Abi at least for a day — tomorrow’s Bike to Work Day!
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 15th episode:
Tecovas

Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off

Austin PBS
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35 min
May 14, 2025Why Now Is the Time To Invest in Local Art
Local arts organizations are hurting, especially after the recent announcement of federal funding cuts coming at the end of the month. But it's not just artists who are facing financial uncertainty. Who can afford to buy art right now? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by local artist and the director of the Affordable Art Fair Cori Teague to talk about the how, the why, and the where of buying art in Austin. Plus, she dishes on her favorite local artists, the state of the local arts community in 2025, and how social media has changed the way we discover and connect with art — including that viral banana artwork. Don't miss Teague’s Affordable Art Fair May 15-18! And for more on Nikki’s midweek mood boost, read this.
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 14th episode:
Tecovas

Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off

Austin PBS
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32 min
May 13, 2025Essential Rules of Two-Stepping in Austin
Grab your partner, leave your drinks on the table, and hit the dance floor, Austin! Summertime is prime time for two-stepping with your sweetie — there’s just something about twirling around, sweaty but satisfied, in a pair of boots that just feels right. Don’t know how? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by the perfect guide, Keighley Voorheis, who documents the dancing scene on her social media. We’re talking about what makes Austin’s two-stepping style unique, and giving y’all a guide to the local dance floor circuit and two-stepping field trips.
This episode originally aired on October 10, 2024.
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 14th episode:
Tecovas

Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off

Austin PBS
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32 min
May 13, 2025 You Might Also Like: Revisionist History
Introducing Face Value from Revisionist History.
Follow the show: Revisionist History
Malcolm and Lucie discover that they experience something very differently.

If you suspect you might have a problem recognizing faces and you want to get involved in the research they’re doing at Dr. Joe DeGutis’s lab, go to: www.faceblind.org

And if you’re curious about your own facial recognition abilities, these online tests are a good place to start:

https://www.troublewithfaces.org/test-yourself-1 https://www.bbk.ac.uk/psychology/psychologyexperiments/experiments/facememorytest/startup.php
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
42 min
May 12, 2025How Green Is Austin, Really?
According to recent reports, Austin’s tree canopy is something to be proud of — but only if you don’t zoom in. Locally, there’s a big difference between the concentration of lush shade trees on the West Side of town and those in East Austin, and some in town are trying to change that. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by TreeFolks’ Executive Director Andrew W. Smiley to talk about Austin’s latest Tree Canopy Report, how our canopy compares to those in other cities across the country, and why it matters. Plus, they discuss the Ashe Juniper and why one state lawmaker is trying to make it easier to cut them down, and why now’s the time to nominate your favorite tree in town for the Tree of the Year awards.
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 12th episode:
Tecovas

Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off

Austin PBS
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32 min
May 12, 2025 You Might Also Like: Divorce Dialogues
Introducing Establishing Clear Expectations and Consequences for Proactive Parenting - with Gary J. Edelstein from Divorce Dialogues.
Follow the show: Divorce Dialogues
"Yelling is not a consequence. It's the avoidance of a consequence." - Gary Edelstein
Gary Edelstein, a seasoned psychotherapist specializing in neuropsychology and family systems, is dedicated to advancing a collaborative co-parenting model. He underscores the importance of maintaining a unified front in parenting, particularly when children experience emotional, psychological, or neurodevelopmental challenges. Edelstein advocates for parents to establish consistent discipline rules across households' post-divorce, which he believes can prevent the polarization of parental perspectives and reduce conflict. By promoting collaboration based on neurocognitive principles, Edelstein aims to lower the emotional tone in households and support healthier relationships, ultimately benefiting the children's well-being.
Key Takeaways
->Establishing a collaborative co-parenting relationship is crucial to prevent parental conflict and minimize the negative impact of divorce on children.
->Consistency in setting limits and discipline rules across both households is key to reducing disagreements and promoting a neutral authority for children.
->Parental conflict during divorce can intensify children's feelings of guilt and responsibility, making the divorce process even more difficult for them.
->Proactive parenting involves setting clear expectations, consequences, and rules in advance to address problematic behaviors without escalating emotional outbursts.
->Lowering the emotional tone in the household and implementing consequences for negative behaviors can aid in effective conflict management and strengthen family bonds.
Connect with Gary J. Edelstein
https://npiprofile.com/npi/1518003177
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/gary-j-edelstein-brewster-ny/134476?msockid=3bb72f09a5256ac538a43db7a43c6be1
Connect with Katherine Miller:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kemiller1/
https://miller-law.com/
DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
33 min
May 09, 2025ACL Fest Hot Takes, City Clears Encampment, and a Sweet Mother's Day Story
To kick off Mother’s Day weekend, City Cast Austin’s got a great story about a special pair of Concordia University graduates to share on this week’s Friday News Roundup. Plus, the ACL Festival lineup is officially here, and host Nikki DaVaughn has some thoughts — as do newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec. Love it or hate it, though, you can’t deny the festival’s enormous impact. Also on the agenda: What the City of Austin removed from an East Side park encampment, which was prioritized to be cleared in preparation for flash flooding season; and our weekend picks.
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 9th episode:
Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST

LBJ Presidential Library

Zach Theatre
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32 min

About City Cast Austin

From the publisher's feed

Join host Miles Bloxson and the award-winning City Cast Austin team as they dig into the stories, conversations, and places Austin's obsessed with. From the latest out of City Hall to the buzz about…