Seeing the unseen with Austin-based Stranger’s Guides
Stranger’s Guides feature stories and photos almost entirely from locals of that location. | Photo provided by Stranger’s Guide
There was something missing in American travel journalism, Abby Rapoport thought, and she had an idea of how to fix it.
The Austin journalist, who cut her teeth reporting for The Texas Observer, The American Prospect, and Texas Tribune, was stepping into a brand-new territory in 2017 — travel magazines. Let me clarify: travel magazines almost entirely written and produced by locals from the featured destination.
City Editor London here. I met Abby when I stumbled across the Stranger’s Guide booth at the Texas Book Festival.
Launched alongside cofounder Kira Brunner Don, Abby’s Stranger’s Guide now has 17 editions and has featured pieces from big-name authors such as Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. I wanted to learn more, so Abby sat down with me and told me her story.
The Ireland Stranger’s Guide features a literary tour of the country.
Photo by ATXtoday
First off, what is Stranger’s Guide?
Stranger’s Guide is an Austin-based travel magazine — or, “travel-adjacent,” as Abby describes it — that publishes four times each year, highlighting a different location in each edition.
The magazine is comprised of photo stories, articles, short fiction, and features almost entirely produced by locals of that place.
I picked up the Stranger’s Guide to Ireland, which I visited for the first time earlier this year, and explored Irish pony boy culture, learned about the sport of camogie, and followed a literary tour of the country. Every guide is a little different, Abby said, and unique to the place it’s about.
“The goal is to have pieces that are intimate, illuminating, and idiosyncratic,” she said. “[Our] mission is to foster global citizenship and combat stereotypes, and to do that through a place-based story.”
Don’t stop there — click the button below to read more about how Stranger’s Guide finds its writers, plus how the publication might branch out in Austin.
2nd Street District Holiday Window Walk | Now-Sunday, Jan. 1 | 8 a.m.-10 p.m. | 2nd Street District, 214 Guadalupe St., Austin | Free | Peruse holiday window installations created by professional artists during this annual window walk.
The Moth Mainstage | Tuesday, Dec. 13 | 7 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $30-$60 | This acclaimed, nationally touring literary event is centered on old-fashioned storytelling.
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Jon Dee Graham | Wednesday, Dec. 14 | 9:30 p.m. | The Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave., Austin | $10 | Stop by early for a performance by William Harries Graham at 9:30 p.m., or stay late for a midnight show by Graham Wilkinson at this 21+ concert.
Thursday, Dec. 15
Darden Smith: Who Said You Could Do That? | Thursday, Dec. 15 | 8 p.m. | Stateside at the Paramount, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $25 | This interview series features Gina Chavez, Latin Grammy nominee and 13-time Austin Music Award winner.
Friday, Dec. 16
Winter Wanderland | Friday, Dec. 16-Sunday, Dec. 25 | 12 p.m. | Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress Ave., Austin | Free | Enjoy photos with Hunky Santa on Thursdays, movie screenings on Fridays, caroling on Saturdays, and pop-ups on Sundays at this month-long event.
Christmas Caroling at Jester King Brewery | Friday, Dec. 16 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Jester King Brewery, 13187 Fitzhugh Rd., Austin | Free | Grab a beer and sing along to a Christmas caroler and his guitar.
Saturday, Dec. 17
The Muttcracker (SWEET!) | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 6:30 p.m. | The VORTEX, 2307 Manor Rd., Austin | $15-$37 | This family-friendly performance stars rescue dogs, including two new puppies.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Your gingerbread decorating skills could win you $500
Your gingerbread decorating skills could win you $500
Presented by an ATXtoday Partner
Put your decorating skills to the test — and have a chance to win $500. | Photo provided by HEB Central Market
Got gingerbread house (or person) decorating skills?
Put your skills on display by entering Central Market’s Gingerbread Decorating Contest for a chance to win a $500 store gift card. Here are the sweet deets on how to enter:
Decorate a gingerbread house, man, animal, etc. + photograph your creation.
72º | Morning thunderstorms | 67% chance of rain ⛈
Bundle up, Austin — our warm December days are coming to an end with a series of cold fronts later this week. Temperatures are expected to be in the 30s by Friday, leading to a possibly colder-than-average Christmas Day. (KXAN)
Today Is
The final day to vote in Travis County’s runoff election to decide the city’s mayor and new council members. Stop by a nearby polling location between 7 a.m.-7 p.m. today to cast your vote. 🗳
Development
Austin’s City Council gave the first green light to a major redevelopment of the Brodie Oaks shopping center last week. If the project passes as planned, it could bring 1.2 million sqft of office space, a 200-room hotel, and 13 acres of open space to South Lamar Boulevard. 🏗 (Austin Monitor)
Number
5. That’s how many Mark Abbott MLS Club Awards Austin FC won this year, including Ticket Sales Team of the Year and Communications Team of the Year. President Andy Loughnane also won Executive of the Year — see the full list. 🏆
Sports
No. 1 UT volleyball is headed to the NCAA championship in Omaha, Nebraska, this week. Tune in to the Longhorns’ semifinals match against No. 2 San Diego this Thursday, Dec. 15, to find out if Texas will make it to the finals. 🏐
Longhorn volleyball isn’t the only Central Texas team having a big week. The state high school football championship starts on Wednesday, Dec. 14, and local teams Wimberley and Vandegrift are on the roster. See the full schedule. (KXAN)
Plan Ahead
Austin is about to become “Rhythm Nation,” because Janet Jackson is headed to the Moody Center. Get tickets for Ms. Jackson’s “Together Again” tour starting this Friday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m.
Open
Stock up on puddings, “THICC” cookies, and cake at Pink Sugar, a new bakery at 2823 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The sustainability-minded East Austin spot was founded by Austinite Shelesa “Sugar” Tennon. 🍪 (Eater Austin)
Closed
Baby Greens, Counter Culture, La Mexicana, and 18 other restaurants closed in Austin this year. Take a walk down memory lane to remember the restaurants that shuttered in 2022. (Austin American-Statesman)
Travel
Craving a trip? How about famously foggy mornings, boutique shopping, and Michelin-starred restaurants in San Francisco?We love this Presidio Heights two room + bath suite for its central location, cleanliness, and bay window breakfast nook. 🌉*
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FEATURED
Consider Austin squeaky clean 🧼
Austin ranks No. 20 cleanest city in the US
For the study, InsureMyTrip examined data on the percentage of electric vehicles sold within Washington. | Photo via Unsplash
Here’s some fresh news. Austin was ranked the No. 20 cleanest city in the US by InsureMyTrip.
The travel insurance comparison site looked at government and consumer data sets, comparing data on hand sanitizer demand, restaurant cleanliness, recycling collector quantity, garbage disposal satisfaction, electric vehicle market share, and particulate matter pollution to reach its findings.
InsureMyTrip then standardized the data and gave each city a score between 0 and 10, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best — except for particulate matter pollution, where 10 represents the least polluted. Here’s how Austin scored:
Hand sanitizer demand: 0.85
Restaurant cleanliness: 10
Recycling collector quantity: 1.57
Garbage disposal satisfaction: 7.91
Electric vehicle market share: 0.57
Particulate matter pollution: 6.84
Austin’s overall score was 4.62. San Diego (No. 2), Tampa (No. 4), and Raleigh (No. 15) were also featured on the list.
Can you tell City Editor London is a proud UT graduate?
Photo by ATXtoday
Today’s issue was written by London.
Editor’s pick: Reading about Central Market’s gingerbread house competition (see above) reminds me of the time my boyfriend and I made a gingerbread UT Towercomplete with a tiny, gingerbread Bevo.
To answer the question I’m sure you’re all wondering: yes, it took forever. This was back in peak-pandemic 2020, and we might have had some extra time on our hands.
Have you ever made a masterful gingerbread creation? Send us a photo and we just might feature it in an upcoming newsletter.
Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Get to know your ATXtoday team, here.
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