My eye is on the blackbird

I took a trip to Austin a few weeks ago.

Outside of Blackbird Austin

There's something about this city that ignites an excitement in me. It could be its "mom and pop" type of feel (People own businesses everywhere there. And according to local sources, the best places to eat are right in the middle of the city where people sell scrumptious goodies out of mobile trailors. Ever heard of the saying, "the shadiest looking dives are always the best places to eat?" It's true, people.)

 While I was there, I wanted to check out a few of these locally own places.

And so with my fabulous, female sidekick and her handy, dandy copy of Eat.Shop.Austin, I headed to Blackbird, a fairly new clothing and jewelry boutique, to scope out the scene.

The doll photographs are for sale and often sell out quickly

Located on the North Loop, Blackbird Austin has an artistic yet Gothic feeling. The upstairs windows make for a beautiful and mysterious photograph. They call you inside, beckoning your curiosity, and the design on the outside of the building was crafted by the owners themselves.( Nothing says "we can do it" and "we can do it creatively" quite like a DIY project.)

It's not a big place but definitely has a personality to it. Steampunk hats, handmade jewelry, and a cabinet completely refurnished for display decorate the inside.  And yes, the doll portraits are creepy but not in a bad way. It's hard to take your eyes off them, a sign that interesting art was definitely created.

The $20 fab find

My favorite things about this place?
1. Its affordability (My necklace I bought only cost $20)
2. Its owners.(Juliana had no problem with me taking photos inside of her store,)
3. The store won the Best of Austin 2011 Reader's Poll (When I was there, they had just reached 500 "likes" on Facebook.)

Yes, my eye is on Blackbird Austin.
Maybe yours should be too.



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