Diana "Danger" H.'s Profile

For all who have been turned off by the "crazy old lady" behind the counter, you should try coming while her daughter is working. Seriously, call ahead. That was the advice given to me, and I am passing it on here. :) It will make all the difference in the world, I promise.

The mom is a great shopper... the store is filled with gorgeous clothing, coats, and accessories... but go when the daughter's working. The daughter is very sweet and helpful (and doesn't chain smoke!), and while she does get excited about the outfit you're putting together and will suggest period-appropriate details (gloves, earrings, brooches, etc.), she doesn't get upset if you don't buy everything she suggests.

The store is pretty tight quarters, so if it's crowded or you're carrying an enormous bag, you might come back another time. Best to visit when you're one of the only people in the store.

The Syndicate dances are an institution of the Austin swing/lindy scene. They've been going since 1999, and are still growing. I started going to the Thursday night dances at The Fed almost as soon as they started, though I took a hiatus for several years when I moved away to go to college. Now that I'm back, I go out almost every week! It's a great group of people and an easy place to make friends.

There's a fantastic system in place for processing beginner dancers... and the consistency of this system over the past 10 years is definitely a major reason why swing dancing survived its "fad" status in Austin, and continues to attract new dancers. People hear about the Thursday dance, come early for the 8:15 beginner's lesson, get hooked, and everyone tells them to take lessons from Four on the Floor (classes are conveniently held at The Fed on Tuesday nights). There are several great options in town for learning how to dance, but Four on the Floor has been going since 1997 (yes, I took their early classes in the Starlite Gallery), and is definitely a crowd favorite. There's also The Lindy Project, Go Dance, not to mention tons of private instructors.

The Thursday night dances are all-ages, smoke and alcohol-free, set in a beautiful historic mansion. No partner necessary! Cheap to get in, especially if you pay for a yearly membership. The Fed has a small private lot on 24th St., as well as some street parking, but most people try to park across the street at the bike shop's parking lot. There's usually a DJ, but sometimes there's a live band for special events. There's also a side room for dances other than swing/lindy, usually balboa, blues, or west coast swing. Variety is the spice of life, after all! There's a beginner lesson for these alternate dances at 8:15, at the same time as the beginner swing lesson (in another room).

Austin Swing Syndicate is involved in more than just the weekly dance. Special events like The Austin Lindy Exchange, workshops, competitions, and more bring dancers from around the world to Austin.

I gave them a four out of five stars primarily because the very consistency which makes them such a great avenue for getting new dancers dancing, means that it can also be a rut, and people sometimes forget that Austin is the Live Music Capitol of the World. So many people only go to the Thursday night dance, which is safe, but sometimes boring. Please, visit http://www.austindance... and go dance to some live music!

The selection is spectacular, but I wasn't so into the girl working the counter. When I was just browsing around, trying to make decisions on what to buy, she talked incessantly and kept telling me what to buy. Then, when I actually needed her help, she was deeply engrossed in a personal conversation and couldn't be bothered to notice the people waiting for her to finish. Also gave me bad advice about the piece I was putting together, had me buy the wrong fittings, so now I have to go to another store where I know the staff to be polite and helpful. I'll go back because of the great selection, but if I see that same girl working, I'm turning right back around and walk out the door.

I never leave this store empty-handed. There's so much to look at, smell, drool over. Love the bijoux. Friendly staff. Also, the only (one of the only?) place in town where I can buy Fresh perfume. Every time I'm at Central Market, I feel Blue Elephant calling to me.... 'Go on, you can just look at all the pretty things... you don't have to buy anything...' All lies! Lies!

I'm a little torn on this one. I love so much of what they stock... the clothes, shoes, accessories, gifts, are so drool-worthy. The prices are pretty good, though if you're on a super-tight budget this might not be your choice. Like several other reviewers, I have felt like the girls behind the counter are not so interested in customer service or even acknowledging the existence of customers. Kind of a clique-ish vibe. It kind of puts a damper on the whole shopping experience when you feel like you're getting "looked at" (no, I'm not being paranoid here) because you're not, I don't know? A size 2? 23? Flashing wads of cash? Meh. I just try to remember to put on a tough skin when I go in there and pretend like the girls behind the counter are evil robot mannequins. I force my best Southern smile and let everything roll right off me.

Before I even walked in the door, I knew that I would love this place. You could tell they were still settling in, but the place was well laid out, with tons of amazing gifts, clothes, bags, toys, cards, home goods, etc., etc.!! Well-curated selection of things to make you smile, coo, or laugh outright. A green, fair-trade, or handmade bent on many items, which is very cool (and very Austin). The guys working there were very sweet and funny, and I loved their dog, who greets every customer as they walk in the door. I am absolutely coming back sometime soon! Downsides... This store isn't  exactly cheap, though it's not super-expensive either. Also, the parking situation isn't fantastic. They have a pretty small lot which you pull into (and back out of!) directly on Lamar. The light at 34th is just south of the store, so it's not impossible to back out, but it's slightly more stressful than I would like. You might be able to find street parking somewhere nearby, but I haven't checked. Definitely one of my new favorite stores in Austin.