Tag Archives: atx

ATX / UT, Food & Travel

Coming Soon: Cauldron Coffee

I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve been itching for a new coffee place in West Campus. I love Lucky Lab and Starbucks as much as any UT student, but they’re tried and true. I’m ready for something a little different. Lucky for us, Cauldron Coffee is set to open on March 17! 

Cauldron Coffee is a new coffee shop and bar with “the perfect blend of Tulum and Mediterranean vibes,” according to their website. Tulum is a beautiful coastal city in Mexico. The Mediterranean is obviously a huge coastal region, so this should be a great place to hang out and dream of summer vacations as the weather gets warmer. 

I can already see myself pretending to live my Mamma Mia fantasy on the patio! After months of renovations, the shop looks completely different from how it started (check out their Instagram highlights to see their process, @cauldroncoffeeatx)! A total renovation has given it a new life, one I can’t wait to see in person. 

The shop is on San Gabriel, right by Hilltop, which is perfect for people who live a bit farther from campus but want a convenient place to study. It will also be a great place to get some casual drinks or pregame before a night out! They claim to have some of the best coffee in Austin, but honestly, from the pictures, it looks like one of those places that even if they have mediocre coffee, the vibes are so good that you can let it slide. I’m still banking on good coffee, though. They also have a broad menu, so you can try their matcha or other teas if coffee isn’t your thing. If it really does have good vibes, good coffee, and good cocktails, then it will be the triple threat of West Campus!  Try something new and go check out Cauldron Coffee!

Featured Image by Talisa Trevino

ATX / UT, Community

8 Stories Behind Tattoos

It comes in all different shapes and sizes, with lines that curve and swirl into intricate designs on smooth skin. No matter the tattoo’s color, price, or location, each symbol etched onto the body has a distinctive designated memory behind it. Here are some UT students sharing their sentiments behind their various unique tattoos. 

  1. Anonymous, 18, English Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“The first one I got was when my best friend in high school came, and I wanted to do something really cool with her. I knew I wanted a certain place that was not very noticeable so I  got it on my side. It hurt like hell, but it’s worth it. It’s like a little artistic interpretation of a flower, like a green carnation. I’m a big Oscar Wilde fan, and I read somewhere that he was a little amateur botanist, so that was cool.”

“So this semester, I went before class started with my buddies, and I got one on the other side, and it’s a little olive branch. It’s cute, you know, Greek mythology. My friends told me to stop getting plant tattoos because I’m going to turn them into a garden. But I think that’s a great thing to turn into. So I’m not really mad about it.”

2. Anonymous, 19, Business Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“I have one tattoo that I got at the beginning of the semester. I got it when my best friend came up from Baylor. Lillian and I went to a tattoo shop, and we got matching ones: on the back of her neck and mine on my ribs. The significance behind it is that it’s Lillian’s and another friend of ours and my mom’s favorite flowers altogether in a bouquet.”

3. Jasmine Lu, 19, Biology/Chemistry Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“I got my fox on a moon tattoo first in remembrance of my dad, who passed away over the summer of 2021, and it’s just a way for me to be reminded that he’s in a better place now. The second tattoo is an abstract representation of an hourglass with an arrow through it, meaning that my time on earth is relatively short, so I should make the most of it.”

4. Anna Yu, 20, Design Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“I got it because it’s a gardenia flower, and they smell really good. My mom used to have bushes with gardenias in the front lawn, and she would pluck one and put it on the head of my bed when I couldn’t fall asleep.”

5. Katie, 19, Psychology Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“Right now, I have nine tattoos; some of them are kind of stupid, like three little hearts that match two of my best friends and scissors that I got during a Halloween event. Some of them do have a deeper meaning, though. I have a tattoo of Haku, the dragon from the film Spirited Away since it was one of my favorite movies to watch as a kid. I have a hand holding a skull and a white lily to memorialize my dad, who passed away since he loved Shakespeare, and it’s similar to a scene from Hamlet.”

6. Alyza Saenz, 21, Radio-TV-Film Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“This was my first tattoo, so I wanted to go big. The rose and dagger was a pretty cool design I found online, so I thought it looked pretty cool and wanted to get it on my arm. There was no meaning behind it, and I just thought it would look nice.”

7. Samantha Ortiz, 20, Biochemistry/English Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“A Friday the 13th design that has a 13 hidden in it: it was my first tattoo. I couldn’t really afford to get tattoos, but I knew it’d be cheaper on Friday the 13th, so I found a place that did cute designs and waited until then. I want to get three Friday the 13th tattoos over time since my favorite numbers are 13 and three.”

8. Ashley Marie Hernandez, 19, Education Major

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

“I got my tattoo because I wanted to prove I could. The meaning behind it is that I have always been fascinated by knives and my comfort characters tend to be really skilled with daggers and knives, so it felt natural. It also became an inside joke between me and my brothers who always want me to ‘have a knife on me’.” 

Whether getting a tattoo was a spontaneous decision or a well-thought-out  plan, everyone’s experience in getting one is special. Some hold deeper significance and implications, while others are simply random and meaningless. Tattoos are special in the way they allow anyone to express themselves artistically, and the UT campus is filled with students with a story to tell. 

Featured Image By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

Entertainment, Pop Culture

A Review of Marina’s Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land Concert

On March 4th of this year, MARINA, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, dazzled the crowd at the Moody Theater with her ruffle blouse and leather pants. 


Photo by: Rachel Bai

An ode to the modern world, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, the album she toured for, touches on a range of issues that plague modern society and depicts her journey of self-acceptance and love. It’s different from her other albums because it focuses on activism and empowerment but similar because it draws from her personal experiences. This pop album not only shows  Marina’s lyricism but also her vocals, as many songs have impressive high notes. With its impressive quality and message, this album has quickly become a fan favorite, one of the many reasons why the concert hall was packed with fans, old and young. 

The concert opened with the songs “Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land” and “Venus Fly Trap” consecutively, the former talking about being trapped in traditional ideals and the latter empowering listeners to be fierce in their own way. The fourth song in the setlist, “Man’s World,” lamented how men were destroying Earth and society and her desires to live in a world not run by men. She also sang “Goodbye” and “I Love You But I Love Me More,” songs that bid goodbye to her former destructive self before recognizing that she should put herself above anyone else. Every song was met with the crowd’s enthusiasm, every person in that concert hall united by mutual respect and agreement. 

Marina also showed off her dancing and singing skills with every song. For some songs, she sang with the other vocalist of the band, their beautiful voices blending together to create a harmonic melody. For songs such as “Forget” and “Are You Satisfied”, she started off with the ballad piano version before transitioning back into the normal pop version. Bathed in glowing green, orange, or cyan light, Marina looked ethereal, as if she was an angel descending from heaven to grace the world with her talent. The crowd responded to everything she did with high-pitched screams and cheers, loud and encouraging. 


Photo by: Rachel Bai

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land wasn’t the only album that Marina performed, though. She brought back songs from her most popular album, Electra Heart, to her fans’ delight. Then, when she sang “Teen Idle”, fans exploded with excitement. When she left the stage and came back on with two more surprise songs, “Bubblegum Bitch” and “Primadonna”, fans almost fainted with their love of these two songs. Marina also went even further back to perform some songs from her album The Family Jewels: “I Am Not a Robot” and “Oh No!”. For fans who have followed her music since the 2010s, these songs were a nostalgic throwback to when they were younger and more carefree. 


Photo by: Rachel Bai

All in all, Marina shows to fans the exact reason why she had been a force to reckon with in the music industry for almost 15years. Her legacy and the messages of her songs have been a comfort for fans for many years and will continue to be in the future. 

Featured Image by Talisa Trevino

ATX / UT, Food & Travel

Best Boba Places Near UT

Gong Cha

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

Due to its proximity and fun flavors, Gong Cha is a UT campus fan favorite and one of the fastest-growing tea brands with over 1,000+ stores internationally. Visit the store on your birthday and get a free drink on them!

Flavor recommendations: Pearl milk tea, Thai tea, Earl gray milk tea with 3Js (pearls, pudding, and herbal jelly)

Kung Fu Tea

Photo by Matilda Herrera Ramirez

Another UT favorite on Guad is Kung Fu Tea. They specialize in made-to-order tea, milk and fruit-based beverages. There is no shortage of fun toppings to add to your drink, such as bubbles, beans, jellies, and puddings. They also have vegan bubble tea.

Flavor recommendations:  Kung Fu milk tea (signature beverage), Cocoa cream wow (WOW bubbles are freshly cooked in caramelized brown sugar with a creamy milk cap and dash of cocoa powder), Kung Fu green tea (jasmine green tea)

Coco’s Café

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

Cute and cozy, Coco’s Café is locally owned and serves  Taiwanese food and bubble tea! There is something for everyone with two size options (16 oz and 20 oz) and 20+ drink options.

Flavor recommendations: Milk tea + pearls, Taro smoothie + egg pudding, Jasmine green tea + lychee jelly

Tapioca House

Photo By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

Tapioca House, located on Guad is a great place to get cheap, high-quality boba and other drinks. They offer combo meal deals, and it’s next door to Coco’s Café, so you could do a boba tour of Austin if you’re in the mood!

Flavor recommendations: Taro root milk tea with tapioca, French vanilla milk tea with coffee jelly

Feng Cha

Photo By Matilda Ramirez

Feng Cha truly embodies their motto, “Bring People Together.”  Feng Cha is a place to socialize, hang out, study and drink good drinks. From a coffee series that is perfect for energizing yourself for the day to refreshing milk foam teas that offer over 10 different teas, five milk foam options, and five toppings, the possibilities are endless here.

Flavor recommendations: Dirty boba, Crème brulee dirty boba, Matcha latte

Visual Created By Matilda Herrera Ramirez

Entertainment

5 Austin organizations you should know about

With so many in-person events and opportunities growing, it can be easy for people to feel like things are returning to “normal.” However, it is undeniable that many people have had an especially difficult time these past two years. Yet, we have seen the worst of situations and the power of compassion.

Here are some charity and nonprofit organizations that you should check out and lend a helping hand if you find yourself in the position to contribute to something you support.

Mobile Loaves and Fishes

This organization supports the homeless community in Austin by reconnecting each person’s sense of self and community. They also have volunteer opportunities available, so be sure to check them out and learn more!

CASA of Travis County

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of Travis County connects volunteer advocates to a Hispanic child in the child welfare system. Their aim is to protect the children’s best interests by training volunteers to advocate for them in the legal system and community.

Casa Marianella

This nonprofit provides shelter and support for immigrants, and they report to shelter an average of 325 people each year. Residents live in home-like facilities until they can become independent again.

Out Youth

Out Youth is an organization that serves Texas LGBTQIA+ youth by providing a safe space for the youth and resources for parents and other community members. They also have a therapist network that follows something close to a “pro-bono” model to give youth an opportunity they would otherwise not be able to afford.

Inside Books Project

Inside Books Project sends free books and other reading materials to prisoners in Texas in order to promote literacy and education and teach the general public about incarceration issues. Once the books are received, incarcerated individuals can keep the books. This organization highlights the benefits of literacy post-incarceration, especially since prison education programs have received less funding in the past.

If you would like to give to any of these organizations, click on the title name of each organization to be led to their web pages for more information about how you can help, and check out the rest of their social media!

Remember that there are tons of other organizations meant to help various communities in Austin, and learning about how they change people’s lives is a great way to get started if you cannot help them right now!

Visual created by Briana Martinez