This weekend in Austin!!!

DANCE^

The Nutcracker (Dec. 8-23) In the 50 years that Ballet Austin has produced The Nutcracker, thousands have escaped to a winter wonderland and gotten lost in the beauty of the dancing and the magic of the story. Whether you're a first-timer or a longtime fan of this production, you’ll be pinching yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming. The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive, 476-9151, balletaustin.org

COMEDY

Mike Epps (Dec. 7) Comedian and actor Mike Epps got his start in the 2000 film Next Friday, written and directed by Ice Cube. He gained popularity for his role as Black Doug in The Hangover and with the 2009 release of his comedy/hip-hop album Funny Bidness: Da Album. Epps is currently performing around the country for his I’m Still Standing tour. The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., 472-5470, austintheatre.org

EXPOS/TOURS

Holiday Home Tour (Dec. 8-9) The Georgetown Heritage Society’s annual Holiday Home Tour is back this year with some exciting changes. Not only can you enjoy beautiful homes dressed up in holiday style, but you can also join other revelers for a pancake breakfast in your festive pajamas on Dec. 8. The first annual, family-friendly “Pajamas and Pancakes” holiday breakfast includes a photo opportunity with some of Santa’s elves, story time and holiday crafts. Various locations, 869-8597, georgetownheritagesociety.com

BENEFITS

Keep Austin Beautiful Benefit Night (Dec. 9) Join fellow Austinites for sushi rolls and rice bowls to raise funds for Keep Austin Beautiful. A portion of the evening’s proceeds go to cleaning, beautifying and protecting the Austin environment. Roll On Sushi Diner, 5350 Burnet Road, Ste. 2, 391-0617, keepaustinbeautiful.org

FAMILY

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Dec. 9) The Austin Chamber Music Center presents this live performance of the soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas, composed by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. Classics like “Linus and Lucy” and “The Christmas Song” will be played by Artistic Director Michelle Schumann on piano with accompaniment by bassist Utah Hamrick and drummer David Sierra. Antone’s, 213 W. Fifth St., 454-0026, austinchambermusic.org

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FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF AUSTIN MONTHLY ON NEWSSTANDS NOW.

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Did you ever think to look for? The top 5 details home buyers miss!

When you’re looking for a new home, you probably have a list of “wants” and “needs”, like the distance from your work, the school district and the home size. It’s easy to overlook the details…those little things that can make a home wonderful or a nightmare once you settle in. Sure, most of the little things can be fixed, but that can make living in your new home more of a project than you might want. Here’s a list of 5 things home shoppers forget to check out before they buy.
Electrical outlets – Some homes seem to have been built with the idea that “less is more” should apply to electrical outlets. That means you’ll have to run extension cords, add multi-plugs or daisy-chain cords. All dangerous choices, especially if your home includes pets, children or the elderly. Ideally, there should be at least one outlet per wall in bedrooms and two per wall in public rooms like family rooms and dens, plus one double outlet per section of kitchen counter.
Cable access – Most homeowners expect to have some way to connect to cable or satellite TV and Internet. If the only access is in the living room, you may be looking at big costs to add additional outlets in bedrooms, your home office or the kitchen. Consider where you are most likely to watch TV or locate a home computer to determine if the wiring works for you.
Nighttime noise – It’s easy to get distracted by daytime noise when you’re house-hunting. But what does the neighborhood sound like when you’re trying to relax on your porch or get a good night’s sleep. Before you place a offer, drive over to the new neighborhood, roll down your windows and listen. You may hear road or business noise that would become an issue once you’re in the home.
Soil – Whether you like to garden, or just want to have beautiful landscaping, the quality of the soil matters. Look at the existing plants and lawn. Is it thriving? Or are you seeing dry, cracked ground or hard clay soil? That could mean big expenses ahead when you need to have good soil delivered to your new home before you can plant.
Privacy – If you have children or other family members at home, or if you often have overnight guests, consider how the layout of the house would impact your privacy. Do you share adjoining walls? Share a bathroom? It some houses you may have to walk through one room to get to another…no problem when you’re using it as a craft room, but when Great-Aunt Bertha comes to visit, it could become a major issue.

What Is My Home Worth?

Kathy Stafford
http://www.austinareahomesforsale.com/sell/
512-626-9559