Mums: A Wonderful, Ridiculous Texas Tradition

In the small west Texas town of Midland where I grew up this phenomena called mums was all the rage. The bigger and more expensive the better. Hole in your shirt after you wear it? That's when you knew it was a good looking mum. It was a big deal to go to your boyfriends house and exchange mums and garters with your parents taking photos the night before Homecoming day. Ah, memories of my glory days. Don't you hate it when you peak in highschool? Jk.

We actually wore these to all our classes on Homecoming day and to the football game that night. As ridiculous as it now to look back on there is just something about those mums that feels like home. Such a good ol' tradition that has stuck around for years. My only question is that if mums are this big now, how big will they be in 20 years?

Best Worst Needs Your HELP: Gotta Love That Street Meat

Some of you may have received this via email, but just in case you haven't here's the gist of the situation:

 Based on false accusations, upscale Parkside restaurant, has asked the city to revoke Best Wurst’s permit to operate at the Corner of Sixth and San Jacinto.  Parkside’s agenda is to get rid of Best Wurst so they can get their own license to operate a sidewalk café. If the Parkside is successful, their deceptive claims could force Best Wurst out of business. 

As Best Wurst friends and customers, you will certainly recognize the Parkside’s grievances as untrue and we need you to vouch for us!  The owners of Parkside claim Best Wurst:

Creates a safety hazard and public nuisance

Blocks vehicular traffic and “impedes the flow of pedestrian traffic” and renders the sidewalk “impassable”    

 "Blocks view of the 6^th street experience” for the French Seafood restaurant’s customers

Generates a “noxious odor emanating up from the pushcart” that distracts the dining experience for the customers on Parkside’s balcony

Leaves “ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, etc. smeared on our windows, bricks, and walls nightly”

Sells products that compete with Parkside. (Note:  The closest thing to sausage listed on their website is sweet breads!)

customer’s of the Best Wurst will interact with Parkside’s diners in a lewd and distasteful manner.”

Best Wurst promotes a “’bad boy’ image… and promote lawlessness by their customers”

Best Wurst, embodies the spirit of “keep Austin weird.”  Owned by a musician Jon Notarthomas, Best Wurst employs five full-time, and several part-time employees and champions the cause for struggling artists. The bratwurst stand’s been credited as paving the way for Austin’s mobile food vendor explosion. Not only has Best Wurst just been voted Austin Chronicle’s “Best Street Food”, but has afforded immeasurable good PR for the city of Austin and is recognized nationally.  The modest expansion of Parkside’s business would mean the loss of one of 6^th streets oldest iconic businesses, and its unnecessary. They can clearly to co-exist.  Worse, it would be a sad statement by the City of Austin that claims to be so proud of its musicians and mobile food stands, if they can be persuaded to revoke Best Wurst’s license due to unsubstantiated allegations. 

Please help Best Wurst by expressing your concerns to Mayor Lee Leffingwell.  Write to him at Lee.Leffingwell@ci.austin.tx.us.  Let him know:

Best Wurst has been fully compliant with city regulations, to the degree that the City and Austin Travis County Health Department have referred people seeking to start similar businesses to Best Wurst for advice.  

Over 17 years, the Best Wurst is truly an Austin Icon and one of the oldest businesses on 6^th street and should be allowed to keep their location

Best Wurst has had an impeccable record with the City of Austin and the Austin Travis County Health Department and offers their inspection record to the public. 

Best Wurst’s reputation is outstanding as a positive member of our community, contributing to several local causes, being proactive on issues, and having won the respect of nearly every business on 6^th street. 

Dan McKluskey’s was in the Parkside space for over 13 years and insists Best Wurst was not only an asset but “a great partnership” and owner Steve Batlin completely disputes allegations that customers were put off by their presence.

Best Wurst’s customers are not a specific distasteful class but 6^th street goers and Austinites – And we love them!

Best Wurst IS the Austin Experience that Parkside means to allow their customers to view. It is what 6^th St. is known for—funky street vendors, musicians and artists.  We’re not Paris and aren’t about French sidewalk cafes.

Contrary to the Bad boy image, Best Wurst is proud of being conscientious watch dog on the sometimes rowdy strip, and can even take credit for exposing two cases of counterfeiting which led to arrests.

Thanks for supporting Best Wurst!