Garden Cafe announced it is extending its hours of operation. Starting May 28, the espresso bar at Garden Cafe will be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Also, they’re also offering a movie on Friday, May 24. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a la carte dinner from 6 to 8:30 p.m. BYOB, and snacks offered during the film. If you’re interested, RSVP for $4 at gardenfilms.eventbrite.com. Ages 18 and up only.
The movie is Viva Les Amis, which looks at a local cafe in Austin as an example of a national trend: the loss of the mom and pop shop. The film explores the 27-year history of Les Amis Cafe through the eyes of Newman Stribling, who was once the manager of the coffee shop and is now a cab driver after his sidewalk cafe was replaced by Starbucks.
The film also looks at Les Amis Café and Austin by decade. During the 1970’s, a counterculture of hippies, musicians, mimes, and protesters flocked to the café. In the 1980’s, punk rock dominated the landscape. Les Amis held an occasional punk rock show, and countless customers watched skateboarders whiz by on the street. In the 1990’s, big business, hi-tech companies, and a rapidly growing population changed the face of Austin. As a city grows, what is lost? The filmmaker goes to the site of what once was Les Amis Café and interviews several employees of Starbucks. The films shows the contrast of then and now, of local versus corporate establishments. Viva Les Amis explores how a local place contributes to the culture and identity of a city, and mourns the loss of locally owned businesses like Les Amis.
