Amanda O'Donnell

Austin

Senior Engagement Editor at Texas Monthly

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Articles

The Duplass Brothers Want to Do for TV What They Did for Movies

Mar 18, 2024 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

It’s been two decades since brothers and mumblecore mavens Mark and Jay Duplass called Texas home.
Great White Sharks Would Like the Gulf of Mexico Back, Please

Mar 18, 2024 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

Like plenty of Texas spring breakers, LeeBeth opted for a trip to the beaches of South Padre Island in recent weeks. But while the sun, the sand, and the promise of a fat margarita might have drawn others, LeeBeth was driven by something else entirely: an ancient animal instinct still scarcely understood by scientists.
You Can Prep Your Plants, Pets, and Pipes for a Texas Freeze. But What About Your Peace of Mind?

Jan 12, 2024 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

While Texans might have previously enjoyed the novelty of a dip in temperatures, the past few winters have understandably left folks feeling a little skittish. In February 2021, we struggled through an extended deadly freeze and grid failure that left 11 million Texans without power for days. Two years later, another ice storm (albeit milder and more localized to Central Texas) again plunged tens of thousands into the cold and dark for days on end, with many feeling that they were on their own.
What's In and What's Out in Texas in 2024

Jan 10, 2024 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell |Lauren Castro

Every year in reporting and writing about our beloved state, we come to know ourselves as Texans a little better. Accordingly, every year we come to better understand what we’re just not willing to mess with anymore. The Washington Post has been telling us what’s in (bathroom fridges) and what’s out (cottage cheese) around New Year’s since 1978.
How a Slow Fashion Advocate Gets Her Holiday Shopping Done

Dec 19, 2023 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

Like many before her, Amanda McCarty had a come-to-Jesus moment during an impromptu trip to furnishing-and-decor megastore HomeGoods. It was there, among the endless aisles of vases and picture frames, with stacks of throw pillows looming, that she realized: “I was looking around like, ‘Oh my God.
How a Slow Fashion Advocate Gets Her Holiday Shopping Done

Dec 19, 2023 | dfwliving.com | Amanda O'Donnell

Like many before her, Amanda McCarty had a come-to-Jesus moment during an impromptu trip to furnishing-and-decor megastore HomeGoods. It was there, among the endless aisles of vases and picture frames, with stacks of throw pillows looming, that she realized: “I was looking around like, ‘Oh my God.
Belly Up to the Bar at Texas’s First-Ever Bookstore Speakeasy

Oct 20, 2023 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

Welcome to Indie Bookstore Week, Texas Monthly’s salute to the bookshops that have shaped the lives of our readers and writers. When I first tried to find Blackbird Books & Spirits, I was in the wrong building. I watched the restaurant customers around me intently, trying to spot when one of them ducked into my hidden destination. Glancing around at paintings hung on the wall, I tried to guess which one could also serve as a door and came embarrassingly close to testing a couple.
The Best of Austin City Limits 2023 Festival Fashion, in Photos

Oct 10, 2023 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

The first weekend of this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival was like living a dream. Walking through Zilker Park free from the threat of heatstroke, the sun emanating a gentle warmth instead of looming overhead like an omnipresent hell ball, you start to remember that music festivals are fun. Nothing but respect for the festgoers who weather triple-digit-temperature days each year in pursuit of a good time, but what a little treat for us all this weekend proved to be.
Austin Mourns Century-Old Tree Flo at Barton Springs Pool

Oct 6, 2023 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

A lone, goggled swimmer cut through the markedly empty waters of Austin’s Barton Springs Pool on Wednesday evening. “Excuse me, sir?” said a man in a suit and tie, standing next to a lifeguard chair and speaking into a megaphone. “We’re clearing the pool now for the tree.” The remaining swimmer, who continued his strokes undeterred, didn’t seem to be the only one newly clued in to the evening’s planned celebration of life for a beloved, albeit leaning, pecan tree called Flo.
One Spin, No Measurements, and Texas’s “Denim Whisperer” Matched Me With a Perfect Pair of Vintage Jeans

Aug 28, 2023 | texasmonthly.com | Amanda O'Donnell

“I must see this magical woman.”“Weird way to invite me to Texas, but thanks.”“You’ve nearly convinced me to fly from Chicago for this lady.”“WHERE DO I GO.”Do these sentiments, culled from the comments on a TikTok that’s received 1.3 million views, seem over-the-top? Or are you just not one of the many desperate to achieve the status earned by a pair of well-worn and well-fitting vintage jeans?