No problemo. I'd like to reserve the following for delivery within a week:

Fran's Hamburgers

Frank & Angie's

Freda's Seafood Grille

Freddie's Place

Freebird's World Burrito

Fresh Choice

Green Mesquite Barbeque & More

Hickory Street Bar & Grille

Hill-Bert's Burgers

Hoover's Cooking

Hudson's On The Bend

Ichiban Restaurant

Iron Works BBQ

La Feria

Louie's 106

Magnolia Café

On 6/21/07, Sean O'Neal - The Onion <soneal@theonion.com> wrote:

Great, thanks Barrett!

-----------------

Sean O'Neal

City Editor, The Onion 

815-A Brazos Street #350

Austin, Texas 78701

p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002

www.avclub.com

On Jun 20, 2007, at 5:29 PM, Barrett Brown wrote:

Here's that third batch, pasted below and attached in Word.

Aquarelle

That it might more fully evoke the rural Gallic ethos in all of its charming entirety, Aquarelle is set in a little yellow cottage on Rio Grande (arguably analogous to the French Riviera, in, uh, some respects). Within, the thoroughly irreproachable eatery does an admirable job of emulating high-end French culinary culture, with the Menu Rapide provides a crash course in coursed dining by way of four chef-determined dishes, and the more extensively-endowed Menu Gourmand being available for those possessing the necessary time, money, and sheer force of will. As Aquarelle caters to a gastronomic niche that Austin's dining scene has largely ignored, reservations are always a good idea. Great For: Impressing your date, being impressed by your date. Entrees: $18-35 (606 Rio Grande, 479-8117)

Aussie's Beach Bar & Grill

Aussie's high-concept athletic eats setup has served the establishment so well for so long, it's a wonder that some Dallas-based restaurant firm has yet to rip it off. Since its founding in 1989, the south-of-downtown tavern has acted as a mecca of local volleyball enthusiasts, with two courts on hand in service of restaurant-run co-ed leagues, single-day tournaments, and informal pick-up games. Fueling all of this the sun-soaked exuberance is a surprisingly extensive array of appropriate-portioned edibles, nifty lunch specials, late-night appetizer discounts, and a particularly keen happy hour scene. Great For: Burning off that stuff you just ate. Entrees: $4-14 (306 Barton Springs, 480-0952)

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Although health consciousness as a way of life is fairly widespread these days in general and in this locale in particular, but the Baja Fresh Mexican Grill chain comes close to kicking it up into socio-political movement with such benevolently draconian dictates as "No Microwaves, No Can Openers, No Freezers, No Lard, No M.S.G., No Compromises," not to mention its exhortations to those who would follow the "Live Fresh" lifestyle to "Strengthen Your Community," all of which would sound menacing if chanted in Spanish but which, properly heeded, do indeed provide for an unusually healthful Mexican menu that's burrito-centric but augmented further by tacos, quesadillas, and – of course – plenty of soups and salads. Great For: Health Nazis. Entrees: $2-8 (5300 Mopac, 899-1009; 2711 Frontera, 255-7800)

Bellagio Italian Bistro

Like most of those high-end Italian restaurants that have appeared in larger Texas cities over the last ten years, Bellagio deals in a style of Italian cuisine that's decidedly Northern in content and sensibility; unlike most such places, Bellagio charges somewhat less for that cuisine than one might expect based on a glance inside. High degrees of tastefulness aside, this is a serious eatery for serious eaters – the Eggplant Pompeii consists of three breaded eggplant medallions cemented together with as many cheeses and two sauces, all of which is served atop a mound of radiatore pasta, and the menu features not only a "fish of the day," but also a "steak of the day," a "ravioli of the day," and even a "veal of the day," which should tell you everything you need to know about the chef's commitment to hearty gastronomics. Great For: Budget gourmets. Entrees: $13-30 (6507 Jester, 346-8228)

The Boiling Pot

It's hard not to like a place in which servers just throw a bunch of shellfish onto your table, hand you a mallet, and tell you to get cracking, thus freeing patrons from the glaring tyranny of silverware and the bourgeois trappings of table manners. This is such a place, and in addition to the stone crabs, oysters, and similarly shellacked crustaceans that dominate the menu, it also does a brisk business in such sides as sausage, sweet corn, and new potatoes. Shockingly enough, The Boiling Pot also offers around 90 different beers and several wines and wine coolers to boot, a selection of libations that puts the restaurant into direct and favorable competition with Sixth Street's less mallet-friendly watering holes. Great For: Budget gourmets. Entrees: $13-30 (6507 Jester, 346-8228)

Broken Spoke

Having been founded in the sixties and having since played host to countless performances by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and dozens of other luminaries of the genre, Broken Spoke has gained the more-than-justifiable reputation as a key node of the nation's strategic crooning infrastructure. On weekend evenings in particular, the South Austin dance parlor brings in handsome, semi-rural couples who have clearly been happily married for forty years; but the strength of its draw is such that it also attracts urban hipsters who may come for the irony, but who stay for genuine appreciation of one of the most acclaimed country-western dancing establishments in the region. Meanwhile, the kitchen dishes out hamburgers, nachos, and other things you probably already guessed at a few sentences back. Great For: Cultural anthropology majors. Entrees: $6-11 (3201 S. Lamar, 442-6189)

Central Market Cafe

Among the more centralized districts of several growing Texas cities, Central Market has established itself as a key player in the ongoing drive for downtown livability by way of strategic positioning and unabashed foodie fundamentalism. Each location acts not only as a cafe, but also as a grocery store in which all of the aisles have been replaced with cooks, a cooking school, a wine tasting gallery, a flower shop, and an occasional venue for regionally prominent singer-songwriter acts – in short, an overall outpost not only of high-concept gourmet cookery, but also of the pleasant cultural trappings with which it goes hand in hand. Great For: Trying to cook above your actual capacity to do so. Entrees: $4 - 15 (4001 N. Lamar, 206-1000; 4477 S. Lamar, 889-4300)

Carlos 'n Charlie's

There was a time when Carlos n' Charlie's may have been best known for terrorizing Austin by way of the loud, irritating radio spots it used to run on the local classic rock stations. Today, Austin no longer has any classic rock stations, and thus C n' C's is now best known for fulfilling the important function of Lake Travis bar, grill, and massive venue, hosting such improbable acts as 10,000 Maniacs and Tommy TuTone along with such more probable acts as Vallejo. In order to better equip customers for the sort of heavy, apocalyptic drinking bouts that must go on at a Tommy TuTone show, the kitchen dishes out heavy staples of lakeside dining gleaned from Tex-Mex, Cajun, and other cuisines with which beer may be prudently paired. Great For: Tommy TuTone's booking guy. Entrees: $8-20 (5973 Hiline, 266-1683)

Cold Stone Creamery

Cold Stone's uniquely purist approach to ice cream and associated dessert items has helped to fuel its sharp uprising from a single store less than twenty years ago to over a thousand today, making the chain a clear winner in the cutthroat frozen treat wars, no doubt at the expense of Baskin-Robbins. Here, the process revolves around a granite slab, upon which one's chosen flavor is manhandled by the server and mixed in with whatever toppings one has deemed necessary. Cold Stone also deals in cakes and shakes, while those who may have wandered into an ice cream parlor in search of health food may opt for a fruit smoothie made from soy milk and yogurt. Great For: Shutting her up. Entrees: $2 - 5 (6301 W. Parmer, 257-1170; 11301 Lakeline, 401-9393; 13000 N. IH-35, 973-9155)

Dan McKlusky's Restaurant

Though dear Mr. McKlusky isn't quite blessed with the prettiest name in the world, his is an appropriate moniker for a downtown steakhouse that eschews undue pretension in favor of prime rib lunch specials, bottomless salad bowls, and even a "Valued Member Program" of the sort one might more readily expect from a submarine sandwich chain but which is nonetheless a welcome offering from any restaurant, and particularly one that's generally regarded to be among the finest places in Austin at which to chew on a cow. Overall, the menu itself falls under the genre of "expanded steakhouse," insomuch as that one may also order such typical red meat hangers-on as shrimp, fish, and Maine lobster. Great For: Steak sans the hassle. Entrees: $9 – 25 (301 E. Sixth, 473-8924)

Dirty Martin's Place

Dirty Martin's has been catering to a largely UT-associated crowd for something like 3,000 years, having presumably been established by entrepreneurial Asian nomads. Seriously, though, it's been around for eight decades, putting the charmingly-decrepit hamburger joint among the city's oldest and most revered eateries, and other than the fact that it now offers free wireless internet, not a whole lot has changed - the menu is still largely based around burgers, chili dogs, and other traditional American teenager fodder of the meet-me-at-the-malt-shop-and-then-we'll-go-dance-to-our-moderately-subversive-twist-records era of our nation's cultural life, though the intrepid patron will also be confronted with more surprising items like the hard-to-come-by chicken fried pork loin. Great For: Iconic eating. Entrees: $3-9 (2808 Guadalupe, 477-3173)

Dave & Buster's

Back in the days when home console gaming lagged way behind the arcade stuff, cajoling one's parents into a trip to Dave & Buster's was among the highest goals to which a child could possibly aspire. Today, the chain is still pretty neat, offering the same over-the-top degree of midway gaming activity, including those tickets you win which may be redeemed in turn for little prizes of large appeal to kids and trophy wives alike. Back in the dining area, the kitchen operates under a rather extensive "high tavern" menu that's further lubricated by such kooky drinks as the watermelon margarita. Great For: Everything, man. Entrees: $7-19 (9333 Research, 346-8015)

On 6/17/07, Sean O'Neal - The Onion < soneal@theonion.com> wrote:

Hi Barrett-

Thanks. Yes, I assigned you all of those.

sean.

-----------------

Sean O'Neal

City Editor, The Onion 

815-A Brazos Street #350

Austin, Texas 78701

p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002

www.avclub.com

On Jun 16, 2007, at 5:38 PM, Barrett Brown wrote:

Okay, here are those three listings, pasted below and attached as a word document. Can I get dibs on the following listings for delivery within a week, please?

Aquarelle

Aussie's Beach Bar & Grill

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Bellagio Italian Bistro

The Boiling Pot

Broken Spoke

Carlos'n Charlie's

Central Market Cafe

Cold Stone Creamery

Dan McKlusky's Restaurant

Dirty Martin's Place

Dave & Buster's

Irie Bean Coffee House

No other coffee bar in Austin can hope to compete with Irie Bean in the non-existent "Kookiest Special Events Encompassing Appropriate Drink Specials" competition; whether it be a presentation of Cool Runnings accompanied by discount Red Stripes or a viewing of Dazed and Confused paired with cheap tallboys, there's usually something going on to break up the monotony of screwing around on one's laptop (Irie Bean also constitutes an increasingly notable venue for local singer-songwriters). Other charms of note include organic coffee, friendly baristas, interesting regulars, and a huge backyard sporting some sort of crazy earth-and-grass sofa. Great For: Getting work done, not getting work done. Entrees: $2 - 6 (2310 S. Lamar, 326-4636)

Alligator Grill

Even if you don't make it down to South Austin too often, you've probably already seen the interior of Alligator Grill; the dining/tavern combo served as the setting of Office Space's wacky-suburban-chain-restaurant send-up. In reality, the place itself is actually a nice concept, incorporating the best aspects of bar (one inside, another cabana-style setup on the deck), venue (plenty of local bands and some touring shows to boot), family seafood joint (the signature deal being the ten-cent oyster happy hour), arcade (Mortal Kombat III!), and sports bar (flat screens abound) while somehow managing not to alienate any particular demographic. Great For: Everything, apparently. Entrees: $5 - 12 (3003 S. Lamar, 444-6117)

Iron Cactus

Though its name seems to evoke that of some radical Southwestern fascist movement, the Iron Cactus only resembles such a frightening and inevitable prospect insomuch as that the interior of each of its several locations are done up in a style that's decidedly more modernistic than one normally expects from a purveyor of Tex-Mex, and which consequently makes the place more attractive to youngish professionals (and that goes double for the downtown location, which sports one of the best roof patios in the area). The grub of residence, meanwhile, is largely traditional while veering into wacky fusion territory only when appropriate. Great For: When only Chipotle Chicken Poppers will do. Entrees: $6 - 15 (10001 Stonelake, 794-8778; 606 Trinity, 472-9240)

On 6/15/07, Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com > wrote:

Yeah, they're the same. I'll have those other three in to you after the weekend.

Word.

On 6/15/07, Sean O'Neal - The Onion < soneal@theonion.com> wrote:

Hi Barrett-

I have Rockin' Tomato already. Is Chilito's the same as El Chilito? If it is, I have that already too.

How about Irie Bean, Alligator, and Iron Cactus for right now?

sean.

-----------------

Sean O'Neal

City Editor, The Onion 

815-A Brazos Street #350

Austin, Texas 78701

p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002

www.avclub.com

On Jun 8, 2007, at 3:20 PM, Barrett Brown wrote:

I'd like to pitch these, por favor:

Irie Bean Coffee House

Alligator Grill

Rockin' Tomato

Conan's Pizza

Spiderhouse

Chilito's

Iron Cactus

On 6/8/07, Barrett Brown < barriticus@gmail.com > wrote:

Snap!

On 6/8/07, Sean O'Neal - The Onion < soneal@theonion.com> wrote:

Great. Yeah, you might want to hang on to your AOL account just in case. You never know when someone will need to email you in 1995.

sean.

-----------------

Sean O'Neal

City Editor, The Onion 

815-A Brazos Street #350

Austin, Texas 78701

p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002

www.avclub.com

On Jun 8, 2007, at 1:36 PM, Barrett Brown wrote:

Okay, thanks, it worked this time. I'm actually in the midst of switching over e-mail to this account anyway, so we'll just use this one in the future.

Thanks again.

On 6/8/07, Sean O'Neal - The Onion < soneal@theonion.com> wrote:

The file is called unknown.pdf, yes. Hope this resolves it.

-----------------

Sean O'Neal

City Editor, The Onion 

815-A Brazos Street #350

Austin, Texas 78701

p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002

www.avclub.com

On Jun 8, 2007, at 1:10 PM, barriticus@aol.com wrote:

Sorry, but the attachment still isn't showing up (although there's a little icon next to the e-mail in my inbox, it doesn't show up in my actual e-mail). Is the file supposed to be called unknown.pdf? If you would, e-mail it to me at barriticus@gmail.com, as this could be some sort of wacky AOL problem.

Thanks,

Barrett Brown
3419 Westminster Avenue
Suite 25
Dallas, Texas
75205
512-560-2302
barriticus@aol.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Sean O'Neal - The Onion < soneal@theonion.com>
To: barriticus@aol.com
Sent: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 12:37 pm
Subject: Re: need info for payment

Thanks Barrett. 
 
You have carte blanche to pitch me on food picks and features. This is an ongoing process, so I'll always need fresh reviews. 
 
Here's the W9 again (file name: unknown.pdf) Let me know if it still doesn't come through. 
 
 
----------------- 
Sean O'Neal 
City Editor, The Onion 
815-A Brazos Street #350 
Austin, Texas 78701 
p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002 
www.avclub.com 
 
 
On Jun 8, 2007, at 12:25 PM, barriticus@aol.com wrote: 
 
> Sean- 
> 
> Groovy. I'm going to have them use my mom's P.O. box in Dallas for > payment, as I'm changing apartments in late July. I'll get this > other deal faxed ASAP. If you need my physical address for > anything, it's currently 3506 Manchaca #221, Austin, Texas 78704. > Let me know when you have more work for me or if you'd like me to > pitch stuff. 
> 
> NAME: Barrett Brown 
> PHONE: 512-560-2302 
> ADDRESS: 3419 Westminster Avenue, Suite 25, Dallas, Texas 75205 
> SSN: 462-95-0651 
> DOB: 8/14/81 
> 
> 
> Barrett Brown 
> 3419 Westminster Avenue 
> Suite 25 
> Dallas, Texas 
> 75205 
> 512-560-2302 
> barriticus@aol.com 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Sean O'Neal - The Onion < soneal@theonion.com> 
> To: barriticus@aol.com 
> Sent: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 12:16 pm 
> Subject: need info for payment 
> 
> Hi Barrett- 
> 
> I'm going to start running some of your food picks beginning with > next week's issue. Can I get this info from you? 
> 
> NAME: 
> PHONE: 
> ADDRESS: 
> Austin, Texas 787?? 
> SSN: 
> DOB: 
> 
> Then I need you to fill out the attached W-9 and fax it to Kari > Birney at the head office in Madison. 414.272.3555 
> 
>  
> thanks, 
> sean. 
> ----------------- 
> Sean O'Neal 
> City Editor, The Onion 
> 815-A Brazos Street #350 
> Austin, Texas 78701 
> p: (512) 708-1400 x29 ∆ c: (512) 413-8002 
> www.avclub.com 
> 
> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's > free from AOL at AOL.com. 

---

AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

<Second Restaurant Group, Barrett Brown.doc>

<Third Restaurant Group, Barrett Brown.doc>