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In addition to the butchery and restaurant, Salt & Time is also a salumeria, meaning it specializes in salami and cured meats. (Salt & Time)
Ben Runkle went vegan when he was 18 after learning about the effects meat production posed to animals and the environment. He was into punk rock at the time, living in the Bay Area in California, surrounded by like-minded people who also abstained from eating meat.
Fast forward more than 10 years later, Runkle co-owns Salt & Time, a butchery and salumeria here in Austin, but he hasn't lost his drive to live sustainably.
"I didn't really have an understanding of food production or where food came from—learning all that information, it was a very natural reaction to want to abstain completely from consuming animal products that were part of that system," Runkle told Austonia. "When I started eating meat again, I wanted to know where it was from, how it was raised (and) how products were made."
Ben Runkle has been running Salt & Time alongside his business partner Bryan Butler since 2013. (Ben Runkle)
He moved to Austin to live closer to family and began to pursue a dream: opening a butcher shop that was comparable to the places he had worked at and loved in California. Before long, he started selling at farmers' markets and was later introduced to his business partner, Bryan Butler.
With a joint passion for working with local ranchers, Butler and Runkle hit it off. By February 2013, they had their own brick and mortar, still standing today, now offering a full-service restaurant and café to boot.
Runkle continues to source his products locally, doing his best to adhere to a "two-hour" rule of buying meat from two hours or less by car. Even though they can't always meet that criterion, Runkle says they learn about the ranchers they source from—many of which started out directly selling to Salt & Time—as his number one priority is transparency in the process.
"We look these ranchers in the eyes, talk to them about what their processes are and what their reasoning for doing it is, and frankly, they look those animals in the eyes for their whole lives," Runkle said. "That gives me a lot more confidence that they're not going to take their animals to a slaughterhouse that's horrific, that doesn't take into account animal welfare. That relationship is really important to us."
Runkle said he considers sustainability as core to what they do and he wants to encourage others to be mindful of where the things they consume come from. On top of that, he doesn't want vegetarians or vegans to see him as the enemy—on the contrary, he wants to unify for a cause.
"Right now, especially with the climate change discussion and the kind of hyperpolarized world that we live in, there is a default position for a lot of vegetarians and a lot of meat-eaters to automatically look at each other as adversaries," Runkle said. "I see factory farming and industrial meat production as my adversary and vegetarians and vegetarianism as a different reaction to the same information. I think we're actually closer in some regards to each other's point of view than we might realize and I am hopeful that that can be a basis of building some kind of common ground around addressing some structural problems in our food system."
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Popular
(Gulfstream)
Elon Musk has placed an order for a new, top-of-the-line private jet: a Gulfstream G700, Austonia has learned. Delivery is expected in early 2023.
Billed as offering “the most spacious cabin in history,” the aircraft seats 19 and soars above the rest of us at up to 51,000 feet. Base price: $78 million.
The Gulfstream G700 was awarded the 2022 International Yacht & Aviation Award for excellence in cabin design this year. (Gulfstream)
According to the Gulfstream website, the G700 can fly up to 7,500 nautical miles without refueling, enough range to fly nonstop from Austin to Hong Kong. Powered by two Rolls-Royce engines, it has its own Wi-Fi system, 20 oval windows measuring 28” x 21”, and two lavatories.
The sweet new ride will replace his current top-of-line private jet: a 2015 Gulfstream G650, the aircraft that has been made somewhat famous by the automated @elonjet Twitter account, which tracks and reports his personal aircraft’s movements using public data.
Landed in Austin, Texas, US. Apx. flt. time 44 Mins. pic.twitter.com/jZ7HI0i4iV
— ElonJet (@ElonJet) June 24, 2022
Musk has repeatedly championed “free speech” as a guiding ethic in his planned purchase of Twitter. Last December, Musk offered the teenager who built the @elonjet tracker $50,000 to shut it down, citing security concerns. It’s still up.
According to the @elonjet account, Musk’s jet last traveled to Austin, where it’s been since June 23. The associated data says that his flight to Austin burned $2,573 worth of aviation fuel and discharged 4 tons of carbon dioxide.
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(Valencia Hotel Group)
Live music and beer? Say no more. With a location in Austin, and others throughout Texas, the court hotels by the Valencia Hotel Group have a new offering for weekend stays: Live Music & Longnecks.
Enjoy live music all weekend long and check out the hotels’ state-of-the-art amenities between sets. Make a splash in the pool, enjoy outdoor fire pits, or challenge your friends in a yard game while enjoying a weekend full of live music! Did we mention the package includes deluxe accommodations and a bucket of beer? Oh, and if you needed more convincing, this pet-friendly hotel means the whole family can join in on the fun.
The hotels
Explore any of the Court Hotels by Valencia Hotel Group for a memorable escape. Each property offers a unique experience remnant of yesteryear but with all of the modern amenities that make for a fun and comfortable stay. With acres of landscaped courtyards, relax and unwind in an outdoor environment perfect for doing everything or absolutely nothing at all. With locations in Austin, College Station, Irving, and Lubbock your urban retreat has never been so close.
The music
Locals and travelers alike are invited to enjoy the deep roots of Texas music all summer long with a robust lineup of live performances. From the banks of the San Antonio Riverwalk to Irving’s manicured streets, Valencia’s hotels are a place to gather and reconnect, offering uniquely Texan settings for the weekly performances.
“We’re proud of the community we’ve fostered among Texas musicians and the many rising stars who perform at our properties,” says Amy Trench, corporate director of brand marketing & PR for Valencia Hotel Group.
In Austin, you can catch good ol’ fashioned Texas country by Drew Moreland and Clayton Gardner, bluegrass by Reagan Quinn, and much, much more.
With unique programming at each of Valencia’s properties, there’s something for everyone to enjoy all summer long.
The perks
If you’re a Valencia Hotel Group Rewards member, the perks are plentiful. Enjoy up to 10% off the Best Available Rate, and for a limited time, members can save up to 15% off a stay of 2 nights or more, for select stays in 2022.
But that’s really just the beginning. At select locations, you can enjoy discounts on weeknight stays, a complimentary third night, or curated packages for a romantic getaway or a night of watching the Verde at Q2 Stadium. You’ll also find special rates for AAA and AARP Members, educators, and front-line heroes including military, law enforcement, fire, and rescue workers.