The Peached Tortilla team is keeping busy. What started as a fusion food truck has evolved into a local success story with multiple trucks, brick-and-mortar restaurant, catering service, and now, Peached Social House, a new boutique venue in North Central Austin.
"Our goal was to create a venue space that had an identity of its own but could also be transformed into something further by our clients," said founder Eric Silverstein in a statement.
The 4,400-square-foot space is designed to host everything from pop-up dinners and mixers to art shows and weddings.
The versatile downstairs area holds 100-175 guests, depending on the setup. An open, modern aesthetic courtesy of Kevin Stewart Architect is accentuated by renovated shipping containers and a second-floor mezzanine. There's a state-of-the-art sound system and projector for business meetings and movie screenings. Other amenities available to rent include a bridal suit, funky furniture, and elegant dishware.
A fully equipped commercial kitchen means all of Peached Tortilla's delicious bites are made fresh onsite. In addition to in-house catering, the flexible Social House team connects clients with top vendors to make planning an event as easy — and affordable — as possible.
Peached Social House is now booking events. Look for the space at 6500 N. Lamar Blvd.
Look for Peached Social House at 6500 N. Lamar Blvd.
Photo by Nicole Raney
Look for Peached Social House at 6500 N. Lamar Blvd.
The revenge story is one of the most enduring in all of cinema as it can be adapted to multiple different genres. It most naturally fits in the action/thriller genre, but comedies, dramas, Westerns, and more have made good use of characters seeking revenge. The new film Is God Is demonstrates that malleability by detailing an intensely personal story that turns into something bigger.
Twins Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson) have lived a difficult life, going in and out of foster care and forced to endure stares and taunts because each bears burn scars from a childhood attack. Racine, whose scars are “only” on her left arm, has developed into the protector of Anaia, who suffered burns over much of her face.
An unexpected call from their mother, Ruby (Vivica A. Fox), who was burned almost beyond recognition in the attack, gives them a purpose: Seeking revenge on the man who ruined their lives. Setting out in a barely working car and with only a small amount of direction, the sisters attempt to fulfill the mission without losing their souls.
Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Aleasha Harris, the film may remind some viewers of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, and not just because Fox has small roles in both films. Harris has a knack for dialogue, especially between the twins, that ably gets across the story exposition and entertains at the same time. There are many instances where she has the sisters hold silent conversations told on screen via subtitles to convey twin-speak, a method that deepens their connection and draws the viewer in.
Harris also has her characters engage in the type of shocking violence that Tarantino has used to great effect. The difference here, though, is that even though the story is heightened to a certain degree, the egregious nature of the crime perpetrated upon the girls and their mother makes the whole thing feel bracingly real. This revenge plot is not meant to merely entertain; it’s designed to put the audience in Racine and Anaia’s shoes and fully embrace the call for justice.
There are a few times when the lack of experience by Harris shows up, especially in the climactic sequence where the stunt work could have used some more precision. But overall, it’s a self-assured filmmaking debut for the playwright-turned-director, who’s adapted her own play with a richness and depth that is not often found from someone stepping behind the camera for the first time.
Young and Johnson don’t especially look alike, but they embody the essence of twin sisters, and it’s their chemistry together that makes the story as impactful as it is. They’re joined by other strong female performances by Fox, Erika Alexander, and Janelle Monáe, each of whom brings a different vibe. And anyone who loves This is Us or Paradise should prepare themselves for a completely different kind of role for Sterling K. Brown.
Is God Is uses a variety of inspirations for its storytelling, but in the end it becomes its own thing. The filmmaking world can always stand to have another strong Black voice, and Harris has made an auspicious debut, one that should have cinephiles wondering what she’ll do next.
