Formula 1 party time

Our picks for the top 10 Formula 1 parties you can attend (and a few others from the inside!)

The My Yacht party at the Grand Prix of Monaco

Formula 1 will turn Austin into a veritable non-stop party town next weekend. And for all the “F1 buzz” going around town, a lot of you truthfully are only excited about the race for two reasons:

1. Austin will be temporarily transformed into a buzzing metropolis.

2. THE PARTIES, THE PARTIES, THE PARTIES. The list of fashion shows, VIP secret nightclubs, charity balls and concerts goes on and on. Doing that juice cleanse you promised to commit to, brushing up on politics, or investing some serious time at the gym might be in order before the upcoming festivities.

With hotels already sold out and private houses being rented for $20,000 a week, Formula 1 will throw a bash like Austin has never seen. A party that is sure to make SXSW look like your parent’s bridge party by comparison.

But unlike SXSW, you do not need United States Grand Prix tickets to attend all the best events in town. That is, of course, unless you’re looking to snag a date with Fernando Alonso… in which case, an F1 credential is probably required (Or let CultureMap be your guide. See below.).

The list of parties for Formula 1 weekend is so long that we had some serious work on our hands crossing any of them off the list. Without further adieu, here is our 2012 Formula 1 unofficial guide to the best parties in Austin — that you can actually go to — and a few ridiculous private parties we happen to know a little about and might be able to sneak you into.

Thursday, November 15

The Best of Texas Music
Celebrate the music of your roots as Formula Austin presents an all-star Lone Star cast: Willie Nelson, Ray Benson, Pat Green, Jerry Jeff Walker, Del Castillo, Ruthie Foster, Quebe Sisters Band and Cindy Cashdollar.

Where: Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
When: Thursday, November 15. Doors: 7:30 p.m., Show: 9 p.m.
Tickets: $190 - $275

Austin Night Live (Private)
CultureMap Austin and Luxe Interiors and Design throw an invitation-only Austin welcome party for Formula 1 visitors presented by Mumm Champagne at the Four Seasons Residences. Yes, you must have an invitation to get in and rub shoulders with the celebs, but CultureMap Facebook fans can win a very limited number of invitations. Stay tuned.

Where: Four Seasons Residences
When: Thursday, November 15, 6 p.m.
Invitation only (Follow us on Facebook for a chance to win invitations.)

Friday, November 16

High Octane Breakfast and Full Tilt Fashion Show
The W Austin hosts Blu at the W all weekend. Kick off F1 the responsible way: on a full stomach! Meet other F1 enthusiasts over gourmet selections and champagne from TRACE or sleep in a grab brunch while oogling fashionistas on a runway produced by Linda Asaf.

Where: W Austin
When: Friday, November 16, 7:00 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tickets: Brunch: $90, Fashion Show: $150 - $350

Sapphire Room Supper Club
Chef Shawn Cirkiel, a 2012 CultureMap Tastemaker nominee, creates an elegant dining experience at his Parkside restaurant with music by Suzanna Choffel. The evening includes complimentary craft cocktails and a five-course menu created by Chef Cirkiel and wine chosen by Parkside's sommelier.

Where: Parkside
When: Friday, November 15, 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. Seatings on Saturday and Sunday as well.
Tickets: $300 - $1,750

Flo Rida and Cobra Starship
This will be a dance 'til you drop heart-pumping, sweat-dripping marathon! Enjoy a girls' night out, leave the boys at home and “just dance”!

Where: The Cota Club at The Austin Convention Center
When: Friday, November 16, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $55 - $125

My Yacht F1 Club
Join the MY YACHT™ Group as they transform Ballet Austin into a VIP luxury European style nightclub, kicking off Friday night with a charity fashion show benefitting I Live Here, I Give Here. Nicholas Frankl brings his MY YACHT™ must-attend Monaco party to Austin. This is the premium VIP party of the weekend. It's a pricey ticket as you'd expect, but CultureMap Insiders also have a chance to win tickets to this exclusive event.

Where: My Yacht Club at Ballet Austin
When: Friday, November 16 - Sunday, November 18, 9:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Tickets: $300 - $9,750 (Friday and Saturday), $500 - $9,750 (Sunday)
Sign up to become a CultureMap Insider and be eligible to win tickets.

Aerosmith with Cheap Trick
If you’re a child of the '80s and never stopped idolizing hair bands, or want to hear Steven Tyler talk gibberish (“What’s with the juju bees on your ooh ooh bees?”), you’re in luck my friend!

Where: Frank Erwin Center
When: Friday, November 16, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $65 - $199

Saturday, November 17

Go Kart Racing at K1 Speed by Formula1Blog.com
After qualifying day, meet at the K1 Speed track with your game face as racers and fans come together to celebrate F1. “Special Guests” are rumored to be in attendance, which we hope for our sake is Jenson Button… food, adult beverages and Go Kart racing all provided. You must have F1 tickets in order to attend. All ages welcome.

Where: K1 Speed Track, 2500 McHale Court
When: 7 p.m.
Follow the instructions here to attend the event.

Marussia Formula 1 Racing Team Party with PolePositionGirl: $10,000 Bikini Contest
All of the F1 teams have official parties over the weekend. Most are private, invitation-only affairs, but here's one you you have access to and it promises to include some of the most beautiful people in Austin. Ladies, do you consider yourself “really, really, really ridiculously good looking”? Do you have an ungodly amount of student loan debt you need to pay off? Trying to raise money to open your own food trailer? If any of these statements apply to you and you’re feeling mega confident, Saturday night is your night. PolePositionGirl.com is holding the annual bikini contest party with a cash prize of $10,000. Watch contestants strut their stuff as 20 of Austin’s finest compete to be on the F1 Bikini Team photographed by Vogue’s very own photographers. Bottle service, red carpet, catfights all included.

Where: TenOak
When: Saturday, November 15, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Tickets: $195 - $10,000

Lounge 88
This might very well be Austin's most extravagant F1 party and it's being thrown by an Austinite! Packages are being offered at $50,000. Absurd you say? Well, a portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs along with the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund. Lounge 88 gives you bang for your buck, transforming their larger than life exotic nightclub into a different theme all three nights as the backdrop to some amazing club & house music. Guests rumored to attend are "A-list" celebs, athletes, industry execs and basically anyone Ivana Trump would tell you to marry. Musical performances by : Afrojack, Kaskade, T-Pain, Quintino, Krewella, Dev and a few "surprise" guests...

Where: Lounge 88 at La Zona Rosa
When: Friday, November 16 through Sunday, November 18. 8 pm.
Tickets: $2,000 - $50,000

Enrique Iglesias with Nelly
Latin heartthrob pop meets dirty south rap. Need we say more?

Where: The Cota Club at The Austin Convention Center
When: Saturday, November 17, 8 pm.
Tickets: $69 - $149

BLU @ the W Nightclub
Come boogie the night away as the W converts their second story into an ultra steamy nightclub. Bathed in blue light and decked with ultra modern furnishings, it’s all the glamour and glitz you’d except from the one letter wonder franchise. Nationally recognized DJs will be spinning all night.

Where: W Hotel
When: Friday, November 15 - Sunday, November 18, 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Tickets: $400 - $30,000

Lupe Fiasco
Come see Grammy winning artist and GQ’s man of the year, Lupe Fiasco, dish out some serious rhymes as he takes the ACL stage for the first time. Singer of the hip hop/electronic fusion hit, “The Show Goes On” and critically-acclaimed album Lasers, Lupe has been making big waves in the music industry over the last year.

Where: Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
When: Saturday, November 17, Doors: 6:30 p.m., Show: 8 p.m.
Ticket: - $49 - $59

Sunday, November 18
Sunday is race day. The United States Grand Prix starts at 1 p.m. but of course there are events all day. If you’re not too tired after a day at the race, here are some events to cap off F1 the proper way:

Prohibition Party - Gold @ The Four
For the elegant crowd, head to the Four Seasons for a throwback speakeasy themed dinner. Décor and attire will be reminiscent of the 1920s when we had to make booze in the basement and girls bearing their knees was provocative. Live music provided by The White Ghost Shivers. Cocktails, dancing, dinner and live music all included.

Where: Four Seasons Hotel
When: Sunday, November 18, 7 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Tickets: $225 - $30,000

Circuit of the Americas Official After-Party
The Bob Bullock Museum will be transformed one night only into a mega restaurant/bar/stage/theater/party palooza to end F1 with a bang. Performers include Ghostland Observatory, Fitz & the Tantrums, The Wailers, DJ Jilliam Ann and Tje Austin.

Where: Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
When: Sunday, November 18
Tickets: $99 - $250

My Yacht F1 Club
On Sunday the MY YACHT™ Group kicks their VIP luxury European style nightclub up a notch with a Grand Prix after-party featuring Lamborghini, showcasing its range of 2013 models and Comte de Mazeray making its U.S. debut and serving a 24-karat gold-flecked champagne. Celebrities and several Formula 1 drivers will be on hand, rumors suggest Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher might make a stop. Of course they'll also have live DJs spinning house and club music.

Where: My Yacht Club at Ballet Austin
When: Friday, November 16 - Sunday, November 18, 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Tickets: $500 - $9,750

The Code 20
Fancy a one-of-a-kind, avant-garde, road-less travelled type of evening? Then Code 20 is for you. Meet some F1 drivers, bask in the unique ambiance and savor an evening unlike any other. Mystery awaits you. Tickets require a donation to the Livestrong Foundation.

Where: Haven on Colorado
When: Sunday, November 18

Tickets: Email for tickets

Red Bull Racing Team After Party (Private)

If you know Red Bull, you know this invitation-only blow-out bash will be big and over-the-top and perhaps include a meet-up with Formula 1 superstar Sebastian Vettel. Sponsored by the World Champion Red Bull Racing team, featuring a half dozen DJs and food and drink, the Austin hip will fill the space. The party is invite only, but of course CultureMap is here to get you in. Follow our Tweets @CultureMapATX and @RedBullATX for information on how to win an invite to this once-in-a-lifetime party.

Where: Secret location
When: Sunday, November 18, 10 p.m. - 4 a.m.
Invitation only. Follow our Tweets @CultureMapATX and @RedBullATX to find out how to win access.

Gold at the Four hosts a Prohibition party

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Best In Podcasting

Ed Helms, Payne Lindsey, and more at the iHeartPodcast Awards in Austin

Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

Ed Helms presents at the iHeartPodcast Awards.

South by Southwest (SXSW) may be known by its many familiar celebrity faces — we've already seen the likes of Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Pedro Pascal, Jenna Ortega, and many, many more who've graced our screens — but the iHeartPodcast Awards on March 10 celebrated some of the world's most famous voices.

iHeartRadio's event at ACL Live at the Moody Theater is the "biggest podcast award show in the world," at least according to the show's hosts, Jack O'Brien and Miles Gray. These two are the hosts of their own podcast, The Daily Zeitgeist, and they played emcees for the roughly one-hour award show, guiding the audience and viewers at home through various award's categories with a mix of earnest appreciation and cheesy jokes.

The red-lit room was completely full, with many mellow badge holders taking standing room after a long fourth day at the conference and festivals. Only when certain presenters and award-winners took the stage did the audience truly come to life, wolf-whistling and applauding to show their appreciation.

iHeartPodcast Awards Austin Nominees and presenters mingle after the iHeartPodcast Awards at ACL Live Moody Theater.Photo by Natalie Grigson

The first award of the evening, for Best Ensemble podcast, went to My Favorite Murder. The show's beloved hosts, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark took the stage and, uncharacteristically for these two big talkers, gave a succinct thanks. The night moved on through categories like Best Crime Podcast (Betrayal), Best Science Podcast (Ologies with Alie Ward), Best in Business and Finance (Planet Money), Best Travel (Jump with Traveling Jackie), and many, many more.

Early in the evening actor and podcaster Ed Helms bestowed the Social Impact Award on sports journalist Sarah Spain, saying "badass women like Sarah Spain are what the world needs right now." Her podcast Good Game explores ways sports can be a catalyst for social change, especially for women.

Next, Helms awarded the Best Overall Host award to Mel Robbins of The Mel Robbins Podcast, who wasn't there to accept but popped in via video, joking, "Wait, what is this award again?"

Other big name presenters included Jamie Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler; Dennis Quaid, Sophia Bush, Payne Lindsey, and Powell MacLachlan from Twin Peaks — who came out munching on a to-go container of ribs.

"Austin keeps it weird," MacLachlan said through a mouthful of ribs, "I, too, keep it weird. And well, this is weird." He pulled an ear out of the to-go box, delighting the crowd's die-hard David Lynch fans.

To end the evening, none other than Chelsea Handler, comedy legend and host of Dear Chelsea, took the stage. She asked the audience to raise their hands if they've ever been a host; to raise them again if they've ever had to interview a drunk person; and to keep them raised if they've ever been the drunk person in the interview. She ended with, "All that to say, anyone in this category can handle anything."

Chelsea Handler at the iHeartPodcast Awards Chelsea Handler presents at the iHeartPodcast Awards.Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images

Handler presents the award for Podcast of the Year, and the competition was stiff:

Normal Gossip
Three
Giggly Squad
Call Her Daddy
Las Culturistas
Hysterical
The Telepathy Tapes
Who Killed JFK?
Empire City
The Good Whale

Ultimately, Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang took home the award. The two hosts appeared via video to accept, with Handler joking, "These guys are too busy being too awesome to be here tonight so they sent us this video.”

After the event wound down and presenters and nominees milled about beneath the now bright lights, we were able to catch up with some of the podcast hosts. For many including this CultureMap writer and podcast enthusiast, this was the real highlight of the evening.

One host who stuck around was acclaimed podcaster, director, and journalist Payne Lindsey. He's the man behind too many podcasts to name, but some of his best known joints include Up and Vanished, Radio Rental, High Strange, and many more under his production company Tenderfoot TV. He's been in the podcast game since about 2016 and is a boots-on-the-ground type of journalist.

"I go knock on doors and dig up the story," Lindsey said. "So we really have to treat that delicately."

For those following along in this season's Up and Vanished, Lindsey did let us know that he has been to Alaska recently and looped us into a truly jaw-dropping development in the story of Joseph Balderas. We'll just say it has something to do with a truck.

As far as how Payne is liking Austin?

"Austin is the only place in Texas I like," he laughs. "Is that cool to say?"

Yes. Yes, it is.

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