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Rusty Irons from Austin: Interview with a Holiday Rental Owner. Rusty Irons, Austin, Texas, USA. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Rusty Irons from Austin: Interview with a Holiday Rental Owner

It’s the little things that make a difference to a holiday rental stay – whether there’s soap and toilet paper provided, some breakfast ingredients to get you started, or even a welcome gift of a bottle of local wine. Some properties we’ve stayed in this year have really impressed us, but none as much as Rusty Irons’ Austin property: the warm Texas welcome, the airport pick-up, concierge-like services, and a fridge full of food. It’s the first property we’ve experienced that offers the best of both worlds – the things that people love about holiday rentals and the things that they miss about a hotel when they’re staying in a rental.

As Rusty’s warm personality and hospitality have contributed as much to making our stay special as that awesome pantry, we thought it might be interesting to chat to Rusty Irons about holiday rentals, what makes them special, Austin and other things.

Q. Why holiday rentals?

A. Actually holiday rentals came to me. I was at a point in my life, having a major paradigm shift, and it was time to create a business. I decided to work for the best boss I know: me. We have fun and can turn on a dime. Wisdom kicks in in your fifties so I new that if I do what I love, success will follow. I love meeting lots of new people, entertaining, interior design, travel, different cultures, real estate, children, dogs and chef-ing. I love to have fun. Running a holiday rental brings this all to me.

Q. You were one of HomeAway’s first customers.

A. We grew up together. My vacation home rental flew off the shelf, right out of the gate and the HomeAway team noticed and liked what they saw, a successful customer. We’ve worked together since the beginning, making videos to share the holiday rental experience, that sort of thing.

Q. How did you start out?

A. I started by researching the market and choosing which properties to buy. Austin visitors want to stay in the heart of the city. Location is key. They want to see for themselves what’s so special about Austin. And they figure the best way to do that is to live in neighbourhoods where real people live. Close to shops, clubs, restaurants and tons of food trailers specializing in everything from pork belly to cake balls on sticks. What more could one want? A pool and spa, please. Check. Bring my pets. Check.

Q. What do you enjoy most about your work?

A. Something I didn’t anticipate, meeting the most wonderful people from around the world. When they arrive they are pleasantly surprised about the setting, design and accommodation. Everyone is so gracious and happy.

Q. Do you have a philosophy that drives how you run things?

A. Every decision I make regarding my business and life is based on achieving a win/win outcome. When everyone wins customers return, I get more business, and the home gets imprinted with good vibrations. You can feel it when you enter. Babies have come home from the hospital, wedding proposals have been made here, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners have been prepared here, and bridesmaids have dressed here. Bliss!

Q. Your services are extraordinary for a holiday rental.

A. I designed this business model based upon a customer I know very well. Me. My family and I lived as expatriates for many years. I have two daughters; my first born in the Philippines, my second in England. We also lived in Brussels and the NYC area. I created my ideal: a vacation home in pristine condition, with luxurious linens and beds, a filled pantry, food in the fridge so I’m not driving around a strange neighbourhood at night looking for milk; and something for dinner and breakfast just makes my day. Some clients want five star hotel services. We provide them. Babysitting, private yoga lessons, catered dinners and parties, housekeeping, dinner delivered. You want it, we’ll provide it.

Q. What sets your property apart from others?

A. We are user-friendly. That’s also key. Then there are our luxury services, an endless exercise pool and spa (big one), our location in the heart of SoCo where everyone wants to be, our bed linens from Wildflower Organics, our pantry stocked with original Austin foods, XM Satellite, our Austin iPod, our generous 1/2 acre with forest views, the fact that we are pet friendly, and we’re dedicated to being in pristine hypoallergenic mode for our customers who may be allergic.

Q. Any tips for property owners?

A. Think basics like toilet paper, soaps at every sink, shower, and bath – if you want them to take care of the home give them the tools! Spend on good beds, linens, mattresses, and pillows – the Marriott learned that years ago and it kept them from going under, not to mention an increase in customer loyalty! Skip the silk flowers and make arrangements with fresh fruits and veggies instead – it’s less expensive than real flowers, you can eat them, and they don’t gather dust and stale energy. Also, know what drives your SEO with your listing agent, what brings your property up to the top of all other listed properties is different for each company – it might be keeping your calendar updated on one or the number of photos you’ve uploaded on another.

Q. Is guest feedback important?

A. Guests have desires that need to be met and I listen. Like Terence and his playlist. (Rusty’s response was to install an ‘Austin iPod’!) Monica, our current resident wants a full-length mirror, so off to the shops I will go.

Q. Can guests be too demanding?

A. Yes, but I understand them. They’ve asked for nothing I wouldn’t allow for myself. What I love is when a man wants to set up a romantic weekend. I can hear the relief in his voice when I make suggestions we can prepare for the occasion: rose petals, chocolates, champagne, breakfast and dinner, fresh flowers.

Q. Tips for travellers booking a holiday rental?

A. Read the fine print. Check reviews. And speak with the owner by telephone. If possible see the property before booking or have a family member, friend or associate check it out personally. I often do look-sees.

Q. What makes Austin great for travellers wanting to get beneath the skin of a place?

A. Austin is cool. Wherever I go and someone asks where I’m from, they always say they hear it’s a special place. Mostly I think they love living like a local. You can’t get more local and real than South Austin.

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About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joe Ann Savoie says

    August 17, 2010 at 8:39 am

    Sounds fun, watched you on Food Network!!! LOVE ur style

  2. Antonio Bortolotti says

    August 20, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    “It’s the first property we’ve experienced that offers the best of both worlds – the things that people love about holiday rentals and the things that they miss about a hotel when they’re staying in a rental.”
    Just this sentence says it all! What a great way to portray a 5 star service, I wish we deserved that too, but we are on our way and trying hard, provided that we are not on the spot yet all the time and we manage it from 600kms away.
    I really liked reading this interview at Rusty. I think she spoke from her heart and gave lots of valuable hints to whom is interested in providing a really unforgettable experience and is truly “dedicated” to a guest’s needs and expectations.
    We do the same, or at least we try to with our Sardinian Casa Teulada and I am only sad you guys did not experience the usual gorgeous weather which really makes the difference, when you stayed with us in May.
    Rusty Says:”Actually holiday rentals came to me. I was at a point in my life, having a major paradigm shift, and it was time to create a business. I decided to work for the best boss I know: me. We have fun and can turn on a dime.”
    We’ve been looking for the same thing for years and luckily the same thing happened to us since we opened our property three years ago. We are not fully working only for ourselves, but this is our goal and I agree with Rusty on that if you do things right, if you are passionate, thoughtful and careful, you can really make the difference and create that win/win situation that makes both you and your guest happy.
    “Every decision I make regarding my business and life is based on achieving a win/win outcome. When everyone wins customers return, I get more business, and the home gets imprinted with good vibrations. You can feel it when you enter.” 100% agree! It is so rewarding to see guests coming in and remaining breathless when they enter the door, telling you that the pictures on the website and online don’t do justice to the place and knowing that someone from as far as New Zealand chose your place to spend such a special moment like her/his Honeymoon… We are thrilled when this happens and this repays of all the efforts we put into the house, into promoting it and into working hard to be able to move there as soon as possible to manage it directly, like Rusty does. Because we know that this is one such “little things” that really makes the difference!
    “I designed this business model based upon a customer I know very well. Me. ” Once again agree 100%! Though I am aware I may not be the perfect customer to take as model when building our strategy for success, I am a really demanding client (a little bit like Terry ;-)) and I want everything to be perfect and smooth. Hence, we try to apply the same philosophy when setting up our business. We designed, planned and created every corner of our house with this in mind and today most of our guests acknowledge such care.
    My advice for succes is be fair, play fair, think right, do no harm to whom is providing you with the opportunity to go on, because whatever you do will get back to you in some other way. So if you are doing good, you cannot expect anything bad in return, trust me!

  3. lara dunston says

    August 22, 2010 at 12:09 pm

    I’ll let Rusty know you saw her on the Food Network, Joe. Thanks for dropping by!

  4. lara dunston says

    August 22, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    Thanks for your detailed comments on Rusty’s interview, Antonio – totally agree with you on all the points. Much appreciated.

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Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
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Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
#blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #picoftheday 
#christmas #christmastree #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas #cambodia #siemreap
This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

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