Austin

Nobody is native to Austin. That's what's great about it. People CHOOSE to live here and trust me, it makes all the difference in a community.

Austinites love Austin. We're kinda snobs about this amazing city we choose to live in. We love everything, from small businesses to funky trends to the natural resources. It's a little weird and we're behind the saying "Keep Austin Weird."

This is my attempt to share with you what makes Austin (and the surrounding communities) weird and amazing.

Food & Drink
  • Apothecary Cafe & Wine Bar: I always feel cooler when I'm here. Despite it's uber-cool feel, it is not pretentious in the least, has an excellent wine selection and really tasty salads and paninis.
  • Blue Star Cafeteria: Kitschy flair and wholesome American food.
  • Buffalo Billiards: Site of our first date and the after-party for our wedding. Pool tables, air hockey, darts and other entertainment.
  • Chuy's: An Austin classic. We served their might-as-well-be-cocaine-it's-so-addicting creamy jalepeno dip at our wedding.
  • Holy Cacao: Decadent, sweet and perfectly sized. God, I'm craving these now.
  • House Wine: Just south of downtown, it's a little house turned into a wine bar. Puppies welcome on the porch!
  • Java Cafe: The staff wears shirts that say "Keep Round Rock mildly unusual." Oh and the food is good too, special recommendation on the California omelette.
  • Salt Lick: Known for the best BBQ in Austin, located just outside the city in Driftwood. BOYB and vegetarians need not go. (You'll  be limited to coleslaw and bread because even the beans are cooked with meat.)
  • Star Co. Coffee: Forget breakfast tacos, they serve breakfast quesadillas.
  • Z' Tejas: We love love love Z' Tejas and go here often. Southwestern flair but not Tex-Mex.
Shopping
  • BookPeople: Downtown on 6th Street, it is a locally owned book store. What I love best about this place, besides it's distinctly Austin vibe, is the staff recs for books. I find that so helpful for just wandering in needing "a book" but with nothing more specific in mind. They haven't steered us wrong yet!
  • Round Rock Outlets: GAP, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, New York & Co and a Coach outlet that regularly hands out 20-30% off coupons. Love in a shopping bag.
  • Whole Foods: Maybe you have one in your town too, but does it have a cafe that was named among the best hidden gems in town?
Recreation
  • Bark Park: A puppy dog park in Georgetown, part of a series of parks all connected in the town's center
  • Round Rock Express: Triple A affiliate for the Texas Rangers.
  • Town Lake Hike & Bike: Despite being a drive from P-ville, Nichole and I try to get our exercise here as often as we can. It's a beautiful, puppy-filled walk just outside of downtown along the lake (which is really the Colorado River).
  • Zilker Hillside Theatre:  For more than 50 summers, free productions have been entertaining Austinites at Zilker Park. The 2011 show: Footloose. You know I loved it.
Events
"Keep Austin Weird" doesn't just refer to cross-dressing homeless Leslie or the Polka-Dot Lawn, it actually began as encouragement to support local, small businesses. Learn something new every day huh?
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