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Mingle with Peacocks at Mayfield Park

September 3, 2015 by

It may be tucked away in the heart of a major city, but Mayfield Park still manages to retain an atmosphere of calm. That's despite its particularly flashy residents, about two dozen peacocks. The promise of seeing them sunbathing, tree-climbing, or just meandering around draws many locals to Mayfield Park time and time again. After all, they look a little bit different depending on the season, so it's a new experience each time. Perhaps the best time to visit is late winter or early spring, when the male peacocks fan out their colorful feathers in an attempt to attract the ladies.

Even if you don't spot one of the majestic birds, though, your trip to Mayfield Park will still be well worth the time. Its 21-acre nature preserve contains snaking trails, perfect for a hike or a stroll through the trees. After your hike, stop by the picturesque Mayfield Cottage and Gardens for a glimpse inside the way Austin's elite lived in the early 20th century.

Mayfield Park
3505 W. 35th Street
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 974-6797
mayfieldpark.org
www.yelp.com/biz/mayfield-park-austin

Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: , ,

Julio’s Cafe: Don’t Miss the Breakfast Tacos

August 27, 2015 by

From its green enchiladas to the breakfast tacos, the authentic Mexican fare dished out by Julio's Cafe has been impressing Austin eaters since 1983. Thanks to that fresh, carefully crafted fare, one really seems to mind that this laid-back eatery is cash only. Patrons are more than happy to make an extra stop at the ATM if it means they can slurp up a bowl of Julio's chicken soup for dinner.

The soup features roasted chicken, one of the menu's mainstays, mixed with fresh, colorful veggies. You can also get the chicken all on its own by the quarter, half, or whole. Enjoy it with a smorgasbord of accouterments, including pinto beans, Spanish rice, tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa. If you come by a little earlier in the day (before 11:30 a.m.), you can dig into one of the popular breakfast tacos. Pick your own ingredients from a list that includes eggs, bacon, Mexican sausage, pinto beans, cheese, and rice. Migas, huevos rancheros, and even French toast are also on the morning menu.

Julio's Cafe
4230 Duval Street
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 452-1040
www.juliosaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/julios-caf%C3%A9-austin-2

Filed Under: Restaurants Tagged With: , ,

What Are Sliding Puzzles? Find Out Here!

August 20, 2015 by

If you love puzzles, you’re likely always looking for new styles to challenge your mind. Sliding puzzles are great options for anyone who wants to improve his or her special reasoning and logic skills, and there are countless different ways to play.

Sliding puzzles involve moving flat pieces along certain routes.
The end game of most sliding puzzles is to reach a certain configuration, which makes it important to consider your next move with each current move you make.

Sliding puzzles can use a variety of different pieces.
Many sliding puzzles use marbles enclosed in a board, while others use blocks, tokens, or even digital game boards to play online.

Players are not permitted to lift pieces off of the board.
This is the main difference between sliding puzzles and other types of rearrangement puzzles. Because you are unable to lift the pieces to move them, it’s important to clear a space for future moves.

Sliding puzzles are fairly common and easy to find.
Some popular sliding puzzles are the original Fifteen Puzzle, Inakube, Klotski, Minus Cube, and Jumbly.

Sliding Puzzles [Wikipedia]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Highland Lanes: Join a Bowling League at This Old-Fashioned Alley

August 13, 2015 by

If you’re looking for an old-fashioned bowling alley where you can enjoy an affordable game with your friends, Highland Lanes might be just the place near 3500 Westlake. This well-maintained facility contains numerous lanes complete with electronic scoreboards and high-tech flatscreen televisions displaying your score. There is ample seating for your entire team at the end of your lane, and on weekends, you can even play in the dark using glow-in-the-dark equipment during Electric Bowl.

There are optional bumpers on each lane for the little ones, as well as a well-stocked pro shop where you can rent shoes and balls if you don’t have your own. Grab a juicy, grilled hamburger or a hot dog from the attached Lebowski’s Grill to make a day (or night) out of your bowling experience.

Highland Lanes is open 9:30 a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and 9:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Highland Lanes
8909 Burnet Road
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 458-1215
www.highlandlanes.com

Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: , ,

Take a Dip at Shipe Park

August 6, 2015 by

Shipe Park only claims two acres of Austin's Hyde Park, but it packs a lot of opportunities for outdoor recreation into that relatively small outdoor space. One of the biggest draws—or, more accurately two of the biggest draws—is its set of pools. Between the shady swimming pool and slowly ebbing wading pool, there's an appropriate spot to dive in no matter the age of your kids, or if you don't bring any kids along at all.

You'll want to cool off in the pools after spending time enjoying Shipe Park's other features, like the pair of basketball courts or tennis courts. It also boasts a multi-purpose field and a picnic area where you can set up camp after a day of running around. You can also bring your youngsters to the playground, surrounded by towering trees, and let them explore the playground in the shade.

Shipe Park
4400 Avenue G
Austin, TX 78751
www.austinparks.org/our-parks.html?parkid=329
www.yelp.com/biz/shipe-park-austin

Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: , ,

Fork and Vine: New American Fare with Austin Flair

July 30, 2015 by

The "Austin-inspired" dishes at Fork and Vine are almost too pretty to eat—almost. Head chef Camden Stuerzenberger plates his New American cuisine beautifully, but it tastes even better than it looks. Case in point: the pretzel bread pudding. Smothered with mustard-caramel sauce and topped with a dollop of whipped cream, the pretzel bread pudding walks the line between dinner and dessert.

Before you indulge in something sweet, try one of Chef Camden's entrees or a few tapas. The small plates include PEI mussels in guajillo chile broth, wood-fired veggies with shrimp and Thai curry, or house-made chips with eclectic dips. Full entrees range from wild grouper with pickled shrimp to a massive 36-ounce cowboy ribeye steak, served with crunchy onions and bleu cheese butter. Any of the eats pair well with a pint from the expansive beer list or a glass from the equally impressive wine list.

Fork and Vine
3010 W. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 489-7000
forkvine.com
www.yelp.com/biz/fork-and-vine-austin

Filed Under: Restaurants Tagged With: , ,

Summertime Craft Projects the Whole Family Can Make

July 23, 2015 by

If your creative family is always looking for fun and imaginative activities to do as a group, summer is the perfect time to really think outside the box when it comes to your crafting. Here are three cool, useful projects that you can complete while working together as a family this summer.

Tin Can Wind Chime [mpmschoolsupplies.com]
Instead of throwing out those used tin cans, use them to create a colorful wind chime with your little ones. Simply paint the exterior of the cans in bright, primary colors, then let the kids go wild adding their own pictures and designs. Attach them to a wire hanger using sturdy strings and you'll hear surprisingly relaxing sounds every time the wind picks up.

Colorful Kite [bhg.com]
Kids love watching kites soar through the air on a windy day, and your little ones will love their kites even more if they make them at home. Use this tutorial to create your own DIY kite using only paper, glue, sticks, and some colorful paints.

Dragonfly Magnets [thecraftycrow.net]
On your next rainy day, gather the kids around the kitchen table to make cute dragonfly magnets out of everyday clothespins. Simply attach construction paper “wings” to the top of the clothespin, add a magnet on the back and then encourage the kids get creative with the markers, pens, and glitter glue.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Pfluger Park: Embark on a Shady Retreat

July 16, 2015 by

A neighborhood park is a valuable asset to the entire community that it serves, especially one as clean and well maintained as Pfluger Park. This park is a shady respite from Austin’s fast pace, and it offers something for visitors of any age. The colorful play area is filled with monkey bars and climbing structures that the kids will love, the gazebos are ideal for an outdoor birthday party, and dog owners love the tree lined walking trails. The 30-acre Pfluger Park also features a sand volleyball court and a basketball court for more athletic visitors. Whether you come to relax or to get in a bit of exercise, this park offers a taste of nature to Pflugerville-area residents.

In addition to its regular activities, Pfluger Park hosts neighborhood activities such as the Deutschen Pfest and the Music in the Park series. Check the park’s website for more information about upcoming events.

Pfluger Park
515 City Park Road
Pflugerville, TX 78660
(512) 251-9321
www.pflugervilletx.gov/index.aspx?NID=1309
www.yelp.com/biz/pfluger-park-pflugerville

Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: , ,

New Facebook Sweepstakes! Enter to Win an iPad Mini!

July 10, 2015 by

To enter the Sweepstakes, visit our Facebook Page and then look for the Sweepstakes tab (image shown below) located on our Facebook Page to enter. Sweepstakes ends August 31st, 2015. We suggest you like our page to keep informed about future sweepstakes and community happenings.

For mobile users, click here to enter.

Filed Under: Life at 3500 Westlake Apartments Tagged With: ,

Organize Your Dresser in 4 Easy Steps

July 9, 2015 by

If you’re like most people, your dresser is likely prone to becoming messy, jumbled and, after a long work week, maybe even overflowing. If you want to finally organize your dresser drawers — and keep them that way — use these four simple tips for daily dresser maintenance.

  • Tackle the top. Begin by adding an attractive tray to the top of your dresser where you can corral perfumes, lotions, spare change, and other smalls. Hang a mirror if the dresser doesn’t already have one, then consider adding a lamp if your space is lacking in light.
  • Add dividers. For drawers that hold folded items, such as t-shirts, purchase drawer dividers from a home goods store to keep everything in its right place.
  • Fold clothes vertically. Instead of folding your clothes and stacking them horizontally on top of one another, line them up vertically so that you can easily identify each item.
  • Think outside the drawer. While you might think of using dresser drawers only for clothing, you can also use them to store other loose items. Line a bottom drawer with shoes, add felt liners for jewelry or even use a top drawer for beauty products if you don’t have space for a separate vanity.

How to Organize Your Dresser [Real Simple]
The Only Dresser Organization Hacks You'll Ever Need [Huffington Post]
Organizing Closets and Drawers [Martha Stewart]
40 Brilliant Closet and Drawer Organizing Projects [DIY & Crafts]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,
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