Tap Your Foot to the Beat at The Roost in Austin

Many music lovers say that few things in this world are better than an evening of foot-stomping, hand-clapping live music, and that's just what The Roost delivers. Once you visit this Austin club, you'll likely understand exactly why it’s such a local hotspot. Shows range from blues performers to rock bands, small local acts to internationally-known musicians, so there's something to suit just about everyone's taste.

With professional lighting that creates a concert-like atmosphere, several bars located throughout the venue, and a lively, dancing crowd, The Roost cultivates a festival-like atmosphere. Yelp reviewers say that sight lines and acoustics are top-notch, and there's plenty of seating available for music aficionados who prefer to sit and relax. The Roost does not serve food, but patrons are welcome to bring in snacks from the neighboring taqueria or crawfish shack.

Check the website for a current calendar of shows and to buy your tickets before they sell out.

The Roost
2113 Wells Branch Parkway
Austin, TX 78728
(512) 394-5727
theroostaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/the-roost-austin

Enjoy Yoga Classes at Austin’s Yoga Yoga

Yoga has evolved into an obscure hobby into a full-fledged fitness movement, and for good reason. People are learning that focused, controlled stretching under the supervision of an instructor has incredible health benefits.

Whether you’re a yoga newbie or an experienced practitioner, you’ll find excellent classes at Austin’s Yoga Yoga. The studio here is a marvel of cleanliness and organization. Instead of signing in and worrying about billing, clients are given a magnetic card that they swipe with each class. Cards can be pre-loaded for certain numbers of classes and easily refilled. One thing that draws more serious practitioners is the studio's guest seminars by national teachers and yogis. If you’re looking to push yourself or learn some new tricks, consider attending one.

Prices are reasonable, but some popular classes can feel crowded. If you’re lacking supplies, note that Yoga Yoga sells yoga mats and clothing. Yoga Yoga has several locations around the area, so you’ll have no problem finding a studio near you.

Yoga Yoga
2167 W. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 380-9800
www.facebook.com/YogaYogaAustin
www.yelp.com/biz/yoga-yoga-austin-12
www.yogayoga.com

Rudy’s Country Store & Barbecue: Fuel Your Car and Your Belly at This Quirky Barbecue

Texas is known for many things, but barbecue is surely one of the most important. Rudy’s Country Store and barbecue restaurant is a standout spot in Austin’s booming restaurant scene, beloved for the way it merges a restaurant, general store, and even a gas station if you need to fuel up after dinner.

While the operation is quirky, Rudy’s food menu is one to be reckoned with. Half-pound racks of tender, juicy ribs, moist brisket, tangy potato salad, and sweet creamed corn keep regulars coming back again and again. Order at the counter and watch the skillful cooks slice your meat right in front of you, and then enjoy your meal over a cold soda or beer at one of the long, communal picnic tables either inside or out. Finish your meal with Rudy’s excellent banana pudding and you’ll leave feeling positively stuffed.

Rudy’s Country Store is open 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends. On Sundays, the restaurant is open 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Rudy’s Country Store & Barbeque
11570 Research Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 418-9898
www.rudysbbq.com/page/location/name/bbq-austin%20-%20360
www.yelp.com/biz/rudys-country-store-and-barbecue-austin

Grand Nail Spa: Buff, Polish and Pamper

Not all nail salons are created equal, and regulars insist that Pflugerville’s Grand Nail Spa is one of the best in the Austin area. This stylish nail salon features a friendly staff of technicians who are skilled in all of the latest nail trends, and the salon itself is stylish and comfortable. Teal colored walls and modern furnishings create a relaxing environment, and the spacious waiting area is filled with magazines for customers to page through while waiting to get their nails done. Grand Nail Spa even offers complimentary drinks and a candy bar for guests to munch on, and the high-tech massage chairs are completely customizable.

Once it comes time for the manicure or pedicure, Grand Nail Spa buffs away dead skin, then moisturizes and polishes fingers and toes to your specifications. The salon even offers a much larger assortment of shellac polish colors than most salons for those who want to splurge a bit more on their manicure.

Grand Nail Spa is open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Grand Nail Spa
1700 Grand Ave Parkway
Pflugerville, TX 78660
(512) 990-7300
www.grand-nailspa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/grand-nail-spa-pflugerville

Dazzle Coffee: Premium Java Served From a Drive-Through Window

With the goal to create a cafe that focuses on premium roasted Arabica beans and a friendly relationship between barista and customer, Dazzle Coffee opened in Pflugerville in 2006. This drive-through-only coffee shop has seen great success over the years since it opened, mainly because regulars love the convenience of purchasing high quality coffee without exiting their cars!

The menu includes affordably priced classics like freshly brewed coffees and flavorful caffe lattes, as well as specialty drinks like white chocolate mochas and caramel macchiatos. Dazzle Coffee also sells cold beverages perfect for hot Austin days, including the popular Frezian, which includes your choice of milk blended with ice and coffee. Milkshakes and 100% fruit smoothies also make delicious treats after dinner or to cool off during a hot summer day.

Dazzle Coffee is open 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. Sunday hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dazzle Coffee
100 N. Second Street
Pflugerville, TX 78660
(512) 670-1100
www.dazzlecoffee.com
www.yelp.com/biz/dazzle-coffee-pflugerville

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop: Cultivate a Love of Gourmet Cheese

The unlikely success story behind Antonelli’s Cheese Shop has revealed one important thing: Austin residents love their cheese. This gourmet cheese shop combines the hip, industrial style that is unique to Austin with the European flair that owners John and Kendall Antonelli picked up while studying cheese abroad. The result is a wonderfully eclectic shop that carries a diverse selection seven styles of artisanal cheeses, including many local cheeses made right in Texas.

Antonelli’s also offers limitless tastings to help you decide on a specific cheese, and the store's friendly team of “cheesemongers” will even write guests a log to help you remember which cheeses you liked and which you should steer clear of. Stop by to purchase the perfect cheese for a dinner party, create a gift basket for a friend, or join the Cheese of the Month Club to experience a world of cheeses right in the heart of Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood.

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
4220 Duval Street
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 531-9610
www.antonellischeese.com
www.yelp.com/biz/antonellis-cheese-shop-austin

Blue Skies Frame Company: Make Your Artwork Picture-Perfect

Do you have art that needs framing? Take it to Blue Skies Frame Company and have its friendly, knowledgeable professionals get it wall-ready. Whether you have a definite idea about the exact way in which you want your piece framed, or need help finding the perfect framing solution, they’re happy to help you.

Blue Skies Frame Company stocks a huge selection of framing materials in a diverse array of styles, including mouldings, fabrics, mats, liners and decorative fillets. Acid free, archival quality materials ensure that your art is protected from environmental damage. Glass and acrylic are high quality so you always have a clear, glare-free view of your art. It also handles French matting, block and stretch needlework, shadowboxes, mirrors and acrylic display boxes.

Blue Skies is open Mondays through Saturdays in Austin, Texas.

Blue Skies Frame Company
4408 Medical Parkway
Austin, TX 78756
(512) 302-4779
blueskiesframeco.com

Read the reviews on Yelp.

Public Domain/Public Domain

You’ll Be in Stitches at The Cloth Pocket

Austin is widely known as a very crafty town. The city’s sewing scene is particularly powerful, and one of the key places artisans shop supplies is The Cloth Pocket. This fun, funky fabric store was established by a mother-daughter team who knew that the town had a need for a carefully-curated stock of textiles designed for crafting, quilting, and other fabric arts.

The square footage of the space is not huge, but it’s so expertly organized that you’ll have no problem finding the perfect bolt of fabric for whatever you plan to do. The staff here is super nice, too, offering you tea or water when you step in the door and helping you work out your project needs without spending too much money.

The Cloth Pocket is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. If you’re into the fabric arts, this is going to be your new favorite store.

The Cloth Pocket
5448 Burnet Road
Austin, TX 78756
(512) 524-5684
www.theclothpocket.com/index2.php#!/home
www.yelp.com/biz/the-cloth-pocket-austin

Public Domain/Public Domain

Roaring Fork: Taste the Wood-Fired Flavor of Classic America

The Roaring Fork was created with the idea of old-fashioned American cuisine in mind, cooked over an open fire and bursting with bold, smoky flavor. Each dish is cooked over a wood fire rotisserie to capture this essence, and you’ll even find it in the restaurant’s aesthetic. From the hardwood floors and cozy booths to the sleek, modern light fixtures, every part of the Roaring Fork’s dining room combines elegance and rustic charm.

Regulars rave about meat creations like the stacked-high burgers, roasted chicken, and bacon wrapped tenderloin, while sides like fried avocado are the perfect accompaniments. The handcrafted cocktails and happy hour specials are a delight to of-age guests, and the Roaring Fork also boasts a hearty Sunday brunch that’s been touted as one of the best in the area.

The Roaring Fork is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Happy hour starts at 4 p.m.

Roaring Fork
10850 Stonelake Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 342-2700
www.roaringfork.com
www.yelp.com/biz/roaring-fork-austin-3

Sunstone Yoga: Practice Yoga at This Welcoming Studio

Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a beginner looking to get into the practice, Sunstone Yoga has a class for everyone. This open, airy studio is located in the Great Hills area of Austin, and it’s in a plaza convenient to other businesses.

Inside, there’s a colorful, welcoming entry area where guests can sign into class, borrow a mat, or check out the selection of yoga apparel for sale. The instructors and owners are all friendly and welcoming no matter your situation, and they’re especially accommodating to beginning guests or people with injuries and medical conditions. Try one of the Water, Wood, or Fire classes depending on your personal yoga preference, and the studio will even provide you with free towels and mats if you don’t have your own.

For a full schedule of all of Sunstone Yoga’s classes, visit Sunstone's convenient website.

Sunstone Yoga
10710 Research Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
(214) 764-2119
www.sunstoneyoga.com
www.yelp.com/biz/sunstone-yoga-austin

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