This impressive restaurant uses only fresh, locally-sourced meats and produce to create its refined, Southern-inspired menu, and new dishes are featured nightly depending on what ingredients are the most plentiful that season.

The restaurant itself is furnished with warm wooden fixtures, sumptuous fabrics draped from the ceiling and a patio area with an outdoor fireplace. Dinner begins with a plate of pimento cheese and crackers to snack on, and an impressive list of wine, beer, and handcrafted, seasonal cocktails are also available to accompany any meal. Whether you opt for the traditional crispy catfish and slaw dish or a more adventurous pumpkin seed pesto chicken, Jack Allen’s offers a taste of Texas that’s both unique and traditional.

To make a reservation at Jack Allen’s Kitchen, visit the convenient website or call the restaurant directly.

Jack Allen’s Kitchen
7720 Highway 71 W
Austin, TX 78735
(512) 852-8558
www.jackallenskitchen.com
www.yelp.com/biz/jack-allens-kitchen-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/jenny-pics

From the school supply shopping to the transportation planning, going back to school can be stressful on both you and your little one. Luckily, these helpful tips will take the stress out of the beginning of a new school year.

1. Instill a positive attitude. First and foremost, it’s important to help your child to think positively about the beginning of school. Ask a lot of questions about how he or she feels, and be sure to speak encouragingly whenever discussing school. Even the most confident child likely has a few butterflies about starting a new grade level, so be positive enough for the both of you.
2. Create a back-to-school routine. After staying up late and sleeping in all summer, it can be difficult for children to get back into the swing of things once fall rolls around. A week or so before the first day, start instating a reasonable bedtime and serving a wholesome breakfast a bit earlier than usual to create good habits once school starts.
3. Get organized. Purchase only the essentials when school shopping and pack them into a backpack a few days ahead of time. Obtain a bus assignment or other transportation information, and spend some time going over your child’s new schedule. Finally, be sure to set out a reliable camera to snap that priceless first day of school photo.

Ease Back-to-School Stress [School Family]
What Not to Take Back-to-School? Stress. It’s Toxic! [Healthy Child]
Ease back to school stress with these six tips [Good to Know]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/latteda

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

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/ajbatac