Wishing you a sweet day with your loved ones!

Yelp reviewers can't say enough about the enticing flavors of the roasted pork jowl at The Hightower. The Austin eatery not far from Elan East offers plenty of well-regarded dishes—including many updated barbecue eats—but the roasted pork jowl shows up in glowing reviews time and time again. That's because in addition to the tender meat, the entree includes rice and egg yolk, burnt avocado, pickled shallots, cucumber, as well as fiery house sriracha sauce.

If you're interested in The Hightower's meat-free fare, try the smoked tofu. It earns similarly high marks from customers, and comes with pinto beans, huitlacoche, sopecitos, avocado, a crema crafted from cashews and almonds, and a dusting of sunflower seeds. Both dishes are available at lunch and dinner (though the accompaniments vary based on the hour). You can pair your chosen dish with one of the house's signature cocktails, perhaps the High Tail with Bulleit Rye and honey, or the Italian Fizz with vodka, blood orange soda, and Campari.

The Hightower
1209 E. 7th Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1448
thehightoweraustin.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/the-hightower-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Edsel Little

Tea is much more than a warm morning beverage or a calming night cap. Depending on the variety, it's also an excellent source of antioxidants and other health-boosting components that can ease everything from an upset stomach to racing thoughts. The appearance of the First Annual Texas Tea Festival on Austin's social schedule this year proves that coffee has a strong competitor in tea.

If you prefer the sweet, aromatic drink to java (or even if your loyalties are split), you should attend this event at Saengerrunde Hall on Sunday, February 8. Don't worry if you've never had a sip of tea—you'll have plenty of opportunities to try it here. Tastings of oolong, green, black, flavored, and even chai teas will all be available at the festival. In fact, each attendee gets a ceramic tasting cup to take home with their ticket. Learn more about the beverage at a Tea Talk, enjoy a few tea-time snacks, or chat with specialty tea vendors.

Visit the Texas Tea Festival's Eventbrite page if you'd like to find out more about this upcoming event near Elan East!

First Annual Texas Tea Festival
Saengerrunde Hall
1607 San Jacinto Boulevard
Austin, TX 78701
www.eventbrite.com/e/1st-annual-texas-tea-festival-tickets-14709092291

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/naama