You Deserve Dessert from Dolce Neve

If you’re the type of person with more refined tastes in desserts, you’ll love South Austin’s Dolce Neve. This eclectic sweet shop serves gelato, frozen yogurt, and ice cream all under one roof, and its gourmet flavors make it just as delicious for grown ups as it is for the little ones. Gelato comes in flavors like buttermilk blackberry, lemon goat’s milk, and ricotta honey pistachio, while elaborate creations like the Cassata combine ricotta gelato with chocolate chunks and candied orange peels to create a dessert that's exciting to the senses.

Inside, the cozy dining room at Dolce Neve is just as enticing as its delicious frozen treats. Reclaimed wood tables and farm-style light fixtures fill the room, and there are lush green plants lining the windowsills to create a truly cheerful ambiance.

Dolce Neve
1713 S First St
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 804-5568
www.dolcenevegelato.com

East Side Glass Studio: Glass-Blow Your Own Masterpiece

Shara Funari and Leigh Taylor Wyatt arrived at glass blowing from very different backgrounds. Shara didn't pick up the art until 2004, honing what was then a hobby at a public glass blowing studio in 2004. Leigh relocated to Texas in 2006 specifically to further her glass blowing career and to be closer to family. However, for both women, glass blowing eventually evolved into a passion; this is why they opened East Side Glass Studio in Austin.

At the studio, the public can come in to watch Shara and Leigh blow glass, or they can join in themselves. Intro classes are held a few times over the course of a month, teaching newbies the basics of glass blowing. Visitors can come in for a one-off experience where they learn the bare-bone fundamentals and then create their own glass masterpiece in a single session.

East Side Glass Studio
507 Calles Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 731-1702
www.eastsideglassstudio.com
www.yelp.com/biz/east-side-glass-studio-austin

Super Bowl Restaurant: Wok This Way for Great Chinese Food Takeout

If you’re craving Chinese food in the South Austin area but just don’t feel like leaving the house, ordering delivery from Super Bowl Restaurant is a great option. This Chinese takeout spot offers all of your favorite dishes ranging from egg rolls and steamed dumplings to lo mein and Kung Pao chicken, as well as a wide variety of other specialties made true to tradition.

Flavorful dishes like Mongolian beef and General Tso’s chicken will satisfy your craving for something spicy, while vegetable fried rice, sesame tofu, and other veggie meals are made entirely without meat for vegetarian diners. The prices at Super Bowl are very reasonable for the large portions, and the small delivery fee is more than worth it for the convenience of having hot, tasty food delivered right to your door.

To order from Super Bowl Restaurant, fill out the form on the restaurant’s website.

Super Bowl Restaurant
719 W William Cannon Drive
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 445-3399
www.beyondmenu.com/21269/austin/super-bowl-austin-78745.aspx

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope everyone has a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends! What are you thankful for this year?

How to Host a Successful Toy Swap With Your Friends, Family and Neighbors

If your children are too old for their current toys but you can’t bear to simply toss them out, you may be interested in hosting a toy swap with fellow parents. A toy swap enables you to swap your child’s old or unused toys with those of other children, bringing home a whole new haul of toys without spending a penny. Here are a few tips to help you pull off a successful toy swap.

  1. Create a list of guests. Try to pick guests who you feel comfortable with, who have children in varying ages, and who live fairly close to one another.
  2. Choose the perfect location. Because of the group of people and the large amount of toys, you’ll need to hold the swap in a large, fairly spacious room. If you don’t have this type of space in your own home, see if someone else would be willing to lend their living room.
  3. Send out invitations and guidelines. Emailing invitations seems to be the most convenient way to get the word out, so include a list of guidelines for the swap at that time. Describe what types of toys to bring, if they should be cleaned beforehand, how many toys to bring, and if there are any items that you won’t accept.
  4. Make it fun. Set out snacks, make sure everyone understands the rules, and keep things light-hearted!

How To Organize a Toy Swap or Toy Exchange [About Parenting]
How to Host a Toy Swap [30 Handmade Days]
How to Throw a Toy Exchange [Shareable]

Zilker Zephyr Miniature Train: All Aboard for an Adventure Through Zilker Park

The Zilker Zephyr is a miniature train located in Zilker Park, and it is exactly the type of strange attraction that makes Austin so unique. The small train takes a 20- to 25-minute-long journey around the park, offering both kids and adults a way to see the area in a different light. Like any train, the Zilker Zephyr has its own train station, albeit a much smaller one than you might be used to, and the tracks wind through many different areas of the park and along the banks of the scenic Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake. Children love to chug along the tracks aboard the Zilker Zephyr’s bright green cars, though it provides a relaxing escape from the everyday for adults as well.

The Zilker Zephyr is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The train departs the station every hour on the hour on weekdays and every 30 to 40 minutes on weekends.

Zilker Zephyr Miniature Train
2100 Barton Springs
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 478-8286
www.zilkerpark.org/zilker-park-amenities/zilker-park-train
www.yelp.com/biz/zilker-zephyr-miniature-train-austin

Happy Veterans day!

Today is a day to honor the men and women who have bravely fought and continue to fight for our country. Thank you for your service!

Savory Meets Sweet in These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes

If you think that sweet stuffings are too sweet and savory stuffings are too savory, a blend of the two flavors may be just the thing to perfect this Thanksgiving side. Here are a few sweet and savory stuffing recipes that will appeal to even the pickiest dinner guests.

Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing [allrecipes.com]
The combination of savory sausage with sweet, seasonal fruits brings out maximum flavor in this tasty stuffing recipe. Best of all, the recipe yields enough stuffing to fill a 10-pound turkey, and it’s very easy to double if you’re expecting more guests.

Dried Fruit and Nut Cornbread Dressing [marthastewart.com]
Few foods feel more like fall than the mixture of dried fruits and nuts, and although these ingredients are normally found in desserts, they offer an unexpectedly sweet crunch in this dressing. By using a hearty cornbread instead of the usual breadcrumbs, this dish also takes on a uniquely rustic taste.

Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Raisins [myrecipes.com]
If you prefer your stuffing to be positively filled with flavor, this recipe certainly won’t disappoint. Fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary and sage make it less bland than most, while autumnal chestnuts and sweet raisins add even more unique flavor.

Election Day

Today is Election Day. Be sure to get out and vote!

Customize Your Own Asian Stir-Fry Bowl at Fire Bowl Cafe

While Chinese takeout isn’t usually considered the healthy mealtime option, at Fire Bowl Cafe in South Austin, you’ll find a fresh, healthy take on casual Asian fare. This unique and convenient eatery offers a wide variety of custom options on many different types of stir fry bowls, and everything is prepared using high-quality ingredients completely free of MSG and trans fats.

Begin by choosing your main ingredient from a long list of meats, seafood and tofu, and then add in fresh veggies and savory sauces, like Thai pepper and Kung Pao. There are both noodle and rice bowls to choose from depending on your current cravings, as well as soups and appetizers to pair with your meal.

With hearty portions at affordable prices and even online ordering, Fire Bowl Cafe makes a great choice for a quick lunch or casual dinner.

Fire Bowl Cafe
5601 Brodie Lane
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 899-8998
www.firebowlcafe.com
www.yelp.com/biz/fire-bowl-cafe-austin-3

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