The literary icon who would write The Gifts of the Magi, The Ransom of Red Chief, and The Cop and the Anthem once made Austin his home, and Austin's lucky to have a collection of O. Henry's archival materials. The space draws literature scholars, of course, but it's also an interesting place to visit for readers who'd like to learn more about the life and times of this renowned writer.

At the O. Henry Museum in Austin, you can learn more about this enigmatic artist by exploring the home that O. Henry shared with his wife and daughter. It still contains memorabilia of their time there, and it often hosts workshops about writing short stories like O. Henry did so well.

This Austin museum is just a short trip from Lamar Union, making it easy to visit to see it for yourself.

O. Henry Museum
409 E. 5th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-1903
www.austintexas.gov/department/o-henry-museum
www.yelp.com/biz/o-henry-home-and-museum-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Alexandre Duret-Lutz

Kebap goes by many names at food carts on the streets of Europe, but the dish originated from Turkish cuisine. Known more formally as doner kebap, it's a type of rotisserie meat that can be prepared in a variety of ways. At VertsKebap in Austin, a pair of University of Texas grads serves up kebap as sandwiches, wraps, and salads with a focus on good nutrition.

Chefs use local ingredients whenever possible and craft everything in-house—even the sauces. Yelp reviewers highly recommend the spicy red sauce. Have it drizzled over your choice of beef and lamb, chicken, falafel, or veggies served as a wrap, salad, or sandwich. You can also choose which vegetables you want added to your kebap, such as red cabbage, cucumber, or onion. If you don't like a lot of heat, try the garlic sauce or vinaigrette instead. Round out your meal with a draft beer, fountain drink, or iced coffee.

Visit the VertsKebap website if you'd like to plan to visit from Lamar Union!

VertsKebap
1500 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 382-6814
www.vertskebap.com
www.yelp.com/biz/vertskebap-austin-6

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Crispin Semmens

Art lovers Judy and Charles Tate recently contributed their personal collection to the Blanton Museum, a beloved institution in Austin. The museum's curator of Latin American art, Beverly Adams, weighs in on the recent acquisition at the Perspectives at the Blanton event on January 15. It's free to the public and runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

During the lecture, Adams gives her expert opinion regarding pieces like Maria Fernanda Cardoso's Papilio Thoas Cinyrus​. A part of the Tates' gifted collection, Cardoso crafted the work from a mix of metal, silicone, and Plexiglas in 2003, a group of abstract shapes that evoke stars. Beverly Adams will also talk about the importance of Surrealism on the South American art scene during the hour-long discussion at the Blanton Museum, so make sure to mark it on your calendar if you're an art buff, Lamar Union residents!

Perspectives at the Blanton: Beverly Adams
Blanton Museum
200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Austin, TX 78712
blantonmuseum.org/calendar_events/details/perspectives_beverly_adams

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Horia Varlan