Resolute Fitness: Where Spin Class and Yoga Collide

If you've ever taken a spin class, you know that the grueling cardio can leave your body feeling tense and overworked—that is, unless you stretch properly afterward. That's why Resolute Fitness incorporates yoga into its Combo classes, making stretching more than just an afterthought.

These classes begin with a precise 28 minutes of spinning, incorporating sprints, uphill climbs, and everything in between. After the intense interval training, you move from the spin studio into the yoga studio, where you not only stretch out the stress of cycling, but also build more strength while you flow through yoga poses. Of course, if you're not much of a yogi—or maybe you aren't much of a cyclist—you can opt for a class that covers just one form of exercise. Resolute Fitness also offers straight Power Flow yoga classes and 45-minute cycling sessions. Sprinkled throughout the week, you'll also find special classes such as yoga with weights or Cycle CORE.

Find Unique Jewelry at Outrageous Gallery

If you’re feeling like unique and authentic accessories and carefully curated art pieces are hard to come by these days, check out Outrageous Gallery in North Austin. The store is located not far from Lamar Union Apartments and sells both original artwork and top-of-the-line jewelry.

Outrageous Gallery is part of Austin’s Domain shopping center, and many shoppers claim its worth the trip and crowds to access the collection. Inside, the space is open and light, with artwork lining the walls and prominent jewelry cases spread throughout the gallery. Aside from just traditional artwork and pieces of jewelry, the store has a lot of other items for sale, like marbles, household items, kaleidoscopes, and home decor. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Outrageous Gallery
11401 Century Oaks Terrace
Austin, TX 78758
(512) 614-2470
www.outrageousgallery.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/outrageous-gallery-austin

Check Out a Concert This Fall at the Austin City Limits Music Festival

If you’re looking for cool experiences to fill the coming months, check out the Austin City Limits Music Festival. The festival is held each year in Zilker Metropolitan Park, just a short five-minute trip from Lamar Union, taking place over the course of two weekends. The 2016 festival will take place September 30 through October 2 and October 7 to October 9.

The Austin City Limits Music Festival has brought live music and entertainment to the residents of Austin for 15 years. This year’s lineup includes dozens of musical acts, including major headliners like Radiohead, Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar, and LCD Soundsystem. Guest can buy tickets to the festival for a combination of days. General admission tickets will get you access to 130 performances, food from local vendors, lockers to store belongings, and a commemorative wristband. A 3-day weekend general admission ticket costs $255. One-day tickets will also be available as the event date approaches.

Austin City Limits Music Festival
Zilker Metropolitan Park
2100 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 974-6700
www.aclfestival.com
www.facebook.com/aclfestival

Lick Honest Ice Creams: Try the Goat Cheese, Thyme, and Honey Ice Cream

Goat cheese. Thyme. Olive oil. These might not be the ingredients you'd expect to find in your ice cream, but that's what makes Lick Honest Ice Creams such a treat. The Lick ice cream shop in Austin is one of two locations serving up scoops of ice cream crafted using dairy from a family-owned Texas farm. The staff mixes batches of ice cream in house and serves the sweets in compostable cups with equally eco-friendly spoons and napkins.

So you can feel good about sinking a spoon into some goat cheese, thyme, and honey ice cream. Fresh thyme from a local grower mingles with Austin-born Pure Luck goat cheese and local Good Flow honey in this offbeat, decadent treat. The dark chocolate ice cream infused with Texas Olive Ranch Olive Oil and a dash of sea salt is another popular scoop at Lick Honest Ice Creams, but don't forget about other quirky options like roasted beets and fresh mint ice cream or Coffee with Cream, featuring Texas's Third Coast Coffee. There are also rosters of special seasonal flavors and vegan, dairy-free confections available here.

Lick Honest Ice Creams
1100 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 363-5622
ilikelick.com
www.yelp.com/biz/lick-honest-ice-creams-austin-3

Craving a Cupcake? Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop Can Help

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop does one thing, and they do it well: dessert. You'll find no breads or sandwiches here, just decadent treats designed to satisfy even the most persistent sweet tooth. From cupcakes to cookies, there's something for everyone—but regulars do have a few recommendations.

The Southern Belle cupcake features a red velvet foundation, but it's almost entirely obscured by sweet, soft cream cheese frosting. A single small red heart crowns the creation. The Marilyn Monroe cupcake, on the other hand, showcases vanilla cake with Madagascar bourbon vanilla buttercream on top and a dusting of pink sprinkles plus a heart-embellished arrow. The sweet-salty Odd Couple cupcake is almost as popular. Its Valrhona chocolate cake comes with a swirled blend of house-made salted caramel and vanilla cream cheese frosting, then a chocolate-covered pretzel as the final flourish.

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop
1905 S. First Street
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 448-3727
www.sugarmamasbakeshop.com
www.yelp.com/biz/sugar-mamas-bakeshop-austin-3

Don’t Miss the African Peanut Soup at Austin Java

When you're looking for a spot to hunker down for the day with your laptop and an exceptional cup of coffee, Austin Java should really be at the top of your list. The coffeehouse near Lamar Union offers its customers free Wi-Fi, carefully crafted java drinks, and New American bites to boot.

Leave your laptop at home and bring your dog along if you intend to eat out on the patio—he's more than welcome there. Breakfast is served all day, so you can always dig into some chicken and waffles, a stack of buttermilk pancakes, or eggs Benedict with lump crabmeat. But when you come for lunch or dinner, pair your piping-hot cup of coffee with popular dishes like the maple-glazed stuffed pork, the juicy burger, or the chicken-fried steak. You can also slurp up some of the popular African peanut soup.

Austin Java
1608 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 482-9450
www.austinjava.com
www.yelp.com/biz/austin-java-austin-2

Achieve Peace That Extends Beyond Class at Sanctuary Yoga

It's not just that Sanctuary Yoga lets students practice in a comfortable space—complete with knotted, towering trees outside and sun-dappled hardwood floors inside. And it isn't just the fact that Sanctuary Yoga lets pupils walk in for $15 (and snag deeper discounts when they buy multiple-class passes). The real appeal of Sanctuary Yoga lies in the fact that it's a nonprofit business, and whatever you spend on class goes directly to the Amala Foundation. The organization touts unity, compassion, and leadership as a way of achieving peace.

That makes Amala Foundation the perfect affiliate for a yoga studio, given that the practice of yoga itself is about internal and external peace. So grab your mat and attend one of the many classes held almost every day in this breathtaking space. From fast-moving vinyasa classes for all levels to slower-paced yoga and meditation, there's something for everyone at Sanctuary Yoga in Austin.

Sanctuary Yoga
1006 S. 8th Street
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 476-8884
sanctuaryyogaaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/sanctuary-yoga-studio-austin

The Zilker Kite Festival Returns on March 6

The city of Austin ushers in spring with its annual ABC Zilker Kite Festival, which returns to Zilker Park on Sunday, March 6.

Presented by the Exchange Club and the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, the festival promises a beautiful, vibrant sight of hundreds of kites flying through the sky. There is no fee to participate (or watch!) and those looking to take part in the kite flying just need to simply bring a handmade kite (yes, handmade) to the festival and register on the day of the event. Participants will compete in a variety of categories, including smallest, largest, and most unusual kite.

In typical festival fashion, the Zilker Kite Festival also is set to have a variety of local vendors selling items and offering food. The festival booths open at 10 a.m. and the kite contest starts at 1 p.m. The festival runs until 5 p.m.

Are you planning to attend? After all, it's just a short trip from Lamar Union!

Zilker Kite Festival
Sunday, March 6
Zilker Park
2100 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
www.abckitefestival.org

Steampunk Saloon: Highlight of the Neighborhood Bar Scene

Having recently opened in December and already earning high marks from locals, Steampunk Saloon is a great new spot for day or nighttime fun. Though quickly gaining patrons as it rises in popularity, Steampunk Saloon is a big enough space to hold a large number of people without feeling crowded. There's an indoor space filled with TVs—perfect for watching the big game. With a $3 craft pint special on Sunday, there’s no better place to spend the day.

There's also a huge deck outside as well as two food trucks—East Side King and Dock 'n' Roll— which alternate nights being parked out back. A variety of games are available to play here as well—everything from Mario Kart to skeeball and arcade basketball—adding to the fun and atmosphere. Steampunk Saloon is close by, only about three miles away from Lamar Union.

Steampunk Saloon
700 West 6th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-7865
www.steampunk-saloon.com/Steampunk_Saloon.html
www.yelp.com/biz/steampunk-saloon-austin

Dine at One of the Culinary Hotspots Inside the South Congress Hotel

When a single hotel hosts two (soon to be three) culinary hotspots, diners need to take notice. That's the case for the South Congress Hotel, which boasts Central Standard and Cafe No Se, both on Eater Austin's list of the hottest restaurants in town this month. Best of all, the hotel is less than a mile and a half from Lamar Union.

This Valentine's Day, consider visiting one of them for a special meal. For a more laid-back bite to eat, check out Cafe No Se. It dishes out cafe fare from breakfast to dinner, all with a fresh, California twist. Central Standard, on the other hand, makes meals fancier affairs with upscale steakhouse cuisine and an atmosphere to match. Regardless of which you choose, you can expect fresh food and stellar service at the South Congress Hotel.

Central Standard and Cafe No Se
South Congress Hotel
1603 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 920-6405
southcongresshotel.com/eat
www.yelp.com/biz/south-congress-hotel-austin

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