RiverCity Market is a great alternative to the usual chain grocery store, offering an impressive selection of healthy, high quality foods in a convenient location. This quirky grocery store is located in Austin’s South Congress neighborhood, right near a number of popular shops and restaurants.

The open shelves are well-stocked and spacious, and there is a large selection of craft beers and wines in all price ranges. A hot bar sells prepared foods that guests can eat outside at one of the small cafe tables, and there’s also a salad bar where you can make a healthy, grab-and-go lunch. RiverCity Market also features customizable sandwiches and a full bakery counter that you simply can’t walk past without admiring. The store’s breakfast tacos are its most popular items, however, and they’re served daily until 11 a.m.

RiverCity Market is open 6 a.m. to midnight weekdays and 7 a.m. to midnight weekends.

RiverCity Market
2209 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 462-4955
www.facebook.com/RivercityMarketAustin/info
www.yelp.com/biz/rivercity-market-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/USDA

So you’ve decided to throw a Halloween party at your home, but where do you start? Luckily, a spooky Halloween theme offers an almost endless list of decoration and refreshment ideas to make your party a ghoulish good time. Here’s just a bit of inspiration.

Severed Finger Invitation [marthastewart.com]
Give your guests a fright before the party even starts by sending them a severed "finger" in a box as a party invitation!

Spiked Witch’s Brew [celebrations.com]
For refreshments, serve a black cauldron filled with a spiked punch that looks like witch’s brew. You can even make it “smoke” by adding dry ice to the cauldron.

Monster Face Paint [marthastewart.com]
Entertain the little ones at a Halloween party by setting up a face painting station. Even if the party isn’t a costume party, they’ll love to wear their new monster face around all night.

Mad Scientist Party [rachaelraymag.com]
If you prefer to go all-out with a unique theme, a mad scientist party is one that your guests probably haven’t seen before. Decorate with beakers and test tubes, don a white lab coat and a wild wig, and turn your kitchen into a laboratory filled with experimental refreshments.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Andrew Malone

Borne out of humble beginnings as a food truck hunting down the best farm-sourced ingredients, Odd Duck brings farm-to-table cuisine to Austin. In a modern-rustic setting, this 110-seat eatery serves dishes that rely on seasonal ingredients.

Menus vary by the season, but past highlights have included the steaming hot onion bread with housemade butter; the ham and cheese pretzel; Cajun grilled shrimp over okra stew; and a soft cooked duck egg with fried rice and gourmet mushrooms. Next, order the succulent lamb ribs in a soy glaze, or go for the foie gras mousse with a cured duck breast and figs. Save room for the fig trifle, lime panna cotta, or a coconut latte popsicle for dessert. Draft beer, signature cocktails, and wine are also served.

The restaurant serves dinner daily, while lunch is served weekdays. Swing by for happy hour 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and don't miss brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays.

Odd Duck
201 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 433-6521
www.oddduckaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/odd-duck-austin-2

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/jeffreyww