Happy Fall

May this autumn bring you a harvest of fun times and laughter with family and friends!

Experience More Than Just A Meal At Wink in Austin

“Dining at Wink is more than just a meal, it’s an experience.” That’s how a guest describes her time at this intimate, cordial dining venue in Austin. When you walk through the door at Wink, you instantly feel welcome. Wink only uses the freshest food and ingredients from local and national farms and purveyors. Therefore, the menu at Wink is updated on a daily basis.

The employees at Wink know their stuff, and they're very knowledgeable about the food they prepare and the wines that go with them. There's no pretense here, however. Instead, the staff wants every guest to explore and try new things and ask questions so they can have the best experience possible.

Wink is open Mondays through Saturdays. Because of the restaurant's attentive staff and popular, fresh menus, it is strongly recommended that you reserve a table in advance.

Wink
1014 North Lamar Blvd
Austin, Texas 78703
(512) 482-8868
www.winkrestaurant.com

Zed’s Restaurant: Enjoy Music With Your Meal

Austin is known for its numerous live music venues, and at places like Zed’s Restaurant, you can even enjoy the eclectic sounds of live music over a gourmet meal. This combination restaurant and venue has a modern, casual style and a scenic location that’s a bit off the beaten path, but its sunny patio areas and warm wooden interior make it feel like truly hip hotspot.

On Sundays, Zed’s Restaurant hosts a jazz brunch with the lively sounds of live jazz music accompanying egg dishes and morning libations, while dinner on the weekends usually features some of the best in local musical talent. With a menu filled with dishes like Ahi tuna steaks, pancetta cheeseburgers, and petite filets, a decadent dessert menu, and a long wine and beer list, Zed’s Restaurant is the perfect place to visit for an evening (or afternoon) out in Austin.

Zed’s Restaurant
501 Canyon Ridge Drive
Austin, TX 78753
(512) 339-9337
www.zeds.bz
www.yelp.com/biz/zeds-austin-5

Affordable Ways to Update Your Apartment (In a Big Way!)

You may think you need to spend big bucks to revamp your apartment's decor, but that's not always the case. Lucky for budget-conscious renters, there are a number of ways to make a big impact on your apartment's decor without overspending. Here are just a few affordable updates that will breathe new life into your living space.

  1. Add a new rug. To change the whole feel of your living room or bedroom, switch out your rug with something completely different. Simply choose something in a different color or more elaborate pattern — just make sure that it still coordinates with the rest of your furniture.
  2. Brighten things up. Let in natural light by switching out all of the window treatments in your home. Instead of using blackout curtains or heavy drapes, add light, sheer curtains that maximize the sunlight.
  3. Throw around some pops of color. If your bedroom or living room is looking a bit drab, try adding mix-and-matched throw pillows to make things feel more exciting. You can also toss a bright throw blanket over the arm of a chair or the back of a sofa to tie it all together.
  4. Hang some low-priced artwork. Search local thrift stores for new-to-you pieces or create your own DIY artwork to transform your rental into a home. Whether you arrange them into a gallery wall or hang simple statement pieces, wall art makes a big impact.

30 Ways To Upgrade Your Rental Apartment [Style Caster]

Barton Springs Pool: Cool Off Where Robert Redford Learned to Swim

Any pool that's good enough for Robert Redford should be good enough for the average swimmer. Barton Springs Pool is that pool. Redford took his very first strokes here as a 5-year-old while on a trip to visit his relatives. Perhaps what drew the Redford family to Barton Springs was its one-of-a-kind aesthetic, unlike any other public pool. You see, the pool's waters filter into it from a hot underground spring, so it's a cross between a typical pool (with lifeguards, diving board, and concrete walls) and a natural lake (with algae underfoot).

Head to Barton Springs Pool any time of year for a swim in crisp waters. They average around 70 degrees no matter the season due to the font from which they flow. Locals love cooling off in the chilly pool on an oppressive Texan summer day or just coming here to sunbathe and people-watch.

Barton Springs Pool
2201 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 476-9044
www.austintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool
www.yelp.com/biz/barton-springs-pool-austin

Happy Labor Day!

Have a relaxing day with fun and laughter!

North Italia Offers a Modern Take on Italian Cooking

Every once in a while, chain restaurants can pleasantly surprise you. The Austin location of North Italia is just one example.

North Italia is well known for its unique cocktail menu. The go-to drinks are the apple bourbon punch and the red sangria. North Italia also serves a variety of local beers from around the Austin area. As for the food, you can’t go wrong with the house-specialty Bolognese pasta, which is best paired with the crowd-favorite heirloom beet salad. It arrives piled high with roasted beets, apples, arugula, hazelnut, ricotta salata cheese, and lemon crème fraiche. You’ll want to save room for dessert: the salted caramel budino is a must-try!

As a bonus, North Italia has a cozy patio with ceiling heaters to keep you warm. A word of advice: Make reservations, especially if you’re planning on going during the weekend.

North Italia
11506 Century Oaks Terrace
Austin, Texas 78758
(512) 339-4400
www.northitaliarestaurant.com/locations/austin

Fork and Vine: New American Fare with Austin Flair

The "Austin-inspired" dishes at Fork and Vine are almost too pretty to eat—almost. Head chef Camden Stuerzenberger plates his New American cuisine beautifully, but it tastes even better than it looks. Case in point: the ptrtzel bread pudding. Smothered with mustard-caramel sauce and topped with a dollop of whipped cream, the pretzel bread pudding walks the line between dinner and dessert.

Before you indulge in something sweet, try one of Chef Camden's entrees or a few tapas. The small plates include PEI mussels in guajillo chile broth, wood-fired veggies with shrimp and Thai curry, or house-made chips with eclectic dips. Full entrees range from wild grouper with pickled shrimp to a massive 36-ounce cowboy ribeye steak, served with crunchy onions and bleu cheese butter. Any of the eats pair well with a pint from the expansive beer list or a glass from the equally impressive wine list.

Fork and Vine
3010 W. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78757
(512) 489-7000
www.forkvine.com
www.yelp.com/biz/fork-and-vine-austin

New to Feng Shui? Here’s How to Get Started

Feng shui may be an ancient Chinese practice, but its ideas for creating a clean, comfortable and inspiring home are still very useful today. If you’re new to feng shui, these simple tips will show you how to get started creating positive energy and great flow throughout your home.

  • Clear out the clutter. The first thing you’ll want to do is get rid of all of the clutter in your home. Feng shui focuses on minimalism and flow, and clutter will only get in the way of your end goal.
  • Rearrange your furniture. Next, rearrange your furniture so that you can easily move from room to room. Don’t block doorways or windows, and be sure to place important items like your desk and your bed across from the door. This promotes the flow of energy.
  • Promote clean air. Refresh the air in your space by adding lots of air-cleaning houseplants throughout. You’ll also want to frequently change any air filters and open windows to allow in fresh air whenever possible.
  • Choose different colors in different rooms. Colors represent emotions in feng shui. Consider using soft, soothing blues and greys in the bedroom, powerful reds in the office, and sunny yellows in the kitchen or den.
  • Create a map. For more help, create what’s called a “Bagua” map of your home with each zone corresponding to a different aspect of feng shui.

Feng Shui 101 for Your Living Space [Wonder How To]
Feng Shui Decorating Tips [Real Simple]
Feng Shui 101: Getting Started With the Basics [Inhabitat]
Balance & Prosperity: Feng Shui 101 [Ask Men]

Kids Learn and Create at the Thinkery

The Thinkery takes the STEM a step further, adding an A to the mix—for "arts." With the fields of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) in mind, curators for the children's museum have designed a collection of interactive exhibits that are as engaging as they are educational.

Many families particularly enjoy the Backyard, an outdoor play area where kids organically learn about body mechanics while they play. Its jungle gym is probably unlike any you've seen at a park, enormous and accessible for kids of all physical abilities. Watch while your little one scurries up the enclosed ramp to a bulbous watchtower or as he splashes in a winding stream. Inside the museum, kids can learn about the chemistry of cooking in the Kitchen Lab, let their creativity run wild in the Innovators' Workshop, or master the art of sewing or soldering in the Space 8 area (which is only open to ages 8 and older).

Thinkery
The Meredith Learning Lab
1930 Simond Avenue
Austin, TX 78723
(512) 469-6200
www.thinkeryaustin.org
www.yelp.com/biz/thinkery-austin

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