If it's your first visit to Brian's Brew, there are a few things you should know. First, this tiny, independently owned cafe is tucked within the Bank of America building. Next, the cafe brews coffee drinks made from wood-fired beans. That is, beans that have been hand-roasted in small batches over a wood fire. Lastly, Brian’s Brew serves a latte that they claim is "life-changing."

The verdict is still out about that verity of that last point, but regular visitors of Brian's Brew say the latte is worth ordering nonetheless. It's called the Summermoon Latte, and it's described as being creamy, full-bodied, and just a tad sweet. Order yours hot or iced, and pair it with a breakfast taco (provided by Torchy's Tacos) or freshly baked glazed doughnut or apple fritter from local doughnut bakery Round Rock Donuts.

Brian’s Brew is open 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily.

Brian’s Brew
515 N. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 738-7713
www.briansbrew.com/index.html
www.yelp.com/biz/brians-brew-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Edsel Little

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate Mom! Are you doing anything special for your mother today?

Bar carts are the types of finishing touches that add a major pop of designer flair to any room in the home. From the living room to the dining room, adding a well-curated bar cart will really give your home the type of 1950s style that is right on trend. Here are just a few tips for creating a truly chic bar cart.

1. Start with the perfect cart. Scour flea markets and thrift stores for an authentic vintage bar cart. If you can’t find one there, try purchasing one at an affordable furniture store or even using a small three-tiered bookshelf.
2. Choose your spirits. The types of spirits that you add to your cart really depend on your personal preferences. Investing in three or four bottles of common spirits like vodka, gin, and bourbon is a good place to start.
3. Add your glassware. Next, invest in new or secondhand sets of wine glasses, low tumblers and martini glasses. You may even want to add decanters to fill with mixers or to trade out unattractive liquor bottles.
4. Add the accessories. Fill a glass jar with stirrers, add a small cutting board for slicing lemons and limes and even add stacks of mixology books for the finishing touches.

How to Style a Bar Cart [The DIY Playbook]
How To: Create and Stylize the Perfect Bar Cart [Guest of a Guest]
Assembling the Perfect Bar Cart [Primer Magazine]
How to Style the Perfect Bar Cart for Any Party [HGTV]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr comedy_nose