Jasper’s Big Dog Saloon: Darts, DJs, Karaoke and Cocktails in Lakeway

Jasper's Big Dog Saloon is a neighborhood favorite, filled with regulars every night of the week. The bartenders at this unpretentious Lakeway bar are skilled at mixing cocktails, and the beer selection is solid, too. The food menu focuses on elevated snack foods like broiled shrimp and bruschetta, as well as hot sandwiches and personal pizzas.

Jasper's Big Dog Saloon also hosts frequent special events, and you'll likely find that there's something going happening here nearly every night of the week. Depending on when you visit, you might find yourself singing karaoke, competing against your friends in a video trivia competition, playing a few hands of Texas hold-em poker, or dancing the night away to music provided by popular local DJs. Of course, you can always just play a friendly game of darts or pool with friends. And if you're lucky, you might even meet Jasper himself, a 130-pound Goldendoodle who is everyone's favorite pal.

Jasper’s Big Dog Saloon
1310 RR 620 South
Lakeway, TX 78734
(512) 432-5073
www.jaspersbigdogsaloon.com
www.yelp.com/biz/jaspers-big-dog-saloon-lakeway

Overslept? Try These Five Easy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

When you sleep past your alarm and don’t even have time to shower, it can be tempting to skip breakfast. Even if you don’t have time for your usual eggs and toast, these quick, healthy breakfast ideas will help you get a nutritious morning meal that you can eat while running out the door.

  1. Yogurt Parfait. Though it sounds complicated, all it takes to create a nutritious yogurt parfait is an individual-sized plain yogurt and a few toppings. Sprinkle fresh fruit, nuts, or granola on top for a quick breakfast that you can eat with just a spoon.
  2. Breakfast Smoothie. Fruit smoothies are very healthy, but they’re not as filling as your usual breakfast. Make your smoothie as hearty as a meal by adding oats or nuts to the mix.
  3. Homemade Granola Bars. If you’re always running late in the morning, bake your own homemade granola bars and keep them on hand to eat on your commute.
  4. Tortilla Wrap. When you have just enough time to toss something together for breakfast, a tortilla wrap is an easy, handheld option. Simply put scrambled eggs, grilled peppers, and a sprinkle of cheese inside of a whole wheat tortilla shell.
  5. Avocado on Toast. If you love avocado with lunch and dinner, try it out for breakfast by eating it on toast. Just mash half of an avocado and spread it on a piece of toast, then add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. For an extra boost of nutrients, top with tomato slices, too.

9 Fast, Healthy Breakfast Ideas [Real Simple]
23 On-the-Go Breakfasts [Buzzfeed]
15 On-the-Go Breakfast Recipes [Parenting]

Happy Presidents Day

Today we take the time to honor our courageous leaders and how their visions have shaped our great country.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Wishing you a sweet day with your loved ones!

5 Fitness Training and Yoga: Keeping the Personal in Personal Training

There are so many gyms and fitness centers in the Austin area that it can be difficult to tell one from the next. 5 Fitness in Rollingwood looks to set itself apart with a focus on personal, professional attention. On your first visit to 5 Fitness, you will meet with a trainer who will talk with you about your fitness goals, injury history, and exercise preferences. Your trainer will then measure your BMI and assess your water intake and fitness level before setting you up with a complimentary first class.

In order to provide the best level of instruction, all classes at 5 Fitness Training and Yoga are capped at 15 participants. Classes range from vinyasa yoga and pilates to spinning and kickboxing, and the gym's regular 45-minute sessions fit easily into most schedules. Yelp reviewers rave about the attentive, supportive, and non-judgmental atmosphere, as well as the fact that you won’t need to sign a membership contract.

5 Fitness Training and Yoga
2745 Bee Cave Road
Austin, TX 78746
(512) 215-2417
www.5fitnesstraining.com
www.yelp.com/biz/5-fitness-training-and-yoga-austin

Today’s Imponderable: What Causes Freezer Burn?

Freezing delicate foods like fresh fruits or meats is a great way to preserve these items for a longer time than the refrigerator can provide. Unfortunately, if not frozen properly, the chill of the freezer can inflict freezer burn on your poor groceries. You may have noticed dull, grey color patches on food kept in the freezer, but what exactly is freezer burn?

Freezer burn occurs when the thin layer of moisture on the outer layer of most foods evaporates into the freezer, causing the food to dry out in those stripped areas. The result is a white or brownish spot on the surface of the food, which, though not harmful to eat, certainly looks unappealing. Freezer burn can also affect the texture of the food and make it taste bland and flavorless.

Lucky for fans of the freezer, preventing freezer burn is very simple: You must keep all parts of the food completely shielded from the dry, cold air, which you can do by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil!

Freezer Burn [Wikipedia]
What is “freezer burn?” [Everyday Mysteries]
What Is Freezer Burn – Causes & How to Prevent It When Freezing Food [Money Crashers]
Food Science: What is Freezer Burn and How to Prevent It [The Kitchn]

You Can’t Go Wrong With Jersey Giant Pizza

Austin locals know that the menu at Jersey Giant Pizza is simple: pizza with about a dozen different toppings to mix and match as you like. Try a classic pepperoni pie, or build something more unique, like pineapple, fresh basil, and chopped Roma tomatoes, or pile on the sausage, ham, bacon, and meatballs to make a meat-lover's delight. Whatever you order, it'll take just a few minutes to bake in the kitchen's custom-designed, super-heated brick oven.

There's no question that pizza is the main focus at Jersey Giant Pizza, but it's true that the kitchen serves up a few other Jersey-inspired specialties, too. Try a bowl of Grandma's meatballs covered in sauce, or order a trio of fresh baked pizza rolls. If you want something cold that's easy to eat on the go, try a sub sandwich heaped high with meats and cheese.

Jersey Giant Pizza
13908 Highway 71 West
Austin, TX 78738
(512) 263-3535
www.jerseygiantpizza.com
www.yelp.com/biz/jersey-giant-pizza-austin

Newly Betrothed? Don’t Miss These Wedding Boards on Pinterest!

You can't stop admiring that brand-new ring on your finger, but now it’s time for the real fun to begin. Even if you’ve been dreaming of that fairy tale wedding since before you can remember, things can get a bit overwhelming once it comes time for the actual planning. Here are three Pinterest boards that offer hours of wedding inspiration, while also helping to keep you on schedule—and on budget!

Wedding Ideas
Are you planning a shabby chic wedding, or is your style more glitz and glamor? Whatever type of nuptials you have in mind, this Pinterest board is filled with ideas to help plan your dream wedding. Creative honeymoon funds, fun wedding favors, and simple, handmade decorations will make your big day even more special.

Weddings
Browse Pinterest’s main wedding board by categories like wedding photography, flowers, and invitation inspiration to find tips and tricks for every aspect of planning a wedding. There are even printable checklists and calendars to help you stay organized along the way.

Romantic Weddings
Whether you’re actually planning a wedding or if you just love looking at ideas for that day far off in your future, the Romantic Weddings board is an endless source of dreamy inspiration. Best of all, this board is filled with photos from real weddings to offer a sneak peek of real life couples’ special days.

Trapeze Austin: Feel the Rush of This Daring Workout

If you ever admired the daring leaps and seemingly impossible catches of trapeze performers at the circus, Trapeze Austin gives you the chance to learn these incredible moves yourself. This wild new workout is not for the faint of heart, but the rush that you get from flying through the air on the trapeze is well worth the nerves.

Trapeze Austin is equipped with structural circus arts rigging systems that feature a sturdy safety net underneath to keep you protected in case of a fall. The facility offers one- and two-hour lessons that begin by teaching you the very basics of trapeze flying on the ground, and then expand to the air for the majority of the lesson. In the longer lessons, participants are even able to experience what it’s like to be caught in mid-air, just like professional trapeze performers.

If you’re looking for a unique place for a birthday party or family gathering, Trapeze Austin is great for private parties as well.

Trapeze Austin
9501 Manchaca Road
Austin, TX 78748
(512) 608-1071
www.trapezeaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/trapeze-austin-austin

Become a ‘Spa Partisan’ at Milk and Honey Spa

There’s the casual spa-goer: the bride, perhaps, or the mom who goes for a treat. But then there’s the spa connoisseur: the woman who makes spas part of her relaxation and beauty routine. Milk and Honey Spa calls these women “Spa Partisans,” and if you’re not one already, they promise you will be.

Milk and Honey’s two luxury day spas offer a full menu of body, skin, waxing, massage, and nail treatments. You’ll emerge looking and feeling great; Les Nouvelles Esthetiques magazine named Milk and Honey Texas’s top day spa, and locals are dazzled by the service and value.

Check the spa's site for a full list of services, prices, and special offers.

Milk and Honey Spa
12901 Hill Country Boulevard
Bee Cave, TX 78737
(512) 236-1115
www.milkandhoneyspa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/milk-honey-spa-bee-cave

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