Elevate Your Cheeseburger Expectations at All Star Burger

What’s so special about Austin's All Star Burger? How about the fact that the burgers here are made with Premium Gold Angus beef from cows that are fed a vegetarian diet and are hormone- and antibiotic-free? Also, the list of toppings to pile your burger is inventive—and enormous.

Order the Make My Day burger and you'll receive a burger piled with cheddar cheese, a cage-free fried egg, smoked bacon, hash browns, red onion, and mayo on Texas Toast. The Pacific Coast features avocado, red leaf lettuce, sprouts, and creamy mustard. Not a fan of beef? No problem! Just order the Farmer and you get a veggie patty, feta cheese, sprouts, red onion, and sundried tomato pesto. Tasty salads, hand-dipped shakes, beer, and wine are also on the menu.

All Star Burger is open every day.

All Star Burger
12921 Hill Country Boulevard
Austin, TX 78738
(512) 263-7300
www.allstarburger.com
www.yelp.com/biz/all-star-burger-austin

How to Take the Stress Out of Home Entertaining

Even the best party planners get stressed out when it comes time for a large get-together, but there are some simple tips that help to take the pressure out of entertaining. Here are a few smart ideas that will make your upcoming holiday party or gathering effortless and worry-free.

  1. Make a to-do list. Any expert entertainer will tell you that the easiest way to stay organized is by making a to-do list. Detail everything that you need to do to prepare and keep things separated by days. If you start the planning a week or so in advance, everything will come together on party day.
  2. Keep things relaxed. It doesn’t take fine china to set a beautiful table. Keep things low-key by using attractive paper tablecloths and napkins, and make sure that all of your flatware matches so that you can mix and match pieces depending on the type of food that you’re serving.
  3. Create a lively atmosphere. Do whatever it takes to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable, from creating a fun playlist to drawing up seating place cards that best match guests who don’t know one another. This ensures that the conversation will flow all night long.
  4. If all else fails, make enough food. If your guests love the food, you can almost guarantee a good party.

10 Tips To Help You Throw a Great Party Without Losing Your Mind (Or Blowing Your Budget) [The Kitchn]
12 Secrets to Hosting a Stress-Free Holiday Party [HGTV]
The Stress Less Dinner Party [Real Simple]

Happy Holidays!

We wish you and your loved ones all a very happy and safe holiday season.

Peace, Love, and Fitness Meet at Bodhi Yoga

Bodhi Yoga is a comprehensive Austin yoga studio that welcomes students of all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re looking to get fit, find inner peace, or both, these patient, skilled yogis will guide you on your unique journey.

“Bodhi” is Sanskrit for “awaken,” and dedicated yoga practice aims to unlock your mind, body, and spirit. The studio here features infrared heating, a silent light conversion process that allows students to absorb heat without heating the surrounding air. This promotes concentration and maximum body cleansing.

See Bodhi Yoga’s site for information on classes, events, retreats, teacher training, and schedules.

Bodhi Yoga
12101 Bee Cave Road
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 771-3390
www.bodhiyoga.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bodhi-yoga-bee-cave

4 Tips for Speed Cleaning the Bathroom

Let's face it: Cleaning the bathroom is a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it! These simple tips will help you to speed clean your bathroom quickly and effectively, even if you only have a few minutes.

  1. Invest in the right tools. Things like sponges and buckets are much more trouble than they’re worth when it comes to speed cleaning the bathroom. Stock up on pre-soaked cleaning wipes to clean surfaces, and then toss them out when you’re done. Microfiber cloths clean glass mirrors without forming streaks, and a sturdy toilet brush is always a great investment.
  2. Start with the toilet. The toilet is likely the dirtiest thing in your bathroom, so tackle it first. Pour one cup of bleach inside, brush the sides with a toilet brush, and then let it sit while you move on to the next task. At the conclusion of your cleaning routine, flush the bleach down the toilet and you’re good to go!
  3. Clean surfaces. Using a separate cleansing wipe, wipe your sink, faucets, and bathtub or shower. Separate wipes help to avoid cross-contamination between surfaces.
  4. Tidy up. If you don’t have time to wash all of your damp bath towels, simply straighten them on their racks. Be sure to replace the hand towel, however, as this is used much more frequently.

Speed Cleaning: Tips to De-Scum Your Bathroom [Good Housekeeping]
How to Speed Clean Your Bathroom [CNN]
Simplify the Season: Speed Clean Your Bathroom [Clean Mama]
Speed Cleaning Tips from Professional Cleaners [Organized Home]

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope everyone has a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Jack Allen’s Kitchen: Locally Sourced Goodness With New Items Nightly

This impressive restaurant uses only fresh, locally-sourced meats and produce to create its refined, Southern-inspired menu, and new dishes are featured nightly depending on what ingredients are the most plentiful that season.

The restaurant itself is furnished with warm wooden fixtures, sumptuous fabrics draped from the ceiling and a patio area with an outdoor fireplace. Dinner begins with a plate of pimento cheese and crackers to snack on, and an impressive list of wine, beer, and handcrafted, seasonal cocktails are also available to accompany any meal. Whether you opt for the traditional crispy catfish and slaw dish or a more adventurous pumpkin seed pesto chicken, Jack Allen’s offers a taste of Texas that’s both unique and traditional.

To make a reservation at Jack Allen’s Kitchen, visit the convenient website or call the restaurant directly.

Jack Allen’s Kitchen
7720 Highway 71 W
Austin, TX 78735
(512) 852-8558
www.jackallenskitchen.com
www.yelp.com/biz/jack-allens-kitchen-austin

Memorize This Must-Know Kitchen Terminlogy

If you’ve ever encountered a cooking term that you didn’t understand in a new recipe, you know how confusing it can be. From julienne to mince, there’s a whole slew of complicated terminology that seems foreign to the amateur chef. Here are a few simple definitions that will help you with your next adventure in the kitchen.

  1. Braise. Braising involves browning meat or vegetables in a bit of hot fat before cooking them slowly in a shallow pool of liquid. This is a great technique to soften less tender cuts of meat or veggies.
  2. Devil. To devil something, such as an egg, you simply coat it with a hot seasoning like hot sauce or mustard.
  3. Dredge. Dredging means to coat something like meat or vegetables with flour, breadcrumbs, or cornmeal.
  4. Flambe. This term is usually found in more gourmet recipes. It involves sprinkling a food with a liqueur and lighting it on fire before serving.

Glossary of Basic Cooking Terms [Les Petites Gourmettes]
Cooking Terms [Recipe Goldmine]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [UMN]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [Better Homes & Gardens]
Culinary Terms [About.com]

East Side Glass Studio: Glass-Blow Your Own Masterpiece

Shara Funari and Leigh Taylor Wyatt arrived at glass blowing from very different backgrounds. Shara didn't pick up the art until 2004, honing what was then a hobby at a public glass blowing studio in 2004. Leigh relocated to Texas in 2006 specifically to further her glass blowing career and to be closer to family. However, for both women, glass blowing eventually evolved into a passion; this is why they opened East Side Glass Studio in Austin.

At the studio, the public can come in to watch Shara and Leigh blow glass, or they can join in themselves. Intro classes are held a few times over the course of a month, teaching newbies the basics of glass blowing. Visitors can come in for a one-off experience where they learn the bare-bone fundamentals and then create their own glass masterpiece in a single session.

East Side Glass Studio
507 Calles Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 731-1702
www.eastsideglassstudio.com
www.yelp.com/biz/east-side-glass-studio-austin

Two Saints Baking Co and Café: Coffee and More in Bee Cave

Stop in to this cozy little coffeehouse and café for a freshly brewed coffee drink and a bite to eat right in Bee Cave, Texas. If you need a little caffeine to rev up your motor, order a Cappuccino, Latte, or cup of brewed coffee. This cafe's specialty drinks include uber-yummy concoctions like Caramel Pecan Latte and Mocha Frappe. Specialty teas are also on the menu.

Breakfast fare here includes a Sweet Potato Biscuit topped with ham & apple butter, a Breakfast Croissant with scrambled eggs & cheese, Caramel Pecan Pancakes, and Breakfast Tacos with eggs, peppers, onions & cheese. Later in the day, you can order dishes like a Ham & Dijon Sandwich, a Southwest Chicken Salad, or a Grilled Portabella Panini.

Located in Bee Cave, Texas, Two Saints Baking Co and Café is open every day.

Two Saints Baking Co and Café
13011 Shops Parkway
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 263-1166
www.twosaintsbakingcompany.com
www.yelp.com/biz/two-saints-baking-co-and-cafe-bee-cave

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