Enjoy the Outdoors: Plan a Picnic

Warm weather beckons us outdoors, and enjoying a picnic is a great way to enjoy a beautiful day. If you’re thinking about planning a picnic outing sometime soon, below are some tried-and-true picnic tips and staples that will ensure you enjoy a relaxing time outside.

Pack something to sit on
Unless you’re certain there are picnic tables available, be sure to pack a blanket or some folding chairs. Having a comfortable place to sit is key to enjoying your picnic.

Make foods that can be enjoyed at room temperature
If you’re thinking about having a meal outdoors, it’s best to pack foods that can be served at room temperature. Trying to keep foods hot or cold can be an unnecessary hassle.

Prepare finger foods
To make things super simple, especially if you’re picnicking with kids, make finger foods. Foods you can enjoy with your hands are great because you don’t have to worry about utensils, which just add to clean-up afterwards.

Keep it green
Instead of bringing throw-away items like plastic water bottles and paper plates, think about packing items that can be used again – like an aluminum bottle for your beverage and reusable Tupperware. That way your picnic can be both convenient and “green”.

Prepare for sun and bugs
When you’re spending any prolonged time outside, it’s essential to wear sunscreen. So, be sure to bring some on your picnic with you to protect your skin. Also, having bug spray handy and help keep away any unwanted critters.

Wholly Cow: Grab a Great Burger

Nestled inside the ZEN Food Mart Convenience Store, Wholly Cow Burgers is a purveyor of food that uses local, organic, and hormone & chemical free grass-fed beef. It's a high quality ingredient that, along with the local, organic produce used here, makes for some really wonderful food. The menu consists of several burger combinations as well as some classic beef and chicken sandwiches like the reuben and club. There are vegetarian options, too! Wholly Cow is also open for breakfast, where you'll find a nice selection of breakfast tacos in addition to french toast and some great breakfast sandwiches. A great thing about the location is that the store where it's located also has other great items like fresh fruit and produce, and a wide selection of wine and beer. That's quality and convenience!

Wholly Cow
3010 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 394-8156
http://www.yelp.com/biz/wholly-cow-austin

Way South Philly: Eat Authentic Cheese Steaks

With the cheese steaks available at Way South Philly, you don't have to head to Pennsylvania to grab a bite of this rich and juicy comfort food. The cheese steak sandwiches here are made with fresh bread and loaded up with hefty portions of delicious meat. Way South Philly then tops it off with a generous amount of tasty Cheese Whiz to make for a wildly tasty treat. There are a number of different cheese steak options on the menu, too, that add other ingredients like mushrooms, peppers, and hot sauce. Cheesy tater tots, grilled cheese, and italian sausage sandwiches are also available. It's a true Philly food experience. There are even authentic Philadelphia Tastykakes for dessert! The awesome sandwiches at Way South Philly are something that shouldn't be missed. Authentic and delicious, it's like having a little corner of Philly right in downtown Austin.

Way South Philly
6th and Waller
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 771-6969
http://www.yelp.com/biz/way-south-philly-austin

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum: Serene Space

There’s nothing exciting that goes on at Austin's Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum. But that’s precisely the point! Fifty sculptures created by 20th Century sculptor Charles Umlauf pepper the serene outdoor grove, giving visitors the opportunity to pause and appreciate them. Allow the sculptures to provide ambiance while you sit on a bench and read a book and let the kids roam around. Think of Umlauf as an artistically curated park, situated in the hustle of Austin but somehow shielded from it in a calm oasis. Umlauf offers summer camps for children and offers yoga sessions (the sessions are called “The Body as Sculpture”) throughout the season. And, okay, there’s one exciting happening: the yearly Garden Party, which was listed by the Austin Chronicle in its 2005 “Best of Austin” issue as, well, one of the best things to do in Austin.

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum

605 Robert E. Lee Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 445-5582

Happy Labor Day!

Wishing you a very happy and relaxing Labor Day!

What are your Favorite Songs by The Beatles?

Probably the most popular and influential pop group of all time, The Beatles had a massive catalog of hits in their ten years as a band. Nearly everything they recorded was a classic, but if we had to pick just five songs to hear on a desert island, these would be the ones. Do they overlap with your favorites?

"A Day In The Life"
The best example of the collaborative powers of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, this track showed how The Beatles were experimenting with new sounds and orchestration to create something never before seen in popular music.

"Yesterday"
This composition came to Paul McCartney in a dream and became the most-covered song of all time. With an unforgettable lilting memory and gentle, philosophical lyrics, it shows the softer side of The Beatles.

"I Want To Hold Your Hand"
One of the band’s early hits, this irresistible hit positioned the Fab Four as teen heartthrobs with a driving, propulsive backbeat and spectacular harmonies.

"Let It Be"
One of the last songs that the band released, “Let It Be” was of McCartney’s finest compositions, with a powerful vocal melody and a message that was perfectly suited to the end of the tumultuous 1960s.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Even though Lennon and McCartney took the lion’s share of the songwriting duties, George Harrison managed to contribute this undisputed classic that is gorgeous in both instrumentation and lyrics.

One Love Kitchen: Jamaican Cuisine in Texas

Texas may have built its culinary place in the world around a fusion of the tastes of Mexico and America, but that doesn’t mean Tex-Mex and barbecue have a monopoly on deliciousness. Austin's One Love Kitchen brings inspiration from that other region south of the border — and maybe just a few miles east — to deliver fresh, crispy jerk chicken and plantains to the Lone Star state. Try the jerk chicken plate, complete with boneless, skinless chicken breast marinated in peppers and spices. It's then hardwood-smoked to achieve that just-charred jerk chicken crisp. And at only $5, the jerk chicken plate delivers on both flavor and price! Complement any of One Love Kitchen's entrees with quintessentially Caribbean sides, like coco bread or the plantains for only $2. Wash it all down with a Jamaican coffee or Caribbean soda.

One Love Kitchen
3109 E. Cesar Chavez Boulevard
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 921-2645

Eye for Design: Five Inspiring Interior Design Sites

The internet is the perfect vehicle to showcase the ever-changing world of interior design. Here are just a few of the best design blogs on the web.

The Contemporist
Maintained by just two people, the Contemporist is a window into the most innovative trends in contemporary interior design and architecture. Updated (at least) daily, this blog is a go-to resource for the design world.

Apartment Therapy
One of the most popular design blogs on the web, Apartment Therapy is the place to go for interior design inspiration. With a dedicated staff and regular features on beautiful spaces, design trends, and DIY projects, there is almost too much content in this jam-packed website to keep up with.

Notcot
The brainchild of designer Jean Aw, this network of interior design, fashion and lifestyle sites bills itself as “random”, but it’s really anything but. Featuring a constantly updated stream of interviews, videos, photos, and links, this carefully curated site assembles itself into an aesthetic manifesto of good taste.

Design Sponge
This active and popular blog is a one stop shop for hip home décor. Posts featuring inspiring living spaces and the newest upscale innovations rub elbows with recipes, party ideas, and projects to do at home. There’s a reason The New York Times dubbed Design Sponge “Martha Stewart Living for the millennials”.

Cool Hunting
This truly diverse design blog runs the gamut from interior design, travel and lifestyle info to art and technology. Cool Hunting’s team of writers scours the entire world for the best things to see, do, and experience.

Pin It on Pinterest