Connect with us

Austin, TX

What to do in Austin, Texas | Now To Love

Published

on

What to do in Austin, Texas | Now To Love


There are many things that Austin, the capital of Texas in the USA, is well-known for, but one reigns supreme – barbecue. Indeed, the whole state is obsessed with the stuff, and Texans really do it bigger and better than anyone!

That’s why, on a 35-degree day, we’ve joined a long queue at famous food joint Franklin Barbecue to get our hands on their brisket.

You may have to queue, but it’s worth it. Credit: supplied

Shuffling slowly towards the door, we can see people coming out with trays of meat, coleslaw and potato salad, and it looks delicious.

Finally it’s our turn and the food does not disappoint – the brisket is cooked for hours in the restaurant’s smoker, it falls apart as you touch it and tastes amazing.

Advertisement

We add a pork rib and some turkey to the mix (well, we had to try it, right?) and all of it was sublime.

Lunch Tray pork ribs, smoked turkey, sausage, brisket & pulled pork. Enough for you? Credit: Supplied

Stuffed full, we step back out into the heat to head towards some more of the Austin landmarks – although we’re taking them in from the comfort of a bus with Austin Detours’ The Real Austin tour.

Our driver takes us to the imposing pink granite Texas Capitol building, and we head inside to see the impressive and historic place for ourselves.

A drive around some other hotspots – including the famous Greetings From Austin mural, food trucks and well-known stores – gives us a great overview of the city and introduces us to yet another Austin must-see – the bats!

Every summer night at sundown, thousands of bats fly out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge, and tourists flock to see the spectacle – it’s certainly impressive!

Colonies of bats live under Austin’s Congress Ave bridge. Credit: supplied

Back to food and it’s time for dinner. We hit up Kemuri Tatsu-Ya – a restaurant we had seen on Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil.

A fusion of barbecue and Japanese cuisine, this place is well worth a visit, with the brisket and gouda stuffed tofu pockets a real highlight.

Advertisement
Phil, you were right, this is amazing. Credit: supplied

Once again full to the brim, we hop on some electric scooters to ride to our next famous Austin landmark – The White Horse Honky Tonk bar in East Austin.

Austin is a music town, and this place is the real deal, filled with couples doing the Texas Two Step to live music. It’s great fun, and if you’re feeling brave enough, you can head out on to the dance floor, too!

If you’re not done after a boogie here, head to 6th Street. This is where you’ll find more bars, clubs and restaurants, and music playing every night.

Another favourite is the fun Rainey Street, where houses have been turned into bars and a host of food trucks feed the partiers. Both places will have you out ’til late!

Austin’s iconic 6th St will have something to suit all night owls. Credit: Supplied

Of course, there is far more to the city of Austin than just booze and barbecue, so we also make sure to head to Blanton Museum of Art.

This impressive museum houses the famous art and architecture work ‘Austin’ by Ellsworth Kelly, and is great to get to if you’re in the area. An afternoon spent here is a nice way to beat the heat, and see a different side to the town the locals want to “stay weird”.

An Uber ride to the super cool shopping district of South Congress, including the famous Allens Boots store where we try on a load of boots, tops off the day.

Advertisement

Wandering through boutiques and trying on Stetsons is fun, and there are plenty of food stops and bars should you get tired.

While famous for its barbecue and bats, adding great shopping, music and art to the mix means that Austin, in fact, has something for everyone.

Where to stay

The Loren at Lady Bird Lake is the perfect place to rest when you’re in Austin. It’s across the lake from the city, so you get great views of the skyline AND you’re a little removed from the action.

This luxe hotel also has a fitness centre with a yoga studio, and rooftop pool – great for when the temperature rises and that Texan sun hits hard.

We had a king room complete with a great view over the trees to the water, and the most comfortable bed we have ever slept in!

Advertisement
Austin’s Loren at Ladybird Lake. Credit: supplied

The restaurant Nido is well worth a visit too – combining Texan cuisine with fine dining and really, really good cocktails.

A walk (or ride) across the bridge and you’re firmly in the action of downtown Austin, plus you’re also close to the water if you’re keen on paddle boarding (or a swim in Barton Springs pool).




Source link

Austin, TX

Black Sheep Coffee Opens First Austin Location, Expanding Its Texas Footprint | What Now Austin

Published

on

Black Sheep Coffee Opens First Austin Location, Expanding Its Texas Footprint | What Now Austin


Black Sheep Coffee, the international coffee brand, will celebrate the opening of its first Central Texas location in Downtown Austin with two public events. The new café, located at W 6th St & Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701, marks a significant step in the company’s U.S. expansion following strong growth throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth region.

A public ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted in partnership with the Austin Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Thursday, January 15 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., welcoming community members, local leaders, and partners into the space. During the event, guests can enjoy half-price lattes, including coffee and matcha drinks.

On Saturday, January 17, Black Sheep Coffee will officially celebrate their grand opening with a Sips & Beats event from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., featuring live vinyl set by DJ Foxxy Brown, signature menu tastings, and half-price lattes throughout the event. Continuing the celebration, the store will also offer a 50% discount to International Half Marathon medal holders on Sunday, January 18, welcoming runners and spectators to refuel post-race.

Designed to reflect Austin’s creative identity, the location features custom graffiti artwork inspired by the city’s street art scene and the energy of Downtown. The new outpost will serve Black Sheep Coffee’s complete menu, including its 100% specialty-grade Robusta coffee, ceremonial-grade matcha, smoothies, pastries, Norwegian waffles, curated food offerings, and two bakery variations created exclusively for the Austin store. Additional limited-time items will debut later in January as part of the brand’s functional health product refresh.

Advertisement

Austin has long been on our radar for its passionate community and standout coffee culture,” said Eirik Holth, co-founder of Black Sheep Coffee in a statement. “We’re excited to become part of that fabric and bring something new to Downtown. With several U.S. locations in the pipeline, Austin marks a major milestone in our next chapter of growth.

Black Sheep Coffee chose Austin for its strong alignment with the brand’s ethos and its reputation as a city that celebrates individuality and creativity. The opening also reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to Texas, with several additional locations planned statewide for 2026.

The Austin café will be open Sunday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, visit BlackSheepCoffee.us.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Austin, TX

Lawsuit: Brianna Aguilera’s parents allege underage alcohol service at Austin tailgate contributed to daughter’s death

Published

on

Lawsuit: Brianna Aguilera’s parents allege underage alcohol service at Austin tailgate contributed to daughter’s death


The parents of Brianna Aguilera have filed a lawsuit against two organizations, alleging that they served alcohol to their underage daughter which contributed to her death in Austin.

Before Aguilera fell to her death from the Rio 21 Apartments in West Campus, the lawsuit states that she attended a tailgate at the Austin Blacks Rugby Club’s facility, organized by the UT Latin Economics and Business Association.

Both the Austin Blacks Rugby Club and the UT Latin Economics and Business Association were listed as defendants in the lawsuit.

>> What we know about Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera’s death in Austin

Advertisement

Even though the lawsuit states Aguilera was “noticeably intoxicated” at the tailgate, her parents argue that the defendants continued to serve her alcohol.

According to court documents, Aguilera allegedly began stumbling at the tailgate and needed help standing at times. At some point, the lawsuit said she fell into the woods and lost her phone.

After leaving the tailgate at approximately 10 p.m., court documents state Aguilera died around two hours later.

The lawsuit also accuses the defendants of negligence and gross negligence for serving alcohol to Aguilera despite her age and allegedly overserving her.

In the suit, Aguilera’s parents demanded a trial by jury and sought at least $1 million plus interest, costs and punitive damages.

Advertisement

Aguilera’s parents also seek damages for wrongful death, citing the defendants’ alleged misconduct.

Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who’s representing the Aguilera family, commented on the lawsuit in a Tuesday news conference.

Watch the full news conference below:

“Brianna was obviously overserved,” Buzbee said. “Even the police have concluded that she was overserved at that tailgate. She was not 21.”

Buzbee also stated that the Austin Police Department has allegedly told multiple witnesses not to talk with him and Aguilera’s parents.

Advertisement

“They told the three, the three individuals that were in that apartment that night when this young girl died. They told them, do not speak to Brianna’s mother or her lawyers,” Buzbee said.

He said that the lawsuit could provide a way for the witnesses to eventually come forward with information.

“By filing this lawsuit, not only will we hold accountable an entity or entities that were involved in overserving Brianna and other minors, but we will also be able to subpoena individuals and documents and video and data so we can continue our investigation,” Buzbee said.

KSAT’s sister station, KPRC, has reached out to both the Austin Blacks Rugby Club and the UT Latin Economics and Business Association for comment on the lawsuit. This story will be updated once the organizations provide a statement.


More coverage of this story on KSAT:

Advertisement

Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Austin, TX

Cedar pollen eases, but record heat builds across Central Texas

Published

on

Cedar pollen eases, but record heat builds across Central Texas


Although record-breaking heat and spring-like warmth dominated the first few days of the new year, cooler — but still warmer than normal —temperatures settled in to start the first work week of 2026.

The heat will ramp up yet again Tuesday and Wednesday, with temperatures about 20 degrees above the normal early-January high of 62 degrees. 

Expect a blanket of low stratus clouds and some patchy dense fog Tuesday morning, but skies should begin clearing around lunchtime.

“In the meantime, a surface trough (of low atmospheric pressure)/dry line will push from the southern Edwards Plateau into the I-35 corridor, bringing temperatures into the lower to mid-80s,” meteorologists with the National Weather Service wrote in a forecast discussion Monday. “It is going to be very warm for this time of year, and some daily high temperature records could be broken.”

Advertisement

Those temperatures could rival record highs at both Austin climate observation sites, Camp Mabry and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where the standing record is 84 degrees, set in 1989.

Behind the dry line Tuesday, drier air will move into Central Texas, leading to a slightly cooler start Wednesday under mostly to partly cloudy skies.

Morning temperatures will dip into the 50s around sunrise before climbing into the upper 70s to mid-80s by the afternoon. Those highs would surpass the record of 80 degrees set in 2008 at Camp Mabry.

Temperatures the rest of the week will remain above normal with mostly cloudy mornings but sunny afternoons. 

A cold front is forecast to move across the region later in the week with a slight rain chance Thursday and Friday, but most of the rain will fall north and east of Austin. However, cooler and more seasonable weather is expected this weekend. 

Advertisement

This past weekend, Austin experienced the highest cedar pollen counts so far this season with a count of 3,200 grains per cubic meter Saturday and a peak of 4,000 grains per cubic meter on Sunday. However, the count dropped to just over 1,000 grams per cubic meter on Monday. Humidity has been on the rise in the past few days, and winds have been much lighter. Those factors have helped “settle” the cedar pollen for the time being. 

Luckily, the winds have turned southerly and are much lighter, so the pollen has settled a bit. A small chance of rain on Thursday and Friday should also help dampen cedar pollen before it becomes airborne. However, above-normal temperatures will allow tree pollen cones to continue opening, setting the stage for another pollen surge when the next breezy cold front arrives.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending