Week Three: Broken Egg Cafe and Stubb's BBQ

Have you ever had the urge to wake up and get breakfast, but are too lazy to move very far? It happens all of the time. Well, I found just the place for you. It is called Another Broken Egg Café and is perfectly convenient as it is located right down Guadalupe.

The only downfall is that it is a chain and it is not very Austin-like, as I am on a quest for authentic and unique Austin places. But, it was still delicious! I ordered a granola cereal, which consisted of blueberries, bananas, quinoa, granola and coconut milk. It was the best granola plate I’ve ever had.

The granola dish I ordered at Broken Egg Cafe.
Photo by: Kate Kutilek

The café was very cute, the staff was nice, and it was very convenient, but it did not have the Austin vibe that I am attracted to, like I mentioned earlier. We sat outside on the patio given it was a nice day and the convenience was a plus. For that reason, I feel like I will end up here at some point again.

My next Austin adventure that surely did not disappoint was Stubb’s BBQ. It was my first time ever at Stubb’s, which is surprising because concerts are my sanctuary. I went to Temper Trap there on Sunday night.

Of course Temper Trap was awesome – like I expected, but the venue helped make the experience one I will not forget. It was an outdoors venue with stands around the outside selling drinks, food, t-shirts and more.

Temper Trap preforming at Stubb's on Sunday night.
Photo by: Kate Kutilek

I am not a BBQ fan, but I’ve heard that Stubb’s has great food, so I had to try a BBQ plate and let’s just say I am still not a fan of BBQ, but it seemed like everyone around me was enjoying it! They even make their own sauce. It’s intense.

All in all, I definitely will be returning to Stubb’s and cannot wait for the next concert I will see there. They offer concerts regularly and are always open for food! Big concerts coming up include: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Counting Crows, Fun., and many more. Stubb’s also has Gospel Brunch every Sunday, including live Gospel music, a buffet, and a good time with family and friends.

Until my next adventure in the best city of Texas, Kate.   

Week Two: Graffiti Park and Halcyon

For those of you who love to adventure and do quirky activities, I have just the thing. Yesterday I was on a walk and happened to stumble upon a place that really helps “keep Austin weird” – Austin’s very own Graffiti Park. It is located on 1100 Baylor Street, just right off of Lamar. It definitely had never been on my radar, but I am happy I now get to say I have seen the Austin Graffiti Park.

Given I am from Omaha, which is definitely more conservative than Austin, I do not get to see this type of art much. It is amazing to see an entire hill of concrete blocks covered in it. Cartoon creatures, flying cupcakes, catchy phrases, lego heads and many more eclectic paintings make up this diverse park.

A picture of the Austin Graffiti Park. Walls full of art extend up the hillside.
Photo by: Kate Kutilek

I spent a solid 30 minutes taking the whole hillside in. There are so many colors to see, people to watch, and exploration to be done. It is amazing how artists do separate graffiti murals, but it all comes together as one. Also, it is almost exciting how the wall always is changing – the next time I visit there most likely will be a new piece done.

The Graffiti Park is free for everyone to wander, making it so easy for students out there to go. It will always remain interesting and very unique, helping keep Austin the out-there, diverse city it is.

Next I want to tell you about my Halcyon adventure. Halcyon is a darling little coffee shop, bar, and lounge mixture not far from campus. It has a very relaxed vibe with an intimate atmosphere.  I was told to go for the s’mores platter.

Expecting to get pre-made s’mores, I was surprised when the employee brought out a tableside roaster, but definitely not disappointed. I have never experienced something like this and rarely want to go out to prepare my own food. But, making s’mores at Halcyon was a part of the experience that made being there so great.

Here I am at Halcyon. I ordered the s'mores platter along with a tea. Yum!
Photo by: Annika Hathaway

Not a s’mores fan? Don’t you worry! Halcyon offers espresso drinks, cocktails, an array of appetizers and meals, as well as tasty treats to satisfy any sweet tooth. All of these options are offered at a reasonable price. Here is a link to the menu: http://www.halcyonaustin.com/menu/  

Until my next adventure in the best city of Texas, Kate. 

Week One: South Congress Adventure

As a student, making time for the fun things in life is quite difficult. It is my goal to take advantage of all the delightful activities, restaurants, concerts and more that Austin has to offer, especially given that Austin is not my hometown so I am only here during the school year.

My first adventure was South Congress with my roommates. Even though it is a touristy site, it still has its Austin charm and local feeling. We went on a Sunday morning, so there were not too many crowds to push off.

Of course, our first stop was at Jo's to get the infamous picture in front of their "I love you so much" graffiti wall. The atmosphere was very relaxed, but fun. It definitely had an Austin vibe to it. Even the personalities of the staff had the same vibe. I ordered an Iced Turbo, which was absolutely delicious. I am a huge coffee fan so this stop was very exciting for me!

 Annika, Emily and I outside of Jo's coffee shop.
Photo by: fellow South Congress explorer

Next, we went to this wonderful place called Snack Bar. Their menu is organic, healthy, and comes from local growers. It was fabulous! We had a wonderful meal on the patio, which is located right on South Congress. The environment was awesome. It was the perfect place to eat lunch if you are looking for a true Austin experience.

At Snack Bar I ordered the Avocado Quinoa Salad. It was great. The salad consisted of organic quinoa, avocado, grilled pineapple and arugula. It was topped with a roasted pepper-pineapple vinaigrette that gave the meal so much flavor. Writing about it now makes me want to go order it! I cannot recommend this salad enough. If you are looking for a healthy option that does not lack flavor the Snack Bar is the place to go. It was also relatively inexpensive, so it definitely could work for students on a budget.

Snack Bar's delicious Avocado Quinoa Salad.
Photo by: Kate Kutilek

Until my next adventure in the best city of Texas, Kate.