The Austonian Blog - Downtown Luxury Condo in Austin, Texas

Downtown Austin Restaurant Spotlight: Muscle Maker Grill

A new healthy lunch and dinner option has opened in downtown Austin. Muscle Maker Grill offers a variety of health-conscious American, Asian, Mexican, and Italian-style dishes. The menu features creative protein-based dishes, a wide selection of smoothies and protein shakes, as well as a range of vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Muscle Maker Grill began in the northeast, where Matthew DeLeon, the owner of the Austin Muscle Maker Grill location, discovered and fell in love with the restaurant and its healthy offerings. He decided to bring the concept to Austin, where he believes the restaurant will thrive amongst our health-conscious culture.

Austin is “such an active and healthy city,” DeLeon says. “I’m confident that Muscle Maker will complement Austin perfectly.” 

The first Texas location of Muscle Maker Grill is located at 9^th and Congress, only two blocks south of the Capitol. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends. They also offer catering and delivery options.

For more information about Muscle Maker Grill and to view the full menu, visit their website. 

(Photo credit Brian Fitzsimmons)

 

Downtown Austin Event: Holiday Sing-Along, Tree Lighting and Downtown Stroll on Saturday December 3rd

This Saturday, December 3^rd from 6 to 9p.m., join the Downtown Austin Alliance and KUT 90.5 for the 22^nd annual Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll at the Capitol and along Congress Avenue.

The evening begins with a holiday sing-along hosted by KUT’s John Aielli on the Capitol grounds from 6 to 7 p.m. Immediately following the carols is the lighting of thet 40-foot live tree at 11^th and Congress. The tree will be installed this week and will remain in front of the Capitol until the second week in January.

After the Tree Lighting Ceremony, venture down Congress Avenue for the Downtown Stroll. Congress establishments will stay open late for holiday shopping, food and activities. For a list of activities including live performances, visit the Downtown Stroll schedule here. 

(Photo credit: Visualist Images on Flickr)

 

Downtown Austin Event: Small Business Saturday and Holiday Window Walk

This Saturday is the second annual Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and local economies across the country. Small Business Saturday’s began in Austin as an Austin Independent Business Alliance event, but has since developed a nationwide audience. On November 26^th, people across the country are asked to shop local to help fuel the economy. According to the Downtown Austin Alliance, by shifting just $100 of your shopping to locally-owned stores, you can make a significant difference.

Instead of heading to WalMart or Best Buy this weekend, check out local downtown establishments like Hatbox or Dress Shop for holiday gift ideas. Enjoy a cup of coffee at Jo’s instead of Starbucks, and help make a difference in Austin’s local economy.

While shopping in downtown Austin this Saturday, be sure to check out the 2^nd Street District’s inaugural Holiday Window Walk. From November 25^th to January 2^nd, the windows of various 2^nd Street District establishments will feature holiday displays designed and executed by students of the St. Edward’s University Theatrical Design Department. The window displays will feature holiday scenes as well as iconic Austin musicians. Second Street District visitors may vote on their favorite window display; the finalists will be judged to win one of three scholarships provided by Silicon Laboratories.

 

Downtown Austin Event: An Evening on the Avenue Tonight

Tonight the Downtown Austin Alliance hosts “An Evening on the Avenue,” a night showcasing the various restaurants, stores and cultural attractions along Congress Avenue.

Several Congress establishments will host special events this evening.  Manuel’s is hosting a Day of the Dead Party from 4 to 6 p.m., complete with a special Happy Hour featuring scary cocktails and half-price appetizers, as well as an altar viewing party and Day of the Dead displays honoring Steve Jobs.

The Mexic-Arte Museum will also hold a Day of the Dead themed event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their Death to Dollars Exhibition, which runs through November 13^th, is both a celebration of the holiday and an investigation of the ways in which Day of the Dead iconography has been increasingly commercialized by popular culture in recent years. The exhibition features 21^st-century Day of the Dead art and design, as well as traditional and non-traditional altars in the back gallery.

At Arthouse, artist Carlos Rosales-Silva will lead a “Talking Art” forum at 6 p.m. in which he will discuss his art on display at the gallery. Following the “Talking Art” forum is a special event, complete with music and drinks. The event is free for Arthouse members, $10 for non-members.

At 7 p.m. doors open at The Paramount Theater for a performance by Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian musician who has released over 35 albums over the course of his career, including his 1992 Grammy winning album Brasileiro.

(Photo credit: Visualist Images Photography, http://johnrrogers.com/)

 

Downtown Austin Restaurant Spotlight: La Boîte Café

This Tuesday, South Lamar favorite La Boîte Café opened a new location in downtown Austin at the intersection of 10^th Street and Congress Avenue. La Boîte Café offers exclusively local foods, ensuring that their menu stays fresh with a daily supply of organic baked goods, coffee, and traditional French-style sandwiches. The ever-changing menu features La Boîte’s couture macaroon selection. This week, La Boîte is featuring candy corn macaroons in honor of Halloween.

The Downtown Austin Alliance brought La Boîte Café to Congress Avenue as part of their effort to better use the Old Bakery Block, a historic site just one block south of the Texas State Capitol.

The process for rethinking the use of downtown Austin’s historic Old Bakery Block includes an Idea-a-thon, which is a six month effort to engage experts, stakeholders and citizens to imagine a new future for the site.

The second location of La Boîte Café is one of the first additions to the Old Bakery Block and a new arrival to the thriving restaurant community in downtown Austin. For more information about La Boîte, and to stay up-to-date with their menu, visit the café’s website. 

Downtown Austin Event: Gypsy Picnic at Auditorium Shores Saturday, Oct. 22nd

Austin’s 2^nd annual trailer food festival, Gypsy Picnic, will be held this Saturday, October 22, at Auditorium Shores. The festival is free to all and will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This year’s festival will feature eats from over 40 local food trailers including Torchy’s Tacos, Kebabalicious and Hey Cupcake!, among others. The festival will also include a cookoff between participating food trailers and live music throughout the entire day. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the website.

(Photo Credit: Gypsy Picnic)

Downtown Austin Event: 79th Annual St. Elias Mediterranean Festival

The St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, named one of Central Texas’s top 10 food festivals by the Austin Chronicle, is taking place October 7-8, 2011 from 6 p.m. to midnight each day. The event will feature homemade food, wine and cocktails, as well as dancing and live music by Stavros and Maria.

Festival goers will also have the opportunity to shop in the Festival Marketplace and take their children to play at the Kids’ Oasis.

This family-friendly festival will be held at the St. Elias church grounds, located at 408 E. 11^th St.

(Photo credit: www.mediterraneanfestival.com)

Downtown Austin Event: Austin Restaurant Week: “One City, Two Weeks, Three Courses”

The Austin food and restaurant scene is thriving with its ever-expanding collection of diverse and distinctive restaurants. Austin Restaurant Week celebrates the eclectic mix of eateries available in Austin with two weeks of great food. From September 25^th through the 28^th and October 2^nd to 5^th, over 50 of Austin’s best restaurants will offer prix-fixe meals.

Participating restaurants will serve two-course lunches ($10-15), three-course dinners ($25-30), and brunch ($15-20). A portion of the proceeds from each meal will be donated to Austin organization Meals on Wheels and More. Meals on Wheels and More provides food and services to elderly, disabled and homebound people in the Greater Austin area

Downtown Austin eateries participating in Austin Restaurant Week include Annie’s Café, the Driskill Grill, Garrido’s, Max’s Wine Dive, The Backspace, Trace at The W and Trio at the Four Seasons. For full restaurant listings and to make a reservation, visit the Austin Restaurant Week website. You can also download the Austin Restaurant Week application for your iPhone or Android device for mobile access to menus and the various participating restaurants.

(Photo credit: Austin Restaurant Week)

Downtown Austin Restaurant Spotlight: Coal Vines Pizza, Pasta and Wine Bistro

Texas-based Coal Vines Pizza, Pasta and Wine Bistro recently opened their first Austin restaurant downtown at the foot of the W Austin Hotel and Residences. The restaurant, which is located in the Second Street District, opened for dinner service September 8^th and, as of last Friday, offers lunch and weekend brunch options.

Coal Vines’ menu features New York-style pizzas, salads and pastas, an extensive list of wines, premium beer selections and frozen Bellinis and Sangria. Weekend brunch options include breakfast Calzones, the popular Coal Vines Benedict and bottomless Mimosas.

The restaurant seats 120, featuring a private party room, a sidewalk patio and bar. A giant mural fusing elements of New York City with the Texas Longhorn and the Hill Country by Dallas artist Christina Neuser decorates the interior of the restaurant

For more information about Coal Vines, visit the restaurant website.

Downtown Austin Event: The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival

This Sunday marks the 21^st anniversary of The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival in downtown Austin’s Waterloo Park from 11a.m. to 5:30p.m. What started as a friendly competition between Austin and San Antonio has evolved into of the largest local hot sauce contests in the world, drawing nearly 15,000 people annually according to The Austin Chronicle.

Admission to the festival is free with the donation of three healthy, nonperishable food items or a monetary donation to the Capitol Area Food Bank..

The hot sauce contest has three categories for entry: homemade, restaurant and commercial, and is judged by some of the finest chefs in Central Texas.

Festival attendees will enjoy food from several local vendors including Aster's Ethiopian Restaurant, Buffalo Billiards, Curra's Grill, Matt's Famous El Rancho, Santa Rita Tex Mex Cantina, Sun Garden Shaved Ice, and Torchy's Tacos. Live local music is planned throughout the day.

For more information, visit the website. 

(Image via http://digitaljournal.com/article/296764)