01.10.2024

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Today’s Forecast

68º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 5:42 p.m.

☕️ Whatever beans necessary

50+ wonderful coffee shops to try out in Austin

Three coffee drinks sitting on top of a white picnic table.

Try the Thai milk tea, Rainbow in the Sky, bottom is coconut cream coffee from Sweet Memes. | Photo courtesy of @sweetmemes.atx

Thanks a latte to Austin coffee shops, mornings aren’t so bad.

The Capital City has no shortage of masterful baristas, aromatic roasts, and foamy lattes. If you’re having trouble deciding on a spot, know that we’ve bean busy gathering some of the best coffee shops in ATX just for you.

For latte art lovers

The Hideout Coffee House, 617 Congress Ave. | Lovers of the arts will flock to this shop, which famously has a stage and improv school inside.

Proud Mary Coffee, 2043 S. Lamar Blvd. | Experience a piece of Melbourne’s coffee culture here in the Lone Star State. Psst — don’t forget to order something from the kitchen.

Specialty drinks

A black dog smiles on the left of an iced coffee on a white table. — Dog owners will love libations from Lucky Lab Coffee Co.
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Photo by @luckylabatx

Lucky Lab Coffee Co., multiple locations | Grab your (leashed) furry friend, order a seasonal creation, and don’t skip the homemade pastries.

Sweet Memes, 3801 S. Congress Ave., #109 | Satisfy your sweet tooth at this pretty local coffee shop and bakery, featuring treats like coconut cream coffee and taro frappes.

Where to write your novel

A bunch of tables and umbrellas on The Perch's patio, which overlooks the lake and the skyline. — Settle into The Perch’s huge waterfront patio, which is perfect for the more temperate months.
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Photo by @jg.marketingatx

Jo’s Coffee, multiple locations | There are plenty of these shops to choose from around the city, so choosing a place to work won’t hinder your writing schedule.

The Perch, 74 Trinity St. | Get inspired at this shop, which has plenty of seating along Lady Bird Lake, while you sip on a Butterbeer latte or green smoothie.

21 more brews

Asked

Where is your favorite place to get coffee in Austin?

Where you bean?

Events

Wednesday, Jan. 10

Cirque Italia | Now-Monday, Jan. 15 | Times vary | Barton Creek Square, 2901 S. Capital Of Texas Hwy., Austin | $30-$55 | Follow Cirque Italia’s production about Rafael, a farm boy swept away by a tornado who lands in the heart of the city’s chaos.

Thursday, Jan. 11

Intro to Homemade Sushi | Thursday, Jan. 11 | 6-8 p.m. | Texas Sake Company, 440 E. St. Elmo Rd., Ste B-2, Austin | $65 | Learn how to make your own homemade sushi alongside chef Desiree.

Friday, Jan. 12

Main Course: Stand Up Comedy | Friday, Jan. 12 | Times vary | Vulcan Gas Company, 418 E. 6th St., Austin | $25-$30 | Laugh along to a secret lineup of Netflix, HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime-featured comedians.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Austin Witches Market | Saturday, Jan. 13 | 6-10 p.m. | The Hive, 10542 Menchaca Rd., Austin | Free | Peruse witchy goodies from more than 200 vendors.

Sunday, Jan. 14

Joe Gatto | Sunday, Jan. 14 | 7 p.m. | ACL Live, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin | $25-$239 | Spend the evening with this former “Impractical Jokers” star.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Active

5 ways to up your workouts

Protect your feet during high-impact exercise with thoughtfully designed HOKA sneakers. | Photo via Amazon

Focused on movement this month? Increase comfort and results with beloved gym staples.

Glide through cardio workouts with HOKA Women’s Clifton 9 Sneakers (your feet will thank you).
Use a yoga mat with alignment lines to refine your form.
These buttery-soft leggings are considered a Lululemon alternative by reviewers.
Wear Bala Bangles during familiar workouts and avoid plateauing.
Say goodbye to earbuds slipping out at the gym with silicone ear tips for AirPods.

Shop health + fitness finds

News Notes

Health

St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center’s $53.1 million expansion is finished, adding 34 beds in the Intermediate Care Unit and completing the hospital’s tower, which will open to patients at the end of the month.

Edu

Austin ISD will receive $6.25 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to support the purchase of 25 electric school buses. Del Valle ISD also received enough funding to purchase 20 buses. (KXAN)

Open

Phoebe’s Diner at Gracy Farms, 12001-D Burnet Rd., is now open for business. Stop in to get some uniquely flavored mimosas, a smoked brisket breakfast burrito, deep fried French toast, and much more.

Cause

In celebration of the one-year anniversary of the Kerbey Kindness campaign, Kerbey Lane All Day Cafe will donate a portion of its monthly pancake special to Austin Pets Alive! through March. What’s the current special pancake flavor? S’mores.

Number

3,000. That’s how many personalized license plates the Texas DMV denied last year. Among the vetoes were plates reading “MOOV PLZ,” “SLAAAAY,” “NA U MAD,” and “HI HATER.” (KVUE)

Try This

Oh snap. Submissions are now open for our ATXtoday Picture of the Year contest. To participate, submit a local photo that you took in 2023 by Wednesday, Jan. 17. Make a submission for the chance to win a $25 gift card to our online marketplace, Six & Main.

Kids

🧸 Those meddling kids

How to plan a kid’s perfect day in Austin

Two young girls silhouetted in front of a wall of colorful fish.

There are colors galore in the Light Lab at Thinkery. | Photo by Michael Gail Photography

Sorry, but — NO ADULTS ALLOWED — this one is for the kids. Grown-up, please hand this over to your little one. Got it, kiddo? Let’s plan a family day together. Here’s a fun schedule for you to try.

Morning

Be a chef and cook breakfast for the adults at home. The night before, ask your family to choose from one of these recipes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if any of the instructions seem confusing.

Afternoon

For lunch, head to your nearest Kerbey Lane All Day Cafe for some pancakes or chicken nuggets. After you’ve filled your belly, spend the afternoon exploring Thinkery. What are you looking forward to most? Playing with colors in the Light Lab? Or climbing to (safe) heights in Our Backyard?

Evening

Wrap up the day with a family dinner. Head to one of our local farmers markets to pick out foods you can make together.

The full itinerary

The Buy

The Buy 1.10.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A unique candle to bring fresh scents, light, and joy inside your home this winter.

Answered

Q + A about Southern Spirit Transmission

A look down the street in the Seaholm District, showing trees covered with ice. — Both trees and power lines were downed due to heavy ice during the winter storm of 2023.
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Photo by ATXtoday

Earlier this week, we asked you what questions you had about the new Southern Spirit Transmission project. We’ve got some answers for you.

Q: Will this help us in 2024? How long will it take to build this line?
A: Southern Spirit Transmission will not be available for service in 2024. Builders hope to begin construction in 2026, beginning service in 2029.

Q: How many homes would the connection power?
A: The project will only send power during times of energy crisis. The new connection would provide a maximum of 3,000 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power ~600,000 homes.

Q: Couldn’t we have gotten help this past deep freeze from existing connection lines?
A: The most recent winter storm was not caused by an ERCOT outage, but by freezing weather downing power lines.

Read about the project

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The Wrap

City Editor Figi poses with an adorable goat.

Today’s edition by:
Figi

From the editor

I’ve been watching a lot of The Daytripper, a bonafide Texsplorer, ever since I took a day trip to Dallas last weekend. I highly recommend his YouTube videos — you might even learn something new about Austin.

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