If you want to begin the day with a bang

• Kerbey Lane All Day Cafe | Kick off your best year yet with a breakfast as unique as you — just stick some candles in the monthly and seasonal pancake specials at this local mainstay.
• Paperboy | You’re never too old for a homemade strawberry vanilla pop tart. Grab one (or two) and a cold brew martini for a boozy birthday brunch.

If you’re gathering all of your besties

• Cosmic Saltillo + Cosmic Pickle | With plenty of picnic tables and photo-worthy ambiances, these coffee-shop-cocktail-bars keep larger groups caffeinated, buzzed, and well-fed. They’ll even pop your cake in the fridge until you’re ready to sing “Happy Birthday.”
• Central Machine Works, Jester King Brewery + Lazarus Brewing Co. | Does the birthday king or queen prefer a cold beer over a cupcake? These local breweries offer ample seating, food for drinks-turned-dinner-parties, and robust beer selections to keep conversation flowing.

If you love intimate celebrations

• Sushi | Bar ATX | Surprise someone on their special day with a snazzy sushi experience. This high-end restaurant only seats 10 people and each guest tastes 17+ flavorful courses for $159.
• Trona | If cocktails are the way to their heart, celebrate at this moody bar with tables for two. The interior vibe is equally artistic and cozy, which creates the perfect setting for a night worth remembering.

• 9/11 Memorial at Flag Plaza | Now-Thursday, Sept. 12 | Times vary | Yonders Point, Round Rock | Free | Honor the fallen with 2,977 flags — one for each American life lost on 9/11.
• Fareground Event Showcase | Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Fareground | Free | Mingle with fellow event professionals while sampling hors d’oeuvres from Fareground’s restaurants.

• Coco Mellors: “Blue Sisters” | Wednesday, Sept. 11 | 7 p.m. | BookPeople | Free with RSVP | Author Coco Mellors will sit down for conversation with Gen Padalecki to celebrate her book, “Blue Sisters.”

• Breaking Bread with Chef Damien Brockway | Thursday, Sept. 12 | 5:30-10 p.m. | Emmer & Rye | Cost of purchase | Join in on a one-night-only collaborative dinner with the chef of Distant Relatives.
• Kashus Culpepper | Thursday, Sept. 12 | 8 p.m. | ACL Live | $15+ | This singer-songwriter will stop by on the “Howlin Under the Harvest Moon” tour.

• “Short N’ Sweet” Paint Night | Friday, Sept. 13 | 5-8 p.m. | The Art Garage Oak Hill | $15 | Don your frilliest outfit, listen to Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, and paint themed pottery.

• Austin-based developers plan to bring back Hill’s Cafe, which operated on South Congress Avenue for 70+ years before shutting down in 2018. The revived restaurant and music venue would be the “centerpiece” of a $300 million mixed-use project called The Hills. (Austin-American Statesman)

• The 47th Annual Fall Pecan Street Festival will take over East 6th Street this weekend, Saturday, Sept. 14-Sunday, Sept. 15. The arts and music bash is one of the longest-running fests in the US — attendees can expect a live music lineup, vendor market, petting zoo, and kid’s rides.

• It’s officially grand opening week at Hyperreal Film Club’s new screening room. The nonprofit has operated without a permanent location for the past eight years — but now has a clubhouse to call home and show flicks every Tuesday-Friday. Feast your eyes on this week’s lineup.

• Cue the waterworks — literally, that is. WaterWorks, a new art installation by Design Austin and The Trail Conservancy, will project local artists’ videos on the Seaholm Intake Building at dusk on Thursday, Sept. 12 and Tuesday, Sept. 17. See it from the trail, lake, or pedestrian bridge. (Culture Map Austin)

• 71. That’s how many pounds the biggest fish caught in Lady Bird Lake weighs, which was hooked then released this summer and set a new state record. Next time you hit the water, remember there’s nothing small about the smallmouth buffalo under the surface. (KXAN)

• What would your high school’s football team do with $100,000? School officials can register your school for the chance to win T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights contest. (We’re looking at you, Austin ISD). Psst — give @atxtoday a tag when you rally on social media so we can boost it.

• How ‘bout them Cowboys? The Dallas Cowboys won Sunday’s game 33-17 against the Cleveland Browns. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Cowboys with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
  

• From a consistent fitness routine to pre-and-post-workout performance support, Peoples Rx has outlined a few tips to help Austinites lead a balanced lifestyle. Think: Hydration guidelines, reprioritizing movement, supplement options, and more.*

• Calling all home decorators. Color matching just got easier with the Nix Mini 3. Use it to match any hue with thousands of name-brand paint colors.*

• Rates just dropped. Now could be the perfect time for you to tap into your home equity — calculate your payment.*