The Austin Proper Hotel offers several cozy — and luxurious — settings for a cup of tea. | Photo by @earlgreywithaview
Pinkies up, Austin. We love a good cup of tea, which got us thinking about places across our city where you can enjoy afternoon tea, complete with treats and a soothing ambiance.
Austin Tea Xchange Cafe
The vibes at this cafe might be casual, but the European- and Mediterranean-inspired food and drinks are expertly crafted, colorful, and delectable.
West China Tea
Sip back and relax while experiencing Chinese tea in what is called “Gong Fu Cha,” a ceremonial style that comes from ancient and formal tea ceremonies.
Ezov Meze Mash Up Series: La Barbecue | 5-10 p.m. | Ezov | Cost of purchase | Chef Ali Clem of the MICHELIN-starred barbecue restaurant will share her skills to create an exclusive dish with the Ezov team.
Astro Hour: Leo Season Launch Party | 6 p.m. | The Volstead Lounge | Cost of purchase | Celebrate Leo season with mini astrology readings, a specialty cocktail menu, and food specials from El Borracho Tacos.
Purple Martin Parties | 8 p.m. | Travis Audubon Society | Free | Join fellow Austinites in watching thousands of purple martins roost in a “hurricane of birds.”
Saturday, July 26
Hot Wheels Legends Tour | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Walmart Supercenter | Free | One of the largest car shows in the world will bring life-size Hot Wheels, collector cars, and 100+ unique vehicles to one spot in search of the next Hot Wheels car.
Driftwood Honey Harvest Festival | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Vista Brewing, Driftwood | Cost of purchase | Have a sweet weekend with this celebration of pollinators and beekeeping.
Rare Plant Pop Up Sale | 1-5 p.m. | 100 E. Main St., Ste. #202, Round Rock | Cost of purchase | Bring some exciting new floral friends home with the help of Tri’s Tropicals + Plump and Bon Bon.
Sunday, July 27
Puppy Yoga Class | 10-11 a.m. | Kendra Scott Flagship | $55 | Try to get through a yoga flow without your heart melting — we dare you.
Chris Isaak | 7 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $45+ | It’s not a “Wicked Game” — the Platinum-selling musician and Lifetime Achievement Award-winner will perform his tunes in ATX.
The City of Austin is looking to create its own air traffic controller academy to address the ongoing nationwide shortage. Additionally, Austin City Council approved a resolution yesterday to pressure the Federal Aviation Administration to prioritize staffing locally. (KXAN)
Sports
The MLS team took home the gold in the All-Stars Game earlier this week, defeating Liga MX All-Stars without the help of Lionel Messi, who opted not to participate. The MLS won 3-1 — recovering from last year’s loss to Liga MX in Columbus — in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,738 cheering fans.
Announced
Texas Athletics will add 10 past student athletes, five men and five women, to its Hall of Honor Class of 2025. Athletes including Royal Ivey, Kyle Russell, Tiffany Jackson, and Haley Eckerman will be inducted on Friday, Sept. 12. (KXAN)
Ranked
Austin is the No. 3 best big city to live in the US, according to a report from U.S. News & World Report. El Paso and Oklahoma City edged out the Capital City, but several other Austin-area cities made the list for medium-sized and small cities, including Round Rock at No. 9 and Leander at No. 3.
Traffic
If FM 2222 is on your commute, you might want to drive with caution going forward. The Austin Police Department said they will increase traffic enforcement along the highway due to complaints of reckless driving, speeding, and noise. (KXAN)
Stat
57%. That’s how much the average sale price for homes in Elgin’s 78621 ZIP code surged over the last year, raising the typical cost from $339,590 to $532,419. Currently, more than 15,000 homes are planned and being built in the growing suburb. (Austin Business Journal)
Listen
CJ Stroud is coming into the next football season with a plan for the offensive line. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Houston Texans with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Try This
Texas Hill Country sunsets, live music, and room to unwind — that’s the vibe at Omni Barton Creek this Labor Day weekend. Catch Cory Morrow under the stars on Friday, then come back for Barton Fest, a laid-back mix of local bites, artisan finds + more. Snag 20% off when you stay the night.*
Fact or Fiction
The color of your car impacts your car insurance rate. Fact or fiction? Luckily for Nicki Minaj, this is fiction. Still, rates can change for other reasons, so experts advise shopping around regularly. See if you could save with this quick questionnaire.*
Read
Tangle is a rare political newsletter that doesn’t take sides — it lays them out. Every day, it delivers balanced reporting on major political stories, minus the bias. Subscribe for free.*
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📼 Be kind, rewind
Can you spot one of your favorite movies in these photos? | Photos by ATXtoday
It’s 1997. “Titanic” is dominating the box office, “MMMBop” is on the radio, and you’re walking into Blockbuster Video to wander through rows and rows of rentable movies for this weekend. That nostalgic feeling is what the Back 2 The Video Store pop-up aims to evoke.
The speakeasy, located at the Downtown Wanderlust Wine Co. location, is open now through Sunday, Sept. 7. We got a sneak peek inside the space.
Inside, you’ll be transported into an homage to 1990s and 2000s pop-culture, with photo ops of “Clueless” and “The Terminator,” freestanding arcade games, and a bar serving movie-themed cocktails.
Each $22 ticket comes with a complimentary cocktail — which you order by bringing a VHS case to the bar — and 90-minute slot to explore the space. By the way, we ordered the “Jaws,” “Men In Black,” and “The Big Lebowski” drinks.
Psst — this event is 21+ only.
The Buy
Amazon’s deals are still rolling, and we’re here for it. Shop more picks while the sales last:
📱 Shop 15% off a MagSafe portable charger that’s sleek, slim, and comes in light pink and lavender.
🍚 If you cook rice, oatmeal, or quinoa almost daily, Cosori’s 4.8-star rated grains cooker is 10% off for a limited time.
💺 Upgrade your home office chair for a high-back leather version while it’s 38% off.
📹 Snag 44% off a like-new Ring stick-up camera that can be installed inside or out.
📚 Get a like-new version of Kindle’s latest model, the Paperwhite, for 26% off.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
I’m a tea drinker, and I always drink Cream Earl Grey from New Mexico Tea Company in the morning, which has been my preferred company to buy loose-leaf tea since I lived in Albuquerque. I’ve been looking for a local supplier to add to my cabinets, and if you are too, I’m impressed by Walters Bay products.
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