Your wristband to ACL Festival helps fund maintenance and improvement of Austin’s parks. | Photo courtesy Austin Parks Foundation
The Austin Parks Foundation announced its newest awards from the ACL Music Festival Grants program.
The partnership with the festival has resulted in more than $71 million worth of improvements for Austin’s parks and green spaces. We’re checking in on a few of the latest upgrades to parks around town.
Completed:
Highland Neighborhood Park | $150,000
The grant awarded to this north Austin park contributed to the cost of a new pedestrian bridge to Isabelle Drive.
Barton Creek Greenbelt: Spyglass Trailhead | $17,000
After years of erosion, the trailhead received new steps, a landing platform, plus boulders and reseeding to prevent future erosion.
Upcoming
Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park | $128,000
The 300-acre south Austin park will receive a shade structure over the swing set to make make the park more pleasant to use all year round.
Austin Nature & Science Center | $50,000
The center’s “Nature of Austin” exhibit, which has been standing since 1989, will receive some TLC and updated ADA compliance.
You know what they say: Never travel without your bling. Kendra Scott opened its inaugural airport store inside Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, taking the space next to fellow local brand Hut’s Hamburgers, last week.
Concert
"There’s been some changes” to Austin’s concert schedule — Charlie Puth will bring his “Whatever’s Clever!” world tour to the Moody Center in June. Tickets go on presale at 10 a.m. today.
Watch
Alamo Drafthouse will change its dine-in model next month, shifting from pen-and-paper to a dark-screen system that customers can use before and during the movie. Additionally, customers will be able to pay using their phones. (KXAN)
Coming Soon
New York and Roman-style pizzeria Baldinucci Pizza Romana will open its second location at Domain NORTHSIDE in spring this year. The restaurant is known for its square slices and airy crust.
Closing
Vince Young Steakhouse will close its doors on Saturday, Jan. 24 after 15 years in business. In a statement on the website, the owners said the closure was due in part to rising costs in the restaurant industry, but they remain grateful for all their customers over the years.
Answered
You can tell someone “Happy New Year” at any time, provided it’s the first time you’ve seen them after the turn of the year, according to 39% of ATXtoday readers. When we asked readers what the cutoff is, 26% said after the first week of January, 26% said at the end of January, and 9% said never.
Sports
Steve Sarkisian broke his silence about all the changes in the Longhorns’ transfer roster. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Texas Longhorns with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Shop
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Event Spotlight
It wouldn’t be a Spurs game without the Coyote.
Photo via the Moody Center
Mark your calendars for a Texas showdown.
Chalmers will transform into a basketball hub on Tuesday, Jan. 20, as the San Antonio Spurs will host a free official watch party in Austin for their upcoming game against the Houston Rockets.
Starting at 6:30 p.m., guests can enjoy free churros and tacos from Churro Burro and Discada to fuel up so you can get your head in the game.
The Buy
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This story about Baldinucci is one of the first I ever wrote for ATXtoday, so it’s a little extra special to me to see the restaurant is expanding. My favorite slice on the menu? The spicy Diablo with soppressata, provolone, and hot honey.
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