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⛸️ Let the games begin
The flame ceremony took place at the end of January. | Photo by Andrea Staccioli for Fondazione Milano Cortina via Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina
The 2026 Winter Olympics begin on Friday, Feb. 6, giving the Lone Star State a taste of a winter wonderland on the screen through Sunday, Feb. 22. While our state isn’t really known for grace on ice and snow, four athletes will represent Texas at this year’s games.
Let’s meet the Texans, each competing in their debut Olympics, on Team USA.
Emily Chan, Figure Skating
An alumna of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, finishing 5th in Pairs in 2023, Chan has been skating for 24 years since and grew up in Pasadena.
Amber Glenn, Figure Skating
Boasting accolades like being the sixth US woman to successfully land the triple Axel in competition, Glenn has been skating since she was five years old. The Plano native placed 5th in Singles during the 2025 World Championships.
Greenville, SC promises delightful surprises right from arrival. | Photos provided by VisitGreenvilleSC
In Greenville, SC, your next adventure is always within reach — and always a little unexpected.
Touch down at North America’s Most Enjoyable Airport, just 15 minutes from downtown, and step straight into a destination full of surprises. You’ll wonder why you didn’t visit sooner.
Experience the moments that feel like they were meant just for you:
Taqueria De Diez will open a space on Old 6th Street in early 2027 as the newest tenant of the strip’s redevelopment. The taqueria also signed another lease in Westlake to open at an undisclosed time. (Austin Business Journal)
Closing
Print shop Feels So Good will close its brick-and-mortar on East 7th Street in the near future and shift to an online-only format.
Pets
The Super Bowl is this weekend, but if sports aren’t your thing, there’s a much cuter way to celebrate. The Austin Humane Society will host its own Puppy Bowl, featuring tailgate food + adoptable puppies, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. (KXAN)
Try This
H-E-B’s free live music festival, True Texas Tunes, returns later this month at the Lake Austin and South Congress Avenue locations. Musicians including Carolyn Wonderland, Como Las Movies, and Warren Hood will perform periodically through October.
Travel
Calling all Texas travelers — luxury bus service Vonlane is expanding service between Fort Worth and Austin. (CultureMap)
Plan Ahead
How ‘bout them cheerleaders. The Cowboys Cheerleaders will perform their signature kicks and routines at ACL Live at The Moody Theater this April. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. today.
Shop
It’s time to shop ‘til you drop, because participants in ATX Vintage’s Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt could win cash prizes starting Monday, Feb. 9. All you have to do is get a wristband and find the pink rubber duck inside the ~20 participating stores. Learn more.
Ranked
Here comes the news. Austin is the No. 6 “Best Places to Get Married” in the country, according to a study from WalletHub, which surveyed cost, availability of services, and proliferation of wedding activities.
Read
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Category
Travel and Outdoors
🐦 For the birders
Although only 4.5 inches long, Golden-cheeked warblers require 5-20 acres of nesting territory. | Photo via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters
Charge your phones and grab your binoculars, Austin. The annual Great Backyard Bird Counttakes flight on Friday, Feb. 13 and runs through Monday, Feb. 16. The community event invites nature lovers and bird enthusiasts from around the world to go outside, watch, count, and celebrate birds.
Anyone can participate — all you have to do is go outside and observe for as little as 15 minutes. Count all of the birds you see or hear using one of the following tools:
The information will help experts study bird habitats, migration patterns, and global bird populations.
Don’t know where to start? Check out this list of common wildlife in our area + start in your backyard or any of these parks around the Capital City. Bonus: Once you submit the photo for the count, consider sending it our way.
The Buy
It’s almost time for the perfect holiday to tell your friends how you feel: Galentine’s Day. Treat the bestie in your life to a February 13 gift that says, I’m grateful for you.
The Winter Olympics are my favorite of the two because I grew up playing hockey. Just thinking about watching figure skating makes me want to lace up and hit the rinks at Chapparal Ice.
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