Summertime and the livin's easy!

Summertime is almost upon us and before you commit to taking that island vacation to get your fun in the sun take a look at some of what Austin has to offer. Activities range from scouting out Austins’ best swimming holes to taking up a new hobby exploring Austin’s disc golf courses or picking up your bike or rollerblades and riding the trails! If you’re looking for a more cultural approach to your summer recreational activities look no further than a stroll through the Zilker Botanical Gardens for free or a tour of the ever-elegant AMOA – Laguna Gloria with tours offered every Saturday for under $5! We’ll see you out and about at some of our favorite spots this summer. For a complete list of summer happenings check out: http://www.texasoutside.com/austinguide.htm

Jovitas, how we love thee!!

Great patio. Great music. Great modern mexican food. Great deals. These are all the amazing things you will find at Jovita's on S. First. And all the great things that make up the 78704. Jovitas, sits next to Freddies, and may possibly get ignored like the ugly step sister ... but not so, friends! It is truly the greatest hidden treasure this side of Lady Bird Lake!!

From 4pm-7pm, HH includes $3.99 tostadas (with black beans!! score!), $2 wells, $3 margaritas, $2.50 beer! Jovita is our new best friend. Get there early enough and you will have the whole sweet place to yourself!! A little one on one time makes for a beautiful new beginning!

Jovitas
1617 S. 1st 78704
512-447-5211
www.jovitas.com

Stay Tuned - Austinist does SXSW

Be sure to keep up with the Austinist.com for daily deals and free drawings during SXSW. Say, a chance for free tix to Perez Hilton's ubersecret party or the latest concert going giveaways! Also, be sure to follow them on twitter @austinist - they'll drop you lines for the latest and greatest deets.

http://austinist.com/sxswist

More SXSW Deals

If you're brave enough to venture out during SXSW, Yelp (the best website EVER!) is working with a variety of restaurants to bring us deals during the week of March 13th to 22nd. Listed here are a few great deals you can find during the 10 days of music and mayhem as it descends on Austin. Bon Appetit!

Yelp
http://tinyurl.com/c5mlbb

Who doesn't love a free party?

Ready to hit up SXSW but don’t plan to dish out that kind of serious cash for a wristband? Check out this link of free parties where you can take in the sights and sounds of SXSW for free:
http://www.newmusictipsheet.com/sxswpartylist2009.pdf.

Those wristbands sure are pretty but they won't get you VIP treatment at these austintatious hangouts. Enjoy the scene!

Art it is

Cool starts here at the Blanton with their whimsical look at the 1950’s West Coast Style art exhibit "Birth of the Cool". Tickets range from $3 – $7 and make sure to keep that stub for such goodies as a free appetizer at The Belmont or %50 off the first glass or wine flight at Uncorked (a new favorite BTW www.uncorkedtastingroom.com/) or %10 off any regularly priced Jazz CD, LP or DVD at Waterloo! Also of note is the ever fun Third Thursdays – a free, monthly themed event with such unique programs as Art Fix, Yoga in the Galleries and tours. Or spend a few more dollars for the Friday hip scene, B scene: B cool with live music, DJs, free appetizers and so much more! Oh the possibilites...a girl could book her social calendar in minutes after checking out this fabulous event calendar at http://www.blantonmuseum.org/

P.S. Thursday’s are ALWAYS free to all!

Fine Dining on a Dime

Leave it to the fabulous folks at Rare Magazine to deliver some of Austin’s best eats for a reasonable price during the weeks of March 1-4 and 8-11! It’s Austin Restaurant Week and its time to nosh on specially created three-course meals at participating restaurants for a flat fee of $25 or $35. In addition, don’t pass up the opportunity to end your night of fine dining with a cocktail at one of Austin’s local hot spots offering drink specials for this week of fun. For more information and to see the more than 30 restaurants signed up for this event visit http://www.restaurantweekaustin.com/.

Now that’s good eatin!

House Wine, A New Favorite!

House Wine is new on the Austin scene, having opened four months ago. It's a new favorite with its ubercute house converted into a wine bar ... if you can even call it that! It's so chill, great wine selections, the Austin skyline in the background and P.Terry beckoning in the background. Sitting outside on a great evening, makes you realize what makes life is Austin so good.

The staff is great, its very quaint and they have real cheese lover feast plates. All it's all so reasonable with $5-$12 a glass ... but why not go for the bottle?! Great to meet up with friends and be able to hear conversations, without shouting. And after a few shared bottles, make you're way to P.Terrys for an organic burger before you head home. Perfect end to a perfect evening.

House Wine
408 Josephine St 78704
(Corner of Lamar and Barton Springs)
512-322-5210

www.myspace.com/housewineaustin

Single? Coupled? No Plans Yet?! No fear.

Austin has endless possibilities this weekend for Valentine's Day that we couldn't post them all here. But guess who did?! That's right, our friends over at Austin Chronicle. So be sure to check out all the cool stuff this weekend, singleton or coupled up - its all for you. Or hit us up and tell us your fun plans.

Austin Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/cywqhk

My Spicy Valentine

Do You Think You Know BBQ? VFW Post 8787 is looking for a “few good judges” to judge some of the finest BBQ, Chili and Beans in the country. Over 100 teams from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida & Arkansas are competing. No experience is necessary, if you like to eat, you’re qualified (must be 18 years or older) and be at the Post Home at least thirty (30) minutes before the category or categories you would like to judge or just come out to eat!

VFW Post 8787
500 VFW Rd

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

My Furry Valentine

If your valentine is furry and has four legs like mine then head over to Jo’s on South Congress this Valentines day for the SweetBarks Honky Tonk Pet-A-Palooza! Activities for you and your loved one include: Live Music, Pet Psychic, Photo Booth, Food & Items from local vendors for sale, Refreshments and much more!

Jo’s Coffee Shop

1300 South Congress
Noon – 5 p.m.

Freddy's Place on S. First

Spring is the best time of year in Austin, and yes, this is Spring. When people start to emerge from their winter cocoon, and converge on all outdoor patios to hit some sun. Freddy's Place is the perfect spot for such days. With a shady grove, you can still enjoy the Texas sun without a meltdown. And on top of that Freddy's has great ongoing specials and activities. Its fun for the whole family - including the pups!! Freddy's is a dog's best friend with a dog trick contest each Sunday (deets below). During Football Season they bust out the big screen for all the big games all weekend long. Who couldn't love this spot?!

With fun times like this, its like an amusement park in the midst of the 78704.
Check the fun below and make sure to tell Freddy hello!!

Washer Tournaments
Every Wednesday at 7p.m.

Free Smoked Brisket for HH
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6p.m. until its gone!

For the kiddies, they play movies on Tuesday the bigscreen.
Be sure to check their websites for dates and times.

Live Music on the Backyard Stage.
Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 6p.m.

Freddy's Dog Trick Contest
Every Sunday at 3:30p.m.
Bring the pup! The best trick gets a prize, free meal for two for the owner and every canine in the audience gets a Freddy's best friend dog biscuit. So start practicing!!

Two Throws Tuesday.
Try your hand at the washers and if in your first two throws you make it in... you're meal is free (sans the booze!). Limit one chance per day.

And don't forget the drinks in hand:
Specials include:

Weekdays from 4p.m. to 7p.m.
$2.75 domestics
$3.25 imports
$4.00 Frozen Ritas

All Day Every-Day Specials (Holla!)
Freddie's Crutch: $2.99 Jack and Coke (Our favorite as well!)
$2.50 16oz Tall Boys
Freddie's Hangover Cure: $2.00 Bloody Beer or Redneck Mimosa's.

Hair of the Dog Special on Sundays 11a.m. to 4p.m.
$2 Bloody Beer
$2.99 Bloody Marys
$2 Redneck Mimosas
So now I dare ask: how can you not LOVE this place?!

Freddy's Place
1703 S 1st St 78704
512-445-9197

www.freddiesplaceaustin.com

All The Single Ladies!! Water to Wine Valentines Event

Hey Single Ladies, still looking for Valentines Day plans?! Water2Wine has a special event for the ladies : W2W will be offering two glasses of wine with special chocolates from the Choclotier and chair massages from Hands of Peace. (Word is they are still adding special incentives to the list) All for $20 per person! Sounds like the perfect night for a girlsfriends night out in the great winery setting of Water2Wine.

If you have never been, its quite an experience, they even give you the opportunity to make your own wine! The event is from 5pm-7pm and you must RSVP and prepay for the event.

Water2Wine
Brodie Oaks Shopping Center
4036 South Lamar, Suite 100
512.428.WINE(9463)
http://southaustin.water2wine.us

Quick Post: Strut

Big Week at Strut this week and you have three sales to choose from. First, a secret sale - everything is 50% off!! It runs Monday thru Wednesday at all Strut locations, you must ask for the discount when you check out to receive it.

Second, the First Thursday sale at ALL Strut locations. Everything is 40%! 'Nuff said, right?!

And last but not least, sister store Hush Hush - everything is $10 for the whole week!!!
So get on it, ladies! Take advantage of this weeks Strut deals!! And don't forget to sign up for their email list, where secret deals are a plenty!

Strut
www.shopstrut.com