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New Blog Series: How To Be Good At EVERYTHING

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We started this blog to share the hottest spots in Austin, TX and NYC and even some amazing places around the world. Considering our current situation, the hottest spot right now are our own homes.

Maybe venturing from room to room all day is getting redundant. You’re feeling confided and limited. We’re starting to see that quarantine has some people going stir crazy already. Maybe some realize they don’t have a hobby besides going out and spending money. Things that are rather iffy right now.

So, we’re switching gears and focusing the blog on developing a hobby. We’re going to dabble on every topic and interest. All the DIY’s and activities we know. Infact, it’s a new series of posts on how to be good at everything.

This is about learning a new skill or task seemingly without effort. It’s not about being a know-it-all or a bottomless wealth of knowledge, knowing every bit of information about everything to take on every hobby. It’s about being versatile and maybe you can find your new, one passion.

We will gather everything we have learned on our adventures and post what we’ve taken from every experience.

If you’ve ever wanted to perfect your cooking skills, have a go to dish people request at party’s, masterfully craft a cocktail, learn a unique sport, arrange a beautiful charcuterie board, pick up a language, learn how to pair wine, improve your fashion, be crafty and actually nail a Pinterest project, start interior design, learn how to sew, or just learn how to be a badass at something…. we’ll cover that!

A lot of you have a lot of free time right now so there’s no excuse. Let’s learn a few new things while we’re cooped up and bored.

Customized Ice Cream Sandwiches in Austin and NYC.

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The Baked Bear in Austin, TX:

First stop – The Baked Bear in Austin. Home made and high quality with lots of options. Choose your cookie, pick your ice cream and add all the toppings!

Tip: You can order a brownie and a cookie for your ice cream sandwich if you can’t decide. Great photo op with their Cookie Monster neon sign!

Sherry B Dessert Studio in New York City, NY.

Pastries meet ice cream! The Food Network named Sherri B’s one of the “Best Cookie Bakeries in the Country” with its signature ice cream cake sandwiches, stuffed brownies, home-made marshmallows and ice cream. The cookie bar features cookies, brownies and cake stuffed with your flavor of ice cream and toppings.

Tip: They serve booze! They also have giant sized ice cream sandwiches and s’mores. Great idea for a unique birthday cake.

New Brunch Spot: Arlo Grey

austin, drinks, fun

Top Chef Winner, Kristen Kish opens Austin’s newest restaurant, Arlo Grey located in Downtown Austin in The Line Hotel. Initially opened for dinner now has brunch.

Super trendy vibe and chic decor at Arlo Grey. Great place for brunch with the tribe and to get some great instagram pics.

It’s not brunch unless there’s alcohol and Arlo Grey serves a Bloody Mary we haven’t seen anywhere else. You become the bartender as it’s a DIY Bloody Mary. We scratched our heads over this but gave it a thumbs up since it’s tasty and specifically made for instagram.

They serve simple morning breakfast items like eggs and bacon and classic drinks at the bar such as an Old Fashioned. As well as delicious items you don’t see on many menus like their chickpea fries or a burger salad.

Tip: Get a great photo op in the bathroom.

  • (The Bathroom)

FREE in NYC

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  1. Pret a Manger – FREE drink at Pret this week when you buy a breakfast item OR download the app and to get a free drink.
  2. Godiva – FREE truffle every month when you sign up for the rewards club but must spend $10 to activate.
  3. Hershey – FREE chocolate at Hershey in Times Square. When? Always. How? Just walk in the store.
  4. Lindt – FREE Chocolate when you walk into any store location.
  5. Sugarfina – FREE gummy bear sample at Sugarfina NYC – all locations when you walk in store.
  6. Noosa – FREE Noosa but must be on the lookout for ambassadors handing them out on the street and grab as many as you want.
  7. Economist – FREE Coffee and sometimes food. Location varies as the food truck switches it up between Bryant Park and Union Square.

FREE in Austin

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  1. Gourdough’s – Freebies promised at the Gourdough’s Super Bowl watch party on Sunday, February 3 from 4-10pm.
  2. Fareground at One Eleven – FREE party at Fareground on Sunday, February 3 starting at 3pm. Event is free with drink and food specials.
  3. Blenders and Bowls – FREE 8oz. Acai bowl on Tuesday, February 5th from 2-5pm at the Guad location.
  4. Amy’s Ice Cream – FREE ice cream on Tuesday, February 5th from 4-7pm at any Amy’s location.

Freebie Alerts:

  1. Uncle Nicky’s – Grand Opening Monday February 4th. Possibility for FREEBIES.

Summer Vibes in Winter

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The holiday season is over, the festive lights have come down, no more tinsel and ornaments. Mid January becomes such a depressing time of year when all the decorations are taken down. The next holiday being Valentines day doesn’t seem to help things especially for the singles out there. A vacation is always a solution but we have another idea. Summer bars in the winter! There are plenty of heated patios or enclosed rooftops but we know a place in NYC and Austin that gives you beach vibes even in this cold weather.

New York City

Head over to this post-modern Polynesian inspired tiki restaurant and acclaimed cocktail bar, Mother of Pearl. This chic tiki bar serves wild drinks – a bloody shark cocktail, pineapple cider garnished with tropical flowers, and even a drink that’s on fire! Those are just to name a few. They have the ultimate fried guac and chips platter which you can find on the menu under “Tropical Guacamole.” Mother of Pearl is the best vegan restaurant to take a non vegan. As meat eaters, we didn’t even realize it was a vegan restaurant until we were told. Point proven. This East Village bar takes you miles away from the cold city and transports you to vacation mode.

Tip: Here’s our helpful tip when visiting – If you can’t get a reservation or find a seat at the bar, sit at the communal table. There will always be a seat for walk-ins.

Austin

Our Austin recommendation is Kitty Cohen’s. No, you’re not on the set of Golden Girls or visiting Palm Springs in your DeLorean. We double checked our location and what year it is and this bar is located in East Austin present day. This sun-drenched sip of nostalgia gives 70’s Cali vibes as you sit on the patio bar enjoying the wading pool. They serve spritzers and beachy cocktails with fun names to go with them. This bar is the coolest of cool with pink flamingos, palm tree wall paper and Burt Reynolds. It’s endless summer vibe feels like you’re on vacation no matter the weather. 

Tip: Make sure to check upcoming events as they host a pop up kitchen at the bar by the wading pool. Also, visit their website to become a Room 101 club member to get the exclusive (and a keychain).

Where to get a Spritz

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Here’s where to get your fix of those sparkling red-orange drinks in pretty stemmed glasses.

Aperol is an infusion of bitter and sweet orange flavors with  a secret mix of herbs and woody notes.

Austin:

  1. Italic – An Italian restaurant on 6th street where you can enjoy pizza, gelato and happy hour like a true Italian.
  2. Gemelli – A gelato shop that serves up Italian inspired cocktails.
  3. The Line Hotel – A Casual Burger Restaurant in a trendy hotel serving up a unique frozen Aperol with pink lemonade.

New York City:

  1. Bagatelle – Known for its boozy brunch and daytime club atmosphere with a European vibe serving an original spritz.
  2. Dante – Italian cuisine, world class cocktails and an award winning bar that has Aperol on tap.
  3. Maritime – Voted as one of the ten most beautiful bars, Maritime hosts La Sirena, the creator of the frozen Aperol Spritz.

Aperol Spritz in NYC and Austin

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Aperol Spritz was the drink of the summer, tailor made for the social media generation. Originated in Venice in the 1950s with its popularity revived today due to Campari’s aggressive marketing campaign. This drink is more than just the next rosé as Americans conform to the European lifestyle of sipping and relaxing while they drink. There has also been a noticeable shift amongst US palates towards more bitter flavors. This cocktail is here to stay.

Aperol took off in trend-setting cities like New York. They took this already trendy cocktail and reworked it as a frozen version mnemonic of the frosé. The demand heightened for the classic Aperol Spritz so much that bars put Aperol on tap.

Aperol Spritz has made its way to Austin which is no surprise as this growing city is at the forefront in the cocktail scene. Not only is the spritz popular at bars but they have given this drink a southern touch. If you look closely on cocktail menus you will find different variations of this bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb-floral aperitif.

NYC: You can find Aperol Spritz on tap at Dante or The Maritime Hotel. The Maritime also serves frozen Aperol Spritz (credited to creating this frozen drink). If you not only want an Aperol Spritz but also the European vibe to come with it, Bagatelle is your spot. Tip: Aperol has become so popular that if you do not see it on the menu, just ask for it as any bar or restaurant will serve it.

Austin: Find an authentic Aperol Spritz at Italian restaurant Italic on Sixth St. or at Gelateria Gemelli where the founder was inspired by his sojourn in Italy. Get a frozen Aperol pink lemonade at The Line Hotel at Dean’s One Trick Pony.

Is Seltzer bad for you?

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With any new craze there’s always someone out there who finds the downside. The rise of seltzer beverages have skyrocketed in the last 5 years and reports have surfaced that claim seltzer is actually bad for you. How could this be? It’s just bubbly water. What could possibly be so harmful with that?

There’s a few reasons why seltzer is said to be bad for you – One main accusation being that it causes stomach problems and people who suffer from IBS shouldn’t drink it. Ok, well that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad for everyone else. Two being it causes erosion of the enamel on your teeth. That’s a pretty lame accusation as seltzer is obviously better for your teeth than soda or any citric food item. I have science to back that up!

What are the ingredients in seltzer? Mineral water which is considered medicinal. You’re basically drinking the fountain of youth. The other ingredient being carbonic acid which is what gives it it’s bubbles. Carbonic acid is the accused culprit to what causes erosion of the enamel. Carbonic acid is falsely accused. Don’t be fooled by it’s name because it’s actually not a problem. Flavored seltzers have citric acid which is the acid that’s bad for your teeth when combined with carbonic acid.

So seltzer is fine for you. Flavored seltzer is a smidge worse but we can all agree soda is the devil. Just don’t replace your water intake with pure seltzer.

So is seltzer bad for you – NO. Seltzer is simply water with bubbles. Go pick on soda and leave seltzer alone.

Seltzer facts:

  • Carbonated water was accidentally invented by Joseph Priestley in 1767 who was referred to as the father of the industry.
  • Seltzer Is Originally A German Thing.
  • Several of the mineral springs in Germany are naturally carbonated. One of those is in a town called Selters, which eventually gave us the word seltzer.
  • Germans drink mostly carbonated water. If you order water at a German restaurant, you will get carbonated water, unless you specified otherwise.
  • Seltzer, soda water, club soda, sparkling water and fizzy water are basically all the same thing with the only difference being where the water is sourced.
  • Soft drinks are about 100 times more erosive to teeth than sparkling mineral water.
  • Seltzer was originally only sold in glass bottles.

Seltzer Tip: If you love seltzer as much as we do and want to up your seltzer game you can buy seltzer in old school vintage glass bottles from Brooklyn Seltzer.  

NYC Seltzer vs TX Topo Chico

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A carbonated beverage called La Croix seems to be all the rage amongst millennials today. This pretentious drink with flavors in French (insert eye roll) and its tacky design have taken over in most recent years but like most food trends it’s on the decline.

To New Yorkers, Seltzer is not a trend – it’s a way of life. NYC is known for their pizza and bagels but also Seltzer. So few people are familiar with this yiddish word but in NYC and the tri state area it’s what you grew up on. We never drank water. Just lots and lots of seltzer. If you’re from NYC you’re familiar with the brand Vintage or if you wanted to be fancy you bought Pellegrino. Our love is so strong that some have even purchased a soda stream to keep up with their household demand. At every restaurant in NYC you will be asked “Sparkling or Still?” Something you will never be asked in Texas.

In Texas we have discovered Topo Chico, a famously known sparkling mineral water amongst southerners. Topo Chico is pretty much you’re only seltzer option when dining out in Texas. It’s the cool beverage amongst kids and the obvious choice for any Texan; it’s even fun to say Topo Chico. We have noticed that Texans love anything from Texas and shun anything not. As Topo Chico started is making it’s way north we now know why northern seltzer brands haven’t made their way south.

Texans will agree with New Yorkers that La Croix is not a new trend but will argue Topo Chico is the original and has been around for ages. A war is about to pursue for the claim to seltzer. New Yorkers are probably scratching their heads and asking what’s “Topo Chico” as it started hitting the shelves in 2018. “Vintage” seltzer, the brand up north, has never been trendy in it’s simple plastic, blue bottle but it has been a staple in every New York/New Jersey household. Whoever owns the right to this carbonated drink, club soda, sparkling mineral water, seltzer or whatever you chose to call it; New Yorkers and Texans can agree it’s more than a trend – it’s a lifestyle! Now you have been educated on what northerners and southerns call this bubbly drink. You’re basically fluent in seltzer and can order like a local.