After reading through the Austin article in Hemisphere’s I was ready to hit the city. First stop was breakfast on South Congress. We tried the local restaurant chain Magnolia; which on the far south end of the shopping area, making it a great walk from one end of SoCo to the other. Once we were dropped off I knew we were on local territory, by the décor, design of the restaurant and the sign out front “Sorry we’re OPEN.” The place was small but hopping, even on a weekday and breakfast is served 24 hours! I knew this would be a new favorite.
What I tried:
- T. Rex Omelet – shredded smoked turkey, cheddar and jack cheese, avocado and pico de gallo – served with your choice of two sides; black beans a fruit (the best fruit cup I’ve ever had – whole strawberries, pineapple and melon). The omelet was generous but not as big as some you receive in local diners and another good thing, it wasn’t greasy and heavy tasting.
- Other great plates:
- Love Migas – one of their house specialties – scrambled eggs with “love butter” tomatoes, onions, pepper, cheese and tortilla chip
- House Special – mushrooms, onion, peppers, ham and cheese
- Portobello – mushrooms, peppers, onion and cheese
- Overall the food was great and the service was speedy – my water and coffee cups were never empty. I was slightly disappointed that the staff was not too friendly, especially in such a fun restaurant. Now that our bellies were full, it was time to take a walk through SoCo (South Congress) and check out all the unique shops and galleries (as well as a few more eateries
Heading North on South Congress we stopped at nearly every antique, clothing, shoe and gallery we came to. Some of my favorites:
- Allen’s Boots (I was pretty sad I didn’t find any I liked and in my size – there were tons of boots! Be sure to ask for help on sizing and brands if it’s your first time.)
- Austin Art Glass (we met the owners and designers) there were lots of cool handmade glass object – some of my favorites: the jewelry, the hanging lights and bowls (pretty much everything)
- Uncommon Objects (unusual items and antiques) was a fun place to walk through
- Maya Star clothing store – tons of great jewelry, dresses, shirts and jackets very reasonable priced – a great place to shop, you won’t see yourself coming and going in the same outfit
- Hey Cupcake – a cupcake food truck selling delicious homemade cupcakes individually or by the dozen. A great way to get your cupcake fix, also offering vegan styles
- Be sure to check out First Thursday in SoCo when the shops stay open late and locals set up their own booths with their own designs and merchandise
After spending all morning (and part of the afternoon in SoCo), we headed across the Ann W Richards Congress Avenue Bridge; we were now entering the city of Austin. It is quite a walk but on nice days when it’s not too hot, the long walk is not so bad. Next stop, 2nd Street, for more shopping. The entrance from South Congress Street to 2nd Street was under construction, so it was a little discouraging and confusing when we were walking, especially not really knowing where we were heading. What I liked on 2nd Street District:
- Jo’s hot coffee – a trendy coffee shop with great food as well. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed a nice stop after walking all day.
- Clothing and accessory stores
- Also close – the Children’s Museum – on Colorado Street
What a day; I saw most of the highlights of the southern part of Austin, I was worn out and ready to head back to the hotel to drop off my shopping bags and do a little more shopping in the Domain.
