There's certainly good shopping and eating at the
Austin Farmers' Market Downtown (Fourth & Guadalupe), with the bounty of fall crops filling many booths.
Dai Due's hot biscuits with breakfast sausage and gravy are divine! After filling up on that, I discovered
Melissa Brinckmann's exemplary baked goods at the
Cake & Spoon booth
(
www.cakeandspoon.com) and had to purchase a scone, a Chelsea bun, and some espresso shortbread for Sunday morning. Oh, and some organic tangerines from Carrizo Springs. A good shopping trip all around... I've made no secret of my appreciation for the iced blended mocha drinks from the
It's a Grind coffee house in Hancock Center – they've been my regular Thursday morning pre-editorial meeting treat for a couple of years now. So imagine my disappointment when I pulled into the drive-through a couple of Thursdays ago to discover that the friendly staff who knew me by name and preferred coffee beverage were nowhere to be found and the building was being remodeled to accommodate another fast-growing national coffee chain.
Aarrrgghh! The closest iced blended mocha is now on Parmer Lane, so I guess it's a habit I'll have to break... The popular local fresh-baked cookies and milk delivery business,
Tiff's Treats
(
www.cookiedelivery.com), has added a third store in West Lake Hills (3201 Bee Caves Rd. #172, 519-3300). It opened last week with a benefit for the Make-a-Wish Foundation... Your in-laws will love you if you show up for Thanksgiving with a gelato cake from
Tèo Espresso, Gel-ato & Bella Vita (1206 W. 38th, 451-9555,
www.caffeteo.com). Choose up to three flavors from a list of 56, and customize a 1-quart frozen gelato cake for only $19.95. Order by 6pm Nov. 24 for pick-up on Wednesday, Nov. 25...
Sagra Trattoria (1610 San Antonio, 535-5988,
www.sagrarestaurant.net) is once again serving lunch weekdays from 11:30am to 2pm... Check out the turkeys, fully prepared meals, various cuts of meat, savory side dishes, casseroles, and desserts on the holiday menu at
Lee's Meat Market (1601 W. 38th #12, 476-6700) to complete or augment your holiday feast...
Ciao Chow Catering
(6019 N. I-35, 301-4443,
www.ciao-chow.com;
www.austineventcenter.com) recently got a mixed beverage license for the well-appointed, mid-sized events center as well as an off-premises license to serve cocktails at catered events. Owner Mark Bradley is now booking holiday parties... The new
Twin Liquors location (3925 Market St., Bee Cave, 512/402-0600) opens in the Hill Country Galleria this weekend with plenty of fanfare. The Tuscan-inspired building features a large, granite-topped wine-tasting bar; a 45-seat classroom for wine education events; and a climate-controlled wine cellar with a private dining room for vintners' dinners. For complete details about the new store and all the opening festivities, go to
www.twinliquors.com... Barring any unexpected breaking news, the recently filmed segment about the "pie a month for life" program at
Royer's Round Top Cafe
(
www.royersroundtopcafe.com) will air on
CBS Sunday Morning on Sunday, Nov. 22, some time between 8 and 9:30am.
