Lake Travis Lifestyle

Your Guide to Lake Travis, Austin TX

Archives for December 2013

10 Lodging Options in the Lake Travis Area

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Lake Austin Spa

Yes, the holidays are about family and togetherness. But sometimes, a little too much togetherness can test even the jolliest of holiday spirits. We understand that you love your extended family, but there are only so many air mattresses and hide-a-bed sofas one home can comfortably handle before the “togetherness” starts to lose its charm….

Fortunately, there are several lodging options in the Lake Travis area. There’s something for every budget and tastes, so you can make helpful suggestions and be the holiday hero once again. Or, after the relatives leave, you may be in the mood for a relaxing staycation of your own. You deserve it!

Whatever your needs, here is a list of 10 lodging options in the Lake Travis area. The list includes hotels, bed & breakfasts and high end resorts, so there’s bound to be something for everyone.

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Lake Travis Area Excursions: Wimberley Market Days

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Wimberley Market Days

Lake Travis and the Texas Hill Country are home to some of the most quaint and colorful towns around. One of my favorite towns to visit, not just for their art and their history, is Wimberley. Located in Hays County between San Marcos and Dripping Springs on RR 12, this short excursion is about a thirty minute drive from Lakeway and a perfect place to take a day trip.

This past Saturday was the last Wimberley Market Day to take place until early next Spring. The daylong flea market, which runs from March thru December on the first Saturday of each month from 7 a.m.- 4 p.m., is orchestrated by the local Lions Club and has been a staple of Wimberley life since 1964 when the first vendors set up shop out of the back of their trucks in the Town Square.

After just a few short years, the crowds grew and so did the list of vendors wishing to sell their goods, so land was purchased in the 1970s off RR 2325 and the Market was moved to where it sits today.

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Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Ideas

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ugly sweater

This holiday season there’s a good chance you’ll have an excuse to don an ugly Christmas sweater. Whether you’re invited to a party or perhaps just want to celebrate National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day  to humor yourself, it’s fun to break out the ugly gear. However, if “ugly” (or “tacky” – they go by both) isn’t typically your style, or you’re not sure where to start but want to be a good sport, here are some tips to get you started….

Think thrift store – Thrift stores are the perfect places to begin your search for tacky sweaters, many straight from the 80’s. They’ll be authentic, and the more obnoxious the better. Patterns, sequins, shoulder pads, cheesy phrases, whatever you can find. However, I’ve noticed that these sweaters are getting harder and harder to find at thrift and resale shops. These days ugly sweaters are all the rage, so there’s a good chance someone beat you to the punch and scooped up all the good ones. If your trip to Goodwill leaves you empty handed don’t fret – there are other options.

Borrow – Ask around and I bet one of your friends or neighbors has one lying around. Or better yet, ask a Grandma. You might want to be delicate with this, though. Don’t ask to borrow her “ugly” Christmas sweater. Maybe just mention you have a festive event coming up – then promise to have it dry-cleaned afterwards? After all, nobody wants to hurt Grandma’s feelings. Then again, your cool Grandma may be going to an ugly sweater party herself (sorry, hipsters, it’s not just you!), so she may not be willing to part with hers anyway.

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Lake Travis Area Celebrity Sightings

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Andy RoddickYou don’t have to be in LA or New York to enjoy celebrity sightings these days. In fact, you could just be strolling through Dick’s Sporting Goods in the Hill Country Galleria (Bee Cave) and bump into retired tennis champion Andy Roddick testing out new golf clubs. Or you could be grabbing a burger at P.Terry’s on RR 620 and see Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila Alves with their kiddos.

It’s no secret Austin is a hotbed for celebrities, but they don’t just stay in SoCo all of time. Celebs trickle into the outskirts of the Hill Country and have been spotted all over Austin’s Lake Travis area.

Not far from Lake Travis, Jesse James, best known for his motorcycle expertise and West Coast Choppers, resides in Dripping Springs with his family. He owns Austin Speed Shop downtown and just opened a new gun shop nearby, Jesse James Firearms Unlimited. Jesse and his family have been spotted at Sonic in Lakeway, ordering burgers and chocolate shakes. Jesse can also be spotted on one of his many motorcycles headed out into the Hill Country. Back in 2010, after his divorce from Sandra Bullock, Jesse James and his then girlfriend Kat Von D made headlines by spending a romantic weekend together in Fredericksburg, Texas.

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Lake Travis Area Neighborhood Guide: Falconhead

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Sitting in the West Hills of Austin between Bee Cave and Lakeway is another one of the top master-planned communities in the Lake Travis area known as Falconhead. Residents also know the neighborhood as Spillman Ranch, but you might recognize the name from the Falconhead Golf Course, expertly designed by PGA Tour Design Architects and one of the top courses in Austin.

Families looking for that special mix of adventure, community and the views of the Texas Hill Country will find Falconhead the perfect choice to settle down. With close proximity to Lake Travis, the Texas Hill Country and Lake Travis ISD schools, picturesque greenbelts and nature trails, you might move here and never want to leave.

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