Mandy Spivey

2015 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon: Healthy Living and Going Green Come Together

Written by Mandy Spivey | February 9, 2015

Downtown Austin: A mass of athletes and Austinites materializes in the cool morning air, men and women perform last-minute stretches to warm up sleepy muscles, a quick crack and the race begins.

Scenic tours through historic haunts around town inspire while enthusiastic bands, dance teams and cheer groups entertain when the going gets tough. You pace your stride to keep a steady flow of energy, and as crowds of strangers cheer you on, you reach into your final reserves to push yourself across the finish line.

Austin is an amazing and unique city. Its dual loves of healthy living and going green come together this February to bring us the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K. On Sunday, February 15th at 7 am, get geared up for the marathon of the year, all in the name of green living.

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: Lake Travis Edition

Written by Mandy Spivey | February 2, 2015

Valentine’s Day — the day of love, flowers, chocolates and copious spa treatments! Whether you’ve been with your special someone a hundred years or a few minutes, a well thought-out gift can do wonders for a relationship.

The big day is one of indulgences and showing your lover just how much you appreciate them. A gift of this magnitude is not something to be taken lightly, so that is why we have compiled a gift guide for the Lake Travis area for all types of boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands, wives and all those in between.

SXSW 2015: March 13th – March 22nd

Written by Mandy Spivey | January 27, 2015

It’s getting to be that time of the year again, when the streets of downtown Austin are transformed into pop-up music venues, all corners of the town enveloped in a continuous flow of strings and drums.

Some of us got our first taste of life in Austin at SXSW, which tends to bring in music, film and culture-loving folks from all over the world. To truly get the most out of your time at the famous festival, you need a bit of a game plan of sorts, and the more pre-show planning you can do, the better.

Tickets have been on sale for months, and there is still time to snatch up a wrist band or badge in time for the festival. But hurry, the prices go up and up as the big date approaches.

Cuvée Coffee in Spicewood: Sustainable Coffee Roasted in Our Own Backyard

Written by Mandy Spivey | January 26, 2015

Caffeine addicts consider this: Have you ever tasted coffee roasted so close to you, you can practically smell it from your home?

Coffee drinkers may already appreciate the subtle and rich flavors of Cuvée Black & Blue, the cold coffee drink that is served nitrogenated and straight from the keg. These tempting taps can be found all around Austin and the Lake Travis area. And Cuvée now offers nitrogenated cans for take-home caffeine concoctions worth trying. They make some clean and mean coffee, too, as their East Sixth St. coffee shop can boast.

The whole operation, from roasting to packaging takes place in our own backyard in Lake Travis. Their facility out in Spicewood is where all of the magic happens, and where I got to take a peek into their whole process firsthand.

Two Saints Baking Co. & Cafe: Homey Goodness in Bee Cave

Written by Mandy Spivey | January 19, 2015

Some days are perfect for warming up with a hot cup of soup or a fresh cup of coffee. These days I have been in the mood more and more for these simple cold weather foods, like tomato basil soup, a nice chai latte or a straight-from-the-oven cookie, so I head over to Two Saints Baking Co. & Cafe in Bee Cave to quell the cravings.

If you’re ever in the area by Highway 71 and 620, take a turn into the Shops at the Galleria, where you can find Two Saints nestled at the west edge of the shopping center. The fresh food offerings, including breakfast, lunch, coffee drinks and treats, are all made in-house and from scratch.

Mandy Spivey

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