Mandy Spivey

Living Desert Ranch: An Eclectic Cactus Shop in the Lake Travis Area

Written by Mandy Spivey | August 11, 2014

Texas has its fair share of spiky, thorny plants. Hearty cacti, tall Yucca trees, spiny succulents — these are the green growing goods that make planting in Central Texas so exciting.

When you’re on the search for a new collection of cacti to add to your landscaping, head to Living Desert Ranch. Just up Highway 71 in Spicewood sits this quaint greenhouse and shop run by cactus aficionado Darrell Dunton. You may have recognized their shop in Bee Cave but they have since moved onto this private property just a few miles up the road. The extra space has given the grower a lot of room to expand his operations and business.

Angel Donuts & Treats: A Sweet Stop in the Lake Travis Area

Written by Mandy Spivey | August 5, 2014

Just up the road and tucked away in the Trails of 620 shopping center sits one of the best sweet stops in the Lake Travis area. Angel Donuts and Treats is independently-owned and run by master donut chefs and bakers Angela Whitman and Cyndra Larsen. What began as two roommates concocting and baking up sweets out of their place has turned into a full-time business. But their passion for baking didn’t start with donuts.

“It started with cake balls; we tried some cake balls and thought they were pretty amazing, then we started playing with different flavors,” Larsen goes on to say. Her love for the dessert is apparent in the large glass display in front showcasing the dozen or so flavors of cake balls she has perfected over the years.

Lake Travis Marinas: West Beach Marina

Written by Mandy Spivey | July 30, 2014

With the summer sun above Lake Travis, it’s hard not to want to spend a day boating around the lake. The 63-mile long lake is a favorite among Central Texas and is one of the most populated of all of the Highland Lakes.

And if you’re a boat owner, the choice of where to keep your boat can be a real task when you consider the multitudes of marinas in the Lake Travis area. There are several marinas on the South Shore of Lake Travis, all of which offer different amenities, boat slips or dry stack storage options.

Steiner Ranch Steakhouse: The Best Steak in the Lake Travis Area

Written by Mandy Spivey | July 29, 2014

Some people know them as one of the best patios for Lake Travis sunsets. Or it might be for their jaw-droppingly huge steaks. Either way, if you have been on the search for the best steak in the Lake Travis area, look no further.

High atop lush green hills in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood sits the Steiner Ranch Steakhouse. The restaurant was opened by the Steiner Family as a symbol of all of the glory days of roping cattle, wrestling steer and riding bulls on the rodeo circuit. The steakhouse has become somewhat of a library and collector’s trove of the remnants of those golden years when Buck Steiner was king of cattle, running immensely popular Capitol Saddlery in downtown Austin.

Madam Mam's: A Taste of Thai for the Lake Travis Area

Written by Mandy Spivey | July 23, 2014

When you need a dish with a bit of a kick, look no further than Madam Mam’s. The newest location — and one of three — is a great choice for Thai food in the Lake Travis area.

Located in the Hill Country Galleria (next to Dick’s Sporting Goods), this eatery has a reputation for serving up some of the most traditional family-style Thai food around. From spicy noodle soups to curries and rice dishes, each meal has a touch of palate-pleasing magic.

The special recipes that have been so carefully preserved over the years were handed down through many generations, eventually landing in the kitchen of Chatfuang, or “Mam” and her Grandmother in Bangkok. As is customary, cooking traditions were taught from mothers and grandmothers to their daughters, and it was over the years that Mam perfected her technique to the point of gaining fans in her friends and family.

Mandy Spivey

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