Todd Hower

Cho Sushi: Japanese Fusion in Steiner Ranch and Lakeway

Written by Todd Hower | April 4, 2014

It was back in early 2007 when some of the first commercial development in Steiner Ranch was completed. A small bakery and coffee shop that went by the name of Delicato was one of the first restaurants to occupy the many spaces that made up Vista Ridge at Steiner Ranch.

Many of the original occupants struggled to connect with Steiner Ranch residents. Who remembers Tutto Gusto?

It was tough timing as the economy slowed and business owners faced the challenges from competition as more development moved into the area. Selling really expensive coffee and gelato proved to be a business model that wouldn’t be successful enough to pay the rent. It wasn’t long until the doors of Delicato permanently closed.

The timing couldn’t have been better for two brothers with a vision of bringing their own style of comfort food to the Lake Travis area.

5 Questions To Ask When You're Thinking About Moving

Written by Todd Hower | April 1, 2014

Do you sell your home in order to upgrade — or remodel your current space to add value and meet your needs?

The real estate market in the Lake Travis area is starting off with a bang this spring and the coming soon listings are starting to pop up all over Lake Travis area neighborhoods. There’s a strong demand from buyers in the area. In fact, 110 people are moving to Austin each day according to Austin Demographer Ryan Robinson. And that factors in the few people that are actually leaving Austin!

With all the activity and the median price of homes in Lake Travis reaching a high that we haven’t seen since 2006, you might be thinking about selling your home. But moving is hard work! Not only that, the inventory of homes in Lake Travis has been extremely low and trying to find another home that suits your needs might not exist.

Sail and Ski Center: Final Days for Spring Break Snow Sports Sale

Written by Todd Hower | March 28, 2014

Spring break for the Lake Travis area is over and let’s hope this long cold winter is over too!

You may be returning from a recent ski trip in the mountains and buying snow sports gear is the last thing on your mind. It’s kind of like buying Christmas decorations the day after Christmas. You know there are some great deals, but it’s really hard to buy something knowing that when you get home, you’re going to store it in the attic or a closet for a year before using it for the first time.

But just like after Christmas sales, now is the time for the best deals as the Lake Travis area sporting good stores get rid of their winter inventory. You won’t have to worry about scrambling before next years ski vacation to find a new jacket — and you won’t have to pay top dollar either!

One of the best sales in the area has been happening at Sail and Ski Center. They have a location in Lakeway but the spring break snow sports sale is at the Austin location only. They carry everything you need for a ski vacation in the mountains including skis, snowboards, boots, jackets, pants, helmets, gloves, long underwear and more — is this starting to remind you of how much gear you need for a ski vacation?

A Lake Travis Lifestyle Giveaway: Welcome JuiceLand

Written by Todd Hower | March 21, 2014

Do you like smoothies?

You’re not alone. To keep up with the growing demand for their delicious concoctions, JuiceLand, one of Austin’s top-rated juice bars and healthy meal eatery, has officially opened in the Lake Travis area — and Lake Travis Lifestyle is going to welcome JuiceLand to the neighborhood and give you a chance to try some of their delicious blends with the this month’s giveaway.

But first, how about we meet JuiceLand, an Austin original serving our needs for fresh, healthy, and convenient nutrition?

JuiceLand founder Matt Shook partnered with a friend and opened the first location in 2003. Back then it was called “Daily Juice”. The Austin original went through some corporate restructuring in 2011 and the name was changed to what it is today. What started out as a little place to grab a juice after a dip in Barton Springs has grown into seven Austin area locations. And lucky for us, the newest store is located right here in the Lake Travis area.

Cafe Blue: Fresh Seafood in Lake Travis

Written by Todd Hower | March 18, 2014

This is one of those places that I would usually save for a date night, but after a family day of shoe shopping at the Hill Country Galleria and a craving for oysters, it was decided (by the adults) that we were going to have a family date night at Cafe Blue.

I called to see if there was a wait and even though it was a busy Saturday night, they were able to have a table ready for us within 20 minutes. So we wrapped up our shoe shopping at Dick’s Sporting Goods and headed over to Cafe Blue.

Our kids seemed to be getting into what my daughter calls her food mood (which is not a mood you want to be around). As we were deciding on an adult beverage, our server was very keen to recognize the situation. He brought out a loaf of warm bread with butter to take care of our “starving” children and asked if they could get something started for the kids.

The etch-a-sketch on the backside of the kids menu kept them occupied until the food arrived. Because I didn’t think of Cafe Blue as a family-friendly restaurant, it was all unexpected — but extremely refreshing.

Todd Hower

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