Winter in Austin - Fun Things to Do

by Alison Ryu

Luckily for us, winters in Austin are relatively mild - not too cold (it’s still T-shirt weather!) and the perfect time to get out and enjoy what our city has to offer. Here are some fun things to do this winter!

1. Mozart’s Christmas Light Show 

If you haven’t been to this yet, you should definitely go this year. The light show runs all the way up until the first week of January. Sip on a nice cup of coffee (bottomless, obviously) and enjoy this free entertainment!

2. Roast s’mores at Halcyon 

Get warm and cozy by the fire at Halcyon! Grab your friends and enjoy some indoor s’mores at this hip, Austin-y lounge downtown. Address: 218 W 4th St, Austin, TX 7870

3. Watch a movie at Alamo Drafthouse 

Delicious food and a movie? Alamo Drafthouse has ‘em both! This is a step above your average movie theatre, so treat yourself to a fun day with your friends.


4. Spend a few hours at BookPeople 

I went here for the first time a couple days ago, and it’s such a cute spot! Pick out a new book and then check out their coffee shop. They have a Christmas tea latte that tastes like everything good about the holidays. Camp out here and enjoy a nice afternoon relaxing. 

5.Ice skate on the plaza 

This starts up in early December, and makes for a fun day with friends! You can ice skate at Whole Foods on Lamar from 10am to 9pm and enjoy the beautiful downtown view. 

TOP CHEF: HOLIDAY EDITION

by Aashima Garg

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday of the year. Why? Because my family does thanksgiving like no other. Because I am a first generation Indian American, most of my biological family resides in India. But, that’s never put a damper on our Thanksgiving celebrations. My family celebrates Thanksgiving with our fifty closest friends in Dallas.

Every year, we head over to a family friend’s house where we are welcomed by the most wonderful aroma of freshly prepared turkey, stuffing, pasta, mashed potatoes, and gravy. While my Aunt’s cooking is absolutely unparalleled and her pasta salad is incredibly hard to top, the best part of the meal, in my opinion, is the potluck dessert.

Over the course of many Thanksgiving meals, I’ve consolidated my top 10 holiday favorites.

10. Brownies and More Truffle Pops

No reviews

1 hour and 25 minutes

9. S’mores Bars

4 stars (279 reviews)

55 minutes

8. Caramel Apples

4.5 stars (181 reviews)

25 minutes

7. Peppermint Bark

5 stars (242 reviews)

1 hour

6. Apple Pie Bites

4.7 stars (32 reviews)

27 minutes

5. Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

No reviews

no est. time

4. 7 Layer Red Velvet Bar

3 hours

3. Strawberry Short Cake

4.5 stars (445 reviews)

1 hour 10 minutes

2. Sticky Date Pudding

5 stars (330 reviews)

1 hour 50 minutes

1. Pumpkin Pie (DUH!)

4.5 stars (1729 reviews) (WOW!)

1 hour 10 minutes

**DON’T forget the whipped cream ☺

Hope you all enjoy my special treat list! If you make any of these treats (or any other cool ones you’d like us to feature in the future), tag @TexasSpirits on Instagram! Happy baking and happy holidays, homies.

XOXO,

Aashima