Tomorrow marks the one anniversary of launching Roll with Jen.

I was just looking back at some of my inaugural posts, which spanned many subject areas:  entries about my Paris food adventures with the mack daddy of food bloggers, David Lebovitz, posts about my favorite vendors at the farmers markets, brunch at then fledgling Revel, and local weekend getaways to Lopez Island.

My hope was that a few friends and maybe my mom would occasionally read rollwithjen.com.  But thanks to a strong support network of people who not only encouraged me and consistently gave me feedback, they shared my work with their friends and network.  Roll with Jen grew and my writing evolved.

My first fb post about Roll with Jen on May 22nd, 2011

Just as publicly-owned companies share their progress with stakeholders and their plans for the future, I want to do the same.  I feel a deep connection and responsibility to all of you who have supported me in building Roll with Jen into something more than a hobby.

Here is what’s next:

1) Launching an iPhone app - I am on the brink of launching an iPhone application that I am hoping will serve as a helpful and fun resource when you are looking for a great place to eat.

2) Weekly columnist for the Seattle Weekly’s Truck Stop - I am having a lot of fun writing a weekly food truck column for Seattle Weekly’s Voracious food blog.  It is fun working with other talented and vibrant writers at the Weekly and meeting other small business owners.

3) Shooting a pilot in Japan this summer.  Eek.  I am most excited about this development.  Click here to check the details.  The link includes a video equipped with bloopers at the end and everything.

4) Keeping the blog updated with fresh content – I will continue to post on Roll with Jen and am looking to round up more guest bloggers.

The sign the lovable Showa staff put up for me at my Roll with Jen appreciation party back in November

If you are not into mushy thank you’s, I recommend skipping this section.

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A special thank you to:

- Kristin Costello for encouraging me to start Roll with Jen and for also building my site so I didn’t have a way to back out of following my passion, Anne Hurley for coming by my desk the day after I launched and assuring me this would be more than a hobby, Erin Anderson for continually keeping me on my toes with social media and for getting on my case about not using Twitter, Pesha Nguyen for her artistic skillz, eternal moral support and for nominating me for King 5′s Best Food Blog competition, Nate Jones for creating a beautiful logo and header for me, Jewell Rutledge for early brainstorming, Justin Schoen for giving me tips about search engine optimization during our lunch breaks, Kari Mar for giving me journalism pointers, Katherine Leggett and Kim Kamolz for constant encouragement, Larry Rose for helping me with development efforts when he’s not busy dj’ing his awesome show on KEXP, Chuck Skoda for building me a beautiful iPhone app that 100% meets my requirements, Janet Chang and Changren Yong for your detailed beta testing on my mobile app, Aidi Tamura and Tim Sinnett for commenting on my fb posts when I first started so I didn’t feel like a loser, Suzanne Sheldon for commenting regularly on my blog when I first started so I didn’t feel like a loser, Mark Stein for encouraging me to think big and telling me it is ok to be a little crazy, and Mark Williams for putting up with me as I chronically multi-task between eating, conversation and photo taking during our nights out.

I also gotta’ call out my buddies at ZAAZ who have been with me on this year long journey.  I feel this halo of energy around me as I embark on the next phase of Roll with Jen.

XOXOXO

Yep, you read that right.  The lovable Ina Garten, otherwise known as the Barefoot Contessa, will be making her first Seattle stage appearance on September 16th at Benaroya Hall.  Garten is the author of several best-selling cookbooks and the beloved host of the Food Network show Barefoot Contessa.

In an interview format, Garten will be answering a pre-determined set of questions with Restaurant Marché’s Greg Atkinson as the facilitator.  Atkinson is a well respected figurehead for his pieces in The Seattle Times’ Pacific Northwest magazine and also built a strong following as the former executive chef of Canlis.

Bonus:  The line-up includes a 30-45 minute question/answer from the audience at the end so get your questions ready.

Probably my favorite of the Barefoot Contessa's books, likely due to my love of France and the cute orange scarf Garten is sporting

How to get tickets:  You can purchase tickets here.  Ticket prices vary from $24-$125.

This event, brought to you by Northwest Associated Arts, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance and The Stranger, will surely sell out so get your tickets now.

As part of  launching an official countdown to this event, I may just have to pull a Julie and Julia and make one recipe a day (or realistically, once a week) from Garten’s cookbooks between now and the Barefoot Contessa’s arrival in Seattle.  Up first:  the Croque Monsieur and Elephant Ears.

When you find yourself looking for the newest baking sensation to hit Seattle, go low tech by setting your smart phone aside and instead, let the smell of butter intuitively guide your nose to Neil Robertson’s petite bakery in Capitol Hill, Crumble & Flake.

Located on the corner of a powerhouse block next to Rachel Ginger’s Beer and Montana Bar, I have a good feeling even before I sink my teeth into a sweet carby delight.  With a clean white interior, the pastries regally stand out like Beyonce’s 18 carat diamond ring.

Living up to its namesake, the croissants are everything you would want in a pastry:  Crispy, flaky, buttery, and meticulous in presentation, which is what you would expect from the former pastry chef of Canlis and Mistral Kitchen.

Robertson churns out a lot of variety in his petite open kitchen:  French pastries with a twist such as macarons in unique flavor combinations (caipirinha and grapefruit) and a perfectly constructed croissant laced with smoked paprika and cheddar.  Rhubarb financiers, chocolate and regular croissants are also an integral part of the line-up.

The French treats are offset by Robertson’s selection of straight-up Betty Crocker American favorites such as the peanut butter cookie and the vintage whoopie pie.  The first is the finest peanut butter cookie to ever to cross my lips and it’s sprinkled with flake salt as a nice finish.

Pictured (from left to right): Peanut butter cookie, apricot creme puff, two smoked paprika cheddar croissants, three macarons. Not pictured (prematurely ended up in my belly before this photo was taken): Chocolate creme and puff, kouign-amann

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So, everyone wants to know:  How are the kouign amanns, those classic round and buttery caramelized sugar treats from the Brittany region that are quite the trend amongst Seattleites these days?    Well, they were good enough for me to wait 15 minutes for a batch to come out of the oven last week.  Initially, Robertson tells me they won’t be ready for another 15 minutes post oven-pull, but in seeing my longing  look, he sympathetically wraps up two for me, and before doling them out into my butter-stained paws, he gently states, “You have to promise me you will not eat them for at least another 10 minutes until they are fully set.  Otherwise, the consistency will not be optimal.”  No problem, I tell him.  I figure it is probably prudent for me to slow down anyway as I have already devoured two croissants in a span of 6 minutes.

The kouign amann is as good as everything else in the shop, but I have to say I didn’t even notice it missing from the line-up when I was at Crumble the other day.  There is just too much else competing for my attention.

Tip: Get there early on a weekend or try your hand on a weekday. They sold out both weekend days in one hour. The line out the door looked so intimidating at 9:30am that I almost mistook it for a grocery store line for water and toilet paper before a snowstorm.

Robertson tells me he is considering closing 2 days a week instead of just one, which would give him and the staff more time to prep and produce more buttery goodness.

There is no seating at Robertson’s dojo, but when pastries are that good, why spend your time sitting when you could be focused on securing more pastries?

Lately, I have been craving anything and everything not American:  German faucets, French eye-wear, a Swedish teapot, and food.

As an ardent fan of Lebanese cuisine, I am stoked to hear about 4 month old Cafe Munir in the Loyal Heights Ballard neighborhood.  Specializing in small plates, I decide to start with the hummus and dig the chunky texture of the garbanzo beans, but am slightly disappointed this staple Middle Eastern starter doesn’t exude a lot of flavor.

Expecting the flat bread to be pillowy and have a lightly crisp golden exterior, Munir’s rendition is deflated, pale, and overall looked emaciated.  I inadvertently teeter into Paleo mode and push the carby flab aside.

The shish taouk (aka- chicken kabobs) is spot on, although I am initially perplexed by the two chicken kabob options from which to choose.  The verbiage is confusing, but I soon deduce the two dishes are prepared the exact same way.  The only difference is the origin of the meat:  white meat bird that meets the buzz word criteria of organic, sustainable, and lived a happy life vs. meat likely from an industrialized chicken that would get a finger point by Michael Pollan.

My friend and I resort to the latter option because they are out of the sustainable version, likely due to the fleece-wearing, tote carrying table of six in the back corner.

The chicken is grilled to perfection with a slight charring on the outside yet as tender as your behind on the inside. Paired with the garlic sauce on the seasoned nicely. I love it, industrial guilt-ridden and all.

Without question, the headline act is the $8 vegetarian lentil rice known as Kosheri,  served with thinly sliced uber-crispy caramelized onions.  The onions can pretty much carry the dish on their own, but the spicy tomato sauce and yogurt accompaniment make this dish the shiz of all shiz.  I could eat this dish everyday and not ever tire of it.

I could snack on just the crispy blades of onions all day

On my next visit, I think I will give the flatbread another chance just so I can try the muhammara red pepper dip.  But I will definitely be clearing my piehole for the finale lentil and rice dish.

Next up in the celebrating something else series:

• Eastern European Mondays at La Bete
• The unmarked 18 year old Japanese establishment in the International District:  Tsukishinbo
• Senegalese in Columbia City:  La Teranga

I have had numerous people ask when I am going to write about the closing of two restaurants I frequent on a weekly basis:  Elemental and Elemental Next Door (END).  For those of you who aren’t familiar with these two joints and the polarizing masterminds behind them, Elemental is a petite restaurant located across from Gas Works Park, specializing in a blind tasting menu and wine pairings.  END is its casual younger sibling, where you can order a la carte items and pick out your own beer and wine with dinner.

I need some time to mourn so I will write a farewell post in the next month or two.  In the meantime, I am sharing the reaction my husband Mark had when Phred and Laurie told us a few months ago about their plans to not renew their lease at Elemental and END.

Chef/co-owner Laurie Riedeman cooking up a Thanksgiving feast for a few of her pals at Elemental

In the words of Mark:

When co-owners Laurie Riedeman and Phred Westfall told Jen they were shutting Elemental on June 21st, my first thought was “Phuck me.”

If Elemental’s closing marks the death of the blind tasting menu in Seattle, I’ll have to quit as Head of Security for Roll with Jen because I won’t even care about the restaurant scene anymore.

Eating a memorable meal is a lot like visiting the Grand Canyon: there are a couple ways to get there. The first route is to buy a bunch of guide books and do a boat load of research, talk to friends who have been there, decide on the best viewpoint and when you get there think, “Wow, that’s neat.  It looks just like the pictures.”

The second way is to score a last minute airfare special, hop on a plane with your backpack and hiking shoes, rent a car, ask locals how to get to the iconic destination, and when your knees nearly buckle at the sheer beauty, just mutter, “Damn, now that’s special.”  The latter is Elemental’s allure.

There are tons of great chefs out there who attempt to find the best local and seasonal ingredients for their menu, and then there’s Laurie. She slings an entirely new menu every week. This means on Sunday and Monday when they’re closed, Laurie and Phred are working on plates and a wine pairing they will serve for the first time on Tuesday.  And when you show up Tuesday for that immaculate, virgin conception of a meal, you will be floored by the creativity of the dishes:  sturgeon served with savory oatmeal, bunny mole tacos, scallops served Asian style to help ring in Chinese New Year, and celery ice cream with peanuts to name a few.

Can you believe all of the culinary treats are made on four portable propane burners?

In addition to the phenomenal eats and Phred’s wry sense of humor, the people watching is highly entertaining.

I can’t even pick my favorite Elemental story: the date that ended abruptly when the young man had to carry his girl out of the bathroom after she passed out and lit her hair on fire with the candles on the toilet; the guy in a party of six who walked over to clean up his friend who had just puked on the front of his shirt at the dinner table, who then puked himself as he got close enough to “help”; the guy who made an ass of himself one night with one girl, then made an ass of himself the next night with a different girl.

As for you haters of Elemental, die a death most foul:

• You’ve had plenty of wine, but complain when the sommelier replaces your pairing for the next course.
• For the first time in three years, your companion remembered to take you somewhere special for your birthday but you are peeved because you don’t have the freedom to order that Bloomin’ Onion as an appetizer.
• You walk into a restaurant named Elemental and ask where you can find Elemental Next Door, expecting turn by turn directions in a British accent to an address other than next door.

Let me guess, you’re totally going to give this place one star on Yelp. You may even spend an extra four minutes thinking of a cheeky Twitter handle to post obscenities about the owners.

Laurie loves cheese, and as a result, we get to reap the benefits

When Laurie and Phred embark on their next adventure, you naysayers are not invited. Until then, the rest of us will enjoy Elemental in its last 2 months.  And we won’t ask what we are eating or drinking, because when it’s the best, we just don’t need to care.

With all of the no-fuss, quick service, and sometimes cash-only deals in the International District, packing a lunch is so 1995.

Here are my top five go-to spots:

Thai Curry Simple (406 5th Avenue South):  Finally, a Thai place that doesn’t rely on ketchup as the key seasoning in pad thai.  Little Uncle’s takeout window in Capitol Hill sets the gold standard for Thai street food, but Thai Curry Simple gives the Uncle a run for his money.

6 bucks gets you the curry dish of the day (I try to go on Mondays as I love their panang red curry).  Splurge for a $2 pan-fried flaky pastry pancake, known as roti.  The carby delights come in several varieties, all pictured and described on the side wall.  I always go for the regular unsweetened roti and tear off pieces to help soak up my curry.

The cute interior will lure you to eat in.  On your way out, pick up some ready-made curry packets to recreate the goodness at home.

I always run into people from neighboring offices during the lunch hour

A few notes:  Some say the portions are small, but I think they are deliberately sized to keep you food coma-proofed.  This casual Thai lunch spot has two other outposts in Capitol Hill and South Lake Union.  Cash only.

Sub-Sand (419 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98104 ): After experiencing the banh-mi styled sandwiches meticulously crafted by congenial owner Tom Dang and his staff, I finally get the concept of sandwich art.

The owner's logo was inspired by his love of comics

$3.99 gets you a humongo baguette sandwich with one of more than a dozen meat or vegetable-filled options of your choice.  The joint is definitely geared more towards carnivores, but vegetarians will not be shut out.  BBQ pork is the most popular sandwich choice, but I dig the lemongrass chicken.

Mr. Dang takes on a meticulous process in building out each and every sandwich.  After you place your order, Mr. Dang or one of his dutiful staff drops your baguette into the toaster.  At that point, it is like the sandwich master has an internal timer set in his head, spending the exact amount of time constructing the contents of your sandwich as it takes to toast your baguette.

The maestro builds the inners of your sandwich, all neatly stacked up within the confines of the romaine lettuce wrap with as much focus as Bobby Fisher during the 1963 world chess tournament.  Sure enough, he is done right when the toaster spits out your bread, which at that point, he delicately transplants the contents of your sandwich into the toasty bun.

Sandwich art in action

While you are waiting, check out the graffiti wall that is inspired by Mr. Dang’s love of comics.  If you choose to stay and eat your Asian-styled sub while getting mesmerized by watching the sandwich artist in action, there are a few tables.  However, this is generally my default takeout spot.

Don’t leave without trying the donuts or one of the red bean treats.   After all, you should still be flush with cash after only doling out a few bucks for lunch.

Mike’s Noodle House (418 Maynard Avenue South):  Although I have always been partial to the congee (aka- rice porridge) at Mike’s, my friend turned me on to Sui-Kau dumpling soup:  Violin string thin yellow noodles meshed together with shrimp, pork, and mushrooms filled dumplings.  The small sized portion is already generous, but for $1 more, you can order an even bigger bowl which will seal your fate for an afternoon nap.

Green Leaf (418 8th Avenue South):  This 2-level Vietnamese gem is my go-to spot when I am in the mood for a sit down place, feel like something healthy and don’t want to be rushed.  If you regularly dine in the International District, you know this combination can be harder to find than a parking spot in Capitol Hill on a Friday night.

Green Leaf also serves as a good textbook primer for someone who is a novice to Asian food.  The spring rolls are tightly wrapped and beautifully present the lettuce and other goodies inside.  I also like the veggie pho with the beef broth (sounds ironic, but just go with it) and the papaya salad. When I want something a bit more filling, I go for the combo rice noodle loaded with black mushroom, ground pork, grilled pork, Vietnamese ham, and grilled shrimp.

If your pants still fit after consuming any of those items, try the three bean (Red, mung, white) dessert topped with coconut milk and chopped peanuts.

Fuji Sushi (520 So. Main Street):  When I want to fancy it up a little, I hit up Fuji Sushi.  The hungry lunch crowd generally goes for one of the mucho grande bento boxes, which is priced at a reasonable $8.95.  Like clockwork, I always start with a seaweed salad and then transition into a negitoro roll and piece of uni sushi.

This is one of the few sushi places where a table can be as good as the sushi bar, especially when my favorite sushi-runner (hint:  He is the one who wears a Japanese-style bandana) brings you your order while singing it.

I have definitely slurped down my fair share of bubble tea and devoured many red bean-based desserts in the International District, but when I crave straight-up pastries, I hit up Fuji Bakery and Beard Papa.

Fuji Bakery (526 S. King St.):  It is a rarity when a business originates on the East side and subsequently makes a debut on the West Side.  So when Bellevue’s popular Japanese bakery announced they were opening in the ID, I hopped on the bus tunnel to get in on the action.  One block north of Uwajimaya and contender for one of the most inviting and chic exteriors in Chinatown, Fuji draws a diverse crowd ranging from suburban dads picking up treats for the family to techy working professionals working in the area.

Taka Hirai, the Japanese head chef, trained at one of Joël Robuchon’s Michelin 3-star restaurants in Tokyo.  The legendary Frenchman has been hailed by many as the “chef of the century.”

Not everything is a home run, but the winners score big.  One of the quickest items to sell out is the $2.50 Kouign Amann.  The filling resembles more of a sweet syrupy apple I associate more with American baking than the classic treat from the Brittany region of France, but it is hard to resist Fuji’s rendition with its thin crusty coat of caramelized sugar encasing buttery dough.

Another crowd pleaser is the levain bread that comes out every afternoon.  The dense and chewy bread comes in several varieties, but the olive oil & balsamic sauce and the chef’s homemade anchovy butter are the most popular.

Beard Papa’s (600 5th Avenue South):  I first encountered this cream puff emporium several years ago in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco.  I knew immediately this Osaka, Japan – based franchise was onto something with their fluffy hamburger-sized cream puffs, prepubescent staff who always look super enthusiastic to take your order, and memorable logo.

How can you not love this guy's fluffy beard?

Located in Uwajimaya, each cream puff is made on the spot just for you.  After you place your order, the staff will delicately inject the whipped custard into your airy puff and then finish the assembly process by sprinkling some powdered sugar on top.

Happy employee injecting cream into a puff pastry

As you take your first bite, the first thing that comes to mind is a light crunch, followed by the homemade custard hitting your palate.  The cream puff is so feathery light you feel like you have just ingested air….the best air you will ever take in.

I always go for the chocolate custard-filled cream puff, but spring for the green tea when it is available.

There are no preservatives in this dojo so enjoy your cream-filled pastry within a few hours of purchase for the ultimate experience.

The original vanilla custard-filled cream puff

My favorite food writers include the usual suspects:  Mark Bittman and Jonathan Gold.  But in the same vein which the Surly Gourmand makes me giggle and squirm with his candor, my friend Jorge’s food commentary always has me laughing hysterically while vehemently nodding my head in agreement.

Iberico ham on the walls and on the table ready to be sliced at a shop in Salamanca, Spain

Here is what Jorge has to say about Italian-style prosciutto (which refers to as “cute”) vs. the prized Spanish Iberico ham:

“You have tasted Iberico and you have tasted prosciutto.  Why on earth, knowing of the existence of Iberico, would anyone care to admire prosciutto?  If  Hyundais were the only cars on earth, we as a human race, should all be in awe.   A Hyundai is a feat of technology.  The problem is, there are also Ferraris.

Prosciutto is made from these pink, flubby, obese pigs.  If eating were like sex, then when you eat Iberico, you are having sex with a top model.  With prosciutto, you are banging a sumo wrestler.

Carnivores' orgasm

It really does crack me up when you go to, I don’t know, what’s the name, DeLaurenti right ?  You ask for prosciutto and they take it and slice it paper thin.  Then, they lay it on the package like it’s a delicate precious gem and take like 5 minutes to give you a quarter pound.  It is such a show.

vs.

There’s this bar I love in Madrid, where I go for Iberico.  It’s owned by a bullfighter.  You go in there and it smells of bull’s ass in the air so thick.  I love it.  You ask for a plate of Iberico and this guy that looks like the most rugged gypsy to ever walk the face of earth, takes out his ham knife and starts slicing Iberico slices from a leg at such a speed, you know he could do it in his sleep.  20 seconds is all it takes.

Jorge, look! I am eating Spanish cured meats with the big boys while drinking wine from the Rioja region of Spain

Jorge, even you would approve of the roast suckling pig I consumed at this Salamanca restaurant encased in a cave

When I see a business professing to be the real deal in its name, I am instantly suspicious.  It is like calling a restaurant The French Bistro which likely means you will see french fries, cookies molded in the shape of the Eiffel Tower and other faux-Parisian cuisine on the menu.

But after falling in love with Switzerland after a brief visit to Santa Cruz-like Lausanne, Switzerland, my curiosity gets the best of me and I make a quick pit stop into ~2 week old Caffe Suisse on the walk home from work.

Next to Swiss native Urs Berger and his wife Leslie Conti’s eurostyle store, lies a petite cafe with a wooden wall that has a cross-shaped window (resembling the key symbol on the Swiss flag), where you can watch watch Berger meticulously craft the wooden toys he sells in his store.

I go from adult skeptic to exhibiting giddy child-like behavior.  Neato!” I blurt out loud as I forget to use my inside voice.

My new calling in life - Toy maker voyeur

If that isn’t eye catching enough, all of the Swiss candies and cookies are enough to make you actually believe in dear ol’ Saint Nick.  And we are not talking about the fancy unaffordable kind reminding you how strong the Swiss franc is compared to the dollar.  Rather, these are the type of treats you would spot at a typical grocery store in Switzerland, where you can load up on goodies with just a few bucks in your pocket.

Ended up giving my Swiss-born friend the Kagl-fret which she says resembles a Kit-Kat, only better. I am personally addicated to the Ragusa Noir.

The 2 week old petite cafe has a modern European decor/feel with simple and tasteful furnishings.

For you downtowners or South Lake Union hard working professionals, this is the perfect walk-accessible morning or afternoon pit stop diversion.  Where else can you get your fill of toy making viewing, while picking up affordable Swiss snacks and sipping on a pick-me-up mocha or a cup of the real deal Swiss hot chocolate?

If you spot Santa, I mean Mr. Berger, tell him I am in the market for a wooden iPad case.

Address:  2008 Westlake Avenue

Hours:  6am-6pm, Monday- Saturdays

When I tell people I am heading to Austin for a long weekend, they often ask:  Do you have relatives in Austin?  Are you going for work?

Nope.  In fact, I venture on an annual fall pilgrimage to this gem in the Lone Star state because it is essentially a larger, warmer version of Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. In addition to the intriguing draw of good ol’ Texas BBQ, Austin has a creative and laid-back vibe where people gravitate to the flourishing music and arts scene, bring their totes to go grocery shopping, and run and bike in their spare time.

Photo credit: Janet Chang

Once almost a secret getaway, this capital city of Texas has seen an influx of hipsters and food and arts enthusiasts from around the world in recent years with its mecca of festivals:

• The upcoming annual music, film and interactive conference and festival South by Southwest coveted by designers and others in the creative industry.
• The Fun Fun Fun Fest (yes, that is really what it is called) which boasts of a pioneering festival for underground and progressive musicians, comedians and fans around the world.
• 70,000 music lovers pack Zilker Park during Austin City Limits (ACL) to see some of the 3-day, eight stage music festival.  ACL is right up there with Lollapalooza and Coachella as one of North America’s most coveted rock festivals.

When to visit:  If you want to experience the lively festival scene, check out South by Southwest in March, or ACL in September.  To avoid the heat and crowds and get a taste of the more authentic Austin, visit on a non-event weekend in the fall or spring.

Where to stay:  If you seek a tranquil modern oasis just steps from the action on South Congress Street, stop reading this article now and book a room at the Kimber Modern.  Opened 3.5 years ago by couple Vicki Faust, a tax accountant, and Kimber Cavendish, a physical therapist, this modernist inn will delight the high standards traveler looking for a unique experience.  Take a nap on one of the reused seatbelt hammocks or grab a seat by the water feature on the patio and catch up on some reading.

With 24 hour access to the kitchen and happy hour and breakfast provided, this 7-room abode feels like staying at a friend’s house.  A rich, eccentric friend’s house.

Block out time (lots of time) to bask in the hip Zen that is Kimber Modern (Photo credit: Janet Chang)

Kimber Modern - Common area and kitchen (Photo credit: Janet Chang)

Hotel San Jose – The interior of this popular lodging spot is sparse and not overly spectacular (bares a similar resemblance to the Ace Hotel), but no matter.  Stay here for the luxury of stepping out of your room and walking 5 steps to the outdoor bar/pool which is one of the hipster hot spots.  During ACL, some headlining acts have been known to make an evening appearance.

Hotel San Jose Pool and Bar area where I spotted indie pop band Florence and the Machine (Photo credit: Janet Chang)

Where to get your coffee:  Situated smack dab in the middle of the happening scene in South Congress, Jo’s Coffee has the optimal people-watching vantage point.  For those of you who like to multi-task, Ruta Maya offers free yoga in their shop with every coffee purchase.

Where to shop:  The vintage shop scene is hot in Austin with about 30 vintage and antique shops.  My two favorites are both within a 5 minute walk from one another.  One could spend hours sifting through the stellar visual merchandising at uncommon OBJECTS on South Congress.   Prototype Vintage Design is another must see.

Check out the venerable Boot Whisperer in Wimberley which is about a 45 minute drive from downtown Austin and you will be rewarded with over 500 pair of boots spanning across various time periods between 1940-1980, each with its own history.  Even if cowboy boots are not part of your wardrobe, go for the experience.  The Boot Whisperer, otherwise referred to as “Ulli,” is one of the most charming women around and has the gift of being able to look at your foot, look at you and then bring you the perfect pair of boots.

Although Allens Boots on South Congress cannot boast of rare vintage finds, they are dubbed the boot emporium with over 4,000 pair of new boots stemming from 12 different manufacturers.  Lyle Lovett and a whole host of other celebrity sightings go down at Allens.

Boot extravaganza at Allens

Where to eat:  Austin BBQ is idolized by both local and national food writers such as Bon Apetit and The New York Times.  You will generally incite a heated discussion if you ask as cab drivers, college students, and seniors alike all have an opinion on the best BBQ.  Franklin BBQ is the latest up and comer, while The Salt Lick is the long recognized Austin icon.

You may need to line up an hour before Franklin opens, but you never hear anyone complain when lunch looks like this

To check out a legendary music spot and experience a gospel brunch, check out Stubb’s Sunday brunch.  Reservations are highly recommended.

There are herds of food trucks everywhere, but the ones on East 6^th are the most raved about within food enthusiast circles.  East Side King, located behind The Liberty Bar, is the locals’ night time favorite.

Look for the large “FOOD” sign on East 6th and you will find this gathering (Photo credit: Janet Chang)

2 month old Lucy’s Fried Chicken draws the likes of Dennis Quaid and others with its impeccable fried chicken and outdoor covered eating area.

ENTER into the outside covered area and enjoy your chicken there

Sushi in Texas?  Yes, indeed.  Check out world renowned Uchi and Uchiko.  Lance Armstrong confidently asserts Uchi is the best restaurant in the world.  With Foie Nigiri on the menu, Lance may be able to defend that bold claim.

Foie nigiri at Uchi (Photo credit: Janet Chang)

Where to sweat out your vices from the night before:  With the Town Lake trail encircling the six mile long Lady Bird lake in downtown, Austin is a runner and bikers’ paradise.

Mellow Johnny’s, Lance Armstrong’s store, is a great place to rent a road bike or see some of the bikes Armstrong has raced throughout the years.  The Bicycle Sport Shop also has a large selection of rentals, including tandems.

Fast Folks Cyclery on East 6th is conveniently located right across the street from East Side King (Photo credit: Janet Chang)

Getting to Austin:  Unless you feel like getting in your Westy camper and making the trek, Alaska Air offers daily non-stop flights from Seattle to Austin.