Eat Local but South of The Border in Austin Texas

South of The Border Style Food

Today is our 6th Wedding Anniversary. For lunch we ate at

Casa Chapala at 3010 W Anderson Ln # D Austin, TX 78757 (512) 459-4242 http://www.casachapala.com/

You always fell warm and welcome at Casa Chapala. They make your hot sauce at your table the way you like it. Big leather menus remind you of the fine leather craftmanship in Mexico. After we ate a bowl of chicken tortilla soup we had a tequila shot to celebrate our anniversary. Our server mixed it with soda water and banged it on the table to make it fizz. It was a great smooth, easy to swallow tequila. They have over 150 different kinds.

This evening we will eat at
Casa Columbia
1614 E. Seventh St. Austin, TX 78702 http://www.casa-colombia.com/ (512) 495-9425

It is WAY south of the border Columbian style food. I am anxious to try it. Located in East Austin, East of IH 35, I drove by it the other day on my way to J&F CARPETS at 3301 E. 7TH ST., AUSTIN,TX 78702. I found some $5.00 a yard remnant carpet for a home I am selling in Leander.

FREE Christmas Tree Recycling in Leander Texas

The day after Christmas, the City of Leander, Texas will start accepting Christmas trees for recycling. You will need to remove all lights, ornaments and hooks from your tree and take the trees to Robin Bledsoe Park at 601 S. Bagdad Road, Leander, Texas 78641 during regular park hours. For more details on the recycling program, call the City of Leander Parks and Recreation Department at (512) 528-9909 The service ends January 11, 2009.

Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory

There will be an Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory in Austin, Texas on January 31, 2009 at 9:00am.

The event will involve a few hours of work at the Bird Observatory doing things like trail maintenance, etc. and end with an educational session on local ecology. Attendees are advised to bring binoculars and wear work clothes.

For more information see: http://www.hornsbybend.org or
http://www.austinparks.org/ and call Kevin Anderson at (512) 972-1960

Austin's New Urban Eco Village MUELLER

I was one of only 3 local Austin area EcoBrokers® to attend the special EcoBrokers® tour of the green Mueller development in Austin, Texas December 4th. Located between 51st and Airport at IH 35, look for the blue metal mesh solar sunflowers along IH 35. These solar energy producing flowers are the largest public art project in Austin's history. I personally am glad the pink buffalos did not win the contest as I do not think they spit out clean energy. Mueller was the site of the old Austin Airport, hence it is a brownfield project. Mueller is on the cutting edge of 2 modern planning trends- New Urbanism and Green Building. Mueller is an innovative mixed use development consisting of residential, retail as well as commercial and is considered a TOD (Transit Oriented Development). The Capital Metro Commuter light rail line will begin its runs in March 2009, going from Leander to downtown Austin. Connector Rail and bus will service Mueller. All Mueller buildings- whether commercial or residential must be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC (new construction) Green Building Standard or Austin Energy's Green Building Standard. All commercial must have at least a 2 star rating but many are way above. Home Depot for instace, has a 4 star rating. Austin Energy has an on-site power plant that helps in the Mueller Green certifications and of course, helps the environment using natural gas, recapturing the steam byproduct as well as using a chilled water system.

The 2009 Parade of Homes will showcase 5 Mueller Austin Energy green building five-star rated homes (the highest rating). The architects involved are Barley & Pfeiffer, Architecture 365, Cornerstone Group Architects, Michael Hsu Design & Texas Four Star Architects. The Parade homes are $1 million or more and 3,000 to 4,500 sq. ft. What is amazing is that the beginning price point at Mueller is $120,000. and are available through a shared appreciation program with a soft second lien. So far, homes from the $120's to over $700k have sold.

Mueller includes (or will include) a restored blackland prairie area, ultimately a 5 mile hike and bike trail, a 24 hour Town Center- an entertainment district including shops, eateries, & entertainment venues; a 30 acre lake park; 140 acres of public space (which is 1/5th of community) for greenbelts & parks, fields, trails and plazas; amphitheatre. Mueller is designed to be a walkable, get out and enjoy the community community- dog-walkers, bikers, joggers & baby strollers as well as diversity are welcome! You don't have to get in your car and drive accross town when you live at Mueller. The "green necklace" around the perimeter of Mueller will also connect with many other parks and trails of Austin such as Patterson & Bartholomew Parks and Morris Williams Golf Course.

Employment Centers will include the University of Texas, the Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas and the Austin Studios film production complex.

Betty Saenz REALTOR® EcoBroker®, GRI, SRES®
http://www.texasgreenhomes.net/

Daily Juice Cafe in Austin Texas

The Daily Juice Cafe is now open in Austin at the corner of 45th and Duval in Hyde Park. The hours are from 11am to 9pm every day. The cafe is 100% gluten free for Celiac clientele and others. They are Austin's first Living Foods Cafe.

The Grand Opening Party is Saturday, December 13th from 7pm until ??? If you are longing to have some durian, a Southeast Asian fruit; raw chocolate, marine phytoplankton and MUSIC then come and enjoy !!!!

the Film FOOD MATTERS

Have you heard about or seen the new film FOOD MATTERS?
http://foodmatters.tv/ or on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/foodmatterstv The film looks at our current state of health and then about natural healing and optimum health through great nutrition, NOT pharmaceuticals. The film says that in America, we have been taught to be consumers of pharmaceuticals all our lives. Fix everything with a pill. There are lifestyle changes that can reverse chronic disease trends according to the film. You are what you eat, food does matter.

Eliane St. Marie, in her Weight Loss for Women MeetUp Group in Austin, Texas will be showing it to group members Dec. 17th. Find the group here: http://www.meetup.com/WalkandTalk-Weight-Loss/

Ski Shores Waterfront Cafe in Austin Texas

The Ski Shores Waterfront Cafe in Austin, Texas is a place you don't go to unless you or someone you know- knows it is there. A great setting- right down on the water. Sandwiches, burgers, shrimp, fish, salad, vegetarian fare, imported beer, wine, soft drinks. To get there- take 2222 west of 360. Head south on City Park Road like you are going to Emma Long Metropolitan Park. Take left at Pearce. You will find it down at the end at 2905 Pearce Road.

http://www.skishores.com/

Hiking the Reicher Ranch in Austin Texas

Chapel ceiling & window

Chapel

I just came back from the “Warblers, Wildlands & Water” hike at the 820 acre Reicher Ranch led by volunteers from the City of Austin’s Wildland Conservation Division. Today, Sunday December 7th, 2008 was a perfect day for a walk in the great outdoors. I wore a sweater over a short sleeved thin top but stripped my sweater off once we got moving. The Reicher Ranch road is located off RM 620 at the traffic light at Home Depot Blvd. near Falconhead. It was a relaxing way to get some exercise, learn more about the local ecosystem and see the Colorado River below the Mansfield Dam. The ranch was the home of Louis Joseph Reicher, first bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Austin. The City of Austin obtained the Reicher Ranch in 1994.

To learn more about the City of Austin’s Wildland Conservation Division see http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/ click “water” on the left, on the Water Programs page select “Wildland Conservation Division” or call the Environmental Conservation Information Specialist at (512) 263-6443. There are many volunteer opportunities and you get to enjoy natural, protected areas not open to the general public. On the city’s website there is a great photo (and sound) gallery of plants & animals such as endangered species, karst species, non-native invasive plants; also karst features, water features & other geological features of our area. Besides the guided hikes available on the Wildlife Conservation, Water Quality Protection Lands and Balcones Canyonlands Preserve properties, there are also educational presentations, school programs and community events held by the division.

Low Cost Organic Foods Coming to Austin Texas

A new natural foods chain is coming to Texas that promises low cost organic and other natural foods and products. The Boulder, Colorado based Sunflower Farmers Market "touts its rock-bottom prices, convenience and wide selection of produce". For those who feel Whole Foods is too pricey, that you, as the longstanding joke says, have to use your "whole paycheck" to shop there, the new market offers an alternative. The first Texas Sunflower Farmers Market opened in Plano November 12th. In January, a market is planned for Austin located at William Cannon Drive and Manchaca Road. Currently in Austin, the major natural food stores are Whole Foods, HEB's Central Market, Sun Harvest and Wheatsville Coop. What I find interesting to is that Sunflower was started by Mike Gilleland of Boulder who co-founded Wild Oats in 1987. At one time Whole Foods CEO John Mackey sent his Wild Oats rival Gilleland the board game "Risk" and Gilleland reciprocated with "Twister" in a competitive showdown. The two now, no longer talk but both companies became publicly held anyway. There was no longer that sense of ownership. Then in 2007 Whole Foods bought Wild Oats, its largest competitor but "the Federal Trade Commission is still contesting the purchase on antitrust grounds". I am excited to see a new place to buy great healthy food .

The Austin American Statesman's Business section ran a great article on Sunflower Farmers Market Nov. 23, 2008

Job Creation is Increasing in Central Texas

The Austin Business Journal reported that U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics showed employment actually increased 1.9 percent in the Austin, Texas; Round Rock, Texas area in the last year between October of 2007 and October of 2008. The Austin area added approximately 14,700 jobs whereas Nashville & Memphis TN, Seattle and Phoenix lost jobs. San Antonio, Texas also added 17,900 jobs, again, showing the strength in the Central Texas Region.

Buzzards in Cedar Park Texas

Driving down Lakeline Drive in Cedar Park, Texas Tuesday, Dec. 2nd was this sight. The roosting buzzards looked kind of ominous—like the impending doom the nation’s economic naysayers are spewing. But I am happy and feel blessed to be in the Austin, Texas Area. One of the least affected areas of the US. Homes are still selling, people still have jobs.