Stateside Luxury Austin Edition 2022

AUSTIN EDITION

“THE LIFE I LOVE IS MAKING MUSIC WITH MY FRIENDS.” —WILLIE NELSON

AUSTIN EDITION Publisher I Creative Director Giselle Smith Oh, Austin, how you will forever hold a special place in my heart. Stateside Luxury celebrates a modest, unpretentious luxury, American in the way of freedom and a bit rough around the edges. This is Austin. Whether paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake, watching the bats fly from beneath the bat bridge, driving down to hill country for a Fredericksburg wine tasting, or kicking back at Perla’s with a dozen oysters, the city offers everything the soul needs in one perfectly laid back location. Get dressed up and grab a pair of boots, or don’t. The Texas state capital is ever-inviting and accepting.

If you’re new here, Stateside Luxury is a localized magazine highlighting our favorite cities throughout the United States. There’s something simple about domestic travel, easy whether driving or flying. The journey brings people together, and we focus on an attainable luxury. We have something for everyone. We believe that freedom to travel is the most genuine luxury.

Each edition brings you the best in domestic stays, eats, luxury + local goods, and celebrations.

Print magazines are available in much-loved locations throughout the United States and for sale online. Magazines will be available soon at Barnes & Noble and other fine bookstores.

Originally from Texas, just north of Austin, this edition is near and dear; ATX is faithfully one of my favorite places on earth. We hope you can visit soon. As always, share your travels and tag us on Instagram at @statesideluxxury. Oh yeah, and keep Austin weird.

Best, Giselle Smith

© 2022 STATESIDE LUXURY I GISELLE SMITH

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CONTENTS A Culture of Community Hotel San José PAGE 8

Stateside Luxury Local Finds PAGE 13

Bunk Beds + A Rooftop Pool To Be Reckoned With PAGE 14

Halfshell Happiness & Austin Art PAGE 18

Wine Down in Fredericksburg: Texas Hill Country PAGE 22

A CULTURE OF COMMUNITY It’s safe to say that Austin has some of the coolest and most unique hotels in the country. Sister hotel to our retro fave Austin Motel, Hotel San José aims to be a gathering place and hub of community activity for Austin natives and travelers visiting the city. We featured San José first and foremost because of their active role in giving back to the Austin community.

They began hosting their annual Chili Cook-Off + Benefit in the winter of 2005. Their event partners with Jo’s Coffee and HEB, and raises money to support Free Lunch, which works to address food insecurity in Austin. A prized chili pot is up for grabs in the chili competition; both novice and professional teams are welcome to enter the battle of beef and beans. South by San José is another event that takes place in their shared parking lot with Jo’s Coffee. People from all walks of life come together for live music, local lone star vendors, and fun times. The party starts at noon daily during the event, rain or shine, and the celebration is always and forever free to attend.

Amenities amass when compiling a list for San José, but a prime location on South Congress is top of the list.

Area eats include Perla’s, Jo’s Coffee (the best breakfast tacos and iced turbos forever), Torchy’s, Home Slice Pizza, and Amy’s Ice Cream just to name a few. There are too many BBQ spots to list, but walking up the street will surely yield some of the tastiest smoked meat. Supreme shopping is expected on South Congress in case you’re on the lookout for boots or even need a last-minute swimmie for an impromptu pool day. Things we can never have enough of: Ample self-parking, one of only two heated pools we’re aware of in ATX, FREE Jo’s Coffee coupons, and a comfortable, apartment-style layout with lush feature-worthy landscaping.

1316 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704 FOR BOOKING VISIT: https://www.bunkhousehotels.com/hotel-san-jose

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AUSTIN PROPER HOTEL

LOCAL FINDS BIG SPENDER LEATHER WALLET Espacio Handmade I Carribean http://espaciohandmade.com STETSON FELT HAT HEADQUARTERS HATS 122 E Main Street Fredericksburg, TX 78624

AMANDA WITUCKI, PAPER FOLDING ARTIST Sunset Cicada I 12x12 Print https://austinartgarage.com

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY OLIVE CO. THE SPANIARD OLIVE OIL Extra Virgin I 500ml https://texashillcountryoliveco.com KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD Outhouse Designs I Coozie http://absolutelyaustin.com

GOING TO HEB - RORY SKAGEN Canvas Print I Various Sizes https://austinartgarage.com

EL ARROYO COCKTAIL NAPKINS https://elarroyo.com

PRESLEY EXOTIC BOOTS Lucchesse® Bootmaker I https://lucchese.com

AUSTIN BEER WORKS 3001 Industrial Terrace, Austin, TX 78758 https://austinbeerworks.com

BUNK BEDS + A ROOF TOP POOL TO BE RECKONED WITH From bachelorettes to backyard staycations, South Congress Hotel leaves nothing to be desired. This family-friendly destination is everything, and we choose to call it home when traveling in ATX more often than not. The 83-room boutique hotel features a mixture of kings and suites, but our favorite room type features two queen bunk beds. This room sleeps eight and is perfect for crashing with a rowdy bridal party or equally rowdy kids and cousins. The thick concrete walls are a saving grace for the party/kid/pup-friendly rooms, but luckily don’t affect the high-speed wifi.

The location is in our favorite area of Austin, on South Congress, murals, music, bars, and shopping line the street. Two boutiques in the building are The Lobby Shop which has curated gifts, and then Sunroom has boho-inspired designer clothing and jewelry. Revival Cycles rents motorcycles to more adventurous guests if you are up for a ride.

The rooftop pool at South Congress is a lengthy lap pool with in-pool seating lining both sides and luxurious lounge chairs with colorful yellow and white striped umbrellas. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t impressed by the fluffy, luxurious white hotel towels emblazoned with the South Congress monogram in golden thread. Poolside cocktails are available at the pool bar. Non-hotel guests can access the pool with daily passes during the open season.

NEVER LEAVE YOUR HOTEL

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On-site restaurants are one of the draws and include Maie Day, Mañana, and Café No Sé. Maie Day is a festival-style steakhouse, casual fine dining. Mañana is a coffee + bake shop with outdoor seating and a relaxed vibe. Café No Sé is one of my top breakfast/ brunch picks wherever I am staying, but they do have all day options for brunch, happy hour, and dinner. The menu is expansive with healthy-ish options. The café scramble is roasted wild mushrooms, fresno pepper, spinach, fresh ricotta, and sourdough toast. You can’t go wrong with the cowboy breakfast: two sunny eggs, borracho beans, andouille sausage, bacon, jalapeño, tomato, cilantro butter, and a biscuit. Dine in or don’t—you have the choice to have room service brought up.

We haven’t been yet, but OTOKO is a 12-seat Japanese restaurant located at South Congress Hotel. Helmed by chef Yoshi Okai, the multi-course omakase experience at OTOKO marries Tokyo-style sushi and Kyoto-style kaiseki into a unique tasting menu based on ingredient availability and seasonality. Watertrade, an intimate omakase-style cocktail bar, is adjacent to OTOKO. Reservations must be made online. While Austin is known for the nightlife, and 6TH Street and Rainey Street are a short rideshare away, if you never want to leave your hotel, Lobby Bar features yummy cocktails and a Mon-Thurs happy hour DJ from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. Their website mentions “ A Microcosm of Austin,” and we couldn’t agree more. If you’re looking for an all-inone locale for a relaxing stay, there’s no better hotel than South Congress.

1603 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704 FOR BOOKING VISIT: https://southcongresshotel.com

“THREE RESTAURANTS, TWO BARS, ONE COFFEE & BAKE SHOP, A ROOFTOP POOL, TWO BOUTIQUES, A MOTORCYCLE SHOP. ” —SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL 17

EAT

HALF SHELL HAPPINESS Maybe Stateside Luxury started as a New Year’s resolution to visit dozens of oyster spots across the U.S.A. in a quest to find the very best. What originated as a potential blog post may have grown and morphed into something wild and all-encompassing. However, oysters and fresh seafood still reign supreme when we’re on the hunt for lunch.

Perla’s is, and has always been, one of my favorite places. The laid-back patio and quiet, calm indoor dining give way to the best conversations. Pictured on the left is a Perla’s Poco Platter.

Not shown, but so amazing: Oak Grilled Texas Gulf Redfish.

1400 S. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704 FULL MENU & HOURS: https://perlasaustin.com

AUSTIN ART Austin is known for its music, culture, and art. Downtown features sculptures everywhere you look (check out the Contents page), plus a variety of museums.

Opening in 1998, The Contemporary Austin was recently renamed and is made up of two locations: the historic Jones Center on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin and Laguna Gloria, a unique, fourteen-acre art-in-nature site that includes the landmark Driscoll Villa, the Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park, the Art School at Laguna Gloria, and the Moody Pavilions.

The Jones Center 700 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701 Laguna Gloria 3809 West 35th Street, Austin, Texas 78703 PLAN YOUR VISIT: https://thecontemporaryaustin.org

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SXSW Would it really be Austin without SXSW? The 10-day conference and festival feature creatives, thinkers, and leaders from multiple industries—tech, film, music, and comedy—pulling influential people and party-goers from across the globe to a magical hub for inspiration and connection. Hundreds of exhibitors join together for a cross-industry celebration.

See you at SXSW 2024: March 8-16, 2024 FOR A 2023 RECAP + MORE INFO VISIT: https://www.sxsw.com

Arrowhead Creek Vineyard Augusta Vin Winery Barons Creek Vineyards Becker Vineyards Becker Vineyards On Main Bluemont Vineyard Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa Chisholm Trail Winery Cicada Cellars Coordinates Vineyards Cross Mountain Vineyards Crown Hill Winery English Newsom Cellars Fat Ass Ranch & Winery Fat Ass Ranch & Winery On Main Ferris & Fletch Wine Co. Fiesta Winery 290 Fiesta Winery Fredericksburg Foyt Winery & Museum Fredericksburg Winery Grape Creek Vineyards Grape Creek Vineyards On Main Grapetown Vineyards Heath Sparkling Wines Hilmy Cellars High Meadow Winery Invention Vineyards Inwood Estates Winery & Bistro Kalasi Cellars Kuhlman Cellars Longhorn Cellars Los Pinos Ranch Vineyard Last Draw Cellars Meierstone Vineyards Mendelbaum Cellars Messina Hof Hill County Narrow Path Winery Narrow Path Winery on Main Pedernales Cellars Pontotoc Vineyard Weingarten Rhinory Ron Yates Wines Safari Winery Santamaria Cellars Signor Vineyards Six Shooter Cellars Six Twists Slate Theory Winery & Vineyards Southold Farm & Cellar Texas Heritage Vineyard Texas Hills Vineyard Texas Wine Collective Vintners Hideaway Wedding Oak Winery Willseed Farms Vineyards William Chris Vineyards The Wine Garage

WINE DOWN IN FREDERICKSBURG: TEXAS HILL COUNTRY There’s no place like the Texas Hill Country, and Fredericksburg is just an hour outside of Austin city limits. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by German immigrants. A treaty was forged with Commanches allowing the settlers to farm along the Llano River and promised trade over a peace pipe. Nearly two centuries later, the town is bustling and busy with new growth and tourists. Main Street is home to dozens of boutiques and restaurants, but the real reason we love to visit is the wine.

Fredericksburg is the Napa Valley of Texas. The grape varietals vary from that you would find across Europe or on the west coast due to climate, but the rich soil and warm weather yield some of the most delicious wine. Over fifty wineries and twenty wine tours make for weekend wine-tasting bliss. Signor Vineyards is home to a beefy bunch of Texas longhorns as you enter the gates and then a restaurant, tasting room, gardens, and lush Texas vineyards dripping with grapes perfect for photo ops.

We also love Becker Vineyards, and Fiesta Winery is a fan fave; both have locations downtown for travelers looking for tastings within walking distance of their hotel.

Every May, Becker hosts the Lavender Fest—you can buy everything from lavender soap to lavender lemonade, all while sipping refreshing wine. The Viognier Reserve is a personal pick. If you’re traveling later in the year, the Gillespie County Fair is held in Fredericksburg the third weekend in August, and in October, the annual Oktoberfest and Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival draw locals and visitors alike. Be sure to dress for the (hot) weather and schedule a day to recover from the heat and/or hangover.

1316 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704 PLAN YOUR HILL COUNTRY VACATION: https://www.visitfredericksburgtx.com

Shopping on Main Street should always include a stop at Vaudeville and Clear River Ice Cream for a ride on “Old Paint.” Not shown: Headquarters Hats is the best for boots, Stetsons, or Western wear. Young or old, Fredericksburg has something for everyone.