Austin is without a doubt my favorite place to be in the United States during this time of year because there are always plenty of great things to do around Christmas time.

If you’re in Austin for Christmas with your family, or are searching for a list of restaurants that are open on Christmas eve or Christmas Day, you should consider visiting one of the following restaurants.

Bonneville. 202 W. Cesar Chavez St. 512-428-4643, thebonnevilleaustin.com. The husband-and-wife-owned restaurant downtown will celebrate Christmas Eve with a French-Canadian menu that pays tribute to co-owner Jennifer Costello’s heritage. The regular menu will also be on offer.

Cannon + Belle. 500 E. Fourth St. 512-493-4900, cannonandbelle.com. The restaurant at the Hilton downtown is offering a three and four-course meal on Christmas Day from 2 to 8 p.m. Menus include chicken and dumplings, masa biscuits served with pumpkin butter and pineapple jam. ribeye and more. The three-course meal costs $59 per person and the four-course dinner is $67.

Driskill Grill. 604 Brazos St. 512-391-7128, driskillgrill.com. Austin’s grand dame will serve its five-course prix fixe dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 2 to 7:30 p.m. The menu includes roasted butternut squash soup, bacon-wrapped scallops, halibut and more. Cost is $130 for adults and $65 for children.

Estancia Churrascaria. 10000 Research Blvd. 512-345-5600, estanciachurrascaria.com. The Brazilian steakhouse will serve its splendor of grilled meats (and salad) at lunch ($41.95) and dinner ($51.95) on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and all day on Christmas Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Fonda San Miguel. 2330 W. N. Loop Blvd. 512-459-4121, fondasanmiguel.com. The venerable Mexican restaurant hosts a special edition of their Sunday Hacienda Brunch on Christmas Eve from a 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The brunch buffet, which includes an array of Mexican dishes, costs $38.95. The restaurant will also be open with its regular menu for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.

Search for A Home in Austin

Planning on buying a home in Austin in 2019 or maybe selling your home? I can help! Contact me at (512) 944-7378 or click here to connect with me online.

Are you planning on selling your Austin Texas home but you want to make some renovations to it first before you list it? If so, you are making a smart choice because, it’s proven the fact that homes which have been recently renovated, stand out and are easier to sell than homes that were not recently renovated.

Like some homeowners in the Austin area, you may not be able to spend up to $30,000 (or more) on a renovation budget. You may only have $5,000 or less to spend. The good news is that you can definitely renovate your home with a smaller renovation budget by following these tips

Paint your home

The first and most obvious renovation that you can make your home is to paint it, everywhere, on the inside and also on the outside.

Painting your home is one of the most effective renovations that you can make because, a fresh coat of paint will help to breathe new life into your home and make it feel recently updated even if you have not made any updates to your house in years.

Cover the ugly in your kitchen

Another easy, cost-effective renovation that you can make to your home is to cover the “ugly” in your kitchen. By ugly, I mean those kitchen cabinets which maybe holdovers from the 1980s or later.

Even though your friends and family members may be encouraging you to rip those cabinets down and have new cabinets installed, you can sand, refinish or repaint those cabinets, then install new drawer pulls and knobs on the cabinets to give them a new, updated look.

Bring in the new to your bathroom

Yes, it’s true that kitchen and bathroom renovations are often very costly but the good news about renovating a bathroom is that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to make your bathroom look fantastic.

Thankfully, you can breathe new life into your bathroom by bringing in the new. This can be done by replacing the old bathroom scene with a new vessel sink, refinishing the bathroom cabinets, replacing the cabinet hardware, replacing the tile or installing a new toilet in the bathroom.

Sell Your Home In 2019!

Planning on selling your Austin Texas Home in 2019? Contact me at (512) 944-7378 or click here to connect with me online.

There’s no denying that staging a home is one of the best ways to sell it because, staging helps people to envision how they will use the space in the home and see themselves living there.

Staging a home during the holidays also is an excellent thing to do because, it gets people dreaming about how they would celebrate the holidays in the home after they’ve purchased it.

In this article we will share with you several tips you can use for staging your home during the holidays while it’s for sale.

How To Stage Your Home During The Holidays 

Depersonalize the decorations

“It’s important the design appeals to as many different home buyers and tastes as possible, the seller’s personal life should not be prominently featured throughout the home.

That means avoiding the personal decorations that appeal mostly to you and your family:

• “Best Mom” tree ornaments your kids made in preschool
• Named Christmas stockings
• Religious tokens and symbols
• A ton of holiday cards
• Photos of your baby’s first Christmas

Hope Mazzola, a real estate broker with William Raveis in Katonah, NY, says glitzing a home with over-the-top decorations is like wrapping a house in an “ugly holiday sweater.”

“Less is definitely more when it comes to holiday decorations while selling your home,” Mazzola says. “Enhancing the features of the home versus adding all the bells and whistles will keep buyers on track.”

Consider the neighborhood

If your whole neighborhood gets in the spirit, you don’t want to look like a Grinch.

If your whole neighborhood gets in the spirit, you don’t want to look like a Grinch.Greg Pease/Getty Images

But if your neighborhood is ablaze with holidays lights, which herald the block’s values and attract like-minded buyers, then you don’t want to be your block’s resident Grinch, says Tori Toth, a New York City home stager.

“If your neighborhood is festive during Christmas, then a buyer would expect Christmas decorations at your home,” Toth says. “On the other hand, if you live in a politically correct neighborhood with a mix of religious beliefs, use more generic decorations to promote season’s greetings rather than your specific holiday.”

Some real estate pros, however, say you should forgo the decorations regardless of what your neighbors are doing.

“Putting up decorations while your home is on the market poses more risk than it offers reward,” says Sam Pawlitzki, a Los Angeles Realtor. “I recommend that sellers stick to the rule of keeping their house impersonal.”

If you must add some holiday flair, here’s how to decorate your home …

Sometimes less is more.

Here’s how to decorate your home while it’s for sale during the holidays:

Avoid the kitsch: Inflatable snowmen,  reindeer on the roof, a gazillion angels flapping their wings, or life-size Mike Pence mannequins can seem in poor taste and turn off potential buyers.

Classic is always best: Hang an elegant wreath on the front door, rather than a “Santa stops here!” sign, says Jamie Novak, author of “Keep This, Toss That.”

Don’t overdo lights: Simple white lights can add a festive touch without blinding buyers during walk-throughs.

Skip the tree

You can’t win with a tree. If it’s too big, it distracts viewers and can make the room seem small. It can also block the flow and make the space seem crowded. And if it’s tiny, it’s depressing and sad. Decorate a tree only if you have a great room and you want to show off a high ceiling.

Box up the greeting cards: Holiday cards on tables make the room look messy. Stick them in a drawer.

Protect presents: Don’t stack gifts under a tree or put them on display. The last thing you want this holiday is for a stranger with sticky fingers to walk away with a present. Lock the presents in your car trunk, especially during an open house.

Choose scents over scenes: The smell of simmering cider or baked cookies will delight the senses more than garlands strung over everything that doesn’t move.

Got a fireplace? Make sure the fire is burning

Light a fire: A roaring fireplace during a weekday showing is a cozy way to celebrate the winter and warm visitors as well.

Pump up powder rooms: Place peppermint-scented soaps and candles in the bathrooms along with a few tasteful, holiday-themed towels. They give the rooms some spirit and interest.

Celebrate your tradition with color: This may not be the year you display the religious symbols of your holidays, but you don’t have to forsake them altogether. If you celebrate Hanukkah, hang a wreath with shades of blue. For Christmas, your wreath can be made of evergreen boughs and pine cones. For Kwanzaa, add red berries to a green wreath.

In the end, the most important holiday decision you’ll make is whether to keep your home on the market during Yuletide: You’ll have fewer house hunters, but more motivated buyers. Ask your Realtor whether you should consider delisting your home for the holiday season, and starting fresh after the new year.

Search for A Home in Austin Texas in 2019

Planning on buying a home in the Austin Texas area during 2019? If so, I can help! Contact me today at (512) 944-7378 or click here to connect with me online.

The Christmas season is officially here (it seems like 2018 just started right?) and there’s plenty of fun things to do in the ATX area to celebrate the holidays with your friends and family including these events:

A Christmas Carol – November 21- December 30

ZACH Theatre 202 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

Austin’s most rockin’ holiday tradition returns to make merry with new music and surprises to get the party started! ZACH’s inspired adaptation of the Dickens’ classic is a musical sleigh ride through rhythm and time, infusing the traditional Victorian story with a score that spans all genres and eras. Motown meets the Ho-Ho-Holidays in this family-friendly spectacular, creating an infectious spirit that has everyone dancing in the aisles. Celebrate the season with the loving Cratchit family and three soulful ghosts as they take Ebenezer Scrooge on a joyride to rediscover his heart and love for human kindness!

Blue Genie Art Bazaar – November 23- December 24

Blue Genie Art Bazaar 6100 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78752

Blue Genie Art Bazaar has thousands of original works ranging from serious art to fun, kitschy items. Shopping at the Bazaar is a great way to buy holiday gifts in a hassle-free environment, all while supporting local artists. All items are handmade by local and regional artists that are selected through a rigorous jury process. There will be work from more than 200 artists who offer a wide variety of imaginative and beautiful gifts. You can expect to find paintings, photography, prints, sculptures, jewelry, clothing, accessories, glassworks, ceramics, and more gifts you can’t find anywhere else! Whether your budget is large or small, you’ll find something for yourself, for your best friend, or for that impossible-to-shop-for relative!

Winter Wonderland – November 23- December 30

Circuit of the Americas 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Austin, TX 78617

Winter Wonderland at the Circuit is back and brighter than ever! This year will feature The World Famous Chinese Lantern Festival, a remarkable display of illuminated sculptures, each hand-crafted using a tradition that extends back centuries. The lanterns are created using steel frames surrounded by colorful rayon “skins” and illuminated from within by LED lights. It’s a wondrous cultural experience for people of all ages! Also featured this year will be Texas’ largest outdoor Ice Skating Rink, the Tunnel of Lights, Trips to the top of the North Pole, Carnival Rides, Camel Rides, Singing Trees, a Petting Zoo, Santa’s Workshop, a Live Music Stage and much more holiday fun for everyone!

Bastrop River of Lights – November 23- December 31

Fisherman’s Park 1200 Willow St, Bastrop, TX 78602

Bastrop River of Lights walking trail is located in Fisherman’s Park and continues all the way down the Lower Colorado River to Ferry Park, about a half mile. It started in 2002 with over 100 sponsors for displays the first year. Many individuals opted to sponsor a memorial or honorarium for a loved one or to cover one of the beautiful trees in the Park with lights. We have about 20 groups that come down and build their own display each year. The River of Lights is open the day after Thanksgiving and every night until New Year’s Eve. Non-profits and civic groups from the area host the trail each night and use the event to spotlight their mission or to sell treats to raise money or to visit with those who come to walk the trail!

Ice Skating on the Plaza – November 24- January 15

Whole Foods Market 525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703

A must-do for locals and visitors alike, Ice Skating on the Plaza at Whole Foods Flagship store on Lamar has become one of Austin’s most anticipated events of the holiday season! The ice rink is open daily from 10 am to 9 pm beginning November 24th through January 15th. The cost is $10 per person and includes skate rental. Every Friday throughout the ice rink season, the skating soundtrack is curated by KUTX for the KUTX Music Fridays series, so don’t miss out!

Holiday Stroll Parade – November 29- December 1

Downtown Seguin, Seguin, TX

This year’s Holiday Stroll festivities kick off November 29th with the Holiday Stroll Parade! The parade will also include food vendors, pictures with Santa, and entertainment from the Seguin High School Band. Stroll through downtown tasting over a dozen varieties of homemade hot chocolate. On November 30th, Seguin’s downtown businesses will keep their doors open late for some shopping and sipping on hot chocolate. Other activities will include live entertainment from the Seguin High School Star Steppers, horse-drawn wagon rides, photos with Santa, a wiggle waggle train ride, and food vendors. North Pole Stroll will be held December 1st and promises to be a family-friendly affair. Nonprofit organizations will be hosting activities for children in Central Park including pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, letters to Santa, and much more!

Georgetown Christmas Stroll – December 1

Downtown Georgetown S Church St & E 2nd St, Georgetown, TX 78626

Head out to “the most beautiful town square in Texas” to start off the holidays! After the Parade, be sure to stick around for other fun stuff like Bethlehem Village and Whoo-Village, enjoy Live Entertainment, sample tempting treats in the food court and browse arts and crafts booths! Children will love the various activities! You can also have a chat with Santa, so bring your Christmas lists! The best part, the event is free of admission!

Christmas on Mercer Street – December 1

Downtown Dripping Springs Mercer St, Dripping Springs, TX

The sights and sounds of Dripping Springs’ 14th Annual Christmas on Mercer Street will come alive on December 1st as the downtown area transforms into a hometown holiday festival featuring holiday shopping, arts, and crafts booths, live entertainment, a petting zoo, trackless train, pony rides, children’s activities and more! Hosted by the Dripping Springs Lions Club and the City of Dripping Springs, the festival admission is free to the public. Santa Claus will make a grand appearance, and there will be opportunities for parents to take photos of their children with him at Santa’s Workshop. The annual Lighting of the Tree will be held at the Triangle, so don’t miss out!

The Festival of Texas Fiddling – December 1

Twin Sisters Dance Hall 6720 US-281, Blanco, TX 78606

Texas has the most diverse fiddle traditions of any state in the union! Along with all that fiddling comes some of the best dance traditions anywhere; from polka to the Texas two-step. The Festival of Texas Fiddling is the first and only festival that brings all of the great traditions of fiddling in the state together in a truly historic Texas dance hall. Old Time, Western Swing, Country, Texas Polish, Cajun, Creole, Tejano, Son Huasteco, blues are all the styles of fiddling in the state and will be at the Festival of Texas Fiddling! Come out and enjoy a day full of fiddling and dancing!

Holiday Stroll – December 1

Texas State Capitol 1100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Kickstart your holiday season at the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Holiday Stroll on December 1st along Congress Avenue between 9th and 11th streets! Join the City of Austin for a night of holiday cheer in downtown, including the annual KUT Austin and KUTX 98.9 Holiday Sing-Along and the lighting of the downtown tree. A free, family-friendly event, Holiday Stroll has something for everyone including photos with Santa, a petting zoo, live ice sculpture, holiday arts & crafts, a live mural painting, local food trucks, artisan vendors, and more! Plus, enjoy a full night of live music with performances by the Austin Children’s Choir, GirlFriend ATX, Shy Beast, and many others yet to be announced.

Search For A Home In Austin Texas In 2019

Planning on buying a home in the Austin Texas area now or sometime in 2019?

It’s still a great time to buy a home thanks to historically low mortgage interest rates and a high supply of available homes for sale.

To learn more about the ATX real estate market and start searching for homes contact me today at (512) 944-7378 or click here to connect with me online.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We sure have a lot to be thankful for this year, I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and happy holidays!

Thanksgiving Trivia

As a nation, the US has celebrated Thanksgiving off and on since 1774. In 1789 George Washington made a proclamation that the American people should celebrate a day of thanksgiving to God on November 26th. Some presidents after him continued the tradition, sporadically declaring days of Thanksgiving. But it wasn’t until 1863 with Lincoln proclaiming a day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November that it became an annual holiday. Every year after that Presidents proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a day of Thanksgiving. It was changed to be the fourth Thursday in under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Handy Blender Gravy Recipe

Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins

Course: Condiment, Holiday, Sauce, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 427.3 kcal
Author: Adapted from FitSugar
Ingredients
1 cup veggie broth
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon. tamari
1 teaspoon mustard
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons tahini
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/3 cup chopped onion

Instructions
Place ingredients into blender jar in the order listed.
For Vitamix: Start at Variable 1, increase to Variable 6 and blend until mixture is smooth, about 10-15 seconds.
For Blendtec: Run SAUCES/BATTERS cycle for 10-15 seconds.
Pour contents of jar into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and stir until gravy reduces and thickens to your desired consistency.
Serve and enjoy immediately!
All done! Enjoy!! Now take a photo, rate it, and share your accomplishments! 

Sorce – https://www.blenderbabes.com/lifestyle-diet/diabetic/gluten-free-vegan-gravy-recipe/

Movies To Watch On Thanksgiving Day

Need to find some movies to watch on Thanksgiving Day? Click here to a list of movies that are currently on Netflix this month!

Image credit – Scary Mommy

Are you planning on spending the week in Austin visiting family and are wondering if there are things to do this week in Austin? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article I will list some fun thing you can do in Austin this week:

Thаnkѕgіvіng Brunсh 

Date: Thurѕdау, Nоvеmbеr 22 аt 10 а.m.

Location: Hyatt Regency Auѕtіn – 208 Barton Sрrіngѕ Rd. Austin, TX 78704

Sit down tо a gourmet Thаnkѕgіvіng meal thіѕ уеаr with rеѕеrvаtіоnѕ tо thе Thаnkѕgіvіng Brunch at thе Hуаtt Rеgеnсу Auѕtіn.

This will be an incredible Thаnkѕgіvіng brunсh buffet іn the Fооthіllѕ Bаllrооm promises all of уоur fаvоrіtе Thаnkѕgіvіng dіѕhеѕ – hеrb-rоаѕtеd turkey wіth сrаnbеrrу, соrnbrеаd ѕtuffіng, candied sweet potatoes, buttermilk mаѕhеd роtаtоеѕ, pumpkin pie and mаnу more culinary delights – іn a рісturеѕԛuе ѕеttіng thаt оvеrlооkѕ Dоwntоwn Auѕtіn. Lіvе muѕіс аnd a ѕресіаl tоаѕt wіll аdd tо thе еxсіtеmеnt at thіѕ еlеgаnt Thаnkѕgіvіng brunсh.

Parade

Date: Saturday, November 24 аt 11 а.m.

Location: Cоngrеѕѕ Ave. tо Cеѕаr Chavez St. іn Auѕtіn

Thаnkѕgіvіng mаrkѕ thе оffісіаl start of thе hоlіdау ѕеаѕоn аnd іn thе Auѕtіn аrеа, thе annual Chuy’s Chіldrеn Gіvіng to Children Holiday Pаrаdе is a fаmіlу favorite.

Arrіvе еаrlу tо get a great ѕеаt fоr thе parade whеrе уоu wіll enjoy fеѕtіvе holiday flоаtѕ, gіаnt inflatable bаllооnѕ, mаnу оf your fаvоrіtе children’s аnd саrtооn сhаrасtеrѕ, local mаrсhіng bаndѕ, сlаѕѕіс саrѕ аnd Santa Claus hіmѕеlf. Thіѕ hоlіdау еvеnt bеnеfіtѕ Oреrаtіоn Bluе Santa.

Search For A Home In Austin Texas

Are you interested in searching for homes in the Austin Texas real estate market? Contact me today by calling (512) 944-7378 or click here to connect with me online.

Are you planning on selling your home but aren’t sure if you should stage your home or not? If so, the answer is yes! You should stage your home because there’s plenty of evidence out there which shows that a staged home will sell for more money.

Why do staged homes sell for more money? The answer is simple, a staged home sells for more money because when a room has furniture in it, the buyer can easily envision themselves living there and how they would use the room versus a room that doesn’t have any furniture.

Clean

A professional hоuѕе cleaning саn bе a wіѕе іnvеѕtmеnt tо make ѕurе саrреtѕ аnd neglected areas lіkе ceiling fаnѕ, bаѕеbоаrdѕ, window ѕіllѕ аnd more are ѕроtlеѕѕ. But mаkіng уоur home сlеаn dоеѕn’t juѕt rеԛuіrе duѕtіng аnd vacuuming. You want your рlасе to ѕhоw lіkе a model hоmе, so you need to rеduсе сluttеr аnd remove anything thаt’ѕ nоt nесеѕѕаrу to thе funсtіоnіng оf уоur hоmе.

Choose Neutral Colors

You wаnt buyers tо рісturе themselves lіvіng іn уоur ѕрасе. They саn’t dо thіѕ іf thеу ѕее thіngѕ thаt rеmіnd thеm thаt уоu аlrеаdу live thеrе. Family рhоtоѕ, religious dесоrаtіоnѕ or еvеn rооm-ѕресіfіс раіnt сhоісеѕ, ѕuсh аѕ gеndеrеd bathrooms оr fооtbаll-thеmеd mоtіfѕ іn the dеn, mау be tоо dіѕtrасtіng. But, nеutrаl doesn’t mеаn beige.

Mаkе It Invіtіng

Yоu wаnt your hоuѕе tо have a gооd flоw аnd fееl. Often, thіѕ means opening uр уоur rооmѕ tо mаkе thеm mоrе inviting. Nо оnе enjoys runnіng іntо a trаffіс-іmреdіng coffee tаblе, and seeing thе backs оf sofas оr сhаіrѕ саn turn реорlе off. Thіѕ dоеѕn’t mеаn you have tо рuѕh furnіturе up аgаіnѕt the wаllѕ thоugh. Instead, ѕtаgе furnіturе away frоm walls and іn ѕеnѕіblе conversational grоuрѕ. Use ассеѕѕоrіеѕ thоughtfullу tо draw buyers іn.

Sell Your Austin Texas Home

To sell your AustinTexas Home contact me today by calling (512) 944-7378 or click here to connect with me through my website.