By Libby Hoppe

Summer is my favorite season of the year for a number of reasons, but mostly because of the wardrobe shift that takes place in my closet. The gray sweaters and tweed trousers make way for colorful summer dresses and boyfriend cardigans and the boots and closed-toe heels are replaced with espadrilles and sparkly sandals. I have a few boutiques in Austin to thank for renewing my summer wardrobe year after year.

Adelante is magical. The boutique, which sits in a charming shopping center just north of downtown, has the uncanny ability to outfit any woman, regardless of her personal style. Owner Tricia Roberts fills the flirty boutique with dresses, tops, shoes and jewelry that are hip yet casual, glamorous yet oh-so-Texas. The word Adelante means “onward” or “forward” in Spanish, which is fitting because every time I walk into the store, I don’t feel sad to leave all my old duds behind and bring home something new. The best part is that Roberts started offering cool vintage furniture and home accessories in the store last year (think classic wing chairs with mod geometric fabrics or funky owl lamps with black lampshades).

For skirts and tops, it’s Adelante, but for jewelry, my go-to stop is Eliza Page in downtown’s Second Street District. It has what every woman wants: diamonds, gold and precious stones. But it has those items in original, beautiful configurations by local Texas and national designers. Translation: You won’t show up at a party wearing the same earrings as your girlfriend. Some of the pieces are really affordable, while others are investment pieces, but they are all really special. I’m personally a fan of whimsical pieces in the Mingle jewelry line by Rachel Roberts and Jamie A. Kelsch’s bracelets and pretty leaf earrings, but the selection at Eliza Page is so vast, you’ll find something that suits your taste.

A few of my other favorite boutiques include bows+arrows, a trendy store that carries jeans and leather jackets for guys and Rag & Bone tees and Love dresses for women; Spartan, bows+arrows sister store that carries mostly home trinkets and interesting gifts; and By George, Austin’s fabulous designer store with the latest from Lanvin, Marni and Balenciaga (for very special occasions). I could go on, but half the fun of shopping is happening upon your own favorite stores. Next time you’re in Austin, wear comfy shoes, because lovely little shops are all over town.

By Libby Hoppe

As I was flipping through The New York Times Style Magazine last weekend, I came across a profile of one of Austin’s favorite creatives. Liz Lambert is a lawyer, an innkeeper and a visionary, and she’s given this Texas town two boutique hotels that celebrate Austin’s soul and its music culture.

Hotel San Jose first opened in 1939 as a motor court, a modern, West-Coast-inspired Spanish Colonial stopover for tourists. Locals say it later became a brothel, then a church bible school, then when Lambert bought it in 1995, a haven for hippies and penniless travelers. Lambert saw potential, and today Hotel San Jose is a gorgeous, ivy-enclosed bungalow with Polaroid cameras and vintage music posters in every room. It’s in SoCo (short for South Congress), which I and most everyone in Austin considers the coolest neighborhood in town. San Jose is a core reason for that, and even if you can’t nab a room (which starts around $160 for a standard pad), you can buy a beer at the hotel bar and hang out with the locals in the interior courtyard and poolside garden, sipping a Shiner as you listen to music by Texas greats Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie Nelson.

Last year, Lambert opened her second Austin hotel, a wholly different yet equally inspired place. Hotel Saint Cecilia is in an old home on a secluded wooden estate in the SoCo area. (I’d been to the neighborhood many times, but never really noticed the place until Lambert reinvented it). It’s extravagant and soulful at the same time, with turntables, carefully selected and colorful vintage furniture, patterned fabrics and funky light fixtures in every room, each of which has its own vibe. Inspired by the sophisticated style of the ’50s, modern art from the ’60s and rock ‘n’ roll from the ’70s, it’s the most contemporary old getaway you’ll find in the South, but it’s still so very Austin.

By Libby Hoppe

It gets hot in Central Texas during the summer, and when that happens, the only place I want to be is by the pool or on a boat on Lake Travis. But until the fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk heat hits in July and August, the weather in Austin is awesome especially in the evenings when it cools down by 15 degrees. Bars owners are privy to this knowledge, and a number of them have created cool outdoor patios where you can meet up with friends for a happy-hour cocktail or a late-night drink. But the best patio bars are the ones perched on downtown building rooftops, where the views are as appetizing as the drinks.

My favorite spot is the rooftop bar at Speakeasy, which is both laid-back and trendy at the same time. It’s squeezed into the middle of downtown’s busy bar district (the hidden entrance is in an alley), but the rooftop deck feels like an upscale retreat with stark white sofas, low cocktail tables and a few roped-off lounge areas for private parties. But in true Texas fashion, you’re welcome upstairs in your jeans and cowboy boots, and the bartenders don’t look at you funny when you order a bottle of beer.

The vibe is similar at The Belmont (shown), a two-story classic American restaurant and bar that sits in a small void on Sixth Street between the busy live music clubs to its east and the unhurried bars to its west. Downstairs is a swanky eatery with dark green, studded leather booths, mid-century modern lamps and brass fixtures that recall 1960s Vegas. But upstairs on the patio on a balmy May evening is where The Belmont is at its best. The Palm Terrace is open and airy, with its own bar and views of the downtown skyline. I feel pseudo Palm Springs sitting under the sprawling white umbrellas on the cushy patio lounge chairs.

Other downtown rooftop bars worth a look include Union Park, Molotov Lounge, Iron Cactus, One-2-One and Six Lounge. So the next time you’re in downtown Austin in early summer, look up for the best happy hours in town.

By Libby Hoppe

Lots of cities sit on rivers: Baltimore, Baton Rogue, Memphis, St. Louis. Many cities use their rivers for shipping and commerce, and others build hotels along the shore that tout water views. But Austin, Texas has turned its river into something else — a recreational destination perfect for hiking and biking or simply enjoying the view.

Lady Bird Lake, formerly called Town Lake, cuts right through the heart of Austin, dividing the tall buildings and condos of downtown from the hip South Congress neighborhood (SoCo if you want to sound in-the-know) on the opposite side of the river. The lake was formed 50 years ago when the city dammed the Colorado River, creating a chain of lakes called the Texas Highland Lakes. Lady Bird Lake is the easternmost in the chain.

Throughout the day, joggers and bicyclists head to the Hike and Bike Trail, a 10-mile loop around the lake. The trail is made of crushed granite, which is easy on the knees when running or jogging. It’s busy enough to feel safe, but not too busy where it feels crowded. It’s shaded in the summer, but not so shaded that you’ll feel cold in the winter. It’s in the middle of downtown, but it feels like you’re miles away — until you catch a glimpse of the high-rise buildings through the trees.

Because the lake is so clean, people aren’t afraid to get on the water and even in the water (if they fall off a stand-up paddleboard or out of a kayak, by chance). Non-motorized boats and vessels are welcome on the lake, and you can rent canoes or kayaks from the Zilker Park Boat Rentals or the Texas Rowing Center. The natural landscape near the lake extends past the trail. Auditorium Shores and Zilker Park, both on the south side of the lake, are large recreation areas for picnics, soccer and concerts, including Austin City Limits.

The first time I visited Austin, a friend told me to check out Lady Bird Lake. Grab some running shoes, he said, and spend an afternoon there. You won’t run out of things to do, he told me. After living in Austin for almost three years, I still haven’t tired of this natural getaway in the middle of the city.

 

Image courtesy Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau