June 2014

I’m not real into soccer. Matter of fact, first soccer game I ever watched was Sunday’s World Cup Match between the USA and Portugal. What an exciting game, though! I literally stood up and cheered when the US made that second goal, and then I moaned and beseeched the soccer gods when Portugal scored to tie.

It was enough to get me excited about the upcoming match against zee Germans, happening this Thursday at 11am (tomorrow!). But, where to watch this epic game in downtown Austin? I have a couple of suggestions.

1. Liberty Tavern, in the Hilton Downtown: 500 E 4th

Liberty-Tavern-Bar — photo by Diana Nogueira

Remodeled in 2012, with 11 big screens, and an airy and spacious atmosphere. Great local beers, and ample breakfast / lunch food. Extremely convenient for those living in the 5 Fifty-Five Condos or Sabine Condos in downtown Austin.

For the World Cup, they’ve also added a 16’x9′ Jumbo HD screen!

liberty-tavern-big-screen — photo by Diana Nogueira

And drink specials galore, including $2 Lonestars!

2. Takoba (downtown adjacent), 1411 E. 7th

Secondary Entrance – where the big screen is!

112″ indoor projector screen
75″ TV outside
covered outdoor seating / misters
$15 buckets a beer

Need I say more?

3. The Mohawk, 912 Red River

The Mohawk has multiple screens, including an indoor screen with surround sound, along with beers and bubbles, and noshes by Frank. Nice dark and cool atmosphere for the big screen area, too!

Don’t like any of my suggestions? Check out a more comprehensive list from Austin Culture Map, which includes my top three, plus other downtown venues like Russian House, Holy Mountain, Fado, and Bar 96, plus places in other parts of the city.

Every morning, when I am walking my little canine creature, Blog (pictured left) – I see many of my neighbors walking their dogs, too. It’s part of the culture of Austin, a place where we celebrate dog friendly restaurants, and where dog owners create public outcry when the city makes changes to off-leash park space.

So, it should come as no surprise that most downtown Austin’s highrises are pet-friendly. However, there are a couple of towers that go a little above and beyond when it comes to our four-legged friends. Here are some of my favorite downtown condos for the dog lover.

The Austonian

We know, we know, the Austonian is pretty much great at everything. This fabulous, well-located, luxury condo complex boasts several high-end amenities. But, for the dog loving resident, the amenities for man’s best friend are pretty great. They not only have an 600 sf outdoor dog park on their 10th floor, but an adjacent indoor dog grooming room – right on site! Check out the pics below.

Section Two of The Dog Run at The Austonian

Section Two (from another angle) of The Dog Run at The Austonian

The 360 Condos

Dog run at The 360 — Dog run created from under-utilized space at the 360 condos

A signature building of downtown Austin’s renaissance, the 360 Condos is in the heart of downtown. While easily accessible to Shoal Creek, with 430 units served by 4 elevator bays, the wait for an elevator may at times make a harried pet owner a bit nervous.

The 360 condos HOA got creative and transformed some underutilized garage space on the 4th floor into a very nice dog run, open 24/7! Very helpful for a pet owner in a hurry or a pet with a late night emergency!

Bonus points to the 360 for having a Royal Blue Grocery on its ground level – makes buying healthy dog treats very convenient!

Tie: Milago Condos / Villas On Town Lake

The Rainey Street district condos have what few other downtown Austin condos have, which is direct access to a plethora of green space, and even better, the hike & bike trail. And, with the new boardwalk opening, you can get more excited to head east for that lap around the lake with your beloved Fido.

Additionally, according to their newsletter, Milago also just recently added a special pet corridor on the northwest side of their building.

To a dog, there’s just no substitute for a walk outside, but be careful on the hot concrete in the summer.

The Villas’ “backyard”

Green space at the Mexican American Cultural Center

The entrance to Lady Bird Lake, easily accessible through the MACC public parking lot

The benefits of dedicated dog “runs” like the 360 condos and Austonian have is not only a positive for your pets, but also these amenities provide residents with a safe onsite place for owners to walk their dogs during the night hours. They are also convenient alternatives to the dwindling places dog owners have around their neighborhood to take their dogs out when nature calls, and they also lessen the impact on our communal park spaces.

Is your building especially dog friendly? Let us know what makes it so!

-A

p.s. if you’re planning on getting a dog or pet you should absolutely first look to Austin Pets Alive.
p.p.s. And now, just because we can – some gifs of some happy dogs.

Where to Watch the World Cup – Downtown Austin Sports Bars

Dog Houses: Downtown Austin’s Top 3 Condos For Dog Lovers

Archives for June 2014