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Mega Hotel Subsidy Draws Fire From Austin Council

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It seems that having Armbrust & Brown attorney Richard Suttle as the representative of the hotel developers I wrote about Monday may be a little too hot for some council members to handle.

On Tuesday morning, Council Members Bill Spelman, Sheryl Cole and Laura Morrison seemed skeptical that his clients need almost $4 million in city breaks to help to build a hotel downtown.

Students of city politics should note that the power base at city council has now shifted from Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez and Chris Riley — who are losing defeated incumbent Randi Shade — to the other council members, who are gaining Kathie Tovo next month.

[Read more…] about Mega Hotel Subsidy Draws Fire From Austin Council

New Mega Hotel Planned, City Waiving $3.8M In Fees

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News broke Friday that the shelved White Lodging Services Corp. plans for a 1,000-plus hotel at 2nd Street and Congress Avenue are back on the stove.

The news seems to echo what Assistant City Manager Robert Goode told council at a recent hearing: “We are a big city, get over it.”

[Read more…] about New Mega Hotel Planned, City Waiving $3.8M In Fees

Pay By Donation Yoga in Rainey Street

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Be Yoga just opened in the Rainey Street District!

Located in the Windsor (née Legacy on the Lake), Be Yoga is a no-frills studio, about 1,000 square feet, just a stone’s throw from the lake and across from the Milago condos.

Perhaps more intriguing than it’s location is the fact that it’s a [Read more…] about Pay By Donation Yoga in Rainey Street

Second Bar + Kitchen in Downtown Austin

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Second Bar + Kitchen is aptly named for it’s Congress Ave @ Second Street location.  But don’t think for a second that the food isn’t first-rate (wakka wakka!).

On a whim, I ventured over to Second a couple of Sundays ago (after a morning coffee at the Austonian’s Caffe Medici) and was pleasantly surprised by the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant. I was seated on the second story, which was a small, covered balcony with simple tables and faux grass carpeting: [Read more…] about Second Bar + Kitchen in Downtown Austin