photo by max kelly
EAT | Old Pal Bar
There’s no shortage of honky-tonk bars in Texas, but one of our favorites is Old Pal in Lockhart, opened by the owners of Nickel City here in Austin. Good music, friendly staff, and darn good food – when you stop by be sure to try the fried chicken and don’t pass on the biscuits. Korean Chili Crisp Deviled Eggs? Yeah, they have those too. Although you could pass through this town in the blink of an eye, don’t miss out on a quick stop here because this one is a gem.
photo by monse muro
LISTEN | one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
By now many people have heard of Phoebe Bridgers, so fans of her music would be missing out if they don’t check out this album from Ada Lea that she and Bridgers co-produced. Beautifully crafted narratives sung through her hazy vocals, this Montreal-native's newest release is a mix of moody synth and bursts of sound that meld perfectly together. We definitely suggest starting with the first track, titled damn, which quickly became one of our favorites from the album.
READ | Six Word Memoirs
Founded in 2006, Six Word Memoirs started off in Smith magazine when readers were asked to describe their lives in just six words. Fourteen years later and thousands of people having contributed, the project has now fueled creativity through the pandemic with the release of A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year. Submissions from people of all ages, (some strikingly funny, others heartfelt and sad), it’s a unifying work that proves full stories and experiences can be told in only six words.
SHOP | Sculpd Pottery Kits
The last year and a half has been a time to discover brand new creative outlets that we've never thought to explore. One of our favorite new finds is Sculpd, offering kits for beginners that don't require a kiln. They send you all the tools you need, from the air-drying clay to shaping tools to waterproof paint. You can scroll through their social media to see what other people have made with their kits and get inspired before snagging your own.
WATCH | Still Here
This documentary short from Sean Wang explores the meaning of home - something that goes beyond four walls and the things we can touch. Filmed in the village where his grandmother grew up in Taiwan, it tells the story of the six remaining residents of a mostly abandoned village and answers the question 'Why stay when everyone else has gone?" It conveys the importance of home and of the memories and traditions that we create there. "All we see are walls, but what these walls contain, all of our memories, what our parents passed down to us...when you take those things into consideration, it's something I just cant bear to give up."
BAKE | Cranberry and Flax Oatmeal Cookie
Typically we direct you to a collection of recipes, but when we were recently trying to nail down a great cookie recipe for the upcoming holidays, this was such a hit with our friends and family already that we had to share. (Plus we're big fans of other KA recipes we've tried out.) Quick and easy to make, we were getting into the baking spirit and thought maybe some of you are too. Two tricks we found that made these even better: adding chocolate chips to satisfy a sweet-tooth...and using an ice cream scoop to disperse onto a heavyweight baking sheet, resulting in a plumper, softer cookie. Ok maybe three tricks - double the recipe because they're going to get eaten quickly.