There are a few good guitar shops in Austin, but South Austin Music is a pleasantly unpretentious spot where you don't feel too weird picking up an instrument and the staff don't hover too much. The aging building and over-stuffed isles give the store a busy charm and it's easy to get lost playing their wide selection of guitars and basses. Prices aren't amazing, but there are good deals to be had.

This is a home-made oasis for those of us who believe in fairies. The painted alleyway boasts tiny hidden doorways and even provides a generous cup of glitter for true believers to disperse showers of shimmering magic among the fish and flowers.

One of the best places in Austin for some uncomplicated Tex-Mex nestled in the old growth heart of Austin's charming Hyde Park neighborhood. Great chicken soup, enchiladas, or Mexican Martinis and perfect atmosphere. Ideal for porch sitting and people watching. Cash only, but there's an ATM on premises.

There's plenty of debate in Austin about the best breakfast tacos, and you can get them almost literally anywhere, but I personally love Taco Deli's fresh, local, high-quality ingredients and unfussy style. You can make cases for more authenticity, but TD's hard to beat for convenient, consistent, delicious tacos. My pick is the Migas Royal plate (local-tip: beat the crowds by calling in your order on the way and skipping the line)

Listed here as a bar, this is actually a brewery offering up a diverse selection of highly original sour-mash beers. I've yet to have something I didn't like in their tight and bustling tasting room, which is surrounded by great East Side eateries, but standouts are the Spirit Animal (sour pale) and the Professor Black (sour cherry stout). They also have a fun, short brewery tour on the weekends that's worth checking out.