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Austin’s Indoor Fun

As the summer temperatures rise, it’s smart to have a back-up plan for those kids and guests who are tired of playing outside in the Austin heat. Of course, many of us would rather be outdoors hiking, biking, boating and swimming; but, once in a while a change of pace is needed.

Therefore, if you are looking for some fun and exciting activities to do while basking in the air condition instead of the sunshine, we have come up with our top indoor fun spots in Austin!! Many of these pastimes are geared toward kids, but they each can be enjoyed by all ages!

We had to pick and choose carefully because there were so many choices in Austin. These adventures range in price and there is something for everyone! ENJOY!

BLAZER TAG is located at 1701 W Ben White Blvd. and is basically an extreme, high-tech hide-and-go-seek game for all ages over seven. The Blazer Tag arena is the largest indoor laser tag venue in the state of Texas with three stories of ramps and towers for great fun. Adrenaline seekers can also pay extra for the Austin SkyTrail that offers a state-of-the-art ropes course. For those with younger kids or who don’t want to play laser tag, Blazer Tag has an arcade with over 50 games to play. Summer hours are Sunday – Thursday 11a.m. to 11p.m., Fridays 11a.m. to midnight and Saturdays 10a.m. to midnight. Laser tag is $8.50 plus tax per person and the Austin SkyTrail is an extra $8.50 plus tax. Laser tag games last for 20 minutes each.

JUMPSTREET is right across the street from Lakeline Mall at 12617 Ridgeline Blvd. This indoor trampoline park offers a thrilling experience for toddlers to adults. With over 20,000 square feet of trampoline activities, JumpStreet has an area for little ones, the main area of trampolines, wavy trampolines, trampoline dodgeball, an arcade and a mechanical bull. Prices range from $4 – $12 per hour depending on age and day. Check their website for the most up to date information at www.gotjump.com. Hours are 10a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays – Thursdays and 10a.m. to 11p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

iFly Austin is an indoor sky-diving experience and is located at 13265 N Hwy 183. These vertical wind tunnels generates 1600 horse power from 4 powerful fans and allows people from age 3 and up to have a true flying encounter without having to jump out of an airplane. There are no parachutes…just air. The entire experience with training, etc. lasts approximately one hour and costs about $60 per person for two flights. Hours are Sunday – Thursday 11a.m. until 11p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays 9a.m. until 11.p.m.

AUSTIN AQUARIUM is open 365 days a year and is located at 13530 N Highway 183. The Aquarium is new to Austin and includes exhibits with birds, reptiles, fish and more. There are several interactive experiences including feeding the birds in a birdcage and also touching the stingrays as they swim by. It is not a large venue, but has enough sites to keep youngsters and adults entertained for a few hours. The cost varies by age and is approximately $10-$15 for admission. Hours are Sunday – Thursday 10a.m. until 7p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays 10a.m. until 8p.m.

THINKERY is the newly located Austin Children’s Museum at 1830 Simond Ave. by the Dell’s Children Hospital. It is truly one of the coolest attractions in Austin. There is something for all ages and everything is hands on. The exhibits include fun with water, light, flying, farming, cooking, creating, playing and history. The entire experience blends learning with fun in the best way! Admission is $9 per person and children under 2 years old are free. Hours include Mondays from 12p.m. to 5p.m. during the summer, Tuesdays – Fridays 10a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays – Sundays 10a.m. to 6p.m.

MAIN EVENT has been at 13301 N. US Hwy 183 for several years and is still a place the kids beg to go. Between bowling, rock climbing, golf, the arcade, bar and restaurant – everyone can find something fun to do. The arcade is state-of-the-art and includes several interactive games including many rollercoaster simulators. Prices vary depending on the activities that are chosen. The whole day can be spent doing a multitude of activities without ever leaving the venue! Main Event is open Tuesday-Thursday and Sundays 9a.m. until 12p.m. All other days are 9a.m. until 2a.m.

Hopefully, these ideas will help you enjoy your summer just a little more!

If you or someone you know is interested in buying or selling real estate, please contact Mary Lynne Gibbs at 512.431.2403 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com. It would be an honor to earn your business.

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Movies in Lakeway

Summer is here and with the start of the new season means that Friday nights are MOVIE NIGHT!!! Well, at least here in Lakeway, Texas!

We are fortunate to have two institutions that have organized movies on alternating Fridays so that residents and visitors have a Friday night movie until the weekend of August 8 at little or no cost.

The City of Lakeway presents Movies in the Park for free starting at dusk on Friday nights (dates are below) at Lakeway City Park, 502 Hurst Creek Road. Popcorn and other treats are available for purchase.

Please note that dogs are not allowed, nor are blinking/glowing items during the film. However, movie goers are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the movies comfortably.

  • Friday, June 20, 2014 – The Lorax – Universal Pictures – Rated PG
  • Friday, July 11, 2014 – Super Buddies – Walt Disney Pictures – Rated G
  • Friday, July 25, 2014 – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs – Columbia TriStar – Rated G
  • Friday, August 8, 2014 – The Nut Job – Rated PG

Another opportunity for Friday night movies is Dive-In Movies that is presented by the Lakeway Swim Center, 3103 Lakeway Blvd., near the World of Tennis. The movie fee is $3.00 per person and movies start at 8:30. Swimming is allowed while the movie is being shown.

  • Friday, June 13, 2014 – Despicable Me 2 – Universal Pictures – Rated PG
  • Friday, June 27, 2014 – Frozen – Walt Disney Pictures – Rated PG
  • Friday, July 18, 2014 – Teen Beach Movie – Walt Disney Pictures – Rated G
  • Friday, August 1, 2014 – The Lego Movie – Warner Bros. – Rated PG

We hope you enjoy the local Friday evening entertainment throughout the summer!

If you or someone you know is interested in real estate, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Lynne Gibbs at 512.431.2403 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com. It would be an honor to earn your business.

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111 Bisset Court in The Bluffs at Rough Hollow

Bisset Photo.frontThe Bluffs at Rough Hollow are a sight to behold. The custom designs that blend into the Texas Hill Country give the neighborhood a relaxing, resort-like feel with all the comforts of home.

111 Bisset Court is a 3437 square foot, one-story, four bedroom and three bathroom Wes Peoples Home. The floor plan was designed by award-winning Kipp Flores Architects.

The homes in The Bluffs at Rough Hollow are situated on an 1800 acre community with oversized lots, stone exteriors, tile roofs and glass & wrought iron front doors.

The garages are positioned so that either one or none of the garage doors can be seen from the street. This is true for 111 Bisset Court where the two-car garage has a side entry and the one-car garage is a front entry with a gorgeous wood door.

The owner of this home can unwind outside on the covered front porch watching the neighbors drive by or in the over-sized U-shaped covered patio in the backyard that features a fireplace and an enormous glass pocket door that opens from the living area to truly bring the outdoors in.

111 Bisset Court’s gourmet kitchen has an eat-in breakfast area along with a massive island that includes a sink, breakfast bar and a wine refrigerator. It is every cook’s dream kitchen with Wolf and Bosch appliances, a 48-inch built-in refrigerator, 48-inch cooktop with hood, a double oven and counter space galore.

Entertaining dinner guests is made easy with a formal dining room at the front of the home that leads to the kitchen via a butler’s pantry. Serve the best wines available from the large wine cellar that can be viewed behind glass doors.

Bisset Photo.courtyardThe open floor plan is perfect for parties and family gatherings because the sizeable living area is open to the kitchen and the backyard when the glass pocket door is open. This amazing retractable door is a multi-slide pocket door from Western Windows Systems, renowned for its quality and ease of operation, and truly brings the outdoors in! Additionally, the living room has a grand fireplace with cabinetry on either side to house all of your media equipment.

The owner’s retreat is fitted with a refrigerator and sink, along with access to the backyard patio for privacy and solitude to wind down after a long day. The attached master bathroom is the epitome of decadence with a walk-in shower, large Jacuzzi tub and his/her vanities. Additionally, the two walk-in closets allow for a considerable wardrobe and accessories.

The three other bedrooms are each substantial in size and have walk-in closets for family and guests to have ample storage space. One of the bedrooms is located at the front of the house off of the foyer with French doors and can be used as a study if that is what suits your needs.

Moreover, the utility room, a much-needed amenity, is suited with generous counter space for folding clothes, a utility sink and a freezer.

Other home amenities include:

  • KitchenAid & Wolf appliances
  • Rinnai tankless water heaters
  • Blown-in cellulose wall and attic insulation (100% post-consumer material)
  • Energy efficient Low E3 vinyl windows with bronze exterior frames to match façade and clay interior frames to accent interior finishes
  • Upgraded granite & Silestone countertops throughout
  • Upgraded all-wood custom cabinetry
  • Hand-trowel drywall finish on all interior walls (excluding garages) and orange peel finish on all interior ceilings (excluding garages)
  • 3Ž4” (nominal) 3-coat stucco system with sand-finish texture
  • 50 year tile roof systems (barrel & flat tile)

Bisset Photo.garageThe Bluffs at Rough Hollow offers residents many features to go along with their new line of luxury homes and fabulous views of the Texas Hill Country.

The neighborhood offers a golf course, Yacht Club & Marina, an outdoor amphitheater, a restaurant, a water center with lazy river, an adult pool with swim-up bar, a fitness center with two gyms and much, much more!

If you are interested in 111 Bisset Court or are looking to buy or sell real estate in the Austin area, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Lynne Gibbs at 512.431.2403 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com. It would be an honor to earn your business.

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Water Conservation

Even with the wet Memorial Day weekend we have had (some reports say Lake Travis is up a foot), Central Texas continues to experience dangerous drought conditions for the seventh year in a row.

According to the LCRA; Lakes Travis and Buchanan, which provide drinking water to more than a million people, and water to industries, businesses and the environment throughout the lower Colorado River basin, are currently only at 36 percent of capacity.

Clearly, water conservation is at a critical stage.

Therefore, the city of Lakeway has issued a moratorium on new swimming pool permits effective immediately.

A KVUE.com article quoted Devin Monk, Lakeway’s communication coordinator as saying that the city will review incoming permits on a case by case basis, but that the city is asking everyone to hold off on putting in a pool and consider the impact pools have on the water supply.

The article continued on to say that even though Lakeway doesn’t require permits for above ground pools, permission is necessary to fill them.

Pool permits will not be issued until the water supply returns to normal. Violators of this order could incur fines of up to $2,000 per day per infraction.

In addition to the pool permit moratorium, the West Travis County Public Utility Agency Board of Directors, meeting in Bee Cave on May 15, unanimously passed a 20 percent drought surcharge for both wholesale and retail customers across all rate classes effective July 2014.

In the BeeCaveBee, WTCPUA rate consultant Nelisa Heddin was quoted, “Residents have control over the net impact to them [of the surcharge] because they have control over their consumption.”

The report also stated that the surcharge affects only the volumetric rate—the portion of a residential bill that is based on consumption—and not the minimum rate.

Additionally, the Central Texas Water Coalition which was developed by the LCRA in May of 2010 to advocate and preserve the Highland Lakes role as an irreplaceable water source has expressed that the Lower Colorado River basin lacks the historical average of inflows and does not have adequate reserves to support the area during this continued drought.

Education and conservation are key to protecting our water resources.

According to the CTWC, water levels also have grave economic and fiscal impact. When Lake Travis water levels are below 660 feet, visitations decline and businesses diminish. Local government is affected as well with decreasing revenues from sales tax, hotel tax and alcohol sales.

With all of these added worries and restrictions, we thought it would be useful to provide the water conservation checklist found on the www.austintexas.gov that will help us preserve the water we do have and keep waste to a bare minimum.

INDOORS

  • Check your toilet for leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If it appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak that needs repair.
  • Replace older toilets with WaterSense® labeled high-efficiency models that use only 1.28 gallons per flush or consider installing a dual flush model that can use even less.
  • Take shorter showers—try for less than 5 minutes. If you take a bath, fill the tub half full.
  • Install water-saving aerators on your bathroom faucets and water-saving showerheads that use 2.5 gallons per minute or less.
  • Turn off the water while shaving, brushing your teeth, lathering in the shower, and shampooing or conditioning your hair.
  • Fix leaky or dripping faucets promptly. Plumbing leaks account for approximately 14 percent of water consumed in the home.
  • Run your dishwasher and clothes washer with only full loads. Scrape food from plates instead of rinsing them before washing.
  • Chill drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet to cool water.
  • Replace your clothes washer with a qualifying water-saving model.

OUTDOORS

  • Choose drought-tolerant plants when landscaping, and group plants with similar water needs together (hydrozoning). Add compost or mulch around trees and plants.
  • Thoroughly check your irrigation system each spring when you first turn it on and repair any leaks as soon as possible. Schedule a free irrigation system evaluation if needed.
  • Clean your driveway or sidewalk with a broom, not a hose.
  • Water your lawn only on your assigned day and adjust sprinklers so that only your lawn is being watered.
  • Install a rain barrel or rainwater harvesting system to capture rainwater from your roof for use on your landscape.

If you or someone you know is interested in real estate, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Lynne Gibbs at 512.431.2403 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com. It would be an honor to earn your business.

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X Games in Austin

Since 1995 the X Games has been bringing together the greatest athletes in extreme sports. This year Austin, Texas was chosen to host the ever-growing competition and put its own unique flare and enhanced experience to the event at the Circuit of the Americas.

The X Games, which will take place June 5-8, consists of skateboarding, BMX, Moto X and 4 Wheels and will this year include nine festival areas to complement the sports’ activities.

  • Galleria – Features the main retail area and comprises of a zip line, the X Games museum, barber shop, vendor shops, social media wall, food court and more.
  • Gaming Shack – Introduces a new element of the X Games by adding the debut of the Major League Gaming (MLG) X Games Invitational tournament. The pro-gaming competition will take place in the MLG tent, where the world’s best Call of Duty: Ghosts teams will compete for X Games medals. Other activities in the Gaming Shack include a laser tag obstacle course and a retro arcade.
  • ESPN Clubhouse – Invites X Games fans to participate in more traditional sports including volleyball, dodgeball and basketball. This area also houses a Sports Bar where attendees can watch their favorite teams on one of the many big screen TVs, a mechanical bull and several classic games.
  • The Playground – Provides a play area for kids and youth that offers swings, bungee jumping, King of the Hill and a hip-hop horsey race track. Older fans will not be disappointed as they can compete in the Last Man Standing, hydro tag, an obstacle course and giant gyroscopes and experience a bit of the X Games adrenaline.
  • Sound Factory – Showcases live music throughout the event and interactive music activities including Silent Disco, Karaoke, Disney Fantasia and Guitar Hero competitions. For the list of events and entertainers go to http://xgamesaustin.com/schedule/.
  • Next X Parks – Gives X Games enthusiasts the opportunity to learn new tricks from the pros on courses including a park, street and mini ramp. People also can have the option to ride around the last turn of the racetrack on a skateboard or bike.
  • Texas Ranch – Presents the best of Austin’s eclectic culture and introduces visitors to our amazing food, entertainment and live music.
  • The Garage – Delivers X Games’ fans a racing experience and features Go-Kart Racing, Racing Bugs, racing simulators and more.
  • Green Planet – Imparts the importance of being environmentally conscious and teaches ways to recycle and compost. This interactive area also includes artwork, interactive booths and an X Quest Scavenger hunt to win prizes.

Astonishingly, these nine festival areas above do not include the action-packed competition of the X Games themselves!! Events will take place for the entire four days and tickets can be purchased at http://xgamesaustin.com/tickets/. Tickets prices vary.

In addition, for the safety of all – participants’ bags, backpacks, purses and persons are subject to search. To find out what is not allowed at the Circuits of Americas please go to http://xgamesaustin.com/visit/#bring.

Attendees are encouraged to bring the following items for a pleasurable experience.

  1. Sunscreen
  2. Earplugs
  3. Sunglasses
  4. Comfortable shoes
  5. Cameras
  6. Binoculars
  7. Strollers for children

This inaugural Austin X Games is expected to be fun, exciting and an experience you won’t want to miss! It is just one more reason why Austin is such a great place to live!

If you or someone you know is interested in real estate, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Lynne Gibbs at 512.431.2403 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com. It would be an honor to earn your business.