3 Hotels Showcase the Power of Secondary U.S. Cities
A trio of properties in second-tier markets make a strong case for the growing cities they inhabit
Words by: Will Speros + Caitlin St John
Austin s Hotel Magdalena nods to local lake culture with a pool in the center of the four-building complex
While major urban hubs in the U.S. like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles naturally get the lion’s share of attention, secondary cities have their own growing appeal. Take Austin, which continues to be the city of the moment. Big brands and developers have staked a claim in recent years, but the originator of Austin cool, Bunkhouse Group, endures with laidback properties that cement the Texas capital as a must-visit destination. On its heels are coastal settings like Charleston, South Carolina and Newport, Rhode Island. Each exudes an effortless charm that attracts hoteliers and designers alike. In these cities that are ripe for development, three inviting properties embrace both t
8 things to know in Austin food: Carb-loaded fries concept pops up Dec 29, 2020, 11:47 am Man Vs Fries has popped up at two Austin locations and a third is scheduled to open in the next few days.
Openings Fry fans rejoice. One of California’s hottest snack food pop-ups is now in Austin. The Oakland-based
Man vs Fries, a carb-loaded ghost kitchen operation from tech entrepreneur William Bonhorst, has since expanded into Portland, Seattle, and Houston. Now, Austinites too can enjoy such indulgent fare as savory carne asada fries, Flamin’ Hot Cheeto-stuffed burritos, and even deep-fried cheesecake and Oreos. The city’s two Man vs Fries pop-ups, which debuted earlier this month, are currently open daily for takeout and third-party delivery at 11444 Menchaca Rd. (from 4 pm until sold out) as well as downtown at 2714 E. Cesar Chavez St. (from 11 am until sold out). A third Man vs. Fries pop-up is set to open before the end of the year at 7814 S. First St., according t
photo: Nick Simonite
Hotel Magdalena. The city’s beloved Barton Springs and Lake Austin inspired the design of the central swimming pool overlooking downtown.
Nearly thirty years ago in 1991, Austin earned its reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. Today, that slogan takes center stage at the newly opened Hotel Magdalena, located on Music Lane just one block from the main drag of South Congress Avenue. “The story of the hotel is the story of Austin of live music, the outdoors, and relishing hot summers in our beloved rivers and creeks,” says Tenaya Hills, the Vice President of Design and Development at the Bunkhouse Group, which operates the venue. The 89-room property stands as the continent’s first mass timber boutique hotel a modern-cool treehouse with engineered, prefabricated wood columns and beams connected by cross-laminated timber decking. Texas’s Lake Flato Architects worked with the British Columbia-based timber construction company StructureCraft on
Not that our previous coffee reportage has gone the way of used grounds, no.
But time has passed – even during this damned pandemic, time has passed – and so we’ve got to tell you about some new things (and remind you of one thing), or else what kind of coffee aficionados would we be? Thus, we’re glad to report:
1)
JO’S HOUSE BLEND We told you, in a recent Food News Buffet, how the Bunkhouse Group – the hospitality consortium behind locally beloved Jo’s Coffee – has teamed up with international java-and-philanthropy powerhouse La Colombe to create this new house blend that’s now featured in all Bunkhouse properties, right? Well, we’ve finally had a chance to taste the brew ourselves, and we’re giving it a thumb’s up. Unless you prefer those odd, high-acid strains of coffee that are more like someone filtered port wine through Juan Valdez’s jockey shorts, this Jo’s House java is