We’re happy to announce we officially have merch! Since this is our first drop, we did a small run. However, if we sell out and the demand is there, we’ll place another order. We’re planning a popup soon where you can grab one of our classic tees (in black or white) and our box-logo embroidered trucker hat. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we may wait a week or two to host it, but as soon as we pick a date we’ll post it on Instagram and let you know when you can stop by.

I am currently writing this newsletter from this week’s local recommendation. I had never been here before, but after my first visit I can confidently say this is a great spot. It’s cute, quiet, and, after a little bit of research, more historic than I expected. Walton’s Fancy & Staple originally opened in 1969 as Walton’s Florist & Nursery in West Lake. For decades, it was a small, beloved florist where locals went for bouquets, corsages, and holiday arrangements. 

In 2009, the shop was reimagined and moved to its current home on West 6th Street by Sandra Bullock, who wanted to preserve Walton’s history while giving it new life (fellow archiver??). She restored a historic downtown building and expanded Walton’s into what it is now: part café, part bakery, part deli, part florist, part general store. 

Today, Walton’s blends old and new Austin effortlessly. You can grab a breakfast sandwich on house-baked bread, pick up a floral arrangement, and browse small gifts and curiosities. It’s warm, understated, and full of character, a true reflection of Austin’s ability to reinvent without losing its soul. Also, I heard their chicken caesar wrap is legit, but I’ll let you know once I give it a try.

What started in 1965 as a small community event called Yule Fest has grown into one of Austin’s most beloved holiday traditions. Back then it was a modest gathering organized by the Parks and Recreation Department, centered around the Zilker Holiday Tree, built on one of Austin’s historic moontowers. Locals would tilt their heads back and do the classic “spin under the tree” until they got dizzy, a tradition I remember doing as a kid.

As the years went on, more lights and displays were added, and by 1992 the event officially became the Trail of Lights. Schools, neighborhoods, and local organizations contributed handmade displays, themed scenes, and creative installations, giving it a proudly homemade feel. Even as the event grew, you could still see these community-made displays, like painted plywood cartoon characters, alongside more elaborate displays.

Today the Trail of Lights is a massive production, featuring over 2 million lights, dozens of themed displays, light tunnels, and nightly performances. It draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Zilker Park each December and is professionally produced by the Trail of Lights Foundation with partners like H-E-B, yet it still carries that same sense of community energy and charm. Kids still spin under the Zilker Tree, families still point out the same classic displays they grew up seeing, and volunteers continue to help bring the magic to life.

Get your tickets here.

Thanks for reading, and we hope y’all have a great Thanksgiving!

- Andrew (and Spencer, he’s busy driving to New Orleans)