Downtown Austin is widely known for its vibrant party scene, but the truth is that there is very little to differentiate many of the bars from each other.  Most of Sixth Street consists of pretty standard college bars that all have the same drink specials, music, and crowd types.  Many people are learning about the joys of a handful of dive bars located in between the more conformist clubs downtown.  Dives are usually dark, are often perceived as being dirty, and generally have more eclectic jukeboxes than standard bars or nightclubs.  They tend to repel frat boys and sorority girls but are often the hangouts of choice for bikers, rockers, hipsters, and people who just want to have a drink and enjoy themselves and not put up with the obnoxious crowds found at normal college town bars.  Dive bar aficionados who go downtown are in luck because Sixth Street has a handful of classic dives.

The Ritz is an Austin landmark that has been the favorite dive of the city for decades, but its days may be tragically over.  After the notorious smoking ban went into effect, many of the Ritz’s regulars, people who had been going there for years, started going less often choosing to go to bars that had large smoking patios instead.  The Ritz still brought in huge crowds on the nights it hosted shows by up and coming local bands, but those concerts were few and far between, and rumor has it, the owner had no choice but to bring in new management and give the bar a makeover.  Apparently, the new manager’s main goal was to convince the “grungy” (his word) types who love the bar to go elsewhere and attract a broader crowd  (meaning more frat boys and sorority girls, the very same people who have most likely never set foot in the Ritz).  This is all speculation at this point, all that is known for sure is that the Ritz is temporarily closed for renovation, which could be as simple as fixing the men’s room plumbing or getting new pool cues, but that’s really just wishful thinking, the Ritz will be just like nearly every other bar downtown when it reopens, and that is a tragedy. 

The Jackalope is a fairly new dive that occupies the spot where the notorious Bob Popular once stood.  What was once the trendiest, most stuck up bar in the city is now a hipster haven.  Dive bar fans all over the city would love the Jackalope just for its ironic location, but the bar far exceeds expectations. The “Helldorado” is a signature drink that tastes like spiked fruit punch served in a giant martini glass that can be shared by many people, or if you are really thirsty (and have a high tolerance for liquor) just one.  The Jackalope has a huge outdoor area that has a more punk rock vibe than the interior, which is kept dark and gothic.  The only complaint about the Jackalope is that the management almost seems to try too hard to lure Austin’s dive bar contingency, but after the Ritz apparently decided the shun its own regulars, it’s actually pretty nice to go to a bar where the management actually likes its clientele, making this a very minor complaint. 

Casino El Camino has the best burgers in Austin, without a doubt.  This is one of the very few bars that benefited from the notorious smoking ban, which prohibits people from lighting up inside bars or clubs.  Previously, when people would walk in to Casino, they would smell smoke, but now the delicious aroma of some seriously good gourmet food greets patrons.  The Pitts Burger, which comes with sauteed onions and mushrooms is my personal favorite, but anything on the menu from a chicken sandwich to cheese fries is shockingly good.  Casino also offers cheap drinks and some tasty Bloody Mary’s to wash down the food.  Casino has several TVs showing cult classics inside so people can watch movies while enjoying their food and beverages and also features an outdoor smoking area in the back.  Not everyone who goes to Casino El Camino orders food, but if you’re there, why pass up the opportunity? 

Club DeVille is located just a few blocks north of Sixth Street on Red River, but the atmosphere is otherworldly.  Club DeVille manages to be a dive through and through while also retaining an air of mystery and class.  Perhaps it’s the slightly older crowd or the luxurious outdoor lounging area that gives Club DeVille its unique appeal.  The actual building itself is relatively small and most patrons opt to sit outside, either near the bar on the south side of the patio or at the foot of the beautiful limestone cliffs that seem to appear out of nowhere on the north side.  Don’t let the pretty appearances fool you, the waitresses all have piercings and tattoos, the musical selections usually include vintage Birthday Party and Cure tunes, and the clientele look like they could be extras from a trendy post-punk music video.  There is a stage at the foot of the northernmost cliff that is occasionally utilized for concerts or fashion shows.  Club Deville is probably the best bar for someone who is looking to ease into the dive bar scene. 

The Sidebar is the newest downtown dive bar and it has quickly established itself as a hipster hangout.   Sidebar probably has the most relaxed vibe of any bar or club downtown, with its friendly staff serving cheap drinks with a smile to regulars and casual visitors alike.  There are a few pool tables and dartboards as well as a jukebox that is diverse enough to please everyone.   The Sidebar gets packed on the weekends, especially near closing time, but there is enough room inside and on the patio out back to accommodate the crowd comfortably.       

Downtown Austin’s dive bars are a vital part of the city’s nightlife and seem to be gaining in popularity.  Each of these bars has its own individual atmosphere that must be experienced to be fully understood, and each bar provides a welcome respite from the usual trendy obnoxiousness of the college bar scene. 

There it was, in my blind spot.  Glittery towers speckled with yellow lights, the smooth neon green and blue piping along jagged rooflines and the Frost Tower stretching upwards into the night sky, a gunmetal dagger with a glowing sheen.

            I was cruising down southbound Mopac at an even 65 MPH, well aware of my speed after a recent ticket I received on a homebound commute while traveling east on Southwest Parkway.  The clock on my Dodge pickup’s clock radio read 10:14 PM as I turned my head over my left shoulder in routine habit as I changed lanes on the bridge crossing Town Lake.

            My head turns to the left across that bridge on a weekly basis, sometimes more often.  I am always aware of the city skyline, like someone peering over my shoulder that I only peripherally knew.  Tonight was different.  I saw the skyline to my left, but no cars.  My lane change was easy and smooth and yet I craned my head around again.  I did a double take.

            Austin has been my home since my birth twenty one years ago.  I grew up atop a hill that now hovers over Barton Springs Road, and I like to say I was “78704 before 78704 was cool.”  My parents, hippies transplanted in Austin when they ended up at UT in the early 70’s, gave birth to my sister and me, two Austin natives.  Today at my job or in my social circles, it is rare I meet someone who was born in and continues to reside in Austin.  Even my sister strayed away to the East Coast for college and now medical school.

            I have only really technically moved away from Austin once when I was just out of high school and pursuing a job in the equine industry.  I was offered employment in a small town just south east of Denton, Texas, which is in between Fort Worth and Dallas.  The job was everything I had hoped for, but I was miserable.  The two months I spent in Denton were my first two months officially on my own, living without my parents.  The yearning I had to be back in Austin was more than just a desire to be home.  My homesickness wasn’t simply to be with my family’ I missed Austin.  I first became aware of this when I was driving down I-35 at 4:30 in the afternoon on one of my many visits home on the weekend.  I went from about 85 miles an hour to a crawling 20, hitting the upper-lower deck split at a horrible time.  I had been watching the scenery change my entire way from Dallas; the vast, brown plains rolled into green, curving landscapes.  The Austin skyline appeared to my right, and I felt like I could sit in the tedium of rush hour traffic all afternoon.  Stop.  Go.  Stop.  Go.  As long as I could bask under the thrill of just being home, in Austin, I could sit there all day.

            That drive home made me realize that for all those years, I had taken the convenience of Austin for granted.  The random trivial knowledge that comes with being a native is something that I missed.  I liked knowing the answer to “What the hell is the difference between Mopac and Loop 1?”  I knew that secretly I always thought of the Congress Avenue bats as a lame spectacle and that there were many natives who felt the same way.  Being able to convince someone to jump into Barton Springs on an August afternoon and then say afterwards “Oh, by the way, it’s a constant 68 degrees year-round!” was the ultimate coup.  I felt that there was no reason to ever leave again.

            So I moved back.  I was fortunate enough to get a similar job in Austin, doing what I love to do, riding horses and teaching english riding lessons.  I found an apartment just south of downtown, found a non-native roommate who got here as fast as she could and, that night, in my blind sopt, I found Austin again.

            I forget sometimes not to take this city for granted.  There is too much in it to love, to embrace, and it’s not just the Keep Austin Weird campaign and Amy’s Ice Cream.  There are the simple parts of the city that many people overlook.  Once, I sat for about an hour outside of Barton Springs pool watching an informal muscial performance that included chants and bongo drums.  A crowd gathered around the performers, watching some interpretive dancing that was going on.  A few people twirled giant hula-hoops around their hips, arms and necks.  Old men sat next to young, curly haired children who sat cross-legged next to women of all shapes and sizes in bikinis and sarongs.  The appeal of the chants was too strong for anyone passing by on the outside of the chain link fence not to stop and watch the spectacle.

            This evening I had to stop and pick up some essentials at the new Whole Foods on 6^th Street and Lamar.  I spent over thirty dollars on two pints of Ben and Jerry’s, half a dozen organic eggs, a pound of Hill Country Peaches, and a bag of locally made tortilla chips.   My loot barely filled the one paper sack that it was loaded into, and I was well aware that to continue to shop at Whole Foods would mean certain death, financially speaking.  Only here in Austin can someone like myself find indulgence in shopping at a grocery store.

            There I was, thirty dollars down for the night as I sped along Mopac, thinking about which type of ice cream I would break into first.  And the quick flip of my head over my left shoulder told me everything I had forgotten.  There is a city there, an eclectic, shining metropolis where weird is embraced and beauty is peeking out behind every steaming street corner.  Turn around.  Austin is there, in everyone’s blind spot.  What do you see?

Brunch at Opal Divine’s Freehouse
Enjoy a tranquil afternoon amidst the bustle of downtown. Opal Divine’s Freehouse (700 W. Sixth St.) offers a full brunch fare and the best Bloody Marys in town. With shady decks and plenty of tables, the restaurant provides a nice sideline view of the city at play. And The New York Times is available right across the street, in case you have several hours. Opal Divine’s Freehouse opens at 11 a.m.

A round of disc golf at Pease Park
Austin is the epicenter of that slacker sport known as disc golf, which features the rules of golf, a hard-edged Frisbee and a chain-linked basket. Pease Park, located at Lamar Boulevard and 24th Street, offers 21 holes on the oldest course in Austin. It has plenty of trees, a meandering creek and pretty views of downtown. It also hosts Moody’s Pro Shop, which offers neophytes discs and a rundown of this popular Austin past time.

Dive into Barton Springs
The spring-fed pool in Zilker Park offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city. Located at 2101 Barton Springs Road, the pool resides in the heart of Austin in more ways than one. Locals see it as symbolic of the city’s environmentally conscious tradition. Take a jaunt through the nearby Green Belt in order to work up a sweat; the 68-degree springs will offer chilly relief.

Chicken S**t Sundays at Little Longhorn Saloon
Experience the most unique bingo game ever while listening to some hardcore honky-tonk and sipping on Lone Star beer at Little Longhorn Saloon, commonly known as “Ginny’s” in honor of the owner and proprietor. The bingo game consists of a chicken strolling across a large bingo card inside a meshed fence. You can imagine what determines a winner. Arrive early at Ginny’s (5434 Burnet Road), because musician Dale Watson draws a crowd.

Hike up Mount Bonnell
The highest point in Austin offers a panoramic view of the city, the Colorado River and surrounding Hill Country. The overlook, located at 3800 Mount Bonnell Drive, can be reached after a short hike up the hillside. Mount Bonnell also offers a rich history of the area; ask locals at the nearby Dry Creek Cafe north on Mount Bonnell Road about some of the Indian legends.

The Best Shopping Spots for Austin Tots 

If you’re looking for style and substance for your little Austinite, check out these essential clothing and toy stores.

Terra Toys/Dragonsnaps: All you could ever want under one roof–unique clothing, local designers, books, stuffed animals, and toys from around the world. Plus, they are a sponsor of Sesame Street on PBS.

Bright Beginnings: Upscale children’s clothes at its finest. From hip, every-day wear to dress-up, you are guaranteed to find it here. Staff is extremely friendly. Don’t forget your charge card!

The Pumpkin Patch: If the clothing at Dragonsnaps and Bright Beginnings is a little out of your budget, this second-hand shop is the way to go. Four locations, hundreds of great deals on quality, used children’s clothing and gear.

Toy Joy: A toy store for the kid in all of us. Weird and wacky toys, with a whole lot of candy.

Kaleidoscope: If you’re north of North Austin, near Dell, stop in at Kaleidoscope. They have an excellent inventory of educational and interactive toys. Afterwards, you can visit Half Price Books, which is located in the same plaza, to complete your intellectual shopping experience. 

By day driving by the Austin Red River District it looks like a total dump but by night it becomes the is most elusive Indie rock and roll scene.  As a part of the hipster sub culture crowd who adores and worships the Indie rock and roll scene and total local groupie, I have slowly discovered that the best places to hear the most adventurously talented and progressive rock and roll, punk, and modern folk bands is down at the dirty Austin Red River district.

Those venues that line this street have been around way before anything was cool, hosting and providing an audience outlet to the newest up and coming bands, singers; song writers and amazing talent way before they get discovered and signed on by any labels.  This is the grass root underground music that is blazing the path for a new music revolution that has slowly trickled and tickled into the despicable mainstream play lists of music. 

All you little office space cubicle dwellers and wannabes need to get together,  pull on the most ragged band t-shirts you own, slip on that old pair of Converse high tops and trek all your butts down to the Red River District to root for these musicians and support them before they get pulled away in to polular media.. Remember to spend your white collar web surfing dollars to grab a Pabst Blue Ribbon and support the bands by buying their merchandise.  You can live vicariously cool at the show and get in early on all these soon to be popular ultra chic sub culture bandwagon.   These influential poor starving musicians underdogs can be found at places like Emo’s on any given night, Redrum, Headhunters, Red Eye Fly, Club Deville, Room 710, and Beerland.

Sunday afternoons are perfect for day trips in and around the Austin area.  I’ve learned over the years that in order to satisfy my sense of adventure, I needed to satisfy something important in my husband’s life too, his constant craving for something smoked or grilled to perfection.  I’ve also learned that if there’s barbeque or a burger fix on the agenda, he’s more likely to get in the car and go. 

Here are some of our favorite Sunday afternoon adventures:   

1)Get in the car and head south to Driftwood, Texas.  Just past the “Y” in Oak Hill, take a left on FM 1826 and head east.  Along this winding Texas Hill Country Trail, the road is usually dotted with wildflowers through the spring and into the summer.  Thirteen miles down you can stop off at Camp Ben McCulloch and brush up on your Texas history then head across the road to the Salt Lick for a fine meal.  Go family style and don’t forget the cobbler.  Remember, it’s BYOB if you’re so inclined.

2)If you’ve got a top down kind of guy, lower the roof on the convertible and take a drive going west on 2222 and out City Park Road.  Follow the signs down to Ski Shores.  You can settle down with a Border Burger, crispy fries and a cold one while catching the leisure activity along Lake Austin.  The fresh air and beautiful scenery will remind you why you live in this town.  

3)Or, be a bit more adventurous and head north on I-35 then west on Highway 29 out of  Georgetown and into the Texas Hill Country.  The wildflowers begin blooming in March along this friendly two lane highway.  You can stop and take a picture in the flowers or watch the bald eagles that nest along the way.  Then cruise into Llano and grab some grub at Cooper’s Old-Time Pit BB-Q.  Just keep in mind there might be a line around the building so get there as early as you can.  Author note’s their smoked pork chop is huge and exceptionally tender.

4)Got a little game in you?  Head east to Manor Downs.  Spring is not just for wildflowers.  Spring means the annual Run for the Roses is right around the corner.  Almost every weekend in March and April is filled with races that will determine the field on that first Saturday in May.  Nothing is more exciting than watching your horse cross the finish line and collecting some extra cash.  You can even stop in for some barbeque and sweet tea at Bill Miller’s on the way back into town.

5)Not wanting to put any miles on the car?  You can still satisfy your sense of adventure along with your appetite.  Take a romantic walk through the roses at Zilker’s Botanical Gardens, or rent a canoe on Town Lake.  Then stop in at the Green Mesquite on Barton Springs and feel like you never missed out on a darned thing.

The point is, make the most of your Sunday afternoon.  And while adventure and good food go hand-in-hand, it never tasted better than in the spring time in and around Austin.

 Ah, the first date. Don’t panic, you can strike the perfect balance - a first date that is planned and thoughtful, but not awkward or over the top. Chose any one of the following first date options in the perfect setting - Austin!   

 For Dog Lovers.  You both have a dog? Perfect. This is one date you’ll welcome a tag-a-long. Ask your date and special companion to meet you at an Austin park that caters to dogs.  No worries about keeping the conversation lively - everyone loves to talk about their pet!  Check out which parks are designated dog parks or have no-leash zones at www.dogplaces.com

 Civic-minded?  Enjoy an afternoon with someone you want to get to know by inviting him or her to support a good cause. What a great way to check out some core values in a person and contribute to the greater good! Tip: Chose something you are interested in or better yet, passionate about, unless it is “too much information” for a first date! Austin offers so many ways to volunteer, you may have a hard time choosing just one! www.volunteermatch.org

 Do you have a sense of humor? Before things linger on and you find out you aren’t compatible in the humor category - take in a comedy. This is a great venue for a first date and an easy way to discover the nuances of one’s humor.  If this quality is a “must have” on your list, invite your date for an evening of drinks, appetizers, and laughs. Tip: This is also a good way to find out what your date may find offensive - pay attention!   Visit on or all of these comedy venues.  www.comedyaustin.com www.esthersfollies.com   www.hideout.com

 Digest the view. Begin the afternoon with a wonderful lunch at Chez Zee. After lunch, take the short drive over to Mount Bonnel. Enjoy a 30-minute stroll and the breath taking views. Afternoon is a perfect time of day for a first date. Restaurant prices are more affordable than dinner and an afternoon denotes bright and open, just like your new beginning. If things go well - keep this one in mind for the future.  Mount Bonnel, at sunset, screams I really care about you! Tip: Keep your Mount Bonnel a secret, but ask your date to bring along a pair of practical shoes. A little mystery will keep the intrigue alive until the big day. For directions and menu preview, visit  www.chez-zee.com. For directions to Mount Bonnel, www.austincitysearch.com

 The best dinner and movie venue.  What is creative about asking someone out to dinner and a movie? The Alamo Draft house.  If you want a new spin on an old cliche - invite your date to one of three Alamo draft house locations. Where else can you order dinner from an extensive menu, drink an alcholoic beverage, and watch a movie at the same time? You won’t miss the popcorn, trust me.  Tip: If you chose a weekend for your first date at Alamo draft house, buy your tickets early or online and plan to arrive an hour before show time.  www.drafthouse.com

 Worth the wait. It only happens once a month, so mark your calendar. Every first Thursday, South Congress (SOCO) merchants extend their hours, live music is playing, and people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy this unique south Austin event. The perfect venue for a first date.  First Thursday has something for everyone. Tip: Parking can be challenging and SOCO promotes maintaining neighborhood relations. Check out transportation suggestions and alternatives and other SOCO First Thursday info at www.firstthursday.info

 Still Undecided? Keep visiting Frog Hog for the latest updates on Austin happenings! 

• Starts at the LBJ Library and Museum on the University of Texas campus,(free parking is available)
• Winds through the UT campus,
• Proceeds past the Texas State Capitol,
• Travels through downtown Austin,
• Crosses the Congress Avenue bridge over Town Lake and into South Austin,
• Goes west on Barton Springs Road to Mopac Expressway (Loop 1), and
• Loops back to return north on Congress, through downtown and back to the University campus.

My best friend just moved to Los Angeles.  She got a job offer at a new upcoming restaurant and followed the pull of California all the way down I-10 west.  The other night, I was making idle conversation with her, asking her about her new life in Pasadena.  She interrupted herself in the middle of a conversation about the horrible hours she had been working and said, suddenly, “Hey isn’t Deep Eddy a pool in Austin?”

I smiled.  An Austin native, born and raised, the words Deep Eddy still invoke a sticky feeling of SPF 30 and cool, damp concrete under my bare feet.  “Yes,” I responded to my friend, “it is a beautiful spring-fed pool off of Lake Austin Boulevard.”

“That’s what I thought,” she replied back.  “I saw this great jazz band the other night called Deep Eddy and I told my friend I was with that I thought it was a pool in Austin, but I never went when I lived there.”

My mind had already trailed off into summer days past and the sound of wind rushing through the cottonwood trees lining Deep Eddy’s fence line.  I had stopped going to Deep Eddy when I turned twelve, when teenage insecurities and budding puberty made me self-conscious to be seen in a swim suit, spending time with my mom.  But I could remember the easy slope of the pool’s base as I paddled out toward the deep end, the sound of the now-removed diving board snapping back on its springs, and the always-present snow-cone vendor and the taste of cherry ice on my eight year-old tongue.  My mom would take us swimming after we had finished a day buried in the Austin Public Library (officially known as the John Henry Faulk Central Library) on Guadalupe.  The cool concrete walls held in volumes of books and free air conditioning that spilled out through the main doors as my sister and I danced through the security gates and then quickly turned on our quiet voices and devoured the children’s shelves.  We searched for Babysitter’s Club chapter books and watched puppet shows out of the corner of our eyes when we started to grow out of the stage.  The library always offered an oasis of cool relief and fascinating nooks and crevasses.  When I went back later in my teens, I was amazed to see how small the once grand library seemed compared to my memories.  The overbearing staircase leading up to the second floor and the “big kids” books was now just a few carpeted steps into the nonfiction area.  After Deep Eddy as a special treat sometimes my mom would let us go across the street to Amy’s Ice Cream, where my sister and I would try every exotic flavor before selecting the one standard favorite we never could pass up white chocolate with Oreos.

            When I got to high school and obtained a driver’s license, I found my Austin hotspots shifting toward a more liberal, relaxed atmosphere.  Barton Springs Pool became the hangout, where one could see and be seen perched on a towel in a tiny blue bikini up high on the south hill.  For lunch, my friend’s and I would wander into a Thundercloud Subs and pick up a Chronicle and a turkey sub and dissect boys and life as a teenager over Diet Pepsi.  Study groups would meet up alongside Lake Austin at Mozart’s, the trendy, late-night coffee bar with delicious espresso brownies and a sunset view looking out across the dam.

            Now that I’m in my twenties, my focus has shifted toward Austin nightlife and live music.  Naturally, weekends and paychecks are spent down on 4^th, 5^th and 6^th streets.  Sometimes my girlfriends and I strut into Cuba Libre for perfectly mixed mojitos, spiced with mint and bearing a stick of cane sugar that is fun to chew on as we scope out the trendy scene.  One 4^th Street, we might wander up to Cedar Street to hear the great cover band Spazmatics play old favorites that are easy to sing along to when you’re tipsy and your feet hurt from walking.  And of course, 6^th Street always offers drinking and people-watching and my personal favorite bar, the Blind Pig, where cover artists Joe Vega and Patrick Flemming will sometimes even let my friends and I take over the microphone and belt out “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn,” turning the night into impromptu karaoke.  Recently we made the drive out to Coupland Inn & Dance Hall, in Coupland, Texas which is just outside of Elgin.  My girlfriend from Ohio was excited to see her first mechanical bull, and we each took our turn after we had a few shots of yager, purchased for us by middle-aged men in Wrangler’s and pearl-snap shirts.  The true cowboys of Texas were kind enough to teach us how to two-step, not minding when our stilettos gouged into their leather boots on Coupland’s large, salted dance floor.  During the perennially warm afternoons Austin offers, the hike and bike trail around Town Lake is the perfect place to walk and jog and watch my golden retriever wallow in the cool Colorado River.

            I know as I age, my experiences of Austin will as well.  My parents, who have lived in Austin since the mid sixties, like to relive their University of Texas days by seeing the small musical performances of their favorite artists at the Cactus Cafe venue down on the Drag.  They spend their big night out at Las Palapas, a small Mexican restaurant nestled off of Bee Cave Road in Westlake, where my mom can get appetizer-size taquitos with a side of mole. 

            They cut the cottonwoods down at Deep Eddy a few years back due to public health hazards.  I lost my library card somewhere between apartment moves.  I have to scrounge up more than a few quarters to go to Barton Springs.  But the memories and the time well spent in Austin are something that, like the taste of cherry snow cones, will never leave me.

Bouldin Creek

South First and Elizabeth

Bouldin Creek offers a full vegetarian menu as well as a bottomless cup of coffee.  They have ample seating and several patio areas.  Stop in for a beer or a quick snack, stay for the friendly staff and awesome ambiance.  Expect to see South Austin at it’s finest. Leslie is a regular here.

Quack’s

43rd and Duval

This local bakery is a hub for hyde park residents and regulars.  Try a muffin or scone, enojy the laidback attitude and local art on the walls.  A great place to bring the dog, or to wait while your laundry dries.

Spiderhouse

29th and Fruth

This coffeehouse turned bar is wonderfully decorated and has the best patio in the city.  Although they have expanded their alcoholic drink menu, Spiderhouse maintains a menu of vegetarian treats and meals.  Be on the lookout for college kids and college-age kids here.

Little City(downtown)

8th and Congress

Little City is a great spot to sit and watch downtown bustle about.  Excellent coffee and sandwiches. This is THE spot to see cute girls/guys on bikes.