Views of the Neighborhood – Dedication of Lakeway’s Rainbow Bridge

October 5, 2025October 4, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 66 Comments

Today, we are visiting the Lakeway Greenbelt to witness the dedication of Lakeway’s official Rainbow Bridge. I was on break when this event took place, so I would like to thank The Producer for taking the photos and providing the background information. We are catered by Ezov of Austin, and our entertainment is Judy Garland.

Pan-fried Halloumi- Texas figs, spiced saffron honey, arugula

Traditional Latke – spiced apple compote, embered labne

Jerusalem Bagel – za’atar cream cheese, smoked snapper

Khachapuri – ackawi cheese, egg, lots of herbs

Loaded Latke – fried eggs, ackawi cheese, beef bacon, chives

Sabich Benedict – crispy eggplant, poached eggs, amba hollandaise

Green Shakshuka – zucchini, leeks, fennel, poached eggs, toasted.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich – Challah, Pickled Lemon Aioli, Cabbage Salad.

Steak Shish & Eggs – wagyu beef skewer, two eggs over easy, fried potatoes

Background from Gretchen Vance – Lakeway City Council Member

The bridge mentioned in Ms Vance’s note.

Screenshots from a TikTok video of Rainbow Bridge in Lake Lure, North Carolina destroyed by hurricane.

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s get going

There’s the sign

Before the ribbon cutting.

The original marker.

The bridge beyond the people.

Words from Mayor Pro Tem Louis Mastrangelo and City Council member Gretchen Vance, with City Council Member Kent O’Brien on the left

The ribbon is cut

An information installation at the head of the bridge next to the original monument.

A view of the monument and the information installation.

The first collar.

The next three.

Now it is time to enjoy the music and food. I wish you a lovely week.

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Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Sculpture Garden – Great Hills Brass Concert

September 21, 2025September 20, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments

We are headed to the Lakeway Sculpture Garden to attend the Great Hills Brass ensemble concert sponsored by the City of Lakeway Arts Committee. We are catered by the Launderette of Austin, and our entertainment is The John Wilson Orchestra.

EVERYTHING BISCUIT – sunny egg, bacon, upland cress, tomato, aged cheddar, chive aioli

ASPARAGUS BENNY – sourdough English muffin, poached eggs, pancetta, truffle hollandaise

Salmon Gravlax – neufchâtel butter, trout roe, soft-cooked egg, tomato, pickled cucumber, frisée, ash rye bread

Pork Shoulder Hash – potato, brussels sprouts, sunny eggs, salsa verde

The Americana – sunny eggs, oyster mushrooms, roasted tomato, bacon, toast

CHICKEN PAILLARD – little gem lettuce, citrus breadcrumb, pecorino, jardineira, herb vinaigrette

FRIED CHICKEN SAMMIE – coriander poblano slaw, pickles, challah

PLANCHA BURGER American cheese, special sauce, pickles, challah

SHAWARMA CAULIFLOWER BOWL – pickled golden raisin, hummus, sweet potato, cabbage escabeche, arugula, herb tahini dressing

Let’s go.

Since we are in the sculpture garden, let’s look at the sculptures. Here is the Elk Family

The Heron by the creek.

Chess players in a piece titled The Game

The group is getting ready.

A welcome by an Arts Committee member.

Program review by the leader.

The first piece – Strike up the Band.

Another view.

A lovely afternoon for families.

The Great Hills Brass Ensemble – A group of dedicated musicians from Great Hills Baptist Church who play for many community events.

Now it is time to enjoy the food and entertainment. I hope you have a good week. This is the first announcement that I will be taking a break from Friday, September 26th, to Monday, October 2.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Activity Center – Art and Craft Show

September 14, 2025September 14, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

FOIE GRAS TORCHON – Gala Apple, Black Truffle Hone
SWEET POTATO PANCAKE – Creme Fraiche, Herbs
VICHYSSOISE – Scarlet Crab, Brown Butter, Arugula
GARDEN SALAD – Rose Vinaigrette, Black Sesame
COLUMBIA RIVER KING SALMON – Sea Bean, Beurre Rouge, Pecan Crumb
DUCK CONFIT – Hoisin, Bok Choy, Orange, Fennel
HANGER STEAK – Texas Wagyu, Sweet Potato, Salsa Verde

Let’s go.

Welcome to the Activity Center.

Here we are. Looks like a lot to see.

Turnout looks great.

Paintings and figurines.

Some bright colors.

Smiling face and abstracts.

Note cards and art.

A lemonade stand.

Craft Jewelry.

Another smiling face and more abstract art.

Ceramics.

Some music to help appreciate the art.

Views of the Neighborhood – Deer Check

August 31, 2025August 30, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 72 Comments

Today, we are checking out the deer in the neighborhood. We are catered by Maie Day of Austin, and our entertainment is Steve Martin, Allison Brown, and Jackson Browne.

gimme burger – Wagyu smash burger, the works, gimme sauce, fries 24

Grilled Half Chicken – Lemon-honey brined

steak frites – 8 oz sirloin with fries

Fried Redfish – succotash, cornbread purée 7 oz

Prime Rib – au jus, horseradish cream, burnt onion powder – 10oz/20oz

Chicken Fried Steak – black pepper gravy

Butterflied Fish – whole grilled fish, sweet pepper chow chow

tomahawk Pork Chop – whiskey-brined, pepper glaze

Ribeye – flake salt, beef tallow 16oz

New York Strip – flake salt, beef tallow 16oz

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s go

The crowd shuffles in.

Carrots for everyone.

Newlyweds.

Two guys babysitting.

“You talking to me?”

Corncaine.

A buck caught in the virtual headlights.

Dad and lad on a sunny morning.

Four fawns and one nanny.

The boss.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the food and music. I wish you a beautiful week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway City Hall Art Exhibit by Larry Bishop

August 24, 2025August 23, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

Let’s get rolling

Here’s a shot of the gallery. Notice the works are framed. My cloe-ups have excluded the frames since there is a significant glare problem with them.

About the artist.

Norway Rapids

Yaupon Creek

Serene Storm

Jackson

St. Croix Driveway

Hamilton Greenbelt.

South Garden.

620 @ Dawn

Morning Green Light.

Tantallon.

Iceland Harbor.

Brnggs Canel

Rainy Parking Lot.

Yupon Creek.

Rock[port Palm.

Hawbill Turtle.

Mahogany Road.

Bayside Getaway.

Coldwater Creek.

South Garden Skyline.

Manager’s Quarters St. Croix

Well, there you have it. Time now for food and entertainment. I hope you have a beautiful week.

/div>

Views of the Neighborhood – Potpourri

August 10, 2025August 10, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 85 Comments

Today, since it has been a quiet week here in Lakeway, we are doing a potpourri. We are catered by Hestia of Austin, and our entertainment is Jack Antonoff and Oscar the Grouch.

Smoked mushroom – mushroom tare, fermented turnip, Fresno chili

Halibut – shiro dashi, beurre monte, corn, trout roe

Red ranger chicken – peach lacquer, fermented gooseberry, radicchio

Berkshire pork chop – charred shishito peppers, fermented green tomatoes,fried eggplant

Texas wagyu bavette – mole negro, oregano beef tallow

30-day aged Texas wagyu ribeye – grilled spring onion, okra, fermented green peaches

Picture of an old time school bus

Lets go

Let’s start in our garden. A shot of the most temperamental Hibiscus on the planet.

Vincas are thriving.

White Begonia is holding up too.

Red Begonia is still kicking.

Basil on the left and a chive parsley combo on the right.

We had some fun trash this week. Looks like the kid is growing up

Grandpa has finally gone home, so it’s time to redo the bathroom. It might be time to get rid of the vehicles, too.

It looks like the chairs, bookcase, desk, and ironing board have outlived their usefulness and aren’t invited to the new house.

Either an Iranian Drone went off course, or a very hungover driver this morning. Either way, the mailbox came out second.

A lovely mailbox topper.

A unique piece of metal art. Dog and golf ball.

We’ll leave with a shot of the lonely chair no one wants (awwww).

Time to relax with the food and entertainment. I hope you have a good week. So you know, I will be taking a blog break Friday through next Thursday.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Impaired Driving Prevention

August 3, 2025August 2, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

Today, we are going to the Justice Center in Lakeway for a presentation on impaired driving. We are catered by Bangers Sausage House of Austin, and our entertainment is Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes.

S E R V I N G A BISCUIT A BASKET – Four house-made biscuits served with honey butter & seasonal preserves.

FRIED FRENCH TOAST – Look, I’m just going to say it… this is absolutely delicious. The key

is the super thick challah bread that we somehow manage to make both crispy on the outside and custardy on the inside. We top it with whipped cream, powdered sugar, candied bacon bits, a maple-bacon glaze, & and a delicious strawberry sauce.

CORNED BEEF HASH SKILLET – Our house-brined corned beef sauteed in cast iron with Yukon Gold potatoes & Cajun “Mirepoix.” Topped with two eggs, pickled peppers, onions, & and grilled sourdough toast.

AVOCADO TOAST – It all starts with toasted pumpernickel, creamy avocado, & a six-minute egg. We then add the marinated cherry tomatoes, spicy salsa macha, & our seed mix for some crunch. We finish it with fresh herbs & a squeeze of lemon that brings it all together.

BRATWURST – Our take on the most classic of German sausages. Mild, perfectly balanced, & most importantly, delicious. Topped with sauerkraut & grain mustard.

SPICY ITALIAN – A classic Italian sausage with plenty of fennel & a whole lotta red pepper. Topped with sautéed-to-order peppers, garlic, & fresh basil.

DRUNK CHICKEN -Beer, serrano peppers, red pepper flakes, cilantro, & more beer. Topped with garlic aioli & grilled onions.

JALAPEñO CHEDDAR BRATWURST – Our world-famous bratwurst with some jalapeño & cheddar cheese mixed in. Topped with grilled jalapeños & grain mustard.

CHICKEN & APPLE – You get the sweet from the Honeycrisp & the tart from Granny Smith. We then double down on the apple flavor with apple juice & applesauce. Add a dash of brown sugar & some chicken thighs have mercy!

VEGETARIAN B.L.T. Vine-ripened sundried tomato sausage, infused with cheese curds. Topped with shiitake mushroom “bacon,” sliced tomato, shredded iceberg lettuce, & garlic aioli.

A U S T I N S I N C E SHRIMP & GRITS – Sautéed gulf shrimp served over grits cooked with pork belly drippings, topped with house-made bacon, & a six-minute egg. Garnished with peppers, onions, BBQ sauce, & our Pig Dust seasoning.

BACON FLIGHT – Four, count ’em, FOUR ways to enjoy our house-made bacons! Original house-made bacon, black pepper-bacon, bourbon coffee-bacon, & sweet’n’savory bacon chutney. Served with pure maple syrup & white gravy.

PANCAKE PLATTER – A fat stack of four pancakes, two sausage patties, two eggs, & a side of crispy potatoes. Add some maple syrup, fresh berry compote, & a dollop of whipped cream & you’ve got yourself a proper breakfast.

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s go.

Here is the information and sponsors for the presentation.

The Justice Center is visible in the background, with a green ribbon in memory of those lost in the July 4th flood.

A fire rescue information table.

Underage drinking prevention table.

A place most want to avoid.

A field sobriety test simulation

Ahhh popcorn.

Inside is a drinking and driving simulation.

Information on texting and driving.

A distracted driver simulation.

Tips for teen safety.

Rescue.

Mayor Tom Gilgore is introducing the Blessing family, who lost their daughter, Aspin, to a drunk driver.

A compelling presentation by each member of the Blessing family on the impact of losing a family member

The Blessings have founded Your One Choice to spread awareness about the consequences of drinking and driving. Aspin is pictured.

Wrist bands for reminders not to drink and drive.

Thanks to the Blessing family, the city, the county, and the state for a meaningful educational day.

Now it is time to enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a beautiful week..

Views of the Neighborhood – Eagle Scout Work and Native Plants

July 27, 2025July 26, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

Let’s get on the bus.

We are at LMUD, and the first view is the beautiful message board built as an Eagle Scout project.

The relaxing bench, stained and walkway, built as part of the Eagle Scout project

The final Eagle Scout project – A path to the Heritage Center.

Here is Nico, the Eagle Scout candidate, who did all the projects.

A class in session – The Beauty and Ease of Growing Cowpen Daisies – Presenter: Leah Crenwelge

And here they are – Cowpen Daisies.

An overview of the native species garden at LMUD.

Several species – Mealy Blue sage (center), Orange Milkweed (right), Purple trailing Lantana (Far Right)

Texas Star Hibiscus (near right).

Flame Acanthus.

Coral Bean.

Monarch on the Gregg’s Mist Flowers

More Butterflies

Little Pink Skullcap

Black-eyed Susan.

Latana.

Gregg’s Mists Flowers

Turks Cap.

Well, that concludes our tour. Time for food and Music. I hope you have an easy week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Airpark Open House

July 20, 2025July 19, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

Today we are visiting the Lakeway Airpark open house. We are catered by Home Slice Pizza of Austin. Our entertainment is The Steve Miller Band.

Margherita – Fresh mozzarella, diced Roma tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic & basil.

White Pie with Spinach – Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, ricotta, provolone & romano.

Eggplant Pie – A NY staple that’s like eggplant parmesan on a pie.

Veggy – Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers, Green Olives, Onions

Classic – Pepperoni & Mushroom

Variation – Sausage, Ricotta Cheese, and Roasted Red Peppers

White Clam Pizza – Chopped clams, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh oregano, and Pecorino Romano—street cred in Naples and New Haven.

Hop on the bus and let’s get going.

The sign you are at the airpark

$5.00 a gallon for aviation fuel.

The historical marker.

Coffee and donuts.

Glider kits for the kids.

A little free library.

A high-priced sports car showing.

Observation plane.

A 2005 Cirrus.

A vintage Piper

An experimental homebuilt.

SeaRey seaplane.

There are two of the many homes around the Airpark. Notice the big doors and drive to the runway

Here is city councilman O’Brien taking a traditional selfie at the event

There is one taking off.

I hope you enjoyed the visit. Now it is time for food and music. I also hope you have a great week.

Views of the Neighborhood – Lake Travis Comparison

July 13, 2025July 13, 2025 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

Today, we are visiting Lake Travis to see what effect the rains here in Texas have had on the lake levels. The flooding was such a tragedy, and we don’t want to lose sight of those who lost their lives and those who are still missing. I think the health of the lake could be considered a memorial to all. The before photos were taken in August of 2022.