Lesley S.

Clarksville Pottery

I love going to Clarksville to look at their jewelry. They have some of the most unique and best quality jewelry that I've seen. Their prices can be steep, but they do have pieces in lower price ranges as well. My favorite piece of jewelry from Clarkskville is an opal necklace that I got a couple of years ago. I just wish I'd found them before I got married as they have some of the most unique and stunning wedding bands that I've seen - I joke with my husband that I'll have to go there for my next wedding! My husband likes going there as well to look at their watches.

Castle Hill Specialized Ftnss

I started going to Castle Hill for their Yoga classes - I'd gotten great recommendations for them. But five minutes into my first visit, I realized that I'd hit the jackpot. Not only do they have great Yoga classes, but they have some AWESOME exercise equipment - my favorite is the TV treadmill. Also, if you get a kink in your neck that working out won't fix, they offer massage therapy and that will either work the kink out or relax you so much you just won't care!

Alan's Vehicle Inspections

Alan's is a tiny place on N Lamar, but it's worth finding. Everyone is super friendly and they can do an inspection in under 15 minutes and get you on your way. I love that they don't come up with things that need to be replaced in order to bump up the inspection price (a different place I went tried to do this to me!). And, they have an ole, friendly hound dog that you'll see wondering around as well who will be happy to keep you company while they inspect your car.

Asel Art Supply Inc

Although I'm not good enough to call myself an artist, I love going to Asel's. They have a HUGE selection of drawing papers and sketch books. Many times I've been unsure about what a certain pencil or brush does and they are always very happy to explain the differences to me. They don't push for a sale, either, and are happy to let you wander and look for as long as you want.

Crazy Aaron

Before my daughter was born, my husband and I would tackle our yard together and have it mowed and hedged in a couple of hours. After she was born, one of us had to be inside with her and it just wasn't worth it for one of us to stay outside half a day or more so Crazy Aaron's came to the rescue! They've been mowing and hedging our yard for a couple of summers now and have been really pleased with them. They offer really reasonable prices and always do a great job so if your yard is taking too long, give them a call!!!

P C Guru

No matter what the problem is, Paul can fix it. When I needed a new hard drive put in my laptop, I didn't have the time to mess with it so I took it to Paul. He had the old drive out and the new one in in record time and I haven't had any problems with his work! He also offers telephone support for minor issues.

Avant Salon Spa

I started going to Avant shortly after I moved to Austin years ago. They're ALWAYS listed in the Austin Chronicle's Best of Austin and have won tons of awards and boy does it show! They have a full range of services, but I've only gotten my hair cut there out of fear that I'll get addicted to all of their services! A shampoo and cut starts at $40 and I never feel slighted or rushed during my haircut. They listen to exactly what you want done and then make recommendations if that cut isn't going to look so good on you, which has saved me more than once! They also have free wireless access (and complimentary parking if you visit the downtown Avant).

Sledd Nursery

Sledd Nursery emphasizes organic gardening and my favorite reason to go there is to get their Live Tea. I can't tell you what exactly is in it, but it is organic and it's GREAT for plants - I put it on pretty much all of the plants in our yard and they all flourish! They have tons of flowers and plants there and are great about helping you find the right native plant for your yard.

PROS: their Live Tea!!
CONS:

Austin Bridal & Formal Sewing

Why is it whenever you wear something "Dry Clean Only," it becomes a magnet for stains? I'm not normally a messy person, but I've gotten a few stains - wine, pen, marker, food, etc. - on my clothes and Dan's can always get it out so that you'd never be able to tell that it was there. Everyone is really helpful and generally nice and they have a quick turnaround time. I'd highly recommend them.

PROS: fast, helpful service
CONS:

Hair's Lair

When my daughter turned 2, she finally had enough hair to warrant a trim. So off we ewnt to Hair's Lair and they did a great job! She loved getting to watch the kid's shows on the TVs and her hair was done before she even realized what was going on - and it looks great to boot! Their prices are really reasonable and are definitely worth every penny. We'll be going back there whenever she needs it cut again!