Happy Thursday everyone! The weekend is almost upon us and, if you’re anything like me, you start thinking about what your weekend plans will be. I’m actually MEGA UBER SUPER excited about what lies ahead for me this weekend. I’ll be visiting my “adopted” hometown of Austin, y’all! I lived there for several years before moving to New York, and I truly love everything about Austin (hence, I “adopted” it as my hometown in the US – though nothing replaces my hometown of Bangkok!). I am pumped about catching up with all my Austin friends, gorging on Tex-Mex food, absorbing the heat and the Texan pace of life. In between all of that, I will also be attending the 3-day Austin City Limits Music Festival, which I used to attend every year when I lived in Austin. More details to come after I return from my trip next week!

But enough about me, let’s talk about what YOU will be doing this weekend. Here are some recommendations of some goings-on about town:

Madison Square Eats

Imagine a land far, far away where you can enjoy Indian, Mexican, Italian, Lebanese, Chinese, and a number of other cuisines all in one sitting. Well, that land is actually not that away. Nestled in the triangle between Fifth Ave, Broadway, and 24th Street, Madison Square Eats offers a gastronomic haven from food trucks and well-known restaurants around town: Momofuku, Mexicue, Ilili, Graffitti , Hong Kong Street Food, Wafles & Dinges, etc. With the weather getting chillier, your days of hanging out outdoors are numbered. So take advantage of this small and cozy outdoor food festival . Last weekend, my friends and I ended up having a 2 hour dinner there, chatting away over wine, falafel, dumpling chaat, truffle oil & honey pizza, black bean tacos, crepes, and lord knows what else! Get there before it ends Oct 19.

Toshi’s Lounge

After a satisfying meal at Madison Square Eats, my friends and I randomly wandered into Toshi’s Lounge just a few streets away. What a great find! This place has live music every night and is reasonably happening without trying too hard. It hit the perfect equation of “Not too hipster + not too dimly lit + not overly loud = Being able to see the person in front of you and having a decent conversation with them”. I can definitely see this place becoming a frequent hangout spot.

So check these places out and let me know how you liked them. I’ll be back from Austin next week and maybe we can exchange stories from our weekend shennanigans?