Food, films and fun at Top Notch old fashioned drive in

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Lindsay S

You know the old fashioned drive in burger places you see in 1950’s movies? The ones with trays and great big burgers and piles of fries on trays? I always wondered what it would be like to go to one of those places with a date on a Saturday night. Guess what? My partner-in-crime and I got to do exactly that — and it was here in Austin!

Tucked in among the businesses on a busy stretch of Burnett Road we found Top Notch.

This is the real thing, classic cars and all. Burgers, chicken and veggie burgers cooked over an open flame.

Shakes and fries, too, from 11 am to 10 pm every day of the week.

And once a month, they add another classic touch. Drive in movies on their very own classic-television-screen on the side of the building. Local car enthusiasts come out with their classic cars and trucks. Families come out with lawn chairs. There’s live music until it’s dark enough for the movie to start, but no one is checking their watch. It’s too much fun sitting out there eating and checking out the cars. There’s even a photo op!

Oh, and the food. My veggie burger was cooked perfectly, and the fries were crisp and super hot. Lance’s fried chicken was the kind you usually find in a favorite grandmother’s kitchen, and his order of fried okra was crisp and tasty without a bit of mushiness.

This is a great choice for a date night or a family night out. Upcoming car and movie nights are listed on their Facebook page, so you can add them to your calendar.

The Specs

7525 Burnett Road
Austin TX 78757
512-452-2181

http://topnotchaustin.com/

Mon-Fri 11 am -10 pm
Sat-Sun 11 am – 10 pm

Dogs run free at Cedar Bark Park

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Lindsay S

Austin is one of the most dog friendly cities in the country. We bring our pup to patio restaurants, festivals, parks and on hikes. But sometimes, a dog just needs to run around with other dogs and leave the leashes behind.

But letting her run off-leash in an unfenced area is just a little to scary for my taste especially with her favorite distraction, squirrels, everywhere!

So I was so happy when we found the Cedar Bark Park, just north of Austin in Veterans Memorial Park. This is a BIG dog park! Five entire acres of fenced in, off-leash fun.

Complete with separate play sections for big and little dogs…

And a lake for swimming and ball-chasing…

There’s even a bathing area to clean up muddy pups before they go back in the car. (Trust me, we NEED this part! My dog loves to get wet and then roll!)

The park is free to use, and doesn’t require membership or registration. Everyone is great about keep their dogs under control and heading out if their pet gets grumpy or nervous.

The space is really big, so there’s plenty of room for games of fetch or puppy Frisbee. Benches provide seating for those of us who aren’t four-legged and a few are covered for shade. But they can get muddy, so come dressed to get dirty.