Right Under Your Nose

Congress Avenue from the bridge north to the Capitol has lots of high-profile office buildings and a few private homes but also still has lots of places to duck in for some real Austin atmosphere. Looking away from the controversy over the strip center trying to becoming a Marriott you can find spots like the Elephant Room, a local coffee shop (Little City) and some fine locally-owned restaurants. Between Sixth and Seventh on the east side you will find Hideout. Besides a coffee shop they have a little stage with occasional music groups up front, Internet access computers, piles of good reading to borrow and two performance spaces in back and upstairs. We've been to Cabaret-type shows and movies there. They are famous for comedy improv shows, though, and have one coming up. Besides an array of coffee drinks, beer, soda and such, Amy's Ice Cream and drinks made from same are available and some pretty nice food. (I had a three-cheese toasted sandwich the other day that was very good.) Their little screening room is sometimes pressed into service for film festivals, but we often take advantage of the coffee and food when we are going to the Paramount as well. FFP was mistaken for Sydney Pollack here during a fest. And the woman actually claimed to know Sydney.