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Laura Figi

Senior Newsletter Editor

Laura Figi has called Austin home for more than 12 years and has been known to say it’s her “favorite city in the world.” A proud graduate of Texas State University, she’s been working in local news since 2020. When she’s not working and learning about the community, you can find her at the local thrift shop, spending time with her two cats, or listening to live music.

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ATX_SkipjackOyster
Food
Raw bar + seafood restaurant Skipjack Oyster is now open in Downtown Austin
The upscale restaurant is a great place to bring folks you want to impress, or just a grab a drink and some fresh-caught oysters.
October 8, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_AsleepattheWheelQA
Culture
‘It’s a great honor': How Asleep at the Wheel became ACL Festival’s annual opening act
Austin-based legacy band Asleep at the Wheel is the only band to have played every single ACL Festival since the event began in 2002.
October 7, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
Sabrina Carpenter in a sparkly dress walking through the ACL crowd, reaching out to greet fans as people extend their hands and take photos with phones, with stage lights and security staff visible in the background.
Culture
ACL Festival weekend one headlines you may have missed
Whether you attended the festival or not, we’re looking back at some of the most newsworthy moments that transpired during the first half of the festival.
October 6, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
Aerial view of a music festival with groups of people gathered on a grassy field, sitting or walking among tall, colorful flags featuring various abstract designs, during golden hour lighting.
Events
How to enjoy ACL 2025 without going to the festival
No wristband? No problem. There are still plenty of ways to enjoy festival season without shelling out for a ticket.
October 2, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_2025ACLFriendshipBracelets
Culture
How to win an ATXtoday x Sea of Beads ACL Festival friendship bracelet
We’re giving away friendship bracelets at both weekends of ACL Festival — here’s how you can secure one for yourself.
September 30, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_RockandRecycle
Culture
ACL Festival helps keep Austin green, according to Austin Parks Foundation CEO Colin Wallis
The annual music festival has partnered with the nonprofit for 20 years to help care for Zilker Park’s Great Lawn, divert recycling, and care for all of ATX’s green spaces.
September 29, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_PiverParkVenue
Real Estate
Developers break ground on new live music venue at River Park
The new venue will fit 4,000 people in southeast Austin and is expected to be delivered in early 2027.
September 25, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
KCtoday_Map of KC
Real Estate
How well do you know the map of Kansas City?
We’ve got a game for you — test your knowledge of how well you know Kansas City venues by the address alone.
September 24, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_ACLAtmosphere
Events
Your ultimate guide to attending ACL Festival 2025 like a pro
The countdown is on to Austin’s biggest music festival, and we’re here to help you maximize your wristband.
September 22, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
Overhead view of a concert at Waterloo Amphitheater at night.
Culture
Jam out to hundreds of live music performances this HAAM Day
You have hundreds of sets to choose from this HAAM Day, and your attendance helps make sure Austin-based musicians stay healthy.
September 22, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_StreetParking
City
The best tips for parking in Downtown Austin
Parking in the city doesn’t have to be hard or expensive if you heed these tips from your friendly neighborhood editor at ATXtoday.
September 18, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_ChiChaSanChen
Food
27 places to get the best boba tea around Austin
Whether you call it bubble tea or boba tea, we’ve brewed up the list of quali-tea boba shops you have oolong been waiting for.
September 16, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_ACLEatsTheMightyCone
Food
ACL Festival adds 17 new vendors to the food lineup
The 2025 edition of the festival will also debut a new food court called ACL Eats South so festival-goers can fill up without missing tunes.
September 15, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_Asleep At The Wheel by Ashley Osborn for ACL W1 2024_121A4648 (1).JPG
Culture
All the Austin-based musicians performing at ACL 2025
Put a few local musicians on your must-see list for ACL 2025 and you may just find a new favorite to put on your playlist.
September 4, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_old6thStreet
Culture
Inside the inaugural VIBE Downtown mini-fest coming to town in September
The Downtown Austin Alliance and Future Front Texas partnered to host the celebration of Old 6th Street and community-building event.
September 2, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_Koko'sBavarian
Food
Koko’s Bavarian is opening a new brick-and-mortar in South Austin
After closing its east Austin beer hall in 2023, the beer hall conceptualized by Bavarian royalty will debut an expanded menu in a new space this fall.
September 2, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A pickleball court at Other Racquet Social Club, with a sign reading the name of the business in the background.
Play
Where to play pickleball in Austin
We know you’ve got some skills — now it’s time to show them off.
August 29, 2025
 · 
London Gibson
ATX_FaregroundFootball
Sports
Where to watch the Longhorns’ season opener
Whether you’re looking for big TVs, great drink specials, family-friendly spaces, or $2 hot dogs, we’ve found a local place that is going all out for college football season.
August 28, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_ReallySmallMuseum
Culture
See (and hear) some tiny art at the Trail’s Really Small Museum
The Really Small Museum’s rotating displays will allow trail visitors to enjoy some environmentally-focused art through October.
August 25, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_UpstairsAtCarolineDog
Culture
Where to treat your pup on International Dog Day
We’re not barking up the wrong tree — Austin’s many four-legged friends deserve a treat on their special day.
August 21, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
SATXtoday: saint maya tequila
Play
Raise your spirits made by these Texas-based companies
Whether you’re on the hunt for whiskey, tequila, gin, rum, or something entirely different, we’ve found a Texas-owned spirit to sip.
August 20, 2025
 · 
Nicholas Caballero
ATX_FailJewelry
Culture
Meet 10 finalists from Eliza Page’s Austin Shines design challenge
The Austin-based fine jeweler is sharing the spotlight with fellow local jewelry designers through the contest.
August 18, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
The front of Austin's downtown City Hall
City
Budget breakdown: What makes up Austin’s $6.3 billion budget
The largest budget in Austin’s history will ask voters to decide on whether or not to approve a tax increase, which would raise homeowners’ bills by ~$303 annually.
August 15, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A wooden table boasts a spread of breakfast dishes including sunnyside up eggs, French toast topped with fruit, granola topped with fruit, a pastry, a Bloody Mary, orange juice, and a dish featuring hard-boiled eggs, bacon, avocado, and greens.
Food
85+ restaurants will participate in this year’s Austin Restaurant Weeks
Stay hungry my friends, because this celebration of local dining also helps feed folks in the community through the Central Texas Food Bank.
August 14, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
aerial view of the austin skyline with skyscrapers, the colorado river, pedestrian bridges and trees
Business
Meet the top 15 Austin companies that made the 2025 Inc. 5000 list
Look out, you just might be working for one of these trailblazing companies that are growing faster than you can say “Inc. 5000"
August 12, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_NightmareBeforeChristmasLightShow
Culture
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” will light up Austin this fall
The famous holiday film from Tim Burton will set up shop at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for just over two months.
August 11, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
At least eight goats eat the leaves off a plant at the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.
Travel and Outdoors
The goats are baaack on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail
The Trail Conservancy and Rent-a-Ruminant partnered to bring a herd of 150 goats to help clear noxious plants, like poison ivy.
August 11, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
The Austin skyline, as seen at nighttime
Business
Industry ICYMI: 3 Austin business headlines you may have missed
Catch up on Austin’s business industry news with some of the biggest headlines of the week.
August 7, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
A table set at an outdoor restaurant with a bowl of whipped cheese topped with diced tomatoes, herbs, and nuts, accompanied by pieces of toasted flatbread. Three cocktails are in the background: a pale yellow drink in a wine glass with a sprig of thyme, a dark espresso martini in a coupe glass, and a pink beverage in a tall glass with a black straw. The setting features wicker chairs, a potted plant, and natural light streaming through open windows.
Play
40+ great brunch restaurants to try in Austin
Check out these brunch restaurants, cafes, and diners in town, serving a variety of egg dishes, mimosas, micheladas, and more.
August 6, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
An overhead view of a vibrant spread of Trinidad and Tobago dishes, including a central plate of goat meat in rich, brown sauce garnished with green onions. Surrounding dishes feature grilled chicken, stewed greens, mashed yams, white rice, crinkle-cut fries topped with sauce and herbs, and two types of flatbread—one plain and one stuffed. Small bowls of dipping sauces complete the presentation.
Food
Keep Austin eating: 3 morsels of food + restaurant news
There are two new openings and a closure on the way, including Chef Janelle Romeo’s new Trinidad and Tobago cuisine, an Irish cafe, and a Tatsu-Ya restaurant closing.
August 5, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
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