Personal Finance

One of Austin’s most elite neighborhoods lies just west of Mopac, in the heart of Austin. Bordered by Lake Austin to the west, Mopac to the east, Lake Austin Boulevard to the south and 35th street to the north, the Tarrytown neighborhood holds some of the most desirable homes in the Austin real estate. Tarrytown has a more eclectic mix of homes than the prestigious Pemberton Heights directly across Mopac. They range from small cottages to grand estates, with a mix of mid century modern homes and brand new modern dwellings. The one uniting factor in the area is the perfectly kept landscaping and impeccable yards, and giant shade trees that cover the entire neighborhood. Tarrytown is very family oriented, possibly because of the exemplary school accountability rating Casis Elementary receives year after year.

Tarrytown is often recognized for the actual neighbors inhabiting the neighborhood. It’s from this area Matthew McConaughey’s famous bongo playing took place. Lance Armstrong, George W. Bush, Rick Perry and an assorted number of politicos have inhabited Tarrytown through recent years. River Oaks Farms at 2105 Scenic Drive, was built in 1906 by Judge Robert Lynn Batts, a law professor at UT (and after which Batts Hall is named on the campus).

The beautiful walled estate borders Lake Austin, and has 3 cottages on the land that have been rented out to many TV and film stars during shoots in Austin, such as Luke Wilson. Jim Eno, drummer for local-turned-nationally popular band Spoon, has converted his garage on Bowman Avenue into a top notch recording studio called Public Hi-Fi, where Spoon now records their albums.

There are a slew of local eateries in Tarrytown, with many located on Lake Austin Boulevard, such as the Hula Hut, Magnolia Cafe, and the Kitchen Door. In 2003, the popular hamburger restaurant Holiday House, located in the Tarrytown Courtyard on Exposition, was forced to move elsewhere when the owner of the shopping center, a member of PETA, banned meat from being sold. Nu Age Cafe moved in, selling all vegetarian dishes, but also recently closed. However, further down Exposition, the Tarrytown Farmer’s Market runs every Saturday morning.

Lauren Tolley, owner of Talulah Bleu Tarrytown Florist, also runs the farmer’s market. Tolley took over the Tarrytown Florist from the R.A. Lewis family who started owned the business since 1946. She also inherited the oldest nursery/agricultural license in the state, which was granted to R.A. Lewis’s father around the turn of the century. There is a plot of wooded land behind the florist where Tolley hosts the Tarrytown Farmer’s Market each Saturday from 9am until 1pm. Vendors vary from organic fruit and vegetable merchants to those selling vintage belt buckles, candles, and hand-stitched clothing.

At the north end of Tarrytown lies the beautiful Mayfield Nature Preserve and the Laguna Gloria Museum. Though the park itself is only 22 acres, it’s peaceful, serene and chocked full of walking trails, gardens, stone walls and peacocks which hover around the 1870s cottage located in the park (which can also be rented out for special occasions). The Laguna Gloria art museum is an indoor/outdoor venue with a stretch along the Lake Austin shoreline. There are gigantic works of art along the shoreline, and more to see inside the 1916 Mediterranean-style villa built by Clara Driscoll in 1916.

One of the more pristine neighborhoods in the city, movers and shakers of Austin can always be found in Tarrytown, right next door to families-of-four, and musicians as well.