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Celebrity's Texas childhood home hits market and more top Austin news
Miranda Lambert's East Texas childhood home.
Editor's note: The top Austin news of the week includes celebrity real estate and the sweetest desserts in town. Plus, Austin improves in an annual happiness ranking. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan the rest of your weekend via this guide.
1. Miranda Lambert lists Texas childhood home for $1.6 million. The 25-acre childhood homestead of country music star Miranda Lambert is on the market in East Texas for nearly $1.6 million.
2. Top 10 dessert programs put cherry on top for Austin restaurants. This may be the sweetest category in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards; meet the nominees for Dessert Program of the Year.
3. Popular New Braunfels burger truck makes leap to brick-and-mortar. Cult-favorite food truck UBP Burgers has graduated to a brick-and-mortar. The New Braunfels favorite, known for its thick, juicy patties, has opened a fast-casual restaurant and drive-thru at 588 S Elliot Knox Blvd.

4. New film profiles Austin musician who inspired Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett. Steven Fromholz, a singer-songwriter whose music paved the way for progressive country to take hold in the Texas capital, is the subject of The Man with the Big Hat, which premiered at SXSW 2026.
5. Austin improves on 2026 list of happiest cities in America. Austin is much happier this year than it was in 2025. A new happiness study has ranked the Capital City among the happier cities in America, and it's the second-happiest city in Texas.
