Hot Headlines
Beer garden drive-thru, Austin's soaring cost of living, and more top stories

Editor's note: This gloomy weather isn't going to quell our holiday spirit. As we prepare for another indoor weekend (an Austinite's least favorite kind) let's take a look at the hot stories and fresh takes that got everyone's attention this week.
1.Cost to 'live comfortably' in Austin spiked more than any other U.S. city. A new report found that between 2017 and 2018, the price to live "comfortably" in Austin increased by a higher dollar amount than anywhere else in the country. (By more than $18,000 no less.)
2. Long-awaited Easy Tiger beer garden roars into Central Austin with brunch and drive-thru. Years (and years) after it was first announced, Easy Tiger, the beloved beer garden/bakery has finally opened in Central Austin's The Linc development. Expect all the goodies that make the downtown a dining destination plus, yup, a drive-thru.
3. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema picks popular Austin suburb for area's newest theater. Cedar Park will be home to Austin's seventh Alamo Drafthouse. The new theater will also feature the city's first Big Show theater, a concept "that utilizes a gigantic screen and top-of-the-line presentation technology."
4. Gourmet Austin deli shutters after landlord dispute, plus more food news. The latest edition of all things Austin food includes a shutter, an opening, and very, very sweet comeback.
5. Troubled Austin chain rescued by elite California restaurant group. Patrons of Vert's Kabap/Noon Mediterranean have watched for years as the homegrown chain struggled with rapid expansion and bankruptcy. Now, there may be new hope for the company.