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Photo courtesy of Tiny Pies

Do you get texts or calls challenging you to recite the most digits of pi on March 14? If you can remember more than 3.1415926, you must be a wizard or fanatic. Or rather just better at memorization than most folks. Pi Day is a great way to get together with some friends over a slice of a wonderfully fruity dessert or a savory slice of pizza. And we can’t forget about our local businesses putting in the work to make it a great day for everyone.

Whether you’re in it for the love of pie or the mathematical constant, here’s seven Pi Day specials and events to look forward to around the Austin area.

Tiny Pies Pi Day menu

Don’t be fooled, these tiny pies pack a punch of flavor. Austin’s darling pie company has baked up several special pies for Pi Day. In addition to a 12-pack of tart cherry, apple crumb, Texas two-step, and sweet Texas pecan tiny pies, there will also be seven different flavors of nine-inch pies for enthusiasts to try. Other flavors available for their full-size pies include cherry crumb, chocolate cream, key lime, and coconut cream. Reservations for their Pi Day pies ends at 5 pm on March 13.

North Italia’s Pi Day Takeover

Modern Italian restaurant North Italia is having a month-long campaign with a special takeover for Pi Day until March 14 with plenty of pizza pie slices to go around. On Monday (3/13), street teams will be surprising SXSW attendees with 175 pizzas per day while driving branded Vespas. On Tuesday (3/14), a commemorative block party will be held at 415 East 7th Street. The public will be able to enjoy more free pizza such as a special Texas BBQ brisket pie, mocktails, charcuterie cups, and more. For some added excitement, a BMX team will be on site to wow crowds with a “Globe of Dough”-themed stunt show. For guests who would like a more permanent commemoration to Pi Day 2023, several local tattoo artists will be giving free limited-edition Pi Day tattoos to a select number of guests.

Tumble 22’s first-ever Pie Eating Contest

Just for Pi Day, Tumble 22 is offering customers a slice of pie for just $3.14. Both Austin locations will also host a pie eating contest for up to 20 contestants. Participants must eat a slice of pie without using their hands, and whoever finishes their slice the fastest gets a chance to win a custom Tumble 22 trophy. All contestants will get a whole pie to take home and some Tumble 22 swag. Tickets to enter the contest are $25 each that will be donated to Dell Children’s Medical Center. Registration can be found on Eventbrite.

Quack's Bakery pie menu

This renowned Austin bakery serves five different flavors of pie among many of their other mouthwatering desserts: cherry, apple cinnamon, chocolate cream, coconut cream, and key lime tart. If just a slice isn't enough, you can take a whole pie to go to hoard in your fridge.

Blaze Pizza’s Pi Day offers

Fast-casual pizza joint Blaze Pizza has some special offers just for guests who download their app and join their reward program. Austin area pizza lovers can enjoy $3.14 off any signature or build-your-own pizza on Pi Day just buy joining their Blaze Rewards through their app. The offer is only valid in-restaurant.

Austin Public Library’s Puzzles and Pi(e)

Test your patience and your brain while trying not to be distracted by a nice slice of pie. If you're looking for a free fun activity for yourself, your friends, or your family, the Austin Public Library’s Old Quarry Branch has the laid back afternoon for you. From 2 to 4 pm, they’ll be providing plenty of puzzles and pie for visitors of all ages and abilities.

City of Kyle's PIErate Treasure Hunt

All residents of the Pie Capital of Texas are invited to participate in this year’s treasure hunt from now until March 22. Four treasure chests are hidden all around the city which contain your chance to enter a raffle to win $314. Though the locations won’t be revealed, clues will be shared on the city’s Facebook page to help hunters find the booty. The city asks that participants who find the chests please leave them for others to find.

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CultureMap Emails are Awesome

New poll reveals shocking results on how outsiders view Texas, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. From Texas being more popular than we thought, to Austin getting a lot less popular, here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. New poll reveals shocking results on how outsiders view Texas. We may be able to lay down the "don't mess with Texas" attitude when it comes to outside opinions of the state — we're actually pretty well-liked.

2. The Austin housing market is outperforming national trends, latest report shows. Even though home sales are falling everywhere, they're falling less dramatically in Central Texas. It looks like the Austin market is stabilizing.

3. Austin plummets on list of best places to live in new national report. Austinites can't seem to tell if this is good news (less hype) or bad news (we already live here). We're not even close to the top 10 anymore.

4. Rock legend Stevie Nicks extends tour with new Austin date. One of rock's most iconic and stylish performers is coming to Austin's Moody Center for a solo show this August. At 74, she still has a strong hold on fans' imaginations.

5. Here are the top 7 things to do in Austin this weekend. Austinites are always adding things to their busy schedules — this week it was a comedy show with Steve Martin and Martin Short, a big same-name meetup, a benefit show with local stars, and more.

Austin dethroned from top spot in new ranking of top summer travel destinations for 2023

SWEET SUMMERTIME

We already know the Austin area is a top destination for both Texas and out-of-state travelers, and is widely recognized for being one of the most pet-friendly cities. However, a new ranking has deemed the city only the second best place to visit in the summer, with San Antonio coming out on top.

Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown ranked the No. 14 best summer travel destination out of 100 of the largest metro areas in America, according to the 2023 edition of WalletHub’s report. The report compared the cities across 41 metrics, including number of attractions, which we know our city has plenty of.

The Texas Capital's current rank is an unpleasant 10-place drop from WalletHub's 2022 report, where we previously placed No. 4. Behind Austin and San Antonio in the 2023 rankings is El Paso (No. 18), Houston (No. 38), Dallas-Fort Worth (No. 45), Corpus Christi (No. 62), and McAllen (No. 86).

Dr. Susan Weidmann, assistant professor in the department of recreational management and physical education at Appalachian State University, said in the report that summer 2023 is going to be a “good season for travel” despite recent economic downturns that have many worried about a recession.

“Coming out of Covid, I think many people have taken these last few years to really evaluate what they want out of life, and for those that love travel, I think they have probably put it at the top of their list of things to do,” she said. “As far as economics are concerned, many may have saved their traveling money from the last multiple years, so will have money to spend. That being said, after the airline chaos of last year, many people may be thinking about domestic travel over the long-haul, just to alleviate many of the concerns that airlines, especially in Europe, are still grappling with, such as reduced staffing leading to flight cancellations.”

Dr. Weidmann predicts the time period between July and early August will be the most popular season for National Parks, like Texas’ Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains.

Despite none of them being in Texas, the top 10 destinations in WalletHub’s report are all popular cities worth a glance in sun-friendly states like Hawaii, New York, and Florida.

The top 10 best summer destinations are:

  • No. 1 – Atlanta, Georgia
  • No. 2 – Honolulu, Hawaii
  • No. 3 – Washington, D.C.
  • No. 4 – Wichita, Kansas
  • No. 5 – New York City, New York
  • No. 6 – Chicago, Illinois
  • No. 7 – Tampa, Florida
  • No. 8 – Orlando, Florida
  • No. 9 – Richmond, Virginia
  • No. 10 – Springfield, Missouri

The full report can be found on WalletHub’s website.

Lengendary Texas ranch resort makes waves on the market with $15 million price tag

give me land, lots of land...

A magnificent, 313-acre ranch resort in Brenham, Texas has made a grand entrance onto the real estate market for a mere $15 million. With that considerable price tag, the future owners would be inheriting a luxuriously grand hacienda that's perfect for drawing in the elite crowd and maybe a few Austin billionaires.

Dos Brisas is just a 90 minute drive east from Austin, tucked away at 10000 Champion Drive between Highway 290, TX-105, and Highway 6. The resort building, whose name translates to Two Breezes, was built in 2002 and spans nearly 14,300 square feet.

The business had been in operation for over 17 years before the announcement of its closure. On their website, Dos Brisas thanked its guests for their patronage as the owners now "look forward to spending more time with [their] family."

In addition to being surrounded by gorgeous pecan trees, wildflowers, three stocked ponds, and Peach Creek, Dos Brisas also hosts several prestigious amenities on its premises, including a tennis court, an equestrian facility, and a fully-functioning organic farm. And we can't forget their world-renowned, Forbes five-star restaurant that boasts a "Best of Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator magazine for their 7,000-bottle wine cellar.

Dos BrisasThe show barn is just one part of the pristine equestrian facility on the premises at Dos Brisas.Photo by James Pharaon / Compass

Dos Brisas

Photo by James Pharaon / Compass

The property is located at 10000 Champion Drive in Brenham, Texas.

The haciendas on the ranch are highlighted by private entrances, personal pools, floor-to-ceiling windows, grand bathrooms, and much more. They suit the beautiful Texas landscape and truly give the feel of a relaxing getaway, the perfect destination for those needing an escape from the busy city life.

Looking back at the history of the listing, it first appeared on the market in April 2022 with a $17.5 million price tag, which expired later in the year in September. The $2.5 million price decrease is just a drop in the bucket for its next owners, who could take on this fabulous opportunity to expand their business or real estate portfolio.

Tonya Currie of Compass is handling the listing. More information about the ranch resort can be found on compass.com.