Austin-based dating app offers "Ex-boxes" to dump unwanted belongings from past relationships

Reader bee ware

Courtesy Bumble

Bumble, the women-first dating and social networking app, has always been known for its innovative approach to modern human connection. Now, the company is offering a way to, well, disconnect, announcing the opening of new pop-ups around the country to house the unwanted shrapnel of relationships gone bad.

Aptly named ‘Ex-Boxes’, the idea is that Bumble users can drop off their ex’s belongings in preparation for a fresh start this year. And they aren't skimping on size, either: The 5,000 square foot pop-ups will open next month in New York, Austin, and Los Angeles, with plans to expand globally later this year.

While the Ex-Boxes stop just short of accepting your actual Ex at drop-off, a release from the company states they did, in fact, explore this option with their internal legal team. Nonetheless, the pop-ups will happily accept your ex’s clothes, shoes, pictures, love letters, journals, records, furniture, concert ticket stubs, and even unused miles and future dinner reservations.

A Bumble spokesperson stated, “According to our recent survey, 98 precent of respondents say they wish they had a place to get rid of their ex-partners' things and 99 percent said still having some of their ex’s belongings around keeps them from moving on. These pop-ups are a physical embodiment of giving our community the fresh start they need on their dating journey.”

If this sounds too good to be true, that's because it is: The aforementioned release states that this is, in fact, an April Fool's Day announcement. (And reader, it was in very small print at the very bottom of the email: We were fooled ourselves!).

"Although we can’t take everyone’s ex’s things, we do know breakups are an inevitable part of dating," the release states. "Sometimes the hardest part of ending things can be trying to get back to what you consider 'normal' afterward, without thoughts of the person intruding every so often and making you sad all over again. In a recent Bumble survey, 70 percent of people said they feel positive about the romance that lies ahead this year, highlighting their look forward to a fresh start in 2023."

This survey, at least, appears to be legit, compiled from research conducted by Bumble using internal polling between October - November 2022 with a sample of 14,300 global Bumble users.

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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.

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

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.

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