🛑 UT bans drag shows

🚫 UT Board Bans Campus Drag Shows

The University of Texas at Austin and the 13 other schools in the UT System are no longer allowed to host or fund drag shows on campus, the UT System Board of Regents announced. [The Daily Texan]

🪪 Why is the State Collecting Info on Trans Texans?

Texas officials will not say why the state is collecting information on drivers who have requested to change the sex on their driver’s license. A KUT investigation found that information on such drivers was recorded and sent to an internal email account. [KUT]

♥️ SXSW: What We Loved and What Was Lame

We’re not saying goodbye to South by Southwest just yet. Join me, Nikki, and Eva Ruth as we discuss our favorite parts of this year’s festival, and what we thought was overrated. [City Cast Austin 🎧]

🪻 Seeking Bluebonnets?

Our iconic flowers are already popping up along Central Texas roads, but the real bluebonnet shows are apparently out in Brenham and College Station. [Texas Monthly]

• Should I spend a weekend fact-checking this story about the best places to see bluebonnets? I vote yes! [Austin Monthly]

Rockman Coffee and Bakeshop and Mercado Sin Nombre, both within Austin’s Holly neighborhood on the East Side, are making me feel like I’m the first person to discover breakfast. I keep thinking to myself, “I have to alert the people about this!” Well, hello people. Let’s get into it:

☕ Mercado Sin Nombre, 408 N. Pleasant Valley Road

Located in what looks like an alley, Mercado Sin Nombre is small, with only window service, and chairs and tables outside. Orange flower garlands and twinkle lights hang above you, and it really doesn’t feel like you’re next to a busy road in the middle of Austin, Texas.

Menu items include your classic coffees like lattes and cortados. I picked the horchata cold brew and have never been happier. It wasn’t too sweet, which was my main concern. For food, your options include a masa twinkie, pancakes, and burritos, among others.

I got a biscuit made with blue masa, which gave it a nice corny taste. It’s flaky, but crunchy, and is split in three chunky slices for you to slather with jam and butter. It comes with whatever jam the shop is cooking up at the time – I was the lucky recipient of a roasted green tomato jam and coffee butter. It was so special and I can’t believe no one has served me such a combo before!

I will absolutely be returning to Mercado Sin Nombre, likely with my dog in tow, after a walk at nearby Lady Bird Lake.

🥯 Rockman Coffee and Bakeshop, 2400 Cesar Chavez St.

It took me a while to get to Rockman Coffee and Bakeshop, because every time I drove by, a line was wrapped around the building after it opened in October. A good sign.

The number one menu item that piqued my interest when I finally made it inside was the shop’s rip and dip bagels. What do you mean I have to rip my bagel and dip it into cream cheese? That is not what my people want for me! Well, the bagels are great. They’re light and fluffy and I love dipping them into cream cheese because you get more cream cheese that way!