The Village — Local services in Austin

I'm fond of the Village Shopping Center because it has long included a great theater and a great restaurant, Korea House, which has long been one of my favorite restaurants. Even before the Alamo Drafthouse took over the theater, the Village Cinema brought lots of good, thought-worthy cinema from around the world. The Drafthouse radically overhauls the concept of theater with its funny programming before the feature and with food service directly to the table in front of your seat. They serve beer, wine, and "bottomless" soft drinks. Their popcorn is likewise bottomless." I've reviewed the Alamo elsewhere, but I bring it up now to say that it differs from the typical theater in the same way that the Village differs from the typical shopping center.

For one thing, I can shop in The Village -- there's a spiffy and fashionable pet accessory store and an optician with haute couture frames, for examples -- but the Village's strengths lie in some fun places to eat and drink and even to exercise. The center is architecturally humane -- upon entrance, I suddenly feel the calming influence of a space built around pedestrians instead of the zooming of cars. At the heart of the center a koi pond spreads out like a meditation garden, and the Korea House restaurant overlooks this scenery.

The Goodnight is a trendy sports bar that also includes a bowling alley and billiard tables for its guests. Shabu is Austin's premiere hot pot and ramen noodle restaurant. Chipotle grill serves trendy tacos and bowls. Cover 3 is a sports bar with upscale menu featuring burgers garnished with superlatives. Madam Mam's serves some pretty good Thai food. BodyBusiness will transform me into an iron man if I let them. Epoch Coffee lets me connect to WiFi and chill while sipping some superbly well prepared coffees. Link Coworking offers this new concept in office space rental in cooperative spaces that share resources like printers & photocopiers in an environment less cramped than a cubicle farm, more private and more conducive to work than a coffee house, and fewer distractions than home.

So much of the Village invites me to linger, and I've spent many weekend chunks spanning two meals, one of which accompanied a movie, and some online work with coffee in between. I've really enjoyed...

This place has changed a LITTLE since I was very young, but not entirely. I remember when I was very young, around 4 years old, my mom would take me on walks on the inner part of this place, with the streams and ponds. There's a little gazebo that's there that I specifically remember my mom taking me to, and we would feed the Koi Fish/Goldfish with bread or whatever we had to work with. There were a LOT more there then than there is now. She also took me to see "An American Tale" in the movie theatre here, which had a different name back then. I kinda wish Fuddruckers was still here, but oh well. Good memories. Nothing in this worldstays exactly the same, but sometimes I can come here, have a seat in the gazebo, close my eyes, and feel transported back to that simpler time in my life, really FEEL like Im there and my Mom is still with me. Teally great place. I hope it doesn't change too much over the next...

I remember the old village shopping center back when Fudruckers was located there- with all the growth that has taken place & new businesses added parking is cramped, the entrance /exit by CVS should really be a 4 way stop since cars are coming from all different directions, for the purpose of everyone trying to leave or enter the shopping center which is super dangerous during peak times. Be careful walking through the parking lot during lunch, ppl are in a rush, speeding not paying attention & will not yield to the right of way for pedestrians. Lastly, the suite #s are almost invisible with no signage of those located further in the back near...