Though she’s from Fort Worth originally, Camille Styles—best-selling author and founder/Editor-in-Chief of the eponymous site and owner of home goods brand Casa Zuma—had only visited Austin a couple times.
After college graduation in Missouri, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in fashion. It wasn’t until then, while visiting a friend in the Lone Star State’s capital, that she really considered Austin. “This was in 2006 and I fell in love with the laid-back culture, the creativity,” she says. “The warmth of the people, the food, all of it. I just loved it.”
She found the city “at a point where I really wanted to choose a place I could see myself building a life. And so I moved to Austin, kind of on a whim, and never looked back.”
Now there nearly 20 years she’s become somewhat of an evangelist for the city, often hosting friends from out of town, sometimes convincing them to move (though the city does a fair bit of convincing itself).
Here, Styles shares her guide to her favorite locales in Austin.
Styles in Bufalina, her favorite pizza spot in Austin. Photo by Kristen Kilpatrick
Juiceland
Multiple locations
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Los Angeles and New York and other cities where people swear by their smoothies. And I still say that you cannot beat Juiceland. They just make the absolute best smoothies in the world. One of my favorite things to do in the morning is go for a trail walk with a friend and then hit up Juiceland. There’s a reason they’ve been around for decades.”
Comedor
501 Colorado St
“Comedor is my favorite higher-end Mexican spot. It’s a really special dining experience. The atmosphere really reminds me of some of the most beautiful restaurants in Mexico City. They change up the menu seasonally to really use the best ingredients. But one of the signature dishes that everyone gets are the bone marrow tacos. They’re not to be missed.”
The interior of Comedor, the atmosphere of which reminds Styles of “the most beautiful restaurants in Mexico City.”
The bone marrow tacos at Comedor are “not to be missed,” says Styles.
Styles has now lived in Austin 20 years and has several go-to spots in the city. Photo by Michelle Nash.
First Light Bookstore
4300 Speedway Unit 104
“First Light is delightful and gorgeous, a special curated bookstore that sells special art books and cookbooks and children’s books you don’t see anywhere else. It’s become my favorite place to meet a friend for coffee, and just kind of get lost in there. There’s always something new to discover.”
Commodore Perry Estate
401 W River St
“The [hotel] is just so special. When you step onto the property, you really are leaving the hustle and bustle of downtown and entering this very peaceful retreat, looking out over this spectacular garden—it has a really magical feel. The building is just gorgeous. The food [at Lutie’s] is great. They have really expertly curated members’ events. ”
