It was a great equalizer. If a man could work hard enough and get lucky enough, oil could turn a pauper into a prince, literally overnight. Long before Houston and Dallas were big Texas cities, and well before sustenance was no further than the local H-E-B, Texans were roughing it out on the frontier, trying to make a living any way they could.

Sometimes the thing that makes someone unstoppable is simply their inability to stop. According to award-winning Hollywood director Robert Rodriguez that is exactly how his career began. As a child, Rodriguez never dreamed of being famous. He was just a kid having fun with his father's video camera, at least until he saw John Carpenter's science-fiction thriller Escape from New York at age 12. From that day on, he was determined to be a movie director.

Inside Books Project has been providing reading materials to Texas inmates for 20 years, but the Austin-based organization is the only one in Texas to put books directly into the hands of about 25,000 inmates every year.

Despite much of the state being landlocked, that does not stop Texas chefs from getting fresh fish from all around the world flown in, often on a daily basis. “When I started fifteen years ago, sushi was popular, but not that much. It’s amazing to see how sushi continues to grow in popularity in Texas,” said Uchi’s Executive Chef and Owner Tyson Cole. “Our timing could not be better now because people want something that’s fresh and creative.”

How would it feel to find a go-to boutique with the perfect gift for everyone on your list? Luckily, that place exists at Sweet and Southern Finds in Taylor, less than than an hour’s drive to the northeast side of Austin. This boutique/bakery duo is at the corner of 6th and Main Street.

Juicy red tomatoes, deeply dark greens, fragrant melon, and crisp peppers are always more flavorful when they are fresh, and grown and picked close to home, but local farms and farm life are under threat in Central Texas.

Located on the historic Green Pastures estate in Austin, Mattie's is well-known for its famous holiday brunches, starring the 1965 Milk Punch. Originally opened by Henry and Martha "Mattie" Miner Faulk where they lived in the home, they passed the restaurant on to their daughter, Mary Faulk Koock, who opened it in Green Pastures in 1946.

If your idea of a good Texas cocktail starts and stops with a basic margarita, think again. Bartenders across the state are crafting specialty cocktails that taste almost magical, like a boozy potion. These drinks are shaken, stirred, muddled, and swirled to perfection, and absolutely worth the trips to taste for yourself.

Nestled inside a warm and quaint vintage home, Austin's original Kerbey Lane Cafe is still booming with business, despite its six other locations. Since opening on May 5th, 1980, Kerbey Lane takes the cake for the most laid-back and consistently good breakfast restaurant, even when breakfast happens at 3 a.m.

If you have an appetite for savory, seasonal dishes, you will be delighted to discover Second Bar + Kitchen's two fabulous locations in Austin — downtown and Domain NORTHSIDE. Putting a tasteful twist on their menu items, Second Bar + Kitchen works hard to guarantee divine cuisine and sublime experiences to their guests.

Few things turn mature, reasonable adults into giddy, wide-eyed kids faster than fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. These gooey confections elicit feelings of comfort, nostalgia, and happiness at a moment’s notice. Just ask Tiffany and Leon Chen, co-founders of Tiff’s Treats, a bakery and cookie delivery service.