Hey Friends,

It is so wonderful to connect with you!  I wanted to write this personal note to share my inspiration behind the new Austin Foodsta website.

Almost five years ago, I created an Instagram account [separate from my personal account @rholtin].   It was titled @AustinFoodsta and became my diary for all of the places I would dine at in Austin, Texas.  My mission was to visit each restaurant in the city and share an Instagram photo of my meal.  Unbeknownst to me, it would soon become its own popular brand that was followed and adored by 20,000+ Austinites within the first year.  Seeing the popularity of the account, I continued to consistently post food content and cover the rapidly changing Austin restaurant scene.  People started reaching out and inviting me in to be one of the first to try their food; a true honor.  Now today, almost five years later, I am launching my very own blog site with a following of over 89,000 of you.

Why start a blog now? One might ask. Well there are several reasons.  Instagram is amazing, but it is not my own and I do not ultimately control their platform.  Through Instagram, I am also unable to organize my content into a format that is easily digestible when you’re searching for the top happy hour, or best place to dine on New Year’s Eve.  The knowledge I have been gifted by being in this world is surely valuable and I hope to share it with all.

I welcome your feedback, as I continue to build the Austin Foodsta brand.  Your voice has shaped the feed, and will now shape this blog.  Please make it heard!

XOXO,

Rachel S. Holtin