Archive for ‘Going Out’

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July 19, 2011

Austin: Day ‘o the Week Breakdown

I love nothing more than a theme party, so you can imagine how excited I was to hear that two Austin standbys, old and new, are hosting themed events every day of the work week throughout the summer! Check out the Day ‘o the Week Breakdown for West Sixth’s Star Bar and South Lamar’s Gibson—almost everything includes FREE food!!

Monday

Gibson: Mustache Mondays—$3 Maker’s special all night for everyone with a mustache. All guests receive a free mustache and prizes are awarded to the most impressive ‘stache.

Star Bar: Crock-Pot Creations—complimentary homemade soups or queso bar, all night happy hour and $4 Makers Mark.

Tuesday

Gibson: Trivia Tuesdays—free pub quiz starting at 8p complete with special prizes and bragging rights.

Star Bar: Texas Tuesdays—complimentary Frito pie, $3 local drafts (Live Oak, Independence and 512 brewing),  $3 Deep Eddy regular and sweet tea vodka served in mason jars.

Wednesday

Gibson: Wine Wednesday & Steak Night— complimentary cheese plate from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop (so hot right now!) with each purchase of a half or full bottle of wine beginning at 4p until the plates run out. Half bottle pricing starts at $10 and full bottles start at $15. Luke’s Inside Out also offers a grilled steak paired with two sides for $12 on Wednesdays.

Star Bar: Wine and Cheese Wednesdays–complimentary cheese plate from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop with each purchase of a half or full bottle of wine. Plate includes a variety of cheeses, Italian meats, grapes and flatbread. Half bottle pricing starts at $7 and full bottles start at $19.

Thursday

Gibson: Bubbles n Bitches (and Bingo)—Gibson has added Bingo to their popular Bubbles n Bitches night … In addition to complimentary variety plate of chocolates and strawberries with every order of bubbles, free Bingo begins at 8p with host Trevin from 101x and a chance to win great prizes.

Star Bar: Star Barrio(haha!)—happy hour complete with complimentary homemade salsas and an enchilada bar featuring Ranch 616 enchiladas, rice and beans. Drink specials include Palomas and buckets of iced Mini Sols.

Sunday

Gibson: Sinner Sunday– service industry happy hour all night.

Star Bar: Doublewide Sundays—complimentary chicken and waffles, Pop-Tarts and a variety of cereals. All day happy hour and drink specials include vodka Capri Suns, SunnyD Mimosas, Strawberry Quik White Russians, and $2 Lone Stars.

BONUS! Free Smoothie Fridays from McDonald’s: Try the new Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie at local participating McDonalds with free samples every Friday in July from 7am – 7pm.

I’m not endorsing your Mickey D’s stops, just letting you know about free stuff. The new Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie combines mango and pineapple with low-fat yogurt. It’s all about choices—visit this site for McDonald’s nutritional info.

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June 23, 2011

Austin: Cincominder App

Surely you remember CINCO Vodka, the “Austin’s Neighbor”-based, limestone-filtered, “martini-drinker’s” vodka I wrote about here? In one of the most ridiculously awesome ideas ever, CINCO has introduced a Cincominder app for the iphone. What does this app do?

Why, the app reminds fans when it’s five o’clock—the perfect time to enjoy a great martini!—with the signature sound of five shakes from a martini shaker. The app also will provide GPS information to let you know the nearest Cinco provider, whether it’s a bar, restaurant, hotel, nightclub, country club, or liquor store.

Cincominder drinking app

That’s right. The Cincominder app will help you get drunk at precisely 5pm. It also offers vodka enthusiasts a number of original recipes from Cinco’s Director of Cincology, such as the Cincotini, Love Potion #5, Mild Sedative, Yellow Submarine, Shiatzu and Excalibur.

Luckily, Cincominder also offers a “call a taxi” feature designed to assist you in calling the nearest Taxi to your location.

They’ve thought of everything. Download the free app from the iTunes app store immediately.

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June 17, 2011

Happy Father’s Day!

My dad is awesome.

dad_nali

This is him with Denali, when she was just a puppy. He is funny.

My family isn’t really a brunching family, except when it comes to people’s birthdays, holidays, or relatives in town … erm, so maybe we are? Dad loves Waterloo Icehouse’s brunch, but then again, he’s never tried TRACE …

Father’s Day Brunch at TRACE Celebrates Dad and Ugly Ties! TRACE at the W Austin is serving Father’s Day brunch from 10:30am to 3:30pm on Sunday, June 19th, 2011. Every Dad that brings or wears an ugly tie to Father’s Day Brunch will be entered to win a VIP W Austin experience, which will include a one-night stay at the W Austin, dinner in TRACE and AWAY spa gift certificate.

Menu: The á la carte menu features everything from Fried Chicken and Waffles to the Lavaca Omelet, Charcuterie Board, and hybrid “breakfast desserts” including the Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding and the Drunken Doughnuts topped with a bourbon dulce leche. For the Hungry Man, a farmer’s breakfast which includes two eggs any style, farm house cheese, fried green tomatoes, cheese grits and slab bacon.

200 Lavaca St. / 512.542.3660 / traceaustin.com

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June 17, 2011

Austin: Trisha Lewis Fundraiser & AW Skin Clinic Grand Opening

You might remember my post on Trisha Lewis, extraordinary facialist at Skin by Ann Webb. I just got word that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, so the Skin by Ann Webb team is turning their new location grand opening party into a fundraiser for their beloved staff member.

Join the Skin by Ann Webb team at their new location at 11701 Jollyville Rd. Austin, TX 78759 on Saturday, June 18, from 5-8pm for a party complete with a silent auction.

From the facebook event invite: We want to show our support and love for her during this hard time. Come help us raise funds to help Trisha with Medical expenses. If you would like to make a donation, please send a check or money order to: Trisha Lewis- AW Skin Clinic 11701 Jollyville Rd. Ste 103 Austin TX 78759 If you would like to donate an item for the Silent Auction, please contact Mary Barnette 512-795-0145

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June 15, 2011

ASPEN: Food & Wine Classic

I just got back from an Aspen Business Luncheon with Food & Wine Publisher and Vice President Christina Grdovic. She was an excellent, fast-paced speaker, and her talk really got me jazzed about the upcoming weekend! Even though I don’t have passes to the actual events, there’s plenty for me to do … ASPEN magazine, Aspen Peak, Mario Batali, lots of scotch companies, and countless others are throwing non-official parties (think SXSW ’08, before all the “non-official” parties were too big).

If you’re lucky enough to be attending, you’ve likely already checked out foodandwine.com/classic, but I find the website confusing and not all that interesting. Better to download the free app and follow the hashtag #fwclassic on twitter throughout the weekend for the REAL news. If you’re not attending, no worries, the town is abuzz with crazy energy, and you’re likely to spot some serious starpower … last year I saw Giada de Laurentiis heading up the Gondola and Mario Batali with his fam at Bruno’s. It’s a blast, tickets or no.

Also note that the Saturday Market starts up this Saturday, so there’s tons of local merchants and farmers selling their goods, and it’s a great place to wander enjoying the Aspen sunshine.

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June 2, 2011

Austin: Benevolent Saturday’s Good Karma Bazaar and Poker Tourney

I’m pretty excited about Nectar’s 1st Annual Good Karma Bazaar, A Day of Selfless Spending. Nectar is a unique fair trade thrift boutique that donates 100% of its proceeds help to fund humanitarian service projects in Austin & worldwide (click here for yelp reviews). The Good Karma Bazaar includes the regular shopping plus a fashion show, food from Contigo, and live music from Joel Laviolette from RattleTree Marimba.

Facebook event here /1006 S. 8th Street, Austin, TX 78704 / 4-8pm / $8 suggested donation, kids under 7 free

Or, get rowdy with some charity poker:

poker austin

EVERYONE at the final table receives a prize package. Register here.

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May 24, 2011

Austin & Aspen: Top Ten Party Towns

USA Today names 10 destinations for bar-hopping all over the world. I’m not saying I agree or not (Ohio instead of Monaco??), but it is important to note that, naturally, my two homes are in the top ten:

Aspen, Colorado 

“As far as mountain towns go, Aspen is one of the few that holds up in summer and winter,” Cockrell says. “Of course it has the usual ski-bum haunts, but it also has places like 39 Degrees Lounge, an urban-style oasis with a pool frequented by a chic crowd. In Aspen, you can have any type of night out you want within its few main streets.”

True, Aspen is hoppin’ summer and winter, and there are bars for all types.

Austin, Texas

“So many great bars here, just choose a street — South Congress, East Sixth Street, South Lamar — to get your fix, then end your night at one of the nation’s greatest food carts (download the AustinFoodCarts app to find out where they are),” Cockrell says. New bars on the east side include Yellow Jacket Social Club and Eastside Showroom. “South Lamar is a little more authentic Austin,” Cockrell says. “Don’t miss the laid-back Barton Springs Saloon, a repurposed gas station with a pool table and pinball machines, or the super divey Horseshoe Lounge.”

Also true. Pick a mood, pick a corresponding street, and then go.

The other 8? Listed below.
Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Dublin, Ireland
Williamsburg neighborhood, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Ohio City neighborhood, Cleveland
Seville, Spain
Portland, Oregon
New Orleans, Louisiana

Yeah, I only see nine too… good work USA Today.

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May 17, 2011

Austin Food & Wine Festival

… just another way Austin and Aspen are uniquely synchronized:

The Austin Food & Wine Festival

C3 Presents with Chef Tyson Cole, Chef Tim Love & Jesse Herman are creating the Austin Food & Wine Festival March 30-April 1, 2012 in locations throughout Austin. It is presenting sponsor Food & Wine (yep, the same as Aspen)’s first festival involvement in Texas.

Austin Food and Wine

“Our passion for food is integrated into each of our festivals—with the influence of culinary ambassadors Graham Elliot at Lollapalooza and chef Tim Love at Austin City Limits helping keep the local flavor of each event on par with the entire festival experience,” said Charlie Jones, founding partner of C3 Presents. “It seemed only natural that we expand this passion to host a culinary destination festival in Austin, Texas dedicated solely to food and wine, where the food scene continues to surprise and delight us.”

The popular Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival will turn into a 501 C (3) nonprofit organization called the Austin Food & Wine Foundation and be the designated beneficiary of the Austin Food & Wine Festival.

www.austinfoodandwinefestival.com / facebook.com/austinfoodwine / twitter.com/austinfoodwine

*Aspen just released its one-day Food & Wine tickets for $395.

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May 16, 2011

Austin’s Neighbor’s CINCO Vodka

Austin has become a hotbed for craft booze. How many breweries have opened this year alone? Perhaps it started with Tito’s Vodka and Live Oak Brewery, but the local libations scene has expanded to include Treaty Oak Rum, Graham’s Texas Tea, Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka, Balcones Baby Blue Whiskey, Dripping Springs Vodka, to name a few, and not to mention the breweries like the new Twisted X, (512) Brewing, Black Star, or Jester King …

Point is, we love our booze, we love local, and we LOVE local booze. Even if it’s from an hour down the road in San Antonio.

Cue Cinco Vodka.

Cinco vodka austin ad

Here it is on my shelf:

CINCO vodka Austin

This vodka is ridiculously smooth. Perhaps that’s why they bill it as “the martini lover’s vodka”??

Besides the fact that I simply love stars and you can pretty much get me to love any product featuring stars on its packaging, Cinco Vodka is made from amber wheat from Idaho and Edwards Aquifer water naturally filtered through the Cordova Creme limestone underneath San Antonio. A super-premium, totally stateside vodka? Europeans everywhere are turning up their noses, but they shouldn’t. This vodka is worthy of its five-star theme.

Produced at the Cinco Ranch, where they recycle all their wastewater, Cinco Vodka is available at Twin Liquors and costs $26.99 for 750 milliliters, $32.99 for 1 liter, and $44.99 for 1.75 liter.

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May 5, 2011

Austin: Giveaway! Tix to Advance Screening of Forks Over Knives

“The answer is so simple it’s criminal: people starting to take responsibility for their health.”

This trailer is for FORKS OVER KNIVES, a film examining the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods*.

*You know that I am a meat-eatin’, raw milk-drinkin’, cheese-lovin’ omnivore. I don’t eat a lot of grains or sugar or corn or soy. I am very interested in health and wellness and firmly believe in the premise of the film: that diet, what you eat, can and WILL affect your health. When I first heard about this film, I loved the idea, but didn’t necessarily agree with the vegetarian/vegan message. That’s A-OK. What’s important here is the notion that processed foods are killing us, and we need to eat more whole foods, plant or animal based.

Back to the synopsis of the film … The major storyline traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University (and yes, the controversial author of The China Study), and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. Inspired by remarkable discoveries in their young careers, these men conducted several groundbreaking studies.

Their separate research led them to the same startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet. Despite the profound implications of their findings, their work has remained relatively unknown to the public. Bringing these scientific concepts to life, cameras follow “reality patients” who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes, and are taught by their doctors to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments. The film features leading experts on health and tackles the issue of diet and disease in a way that will have people talking for years.

*GIVEAWAY* WIN one of FIVE pairs of tickets to an advanced screening on Monday, May 9th at The Regal Arbor in Austin. Just leave a comment below or email me at thisislifeinaustin@gmail.com BEFORE Sunday, May 8th, at 6PM CST.

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