The First Annual Big Aspen Barbecue Block Party takes place at the base of Aspen Mountain this Saturday and Sunday, August 28 – 29, 2010, from noon – 7pm. The sister event of New York City’s much-beloved barbecue extravaganza that includes food, music, seminars, and more.

There are a bunch of big names serving up the ‘cue, including, because it’s so Austin up in here, Mike Rodriguez from Salt Lick BBQ. He’s serving up brisket & sausage. Other heavy hitting pitmasters:

• Jim Butchart, Sam’s Smokehouse, Aspen, CO
• Kenny Callaghan, Blue Smoke, New York, NY
• Ryan Hardy, Montagna Restaurant at The Little Nell, Aspen, CO [HAPPY MEAT!!]
• Mike Mills, 17th Street Bar & Grill, Murphysboro, IL & Memphis Championship Barbecue, Las Vegas, NV
• Ed Mitchell, The Pit, Raleigh, NC
• Drew Robinson, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Birmingham, AL

Admission to the event is free. Plates from across the country are available from top pitmasters for only $8 per plate.

Proceeds from the Big Aspen Barbecue Block Party support the Aspen Community Foundation, which builds philanthropy and supports nonprofit organizations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

Despite the fact that I’m from Texas, I don’t love barbecue. People hate to hear this, but it’s true. I don’t like sickly-sweet barbecue sauce, I don’t like the sides for barbecue (potato salad? gag me), I don’t like smoke off the grill. That said, I do love me some grilled meat sans all that other junk, which I’m hoping to get this weekend. YUM!!

Carrie On at The Belmont

Neither can The Belmont … They have a Carrie On Week planned, where you get all glammed up, grab your gal pals, and let your inner Carrie, Miranda, Samantha or Charlotte shine as you sip on swanky cocktails at the Belmont before enjoying the flick! Make a reservation with Michelle (michelle@thebelmontaustin.com) to receive a FREE bottle of champagne when you come in with a group of 5 or more!!

Or, redeem your ticket stub after the movie to enjoy a complimentary “Sex and The City-Inspired Refreshment”! Offer good until June 5th.

Carrie On at Speakeasy

Does Miranda On just not work? Anyway, the fab-u-lous Sex & The City 2 movie comes out May 27 nationwide, but Speakeasy is hosting a Carrie On Soiree on Thursday, May 27, 2010, 7pm:

In true Carrie Bradshaw fashion, there will be free-flowing champagne, bottle service in the Kabaret Room with Skyy SATC II Signature Bottles and sushi from Imperia. This is not an evening to be fashionably late as swag bags and complimentary cosmos will be offered to the first 100 arrivals.

Start your evening off at Terrace 59 with a glamorous fashion show, featuring several sexy Dress Shop and Teddies for Bettys looks inspired by the Sex and the City characters. Austin’s own Micah Yancey will be presenting her handmade jewelry along with Limbo Jewelry Design. “Express manicures” will be offered by the nail techs from Embellish Nails & Boutique. Custom sweet and savory bites will be prepared by Allison Waddell of GoGo Delicious. And look for special surprises from Camille’s Better Bronze and Corp Fit in the gift bags!

Sex & The City 2 at Sully’s

Thursday, May 27, 5 pm – 11:30 pm

Regular happy hour features ($5 martinis) PLUS Sex & the City theme martinis, complimentary appetizers, and Sweet Treats with their delicious cake balls!

 The Salon at Saks 5th Avenue is bringing a manicurist to touch up your nails and Chanel make up artists to get you looking just like the stars!

Fashions from: 
gallery d,  Plain Ivey Jane,  Silpada Jewelry
, Stella Says Go, and Touch of Sass

Incredible door prizes including:
 Tickets to see Sex & the City 2 at the Alamo Drafthouse
; 1 pair of tickets to see Sex & the City star Mario Cantone at the Long Center; 
Gift Baskets from Belvedere, Ketel One and Hennessy

OMG I cant wait!!

Featuring the world-famous mint julep from Woodford Reserve, special menu items, a Parade of Hats contest, and a host of activities leading up post-time. Man, I love seersucker, pearls, and poufy dresses.

Saturday, May 1, 2010 – 11am to 6pm

Brittany

She said: Beauty is our unaltered natural perfection

AND

Also, for the record, the only person to send in a penis picture–of a giant wooden penis with a small woman on top–was my Vermonster boyfriend. Thanks a lot, dude.

Going to be one smokin’ hot party, Seaholm is gonna be decked out like you’ve never seen it decked out before, and the freakin’ Donnas are playing. Snag a ticket, $24 in advance: http://www.endlessbeauty.com/launch-party

How to Win Tix:

At the launch party, there’s gonna be an awesome Beauty Wall with pictures of people talking about what beauty means to them.

1 entry: Leave me a comment telling me what beauty means to you.

Triple entries (3): send a pic of yourself to thisislifeinaustin@gmail.com AND tell me what beauty means to you in the comments. (Swear, if any of you send me penis pictures … I will send you a picture of poop. Hot, steaming, poop.)

Beauty pictures and comments can and will probably be used at the event.

Post by FRIDAY AT NOON! Winner announced Friday afternoon! (ha)

I’ve written about Austin Young Chamber of Commerce before (here), but this time they are throwing a mega shindig. At their Tie One On party at Rebel’s Honky Tonk, there will be an OPEN BAR from 7-11pm, live music from Grant Jones and the Pistol Whip Lassos & Mikey and the Soda Jerks, a bull riding contest, pairs dancing contest, punching bag contest, and a best dressed contest.  Plus, everytime you participate in a contest you get entered into the raffle to win two round-trip tickets ANYWHERE Jet Blue flies!  There will be lots of other prizes and surprises, so don’t miss this event!

GET TIX NOW! $25 – Members / $35 – Non-members

Event details
When: Friday March 26th, 2010, 7-11pm
Where: Rebel’s Honky Tonk
305 West 5th Street

OR

Girls’ Night at the Gallery with Deep Eddy Sweet-Tea Infused Vodka!
(Guys are welcome, too!)
Friday, March 26, 2010
6-8:30p
Featuring Complimentary Cocktails from better-than-Firefly (which is coming out with a bourbon!):

Door Prizes from Spa Reveil and Tusa Fitness
1501 W. 5th Street-Inside the Art of Jewelry and Art on 5th

AND

Achachay! at Flamingo Cantina (because you didn’t see enough Dirty Sixth during SX) at 10p!

Thirst No More’s PAKs

Austin company Thirst No More has been active in major disaster areas and found that one of the most important things we can do for people on the ground is give them help with basics. Their PAKs (Primary Assistance Kits) are usually involved in Thirst No More’s initial responses to major disasters like the Haiti earthquake. For families who have literally lost everything, a PAK gives them some essential items to help them begin their recovery. A typical PAK will include a cooking pot, utensils, rice, beans, a flashlight, pain medicine, a towel, soap, toys, and a container that can be used to carry water.

You can purchase and deliver a PAK for a family in Haiti for $50. http://www.thirstnomore.org/

Doctors Without Borders via CrossFit Central

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. Today, MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need, like the victims of the Haitian earthquake.

CrossFit Central, where I train, is collecting donations here. Doctors Without Borders is backed by big-name celebs like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Gisele Bundchen, who have donated over a million dollars each to the organization, but you can help in whatever you can while taking comfort in knowing that 87% of donations go to directly funding programs (in the nonprofit world, that’s a pretty high percentage).

If parties are more your style, check out Wednesday night’s CharityBash at Molotov:

… or Sunday, Jan 24′s crazy fundraiser put on by Direct Events at Austin Music Hall.

The lineup includes almost every big-name band from or somehow related to Austin that there is, including Asleep at the Wheel, Band of Heathens, Bruce Robison, Charlie Sexton, The Flatlanders, The Gourds, Guy Forsyth, Jack Ingram, Joe Ely, Kelly Willis, Kinky Friedman, Patricia Vaughn, Paula Nelson, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Reckless Kelly, Robert Earl Keen and Shawn Colvin.

Also, a HUGE HUGE HUGE shout out and thank you to my AMAZING Real Time Reporter friends, JOEY, GEORGIA, ARUN, LISA, ROBI, and KRISTI. You guys are the BEST. Also, a huge thanks to my mom–the awesome woman in the Ms. Claus dress that was once an aunt’s BRIDESMAIDS DRESS–couldn’t have corralled the white elephant gift craziness without you.

Pictures coming soon!

Even though the RSVPs are closed, you can still come! RSVP list gets priority access, but does not guarantee entry, so capacity permitting, everyone can come. Show up earlier for a better chance at getting in …

SEE YOU THERE!!