Designs from Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen and Eskander will be showcased, but our interest level is definitely leaning towards mojitos, champagne, Italian cocktails, and snacks from The Steeping Room, North, Jaspers, The Daily Grill and Viva Chocolato. ...

Rebecca Robinson won't sit still. In addition to her day job, Robinson is also an award-winning actor, garnering recognition as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for the 2006-2007 B. Iden Payne Awards. Austinist asked Robinson some questions about The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas and her role as Executive Director of the Austin-based organization whose membership reads like a a who's who of heavy-hitters in the growing Texas culinary scene. How did......

Sip 'N' Stroll: As a warm-up for next spring's Hill Country Wine and Food Festival, the organization is sponsoring a very enjoyable-sounding Sip 'N' Stroll event at three of The Domain's new restaurants. The concept is simple: you wander from restaurant to restaurant in groups, and each of them serves you a flight of wines and some paired appetizers. NoRTH features Italian eats, so naturally they'll be focusing on Italy's wine varietals. Regan Jasper, the......

FRIDAY [30] music • The Skeletons at South Austin Speedshop (7pm) fashion/music • Couture de Amore with fashions by Loves, Mariessa; Stiletto Gold; Sea and Enemies; Amy Kline (Jewelry), and Clap!Clap!, Golden Bear, Haunting Oboe Music, The Valentines at The Parish Room ($10) music • Video/CD release for "The Projeckt" at Latitude 30 music • Bluebonnet Blues Festival, benefitting Historic Main Street Association of Marble Falls, at Marble Falls music • 3rd Annual Global......

Paula Disbrowe has been a food and travel writer in Manhattan and the cowgirl chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Her work has been featured in publications including the New York Times, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, and Saveur. She recently launched one of our favorite websites, Dishola, and her new book, Cowgirl Cuisine: Rustic Recipes and Cowgirl Adventures from a Texas Ranch, showcases her love for Texas food. Catch......

THURSDAY [29] theatre •Yellow Tape Construction Company presents I Am Not Tartuffe at play! Theatre (8pm) theatre •The City Theatre Company presents The Boys Next Door at The City Theatre (8pm) theatre •Ohio Trip, a "slide show adventure" by Elizabeth Cobbe at Women & Their Work Gallery (7:30pm) theatre •The Vortex presents Hamlet at The Vortex (8pm) theatre •Hyde Park Theatre presents Zell Miller III's My Child, My Child, My Alien Child at Hyde......

We are crushed that one of the hottest event at the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival - tonight’s Sip and Stroll done got sold out. We are completely missing out on both champagne and chatting up the Bubbly Professor - Jane Nickles. We are also missing out on wandering down to (sometimes yay, sometimes nay) Cru Wine Bar, where we would have been force-fed white wine. We are also, alas, not heading......

WEDNESDAY [28] film •AFS presents "Grindhouse" at The Paramount Theatre books •Larry Speck presents Technology, Sustainability, and Cultural Identity at BookPeople (7:00pm) books •Mayor's Book Club, First Discussion of Around the Bloc by Stephanie Elizondo Griest at International Center of Austin (7:00pm) film •Third Coast Night screens "Sacco & Vanzetti" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film •"Transformers: The Movie" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film •Weird Wednesdays: "Erotic Adventures of Superknight" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film......

Tomorrow marks the start of the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. If you had any doubt that our town is becoming more foodie and cosmopolitan, you need only look at the myriad "SOLD OUT" announcements on the THCWFF's site to quickly lose that notion. But while many tastings are already full, we still see two events on the wine calendar well worth recommending as last minute bookings: A Wine Dinner w/ Simi......

austinist is an Official Media Sponsor of The Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival photo of Chef John Ash courtesy The Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival Sure, think about the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival and the Sunday Fair in Georgetown is the first thing to come to mind. One of our favorite events, though, is this Saturday from 10am-1pm - then outdoor farmers’ market-inspired tasting event - From......

Back in early 2006, foodies were abuzz about the pizzas and Italian food products on offer at Mandola's Market on 47th Street. The shop fast became a neighborhood mainstay and maintains a loyal following. When we recently became aware that they were also planning a combination winery and restaurant venture in Driftwood (home of The Salt Lick), we contacted Mandola Estates hospitality head Lynn Zeller to find out more. The upshot of our talk:......

Sixty restaurants, thirty wineries, and you. This is perhaps the simplest way to describe the indulgence that is the Stars Across Texas tasting at the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. A veritable "who's who" of Texas restaurants each prepare small portions of signature dishes for guests to sample, making the most difficult choice simply what to eat before you run out of room. Last year, we had sushi tarts from Roy's, Shiner-braised......

Every year - from large festivals to more intimate tastings, from foodie seminars to elegant galas - the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival showcases many of austinist's culinary favorites. At locations throughout town, the festival highlights not only local restaurants and culinary talents but local products as well. This year, the festival includes old favorites such as demos and classes by local and national celebrity chefs as well as the ubiquitous Sunday......

With great weather, a social atmosphere, and big crowds, there were many good times to be had at last year's Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival Sunday Fair in Georgetown. Having braved the long drive, we found a huge, beautiful park filled with white tents full of salsa, BBQ, chocolate, tamales, and copious amounts of booze. This is probably one's best chance to experience the gluttony of the THCWFF at a moderate cost,......

You may not know it, but you've loved Fred MacMurray since childhood. Like the early careers of Kurt Russell and Jodie Foster, MacMurray was perhaps best known as a Disney contract player for his work in films like "The Absent-Minded Professor" and "The Shaggy Dog." But there's an impressive darker side to MacMurray's acting that can only be seen in his films with auteur Billy Wilder. Last year, Fred's daughter Kate MacMurray presented the noir......

The Driskill Hotel's David Bull has made like a tree and leaved his post as Executive Chef. According to the Austin America-Statesman, after concluding his Hill Country Wine and Food Festival obligations, he'll make a circuit of the state, overseeing food and beverages at the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, then do the same at Dallas' Stoneleigh Hotel, then come back to roost at the Seaholm Plaza Hotel where he will oversee culinary......

Austin’s culinary scene loses big with the announced departure of Cathy Cochran-Lewis. Most recently the community relations guru for the flagship Whole Foods Market as well as their North Austin store, Cochran-Lewis helped turn this one-horse food town into the developing foodie lab it is today. If any of you nerdier food geeks remember Alton Brown coming to town, or Alice Waters, or Deborah Madison, or Martin Yan, or Paul Prudhomme, or Caprial Pence......

We were a little bored just the other evening so we put in our monocles, threw on our spats, had a spoonful of Grey Poupon, hopped in the Bentley, and drove on down to the Triangle where Joe Bedard at Mandola’s Market helped us pick a split of Prosecco and a fine Montepulciano while we waited for our Margherita Pizza and our Bruschetta. Their wine selection is good, and we recommend an extra loaf......

FRIDAY [7] [music] Cruiserweight, Driver Friendly, Kissinger, Radio Pioneer at Emo's (link) [music] Low at The Parish (link) [music] The Mercers at Stubb's (link) [music] Mr. & Mrs. Mays, Faceless Werewolves and Pocket Symphonies at Hole in the Wall ($3) (link) [music] Dark Star Orchestra at La Zona Rosa (Through Sat) (link) [art] A slew of public art makers and thinkers get together to discuss "Public Art: The Good, the Bad, and the Temporary" at......

The annual Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival is fast approaching. And, as you may remember from reading last year, we are big fans. Multiple events will be taking place April 6th-9th involving 60 wineries, 100 restaurants, and 15 national chefs and speakers. Events range in price from $25 - $150 and all should be exciting to any food and wine connoisseur, as well as neophytes ready to expand their knowledge. For $25 you......

Every now and then Austinist likes to go a little high-brow. Hence, we spent this past weekend indulging ourselves in the decadence that was the The Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival . Produced by Capital Sports Entertainment , and in conjunction with Saveur Magazine, the festival offered a variety of events, from demonstrations and samples by world-renowned chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and Todd English, to boat cruises which offered tapas and sangria......