The weather is warm, the wildflowers are out, and it's nice to get out to the park. To that end, the Wine and Food Foundation is starting a new Spring tradition at wedding hot spot Zilker Park Clubhouse. On Wednesday, four wine distributors will pour over 100 of their new release wines at the first annual Spring Fling from 6 to 9pm. Distributors Prestige Cellars, Ambiente Importing, Pioneer, and Horizon Wines will show off a literal world of wines designed for spring and summer sipping. This all takes place in the comfy confines of Zilker Park, where you can relax after a long work day and concentrate on choosing your new favorite vino for the season....

While the cultures may be somewhat divergent, the climate and landscape of the Texas Hill Country have been compared to the winemaking giants of central Italy, Spain or the South of France, and Mediterranean wines like Grenache, Syrah, Viognier, Tempranillo and Sangiovese are becoming more common (especially since they can better deal with Texas' extreme weather and the need to dig deep for nutrients.)...

One of our favorite Washington wineries is J. Bookwalter, a family-owned Columbia Valley producer who began making wine in 1983. The winery was started by Jerry Bookwalter, and his son John assumed the helm as winemaker in 2000 along with consultant Zelma Long. John's decade of experience on the sales side of the wine business has led him to make big changes during his tenure with everything from branding and packaging to the winery's tasting room experience. Mr. Bookwalter has also poured his efforts into focusing the winery on top-flight reds, and the success of his results will be clear to everyone that tries his Merlot or Cabernet at the Hill Country Wine & Food Festival. The wines are approachable, elegant, and complex, yet represent solid value compared to many of their Californian counterparts....

With less than a month before four of the best food-focused days in Central Texas, now's the time to figure out the best strategy for maximum consumption. Click through for an entire event listing and links to purchase tickets. ...

While many of you may be feeling an aversion to adult beverages following your SXSW shenanigans, rest assured that by Thursday, you'll be ready to go out again. And what could be better than doing so in style with a wine tasting featuring Rob Mondavi? The Wine and Food Foundation is sponsoring an event this Thursday at The Four Seasons featuring the global wines from Folio, which is a Mondavi-run company featuring over 25 wine labels from California, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, Austria, and Argentina. Over 40 wines will be available to sample at this tasting event. ...

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. ...

Photo by Phillyist's Matt Johnson, SkyscraperSunset.com, December 19, 2007. Phillyist explored an impending implosion and lived to tell the tale.Gothamist marveled at the city's new NYC-branded condom campaign - especially the use of a Toronto landmark in the advertising. (Also, fun fact: Gothamist turned five years old yesterday.)Tired of the worldwide Scientology protests? Torontoist totally isn't: they covered the big downtown protest the day it happened, and followed up with an examination of all......

Image from the Wine and Food Foundation Website The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas Presents - Taste Washington – Austin!January 22, 2008One World Theatre (7701 Bee Caves Road)(6-9pm, $50 members, $60 non-menbers)[info] | [tickets]According to our trustworthy friends at the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, Washington State has become a premium wine producing region. Even though the Washington Wine industry is relatively young, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and......

It's been a big year for local acts. Big name bands like Spoon, Iron & Wine and Okkervil River made a huge impact on the independent music scene world-wide, while up and coming acts like White Denim and Moth!Fight! captured our attention at the indie rock water cooler all year long. As rising hopes and swelling egos swept the town alongside buzz and bravado, we parted ways with bands like SOUND Team and Clap!Clap!. ...

For the next two weeks, the fancy wines flow more often in American households than during any other time of the year. Everyone even moderately nerdy about wine splashes out by opening "special" bottles that they need an excuse to pop, and wine retailers throw all their best stuff on the endcaps, because they know you'll spend more than usual on your holiday purchase. Unfortunately, when it comes to Champagne, Euro exchange rates have thrown even basic non-vintage bottlings into the $35 and up range. And while those Moët & Chandon White Star and Veuve Clicquot bottles are perfectly enjoyable, it should be noted that American sparkling wines of equal (and often much better) quality can be purchased for far less money. That said, why not spend less, try something new, and impress your holiday visitors with a domestic bubbly? Here are our picks for your varied taste profiles and budgets....

Austin's Whole Foods Market has been named Wine Retailer of The Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Winners were chosen for their contributions to the world of wine and spirits (with special consideration given to winey accomplishments and innovations made in 2007.) Does Whole Foods truly deserve this award? (Because, seriously, Spec's is 100% unapologetically falling-down boozey. Just sayin.)...

Logo from Edible AustinEdible Austin’s first annual Eat Local Week celebration runs from Saturday December 8th through Saturday December 15th. While you’re nourishing body and soul with locally-grown and handmade foods from an extensive list of participating restaurants and markets, a portion of proceeds will go to Urban Roots, a program which teaches sustainable agriculture fundamentals to East Austin youth. 15-20 participants aged 14-18 will be awarded a paid internship to grow food on an......

Promotional still from Alamo website Lord of the Rings Trilogy Hobbit FeastSunday, November 25thAlamo Drafthouse Downtown (320 E 6th Street)$100, 10:30am-11pm; includes all three films, food, and wine[info] | [tickets]According to national legend, this is a week--nay, a season!--for tryptophan-laden wretched excess and communion with loved ones. Hey, if you've got it like that, family-style communitas can be nice and fulfilling, yes, but can your family hang for TWELVE HOURS of Lord of the Rings......

5th Annual Big Reds and BubblesTuesday, November 27Driskill Hotel (604 Brazos St.)6:30-9pm; $75 general admission, $60 for members[info] | [tickets]With Thanksgiving a mere two days away and the holiday season right around the corner, this time of year brings fine wine to all foodie minds. Wine lovers traditionally splurge in December on fancy bottles for both holiday toasts and New Year's Eve celebrations. To welcome this time of year and the wines that complement......

Photo by jetalone on flickrThe third Thursday of November (one week before Big American-Style Thanksgiving) marks Beaujolais Day - setting off a sort of Cannonball Run of wine, with distributors racing to get wildly celebrated bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau, the red wine made exclusively from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France, to market. We were busy drinking some middle-of-the-road Sauvignon Blanc last night or we would have totally reminded you yesterday. According......

Photo courtesy Jessica Plymate StitchSaturday, November 10Austin Convention Center [map]Doors at 4pm, Fashion show 9:30pm, Tickets $10[info] | [tickets]Jessica Plymate revives the art of appliqué in super rockin' way with Aorta Designs. Gone are the days of mom's innocent poodles sewn on skirts. Jessica's animals are hardcore; drinking wine and smoking cigarettes. What is your design/art background? This is where I have to confess I have no formal training in design, art or anything. I've......

What did you dress up as for Halloween? 911 Dispatcher that fielded the first calls about the North Carolina beach house fire is now receiving death threats (w/ creepy audio). Want to beat cancer? No red meat. No wine. Eat less. The Canadian dollar is worth more than the American dollar. Double, oh no way. UK comes out with invisible tank (w/pictures). Dog The Bounty Hunter gets yanked from A&E due to Dog's racist......

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......

Usually, street closures around the Capitol hail the arrival of one of Austin's many street festivals, where you can listen to a wishy-washy blues-rocker do his best to channel Stevie Ray Vaughn while you eat a turkey leg amongst a sea of fanny-packed families and homemade jewelry vendors. But once a year it means it's Texas Book Festival time. As literary events go in this town, it is the big one. For two days......

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......

If you're interested in cuisine as well as creating, Texas Culinary Academy is hosting its 2nd Annual Mediterranean Festival tomorrow from 10am-4pm. The event will showcase traditional foods of the Mediterranean, complete with a Mediterranean food symposium, cooking demonstrations, hands-on cooking classes for adults and children, and wine tastings. The cooking demonstrations will offer tips and tricks for Meze, Tapas, and Tagine from Noon-3pm, while the hands-on classes for adults and children (which will include......

Band of Horses Cease to Begin (Sub Pop) Editors Note: This review reflects the personal opinions and experiences of the writer and does not necessarily reflect those of the Ist network as a whole. Enjoy! In your typical southern suburban town of Irmo in Columbia, South Carolina is where Band of Horses singer Ben Bridwell and I went to high school. Among the strip malls and neighborhood watch signs, between high school football games......

Gypsy (Northern Italian) Location: 1025 Barton Springs Road [map] Phone: (512) 499-0200 Cost: Lunch salads ($7-$10) Panini and Entrees ($8-$12) Dinner Apps ($5-$9), Salads ($6-$10) Entrees ($14-$20) Food: Gypsy, a new Northern Italian Bistro on Barton Springs Road next door to Vinny's on Italian Row, is the newest incarnation in a space that has seen an endless chain of eateries open and close. Only time will tell if this iteration will remain, but here's our......

Local writer Spike Gillespie (along with a dozen of her closest friends) has been holding forth on the subject of wookin pa nub in all the wrong places. The Dick Monologues run once a month at Hyde Park Theater. When we walked in, there was a sea of women with tiny plastic cups of red wine. Any trepidation over being surrounded by that many sleeveless tops quickly dissipated as the raucously hilarious women (and......

Fall is here, the weather is cooling, and the prospect of an outdoor food and wine tasting has mentally moved from "it's too hot!" to "that sounds perfect." One of the marquee wine events of the fall, Tour De Vin pairs eleven chefs and over 100 wines in a "sip and stroll" format tasting on Thursday, October 4th. This is the fifth anniversary of the event, and the wine lineup looks to be the......

Primizie Osteria (Italian) Location: 1000 E. 11th St., Ste. 150 [map] Phone: (512) 472-9299 Cost: Entrees $9-11 Atmosphere: Casually urban decor, concrete floors, wine bar. Counter ordering. Food: The new Primizie Osteria serves simple but elegant Italian at good prices in a comfortable, casual setting in semi-gentrified East Austin. Eastside denizens are lucky to have such a place close by for a spur of the moment relaxed dinner or a to-go run for a......

José González In Our Nature (Mute) Last year, González talked to us about the never-ending tour schedule, the slow process of songwriting, and how his next record --well, this record-- would focus on the guitar. His first full-length, Veneer, wooed us back in 2003, and though Gonzalez has been touring fairly relentlessly in support of it, he has found time to put together this work, a ten song album that sounds quite similar to......

Austin's PBS affiliate KLRU-TV received a record 21 Emmy nominations from the Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The awards dinner will take place in Dallas on Saturday, October 27th. The complete list of KLRU honors includes: KLRU producer Elena Ramirez (Public/Current/Community Affairs Feature Segment category), for her story "Getting By in Austin." This documentary, which aired on Austin Now, focused on the difficulty of families making minimum wage......

We entered the park around 1:10pm to the strains of a seriously thrashy number from Yo La Tengo. It was impressive to hear how determined YLT were to throw out some serious noise rock at such an early hour. Being a bit sunburned and rather low-energy, we listened rather than watched, grabbed a blissfully freezing cold beer, and headed over to grab a spot for The National. The National (1:30pm): What perfect music for......

Austin is full of small, out of the way places that we have grown to love. These aren't the big name restaurants that everyone already knows about or the restaurants in the warehouse district or downtown locations. In fact, two of them are in nondescript strip malls, and one is surrounded by giant safety cones. These places offer up good (and in the case of Tomo, great) food in locations away from the city center.......