As if today's city wide wine tasting wasn't enough, The Austin Wine Merchant invites local winos to check out some great wines this Saturday from Noon-3 p.m. during their pre-4th of July tasting of classic American wines....

Twin Liquors kicks off a series of city wide in-store wine tastings at select locations all over town, this afternoon from 4-7 p.m., showcasing Mulderbosch Cab Rose and Nine Stones Shiraz....

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......

As summer draws to a close, it's frustrating at times to realize what you never got around to during the season. Whether you meant to rent a boat, go to the beach, or visit the ballpark, sometimes the time just flies right by. Thankfully, the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas have given all foodies an excuse to drive up to Round Rock and check out the Dell Diamond before summer's end (though there......

In a random survey of 438 Austin singles, online dating site OkCupid recently discovered the following facts: When it comes to attire, Austinites care little for fancy designer threads, preferring their dates to wear flattering, stylish, or simply clean clothes. Most don't expect to score on the first date: less than a quarter bring protection along Much to our surprise—and in a somewhat disgusting turn of events—when asked whether they'd prefer that their date a)......

Note: Several weekend events will be added in the afternoon. THURSDAY [5] fashion/music/party • Car Stereo (Wars), Visuals by Super!Alright!, and 30-40% Everything at Strut (6-10pm) film • "Military Intelligence and You" at Alamo Drafthouse Lakecreek (7:30pm) art •Opening Reception for Aki Nagasaka's "Yellow Labyrinth" at Women and Their Work (6-8pm) books •Pam Oslie presents Love Colors at BookPeople (7:00pm) books •Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht presents "In 1926: Why and How?" at The Harry Ransom......

TUESDAY [6] books • Utter Reading Series with Frances Schenkkan and Lori Aurelia at BookPeople (7:00pm) books • Poetry Reading with Dana Gioia, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts at Harry Ransom Center (7:00pm) books • Nate Blakeslee presents Tulia: Race, Concaine, and Corruption in a Small Texas Town at Austin History Center (7:00pm) film • For the Love of Dolly at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • AFS Essential screens Turtles Can......

MONDAY [5] art • Opening Reception for Sarah Canright and Melissa W. Miller: Measured Strokes at The Sarofim School of Fine Arts, Fine Arts Gallery (6-7:30pm) benefit/music • Heather Love Fest Benefit with Dan Dyer & Friends, John Pointer, Govinda, DJ Chicken George, BIGFACE, DJ Mahealani, DJ Chris, DJ Trey Lopez,DJ Orian, Performance by the Super Sonic Soul Squad, Complimentary Appetizers and TONS of Raffle and Silent Auction Prizes at Saba, Cedar Street, and......

THURSDAY [1] party • Learning Secrets hosts Optimo's JD Twitch (Glasgow, UK) at Whisky Bar (10pm-2am, $5) art • Public Tour: The Geometry of Hope: Montevideo in the 1930s at The Blanton (7:00 - 8:00 PM) art • Curator's Tour: The Geometry of Hope at The Blanton (12:30-1pm) art • Texas Biennial Opening Reception at Dougherty Arts Center (7-10pm) art • Art Fix: Enjoy an introduction to Latin American wines with Seth Pollard, Central......

WEDNESDAY [24] books • Dr. Steven Moore presents Alternative Routes to the Sustainable City at BookPeople (7:00pm) books • Neal Shusterman presents Everlost at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Bil Dwyer at Cap City Comedy Club DJ • Cut Club at The Mohawk DJ • Tighten Up at Beauty Bar film • Stroszek at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Ladies of the 80s Singalong at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Weird Wednesday: Get Mean at......

One of Austin's favorite wine educators, Jane Nickles, is hosting a free wine tasting class (complete with a glass or two of free wine) at Book People this Saturday at 5pm. We like that Miss Jane talks to both wine newbies and wine snobs about things like aroma, body, and finish in a way that both entertains and educates. If you can't tell, we like her. While you're there, buy a copy her new......

FRIDAY [10] music • Tilly and the Wall, The Tyde, Pony Up at Emo's music • The Places, 4 Hungry Tummies, Ralph White, Ryan Anderson at Emo's Lounge music • Jolie Holland w. Sonny Smith at The Parish Room music • The Alice Rose at Waterloo Records music • CREEPOUT Fest: Chumps, Bulemics, The Ends,The Wolves at Beerland music • Regina Spektor with Only Son at Antone's (Sold Out) music • The Black, Horse......

WEDNESDAY [8] film • Breathless at Spider House (10pm, Free) music • Daniel Francis Doyle, Health, Oh,Beast!, Nouns Group, Blonde Girls at Emo's music • Matt Nathanson w. Danny Malone, Brett Dennen at The Parish Room music • Guitar Shorty at Waterloo Records music • The Heirs, Rachel Goldstar, The Easies, Emily Sparks, serious daters at Beerland music • Juan Gabriel at Frank Erwin Center food • Angel Valley Organic Farm Farmstand at Asian......

We’re dying from the heat. No, seriously. Luckily, we recently ran into one of our favorite wine experts, Twin Liquors’ Tim Graham, who implored us not to forget to drink the white wine this summer. “Tim!” we screamed at him with weak, limp voices. “What should we drink to ease the pain of this summer ache?” Tim replied quickly, “Campustella Albarino from Spain. It’s not effervescent but it dances on the tongue.” We asked......

Now that the wine tasting dinner craze has been around for a while, it's time to put a twist on the idea--a beer tasting dinner, Friday April 28th at Ventana, featuring Austin's own Independence Brewery. Chef Jayson Reynolds will be preparing an amazing feast to compliment the beer lineup from Independence Ale. Freestyle Wheat Beer: Grilled Shrimp with Baby Friseé, Avocado, Mango, and Tomato Independence Pale Ale: Smoked Bacon Croquettes with Honey & Peppercorn......

Wine! Texas Hill Country Wineries is hosting a special Holiday Wine Trail this weekend (December 9th-11th, 2005). While official tickets for the event are sold out, one can still take a self-guided tour through the wine trail and experience the holiday ambiance and cheer as well as do a lot of wine tasting (hence, the cheer). Some of the wineries along the trail include Becker Vineyards which offers a fine selection of our favorite,......

: : FRIDAY : : [music] Moretempo, 10pm-2am @ Copa - $5 [theatre] "Inside a Broken Clock: A Tom Waits Peepshow" @ Arts on Real (Through Saturday) [film] New Movies! @ your local theater [music] The Sad Accordions with Jim Yoshii Pileup, 10pm @ the Ritz [lecture] Gallery Tour of the Ansel Adams exhibit @ The Harry Ransom Center, 6pm - FREE! [art] Jerry Uelsmann and wife Maggie Taylor present their latest works, 6-9pm@......

There are few things that go quite so well with art as wine and food - just ask the Italians! But if you, like us, don’t have the time and/or funds for a jaunt to Italy, then we suggest attending the 16th annual Austin Museum of Art food and wine tasting extravaganza, La Dolce Vita. Fifty Austin restaurants and caterers will be showcasing their finest culinary wares, including some of our favorites like Jeffrey’s,......

We've given the IST list a fab makeover - now with pictures, music links, and more! exclamation! marks! Whether you love it or hate it, let us know - we do this for you, after all. And we apologize for the delay in posting this; one word: meetings. Another word: narcolepsy. We're bummed that We Are Scientists decided to bail on their Austin show, but nevertheless there's a full week ahead of us. Pace yourselves,......

Austin in Action is a little known (at least to us) organization that is aimed at helping busy people make friends, get outdoors, and contribute to the community through a series of on-going social events. Tonight they are having a BYOB Wine Tasting Party out in Cedar Park. Non-Members are welcome. 7:30 PM-10:00 PM (1807 Jojoba Drive) If this type of event goes well, we will do them often with different themes. This month's......

Parellel on Burnett in the new Rosedale shopping village has opened its doors. One might ask what Parellel offers, but the right question would be what doesn't it offer? Coffee? Check Food? Check Wine and beer? Check A nice pair of reading glasses? Check Parallel is a great place to pick up your next picnic meal or sit for a cup of coffee perusing your favorite mag, or meeting friends for some wine tasting. After......