Austin, TX

Here are a couple of Saturday activities:

A fun idea for mom’s and kids is the “Cookies with Mom” class at All In One Bakeshop. Work together to decorate a beautiful bouquet of cookies that can be enjoyed the next day. For children 6 and up.

Where: All In One Bakeshop
Cost: $55 for Mom and 1 child. Each additional child is $15. No supplies needed.
Saturday, May 10, 2008, 2:00 - 4:00 pm

3rd Annual Pioneer Day in Round Rock

When: Saturday, May 10th, 2008, 10am - 3pm
Where: Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd.
$$$: Free

Celebrate Home Sweet Texas Home with the Williamson Museum. The event will include hands-on demonstrations of pioneer activities and games, living history presentations, and the winning posters from the Home Sweet Texas Immigration Poster art contest. A free hot dog lunch will be served at noon and a pioneer-style lunch cooked on site in Dutch ovens will also be available for $3.00 per person.

Mothers Day Arts and Antiques Fair
Where: Whit Hanks, 1009 W. 6th St.
When: Saturday, May 10th, 2008, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

The Arts and Antiques Fair will feature festive tents filled with furniture, decorative items, art, lighting, garden pieces and other home accessories from many of Austin’s most prestigious galleries.

Participating galleries include Hemisphere by Whit Hanks, Pat Monroe Antiques, Jean-Marc Fray French Antiques, JEI Design Collection, House of Lamps and Antiques, Fancy Finds, David Alan Rugs, Shabby Slips, JB Art and Designs, Austin Galleries, Howl Interiors, Kathryn Goodnight Art and Antiques, Zanzibar Home and Gift, Lotus Gallery and Twenty Three 07.

In addition, shoppers will enjoy live music and refreshments from Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Seattle’s Best Coffee.

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Sunday Activities:

After the days festivities why not head over to Zilker for “Mother’s Day in the Park”

Sunday, May 11th, 7:00 p.m.
Zilker Hillside Theatre

What better way to close out a great day with Mom than by taking her to a free concert in the park in her honor? The band will perform well-known tunes, including marches and musical numbers, that you and your Mom are sure to enjoy! Get there early to select the best seating .. this concert gets more popular every year.

Or, how about taking mom to Ballet Austin to see Don Quixote?

Don Quixote
May 9 - 11, 2008
The Long Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets are $25-$75 and are available online. Performance times are 8 p.m. on May 9 and 10 and 3 p.m. on May 11.

To dream the impossible dream… The grand story of the adventurous dreamer from La Mancha soars onto the stage with the pageantry and flare worthy of Ballet Austin’s long-awaited inaugural performance at the Long Center.

First performed for royalty in 1869 by the “Father of classical ballet,” Marius Petipa, the exquisite sets and costumes heighten the excitement humor and beauty of this historic ballet.

Perfect for Mother’s Day weekend. We’re not just “tilting at windmills”…Join us as the dream of the Long Center…. is realized!

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Wild Basin Walk 9:00-11:00 AM

This two-hour nature hike is a great introduction to the preserve. Learn about the plants, animals and geology o the Basin’s Central Texas Hill Country habitat. $4 or adults; $2 for seniors and ages 5-12. Reservations required.

Part 1 - Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas

Austin, Tx, Things to do, What’s Happening, Mother’s Day, Events, Activities, Wild Basin, Arts, Antiques, Festival, Pioneer Days, Round Rock, Walk, Ballet Austin, Don Quixote, Cookies, All in One, Mom, Park, Zilker

It’s Mother’s Day weekend and if you’re like me you’re still trying to figure out something special to do for your mom. My father solved my problem by whisking my mother off to the casinos in Shreveport. Oh, well. I can still help you out, though.

Let’s start our day out with a few brunch recommendations.

The Driskill’s Mother’s Day Brunch
May 11th

Celebrate Mom on her special day with a gourmet Mother’s Day Brunch at the legendary Driskill Hotel. Assorted salads; homemade breads; breakfast and lunch entrees; omelet, waffle and creperie stations; prime rib and honey bourbon baked ham; grilling station; seafood display and raw bar; delicious desserts including the hotel’s signature 1886 Chocolate Cake, raspberry-swirled cheesecake, Texas Pecan Pie and much more.

Special buffet for children; live music; complimentary champagne & mimosas; and a souvenir family photo for Mom. Seatings from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm.

$58 per person; $24 for children, ages 6-12; and free for children under 6 (tax and service charge not included). Reservations, call 512-391-7121.

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Green Pastures
May, 11th

Green Pastures will be serving a Mother’s Day Brunch as well as a Mother’s Day Dinner. They don’t have their menu posted but their food is always fabulous. Here is a sample of their Sunday Brunch offerings.

Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet
$50 for adults and $25 for kids
When: 11:00 AM on Sunday, May 11th 2008
Ends: 2:00 PM

Mother’s Day Dinner
Service begins at 6pm
When: Starts: 6:00 PM on Sunday, May 11th 2008
Ends: 10:00 PM

The Alamo Drafthouse presents “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

This is one of my very favorite movies! This Mothers Day they will have three big feasts for you to treat your Mom (or the mother of your kids) to. At South Lamar, Chef John Bullington and company will be bringing back an old favorite - BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S - as a special brunch feast with the most extravagant, urbane, and effortlessly sophisticated menu they can devise. And don’t worry, there will be enough bubbly to go around.

They are also having special Mother’s Day events at all of their theaters, so you can give her exactly what she wants! For the Mother who’s not afraid of a little after-dinner snifter, check out THE THIN MAN Feast at the Alamo Ritz!

Or, if she’s into off-beat modern masterpieces, the RAISING ARIZONA Feast at the Alamo Village is a sure bet.

Mother’s Day Brunch at Crú
Sunday May 11th - Reservations are available from 11am -3pm. Seating is Limited.

Crú: A Wine Bar is presenting a delectable menu of brunch fare on Sunday, May 11. Cru, known for its wine country cuisine as well as its extensive wine collection, will feature a three-course, prix-fixe menu featuring traditional brunch offerings such as Traditional Eggs Benedict as well as favorites such as Pan Seared Ahi Tuna and Sliced Roasted Duck Breast (menus vary slightly by location). Bring the whole family - kids 12 and under eat for 1/2 price!

The Intercontinental Mother’s Day Brunch

Show Mom just how much you care by treating her to a culinary delight. The Intercontinental Stephen F Austin Hotel is hosting its annual Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday May 11th.

Mother’s Day Brunch in the Capital Ball room. Call 512-721-2008 to reserve your table now. Brunch is $49.95 per person excluding tax and gratuity. Seatings from 10:30 am. The menu looks wonderful. There will be a Breakfast Station with silver dollar pancakes, an Omelette Station, a Salad Station, a Seafood Buffet, a Lunch Buffet, a Carving Station and of course, a Dessert Station!

If you want something a little more low key take your mom to The Steeping Room for a cream tea. This a great mother/daughter venue. You can do a little shopping and then have your cream tea and then do a little more shopping!

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The Eastside Café
2113 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78722

Although they have nothing specific listed for Mother’s Day, you just can’t go wrong with brunch at the Eastside Café. The Eastside Café sits on an acre of land surrounded by dozens of pecan trees. One third of the land is home to a gorgeous organic garden. For 15 years vegetables, herbs and flowers have been organically grown and harvested for use in the Eastside Café kitchen.

Part 2 - Mother’s Day Weekend: Things to do

Austin, Tx, Mother’s Day, Weekend, Events, Activities, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Restaurants, Things to do, Places to go

The Capital Confectioners of Austin will be holding their Day of Sharing (DOS) on August 10th, 2008. Headlining the event will be those two sassy sisters from Louisiana, the Two Sweet Sisters. They’ll even be staying on after the DOS to teach a two day workshop on this cake:

The cake is off the cover of their new book which you can purchase at the DOS.

In addition we’ll also have these fine demonstrators:

• Two Sweet Sisters - Diamonds are Forever
• Glenda Galvez - Pearl Edged Bows
• Susie Rasmussen - Airbrush Techniques
• Yvette Humbert - Cowboy Cakes
• Jacque Benson - Beautiful Teacups
• Sallia Bandy - Building Mechanisms into Your Cake, like clock hands that actuall tick!

The DOS is only $35 for a full day of demonstrations and lunch is included! For more information, check out our website.

For a limited time you can sign up for the DOS and the workshop and make 3 monthly payments. That’s an option that will keep your wallet from being hit all at once.

In October we are flying Lorraine McKay in all the way from Scotland! Those of you on YouTube and Flickr will already be well familiar with Lorraine’s work. She’s was a Gold Medal Winner at the 2007 NEC Birmingham International Cake Show which is quite a big deal, I can tell you! If you are unfamiliar with Lorraine’s work, go check it out. Her figure modeling is so expressive. A sign-up sheet will be posted soon.

Last but not least, be sure to mark your calendars for our annual Cake Show. If you think our 2008 Show was impressive, just wait for 2009! Our 2009 Show will be held Feb 28-March 1st.

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When I think of Cinco de Mayo, I think of tequila and when I think of tequila I’m always reminded of a funny story. There used to be an ad on the radio, done for Serrano’s Mexican restaurant here in Austin, that told the story of the margarita. I don’t recall the exact story but it went something along the line of a bartender having created the drink to impress a beautiful woman. Her name was Margarita and the drink was named after her.

One day, my friend, who happened to work with a Mexican fella, asked his co-worker if the story was true. “No, man,” he said, rolling his eyes, “that story is not true! It’s just a story we Mexican’s invented to get you gringos to drink tequila.” That story always makes me laugh.

A lot of people think that Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexican Independence but that’s not actually true. In fact, Mexico gained it’s independence from Spain in 1821. Not without a fight! There was a bloody struggle, of course, and the independence from Spain brought political power struggles and more wars. There was the Mexican-American war from (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858. During these struggles, Mexico became heavily indebted to Spain, England and France. The time came where these countries demanded their money be returned. Both Spain and England came to agreements with Mexico but France was had it’s own agenda. They used the debt as a means to try and establish power over Mexico and hopefully halt the growth of the US. Spain and England quickly withdrew their support. France invaded the Gulf of Mexico and began the 600 mile trek to Mexico City. While the US was sympathetic to Mexico’s plight, we were in the midst of our own battle, the Civil War, and thus unable to send aid.

The Mexicans with a poorly outfitted army of 4,500 was able to defeat the 6,500 well outfitted French army. Unfortunately that was not the end of the French. They managed to invade again and install Napoleon III’s relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico. Maximilian ruled Mexico from 1864-1867. By this time the US Civil War was over and the US was able to provide assistance. France was ousted and Maximilian was executed. Cinco de Mayo is a celebration and a tribute to the victory of the 4,500 brave soldiers who defeated the French army in the Battle of Puebla.

Anyway, I thought I’d have a snout around and see what’s happening in Austin for Cinco de Mayo this year. Here is what I’ve found so far:

Sunday Events -

CINCO DE MAYO AT MACC
Sunday, May 4th, 1-7pm
$$$: FREE

This family-friendly event with music (culminating with Los Texas Wranglers at 5pm), activities, dance, and more sits at the center of all things Cinco de Mayo-related in Austin. Feel free to let loose the kids or sit ’em down for storytelling with Dan Arrellano. 12-10pm. Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St, 478-6222. Free. www.ci.austin.tx.us

CINCO DE MAYO MARIACHI PLAY-OFF & SHOW
May 4th, 2008, 7pm
Long Center

Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano has existed for nearly 43 years and is noted for demanding musical arrangements that highlight the individual skills and voices of the players. The Long Center will celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a very special fiesta on the City Terrace culminating with a performance by Mariachi Los Camperos. The Grammy-winning ensemble employs the finest musicians from Mexico and the United States and was one of four mariachis that collaborated with popular recording artist Linda Ronstadt on her album’s Canciones de Mi Padre and Mas Canciones.

Austin Cinco de Mayo Music Festival
May 5th, 2008, 4pm
Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Bergman
$$$: $5-8

Conjunto in the park, the way Cinco de Mayo was meant to be. Los Texas Wranglers, among others, perform. The Austin Cinco de Mayo Music Festival is a celebration of Hispanic heritage combining live music, food, arts & crafts, carnival, contests, and good old fashioned family fun. Bring the whole family out to Fiesta Gardens especially since the kids are free. Take advantage of the carnival specials. Other events include the annual Jalapeño Eating Contest and Polka Dance contest.

CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL @ the Austin Grill
MONDAY, MAY 5, 2008 FROM 5PM TO 9PM

The Downtown Silver Spring and Austin Grill host the Inaugural Cinco de Mayo Street Festival, right outside our restaurant with music and dancing by Los Del Barrio mariachi band, Maru Montero Dance Company, plus authentic Mexican cuisine, the Austin Grill patio beer garden and family activities such as arts & crafts, face-painting, a raffle for a guitar and other prizes. Spread the word and we’ll see you on Cinco de Mayo!

Three Amigos Sing-a-long @ The Alamo Downtown
Monday, May 5th, 7:30pm or 10:30pm
$$$: General Admission $8.50

THE THREE AMIGOS is a guilty pleasure if there ever was one. But we’re not here to make you feel the guilt, we’re here to bring you the pleasure. And there are few things more pleasant than a Trish Eichelberger-prepared feast. Because in addition to her five star kitchen chops, she has a great sense of humor. She has described this honkey-style Cinco de Mayo feast as the kind of meal Peggy Hill of KING OF THE HILL would prepare. So while Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short take their comedy stylings south of the border onscreen, Trish will be creating a fusion between Mexican favorites and Texas gringo comfort food. Best of all, in between bites of your duck chalupa you can shout out your favorite lines from the movie, helpfully subtitled for you. Plus there will be a plethora of other surprises!

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If there are local restaurants out there holding special events for Cinco de Mayo, I can’t find them. If you know of any, please pass the information to me.

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I’m very excited to announce that the May/June edition of Mailbox News, a cake idea magazine, has just arrived and with it a bit of a surprise! Inside is a 4-page spread on the Capital Confectioners “That Takes the Cake” 2008 Cake Show. Four pages. We are just so pleased.

Today the club officers met with the Austin Convention Center to discuss having our 2009 Show there. If we decide to do it there we’ll double our space from the 16,000 sq ft we had last year to 32,000 sq ft.

So… what’s happening in Austin this weekend?

There is a new event taking place in Austin this year. It’s called The Luna Fest ATX and is brought to Austin by the creators of Sol Fest ATX. The new Fest will take place at the US Art Authority located next door to, and owned by, the Spider House. The evening will begin with the presentation of diverse visual art to a live music background. Many artists of diverse mediums and influences present their pieces individually and collectively; consequently, with their art becoming a part of the whole event layout. The night of this Midtown extravaganza provided by Spider House will continue with the sultry cabaret performances of some of Austin’s most gorgeous women, to the musical prowess of some of Austin’s best bands. Electronica, Funk, Rock, Jazz are just some examples of variations within, and are sure to create an optimal aesthetic experience.

Luna Fest ATX
When: May 3 2008, 11:00am - Sunday, May 4 2008, 2:00am
Where: United States Art Authority, 510 W 29th St
$$$: $12.00

Are you NORML? Nah, didn’t think so. Even so, Texas NORML is holding it’s Pot-Luck for Pot-Love Festival this weekend in Zilker Park. Is this the perfect Austin event, or what? NORML & Outgrow Big Bro are calling for citizens of Texas to break the silence and march for re-legalization of responsible marijuana use! The event will incorporate live music, a march to the state Capitol, and a pot-luck picnic at the Pecan Grove in Zilker Park. Festivities begin at 10am, in Zilker Park’s Pecan Grove, moving to the south Capitol steps from 1 to 4pm, and finishing with a pot-luck for pot-love back at Zilker Park from 4 to 9pm.

Texas Cannabis Crusade & Pot-luck for Pot-love

When: May 3 2008, 10:00am
Where: Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road
$$$: Free

Growing up as a military brat I always looked forward to the Air Shows. If you like Air Shows then you should head out to Temple, Tx, this weekend for the Central Texas Air Show. The schedule looks fantastic! This is a great family event and there will be lots of great military planes doing stunts as well as music and food, too.

Central Texas Airshow
Where: Draughon-Miller Central Texas Airport, Temple, Texas
When: May 2-May 4th
$$$: See Website

For over 30 years the Biannual Old Pecan Street Festival has provided Central Texas residents a family friendly venue to collect arts and crafts from local and national artists and artisans, experience live music and take part of a long standing Austin tradition. The Old Pecan Street Festival not only supports local artists and vendors but gives back to many of Austin’s most beloved charities as well as preserving Old Pecan Street (6th Street). Celebrate the Old Pecan Street Festival’s 30th Anniversary this weekend!

The Spring Festival

Where: Downtown Austin on 6th Street
When: May 3, 08 11AM - 10PM & May 4, 08 11AM - 8PM
$$$: FREE

Handmade Austin Women presents the third annual “Art in the Garden” this weekend before Mother’s Day. Handmade Austin Women are dedicated to unique design, and the highest quality in handcrafted work. Art in the Garden 2008 offers a beautiful array of fine art that includes painting, sculpture, ceramics, stunning jewelry and fashion. This year they’ve grown to ten studio artists with four musical acts. Refreshments served. This would be a good opportunity to look for something cool to buy your mother for Mother’s Day.

Art in the Garden
When: Saturday 10 to 6 and Sunday 11 to 4
Where: Ginko Studios

There is a lot happening this weekend but those are my picks. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful and hot weekend so get out and have some fun!

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The Steeping Room @ The Domain
11410 Century Oaks Terrace - map
Austin, TX 78758
512-97STEEP (512-977-8337)
info@thesteepingroom.com

I’d been meaning to try The Steeping Room for a couple of months but never seemed to find the time. Luckily a friend invited me there for lunch. She lured me in with talk of scones and clotted cream. Most of you won’t know this but I lived at least a third of my life in England. Tea, scones and clotted cream are my idea of heaven. When my friend told me they had good scones and tea I believed her because she’s as big of a food snob as I am.

We’d both skipped breakfast that day so we opted for their Century Oaks Tea Service. For $19 you get two types of tea sandwiches, a scone, jam, spread, a cookie, a slice of cake, fruit and a pot of tea. Go hungry if you plan to eat that meal! We opted for the tea blend suggested by our waitress which contained some jasmine pearls. In general I’m a black tea kinda gal but I do love jasmine tea and the faint aroma of jasmine wafting up from my cup each time I took a sip was delightful. Normally I’m all about having my tea with milk and sugar but this tea was so lovely I didn’t even ask for milk. For the tea sandwiches I settled on the jasmine gravlax and the pork tenderloin. Both were delicious.

For my scone I stuck with a traditional currant scone and of course I chose the clotted cream for my spread. You can’t get more traditional than a current scone lathered in clotted cream and topped with strawberry jam. The first thing that made me happy about their scones is that they were the right shape. Round. Americans, for some reason, are typically enamored of making scones in pie-wedge shapes. In the twelve years I lived in England I don’t believe I ever saw a pie-wedge shaped scone. Yes, I am a scone snob. The next thing that made me happy was the consistency of the scone. It was perfect. Not too dry but not heavy. Spread thick with clotted cream and jam, it was just lovely. These scones tasted like home and I had a sudden longing to be back in England, sipping tea with my best mates and having a laugh.

The waitress was very nice and extremely helpful. She mentioned that their manager encouraged them to try doing their own blends and she was positively giddy about the experience. Lunch was wonderful. I liked it so much, in fact, that a week or so later when my mother came to town, I made time to take her there.

Like me, my mother spent several years living in England. This time we ordered one Century Oak Tea Service and one scone set and just shared. Even that was too much food for the two of us. Since mother is not a huge fan of salmon, we ordered the pork tenderloin and the Lapsang Souchong Chicken Salad. Neither of us were big fans of the chicken salad. We possibly should have known better. Have you ever had Lapsang Souchong tea? No? As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I always wanted to try this favoured tea of the famous detective, Hercule Poirot. So one day while staying at the London Thistle Hotel, I ordered a pot from room service. Oh dear. That was the most awful tea I’d ever tasted. Frankly, it tastes medicinal and not in a good way!

We ordered a savory rosemary scone but after the sandwiches and the current scone we were both too full to eat it. I took it home but sadly it disappeared into the vortex known as my refrigerator and by the time I remembered it, it was past redemption. Once again we got a helpful and knowledgeable waiter.

There are some of you who may think that $19 is too much to pay for the full tea service. It’s actually not a bad price. There are very few places that serve what we call a “cream tea” here in the US. If you do find it, it’s at places like the Driscoll or in some cities, at the Ritz. At those places a full tea service will run upwards of $35 for each person so $19 is not bad at all.

I’d encourage you to make a trip to The Steeping Room. It makes for a fun meal and it would be a great place to take your mother for a little Mother’s Day treat!

Bon Appétit!

Austin, Tx, Tea, Steeping, Room, Service, Cream, Scones, Sandwiches, Domain, Restaurants, Reviews

The Texas Renaissance Festival, the nation’s largest, most acclaimed renaissance themed park, seeks interactive character actors and specialty acts for its 2008 Performance Company.

Entertainers of all types are needed to fill various roles including nobility, fairies, barbarians, puppeteers and peasants. Two new character groups have been added for this year, a Halloween-themed Transylvanian court and a group of Christmas elves (requiring actors of diminutive stature). Previous stage experience is helpful but not required. Bilingual actors are especially welcome. Specialty acts (musicians, jugglers, singers, dancers, etc.) may also audition at this time.

Auditions will be held on Saturday, May 3rd and Saturday, May, 10th. The May 3rd auditions will take place at the Shenandoah Meeting and Convention center, near The Woodlands, north of downtown Houston, Texas. The May 10th auditions will take place on the grounds of the Texas Renaissance Festival, 21778 FM 1774 in Plantersville, Texas.

Auditions are by appointment only and must be scheduled in advance. To schedule an audition, call the TRF office at 800-458-3435, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information visit their Auditions Page.

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I’m not sure what you have planned for the weekend, but mine is going to be busy! Today and tomorrow I will spend the day cleaning house (What, can’t you tell?) Tomorrow I have to find time to also bake a birthday cake. I’m planning on re-making that Chocolate Chambord Cake I mentioned in my previous post. All this cleaning and baking is in preparation for a surprise birthday party I’m throwing for my brother on Sunday. Saturday we are driving to Waxahatchie to meet my family at the Scarborough Renaissance Fair. There are two renaissance fairs in Texas (though there used to be three), Scarborough and the Texas Renaissance Festival which is located in the Houston area. There are good things about both. What I like about Scarborough is that it’s a manageable size for a day out. There is good food, lots of great acts and you leave happy and tired having seen everything there is to see. The Texas Renaissance Festival is big. Very big. If you get there late in the day you can get tired just walking from your car to the entrance. However, it doesn’t start until October and the weather is generally fairly pleasant by then and much more conducive to wearing layers of heavy garb. Scarborough started April 5th this year and will end May 26th. April and May are pretty unpredictable, weather-wise. This year the weather forecast says it will be in the low 80s. Not too bad. Fingers crossed! I’ll be honest here, I go for the food. The fun thing about the renaissance fair is all the great food….on a stick! We often joke that one of these days they’ll figure out a way to serve soup on a stick. That day may not be too far off. After all, they did learn to serve coke on a stick! Yes, you heard me right. The fine folks at the Texas State Fair serve fried coke on a stick. Smooth spheres of Coca-Cola-flavored batter are deep fried, drizzled with pure Coke fountain syrup, topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry. Served in souvenir contoured glasses. Heck, I’d try that!

If you’re not looking to go out of town this weekend why not hit the Living Green Festival and the Earth Day Market. I’m really bummed that I’m going to miss it! There are all sorts of fun activities planned, including chef demos and live music and it’s kid-friendly. Take home some wonderful locally grown produce while you’re there!

Where: Republic Square Park, 4th and Guadalupe
When: Saturday, 19 April 2008
$$$: FREE

The market closes at 2pm but the Living Green Festival will continue until 6pm.

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Heart O’ Texas Orchid Society is having it’s 37th Annual Orchid Show and Sale at Zilker Botanical Garden. There will be raffles, vendors and lots of beautiful orchids. It’s going to be a lovely weekend and the Botanical Garden is always a pleasure to roam. Take your kids, take your sweetie, get out and enjoy some fresh air.

Where: Zilker Botanical Gardens
When: April 19 & 20, 2008, 10-5 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday
$$$: $3 parking fee per car

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While you’re out and about in the Zilker area, check out the South Asian New Year Festival at Zilker Park. There will be dance, music, food and more. Not to mention an opportunity to explore another culture.

Where: Zilker Hillside Theater, Zilker Park
When: Saturday, April 19th, 2008, 11:30-9:30pm
$$$: FREE

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Camp Mabry will be hosting an American Hero Celebration this weekend. This is a great opportunity to thank a Soldier. There will so many cool things to see and do. I’m talking about rock climbing, bungee jumping, a mechanical bull, war re-enactment and you can even tour the Texas Military Forces Museum for FREE! How cool is that?

Where: Camp Mabry, 2200 W. 35 St.
When: April 19 - 20, 2008
$$$: FREE (with photo ID), Free Parking, too

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Another event I’ll be sad to miss this weekend is one of my favorite events, The International Gem & Jewelry Show. This show is a gem and jewelry lover’s paradise. Rows and rows of every imaginable gem you could dream of along side rows and rows of settings. All at a fraction of what you’d normally pay.

Where: The Palmer Event Center
When: April 18-20, 2008, Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5
$$$: $7

Well kids, those are my picks for the weekend. The biggest problem I see is choosing which event to attend! Whichever you do, get out and breathe some fresh this weekend as we celebrate Earth Day.

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Wow, to say that I’ve been busy lately would be the understatement of the year. I don’t know what got into everyone but I’ve had cakes, cakes and more cakes to make. On top of all that I’m working on a website for the Cake Club’s Day of Sharing (DOS) coming up in August. I know that sounds like a long way away but the earlier we get people signed up and money rolling in, the better. The DOS is a fundraiser for our big annual Cake Show which is a big ticket item. Last year we spent over $20k and this coming year we’ll spend even more than that, if you can imagine.

A Day of Sharing, for those of you who might be curious, is an event where cake decorators gather to watch a days worth of demonstrations by other cake decorators. It is an opportunity to discover new techniques, meet other cake enthusiasts and buy cake products from specialized cake vendors. There is generally also a raffle for some fun stuff.

Our DOS this year will be held on August 10th at the Pflugerville Lions Club. I’ll post a link to the website where you’ll be able to register once it’s completed.

On Saturday I made a Chocolate Chambord Cake for my friend Lucy’s mother. In retrospect making that particular cake was not my best idea. Lucy asked me a while back if I’d make the cake and sent me a link to La Baguette, the bakery her mother normally gets the cake from. I’d never had the cake and I would be recreating a cake that her mother loves from her favorite bakery. You see a problem there? Yeah. Not to mention the fact that Lucy’s mother is also a cake decorator. I wanted the cake to be perfect as it was for Lucy’s mother. No pressure.

I found several recipes for Chocolate Chambord Cake online. The first one Lucy actually sent me. It was from Epicurious.com, which is the recipe database for Bon Apetit. They call it a Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake. The cake base for this recipe is a génoise cake, a cake named after the lovely city of Genoa, Italy, though this type of cake is more closely associated with French cuisine. The génoise cake is special because it’s made without leavening agents and instead uses air suspended in the batter to give the cake volume. Now you might think a cake based on air volume would be light and airy but that’s not the case. In fact they are dense, rich cakes. Another unique thing about this type of cake is the minuscule amount of flour it contains. The Epicurious recipe uses a mere 1/3 cup of flour, though it also used 1/3 cup of cornstarch. I don’t think I’ve ever added that much cornstarch to anything before.

The batter was lovely and I poured it into my springform pan and stuck it in the oven. It might have been fine but I made the mistake of reading the reviews. Many people mentioned shrinkage and someone said they’d gotten around that problem by leaving it in the oven after the baking was complete, to cool. I duly shut the oven off and left the cake. Although the cake kept most of it’s volume, the extra time in the oven dried it right out. While the cake was baking, I made the Chambord syrup and set it in the refrigerator to cool. That was Friday night and I was tired so I decided to start over in the morning.

Saturday morning I decided to try a different recipe and chose GuidoFreshMarketplace.com’s recipe. The batter for this cake called for whipping the egg yolks and the egg whites separately and it contained no flour whatsoever. Talk about a lovely batter!

This cake was baked in two separate 9″ pans and took a good 10 minutes longer than the recipe called for before the cake tester came out anywhere close to clean. I set them aside to cool. Meanwhile I decided that the Chambord syrup was no substitute for the gorgeous raspberry sauce I’d used in Lucy’s Death by Chocolate birthday cake, possibly the densest, richest, darkest chocolate cake I’ve ever made. I figured I could brush the cakes with the simple syrup and use raspberry sauce as a filling with the Chambord ganache. Here is a picture of the raspberry sauce:

I removed the cakes from the pan. I could tell they were very soft and gooey. This is where I made my next fatal mistake. I tried to cut one of them in half and it fell to pieces. I began to panic. It was past 1:30pm and we were supposed to arrive, cake in hand, at the restaurant at 5pm. At this point I decided to go with a tried and tested recipe and made the Death by Chocolate cake. When I made it for Lucy I used all organic dark chocolate with high percentages of cacao. Lucy asked me to make this cake a bit more milk chocolate. I melted the chocolate and butter and put it in the refrigerator to cool. Meanwhile I set the eggs and sugar to beat on low while I measured and sifted the remaining ingredients. The recipe calls for sour cream and after a mini panic I found that I actually had an unopened container in the refrigerator. Whew. I measured it and set it aside. As that baked, I ran upstairs to shower quickly. When I came back down and opened the oven I noted that the center of the cake had risen up and cracked. Hmm… I tested the cake and set it to cook for another ten minutes. When I turned around my eyes lit upon a carefully measured container of sour cream. Oh. Crap! I’d left out the sour cream! At that point I just crossed my fingers and prayed because there was no way I’d have time to bake another cake. When it was done I stuck it in the refrigerator to cool off faster. Yes, my refrigerator door was open more than it was closed on Saturday.

I tried a bit of the Guido cake that lay in pieces on my countertop. The taste was divine. I eyed the half that was intact and decided to use it as the center of the cake. What harm could a rich gooey center cause? I took the Death by Chocolate cake out and torted it. It held together well in spite of the missing sour cream. I put the half with the slightly sunken center on the bottom and evened it out with bits of the fallen Guido cake. I brushed the cake with the Chambord simple syrup, slathered it with ganache I’d whipped with a bit of cream cheese and topped it with the raspberry sauce from the Death by Chocolate recipe. I topped that with the in-tact Guido cake, repeated the toppings and finally the best layer of the Death by Chocolate cake went on top. Amazingly it all looked fairly even. I trimmed it up and topped it all with the still-a-bit-too-warm ganache I’d made while the cake was cooling. It looked lovely on top but the jagged edges of the sides was not quite so pretty. I dumped the extra into my mixing bowl and whipped it then re-iced the sides. That did the trick! I put the leftover whipped ganache into a piping bag, piped a border and some swirls on top, topped the swirls with fresh raspberries and hit the door running.

I had messaged Lucy earlier to let them know we would not be there early with the cake as originally planned. In fact, we’d be late. We were meeting at Benihana’s for tepanyaki. As it happens, Benihana would not seat them until we arrived. Argh! We finally arrived at 5:30pm. I felt really bad for keeping everyone waiting but they all seemed in surprisingly good humor in spite of our tardiness. The cake looked beautiful and I was much relieved.

Dinner was yummy and the staff brought the cake out from the back where they’d stored it for us. Lucy’s mother asked me to cut eht cake and I was pleased with how perfect the layers look. Using the gooey Guido cake for the center was the right move. The cake was moist and delicious with the raspberry flavor permeating the cake beautifully and delicately. Not too strong but definitely noticeable. Lucy even proclaimed it to be better than the one La Baguette cake. All in all I think I went through about 40 oz of fine chocolate.

Of course I failed to get a picture of the final cake but have no fear, pictures were taken at the restaurant and as soon as they are posted I’ll show you what it looked like. In the meantime, here is a fun little cake I did recently for a lady whose brother is a big soccer fan…obviously:

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There is nothing like staring at the pages of Tastespotting to make you hungry! I decided I’d better stop looking and see what the heck is going on this weekend.

One of my favorite Austin places, the Zilker Botanical Garden, is having it’s 51st Garden Festival this weekend. Too bad I’m going to be tied up helping my friend, Adam, pack up his apartment. It sounds like just my cup of tea, too. There will be over 100 vendors selling plants, garden accessories, herbal products, jewelry, art, and food, there will be something for everyone.

When: March 29 & 30, 2008, 10 am - 5 pm
Where: Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd, 477-8672 x12.
$$$: $5 (free, kids under 12; $3, parking).

The Sri Atmananda Memorial School is hosting a LanternFest this weekend. This family-friendly evening of music, art, and lantern-making ends with a twisting, twinkling, twilight parade around the grounds of the old Perry Mansion.

When: 4 p.m.-Dark, March 29, 2008, School Open House from 5:00-6:00pm
Where: Sri Atmananda, 4100 Red River, 470-8372.
$$$: Free.

The Statesman Capitol 10,000, the largest 10K in Texas and an annual rite of spring in Austin, Texas, is this weekend. In its 31st year, the Capitol 10,000 attracts the silly to the serious and has become a fun, festive tradition for the whole family! We’ve got you covered, whether you want to walk, jog with your friends or run a PR and win your age group! You sign up for the category that meets your needs. All categories participate in the 10K.

When: Sunday, March 30 2008, 8:00am
Where: Congress Ave and Barton Springs Rd
$$$: $20.00-35.00

For those of you who are dog lovers, there is the Round Rock Dog Park Grand Opening. The City of Round Rock will open their community’s first dog park. This event will be held at the new 1.5 acre “Round Rock Dog Depot” located in Lake Creek Park, behind the Lake Creek Pool facility in Round Rock from 10am- noon. There will be door prizes, vendor booths, giveaways and the opportunity to meet other dog lovers in the community! The park is the only place in Round Rock that your dog can run around leash free! For more information call 512-218-5540. Please no treats at this event.

When: Saturday the 29th of March, 10am- noon
Where: 800 Deerfoot Drive (behind Lake Creek Pool)
$$$: Free

If you’re in the mood to get out of town, how about the Tomball German Heritage Festival. German Festival celebrating German heritage on the Downtown streets of Tomball with carnival, 5 stages of live music and dancing, food, beer, kids area, 150 vendors, arts crafts, antique district, heritage center, German church, fireworks, and much more.

When: March 28 - March 30, 2008, Friday 6-10 Sat. 10-10 Sun. 10-6
Where: Old DownTown near Depot and railroad on Main St. fm2920, Tomball, Tx
$$$: Free

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These restaurants would be my picks among those offering Easter brunch:

Eastside Cafe
Sundays from 10am to 3pm.

If you’ve never eaten at Eastside Cafe then this is a perfect opportunity. Their food is fresh and delightful due to growing their own vegetables and herbs. Although I’ve never sampled their brunch fare I can’t imagine it would be less than wonderful. The brunch menu is making me wish I wasn’t headed to Dallas for Easter! I do imagine that you’ll need to call ahead for reservations, however. (512) 476-5858

Green Pastures

Easter brunch buffet: $50 for adults and $25 for kids Easter Egg Hunts at 12 and 2 o’clock
When:

* Starts: 11:00 AM on Sunday, March 23rd 2008
* Ends: 2:00 PM

Beautiful setting. To be safe, call for reservations. (512) 444-4747

The Driskill
Sunday, March 23rd

The Brunch: Easter Brunch, complete with complimentary champagne and accompanied by live music, is served on the hotel’s Mezzanine, with seatings from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. There will be a special menu for kids.

The event will include carving station with rosemary prime rib, leg of lamb and baked ham; an omelet and waffle station featuring omelets to order and Belgian waffles with whipped cream and fresh berries; a creperie station; and traditional breakfast and lunch entrees, along with a cold seafood display and raw bar. For the first time, this year’s brunch will include a commal grilling station with coriander-crusted ahi tuna prepared on a flat griddle. It’s all followed up by a big selection of desserts, including the hotel’s signature 1886 Chocolate Cake.

Price: Prices are $58 for adults, $24 for children ages 6-12 and complimentary for children under age 6. A special children’s buffet is available.

For buffet reservations:
• call 512-391-7041

Chez Zee American Bistro
Easter Sunday March 23rd from 9am – 3pm

The Easter Brunch Buffet will be in the Gallery

The Brunch: Crème Brulee French Toast, Zee Migas, Fruit, Potatoes, Ceasar Salad, Eggs Benedict, Juice, Coffee, Tea, Italian Cream Cake, Chocolate Decadence

Bar: Cash Bar

Reservations : Not required, not accepted – FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS ONLY

Price: $24.95 per person for adults and $12.95 per person for children under 12

Other Details:

Clowns and magicians all day long on Easter from 9am-4pm, Easter Egg Hunts 7:30 AM and 1:00PM in the garden.

Crú Celebrates Easter With A Special Brunch!
Sunday March 23rd - Reservations are available from 11am -3pm. Seating is Limited.

Crú: A Wine Bar is presenting a delectable menu of Easter brunch fare on Sunday, March 23. Cru, known for its wine country cuisine as well as its extensive wine collection, will feature a three-course, prix-fixe menu featuring offerings such as Flank Steak Frittata, Alaskan Salmon Cake Benedict and Herb-Scented Roasted Leg of Lamb (menu varies by location). Bring the whole family - kids eat for 1/2 price!

Please call for reservations:
Cru Austin - (512)-472-WINE (9463)

Easter Brunch with the Easter Bunny
When: Sunday, March 23rd, 11am-2pm
Where: Renaissance Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd
$$$: $49 adult, $19.95 age 6+
Info: (512) 795-6100

In addition to the outstanding appetizers, delectable main dishes and tantalizing desserts the Renaissance will host the Easter Bunny who will be available from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for the enjoyment of children of all ages. The wildly popular annual Easter Egg Hunt will begin at 1:00 p.m., where kids can search high and low for candy and other treats courtesy of the Renaissance Austin.

For more fun Easter things to do this weekend, look here.

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Is it just me or does it feel odd to be celebrating Easter so early? To me, Easter is supposed to happen in April, not March, and certainly not this early in March. Here are a few Easter activities for those of you caught off guard by the early arrival of that wascally wabbit.

Jo’s Coffee Easter Pet Parade and Costume Contest
When: Saturday, March 22 2008, 12:00pm
Where: Texas French Bread Inc., 1722 S Congress Ave
Cost: $10.00

Throw an Easter bonnet on Fifi and get yourself down to Jo’s on S. Congress. There will be a bouncy castle, food, drinks, pets, costumes, music and much more! You could win a night at the Hotel San Jose, so register now! All proceeds benefit Animal Trustees of Austin. What could be better? The parade starts at the Texas French Bread Co and proceeds to Jo’s.

Sticking with the pet theme, this weekend is also the:

3rd Annual Triple Crown Pet Fest & Expo
When: Saturday, March 22 2008, 11:00am - 5:00pm
Where: Triple Crown Dog Academy, 200 County Road 197, Hutto, TX
$$$: Free (donations gladly accepted)

Dashin’ Dachshunds Weenie Dog Dash…Yappy Hour…live music…spring hayrides…Canine Carnival…Easter parade…These are just a few of the activities planned for a spring festival celebrating pets of all varieties.

Two Doggy Easter Parades in one weekend? That’s a bit surreal. How about an Easter Egg hunt?

30th Annual Easter Eggstravaganza
When: Saturday, March 22nd, 10am - 12noon
Where: House Park Stadium (12th and Lamar) next door to Austin Recreation Center. 1301 Shoal Creek
$$$: $2 entry fee to participate in the egg hunt. Carnival game tickets .25 cents each.

Carnival games, concessions and of course, an easter egg hunt!

And another?

Easter Egg Hunt at Austin Farmers’ Market
When: Saturday, March 22nd, 11am
Where: Republic Square, (4th and Guadalupe)

Local chocolates, market bucks and local farm animals used for their wool will be at the market for children to pet and learn from, including a lap-sitting angora rabbit that will have wool spun directly from its fur, and two baby llamas that can be petted.

Want to cozy up to the Easter bunny? Then here is your opportunity:

Easter Brunch with the Easter Bunny
When: Sunday, March 23rd, 11am-2pm
Where: Renaissance Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd
$$$: $49 adult, $19.95 age 6+
Info: (512) 795-6100

In addition to the outstanding appetizers, delectable main dishes and tantalizing desserts the Renaissance will host the Easter Bunny who will be available from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for the enjoyment of children of all ages. The wildly popular annual Easter Egg Hunt will begin at 1:00 p.m., where kids can search high and low for candy and other treats courtesy of the Renaissance Austin.

And now for something completely different:

25th EASTER LASER REGATTA
When: March 21-23, 2008
Where: Austin Yacht Club
$$$: Free to watch, $40 to enter the race

I can’t find much information on the race so if you know anything, please let me know!

Well, those are a few suggestions for the Easter weekend. Have a Happy Easter!

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Wondering if there is anything else going on in Austin this weekend aside from SXSW? Here are a few ideas for those of you looking for alternatives:

The Crafty Mamas Market
~ Featuring handmade soaps, perfumes, and candles designer clothing and accessories for toddler and baby handcrafted pottery and household goods, unique jewelry, crafting items, photography and activities for the kiddos!

Where: Northwest Elementary School south parking lot , 14014 Thermal Dr., Austin
When: Saturday, March 15th 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

9th Annual Texas Rockfest
~The Texas Rockfest is proud to announce that Guitar Hero III is joining the family. What does this mean you ask? How about a fully interactive three day experience complete with cutting edge live music on two outdoor stages at 7th and Trinty, The Spill on Sixth stage, two satellite stages at Merkaba Lounge and the new Rock City Icehouse, multiple Guitar Hero competition kiosks, refreshment pavillions spinning with world class DJ’s and dancing the night away, big screens, mind blowing lights, truly unbelievable prizes and giveaways all in the heart of Austin’s Sixth Street Entertainment District.

Where: Guitar Hero Outside Stage 313 E. 7th Street
When: Saturday 03/15 (02:00PM) - Saturday 03/15 (12:00AM)
$$$: FREE

St. Patrick’s Day @ Things Celtic
~ Children’s Activity Area in their front parking lot, with supervised crafts and games ongoing throughout the day. This is a family-friendly, free event! Live Music and Irish language lessons.

When: Saturday, March 15th, 2008 starting at 11am
Where: Things Celtic, 1806 West 35th Street in Austin
$$$: FREE

Artisans Festival
~ This early spring event features the work of local artists and artisans, all working with a nature theme. You will find watercolors, metalwork, pottery, jewelry, photography, woodwork and more, all lovingly made by hand. The festival is open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

When: Saturday, Mar 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
$$$: $7 Adults, $3 Children, $6 Seniors

The Great Nickelodeon Egg Hunt
~Kids can open two Nickelodeon character eggs for surprises, including perhaps a store prize pack or the national prize of a trip to the brand-new Nickelodeon Universe. Visit the website for further details.

When: Saturday, March 15th, 12n-2pm
Where: Toys R Us Nationwide
$$$: Free
Ages: 3-12

Kids can open two Nickelodeon character eggs for surprises, including perhaps a store prize pack or the national prize of a trip to the brand-new Nickelodeon Universe in Minnesota. This is a nationwide event; call to check participation at local outlets.

It’s that time of year that many Austinite’s dread and some anticipate. SXSW has arrived in Austin. SXSW, for those of you not familiar with it, stands for South by Southwest and it’s one of two big music events that takes place in Austin every year. The other being the Austin City Limits Festival, better known as the ACL Fest. These two events, more than any others help to define Austin as the music capital of the US. It also bogs down traffic and clubs.

SXSW is more than just a music event, though. SXSW incorporates music, film and media. Where ACL Fest takes place in Zilker Park, SXSW takes over downtown Austin. There is a trade show that takes place at the Austin Convention Center. There are bands performing at some 80 stages throughout Austin and films showing at Alamo South Lamar and the Alamo Downtown locations as well as the Dobie and the Paramount. For those of you who don’t live in Austin, these are some of the coolest theaters you’ll ever have the privilege to attend.

One of the biggest misconceptions about SXSW is that you have to purchase a badge/wristband to participate. While a badge would certainly be nice and would allow you to see a lot more, you can see a lot for free and for a little bit of money you might see something great. Last year, for example, my youngest brother saw Lyle Lovett for a mere $10 at Stubb’s.

Here is your Film Guide. You can purchase a film pass for $70 from Waterloo Video. Having a film pass guarantees you won’t have to purchase tickets at the theater but you can purchase any available tickets for $10 fifteen minutes prior to the start of the film. If you’re on a budget just show up and try to get in for $10. It’s generally easiest to get into shows during work hours on the weekdays. Same goes for bands. After hours and weekends will obviously be more crowded. Check out Slackerwood’s excellent guide to participating theaters and how best to park and get a