Austin, TX

Greetings, Cakesters!

Another month has come and gone and we’re one month closer to our DOS which will take place on August 10th. We could use some volunteers for this event. If you’d like to volunteer your time to this or any other event we’re hosting, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Ellen Cromwell.

New Openings for Lorraine McKay Workshops I’m very excited to inform you that we have some new openings for two of Lorraine McKay’s upcoming workshops. If you wanted to attend Lorraine’s workshops and thought you’d missed out, you have another opportunity. There are openings in both the Teddy Bear workshop and the Dad & Me workshop. If you had your heart set on the Bride & Groom workshop Lorraine assures me you’ll learn enough in the Dad & Me workshop to be able to do the Bride & Groom. Not only that but you’ll learn to do a baby and a cat, among other things! For a glimpse at Lorraine’s teaching style, check out her Cheeky Chicks video on YouTube and learn how to make these cheeky fellows pictured on the right. Upcoming Events July 6th: Pearland Cake Society DOS July 17-20: 2008 Annual ICES Convention July 31 - August 3: Cake Camp in Las Vegas August 10th: Capital Confectioners DOS August 11-12th: Two Sweet Sisters Class
October 14-15:	Lorraine McKay’s Dad & Me Workshop
October 17th:	Lorraine McKay’s Teddy Bear Workshop
October 18-19th:	Lorraine McKay’s Bride & Groom Workshop
September 5-10th:	Debbie Brown Classes in Houston
September 7th:	Houston Cake Club Extravaganza!
September 20th:	The Carolina Cake Show & Competition
September 27 - 28:	The Oklahoma Sugar Art Show

If you would like us to list your event, shoot us an email.

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It looks like we have a great weekend ahead. Start yours off early with a little Gaelic music and a beautiful setting by attending tonight’s fundraising event for the Silver Thistle:

“A Midsummer’s Pipe Dream”
The Umlauf Sculpture Garden
Friday June, 27
Saturday, June 28th, 6 p.m.-10 p.m.
$$$: $5

Spend an evening in the rolling hills of Scotland in downtown Austin! Enjoy children’s games based on the Highland Games, walk through the gardens and enjoy art based in the Scottish tradition but immersed in the modern designs of the Umlauf, tap your foot to the music of Gaelic folk musicians and dancers, and cheer on Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums as they prepare for the World Championships in Scotland!

$5 Admission. There will be a variety of vendors, including food and drink, Tshirts, CDs, raffle, silent auction, and much, much more! Tickets are available now at Things Celtic or from your friendly Silver Thistle Band Member. Some of the performers include:

Do your part to Keep Austin Weird this weekend with the Keep Austin Weird 5k.

6th Annual Keep Austin Weird 5K
delivered by AT&T and H-E-B

All you need to know about date, location, packet pick up and festival weirdness!

Date & Times:
June 28, 2008
3 PM - Gates Open
6 PM - 5K Start Time
RAIN OR SHINE!!

Location: Auditorium Shores

Race Route: Click here for a map of the course. There will be balloon twisters, food, tattoos, music and more!

I have a soft spot for slam poetry. If you’ve never attended a slam poetry event, you should check one out. If you’ve found yourself wondering what ever happened to passion and opinion, this is where they collide, marry and have babies. Yo, check this out:

Rep Yo City SpitFest
Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress Ste. D-200, 745-5589.
$$$: $15 ($12, advance)
6-9pm.

Twelve poets go head-to-head as they rep their respective cities. Renowned international poet via Baltimore Taalam Acey will be the one to beat, but Austin’s own Blacklisted can’t be counted out. Get a discount at the door by bringing three canned goods for the Capital Area Food Bank.

If you have a hankering to get out and enjoy the fresh air this weekend then you might consider a trip to Sweet Dreams Lavender Farm. Take a picnic, relax in the shade, stroll the grounds, watch the fish. This is a great venue for kids. It would also make a wonderfully romantic date spot and you can even take home lavender cuttings!

Sweet Dreams Lavender Farm
Saturdays, 10am-4pm; Sundays, 11am-4pm, through June.
10600 W. Wagon Rd., 288-7270.
$$$: Free, $4 to cut lavender

Last, but not least, I really, really want to see this! Who wants to take me?

Seussical The Musical
June 27 - August 10, 2008
R.L. Davis Auditorium, Texas School for the Deaf
Friday at 7:00
Saturday at 2:00 & 7:00
Sunday at 2:00
$$$: $40

ZACH Theatre’s Performing Arts School presents Seussical — a FUNtastical, magical, musical extravaganza based on the books of Dr. Seuss — live on stage this summer! Your family will be enchanted when Seuss’ beloved characters spring to life in this energetic, heart-warming musical featuring classics such as Horton Hears a Who, Horton Hatches the Egg, Gertrude McFuzz, Green Eggs and Ham and of course, The Cat in the Hat! Dr. Seuss’ most colorful characters come tumbling right out of the books and up onto our stage in this joyful gumbo of musical styles, ranging from Latin to pop, swing to gospel, and R&B to funk! So let your toes tap, your fingers snap, and your imagination run wild! ZACH’s production features Austin’s most talented youth and adult performers in a full scale production guaranteed to delight your children, and make you feel like a kid all over again. Last year’s family show, High School Musical, sold out in record time - so hurry and secure your tickets to this summer’s hit today!

Austin, weekend, events, TX, Texas, Things to do, What’s Happening, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/29/08, June, Seussical, Spitfest, slam, poetry, lavender, farm, picnic, silver thistle, fundraiser, umlauf

I’ve been a bit slow getting back into the groove since my return from Seattle. The Cake Club is ramping up for our 2009 Show and that is keeping me pretty busy. Not only that but I have also lined up an incredible class featuring sugar artist, Lorraine McKay. We’re bringing her in all the way from Scotland to teach a figure modeling class.

I will be taking a class this Sunday with Carol Fouts in Houston. She’ll be teaching a class on making baby shoes in gumpaste.

This weekend is the big Bake for Barack/Bake for Change/Hungry for Change/ sale which appears to be happening at more than one location. The only one I have a definitive location on will be taking place from 9am-3pm at Far West & Hart Lane. If you know of others, please let us know!

If that’s not enough to satisfy your O’bama cravings, you can Bowl-O-bama from 2-6pm at the Saengerrunde Bowling Alley, 1607 San Jacinto, 627-8960 for a mere $7.

If you’re feeling spry, check out the Go Skateboarding Day activities. This is a new event being sponsored by Wahoos Fish Taco, Lowbrow Emporium and the Austin Longboard Club.

Go Skateboarding Day
House Park Parking Lot
1301 Shoal Creek Rd. near 12th Street
Cost: This is a FREE event ALL AGES are welcome

For you gamers out there, and I know there are a lot of you here in Austin, the Iron-Man of Gaming is taking place now! Technically this event is taking place in Grapevine but first place is $10k in cash and prizes so it may be worth the drive!

There will be a Rock Band competition, video-game music cover bands, and more to keep the spectators amused. All proceeds go to the Get Well Gamers Foundation that donates gaming systems to hospitals.

When: Thu.-Sun., June 19-22.
Where: Convention Center, Grapevine.
$$$: Competitors: $50 ($25, advance); spectators: $5 (free, advance).

My wine loving friends amongst you may enjoy Vino al Pastor this weekend. Visit nine wineries as you cruise the 290 wine trail through the Texas Hill Country. The Texas Pork Producers Association has teamed up with each winery who have in turned teamed up with top restaurants to tantalize your palate with tempting treats. At each winery you will a glass of wine paired with a specially prepared recipe. At the conclusion of each visit you will receive a copy of the recipe. The wineries along Highway 290 from one mile east of Johnson City to nine miles west of Fredericksburg make up one of the most successful wine travel destinations in the U.S., second only to NAPA.

Each of the wineries will offer their normal tasting and the PORK pairing taste will not cost extra. Participating wineries are Becker Vineyards, Bell Mountain Winery Tasting Room, Chisholm Trail Winery, Fredericksburg Winery, Grape Creek Vineyard, Lost Creek Winery Tasting Room, Texas Hills Vineyard, Torre di Pietra Vineyards, and Woodrose Winery. Wineries recommend that you plan to spend the evening locally (maybe a B&B) and enjoy dinner at one of the restaurants. Some of the participating restaurants are August E’s, Cotton Gin (Cabernet Grill), Navajo Grill, Silver Creek Restaurant & Bier Garten, and Silver K Cafe, with more to be named later. For more information call 830-868-2321. Mmmm…. my mouth is watering already!

Those are my picks for the weekend. Get out there, have some fun and enjoy the sunshine!

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