The first time I attended the Danger Derby at Blue Genie was last year and I have to say this year…read morewas so much better. This is a free Austin event that is open to anyone of all ages! For all of you that don't know what the Danger Derby is allow me to elaborate! It's an extreme pinewood derby hosted by Blue Genie Art Industries every year during the East Studio Tour. There is quite a bit of parking located within the canopy lot, on the street or in the surrounding neighborhoods. Also, some of the studios were open so, if you didn't get a chance to go on the tour you can take a minute to appreciate some art by local artists. If you wish to enter a car into the race you can stop into Blue Genie and purchase your kit and register your car on-line. The track runs from the rooftop of Blue Genie to the ground, winding cars through obstacles including a swinging anvil, flames and blades. The event has an alcohol sponsor so; we all know what that means: Free drinks! Last year it was sponsored by Deep Eddy but, this year it was Tito's, East Ciders and I believe Live Oak Brewery. The lines aren't very long but, if you are like me, come prepared with some beers in your purse or bag. Also, please remember to tip your bartenders! Blue Genie was also screen printing T-shirts for sale on-site. There were also a handful of food trucks/vendors on-site this year which was a nice change. There was also an opportunity to buy VIP tickets and have perfect viewing of the races, small bites and booze included in the ticket price. This is a dog friendly event however; some of the dogs were irritated with the fireworks that were going off. There were announcers this year and music playing in the background throughout the event. There is also an after party located at Gourmands down the street! I had a great time last year however, I feel like Blue Genie really stepped up and took this event to the next level this year!

Where else can you watch seven chefs duke it out with knives for four spots from their ability to…read morefillet a Texas Gulf Red Snapper into four perfect fillets in 10 minutes timed, as onlookers watch? Chefs Under Fire Austin/San Antonio Regional Competition. On this fillet to the finish, the final four then are given an hour to whip up a dish with surprise ingredients that include that Snapper, Zucchini Squash Blossoms, Zephyr Squash, and Pomegranates in addition to four of their own preselected secret ingredients. They are cooking up culinary creations on display. Attendees can freely walk from kitchen to kitchen and observe their skills and techniques. All that food can make the audience hungry. Not to worry, Jack Allen's Kitchen, Rio's Brazilian Cafe and East Side King are feeding the spectators and free flowing bevvies abound including wines from Casa Lapostolle, Château de la Ragotiere, Château Grand Corbin, Château de Sancerre, Etoile, Elio Altare, Eugen Müller; beer from Saint Arnold and Vodka from Savvy. Chefs Under Fire is an awesome Texas-based event that allows local Chefs to to showcase their skills and foodies to see them in action as think on their feet to create culinary art. The winner of this Regional Austin/San Antonio competition will go on the the finals and compete against winners from Houston and Dallas for a chance to be the 2011 Chefs Under Fire winner. I can't wait for the finals in October to see who will be the winner of 2011 Chefs Under Fire.

It's really pretty fabulous... especially if you're at a great table. So here's the run down of the…read morenight: You arrive, check in and are handed a glass for imbibing. Then you walk into the room where the chefs are working their magic. There will most likely be wine, beer and a non alcoholic option. You stand around, chat, oooh and ahhh at the wild techniques of the chefs. Then you're escorted into a main dining area with bites on the table. We had gorgeous sausages, cheese, little breads and mustards and lots and lots of wine. I had the good fortune of sitting next to a guy who is 1 of 200 master sommeliers in the world so i just followed his lead rather than grab all bottles and drink them together. I didn't even utter the word "franzia" once. Then each chef presents to the panel of experts -- in this case Bryce Gilmore, Tyson Cole and Ken Rathbun -- and they try the dish. Then the culinary students recreate the dish in little bites. The audience texts in and tweets what they love and the winners are announced. Then, if you're like me, you go to egos to make sure that you're still the same ol' down to earth basement gal. And invite the master sommelier, natch. I wavered between four and five because although this is a food event, you really don't get a lot of food. Now that I know what to expect however, I'll just make plans before or after for some pre/post gaming. The quality of the production was really great and it's a fun event that is hopefully a harbinger of more foodie events to come.

700th review! What…read morean incredibly fun & well orchestrated event! The entry was smooth. We were swiftly given a wristband, voting sheet & wine glass. The setup for all 16 restaurants & beverages were well laid out. Whoever organized the logistics, Bravo! I loved how accessible the chefs were during the event. They gave the run down of their dish & welcomed both questions & feedback. Each chef was given a specific theme/region & a specific cut of meat. It was exciting to see what all 16 restaurants came up with! Chef Kievit of Moonshine bellied up with his dish! It was a rib & belly of IO Ranch lamb, Mole negro Oaxaqueno, almohada masa, carrot escabeche, chicharron with queso idiazabal. The lamb was tender & the flavors were a bit sweet. Chef Jack Gilmore of Jack Allen's Kitchen I knew walking up to Jack Gilmore's station my belly & taste buds would be happy. He prepared an incredibly tender meatball made with lamb neck, pierced by a delicious crunchy swizzle stick in a wonderful Nopales jam. Chef Joe Anguiano of Vox Table Chef Joe's glazed lamb shank with piquillo pepper, roasted shallot & picholine olives was a great preview of what is in store. Chef Brice Gilmore of Odd Duck/Barley Swine Not to be outdone by his chef father Bryce made a "Mexiterranean" lamb breakfast taco. The lamb was a rich sausage with a brightly flavored sauce. Bonus points for being the easy dish to eat. Chef Camden Stuerzenberger of Fork & Vine This station is where the part was at! Chris the GM of F&V made sure the chefs & his glass stayed nice & full. Chef Camden made a smoked lamb dish with aji amarillo, sopa de plantain, mole & pickled grape & chili. Chef Mark Schmidt of the Blackbird & Henry Chef Mark made a nicely braised shoulder stuffed with squid, roasted eggplant & ras el hanout. I loved the texture lent by the squid. This was probably the most unique dish of the evening in my opinion. Chef Joel Welch of Kerbey Lane Cafe Chef Joel stepped outside the box with his flavorful kufteh (herb & lamb meatballs) in tomato-plum sauce with manaqui bil-zatar (thyme bread). Chef Phillip Brown of Vince Young Steakhouse Chef Brown brought the savory to the table! His feast from the middle east was a stewed lamb in either a cream or yogurt sauce. It was extremely tender & well prepared. Chef Carlos Ysaguirre of Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile Jacoby's just added lamb to their menu a couple weeks ago so this was right up their alley! Chef Carols made an nice firm charred lamb meatball with chickpeas, drizzled with house made yogurt & the preserved lemon added a nice flavor note to the dish. Chef Chris Hurley of Bonneville This remarkable husband & wife duo are so kind & welcoming. I love running into them at events. They work with lamb often as they typically have 2-3 lamb dishes on their dinner menu. They made a perfect Korean BBQ style sparerib with a touch of pear butter. Chef Harold Marmulstein of Salty Sow I overheard several people raving about Chef Harold's savory Indian lamb Curry with jasmine rice & cucumber riata including Amber D.'s Brit (Lee). Chef Jon Cirkiel of Olive & June Chef made a leg of lamb pita with lots of different flavors going on (in a good way). The small hand held pita had leg of lamb, lemon ricotta, espresso, Texas green salsa verde, smoked black olives, shaved radish, turnip & carrot. If this was served at their restaurant I would undoubtedly order it. Chef John Litchenberger of Peche The only disappointment here is there were no French 77s to go with Chef John's delicious lamb cassoulet. Chef Roman Murphy of Bess Bistro Chef Roman made one of my favorite dishes of the evening. His theme was Asian. He made a palletable lamb rillette with fermented chili & lamb caramel complimented by a carrot kimchi puree topped with sesame seeds served with a super addicting rice crisp. Chef Kyle McClelland Proof & Pantry This Dallas restaurant put on quite a show! They used a traditional Japanese grill in making his aromatic & warm your bones lamb belly pho. Buenos Aires Cafe Chef Watson & Chef Morris made a lamb dish swimming in lovely Mediterranean juices served in a cute day boat. There were plenty of Texas spirits to wash down all the fabulous lamb bites. Texas beer, wine & liquor was well represented. I enjoyed the wine at Austin Winery & Duchman Winery. By the time they announced all the winners for each category to include "Best in Show" & "Peoples Choice" the party was very festive! Jacoby's winning both in their category & "Best in Show". Huge congrats to Adam Jacoby & Chef Carlos Ysaguirre. Chef Harold Marmulstein of Salty Sow won the crowd over with his lamb curry dish & took home the "Peoples Choice Award". Other category winners included Buenos Aires & Odd Duck. This is one of the best food events I have attended in Austin & would definitely recommend coming if they come back to Austin. Thanks Yelp for this amazing foodie opportunity!

I'm a big fan of chef cook-offs and any event at the beautiful Barr Mansion so when I heard Lamb…read moreJam was coming to Austin I couldn't wait to attend. Overall experience was awesome. For having super chilly weather on the day of the event I thought Austin Lamb Jam did a great job keeping us as warm as they could. Upon check-in we received our voting ballads and a wine glass. Inside the venue we received a bag of goodies - chap-stick, a reusable grocery bag, stickers, I love lamb pencils and I Love Lamb heat thermometer. They also had an adorable DIY spice station where you could fill a cute tin with several spices. Most of the event took place indoors with a few (brave) vendors in the outdoor space. I love the variety of drinks offered from Paula's Liquor, Austin's Winery, to Hops & Grains, to Chameleon Coffee & a hydration station - with cold water. A few of my favorite lamb dishes include: Fork & Vine, Josie's, Jacoby's (THE WINNER!!), Odd Duck, Salty Sow just to name a few. After the event I was filled to the brim from all the savory dishes! I hope this stellar and fun event makes it's way back to Austin!

ATX TV Festival is incredible. 4 days of panels, screenings, celebrity stalking. Did I mention…read morecelebrity Stalking? Held in June, you buy a badge, then pick your top events to see. What I like most about this festival is the variety of programming. You have world premiere screenings, panels, parties, writers, directors, producers, actors. The festival also has categories such as 'canceled too soon' (honoring great fallen shows of the past) and reunions (bringing back members of the cast and crew and writers from a show). Panels have such a variety of programming as they cover social/political/emotional/mental/philosophical/nostalgic topics and offer career advice deep from experts in the field. Also, this festival rocks because you can go back and watch the panels from previous years online, so if you read your favorite show ever was featured in the past, you can still watch the panel even though you missed it. Also, this festival is an excellent place to network if you are in the biz or trying to get in the biz. But for me I just LOVE TV and the highlights of this Season 8 are hearing Phylicia Rashad speak and watching the screening/table read for the Tremors tv pilot. Even though the pilot did not get picked up, it was amazing to hear the cast and crew talk about what could have been and showcase how brilliant the path the tv pilot was heading down. Kevin Bacon walked on stage with his signature walk & swaggar and I started screaming. Hearing him talk about his character Val, he said, 'Val's character, I just got. Not a genius, kind of simple guy with big dreams. An ordinary man thrown into extraordinary situation. Then he went back to ordinary & lost the dream. I think any person can relate. I certainly had my day in the sun.' Bacon was so likable you just can't help but root for him. Every year they give out an achievement award and I was crying, blown away by the sophistication, beauty, and talent of Phylicia Rashad. Here are some of the highlights of the speech: After an audition, Phylicia Rashad remembers she prayed to be still, put hand over her heart and thought: here lies the treasure, here lies the riches. No one gave it to you. No one can take it away. Phylicia Rashad on the importance of meditation, "Be still. Life is happening all the time. You cannot control things. You cannot always see what is coming or why. Be still, breathe slowly" What did Phylicia Rashad keep from the set of The Cosby Show? She has the painting yes, but most importantly kept the cookie jar. Because it was home and everybody had touched the jar. Poetic advice from Phylicia Rashad's mother: "Best thing a human being can do is to know your own worlds of being and stay within your own element." "The universe bears no ill to me, I bear no ill to it." Also it was awesome to see screenings of shows I've never even heard of then hear from the star studded panels. This year I blindly went into these screenings and loved all of them !! Good Trouble, LetterKenny, Yellowstone, City on a Hil, The League, The Terror, Aytpical, Everyone in Doing Great, Men in Trees. I can't recommend this festival enough if you love tv. All the people are friendly, warm, sweet inspiring working behind the scenes and the 2 chicks that started the fest are brilliant. And the events and parties were so creative. Lots of good opportunites for drinks and food too !!! It's what SXSW should be.

Held this year at the great space/venue that is Shady Springs Party Barn, I would liken the Gettin'…read moreSauced BBQ Fest to the grandiose Texas Monthly BBQ Fest albeit on a MUCH smaller scale and a LOT less expensive (don't get me wrong - I LOVE TMBBQ FEST, see my review). The Sauced Fest was just that great! The space located in East Austin, is surrounded by farmland, complete with the fresh smell of manure and hay. Free parking was a breeze, located directly adjacent to the venue. Check-in and follow the little sign - "BBQ Barn." Ample space! Live music playing, tons of covered and decorated picnic tables, plenty of space on the grassy hills to sit and chill. Several beer vendors (~7, inc. one Cider) set up in one area. Went to grab a brew before heading for the Q and somehow ending up "manning' the @InfamousBrewing table when Josh needed a BR break...and stayed until the beer ran out. ;) Always eager to help out a bud, and was actually fun. I haven't been a "salesperson" in a while....and of course I saved the last cold can for myself. Lol! BTW - each wristband purchase (GA or VIP) came with 3 drink tickets - no "pay for beer." Holy least expensive event effort! Headed toward the BBQ "Barn." Think screened in, worn wooden house with two separate rooms and plenty of space to peruse. Didn't expect too much. It was supposed to be "samples" with an emphasis on the assorted BBQ and hot sauces produced by the vendors. Um, yes...and no! A few joints only offered sauce, some offered their sauce with a small sampling of meat(s)...and then there was Opie's, who handed out a complete serving of delish brisket and jap sausage without any sort of sauce at all because "good BBQ doesn't need sauce." Thanks for a great start! There were a lot of my other favorites there. I have been on a sort of Q-Quest this past year and I realized it might be turning into a little "problem" when at least 4 of the pit masters and crew recognized my hubster and I and chatted us up. That explains that extra 10 lbs - for realz! Louie Mueller's sauces were yum and I scored a free koozie. Cooper's was present with plenty of meats and sauces (FYI - there has been a delay on the opening of their Austin location, but coming soon!). Mark and his SLAB crew were in the house providing samples of their previous award-winning sauces with a bit o' brisket, including their amazing "Backyard Red Sauce" that yes, they are currently in the process of bottling and getting ready to sell retail. Can't wait! Black's had their sauces for sale, but they had so nicely gifted me one at the recent TMBBQ Fest that I haven't had the chance to open yet, so I didn't buy any. The inevitable at these sorts of things....Yes...it happened again!! My hubby and I both hit the brick Q wall and painfully (sinfully) had to throw a few pieces of BBQ away that we simply couldn't handle. Bottom line, the BBQ Barn offered far more than mere morsels - we exited completely indulged and stuffed to the rim! Thank you so much to everyone who was present and presented! About an hour before the Fest ended all but Middleton had run out of beer, which wasn't a problem at all. Three hours was just the perfect amount of time to drink, eat, chat, and chill! Shout out to CarmelaS, her friend Jackie, BrandonC, and KymS, oh, and RobM for of course making the event even better! All for the meager general admission price of $15 p/p. Oh, and add $6 for a Getting' Sauced pint glass. Money and a wonderful Sunday afternoon VERY well spent!!! We'll certainly be back next year! NOTE: Pre-tickets were sold via Living Social (even through the event site). The LS deal, nor the event website, stated exactly how things would work with the beer. The purchase price included admission to the BBQ Barn and also included three beer tickets. Great deal! But, none "for sale." It seemed like people were getting "just stupid enough" at the end, so maybe three is the perfect number. ;)

This was the second annual Gettin' Sauced BBQ festival, where you could get a sample of BBQ from…read moreeach vendor if you bought a wristband. I have to say, there was a crowd, but not as many people as other festivals (ie. Hot Sauce Fest). I arrived early because I wanted to STEAK out at Franklin's, and told my friends to MEAT me inside. I think that is the only time I will ever be first in line at Franklins. People are crazy for waiting hours and hours in line for BBQ. Speaking of crazy lines, once the festival was in full stride, them lines got ridiculously long. Props to the people manning the stands for keeping the lines moving. Well, this was a crazy hot day to have it on, and a lot of people ended up crowding inside Independence Brewing Co's garage bay where they had beer and fans set up. The few dogs I saw looked downright miserable, because they had to walk around on the hot concrete. I think one person threw up near the entrance. :\ Overall, I feel that the festival was headed in the right direction, but definitely still has a few kinks to iron out. It is only their second year doing it, after all. One BBQ stand (J Mueller) ran out of meat about 30 minutes after 3. Not sure if someone forgot to pack a cooler of meat or if it was just poor planning. Suggestions for improving the festival: Push it to a later date. A 90 degree day sure beats a 108 degree day. Also, put out more benches for people to sit on. And maybe have a first aid tent, because there will be some heat stroke/heat exhaustion cases. Having this event on a grassy area would allow more people to bring their dogs. I understand that having this event at Independence Brewing Co probably saved some $$, but there definitely needs to be more shade/seating. Also, maybe holding it at a different time, like 10-1 would help with the heat. 3-6pm is just the hottest part of the day. Things I did like: generous sample portions, crowd size wasn't overwhelming, diversity of sauces, free beer samples/Honest Tea/Big Red, door prizes, live music (Sour Bridges), people watching, signs directing people to the event and having enough parking.

I attended the very first Pachanga Fest in Austin years ago and have looked forward to it every…read moreyear since. This festival consistently brings great Latino talent to Austin year after year. And every time I walk away a fan of an artist I hadn't been exposed to yet! That's probably my favorite part. What I especially appreciate about Pachanga is their special Niños Rock events. It's a free kids festival held as part of the Pachanga Fest that offers stuff for the kiddies like free face-painting, music camps with artists and if memory serves, a cake walk! There's the usual festival fare as well: food vendors, beer and spirits, and other vendors (jewelery, hats, clothes, sandals, instruments). What's nice is that this particular festival hasn't gotten too unruly as far as numbers go so you can get in and out of the drink and food lines in a relatively short amount of time. This year they went from selling VIP to VIT (Very Important Taco) passes, my kinda passes! And while I don't want this festival to become over-sold like other local fests **cough**ACL Fest**cough**, I would like to see people continue to support it because I want it sticking around for a while.

Such an amazing time and waaaaay overdue review...especially considering the 2018 event is…read morehappening in a couple of weeks. Lol! Had so much fun that I purchased tickets to this year's event shortly after last year's. Had VIP passes that included a wristband to sample good eats from almost two dozen food trucks. There were crepes, prime ribeye, hummus, lobster, southern fare, turkey burgers, tacos, and so much more. Some portions were larger than others, but either way I certainly left more than fulfilled for a VERY reasonable entry price IMHO ($39.95 p/p). And, as a VIP guest, you had the opportunity to vote on the winning truck who received a 10,000 purse - and bragging rights to boot! My choice - Gobble Gobble - came in honorable 3rd. :) There were local craft beer and ciders, and select wines, for purchase and Steel City Pops was on-site (love their avocado). The event, held in the Austin American Statesman lot, had convenient free parking close by at TX DOT. It was not horribly crowded [no super long lines], and live music played throughout the day. The new 20 truck line-up for this year has already been announced and I can't wait. Come hungry...leave happy! Cheers!

Free Night of Theater is a movement that is offered in 120 US cities including Austin, Texas…read more Every October most of the local theaters offer up tickets absolutely free for performances. The goal is to introduce people to theaters they have never been to before. If you want these tickets, sign up for their email list. Pay close attention to the time and day they become available as tickets go very quickly, often in as little as an hour. A variety of types of theater including comedy and musical theater are included. I've attended performances for the past four years and all have been fun and it has introduced me to a number of lesser known venues and performing groups (the large, well-known theaters such as the Zach Scott also participate).