Several French rosé wines from the Rhone Valley and Provence

While you never need an excuse to spoil that special someone, Valentine’s Day offers several options to really make the day. From upscale to low-key, there are great places to shop, dine, relax or indulge.

Milk + Honey Salon and Spa will be offering various Valentine’s packages, along with extended hours. All of their locations offer couples spa rooms for treatments together. For instance, the couples retreat boasts a 60-minute massage, facial and manicure. Gift cards are also available for purchase. You can indulge here without going overboard on calories or cluttering up your closet.

Couples Treatment at Milk & Honey

However, some pieces never go out of style. Treat your man to something he’ll want to wear forever. Come check out Edge boutique downtown for staples that last a lifetime. For a personalized shopping experience, don’t hesitate to call on Edge’s “fashion brain,” Phillip Solomon. Come in Thursday nights from 6 to 9 pm and enjoy a Cinco Vodka drink while you shop.

Edge Founders

Women love their shoes. Locally-owned Stella Says Go, on the corner of Lamar and 5th Street, has an array of distinctive shoes with their own comfort rating system. Some of the brands they carry include Seychelles, Poetic License, Miz Mooz, Jeffrey Campbell and more. Look to Stella’s Steals for prices under $60, and don’t forget about the free parking entrance on Baylor Street just west of Lamar.

Does she just love TOMS shoes? Check out Sola for special edition “Let Love Rule” TOMS shoes stenciled in silver and pink over black canvas. Besides being vegan,  TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy.

"Let Love Rule" TOMS shoes

Valentine’s Day is famous for satisfying a sweet tooth. Since 1885, Lammes Candies on Airport Boulevard has been creating some amazing confectionery wonders. While famous for their Texas Chewie Pecan Pralines and Longhorns, they will be offering several special Valentine’s gifts as well.

More than likely, you will probably see chocolate-covered strawberries all around town. One of my personal favorites can be found at Amy’s Ice Creams. Fresh strawberries get dipped in European dark chocolate, drizzled with a white chocolate lattice and then packaged in a lovely pink box. Order your dozen by clicking here.

Flowers can always take it up a notch, and there are some amazing local florists to check out. Verbena off of West 38th Street always have the freshest flowers and work with you to create a unique bouquet. Mercedes Flowers has four different Valentine’s Day bouquets with roses, for delivery or pick-up, at their location on South First Street.

Spice it up this year with a special something from Teddies for Bettys on West Second Street. You will find a great selection of designer lingerie and lounge wear, including La Perla, Cosabella, Jimmy Jane, Lelo, Hanky Panky and more.

You don’t have to be a big spender to purchase lingerie ,either –  just look for the Bazaar on East Riverside. Find all kinds of lingerie at non-designer prices, along with any accessory, including wigs, costumes, and even individual peacock plumes.

Many of Austin’s best restaurants will be offering special Valentine’s Day menus. Feb. 12 through 14, Fleming’s will be offering a special Valentine’s Day menu with options like lobster, filet mignon with prawns, and prime New York Strip with king crab. In addition to recommended wines, a special Valentine’s Day “bella-tini” cocktail will be featured. They are offering a $25 Dining Card for use in the future by reserving here.

Finn & Porter’s Valentine’s menu goes on from Feb. 10 through 14, with three courses for $65. Choose between a selection of lump crab cake, beef carpaccio, tuna with foie gras, citrus salad or cauliflower soup with a salmon dumpling for the appetizer. Entrée selections include mushroom ravioli, lamb shank, red snapper, beef filet, and more. For dessert share a trio for two, consisting of crème brûlée, chocolate espresso bread pudding, and a key lime cannoli.

This is also a perfect time to try their signature French 76 cocktail, Belvedere vodka and Chandon Brut, or their champagne flight. For $20, you receive a two-ounce pour of Chandon Brut, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Moët & Chandon Impérial Rosé.

While limited space with only two seatings at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m., Foreign & Domestic will have a four course menu, with wine pairings included, for $50. Highlights include winter cabbage trifle, potato gnocchi and duck fried rice with fennel kimchi.

Sister restaurants Asti and Fino will be putting an Italian spin on Valentine’s Day with their special menus. Fino will be serving tomato gazpacho, scallop with pork belly, lobster risotto and more. Asti will be serving a scallop crudo, gnocchi and grilled lamb chops on their special menu.

The Carillion presents their “Texas Love Affair” menu, boasting seven courses for $80 per person. You can also choose to pair wines with each course for an extra $60. Another ritzy option is the four course prixe fixe menu at Four Season’s TRIO restaurant, priced at $95.

Check out South Austin’s favorite gastropub, Barley Swine, and their six course menu for Valentine’s Day. Reserve by sending your name and phone number to info@barleyswine.com and they will contact you to confirm.

Beginning February 10, Chef Larkin of Chez Zee will prepare a special menu composed of  seared ahi tuna, Valentine’s salad of beets and fennel, redfish stuffed crab and cream cheese, jerk chicken and a house-cut beef onglet with Maine lobster.

Lastly, at Trace, Chef de Cuisine Paul Hargrove will prepare both a vegetarian and omnivorous three course menu. The prix fixe dinner runs $65 a person or $90 with wine pairings. Look out for the hot smoked sabelfish with hushpuppies.  Pastry Chef Janina O’Leary will make her special Valentine’s dessert specials, available Feb. 10, with treats like butterscotch budino, choclate nutella torte and a champagne float.

While Austin has an amazing dining scene, cooking for a loved one can also set the mood. Go fancy and pair your dinner with a champagne or rosé wine. If you’re not sure what to make or how to maneuver the kitchen, try Central Market‘s chef-prepared dinner-for-two this Valentine’s Day, composed of lobster tails and beef tenderloin. They will also have heart-shaped pot de crème and crème brûlée. Click here if you would like to order.

You can appreciate some of Austin’s natural beauty and burn off some calories before or after dinner with a romantic walk up to Mount Bonnell, the city’s highest point. You can see the city and the lake from this gorgeous vista. If scenery could speak, it would say, “I love you.”

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Viewing Platform at the top of Mount Bonnell

In case you haven’t heard about Austin’s most-talked about natural soup, Holy Posole, now is your chance to learn more about it and support a local product. This ancient soup, known for its healing properties, is quickly gaining popularity with more and more stores stocking it on their shelves.

For those of you who don’t know what posole is, its roots come from Texas and New Mexico. A combination of Hatch green chiles, Chimayo red chile, tomatoes, hominy, garlic and other spices, including chicken, flavoring create a soup that people say “tastes like home.”

I had a wonderful opp0rtunity to chat with Holy Posole creator, Sharon Ely, and ask her a few questions about her amazing soup.

Emil, Sharon, and Gary at HEB with Holy Posole

Q: What first inspired you to start making posole?

A: The first time I made Holy Posole was after tasting it in Santa Fe, New Mexico at my friend’s house, after my husband and I had driven 14 hours to get to a wedding on time. We were exhausted when we arrived, and my friend had made this wonderful soup from an ancient recipe that a hundred-year-old lady had given her.The taste of this magical soup made us feel so warm, comforted, happy and energized, that I decided from then on I, too, was going to make posole. After more than thirty years of making this delicious soup, I have finally decided to sell my soup in jars and give it the wonderful name of Holy Posole. It is such a healing soup for anything you may have.

Q: Without giving away the recipe, are there any special ingredients that you use?

A: Yes, I use very special spices from the region where I first tasted the soup. I use Chimayo red chile, which comes  from a little town near Santa Fe . I also use Hatch green chiles from another region in New Mexico that are very high in nutrients and vitamin C. We use as many natural ingredients as we can, including the natural chicken broth with low sodium. I have worked very hard to make this soup as naturally good for all of us as possible, and to use the best ingredients from Texas and New Mexico. Everyone that makes posole has their own special recipe which makes it their own. I, too, have evolved an ancient recipe to make it my very own so that many people may enjoy this wonderful healing soup.

Q: The name is so creative, is there a story behind it?

A: The name I give Holy Posole is simple. I love the way it rhymes. I also love it because this soup is made with Chimayo chile, which adds to the flavor and healing power of the soup. I feel that it may very well be a sacred soup, and is appropriately named Holy Posole for that reason. Chimayo is very well known for its little ancient church that has healing dirt all around it. Since the chile we use is from this region, I believe it could also make our soup healing.

Q: With Holy Posole becoming so popular, has it been difficult to keep up with the demand?

A: There is never enough Holy Posole. We always run out. I am constantly asking the factory to make more Holy Posole. Right after New Year’s 2012, we got an order for three truckloads of Holy Posole to be delivered to HEB. We continue to get orders every week. So yes, we are continually surprised by how many orders we are getting, and thus trying to make more posole. Actually, for 30 years this has always been the case. No matter how big a pot of posole we make, we always run out and people are always saying, “where’s the posole?”

Q: Where in Austin can you purchase Holy Posole?

A: You can purchase Holy Posole at 49 HEB grocery stores that have the Kitchen Connections in their store. I have a list on my website, holyposole.net. Also you may find my Holy Posole at Fresh Plus on West Lynn in Austin, Texas. Amazon also carries my soup online for people not living near an HEB grocery store or in Texas.

Q: Do you see Holy Posole expanding beyond Texas?

A: Oh yes, I see Holy Posole being served all over the world. My soup  spreads peace and harmony and comfort and it will allow people all over to world to enjoy this feeling. It is all I can think of to help the world right now, make soup to help us all heal from whatever problems we may have. I would love to provide soup for all the hungry people that may need food.

Q: Would you ever consider selling another natural soup besides posole?

A: Right now we are manufacturing two new natural soups….a Verde Holy Posole and a tortilla soup with hominy. I also have a habenero sauce we are finalizing this week. All of these products are all natural and very tasty. Harmony through hominy and peace through posole!

Check out local HEB’s and Fresh Plus on West Lynn to try out Sharon Ely’s famous Holy Posole, while supplies last. You can also stay up to date with what’s happening with Holy Posole by visiting their blog or Facebook page.

Support a local product and unlock the healing powers of the Chimayo chile with your purchase. Besides tasting great, this natural soup has restorative powers and is made with love. Keep in mind, this also makes a great gift to those not familliar with regional Texas and New Mexico cuisine!

"Gun", 2011, pigment print, 16"X24"

Elaine I-Ling Shen explores the complex nature of childhood and human impulse in her latest exhibit, Everything is Possible Again, through a series of photographs and sculptures. The exhibit opens February 11 with a reception from 6 to 9 pm.

A series of photographs depicts a group of children in an unscripted, mysterious environment. The children stand in defiance of what a “good” child is supposed to look like. Instead of being well-scrubbed and properly dressed, they are gestural, bold, raw, confident, and breathtakingly beautiful. The painted, feral images read part Lord of the Flies’ crash survivors meets Peter Pan’s Lost Boys. These wild creatures inhabit their own world where tenderness and aggression, chaos and hierarchical order can coexist without confusion. The savage vista reigns without technology or the dominating presence of adults.

Alongside the photographs, Shen presents several sculptural assemblages that use found weapons constructed by very young children. This speaks to notions of instinct, origin, and the desire to collect and categorize in attempt to make sense of our place in history. Fashioned by anonymous hands, the primitive weapons share the common material language of sticks, wood chips, bamboo, and duct tape. Considering the makers’ age, these complicated objects show the contrast between innocence and violence.

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Elaine I-Ling Shen received her BA from The University of Texas at Austin and her MFA from Yale University. She has taught at Yale University, Fordham University, and the University of Texas. While her work has been shown in several group shows, this will be her first solo show.

Blackbox is an art space that presents contemporary art exhibitions and diverse creative ventures. Blackbox is located at the home of its facilitators, Stella and Leon Alesi, at 1017-A West Milton St, Austin, Texas 78704. Hours are from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and by appointment. For more information, contact Leon Alesi at (512) 460-9756 or leonalesi@gmail.com.

Blackbox

Mardi Gras Mambo your way over to J. BLACK’S Feel Good Lounge for Fat Tuesday!

We will feature Delicious Bacardi Hurricanes and Louisiana Gulf Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo!

Don’t forget to dress in theme and bring your creative mask. We will be having a best mask contest at 9pm sharp! Whoever wins will receive a prize!

Feel Good. Now.

Citizen Generation’s Second Annual Charity Bash and Masquerade Ball will be held Saturday, February 18 benefitting Capital Area Food Bank. The Winter Wonderland will include an open bar, food, entertainment, and art from Generous Art which donates 40% of each piece of art to nonprofits.

The dress code is black tie. Early ticket purchasers will be charged $80 or $150 per couple. Otherwise, the event is $100 per person at the door. VIP bottle service packages are available by emailing info@citizengeneration.org. Click here to purchase tickets.

The artists from Generous Art have also been making headlines. Six Generous Artists were filmed by KLRU during E.A.S.T.  TREND magazine featured Jennifer Chenoweth’s Heaven and Hell piece from the two-part show Hell and Heaven in Santa Fe. ART LIES magazine recently reviewed Virginia Fleck’s 2011 solo exhibition CONSUMED at the Holly Johnson Gallery in Dallas, Texas.

"CO2 Mandala" by Virginia Fleck; plastic bags and tape; 60" in diamter; courtesy of the artist and Holly Johnson Gallery, Dallas

Carol Haymen was selected as one of the ten winning artists of the Austin Art Board’s competition. Lastly, Southwest Art named Generous Artist Kerry Schroeder as their “Arist to Watch” in the November 2011 issue.

In 2011, the combined total donated to charity was $124,390. Generous Art has grown to represent 23 artists and 30 nonprofits in Austin.

Generous Art and Artists will be featured on an upcoming episode of Arts in Context on KLRU airing Thursday, Fenruary 23 at 7:30 pm. Generous Art will have a viewing party.

If you would like to help a Generous Artist raise money to attend a residency at the Vermont Studio Center in March, you can visit Emily Moore’s studio sale online. Additionally, a live event will be held February 5 at Texas French Bread at 2900 Rio Grande from 3 to 7 pm with refreshments provided.

"Home" by Emily Moore; monoprint and watercolor on paper; 10"x6.25"; $100 unframed

If you would like to see more work by the Generous Artists, many have their work on view in Austin. The 2012 People’s Gallery Exhibit at Austin City Hall will feature the work of Jennifer Chenoweth, Larry Graeber, Renee Nunez, and Sydney Yeager. Chenoweth will show her hanging steel sculpture titled Heaven and Hell. Renee will show her work titled Inertial Haze which consists of a reclaimed materials wall installation. She will also show Octofloss, a 7 foot cut canvas painting. The opening reception will be held Friday, February 24 from 6 to 9 pm.

Carolyn Kimball is a part of the upcoming Women Printmakers of Austin show. The juried Monoprint/Monotype Exhibit will take place at the Gallery at the J in Austin, Texas through February 28.

Two of Sydney Yeager’s paintings hang in the restaurant and bar of the W Hotel as a part of their collection. See them at 200 Lavaca St. in downtown Austin.

With Austin’s art scene taking off, these are great oppurtunities to see some of these masterpieces live in person.

The annual Dell Children’s Gala benefitting the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas will take place on Saturday, January 28 at the Austin Convention Center Grand Ballroom. Event chairs Kay and Eric Moreland invite Austinites to attend the first social event of the year in Austin, which raises approximately $1 million per year for the Medical Center’s area of greatest need.

Event guests will enjoy a cocktail party at 6 p.m. and an elegant dinner and program at 8 p.m. followed by dancing with live music by The Sauce and a Casino lounge from 10 p.m. to midnight. During the event, guests will enjoy bidding on live and silent auction packages including an unforgettable getaway at the Four Seasons Resort, Nevis, West Indies; a seven night stay at Calistoga Ranch, Napa Valley; and a Viking Outdoor Kitchen with consultation and dinner prepared by award-winning Chef Kent Rathbun.

From the moment guests arrive, they are mesmerized by the vibrant and cutting edge lighting displays by Ilios Lighting. Stunning floral design and centerpiece arrangements are created by David Kurio Floral Designs. Once inside, the grand ballroom is brought to life by world-renowned projection designer, Bart Kresa, through his kaleidoscope-like art projections on the interior walls.

The evening concludes with an after party at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. with live music and late-night fare by Trio.

The theme of this year’s gala is The Art of Healing, which speaks to the holistic, patient-centered care that the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas offers. “Dell Children’s has made healing an art form through child life services, art therapy, pet therapy and more,” says Kay Moreland. The family-centered environment at Dell Children’s includes meditation gardens, areas for children to play and study, as well as a collection of more than 950 pieces of original art – the largest non-museum art collection in Central Texas.

Sponsorships for the Dell Children’s Gala start at $2,500 and individual tickets are $500. To purchase either, contact Judah Crossland, jlcrossland@seton.org or 512-324-0170. Tables or tickets are also available for purchase at the event website.

Now you can slurp with style even in the a.m. hours at Houndstooth Coffee’s Fancy Fridays. Instead of the normal “casual Fridays,” the Houndstooth baristas are sprucing it up every week. It all began when one employee, Rudi, began wearing his bowtie on Fridays to add some style to the work week. The weekly ritual became a growing fad with the baristas, and voilà! The new, refined Fancy Fridays was born.

“Customers love it and it adds a special feeling to the whole day,” commented Houndstooth barista Sean Henry.

The quirky personalities of Houndstooth employees further complement the sustainable, quality ingredients they use. Much like a bartender, these coffee “mixologists” have even gone through lengthy training sessions and truly master that perfect cup of coffee. The baristas set the tone of Houndstooth by conversing, building relationships with customers, and embracing a sense of community.

With a plethora of coffee shops to choose from, it can be difficult to find the right place to feel comfortable enough to hang out. Houndstooth fosters a creative and social atmosphere without being uptight or pretentious.

This locally owned and operated coffee shop serves premium coffee, tea, beer, wine, and pastries from sustainable sources. The coffee is ever changing, depending on the the life of the bean, the season, and even the time of day. Distributors include Counter Culture, Cuvee, and Intelligentsia. Coffee and tea are both available in bulk. The Steeping Room supplies a large variety of tea. Even if you don’t care for coffee or tea, Houndstooth offers beer on tap from Real Ale, Breckenridge 471, Thirsty Planet, and Anchor Brewing. Bottled beer and wine by the glass or bottle are also available.

Houndstooth also offers public and private “cuppings.” Available by request or appointment, cuppings consist of three different kinds of coffee, cupping utensils, and a personal barista for one to six people. Public cuppings happen Mondays at 1:30.

Stop in for a morning coffee, afternoon tea, or wind down in the evening with a beer or glass of wine. Anyone can pour a cup of coffee. However, Houndstooth will craft you one. Don’t be shy, meet a barista and make a friend!

Houndstooth Coffee
4200 North Lamar Boulevard #120 | Austin, TX 78756
512.531.9417 

Do you have what it takes?

America’s Got Talent is holding auditions this weekend, January 14th and 15th, at the Austin Convention Center. Doors open at 8am and close at 7pm on both days.

What promises to be very competitive auditions are to be a contestant on the 7th season of the NBC talent show hosted by Nick Cannon and judged by the likes of  Sharon Osborne, Howie Mandel, and Howard Stern. Show Creator Simon Cowel (of American Idol and X Factor fame) has promised that, moving into the 7th season, the show will undergo a top-to-bottom makeover, including the addition of a mysterious fourth judge and a big move from LA to NY.

The team of judges have already scoped out the talent in New York, St. Louis, Washington D.C., Anaheim, and Tampa. After giving the mic to the folks in Austin, they will be moving on to Charlotte and San Francisco.

If you’re ready to show off your mad skills to the world, be sure to pre-register for you audition, download the paperwork, and check out the FAQ for audition tips and preparation advice.

Austin Convention Center 
500 East Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, TX 78701