I don’t recommend leaving the city of Austin in March or April. In my opinion, these are the best months to be here — both for the wonderful weather and the fabulous and fun events. I’m heading off to D.C. and NYC for ten days and am very sad to miss two events that are sure to feed the soul.

The Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival will keep your wine glass and your belly full this Sunday in Driftwood. Tickets are $45 ($30 for designated drivers) and I’ve heard that over 50 Texas wineries will be in attendance.

COOKING DEMOS

12:15 – 1:00 Efisio Farris (Arcodoro, Houston/Dallas)
1:30 – 2:30 Paul Peterson (Café Cenzio, The Gage Hotel/Marathon)
Q&A with Texas BBQ author Wyatt McSpadden moderated by Pat Sharpe of Texas Monthly
3:00 – 3:45 Allison Heaton (Whole Foods Market Culinary Center/Austin)
4:15 – 5:00 Scott Roberts (The Salt Lick/Driftwood) and Damian Mandola (Mandola’s Italian Market, Trattoria Lisina/Austin, Driftwood)

During Art Week Austin, April 22-26, check out the pop-up love factory set up along the banks of Lady Bird Lake. All of us regular Joe’s will be invited to type a message of affection to someone they love on an antique typewriter. Notes are put into tiny bottles and delivered by bicycle and foot by pink’s love couriers anywhere in the city during Art City Austin, April 25-26.

While Art Week Austin is free, I recommend purchasing a $15 ticket that includes 2-day Art City Austin admission ($8 alone) plus discounts at participating 2nd Street Retail District businesses and free admission and a 10% museum store discount at the Austin Museum of Art-Downtown ($5 alone) and the Blanton Museum of Art ($7 alone).

For $75, you can check out Art After Dark Austin 09 on April 25 from 7-11 PM. The party is at City Hall Plaza and S. 1st Street Bridge and will feature select visual artists, live music by Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears + DJ Chicken George, and food/drinks.

If you decide to go, I’d love to hear about both the high and low lights. I’ve never been to the Wine & Food Festival or Art Week Austin but I can definitely recommend checking out the pink unplugged art project. Who wouldn’t want to receive a tiny message of love delivered by hand?!