Take a Russian Cooking Class on November 7th

While there are other cuisines available at restaurants across Texas, Russian fare tends to be harder to find. For those who crave Russian cuisine, Russian Bistro LLC on East 5th Street hosts a recurring cooking class that teaches students the basics of Russian cooking. On Monday, November 7th, the bistro hosts a fall-inspired cooking workshop where students will learn how to make Pumpkin Russian Sweet, a traditional fall treat of mixed pumpkin and prunes.

Tickets are required for entry to the class and are available online. Tickets are $10 per person and include all the cooking utensils and ingredients that you will need to make the sweet treat. The class is taking place about three miles from Elan East, which makes it an easy event to check out this November.

November Cooking Class at Russian Bistro LLC
When: 6:30 – 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 7
Where: Russian Bistro LLC, 307 East 5th Street, Austin, TX
Cost: $10
www.eventbrite.com/e/november-cooking-class-pumpkin-russian-sweet-tickets-28516142550?aff=es2

Sample Dishes from Renowned Restaurants at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival

Foodies are drawn to barbeque festivals all over the country each year, and with so many takes on the cuisine and so much craft and care going into each variety, it's easy to see why they would. That’s why barbeque connoisseurs and food fans alike will flock to the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival in Austin. At this event, you can sample delicious dishes from 27 barbeque restaurants from Texas Monthly Magazine’s “best of” list. Your ticket covers all you can eat, so be sure to bring your biggest appetite. If you really want to go all out, don’t miss the Brisket Brunch, which happens the day before the main event.

What’s more, this festival will serve up Texas’ own Shiner Beer as well as cocktails from Legacy Whiskey to help satisfy your thirst. Live music from Warren Hood and Santiago Jimenez, Jr. will keep the party going, while games and giveaways from various local and national sponsors provide the fun.

Texas Monthly BBQ Festival
When: Oct. 30
Where: The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin, TX
www.everfest.com/e/texas-monthly-bbq-festival-austin-tx

Network with Veteran Entrepreneurs at Bunker Labs Austin: Bunker Brews

Bunker Labs is a network created by veterans for veterans. It was founded with the idea of bringing entrepreneurial veterans together to create opportunities for new businesses, which is precisely the goal that Bunker Labs' Austin chapter continues to work toward via events like Bunker Brews.

Scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. at The Brass House, Bunker Brews adds a little bit of craft beer to a networking event. Veteran entrepreneurs will congregate at Bunker Brews to meet other like-minded businesspeople and seek out new opportunities, along with executives, employees, and mentors. If you're interested in building your business or simply learning more about the work that Bunker Labs does, mark your calendar for this happy hour event.

Bunker Labs Austin: Bunker Brews
When: 5 – 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27
Where: The Brass House, 115 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, TX 78701
www.eventbrite.com/e/bunker-labs-austin-bunker-brews-tickets-25276068401

Check Out Independent Films at the Austin Polish Film Festival

From October 13th through the 16th, the Austin Polish Film Festival celebrates Polish heritage and filmmakers with a four-day festival. The festival kicks off on Thursday, October 13th with a film screening and a question and answer session with the featured film’s director. On Friday, October 14th, the film festival continues with a reception complete with classic Polish food, a film screening, a question and answer session with an actress from the film, and a raffle. The events continue on both Saturday and Sunday with two full days of movie screenings of all sorts. Over the weekend, featured films will range from romantic comedies and documentaries to shorts and animated films. On Sunday, the festival kicks off with programs designed for children, including short cartoons.

Tickets range from $12 to $55 for this four-day festival, and they are available online or at the door. The festival venue is less than three miles from Elan East— screenings will take place at the AFS Cinema and Hall.

Austin Polish Film Festival
When: Oct. 13 – 16
Where: AFS Cinema and Hall, 6226 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, TX 78752
Cost: $12 – $55
http://www.austinpolishfilm.com/

Happy Fall

May this autumn bring you a harvest of fun times and laughter with family and friends!

Learn More About the Art of Fermentation at the Austin Fermentation Festival

When you hear the word "fermentation," your mind might jump right to beer, but that's far from the only thing that requires fermentation. In fact, it's just one of many foods and drinks that include fermentation as a critical step in production. At the Austin Fermentation Festival, you'll get the chance to learn about many of them.

The main focus of the event is the workshops, which show you exactly how 12 different types of fermented foods and drinks are made. Some of them allow you to actually get some hands-on experience, so you can recreate the eats and sips when you go home. If you're more interested in tasting them than creating the foods and beverages, head to the market selling almost strictly fermented foods as well as the tasting stations manned by local chefs. Wine and beer will be served, and live music is also on the itinerary.

Austin Fermentation Festival
When: Sunday, October 2
Where: Barr Mansion, 10463 Sprinkle Road, Austin, TX 78754
texasfarmersmarket.org/austin-fermentation-festival
www.everfest.com/e/austin-fermentation-festival-austin-tx

Sample Unique Brews at the 2016 Texas Craft Brewers Festival

Touting its fame as the largest Texas-small-batch-beer festival, the 2016 Texas Craft Brewers Festival will deliver high-quality specialty brews, some of which you won’t be able to find anywhere else. With over 65 breweries participating and 200 different ales to sample, you are sure to discover a new favorite. The list of brewers includes Deep Ellum Brewing Co., 4th Tap Brewing Cooperative, Whitestone Brewery, and more. There will be plenty of food from a variety of cuisines on hand as well.

Your entry fee gets you eight drinks tickets, each good for a three-ounce sample pour. You can purchase more during the event if you wish. Designated drivers get complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. The 2016 Texas Craft Brewers Festival is taking place in Fiesta Gardens, located about three and a half miles from Elan East.

2016 Texas Craft Brewers Festival
When: 2 – 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 24
Where: Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia Street, Austin, TX 78702
www.eventbrite.com/e/2016-texas-craft-brewers-festival-tickets-25720799604?aff=es2

Build Your Own Dessert at Ice Scrapers

Ice Scrapers is a mobile ice cream business, but it's nothing like your average ice cream truck. Instead of dishing out packaged ice cream creations that have been sitting in the freezer all day, Ice Scrapers' staff creates one-of-a-kind frozen treats according to your specifications while you stand and watch.

There are three steps to ordering. First, pick your ice cream. There are dairy ice creams and coconut milk ice creams, so even the lactose intolerant can enjoy a treat at Ice Scrapers. Pick vanilla, chocolate, or coffee ice cream. Then add your "fillers," which range from fresh banana slices and cherries to peanut butter cups, Nutella, and even green tea. Finally, select toppings such as Fruity Pebbles, caramel, or unusual extras such as cayenne pepper. There are specialty ice cream rolls and cookie ice cream sandwiches on the menu too.

Unleash Your Inner Artist at Smudge Studios Austin

Everyone is an artist at Smudge Studios Austin, even if it's been years since you've picked up a brush. The beloved local art studio hosts camps and classes for kids as well as art lessons for adults, mostly on a private basis. So it's the perfect place to host your next event.

The founders of Smudge Studios Austin created the colorful studio so that anyone, whether artist or not, would have a place to unleash their inner artist. If you're interested in doing an adults-only evening at Smudge, call to schedule a lesson or party. You're welcome to bring your favorite wine and beer along to enjoy while you create a painting based on the instruction of one of Smudge Studios' resident artists.

Expect the Unexpected at Bribery Bakery

At Bribery Bakery, the main goal is to create a comfortable space where guests feel right at home as they indulge in sweet, creative treats. To that end, the bakers are always coming up with new creations, so don't expect to see the same thing on the menu every time you visit.

Decadent treats like the almond-caramel brownie, the pineapple brown butter blondie, and the peanut butter cookies with chocolate ganache and sea salt might be available to tempt your taste buds, depending on the day. But you can almost always count on customer favorites such as the carrot cake, the savory bread pudding, and the popovers. The popovers contain savory ingredients such as crispy bacon and gooey gruyere cheese. Pair your chosen delicacy with some drip or cold-brew coffee at Bribery Bakery.

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