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How to Host Your Own At-Home Wine Tasting

September 12, 2014 by

Few things are more enjoyable than sipping a glass of wine with your closest friends. Hosting a wine tasting is a unique way that you can do just that, and it enables you and your fellow wine lovers to sample some wines that you may have never tried before. Here are a three tips for pulling off a successful at-home wine tasting.

  1. Choose a theme. Choose a theme for each tasting in order to cover all of the different types of wines, such as a Chardonnay night or an afternoon of Pinot Noirs. Tell each of your guests to bring a bottle from a different part of the world, a different year, or a different brand.
  2. Prepare the glasses properly. You don’t need to invest in expensive wine glasses, but be sure to provide one glass for each person. Fill the glass an inch below its equator. After tasting one type of wine, rinse the glass with the type of wine you’ll be tasting next in order to rid the glass of traces of the previous wine.
  3. Serve snacks. Provide small snacks like cheese, crackers, or delicate cookies to help guests cleanse their palates in between wines and provide some sustenance throughout the evening.

How To Have The Perfect Wine Tasting At Home [HuffPost Taste]
How to Host a Wine Tasting Party [Real Simple]
How to Host a Wine Tasting [Food & Wine]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Bring a Craving for Doughnuts to Gourdough’s Public House in Austin

September 9, 2014 by

If you're a fan of doughnuts, Gourdough's Public House is a must-try. Doughnut sandwiches, doughnut burgers, doughnut entrees, and even doughnut desserts don the menu at this quirky Austin eatery.

Try the Dirty South, a hand-battered chicken fried steak with a potato pancake, gravy, and jam, or opt for the Pig in the Poke, a jalapeno sausage with spicy mustard, peppers, onion, and candied jalapenos. Grandma's Dumplings are a popular favorite; this dish offers chicken and doughnut hole dumplings with pepper vinegar. Salads are even served with a garlic doughnut on the side! Gourdough's Public House hosts a full bar and offers a lively daily happy hour.

Gourdough’s Public House is open 11 a.m. to midnight weekdays, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to midnight Sundays.

Gourdough’s Public House
2700 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 912-9070
www.gourdoughspub.com
www.yelp.com/biz/gourdoughs-public-house-austin

Filed Under: Restaurants Tagged With: , ,

New Facebook Sweepstakes! Enter to Win an iPad Mini!

September 5, 2014 by

To enter the Sweepstakes, Like our Facebook Page and then look for the Sweepstakes tab (image shown below) located on our Facebook Page to enter. Sweepstakes ends October 31, 2014.

For mobile users ONLY, like our Facebook Page, and then click here to enter!

Filed Under: Life at Marquis at Barton Trails Apartments Tagged With:

Essentials for Your at-Home Wet Bar or Bar Cart

September 5, 2014 by

Adding a bar cart to your home enables you to make fancy cocktails for your guests and adds a bit of vintage charm to any room. If you have the bar cart but don’t have the supplies to go on it, this list of home bar essentials can help.

  • Cocktail shaker. Invest in a high quality cocktail shaker made of a durable material like stainless steel. This will help you to mix drinks thoroughly and to pour them without spills.
  • Bottle opener and corkscrew. If you or your guests prefer wine and beer to a complex cocktail, these basic tools will come in handy.
  • Wine glasses, martini glasses, highballs, and tumblers. These are the necessary glasses for just about any drink you’ll make.
  • Blender. It’s not possible to make an icy margarita without a high quality blender, so be sure to keep one stored under your bar cart.
  • Cocktail strainer. These tools strain out pulp, ice, and other solids from cocktails while letting your booze pass easily into a glass.
  • Cutting board and knives. If you frequently garnish drinks with lemons, limes, and other fruits, keep an arsenal of sharp knives and a reliable cutting board on hand.
  • Coasters. You’ll never worry about guests ruining your wooden furniture when you have a supply of coasters in your bar cart.

The Guide to A Well-Stocked Wet Bar [Esquire]
25 Essentials for a Legit Home Bar [Complex]
10 Things You Should Have in Your Home Bar [Buzzle]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Plan a Visit to These Unique Museums in Austin, Texas

September 3, 2014 by

A cutting edge city like Austin has much to offer to its visitors, and it even boasts the unofficial slogan, "Keep Austin Weird." Visit these thought-provoking attractions and see how Austin even takes a unique approach to something as basic as a day at the museum!

Bullock Texas State History Museum
Discover the tale of Texas at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. Located a few blocks from the Texas State Capitol building, this museum showcases the pride and history of the Lone Star State. You'll be captivated from the moment you're greeted by the 35-foot-tall bronze star sculpture that sits at the entrance to the museum. The cutting-edge Texas Spirit IMAX Theater will keep you on the edge of your seat, as it shows educational films that showcase state-of-the-art special effects. Be sure to check the museum's calendar for upcoming special events, which are sure to excite and amaze.

Museum of the Weird
Austin is openly proud to be unique, and this is very apparent at the Museum of the Weird. The museum is located right on Sixth Street in the heart of the city, and visitors can see strange and unusual items on a tour through some of the oddest pieces of recent history. Creep through twisted hallways, passing wax statues and giant movie monsters. You never know what will pop up next, and this museum will have your mouth on the ground and your brain in a tizzy. After your tour is over, be sure to stop by the gift shop and pick up a souvenir to commemorate this truly weird trip.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Happy Labor Day!

September 1, 2014 by

We hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day!

Filed Under: Life at Marquis at Barton Trails Apartments Tagged With:

Zilker Zephyr Miniature Train: All Aboard for an Adventure Through Zilker Park

August 26, 2014 by

The Zilker Zephyr is a miniature train located in Zilker Park, and it is exactly the type of strange attraction that makes Austin so unique. The small train takes a 20- to 25-minute-long journey around the park, offering both kids and adults a way to see the area in a different light. Like any train, the Zilker Zephyr has its own train station, albeit a much smaller one than you might be used to, and the tracks wind through many different areas of the park and along the banks of the scenic Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake. Children love to chug along the tracks aboard the Zilker Zephyr’s bright green cars, though it provides a relaxing escape from the everyday for adults as well.

The Zilker Zephyr is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The train departs the station every hour on the hour on weekdays and every 30 to 40 minutes on weekends.

Zilker Zephyr Miniature Train
2100 Barton Springs
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 478-8286
www.zilkerpark.org/zilker-park-amenities/zilker-park-train
www.yelp.com/biz/zilker-zephyr-miniature-train-austin

Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: , ,

Are You Washing Your Hands Correctly? Find Out Here!

August 22, 2014 by

Washing your hands thoroughly can help to prevent you from contacting diseases, reduce the risk of food borne illness, and can even stop you from spreading germs if you’re already sick. Here are a few tips that will show you the correct way to wash your hands.

  1. Apply soap and water. First, completely soak your hands with warm water. Apply as much soap as you need in order to cover both hands—remember, the more the better.
  2. Rub palms together. Vigorously rub your palms together in a circular motion to clean germs from the center of your hands.
  3. Clean between fingers. Clean the hard-to-reach places between your fingers by placing one hand on top of the other as if you were holding hands with another person. Rub the fingertips from one hand between the fingers of the other hand, and then vice versa.
  4. Clean fingernails. Rub the fingernails of one hand across the palm of the other hand to remove dirt and germs. Clasp the hands together with the backs of your fingers to the opposite palm, and then rub the hands back and forth.
  5. Rinse and dry. Rinse hands completely with water, and then dry them with a single-use paper towel. Don’t forget to use the towel to turn off the faucet in order to prevent contacting more germs, and then toss it away.

When & How to Wash Your Hands [CDC]
How to Wash Your Hands Properly by Mary Calvagna, MS [BIDMC]
Clean hands protect against infection [World Health Organization]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

South Congress Cafe: An Upscale Brunch Spot With National Recognition

August 19, 2014 by

The folks behind South Congress Cafe were inspired by Austin’s growing artist community and its new generation of foodies, and in 2003 they set out to open a restaurant that reflects that creative culture. The restaurant itself is housed in a former 1940s drugstore, and it maintains much of the original charm. The exposed brick bar is one of the main focal points, but the rest of the restaurant is colorful and modern.

South Congress Cafe is best known for its delicious brunch, and its bloody Mary was voted one of the best in America by the Huffington Post! Brunch is served daily and includes unique dishes like jalapeno venison meatloaf, carrot cake French toast, and gumbo with duck and oysters. With a stylish, mid-century aesthetic and a menu full of creative Texan dishes, South Congress Cafe is a truly out-of-the-ordinary eatery.

South Congress Cafe is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends.

South Congress Cafe
1600 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 447-3905
www.southcongresscafe.com
www.yelp.com/biz/south-congress-cafe-austin

Filed Under: Restaurants Tagged With: , ,

How to Reduce Your Daily Caffeine Intake

August 15, 2014 by

You might feel like you simply can’t function without your morning coffee, but that boost of caffeine may be doing you more harm than good. Caffeine addiction causes you to rely on drinking coffee, soda, and energy drinks throughout the day, and it is also proven to contribute to stress and anxiety. If you want to cut back on the amount of caffeine you consume per day, these simple tips will make it easier.

  1. Examine your intake. Studies show that 200 milligrams of caffeine or less is a healthy amount for the average adult to consume per day. This translates to about two strong cups of coffee, so this is an easy way to decipher how much you need to limit yourself. If you can’t make it through the workday without that third cup in the afternoon, that’s a good place to start.
  2. Gradually cut back. Quitting caffeine cold turkey is just as painful as quitting any other bad habit. To prevent headaches, grogginess, and other signs of caffeine withdrawal, mix your usual coffee with a bit more decaf every day, or work your way down to just two cups of coffee instead of your usual amount.
  3. Be smart about caffeine. Once you know that you can only have two cups per day, you should choose when to drink them wisely. If you feel most tired early in the morning and around 2 p.m., plan on drinking your cup of joe about an hour before those times.

Easy Ways to Reduce Caffeine Intake [U.S. News]
How to Lower Your Caffeine Intake Without Headaches [Fitday]
10 Ways to Start Your Day Without Caffeine [Everyday Health]
Caffeine [McKinley Health Center]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,
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