Do you think that wine-tasting parties are just for foodies and oenophiles? Think again, wine tastings are a fun way to enjoy time with friends while also refining your palate. And today, with so many great, inexpensive wines available, this party need not break the bank! Below are some tips to help you plan your wine tasting extravaganza!

Consult the experts. If you’re new to the world of wine, check the Internet for ideas, ask your local wine store for suggestions, or pick up a copy of a recent wine review magazine. If you like, you could even ask a customer service rep at your favorite gourmet food store for suggestions about cheese and food pairings.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. Even if you’re a Chardonnay drinker, give yourself permission to try something new — you never know what you'll wind up liking! Plus, the more variety you have, the more fun you'll have trying them!

Brown-bag it. If your attendees have some wine-tasting experience, turn your tasting party into a competitive event by covering the labels and asking guests to try to identify each varietal. Reveal the labels at the end, and the winner gets — you guessed it — a bottle of wine!

Nestled inside the ZEN Food Mart Convenience Store, Wholly Cow Burgers is a purveyor of food that uses local, organic, and hormone & chemical free grass-fed beef. It's a high quality ingredient that, along with the local, organic produce used here, makes for some really wonderful food. The menu consists of several burger combinations as well as some classic beef and chicken sandwiches like the reuben and club. There are vegetarian options, too! Wholly Cow is also open for breakfast, where you'll find a nice selection of breakfast tacos in addition to french toast and some great breakfast sandwiches. A great thing about the location is that the store where it's located also has other great items like fresh fruit and produce, and a wide selection of wine and beer. That's quality and convenience!

Wholly Cow
3010 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 394-8156
http://www.yelp.com/biz/wholly-cow-austin

If you're trying to save a few bucks by avoiding your daily coffee house latte, brewing at home is a great option. But with so many ways to brew, you might not know which is ideal for your taste preferences and lifestyle. Below is a rundown of some of the more popular brewing techniques.

Automatic drip coffee makers are one of the most popular appliances in kitchens today. Their biggest benefit is consistency – their consistent heat and drip settings always brew a quality pot every time. Keep in mind, however, that many have a warming plate under the pot that can make coffee taste bad if left heating for too long.

Today, there's a new trend in brewing — the single-serve “coffee pods”. A few of the more popular brands are K-cups and Nestle’s Dolce Gusto, and the benefit of these machines is that they brew only as much coffee as you want, so it's fresh every single time. But, this is not the "greenest" option, since you throw the single-serve pod out after one use.

The classic French press is a great option for brewing, especially if you don't have a power outlet nearby. This simple process requires roughly ground coffee, which is poured into a glass carafe, and then covered with hot (but not boiling) water. After a few minutes, you hand-press the wire mesh screen down, which separates out the grounds and leaves behind the rich, dark coffee. The French press's one drawback is that is takes a bit of finesse — there's a learning curve to get the ideal brew.