Austin’s Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar believes in supporting small farms and sustainable agriculture, and it is a member of the international slow food movement. Wink sources more than 75% of its menu items from within 100 miles of the restaurant, and the menu changes daily depending on what ingredients are fresh and available.

For diners who want to take a tasty tour of the day’s best offerings, Wink features a daily chef’s tasting menu of five or seven courses. Wink also features a daily farm and garden vegetarian tasting menu. Appropriate wine-pairings enhance each course. The elegant and intimate restaurant space fills up quickly, so reservations are recommended. Guests can also enjoy the full menu, and a more casual environment, in the Wine Bar.

The Wine Bar opens at 5 p.m. daily. The dining room opens its doors to dinner guests from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and from 5:30 p.m. ‘til 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar
1014 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 482-8868
www.winkrestaurant.com
www.yelp.com/biz/wink-austin

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Starches and whole grains are important for feeling energized, but if eaten in excess, they can make you feel heavy or weighed-down. These delicious and nutritious recipes from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute incorporate rice and potatoes into your diet in a way that benefits your body and provides proper portion sizes.

Delicious Oven French Fries
Though fast food French fries are anything but healthy, this oven-baked alternative provides the same classic taste without the added fat and salt.

Wonderful Stuffed Potatoes
By stuffing a baked potato with low fat milk and cottage cheese instead of the usual sour cream, you can save calories and still get the same savory taste.

Candied Yams
The holiday favorite gets a healthy makeover in this fast and easy recipe, with sweet brown sugar and tangy orange juice for a boost of added flavor.

Scallion Rice
The addition of green onions and bullion gives this simple, low-calorie rice dish a little something extra, and makes it perfect for eating with a variety of meats, vegetables or stir-fries.

Sunshine Rice
Perfect for pairing with grilled chicken or for eating on its own, this rice recipe contains unique ingredients like hot sauce, almonds, and lemon juice for a distinctly flavorful taste.

For more healthy rice and potato dishes, visit the NIH website by clicking here.

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Barton Springs Pool is the crown jewel of Zilker Park. It glitters within the park’s 358 acres, and comprises three acres of spring-fed water that averages 68 degrees year-round. That means it’s a haven for swimmers and sunbathers, especially in the hot months, when the cool water offers a fun break from the summer sizzle. It’s a great spot to spend an afternoon swathed in sunscreen with a towel or blanket laid out on the wide expanse of grass that surrounds the pool, soaking up the sun or in hanging out the shade. Expect a diverse crowd of people on summer weekends. Admission is a bargain at $3 for adults, $1 for children and seniors. Parking is $5 per car on weekends, free during the week.

Barton Springs Pool
2201 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 476-9044
http://www.yelp.com/biz/barton-springs-pool-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Lee Edwin Coursey