Austin Restaurant Week| Sept. 19 - 22 and Sept. 26 - 29

The Fall 2010 installment of Austin Restaurant Week will run from September 19 - 22 and September 26 - 29, and is hosted by Rare Media. The event will allow participants to dine at the finest establishments throughout the city for fixed prices, ranging from $10 - $15 for lunch and $25 - $35 for dinner. 

Peruse this site: http://restaurantweekaustin.com/ 

Here's just some of my picks:

- Eddie V's: always a safe bet plus that bread! that butter! I die.

- Fabi and Rosi: delish and low key - always easy to get into and their drink specials are the tits.

- Jeffrey's: if you still haven't eaten at this old Austin restaurant then please don't talk to me about Austin food.

- TRIO at the Four Seasons: I know what you are thinking  "a hotel restaurant? big whoop" trust me the food and service is stellar. 

Here's what I want to try:

- Perry's and Max's Wine Dive - anyone want to go????

Talk about pinche decadence on a dime! This is legit.

For Your Enjoyment? Hmph.

Decadence on a Dime: Papatzul Tacos Baja

By Kate Thompson, Austin, Texas

Happy Hump Day!  In honor of our rather warm August, I offer up a classic summer dish, fish tacos.  This recipe comes from New York’s Papatzul in Soho.  When I happened upon this recipe not only did I salivate (just a little) I couldn’t help but share it with the readers of The.Well.Set.  Not only is it a deliciously modernized version of fish tacos, but it involves a very do-able method frying the fish.  Tilapia fillets work best for the tacos.  Cut in four long pieces on the bias. 

One pound of tilapia will make ten or twelve tacos.

BATTER 


1 cup Negro Modelo

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flower

½ cup water

Mix all ingredients with a whisk until combined (but not whipped).  Consistency should be that of a thick pancake batter, adjust flour accordingly.  Add salt to taste.

CHIPOTLE CITRUS MAYO

1 ½ cup mayonnaise 
(homemade if possible, but a good real mayonnaise is fine)

Juice of 1 orange and 2 limes

½ tablespoon orange zest

1 ½ teaspoon lime zest

1 chipotle en adobo pepper or 2 if you like it very spicy (a small can of Chipotle en Adobo La Morena, available in Whole Foods or most bodegas)


Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  
Season with salt and pepper

SLAW


½ Savoy cabbage sliced very thinly (preferably on a mandolin, but not necessary)

2 tomatoes small diced


½ red onion small diced


Juice of 2 limes


¼ cup olive oil

Heat enough vegetable oil in heavy medium-size stock pot; in the meantime, season the tilapia with salt and pepper, and coat with some all-purpose flour before adding them to the batter.  Once they are nicely battered, deep-fry the fillets until golden crispy (about eight to ten minutes).

Combine all the ingredients for the slaw in a bowl; mix with the lime juice and the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Do this at the last minute so the cabbage remains crunchy.

Warm your tortillas (corn or flour) on a comal or a cast-iron pan, but keep them nice and soft.  [I find it easiest to wrap the tortillas in a paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds.]  Keep the tortillas wrapped in the towel until ready to serve. 

You can cut the fried fillets a little and start making your tacos by adding the fish on a tortilla with some of the mayo, and then top with the slaw and a little more mayo. For a perfect meal, enjoy your tacos with a Pacifico!

From New York Magazine’s Grub Street:

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/08/how_to_make_papatzuls_baja-sty.html

Gilt's Collabapalooza

Target teaming up with Gilt Groupe is a little like Batman teaming up with Superman: Thrilling and a little bit terrifying. This Friday, the mega-retailer and the online powerhouse join forces to sell three as-yet-unreleased Target collections: Mulberry for Target, Tucker for Target, and John Derian for Target. As always, the goods go on sale at noon, at which point we'll probably break a finger trying to out-click the rest of the nation. [Racked National]

Baby Preachers Are Magic

Hilarious Website Review

by Leigh Ann Parker, SF, CA  

So this blog, http://www.dearcoketalk.com/, is maybe the most entertaining thing I've ever read - she's like Chelsea Handler on 'roids. I have a big, fat girl crush on her. Devin, my old roomie showed it to me and guaranteed I'd be smitten. Well, he was right, and so I now pass the torch to y'all.

My favorite section of her blog is Dear Coke Talk's Kill Yourself. Where ppl write in ridiculous questions and she simply tells them to kill themselves every time. It's so f*cking outrageous. Can't handle it. These are just a few of my favorite snip-its, enjoy.

Are you team Edward or team Jacob?
Kill yourself

How many times should one be cheated on before leaving a relationship?
However many times your dignity will allow plus one.

stop answering religious questions. they make me want to punch you in the face.Oh, hey Jesus.

Every time I drink, I want coke. Is there any remedy to this?
Yes. Coke.

Isn’t coke a bit of a waste of time?
Quit looking at your watch, a**hole.

Do you believe truth is subjective?
Shut up and keep licking.

Is it true that I have cold feet because my vagina lets out all the heat?
Yes, and if you tape your vagina shut, your shoes won’t fit anymore.

I have a small penis. What should I do?
Stay in shape and make a lot of money.

What is the difference between “f*cking” and “making love?”
Hallmark.

Women are less than men, deal with it.
You have a tiny penis. Kill yourself.

What do you think of Dr. Phil?
I don’t think of him. Ever.

Should I feel obliged to masturbate?
Only on behalf of your own genitals.

who do you think you are, jesus? 
No. I actually exist.

Should ugly people be allowed to love?
Each other, yes.

Is there anything you’re missing in your life?
Obscene wealth and the ability to drive a stick shift. Other than that, I’ve pretty much got it covered

How do you feel about beauty pageants?

Find the nearest black guy. Ask him how he feels about slave auctions. Whatever he says is my answer to your question.

Awesomely Bad Music for Your Weekend

How Controversial is That Italian Vogue Cover Really?

Kristen McMenamy is having a moment. With her long grey locks sparking a trend of their own, a cover of Dazed and a whole Viktor and Rolf show dedicated to her allure, there is no question that Kristen is the super to beat this year. The icing on the cake comes in the form of August’s Vogue Italia cover; Steven Meisel explores Kristen’s otherworldly beauty with a picture that excites and intrigues – the black rocks, the mist, the BP oil spill undertones - and has the fashion world abuzz. 

[viatheCut] Franca Sozzani said her magazine's controversial editorial and cover depicting Kristen McMenamy in a high-fashion oil spill were created with good intentions. "The message is to be careful about nature," she explained. "Just to take care more about nature. ... I understand that it could be shocking to see and to look in this way these images."


I think that the undertones might have gone deeper than she cares to admit, re: the changing landscape of fashion post recession caused by hella insane consumerism (hell-o, changing regulations for off shore drilling reference post lackadaisical regulation enforcement due to hella oil consumerism - this stuff is real). The dead-bird model, Kristen portrays, is a little too close to home after a few seasons of people wondering if fashion truly was doneskey. Could this be a foretelling of whats to come. Surely not because people have to dress themselves. Right?

Interesting Little Video

Not to be a jerk, but how good does a pixie cut look on anyone anyway? Emma Watson tries it out ---

Before

After

In Case You Missed It: Gaga at Lolla Crowd Surfs

[via Zap2It] Lady Gaga was a headliner at Lollapalooza over the weekend, and tens of thousands of people jammed Chicago's Grant Park to see her perform. But they might not have gotten the best Gaga show of the festival.

A few hours before she took the main stage on Friday (Aug. 6), Gaga made a surprise appearance on a side stage during the band Semi Precious Weapons' set. Or, rather, on a stage and in the crowd.

As you'll see in the (not especially SFW) video above, after joining Semi Precious Weapons on stage and banging on the drummer's kit for a short time, Gaga -- wearing fishnets and pasties -- decided to take a dive into the crowd. Security was not especially pleased with her crowd-surfing, but she seemed to be having a heckuva time. And the crowd, as you might expect, pretty much went nuts. (Check out all the phones and cameras pointed at her when she dives in.)

She also made out a little with SPW singer Justin Tranter, just for good measure, and he joined her in the crowd as well.

From the video, it looks like the SPW set drew a pretty big crowd -- several thousand, probably. We're guessing, though, that many, many more will claim they were there.

I Have an Addiction

While I am first and foremost a fashionista, I am finding that I am also becoming a considerable frugalista. While that word initially hurt my ears and my tongue I'm trying to get over it. Especially in terms of what is realistic for me. Ah, realistic. The word hasn't resonated well with many Americans in my lifetime a la super credit card debt and serious recession. 

 

We all love to live the life we think we are supposed to have. Think being the optimum word. I think I deserve those Chloe' shoes because they suit the image that I am trying to portray of myself to the world: successful, attractive, style savvy. It's because of thoughts like these that I have fallen out of touch with the luxe for less side of my style mantra (Can you tell I've been reading Eat Pray Love? All this mantra talk...It's great by the way and I was a skeptic). 

It's about what you look like and how you feel: not how much your clothes cost or the label on the inside of your shirt. Given my shift from affordable housing to a more pricey lifestyle downtown I am having to shift my spending habits quite a bit. Much to my chagrin that is. I am going to have to start living conservatively. You'd think after working for my boss for nearly 3 years that this mantra would sink in. It hasn't. That's why I'm making a consorted effort to really, really, really live within my means. As much as it hurts. 

That efforts include my one true love: fashion. While I've grown to be one of those "have to have one piece of designer wear that embodies each season's trend" type of girls I am quickly realizing that those $600 boots not only break the bank {hello credit card debt!}; they also break my BUDGET. That's right. I've created a budget and I am trying to stay within it. As hard as it is. Because the first step to getting over an addiction is admitting you have one. I am not even kidding a little. 

So, I've resorted to actively looking at the must have items of the season by the designers that showed them in their F/W 2010 collections and recreating them using affordable, similar items. You know, like I used to do, before my obsession for nice things spun out of control. I am a Taurus and we can't help it. It's more work, but the payoff is legit or so I've been told. I hear it's a literal payoff in your bank account (savings account anyone?) so that you can travel more, save more, live more. I am starting with two of the biggest trends of the season: lady like bags & leopard print. 

Let's talk about lady like bags. One of the best things about them is that they are about the shape - not the label. They are generally label-less, made of supple leathers in varying colors. There are a lot of different options as Who.What.Wear showed (left). Some ranging from $58 (5. Kimchi Blue at Urban) to $1695 (6. Miu Miu pinched ruched bag) and they all look pretty much the same. Anyone can rock this trend and that includes you. 

 

While my finger thrillingly hovered over the "Check Out" button for the Mulberry Neely Shoulder bag (3. $995 - I actually thought: it's less than $1K what a deal! I wish I was kidding) I stopped and said, ok, take a break, this is a lot of money. So, I went to Asos.com  and checked out this European sites' wares (free shipping including returns!) and purchased the very wallet flattering ASOS Leather Croc Lock Across Body Bag that cost a wopping $85 - it's real leather too (right). I like it, it's within the trend and best of all I can actual carry it knowing that it was bought with real money. It is good looking and well crafted so who cares that the tag doesn't read Salvatore Ferragamo? I don't and you shouldn't either.

Ok, lets talk about the all over the place for Fall 2010 trend: leopard print. It's on vest, bags, pants and most importantly scarves. Thanks to Dries Van Noten, who was on everyone's favorite show of the season list, including mine, and it was due to his subtle blend of luxurious textures and patterns like leopard print with modern tailoring and reliably elegant items that are actually wearable. I was lusting over that scarf like a tiger salivates over a steak. Not just because of the styling (it was real rabbit fur!) but the fact that it was $565! I actually thought that that was a deal. I am crazy about designer clothes. Hence this live within my means experiment. 

A little side story: I found said Dries van Noten scarf for sale at mytheresa.com - it was at about 10:30 on last Tuesday night and my credit card was not accepted. Because mytheresa.com is a German company. That's right: I was going to buy this bad boy from Germany - there is no where I won't go to get my fix, I tell you, get me on Intervention people(!). My credit card company put a fraud alert block on this purchase because you know it was late at night and in Germany, of course they thought it was fraudulent. I nearly DIED when it didn't go through. 

So, the next day I went to work, got onto the website to try again and they were SOLD OUT. Talk about upset. I was devastated. I called my credit card company and they removed the hold (imagine me calling them and explaining this to them: they thought I was NUTS). But it was too late. I guess they did me a favor because I couldn't afford it anyhow. 

 

I am still dealing with the grief of the loss of said scarf, but I'm dealing. I was ready to move on, so I went to Asos.com and found something that is within the same style and within my price range: Asos Crinkle Oversized Leopard Scarf, $27 (right). It's also more practical because it's cotton, not fur, which makes WAY more sense here in sweaty Austin, TX.   

I'll keep you posted on my journey to financial stability. Wish me luck - in the meantime - happy saving?! Weird. Just seems weird. Not exactly my usual: happy shopping! Ugh. My name is Afton and I am addicted to shopping, my name is Afton and I am addicted to shopping, my name is...

Haters Gonna Hate: I just love this!

[via Flavorwire] by Caroline Stanley

As Know Your Meme explains it best, “Haters Gonna Hate is a popular catchphrase that has its roots in American hip hop, but it also spawned an image macro series featuring pictures of celebrities, animals, and cartoon characters strutting or posing in a conceited manner.” Like this little guy, who was created by artist Omar Noory in November 2008 as an animated gif. Now Noory is selling his original drawing as a limited-edition print in a run of 100. Click through for a better look.

Heather Gray Nails: Just Do It.

[via Who.What.Wear]

For Your Monday Enjoyment: Pirate Putter

Q: What did the pirate say when his wooden leg got stuck in the freezer?

 

A: Shiver me timbers!

via AustinRiffRaff.net

The FFFF lineup was anonounced today. Some of the bands we are excited about are:

Best Coast

Cold Cave

Deakin

Deerhunter

Dolorean

Devo

Dirty Projectors

Indian Jewelry

Kaki King

Man Man

MGMT

Slick Rick

Toro Y Moi

Woven Bones

Wavves

Full Line Up:

http://www.funfunfunfest.com/

BAH! New Arcade Fire Album!

[viaFlavorwire] Daily Dose Pick: Arcade Fire

1:59 pm Tuesday Aug 3, 2010 by Russ Marshalek

Painting working-class ennui in broad strokes, Arcade Fire’s latest album is a giant, loud, exhilarating ride through tales of going nowhere, fast. Arcade Fire have never been a subtle band, and The Suburbs, their third full-length, continues their attempts to steal the throne of everyman chroniclers from the likes of Springsteen. In their Suburbs, cars either won’t start or break down, the kids are plagued with wanderlust, businessmen are vampires to be avoided at all costs, and the only solace from the sprawl comes from dancing to the record player in the glow of the television. The Suburbs has a handful of songs — “Half Light II (No Celebration)” and “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains),” specifically — with heavier bass riffs and more pulse than one might expect from the band behind “Keep the Car Running.” The true thrill of the record comes in the way these moments are juxtaposed with the plaintive narratives of the title track (which returns as a record-closing dirge), filling The Suburbs with the highest highs and the lowest lows of the group’s history. Visit Arcade Fire’s official website, follow them on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, buy a copy of the album, and watch a live stream of the band’s Madison Square Garden concert on Thursday nigh

Camel Coated for Fall

Who doesn't love something that is timeless? In these trying economic times cost-per-wear is about all we have going for us when it comes to throwing down the big bucks for fashion. Thankfully, one of the fall trends that is most on par with this is head to toe camel. While I'm not 100% on par with what I've dubbed the Saharan Tuxedo (see Canadian tuxedo, get it? ha) I do like doses of it throughout every girl's wardrobe. 

Of all the shows that featured this Michael Kors (right & below) did it up right pairing camel coats with shearling collars (so huge right now) while Hannah McGibbon's Chloe' (above) continues to wow the masses by channeling the every-girl (every-rich-girl that is) who just loves high quality, understated luxury design wear.

Here's my Must Buy list for this fall camel trend, that thankfully will be wearable for many moons to come:

1. the camel coat: buy it, wear it, love it: eventually it will be cool again and this will look stunning with jeans and boots for fall/winter.

- see Michael Kors' version, left

2. the camel trouser - think Annie Hall - high wasted'ish (not too high or too tight or risk looking like chunky Jessica Simpson) with a straight, slight flare leg: menswear tailoring at its finest. 
- see Eli Tahari's version, left

3. the camel blazer: in the land of a million blazers this is the one to get with fall, try it in a boyfriend cut and put it over anything since it is a neutral - don't be afraid to pair it with black either although it looks its best with white, denim and cognac leather... 

- see Stella McCartney's fall version, left

Happy Friday

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Steve Carell from Between Two Ferns

I forgive you Kanye

Kanye West 'Power'
Uploaded by Kdthedream. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Bourdain Loves Austin

You Know I Have Your Fall Fashion Back

The look for less and the wtf is this a trend will be coming soon for all of these pieces. Get excited about fall today because it's only going to be 92 and not 102. Ah, irony.

The Latest from RandallM at Austin RiffRaff

MP3:: The Concretes- "Good Evening"

Been meaning to get this up for awhile. I love this new song by The Concretes.  -RandallM at Austin RiffRaff

Stop It

JCrew Sale: Buy Those Work Staples Now

Jump on it here now.

How to Look Slim in Shorts

 

Short stories: Belted on Balmain's spring runway, cuffed at Banana Republic, and bleached denim from [BLANK] NYC. Photos: Francois Guillot, AFP/Getty Images, Banana Republic, [BLANK] NYC

[viaStylist] It's an issue we face each spring and summer: The temps gets warmer, pants feel hotter and somehow our legs are just begging to be bared.

Yep, shorts weather is here, but with runway models (hot pants at Marc Jacobs, boy shorts at Balmain, tap pants at Cynthia Rowley) and celebrities (Gwyneth Paltrow, seriously, you shame us) leaning toward daring Daisy Dukes and away from more body conscious Bermudas, we're frankly a little afraid of the season's shorts styles.

"You really need to pay attention to your body characteristics when buying shorts," says style expert Bridgette Raes, author of "Style Rx: Dressing the Body You Have to Create the Body You Want." "I think all body types can wear them as long as this rule is considered."

Emmy Lauridsen, who, along with Leigh Brown, designs for the label BLANK NYC, agrees.

"All body types can wear shorts," Lauridsen tells StyleList. "It all depends on how you feel about yourself. Try to key into your body shape and shop around and try different fits and lengths that you are comfortable with and find what suits you."

But ask celebrity stylist Nicole Chavez (Rachel Bilson, Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Bell) how she feels about shorts, and she'll tell you straight up: She hates them.

"You'll never see me in shorts, but I love them on other people with skinny legs," she tells StyleList. "You gotta be in shape and you gotta be tall. It's so hard. Why would you wear them? Wear an A-line skirt -- that's a better solution."

However, for those who do dare to wear shorts, here's how to make the cutoffs compliment your body shape:

I'm a woman of a certain -- ahem -- age. Should I avoid shorts?

• "I don't think so," Raes tells StyleList. "I think there are plenty of mature women who look lovely in a smart pair of shorts. The rule is to choose shorts that make them look youthful, not young. There is a big difference between those two looks."

Can I wear shorts to work?

• "Sure, they can be worn in the office, but in the longer length and more as a trouser-styled short," Lauridsen says. "High-rise pleated shorts are very important now, but in a clean unwashed fabric, such as gabardine or linen. They can also easily be worn with a jacket for a more corporate office look."

So, what are the trendiest shorts styles for 2010?

• "Anything in the utility area and preferably in laundered twill is the 'in' item right now," Lauridsen says. "Also, denim boyfriend roll-ups are a must." She says olives, khakis and whitened faded colors are also trendy, and, as far as denim goes, bleached washes work in any length. "There is a great variety from very short shorts -- which not many can wear -- to three inch inseams and knee-length," she says.

• Raes says she's been spotting "hotpantaloons," which, she says, are baggy shorts with turned up cuffs. "Another trend is the classic hot pant," she says. "Here is my general rule on this type of short shorts: If your legs aren't your favorite feature then don't buy them. I know that limits a great majority of the population from wearing them, but these shorts really expose a lot and you have to be comfortable wearing them."

I'm fierce and not afraid of hot pants. What do I pair them with?

• It's all about proportion, Raes says: "Wear a bigger, blousier top or a boyfriend jacket to balance out the look. Also, I suggest wearing these barely-there shorts with a pair of heels. Lengthening the legs will also make them look like slimmer legs."

I'm plus-size. What's the best style for me?

• "A knee-jerk move for most plus-size women is to hide under bulky shorts," Raes says. "I stress this point all the time with my larger clients: Bulky clothes only make you look bulky. Avoid the big, sloppy shorts with either pleats or an elastic waist. Instead, choose a pair of shorts that are tailored and clean in the front."

What shorts look best on petites?

• "Avoid overly large, sloppy, relaxed shorts, especially with cuffs, which will make a petite person look shorter," Raes says. "Instead, choose close-fitting, shorter shorts. If a petite woman wants to wear a longer shorts style, choose a pair that sits close to your body in a more structured fabric so you don't look like you're standing in a hole."

And for pear-shapes?

• "If you want to minimize the A-look of your pear-shaped body, avoid clothes that emphasize that shape," Raes says. "Avoid shorts that have too wide of a leg opening or have big cuffs at the hem. Wide leg openings and wide cuffs force the eye right to the part of the body that a pear-shaped woman is usually trying to camouflage -- her thigh area. Choose a pair of shorts a bit more tapered at the hem, choose neutral bottoms that don't create such a stark line between your shorts and your legs like a dark pair of shorts would. And, if possible, wear a slight heel in a shade that matches closely to your skin tone with your shorts. The leg lengthening trick will make a pear-shaped woman's legs look slimmer. Fabrics should be beefier and more substantial, as any part of the body that is large jiggles and roams free under loose, flimsy fabrics."

Speaking of fruit, what about apple shapes?

• "Usually, apple-shaped women have great legs," Raes says. "In this situation, the short-short could be a great idea to consider, especially when worn with a more relaxed top. This proportion is great for apple-shaped gals because the looser top camouflages the slight tummy and the short-shorts showcase her legs. Fabrics can be loose and fluid, like prints or more structured like denim and khaki."

What if I'm boy-shaped?

• "Being straight from head to toe, a boy-shaped woman doesn't have a lot of curve," Raes says. "For this reason, the 'hot-pantaloon' short, a pleated short, or a more relaxed short shape in more relaxed fabrics, will give a boyish bod the ability to create the appearance of some curves. Boy-shaped women usually have great legs, so go nuts with those hot pants."

In Honor of My Impending Vacay: Chanel Resort 2010 Review

I am headed to Mexico in a few weeks for a glorious 4 day 3 night stay at a wonderful resort outside of Cancun for one of my closest friend's wedding. It is going to be a blast {especially because I have not been to a beach since senior SB '08} and I am looking to this year's Chanel Resort collection for inspiration. Some items will realistically influence my wardrobe choices and others will not (hell-o sparkle blazer for beachwear?). 

On the whole this collection was a hit and I am so glad after Snr. Lagerfeld's spring and fall 2010 spectacles shows that just seemed to be trying too hard, kind of jumped the shark too hard- HELLO!? he flew in a giant iceberg for fall and had models walking out of a hay stack for spring- ridic. Some of the most covetable objects are completely transferable to fall/winter: the obi belt is back!, camel toned neutrals, head to toe single hue outfits, cream colored/black toed boots anyone? - better start saving now and maybe I can get them in a year or so. Alas, such is life. 

What We're Jamming Now: Fitz & the Tantrums

Like the song? Download it here for free from their website.

Luxe for Less: Dolce Vita for Target

Photo: Courtesy of Target

I just love fashion priced for the masses!!!

Dolce Vita is doing a line of shoes for Target that launches exclusively in the new Harlem location when it opens on Sunday, before hitting more Target doors on August 22. Images are out of three styles, including the $29.99 gray studded oxford, the $34.99 black buckle ankle boot, and the $34.99 black lace-up boot. These prices are much lower than Dolce Vita's main line, which often hover in the $150-and-above range.

First Look: Dolce Vita for Target [Racked NY]

The.Well.Set Luvs the Beehive

Check out Austin's freshest boutique, the Beehive, during their summer sale next week. 

Not heard of the Beehive? Read all about their beautiful owner Claire Fields and check out her fabulous, affordable finds here.

Villa Reykjavik: the 2nd incarnation of the international art festival

“normality [became] the new avante garde”

- goofy and playful installation artist (and native Icelander) Arnfinnur Amazeen