JUST ANNOUNCED: The Austin Fashion Awards After Party will be at PGI — literally the VERY TOP FLOOR of the Frost Bank Tower. How do you get tickets? You can ONLY buy them through the VIP packages. To top it all off, for the next 10 people to purchase a VIP package, we’re throwing in a $50 gift card to a great Austin boutique that you can use as mad money during Fashion Week. Hurry — these will be gone QUICK. (Note: If you buy the VIP package for 2 people, you get 2 gift cards…we’re nice like that).

Want to check out looks from Betsey Johnson, Line & Dot, Rene Geneva Designs, Chloe Dao and Boudoir Queen? Here’s your chance at the 2nd Annual Austin Fashion Awards on Saturday, August 21st! A limited number of VIP passes are still available giving you access to the Austin Fashion Awards plus the Official Austin Fashion Week Kick Off Party “Bright Lights, Idea City” and much, much more!

VIP PASSES INCLUDE:

“Bright Lights, Idea City” (GSD&M)

• Priority seating at the Austin Fashion Week Kick Off Party (exclusively available to the public through VIP package only)

• VIP Red Carpet Photo Opportunity

Austin Fashion Awards (Long Center for the Performing Arts)

• Orchestra or Parterre Seating at the Austin Fashion Awards

• Admission into the Austin Fashion Awards After Party (exclusively available to the public through VIP package only)

• VIP Red Carpet Photo Opportunity

Austin Fashion Week

• Access to Red Carpet Ready events personalized to each VIP at local boutiques prior to Austin Fashion Week to help you select glamorous ensembles for the week. Test shots available at each event to preview your look on digital film

• Hair and makeup consultations to help you achieve the perfect red carpet look

• Fabulous VIP gift bag (the bag is ONLY filled with products and gift cards. Current value is over $1000 and includes items like a custom pillow from Deborah Main Designs, a makeup bag from Twelfth Street Cynthia Vincent, clothing from American Apparel, beauty products from multiple amazing companies, gift cards galore and more!)

• Limited edition, signed, numbered, Austin Fashion Week poster by Gary Dorsey

VIP Single Pass: $300; VIP Pass for two: $550. On sale now at: www.fashionweekaustin.com/tickets.

Walk through the large, off white French country doors and you are greeted with a stack of newspapers, a large zinc-topped bar and an open kitchen looking out onto an open dining room that begs you to relax and stay a while.  There’s a lot of love inside those doors, quite literally.  Love Nance and her business partner, Sherry Jameson, run Annies Café and Bar.

Nance and Jameson have been here for over 27 years with their highly successful catering company, Apple Annie’s and have made an effort to bring some life onto Congress Avenue north of the River when they transformed their catering company into an inviting and charming bistro offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food and wine selections have always won me over and now Annies is at it again with a new addition to their team mixing up some tasty treats behind the bar.

Nance summoned Washington DC’s “Cocktail Queen,” a.k.a. Tiffany Short, to take her back to her tiki times spent sipping Polynesian drinks reminiscent of the 1930’s and 1940’s.  Tuesday are now aptly named “Tiki Tuesday” and Short has cooked up a drink near and dear to Nance’s heart, named The Scorpion.  Short combines freshly squeezed orange and lime juice with rum, brandy and almond syrup, and pours it into a volcano drinking bowl whose center holds a shot of rum set ablaze.  Meant to be shared and enjoyed with Tuesday night’s special of ½ priced burgers, this fabulous drink is lovely and fabulous!

Scorpion at Annies

• 6 ounces fresh orange juice
• 4 ounces lime juice
• 6 ounces light rum
• 1 ounce brandy
• 2 ounces Orgeat (almond syrup)

Blend with crushed ice.  Garnish with orchid.  Serve in Tiki glass or Scorpion Bowl.

I get irrationally excited when Bob Dylan comes to town. You’d think the fact that he’s clearly on a never-ending tour that seems to loop my way at least once a year, would temper my enthusiasm. Or the fact that I’ve seen him nine times. Or that in the nine times I’ve seen him, he’s probably said a total of 12 words to the audience. But it truly never gets old. And luckily for me, next Wednesday Dylan and his band will be kicking off the U.S. leg of their summer tour right here in Austin at The Backyard!

Trust me, I’ve heard the haters. “He doesn’t sound like he used to.” “You can’t sing along.” “Forget singing along, you can’t even tell what the song is!” My response is always the same — it’s Bob Dylan. He’s been singing these songs for almost 50 years. If you want to sing along, go see a cover band. If you want to see a living legend perform the songs he wants to sing the way he wants to sing them, go see Dylan.

I saw him a few summers ago at Virgin Mobile Fest in Baltimore, and I don’t know whose idea it was, but Dylan was on right before Kanye West (thank you random festival lineup organizers). Now, I’m not a violent person but I almost had to knock out a whole slew of ‘tweens’ who were so anxious to see Kanye that they were actually booing Dylan. And not in the “Dylan went electric and now I’m calling him Judas” way either. It was an ugly scene, and left me disproportionally distraught about the state of the youth in America. So, lesson learned: when Dylan is sandwiched in between Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne, I should probably skip it. But otherwise, there’s hardly anything that could stop me from catching his shows. And I’d encourage pretty much everyone on Earth (with the exception of the aforementioned tweens) to see him whenever possible.

Fresh off their European tour, Bob and his band will be playing the newly relocated Backyard on Wednesday, August 4th. The new location, in its opening season, is significantly larger than the old venue. Situated on 38 acres adjacent to the Bee Cave City Park, it offers increased access and parking, as well as a slew of improvements in keeping with the green initiative. Wednesday’s show will be a great opportunity to check out the brand new venue and spend a beautiful summer evening under the stars in the Texas Hill Country with the one and only Mr. Dylan.

General admission tickets are still available for $45 through The Backyard’s website or at Waterloo Records. Chairs are not allowed inside but guests are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on. Doors open at 7:00 and the show begins at 8:00. For more information, and a look at the new digs, check out The Backyard’s website.

At the age of 10, I was able to acknowledge two universal truths: the sun rises in the east and a pair of shoes can change your life. A true product of the Disney princess generation, I blame Cinderella for my “will work for shoes” mentality.

Thanks to Stella Says Go, Austin’s newest women’s footwear boutique, I have two very happy soles. United under the philosophy that every accessory worn by a woman should be fabulously distinct, co-owners Amy Filbin and Natalie Rickards opened the boutique to provide women of every age the perfect accessory to compliment their original style. Stella Says Go provides us with high-quality, high-fashion and adorable women’s footwear at prices we love.

“The most fun thing about owning a shoe store is when a delivery person walks in the door. It’s like your birthday or Christmas every single time—you just have to know what is inside that box!” says Filbin.

With stylish lines such as Miz Mooz, Jeffrey Campbell, Seyechelles, Ciao Bella by Corso Como, Chocolat Blu, OTBT and Kelsi Dagger, no wonder they can’t wait to see what’s in store!

On August 3rd, the ladies of Stella Says Go expect your foot in their door at 6pm for an opportunity to treat our feet at Walk This Way: A Shoe Shopping Soiree. For one night only, we are invited to sip on complimentary beverages, savor delicious bites and save 10% on all full priced merchandise! This private and pampered shoe shopping experience features gorgeous foot candy for every style and budget. Michelle Rodriguez, owner and Lead Stylist of Well Styled, will be on-hand to help us select the best footwear for our summer and fall wardrobes.

After all, what Prince Charming wouldn’t come running at the sight of new platform pumps?

Burger City, August 2

In this city, where there are countless concerts, parties, events, art shows every night of the week, it is hard to keep track of every single one. One lesser known weekly event is Burger City Rock ‘n Roll, a party and show held at The Grand (4631 Airport Boulevard) every Monday. DJs spin classic rock records, bands play live and service industry folks play pool for free.

Ben Tipton, who works making hamburgers (and listening to rock n roll) in a kitchen by day, started this event in May 2008, originally calling it “CitySlang,” which also used to have a Thursday weekly at Sidebar. Tipton DJs under the moniker Ben Blackout. Tipton’s friends also DJ Monday nights as Angel the Ripper, Al G, Bonehead and more. Burger City has hosted local acts such as Cowabunga Babez, Diagonals, Learning Secrets and Flesh Lights.

After hearing a bit of buzz about the event and seeing the eye-drawing DIY fliers, made by Tipton, I decided to check it out for myself. I was definitely not let down. The speakers blasted old school music all night, but nothing you couldn’t hear your friends over. The pool was free and endless, if you (or your opponent) work in the service industry. The drinks are inexpensive, at $3.50 for a well, and the waitresses are friendly. Also, because The Grand is a neighborhood bar, there is never a lack of parking.

Because I so enjoyed my nights at Burger City, I thought I would catch up with its creator and learn more about it.

Next week’s edition (Aug 2) features Ben DJing, along with Sara O, with special guests The Spooks, a garage band from Philadelphia.

Known for their breathtaking melodies and energetic stage presence, native Austin band The Soldier Thread has taken the music scene by storm. This Friday, help The Soldier Thread celebrate their second and highly anticipated album release, In Spades. Having been SXSW veterans, finalists in Spin Magazine’s “Hot Pursuit” contest and featured on MTV, In Spades is merely the next step in this band’s musical progress. Performing alongside The Soldier Thread at the release party are native Austin bands Quiet Company, Wiretree and Alpha Rev—the perfect recipe for a climactic experience. For more information, click here.

Soigné Boutique | 4800 Burnet Rd. |

After almost four years offering affordable style, fashionable accessories, locally-designed jewelry, and wardrobe inspiration, Soigné Boutique owner Amy Schalk has announced she will close her boutique late this summer. Starting Tuesday, July 27th, Soigné will start a liquidation sale.  Everything in the store will be reduced 50 to 70 percent. In addition, Schalk will sell fixtures, furniture and décor’ from the store. Schalk will continue her style and wardrobe consulting business, Soigné Style Consultants, which offers a variety of services including wardrobe consultations and personal shopping. For more information on how to spice up your wardrobe and update your style, click here.

The BLUE Theatre, the hippest artist-operated performance space on Austin’s east side, is under new management and needs your help fundraising for lighting equipment! The Theatre has teamed up with local bands Home by Hovercraft and Abandoned Warehouse to rock out and raise funds so the beloved Theatre can operate business as usual. Give till it hurts while listening to great music, drinking fantastic cocktails courtesy of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and mingling with music lovers, artists, patrons, and neighborhood family and friends—the ultimate Blue Light Special.

The BLUE Theatre supports and presents artists whose work challenges the traditional boundaries of art, theatre, music, dance, film and performance. It’s an artist-operated, multi-disciplinary performance space, community center and gallery with roots deep in the Austin arts scene. The Theatre produces their own shows, help support all artists and activists with our programs and can be rented for productions, rehearsals, events and auditions. For more information, click here.

Saturdays | The Hideout Theatre | 617 Congress Ave. | 10pm

im·prov·i·sa·tion [im-prov-uh-zey-shuhn] –noun

1. an act of improvising.

2. something improvised.

3. occurring Saturdays at The Hideout Theatre.

Every Saturday, the Hideout presents twelve of Austin’s virtuoso improv comedians for a night of games and scenes based on audience suggestions — but only one of them will make it to the end of the show and be crowned “Maestro” for the week and awarded the coveted Canadian five-dollar bill. With hilarious comedians and unscripted performances, the only thing that comes as no surprise is the laughter. For tickets and more information, click here.

Friday, July 30 | Driskill Hotel | 604 Brazos St. | 7:30pm

The Young Women’s Alliance Fashion Evolution guarantees a fabulous evening of friends, fun, food and fashion at the Historic Driskill Hotel. Sophistication and style will not go amiss at this exclusive runway event featuring highly acclaimed Austin-based designer Linda Asaf, Rachelle Briton and men’s fashion by Margarito Alonso. Enjoy decadent appetizers, couture cocktails and a specialized shopping experience with Pop-Up Sponosrs Beyond Tradition, Limbo Jewelry Designs, Solettos, Stella & Dot and Theory.

VIP ticket holders will sip on a complimentary cocktail from Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka in the VIP Room, while enjoying a Glamour Swag Bag with surprises from Dress Shop, Shimmer & Bliss and more.

The night continues at Speakeasy’s Kabaret Room for the After Party with drink specials from Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and food from Imperia. Those who don’t attend Fashion Evolution, but come to the After Party, will pay a $5 cover.

The 2010 launch of Fashion Evolution marks the 6th anniversary of the Young Women’s Alliance Fashion Show. These fashion events have been crucial in raising money for the Young Women’s Alliance Foundation, which gives girls and women in Central Texas the opportunity to continue their education and enrich their careers with scholarships and grant programs. For more information, click here.