Fort Worth Date Night: Road Trip!

by Michael Bloomberg
September 9, 2010

Growing up, if your family was anything like mine, you know that traveling with four children can be tough. For weddings, celebrations and vacations, we didn't often fly. Rather, my parents would load us four kids in the car and down the highway we went. It didn't matter if it was to Austin, Missouri or somewhere in the middle, automobile was their transportation of choice.

This is a great time to throw in that I was the third of three boys. Then, just to mess up my perfect role of being the baby, the parents had a girl. Move forward to the family trips. For whatever the duration we were in the car, it meant being tortured by my two older brothers. Either physically, mentally or both. Seriously, who wouldn't enjoy ten hours of continuous Wet Willies? (Google it)

Fortunately, there is a different kind of road trip coming up that is much more exciting. It starts in one of my favorite cities (Austin), involves one of my favorite foods (BBQ) and includes one of my favorite beverages (cold beer). For this event only, Date Night is being changed to Date Weekend.

The lovely ladies over at Texas Toast Culinary Tours are at it again. You might know them from their local "Feeding Frenzy" progressive dinners. As famous chef, Emeril Lagasse, would say, they are "kickin' up a notch" with their next installment in the "BBQ & Brew Tour." All you have to do is get to Austin. They've taken care of the rest. According to their website, the trip is as follows:

Friday, Sept. 17, noon
* We'll depart Austin from the Holiday Inn Austin Town Lake, right off I-35, south of downtown. It's free parking and if you're spending the night in Austin, it's extremely convenient! We'll be in a luxury motorcoach, so get ready to kick back and be chauffeured.
* First stop: Southside Market in Elgin. This smokehouse makes some of the best sausage in Central Texas.
* Next: Pointing the bus toward Shiner, Texas. We'll tour Spoetzl Brewery where deliciousShiner Bock comes from. You'll get to taste test their whole family of beers. We're a little partial to Shiner Black right now.
* Final: We're off to Gonzales for sublime lamb ribs, fresh tortillas, avocado and a dash of hot sauce from Gonzales Market. Once back in Austin, you can enjoy the city’s legendary live music.

Saturday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m.
* You better wake up hungry because we're headed to Lexington for brisket at Snow's, ratedTexas Monthly's No. 1 Barbecue. Snow's is only open on Saturday and only as long as they have meat!
* Next: Louie Mueller in Taylor has some of the best peppered brisket. This joint has been featured in one of our favorite movies "The Rookie" and also was where Stevie Ray Vaughanwas photographed for "Family Style."
* We're off to Lockhart for Smitty's BBQ. You get to wind through building and see the open fire pits. We're partial to the Blue Bell ice cream cones they serve. We'll stop by Kreuz Market, as well.
* We'll finish up the afternoon with some homemade pie from Pies Galore in Bastrop. Our return to Austin gets you back in time to rest up for an evening out. We can recommend a number of distractions for those in search of music and dancing.

Trip cost: $225 per person, which includes transportation, food and beer on Friday and Saturday; gratuities; and tour guides.
Friday only - $100
Saturday only - $175

For complete details and registration info on this road trip and all of the Texas Toast Culinary Tours, please visit: http://www.texastoastculinarytours.com

Fort Worth Date Night: Toast of the (cow)Town

by Michael Bloomberg
June 10, 2010

If you grew up in the southwest part of Fort Worth, Hulen Mall was about the biggest thing in the area for years. Sure, it added to the traffic and, once the Christmas holidays came about, we often looked for other ways around town. We knew about this little shortcut called "Bryant Irvin" to beat the congestion.

Hulen's restaurants were always packed. Whether it be Outback, Bennigan's, Chili's or Black Eyed Pea, residents from neighboring cities like Burleson, Aledo and Weatherford would fill our restaurants. Often causing hour-long waits just to get a table.

Times have changed. Most of the cities aren't little any longer and many have their own restaurants. It still hasn't eased up the traffic on Hulen. But, we do have many more choices. There is an event coming up that is so spectacular, it will make changing your Date Night to a Tuesday so worth it. And, with all the new eateries popping up on the west side of Fort Worth and downtown, it's about time someone gave a few of the Hulen culinary hot spots some respect.

Fort Worth culinary journalistic royalty, June Naylor and longtime co-worker and BFF, Cynthia Wahl, have combined their love of grub to create Texas Toast Culinary Tours. According to their website, TTCT is "a place for cuisine-savvy people in Texas (and well beyond) who want to discover more about the food and wine originating here and in our other favorite places. Because the best eating and drinking destinations aren’t always obvious, and because it can be a trick to sort through all the new offerings, you need a bit of guidance."

Next up is a series they've so aptly dubbed, "Feeding Frenzy." Feeding Frenzy was "created for locals and visitors who want a behind-the-scenes look at the most popular restaurants, wine outfits, food producers and brewers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The typical Feeding Frenzy outing gives guests a chance to eat one small course, with a special wine or cocktail pairing, usually at three different places. Participating restaurants will be linked by neighborhood or cuisine, and guests will get face-time with chefs, talking about what inspires them and how their creations come to life."

On Tuesday evening, June 22, Feeding Frenzy has hand selected three of Hulen's greats in what they have called the evening, "Make a Bee-Line Down Hulen." You'll start with an appetizer and a great drink from the incomparable high-quality soul food of Buttons. Then, it's down south a few blocks to the greatness of Brix Pizza and Wine Bar. The evening will wrap up with a quick jaunt to Bistro Louise for, what is sure to be, one of Fort Worth's finest desserts and a glass of bubbly.

Texas Toast Culinary Tours offers up so much more than just the Feeding Frenzy outings. There are also guided gastronomical road trips for foodies and custom tours, as well. However, this upcoming Hulen excursion is a great way to get your feet wet with all that TTCT offers. Not to mention, the great food, fun camaraderie and the behind-the-scenes insight you will experience. As Luciano Pavarotti once said, "One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."

For complete information on Texas Toast Culinary Tours, please visit:

http://www.texastoastculinarytours.com