Oasis Lifestyle Magazine

Page 1

fall 2012

G o

B e y o n d

T h e

S u n s e t

FOO ss Di ue

{shop.dine.live}

exclusive feature

Helen Thompson

Author extraordinaire shop

Fall Essentials for every style [p.14]

dine

Soleil Delivers Explore Soleil [p.24]

live

New Listings

Turnquist has the latest homes on the market [p.22]

plus: Texas wines • Ut football • & more

>>>


ZPV WF SFBDIFE ZPVS GJOBM

EFTUJOBUJPO

XFMDPNF IPNF 5BZMPS .PSSJTPO JT DPNNJUUFE UP CVJMEJOH IPNFT XJUI FYUSBPSEJOBSZ EFTJHO BOE TVQFSJPS DSBGUTNBOTIJQ JO UIF NPTU EFTJSBCMF OFJHICPSIPPET 8JUI IPNF QSJDFT SBOHJOH GSPN UIF NJE T UP NPSF UIBO NJMMJPO FBDI IPNF XF CVJME SFýFDUT PVS DPNNJUNFOU UP RVBMJUZ BOE JOOPWBUJPO 4UFQ JOUP ZPVS ESFBN IPNF XJUI 5BZMPS .PSSJTPO

ST E I N E R R A N C H t C RY STA L FA L L S t FA L C O N H E A D W E ST BRODIE SPRINGS Lake Georgetown

Liberty Hill

29

t 4&//" )*--4

t -"%&3"

95

29

Georgetown

29

1460

Leander

Taylor

Hutto 79

79

Round Rock

1 183A TOLL

Cedar Park TOLL

'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO WJTJU VT POMJOF BU

TOLL

Pflugerville

620

Lake Travis

XXX UBZMPSNPSSJTPO DPN BVTUJO PS DPOUBDU )FBUIFS 'PY

Design Studio

2 620

4

3

BU HFox@taylormorrison.com PS (512) 845-7350.

LOOP 360

5

Bee Cave

TOLL

Austin

71

LOOP 1

6

71 71

Austin Bergstrom Airport

taylormorrison.com Offer void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. All incentives, pricing, availability and plans subject to change or delay without notice. Please see a Taylor Morrison Sales Associate for details and visit www.taylormorrison.com for additional disclaimers. © October, 2011, Taylor Morrison of Texas Inc. All rights reserved.


River Place Country Club

Onion Creek Club

River Place Country Club Lantana Golf Club

The Dominion Country Club

Twin Creeks Country Club

Join one of our Clubs and enjoy the benefits of what all five have to offer! Call today to schedule your private tour!

4207 River Place Blvd. Austin, TX 78730 (512) 346-1114 www.riverplaceclub.com

2510 Onion Creek Pkwy Austin, TX 78747 (512) 282-2150 www.onioncreekclub.com

One Dominion Drive San Antonio, TX 7825 (210) 698-3364 www.the-dominion.com

3201 Twin Creeks Club Dr. Cedar Park, TX 78613 (512) 331-5900 www.twincreeksclub.com

800 Golf CLub Drive Lantana, TX 76226 (940) 728-4653 www.lantanagolf.com


Wouldn’t it be great if

someone you love

moved to Steiner Ranch?

Discover Longhorn Village! When family and friends live close by, life takes on a special joy. And now, the area’s finest retirement address is open in Steiner Ranch: Longhorn Village. • • • •

Designed for seniors 62 and older First-class services & outstanding amenities A vibrant lifestyle branded by the Texas Exes On-site Health Care Center for assisted living, short-term rehab, skilled nursing and memory care

Call (512) 382-4680 or (877) 266-5605 today. 12501 Longhorn Parkway At Steiner Ranch • Austin, TX 78732 www.longhornvillage.com DevelopeD in association with the ex-stuDents’ association of the university of texas. The Longhorn Village lifestyle is open to everyone regardless of university affiliation.


fall 2012 Volume II • issue 3

Publisher A n i ta C . R o b e rt s

e xecutive editor elizabeth cook

Director, Business Development hollie kenney

oa s i s l i f e s t y l e C o n t r i b u to r s

special feature writer T i f fa n y Yo u n g

St yle consultant c o u r t e sy o f N e i m a n Marc o s at t h e D o m a i n

Contributing photogr apher D r e w ko l b

oa sis lifest yle is a com pli m entary bi - month ly pu blication of AMC Pu blish ing , LLC an d is avai lable at pre fe rre d locations th roug hout th e g reate r Austin area . To becom e a pre fe rre d distri bution point for Oasis Lifest yle Maga zi n e please email us at in fo@amcpu blishing . n et

submission requirements visit oasisli fest ylemag .com or contact i n fo@amcpu blish ing . n et.

a mc publishing, llc 5114 Balcones Woods, Ste. 307-345Austin, TX 78759 Telephone. 512 . 380.1611 • Facsimile. 512 .366.9942 amcpu blish ing . n et

Copyrig ht © 2 011 by amc pu blish ing , llc all rig hts rese rved. re production in whole or part without pe rm is sion is proh ibited.


Staff

{fall}

letters from the editor With this fall issue under our belt, we are eagerly anticipating a growing change in OASIS Lifestyle. We are expanding and responding to our options to further reflect a true lifestyle that is inherent in an ‘oasis’ setting. Austin offers any and everything to escape from a dull routine; Galveston offers the same and with a feel of salt air! As we continue with our LIVE, SHOP, DINE features, we are eternally grateful for those who have shared their insights, products, expertise, and talent. In turn, we are bringing Galveston to Austin, and Austin to Galveston, reflecting both worlds in the pages of OASIS Lifestyle. Good things continue to happen --- stay tuned!

Elizabeth Cook Elizabeth Cook Executive Editor

from the publisher I am grateful to the support of our community and our publication’s team members. These supporters help motivate us to bring a quality publication that everyone can be proud of. We are passionate about building a publication that is a staple in the beautiful Austin community. We welcome your feedback as you continue to help us provide you with pages and pages of the splendor that is Austin. In this issue you will find delicious food, beautiful landscapes and products to die for - enjoy!

Anita C. Roberts Publisher

6 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012


Producers director of custom publishing A my L i n d s l e y

designers s ara h s c h n e i d e r w e s to n car l s

cr ackerdog media is an all- in - on e print & desig n ag e ncy de dicated to h elping busin es ses ach i eve lowe r costs an d h ig h er qualit y printi ng an d desig n services . With a backg rou n d i n maga zi n e pu blishing , th e Cracke rdog M e dia team consists of desig n ers , e ditors , an d sales profes sionals that can se ll , desig n , produce an d deliver you r pu blish ing n e e ds . Eve ry th ing from promotional products to maga zi n es , busin es s cards to an n ual re ports , com pany broch u res to eve nt gu i des , we work with prefe rre d ve n dors to secu re wholesale pricing , an d ou r own maga zi n e staff to provide h ig h - qualit y profes sional desig n .

OasisLifestylemag.com • 7


when the sun goes down, the excitement goes up. It’s hard to top horseback riding along secluded trails, kayaking in peaceful waters and exploring over 400 acres of natural beauty with leisurely walks through towering pines. But just when you think you’ve done it all, there’s s’mores and songs by the firepit. Because here, every room, every meal, every day is designed to make the most of every moment. And to make each moment a lasting memory.

1 800 55 HYATT (49288) lostpines.hyatt.com The trademark HYATT and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2012 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.


{fall}

14

22 10

Contents

24

26

20

10 Special Feature Helen Thompson dishes on her latest cookbook

14

Shop Keep it neutral in these stylish natural elements

20

Sports UT Longhorn Football Schedule

22

Live Turnquist homes: what’s new?

24

Dine Soleil provides the perfect date night

26

Feature Texas wine country’s secret

OasisLifestylemag.com • 9


special feature

Helen Thompson

By Tiffany Young

Makes Her Way Into Homes Through Cookbooks and Shelter Publications

Fried Oysters with tartar sauce and dill, find this and more recipes on pages 12-13

10 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012


H

elen Thompson, an Austin native and resident, has made a name for herself writing about Texas food and architecture. This she has accomplished by inscribing several delightful books on these subjects as well as enjoying a 17-year career working at Texas Monthly as a writer and editor. At Texas Monthly, Thompson began writing about food and home through her stint as managing editor for the publication’s lifestyle magazine, Domain. Since then, she has written about both, with bylines in national shelter magazines such as Elle Decor, Architectural Digest and Martha Stewart Living. “I’ve always had this parallel career,” Thompson said of her two subjects. Her most recent book, however, focuses on food. “The Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook” was published in March and tells the history of the famed restaurant and hotel, woven with the restaurant’s beloved recipes. The writing of the cookbook coincided with the 30-year anniversary of The Mansion on Turtle Creek establishment; the last cookbook that had been published on the subject was back in 1987. Thompson said what made the project so interesting to her was the innovation of the restaurant’s chefs over the years. The restaurant is known for using locally-sourced food, which led Thompson to interviewing several farmers in the Dallas area for the cookbook. “When you get [farm-fresh food] and it’s just come out of the ground a half an hour before, and the chef cleans it, chops it up and puts it in the food or in the sauce—it’s spectacular,” Thompson effused. She also lives by this rule by growing food herself—with eggplants blooming in her garden this summer—and orders farm-grown produce from Farm to Table, a business connecting farmers to local restaurants, grocers and kitchens. In addition to “The Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook,” Thompson has also written “San Antonio Classic Desserts,” “Dallas Classic Desserts” and “The Big Texas Steakhouse Cookbook.” On why she hasn’t written a cookbook on Austin yet, she said she has contacted publishers about it, but hasn’t found anyone to publish a book specifically on Austin cuisine even though she is writing a Hill Country style book that will showcase homes in the area. “I’m not sure [publishers] believe Austin’s food is as good as I’m telling them it is,” she said. “There are people doing tremendously innovative things in Austin that they’re not doing anywhere else. People associate Dallas and Houston with fine cuisine and they don’t associate it necessarily with Austin—but they’re wrong.” While Thompson admits she is not known as a chef, her

Beef Sirloin Tartare with potato crisps and quail egg, find this and more recipes on pages 12-13

cookbooks are more of the variety that tell stories about food, places and history, interweaving stories and culinary throughout. The recipes are those that she has enjoyed eating, not necessarily cooking. “I made my career as an eater,” Thompson said. “These are all the recipes I as a diner think are great. All those recipes are indeed great, and I know it!” Her books can be found at bookstores, on Amazon or via her website at www.helenthompsoninhouse.com.

Helen Thompson is a nationally known writer whose areas of specialty are interior design, architecture, kitchen design, and food. Helen was a food writer and editor for Texas Monthly magazine, where she worked for 17 years. She was also the managing editor of their lifestyle magazine, Domain, which covered food, restaurants, interior design and architecture; she was also the Texas city editor for Metropolitan Home magazine for 14 years. While at Metropolitan Home, Helen wrote about houses, restaurants, and gardens and produced many of the features shot in Texas during those years. She has also written and produced articles for Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living, Western Interiors, Traditional Home, HOME, Veranda, Country Home, and many other magazines.

OasisLifestylemag.com • 11


special feature

Texas Grits Fries with chipotle aioli SERVES 4

ChiPoTle aioli 1 (7 ½-ounce) can chipotle

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup flour

peppers 5 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg 3 cloves garlic Juice of 2 limes 3 cups canola oil Pinch salt

Black pepper In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree the chipotles. Add the egg yolks, egg, garlic, and lime juice. While the food processor is running, slowly add the oil and season with salt.

and refrigerate the grits for 1 hour. Season the flour with salt and pepper and put it in a bowl. When the grits have cooled, invert them onto a cutting board. Cut the grits into 1 x 4-inch

gRiTS fRieS 1 cup Homestead Gristmill grits 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cups chicken stock Salt

Wash the grits in cold water to extract the husk. In a large saucepan over medium heat, toast the grits with olive

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

often. Add a pinch of salt, both chile

excess. Fry the grits in a saucepot with

powders, the garlic powder, onion powder, and cheeses. Mix well and spread the grits into a 1-inch layer on the bottom of a baking dish. Cover

minutes, or until golden brown. Dry the fries on a paper towel, season with salt, and serve with the chipotle aioli.

oil for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook slowly for 30 minutes, stirring

pieces. Cut each piece in half lengthwise, and halve it again so the grits resemble french fries. Dredge each fry in the seasoned flour and shake off any 3 inches of vegetable oil at 375o F for 5

Beef Sirloin Tartare with potato crisps & quail egg SERVES 4

TARTARE 10 ounces lean Kobe beef, or prime sirloin, cut into ¹/8-inch dice 2 tablespoons finely diced gherkins 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion 1 teaspoon chopped capers 2 tablespoons chopped chives Sea salt and black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

QUAIL EGGS 4 quail eggs, yolks in their shells Sea salt Cracked black pepper Combine the beef, gherkins, red onion, capers, and chives in a chilled mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap

lemon juice and olive oil. To serve, place a 4-inch ring mold in the center of a chilled

it paper thin, lengthwise, on a Japanese mandoline, then cut into 3 1-inch strips. Reserve the slices in a bowl of cold water.

dinner plate and fill the mold with 1/4 of the tartare mixture, packing it slightly at

Heat the peanut oil to 340 F in a 4-quart

the edges. Carefully lift the mold off and repeat with the remaining portions. Place

saucepan over medium heat. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry. Fry the potato strips in the hot oil in small batches, stirring with a slotted spoon to cook evenly, until they are golden brown on both sides. Drain the hot crisps on paper towels

12 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012

black pepper. Toss the tartare in the fresh

and refrigerate. Peel the potato and slice

o

POTATO CRISPS 1 Idaho potato 4 cups peanut oil Sea salt

and sprinkle them with sea salt. When ready to serve, remove the tartare from the refrigerator and season with salt and

one quail egg yolk in a shell in the center of each tartare serving, season the yolk with salt and black pepper, and garnish the plate with the potato crisps. Serve immediately.


Fried Oysters with tartar sauce and dill SERVES 4

TARTAR SAUCE 3 egg yolks 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 cups canola oil 1 tablespoon minced red onion 2 tablespoons chopped cornichon (gherkin) Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley 1 tablespoon capers, chopped 1 teaspoon hot sauce Salt OYSTERS 1 quart canola oil for frying 16 medium oysters, shucked, shells reserved 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 eggs

2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs) Salt and black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 2 tablespoons fresh dill To make the tartar sauce, combine the egg yolks, mustard, and canola oil in a blender and process for 2 minutes, or until it thickens to a mayonnaise texture. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the onion, cornichon, lemon juice and zest, parsley, capers, and hot sauce. Season

with salt and black pepper. Toss chives into the bread crumbs. Dip the oysters, one at a time, in the flour, followed by the egg, and then into the bread crumbs. Repeat this process until all the oysters are coated. Fry the breaded oysters in hot oil four at a time for 4 minutes, or until

with salt to taste. Cover and reserve in

golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

the refrigerator until ready to serve. Heat enough oil for frying in a pot over medium heat to 360o F. Pat the oysters dry with

of tartar sauce and a sprig of fresh dill.

To serve, place the fried oysters back in their cleaned shells and top with a dollop

a paper towel. Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs each in three separate bowls. Whisk the eggs and season them

Turtle Creek Pie YIELDS 1 (10- INCH) PIE

3 extra large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup dark corn syrup 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced 1 pie crust ½ cup pecan pieces Vanilla ice cream (optional) Preheat the oven to 350o F. Combine the eggs and sugar, mixing until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the corn syrup, butter, and vanilla. Strain and set this aside. Layer the apple slices slanting in one direction on the bottom of the pie crust to form a circle around the outside edge of the shell. Make a second circle of apples inside the first, slanting the slices in the opposite direction. Repeat this process and layer until all the slices are used. Slowly and carefully, pour the filling over the apples. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top of the filling.Bake for 1 hour. If the edges of the pie have become too brown during baking, remove the pie from the oven and shield the crust with a ring of foil. Return the pie to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling has set. Allow the pie to cool slightly before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you like.

OasisLifestylemag.com • 13


shop

Keep it

Neutral in these stylish natural elements. Nancy Gonzalez Soft Flap Crocodile Clutch Bag, Medium

$1300

14 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012


RED Valentino Ruffled Organza Dress

$895.00

OasisLifestylemag.com • 15


shop

Roberto Coin Primavera Bracelet Rose Gold

$3100.00

Marco Bicego Paradise Bracelet

$2530

Nude shoe Jimmy Choo Open-Toe Gold Wedge Pump

$625.00

16 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012


COOMI Eternity Oval Ring

$4800.00

Alexander McQueen Python Heroine Satchel Bag

$6395

OasisLifestylemag.com • 17


The OASIS restaurant on Austin's Lake Travis has been known as the Sunset Capital of Texas since 1982. Guests enjoy spectacular views both day and night, comfortable decor, and multi-level decks four hundred feet above Lake Travis - a stunning getaway, only twelve miles from downtown Austin. Lovely, spacious dining rooms with great views impress guests from all over the world and provide perfect settings for weddings, corporate meetings, celebrations, or get-togethers of any kind. The top floor of The OASIS has an old dance hall feeling, complete with a stage and retractable overhead doors to reveal the sky above - and is appropriately dubbed Starlight Terrace. Live music, dancing and friendly people are the venue here.


The OASIS is considered one of the top ten visitor attractions in Austin and is known to travelers around the world as the place to dine, clap at sunsets, and enjoy the superb margaritas and relaxed atmosphere. There’s simply no place like The OASIS in the whole world.


Sports

Texas Longhorns

Schedule

Date

Opponent

Result/Time

Record

Sat, Sep. 1

vs Wyoming

W 37-17

1-0 (0-0)

Sat, Sep. 8

vs New Mexico

W 45-0

2-0 (0-0)

Sat, Sep. 15

@ Ole Miss

W 66-31

3-0 (0-0)

Sat, Sep. 29

@ Oklahoma State

W 41-36

4-0 (1-0)

Sat, Oct. 6

vs West Virginia

L 45-48

4-1 (1-1)

Sat, Oct. 13

vs Oklahoma*

11:00 AM CT ABC

Sat, Oct. 20

vs Baylor

TBD

Sat, Oct. 27

@ Kansas

TBD

Sat, Nov. 3

@ Texas Tech

TBD

Sat, Nov. 10

vs Iowa State

TBD

Thu, Nov. 22

vs TCU

6:30 PM CT ESPN

Sat, Dec. 1

vs Kansas State

TBD

*Game played at neutral location.

20 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012


photo by Randall Chancellor

OasisLifestylemag.com • 21


live

22••Oasis OasisLifestyle Lifestyle••Nov/Dec Fall 20122011 22


OasisLifestylemag.com OasisLifestylemag.com••23 23


dine

Soleil 6550 Comanche Trl • Austin, TX 78732

Your ultimate date night venue. Delicious food Tasty drinks Fabulous view

24 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012


OasisLifestylemag.com • 25


feature

The Secret to the Hill Country’s Wine Success By Tiffany Young

W

hile not as well known for its wine as say, Napa Valley or Tuscany, the Texas Hill Country is quickly becoming well-recognized for its wineries. The region is still relatively new in the industry, but has already begun re-

26 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012

ceiving accolades. In 2007 Orbitz named the Texas Hill Country the second fastest-growing wine destination in the U.S., and in 2010 away.com listed it as the No. 1 “Top Ten Hidden-Gem Wine Regions.”

Tourism and ‘Go’ing Local

At least some of the Hill Country’s wine success can be contributed to Texas Hills Vineyard, located just outside Johnson City in the Pedernales River Valley.


Photo by Tim Patterson

Texas Hills Vineyard owner Gary Gilstrap said he and his wife Kathy started the Texas Wine Trails the same day they opened their tasting room in 1999. The trail now includes about 30 wineries to really whet a traveler’s appetite. The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas—a nonprofit located in Westlake and formed by founders of the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival, has also helped spread the word about Texas wineries. It accomplishes this through annual Rare and Fine Wine Auctions, which bring in collectors from near and far. Its Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship helps the cause as well, while at the same time giving back to the Texas food industry when scholarship recipients practice their culinary vocation throughout the state. Another advantage for the Hill Country is its close proximity to cities and their many residents who can’t wait to purchase wine and foods locally.

William Chris Vineyard’s Chris Brundrett said about 99 percent of the vineyard’s business is done locally—either through selling in the metro areas or with local tourists who visit the tasting room. “The Hill Country is not only a great place to grow grapes, but it’s close to where people can access the wine,” Brundrett said. “We’re 25 minutes from Austin, which is really convenient.” And many Austin restaurants stock wines from local vineyards. Bottles from William Chris Vineyards can be found at Keniche, Wink or Jack Allen’s Kitchen. Gilstrap also attributes Texas Hills Vineyard’s success to using only Texas fruits and Texans’ large appetite for wine. “We’ve got Texas in our name. We committed to just using Texas fruits, and Texans are pretty loyal,” Gary Gilstrap said. “If the wine is good, that makes it easier.”

Why it works

But just because there’s a market for wine, doesn’t mean a place can grow good grapes. What makes the Hill Country wines so drinkable? “Our soil here is exactly what Tuscany’s is. It doesn’t get as cool here at night, but otherwise conditions are similar,” Gilstrap said. “Our flavor profile is quite nice, actually. We have a wide range of wines now.” Brundrett agrees that the weather and soil is what makes the Hill Country wines enjoyable to drink. “The Hill Country is a wonderful place to grow grapes,” Brundrett said. “We have a lot of decomposed granite. We have a lot of warmer weather grapes that work out really well. There’s not a lot of rain and we often avoid frost.”

OasisLifestylemag.com • 27


Your land, your home, your dreams...your builder! Building | Quality | Relationships

28 • Oasis Lifestyle • Nov/Dec 2011

EliotJConstruction.com (512) 801-0735 ethan@eliotjconstruction.com


G o

B e y o n d

T h e

S u n s e t

G o

B e y o n d

T h e

S u n s e t

UE

AY

SS

DI

ID

FOO

NOV/DEC 2011

OL H

FALL 2012

E SU IS

{shop.dine.live}

{shop.dine.live}

exclusive feature

HELEN THOMPSON

AUTHOR EXTRAORDINAIRE shop

Fall Essentials for every style [p.14]

dine

Soleil Delivers Explore Soleil [p.24]

live

New Listings

Turnquist has the latest homes on the market [p.22]

plus: TEXAS WINES • UT FOOTBALL • & MORE

>>>

exclusive feature

MEET THE FACES BEHIND THE OASIS

shop

Cocktail Dresses From Linda Asaf [p.18]

dine

Four Course Tour Explore Soleil [p.38]

live

WIN

TE for h R BOO im & T her S

Creature Comforts Animal-Inspired Accessories From The Treasury [p.42]

p l u s : M A K E U P & P E R F U M E F I N D S • H O L I D AY P A R T Y W I N E & S P I R I T S • A R M C A N D Y P U R S E S • & M O R E

{shop.dine.live} Check us out on Facebook. oasislifestylemag.com

>>>


SOLEIL (So-LAY) means ‘sun’ in French. In Austin, it is lakeside dining like no other!

High above Lake Travis, enjoy New American cuisine in an upscale casual atmosphere. Inside or out, relax & enjoy spectacular sunsets, Soleil’s Azure Seafood Bar, easy listening live music, and let us serve you.

www.soleilaustin.com #OMANCHE 4RAIL AT 4HE /!3)3 s !USTIN


drandeur `ellars

www.GrandeurCellars.com jlutz@grandeurcellars.com 512 563 9889


William Chris Vineyards Wi l l i am C h r is Vine yards • 1 0 3 5 2 U.S. Hw y. 290, Hye • w i l li amchr isw ines.com

L

ocated in Hye, Texas, this small vineyard grows its fruit on about 30 acres, most of which are located in the Hill Country. Chris Brundrett and Bill Blackmon had years of experience making wine in Texas before deciding to open their own vineyard and winery. Relatively new, the vineyard, which produces about 5,000 cases per year, released its first bottles in 2010 and opened its tasting room in a 100-year-old farmhouse. William Chris Vineyards focuses its efforts on keeping wine

32 • Oasis Lifestyle • Fall 2012

as true to its original nature as possible. “We really focus on low-impact, high-quality wine,” Brundrett said. “Most of our wines are unfiltered and there’s very little added to our wines. We really believe in wine growing, not wine fixing.” The vineyard will soon add events to its online calendar such as a bi-monthly dinner series “Hye on the Hog,” and a cheese and wine tasting, “Hye Society.” Bottles range in price from $20 to $80.


Texas Hills Vineyard

Te x as Hi l ls Vine yard • 8 7 8 RR 2766, Johns on Cit y • texashi l lsv ine y ard.com

G

ary and Kathy Gilstrap took their 20 years experience running a pharmacy and applied it to making and distributing wine. Applying their detail-oriented profession of pharmaceuticals into developing wine concoctions have paid off. The vineyard now boasts the second largest production of wine in the Hill Country and fifth in the state, producing 18,000 cases per year. The Texas Hills Vineyard tasting room stands unique in that there is a wide variety of humorous gifts and local foods for purchase. Also, there’s a good chance Gilstrap himself will be pouring wines and entertaining guests with his quick wit

and sense of humor at the tasting room. The vineyard is now producing tempranillo, a black grape variety from Spain used in red wines and which complements many Texas foods. But its flagship wine is “Kick Butt Cab,” their awardwinning cabernet holding the title of “Best Texas Champion” at the Houston Stock Show & Rodeo in 2010, a medal winner at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Wine Competition, and “Texas Best, People’s Choice” at Grapefest in Grapevine. The Texas Hills Vineyards’ bottles range in price from $10 to $75.

OasisLifestylemag.com • 33


STEINER RANCH STEAKHOUSE

Live Music • Lake Views • Sunsets • Patio Dining • Dancing Happy Hour 4-7pm • Prime Steaks • Seafood • Salads & More STEINER RANCH STEAKHOUSE On Lake Travis

5424 Steiner Ranch Blvd, Austin, 78732 (512) 381-0800 Reservations Recommended


TENNIS ANYONE? We’re courting new members. In the past, we have been known for our exemplary private golf club experience, but we’re about to be known for much more. With the additions of indoor and outdoor courts, as well as a family friendly pool, our facilities will have something fun for the whole family. Introducing and opening in early 2013, the Edgar O. and Melanie A. Weller Tennis Center featuring the Whaling /Snyder Indoor Courts. Our new facilities will feature a limited number of both local and regional memberships. For more information on how you can join The UT Golf Club, contact us at membership@utgolfclub.com or call 512-266-6464.

PROUD HOME OF THE 2012 NCAA MEN’S GOLF NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

SWING. SERVE. SWIM.



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.