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Unique Hill Country tasting room leads this week's 5 most-read Austin stories

Senza Maeso tasting room Ryan Gitman and Jay Gitman

It doesn't get much more eclectic than the Senza Maeso Tasting Room and Bar. Even the spirit served is unusual.

Photo courtesy of Likeness Studio

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. Unique spirit made in the Hill Country inspires eclectic new tasting room. Senza Maeso is made from the South American cape gooseberry, a relative of the tomatillo with a similar paper lantern-like husk.

2. Austin feels right at home at its 10 best neighborhood restaurants. Few places impact a foodie's day-to-day as much as their favorite neighborhood restaurant. Here are 10 chosen by our Tastemaker Awards judges.

3. Where to drink in Austin right now: a clarified cocktail menu and new Texas bourbon. It can be hard to keep up with what's going on in Austin's bar scene, so we've rounded up the most refreshing releases, events, and news.

4. Austin wildflower pro says this season will be great for bluebonnets. Texas bluebonnets will soon return for spring 2024. And according to experts, it looks like this year could be a "superb" bloom.

5. Eclectic inn hosts hyperlocal festival before SXSW that's free for Austinites. Inn Cahoots is hosting its inaugural Austin Local Live (ALL) Fest from March 1-3. The twice-a-year scheduling happens a week before both SXSW and Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Stripped Down Shows

Texas Burlesque Festival brings beautiful and bizarre acts to Austin

Texas Burlesque Festival performer wearing cheeseburger costume

Texas Burlesque Festival/Facebook

Texas Burlesque Festival returns May 1-3.

Austin burlesque fans can't be blamed for feeling some post-show blues when the lights are down and the costumes are stowed away. Sheer excess at the Texas Burlesque Festival should solve that problem with as much spectacle as possible from May 1-3.

A mixer and kickoff performance get things started at Kick Butt Coffee (5775 Airport Blvd.) on May 1. That's followed by shows featuring more than 40 performers from around the country and beyond May 2 and 3 at the Long Center's Rollins Theatre (701 W. Riverside Dr.). Both classic and neo-burlesque are on the lineup.

Three Austin-based hosts will keep things fun and flirty throughout the fest. "Silly space babe" and festival co-producer Gemmi Galactic will handle Thursday, followed by Fat Bottom Cabaret founder Nikki DaVaughn on Friday. Drag-queen inspired Bingo host The World Famous *BOB* takes over on Saturday.

As described in a press release, the three headliners are New Orleans’ reigning Queen of the Tease, Jeez Loueez; Chicago Kings of Boylesque, Bazuka Joe & Ray Gunn; and Las Vegas burlesque legend Lovey Goldmine. Austin's own groundbreaking plus-size troupe Fat Bottom Cabaret will also perform at the festival.

Aside from the performances, there's at least one workshop scheduled: headliner Jeez Loueez teaches "Read the Room! Emceeing for Almost Everyone." The workshop ($25) will cover stage presence for live event emcees with theater exercises, improv games, and "other tried and true made up crap." Goals include relating to the crowd, making the cast and crew feel comfortable, and improving comedic timing.

Tickets (starting at $20) are on sale at texasburlesquefestival.com. Attendees, who must be 18 years or older, are asked to "dress to impress." There will be ASL interpreters for all three nights.

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