Austin's booming economy has always been a draw for restaurateurs and bar owners, offering tantalizing new opportunities and a constant desire for something new and different. The latest craze to hit the hip Texas capitol is wine bars "both older, established places that have been around for years, and newer, funkier alternatives are drawing in crowds like never before. This trend is particularly noticeable in Austin's popular downtown warehouse district, where several new wine bars and restaurants have cropped up in the past year, and have found success and popularity among Austin's young professionals and older patrons alike.

But downtown isn't the only place you'll find excellent wine and gourmet food. Neighborhoods like Hyde Park and North Austin's Domain are home to their own wine-enthusiast hot spots, and south Austin is now home to a bright new star on the scene: The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen.

Situated on Bee Caves Road (also known as Highway 2244), The Grove sits, unassumingly, in a small shopping center along the winding highway heading West of downtown. The interior of the bar/restaurant has a lovely ambiance, but the outside seating area and raised deck offer their own appeal. Overtaken by a massive tree, winding and bending its many large branches over, under, and throughout the outside deck and patio, The Grove's outdoor seating area is its own unique attraction. Water features subtly block the sound from the roadway, and a massive industrial fan bolted to one of the high, thick branches offers relief from the blazing sun which can be a problem for outdoor dining so many months of the year.

Tucked away under the branches of the massive tree, diners enjoy a delicious menu and wonderful wines at relatively inexpensive prices. With ten flights to choose from, and dozens more wines by the glass or bottle, The Grove offers a wide range of palette-pleasing options. But don't stop there pair your favorite wine with one of the many gourmet menu items, like an order of the chef's incredible bruschetta, which includes three different samplings from their nine delicious options like fresh mozzarella with tomato, garlic and basil; or grilled asparagus with crescenza cheese and prosciutto. And each portion is cut in half for easy sharing (although they're so tasty, you may not want to).

Another favorite appetizer is the traditional cheese plate dubbed "Wine's B.F.F." on the menu or the delectable Sampler Platter, featuring several cheeses, cured meats, roasted peppers and fruit.

The tempting food options aren't confined to the appetizer menu; The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen also offers a variety of entrees that are sure to please. Their pizzas are exquisite, with fresh, exotic ingredients and wonderfully unique combinations. They also offer large, lush salads with fresh greens and homemade dressings, as well as mouthwatering pastas and paninis.

The Grove's charm lies in its lack of pretension with so many delicious menu options and excellent wines at such reasonable prices, it's no wonder this little wine bar and kitchen has quickly become Austin's newest wine bar hot spot, drawing patrons from across the city and throughout the surrounding areas. All it takes is one visit to understand the appeal of this cozy, unique little wine bar and why people keep coming back.

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With living costs rising at a seemingly constant rate, simple, everyday expenses are getting more and more difficult to accommodate, and many people are finding their budgets getting tighter than ever. While there are plenty of areas people can trim their budgets, such as spending on entertainment or shoe shopping, the rising costs of necessary items like food and gasoline make it harder and harder for people to cut enough spending elsewhere in their budgets to accommodate the increased expense of these everyday necessities. And despite the need, it's simply unrealistic to eliminate all extraneous spending in order to make room for the ever-increasing expense of groceries and gasoline.

Thankfully, with a little budgetary reorganization, some planning, and a dash of creativity, you can maximize your food budget to make sure you get the best value for your dollar. Here are a few tips to help you spend wisely at the grocery store, and stretch your food budget as far as possible.

Plan ahead
All too often, people approach grocery shopping with an impulse-buy mentality. "I'll just go see what's on sale," is an extremely ineffective approach to grocery shopping. Sit down with a cookbook and plan your meals at least a week in advance. Scheduling meals out in advance will allow you to maximize your food spending, as you can organize meals by primary ingredients, using them from one day to the next. Also, planning ahead will help you avoid impulse buys when you get to the store. Make a list and stick to it.

Buy in bulk
The larger quantities you're able to buy, the more you'll save. While memberships at wholesale discount clubs aren't cheap, they pay for themselves almost immediately in big savings. Buying items like individually packaged frozen meats, toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc., is significantly more cost effective than buying these items in smaller amounts at your local grocery.

Keep it simple
Sticking to simple, basic ingredients is a great way to save at the grocery store. Creative recipes and exotic spices can make even the simplest items (chicken breasts, for example) a culinary treat. So skip the fillet and get creative with your recipes. You'll still eat well, and your budget will go much farther.

Be prudent with produce
While buying in bulk is great for some items, it's rarely wise when it comes to produce and other perishables. Less is more when it comes to items that have a shorter shelf life. When buying produce, only buy what you're certain you'll use. This will help you avoid unnecessary waste, and will help you save money.

Keep it close to home
Eating out is one of the fastest ways to blow through your food budget. Between overprices meals, drinks, tax, and tip, it's extremely difficult to get enough value in a meal out to justify it over eating in. Sure, there's more work involved in cooking for yourself, but it's significantly more cost effective. Save eating out for special occasions only, and you'll find your food budget will go much farther.

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With the recent push towards local, sustainable eating, Austin residents are lucky to claim quite a few local farms. Many of these farmers bring their freshly harvested produce in to town periodically as part of one of the farmer's markets located throughout the city. Not just produce, Austin's farmers markets also feature locally made products such as cheese, tamales, breads, jams, soaps, and other handicrafts. With live music, entertainment for the kiddos, and an air of celebration, these bi-weekly events provide sustenance for the spirit as well as the body.

Austin Farmer's Market: With two locations, this aptly named market is held on Wednesdays from 4PM to 8PM, and Saturdays from 9AM to 1PM, year-round, rain or shine. A growers-only market, all of their produce and products are grown or produced within a 150 mile radius of Austin, and produce farmers make up at least 51% of their vendors. An offshoot o f the Sustainable Food Center, a local 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, the market is an important extension of their mission, to improve access to local, healthy and affordable food for children and adults in Central Texas. A unique feature of this group is their Chefs' Circle - a group of well known local chefs who periodically present cooking demonstrations at the Market. (Triangle Park, 4600 Guadalupe - 46th Street between Lamar and Guadalupe, AND Republic Square Park - 4th and Guadalupe)

Sunset Valley Farmer's Market: Claiming "The Spirit of the Farm in an Urban Setting" this weekly market is festival-like in atmosphere. With farmers, artisans, bakeries and restaurants all hawking their wares, shoppers are just as likely to get lunch as they are to get their weekly produce. Live music, face painting and inflatable slides and jumping structures make this an attractive destination for families. Held in the parking lot of the Toney Burger Center just east of Brodie off of Ben White, this weekly market is held on Saturdays from 9 to 1:00, year round, rain or shine. (3200 Jones Rd, Sunset Valley, TX, 78745)

Boggy Creek Farm: Although this market is held at, and features produce only from one of Austin's premier organic farms, it merits inclusion in this list due to its expansive offerings of things other than produce. Boggy Creek Farm provides local, organic produce to many local restaurants, and at their Wednesday and Saturday morning market, also offers local cheeses, breads, and other carefully selected products to the general public. The eggs from their free-roaming chickens go early, but the chickens remain strolling about to delight the kids, who can also take advantage of a small play area with farm-oriented toys. (3414 Lyons Road, Austin TX 78702)

South Austin Farmers Market: This small but tenacious market features local produce, and occasionally local products may be offered as well. Held on Saturdays, year round from 8AM to 1PM, they are located in the parking lot of El Gallo Restaurant on South Congress Avenue, across the street from St. Edwards University. (2910 S. Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704)

Escapeso Realty is a small company in Austin. The provide a free search of the Austin MLS along with updated information on the Austin real estate market. Their site also provides updated mortgage interest rates for potential home buyers.