� RODEO AUSTIN COWBOY BREAKFAST Every year, Austin gets the rodeo spirit by kicking things off with a big campfire breakfast on the shores of Lady Bird Lake – hearty victuals like biscuits and gravy, pancakes and sausages, fried catfish and hush puppies, breakfast tacos and doughnuts, plus milk, juice, coffee, live music, and Western-style entertainment. Wagons, whoa! Free. Fri., March 1, 6-9am. Auditorium Shores.

� Viva Las Vegas AIDS Services of Aus­tin’s 20th annual faux gambling fundraiser has a vintage Vegas theme in a swanky mid-century modern facility. Games of chance, live and DJ music, cocktails, a silent auction, and food from local restaurants. Sat., March 2, 8-11pm. Shoal Crossing Event Center, 8611 MoPac N. $90 ($50-75 advance). www.asaustin.org/viva.

� Cantine Talamonti Wine Dinner Mattia Lambertini joins Rodrigo Red­mont to present a multicourse dinner with wine pairings to benefit the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas. Mon., March 4, 6:30-8:30pm. Gusto Italian Kitchen, 4800 Burnet. $60 ($50, members). www.winefoodfoundation.org.

� Wine Me Dine Me Dinner Series Brian Dun­can of Bin 36 in Chicago will attend a multicourse dinner with wine pairings. Reserve by phone or email. Tue., March 5. Cafe Josie, 1200-B W. Sixth, 322-9226. $75. winemedineme@cafejosie.com.

� Austin Bacon Takedown Matt Timms is back in town with his annual Takedown, encouraging home cooks to create their most crowd-pleasing dish with Hormel Black Label Bacon to enter in the competition. Grand prize is always a year’s supply of the porky product. Register for it online. Sat., March 9, 2-4pm. Hickory Street, 800 Congress. www.thetakedowns.com.

This article appears in March 1 • 2013.

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