December is powered by sugar

December is always crazy packed with social obligations, non? We're all hurdling down the chute toward the end of the year, drinking and carousing our way to a fresh, clean slate. It's also the only time of year we get to drink spiked eggnog.

But in between the requisite office parties and drunken New Years, there's plenty of innocent, sugar-laced fun to be had. Rachel over at Austin Style Watch just did a couple of neat posts about Austin's love affair with the cupcake, which reminded me about a event happening this Wednesday: a Wine and Cupcake Happy Hour.

So this month, I got to do a story in Rare for The Cupcake Bar, who's hosting this fun little affair. The deal with The Cupcake Bar is that they bring a full-service, design-your-own-cupcake station and "bartender" to your party venue, and guests come up and design their own treats. You get to pick out your cake, frosting, topping, and my personal favorite feature....FILLING! It's like a high-class Hostess cake.

The Happy Hour this Wednesday will be at the newly-opened House Wine, which got an enthusiastic write-up on Austin Tidbits. For $12 Reader, all this can be yours:

Holiday Cupcake & Wine Happy Hour
Holiday Menu

1. Chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing
-Filled with caramel
-Topped with holiday sprinkles and holiday M&M's
-Paired with Hedges 'CMS' from Columbia Valley: Dark red fruit flavor, black currants and cherries with toasted oak aromas.

2. Red velvet cupcake with eggnog cream cheese icing (!)
-Filled with caramel
-Topped with crushed ginger snaps and walnuts
-Paired with Quady, Red Electra, Black Muscat: Tastes like a handful of freshly picked summer berries, sweet, succulent, luscious and lively.

3. Chocolate mint cupcake with chocolate icing
-Filled with chocolate whipped cream
-Topped with crushed candy cane and Sno Caps
-Paired with Yalumba 'Bush Vine' Grenache: Bright red fruits and spice flow on to a rich yet savoury palate.

I think I got a sugar high just typing that.