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Kale, have you heard of it? This dark, leafy green vegetable has taken the world by storm over the past couple of years. Whether served raw, roasted, deep fried, or braised, kale gives a more intense flavor and texture than most salads with mixed greens. Over the past couple of weeks, I've tasted lots of kale and here's my favorite kale salads in Austin. Cafe Mueller Currently obsessed with this festival kale salad from the neighborhood cafe in HEB. Filled with cranberries, almonds pepitas, and tossed in an orange sesame dressing. Pick up a couple for the week and substitute your usual salad with this powerhouse vegetable salad, and serve alongside a comforting soup. TRACE Staying true to the core philosophy of serving food that’s seasonal, sustainable and locally sourced, Chef de Cuisine Lawrence Kocurek of TRACE debuts a newly revamped menu that is perfectly timed to a cooler weather shift. The Tuscan Kale Salad is made with kale from Springdale Farm. Served with wild mushrooms, croutons, warm apple and a pear vinaigrette. Of all the varieties, tuscan kale - also known as dinosaur kale - is richer, and much darker with lots of flavor. Second Bar + Congress Raw kale and carrots take the place of traditional salad greens and partners with a bold chickpea dressing that stands up to the hearty greens. The addition of red quinoa, red onion, and dill gives the salad extra richness. And the chef's touch: frozen red grapes, gives the salad a pop of cold sweetness against the hearty greens. Contigo Crunchy, sweet, and tangy all at once, this hearty main-course salad combines grilled kale, grapefruit segments, chestnuts, and roasted oyster mushrooms. Roasting kale in the oven gives it a hearty wilted texture with lighter crispy pieces and a nice caramelized char. The simple and flavorful vinaigrette made with fresh grapefruit juices brightens up the salad with a zesty and citrusy bite. Snap Kitchen Toasted garlic is tossed with bite-size kale leaves, then dressed with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice. The red chili flakes give this Tuscan kale snack a spicy kick that’s easily addicting.

On this week’s agenda: the stage version of The Who’s Tommy, the Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Festival, Man Man at the Mohawk, the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, and '80s teen movies under the stars. Enjoy yourself and, as always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Austin. The Who's Tommy Zilker | Through August 24 The ZACH Theatre's production of The Who's Tommy closes this weekend, giving audiences one more chance to enter the psychedelic mind of its pinball-savant hero. This production pairs its classic songs with imagery out of Alice in Wonderland, a choice the Austin Chronicle called "a nice touch." (1510 Toomey Rd.; from $45; buy tickets here) Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival East Downtown | Sunday, August 24 Big-name bottlers, restaurateurs, and home cooks descend on the Fiesta Gardens for the 24th annual Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival, the area’s largest hot-sauce competition. In addition to sampling mouth-scorching sauces, catch live music and chow down on food from vendors including Curra's Grill and Austin's Pizza. (2100 Jesse E. Segovia St.; free with donation of three nonperishable food items) Man Man Downtown | Tuesday, August 26 Philadelphia multi-instrumentalists Man Man return to Austin for a stomp-along outdoor set at The Mohawk in support of 2013's On Oni Pond. Although they've slimmed down to a duo, permanent members Honus Honus and Pow Pow have recruited enough part-time players to blend shanty-style sing-alongs with elements of '50s doo-wop, house, and their own experimental musicality. (912 Red River St.; $14; buy tickets here) Out of Bounds Comedy Festival Various | Tuesday, August 26–Monday, September 1 Returning for its 13th season, the weeklong Out of Bounds Comedy Festival showcases improv, sketch, and standup talent from homegrown artists and national touring acts. MADtv vet Mo Collins, SNL alum Paul Brittain, and the writers of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele are among the 500 performers spread out across the fest's 120 shows. (various locations; festival pass $109, individual shows from $10; buy tickets here) '80s Teen Flick Fest Old Airport | Through September 3 The Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In celebrates the beginning of its fifth fall season with a host of '80s teen double features screened under the evening sky. The totally tubular schedule includes Revenge of the Nerds, Risky Business, Valley Girl, and Say Anything. (1901 E. 51st St.; from $12; buy tickets here) Image credits: The Who’s Tommy courtesy of ZACH Theatre; Hot Sauce Festival courtesy of the Austin Chronicle

I graduated from UT a few years ago and figured it would be a while before I stepped back into a classroom. Once I was out of school I realized just how much I missed 'learning.' The cool thing about a class that you're not 'required' to take, is that it's most likely on a subject that you actually really want to learn about. Luckily, in Austin, there's a plethora of classes offered from various organizations that can help you master anything from properly using a kitchen knife to raising your own backyard chickens. Whole Foods Culinary Center & Central Market Cooking School: Both of these culinary centers offer classes for all skill levels, from the person who has never boiled a pot of water, to the household chef who wants to master the art of sushi. Some classes are set up so you can take a quick ‘lunch class,’ while evening classes tend to be more in depth. They tend to fill up quickly though, so sign up early if you see something that catches your eye. The North Door’s Informal Classes: This local bar/music venue recently started a series of really cool informal classes that change monthly. These affordable single visit classes cover topics such as hand-embroidery, ladies self defense, and raising backyard chickens. They're constantly bringing in new teachers, so you never know what will be on the schedule the following month.  Most classes are one time classes, a few are offered over two consecutive weeks. University of Texas Informal Classes: The great thing about living in a city with a major University is that they often offer classes for those not enrolled in the school. The University of Texas Informal Classes topics include: language, travel, personal development, photography, exercise, painting, and many more. They simply want to provide a medium for you to enrich your life while you explore topics that interest you. Some of the courses offered, span four to six weeks while others are just one-time classes. Prices vary by class. Twin Liquors: Calling all cocktail lovers and beverage connoisseurs. Twin Liquors offers weekly classes that are sure to be right up your alley. Wednesday evenings (location changes each week) they offer a class on the basics of various beverages. You’ll learn a little bit of history, pairing possibilities, and even a few samples. Topics change by month, but you can expect to see everything from Sparkling Wine 101 to Craft Beer 101 throughout the year. The best part, classes are free but RSVP is required.