Austin Woman Magazine
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
AUGUST 2014
7/22/14 3:07 PM
0412Cover.indd 1
Austin Thyroid & Endocrinology Center Control your hormones. Control your life.
ENDOCRINOLOGY
is the science of hormones, substances released by glands that regulate every cell in your body, for both men and women. Endocrine diseases, thyroid, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome and obesity, hirsutism, menopause, pituitary and adrenal pathology, low testosterone in males, andropause and impotence, polycystic ovaries, recurrent kidney stones, irregular or lack of menstrual periods, high and low calcium, diabetes etc. We provide a comprehensive assessment of your hormone balance, and in-house hormone testing, thyroid ultrasound, and bone density.
THYROID Disease affects thirty
million Americans, half of which do not know they have the disease. Examples: hypo and hyperthyroidism, Graves and Hashimoto disease, goiter, thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. Each person has a different genetic set point for TSH. Thyroid problems require lifelong attention. We are the premiere thyroid clinic in Austin, and offer the latest treatment for thyroid disease, aggressive management of thyroid cancer with radioactive iodine, and second opinion consults for thyroid surgery.
2 DO YOU KNOW YOUR TSH?
NEW! NEW! NEW!
2 HAVE YOU SEEN AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST?
is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Osteoporosis affects one in two women and one in four men over fifty and is generally missed. Bone fracture is the “heart attack� of the bone. New treatments reduce the risk of fracture and build new bone. A bone density test is the only way to test for osteoporosis. We have the latest bone density testing equipment in Texas, and provide instant bone metabolism, medical consultation, and treatment option. 2 DO YOU KNOW YOUR BONE DENSITY?
Dr. Simone Scumpia FACE FRCP Board Certified in Endocrinology and Metabolism Fellow American College of Endocrinology, Fellow Royal College of Physicians Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine In-house thyroid ultrasound, bone densitometry, total body fat analysis, hormone testing, and radioactive iodine treatment.
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
Bioidentical Hormone Replacment Therapy Myths and True Facts Medicine deals with disease and with prevention of disease. Optimal health and biological age are before prevention and before disease. Biological age: brain age, heart age, bone age, hormonal age, etc. It includes a scientific measurement of the tissue ages in your body with biomarkers, hormone testing, genetic tests and advanced cholesterol testing for risk of heart attacks, diabetes and strokes.
2 HAVE YOU HAD YOUR BIOLOGICAL (PHYSIOLOGICAL) AGE TESTED FOR YOUR OPTIMAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT?
(512) 467-2727 PARMER LN CEDAR BEND DR
N. MOPAC
OSTEOPOROSIS
OPTIMAL HEALTH BIOLOGICAL AGE
North Austin Medical Center PARK BEND DR
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M-F 7am-4pm Post Oak Centre North 2200 Park Bend Dr Bldg. 3 Suite 300 Austin, TX 78758
austinthyroid.com
CONFIDENCE IS BEAUTIFUL. Look your best. Feel your best. Live your best.
Meet our board certified plastic surgeons: Susan M. Pike, MD (left) and Staci J. Hix-Hernandez, MD
THE COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER OF SCOTT & WHITE IN ROUND ROCK
Let us empower you.
512-509-3963 cosmetic-surgery.sw.org
Christopher Brennig, MD
Austin Vein Institute State-of-the-art Varicose Vein Treatment
C h r i s t op h er W. Brennig, M.D. CERTIFIED: The American Board of General Surgery SUB-SPECIALTY CERTIFIED: The American Board of Vascular Surgery
Va r i c o s e V e i n s Spider Veins L aser therapy Sclerotherapy
512.346.2727
7000 N. Mopac Ste. 320 Austin, TX 78731
Dr. Brennig is Board Certified in Vascular Surgery and in General Surgery. He is recognized for his expertise in the minimally invasive treatment of varicose veins, spider veins, recurrent varicose veins, and complex venous disorders including DVT. Please call the Austin Vein Institute to schedule a comprehensive consultation.
V e i n A u s t i n . c o m
Where necessity meets luxury.
Do you feel you’ve lost your best face and body? Radiant Faces can help you retrieve them!
The EXILIS ELITE is an FDA approved, non-surgical device that can help reduce fat in the face, neck or body, tighten the skin and improve the skin quality without downtime. It offers tailored treatments for: ✖ Body shaping ✖ Skin tightening ✖ Anti-aging using radio frequency energy The energy used during treatment heats the deeper layers of the skin causing fat cells to shrink as the skin contracts stimulating new collagen. EXILIS ELITE can provide a very nice alternatibve to those looking for non-surgical solutions. Radiant Faces Med Spa also offers: ✖ Botox, Restylane and Juvederm
Radiant Faces is one of only 2 centers in Austin with the EXILIS ELITE device.
Amy DeMaio, Owner
200 Medical Pkwy., Suite 270, Lakeway 78738 512-334-0332
BMW i
GENTLEMEN, START YOUR BATTERIES. Introducing the first-ever, all-electric BMW i3. With this purpose-built electric vehicle, you’re not just experiencing a new car, but a new way of life. No more gas stations. Waking up to a fully charged “tank” every morning. Zero tailpipe emissions. And with 170 hp, a maximum torque of 184 lb-ft, and the ability to go from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 7 seconds*, it performs like a BMW— because it is one.
HURRY IN AND TEST DRIVE THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY TODAY.
BMW of Austin
7011 McNeil Drive
Austin, TX 78729
*Figures based on BMW AG test results. ©2014 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.
512-343-3500
bmwofaustin.com
Contents august
62
On the Cover
PUT ME IN, COACH Cedar Ridge Coach Angela Beck’s strategies for winning on and off the court. By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne
69 Photo by Andrew Chan.
Feature
A Bargain-Hunters’ Guide to Austin Lafayette148 New York black faux leather trim vest, $448; Lafayette148 New York ivory blouse, $378; Lafayette148 New York black pants, $328; Panacea crystal station necklace, $65, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
Pop some tags with the best deals on thrift, consignment, vintage and discounts in the city.
Contents august
38 gourmet
24 5 things
50 SPIRITS
Five Festive Freebies for August
26 philanthropy
A Night at the Museum
28 spotlight event
The Austin Chronicle
Hot Sauce Festival
30 horoscopes
Happy Birthday, Leo!
National Rum Day
to your health 54 Activity 58 FITNESS
Active Kids are Healthy Kids
Ready, Set, Woof
opposite sex
style 32 BEAUTY 34 COLOR
on the cover
Spider Lashes
Freesia
36 Ask Ashley
Celeb Style
80 simply irresistible 82 memo from JB
Wine Crush
Bargain Hunting
savvy women
home
84 young woman to watch
38 DIY
86 Just passing through
Repurposing Everyday Objects
88 Last Word
must list 42 travel
The Pyramid Scheme
46 must read
Cooking for the Kids
14   Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Photo by Andrew Chan, chaninator.com. Chalk art by Anilyn Fabello, anilyn.com. Styled by Ashley Hargrove, dtkaustinstyling.com. Makeup by McKenzy Windham, kissnmakeup.us. Hair by Michael Sandoval and Lindsey Graham, avantsalon.com. Shamask emerald blouse, $995, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
Kristen Carson
Hillary Clinton
Things Money Can’t Buy
Photo by Silvana Di Ravenna.
on the scene
Volume 12, issue 12
Co-Founder and Publisher
Melinda Maine Garvey vice president and Co-Publisher
Christopher Garvey associate publisher
Cynthia Guajardo Co-Founder
Samantha Stevens Editor-in-chief
Deborah Hamilton-Lynne associate editor
Molly McManus copy editor
Chantal Rice CREATIVE Director
Niki Jones art director
Jennifer Day ART ASSISTANT
Nora Iglesias brand and operations manager
Kailin Miner operations Assistant
Maggie Rester Account Executives
Anna Chin, Kelly Keelan, Alex Sizemore 512.328.2421 contributors
Rudy Arocha, Dennis Burnett, Maren Caruso, Jill Case, Andrew Chan, Krista Delarosa, Anilyn Fabello, Lindsey Graham, Amber Griffin, Ashley Rae Hancock, Keri Heath, JB Hager, Ashley Hargrove, Korey Howell, Sylvia Kim, Deborah Mastelotto, Matt McGinnis, Rachel Merriman, Dustin Meyer, Eric Moore, Yelena Nesbit, Jeannie Ralston, Butvin Roman, Ted Sabol-Williams, Michael Sandoval, Sarah Silvus, Luisa Venegoni, Jessica Wetterer, Kristi Willis, McKenzy Windham Interns
Elyana Barrera, Alyssa Brant, Silvana Di Ravenna, Ivania Garcia, Sylvia Kim, Emily Peisker, Luisa Venegoni Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc. and is available at more than 1,150 locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved. For submission requirements, visit awmediainc.com/contribute. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at austinwomanmagazine.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512.328.2421 • 3921 Steck Ave., Suite A111, Austin, TX 78759
From the Editor
n
SAVE THE DATE Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Westin at the Domain
Join us to celebrate the 12th anniversary of Austin Woman. Enjoy food, drink, shopping and networking with Austin’s most interesting and engaging women. For more details, visit austinwomanmagazine.com/anniversary.
18 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
and I knew that while some things have changed, some things remain the same, like the importance of having good coaches who are dedicated to shaping the young lives they touch in a positive way, knowing that the influence of a great coach can last a lifetime, cannot be overvalued or underestimated. It took only a few minutes to realize that not only is Coach Beck a good coach, she is one of the greats. On and off the court, she plays to win. I only hope that as you read about her, you will be as fired up and ready to go out and give your all to something as I was after meeting her. For as long as they would allow it, each year as my children left for the first day of school, I took their pictures. This, of course, meant new outfits, new shoes, new backpacks and lots of expenditures. In Austin, back-to-school days also meant that the population increased significantly as 50,000 young people returned to the University of Texas. In August, everyone is scrambling to find a deal. With that in mind, our thoughts turned to bargain hunting and where and how to find the best deals in town. What we quickly discovered was that we could fill an entire issue with what we found. While we share some of our finds and best-kept secrets, we also hope that you will share your favorite haunts with us. We plan to post them on the website as they come in, so email us with places we may have missed. In addition to our bargain-hunters’ guide, stylist Ashley Hargrove shows you how to get a celebrity look for less, and designer Lindsay Ballard reveals clever ways to repurpose ordinary household objects. Our 5 Things section will also go easy on your wallet. Back to school means hectic schedules and school lunches, so we sought out the best cookbooks full of healthy and quick recipes. Our
Health column focuses on the importance of incorporating physical activity and fitness into your children’s lives from a young age. We also look at ways budding entrepreneur Kristen Carson filled the gap for incoming international and freshmen college students. And just when you think you can’t take any more scheduling, shopping and back-to-school errands, we found the perfect antidote: National Rum Day. Add it to your outlook calendar— Aug. 16—and head on down to your favorite spot for a mai tai or rum punch. Let refreshing rum cocktails whisk you away to happy memories of a Caribbean getaway, even if only for a day. Whether you are building a business, preparing a carpool schedule, planning a strategic shopping foray or simply reaching out for the best Austin has to offer, take Coach Beck’s advice to heart: Strive to be the best you can be in everything you do. Give it your all and you will never be disappointed. For a city that has only one speed—full speed ahead—it seems like the only way to go. Put me in, Coach. I’m ready to play.
x
deborah hamilton-lynne Editor-in-Chief
Are You a Bargain Hunter?
CONNECT WITH US
Think you know where to find the best bargain? If you love a deal as much as we do, Tweet or Instagram to @AustinWoman with a photo of your bargain with the hashtag #awbargainhunter.
Has a particular article or woman featured in the pages of Austin Woman touched your heart or made a difference in your life? Have you been inspired to start a business or make a difference in our community? Please let us know how you have connected with AW through the years. Send your story to submissions@awmediainc.com with the words “I’m connected” in the subject line.
Portrait by Korey Howell. Basketball photo by Andrew Chan. Pleasant Room Storage cocktail photo by Matt McGinnis. Dress photo by Dustin Meyer.
Back-to-school time
brings back so many memories for me. I loved school and was fortunate to have many memories of wonderful learning experiences, excellent teachers and coaches. From Miss Bryant, my first grade teacher, to Dr. Radyvani, my graduate school advisor, I have been heavily influenced by the lessons I learned in school, which is not to say that there aren’t also important life lessons to be learned outside the classroom. Going out to Round Rock’s Cedar Ridge High School to have a photo shoot with Coach Angela Beck and meet her team, I was completely blown away by the campus. How things have changed. The school, opened in 2010, is huge. The library could easily rival a small college library, and they even have their own Java City Café. Students can enroll in career academies that allow them to explore specific areas of study, from dance to the health sciences. It seemed revolutionary to me and I found myself wishing that I could go back to school in that environment. Then I met Coach Angela Beck
Contributors JE ANNIE R AL S T ON
Jessica wetterer
JILL C ASE
ANILYN FABELL O
WRITER,
illustrator, “last word”
writer, “HEALTHY KIDS ARE ACTIVE KIDS”
COVER chalk artist
“THE pyramid scheme” Page 42
Jeannie Ralston’s work has been published in a wide array of publications, including Life, Time, National Geographic, The New York Times, Smithsonian, Audubon, Texas Monthly, Glamour, Prevention, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Real Simple and This Old House. She was a contributing editor for Allure for eight years, for Ladies’ Home Journal for three years and at Parenting magazine for eight years. Jeannie is the author of the memoir The Unlikely Lavender Queen, published by Broadway Books. Today, in addition to working on freelance assignements and a novel, she teaches creative writing. What was the most rewarding part of homeschooling your children throughout the world?
“When I started homeschooling my two middle-school-aged sons, I didn’t realize that I was going to get an education too. The best aspect of our three-year stint of homeschooling and traveling was learning along with my kids—from ancient history to civil rights to Incan culture.”
Page 54
Page 88
Jessica Wetterer is a graphic designer and illustrator based in New York City. A native Kentuckian, she has lived and drawn in the likes of St. Louis, Florence, Italy and Denver, Colo. She spends her free time biking across the Brooklyn Bridge, drinking black coffee and planning her next world expedition, always with sketchbook in hand. Her work can be found at cargocollective.com/ jessicawetterer. What’s your secret for finding the best bargains in New York City?
“Yelp, Thrillist and experience. The first two are free, the latter will cost you a lot of time, but it is time well spent.”
Since receiving her English degree from Ohio State University, Jill Case has worked for advertising and marketing agencies, nonprofits and magazines, writing about health issues. “Writing about medical subjects is interesting because there’s always something new to explore,” she notes. Jill hopes to help people by giving them useful and accurate information that will move them to ask questions and explore issues that affect their health and well-being. How does physical activity in childhood contribute to remaining active throughout your life?
“If we encourage our children to get off the couch and get moving, they’ll discover the joy of movement, games and physical activity. Give your children good memories of the fun they had when they participated in activities in their youth, and it’s extremely likely that they will continue to be active in adulthood.”
Anilyn Fabello is an artist
and designer. She grew up in Chicago and Houston and went to Otis/Parsons in Los Angeles for a degree in ceramics. Anilyn has worked with many national clients, but some of her favorites happen to be businesses based in Austin: Vital Farms, Violet Crown Cinema, Mayre’s Pizza, PURE Bikram, Winebelly, and many more. An Austinite for eight years, Anilyn is currently working on a line of chalkboards with Chalk Ink. How doES color affect one’s mood?
“Color has proven psychological and physiological effects. It’s an important tool used by artists and designers to create and affect mood. Most of us study color theory in college. When we do a good job, you don’t even realize you are being influenced. When you are using color in your home, test it. One shade of a color can be calming and serene, another can make you feel down. Experiment and find what moves you!”
have the last word? We love hearing your stories. Send in your submissions for our October Last Word column for a chance to be published. To be considered, email 500 words or less to submissions@awmediainc.com by Sept. 1. October’s topic: “My First Concert.”
20 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
PRESENTED BY:
9/26
2014 ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON
WESTIN AT THE DOMAIN
9AM-6PM
Grab the Girls for a Great Getaway
ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 9-11 AM
The Amy’s Way Entrepreneur workshop
11 AM- 12 PM
Networking w/mimosas
12 – 1:30 PM
Luncheon w/former cover women
2 – 4 PM
Beauty Tips & Tricks at Neiman Marcus
4 – 6 PM
After Party at Punch Bowl Social
Grab three of your best girlfriends and turn Austin Woman’s 12th Anniversary into a Girls Getaway! This year we are offering an exciting package, which includes 4 tickets for the entire day, an overnight stay on the 26th at The Westin at the Domain and a luxury gift basket with a value of $450.
PANELISTS INCLUDE: Amy Simmons, Amy’s Ice Creams Dawnna Dukes, Texas State Representative Ingrid Vanderveldt, Empowering a billion women by 2020 + Plus one surprise panelist to be revealed in September!
Luxury gift basket includes: A bottle of bubbly, 4 pieces of Kendra Scott Jewelry, 4 gifts from Neiman Marcus, and more!
SILVER:
PLATINUM: 2 200 12
GOLD:
AFTER PARTY:
Limited number of packages available. Individual tickets also available.
AMY’S WAY:
YEARS OF
SUPPORTER: Blue Lux Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Austin Central Health Champions School of Real Estate Korbel
The Lash Lounge Law office of Janet McCullar, P.C. St. David’s HealthCare Texas Orthopedics Twin Liquors
Tickets on sale now! AUSTINWOMANMAGAZINE.COM/ANNIVERSARY
Connect with us! find us online at austinwomanmagazine.com
Bat Fest
Can’t get enough of this issue?
Aug. 23, Ann Richards Bridge (Congress Avenue Bridge), roadwayevents.com
Check out austinwomanmagazine.com
TRY THIS: AW STAFF PICK
Win This!
Tickets to Texas 4000 Tribute Gala Aug. 23, 6 to 10:30 p.m., Austin Music Hall
Away Austin Spa at the W Hotel
Every year, Texas 4000 selects UT students for an 18-month program empowering the next generation to lead in the fight against cancer. Each student raises $4,500, trains 1,500 miles and volunteers more than 50 hours in the community, gearing up for the 70-day ride from Austin to Anchorage, Ala.
This spa is open to the public, and lucky locals receive 30 percent off all services Monday through Thursday, which also grants access to the W’s beautiful pool and wet deck, as well as the gym. Try the Away Pedicure, a 50-minute signature pedi for $60, designed to decompress, with a mini massage thrown in for an extra bonus.
On Aug. 23, the Tribute Gala celebrates the riders’ journey and their return to Austin, and includes dinner, music, silent and live auctions and more. To win a pair of tickets, join the cycling fun and tag @AustinWoman in an Instagram photo of a bike with the hashtag #AWTX4000 for a chance to win ($350 value).
OOPS!
In June, we featured the winners of the Woman’s Way Business Awards and left out our Most Customer Friendly front-runner. Read more about The Antoon Group here and online at austinwomanmagazine.com/womansway-business-awards.
Follow us
@austinwoman
22 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
➥
Austin’s favorite food trucks, with options less than $5 and more steals and deals!
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With Austin’s housing market on the rise, we investigated the most inexpensive places in town to rent.
➥
DIY back-to-school Pinterest-inspired ideas with a step-by-step guide.
➥
Natural and inexpensive remedies for healthy skin, including a green tea honey mask.
More Back-to-School.
➥
Know the facts and get prepared with Fairy Lice Mother, who makes treating lice bearable.
➥
Healthy, easy, back-to-school recipes, plus frozen dessert options with Healthy Ninja.
➥
Take a note from the kids: lifelong habits both adults and children should follow.
➥
Everything you need to know about applying for college.
Best of the Blogs: Makely School for Girls.
➥
Why we love Lindsay Ballard’s (Page 38) DIY blog.
Last-Minute Summer Fun.
➥
Visit the top five trails in Austin for hiking, running, walking and biking.
Most Customer Friendly Winner: The Antoon Group This small social-media and PR firm personalizes every customer experience so every client feels like a VIP. The Antoon Group strives to build a family-like relationship with clients while working toward the common goal of helping clients become celebrities in their fields. “I like to help business owners become known in the industry and that really impassions me,” says Denise Antoon, founder and president of The Antoon Group. antoongroup.com
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find us
austinwomanmagazine.com
W photo by Knoxy Knox photographics.
Celebrate the world’s largest bat colony (75,000 to 1.5 million Mexican Free-Tail Bats) for the 10th annual Austin Bat Fest and enjoy live music, children’s activities and costume contests as the bats take flight into the night.
More Bargains.
AUSTIN SUMMERS HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS
H OT
2014 FIAT 500L 2014 ALFA ROMEO 4C
...OR THIS MUCH FUN!
ALFA ROMEO 4C COMING IN AUGUST!
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13049 RESEARCH BLVD. • AUSTIN, TEXAS 78750 • 512-228-3428 • FiatOfAustin.com ®2014 Chrysler Group LLC. FIAT is a registered trademark of Fiat Group Marketing & Corporate Communications SpA., used under license by Chrysler Group LLC. See FIAT of Austin for details. Photos for illustration purposes only. Not responsible for typographical errors.
BuyingCarsHerWay.com Buying Cars
on the scene /
5 things
4 1 2
5
Five Festive Freebies for August
5
Compiled by Luisa Venegoni
1 Third Thursday at the Blanton Aug. 21, Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Enjoy free music, art and discussion. Begin with yoga at noon or start your evening with musician and composer Justin Sherburn’s Beat the Rush, a sequence of musical responses to art pieces in the Blanton’s collection, featuring rock, folk and classical ensembles. As part of the Blanton Talks series, filmmaker Nancy Scheisari will discuss and show excerpts from her documentary, Canine Soldiers, which portrays the lives of dogs in combat zones. Later, join the conversation at Art Gazes, a talk series about particular works in the museum. The Blanton offers extended evening hours until 9 p.m. on Thursdays, so stick around for happy-hour-priced glasses of wine and gourmet pizza at the Blanton Café, along with free tours in both English and Spanish. blantonmuseum.org
2 Austin Symphony Concerts in the Park Aug. 3, 10, 17, 26, The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive
Join the Austin Symphony Hartman Foundation in its 12th summer of free Concerts in the Park. Every Sunday evening, a different Austin Symphony ensemble will perform at The Long Center’s Hartman Park. This August, concertgoers can enjoy string, brass, woodwind and big-band performances. The ensembles will present pieces from various genres, including jazz, classical, pop and film scores. The concerts are a gift from the Hartman Family Foundation, a group that assists organizations serving individuals and families with special needs, as a thank you for the city’s support. Bring a picnic basket, bottle of wine and blanket, and invite friends to enjoy an evening under the stars. Sprawl out on the park’s grass to watch the sun go down, then enjoy the symphony with the city’s skyline as a backdrop. austinsymphony.org
24 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
3 SUP Meetups Aug. 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, Texas Rowing Center, 1541 W. Cesar Chavez St.
If you’ve been to Zilker Park or walked the trail around Lady Bird Lake, chances are you’ve spotted someone taking part in Austin’s hottest outdoor sports trend: stand-up paddle boarding, or SUP. SUP ATX is offering Austinites the opportunity to try SUP free twice a week. Bring your friends or family to the Texas Rowing Center for meetups on Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. Beginners are welcome and SUP ATX provides the gear and instruction before sending you out onto Lady Bird Lake to cool off. As the largest stand-up paddleboard maker on earth, the company is responsible for making Austin the SUP capital of the world and fostering the city’s large, welcoming SUP community. To RSVP for meetups, visit meetup.com/sup-austin-texas.
4 Really Really Free Market Aug. 31, Chestnut Community Park, 2207 E. 16th St.
Yes, it is really, really free. Every month, Treasure City Thrift provides an opportunity for Austinites to offer their unwanted goods, find items to upcycle or add to their wardrobe, or just join in a good conversation. The market is made up of furniture, toys, food and thousands of clothes in all sizes and styles—absolutely free! Bring your own bags and any unwanted items to give away and support recycling, sharing and community building. The Really Really Free Market supports reuse and attempts to make collective living more accessible through the sharing of ideas, goods and skills. Similar markets have emerged throughout the country. The East Austin pocket park is home to a covered pavilion, playground equipment and a splash pad, so let the kids run around. treasurecitythrift. org/really-really-free-market
5 Milonga Rusa Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26, Russian House, 307 E. Fifth St.
Discover your inner milonguero at Milonga Rusa. Join Austin’s thriving tango community at Fifth Street’s Russian House on Tuesday nights for free lessons from Tom Kamrath in a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Milonga Rusa offers a unique ambiance and welcomes tango lovers and professionals, along with those interested in trying the dance for the first time. Enjoy beautiful music provided by a live band or DJ, delicious food, $1 off all wines and $4 house wine specials. Russian House is the only Russian restaurant and bar in Austin, and features authentic Russian dishes, vodkas, wines and décor, along with live music four times a week. The place is well known for its lively environment. russianhouseofaustin.com
1. Photo courtesy of the Blanton Museum of Art. 2. Photo courtesy of the Austin Symphony. 5. Photo by Butvin Roman.
3
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2
phil a nth ropy
A Night at the Museum Benefiting Growing Roots, Aug. 16, 8 p.m., Thinkery By Sylvia Kim Austin is an excellent city of resources and support for children living with disabilities. However, for parents, the road to victory can seem far more narrow and winding. Thankfully, there is a beacon of light for the moms and dads of children with special needs, and that light is the Growing Roots foundation. Although it may seem like receiving a diagnosis and plan for your child’s disability would be a relief, Maria Hernandez, AW’s July cover woman, realized that parents were often kept in the dark. Repeatedly witnessing the confusion in parents on how to handle their child’s disability during their sudden whirlwind of steps and directions to follow spurred Hernandez to create an organization that would plant the roots of understanding. Growing Roots offers classes of bilingual instruction, along with supportive case management for parents to fully comprehend their child’s disability and help navigate through the overwhelming amount of resources in school, hospitals and therapy. Parents who undergo these courses become such experts that past learners have become new facilitators and teachers of the program. Growing Roots also creates a community bond between parents through monthly support groups and family fun days. Serving more than 250 families in Austin, Growing Roots is the only nonprofit organization in Austin that focuses specifically on training and supporting parents to become the best possible advocates for their children. A Night at the Museum will be the third annual fundraiser for Growing Roots. Held Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. and located at the Thinkery children’s museum on 1830 Simond Ave., the event allows parents to feel like children again by exploring galleries such as the light lab and painting wall. In addition, expect amazing musical appearances, such as a vibrant performance by Come Drum for Fun, live tunes from local singer Matt Fuller and a dazzling show by fiddler and singer Phoebe Hunt. Attendees will end the night hearing fellow parents speak of their life-changing Growing Roots experience. Admission is a $30 donation to Growing Roots, which provides access to the Thinkery. Deep Eddy Cocktails and brews from ABGB are also included, as well as hors d’oeuvres from Carmelo’s, to satisfy all thirst and hunger throughout the evening. Organizers hope the silent auction, which includes a Disney family package and Fun Fun Fun Fest passes, will raise $20,000, which will directly fund Growing Roots programs, including the addition of evening classes for single working moms. With the first event raising $10,000 and the second raising $15,000, hopes are high that this year’s fundraiser will increasingly provide Growing Roots the ability to serve families throughout Austin. growingrootsaustin.com/rsvp To read more about Maria Hernandez and Growing Roots, visit austinwomanmagazine.com/ maria-hernandez.
26 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Sponsored Events FABulous Working Ladies Luncheon
Aug. 7, 11 a.m., Freda’s Seafood Grill, 10903 Pecan Park Blvd. thefabulousworkingladies.com/chapter/ austin-tx Seventh Annual Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer
Aug. 10, 8 a.m., The Domain, 11410 Century Oaks Terrace nocc.kintera.org/austintx Your Business on Fire
Aug. 14, 9 a.m., Shoal Crossing Event Center, 8611 North Mopac Expressway yourbusinessonfire.com TWIB
Aug. 15, 11 a.m., Shoal Crossing Event Center, 8611 North Mopac Expressway texaswomeninbusiness.org Ice Ball 2014
Aug. 23, Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs Road austiniceball.org Texas 4000 tribute gala
Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces St. texas4000.org/event/tribute-gala
Photo by Erik Moore.
on the scene /
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on the scene /
sp o t ligh t ev ent
Aug. 24, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Fiesta Gardens Twenty-four years after its small beginning, the world’s largest hot-sauce festival returns this summer, hotter and stronger than ever. The event, which attracts thousands of hot-sauce makers and spicy-food lovers from throughout the country, also serves as a major fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. Last year, the festival raised funds for more than 45,000 meals for those in need in the Austin area, and this year, the festival organizers expect to surpass that number. So if you’re feeling adventurous and are in desperate need to beat the heat with a delicious can’t-get-enough kind of heat, head down to the festival at Fiesta Gardens. Your palate will surely thank you. Admission is free with three non-perishable food items, or gain entrance with a $3 donation. For more information, visit austinfoodbank.org or facebook.com/hotsaucefestival. B See the complete August calendar of events at austinwomanmagazine.com.
28 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Text by Silvana Di Ravenna.
The Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival
on the scene /
horoscopes
Happy Birthday, Leo! July 23–Aug. 23 Your month: OK, down time is over. The next 12 months are all about you: your home, your work, your shared resources, even, dare we say, your future. You have an itch to get moving, you’re raring to go, but something holds you back. On one hand, you have plenty of drive and determination, but on the other, you feel frustrated. Obstacles seem strewn across your path like oak leaves after a windstorm. From now until next July is yours, but it gets off to a slow start, so trust it will happen and bide your time. The lesson for August is compromise and patience.
➺
August is exciting and dangerous. Exciting because we can feel the beginning of a new cycle in the very air we breathe. We want to feel benevolent, generous, fun, enthusiastic, honest, inspired (and maybe surrounded by kids), but instead, it feels like a battle, and that’s where it starts feeling dangerous because we can sense the rumblings and turbulence of the old cycle ending. It doesn’t want to let go without a fight. Virgo (Aug. 24–Sept. 22): Most experts believe that you Virgos are far more comfortable as the power behind the throne than actually sitting on the throne itself, but no one works as hard as you do without expecting at least a modicum of recognition for all the running around you do. And admit it, you’re mighty proud of what you’ve accomplished to date. So why does it feel like everyone gets the credit but you? Don’t worry, it’s simply a timing thing. This month, support your partners. Next month, in an explosive burst of creativity, your partners support you. Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Go ahead, welcome that partnership, accept that raise, step up to the podium and grab that gavel. You deserve it. You won’t even be able to take a coffee break without someone patting you on the back for a job well done. And the hits just keep on coming. You’re inspired, brilliant and lucky, especially with friends and acquaintances. You’ll spend the next 12 months shaking your head in wonder at the people who show up in the right place at the right time. But one little caveat: Home life? Not so much. See it as a casualty of war. Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): The last 12 months were about philosophical and spiritual wool gathering, but that will be the
30 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
last chance you have to do that for a while. July hits you like a ton of bricks, forcing your hand at work and giving you almost transcendent creativity and intuition. You are as clear thinking now as you were befuddled last month. What were you holding on to and why? You are perfectly willing to unshackle yourself now, if only that pesky career would let you, so it’s a battle. Expect the next six months to be revelatory and life-changing, but the real transition happens in December. Get ready. Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): It’s been stressful watching you guys alternate between Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots and Pachinko (metaphorically) in your quest to figure out just what the *%#k is going on in your life. We tell you to be patient (if you even ask), but telling a Sagittarius to be patient is like trying to teach a pig to sing: It’s a waste of time and it annoys the pig. Let’s just say this: Relax and enjoy this brief six-month respite because by the time December hits, you won’t have another one for, say, three years. Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 20): This month, you have two key words: quiet and small. August’s planetary atmosphere is conflicted, negative and absolutely not conducive to forward motion or growth, so be smart and imitate Gandhi. As a pioneer
Oops!
In the July issue, we featured Leo one month early. To view the corrected article with Cancer’s horoscope, visit austinwomanmagazine.com/happy-birthday-cancer-2.
of satyagraha, or resistance through non-violent civil disobedience, he became one of the major political and spiritual leaders of his time, and it’s good for you as well. So be a study in non-violence and non-action. Be patient. Be passive aggressive. Don’t push, try to forward your own agenda or rise to anyone else’s aggressive tactics. Just sit on the floor, cross your legs and say “om.” Aquarius (Jan. 21–Feb. 19): In June’s Fortune magazine, a Stanford chemical-engineering prof talks about how business genius and then student Elizabeth Holmes came to him with an idea to start a new company. He knew she was stellar, that she viewed complex technical problems in a unique way and that she may even be like a young, female Bill Gates. Still, he balked. Eventually, he gave her his blessing, but not his partnership. So she went on to create Theranos, a company now valued at more than $9 billion, by herself. This month, she’s your guru. Fly solo. Don’t waste August trying to wrangle a partnership. Pisces (Feb. 20–March 20): This is it. Creativity sparks from your overactive imagination like electricity through a Tesla coil. You’re raring to go, to use your ideas to fly higher at work than you’ve ever flown. But wait. You may be jumping the gun a little. “I’m ready!” you say. Well, you may be, but they’re not. So use the first 10 days to collect yourself and establish a clear plan of action. Do your paperwork, do your research, dot your “i”s and cross your “t”s so you have all the weapons—er—tools you need. Cover all your bases so that nothing can knock you off balance (in December). Aries (March 21–April 20): Think of what’s left of 2014 as a war. August is just one battle, and you’re a stealth sniper. There’s no friendly army backing you up yet and you’re only doing recon work. You may have a good idea of the lay of the land, but you’re outnumbered by the (metaphorical) enemy. You can’t win the whole war by yourself, and you can’t actually win this month’s particular battles either.
The only thing you can do (and for Aries, it’s counter-intuitive) is to retreat. The factors holding you back this month will give way completely in December. Taurus (April 21–May 21): August is still about focusing on home and partnerships, but instead of a romantic, rosy glow kind of soft focus, everything seems a bit too sharp. It’s as if you’re watching a favorite ’90s film on your new high-def TV: Flaws you never saw before stand out in startling and unforgiving clarity. It can be scary but exhilarating because it feels like now you have the whole truth instead of an idealized version of it, and you can maneuver safely. And when the harsh glare moves off your partnerships in December, you’ll be sharing resources with a smile on your face. Gemini (May 22–June 20): No one gets off easy this month, but you Geminis experience perhaps the softest landing. Work success is explosive and combines with an almost psychic creativity, making your mind fire off ideas like a 12-piston engine. The biggest problem is you don’t really have any support, almost from day one. Geminis are social creatures and resist the idea of working alone, but keep this in mind: Your colleagues, no matter how polite or supportive they look, can only win this month if you lose. It’s in their best interests to enable your defeat, so watch your back. Cancer (June 21–July 22): What is it about doing the right thing that is so difficult to pull off this month? Your educational direction and belief systems are busy creating their own religion, and you even have acolytes and followers, but here you are at work, forced by circumstances beyond your control to “do the dirty.” Cancers can be some of the best liars in the Zodiac, but in August, you truly want to keep your nose clean, your head down and out of the line of fire, and your hand out of the till. That way, when the s&#t hits the fan, it’s not your s&#t. By Deborah Mastelotto deborah@pinkaustin.com
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STYLE /
B E AU T Y
There’s nothing itsy-bitsy about this season’s lash trends. Photo by Rudy Arocha Makeup by Ashley Rae Hancock Tarantula courtesy of Zoo Keeper Exotic Pets, 9012 Research Blvd., 512.453.8800, zookeeperpets.com.
32 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Model: Ashley Hargrove.
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style /
COLOR
Freesia Happy Plugs earbuds, $25, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com.
This vibrant hue brings the heat to summer’s hottest accessories. Strewn with Sunlight necklace, $27.99, modcloth.com.
Hello Sunshine iPhone 5 case, $38, available at Anthropologie, 601 N. Lamar Blvd., 512.236.9301, anthropologie.com.
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics nail lacquer in Traffic, $10, sephora.com.
Faceted vase, $50, available at Maya Star, 1508 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.1475, mayastar.com.
Etro bangle, $447, etro.com.
Gucci bright diamante bag, $2,350, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
34   Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Ray-Ban aviator gradient sunglasses, $185, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.
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style /
as k as h l e y
Celeb Style Look like your favorite style icon for less. By Ashley Hargrove Photo by Dennis Burnett Hair by Amber Griffin You’ve seen the celebs wear it and now you have to have it. Don’t want to pay those high designer prices? Getting a style icon’s look for less is easier than you might think. I have come to the bargainshopping rescue to help achieve a similar look to the fashionable Kate Beckinsale without breaking the bank. The key to looking like a celebrity is deciding where to splurge and when to save. Start with stores like Target, Nordstrom and Express. Keep an eye out for big sale items at Neiman Marcus Last Call or Nordstrom Rack for even better designer bargains to model your favorite celebrity’s street style.
Fantas-Eyes black sunglasses, $12, nordstrom.com
Gold chain necklace, $15, ebay.com
Ivory top, $14.80, nordstromrack.com
“The key to looking like a celebrity is deciding where to and when .” to
splurge
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Kate Beckinsale 36 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Source: Getty / GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin
Splendid beige relaxed-fit pants, $117, splendid.com
Halogen Halila-Lea white pumps, $99.95, nordstrom.com
Marc by Marc Jacobs cross-body bag, $198, nordstrom.com
HOME /
dIY
Repurposing Everyday Objects Lindsay Ballard’s eclectic touch. By Kristi Willis Photos by Silvana Di Ravenna
When Lindsay Ballard and her family moved into their new Pflugerville home, she was already plotting how she could transform the builder-beige interior into something that better fit their fun-loving style. Little did she know that her new project would become a passion project that turned her into a nationally known DIY blogger. “I was looking for something creative to do when I left my career to stay with my then 2-year-old, and, as I started decorating, I found the world of blogs,” Ballard says. She started sharing her projects online and quickly built a devoted following for her blog,
With a single-income budget to work with, Ballard has developed a keen eye as she scours the Habitat for Humanity Restore, Goodwill, thrift shops and estate sales for diamonds in the rough. “At first, I would bring home things and my husband would tell me we could have built it for less time than it would take to redo the piece,” Ballard says. Now she knows to look for makeover pieces that may be ugly on the outside, but are solid, with good joints. “Most of the money I spend is on paint, not on furniture pieces or new rugs,” she says. Ballard starts each project with a feeling she wants to convey or a color she wants to incorporate. From there, she lets her imagination take hold. “It is important that everything I do is livable because I have two kids, pets and a husband. I want it to be something that reflects us, that is fun, and I don’t want it to look like everybody else’s house,” Ballard says. “I want it to look like our house.” Ballard encourages her readers to add eclectic touches to their homes as well, to look for unique pieces at estate or garage sales. “Don’t worry about whether it matches; that doesn’t have anything to do with having an eclectic style,” she says. “Buy what you like because even if you can’t use it in the spot you were thinking of, you will find another place to use it because you love it.” 38 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
She also encourages readers to not get caught up in perfection. “Anything that I do isn’t 100 percent perfect,” Ballard says. “If you are going for perfection, you are going to kill yourself. The important thing is that you made it with your own two hands.” Ballard’s current project is one of her most ambitious. She is painting several walls in her living area with a pattern that was inspired by former Disney artist Mary Blair, who created the art for
Makely School for Girls (makelyhome.com). In the beginning, Ballard didn’t know the first thing about using tools, painting or refinishing furniture. Fortunately, her husband was a great teacher. He grew up doing remodeling projects with his parents in their home, built in 1906. Six years later, she has imprinted their suburban home with her unique style that she describes as modern eclectic vintage. She deftly combines modern, clean lines with mid-century blues, greens and eclectic touches, from antiques to brand-new décor throughout the house.
the It’s a Small World amusement ride. “I love her use of the graphics, patterns and shapes. I’ve drawn something like that onto several of my walls and I’m painting it by hand with a 1-inch paint brush,” Ballard says. “It’s taking forever, but it is going to be one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen when it’s done.” Stay tuned to Ballard’s blog for her progress as she continues to infuse her creative style into her once-bland and beige home.
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Frames as Art When Ballard was redoing her bedroom, she wanted an interesting piece for a small, gray wall, but isn’t a fan of traditional artwork. Instead, she bought a variety of frames at a thrift store and painted them different colors to match the bedroom, and layered the open frames on top of each other to create a more dramatic effect.
Ballard created a stunning feature wall for her office by nailing up pine paneling that she stained in different colors. To create the pattern, she laid the boards out on the floor until she had the look she wanted. “You can see the wall from the street at night when the light is on in my office and my neighbors will stop to look at it because it looks so different than anything you see in a builder house in Pflugerville,” Ballard says.
Salvaged FourPoster Bed Ballard searched for weeks for a four-poster bed she could refinish for her daughter’s transition from nursery to her big-girl room. She finally found a bed for $35 on Craigslist that was painted so poorly that the paint was peeling off in sheets. It took a lot of elbow grease, but Ballard finally stripped the bed down to the wood and repainted it a beautiful Kelly green with her paint sprayer.
Drum Light Wanting an eye-catching light fixture in the entryway, Ballard decided to play off of the idea of a drum shade, the name for a large, round shade, and make a light out of a real drum. Ballard thinks the chandelier is the perfect nod to Austin’s deep musical roots.
“Now it is the most magnificent bed,” Ballard says. “It just goes to show that if you look hard enough, you can find something and make it into a gem.”
Book Wreath
Message Rug
Have a damaged or less-than-literature-quality book that needs a new life? Roll up the pages and glue them to a Styrofoam wreath for some literary décor.
Add your own style to any jute rug by spray painting a message of welcome or a favorite phrase.
Door Plaque
Ballard added flair to out-of-fashion curios by spray painting a collection of carousel collectibles to decorate her daughter’s room.
Forget hanging a boring solicitation sign on the porch. Attach your request to a book cover to add some flair to your front door.
Updated Curios
austinwomanmagazine.com 41
Must List /
t r av e l
The Pyramid Scheme Adventures in international homeschooling. Photos and story by Jeannie Ralston As the Egyptair plane approached Cairo, I kept repeating prayers like an Italian widow at a wake. I was asking the travel gods to not punish my husband and I for the craziness of taking our children to, essentially, a revolution. I considered all the terrible things that could happen (culminating with my appearance on the cover of Time Magazine as the worst mother in the world).
This was Feb. 28, 2011—two weeks after Hosni Mubarak stepped down in Egypt after violent protests. It was already dark when we got downtown, which is when I realized our hotel was right on Tahir Square, and that some protesters were still clogging traffic. “Robb!” I shouted to my husband. “Lock the doors.” Many of the people looked excited rather than angry, but that seemed like a meaningless distinction in an unstable Middle Eastern country. When we got to our hotel, I wasn’t happy to see tanks on the road and rings of barricades. Our driver took us through two checkpoints; at the second, dogs sniffed the perimeter of the van. “Oh, god,” I cried. “It is a war zone.” This wasn’t the dream trip I had imagined when I first put together a six-week trek through Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Rome as part of our homeschooling study of ancient history. This was the nightmare version. When the Arab Spring first started, when I was still able to laugh about it, I’d mock myself: “It’s so inconvenient that they would choose to fight for democracy right now!” Later, with reality setting in, I considered bypassing Egypt, but then after Mubarak resigned on Feb. 11, numerous people in Cairo we knew assured us that Egypt was getting back to normal (despite the U.S. Embassy there remaining closed). My husband and I began homeschooling our two sons—Gus and Jeb—when they were in 7th and 5th grade, respectively. We had no beef with traditional
42 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
The author’s son, Jeb Kendrick, in front of the Giza pyramids— unusually free of tourists—during the Arab Spring in 2011.
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schools. Bent on experiential learning, we just wanted the freedom to travel. Using lots of frequent-flier points and a nest egg we’d saved up for their education, we felt we could get more bang for our buck by showing them the world rather than paying private-school tuition. I considered them a perfect age for this undertaking: old enough to understand and appreciate most of what they’d be seeing, but young enough that they still liked hanging out with their parents. At the time of our ancient-history trip, we’d already made our way through South America, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu together, visiting an Amazonian rainforest, climbing on a glacier and horseback riding with gauchos. We had done volunteer work in Kenya, hunted with bushmen in Tanzania and been wowed by lions, cheetah, leopards and elephants in the Serengeti. The boys had intensive French immersion in Provence. They’d studied Van Gogh in Arles and the D-Day invasion in Normandy. As I looked out from the balcony of our room in Cairo, all those trips seemed like luxury jaunts. I could see all of Tahir Square—very familiar from shots on CNN during the revolution. Even though there were fewer people in the square than during the main protests, it was still disquieting. This Egyptian excursion would be a test of how dedicated we were to experiential learning. In the morning, our guide, Tarik—a handsome Egyptian in his 60s, with a Ph.D. from Harvard—met us in the lobby. Normally, he took groups from Princeton, but everyone had canceled, so he was ours. Robb looked at me in a way that said, “See, something good is coming out of this.” Another positive development was that the pyramids were completely empty. Tarik explained that
normally, 20,000 people a day visit them at high season, which we were in. Today, there were maybe 50 tourists, which meant we got to scramble about and inside freely. “Wow,” Tarik said. “This is how it looked back in the ’60s.” We had a similar experience the next morning at the famous Egyptian Museum. Normally, we were told, the crowd in the King Tut display area is like the one near the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. But today, we were able to linger at the famous gold death mask, the jewels and the chariot entombed with Tut. When we left the museum area, Robb wanted to walk through Tahir Square. I had my reservations, though Tarik assured us it was safe. But then, just as we were about to cross the street to the traffic circle in the center, he said, “It would be awkward for me to be with you.” I was aghast. So it wasn’t going to be awkward for four milky-white Americans alone? I would have stayed to find out what he meant, but Robb and the boys were already crossing, and I wasn’t going to let them go without me. That was a very long walk. It wasn’t easy to get through the clusters of men in heated discussions. Or it wasn’t easy to get through them with my hands around the back of each boy’s neck, which is the only way I would precede. We got lots of looks, but none menacing. And the comments helped me ease up a bit too. “Welcome back.” “We love America.” “Obama, Obama!!” But as we were crossing the street after our trip around the circle, a car came barreling toward us out of nowhere. I got that surge of adrenaline that every parent
knows. I grabbed Gus and, as the car raced by, gave the driver a look that in any culture means, “Don’t you dare hurt my cubs.” How ironic, I thought. I was worried about groping protestors and America-hating Muslims, but a very mundane sedan is what almost took us out. After a lovely sail down the Nile and a stop in Luxor, we left Egypt unscathed and a bit wiser. The boys not only got a thorough education in the ancient pharaohs and Nile dwellers, but they also saw for themselves modern geopolitics being played out. (We still avidly keep up with events in Egypt.) As for me, I learned that you’re usually worried about the wrong thing and that intense experiences make for more lasting memories and extra bonding. Of all our travels—which later included six weeks in China and Japan, and hiking on the Great Wall—nothing gets us more animated than those scary days in Egypt. Now the boys are in a regular high school and we don’t go on as many big trips, but as a family, I’m happy to say we’ll always have Cairo. Adapted from Jeannie Ralston’s e-book, The Mother of All Field Trips: Homeschooling Two Kids in 14 Countries, available on Amazon and at shebooks.net. For more information and photos, visit jeannieralston.com.
“Don’t you dare hurt my cubs.”
austinwomanmagazine.com 45
Must List /
Mu s t R e a d
Cooking for the Kids: Solved Three cookbooks to please everyone in the house. By Keri Heath After a long day at work, the last thing most busy moms want to do is slave over a complicated, time-consuming meal. On top of it all, even the most labor-intensive recipes can result in the kids turning up their noses. For the moms who want something quick and easy that will please even the pickiest eaters, try recipes from these new cookbooks. Written to keep hectic family life in mind, these recipes are sure to satisfy everyone.
Whole Grain Fruit-Filled Bars Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
Tip:
Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to three days or refrigerated up to a week.
2 tablespoons cold water 3/4 cup fruit preserves Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Pulse for 30 seconds. Add the butter and cold water and pulse until the dough holds together when pressed.
Divide the dough mixture in half and press half into the prepared baking dish, using the back of a spatula to press down evenly. Spread the preserves evenly on top of the dough. Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly on top of the preserves and gently press down with the back of a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, cut into 2-1/2-by-4-inch bars and serve.
46   Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Photo by Maren Caruso.
Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
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Weelicious Lunches [Recipe on Page 46] While dinner may be the biggest meal that you watch your kids eat every day, what they eat while they’re away at school is just as important. Weelicious Lunches by Catherine McCord takes on the daunting task of making school lunches both healthy and exciting for the kids. This cookbook walks you through the steps to making healthy lunches tasty and visually appealing for kids. Keep their minds off their stomachs and on their brains with these fun, easy lunchbox recipes.
Another great book to conquer the weeknight dinner rush is Renee Elliott’s Me, You & the Kids, Too. With recipe portions designed for a family with two small children, the book gives examples of the healthiest foods to feed your family and provides tips on how to modify recipes based on a child’s age. Along with a slew of easy, tasty meals that the kids will love, this cookbook provides some basic recipes that you can spice up with whatever you have in your fridge. Me, You & the Kids, Too is perfect for families with little kids with picky palates and parents who want their meals fresh and delicious. Visit austinwomanmagazine.com for Baked Lemon and Pea Rice recipe.
Keepers Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion’s Keepers takes a realistic look at weeknight cooking for the busy mom. Unlike some cookbooks that can make you feel guilty about taking the easy route, Keepers helps you to keep it simple while mixing it up a little. With detailed guides on shopping, planning and keeping your general sanity, Keepers organizes recipes by main ingredient so you can easily decide what to make based on what’s in your fridge. Crustless Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche Makes one 10-inch quiche Ingredients: Unsalted butter for greasing the pie dish Salt 3 cups small broccoli florets (from about one large head of broccoli)
Quiche photo by Yelena Nesbit.
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup whole milk 2/3 cup heavy cream 6 large eggs Pinch of nutmeg, preferably freshly grated Pepper
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the middle position. Butter a 10-inch glass pie dish, then set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and season it generously with salt; it should taste like seawater. When it returns to a boil, add the broccoli and gently boil, stirring once or twice, until just crisp-tender, one to two minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water then thoroughly pat dry and scatter over the bottom of the pie dish. Scatter the cheese evenly over top. In a 1-quart measuring cup (see tip) or medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste until smooth, and pour over the cheese. Bake until the custard is just set in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. Don’t worry if the center is not completely firm; it will cook a little more as it rests. Let cool slightly before serving.
Tip:
For convenience, use a 4-cup measuring cup to measure all of the ingredients for the quiche, ending with the custard, which can be whisked right in the cup. First, measure the broccoli then the cheese. Next, measure the 1 cup of milk, add enough cream to reach 1 2/3 cups, and add the eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Whisk together and pour the custard into the dish.
austinwomanmagazine.com 49
gourmet /
spi r its
PLEASANT STORAGE ROOM 208 W. Fourth St., 512.322.9921 pleasantrumbar.com Open daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Eat, Drink and Celebrate Celebrate National Rum Day in a style that would have pleased Hemingway. Story and photos by Matt McGinnis
50   Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Blame Christopher Columbus. He is credited with introducing sugar cane throughout the West Indies, spurring the birth of rum as the first distilled spirit in the Americas. The tropical climate of the Caribbean is perfect for growing sugar cane. It is the lifeblood of rum, which is made by distilling the derivatives of sugar cane, like molasses. Dark and sticky as tar, molasses is fermented with yeast to make rum beer, which is then distilled and filtered. Un-aged rum, known as white, light or silver, is great in cocktails like the daiquiri, mai tai or mojito. Rum aged in charred barrels, known as gold and dark, glows its namesake deep hue and flaunts its sweetness in cocktails or when sipped alone. Rum smells of linen dresses, ocean breezes early in the evening, crushed strawberries and vacation romances in open-air cafĂŠs. Rum has an unspoken agreement with Caribbean memories to always play a role, either as the starring actor or as an extra setting the scene. It is such a fantastic drink, it even has its own day. National Rum Day is Aug. 16.
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SPIRITS
Summer Rum Cocktails Mojito 1 1 1/2 ounces Flor de Cana 4-year white rum 1 1 1/2 ounces Maine Root ginger beer 1 1/2 ounce lime juice 1 1/4 ounce cinnamon simple syrup 1 3 stems of mint
Directions: In a Collins glass, gently muddle the mint in the lime juice and cinnamon simple syrup, and then add the remaining ingredients. Top with crushed ice and add mint as garnish.
The Commodore Punch Directions: 1 7 50-millileter bottle V.S.O.P. Clement Rhum Agricole 1 7 50-millileter bottle Decourtet V.S.O.P. Cognac 1 750-millileter bottle Lustau East India Solera Sherry 1 750 millileters black tea 1 14 ounces raw sugar 1 18 lemons
Pleasant Storage Room is the brainchild of Paul Hargrove and John Kelly O’Hare, who worked together at East Side Show Room. The two share an affinity for rum and wanted to develop a bar that focuses on rum punch and rum cocktails. Fellow East Side Show Room veteran Alfonso Hernandez-Nicolai was brought on as bar manager and given the reigns to design the bar and visual identity. He put industrialdesign graduate school on hold and threw himself headlong into his love affair with rum. “Rum has so much diversity and is great in so many fun cocktails,” Hernandez-Nicolai says. “It’s a dynamic spirit that has been made for hundreds of years and not restricted to one style. It draws its personality from the cultural backdrop of the Caribbean, with colonialism influences on distilling from the English, Spanish, Dutch and French. In the 1950s and ’60s, rum was all about escapism. We want to recapture that feeling of paradise at home.” Whether your heart yearns for dry-style rum from Venezuela or Panama, or heavily oaked aged rum from the U.S., you’ll find it at Pleasant Storage Room. With more than 60 labels of rum from throughout the Caribbean, you’ll find almost anything, except Bacardi. For a change of pace, try rhum agricole made with fresh sugar-cane juice instead of molasses in Martinique. This style of rum is unique because its production is regulated by the French government as coming from a certified geographic designation, or Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée. Rhum agricole is great in ’Ti Punch (short for Petite Punch), made with a squeeze of lime, petite cane syrup, simple syrup and rhum agricole. “Zaya 12-Year-Old Estate Rum from Trinidad is popular,” Hernandez-Nicolai says, commenting on the hottest rums in Austin. “It’s a really accessible rum that is beautiful to drink on the rocks. Another rum that people love is Neisson rhum agricole de Martinique. It is less sweet, extremely floral and earthy like humus-rich soil, fresh cut straw. If you like scotch, try this.” Rum punch is a specialty at the Pleasant Storage Room. Share a bowl with friends. Or try a fun tiki cocktail like Na Pali Death Toll, which is made with añejo rum, passion fruit, lime, lemon liqueur and herb salt, served with a flaming coconut for a great spectacle. Pleasant Storage Room also has a full kitchen. The menu features island street food like fried conch hushpuppies, four styles of ceviche jerk chicken and a Cubano sandwich that is out of this world.
First, make an oleo saccharum. Start by peeling the golden yellow skin without any pith off all 18 lemons. In a large bowl, layer the peels in the sugar, then muddle until the sugar and lemon peels create a thick, oily substance without breaking the peels apart. Let it sit for at least one hour. Juice all 18 lemons and pour the juice over the oleo saccharum. Add the caramelized black tea and let sit for 30 minutes. Add all other spirits and stir for 30 minutes. Strain the punch into bottles. Once the bottles are full, add a shot of argon before they are recapped. Let them sit for a day.
Celebrate National Rum Day in Austin With These Recommended Drinks 1 Heckle and Jeckle Tiki Drink at Bar Congress 1 Rancher’s Punch at Contigo 1 Classic Daiquiri at Péché 1 Rum Punch at Pleasant Storage Room 1 Corn ’N’ Oil at The Tigress Pub 1 Missionary Downfall at Weather Up
Texas Rum While rum has its roots in the Caribbean, it’s made throughout the world, including in Texas. Here are a few local rums to put on your summer sipping list: 1 Cypress Creek Reserve Rum, Wimberley, Texas 1 Railean Distillers, San Leon, Texas 1 Spirit of Texas, makers of Pecan Street Rum and Straight Silver Rum, Pflugerville, Texas 1 Treaty Oak Distilling, makers of Treaty Oak Platinum Rum and Barrel Reserve Rum, Austin, Texas 1 White Hat Premium Texas Rum, Manor, Texas
austinwomanmagazine.com 53
to your health /
ac ti v it y
Healthy Kids are Active Kids
Encouraging children to become physically fit. By Jill Case You may have memories of being outside exploring or playing games with the neighborhood kids. Today, parents are more cautious and often, children are only outside if they are involved in organized sports. Many children spend their free time playing video games, watching TV or on social media. The unfortunate result? Kids are not physically fit, and lack of exercise and activity is negatively affecting their health.
Problems Caused by Childhood Obesity Due to the rise in obesity, doctors are seeing problems in children today that in previous decades were usually only seen in adults. Being overweight or obese puts children at higher risk for: r Cardiovascular disease (including high cholesterol and high blood pressure) r Pre-diabetes r Type 2 diabetes r Bone and joint problems r Sleep apnea r Social and psychological problems due to bullying or low self-esteem. In addition, obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese adults, putting them at risk for long-term health problems in later life.
The Benefits of Physical Activity If you are involved in a young person’s life, whether it’s as a parent, grandparent, aunt or friend, you can help that child get fit and stay fit by helping them adopt good health habits, including eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and good fat. Children and adolescents who participate in the recommended amount and type of physical activity will become healthier adults, in addition to these benefits: r Weight control r Lower blood pressure r Better cholesterol levels (elevated HDL, or good cholesterol, and reduced LDL, or bad cholesterol) r Reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes r Better self-image, improving self-confidence and self-esteem
How Much Exercise Do Kids Need? The Centers for Disease Control makes the following recommendations: r Aerobic activity Children should participate in one hour or more of physical activity per day. Daily activity can include moderate-intensity activity or vigorous-intensity activity. They should participate in vigorous activity at least three days a week. Moderate-intensity activity involves things like hiking, skateboarding, biking, brisk walking or games like baseball, softball or volleyball. Vigorous-intensity activities include games or activities involving running, jumping rope, martial arts, dancing or sports such as hockey, basketball, swimming or tennis.
54 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
r Muscle strengthening As part of the 60 minutes per day at least three days a week, your child should include muscle-strengthening activities like push-ups, resistance exercises with weights or bands, sit-ups or gymnastics. r Bone strengthening Bone strengthening activities should make up at least three days a week of a child’s 60 minutes of physical activity a day. To strengthen bones, children should jump rope, run or participate in sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball or tennis. Many activities will meet all three needs at one time (for example, sports that involve running, basketball, tennis, etc.).
How to Encourage Physical Activity Parents and kids lead busy lives, but it’s not as difficult as it may seem to incorporate activity into kids’ lives. Here are some suggestions from the American Academy of Pediatrics: r Make physical activity a part of your family life. r Find a fun activity that the child in your life enjoys so he or she will want to participate. r Choose age-appropriate activities. (For example, a 7-year-old child should not lift weights, but soccer or swimming is developmentally and age appropriate.) r Provide access to active toys like balls, jump ropes, etc. r Make sure your child has safe equipment that is comfortable and appropriate. r Limit television and computer time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one to two hours of total screen time (including TV, videos, computer and video games) each day. Use the additional free time to increase physical activity. Play with the children in your life. Have fun! If children see adults participating in sports and physical activities, they are more likely to participate as well. It’s important for their health, and you just might improve your own health in the process. For more information, go to: cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html heart.org/GettingHealthy
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ACTIVITY
Did You Know?* 4 On average, children spend nearly three hours a day watching television. 4 Only half of children and teens ages 12 to 21 exercise regularly. 4 More than 15 percent of all schoolchildren are considered obese or overweight. 4 Overweight teens have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. 4 Eighty-five percent of children diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are either overweight or obese. 4 Sleep apnea occurs in approximately 7 percent of children who are obese. *Information obtained from healthychildren.org, a website powered by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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well as students, involved in the process. “With our program, every single day, parents get an email about their student’s activity, and it opens up conversation,” Ohlson says. “Allowing every stakeholder to be a participant is huge. It enhances the education and makes everyone part of the process.” Currently, the system is being used in 25 states and hundreds of schools. It is receiving wonderful reviews from teachers and parents alike. Chelsey Miller, a high-school health and physical-education teacher in Gunnison, Colo. says, “PE3 and the Spirit System have absolutely improved the lives of my kids. Last year, my kids lost 87 pounds as a class, and we are working on a school-wide 5K.” These results inspire Ohlson to promote her integrated system throughout the country, including in Texas. “Our passion is also to help decision makers from the legislative level see that physical education is a really important part of the school, and the healthier kids are, the better academics are,” she says. It’s not surprising that an Austin woman is leading the way in a physical-education program that promotes healthier kids with the support of technology. Jen Ohlson is the founder and president of Interactive Health Technologies LLC (IHT). For more information, go to ihtusa.com.
Mo
Jen Ohlson, an Austinbased innovator, is hoping to change the way schools approach the important subject of physical education. As the founder and president of Interactive Health Technologies LLC, she created the IHT Spirit System and PE3 curriculum. This integrated assessment solution, the leading one of its kind in the United States, combines web-based heart technology with assessment measurements that involve teachers, students and parents in the student’s physical education. Here’s how it works: Students wear a heart-rate monitor (they strap it across their chest) during class. This monitor alerts the student when they drop below their minimum level or exceed their maximum heart rate. The heartrate monitor works in combination with the Spirit reader, which is a proximity reader that collects the data from the Spirit monitor, and transfers it to the computer and cloud-based software. The data is available each day to teachers, students and parents. Students and parents receive a summary of the student’s daily workout as soon as class is done, and students can also add a journal entry. Ohlson believes this is a great way to get parents, as
to your health /
Fitness
Ready, Set, Woof Your furry best friend can help give your exercise routine a boost. By Rachel Merriman What if you had a personal trainer who was always on call, offered you their services completely free of charge and snuggled up to you on the couch after a particularly rough workout? As it turns out, your dog is the perfect personal trainer. When fitness expert Dan Nguyen adopted Lucky, his golden retriever-husky mix, he discovered that his exercise routine became more consistent and enjoyable. “Your dog is a great workout partner because they help keep you motivated,” Nguyen says. “And you’ll burn calories without even thinking about it.” The reason your dog can be such an effective motivator when it comes to exercise has to do with the way our brains are wired, Nguyen says. “In neurolinguistic programming, we talk about anchors or triggers. That concept comes from Pavlov’s dog [experiment], where he would ring the bell, give the dog a treat and it would salivate. Pretty soon, he could ring the bell and the dog would salivate without the treat,” Nguyen explains. Like Pavlov’s dog, humans also respond to triggers. When your dog waits patiently by the door or whines for playtime, their behavior triggers you to take them for a walk or play a game of fetch. Nguyen says you can also create triggers yourself. “Every time you finish exercising with your dog and you feel really great, anchor that moment by squeezing your wrist with your index finger and thumb. Any time you need some motivation, just squeeze your wrist, which allows you to go into that post-workout state,” Nguyen says. Sticking to an exercise routine makes it easier for you to stay in shape, but it also has major benefits for your pup. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, more than 50 percent of dogs are overweight, which can cause diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. Exercise also provides dogs, especially high-energy breeds, with the necessary stimulation that can correct or prevent behavioral problems. “Animals love consistency and routine,” Nguyen says. “Regular exercise makes for a healthy and calm dog.” Austin is such a dog-friendly city; there are plenty of physically challenging activities you can do with your pooch at your side. Multiple studies have shown that walking for at least 30 minutes per day can reduce your risk of heart disease, improve blood pressure and help maintain a healthy weight. A 2008 study found that dog owners were almost 25 percent less likely to be overweight than people without dogs. Take your dog for short walks in your neighborhood a few times per day, or explore one of Austin’s dog-friendly running and hiking trails: r Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail, 3753 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 12.68 miles r Bull Creek District Trail, 6713 Lakewood Drive, 0.9 miles r Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Boardwalk at Lady Bird Lake, 800 W. Riverside Drive, 10.17 miles r Great Hills Park Trail, 10801 Sierra Oaks, 1.82 miles r Onion Creek Greenbelt Trail, 7002 Onion Creek Drive, 2.16 miles For a complete list of trails, visit austintexas.gov/page/trail-directory.
58 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
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F ITNESS
You can’t go wrong with a classic game of fetch or chase in one of Austin’s 11 parks with off-leash areas: r Auditorium Shores, 800 W. Riverside Drive r Davis/White Northeast Neighborhood Park, 6705 Crystalbrook Drive r Emma Long Metropolitan Park, 1600 City Park Road
Exercise Tips 1 Start slow. If exercising is new to you or your dog, take
time to build up to rigorous exercise. 1 Choose an activity appropriate for your dog’s natural
r Red Bud Isle, 3401 Redbud Trail
abilities. If you’re a long-distance runner with a shortlegged dachshund, you may be better off playing a game of fetch in the park or going for short walks a few times a day. Large, high-energy dogs may enjoy running alongside you on a long bike ride.
r Shoal Creek Greenbelt, 2600 Lamar Blvd.
1 If you take your dog to a public area, make sure they
r Far West, 6916 Great Northern Blvd. r Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park, 907 W. Slaughter Lane r Norwood Tract at Town Lake Metropolitan Park, 1009 Edgecliff Terrace
r Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, 12138 N. Lamar Blvd. r West Austin Neighborhood Park, 1317 W. 10th St. r Zilker Metropolitan Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road See a map of the parks with off-leash areas at austintexas.gov/department/leash-areas. Swimming will keep you and your dog cool during the hot summer months. Rent a canoe or stand-up paddle board (be sure to pick up life vests for you and your dog) and doggie paddle in Lady Bird Lake. Or take a dip at one of these popular dog-friendly trails, parks and swimming holes: r Barton Creek Greenbelt, 3753 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. r Barton Springs Pool spillway, or “Barking Springs,” as it’s referred to by some locals, 2201 Barton Springs Road. See updates on Twitter @BarkingSprings. r Bull Creek District Park, 6701 Lakewood Drive r Emma Long Metropolitan Park, 1706 City Park Road r Red Bud Isle Park, 3401 Redbud Trail r Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, 12138 N. Lamar Blvd.
are well-trained for their safety. Your dog should know how to sit, stay, come and leave it. 1 Be mindful of the temperature outside. Especially dur-
ing the summer, you’ll want to exercise early in the morning or in the evening to prevent heat stroke and dehydration. On particularly hot days, the pavement can get so hot that it can burn your dog’s paws. 1 Watch your dog closely for signs of heat stroke: heavy
panting, a bright red tongue, thick saliva and vomiting. If you suspect your dog has heat stroke, immediately move him into an air-conditioned area. If his temperature is above 104 degrees, immerse him in cool (not ice-cold) water for up to two minutes. Take his temperature every 10 minutes until it falls below 103 degrees, then take him out of the water and dry him off. Visit pets.webmd.com/ dogs/heat-stroke-dehydration-dogs for more information on heat stroke.
High-energy breeds can show off their skills at an agility training class, and you’ll get your workout in too. Check out these dog-training centers where agility classes are offered:
1 Bring plenty of water for you and your dog to prevent
r The Canine Center for Training and Behavior, 6901 Old Bee Caves Road, morefunthandirt.com
dehydration. It may be helpful to bring a portable water bowl for your dog to drink out of.
r Zoom Room Dog Training, 7739 Northcross Drive, suite H, zoomroomonline.com Austinites love their yoga, so it’s no surprise that you can do a down dog with your dog at a doga class. You and your dog will perform gentle stretches, and your pup will get a nice massage. r Austin Doga offers private individual and group doga classes, as well as public classes. Find more information and register at austindoga.com. Don’t have a dog? You can still get your workout in by helping shelter dogs that really need exercise and playtime. Sign up to become a dog walker with one of these local organizations: r Austin Humane Society, austinhumanesociety.org r Austin Pets Alive, austinpetsalive.org/get-involved/volunteer r RuffTail Runners (formerly Jog-a-Dog), rufftailrunners.org
1 If your dog limps or seems to be in pain after exercise,
take him to the vet immediately. If your dog lies down during your workout, don’t take it as a sign of stubbornness—he’s telling you that he needs to rest. 1 Observe leash laws. Most dog parks and trails in Austin
require that your dog be on a leash with a maximum length of six feet. Dan Nguyen is a fitness behavior expert who uses a holistic approach to achieve health and fitness goals. He specializes in helping people understand how the mind and the body work together and how to incorporate mental focus, control and discipline to a daily exercise regimen. To learn more, visit dannguyeninc.com.
austinwomanmagazine.com 61
Put
, n I Me
Coach Cedar Ridge Coach Angela Beck’s strategies for winning on and off the court.
By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne | photos by andrew chan styled by ashley hargrove, dtkaustin.com makeup by McKenzy Windham, kissnmakeup.us hair by Michael Sandoval and Lindsey Graham, avantsalon.com
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Coach Angela Beck has described herself as “tough,” “demanding,” “extremely competitive” and a “taskmaster.” She is indeed all of those things. However, the word I think best describes Coach Beck is “winner” because in all things, she strives to win, both on and off the basketball court, and she strives to make winners out of the young women under her expert tutelage. With more than 25 years of experience as a very successful college, professional and now a high-school coach, Angela Beck knows what it takes to be a winner. She knows what it takes to create champions with the determination and desire to win. As the senior members of her squad gather for their photo shoot, I observe their admiration of their coach and feel the mutual respect as Coach Beck greets each player individually. Beck’s philosophy of basketball evolves to fit each team and the individual players that compose the team, but the pillars of her team-building strategy remain the same and T.E.A.M. (Together We Accomplish More) is the cornerstone of that strategy. There is an easy camaraderie among the girls, which quickly becomes rapt attention when the coach speaks. Even though it is staged for the photo shoot, they pay attention to what she says. It becomes obvious that these women, this team, share her philosophy and her determination to become winners. She is clearly their leader and their mentor, and something all too rare these days is evident: disciplined respect with one goal in mind, that if they give it their very best, they will be winners. Athletics and the drive to win have always been important to Beck. As one of seven children (all athletes in their own right), being competitive came naturally to her. Love of sports was in her blood. Her grandmother was a woman before her time, competing, riding a bike and doing pull-ups “like the men,” and her mother was the “coach of every team we ever had.” Her father was
a self-made millionaire who passed along the importance of education, goal setting, creating a vision for your life and having the ambition and discipline to give it your all to get there. Beck took those lessons to heart, and they influenced everything she did. It is probably no accident that she ended up at Cedar Ridge High School, where the school motto is “Achieve Our Potential, Change the World.” This is the path that Beck has been following throughout her entire life and career. From 1975 to 1979, she was an All-American basketball star at Millikin University, serving as the team captain and being named most valuable player while she helped to firmly establish women’s athletics programs. She currently holds 15 Millikin basketball records, and in 1981, Beck was inducted into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame. At age 22, a chance encounter led her to become the youngest women’s head basketball coach in university history. “I was at a physical-education convention and was telling anyone who would listen that I wanted to be a head basketball coach when I met someone from Southeast Missouri State who said that they were looking for a coach. I sent in a resume and was on my way. I took that team to the NCAA Division III regional finals in just three years,” Beck says. Beck achieved the pinnacle of success as a college coach for the University of Nebraska, where she served as head coach for 11 years, from 1986 to 1997. During her tenure, Beck was the winningest coach in the history of the women’s basketball program, compiling a 191-128 record and taking teams to three NCAA Division I appearances. In 1988, Nebraska won the Big VIII Conference championship and Beck was named Conference Coach of the Year. Her winning ways continued as she left college for the fledgling women’s professional leagues, serving as the head coach and general manager of the
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austinwomanmagazine.com 63
San Jose Lasers of the American Basketball League, leading the team to the semi-final round of the 1998 playoffs. Along the way, Beck received her master’s degree in sports administration and gained corporate experience in the communications, health and real-estate sectors. In addition to her coaching career, Beck is currently a real-estate professional associated with Keller Williams, where she was named Rookie of the Year in 2008. Impressed by her success and passion, I was curious to learn more about Beck’s coaching philosophy and general outlook on life. These are her observations and comments on how to win on the court and off: “My motto is: Be No. 1. I desire everything I am doing every day. Whatever I am doing, I try to be the best I can be and that makes me a winner. If you give your best and you give your all, you always win, no matter what the final score is.” “When I am coaching, I try to be a little off-kilter every day to see how the girls will react to pressure and change. I want them to be good at a lot of things, and I believe in strengthening my team by purposefully showing them the benefits of failure. Too often, we don’t allow our kids to fail, but I believe that what you learn from failure provides all of the building blocks to enable you to succeed. Success is failure turned inside out.” “I believe in discipline. It forms a foundation for a team, a family or a company and is the cornerstone for respect and success. It is the basis for morale and team unity. It is important to learn to be on time, to make a commitment and to follow through. Discipline determines attitude and attitude determines whether you win or lose.” “The work ethic of a team and the players distinguishes a winning team and a winning season. The greatest players have the strongest work ethic. They focus on their job, they make sacrifices. The price of greatness is responsibility. The truly great players will make over 10,000 shots during the offseason just to stay sharp. Moving to the next level requires dedication.” “Self-esteem can be built from the inside out. My parents always believed in me and I try to let my players know that I care about them as individuals. I care enough to find out what motivates them, what makes them tick and
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to keep them on track when they want to quit. I want them to know what it feels like to make someone proud of their effort.” “Academics are an important part of our program. My players have to maintain their grade average in each subject of at least an 80 or above. If they don’t have an 80, they have to be tutored until they bring their grades up. Nothing makes me prouder than to help them find the right fit for a college and get scholarships. I want 100 percent of my players to go on to college.” “Goal setting is important. I work with our team leaders to set goals prior to the season, and then we act on those goals throughout the year. Goals are crucial to planning and to execution of a winning season.” “I try to motivate each player to be the best she can be individually. When one player is inspired to be more than they think they can be, the entire team is raised up as a result.” “I would encourage parents to get their children outside and physically active at a very young age. Knowing what they can accomplish physically is good for their self-image and builds self-esteem. The mind controls the
body, and if kids have been allowed to be stagnant, they do not believe they can be athletic. Don’t peg or limit your kid. Give them the chance to try different physical activities and integrate it into their lives so they can achieve a lifelong balance and appreciation of a healthy self-concept.” “Parents should trust that, in general, coaches have their child’s best interest in mind. Sometimes that means that parents have to take a backseat.” “I know this is the era when everyone gets a medal or a trophy, but I don’t believe in that. I believe in working for a win and that everyone cannot be a winner. That is the nature of competition. But the ultimate victory comes from doing your best, from giving it all you’ve got. If you compete and can honestly say that you went out and gave it your very best, then you are always a winner in my book.” And finally, we get around to Coach Beck’s definition of a winner: A winner is a person who goes out and gives it his or her all. Angela Beck is many things: an all-star, a leader, a coach, a role model and a team builder. But most of all, by her own definition, Angela Beck is a winner.
Vision: The CRHS community provides a learning environment that respects all cultures, celebrates achievement and promotes citizenship in an ever-changing global community. Current Enrollment: 2,768 (the largest 5A school in Central Texas) Academy Curriculum: Cedar Ridge High School offers an academy curriculum defined as a small learning community comprised of a group of students within the larger high school who take classes together, taught by a team of teachers from different disciplines who work as a team to integrate curriculum and personalize instruction. Academies provide a college-preparatory curriculum with a career theme, enabling students to see relationships among academic subjects and their application to a broad field of work. Opportunities for internships, mentoring and involvement in career-related student organizations work to foster college and career readiness for all students. Career Academies at Cedar Ridge include Public Services; Business and Industry; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; Visual and Performing Arts and Health Sciences. Of Interest: Attendance rate: 95.8 percent with a low dropout rate of .2 percent. Parental Involvement: Grateful Dads “The mission of the Grateful Dads is to meet and greet as many students as we can on Friday mornings to start their day off in a positive way with a handshake, smile, pat on the back and/or ‘Have a great day’ greeting. That’s it. Very simple.” Perks: Students at Cedar Ridge have their own version of Starbucks: Java City Café. Love to dance? Dance is huge at Cedar Ridge, with courses in everything from jazz, to ballet and tap, to modern, hip-hop and choreography.
Cedar Ridge High School Overview 2801 Gattis School Road Round Rock, Texas 78664 Founded 2010 Mission: Achieve our potential, change the world.
Eileen Fisher gray sweater, $238; Kendra Scott Elle earrings, $65; Eileen Fisher denim pants, $168, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com; Sam Edelman nude leather flats, $49.97, available at Nordstrom Rack, 9607 Research Blvd., 512.651.6180, shop.nordstrom.com. austinwomanmagazine.com 65
Coach Beck,s Sweet Inspiration Her philosophy for building championship teams and confident, responsible young women: “For 25 years, I have had the privilege to build seven programs, and the motto that has always inspired me has always been, ‘ITHWTBAC, it takes hard work to be a champion.’ ” “The price of greatness is responsibility.” “Great players are made in the offseason.” “Nothing is as good as it seems and nothing is as bad as it seems. Reality lies somewhere in between.” “Success is not an accident. Successful people make an investment in their success.” “It takes a big person to receive a compliment and an even bigger person to give one.” “Some people are so busy learning the tricks of the trade that they never learn the trade.” “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” “The mind can make a heaven out of hell and a hell out of heaven.” “Attitude determines altitude.” “Failure always follows those who fail to follow through.” “One person has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the person who has it for 30 years that makes the most of his or her life.” “The ultimate victory in life is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your very best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give.”
Lafayette148 New York black multicolored blouse, $398; Eileen Fisher black cardigan, $318; CUSP black and crystal drop earrings, $50; Eileen Fisher denim pants, $168, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com; Sam Edelman nude leather flats, $49.97, available at Nordstrom Rack, 9607 Research Blvd., 512.651.6180, shop.nordstrom.com.
Coach Beck at Cedar Ridge: K First head girls’ basketball coach in the school’s history K Assistant athletic director and head of the Physical Education department K 2012 bi-district champions, won all-area playoffs title, played in the state quarterfinals, losing in double overtime
K Recipient of the 2012 Dean Weese Outstanding Coach Award for class 5A girls’ basketball, awarded by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches
K 2013 Cedar Ridge Coach of the Year, awarded by the Round Rock Leader K 2014 Cedar Ridge Co-Coach of the Year, awarded by the Round Rock Leader K 2013–2014 overall record of 30-4 K 2014 bi-district champions, area champions, state quarterfinal champions, state Left to right: Brianna McCLure, Monae Smith, LaShann Higgs, Kryshona Carter, Aleisa McFarlin, Tyra Banks
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regional semi-finalists
Austin’s Most Elegant Furniture Consignment Showroom...
dwconsignment.com 3301 Steck Avenue Suite 100 Austin, Texas 78757 · 512.301.9800
Compassionate Women’s Health and Wellness Annual Gynecological Exams Treatment of Menopause Breast Cancer Screening and Risk Evaluation Treatment of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Family Planning Treatment of Abnormal Pap Smears Teen Health Evaluation and Treatment of Osteoporosis Evaluation of Pelvic Prolapse and Incontinence
www.lotusobgyn.com 1305 W. 34th St., Ste. 407 Austin, TX 78705
(512) 716-0971
301 Seton Pkwy, Ste. 407 Round Rock, TX 7865
Dr. Saima Jehangir, M.D./M.P.H., F.A.C.O.G
TREASURES CHARITY RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE Upscale clothing and furniture store; sales revenue benefits the food
ASURES
RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE
ROUND ROCK AREA SERVING CENTER pantry and social services at the Round Rock Area Serving Center. Vintage Sale on September 11th through September 13th
1099 E. Main Street • Round Rock, TX 78664
Celebrating 25 Years of Service “TREASURES” is a clothing and furniture resale store that is open to the public. Revenue from sales supports the food pantry and social service programs. Donations of clothing, books, furniture, and appliances are needed! For furniture pick up, call 244-2431
Hours of Operation:
1099 E. Main Street Mon.-Fri.: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours of Operation: Sat.:Round 9 a.m.Rock, to 1 p.m. Mon.-Fri.: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. TX 8 a.m. - 478664 p.m. (donations) Sat.: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed Sunday 512-244-2431
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (donations) Closed Sunday
Introducing Dell Children’s at Cedar Park Regional Medical Center. If your child needs hospital care, now there’s a special place, just for kids, close to home. We’ve partnered with Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas to bring you the area’s newest pediatric inpatient care with an eight-bed unit designed around kids’ unique needs. To learn more, visit CedarParkRegional.com/children.
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A Bargain-Hunters’
Photo by Krista Delarosa.
Guide to Austin Pop some tags with the best deals on thrift, consignment, vintage and discounts in the city.
FROCK ON VINTAGE
austinwomanmagazine.com 69
THRIFT
By Luisa Venegoni
Gucci Goodwill
Straw hat, $4.99, Goodwill
701 Newman Drive, 512.478.6711, goodwillcentraltexas.org, $
Salvation Army Family Store
Known locally as the Gucci Goodwill, the Newman Drive location features highquality second-hand brand-name clothing, accessories and household items. Although slightly pricier than other Goodwill locations, you can count on finding high-demand items for a fraction of their original prices. Additional locations: 836 Airport Blvd., 2800 S. Lamar Blvd., 5555 N. Lamar Blvd., 2814 Bee Cave Road, 2001 Rosewood Ave., 1015 Norwood Park Blvd., 7100 U.S. Hwy. 290
8801 Research Blvd., 512.836.2700, satruck.org/national-family-stores, $
Chico’s blouse, $8.99, Goodwill
Found: r BCBG Paris black and purple dress, $12.99 (original price: $258) r Blu Pepper orange long-sleeved sheer top, $8.99 (original price: $43.99)
Tweed shorts, $3.99, Savers
r Steve Madden classic black pumps, $12.99 (original price: $129.95)
Shop the Family Store for a second-hand couch or a simple coffee table. Located near the intersection of MoPac Expressway and Highway 183, the store is clean and organized, and merchandise is lightly used and affordable. The location offers a large clothing selection, but the furniture, housewares and glassware are the real gems here. You’ll feel comfortable in the store and knowing you’re supporting the Salvation Army, one of the largest charities in the U.S. Keep up with frequent discounts and weekly sales, and save up to 50 percent on some items. Additional locations: 601 W. Louis Henna Blvd., 4216 S. Congress Ave. Found: r J.Crew men’s gray button-down shirt, $5.99 (original price: $75)
Blue Hanger Goodwill 6505 Burleson Road, 512.681.3301, goodwillcentraltexas.org, $ If you’re a hard-core bargain hunter with a strong will to find the best deals, this store will be your dream come true. When local Goodwill outlets are unable to sell or sort through their merchandise, they send it to Blue Hanger for one last shot at sales before being disposed of. Unlike most stores, Blue Hanger does not display items or make any attempt to organize the merchandise. Instead, shoppers sift through blue bins filled with clothes, house appliances and accessories, CDs and other goods. And because you pay by the pound, not per item, deal hunters can walk away with tons of fantastic finds for next to nothing. – Keri Heath
Hammered bangle, $1, Savers Tribal print bandage skirt, $8, St. Vincent de Paul
Best-Kept Secret
FlyAway Finds: Thrifting with TSA State Surplus Store, 6506 Bolm Road, 512.463.1990, $ Ever wonder what happens to all those unclaimed items at the airport? The Transportation Security Administration outlines detailed procedures for storing these items and helping owners reunite with their lost property. However, after 30 days, personal items valued at less than $500 that are still unclaimed and in good
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condition are donated to a public entity, most often the State Agency for Surplus Property. In Austin, these goods can be purchased at the State Surplus Store, along with additional surplus property from other state agencies. Designer sunglasses, jewelry, furniture and other products can be found here for inexpensive prices. In addition, for bargain hunters who don’t want to leave the house, the State of Texas auctions off
surplus items online at lonestaronline.com. Someone’s flustered rush out of ABIA could easily be your bargain find of the month. – Keri Heath
St. Vincent de Paul
More Thrift
1327 S. Congress Ave., 512.442.5652, svdpaustinstore.org, $
Thrift Town: 5700 Manchaca Road, 512.442.7200, thrifttown.com, $
Located on South Congress, this store offers the ideal blend of items perfect for costume parties and clothing that would fit right into an already-existing wardrobe. Downstairs, shop for shoes, accessories and clothing or browse in the “boutique” section for barely or never-worn brand-name clothing—all extremely discounted. Upstairs, find a large selection of furniture, collectibles, books, housewares and electronics. Additional location: 7601 Burnet Road
Next to New: 5435 Burnet Road, 512.459.1288, next2new.org, $ Texas Thrift Store: 5319 N. I-35, 512.380.0025, armsofhope.com, $ Harmony Charity Thrift & Gift Store: 1806 W. Stassney Lane, suite 106, 512.394.5394, theaustinharmonyproject.org, $
Found: r Nine West red wallet with buckle, $3 (original price: $99) Black cushioned stools, $14.99 each, Salvation Army Family Store
Wood bead necklace, $2.99, Savers
Thrift Land 512 W. Stassney Lane, #107A, 512.326.1510, familythrift.com, $ With 50-percent-off sales every day on specified colored tags and departments, Thrift Land was made for those with some OCD tendencies. All clothing is organized by color and type, with great home items, books and accessories.
Family Thrift Center: 208 E. Oltorf St., 512.443.3338, familythriftcenter.com, $ St. Michael’s Academy Thrift Shop: 5907 Burnet Road, 512.436.9948, $$$ Been Around Resale Boutique: 5700 Manchaca Road, 512.367.9619, $$ Thrift Center: 4101 S. First St., $ Brazos Trading Co.: 6539 N. Lamar Blvd., 512.796.5312, $ Assistance League of Austin: 4901 Burnet Road, 512.458.2633, alaustin.org, $ Treasure City Thrift: 2142 E. Seventh St., 512.524.2821, treasurecitythrift.org, $
Savers
STAFF PICK
5222 Burnet Road, 512.323.0707, savers.com, $
Molly, Associate Editor THRIFT LAND
It’s hard not to be overwhelmed when you walk into a thrift store the size of a Randall’s, but Savers is conveniently organized and clean. The store stays fairly up to date with current styles and also has a huge children’s section. Whether you’re looking for discounted jeans or Halloween costumes, the dozens of racks are definitely worth browsing. Found: r Ann Taylor red floral sleeveless top, $5.99 (original price: $69)
Insider Tip
Each Saturday beginning at 1 p.m., the Goodwill conducts an Yellow and blue patterned wallet, $2.99, Savers
Top Drawer Thrift Glazed clay salt and pepper shakers, $2.99, Salvation Army Family Store
4902 Burnet Road, 512.454.5161, projecttransitions.org/services/top-drawer, $ Top Drawer Thrift is split down the middle. Turn to the right upon entering and you’ll see racks of second-hand clothes and shoes, including the famous $1 T-shirt barrel. Take a left and browse through shelves of antiques, kitchenware and electronics. The store is small, so no need to set aside a huge chunk of your day. Plus, Top Drawer is a nonprofit—all proceeds are used to benefit Project Transitions, a program offering support to people with HIV and AIDS—so thrifting here supports a good cause.
auction
of premium items such as designer handbags, paintings and electronics. Although the bidding can be fierce, bargains abound. Ceramic lettuce bowl, $5.99, Goodwill
Found: r Chico’s graphic top, $8 (original price: $85) r Mimi Chica floral sundress, $6 (original price: $44) austinwomanmagazine.com 71
VINTAGE
More VintagE By Alyssa Brant
Feathers Boutique 1700 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.9779, feathersboutiquevintage.com, $$ Feathers Boutique is a unique shop full of one-of-a-kind items. The first floor contains clothing organized by color, and the second floor holds modern jewelry lines. Shoes and bags are placed throughout. In addition, Feathers sells items from its own clothing line, in which they repurpose items to make new modern pieces while maintaining a vintage flair.
Earrings, $22, Frock On Vintage
Found: r Brown leather Kenneth Cole oxfords, $68 (original price: $178) r Feathers original silk fringe robe, repurposed from a vintage scarf, $68
New Bohemia
Feathers boutique
1606 S. Congress Ave., 512.326.1238, newbohemiaatx.tumblr.com, $$ New Bohemia presents a traditional vintage-store vibe with styles from the ’50s to the ’80s. From clothing and shoes, to jewelry and knick-knacks, there are no two items alike in this throwbackclothing store. There is also a men’s department for your thrifty and stylish male shopper.
Archive Vintage: 1708 S. Congress Ave., 512.912.7970, archivevintage.com, $$$ Cream Vintage: 1714 S. Congress Ave., 512.462.3000, $$ Ermine Vintage: 106 E. North Loop Blvd., 512.419.9440, etsy.com/shop/ erminevintage, $$ Prototype: 1700 1/2 S. Congress Ave., 512.447.7686, prototypevintagedesign.net, $$ Uncommon Objects: 1512 S. Congress Ave., 512.442.4000, uncommonobjects.com, $$ Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics: 2213 S. First St., 512.442.4446, ameliasretrovogue.com, $$ Charm School Vintage: 2109 E. Cesar Chavez St., 512.344.9173, charmschoolvintage.com, $$ Flashback: 1805 S. First St., 512.445.6906, austinvintageclothing.com, $$ Austin Antique Mall: 8822 McCann Drive, 512.459.5900, austinantiquemall.com, $$ Antique Marketplace: 5806 Burnet Road, 512.452.1000, antiquesinaustin.com, $$ Frock On Vintage: 3016 Guadalupe St., 512.474.7711, frockonvintage.com, $$
STAFF PICK Jennifer, Art Director
NEW BOHEMIA
Room Service 107 E. North Loop Blvd., 512.451.1057, roomservicevintage.com, $$ Wall to wall and floor to ceiling, Room Service is filled with just about everything one could conceive. There are two main rooms with little nooks throughout. Items are strategically placed upon one another in order to optimize the space. Furniture, wall art, everyday household objects, books, music, clothes, shoes, accessories and figurines—this store has it all. Don’t be surprised if it takes hours to navigate through all these awesome, quirky treasures.
1960s Capiz shell chandelier, $299, Room Service Vintage (Laura Thomas)
Blue Velvet
Modern Salvage
217 W. North Loop Blvd., 512.452.2583, bluevelvetaustin.com, $
7718 Springdale Road, 512.215.4425, modernsalvage.net, $$
Blue Velvet is a small store, but they utilize their space well. All the items are well organized and labeled based on style as well as decade, making it very easy if looking for something in particular. While the items are vintage, there is a wide range of styles that appeals to any shopper. There are also great accessories and knick-knacks, which can easily be given as fun yet affordable gifts for family and friends.
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Walking into Modern Salvage’s orange warehouse is like entering a very large vintage garage sale. The facility is filled wall to wall with almost anything imaginable: clothes, furniture, appliances, art, dishes, records and much more. It may take awhile to sort through everything, but it is definitely worth the effort.
Gucci purse, $325, Archive Vintage
BARGAIN-HUNTING APP RetailMeNot : Find deals and coupons to countless Austin stores, including restaurants, clothing retailers and technology vendors. Set alerts to make sure you don’t miss that great deal and access coupons directly from your phone without the hassle of printing.
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1. Mark Chagall framed lithograph, $299, Antique Marketplace 2. Christian Louboutain signed shoes, $370 (originally $999), Moss 3. Silk tie, $29.50 (originally $88.50), Second Looks 4. Cactus margarita glasses, 99 cents each, Goodwill 5. Chanel purse, $1,500 (originally $4,700), Archive Vintage
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6. Large cotton scarf, $4.99, Goodwill 7. Colored glass plates, $1.99 each, Goodwill 13
8. Gold-tone knot necklace, $3, Savers 9. J udith Leiber belt, $198 (originally $650), Archive Vintage 10. Tom Ford sunglasses, $146 (originally $395), Moss 11. Set of three stacking tables, $149, Antique Marketplace
12. Gucci large purse, $337 (originally $900), Moss
13. S alvatore Ferragamo oxfords, $165 (originally $495), Second Looks
photo by dustin meyer austinwomanmagazine.com 73
CONSIGNMENT
By Keri Heath
Plato’s Closet
STAFF PICK
5400 Brodie Lane, suite 240 or 10515 N. MoPac Expressway, 512.358.8888 or 512.795.9545, platoscloset.com, $
Kelly, Account Executive
For the savvy shopper, Plato’s Closet is the place to go. With the organized, sophisticated atmosphere of any high-end retailer, Plato’s Closet offers casual and nicer clothes in brand names such as Forever 21, American Eagle, Roxy and Lucky. Found: r Arden B pink dress, $20 r Betseyville blue plaid bag with red flowers, $15
t
Second Time Around Boutique 5100 Burnet Road, 512.451.6845, secondtimearoundatx.com, $$ For an intimate, small-boutique feel, try the cute, country chic of Second Time Around Boutique. With classy cowboy hats and sweet summer dresses, this gem on Burnet Road will reconnect you with your Southern style. As well as clothing, Second Time Around is a great place to find affordable jewelry, bags and sunglasses to go with that new outfit. And for those special occasions, the store even boasts a selection of gowns and the vintage nook is worth checking out.
Just Between Us 13233 Pond Springs Road, 512.250.0746, jbu4resale.com, $
Play It Again Sports 2933 W. Anderson Lane or 4211 S. Lamar Blvd., 512.451.8976 or 512.444.2270, playitagainsportsaustin.com, $$ Does your wallet cringe every time your kid wants to try a new sport? At Play It Again, it doesn’t have to. This consignment sports locker resells gently used sports goods at affordable prices for every sport, from hockey and basketball, to baseball and Frisbee. With help from the knowledgeable staff, you’ll never have to worry about sports busting your bank again. Found: r Nike cleats, $4.99 (original price: $95) r Used Wilson mitt, $6.99 (original price: $179.95) r Warrior goalie gloves, $19.99 (original price: $49.99)
Restyle
Style Encore
7301 Burnet Road, #105, 512.407.8861, restyleaustin.com, $$
2929 W. Anderson Lane, 512.420.2226, style-encorenorthaustin.com, $$
Restyle gives shoppers all the chic and feel of a high-end boutique without the jaw-dropping price tags. Find the perfect outfit for the office or that must-have dress for a night out at this high-quality low-cost shop.
p
Found: r Lilly Pulitzer green print top, $12.50 (original price: $158) r J.Crew blue pencil skirt, $15.99 (original price: $128) r Coach driving shoes, $20
Buffalo Exchange: 2904 Guadalupe St., 512.480.9922, buffaloexchange.com, $$ Moss: 705 B S. Lamar Blvd., 512.916.9961, mossaustin.com, $$ Uptown Cheapskate: 3005 S. Lamar Blvd., 512.462.4646, uptowncheapskate.com, $$ 74 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Moschino lace top, $19.99, Restyle
With a goal of high-quality gently used fashion, Style Encore brings shoppers the latest trends by focusing on clothes and accessories from the past year or two. In addition, Style Encore features many higher-end items at reduced prices, some of which can even be won by customers in giveaways. Found: r Nine West pink high heels, $18 (original price: $89) r Stuart Weitzman red high heels, $68 (original price: $355)
STYLE ENCORE
More COnsignment
Play it again sports
FOR THE KIDS SPARKLEKIDS
SparkleKids Upscale Resale 4800 Burnet Road, 512.420.9413, sparklekidsresale.com, $ Bright and airy, SparkleKids is a buy, sell and trade shop specializing in children’s clothing, toys and books. With kids outgrowing their apparel by the minute, this well organized store helps keep your little ones outfitted at a premium price.
Toybrary Austin 7817 Rockwood Lane, 512.765.4174, toybraryaustin.com, $ This is a library reinvented. Toybrary rents out high-quality educational toys for children ages 6 months through 5 years, while also housing a play area and enclosed room for birthday parties, parenting and children’s classes and other family-fun events.
JUST FOR MEN Second Looks 4107 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.442.9797, secondlooksaustin.com, $$ Since 1981, Second Looks has sold top designer brands for men, with savings of up to 90 percent off. High-quality items found at Second Looks are both classic and trendy, and have hung “in the closets of Texas’ best-dressed men.” Pennyloafers, $65, Second Looks
New BROhemia 2209 S. First St., 512.804.0988, $$
STAFF PICK Melinda, Publisher DESIGN WITH CONSIGNMENT
Send the bro in your life to New BROhemia for men’s clothing, boots, shoes and accessories. From more funky selections to everyday wear, this unique store makes the shopping experience enjoyable and interactive.
Habitat ReStore
Beyond the Blue Print:
Home Bargains
Design with Consignment 3301 Steck Ave., 512.301.9800, dwconsignment.com, $$ Wishing for that snazzy redesign for your boring white house but unwilling to pay the big bucks? Design with Consignment carries everything to spice up your home, from tables, chairs and sofas, to cabinets, desks and accessories. Staged like a traditional furniture store, the shop offers a collection of traditional and unique pieces for room makeovers. Found: r Blue double-door chest, $350 r V ictorian cream fabric rocker, $145
More HOme Austin Furniture Consignment: 8231 Burnet Road, 512.218.1888, austinfurniture.net, $$ Austin’s Furniture Depot: 7511 Burnet Road, 512.323.5222, austinfurnituredepot.com, $$ Home Consignment Center: 12812 Shops Parkway, 512.263.4600, thehomeconsignmentcenter. com, $$$
310 Comal St., 512.478.2165, re-store.com, $ The Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore was the first of its kind, developed by Diane Beaver MacKie in 1992. Here, you’ll find new and gently used building materials, the sale of which helps support Habitat’s cause of providing simple, decent affordable housing to those in need. With a rotating inventory, you can find laminate and vinyl flooring, ceramic and porcelain tile, cabinets, doors, paint and accessories, lighting, plumbing and more.
austinwomanmagazine.com 75
best REST
of the Editor,s pickS By Molly McManus Best Happy Hour: Blue Dahlia Bistro 1115 E. 11th St., 512.542.9542, bluedahliabistro.com At this European Bistro, you can enjoy a simple and delicious French-inspired meal inside at a communal table or out back in the beautiful backyard patio. You might even spot a kitten or two. Blue Dahlia is our pick for the best happy hour in town Monday through Friday, 3 to 6:30 p.m. Try the $6 hummus and taboule with greens and olives. Other options we love include the $9 smoked trout with garbanzo and olive salsa, and the $6 smoked salmon tartine with garlic herb and cream cheese (all great to share). For drinks, grab a $3.50 draft beer, a $2 mimosa or Bellini, or a $5 glass of wine during happy hour (I recommend the Dom Solitude Cotes du Rhone blanc, usually priced at $11 a glass, for a white and the Scarbolo merlot, usually priced at $10 a glass).
Other Must-Try Happy Hours: aRoma Italian: New South Lamar café offering happy hour Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 p.m., with half-price fire-roasted pizzas and $1 off wine. Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill: Southern comfort restaurant serving up happy hour Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 p.m., with half-price appetizers, $4 patio cocktails, $2 Lone Star and $4 wine and wells. Fonda San Miguel: Mexican eatery with $1 off their famous margarita and half off appetizers Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, with all-night happy hour on Tuesday, with $4.95 margaritas and wine, and half off appetizers.
INSIDER TIP
The Roaring Fork has the best happy hour on Congress Avenue, hands down. It’s in close proximity to the Paramount, so whether you are catching a summer film or are between flicks at the Austin Film Festival, head in for $5 mojitos, martinis or wine, and fresh guacamole, green chili pork, queso, tortilla soup, salads or a Big-Assed Cheeseburger, all for less than $10. Daily 4 to 7 p.m.
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CHEAP EATS: RED RIVER CAFE
Free Friday Wine Tastings: East End Wines 1209 Rosewood Ave., 512.904.9056, eastendwinesatx.com The best wine shop in town offers free Friday tastings every week from 4 to 8 p.m. The tastings allow for East End to showcase its incredible inventory and bring wine enthusiasts and novices together to explore the wonderful world of wine.
The Austin Yellow Bike Project 1216 Webberville Road, 512.524.5299, austinyellowbike.org 2912 Medical Arts St., 512.472.0385, $
This UT campus café’s food is cheap and delicious. Everything on the menu is less than $10, so stop by and enjoy the migas, chopped steak with hash browns or the banana-walnut pancakes.
With a community bike shop that is open and free to the public, the Yellow Bike Project shows you how to fix your bike yourself. The shop accepts donations of old parts, and you can shop for new and used bikes and bike parts, volunteer to pay off the maintenance and even work up to earning a bike through volunteer hours.
Photos for this feature by/courtesy of: Alyssa Brant, Aveda Institute, Krista Delarosa, Half Price Books, Korey Howell, Knoxy Knox Photographics, Dustin Meyer, Ted Sabol-Williams, SparkleKids, Luisa Venegoni, Yellow Bike Project.
Marked-Down Movies: Southwest Theaters 13729 Research Blvd., suite 1500, 512.291.3158, southwesttheaters.com Watching movies is an American pastime, but paying more than $10 for a film is a bargainhunter’s nightmare. With $2 matinees and $3 evening showings, Southwest Theaters even has something for the thrifty parent, with the Summer Series showing movies for the whole family.
Cinemark Round Rock Discount Movies 8: Beat the heat with $2 to $3.50 films. 101X’s Summer Cinema: Free movies at Central Market (4001 N. Lamar Blvd.), with $2.50 Blue Moons and food specials in the café. The last film of the summer shows at dusk on Aug. 13, with Back to the Future.
Summer Series r Aug. 4 – Aug. 7, Despicable Me r Aug. 11 – Aug. 14, Peabody & Herman r Aug. 18 – Aug. 22, Rio 2 All Summer Series show times start at 10 a.m. and are only $1.
Best Book Bargain: Recycled Reads
More mOvie Deals:
Sound & Cinema: Free movies and music at The Long Center. Catch the last two films of the summer on Aug. 13, with Raiders of the Lost Ark, with musical guests The Golden Dawn Arkestra, and Aug. 20 with Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Octopus Project.
HALF PRICE BOOKS
5335 Burnet Road, 512.323.5123, recycledreads.org The Austin Public Library’s used bookstore features items from the library’s collection, as well as community donations in need of a home. A participant in the city’s Zero Waste Initiative, Recycled Reads ensures that obsolete materials are handled in an environmentally responsible way and kept out of landfills. With great events throughout the month, including open-mic poetry, story time and book clubs, Recycled Reads is a bookworm’s total paradise.
INSIDER TIP
Save the date
Aug. 23 marks Recycled Reads’ backto-school sale, including plenty of children’s books for teachers.
More BOOKSTORE STEALS: South Congress Books: Used, collectible, vintage and unique books. Half Price Books: Seven locations in the Central Texas area. Blue Awning Books: Also on Burnet Road, Blue Awning features rare, out-of-print and gently used books.
Best Beauty Bargain: The Aveda Institute 6001 Middle Fiskville Road, 512.320.8080, avedainstitutesbb.com Whether you’re looking for hair, skin or nail care, The Aveda Institute offers premium services at an affordable price. Students at the institute are trained and supervised by some of the best in the biz, with the goal to represent the Aveda line to promote personal well-being and environmental responsibility. r 60-minute facial or massage, $40 r 90-minute facial or massage, $50 r Haircut and style, $12 to $18 r Color/highlights, $32 to $102 r Makeup application, $10 r Manis (60-minute), $15 r Pedis (75-minute), $20
Other Low-Cost Salon Services Ulta: With six locations in the Austin area, you can get a $50 cut and color Monday through Wednesday. UT Nails: Inexpensive mani-pedis for only $27 Monday through Wednesday. austinwomanmagazine.com 77
BEST-KEPT SECRET
W Austin 200 Lavaca St., 512.542.3600, whotelaustin.com Take advantage of your Austinite status and spend the day at the spa. Lucky locals receive a 30-percent discount on all services Monday through Thursday, and 10 percent off services Friday to Sunday. With any spa service (yes, even a polish change), Monday through Thursday, you receive access to the pool and gym, with complimentary parking included. If drinking with friends is more your thing, every Thursday from 5 p.m. to sunset, you can enjoy $6 drink specials at the Wet Deck, with complimentary passed bites from TRACE. You can also mix and mingle in the W’s Living Room with happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. daily, with $6 wine and local spirits, $5 nibbles and $4 local beers. – Silvana Di Ravenna
Best Fitness Deal: CorePower Yoga 801 W. Fifth St., 512.542.9642, corepoweryoga.com If you’ve never been to CorePower, you’re in luck. First-timers are offered one week free of unlimited classes, including hot, power, restorative and vinyasa yoga for both beginner and experienced yogis, in addition to combined cycling and yoga classes. Additional location: 4616 Triangle Ave.
Other Yoga and Fitness Deals:
Go Local card golocalaustin.com
The brainchild of Austinite Bob Tuschak, who is passionate about supporting local businesses, Go Local is a simple card that, when presented at local participating shops, lands instant rebates and miscellaneous perks to customers. Purchase it for $15 online or at participating businesses. It’s good for the environment and the economy, as well as our Keep Austin Weird (and in business) psyche.
Bargain Close-In Getaway: Twilight Tuesdays at Wolfdancer Golf Club
Looking to get on the greens for a song? Consider Twilight Tuesdays at the Wolfdancer Golf Club. The award-winning course, which nestles between Austin and Bastrop at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, is open to the public and goes easy on your pocketbook with its Twilight Tuesdays offer. Golfers can enjoy the seasonal twilight rate all day long every Tuesday in 2014, with prices ranging from $49 to $69 throughout August. Other summer deals and discounts can be found online at wolfdancergolfclub.com/tee-times.
Full Moon Kayak: For the best deal in town, pay $15 ($10 for children) to howl at the moon with the Texas Rowing Center. Kayak down to the Ann Richards Bridge to watch the bats and a beautiful Lady Bird Lake sunset, and then paddle back to the dock under the moon and stars. Next full moon ride: Aug. 10, 8 p.m. YMCA Austin: Visit any of YMCA’s seven locations and enjoy all amenities for free, an offer valid three times out of the year. Membership rates start as low as $56 a month. Other great monthly memberships include 24 Hour Fitness ($30 a month) and Planet Fitness ($10 a month), initiation fee not included. Pure Bikram Yoga: For first-time students, Pure Bikram offers one month of unlimited classes for only $49.
HYATT LOST PINES
Insider Tip: Why not make a day of it and add a spa service? Spa Django at the Hyatt Lost Pines offers a 75-minute Divine pedicure, which features a Spa Ritual scrub, followed by an Eco-Fin dip to warm joints and deeply moisturize skin, and includes nail work and polish application. Guaranteed to be heavenly. Any spa service includes use of all of Spa Django’s amenities, including gym, adult pool, steam and sauna. lostpines.hyatt.com/hyatt/pure/spas/index.jsp 78 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
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opposite sex /
s i m p ly i r r e s i s t i b l e
Cooper Anderson and Ross McLauchlan
Wine Crush Pop bottles with the irresistible men behind The Austin Winery. By Molly McManus Photo by Silvana Di Ravenna Whether you’re in need of liquid courage, liquid therapy or just a straightforward delicious glass of wine, the dynamic duo behind The Austin Winery has you covered. Sourcing grapes mainly from California and making and bottling the wine in Austin, CEO Ross McLauchlan and Head Winemaker Cooper Anderson have a lot to celebrate. After years of locating, crafting and jumping over the inevitable govern80 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
mental hurdles, the boutique urban winery and tasting room officially opened just months ago. “Cooper and I have similar interests but we have very different talents,” McLauchlan says. “I love having a partner like that.” The ever-so-attractive entrepreneurs met while playing soccer. Both have an extensive background working with wine, McLauchlan’s in selling and marketing and Anderson’s in crafting and manufacturing. From an early age, each was influenced by his parents, shaping the path they’ve taken. McLauchlan’s Italian mother introduced wine as a cultural normalcy, setting the foundation for The Austin Winery’s approachable method of making and serving wine. Anderson’s father—a chemistry professor by day, beer brewer by night—introduced him to fermentation science, instilling an innate love for chemistry. “One of the things that makes wine-, beer- and spirits-making so much fun is that it’s such a diverse combination of sciences—everything from
agricultural science, culinary art, to biochemistry,” says Anderson, who’s latest project is fashioning a Texas merlot. With Austin’s food and drink scene exploding, McLauchlan and Anderson saw an opportunity to introduce craft wine to the city by distributing among casual, trendy and farm-to-market restaurants, their goal to be snob-free. They utilize eco-friendly barrels (which fit 12 bottles—great for restaurants and events) to promote minimal oxidation and reduce overhead, but also sell by the bottle, with inventive hand-drawn label designs by Nic Mathis. It’s different and young, setting The Austin Winery apart as a unique endeavor and Austin rarity. Needless to say, I’m a big fan of these charming guys and their progressive product, so I’ll put a cork in it and let you be the judge of their tasty wines. Cheers to an enchanting evening. The Austin Winery is located at 9007 Tuscany Way, suite 100a. To book a tasting or find out more, visit theaustinwinery.com.
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The Growing Roots 3rd Annual Fundraising Celebration
August 16, 2014 | 8-11pm at Local eats & drinks
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Tickets are $30 at the door. Please RSVP at www.growingrootsaustin.com All proceeds will benefit Growing Roots' programs. 21 and over only.
WALK OR RUN!
09.13.14 Register online today! 100 yards benefiting the Seton Breast Care Center and Boob Camp, a collection of free breast cancer wellness programs designed to help facilitate the physical, social and emotional aspects of breast cancer recovery in the Austin community.
StilettoStampede.org
opposite sex /
memo from jb
Bargain-Hunting Advice From PT Barnum Never underestimate the taste of the American public. By JB Hager, Photo by Rudy Arocha I have finally come to realize that I am not a good bargain hunter. There are two sides to every bargain: There is the sucker and the benefactor. I, for the most part, am the sucker. People believe that PT Barnum once said, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” when in fact, it was his rival, David Hannum. But the fact that everyone believes it was PT Barnum just proves my point: There is a sucker born every minute. When it comes to buying, my wife, daughter and I collectively are horrible. Usually, in a couple or a family dynamic, there is at least one party with some sense and sensibility. Not in our household. All three of us function completely on emotion, immediacy and the sense that a purchase like this will never present itself again. It doesn’t matter if it’s something useless and nostalgic (“Hey, honey, this is an old coffee mug from Las Manitas.”), or if it’s something as major as the purchase of a home (“You know we have looked forever and will never find anything like this again.”). We’re suckers. I’m a pushover and my wife is the most convincing person ever. Her voice of reason and rationale doesn’t make sense to me, but it works every time. Me: “We can’t afford this house. It’s too much.” Her: “But it’s move-in ready and if we ever need to sell it, it’s ready to go and we’ll get all our money back and then some!” Me: “OK, let’s get it.” Then I proceed to bitch about overpaying for that home until she starts the process all over again with a new one, a new car or even a vacation. Yes, I said a vacation. She goes into her “this is a once-in-a-
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lifetime-opportunity” speech and then I fall for it. Every time. Without fail. So far, we have had a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity trip with the same group of people half a dozen times to Aspen, Cabo and roughly four other cities. And meanwhile, we’re broke. So here I am in the home I can’t afford (but we’ll get it back when we sell it), sitting on the furniture I couldn’t afford (because it will last forever and we’ll never buy another you-name-it again) and I might go out to dinner at an expensive restaurant (we work hard, so we deserve it) and roll up in a car that’s too expensive (it has great resale value). I’m a sucker. She could be stopped, and I just let it happen because I want to be a pleaser, to be loved, to be a provider. Deep down inside, it’s just like high school all over again, with me trying to be popular. I think it’s going to improve my $&# life. To date, it never has, and it never will. I have every financial statement going back to 1997. I have countless binders documenting every financial blunder of our marriage. Documenting the passionate favors that I thought it would translate into is merely a handful of etchings on a stone wall, like a Gitmo prisoner counting the number of sexy ankles that walk by.
"When it comes to buying, my wife, daughter and I collectively are horrible." I’m a complete sucker on the selling end of it as well. All those things that were purchased when I was convinced of the quality and resale value now have a new story: “They are taking up space.” “We don’t use them anymore.” “This neighborhood is not what it used to be.” “Let me just take it to Goodwill.” “We have too much stuff and just need to give it away.” When it comes to selling things, I think my ego, or possibly low self-esteem, interfere. I don’t want to look cheap or greedy, nor do I have the time to haggle. So I give it away for pennies on the dollar, if not free. I really am a sucker who is married to a very influential woman. There truly are fantastic bargains out there every single day. The thing that PT Barnum did say that applies to bargain hunting was, “Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.” And that goes double for Austin. Got another pink flamingo to sell or an old Las Manitas mug? All you have to do is find a bonehead like me. Surely, I’m not the only one.
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Two is Better Than One
Young entrepreneur Kristen Carson helps international and freshman students navigate the world of college in Austin. By Alyssa Brant, Photo by Silvana Di Ravenna Two is better than one: a phrase not normally associated when talking about owning a business. Launching a business can keep a person more than busy, but for young entrepreneur Kristen Carson, one was not enough. “There’s nothing better in this world than seeing someone use a product that you created,” Carson says. because there are a lot of opportunities,” Carson says. At the age of 28, Carson is the founder and CEO It may seem intimidating to be a young woman of her two growing companies, Simply Internain the business world, but Carson believes that the tional and Freshman Support. Each company has times are changing. She believes that most people their respective audiences, but her overall mission want to see women succeed, not discourage them. is the same: to create a tool that will enable a bet“I do not feel that being a woman has caused me ter college experience, whether you are an interany setbacks or presented any obstacles,” Carson national student or upcoming freshman. says. “If anything, people think it’s kind of cool.” “I always wanted to be an inventor,” she says. In addition to entrepreneurship, education is Even as a little girl, Carson remembers workanother field Carson is passionate about. ing with her dad “I’d love to teach building various people how to start their projects. That "I built something that people are using, own company,” she says. passion followed and it is affecting people’s lives positively. “I love being amongst her through grade people who are constantThat is a very big achievement for me." school and into ly coming up with new college, where she ideas and ready to take first created Simthe risk and see what works.” ply International. She says being an entrepreneur Looking ahead, Carson hopes to open an enhas always been her ambition, but it is also sometrepreneurship center for college students. She thing that runs in her blood. believes there are many young adults who want “A lot of people in my family are entrepreneurs,” to run their own businesses but do not have the Carson says. “And my grandfather and father have tools to do so. She wants to help facilitate their been the biggest inspirations in my life.” creativity, but also give them guidance so they Both Carson’s grandfather and father started do not run into the same pitfalls she found when their own manufacturing companies, and watchstarting her companies. ing their hard work pay off had a great influence “If you are at a point in your life, especially if in her life. However, she says she veered slightly you are in college or lucky enough to have a partaway from the family tradition because she isn’t a ner in life that supports you and your idea, then manufacturer. She instead chose to become a part I think it’s better to just try,” Carson says. “See if of the tech industry, specifically educational tech, your idea will work rather than have the regret because she feels the possibilities are endless. of not trying.” “I think it is nice to be a woman in this field 84 Austin Woman A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
Simply International and Freshman Support After Kristen Carson studied abroad in England, she reflected on how much support she received from her family and how not everyone has similar help when traveling to study in a new country. Planning information to help students transition to a new college was not readily available at the time, and with the help of a college project assignment, Carson created Simply International. Carson officially launched the company in 2011, and ever since, her website has helped aid international students who come to attend the University of Texas, as well as give them a positive experience when moving to Austin. About a year after she launched Simply International, Carson and her team noticed there were more people using the website than international students coming to Austin. The extra numbers turned out to be upcoming freshmen using the site to plan their move to Austin. “I wouldn’t say it was a huge number,” Carson says, “but it was enough for me to think we should launch something similar for incoming freshmen.” Freshman Support was launched in 2012, and has grown beyond Austin, incorporating about 50 universities throughout the country. The audiences for both companies may be different, but the services provided by Simply International and Freshman Support are similar. These services include: 3 roommate matcher 3 information about cell phones 3 information about banking 3 detailed housing comparisons 3 packing advice 3 advice from current students 3 budget planner 3 video dorm tours For more information, visit simplyinternational.com and freshmansupport.com.
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Ju s t pa s s i n g t h r o u g h
Hard Choices Hillary Clinton visits Austin to discuss her memoir of four years as the 67th Secretary of State. By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne In June of this year, Hard Choices, Hillary Clinton’s memoir of her four years serving as the 67th Secretary of State was published. Visiting 112 countries and traveling more than a million miles during her tenure gave Clinton a unique perspective on America and its role as a world leader. It also shaped her view of the future. “All of us face hard choices in our lives,” Clinton writes at the opening of this personal chronicle of her years at the center of world events. “Life is about making such choices. Our choices and how we handle them shape the people we become. For leaders and nations, they can make the difference between war and peace, poverty and prosperity.” On June 20, Clinton spoke to a sold-out audience at The Long Center. The following are excerpts of her talk and conversation with Mark Updegrove, Director of the LBJ Presidential Library.
On Hard Choices: I wanted to pull back the curtain on the challenges we faced during my tenure as Secretary of State and what went into making those hard choices. This book is about why America matters to the world and why the world matters to America. I think it is important that we remind ourselves that we live in this interdependent and interconnected world, what we have to do to make sure we are staying true to our values and we are providing the next generation with their shot at the American dream. This book is also about how what happens far from our borders does hit home for our jobs, our security, our hopes for our future.
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On becoming Secretary of State: When President Obama told me, “I want you to be my Secretary of State,” I was shocked because just a few months before, we had been going at each other non-stop during the campaign. I was looking forward to returning to the Senate. I gave him other names, told him that I didn’t think it was a fit, but he did not accept no. I was torn but in the end I put myself in his shoes. I asked myself, “What if I was the President Elect and I wanted him to serve?” I would want him to say yes and when your President asks you to do something for your country, you should try to get to yes, so I called and said, “I would be honored to be your Secretary of State.”
On one of her proudest moments: 9/11 was seared in my being. I was a senator from New York when it happened. I was committed to doing whatever I could do to contribute to bringing Osama Bin Laden to justice. One of the first conversations I had with President Obama was how we could do just that. I was proud to be a part of the decision-making process that led to the raid that finally brought him to justice.
On important questions for potential 2016 presidential candidates: The most important questions for a presidential candidate are not, “Will you run and can you win?” It should be, “What is your vision for the country and can you lead us there?”
Photo courtesy of Simon & Schuster.
On President Lyndon Baines Johnson: He was larger than life like the state that he loved so much, deeply talented and deeply committed to driving progress to further social justice. He was a master of building coalitions that delivered results that mattered in people’s lives on civil rights, health-care voting rights, education. His leadership really made such a difference to so many Americans.
J U ST PASSING THRO U GH
On lessons learned: I came out of those four years more optimistic, more confident about America’s assets starting with our people, our dynamism, resilience, our innovation. All of that positions us to be the leader across the board in every area that matters going forward. It will not happen by accident. Leadership is not our birthright; it needs to be renewed by every generation. It is now incumbent on us to think hard about who we are, what we stand for, what kind of country we want to bequeath to the next generation, to our children and grandchildren. It will require hard choices, but I think we are more than up to the task of making them.
On addressing the trend lines not just headlines: During my tenure, I paid attention not just to the headlines but to the trend lines, and on that I am very proud that we made the full participation of women and girls a central part of our foreign policy, not an add-on but we integrated it into everything. I was passionate about and committed to protection of the law and human dignity and to putting forward the idea that religious freedom is central to human rights.
On the heart of Americans: When de Tocqueville visited America in the 1830s, he remarked on the habits of the hearts of Americans, which balanced their individualism, which we all hold dear and believe is at the center of the American Dream and the idea of community. The profound idea that we are better when we work together, when we support each other, when we help the last, the least and the lost among us, and that we have generosity and gratitude in how we work with each other: Those habits of the heart are really, for me, at the center of everything.
“You have to learn to take criticism seriously but not personally.” On women in public life: [The] best advice I ever read about being a woman in public life was written by Eleanor Roosevelt in the ’20s: “If you want to be a woman in public life, you have to grow skin as thick as the hide of a rhinoceros.” Through my own trials and errors, and there have been a lot of them, I have concluded that you have to learn to take criticism seriously but not personally. That is a lot easier said than done.
On her vision for the future: I have a simple vision. It is to restore the American Dream for the American people and do it in a way that renews our trust in each other. It is a very dangerous development in a democracy when people no longer talk to anyone who disagrees with them and when political leaders and their supporters think they have all of the answers and in fact, they think they have a channel to the divine. The economy has to be fixed to where it works for everyone. The political system needs to be fixed so that we start working together to make decisions that will keep us strong and prosperous far into the future. We have to start to act like Americans again. We are all on the same team. Yes, we can have differences and we can have debate because that is part of who we are.
On campaign finance and making each vote count: There is an explosion of money in our political system, thanks to unfortunate rulings by the Supreme Court that will flood the political arena with money in the coming elections. The best antidote to that kind of overwhelming monetary advantage is the American citizen. If more people vote against your expenditures than for it, you lose. If I have anything to say it is that I cherish the Voting Rights Act. Understanding it is not a cliché. It is true that for every single person in our country, your vote is equal to any other person, but if you don’t vote, you cede the field to the people you complain about for the next four years. So it is time to stand up and exercise your right to vote.
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Things Money Can’t Buy Can’t Buy Me Love. Can’t buy me love. The Beatles were really onto something in their 1964 classic when they pleaded, “Tell me that you want the kind of things that money just can’t buy.” Inspired by the Fab Four, I set out to name a few. w Class. Money can’t buy class. I’m not talking about social class. I’m talking about a way of carrying oneself in the world that shows self-respect and respect for others. It can be taught, but it can’t be bought. w Courtesy. Closely related to class, common courtesy is all too uncommon these days. And while it’s complimentary, courtesy is very powerful. “Please” and “thank you” really ARE magic words. As are “pardon me.” Giving and receiving pardon brings relief that, in Beatles vernacular, can really make you feel all right. w Rest. Rest and its associate, Unstructured Time, come without a price tag per se, but not without cost, in that there is almost always something left undone. Even so, it seems worth it in order to give ourselves the restorative benefits of rest and our relationships the restorative benefits of our Attention, another priceless non-commodity. w Wonder. Few things come close to the awe-struck sensation of natural wonder, that “Let’s pull over!” urge to stop and smell the flowers when a field of bluebonnets pops up, or a scenic overlook beckons or a herd of anything crosses the road. Yes, you may have paid at the pump in order to get to this country road, ocean view or mountain vista. But getting to this place doesn’t mean that you will have a Rocky Mountain high. You have to be in the right mental space in order to receive Wonder and its twin peak, Beauty.
w Love. While the song Can’t Buy Me Love focuses on romantic love, there are other forms of love that are seemingly less spectacular but which I wouldn’t trade for, well, a million dollars. Take puppy love. What could be more rewarding than coming home from a hard day’s work to the greeting that only a pet can give? I mean the unbridled tail-wagging, jumping-up-and-down kind of excitement that is found in the eyes of a furry friend, but not on the market shelf. Similarly, is there anything so dear, so sweet or so impossible to procure as an unsolicited smile from an infant? Double points if laughter follows! Six-month-old Simon can light up a room faster than Thomas Edison. “Simon, you are a diamond,” his mother sings. And she is right, only he is infinitely more precious. w Grace. Grace is the mysterious ingredient essential to all of these amazing experiences. We cannot buy it. We cannot make it happen. So how can we possibly return the favor, much less ask for more? I think it’s by paying attention, by looking up from our smartphones long enough to notice beauty and wonder, courtesy and love. After all, these are treasures we cannot afford to miss.
—Sarah Silvus October’s Last Word topic will be “My First Concert.” To be considered, email a 500-word submission by Sept. 1 to submissions@awmediainc.com. Illustration by Jessica Wetterer.
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