January 2018

AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2018

“Only you make your own rules.” —Rowan Blanchard

THE ALL-NEW MAZDA CX-5. SEE FOR YOURSELF. WE’RE AUSTIN GROWN & PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY

17

WHETHER IT’S CONQUERING THE BOARDROOM OR THE CARPOOL LANE, LIKE YOU, IT’S GOT STYLE AND POWER.

CENTRAL • SOUTH • GEORGETOWN • KILLEEN

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direct connect to

Italy through

copenhagen

departures daily Come experience Italy at Copenhagen. We have assembled a wonderful collection of some of the best designs from Italy’s finest manufacturers. All these products display a sense of purpose and pride through intelligent design and caring craftsmanship. Selective use of practical materials and thoughtful engineering result in products that meet high quality standards while maintaining exceptional value. Come see why Italy has long been regarded as the center of today’s modern design world. Visit Copenhagen for an Italian design experience you won’t soon forget. You will be inspired.

inspired design from Italy

Featured item: The “Gordon Deep Wood” table, designed by Giorgio Cattelan for Cattelan Italia. A wonderfully raw design combining the beauty and warmth of natural walnut with the cold brute strength of the steel rebar style base. Available from stock as shown in a generous size of 118” long by 47” wide.

Other sizes and tops available. Shown with the very elegant “Arcadia” chair in natural leather. A direct import from Italy by Copenhagen.

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contemporary furniture & accessories

Christopher Brennig, MD

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A WOMEN’S HEALTH EVENT FOR YOU.

FOR WOMEN FOR LIFE

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SCREENINGS SPECIFIC TO WOMEN’S HEALTH • HEALTHY COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS

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Here’s a special invitation to you and your friends to join us for a once-a-year women’s health event at either of the two locations listed above, hosted by Baylor Scott & White Health – Austin/Round Rock Region. The focus will be on you, and how a healthy you means a happier family and a better, more fulfilling life. And it’s all FREE!

Kick off a new you by joining us at For Women For Life®. Call 1.844.BSW.DOCS or visit us online at BSWHealth.com/FWFL to register or for more information.

If you do not wish to receive future mailings from Baylor Scott & White Health, please call 1.800.4BAYLOR or 1.800.422.9567. Photography may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients. Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers, Baylor Health Care System, Scott & White Healthcare or Baylor Scott & White Health. ©2017 Baylor Scott & White Health.

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Photo by Rudy Arocha.

46

ON THE COVER

54

FEATURE

RUNAWAY SUCCESS

SWEAT EQUITY

BY RACHEL RASCOE

BY JESSICA LUTHER

CONTENTS

Photo by Niki Jones.

JANUARY

36 SAVVY WOMEN

MUST LIST

20 COUNT US IN Women in Numbers 22 B OTTOM LINE Lawyer Holly Davis 23 F ROM THE DESK OF CEO of Pease Park

36 D ISCOVER Marfa, Texas 38 R OUNDUP Eight New Things to Try in 2018 40 LITTLE LUXURIES Mint & Maple

Conservancy Kristen Brown

24 G IVE BACK Friends of the Children 26 P ROFILE Entrepreneur Rachel Green 27 P ROFILE Google Austin’s Shelley Clifford Brophy

ATX WOMEN TO WATCH 30 P am Friedman 31 Stephanie Houston 32 E lizabeth Cates 33 Dr. Sarah Saxon 34 C laire Winslow 35 M elissa Grant

STYLE + HOME 42 THE LOOK Color (W)heel 44 ENTERTAINING Join the Club

GOURMET 62 R ECIPE REVEAL Almond-crusted Chicken Nuggets

64 F OOD NEWS

Yuyo

WELLNESS 66 WAITING ROOM Keep Clean and Carry on 68 E AT THIS, NOT THAT Dairy-free Yogurt 70 H ER ROUTINE Danielle Sobel

POINT OF VIEW 72 I AM AUSTIN WOMAN

10 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

ON THE COVER

Photo by Rudy Arocha, rudyarochaphotography.com

Natasha Hastings

The North Face Swirl reversible performance vest, $99; Adidas by Stella McCartney Run Stone printed performance tights, $110; Adidas Swift Run trainer sneakers, $85, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com. Shirt, stylist’s own.

I AM A TEXAS MBA “The McCombs community continues to shape and humble me. From the outstanding faculty and program administration to my classmates and the alumni base. My MBA shapes the way I approach opportunities, measure impact, and continue learning in my professional career in the fast-moving tech space as well as with volunteer nonprofit advisory work.”

SOFIE LEON POMPA Integrations Product Manager, Spredfast Inc. Husband is also a Texas MBA Alumnus, Class of 2011 First generation American with Mexican dual citizenship Member of Development Committee for St. Louise House MBA 2013

TexasMBA.info

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

Photo by Korey Howell.

Evening & Executive Programs

YOU DIDN’T WAKE UP TODAY VOLUME 16, ISSUE 5 CO-FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER Melinda Maine Garvey VICE PRESIDENT AND CO-PUBLISHER Christopher Garvey ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Cynthia Guajardo Shafer

EDITORIAL EDITOR April Cumming

TO BE MEDIOCRE Step 1

POUR YOUR

COFFEE

DIGITAL EDITOR Lauren Jones COPY EDITOR Chantal Rice CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Rhoda Brimberry, Sommer Brugal, Anna Crelia, Lydia Gregovic, Natasha Hastings, Lauren Jones, Niki Jones, Jessica Luther, Madison Matous, Kelly Nardo, Rachel Rascoe, Mikaila Rushing, Gretchen M. Sanders, Crystal Zuzek

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Niki Jones CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Rudy Arocha, Andrew Bennett, Rhoda Brimberry, Ashley Brinkman, Caitlin Candelari, Philip Edsel, Rachel Green, David Brendan Hall, Korey Howell, Caleb Kerr, Lisa Muñoz, Natalie Paramore, Danielle Chloe Potts, Jared Tennant, Reese Vonderschmidt, Carrin Welch, Jessica Wetterer, Kate Zimmerman

Step 2

GRAB YOUR

MASCARA Step 3

HIT

“LISTEN”

SALES DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Michelle Borquez SALES CONTRACTOR Christine Moore

OPERATIONS AND MARKETING MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER

Madilyn Biscoe SALES COORDINATOR AND OFFICE MANAGER

Caitlin Candelari INTERNS

Lydia Gregovic, Riley Krauss, Madison Matous, Mikaila Rushing

EMERITAE CO-FOUNDER Samantha Stevens EDITORS

Emily C. Laskowski, Deborah Hamilton-Lynne, Mary Anne Connolly, Elizabeth Eckstein

Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc., and is available at more than 1,250 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 atxwoman.com.

Email us at info@awmediainc.com.

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Rich Content. Audible. Only 4 Minutes. Free.

ONTHEDOTWOMAN.COM

FROM THE EDITOR

hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.”

It was this quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald that I chose to use as a photo caption on Instagram. Timestamped Oct. 9, 2015, the post is a picture of me sitting atop beloved Bear Peak in Boulder, Colo.

When I look at that photo now, a flood of memories and emotions begins to bubble up. Just a couple months earlier, I had made the tough choice to leave an unfulfilling career and, in a desperate need for escape from the grueling job hunt, booked myself a weeklong trip to stay with a group of old friends in Boulder. I remember how rejuvenating it felt to be out there intentionally, purposefully alone, hiking up the 2,700 some odd feet of elevation gain, the bonechilling gusts of mountain air giving me life.

My goal was to reach the top. It didn’t matter how much time it took me to get there or how many moments I needed to bend over to catch my breath.

Legs trembling, partially from exhaustion and lack of oxygen, partially from fear of the sheer drop-offs on either side of the peak, I scrambled over huge boulders, touching the top and taking a photo.

It was the most alive I had felt in years. That inexplicable feeling of exhilaration mixed with accomplishment was just the reinforcement I needed to know I had made the right career move.

Three weeks after I scrambled back down the peak, I started working at Austin Woman.

Flash-forward to today, and our digital editor and I recently spent an afternoon completing a tiring task in its own right, conducting back-toback interviews for magazine interns for the spring season. For efficiency’s sake, we kept the questions the same in each meeting. One of my favorites we

Join the conversation @AustinWoman #TheEmpowermentIssue

14 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

asked: “Why Austin Woman?”

The prospective interns’ responses, each uniquely individual, ranged from noble intentions of wanting to give more women representation and a voice in media to simply wanting to grow their writing skills. With each of them not yet into their late 20s, I was impressed by the diverse career backgrounds some listed on their resumes, including already having worked in other professions, be that in physical therapy or corporate operations. I was even more impressed they had the courage to notice and disclose that those career choices weren’t making them happy. They had the audacity, the foresight to make a change, to start again, and here they were, sitting in front of us.

The January issue is one of my favorites, although I probably say that about each issue of AW. In the pages that follow, you’ll find stories anchored in the idea of empowerment and, while sometimes all you need is the start of a new year to spur you to make a change or a resolution, I hope this issue reminds you that you can make a change at any time, regardless of the date on the calendar.

That empowered, intuitive voice inside you exists, and it’s my hope you feel courageous enough to listen to it.

I’ll leave you with this aspirational quote from Marissa Mayer, the former CEO of Yahoo. She once said, “I always did something I was a little not ready to do.”

Sincerely,

APRIL CUMMING Editor

Photo by Lisa Muñoz.

“I

Something for everyone

CONTRIBUTORS

This month, we asked our contributors: What’s your New Year’s resolution for 2018?

RUDY AROCHA

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER, “RUNAWAY SUCCESS,” PAGE 46 Photographer Rudy Arocha is a native Texan who moved to Austin to pursue his education in fine arts as a sculptor. He later rediscovered his passion for photography when his grandfather gave him a camera as a gift.

Rudy graduated from the Art Institute of Austin and specializes in portrait photography.

When not photographing, Rudy enjoys music, the outdoors and spending time with his wife, Maggie.

“My New Year’s resolution is always the same: travel more and make $1 million! I always seem to travel more.”

RACHEL RASCOE

COVER WRITER, “RUNAWAY SUCCESS,” PAGE 46 Rachel Rascoe is a freelance writer and multimedia journalist based in Austin. A former intern at Austin Woman, Rachel also writes about music for The Austin Chronicle. She studies journalism and biology at the University of Texas.

“One New Year’s resolution I’m making for 2018 is to produce less trash and packaging waste. I want to say no to straws, and shop at the farmers markets more.”

JESSICA WETTERER

ILLUSTRATOR, “WOMEN IN NUMBERS,” PAGE 20 Jessica Wetterer is a New Yorkbased illustrator and graphic designer. Since she grew up in the bluegrass of Louisville, Ky., the South remains near and dear to her heart. She specializes in drawing badass women, fashion and all varieties of animals.

See more of her illustrations on Instagram @jessicawetterer.

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“My resolution for 2018 is to take a risk and try some solo travel. I have traveled a lot in my days, but never alone. A recent group trip made me think it’s time to give it a go. As I’ve never been one to pass up the excitement that comes from stepping out of boundaries, this year, I’m going to find a spot that speaks to my heart, pack my bags and book a ticket for one to whatever adventures await me.”

LYDIA GREGOVIC

WRITER, “THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX,” PAGE 26 AND “DAIRY TO BE DIFFERENT,” PAGE 68 Lydia Gregovic is currently a junior at Southwestern University, where she is pursuing a degree in English. She is a former editorial and digital intern for Austin Woman, and hopes to pursue a career in journalism or publishing after graduation.

Aside from writing, Lydia’s passions include scoping out secondhand bookstores, traveling and watching romantic comedies from the early 2000s.

“My New Year’s resolution is to learn to play the guitar. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was young, but I never had the drive to go out and find teachers. Now I hope to enroll in some beginner classes at my university.”

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CONNECT WITH US! CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS ISSUE? Check us out at atxwoman.com.

➥ More clean eating. Balancing a healthy diet with a not-so-robust

budget can present its own set of challenges. We caught up with Claire Siegel, the lead dietitian at Snap Kitchen, to learn her tips and tricks for making nutritious and affordable meals.

➥ More hideouts. Holiday vacation season may have come and gone, but

if you’re one of the many frazzled souls who needs a vacation from your vacation, look no further than our roundup of the best Hill Country glamping retreats to book for your next getaway.

➥ More kicking asana. When a life coach and artist creates a pair of yoga pants that look more like they belong in an art studio than a gym, you pay attention—and then spontaneously order pairs for all your friends.

Meet Robin Emmerich, founder of Beauty and the Mess yoga pants.

➥ More little luxuries. The first time Leigh Elena Navarro crafted a piece of jewelry was when she was in elementary school. Her passion for the intricate design process, as well as for working with enamel and exotic leathers, eventually led Navarro to open her own jewelry store, Leighelena, on South Congress Avenue, in 2005.

WIN THIS!

MARK YOUR

Sentrel Natural Beauty, an all-natural and organic beauty shop, opened in the fall in Northwest Austin. Co-owned by salon veteran Sarah Bensley, the shop was created from a need to make cleaner beauty products more accessible for the whole family. Sentrel (@SentrelBeauty) is a safe place to purchase almost all your family’s beauty products, a community space to educate and a gift shop to purchase items made by local makers.

To celebrate the shop’s opening, Bensley created some amazing swag bags and is giving one away to a lucky reader. Goodies in the bag include a mini candle from Slow North, a notepad from Love Ding, earrings from Bee Amour, chocolates from Schakolad, a $25 gift card to Uchi, a free class from Define body & mind, hairpins from Sarah Bee Hair, face tonic from Meow Meow Tweet and hair products from Kevin Murphy.

To enter, keep an eye on our Instagram account, @AustinWoman, for the giveaway announcement in January. Word to the wise: We like to be spontaneous. A winner will be chosen and notified at the end of the month.

FOLLOW US

@austinwoman

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LIKE US

CALENDAR The Rise School of Austin’s Heart & Soul luncheon Feb. 9 JW Marriott, 110 E. Second St. riseschoolaustin.org/heartandsoul American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Summit Feb. 23 JW Marriott, 110 E. Second St. ahaaustin.ejoinme.org/myevents/20172018austingo redluncheon/tabid/868091/default.aspx Center for Child Protection’s Ride. Drive. Give. event March 29 Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd. centerforchildprotection.org/events/2018-ridedrive-give

Austin Woman’s Woman’s Way Awards May 17 JW Marriott, 110 E. Second St. atxwoman.com

facebook.com/austinwoman

FOLLOW US

@ austinwoman

Claire Siegel photo courtesy of Snap Kitchen. Robin Emmerich photo by Jared Tennant.

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Print magazines are no. 1 in reaching affluent influential consumers in more categories than all other media combined.

Magazines show the highest return on advertising spend—the ultimate KPI.

Paper-based reading is preferred by the majority of people (even millennials).

Advertising in print yields greater increases in brand awareness, brand favorability and purchase intent than online or TV advertising.

Source: Magazine Media Factbook 2017-18

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AVVY WOMEN

COUNT US IN

WOMEN IN NUMBERS

Facts and figures on females from throughout the world.

BY MIKAILA RUSHING, ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WETTERER

9.4 Million Firms Wage gaps in the workplace have people in a fury, but statistics show women are slowly gaining more power to close that gap by starting their own businesses. More than 9.4 million firms throughout the U.S. are women-owned and they’re generating approximately $1.5 trillion in sales annually, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Although the number of women-owned firms in the U.S. has grown 68 percent since 2007, only one of every five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is womanowned. Women of color are making an impact in the business world too. About 2.9 million companies in the U.S. are majority owned by women of color and account for $226 billion in annual revenue.

45 Percent of Olympians #Blackgirlmagic swept the internet after the 2016 Rio Olympics, with powerhouses like Simone Biles taking home medal after medal in gymnastics. The Rio Olympics also saw true gender equality for the first time, with a total 45 percent of female competitors participating in the summer Olympics. Although the leadership behind the Olympics still struggles to reach gender equality, the organization has taken serious steps toward empowering women in the events.

One factor likely helping to level the playing field is the 1991 rule stating for every Olympic event created, there must be a women’s section created as well. Women’s access to new events, as well as those that were traditionally denied to them, be it gymnastics or boxing, accounts for a lot of newly gained power in the world’s most influential sporting event.

85 Percent of Women Far from being a time suck, it’s been found the internet and mobile devices can empower women in society.

According to the U.S. Global Development Lab, 85 percent of women say the internet provides them with more freedom. Women, particularly those in developing countries, often do not have the same access to information, communication and opportunities their male counterparts do. But the internet and mobile devices like smartphones are helping connect women to those resources, empowering them to make an impact in the world. Communication can also provide a sense of security to at-risk women, and it’s been found that 68 percent of women say they feel safer with mobile devices.

19.6 Percent of Congress In the upheaval that followed the 2016 election, women have been running for office in record numbers throughout the country, many citing Donald Trump as their inspiration, be that in a positive or negative light.

Whatever the motivation, women are slowly gaining their seats at the political table, currently making up 19.6 percent of the 114th U.S. Congress, holding 105 of the 535 seats, up from a mere 3 percent in 1971. The percentage increase marks years of small victories and several steps forward.

The political landscape is shifting, after all, and women are sprinting toward the future, hot on the heels of congressmen.

1st Full-time NFL Official The NFL has recently had its fair share of scandals, especially in terms of views on women. But it seems the pushback has been heard at a higher decibel, as progress continues to be seen, whether it’s women appearing in NFL commercials or in the NFL’s hiring of more female staff. One such step forward came in 2015 with the hiring of Sarah Thomas, the first full-time female official in the NFL’s nearly 100-year history. Thomas has been working as an official since 1999, and climbed her way up the ladder, earning her spot as the first women to officiate a major college football game at the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl before landing her current full-time professional position. In a New York Daily News article, Thomas said she does not consider herself a trailblazer. For other women working for a career in sports, though, the path to victory looks much clearer with Thomas in front.

20 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Texas Children’s is hitting the road and fixin’ to put down roots in Austin.

Our model of care is to be there for nearly every health and developmental need a child might have – from pediatrics, to urgent care, to treatment for rare and complex conditions. We can’t wait to be on the ground in Austin, bringing you the personalized, family-centered, high-quality care and services that put us on the map. One of the most trusted names in Texas. Coming soon to your hometown. texaschildrensaustin.org ©2018 Texas Children’s Hospital. All rights reserved. AUS001_120117

S

AVVY WOMEN

BOTTOM LINE

OWN YOUR FINANCES

Lawyer Holly Davis offers insight for women questioning whether merging finances with a partner is the right decision.

BY SOMMER BRUGAL

Communication is key to successfully managing finances as a couple, Davis says.

While she notes it’s “not the sexiest part about falling in love with someone,” Davis believes transparency in finances plays a major role in healthy relationships.

“When you’re talking to this person you really get along with about their family, if they want children, what their five-year plan is, it makes so much sense [to discuss finances],” Davis explains.

She says expressing desires to own real estate or explaining one’s conservative spending habits is important to understand before merging assets.

“The more [you communicate] with someone early on, the more you can get to know them and problem-solve if there are differences,” she says, adding it’s never too early to discuss money matters.

SHOULD YOU MERGE OR SEPARATE YOUR FINANCES?

According to Davis, deciding to merge or keep one’s finances separate ultimately depends on a couple’s goals. However, if one individual enters a marriage with a significant amount of money, or money he or she wants to preserve for later on, Davis does suggest keeping that money separate unless, however, that individual has a specific goal in mind, like buying or building a home.

“If you want to build a home and you decide, ‘I really want to use this money to build my dream home,’ then that would be an OK time 22 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

DISCUSS WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU.

Financial conversations can often be emotionally charged. That’s why Davis suggests having an interestbased conversation instead, one focused on the motivation behind a request instead of the request itself.

“If we consider your partner is wanting access to your finances because he or she wants to make a monthly budget,” Davis says, “then I suggest [addressing] it on the monthly budget.”

Davis proposes sitting down with your home’s list of bills and having each partner pick which service he or she will be responsible for. Davis says this process allows couples to maintain separate finances while the interests and desires of both are met.

She also suggests engaging in such conversations with a financial planner.

ASK QUESTIONS.

While Davis aims to educate all individuals about divorce and the challenges of finances, she hopes she can encourage women to speak up during these conversations.

“Unfortunately, I find the stereotype is that men drive conversations about finances, but it really should be women,” she says. “[Women] are affected by [finances], and there’s nothing wrong with demanding such information.”

Davis encourages women to ask questions, research phrases they may not understand and to stand up for their right to know the specifics of their family’s finances.

Photo by Andrew Bennett.

GET TO KNOW YOUR PARTNER.

to mingle [your finances] because you’ve thought about it,” she says.

One thing Davis does not suggest is couples taking the money they had prior to marriage and putting it into a single account from the start.

She reasons preserving the money one has prior to marriage is very difficult to do once it’s been mingled with a spouse’s, especially in Texas, which is a community-property state.

One compromise Davis recommends is what she calls a household account. Establishing an account into which both parties contribute a percentage of their income to ensure finances like the mortgage, utilities and even kids’ expenses are met enables each individual to also maintain the savings they had prior to marriage.

Photo by Sarah Jane.

Holly Davis is a divorce lawyer, and while she admits her profession isn’t the easiest thing to discuss at a cocktail party, Davis says she’s incredibly proud of her work.

As a founding partner of Kirker Davis LLP, Davis has a mission to help people understand divorce, quite possibly so they never have to go through it. She also works to educate her clients about the financial aspects of a legal partnership before, during and, if the occasion arises, after a marriage.

Given Davis’ expertise and her astute boss-lady attitude, Austin Woman asked her how two people can strategically—and fairly—keep their finances separate or merge them into one account. Here’s what she had to say.

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AVVY WOMEN

FROM THE DESK OF

KRISTEN BROWN

The CEO of Pease Park Conservancy shares why helping preserve Pease Park holds value for the community.

BY MIKAILA RUSHING, PHOTO BY CAITLIN CANDELARI A born-and-raised Austinite, Kristen Brown, 37, has lived an adventurous life. In the fall of her senior year of college, she interned at the White House during the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. After graduating from the University of Texas, Brown decided to move back to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the secretary of Health and Human Services before getting a job in the West Wing of the White House during the George W. Bush administration, where she and other staff members put together Bush’s debriefing files in the morning.

But after four years in Washington, D.C., Brown found herself wanting to work in the nonprofit sector.

“What I really loved about working for government was really helping people,” Brown says. “And so, I thought, ‘How can I take this further?’ ” Brown decided to return to Austin. She received her graduate degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at UT, and became the executive director of Austin Smiles. She led that nonprofit for several years before accepting the opportunity to work as the chief executive officer of Pease Park Conservancy this summer.

For those unfamiliar, Pease Park is Austin’s most central park, a skinny 84-acre strip of protected greenery that runs along Shoal Creek. The park is often called a hidden gem of Austin, Brown says.

Here, Brown explains why Pease Park is so important to Austin and its culture.

History

Pease Park is one of the oldest parks in Texas. Governor Elisha Pease originally gifted it to Austin in 1875.

“It’s really a part of the cultural, historical landscape of Austin,” Brown says.

In 2008, several Austinites noticed the park falling into disrepair and began a friends group to help restore Pease Park to its former glory. Five years later, the movement had grown into the Pease Park Conservancy, which was formally recognized as a nonprofit organization in 2013.

Brown is quick to emphasize the importance of not taking open spaces for granted.

“You realize that there’s a lot of work that goes into having a free space like that for everybody—anybody—to enjoy,” she says. “I’ve been all over the world, but I’ve come back home, basically, and really home, in the sense of working for an organization that is working hard to protect and preserve a green space that I used as a child.”

Personal History

Given its long history as a part of Austin’s physical landscape, it only makes sense that Pease Park also holds quite a bit of history in the heart of Austin’s past residents and current community members.

When Brown and her associates asked those attending the Pease Park Conservancy fall fundraiser to write down their favorite memories from Pease Park, they received more than 100 replies. These memories told stories that dated back to the 1950s, stories about fun times at Eeyore’s Birthday, about finding the love of one’s life and, in one woman’s case, about the last walk she ever took with her father.

Be it casual walks, parties or life-changing moments, Pease Park has been there for many people, Brown says, including herself.

“I grew up going to Pease Park,” Brown says. “To see how dense and populated Austin is becoming as an adult now with my own kids, it makes me realize…the space is important and it should be protected so that we all have this place of respite that we know is there.”

Community

“We have more volunteers than we know what to do with,” Brown says of Pease Park Conservancy, “because everyone wants to get out there and help and spread mulch and clear invasive species and help plant trees, and water and make the park pretty.”

Conservation of spaces such as Pease Park can be a great way for those in the community to come together and understand one another. Pease Park Conservancy often hosts volunteer days and it’s had no shortage of volunteers, as Brown notes, particularly from student organizations from UT, with many signing up to help keep the park clean.

“I think being concerned about our environment and where we live cuts across cultures,” Brown says. “We’re all invested in caring about where we work, play, eat, live. And I think that the increased amount of conservation efforts you’re seeing, especially in Austin these days, is a direct commentary on that.”

One of Brown’s most prominent projects since taking the CEO seat has been coordinating the creation of “Stickwork,” a nature-based, interactive sculpture project created by internationally renowned artist Patrick Dougherty. The sculptures, set to debut in the park this month, are made from harvested saplings of invasive species that grow in the park. Dougherty will work on the sculptures for three weeks, along with more than 300 community volunteers who have signed up to help. The end goal of the project is to create towering structures of twigs adults and kids can marvel at and walk through when they visit the park.

“When I saw these [sculptures,] I immediately thought Where the Wild Things Are,” Brown says. “It’s so whimsical.”

To learn more about Pease Park Conservancy and “Stickwork,” visit peasepark.org/art-at-the-park.

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GIVE BACK

A LEGACY OF PHILANTHROPY

New-to-Austin nonprofit Friends of the Children strives to break the generational cycle of poverty by providing East Austin youth with a mentor for life.

Austin is a microcosm of nonprofits, a community enveloped with a passion for giving back. And Rachel Arnold, senior vice president of Vista Equity Partners, and Nancy Pollard are no exception, with their unequivocal spirit of volunteerism. The friends turned business partners recently launched the Austin chapter of Friends of the Children, a national nonprofit that provides underprivileged children with a mentor from kindergarten through high-school graduation.

Friends of the Children was founded in Portland, Ore., in 1993, and throughout the past two and a half decades, has helped youth reach key milestones for success. Nationally, 83 percent of Friends of the Children participants graduate high school, 93 percent avoid the juvenile justice system and 98 percent avoid becoming teen parents.

The model is simple, but it’s proven and measurable. When starting a new chapter in a new city, Friends of the Children representatives analyze schools that are in need, spend time in kindergarten classrooms at those schools and then evaluate which students most need a mentor in their lives.

“They are not looking for the kids that are resilient, but the kids that are succumbing to their environment and are showing behavioral issues in the classroom,” says Pollard, executive director of the Austin organization.

Children are then chosen and matched with a salaried mentor, referred to as a “friend” who stays with the kids until they reach fifth grade. A second mentor is chosen for the children as they advance from sixth through 12 grades.

Unlike some nonprofits that just skim the surface in terms of impact and result longevity, Friends of the Children empowers youth, their caregivers and the community as a whole.

“It’s the whole ‘I live here, I give here’ spirit,” Arnold says.

Last year, while Arnold was acting as the interim CEO at Social Solutions, a software company that helps nonprofits measure their impact, she met Terri Sorensen, the national president of Friends of the Children.

“My socks were completely blown off,” Arnold recalls. “They have an incredible team, really change people’s lives and it’s a super-simple program that really works and that is hard to find.”

24 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Sorensen told Arnold the group was looking to expand its reach and, with that knowledge in mind, Arnold set out on a mission to bring the nonprofit to Austin.

“There was a huge opportunity for us to bring this program to life here in Austin,” she says. “There’s nothing like this in the community, and we have such a well-connected community here in Austin.”

After hearing about Friends of the Children from Arnold, Pollard visited Portland, Ore., in March to understand the logistics of how to start a chapter of the organization. She then spent time in the field observing the process.

“I was really struck by how much difference [the program] made in an underserved, overpopulated classroom, to have another engaged adult present, especially one whose job it was not to teach the kids, but to know all of the kids and to be their friend,” Pollard recalls. “[The friends] are assigned to one child, but their job is to be part of their community and, by nature of that, they know all the kids.”

In August, Friends of the Children Austin officially became a chapter after Arnold and Pollard raised $2.6 million through fundraising and a social-innovation grant. They also reRachel Arnold and Nancy Pollard cently completed the hiring process.

Arnold and Pollard are confident in the program’s ability to change lives, and Austin Mayor Steve Adler is standing behind them.

“The inequities and challenges East Austin residents face are well documented,” Adler said in a press release. “I’m excited about the opportunity to support a program that will create opportunity for children living in this community by equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in school and become future leaders for our city.”

This month, the kindergarten selection process will begin at three Title I elementary schools in East Austin, where mentors will spend six weeks in each of the classrooms. Come May, students will officially join Friends of the Children.

Unfortunately, for children born into poverty, a future riddled with substance abuse and legal trouble is common, but it is the hope of those at Friends of the Children to reverse this damaging cycle. Although the Austin chapter is just getting started, a brighter future awaits for the children of East Austin.

Photo courtesy of David Brendan Hall.

BY LAUREN JONES

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AVVY WOMEN

PROFILES

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Entrepreneur Rachel Green is utilizing the subscription-box business model to empower women, one supportive tool at a time.

BY LYDIA GREGOVIC While Green may not admit it, the savvy entrepreneur’s dedication, drive and ingenuity mark her as a lady leader in her own right.

Drawing inspiration from her mother, an auspicious businesswoman herself, Green has built an empire by blending her business expertise and passion for empowering women into a marketable product. But like most women, she’s encountered a few bumps in the road along her way.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned,” Green explains, “is if you can’t survive, you’re unable to help anyone else. I was vying for the attention of clients in a world full of publicists that did similar things as I did...[but] once I started to focus on myself and my own brand, that’s when I was able to ensure the survival of my firm.”

Now, with a flourishing PR firm and the launch of Leader Ship Box, Green is more than surviving; she’s thriving. And in the true spirit of community, she’s rising higher with every new success story she helps create.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Green.

As the CEO of successful public-relations firm A Brand Called You, Rachel Green has built her career on helping young entrepreneurs succeed. Now, with the founding of her new subscription-box service, Leader Ship Box, she’s joining their ranks.

Leader Ship Box, inspired by Green’s desire to provide support and resources for businesswomen throughout the world, gives Green the opportunity to combine her expertise in PR and marketing with her passion for helping equip and bolster today’s female leaders.

“Historically, most of my clients in my [PR] firm have been female business owners,” Green explains. “So, with the help of my network, I felt that a subscription-box service would allow us to bring business knowledge and expertise to the doorsteps of women across the globe.”

A quarterly subscription service, Leader Ship Box includes just about everything a successful entrepreneur could want, other than the job itself. Within each box, customers will find a fashionable handbag, a book authored by a “lady leader” and a professional-development guide, among other goodies. But unlike other subscription-based services, the benefits of Green’s company extend far beyond the box.

“We focus on the holistic view of a woman,” Green says.

In addition to offering subscribers curated goods such as handbags, Leader Ship Box connects customers to one another through a unique community approach. Women who subscribe gain access to valuable resources, including virtual conference calls with established businesswomen, career workshops and the Leader Ship Box book club. Members also become part of a network of powerful women throughout the world.

“Community is really important because most entrepreneurial lessons are not learned in a classroom,” Green says. “They’re mostly learned through real-life experiences…and with a community, you get to share those experiences with one another.”

More than textbook learning, Green’s service allows women to interact with like-minded ladies with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, creating a wealth of knowledge from which all participants can benefit.

While some may view the path to business success as an every-woman-for-herself game, Green’s philosophy is grounded in helping others.

“As a publicist, I gain great joy from seeing my clients succeed,” she says. “So, when creating Leader Ship Box, I wanted to make sure that I provided those same resources and tools for our subscribers, to help them succeed in the same way.”

Instead of viewing fellow female entrepreneurs as competition, Green hopes to encourage them on their journey to becoming lady leaders, a term she says is at the center of her brand. “[A lady leader is] an expert in her field, she’s confident in her walk and she empowers others around her,” Green explains.

Whether she’s setting fashion trends or analyzing trends in data, a lady leader is a force to be reckoned with. As Green puts it, a lady leader is “a total badass.”

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AN ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE

Shelley Clifford Brophy, Google Austin’s software-engineering staffing manager, is leading her team’s charge to hire more diverse job applicants.

BY CRYSTAL ZUZEK When Shelley Clifford Brophy applied for a job at Google in 2014, she was in the process of rebounding from what she calls an existential crisis. She’d been working in the undergraduate admissions office at the University of Texas for the past year and abruptly quit her job when she realized she needed to change direction. She was engaged at the time, and her fiance, Joel Brophy, questioned her rash decision.

“I decided I was going to learn calligraphy, go to culinary school, plan our wedding and do some admissions consulting on the side to earn money,” Clifford Brophy says. “That lasted about a month.”

She applied for a job at Google and heard from a recruiter two days later. The position had been filled, but the recruiter invited Clifford Brophy to the company’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters anyway. A week after her visit, she was offered a job as staffing-services lead, running a training team in Google’s California office. She accepted and started in January 2015.

“I was on board but had never run a training team,” she says. “My entire Google career, people offer me opportunities and I say, ‘I have no idea how to do that,’ and then I figure out how to do that.”

Saying yes to new career opportunities in uncharted territory comes easily to the open-minded, dynamic, Ivy League-educated executive leading Google toward a more diverse workforce. Clifford Brophy attended Yale University as an undergrad and returned there to get her master’s degree after practicing corporate law in New York for three years.

Eventually transferring to Google’s Austin office and taking on the software-engineering staffing-manager role, she now heads up a team of 15 employees who help hire all front-end and mobile developers for Google.

“People ask me for career advice a lot,” she says. “I tell them to embrace opportunities when they’re offered.”

take an interest in the sciences as a step in the right direction. For instance, Google’s Made with Code program encourages girls to take an interest in computer-science and technology careers, and the company is also working to integrate computer-science curriculum into elementary and middle-school classes in the Austin Independent School District through its CS First program.

“When girls enter high school, a lot of them lose interest in the sciences,” says Clifford Brophy, who also serves as a member of the Girl Scouts of Central Texas board of directors. “If you can get a girl to stay interested in the sciences throughout high school and to graduate with that interest, you have them for life.”

EMPOWERING WOMEN

Clifford Brophy says she wasn’t always the empowered business leader she is today.

She was born in Queens, N.Y., and her family moved to her parents’ native Trinidad when she was 4 years old. She lived there until she graduated from high school in 1995, when she returned to the U.S. to attend college at Yale.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics, she attended Columbia University Law School and practiced corporate law in New York. As a young lawyer, she says she executed commands, never questioning them.

“Only when I got to business school did I realize you can actually tell people what you want to do,” she says. “Once I started to find my voice, I cared more about my work.

I vocalized what I was interested in and then got the opportunity to do those things.”

At Google, Clifford Brophy uses her leadership role to help empower other women.

“You can change and make things happen for you if you identify what you want to do,” she says. “Once you know what you want and the skills you want to develop, you can get help to accomplish that.”

Photo by Korey Howell.

WORKING FOR CHANGE

Clifford Brophy guides her team to help them bring in job candidates from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, driving the charge to attract and hire more diverse job applicants in Google’s Austin office.

A public-relations representative for Google says the company was unable to provide diversity data for the Austin office. However, according to a Google national and global diversity report, men made up 69 percent of the company’s overall 2017 global workforce, whereas women accounted for 31 percent. When broken down by ethnicity for the 2017 U.S. Google workforce, 56 percent of all employees were white, 35 percent were Asian, 4 percent were Hispanic, 2 percent were African-American and less than 1 percent were Pacific Islander or Native American.

Another 4 percent of U.S. employees reported belonging to two or more of the aforementioned ethnic groups.

Clifford Brophy is confident the workforce in the maledominated tech industry will transform as time passes, pointing to some of Google’s efforts to spur young girls to ATXWOMAN.COM | 27

ATX

WOMEN to WATCH Our pages are full of stories of Austin’s most engaging, empowering and successful women, and this section is specially designed to provide you access to even more incredible role models and success stories.

Be part of this amazing tribe and share your story with thousands of women.

Contact us at sales@awmediainc.com or call 512.328.2421 for more information.

BY LAUREN JONES | PHOTOS BY CAITLIN CANDELARI

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM ATXWOMAN.COM | | 29 29

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WOMAN to WATCH

PA M F R I E D M A N

PARTNER, SILICON HILLS WE ALTH MANAGEMENT

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am Friedman is a woman to watch in financial planning and investment management.

She is an owner of Silicon Hills Wealth Management and the founder of Divorce Planning of Austin. As a certified financial planner, Friedman is passionate about educating her clients and helping them develop their own financial way forward through life’s transitions.

As a former lecturer at the University of Texas’ McCombs School of Business, she is on a mission to educate women about how to handle the money in our relationships. Her book, I Now Pronounce You Financially Fit: How to Protect Your Money in Marriage and Divorce, is a must-read, whether you are getting married, living together or ending your relationship. siliconhillswealth.com

30 | AUSTIN SPECIAL WOMAN PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM | JANUARY 2018

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

STEPHANIE HOUSTON PARTNER, HYE RUM

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tephanie Houston is a founder of Hye Rum, a craft distillery in Hye, Texas, located just outside Austin.

A University of Texas graduate, Houston began her professional career in Dallas. After a successful career as a founder of Platinum Select, a nationwide medical-staffing firm, she helped pioneer the Deep Ellum resurgence with music venue LaGrange and opened the first trailer-park eatery in Dallas. She currently co-owns Gourmaleo, a paleo-meal-delivery company set to expand to Austin in 2018. In Dallas, she met Benjamin Calais, owner of Calais Winery, and a chance meeting in Hye led to their current venture with distiller James Davidson. At Hye Rum, Houston’s day-to-day work includes forecasting, brand awareness, cocktail design and event planning, a role she loves. Hye Rum will be available in stores soon.

Houston lives in East Austin and loves getting to experience the city’s vibrant culture. hyerum.com

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WOMAN to WATCH

E L I Z A B E T H C AT E S OWNER, SPARROW INTERIORS

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t Sparrow Interiors, they work as a team to offer a healthy balance with mind, body and spirit.

Sparrow Interiors is a young business and Owner Elizabeth Cates has found throwing yourself into something you love, no matter what it is, can help so much with all three of those things. At Sparrow, they’ve cultivated things Cates personally loves, and her team has helped her accomplish the vision. Cates honors the old and enjoys the new, and Sparrow has a Western cultural influence that runs through the store. After deciding to start a business, Cates was exposed to the incredibly empowering spirit women can give to one another to bless them and set them on their course.

A few of those women who have inspired Cates are Dorothy McFall of Johnnie’s Antiques on the Eastside, Suzie Page of Page Home Design, Lisa Mallory of Memphis, Tenn., Dara Davis with Sunset Interiors in Tucson, Ariz., and Berenice Denton. Cates says she is blessed to be a blessing. facebook.com/sparrowinteriors

32 SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 32 | | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

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WOMAN to WATCH

D R. S A R A H S A X O N PL ASTIC SURGEON, SA XON MD

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r. Sarah Saxon, an accomplished facial plastic surgeon, recently opened her practice in Austin.

Saxon is dedicated to providing a high level of commitment to her patients and has spent more than a decade in the most rigorous training in facial plastic surgery. She studied the reconstruction of congenital ear abnormalities with the world expert in the procedure, Dr. Satoru Nagata, in Japan, and learned to master the nuances of the female face under world-renowned surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel at Boston University. She is one of the nation’s few experts in facial feminization surgery, and has helped men and women alike achieve a more youthful appearance. Saxon is excited to transition her practice to Austin and bring her expertise to every procedure and every patient. No matter how big or small the procedure, she focuses on her patients’ desire to look natural and improve confidence with as little downtime as possible. saxonmd.com

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WOMAN to WATCH

CLAIRE WINSLOW

PRESIDENT AND SENIOR STR ATEGIST, BEST PR ACTICE MEDIA

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laire Winslow is the president and senior strategist at Best Practice Media, a boutique socialmedia marketing agency in downtown Austin. Best Practice Media specializes in content creation and curation, daily engagement, digital advertising and online-reputation management.

Winslow holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas, and is a regular contributor to social-media marketing talks and panels for small businesses. Her agency brought the global conference Social Media Week to Austin for the first time last year, and she has partnered with Capital Factory, The Refinery, General Assembly and Bumble Bizz to produce it again in February. bestpracticemedia.com

34 SPECIAL WOMAN PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 34 |  AUSTIN |  JANUARY 2018

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WOMAN to WATCH

MELISSA GRANT

CO-OWNER, CRESCENT HOUSE FURNITURE

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rom the moment visitors walk into Crescent House Furniture, the Austin vibe is apparent. Melissa Grant and her husband, Stacy Grant, have infused this unique store with their passion and love. Melissa Grant’s background is in sales, marketing and management, and she’s worked with companies such as Pottery Barn, Arhaus and Urban Outfitters. After Melissa Grant spent a year collaborating with Stacy Grant on design and product for Crescent House, they fell in love, and she left Kentucky for a new adventure in Austin, where she joined her husband at Crescent House. From her love of one-of-a-kind pieces to the history of the items she hand-selects to showcase in Crescent House, Melissa Grant’s touch can be seen throughout the store. She brings her talent in team building, motivation and culture development to their home and their ever-growing furniture business. The couple now lives a very exciting life with their three teenagers, and Melissa Grant devotes much time to projects near and dear to her heart, including volunteering for Austin Smiles, mentoring young adults and helping empower and encourage other women. crescenthouseinc.com

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DISCOVER

HIGH-DESERT HOSPITALITY

It’s easy to find the magic in Marfa, Texas.

BY NIKI JONES, PHOTOS BY CARRIN WELCH The air is crisp and a slight breeze blows from the north. The temperature seems to be dropping by the second. It’s quiet but for the occasional sound of a passing vehicle on the highway. The moon is bright and the clouds are shaped like pieces of broken glass.

It’s five minutes to midnight and I’m standing in the desert in Marfa, Texas, gazing out into the darkness, searching for the famous Marfa Lights. I’ve traveled to this fabled destination to see if I could get a dose of enlightenment, some otherworldly feeling that just doesn’t exist in the daily grind of city life in Austin. It seemed like a pretty promising quest, as the traffic of Austin (Yes, there was still traffic, even at 6 a.m. on a Saturday.) faded as I headed west on Interstate 10. As I drove, the warm light of the early morning sun glinted off the passing white limestone cliffs that hugged the road, and a dense fog hung low in the valleys.

I rolled into Marfa, a dusty town of 2,000 people, give or take, and was struck by how small, calm and quiet it was. In the center of town, Hotel Saint George stood like a modern, minimalist beacon. Inside, the décor was a designer’s dream, with every detail well thought out, from the concrete floors and the exposedbrick lobby right through to the design of the large guest room, which featured open shelving, charcoal-colored walls and a white-tiled bathroom stocked with luxury products. I didn’t want to leave, but there was a whole world outside the hotel to explore.

I started my day off exploring right outside, on the square in front of the pink-hued county courthouse. While not numerous, the shops on the square are certainly unique, like Ranch Candy, with its offerings of retro candy-store classics and local art. Owner Joe Pat Clayton chatted me up and directed me to Wrong Store, a former church filled with an eclectic mix of art pieces, including some in mediums I had never seen before. I then set foot in Cobra Rock, a local boot company with a quaint retail space that features handmade leather footwear, in addition to unique clothing and accessories fashioned by independent designers and local artists.

Clayton wasn’t the only helpful local in directing me to can’t-miss Marfa spots. Ruben, our friendly server in the hotel’s Bar Saint George, recommended The Capri for drinks as he set the most delicious tacos alambre and vegetarian potato cheddar soup in front of me.

The Capri, a stunning wood- and glasscomposed building, half of which is a bar and the other half an event space, evokes an otherworldly feeling as soon as you approach.

Its surrounding gardens, with private fire pits scattered throughout and a large patio, are just the beginning. Once I entered the dimly 36 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

“Target Marathon,” a roadside attraction in nearby Marathon, Texas

Bar Saint George’s lunch special

The Capri

lit, high-ceiling bar, the intoxicating scent of burning copal—a tree resin from Mexico— greeted me, setting a sultry mood for the bar’s interesting craft cocktails and gorgeous cheeseboards.

While the essence of copal was present in other spots throughout town, so was the delicious fire-and-smoke scent of a campfire, especially at El Cosmico, a “nomadic hotel and campground,” where guests can choose to stay in tents, teepees, yurts or vintage trailers, all on the 21-acre property. It was a Saturday when I scoped out the place. Fire pits flashed near hot tubs, and a karaoke party was in full swing.

For breakfast in the chilly, quiet Marfa morning, life didn’t get much better than tucking in next to the free-standing fireplace in the middle of Do Your Thing, a coffee spot that makes everything in-house from scratch, including sublime bread, which is sliced thick, toasted and topped with an array of sweet and savory items. A simple combination of butter, honey and sea salt made for a heavenly piece of toast.

One Marfa experience that’s an absolute must is a visit to the Chinati Foundation, a world-class art museum founded by artist Donald Judd that features large-scale works from renowned artists. Set on the former cavalry base of Camp Albert, the 340-acre location is quite the sight to see, and guided tours of the art are recommended. My tour guide, a fiction writer named Gretel, made my two-and-a-half-hour tour of half the collection (Full-collection guided tours take more than four hours.) a very fun-filled, interactive experience. Gretel had her own recommendation to offer me: Catch the Sunday-night reading of Marfa’s writer-in-residence and attend the reception afterward.

I took her advice, and as I sat in the charming Crowley Theater, riveted by the writer’s tale and among 40 friendly and extremely welcoming locals, I realized I was in love with Marfa. While the places I visited certainly were magical, it was the people I met that I found most otherworldly and enlightening.

The modern, minimalist facade of Hotel Saint George

El Cosmico’s Lobby House and Provision Co.

PRO TIPS 1. G o during an off time of year. The slower pace, found November through February, allows more interaction with the locals and there are no long lines in the smaller shops.

2. I f you visit Prada Marfa, take a detour through Fort Davis to see some of the most magnificent landscapes in Texas. You get bonus points if you catch the scenery at sunset.

3. V isit the gift shops. The collection of Marfa-themed items spread throughout town is well-curated and many items don’t seem to be available anywhere else: • Hotel Paisano gift shop, 207 Highland St., hotelpaisano.com • Marfa Book Company, 105 S. Highland Ave., marfabookco.com • El Cosmico gift shop, 802 S. Highland Ave., elcosmico.com • Ballroom Marfa gift shop, 108 E. San Antonio St., ballroommarfa.org • Chinati Foundation gift shop, 1 Cavalry Row, chinati.org Do Your Thing’s signature toast

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EIGHT NEW THINGS TO TRY IN 2018

This year, check out all the fun activities Austin has to offer.

BY MADISON MATOUS

Making New Year’s resolutions is a popular tradition, though some might admit they’re somewhat pointless. They can be as hard to manage as a toddler’s nap-time routine and are notorious, much like that last cinnamon roll on Christmas morning, for not sticking around too long. Instead of making a resolution you won’t want to keep, this year, make the decision to try new things and push the boundaries of your comfort zone. To start, here’s a handy checklist.

Go on a distillery tour.

Distilleries are a fairly new enterprise in Texas. The first permit was issued in 1995, and it wasn’t until 2008 that the industry really started to take root in the Austin area. To make a day of it, head to Dripping Springs, Texas, where four distilleries, including Deep Eddy Vodka, offer tastings and tours. For a tour closer to home, Still Austin Whiskey will give you a behind-the-scenes look at its milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling and bottling process. deepeddyvodka.com, stillaustin.com

It’s never too early to start planning how you’ll stay cool when temperatures start to skyrocket. Before you head over for a Splash Party Movie Night at Deep Eddy Pool, grab a burger, some crinkle fries and maybe a Tiki cocktail or two at the new nearby and aptly named restaurant, Pool Burger. deepeddy.org, poolburger.com

Plant succulents in dinosaur planters.

Succulents are just about the easiest plants to keep alive, hence the main reason they’ve become increasingly popular on Austin porch fronts and patios in the past few years.

The almost self-sufficient plants make great additions to even the smallest residences, and brightly colored dinosaur planters just add to the fun. Get your very own dinosaur planter from Etsy store Plaid Pigeon, based in Austin, and explore a treasure trove of beautiful succulent arrangements at East Austin succulent shop Succulent Native. etsy.com/shop/plaidpigeon, flowersontheflyaustin.com

Say hello to the peacocks.

A mile or so west of the hustle and bustle of MoPac and 35th Street, step into a fairytale eco-land complete with a cottage, quaint gardens, lily-pad-spotted ponds and peacocks. Mayfield Park wasn’t always open to the public. Mary Mayfield Gutsch and her husband once lived on the grounds after they inherited the land from her father in 1922. The property backs up to an inlet of Lake Austin. Thirteen years later, they were gifted a pair of peacocks, whose descendants roam the property today. mayfieldpark.org 38 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Sign up for a library card.

Don’t we all wish we read more? Head to the new Austin Central Library to sign up for a library card, which is free with proof of residency, and while you’re there, gaze in awe at all the amenities the library has to offer.

Besides hosting more than half a million books, the library also has a rooftop butterfly garden; reading porches; access to new technology, including a 3-D printer; the Recycled Reads gift shop; a bike garage and a soon-to-beopen café, Cookbook. library.austintexas.gov/central-library

StillPhoto Austin by Whiskey Co.Narro. photo by Danielle Chloe Potts. Austin Public Library photo courtesy of Austin Public Library.

Alison

Look out for summer.

Dine in secret.

Started by three girlfriends, Foster ATX, an underground supper club, is a unique experience that brings together people in intimate settings to eat, drink and listen to great music. Whether you go alone or with a friend, you’ll more than likely leave a gathering with new pals and shared memories. Some Foster ATX gatherings focus on specific meals, like a garden brunch or sushi dinner, while others focus on spotlighting local musicians. fosteratx.com

Foster ATX photo by Reese Vonderschmidt. Mint & Maple photo courtesy of Mint & Maple.

Learn a new craft.

In the last couple years, adult coloring books have become a popular way to wind down and relax. If you’re ready to amp up your artistic side, take a class— from Watercolor 101 and Modern Calligraphy 101 to Brush Lettering 101—with Mint & Maple. The classes, hosted in Austin at Patricia’s Table, are a great way to meet other creative minds, and come catered with a set of take-home supplies, as well as snacks and wine. mintandmaple.com/classes

Go stargazing.

This year, take the time to slow down and look up at the stars. Free, open-to-the-public star parties are offered on the University of Texas campus Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights throughout the school year. For a more romantic evening, consider a midnight cruise on Lady Bird Lake. Starting in mid-March, Lone Star Riverboat takes to the water for a scenic tour each Friday at 10:30 p.m. outreach.as.utexas.edu, lonestarriverboat.com/friday_night_moonlight_cruise.html ATXWOMAN.COM | 39

M

UST LIST

LITTLE LUXURIES

WRITE, SKETCH, REPEAT

Capture life’s memorable moments in a new medium.

BY APRIL CUMMING If a photo is worth a thousand words, then how many words is a hand-drawn illustration worth?

Through her company’s workshops, Mint & Maple Founder Natalie Coulter has spent years teaching countless students how to live more creative lives, instructing them in the arts of calligraphy, brush lettering and watercolor techniques before launching her Kickstarter campaign for The Art Journal Kit. The kit, which successfully received funding from the crowdsourcing platform in October 2017, is designed to be a workshop in a box.

40 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Curated tools include a soft-bound travel book with highquality watercolor paper, a watercolor set with a portable water brush, a permanent fine-line pen, a pencil, a rubber art eraser, washi tape, a pencil bag and an illustrated book packed with step-by-step tips and newbie guidance for how to practice the craft of art journaling.

The Art Journal Kit, $85, mintandmaple.com

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Pong to Pokémon: The Evolution of Electronic Gaming

Femme Film Fridays Sponsored by

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The Bullock Texas State History Museum is owned and operated by the State of Texas through the State Preservation Board. Additional support of exhibitions and programs is provided by the Museum’s nonprofit partner, the Texas State History Museum Foundation.

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COLOR (W)HEEL

Start the year off bright, beginning with your footwear.

Roger Vivier Polly suede buckle bootie, $1,150, neimanmarcus.com

Steve Madden Fuego lace-up bootie, $90, nordstrom.com

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Aquazzura Party silk embellished bootie, $717, neimanmarcus.com

Rachel Comey Mars bootie, $460, zappos.com

42 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

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JOIN THE CLUB

All you need is a good read, a group of friends and a special treat to make your next gathering one for the books.

WRITTEN AND STYLED BY RHODA BRIMBERRY AND ANNA CRELIA, FOUNDERS OF LOOT VINTAGE RENTALS, PHOTOS BY NATALIE PARAMORE

We encourage our kids to pick up books in exchange for gadgets. We do this because we know how engaging and transforming reading a book can be, but sometimes we’re unable to find time or a quiet space to escape.

PICKING A BOOK Choosing a book is one of the most fun parts of the book club. Rotating the host relieves the burden of always setting up at your house. For most busy women, allowing a month between meetings provides a good time frame in which to finish the book.

44 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Starting a book club is a wonderful way to dive into a good read while enjoying a gathering with friends. In January, we are finally able to slow down, enjoy the cooler weather and work on our ideas for a great new year. For us, reading more and getting together with friends is at the top of our to-do lists. So, let’s get the club together and show those kids how it’s done.

Simplified: Choose a book from one of the many best-seller lists: Goodreads, The New York Times or even BookPeople. There are so many to choose from.

Next level: Base the club on a theme and preselect the books for the next six months to a year. Classics, biographies, picks from Oprah’s Book Club, Texas authors or rereading highschool book assignments are good places to start gathering inspiration. And if you’re trying to entice the kids with the idea of a fun book club, why not include them in a young-adult literature club? There are some great YA novels to choose from that all ages are sure to enjoy.

DRINKS AND SNACKS Keeping it simple is the name of the game. Choosing finger foods to nosh on while sitting on cozy couches and cushions really enhances the comfy vibe and relaxes guests for a more honest and open discussion.

Simplified: Pick up a cheese plate, cookies, veggies and dip from the store and serve them with wine, a warm cocktail or a mug of hot cocoa by the fire.

Next level: Pairing some snacks or drinks to go along with the theme of the book adds a special and interactive twist. If you’re reading The Great Gatsby, why not try your hand at making a French 75? Or make a hot wassail if you’re reading Little Women.

BOOK CLUB MEMBERS AND GUESTS Deciding whom to invite to the club can be daunting because you don’t want to leave anyone out.

Don’t fret, though. Adding more guests as the club matures is always possible and, with busy schedules, some might not always be able to join.

You can make a gathering work, whether you’re inviting your business colleagues to get together after hours or reaching out to your neighbors. Involving a wide assortment of ladies with different beliefs and backgrounds is a great way to make the discussion lively and introduce new ideas.

Simplified: Keep the club small, and invite just a handful of members to start to create a strong base.

Next level: Invite a special guest that is either an expert on the literature being read or has a background on the subject being discussed.

Think about literature professors or teachers, or neighbors from a different generation who were alive during the time the book is set. You might be surprised that a number of authors who live in Austin would love to come discuss books in your club or even provide insight on their works that you might be reading at the time.

For us, we took a different direction and invited Catelyn Silapachai from The Distillery to share her fascination with the novel Jane Eyre and the jewelry collection she built based on the subject and characters of the book. Not only was the jewelry stunning—and available to purchase—but her take on Charlotte Brontë’s novel really took the discussion in a new direction and had us all craving more vintage literature.

SPICED MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE WITH ORANGE WHIPPED CREAM Serves eight Hot chocolate ingredients 8 cups milk 2 discs Abuelita Mexican Hot Chocolate 2.5 cups spiced rum, like Sailor Jerry Orange whipped cream ingredients 1 pint heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar Zest of one orange, plus extra for garnish Directions 1. To make the hot chocolate, heat the milk on the stovetop over medium heat.

2. Cut each chocolate disk into pieces and add them to the milk, stirring until the chocolate dissolves.

3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove it from heat and add the rum.

4. U sing a mixer, in a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks start to form. dd the powdered sugar and beat 5. A until firm, then stir in the orange zest.

6. T o serve, dollop each cup of spiced Mexican hot chocolate with the whipped cream and sprinkle with orange zest.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 45

Success

RUNAWAY

Under Armour Streaker halfzip, long-sleeve running shirt, $55; Under Armour Run True printed crop performance leggings, $100; Adidas Swift Run trainer sneakers, $85, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.

46 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Fitness mogul Ally Davidson breaks down how she got from point A, a spontaneous audition for American Gladiators on the morning of her wedding day, to point B, the rapid rise of her own outdoor-workout empire.

BY RACHEL RASCOE | PHOTOS BY RUDY AROCHA

Just hours before saying “I do” to her husband and now co-CEO, Ally Davidson took on the trope of the runaway bride, with a Hulk Hogan-hosted fitness twist.

On the day of Davidson’s wedding, in 2008, her sister and maid of honor, Amanda, hatched a secret plan for the bride to audition for the revival of 1980s competition show American Gladiators.

“She was like, ‘Ally, I know you want to do one last crazy thing before you get married. You should do this,’ ” Davidson recalls of the momentous occasion. “I’ve always loved that kind of really spontaneous, adventurous stuff.”

The sisters arrived at the Austin tryouts to find more than 1,000 people standing in line. Cutting it close to her call time at the

altar, Davidson threw on her vail and garter, and ran to the front, begging the producers to let her cut the queue.

Fast-forward to later that year and the impulsive plan had worked, propelling competitive titan Davidson all the way to a victorious finale on American Gladiators.

The on-screen triumph and prize earnings fueled the founding of Davidson’s Austin-based fitness empire, Camp Gladiator. The outdoor boot-camp-style exercise groups blend the challenging excitement of the TV show with sports-style conditioning and team spirit, straight from Davidson’s devoted athletic background.

The formula of fun, fitness and community has thousands of “campers” hooked nationwide.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 47

Her TV Victory Her Big Idea After her last-second American Gladiators tryout, Returning to her sales-representative job in Dallas with $100,000 in Davidson raced to the wedding ceremony, tied American Gladiators prize money and a new car, Ally Davidson had to the knot and didn’t give much further thought to keep her mouth shut for the next few months while the show aired. warrior fame. But after returning home from her “After we filmed the finale and I won the show, they literally flew honeymoon, she got the call. me home and the next day, I’m back at my normal job,” Ally Davidson While out in Los Angeles preparing for her redremembers. “I just felt something tugging on my heart, saying that I’ve spandex-clad debut on national television, Davidson got to do something with this opportunity.” talked up the athleticism of her new husband, Jeff She and her husband immediately began developing an idea for a fitness Davidson. The show’s producers liked the idea of company, drawing on Ally Davidson’s passion and background in sports. a competing couple so much that Jeff Davidson, As for the new venture’s exercise routine, Ally Davidson wanted to who was working in Dallas at the time with AXA recreate the enthralling group energy of her past athletics teams.

Advisors, was added to the lineup for season two.

“My whole life, I had stayed in shape by playing sports and doing Branded as the honeymooning lovebirds, the all the practices and conditioning drills. When I finished playing, duo began the intensive filming process for the I was kind of lost,” Ally Davidson says. “I got bored and lonely because I strength- and agility-stretching production. wasn’t on a team anymore after I graduated.”

While Jeff Davidson made a solid stand until After college, the conundrum sent Ally Davidson on a search for the the semifinals, Ally Davidson climbed her way perfect workout, testing out gyms, camps and classes, to no avail. to the finale.

“They were good workouts, but I always felt like there was never “I trained hard for every event and wanted to anything more than that,” she says of her past exercise explorations. win, but I also wanted to have a “I was like, ‘What if I put on a great workout, but I good experience,” Ally Davidson also made it feel more like a team and a community says of her gladiator strategy. where we live life together?’ ” “I think if you focus only on the “I GOT BORED AND The goal manifested into Camp Gladiator’s winning, then you get too nervous, chief mantra: better together. The group classes, but if you focus on trying to soak LONELY BECAUSE meeting multiple times a week with the same in the experience, you can relax trainer, use healthy competition and group I WASN’T ON A a little more.” challenges to motivate campers. Positive vibes The lifelong sportswoman’s TEAM ANYMORE.” dodge any boot-camp stereotypes of a lone drill seemingly unlimited supply —ALLY DAVIDSON sergeant barking orders. of buzzing enthusiasm shines “They hold each other accountable and they through in the now decade-old form that community,” Ally Davidson says of the footage, in which Ally Davidson swings, darts and campers. “It’s not just a one-on-one session with a trainer, like in a gym. scurries at light speed through the show’s grandiose It’s this amazing family that gets the most out of you.” obstacle courses. Propelled by her own magnetic athleticism and competitiveness, Ally Davidson Her Gladiator Workout emerged victorious as the female grand champion.

In 2008, Ally Davidson led her initial group of Dallas campers.

“The first camp, I had 40 campers, then they loved it and they brought Her Roots their friends. The next camp, I had 60 campers. The next camp, I had A born-and-raised Austinite, Ally Davidson grew up 80,” she recounts of the business’ quick momentum. in healthy rivalry with her five brothers and sisters.

Ally Davidson describes the hour-long Camp Gladiator experience as “I was very competitive as a kid, probably too a “full-body, functional workout, like a combination of a soccer practice competitive,” she confesses. “I grew up with a lot of mixed with a basketball practice and football.” siblings, so we would always be playing outside and “It pulls from that feeling of being on a sports team,” she says. compete against each other.”

Today, the athletic-conditioning-inspired classes run on a monthly Ally Davidson credits her parents with cycle, with different themes for each week, ranging from endurance implementing the importance of a healthy lifestyle to high-intensity workouts. With no two workouts exactly alike, Ally early on through family outings to run at the track.

Davidson hopes to banish boredom with exciting variety while also “I think it was so cool that they had us be a part breaking out of the confines of the traditional gym. of fitness with them,” Ally Davidson says. “From a “At 5:30 a.m., there’s no one in the Arboretum shopping-mall parking young age, it was like, ‘OK, you go workout. That’s lot, so we’re there,” Ally Davidson says of the North Austin center, one of just what you do.’ ” her program’s varied open-air locales.

By high school, Ally Davidson was taking on Camp Gladiator devotees can be found doing bear crawls and every sport Westwood High School had to offer, burpees at school fields, city parks and churches in more than 300 from basketball and cross-country to softball and cities throughout the country, from the wee hours of the morning to volleyball. She went on to play college basketball at evening meetups. the University of Mississippi and later at Texas State Another founding goal for Ally Davidson was to keep the workouts University, where she graduated with a degree in inclusive for all fitness levels. Campers can push themselves at their exercise and sports science. own pace, with workout modifications available to challenge athletes of Athletics also fittingly brought the co-CEO varied experience. couple together. Before heading off to college, Ally “Everybody has an inner gladiator. It’s your inner athlete that wants Davidson played on a summer basketball team and to compete,” Ally Davidson says. “It’s cool that we get to pull that out of met her husband, who was helping out a friend as the people and create an environment where they will be challenged but also assistant coach. They dated long distance throughout do something really amazing and feel accomplished.” the course of Ally Davidson’s studies.

“”

48 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Under Armour BreatheLux mid strappyback sports bra, $55; Alo Yoga Acme open-back performance tank, $52; The North Face reflective training jogger pants, $75; Puma Fierce VR Ariaprene high-top sneakers, $110; available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.

ATXWOMAN.COM |  49

SECRETS TO SUCCESS Austin Woman asked the fitness empire co-CEO to share the best business advice she’s ever received. Ally Davidson’s expert picks reference her Christian faith, as well as wisdom from Inc. Magazine’s yearly gatherings for its lineup of the U.S.’ top 5,000 fastest-growing private businesses.

The North FaceSwirl reversible performance vest, $99; Adidas

by Stella McCartney Run Stone printed performance tights, $110, Adidas Swift Run trainer sneaker, $85, Adidas Swift Run trainer sneaker, $85, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.Shirt, stylist’s own.

Business is all about momentum.

From the Inc. 5000 Conference “Every business is going to face challenges and obstacles. It’s the businesses that have momentum, energy and inertia that are able to bust through those obstacles and keep moving forward. So, I focus a lot on how to keep energy throughout our organization.”

Two is better than one.

From Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and 49 Financial, Jeff Davidson’s local financial-planning firm “Our motto at CG is ‘better together.’ We know that alone, we can only accomplish so much, but when you put the best trainers on the same team and support them with an amazing HQ staff, the end result is limitless. We are a teambased model and everything we do at CG relies on the team.”

Sales is simply a transfer of enthusiasm from one person to another.

From Ally Davidson’s husband and co-CEO, Jeff Davidson “You don’t have to overcomplicate or be intimidated by sales. It’s simply sharing your passion and love for something with someone else. At Camp Gladiator, we love what we do.

Therefore, it’s fun and easy to share that passion with others.”

Heroic leadership isn’t scalable.

From the Inc. 5000 Conference “If you are the leader or hero doing everything for your organization, that’s not scalable.

You have to teach and develop other leaders so that they can also become heroes. One person can’t do it all, but a team of developed leaders can create something amazing.”

50 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Blanc Noir quilted bomber jacket with mesh inset, $189; Under Armour BreatheLux mid strappy-back sports bra, $55; Alo Yoga Acme openback performance tank, $52, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.

“We pride ourselves on what we believe is the best oppHer Launch ortunity in fitness for trainers, who can build a successful During Camp Gladiator’s early days in Dallas, Ally Davidson says she figured out the business side of the growing workout business through our platform,” Ally Davidson says. “They’re program as she went along. At the helm, the new CEO juggled truly business partners with us, and that’s something really her roles in sales, marketing and customer service while also rare in fitness.” serving as the sole trainer for every camp.

“In the beginning, you literally wear every single hat,” Ally Her Business Boom Davidson says of starting her own business. “That’s when I was The company supports nationwide trainers from its North working 18- to 20-hour days every day. Most business don’t Austin headquarters, the CG Arena. The cavernous indoor make it past that stage because it’s really hard, but we just had workout space and central hub reflect the company’s to make it happen.” considerable growth, with Camp Gladiator having earned Jeff Davidson, who was still working full time in finance, a spot on Inc. Magazine’s top 5,000 fastest-growing private helped out behind the scenes with the tech and accounting side American companies multiple years in a row. of the business. The newlyweds found their complementary “Once we started hiring trainers, a light bulb kind of went skill sets, as well as hard work and devotion, key ingredients off like, ‘Wow, the potential of this is awesome.’ We could for growing the company. For the first seven years, the couple be the Uber or the Keller Williams of invested all profits from Camp Gladiator fitness, and that’s really what we’re right back into the burgeoning venture, now kind of becoming,” Ally Davidson living completely off Jeff Davidson’s says of the business’ trajectory. income.

The move back to her hometown “EVERYBODY HAS AN Less than a year into launching the of Austin brought on some of Camp fitness business, Jeff Davidson was INNER GLADIATOR. IT’S Gladiator’s first employees, who have offered a promotion in Austin. The couple decided to use the move to YOUR INNER ATHLETE since seen their responsibilities grow expand Camp Gladiator beyond the in the multidepartment office and THAT WANTS TO Dallas area. now provide the marketing materials “When we relocated, we really had to and behind-the-scenes business fuel COMPETE.” think differently and creatively to scale to power the national camps. Jeff —ALLY DAVIDSON the business,” Ally Davidson says. “We Davidson also came aboard full time as had to figure out, ‘How are we going to Ally Davidson’s co-CEO three years ago. run this thing without me leading every workout?’ ” “Austin has been great for our business. It’s a really strong fitness community,” Ally Davidson says of her headquarters Her Team locale. “People here, I think, want to do something that has The solution for expansion was more trainers and, to financially purpose behind it.” support the growth, more campers in more locations.

As a memorable moment along the path to the company’s Remembering her own past withholdings about working in current presence in five states, Ally Davidson recalls Camp fitness, Ally Davidson wanted to create a system in which trainers would be fully integrated and supported by the company. Gladiator’s fifth birthday. She rented out the Dallas Cowboys’ home, AT&T Stadium, to host a massive group workout for “Even in college, I didn’t want to be a trainer or a trainers and campers from throughout the U.S. coach because I didn’t feel like there were a lot of career “It was a Friday night, and we packed out the whole field,” opportunities. I actually went into sales because I liked that you Ally Davidson says of the milestone. “It was just such a cool, could create your own income and opportunities, so I wanted epic moment of realizing that these people really love Camp to do that with this business,” Ally Davidson says of developing Gladiator.” her business model.

The fitness program, now a lifestyle for some veteran In the various Camp Gladiator cities throughout Colorado, campers, has grown to include an app and a nutritionalFlorida, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas, trainers act as the operators of their own camp locations. They design tracking service, as well as the annual CG Games. Held last workouts based on the weekly themes, help recruit new year at the Circuit of the Americas, the finals pull campers members and share in a percentage of the profits. They’re also from preliminary competitions throughout the country given opportunities to take on more leadership roles within the for one big American Gladiators-inspired obstacle-course expansive fitness company. spectacular.

“”

ATXWOMAN.COM | 51

Her Faith Throughout Camp Gladiator’s 10year existence, Ally Davidson has remained rooted in her Christian faith and founding principle to “honor God by serving others.”

Throughout the company, which is staffed with team members of all religions and backgrounds, the founder says this principle translates to a shared goal of both serving others and treating others with respect.

“We definitely incorporate faith into our business and are really open about that,” Ally Davidson says. “I think people appreciate the transparency. Whether they’re Christian or not, they know what we stand for.”

The business’ Christian connections have also been supported by Ally Davidson’s strong family ties, with two of her brothers working for Camp Gladiator and her mother providing services as an attorney.

To share her love of Christ and lively athletics, Ally Davidson founded the nonprofit CG Victory camps soon after launching Camp Gladiator. Found in multiple locations throughout Texas, CG Victory camps welcome campers ranging from students in elementary through high school to gather each summer to participate in activities like rock climbing and dodgeball. Many of the youth are supported by scholarships, the result of fundraisers held at the adult Camp Gladiator locations throughout the year.

Her Daily Inspiration For the majority of her years as the leader of Camp Gladiator, Ally Davidson, in a characteristic show of her superpower energy supply, would rise early to lead a workout in the morning before going to the headquarters for work. The fitness tycoon’s workday would finish by leading yet another group class in the evening.

Although the birth of her two kids in the past two years has tweaked Ally Davidson’s schedule a bit, she continues to lead development programs for trainers and oversees marketing, sales and many other areas of the fitness realm from the Austin hub.

To maintain a sense of work/life balance, the 34-year-old

52 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

has found investing in good help, like an assistant and a nanny, are essential to her role as CEO. That support system allows Ally Davidson to manage her business and family time, as well as her own moments to, as she puts it, “reharmonize.” Coming as no surprise, those recharge moments happen for Davidson during her exercise routine.

“The times when I feel most inspired are actually when I’m working out,” she says. “That’s when I get a lot of my good thinking time in.”

The born-and-bred athlete’s weekly activity log involves exercising six days a week, including at least three Camp Gladiator sessions. Swimming and jogging on off days complete her regimen, in addition to the family’s love for various outdoor sports like skiing, wakeboarding and sand volleyball.

This devotion to live adventurously reflects a promise made between Ally Davidson and her husband before their wedding, and also echoes in the company’s broad, empowering idea of physical activity.

“That’s about like, ‘Let’s live life together and let’s train for life,’ ” Ally Davidson says of the motto. “If you want to go climb a mountain or go snow skiing or play football on the weekends, let’s just train for that so you can go live adventurously.”

In the year ahead, Camp Gladiator will bring that positive ethos of living adventurously to new camp launches in Corpus Christi and Lubbock, Texas, and Nashville, Tenn. Along with tackling her first post-baby triathlons, Ally Davidson will continue to apply her gladiator grit and determination until, she says, she has a camp running in every major U.S. city, improving as many lives as she can along the way.

“Any time I hear a camper success story of how [camp] changed their life, that awesomeness is what motivates me,” Ally Davidson says. “Same with a trainer. When I hear that they found their passion and their career with us, that’s what I wake up for every day.”

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SWEAT EQUITY Their workout regimens may differ, but the same strong, intentional current courses through the veins of these six gym owners, a current of unwavering commitment to continue to fire up the women who—whether they’re on the quest for self-love, reconnection or transformative change— choose to set foot inside their studios.

BY JESSICA LUTHER PHOTOS BY PHILIP EDSEL

54 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

ATXWOMAN.COM |  55

TNT BODY-MIND FITNESS Tanya Tudor, a health-fitness specialist and personal trainer, started her business, TNT BodyMind Fitness, nearly two decades ago, when she was living in her native country of Barbados.

“I have a background in traditional Chinese medicine, bodywork and massage,” Tudor says, “and I fuse all of that together in my own amalgamation of fitness.”

As she does not have her own space, she works out of the Heat Bootcamp studio located off South First Street.

Tudor says she has been involved in some sport since a young age.

Originally, it was track and martial arts. As she watched teammates and competitors beat themselves into the ground, she remembers thinking, “There’s got to be a better way.”

So, she pursued massage and bodywork, and worked with an affiliate of the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, a massagetherapy certification program. Then, Tudor says, she told herself, “OK, now I can add fitness to that.”

She decided to get her personaltraining certification and soon began her business in Barbados. She found clients who came to her for massage would often also request personal training, and vice versa. Still, that didn’t feel quite right to Tudor.

“I got my master’s in traditional Chinese medicine,” she says, noting that in Chinese medicine, “they treat each person as an individual, and they look at how that sole person is presenting. And they treat how that person is presenting. And to me, that’s fitness.”

Tudor says she has between 15 and 20 regular clients she trains weekly, as well as people who come at intervals between sessions. She loves working with everyone individually, doing whatever is necessary for each person to succeed at his or her goals each time they come to see her.

Tudor sets aside 15 minutes at the beginning of every session for a check-in with each client.

“There’s been times when a client comes to me, and it’s happened numerous times, like their day has just been absolute sh-t,” she says.

“And I’m like, ‘Want to go take a walk around?’ And we go walk and see the peacocks.”

For Tudor, there’s no cookie-cutter answer to a health-and-fitness routine.

56 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

“[A client] might have something similar to Jane next door, but they’re not Jane next door,” she says.

“They have their own history, their own story, their own trials and tribulations.”

She works with each client on setting realistic outcomes and balance, not just in fitness, but throughout life.

TANYA TUDOR

LOVE CYCLING STUDIO Nearly three years ago, best friends Stephanie Kincheloe and Maria Groten started Love Cycling Studio, a spin-class studio located on the corner of West Fifth and Pressler streets. They believe the name of their business explains why they do what they do.

“Using the word ‘love,’ it has no negative connotations at all,” Kincheloe explains.

“You love yourself, you love others. I love the blue sky. I love the sunshine. It is one of those words that truly described what I think both Maria and I felt in our heart for each other, for the workout, for what we were building, for the community.”

Kincheloe is very much focused on the service side of the business. She makes sure the staff learns clients’ names and greets them by their names when they come in. She wants the staff to know people’s shoes sizes, learn everyone’s individual preferences and offer them what they need before they need to ask. The goal is for everyone who takes a class at Love Cycling to feel special. After every class, Kincheloe says, she wants a client to have “felt as if it was a space they wanted to be in, [that] they felt as if it were a place where they could hang out with their friends.”

At the counter, you can grab complimentary earplugs, hairbands and gum, and coffee and bananas are always available. A bright, white hallway adorned with lyrics from love-themed songs— Queen’s “Crazy little thing called love” and Rihanna’s “We found love”—leads back to a common room with lockers, changing rooms with showers and a single state-ofthe-art workout space with a whole host of cycles for spin classes.

As fate would have it, Kincheloe and Groten first met at a spin studio in Austin.

Kincheloe, who was a New York City transplant, had been trying to find a spin class and community that mirrored what she had on the East Coast. She found that with Groten.

“We rode next to each other and we’re both super competitive. And so, it was always, ‘OK, let’s go!’ We’d have a coffee after class and just your typical evolution of a friendship. We became close,” she says.

Then, a few years ago, in a conversation alongside margaritas by Kincheloe’s pool, Groten mentioned she was ready for a transition in her life, and Kincheloe suggested they start Love Cycling together.

“It was scary because I had been a mom for 20 years and I was a schoolteacher in my past, but had never been a business owner,” Groten says. “I am that person who believes when a door opens, you walk through it. And you take risks and, especially if it’s something that you’re passionate about, you go for it.”

Of the two, only Groten teaches, but even those occasions are limited. Owning a business is time-consuming, and teaching can take a lot out of her. Still, cycling remains an important part of her life, so much so that Groten calls her spin classes her “spinistry.”

“It’s my church, it’s my happy place and I get to do it with the people I love,” she says.

STEPHANIE KINCHELOE AND MARIA GROTEN

ATXWOMAN.COM | 57

GRASSIRON FITNESS GrassIron Fitness encompasses a single large room tucked behind Titaya’s Thai Cuisine on North Lamar Boulevard. In fact, the restaurant and gym share a wall. The gym, which has a clientele that is about 50 percent women, mainly offers personal training, but it does have Olympic weightlifting classes, powerlifting classes, a strength-andconditioning class and yoga.

Squat racks, barbells and weights are the only decorations lining the walls. The only mirror in the place is a sliver by the row machines. It’s positioned at the eye level of the people on the machines so they can see behind them. Otherwise, you can’t see yourself as you workout, which is the point and purpose.

“First of all, it’s really important to be able to feel what correct technique is and not try to watch yourself in the mirror and see whether or not you’re doing it correctly,” says Co-owner Amalia Litras. “Also, we want people focused on movement and strength and that aspect of why they’re at the gym and not how they look.”

Litras and her wife and business partner, Pattie Farley, opened GrassIron—a play on “grassroots” and “lifting iron”—in November 2011. To this day, Litras competitively competes in weightlifting tournaments. Farley used to be a competitive powerlifter until about three years ago. They both coach at competitions.

Before GrassIron, the duo worked as contract trainers at Hyde Park Gym. But given the restrictions, they decided to strike out on their own.

“We really wanted to be able to have a weightlifting team and powerlifting teams, and in that space, it just wasn’t possible,” Litras explains.

Farley adds that, with their own space, they’re able to focus on semiprivate training sessions they couldn’t offer in a typical gym setting. Beyond that, they wanted more control of the community of people at the gym itself.

“Even though Hyde Park [Gym] is a great place and has a much better sense of community than most gyms, it still doesn’t allow for the type of community we have here,” Litras says.

That community is a welcoming and encouraging one, an extension of the tone set by Litras and Farley.

“One of the things that we’ve been really deliberate about is creating space where there aren’t comparisons. Comparison is the thief to happiness,” Litras says, paraphrasing the famous Theodore Roosevelt quote. “We intentionally don’t compare one person’s achievements against another person’s achievements. We intentionally celebrate someone being able to do a barbell squat with an empty barbell for the first time as much as we celebrate somebody who’s able to squat, I don’t know, 150 kilos, and that’s been a huge goal for them.”

Training like this seeps into the community of clients who frequent GrassIron.

58 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

“If I’m not competing against you, I can be much more genuine in my encouragement because it’s not about me besting you or you besting me,” Litras says. “So, I think that creates the kind of culture we want here, where everyone’s really encouraging. Everyone focuses on bringing other people up because it doesn’t affect your placement.”

Farley succinctly summarizes the GrassIron community.

“When we started here, we wanted to be the best part of a person’s day. I think that is also really rewarding,” she says. “Whatever else is going on, they come here and accomplish something.”

PATTIE FARLEY AND AMALIA LITRAS

TRANSFORM Transform is a fitness studio owned by Erica Nix. Located off Berkman Drive in East Austin, the gym has an eye-catching sign and symbol of a smiling, rainbow-colored robot lifting a weight. The name and the rainbow are good indicators of the community of people you’ll find attending class there.

“It’s all queers, transgender people and weirdos, plus allies,” Nix says. “Any person that’s ever enjoyed watching RuPaul would enjoy doing some workout with Erica Nix.” The name Transform, Nix says, is a nod to transforming oneself.

“It goes beyond that into the way of including people that are transgender and maybe transforming in more than one way,” she says. “I hope that we’re all transforming and changing all the time for the better.”

Nix, who was recently named Best Personal Trainer by Austin Chronicle readers, made her first foray into fitness as a performance artist roughly 15 years ago, doing what she calls “silly aerobics classes” to critique how she felt outside of popular physical culture. That led to live performances on the grassy banks of Lady Bird Lake, a web show and, eventually, her teaching actual classes.

“We’d bring all these vintage toys to Cheer Up Charlies. We would all play on the gear and workout for 20 minutes and then have drinks and hang out,” Nix says of Transform’s early days.

She then decided to move the classes into a dance-studio space, instructing workouts on a weekly basis. After that studio closed, she moved to another space, upped the number of classes offered per week to three and attended Austin Community College to get certified in personal training.

When that second space also closed, Nix decided it was time she needed her own studio.

“I couldn’t figure out where we would feel safe going,” she says. “[At] a lot of rec centers…the staff seemed really open to it and kind of excited. But still, whether or not there was a real danger or not, the fear of us all waiting in the parking lot together to walk into this hypermasculine weight room at a rec center became a little too much for me to bear. That’s when I decided that we had to start our own place.”

She opened Transform two years ago, in December 2015. At Transform, classes include Big Boi Yoga, which is, as the name suggests, yoga for men who are big, as well as Queerdalini. (“It’s like Kundalini [yoga], but it’s for queers,” Nix says.) There’s also Class Transitions, which is specifically for trans men and women, and Yaaaaaasercize, described as a class that’s “fun, fresh and open,” in “a nonjudgy environment and a workout that will challenge, no matter how fit you feel.”

One of the tough challenges Nix has faced

in owning her own business, one that is specifically designated for a marginalized group of people, involves the costs and expense.

“The people that I want to serve are often paid less,” Nix notes. “[So,] I’m just poor too.

That’s just the way it is until I figure out something else.”

Nix encourages anyone interested in Transform to try one of her aerobics classes, as they’re intended for everyone. When the room is full of people ready to get their sweat on, it feels like a party, one you have to see to believe.

“Come to that class. It’s really freaking fun,” Nix says.

ERICA NIX

ATXWOMAN.COM | 59

Special Promotion

GO GREEN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Texas Disposal Systems is keeping Central Texas clean by recycling Christmas trees free of charge through Jan. 31.

BY LAUREN JONES

for more than 40 years, teaching Central Texans how Most likely, recycling is not on the top of your mind they can better help the environment. And for the past during the holiday season. But it should be. During decade, TDS has done its part by offering Christmasthis time of year, waste generation peaks, and bubble wrap, ribbons and other décor create towering remind- tree and organic-decoration recycling free of charge ers of holidays past at landfills throughout the country. throughout Austin and San Antonio. From Dec. 26 through Jan. 31, TDS will accept unflocked (free According to the Environmental Protection Agency, of artificial snow) trees, holly, pumpkins and other 23 million extra tons of waste are created between ornament-free living decorations at its Christmas-tree Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. That’s close to the collection sites. TDS will provide curbside pickup for same amount of food waste Americans produce in an certain neighborhoods as well. So, before you throw entire year. It’s time to make a change. As 80 percent out your tree this year, remember TDS is here to of holiday waste can actually be recycled, let’s learn lend a hand. how we can protect the planet this Christmas.

When dropping off your compostables at the collecIt’s refreshing to see organizations and municipalities taking steps to help our environment, especially during tion sites, be sure your items are free of lights, ornamentation, metal and other non-living the holiday season. For the second THIS YEAR, GIVE components, or a cleaning fee will be year in a row, Wreaths Across AmerMOTHER NATURE charged. Also, when bringing loads for ica – Austin is focused on making drop-off, make sure the material is tied its event a truly green endeavor. The and secured, per Texas law.

National Wreaths Across America So, what happens after items are Day ceremony is dedicated to honordropped off at each of TDS’ six collection sites? Once ing veterans and fallen soldiers by placing wreaths on their graves. After the event, the wreath-shipping boxes sorted, your holiday items will be repurposed into nutrient-rich mulch and compost through TDS’ and balsam-fir wreaths are sent to Texas Disposal Syscomposting division. The finished product will then tems’ facility to be recycled and composted. be available for purchase at Garden-Ville stores The City of Georgetown, Texas, has also embarked throughout Central Texas. upon an environmentally conscious project by offerIn addition to recycling with TDS, think about ing free holiday-string-light recycling for all Georgetown residents. Instead of throwing old lights into the ways to reduce your carbon footprint and waste production at home. When wrapping holiday gifts, use landfill, residents can now recycle them by dropping recycled paper, save and reuse holiday bows and try them off at one of three participating locations. For making your own packing materials. If we all reused more information, visit recycle.georgetown.org. Now just two feet of ribbon, the miles of ribbon saved it’s your turn to follow suit. would be enough to wrap a bow around the planet.

This year, give Mother Nature a gift. Instead of throwing out your recyclable holiday decorations, turn If every family wrapped three presents in recycled or reused materials, enough material would be saved to to Texas Disposal Systems. TDS is one of the largest cover 45,000 football fields! There are many ways to independently owned waste-collection, processing and do your part this holiday season. Don’t be a grinch. disposal companies in the nation, and has been at the Get recycling. forefront of recycling and composting education

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OURMET

RECIPE REVEAL

OH, SNAP!

Bring back a childhood favorite with this nutritious take on chicken nuggets from Claire Siegel, Snap Kitchen’s lead registered dietician.

BY APRIL CUMMING

ALMOND-CRUSTED CHICKEN NUGGETS Makes 16 nuggets

Ingredients 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-ounce cubes or nuggets measuring 1.5 by 1.5 inches 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup almond breading Directions 1. Combine the Dijon mustard and egg.

Toss the prepped chicken with the mustard-and-egg mixture, then marinate it overnight or for at least six hours.

3. Place the breading into a bowl or rimmed baking dish. With one hand, place the nuggets into the breading. With the other hand, sprinkle the breading onto the exposed pieces of chicken and press the nuggets down into the breading to ensure they are evenly coated.

ALMOND BREADING Makes 1 cup

Ingredients 3/4 cup almond meal 1/4 cup paleo flour mix 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

4. S hake off any excess breading and place the nuggets on the rack or parchment paper, leaving about an inch of space between them.

1/2 teaspoon paprika

5. Bake for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Cut one nugget open after 20 minutes to check the doneness.

Directions

6. Serve with herb ranch dressing.

62 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon dry sage 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients and store the mixture in an airtight container at room temperature.

For the herb ranch dressing recipe, visit atxwoman.com.

Photo by Gabriella Nolen.

2. W hen you’re ready to continue, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a rack on a baking sheet and lightly spray it with the nonstick cooking oil of your choice. (Note: If you don’t have a cooking rack, spraying parchment paper is fine.

Cooking on a rack allows the nuggets to brown evenly on all sides.)

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OURMET

FOOD NEWS

PERUVIAN FOOD WITH A TEXAS TWIST

Executive Chef Maribel Rivero is bringing the best flavors of Peru to Austin with her new restaurant, Yuyo.

BY MADISON MATOUS

In the past, when Peruvian fishermen still traveled town to town by foot to sell their fish, they would carry and showcase seaweed to show how fresh their fish was. “[It’s] kind of symbolic of us bringing something fresh and vibrant to the Austin dining scene,” Maribel Rivero says.

It’s also a nod to one of the chef’s favorite dishes, ceviche, which is sashimi-cut fish mixed with lime juice and aji sauce. It’s a dish that, at Yuyo, can be made to order at a bar dedicated to ceviche.

Alongside seafood items, various grilled dishes can be found on the Yuyo menu, including anticuchos, or skewered meat and vegetables; pollo a la brasa, grilled chicken with salsa criolla; and Maribel Rivero’s own spin on traditional Peruvian corn, choclo.

A meal at Yuyo isn’t complete without a cocktail featuring pisco, a liquor popular in Peru. While there are a total of eight cocktail libations on the Yuyo menu, the most celebrated is the pisco sour.

“I guarantee you that our pisco sour is the best [in town],” Maribel Rivero says. “And I’m not just saying that. … I’ve learned from the bartenders in Lima and the secrets and trades in making it just right and how it should be.”

Another perhaps more approachable beverage is the Purple Drank, the base of which is chicha morada, a traditionally nonalcoholic drink made from fermented corn, and a common drink to have with lunch in Peru.

“It’s really sweet and they boil the purple corn, which gives the beautiful purple color, and then we just mix it with pisco and it makes a really nice cocktail,” Maribel Rivero says.

Arroz con mariscos The chef’s passion for Peruvian food and the culture comes from two years spent living in the country’s capital, Lima, and cooking in some of the city’s top kitchens. She got a taste for Latin cuisine through a culinary course that brought in chefs from throughout South America.

“After the program, I decided to officially kind of immerse myself into Latin cuisine, and that’s why I basically moved to South America for what I wanted to be a year and ended up being three,” Maribel Rivero says, laughing.

Both Maribel Rivero and Carlos Rivero were captivated by the Peruvian culture and food scene.

“When I visited Maribel in Peru, I was amazed by the cuisine and warmth of the people,” Carlos Rivero says. “I returned to Texas and searched for Peruvian restaurants, but nothing came 64 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

close to what I experienced in Lima.”

Soon after her brother’s visit, Maribel Rivero moved back to Texas, where the duo started Yuyo, the only contemporary Peruvian restaurant in Austin.

Maribel Rivero credits her brother for much of the design in the restaurant. The neutral tones, wood accents and vaulted ceilings give the space an open, airy feel, which Maribel Rivero says is perfect since it makes the restaurant feel more like a patio in Peru than an indoor space in Austin.

Yuyo is located at 1900 Manor Road. yuyoaustin.com.

Food photo courtesy of Yuyo. Interior photo by Toño Daal.

Yuyo may sound like the name of another fancy sushi restaurant, but it’s not. The name of new Peruvian restaurant Yuyo—led by Executive Chef Maribel Rivero and her brother, Carlos Rivero, also the owner and founder of El Chile Group—means “seaweed.”

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ELLNESS

WAITING ROOM

KEEP CLEAN AND CARRY ON

Kelly Nardo, the founder of fitness-and-nutrition blog eatthegains.com, highlights why being organized is good for your health.

BY KELLY NARDO As a new year begins, we’re all trying to start off on the right foot, be that by cleaning up our diets, hitting the gym one more time a week or focusing on self-care. With all these new resolutions to prioritize, one thing that can get pushed to the back burner of our to-do lists is getting organized. We all know how wonderful it feels coming home to a sparkling kitchen, a clutter-free office and all the laundry put away, but do you ever think about the health benefits that come from channeling your inner neat freak?

Let’s count the many ways in which prioritizing organization is good for our mental, emotional and physical sanity.

IT REDUCES STRESS.

Are you running about the house trying to find keys or searching through a 2-inch stack of papers on your desk for a certain contract? When everything has a home, be that a desk drawer, a shelf, a hook or a filing folder, and you know exactly where it is, you’ll no longer have to stress about trying to find something when you need it most, which will make you more relaxed.

IT ENCOURAGES HEALTHIER EATING HABITS.

Having clutter and disorder can lead to stress, which increases your cortisol levels. Excessive cortisol can encourage fat synthesis, increase your appetite and can affect your choice of food. Translation: Come snack time, your tendency is to lean toward something high in fat, sugar or both. When things are less cluttered, more clean and therefore inherently less stressful, you are more likely to choose an apple instead of a candy bar and keep that cheat day in check.

IT BOOSTS ENERGY.

Do you ever clean your house and feel like a million bucks afterward? Just 10 minutes spent cleaning—a quick sweep of the kitchen and getting a load of laundry started—can give you the energy boost and the mental break you need to continue on with your day.

IT ENABLES YOU TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

Have you ever moved or redesigned a room and found a miscellany of items you didn’t even know you had? Make a point to get rid of the things that drag you down, especially those that do so emotionally, for instance, those old jeans from college that haven’t fit you for a few years. Eliminate items that are more likely to give you feelings of guilt than happiness, and keep the things that motivate and inspire you and make you feel like your best self.

IT MAKES YOU HAPPIER.

Lastly, it’s no shock being more organized can help increase happiness. Studies have shown clutter can increase levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and that stress can make you feel overwhelmed, fatigued, depressed or, in layman’s terms, like you don’t have your life together. At the end of the day, there are few things more rewarding than coming home to a well-organized and clean home.

IT IMPROVES SLEEP.

A messy room can make you feel anxious, leading to lost hours of sleep. Keep your room clean and your bed made, and clear out things you don’t need to help reduce clutter and have a restful night.

Do you ever sit down at your desk and try to get something done only to realize your desk is a disaster zone? Some would say a scattered workspace means a scattered mind. Being clutter-free helps you focus on the task at hand without getting distracted. Light a candle and find a new place for the mess, whether it’s the trash can or a filing cabinet, and make your desk a clean slate. Although work processes differ from person to person, being able to concentrate on one task at a time can increase your productivity and get creative juices flowing for the next task at hand.

66 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Kelly Nardo photo by Ashley Brinkman.

IT INCREASES CONCENTRATION AND CREATIVITY.

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TOP CONCERNS FOR WOMEN DURING DIVORCE Divorce attorney Janet McCullar answers your questions.

BY JANET MCCULLAR

During the 25 years I’ve been a divorce attorney, I’ve represented hundreds of women in divorce or custody cases. Below are some of the top concerns women have expressed to me through the years.

1. Will I lose custody of my kids?

Almost every woman I work with has heard of some story in which a mom lost custody of her children in a divorce, and they are scared it could happen to them. In my experience, moms don’t lose custody unless they are a threat to their child’s safety, such as if they have been arrested for driving drunk with the child in the car. Even in that scenario, there are precautionary measures that can be put in place, such as using a Breathalyzer. Some fathers, in an attempt to gain advantage in a property division, will threaten to go for custody. Don’t believe it. Consulting with a custody lawyer, like myself, often alleviates this concern. And if there is some merit to the threat, I can help my client minimize the risk.

5. My husband owns a business and says I won’t get any part of it. Is that true?

Most likely, that is true. The business will be given to the business owner, but it will also be valued by an expert. Don’t be fooled by tax returns or other statements of value provided to you by your husband. Valuation is much more complex than that, and often, the value is much higher than what most people would believe.

I love nothing more than helping women free themselves of these sort of worries in my initial consultation. Remember, consulting with a divorce lawyer doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a divorce, and it could bring more peace of mind if you do need to divorce.

2. My husband is a really good liar.

I tell my female clients if I put a black hash mark on the wall in my conference room each time I heard this statement, my walls would be solid black. Most often, the husband is a bully who is used to intimidating his wife. Bullying tactics don’t work. If I’m asking your husband a question in court, he may try to not answer it, but as a seasoned professional, I will ask until the question is answered.

3. I don’t know how much money we have.

Some couples have assigned roles in their marriage, with one being the breadwinner and the other being the homemaker. Who wouldn’t trust her husband to take good care of the finances and invest their money properly? But I don’t need to know at the time of the initial consultation how much money you have. That is part of the divorce process. I help my clients identify what property they own, find out what it is worth and put it all in a spreadsheet for property-division purposes.

Photo by Caitlin Candelari.

4. My husband has offered me a lump sum of money and says I’ll get less if I fight him.

Should I accept?

My answer: absolutely not. I want all my clients to make a well-informed decision, and that usually means talking with a lawyer about whether the offer is a good one. As lawyers, we often find what the spouse is really owed is more than what has been offered. Don’t take the chance. Seek professional advice before you make a deal.

Janet McCullar is a nationally respected trial attorney known for her skill and success in the courtroom. She has represented clients in hundreds of complex divorce and custody cases. Although she represents clients during trying times, her cases are routinely resolved amicably to save the client the time, cost and pain involved in litigation. McCullar is board-certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She was also selected as a fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an organization that consists of the nation’s top divorce attorneys.

The Law Office of Janet McCullar, P.C. | 3200 Steck Ave Ste 300, Austin, TX 78757 | 512.355.1123 | jmccullarlaw.com

W

ELLNESS

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

DAIRY TO BE DIFFERENT

The dairy-free diet is giving some people a whole new outlook on life.

BY LYDIA GREGOVIC With their sweet flavors and creamy textures, dairy products have long been a favorite of Americans. But recently, that’s been changing. Whether you struggle with a dairy allergy or just want a healthier way to enjoy all your favorite milky treats, going dairy-free is an alternative way to satisfy your stomach and your taste buds at the same time. And with more workplaces passing on pasteurized products, a dairy-free lifestyle may not be as out of reach as you think.

Eat this: dairy-free yogurt Not that: traditional dairy yogurt Says who: Erin Asaad, founder of Kokonut Yogurt, an Austin-based company specializing in dairy-free products in flavors ranging from bourbon vanilla and blueberry lavender to strawberry rose, all of which are all-natural and free of refined sugars, GMOs, preservatives and artificial ingredients.

Why: Despite yogurt’s widespread popularity, a 2010 study from the National Institutes of Health found about 65 percent of the world’s population has difficulties digesting milk and other dairy products. Even if you aren’t diagnosed as lactose intolerant, consumption of dairy can result in uncomfortable digestive issues, including constipation or painful stomach aches. But according to Asaad, the dangers of dairy extend far beyond digestion.

Breakout star: “Because dairy is so hard for our bodies to process, it can cause a number of… skin issues,” Asaad explains. “[Once I stopped consuming dairy products], I realized how much it had been affecting my skin, whether I was dealing with hives or breaking out.”

Sugar rush: “Many yogurts, even some dairy-free ones, have a ton of sugar in them. With yogurt, you’re putting all these really healthy probiotics in your gut, but when you eat large amounts of refined sugars, it kind of combats the good bacteria you’re putting in there. So, one thing we really try to focus on is lowering the amount of sugar,” Asaad says. “We don’t put any refined sugar in our products.”

Probiotic power: “We focus on really packing in the probiotics. There’s about 10 billion cultures [of probiotics] per serving in our products and when you compare that to most yogurts, many dairy yogurts don’t actually have a lot of probiotics per serving,” Asaad says. “When you combine that with the high amount of sugar [of dairy yogurts], you’re not really getting a probiotic benefit from your yogurt, which is one of the main reasons people consume yogurt in the first place.”

68 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Photos courtesy of Kokonut Yogurt.

Cold season: “This is a big one for a lot of people.

Dairy can cause a lot of congestion. … Personally, I’ve never slept better since I went off dairy,” Asaad says. “Problems like sinus issues, congestion, even allergies—a lot of those things can be attributed to the amount of dairy that we consume.”

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ELLNESS

HER ROUTINE

LIQUID GOLD

Juice Society Founder Danielle Sobel has a healthy potion for motion.

BY GRETCHEN M. SANDERS How about hefting produce for your next arm-toning workout? Just imagine slinging carrots, oranges and berries into a juicer all day.

Photo by Kate Zimmerman.

Good-looking biceps and triceps became a perk of the trade when, in 2015, Danielle Sobel started Juice Society, a modern wellness brand that makes cold-pressed juices and other beverages using organic fruits, vegetables and herbs.

“Our goal is to introduce superfoods to people in an approachable way,” says Sobel, who studied health and wellness at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York.

Mixing drinks keeps the 27-year-old entrepreneur in surprising shape. In the beginning, she made all the juice by herself, testing recipes she concocted alone in her apartment.

“I spent months on my feet, operating my juicer, lifting buckets of juice and hoisting vegetable crates,” she says. “It made me dead tired.”

When Sobel took to social media to market her product to retailers, athletes and health enthusiasts, sales took off.

In 2016, she opened a café on South Lamar Boulevard that serves as many as 18 different juices, depending on the season, as well as matcha coffee, smoothies and some food. She also purchased a small farm outside Austin to grow ingredients.

Sobel, who grew up in New York and has a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, says Juice Society jives well with Austin’s health culture.

“Customers can come into the café and explain how they’re feeling,” she says. “[From there], we will curate a meal or a coffee potion based on what they tell us.”

70 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Here’s how this juicing champ stays fit for business.

THE A.M.:

“The first thing I do in the morning is check my email. I’m trying to break that habit. Then I let out my three dogs and make coffee. I usually add a little medium-chain triglyceride oil, cinnamon and collagen to it.

The collagen helps plump up my skin.”

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THE WORKOUT:

“Lately, I’m obsessed with Lagree, a type of reformer Pilates. I try to make three to four classes a week at Twitch Fitness. I’m not a huge fan of running and I really don’t like cardio, so I love that Lagree is only 45 minutes.

We get a lot done in that time, working every muscle. On days that I don’t workout, I walk the dogs and do chores around [Juice Society]. It’s a lot of heavy lifting, and it makes me so tired. I sleep like a baby.”

THE DIET:

“I’m 95 percent plant-based, which means I eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I do love pizza, though! I don’t restrict myself because I think it creates negative, unhealthy associations with food. The mental part of health is as important as the physical part. Coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, fish and eggs also make up a big part of my diet. But I love wine and pastries too. I also drink one of my juices every day. Quite often, it’s Golden Girl, my favorite. Beta-carotene and turmeric give this juice a nice anti-inflammatory effect. I drink it and I think my skin glows for days.”

THE GEAR:

“I like doing workouts that don’t require shoes. I wear socks for Lagree.

I only wear sports bras and leggings from Lululemon or Outdoor Voices, and the leggings must go all the way down to my ankle. I can’t stand it if they don’t! For sneakers, I prefer APL, an awesome brand that I especially love from a fashion perspective. I order them online. I order everything online. Making juice requires gear too. When I first got into juicing, I played around with different recipes using my Breville Juicer at home. When I opened the business, I bought a Norwalk Juicer and gave the Breville to my brother. We use a big commercial juicer in the store today.”

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THE MOTIVATION:

“I started juicing to heal myself from migraines and chronic eczema. I saw big changes in the way that I felt after changing my diet, and I realized I could prevent health problems with healthy food. I never want to feel as bad as I once did. I need to function and be on point at work and in life. I can’t afford to spend 12 hours in bed with a migraine.”

THE MINDSET:

“Do everything with a positive attitude. See the big picture. Don’t get caught up in the details, the small things that won’t matter next week or next year.”

THE P.M.:

Photo by Caleb Kerr.

“I’m reading Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek. It focuses on helping businesses connect with consumers. I also try to spend some time with my fiance every evening, and with all three of my dogs, who sleep in my bed.”

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scenes, particularly the track athlete. I wanted to show my human I’ve been running track for as long as I can remember, but side, as well as those of my teammates and competitors. I wanted I officially joined a team and won my first race after joining to open our world beyond the two-hour-long glimpse of a track at the age of 9. It was determined very early on that I had meet you may watch, of which I may only be on your screen for potential and could be one of the greats to compete on roughly three minutes. the professional and Olympic level. But as many stories go, From there, Tea Time with Tasha and the Natasha Hastings there were plenty of bumps along the way.

Foundation were born. Tea Because of my success on Time with Tasha, a speaking the track, paired with my event, started with me taking above-average grades, many questions from my YouTube thought I lived a perfect viewers about myself and the life. Like many, I came sport. I found myself openfrom a divorced household, ing up about things I wasn’t and my mother practically expecting to, especially body broke her back every day to image and self-love. make sure my brother and I It made me realize, again, had everything we needed I could be doing much more. and wanted. As I watched Instead of waiting for girls my mom power through life to become women to teach as she poured so much love them about self-love, why not and care into us, I silently teach them now? Why not suffered with body image. let them know the very same It wasn’t until I wrote an thing they’re battling with essay for school, which she and think they’re in alone are proofread, that she learned the very same things I’ve gone I compared myself to other through? Why not equip them girls in my class. I didn’t feel with the tools now? So, from I was as attractive, and I there, I came up with the idea Every morning, I wake up and tell hadn’t developed the breasts to make Tea Time with Tasha and hips that some of them myself that I am beautiful, smart, for girls, and we hosted our had started to develop. very first event in October in a champion and a child of God. Later on in life, I noticed Huntington, N.Y. I had an issue with self-love These events are meant to create a safe space for young girls ages as well. For some reason, I didn’t believe I was as good as the other 12 through 18 to talk about whatever they want to, everything from women I competed against, or even that I was good enough for my puberty to competing on your cycle to just not feeling like you’re deepest desires—to be a wife, a mother, an entrepreneur. My mind was good enough. The girls receive a curriculum, Growing Into Your filled with so much negative talk and self-doubt, it became crippling.

Best Self, created by me and available for purchase in early 2018, in Through counseling and daily self-love practices (Every mornwhich I share some of my personal self-love practices. While the ing, I wake up and tell myself that I am beautiful, smart, a champrogram may seem as though it targets girls in sports, it truly is a pion and a child of God.), I’ve slowly grown to accept myself for program that all young girls can benefit from. who I am and who I am becoming. I’ve learned to love myself and As I think about my impending retirement from track and field, I not lower my standards for anyone or anything. think about what I want my legacy to be. I believe that, for women, It was this process that made me realize I had a greater cause. I and especially women in sports, we have to take charge. That realized, as athletes, we’re sometimes viewed as superheroes, but I means more women in executive positions making the decisions felt it was important to show that behind those amazing things we that affect our young girls. My hope is that Tea Time with Tasha do in our sport, there is a struggle and a process to get to those mois just the start of me empowering young women to believe they ments. There have been failures, disappointments and even some are good enough to not only be the best athletes, but also to believe days I literally didn’t even know how I was going to get through they are good enough to go on to be entrepreneurs themselves and them. Many also aren’t aware of all the photo shoots, appearances continue to pay it forward. and events we attend.

To learn more about Natasha Hastings and Tea Time with Tasha, Last year, I started a YouTube channel, Natasha Hastings 400M visit natashahastings.com.

Diva, to give people a glimpse into the life of an athlete behind the Austin Woman features a reader-submitted essay every month in the I Am Austin Woman column.

To be considered for April’s I Am Austin Woman, email a 500-word submission on a topic of your choice by Feb. 1 to submissions@awmediainc.com with the subject line “I Am Austin Woman.”

72 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JANUARY 2018

Photo courtesy of Under Armour.

American and world and Olympic track-and-field champion Natasha Hastings is on a quest to show young women true beauty is about more than what meets the eye.

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