November 2017

AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2017

“Don’t follow the crowd. Let the crowd follow you.” —Margaret Thatcher

MAZDA IS THE ONLY MANUFACTURER IN AMERICA TO EARN THE HIGHEST SAFETY RATING ON ITS ENTIRE LINEUP.

Every 2017 model year Mazda vehicle tested by IIHS has been rated a Top Safety Pick+, when equipped with available Smart City Brake Support and Adaptive Front-lighting System. The only exception is the Mazda MX-5 which isn’t tested by (IIHS).

WE’RE AUSTIN GROWN & PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY

SAFETY FIRST.

IF SAFETY IS IMPORTANT TO YOU THEN IT’S TIME TO TAKE A NEW LOOK AT MAZDA.

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ON THE COVER

AN EYE FOR DIY

BY APRIL CUMMING

62

FEATURE

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME

BY SARAH E. ASHLOCK

Photo by Andrew Chan.

Rosetta Getty ribbed cashmere turtleneck poncho, $960; Hipchik Merri beaded necklace, $295; available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com. Watch, rings, earrings and jeans, model’s own.

CONTENTS

Photo courtesy of Danielle Lehle and the National Park Service.

NOVEMBER

43 MUST LIST

ON THE SCENE 20 SAVE THE DATE

Five Must-dos for November

SAVVY WOMEN 22 COUNT US IN Women in Numbers 24 B OTTOM LINE Spring Creek Growers’ Carla Jones

26 F ROM THE DESK OF

Twin Liquors’

Sandra Spalding

28 G IVE BACK Generation Serve’s Marissa Vogel 30 P ROFILE Loot Finer Goods’ Anna Crelia and Rhoda Brimberry

32 P ROFILE

Eden Garden Design’s Sarah Yant and Amy Hovis

ATX WOMEN TO WATCH 36 S usan Ramirez 37 Kristen Heaney 38 T ricia Dabney 39 R ohini Bochaton 40 K imberlee Sullivan 41 Jaimie Anand 10 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

43 D ISCOVER

Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park

46 ROUNDUP Home for the Holidays 48 LITTLE LUXURIES Pattern Play

STYLE + HOME 50 SPLURGE OR STEAL Comfy ’n’ Cozy 52 ENTERTAINING A Festive ‘Friendsgiving’

GOURMET 68 R ECIPE REVEAL Apple Bourbon Pecan Cobbler

70 F OOD NEWS

Celis Brewery

WELLNESS 72 W AITING ROOM Healthy Hotels 76 E AT THIS, NOT THAT Gluten-free Flour 78 H ER ROUTINE Marnie Duncan

POINT OF VIEW 80 I AM AUSTIN WOMAN

ON THE COVER

Photo by Andrew Chan, chaninator.com

Cecilia Abbott

Hair and makeup by Laura Martinez, bylauramartinez.com

The Survival Rate For Women With Early Stage Breast Cancer Is 98%.

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VOLUME 16, ISSUE 3 CO-FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER Melinda Maine Garvey VICE PRESIDENT AND CO-PUBLISHER Christopher Garvey ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Cynthia Guajardo Shafer

.COM

EDITORIAL EDITOR April Cumming DIGITAL EDITOR Lauren Jones COPY EDITOR Chantal Rice CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Cecilia Abbott, Sarah E. Ashlock, Kelly DiNardo, Lydia Gregovic, Gretchen Goswitz, Ashley Hargrove, Lauren Jones, Madison Matous, Amanda Pinney, Mikaila Rushing, Gretchen M. Sanders, Morgan Stephanian

Because our readers look to us to help them make informed choices, including which doctors to see, we have launched a powerful digital solution—ATXDOCTORS.COM.

CONTRIBUTE TO ATXDOCTORS.COM

ART Become a part of our online directory featuring Austin’s leading doctors and health-care centers

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Niki Jones CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Steely Anderson, Caitlin Candelari, Andrew Chan, Kelly DiNardo, Neil Gandh, Ashley Hargrove, David Heisler, Neal Herbert, Maddy Hill, Sarah Jane, Jane Ko, Ashley Kriegel, John Larsen, Danielle Lehle, Laura Martinez, Lisa Muñoz, Paige Newton, Natalie Paramore, Jim Peaco, Annie Ray, Diane Renkin, Greg Thomas, Jessica Wetterer, Katie Wolfe

Answer our readers frequently asked health questions in an exclusive Ask An Expert article

SALES DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Michelle Borquez

Showcase your business and experience with an in-depth doctor profile page

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Madilyn Biscoe SALES CONTRACTOR Sherry Bray

OPERATIONS AND MARKETING 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.

512.328.2421 | 3921 Steck Ave., Suite A111, Austin, TX 78759

Physicians and healthcare providers, we welcome your participation.

Please contact us at: sales@awmediainc.com or 512.328.2421

FROM THE EDITOR

Yet all the writers I read on a religious basis seemed to be on a quest for something else, something grand, no matter where they jetted off to next.

They luxuriated in the life of other cultures: the nomads who traveled by camel and made homes out of yurts on the pastoral plains of Mongolia, or the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico’s Copper Canyon who ran ultramarathons on a daily basis just to get from one cave dwelling to another. Each travelogue conjured up striking mental images that presented a new way of being and breathing on this earth, a reminder that there was a life outside of school or work or soccer games on Saturday mornings.

One of my favorite writers, Frances Mayes, summed up this never-ending quest best when she said, “The need to travel is a mysterious force. A desire to go runs through me equally with an intense desire to stay at home. The balance just slightly tips in the direction of the airport.”

I may lose some of y’all here, but pause for a moment to take this in: A house is just a house until you reside inside it. It then becomes a home, a place for you to store the old and create the new, a place for you to celebrate, to cry, to love, to argue, to relax, to vent, to take off your bra, eat ice cream out of the

Join the conversation @AustinWoman #TheHomeIssue

14 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

carton and sleep. With all these memories racking up, it’s easy to see why our homes can become magnets, and it can start to feel like a slight betrayal to them leave behind.

Our relationship to home can become an attachment issue. For this reason alone, I’m sure, some people make a point to travel somewhere new every weekend, month or year.

The fact is that it can be just as easy to be at home as it can be to undermine the value of home. Maybe that’s what those travel writers were seeking after all; maybe they were on a quest to escape, to throw themselves into someone else’s world for a moment so they could compare, contrast and take stock of their own worlds. Maybe all the new adventures, sights, tastes and people they were met with served as conduits to remind them of what is most important in life and what they could and could not afford to live without. Perhaps that’s what helped them define their own sense of place, their own sense of happiness.

As you read through this issue, our Home issue, I hope you take a moment to throw yourself into someone else’s life. I hope you connect with something they say or stand for. But most importantly, I hope it reminds you that you’re not alone in this world, that everyone has their own definition of what home means or looks like and that sometimes all it takes is another woman’s story to remind you of how grateful we should all be to wake up each day and start anew.

Sincerely,

APRIL CUMMING Editor

Photo by Lisa Muñoz.

I

’ve always been intrigued by the notion of finding a sense of place, the idea that one city, one house, one job can make you feel resplendently happy enough for the rest of your life. The concept seems nice in theory, but the travel-oriented magazines and books I read growing up always appeared to say otherwise.

There were adventures to be had, sights to be seen, exotic tastes to take in and new people out there just waiting to be met. All you had to do was step outside your front door.

Something for everyone

CONTRIBUTORS

This month, we asked our contributors: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

ANDREW CHAN

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER, “AN EYE FOR DIY,” PAGE 54

Andrew Chan is a freelance editorial and fashion photographer based in Austin. He is a native Texan and graduated from the University of Texas.

He works out of the Whitebox Studio located in East Austin.

When not out grubbing the city’s finest barbecue offerings, he can be seen around town with Milton and Kermit, his Boston terriers.

“My favorite Thanksgiving side dish is anything with gravy.”

SARAH E. ASHLOCK

WRITER, “BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME,” PAGE 62

Sarah E. Ashlock is a freelance writer and editor who is dedicated to telling women’s stories. She has a master’s degree in English and a scholarly publishing certificate from Arizona State University, and is the writer for Austin Woman’s daily inspirational newsletter, On The Dot Woman. Sarah likes to explore Austin one happy hour at a time and share her discoveries on social media. Follow her on Twitter @Sarah_Ashlock.

“Classic pumpkin pie with many, many dollops of whipped cream.”

LAURA MARTINEZ

HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLIST, “AN EYE FOR DIY,” PAGE 54

Laura Martinez was born in beautiful Austin, and has traveled from New York to LA for makeup work, but still calls Austin home. She is a freelance makeup artist who specializes in makeup for print, commercial and lifestyle photo shoots. She’s recently worked with L’Oreal, Marie Claire and Entertainment Weekly, to name a few. Follow her for beauty tips on Instagram @bylauramartinez.

Upcoming events: December 1 & 2, 8:00 p.m. chicago Symphony’s Beyond the Score ® Explore Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony!

Masterworks Series Long Center’s Dell Hall

BEyonD tHE SCorE ®— ProkoFIEv

December 12, 8:00 p.m.

HanDel’S MeSSiah Austin Symphony with Chorus Austin Hyde Park Baptist Church

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M ED I A SP on S or S

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H An DEL’S M E SSIAH: C ook - Walden Funer al ho me I H EArt tHE 8 0 ’S™: mer C edes-Benz o F a us tin

AMANDA PINNEY

WRITER, “A KNACK FOR NATIVE,” PAGE 32

December 29 & 30, 8:00 p.m.

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“My favorite Thanksgving side dish is sweet potatoes because we add marshmallows and candied pecans!”

Amanda Pinney is a recent journalism graduate of the University of Texas and a former Austin Woman editorial and digital intern. She currently works as the social-media coordinator for Erin Condren Design. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys wandering through Trader Joe’s and baking all things pumpkin spice.

“My dad’s spinach madeleine. It’s cheesy and creamy, but the spice gives it a nice kick and a unique flavor, not to mention the leftovers are just as delicious.”

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS AS AUSTIN’S ONLY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL FOR GIRLS K - 8

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K - 8 Open Houses: November 8, 29 & December 6 THE GIRLS’ SCHOOL OF AUSTIN

Middle School Open Houses: November 14 & December 12

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WAKE UP. BE AWESOME.

REPEAT.

ONTHEDOTWOMAN.COM | RICH CONTENT. AUDIBLE. ONLY 4 MINUTES. FREE.

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

➥ More weekend escapes. Nestled on the Blanco River, the family-owned

7A Resort is a quiet retreat away from the city. Enjoy stargazing, hiking and lounging poolside as you revel in the resort’s stylish interiors, designed by this month’s cover woman, Claire Zinnecker.

➥ More coffee, please. Are you craving a midafternoon caffeine jolt? A cup of freshly brewed coffee from Tiny House Coffee Roasters should do the trick. Co-founded by Helen Schafer and based locally in Georgetown, Texas, Tiny House is all about crafting a hot cup of small-batch brew and delivering it straight to you.

best friend. From grooming, day care and boarding to pet-pickup services, the hotel emphasizes convenience. Accommodations include modern suites with flat-screen TVs and queen-size beds with dog-themed décor.

➥ More cooking like a pro. Top Chef judge Gail Simmons shares a recipe

from her new cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating. Be sure to catch Simmons at this year’s Texas Book Festival, taking place Nov. 4 and 5.

WIN THIS!

DON’T MISS

BON VIVANT GIFT BOX Do you know a mom or momto-be who could use a little spoiling? We’ve got just the solution. Surprise her with a Hello Mama box from Bon Vivant, a local gift-box company started by Steely Anderson.

Bon Vivant (@bonvivantgiftboxes) offers beautiful, thoughtfully curated gift boxes for every occasion—brideto-be and birthday boxes included—and hand-delivers them in Austin and ships everywhere else nationwide.

For each gift, Anderson sources brands and products that are unique, small-batch and ethically made, and many are from local makers in Austin. To add a special touch, Bon Vivant hand-writes a message from you, the sender, and offers fresh flower arrangements for local deliveries.

This month, to celebrate family and those who make a house feel like a home, we’re giving away one Hello Mama gift box to a lucky reader.

To enter, keep an eye on our Instagram account, @AustinWoman, for the giveaway announcement in November. 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

18 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

LIKE US

Austin Angels: Dare to Dream Luncheon Nov. 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Mansion, 2312 San Gabriel St. austinangels.com/events

Bark for Life of Austin Nov. 12, noon to 2 p.m.

Yard Bar, 6700 Burnet Road bit.ly/2i7Dk3N

Junior League of Austin’s Girls Night Out Nov. 16, 7 to 10 p.m.

Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road jlaustin.org/a-christmas-affair

Texas Women in Business Luncheon Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Austin Country Club, 4408 Long Champ Drive texaswomeninbusiness.org/events

facebook.com/austinwoman

FOLLOW US

@ austinwoman

Helen Schafer photo by Katie Wolfe. Bringing It Home photo courtesy of Grand Central Life & Style. Bon Vivant photo by Steely Anderson.

➥ More pet pampering. D Pet Hotels provide the ultimate in luxury for woman’s

N THE SCENE

SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE

Check out the November agenda from our favorite local insiders.

TEXAS MONTHLY BBQ FEST “This is an actual photo of what I ate at last year’s Texas Monthly BBQ Festival. This is the ultimate barbecue festival, where you can try as many of Texas’ best barbecue joints as possible in three smoke-intoxicating hours.

My advice? Come starving.”

Nov. 5, 1 to 4 p.m. | The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive texasmonthly.com/event/texas-monthly-bbq-fest | General admission tickets are $80. VIP tickets are $165.

Jane Ko

@atasteofkoko

WHEELS TO WURSTFEST “Wurstfest is every sausage and beer lover’s dream! This 10-day salute to sausage is a tradition not to be missed. Just south of us, in New Braunfels, step into a Bavarian wonderland with carnival rides, polka, potato pancakes, beer and sausage. Austin Tour Company will be offering round-trip transportation from downtown Austin…and your ticket includes transportation, BYOB on the bus and admission to the festival.”

Nov. 3 through 12, times vary | Pickup is at Easy Tiger, 709 E. Sixth St. austintourcompany.rezdy.com/76837/wheels-to-wurstfest | Tickets are $45.

Kristy Owen

@365thingsaustin

FASHION X AUSTIN: BRUNCH “I love any event that combines fashion and philanthropy. This fashion show at The Driskill Hotel benefits Seton Angels while featuring a designer from Dallas, Nha Khanh, and local jewelry designer Cassandra King Polidori’s jewelry from Cassandra Collections.”

Nov. 12, 1 to 3 p.m. | The Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St. austin.fashionx.co/schedule/brunch-nov-2017 | Tickets are $300.

Katie Kime

@katie_kime

THUNDERCLOUD SUBS TURKEY TROT “This Thanksgiving-morning run has become a tradition that is great for both body and soul. I run it every year with my dad. Do the timed race or go at your own pace, preferably dressed in costume. Everyone brings great energy, generosity and gratitude to this race. The best part: You help raise money for Caritas of Austin.”

Nov. 23, races start at 8:45 a.m. | The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive thundercloud.com/turkey-trot/event-info | Tickets start at $8 for the Kids’ K and $25 for the 5-mile race.

Adriene Mishler

@yogawithadriene

AN EVENING WITH ANNIE LEIBOVITZ “What do Venus and Serena Williams, Rhianna, Meryl Streep, Anna Wintour and Queen Elizabeth II all have in common? They’ve each had their portrait taken by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. Named a living legend by the Library of Congress, the woman behind the camera will touch down in Austin for one night to showcase and discuss a selection of defining works featured in her new book, Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005 – 2016.” – April Cumming Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. | The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive thelongcenter.org/event/annie-leibovitz-portraits-2005-2016 | Tickets start at $39.

Austin Woman @austinwoman

20 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Texas Monthly BBQ Fest photo by Jane Ko. Fashion X Austin photo courtesy of Cassandra King Polidori. ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot photo courtesy of ThunderCloud Subs. Annie Leibovitz photo courtesy of Annie Leibovitz.

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WOMEN IN NUMBERS

Facts and figures on females from throughout the world.

BY LYDIA GREGOVIC, ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WETTERER

1,000 Square 100 Years Feet While the tiny-house trend—a downsizing movement that limits the size of houses to 1,000 square feet or less—is often tied to the home ownership of white couples, a growing number of women of color are embracing the little lifestyle. According to a recent study in the Journal of Real Estate and Finance Economics, black home-loan borrowers—and black women, in particular—are charged higher interest rates than their white home-loan-borrowing counterparts. With women already making up a majority of tiny-house owners (55 percent, according to website The Tiny Life), it’s no surprise many black women have started to think of home ownership in smaller terms. By embracing a new definition of “home,” these women have created an affordable way to live out the American Dream.

Santa Claus and his North Pole workshop have long been a part of the Christmas tradition, but a somewhat less mentioned member of the Claus family is his daughter, who has been present in Christmas literature for more than 100 years. This Christmas, however, she’ll be stepping into the spotlight, and she’ll look a lot like Anna Kendrick.

The Pitch Perfect actress is set to star alongside Saturday Night Live comedian Bill Hader in the Disney film Nicole, which tells the story of Claus’ daughter, Nicole, and her decision to take over Santa’s reign (and reins) after her famous father steps down. As the first female to play Santa on the big screen, Kendrick is turning perceptions of life in the North Pole on their heads. Production on the film is scheduled to start this fall, with its theater debut penciled in for Nov. 8, 2019.

26 Percent 295 Women of Architects Served Although women dominate the interior-design industry, earning 89.5 percent of all degrees in the field, according to a report by U.S. publicdata conglomerate Data USA, they remain a minority in the architecture field, making up only 26 percent of working architects. For the women who do choose to pursue this path, the report cites, many feel pressured to prove themselves in ways their male counterparts may not have to, and some recount instances of being confused for an assistant or decorator when meeting with developers.

Women architects who enter the field continue to shine, despite the obstacles they face, such as Gabriela Carrillo, the 2017 winner of the Women in Architecture Awards.

Founded in 1957, Houston-based charity The Women’s Home was created to answer the need for a women-centric rescue facility for the homeless in a city where there was none. Today, the charity provides a stable home environment for 295 women, in addition to supportive programming designed to help residents overcome the lifelong cycle of homelessness. Unlike other similar programs, The Women’s Home’s WholeLife Model emphasizes holistic growth rather than focusing on one issue, such as addiction.

By attending to all aspects of wellness, including emotional, mental, financial and physical, the home allows women to move beyond their at-risk status, with 86 percent of women who stay longer than six months leaving with both permanent housing and an average income of $12.56 per hour.

69 Percent More Money Spent Despite stereotypes that assume otherwise, men actually spend 69 percent more money on Black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving discount-shopping extravaganza, than women do. A recent survey commissioned by media agency Mindshare North America found, on average, men spend about $417 per person during this spending-heavy holiday, as opposed to women, who spend an average of $247 per person. However, the survey found this discrepancy in spending may not be a product of how much each gender buys, but of how much their respective choices cost. According to the findings, men are more likely to buy pricier electronic items, such as gaming systems and computers, while women opt for less expensive gift selections, such as home goods and clothing.

22 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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HOW TO HUNT FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE

Carla Jones, the owner of Spring Creek Growers in Magnolia, Texas, pinpoints what one should look for in a Christmas tree before bringing it home.

BY APRIL CUMMING

It can be frustrating for some and frivolous fun for others. Since the holidays are separated by a mere month’s worth of time, it’s enticingly easy to get carried away with Christmas planning and decorating before the Thanksgiving Day pumpkin pie has been put in the oven.

Newspapers are chock-full of day-after-Thanksgiving Black Friday and Cyber Monday ads, and precutChristmas-tree racks line home-improvement-store parking lots and roadsides leading to Grandma’s house.

This year, start a new family tradition—and restore some of your holiday-season sanity—with a visit to a Christmas-tree farm. There are approximately 100 such farms in the state of Texas, says Carla Jones, owner of Spring Creek Growers Christmas-tree farm in Magnolia, Texas. To find one near you, visit texaschristmastrees. com/findafarm.html.

Located on a sprawling 20 green acres about 45 minutes northwest of the Houston metropolitan area, Spring Creek Growers is a family-run operation. “[My grandparents] purchased the property in 1921 from my grandfather’s family, so the property has been in our family for a very long time,” Jones says. “We planted our first Christmas trees around the mid- to late-1980s and sold our first trees in 1992.”

As last year’s president of the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association, Jones had the honor of delivering three 7-foot trees from Spring Creek Growers to the Texas Capitol last Christmas.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Jones says of the delivery. “We were so pleased that Mrs. Abbott actually greeted us at the steps of the Capitol. … We had a great time and she was most gracious accepting the trees.”

This year marks the farm’s 25th growing season, and Jones says she’s eager to open her home to the public Nov. 18. Before you go, be sure to visit springcreekgrowers.com to double-check the farm’s hours.

3 to 4 years: The amount of time it takes to grow a 5- or 6-foot tree.

PERKS OF VISITING SPRING CREEK GROWERS • 20 acres of Christmas trees • two lakes for fishing • tree house for kids • hay rides • rubber-duck races and pedal carts • f arm animals (rabbits, chickens, turkeys, goats and a miniature donkey) •g ift shop with a bakery serving cookie s and hot chocolate • Santa visits on the weekends

Photo by Sarah Jane.

• fresh wreaths and farm poinsettias for sale

24 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CHRISTMAS TREE “Each have their own individual beauty, that’s for sure,” Carla Jones says, “but the No. 1 thing about a fresh tree is going to be its fragrance, and that is the bonus to having a real tree. They all have their own unique qualities, as far as their shape and their branching habits.”

“In my family, when you mention ‘artificial tree’—which, my children, that’s all they’ve grown up with is a real tree—they always find it rather amusing. They can’t imagine having the same tree every year.

They love the idea of, ‘What’s the tree going to look like this year?’ ” Here’s what to expect from the trees Jones grows and sells on her farm: Virginia pine or plantation pine. These trees feature longer, thin needles and strong branches, and are more fragrant. “They respond to rain and sunshine very well, and we’ve had an abundance of that this year,” Jones says. “This is my personal favorite because it’s the first variety of tree we ever planted at our farm, many years before we added the leyland cypress.”

Leyland cypress. This hypoallergenic tree has light and fluffy branches, and is less fragrant. “We grow our leyland cypress in a container for families who like to plant their Christmas trees. So, they can display them for the season in the house and then, once the season’s over, you can go ahead and plant the tree on your property,” Jones explains.

Frasier fir. These trees are precut and brought to the farm from North Carolina. They are very fragrant, and have strong and sturdy branches.

Noble fir. These precut trees are brought to the farm from Oregon.

They offer more space between branches, which means more room to display larger ornaments.

THE PROS AND CONS OF BUYING A REAL CHRISTMAS TREE Pros: Freshness. “They’re the freshest trees you’re going to find in the season because they’re still growing,” Carla Jones is quick to point out.

Selection experience. “It’s a fun family event,” Jones says.

“Some of our customers have been with us all 24 years and they return because it becomes such a family tradition. Their Christmas starts with us.”

Good for the environment. “After the season, there’s all kinds of opportunities for recycling—and not just for mulch,” Jones says. “The trees are also used down at the coast to help prevent beach erosion, so it helps build the dunes back up.

They’re also used for fishing habitats, so if we have any leftover trees from the season, we donate them to the fishermen.

They make great fish habitats in our lakes.”

Cons: Budget. Artificial trees are known for their affordability.

Expect to spend anywhere between $60 and $100 for an average-sized real tree at a farm.

Upkeep. There’s a hard-and-fast rule to abide by when taking care of a real tree. “Never let the level of water drop below the tree trunk,” Jones says. “The tree will feel that, seal itself off and not take up any more water.” Once you get a tree home from a tree farm, Jones advises you place another fresh cut on it—taking about an inch off the trunk—to ensure it will readily soak up water. “In short, treat your fresh-cut tree as you would a fresh-cut flower,” Jones says. “The same principles apply.”

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AVVY WOMEN

FROM THE DESK OF

SANDRA SPALDING

The director of marketing and events for Twin Liquors shares her how-tos for playing hostess without a hitch.

BY MADISON MATOUS, PHOTO BY MADDY HILL Holidays are call for celebrations. Celebrations are call for a toast. And a toast is a call for drinks and a hostess to help serve them. In what is already a hectic time of year, the idea of throwing (let alone coordinating) a party can seem overwhelming.

Fortunately for us, Sandra Spalding, the director of marketing and events at Twin Liquors, is a party-planning pro who happily divulges her foolproof wisdom on how to have your party and enjoy it too.

When Spalding stepped through the doors of Twin Liquors 17 years ago, she became fascinated with the makings of a good drink.

“Once you learn the basics of the classic cocktails and understand the recipes, then you can pull out one ingredient and put a different ingredient in to make a whole new drink,” she explains.

Spalding says she has always loved hosting parties, a finessed talent she now uses to plan parties on behalf of Twin Liquors. Like a good drink, her celebrations have a recipe that can either be followed to a T or changed to fit the needs of the hostess. There are three phases to her parties, Spalding emphasizes, but she stresses the key to any successful party is in the prep. The more prep you do, after all, the more you can relax in the moment.

“”

Think about things that are easy for your guests to grab and pour.

—Sandra Spalding

HER HOW-TOS Phase 1: The Welcome Party Sandra Spalding’s favorite way to start a party is with a punch—a punch bowl, that is. Her personal favorite is an Irish whiskey punch, but if that sounds too pungent, you may prefer a bubbly punch, an often popular twist.

“I love an Irish Whiskey punch. It’s really strong, though. Or you can do a Champagne punch,” she says, noting Champagne punch is a drink known for its adaptability and versatility.

To avoid a watery punch, Spalding suggests filling a clean, empty cardboard milk carton with water, then freezing it overnight. When the time comes, all you need to do is simply peel the milk carton off and place your newly formed block of ice in the punchbowl. A welcome drink, she says, is the perfect way to help guests feel at ease and avoid that awkward moment before the party really gets started.

Phase 2: The Main Event Have the glasses set up and the alcohol ready to pour. The choice of alcohol will, of course, be dependent on the type of party you are having, Spalding says. For example, for a more casual event, she recommends having some rosé and white wines chilled, as well as some specialty beers stocked, so there’s something for everyone. For a more formal event, Spalding suggests setting out your choice of liquor with mixers, fun garnishes and recipe cards for guests to make their own drinks.

“Think about things that are easy for your guests to grab and pour,” she says.

“Then [the party] gets fun and interactive.

Someone asks for a suggestion and it helps break the ice for your guests.”

Phase 3: The After-party “Toward the end of the night, when it’s time to go, some people go, but there’s always a core group that stays,” Spalding says, adding this is a special, almost secret phase of the night, and it’s her favorite. “Have that special bottle of cognac or rare whiskey set aside so that people won’t think you’re planning it, but you’re planning it.”

After all, there’s no better way to end a party than by being surrounded with good friends, lively conversation and a nightcap.

26 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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GIVE BACK

A NONPROFIT GROWS UP

Marissa Vogel, founder of Generation Serve, discusses the importance of emphasizing community service and impact from a young age.

BY MIKAILA RUSHING wasn’t satisfied with using that as an excuse. She felt teaching children to be community-minded and compassionate individuals was best done at a young age. She believed it was never too early to start giving back to one’s community.

“I’d been in Austin for a few years already and I felt like, ‘Wow, I love this community. I want this community to be my home,’ ” Vogel says, reflecting. “[I thought,] ‘How can I give back to this community?’ ” As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, so, in 2009, Vogel decided to start her own family-based volunteer organization, Little Helping Hands. In September, the organization changed its name to Generation Serve.

As a nonprofit, Generation Serve partners with approximately 90 nonprofits throughout the city to provide volunteer opportunities to families with children, allowing kids as young as 3 years old to begin volunteer work. Before overseeing volunteer activities onsite, leaders at Generation

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Generation Serve will host a volunteer fair, Family Volunteer Day: Austin Families Give Back, Nov. 18. For more details, visit generationserve.org/familyvolunteerday.

Marissa Vogel’s daughters volunteering

28 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Photos courtesy of Generation Serve.

Marissa Vogel stands cooking in the Ronald McDonald House kitchen, surrounded by children and their families. She enjoys the cacophony of the kitchen, but to her, the best part is watching as the children serve the meals they worked so hard to prepare to the house’s occupants. This is one of Vogel’s favorite volunteer activities to lead.

Vogel, 48, is the executive director of Generation Serve, formally known as Little Helping Hands. She graduated with a master’s degree in business from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and, for more than a decade, worked in the for-profit industry with several Fortune 500 companies.

After Vogel moved from San Antonio to Austin in 2007, she found herself unsatisfied with the volunteer opportunities available to her and her family. Vogel’s daughters, ages 4 and 6 at the time, were considered too young by many organizations to contribute volunteer work, but Vogel

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Although the emphasis of Vogel’s nonprofit is to get kids volunteering at a younger age while also allowing families to come together in giving back to the community, Generation Serve also caters to older children. Recently, the organization began offering its youth-leadership program, which delegates leadership roles to middle-school and high-school students, and also offers servicelearning courses that allow third through fifth graders the opportunity to learn more about their community and service.

“It’s really about creating generations of community-minded leaders and citizens,” Vogel says of her mission, “because everything that we’re doing here on a day-to-day basis is to prepare kids to be leaders in their community.”

Originally, the organization focused more on early childhood volunteerism, but as the children of the program began to grow up, so did the organization. Eventually, the goal shifted from simply getting kids involved in their communities to cultivating generations of community-minded leaders, all with a passion for volunteer work. This was the primary reason Little Helping Hands was renamed Generation Serve.

“We realized that this is a whole generation we’re affecting…and our name, it just really doesn’t suit us anymore,” Vogel says. “We’ve evolved as an organization. … That’s how I see it: Little Helping Hands has grown up.”

In the eight years since its inception, Generation Serve has grown to have more than 5,000 volunteers contributing more than 12,000 hours of volunteer service a year to the Austin community.

The nonprofit’s monthly volunteer calendar typically has more than 70 volunteer events listed, and those events often fill to capacity within 48 hours.

The organization’s success drew the attention of Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott, who paid a special visit to Generation Serve this summer.

Even with this success, Vogel says she is still looking forward to the future, and has set a goal that Generation Serve be able to expand beyond Austin’s borders some day.

“It’s great to have [the program] here in Central Texas, and it’s great for Austin kids, but to me, you know, you don’t realize the true vision unless you can get it out into other communities,” Vogel says.

While excited about the prospects of moving forward, Vogel says, in the end, she has to give much of the credit for how well the nonprofit is doing to the community that makes it possible.

“It’s really a reflection of the community,” Vogel says. “I don’t know if I could have started this in any other market and been as successful outside of Austin.”

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PROFILE

LOOKING FOR LOOT

With the recent launch of their home-goods collection, Loot Finer Goods, sisters-in-law Anna Crelia and Rhoda Brimberry are sprucing up the event-styling industry.

BY LAUREN JONES Anna Crelia and Rhoda Brimberry are more than just business partners. They’re also the sisters-in-law duo behind local favorite Loot Rentals, formerly Loot Vintage Rentals, a boutique furniture-rental company. Since co-founding the business in 2011, the two have quickly become experts in the niche-rentals industry.

In 2010, Crelia was planning her wedding and spent countless hours searching for items to fulfill her 1920s-speakeasy-themed vision but was at a loss for where to rent such one-of-a-kind furniture and décor.

“There was nowhere around Austin that offered vintage rentals,” Brimberry says. “Anna enlisted her family’s help and, because I was staying home at the time with my kids, I jumped on the chance to go out and do what I loved, which was shop for vintage finds. I [searched] Dallas, where I lived at the time, and Anna [searched] Austin. The rest is history.”

Throughout the years, the two have turned to garage sales, Craigslist and even an assisted-living home’s yard sale in Georgetown, Rhoda Brimberry and Anna Crelia

30 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Texas—where they found a stunning French settee—to collect their diverse array of vintage items. They recently acquired 158 vintage Bertoia chairs, a once-in-a-lifetime find.

“Rhoda and I pride ourselves on finding things that no one else has and bringing them to the world of rentals,” Crelia says. “And the Bertoia chairs definitely fit the bill. Nobody has those.”

The Loot Rentals warehouse in Northeast Austin is overflowing with tufted leather loveseats, European-inspired textiles and hundreds of place settings. From gracing intimate weddings to being featured at dinner soirees for 300 people, the pieces are consistently out on rental.

Since the founding of their business, one question the duo continued to receive from renters was how they could purchase the furniture and décor.

“In the beginning, people would ask if the items were for sale, but we were never in the position to do that,” Crelia says. “Rhoda and I were busy for so long with the rental business that we didn’t want to

jump into the retail side right away. It took us awhile to feel comfortable, but it was always a part of our growth plan.”

In September, Crelia and Brimberry announced the launch of Loot Finer Goods, a collection of more than 100 curated for-sale items. The items include found, refurbished and handmade goods ranging from pillows to sofas, with price points from $60 to $1,800.

Highlights of the collection include a pair of original 1970s Arne Norell leather Kontiki sofas, handmade wall hangings from Genuine & Ginger, and pillows repurposed from vintage African and Turkish textiles.

“With the rentals, we want to try to make sure that we are speaking the client’s language,” Brimberry says. “But with Loot Finer Goods, we look for things that we would love in our own homes. We believe that every item should bring joy and be something that you’d want to pass down for generations.”

Now that the duo has not one but two businesses under their roof, the notion of work/life balance is an ebb and flow.

“I don’t really believe in constant work/life balance,” Crelia says. “As women, we give ourselves a lot of guilt over working too much, but if we adjust our mindset and know that some seasons are busier than others, I think we’ll develop a healthier outlook.”

“Anna likes to say that balance is bulls--t,” Brimberry says. “Understanding that some things will get more energy than others is just part of life, and that’s OK. This whole Wonder Woman concept of trying to do it all is unrealistic.”

Although the pair spends a good chunk of their time talking business, they prioritize their families and have built a company culture in which their employees can as well.

“Our business is built on the foundation of family,” Brimberry says. “When your family needs you or you just need a break, we understand that.”

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AVVY WOMEN

PROFILE

A KNACK FOR NATIVE

As the founders of Eden Garden Design, Sarah Yant and Amy Hovis use their green thumbs to create stunning sustainable landscapes.

After the landscape-design company she had been working for went out of business, Sarah Yant knew she had to find a way to continue doing what she loved.

It was this mindset that led to the birth of her own business.

She started Eden Garden Design in 2009 to keep up her passion for designing landscapes in the Austin area.

Yant grew up around gardening and design. Both her grandmothers were gardeners and her mother was a gardener and an interior designer. However, although she was exposed to the powers of cultivating a green thumb at a young age, Yant did not feel the pull to pursue the passion until years later.

“I would say that I didn’t really come to love [gardening] until after I got out of college,” Yant says. “I worked on an organic farm, and that’s when I really fell in love with farming, and then that led to working at nurseries, which led to doing landscape design. It was kind of an organic process that I didn’t really plan out but just sort of fell in my lap.”

Amy Hovis joined Yant as a business partner in February 2012, and the two women started designing properties throughout the Central Texas area.

Just like the plethora of native plants incorporated into their designs, the business started to grow as word spread among previous clients and the duo received more project referrals from industry connections. While initial projects tended to start on the smaller side, the landscape-design company was soon tackling larger design projects, such as commercial reconstructions and ranch jobs, much of what Eden Garden Design does today.

“My favorite projects are ranch projects,” Yant says. “We’ve done several of those in the Hill Country and they’re usually about two or three hours away from Austin. I really enjoy the opportunity to be in a rural setting like that and work on a larger property.”

Thin soils and extreme temperatures give Texas a harsh growing climate, but Yant and Hovis make it their mission to use native and adapted plants in all 32 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Sarah Yant and Amy Hovis

Photos by Greg Thomas.

BY AMANDA PINNEY

their projects. Eden Garden Design emphasizes plants that survive and thrive throughout time and are suited to the hot Central Texas climate, from fragrant mistflower and Texas sotol to gulf muhly and galeana sage.

“We really get the range of everything that you can experience in gardening,” Yant says. “Early on, just in my philosophy of gardening, I started to learn that I wanted to use plants that would actually be more sustainable and have longevity in their lives.”

When it comes to design, Yant and Hovis feel they thrive working with different styles. The women enjoy fusing a native and adapted palette of materials with a modern architecture project.

With Hovis’ background in commercial design and construction, Eden Garden Design projects take on more than just the exterior-landscape design; the duo has put their heads together on everything from swimming-pool renovations to the interior and exterior design of gyms.

Yant says she never wants to be pigeonholed into one style, and she and Hovis say they are happy just where they are.

“As for future plans, I think we’d be happy doing exactly what we’re doing right now,” Hovis says. “We think that it’s really fun to have a business that’s run by two women who are doing great things and having fun doing them. We’d like to inspire that all around as well.”

SEASONAL SELECTIONS Sarah Yant and Amy Hovis share their favorite seasons to spend time working in the garden.

Amy Hovis: summer “Personally, for me, it’s summer just because I love the summer. It feels like even when you’re working, you’re on vacation. I certainly don’t mind the heat. Sarah and I like to make it our goal to get into a swimming pool whenever possible after work and just enjoy being outside.”

Sarah Yant: fall “For me, in terms of gardening and plants, I think my favorite season is probably the fall. I think I like the heat less than Amy does. After summer has passed, I love the fall plants that come into bloom as things are cooling down. I think it’s really a magical moment after the summer has passed to have things popping out in the fall.”

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WOMAN to WATCH

SUSAN RAMIREZ

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AUSTIN ANGELS

S

usan Ramirez is the president and CEO of Austin Angels, and has led the organization since January 2010. Prior to Austin Angels, Ramirez spent eight years with the secondlargest homebuilder in the nation and was nationally ranked each year as one of the top sales agents. While working long hours in corporate America, Ramirez felt a higher calling to lead her community in service and thus, made a change in her career by starting the nonprofit Austin Angels in 2010. Ramirez has been recognized as a leader in the community and received the Woman Philanthropist of the Year award from Texas Women in Business. In addition to her work with Austin Angels, Ramirez is dedicated to improving the lives of those in the foster-care system and was previously a foster parent. She and her husband, Chris, have been together for 10 years and have two boys, Ryder, age 4, and Reid, 10 months. austinangels.com

36 SPECIAL WOMAN PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 36 |  AUSTIN |  NOVEMBER 2017

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

KRISTEN HEANEY OWNER OF YARD BAR

K

risten Heaney is the owner of Yard Bar, a membership-based dog park and bar in North Austin. In 2009, Heaney adopted her first dog, Murray, and enjoyed spending time at Auditorium Shores with other friends and their dogs. But as a young professional, she was constantly juggling her work schedule and making time to socialize her dog. One day, the solution came to her, and in 2015, Heaney opened Yard Bar. The dog park is fenced in and monitored by “bark rangers” who keeps pets safe and the park clean. While dogs enjoy the 20,000 square feet of off-leash play space, their owners can enjoy a craft cocktail, local draft or soft drink. The dining patio offers burgers, salads and, of course, hush puppies. Yard Bar just celebrated its second birthday, and Heaney is beginning to work on plans for other locations. yardbar.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM ATXWOMAN.COM | | 37 37

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

TRICIA DABNEY

OWNER OF HIGH COT TON HOME & DESIGN

T

ricia Dabney is a woman to watch in the world of interior design. She is the owner of High Cotton Home & Design, a successful boutique-furniture store and design center in Austin. She was raised on a farm in Illinois, where she developed an impressive work ethic and began honing in on her unique design style. With her passion for design in full force, she started Dabney Designs 25 years ago out of her home. During the last two decades, Dabney has made a name for herself within the Austin community, where her work has been featured on Houzz. In 2016, she launched High Cotton Home & Design, her dream job. The store has quickly become very well known in the Austin area. Earlier this year, High Cotton Home & Design was awarded the People’s Choice Award from Parade of Homes. The name High Cotton embodies Dabney’s roots as a farmer’s daughter, the adventure of finding her passion and the happiness she has created leading to this chapter in her life. She is truly walking in high cotton now. highcottonhomedesign.com

38 SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 38 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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WOMAN to WATCH

R O H I N I B O C H AT O N

CEO AND FOUNDER OF PR AOS HE ALTH

R

ohini Bochaton is the CEO and founder of Praos Health, a health-care technology company that is helping to solve nationwide nursing shortages by directly connecting nurses with hospitals in search of contingent staffing.

For Bochaton, Praos Health is part social movement and part state-of-the-art technology. The Praos mobile app provides nurses with the freedom and flexibility to work where they want and when they want while reducing staffing costs for health-care facilities.

An avid runner, Bochaton is always thinking of ways to revolutionize health-care staffing as she blazes the Austin trails. For her, Praos Health is the ultimate marathon. The finish line is the empowerment of nurses and the reimagination of health-care staffing. praoshealth.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM ATXWOMAN.COM | | 39 39

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WOMAN to WATCH

K I M B E R L E E S U L L I VA N

OWNER OF SULLIVAN PHYSICAL THER APY AND INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT OF TRI DELTA

K

imberlee Sullivan has devoted her life’s work to women’s empowerment and wellness.

Sullivan Physical Therapy focuses on women’s health, including impairments of the lower back, pelvis and pelvic floor. SPT employs 14 women, sees more than 300 patients a week and is one of the largest clinics of its kind in the country.

Winner of the 2017 Woman’s Way Woman-owned Business of the Year and 2015 Texas Women in Business’ Entrepreneur of the Year awards, Sullivan is also the executive producer of a new short film titled Tightly Wound. This poignant story of a woman’s pelvic-health journey is being submitted to the Sundance, Tribeca and South By Southwest film festivals.

Sullivan’s passion for women’s empowerment was inspired by Tri Delta women’s sorority, which she joined at Pepperdine University. Today, she serves the organization’s 230,000 members in the role of international president, helping women live, learn and lead with purpose.

Physical therapist, entrepreneur, volunteer and wife, Sullivan is also mom to 4-year-old Allison. sullivanphysicaltherapy.com

40 | | SPECIAL | ATXWOMAN.COM AUSTINPROMOTION WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

JAIMIE ANAND

INTERIOR DESIGNER AT JAIMIE ANAND INTERIORS

J

aimie Anand Interiors is an Austin-based interior-design firm. Founded in 2015 by Jaimie Anand, the company works on projects throughout the greater Austin area and San Antonio. Anand is a creative who believes in the power of beautiful interiors to transform daily life and has a well-trained eye for quality, craftsmanship, furnishings and textiles. She has been recognized for her modern, contemporary aesthetic and her crisp, elegant style, and is best-known for creating polished spaces that are functional, friendly and beautiful.

Each project speaks to her clients’ own interests, travels and lifestyle. She prides herself on her attention to detail, obsession with quality and love for local artisans. Anand’s work has been featured in leading design and lifestyle publications, including Luxe Interiors + Design, Statesman Homes, Houzz and on numerous blogs. jaimieanand.com

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MUST LIST HAPPY TRAILS

One woman recounts her travels through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park with a toddler and an Airstream trailer in tow.

Photo by Kelly DiNardo.

BY KELLY DINARDO

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DISCOVER

quite-2-year-old son, we need to move at their pace.

We started to fall into an easy routine that mimicked Oliver’s schedule at home: We got up early, snuggled in bed with a few books, had breakfast and hustled out the door. But instead of racing to school and work, we hiked to the top of waterfalls, scrambled around mountainous lakes and wandered boardwalks surrounded by steaming hot springs. After lunch, we would either head back to the trailer or take a long enough car ride for Oliver to get a proper nap in before heading back out for THE BEST DAY HIKE IN another adventure.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK With a little planning, we organized our exploraUncle Tom’s Trail to the Lower Falls includes tions so everyone was happy. In Grand Teton, we 328 steps down—and then back up—a hiked to the Cascade Canyon Trail, and the promised vertigo-inducing metal staircase, but the boat ride back across Jenny Lake kept Oliver happy. views are worth the climb. The trail is less than a mile long, but other paths connect to The half hour we spent skipping and throwing stones it, allowing visitors to make a longer trek. at the rocky beach along Lakeshore Trail helped Oliver burn off some steam after being contained in the hiking pack. I snapped photos along Mormon Row, a picturesque array of historic homesteads, while Oliver and JP raced around the iconic barn.

In Yellowstone, the 308-foot Lower Falls—more than twice the height of Niagara Falls—and the rainbow of colors and misty clouds from the Grand Prismatic Spring were so tremendous, even Oliver was content to watch from the confines of the hiking pack.

We quickly felt confident enough to stretch the schedule a bit. In the dark, pre-dawn hours, we scooped Oliver up and into the car, drove across Lower Falls Yellowstone and met up with a wildlife guide. The

The shuddering gasps for air slowed. The stream of tears dried. His eyes grew heavy, heavier and finally closed.

Relieved our son was finally asleep, my husband, JP, and I acknowledged this was our fault. We had broken one of the golden rules of travel: Go at the slowest person’s pace.

The day before, the three of us had taken off on an early morning flight to Montana, picked up a rental Airstream trailer and drove to our first campground on a weeklong tour of Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Our 20-month-old son, Oliver, snagged a too-short nap, but kept up with our jam-packed travel day with good cheer.

We were not as lucky on our second day. After another too-short nap in the car seat, we had a toddler in powderkeg form. The inevitable explosion of tears, exhaustion and frustration—a mercifully small one, easily extinguished—was the warning shot we needed. This was Oliver’s vacation too, and no one would have fun if we traveled at our usual blistering speed.

And that was when we established our golden rule of travel: Whether we are with 84-year-old Nana or our not-

Yellowstone Lower Falls photo courtesy of Jim Peaco and the National Park Service. Sunrise photo by Neal Herbert.

Sunrise at Mammoth Hot Springs

44 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Grand Teton Inspiration Point photo courtesy of the National Park Service. Cascade Canyon photo courtesy of Danielle Lehle and the National Park Service. Mountain goats photo by Diane Renkin.

four of us joined a band of wolf watchers and squinted through a scope at the dark figure almost a half mile away. We watched a herd of bison graze across the road and quickly hopped back into the car when they meandered into the parking lot. During the course of the day, we spotted elk, river otter, osprey and, on our drive back to the trailer, a black bear and her cub.

Having a steady home base made everything easier.

The fact that home was a gleaming, silver Airstream seriously upped the cool factor. We had rented the fully equipped camper and the Chevy Tahoe needed to pull it from Airstream2Go. The company tricks out Airstreams with modern-day comforts like flat-screen TVs and solar-powered lights for retractable awnings. We essentially rolled a luxury apartment into each campsite.

The company’s tour-operator partner, Off the Beaten Path, arranged most of the remaining logistics, making campsite reservations, connecting us with our wildlife guide and suggesting hikes and activities.

Towing this shiny, curved behemoth also slowed our usual pace. On highways, pulling the 28-foot Airstream any faster than 55 mph led to an unsteadying sway, and navigating mountain passes with stomachin-the-throat declines meant we typically crawled along at less than 25 mph.

When we gave into it, to the slower pace dictated by a toddler and a house on wheels, we found there was magic in the unhurried, deliberateness of it all. Yes, we wondered at the dramatic beauty of waterfalls and wildlife, but we had time to notice the understated charms too: the billowy clouds floating over craggy spires, the sizzle and pop of a campfire. Traveling at the slowest person’s pace soon transformed from an imperative task to a blessing.

THE BEST DAY HIKE IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK Cascade Canyon Trail to Inspiration Point is a short hike with a bit of a climb and great views at the end.

It was a good post-nap hike, offering the benefit of not too much time for our toddler in the hiking carrier, and the boat ride back (One-way tickets start at $6.) was a nice reward.

Inspiration Point

Cascade Canyon

Yellowstone’s mountain goats

HIKING WITH A TODDLER CHECKLIST 3 water and snacks 3 sunscreen 3 diapers or spare underwear and wipes 3 s tash of cars or small toys to keep the little one entertained in the hiking pack

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ROUNDUP

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

The three women behind Austin Design House share their best pointers for giving your home a cozy and welcoming winter touch.

BY LYDIA GREGOVIC

Design aficionados Aimee Laughlin, Jess Pearce and Taylor Wilson are focused on changing the interior-decorating game, one pillow at a time. The close-knit trio—Laughlin and Wilson are a mother-daughter duo and Pearce is a family friend—launched their company, Austin Design House, in 2016, with the intention of making interior design accessible and affordable to all.

Specializing in wallpaper, textiles, pillows and design consulting, their online boutique may be the new kid on the block, but it’s already leaving its mark on the interior aesthetic of Austin homes. With the holiday season and family-and-friends festivities fast approaching, Austin Woman knew exactly who to turn to for the best quick-fix decorating tips in town.

1. CREATE CURB APPEAL.

2. KEEP IT SIMPLE.

3. LOOK BEYOND RED AND GREEN.

“The first impression is the most important impression and, in terms of design, that means your front door. It doesn’t need to be over-thetop decorated, but it should be fresh, clean and inviting.

Wreaths are a great option and should be selected based on your door color. With dark doors, for example, try to find something that contrasts a little bit, such as winter whites or even a wreath made of Christmas ornaments.

Door color aside, to really spruce up your home, step away from traditional wreaths and try something more organic, such as boxwoods or magnolia plants.” – Aimee Laughlin

“A common mistake people make is taking out boxes and boxes of decorations around Christmas and putting everything out on top of what they already have. Instead, try to strip down a little bit. Taking away a few small items can both create room for seasonal décor and make it seem like it’s supposed to be there instead of covering up something else. Something we always like to do is swap out a few family photos in favor of holiday-themed shots, like pictures with Santa, to create that Christmas atmosphere.”

– Jess Pearce

“Instead of opting for the traditional red-and-green color scheme, try to select colors that complement the rest of your décor. Some great alternatives are neutrals, metallics and winter whites, all of which create a more sophisticated look while still giving your home a wintry feeling. Pops of classic red and green can add a festive aura, but keep in mind that with such bright tones, a little goes a long way. Something we like to suggest is using more neutral colors throughout the majority of the house, and then making one room, such as the family room, a bit more colorful.”

– Aimee Laughlin

Taylor Wilson, Aimee Laughlin and Jess Pearce

4. GO ALL-NATURAL.

“Always choose living plants or natural greenery over synthetic decorations. When considering holiday flowers, most people think of poinsettias, but there are actually a variety of different options beyond that. A personal favorite of ours are paper whites, which are white winter flowers that shoot up from bulbs, and which last through the entire holiday season. For the best effect, plant them in tall cylinder glasses and sprinkle a few sprigs of berries throughout. The final result is red, green and white—a new twist on conventional Christmas colors.” – Taylor Wilson

“As a business that was originally built around pillows, we love to use one or two as easy accents within a room, especially during the holidays.

While you shouldn’t overdo it, accessories like pillows or throws can be relatively inexpensive ways to transform the feeling of a space.

For a warm and wintry atmosphere, textured fabrics are key. Knits, velvets and faux fur are all great options for creating that cozy, fireside feeling that people crave during the holidays. Or if you’re feeling more cheerful, spruce up an area by placing a few brightly colored pillows around the room.” – Aimee Laughlin 46 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Photo courtesy Austin Design House.

by Alisonof Narro.

5. THROW IN A THROW.

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(512) 425-3875

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LITTLE LUXURIES

PATTERN PLAY

BY APRIL CUMMING Leah Duncan’s brand started with a dream and an Etsy shop in 2008, the success of which quickly led to collaborations with companies such as Schoolhouse Electric, Urban Outfitters, O’Neill, Galison, Hallmark and Target, as well as fabric collections with Cloud9 Fabrics.

Rooted in a desire to contribute to her community and keep her goods earth-friendly, Duncan decided to produce her collection locally, with many designs—from posters to pillows and note cards to scarves—being made in her studio by hand. Each piece in Duncan’s collection is hand-drawn and reflects her love of soft color palettes. Inspired by nature and the Southwest, Duncan has established a spot in Austin’s artisanal community and a voice

48 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

that embodies simplicity and beauty with quirky and organic themes.

Photographed here is a linen tea towel with Duncan’s meadow design. It features whimsical florals, showing off Duncan’s sophisticated pattern work and unique take on textile design. The towel was screen printed by Austin’s Industry Print Shop on 100 percent linen, which softens over time, making it perfect for kitchens, bathrooms or to display on the wall.

Meadow tea towel, $26, leahduncan.myshopify.com

Photo courtesy of Leah Duncan.

Incorporate pops of pastel color onto your kitchen table this season.

THINK DIFFERENT.

BE DIFFERENT. 11065 PECAN PARK BLVD., CEDAR PARK crescenthouseinc.com | 512.331.9100

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TYLE

SPLURGE OR STEAL

COMFY ’N’ COZY

Enjoy your own personal pajama party at home on a chilly November night.

PHOTOS BY ANNIE RAY STYLED AND MODELED BY ASHLEY HARGROVE

STEAL Faux-fur throw, $24.99, target.com Coffee mug, $4.99, target.com Woolrich chestnut slippers, $30, zappos.com Thermal Buffalo plaid onesie, $56, eddiebauer.com Cable-knit pom-pom beanie, $12.99, hm.com

$129

50 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

SPLURGE Luxe faux-fur throw, $239, restorationhardware.com Coffee mug, $4.99, target.com Ugg Coquette chestnut slippers, $120, nordstrom.com Plush Thermal Buffalo plaid pajama set, $110, shopbop.com Eugena Kim fox-fur rain beanie, $275, revolve.com

$749

ATXWOMAN.COM |  51

H

OME

ENTERTAINING

A FESTIVE ‘FRIENDSGIVING’

Gather your closest guy and gal pals and raise a toast to your communal bond.

WRITTEN AND STYLED BY MORGAN STEPHANIAN, PHOTOS BY ASHLEY KRIEGEL

My mother taught me throughout my life that close friendships do not always come easily and are worth fighting for. Our family tradition for Thanksgiving centers around a meal together, during which each person shares what they are thankful for from the

past year. This year, I plan to invite a few dear friends to sit around my table, enjoy some delicious fall favorites and reflect and be thankful for our shared time together.

Here’s some go-to inspiration if you choose to host a “friendsgiving” of your own.

THE MENU

PUMPKIN-SPICE CUPCAKES

rosemary-apple bourbon cocktail butternut-squash soup bacon-wrapped pork loin over greens sweet-potato-and-parsnip mash yeast rolls pumpkin-spice cupcakes

Serves 18 to 24 Ingredients for cake 1 box yellow cake mix 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice 1 cup water 1/2 15-ounce can pumpkin puree 3 eggs Ingredients for pumpkin frosting 1 stick butter, softened 1/2 cup coconut oil 4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 15-ounce can pumpkin puree Cinnamon, for garnish Directions 1. C ombine all the ingredients for the cupcakes, mix well, then distribute the mixture into cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick comes out of the center clean, approximately 18 to 22 minutes.

2. W hile the cupcakes are cooling, combine all the ingredients for the frosting and mix until smooth and fully incorporated.

3. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them and garnish with a very light dusting of cinnamon.

GET A GOOD CONVERSATION GOING At large events, small talk and making introductions is inevitable. I truly enjoy meeting new people, but my heart is so full after an evening spent with close friends. An intimate dinner party can be a good setting to take the time to reminisce and share with friends what they mean to you. It’s all about being intentional.

Simplified: Pick up a set of conversation cards and hide one under each plate before guests arrive. Once everyone is seated, ask each guest to find their card and share their answer once they have one ready.

Next level: Before everyone arrives, jot down a memory or something about each guest you are thankful for. Start the meal with a toast and share what you prepared. Perhaps it will lead to others sharing too.

52 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

BUTTERNUT-SQUASH SOUP Serves eight Ingredients 5 cups butternut squash, cubed 2 cups carrots, sliced 1 medium apple, peeled and cubed 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon dried dill 5 cups chicken broth Juice of half a lemon Optional garnishes: Greek yogurt, chili sauce, pumpkin seeds Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the first eight ingredients on a sheet pan and roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.

2. Combine the roasted veggies, chicken broth and lemon juice into a pot and blend with an immersion blender, or blend in batches using a traditional blender. Once the mixture is smooth, let it simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, garnish and serve.

ROSEMARY-APPLE BOURBON COCKTAIL Serves eight Rosemary-apple syrup ingredients 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary 1 Honeycrisp or Gala apple, peeled and sliced into wedges Cocktail ingredients 1 cup rosemary-apple syrup 1 cup bourbon Sparkling water (optional) Crushed ice Apple slices for garnish Directions 1. T o make the rosemary-apple syrup, stir sugar and water in a pot on the stove over medium heat.

2. O nce the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the mixture from the heat and add the rosemary sprigs and half of the apple slices. Let it steep for 20 minutes.

3. Strain the mixture and let the syrup cool.

4. To make the cocktail, combine the syrup, bourbon and an optional dash of sparkling water over crushed ice. Garnish it with an apple slice.

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EyeDIY An

for

When interior designer Claire Zinnecker took the jump to branch out on her own and walk down the career path less traveled, she soon realized having a dream and a plan that didn’t pan out was quite possibly the best thing that could have happened.

BY APRIL CUMMING | PHOTOS BY ANDREW CHAN HAIR AND MAKEUP BY LAURA MARTINEZ | STYLED BY NIKI JONES

54 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

55

// HER BIG BREAK This was not the plan. She was supposed to have her foot in the door at a full-time job the minute she graduated college. She was supposed For Zinnecker, making it work meant picking up four partto be living in California, not Austin, and she most certainly was not time jobs with Austin-area designers, running errands, supposed to be moving back into her parents’ house. picking up dry cleaning, helping with architectural It was the summer of 2009 when Claire Zinnecker graduated drawings and aiming to, in the end, make a lasting with a degree in interior design from the University of Texas impression.

School of Architecture. Just the summer before, she had interned Eventually, she whittled her workload down to a fullat the prestigious architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill time job with one designer and, in 2011, Zinnecker reached in downtown Los Angeles. She had loved the experience, the out to her friend and budding lifestyle blogger, Camille culture of LA, and returned home with hopes of a potential job Styles. Styles was on the hunt for regular contributors and offer upon graduation. offered Zinnecker a semimonthly column, Claire Zinnecker: She had planned to study architecture since high school but, with Transformed, on her site. The blog series offered readers a nudge in the right direction from her uncle, decided to focus on tips and how-to tutorials on an array of unique DIY homeinterior design instead. décor projects, from how to make embossed photo business “I was clueless. I never took a design class before I went to cards, pet beds and iPad cases to how to repurpose cheese college,” Zinnecker says of the switch. “Obviously, I had an artistic graters and mason jars as wall sconces and mini herb passion. My uncle’s an architect, and I don’t even remember what gardens, respectively. it was exactly, but he said, ‘I think that you’d like interiors more.’

“I was honestly so fortunate with that,” Zinnecker says.

I was just like, ‘OK.’ I never looked back. I didn’t know anything “I mean, I’ve known Camille since I was little. I think about it. I never designed anything besides my dollhouse.” about her as a mentor now, as well as a friend, but I was so The dream post-college had always been California, to live clueless when I graduated at the time, with there being no and work there, and Zinnecker planned to pack up and move the jobs. I just reached out to her one day and was like, ‘Maybe minute she had her diploma in hand. With the news of the 2008 I’m interested in styling photo shoots. I’d love to, just any U.S. stock-market crash and the ensuing doom-day response across time you need help.’ She was like, ‘Actually, I’m going to industries—including the downsizing start bringing on contributors, if you of design firms—all the dominos that want to do a design column.’ Then EVERY TIME I GO INTO HOME had been strategically stacked in favor that somehow morphed into DIYs.” of Zinnecker’s post-grad success soon Zinnecker adds that the regular DEPOT, I LOVE IT. YOU CAN began to topple. posts lit a spark in her.

CATCH [THE MEN] OFF GUARD For starters, the entire LA branch “Not only did that awaken a of SOM was shut down. Undeterred creative side of me that I really WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT’S UP. and eager, she accepted a short-term I MEAN, I TEACH A LOT OF GUYS enjoy, but Instagram was coming contract position at the firm’s San out at the same time, and it really HOW TO USE POWER TOOLS. Francisco branch, where she put in taught me how much I love creating, long days of work to keep her dream visually, a two-dimensional image,” alive. In the end, despite her dedicated display of talent, the firm, she says. “I styled all my DIYs and things like that. We got in the throes of letting go 40 percent of its team, couldn’t offer photographers sometimes, but especially for the beginning Zinnecker a job. ones, I did it all.”

She remained persistent, if not a bit less than levelheaded, about staying in California. It wasn’t until she interviewed for and got // HER INSPIRATION offered a waitressing job at a comedy club in a strip center in LA Figuring out what her next design project would be was that she had to metaphorically slap herself in the face. This wasn’t similar to putting a large puzzle together piece by piece. what she had worked for. This wasn’t the dream. This wasn’t “It’s a lot of trial and error, that’s for sure,” Zinnecker panning out. says. “It’s like, ‘OK, what do I need?’ Really, how I thought Zinnecker consulted her conscience and, although broke and sans about it was either I found something or it was like, ‘What any job offers, chose to move back to Austin, back to the city that do I need? What do I need in my house and how can I make had supported her thus far. it?’ It taught me a lot.”

“I snapped myself out of it and moved in with my parents for a The topic of her blog posts still comes up today. From year after school, which was really hard for me. That was never the job offers to host a YouTube video series to potential plan, but it ended up being so great in the long run,” Zinnecker says. client inquires, her blog posts served as an active portfolio “There’s no shame in living with your parents, but the path that I of sorts, showing the creative critical thinking she was created, in addition to the path that people expected me to go on…it capable of when a design conundrum presented itself. was definitely a little blow to the pride. I mean, I had worked since I was 15. Not having a job when I was supposed to have a job was // HER CHILDHOOD really, really terrifying to me. You just make it work.”

Zinnecker is a unicorn, that is, in the way the moniker The experience, she says, taught her how to be flexible and is tossed around to describe anyone who was born and resourceful. raised in Austin and still lives here. As a kid, she spent “You get good grades, you go to college, you graduate with your the majority of her time outside, playing along the banks degree and you get a job. That is the goal,” Zinnecker says. “So of the Barton Creek Greenbelt “before it was popular,” many of my friends didn’t have that happen. It just forces you to she notes. work harder and really set out a plan for yourself.”

“

”

56 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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58 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

“Both of my parents are very much budget-conscious, in the sense of we don’t waste money on things. If there’s something we could make, then we would make it,” Zinnecker explains. “My mom taught me how to sew and I went to sewing classes. We would make doll clothes. We would make clay sculpture things. I had a little dollhouse, and I would make my own presents under the Christmas tree for the dolls.”

She had a natural knack for DIY projects. Both her grandfathers were skilled carpenters, so, indeed, one could say the skill ran in her blood.

“My grandfather built boats and he was a woodworker, and so, my dad taught me those skills,” she says. “My mom’s dad, when he was alive, he and my uncle built my playhouse as a child. They both had built me American Girl doll beds. I grew up in a very make-it-yourself kind of family, which I loved. … Then it becomes sort of a snobby thing where I’m like, ‘Well, I like this thing that I could buy, but I could do it better. How do I do it?’ ” She offers up a funny example.

“My friend and I, my best friend and I growing up, our baby dolls weren’t floppy enough,” she says. “We made two different kinds of baby dolls. One, we cut out an outline of a baby and stuffed it with beans, so it was floppy. It was like a beanbag, sort of. The other one, we made it out of water balloons. We were always coming up with something.”

Did the water-balloon baby doll ever burst?

“It had to sleep in the bathtub because my mom was worried about that,” Zinnecker quickly clarifies.

beneficial. Oftentimes, when you’re working under a designer, you can be sort of taught that mindset. I kind of paved my own way.”

The days following the launch of her company were filled with their own questions and conundrums, ones outside of what paint color paired best with a particular wainscoting.

“It’s things you don’t even think about, right?” Zinnecker asks rhetorically. “Granted, I’ve never taken a business class in my life, and I had to teach myself how to start a business, which is a whole other thing: How to get insurance—you know?—how to find health insurance. There’s a lot, like taxes. I never learned how to do any of that. All of these things that your company does for you I then had to figure out on my own.”

Needless to say, going down the career path less traveled presented Zinnecker with a sea of new territory to tackle, like how to explain her nontraditional career and an always-in-flux paycheck to her parents.

“Both my parents are very supportive. My mom, I’m sure she worries. I know she does. She kind of always knew I’m Claire, I can do anything. I’m her daughter,” Zinnecker says. “My dad is a dad, and the thought of his daughter being single and not having some kind of steady 9-to-5 job that he understands with a paycheck, I think it was really terrifying for him, not that he didn’t have faith in me, but just the understanding that I’m going to be OK. It’s been interesting. Now I think he’s starting to understand it more. It’s been nice to prove that in a way to them. People are recognizing my name, and I think it makes him very proud, which is nice. It’s always good to make your parents proud.”

// HER STYLE Through her regular DIY contributions to Styles’ blog, Zinnecker became accustomed to readers and followers asking her questions. Then, one day, a woman complimented Zinnecker on her aesthetic and asked if she would design an addition the woman was building on her house.

“I was like, ‘I guess I’ve got to figure this out and form a business,’ ” Zinnecker says, reflecting. “So, I did.”

Her company, Claire Zinnecker Design, celebrated its fourth anniversary in September.

A journalist once summed up Zinnecker’s design aesthetic as “Scandinavian modernism with a touch of Japanese minimalism,” a coined term Zinnecker says is agreeably accurate.

“I actually got a bad grade in college for doing [a project] in that aesthetic because they didn’t like it,” she recalls. “I’ve always loved the Scandinavian design, before it was super Pinterest-y. … Because of the DIYs and because of the styling of the shoots, I had really honed in on my own aesthetic, which I think was really

// HER PROJECTS In addition to her myriad residential clients, or friends, as Zinnecker comes to refer to them, she is currently working on design projects for The Refinery, a creative co-working space located off Brazos Street that’s set to open this month, as well as an unnamed Windsor Park family-friendly restaurant project set to open in early 2018 that’s being spearheaded by Andy Means and Jessie Katz, owners of the now-shuttered Henri’s Cheese & Wine Shop.

As Zinnecker continues to leave her aesthetically pleasing fingerprints all over Austin, she notes she’s always trying to branch out of her design comfort zone. Past commercial projects include the redesign of the 38th Street clothing boutique Adelante, Styles’ new office space and the 7A Ranch in Wimberley, Texas. She has also designed event spaces, such as the Create & Cultivate booth at this year’s South By Southwest conference and the Toyota tent for this year’s Austin Food & Wine Festival.

FIVE WOMEN WHO INSPIRE CLAIRE ZINNECKER Past or present, these are the female forces who have inspired Claire Zinnecker throughout the years.

ZAHA HADID “I’ve admired Zaha since college and even did a project study on one of her projects while I was in studio. She was such an inspiration, a female leader, for sure, in the world of architecture. She was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize.”

ILSE CRAWFORD “Ilse is another inspiring designer. She approaches design by focusing on human experiences and interactions in each space. Her iconic designs are full of subtle color palettes and textures.

She has also had some incredible jobs before founding her own kickass design studio. I’m a total groupie!”

JENNA LYONS “[There are] so many things to say about her.

She turned unfortunate childhood experiences into a creative path that then made her a fashion icon. I had my own personal highschool experiences that were less than ideal, and having women like Jenna to look up to definitely helped mold me into the person I am today.”

ANNIE OAKLEY “What can I say?

Annie was a childhood role model.

She was hunting to support her mom and siblings when she was 8 years old, and paid off her mom’s farm mortgage by 15! I mean, what a baller. Girls were rock stars even back in the 1800s.”

HER MOM “[It] might be cheesy, but it’s true.

My mom has never given up on me. I was really sick, dying actually, when I was a baby and the doctors weren’t able to figure out what was wrong.

My mom never wavered. I think her determination and support helped me survive when all the odds were against me. Her encouragement is still something I rely on daily. She puts up with me even when I’m being whiny and is always there to listen and be a shoulder to cry on.”

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// HER JOBSITE “Every time I go into Home Depot, I love it,” Zinnecker says. “You can catch [the men] off guard when you know what’s up. I mean, I teach a lot of guys how to use power tools.”

As a woman, establishing bonds and a level of respect with the male architects and contractors she works with on a day-to-day basis has been a learning experience for Zinnecker.

“I’m not really the person that likes to walk into a room and be the center of attention,” Zinnecker says, noting that she’s had to train herself to be confident and command attention.

“When I’m on a jobsite and I’m a 5-foot-2 girl, I’m kind of like, ‘Yeah, I am sort of a badass.’

These gruff old men with tattoos are listening to me. I respect them and they, in turn, respect me.”

Of course, being a woman in power can be a double-edged sword, and Zinnecker has certainly felt the sting.

“I feel like, as a girl, if you are sort of bossy, you can be labeled in a negative way,” she expounds. “That’s been a very fine line, but I’m still learning. I think it helps because I feel like I can read people pretty well. I think if you speak thoughtfully and you listen to everyone, [it helps]. A lot of times, I nod and smile, [but] it doesn’t mean that I agree at all. You learn the people that you need to say, ‘Hey, I disagree with this,’ and the people that you just nod and smile and then on the side to someone else, you’re sort of like, ‘Hey, this is not the way this is going to go down.’ You don’t have to speak to let your presence be known. I think that’s a big thing that I want to continue pursuing, just showing girls what we can do. That sounds so silly and cliché, but we can do anything. I can hang a shelf. I can wire a light. I can do all these things. Being self-sufficient is such an important thing.” // HER HOME Long gone are the days of Zinnecker living under someone else’s roof—or working under someone else’s thumb, for that matter. Her bright and airy pastel-hued bungalow in the Austin neighborhood of Hyde Park, which was recently featured in Domino Magazine, is where Zinnecker rests her head after long days spent out and about consulting with clients and visiting jobsites. She fondly calls her home “a collection of experiments and dog hair.” Her two dogs, Monte and Emma, gregariously greet her when she returns, and her two cats, Cat and Bunny, round out the tenants.

“It’s fun. I love it. I think it is very me,” Zinnecker says of her home, confessing that she remodeled her kitchen because of the Domino article.

If pressed, she could likely write a blog post about the benefits of being back in her hometown.

60 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

FIVE WAYS CLAIRE ZINNECKER STAYS REAL In addition to her design skills, Claire Zinnecker is also known for her “Real Reality” Instagram Story series. (Follow her @clairezinnecker.)

Here, she offers five ways every woman can be more transparent and real.

1. Be able to find the humor in a situation. “If you can laugh at yourself, then everything seems better.”

2. Don’t always worry about being the best or looking the best. “Just be you, even if that you is a disheveled mess, like I typically am. Your humans, the ones you want in your life, won’t judge you.”

3. When you are honest and open and real with others, they will respond in the same manner. “It’s crazy how much that can change a friendship for the better.”

4. Sometimes your house is messy and you can’t manage the perfect Instagram photo.

“Who cares? Life, somehow, will just keep going.”

5. Enjoy the ride.

“Accept the highs and lows. They will always teach you something.”

“I love Austin,” she says. “Even though it wasn’t my choice to be here, how lucky am I to be stuck in this city? You go to LA and there’s a lot more competition, whereas in [Austin,] I feel like you can go to each other with a problem and collaborate. That’s how the design-and-artist world should be. It shouldn’t be a competition. I think that as designers and as creatives, you blossom in that collaboration. I’m really thankful that this city is like that.” // HER RELATIONSHIPS In September, Zinnecker looked in the rearview mirror to reflect on all she had been through in the past year. She then took to Instagram for one of her regular “Real Reality” posts.

“The end of last year and beginning of this one brought a storm of challenges,” she wrote in the caption for a photo of her perched, arms around her knees, on a millennial-pink-colored staircase in Mexico City. “Both personally and professionally, I was beaten down and most days, didn’t even want to get out of bed. I questioned every choice I had made and was making and wondered where I went wrong. I tried to act like everything was fine, but inside, I was broken. I knew that if I didn’t let myself break down and allow myself to be vulnerable, I wouldn’t be able to get past it.

“Probably for the first time in my life, I fully admitted to myself and to others that I didn’t have it together. I was insecure and confused and decided to just show that part of me. The result? I made some of the strongest friendships I have ever had. I became a person who others feel comfortable coming to with their issues as well. I gained back my confidence and approached life, friendships and work with a new drive. The results have been incredible.

“When I was in the darkest point of the storm, I couldn’t imagine myself getting out of it, but now, looking back, I am so thankful for all of it. It taught me so much and, for the first time in 30 years, I feel fully myself.”

The post, at last count, had 743 likes and 75 comments.

It wasn’t until this March, Zinnecker says, when she started to come out of the thick of it—a phrase translated, in part, to mean her breakup in February.

Channeling her energy for good, she decided to stop stalling on certain projects that had been in discussion, a soon-todebut rug line with Lulu & Georgia being

one of them, as well as a jewelry line with Limbo that debuted in July.

She decided to delete the word “perfection” from her vocabulary, opting instead to be open and vulnerable.

When friends asked her how she was, she reasoned, she would tell them the truth, no matter how ugly or unfiltered.

Those friends that chose to stay, listen and console were the people she would continue surrounding herself with. Those that didn’t were free to move on.

“I’d run into people that I barely knew or that I’d just met, and I’d be like, ‘I’m a mess.

Here’s my life story. Here’s what happened this past week.’ There’s some personal things that were happening, just so many things,” she says. “As a girl and as a human, you look at a relationship thing or you look at a work thing, and you’re struggling so much, and then you see that Instagram version of someone else and I was just like, ‘I can’t.’ I would hate it if anyone were to look at me and dislike themselves because of it. That, to me, just really hurt my heart to think. It was upsetting. I don’t ever want to be that person that makes anyone else feel bad. It makes me want to cry. But if I can make someone else that’s struggling in any way feel like they’re not alone, it’s such a wonderful thing, even if they’re silly things like I haven’t washed my hair in three days.” // HER SCHEDULE Zinnecker confides that, for better or worse, she’s available to her clients 24/7. It’s in her workaholic nature, she explains, adding that she’s always trying to find balance.

“I think learning how to say no has been one of the hardest parts for me because I’m such a people pleaser,” Zinnecker says, “or not answering texts every weekend. That’s a hard one for me. But sometimes I’m like, ‘It’s Sunday. It can wait.’ ” She notes that her schedule is entirely different every day, which fits her just fine, though she admits she’s rarely bright and cheery first thing in the morning.

“I’m not a morning person because I stay up really late,” she says. “In an ideal world, I wake up early, 6:30 or 7 a.m. If I don’t exercise, then I’ll just get up. I like to have my coffee and I like to work on my computer and not really communicate until 9 or 10 a.m., if possible. Then I’ll have meetings, go from jobsite to jobsite, have phone calls. It’s pretty nonstop. A lot of times, you just don’t know. I can have a day where I think the entire day is open,

and then something can happen and it consumes my whole day. I think that way of living energizes me more than a routine.” // HER TRAVELS At least once a month, Zinnecker plans to take a trip somewhere. Whether it be a weekend spent antique hunting in Round Top, Texas, or an out-of-country expedition to Nicaragua with a couple girlfriends, she makes time to get away and clear her head.

“I’m of the mindset that I would rather work really, really hard so I can travel more and work while I’m traveling and get to do those experiences than stop working at 6 p.m. every day, you know?” she says. “I have the ability to stop in the middle of the day and go workout, go to the grocery store or go see my mom and then I make up for it by working until late at night.” // HER LIFE With hard work comes high reward, as the saying goes, so it’s understandable Zinnecker has had to field the occasional job offer. An offer to join another firm and leave her brand behind, though, is not in the plans.

“That’s sometimes really appealing, like stability,” Zinnecker says of the offers. “I don’t want to sound traditional, but I am 30 years old and single. You know, there are lots of things at this point in your life where you’re like, ‘Yeah, that health insurance would be really nice, or a paycheck or a 401(k).’ No, ultimately, it would have to be a really amazing job for me to agree to go back. I just wouldn’t change it, I mean, as much as it really is hard sometimes.”

On Zinnecker’s portfolio site, clairezinneckerdesign.com, there’s a blog post she wrote in September 2016 titled “How CZD Came to Be.” Toward the end of the post, Zinnecker does what she does best. She jots down her thoughts, the embodiment of transparency, and reflects on her journey so far, from those uncertain post-college days of dashed dreams to the unpredictable schedule she, as her own boss, now keeps.

It’s one of her trademark moments of authentic self-expression.

“Every day brings a new problem to solve. Income is never consistent,” she writes, “but I can say with complete certainty that I wouldn’t change a thing. My control-freak, Type-A self has reluctantly admitted that perhaps having a plan that never happens just might be the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

Clothing credits Page 55: Atlantique Ascoli Chantilly sleeveless poplin blouse, $753; rag & bone Mito skinny-leg velvet pants, $350.

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Page 58: Theory Rodiona 2 Forli T-shirt, $85; Haute Hippie Harlet wide-leg slit pants, $435; Valentino Garavani stretch-suede, point-toe, mid-calf boots, $1,245; Panacea gold bar multi-tassel adjustable necklace, $45.

Page 60: Derek Lam 10 Crosby gridprint, two-button blazer, $550; Derek Lam 10 Crosby high-waist, grid-print, flared-leg crepe pants, $395.

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ATXWOMAN.COM | 61

62 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Photo by John Larsen.

Build It and They Will Come Just a short drive away, a mother-and-son duo are revitalizing nine acres of historic property in downtown Buda, Texas, and transforming the city into your next weekend getaway.

BY SARAH E. ASHLOCK

ATXWOMAN.COM |  63

materials in the construction of its new buildings. Transformation instead of demolition is integral to their design process.

Many of the buildings’ interiors feature reclaimed wood from the feed store, and some of the old railroad tracks now serve as parking-space stops. While the site’s silos and affinity for restoration might be reminiscent of Waco’s famed Magnolia Market at the Silos and the HGTV show Fixer Upper, the Ellises established their unique style a couple years before the show initially aired.

“We knew we wanted to save the original footprint,” Dodi Ellis says of the property.

To them, that meant preserving A REAL FIXER UPPER everything possible, such as original In 2017, the Texas Historical Commission recognized Buda as an official Texas Main sidewalks. Rather than simply tearing Street city for the town’s commitment to protect its historical roots while also meeting down and building up a new structure from the community’s needs. As Buda’s small businesses flourish in support of this mission, one scratch, they took the slow road and made mother-son duo is partially responsible for creating the town’s renaissance. conscious renovation decisions Meet Dodi Ellis and Saenger Ellis, the owners and operators of that required a certain level of Buda Mill & Grain Co., a development on about 9 acres of land that “So many merchants patience and creativity. sits adjacent to the railroad that slices down Main Street. As old we talk to that have The result: You can’t escape modes of business give way to the new, the appearance of BM&G history when you’re strolling businesses downtown today is a stark contrast, a revelatory change to what the site the grounds of BM&G. In the looked like just a decade ago. On the acreage once sat dilapidated are like, ‘We need to Ellises’ office space, even the silos, barns, offices, a feed store and storage buildings. One of the define Buda and make it walls tell a story. most notable sights that remains today is Buda’s first cotton gin, “Originally, it held some this charming place that which was later turned into a dairy feed mill in the 1950s. grain, so the grain would sit people just want to keep “Everybody has had stories about this place,” Dodi Ellis says, against the wall and change remembering that once, a retired Buda fireman recounted to her coming back to.’ That is the quality of the wood,” Dodi how he used to clean out the silos in the summer, telling her, “It Ellis points out. our intention on who to was so hot!”

Part of the joy that comes choose to put in the mill.”

Today, more than a handful of businesses operate in the from years of the duo’s redeveloped and ready-to-lease spaces. String lights twinkle —Dodi Ellis thoughtful planning and hard between the buildings by the silos, enhancing the property’s work stems from the property’s outside appeal. There’s a natural flow between the boutique shops, restaurants and office bountiful surprises. Dodi Ellis mentions a spaces, allowing visitors to stroll at their leisure and discover newfound favorite spots. faded ghost sign they discovered on the old Dodi Ellis recalls kids having “corncob fights” in the streets in the old days when the grain cotton gin, a brick building structure that silos still held and sold grain. While there are no corncobs or grain to be found anymore, part will soon be used as a restaurant. of what sets BM&G apart as a new development is that Dodi Ellis and her son don’t disregard “For years, we just had no idea what it the history or the importance of the site. Rather, they prioritize the utilization of the site’s said,” Dodi Ellis says.

Eventually, they figured it out: Buda Gin The Ellises renovated this building on the property Company. to become Nate’s, a coffee shop and bar.

They also uncovered a concrete footer with the date 1927 written on it, as well as rails from the railroad that date back to 1916.

Most astonishing, though, is the molasses. Piped between the buildings, the syrupy goop would be mixed with the grain to make cattle feed for dairy farms in the 1940s and ’50s.

“When we were doing parking, we’d come across pipes still filled with molasses,” Dodi Ellis says.

Cutting the pipes would warm the contents, allowing the molasses to flow as though it was fresh. Of course, when one stumbles upon decades-old buried molasses, one must sample it.

“It stuck with you,” Saenger Ellis says of the taste.

Dodi Ellis recalls, “They dared me, standing behind me, [chanting,] ‘Try it! Try it!’ It was a taste that would not come off your tongue.”

64 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Photos courtesy of Dodi Ellis.

In the late 19th century, a town by the name of Du Pre, Texas, renamed Buda in the 1880s, captured the growling stomachs of rail travelers as one of the first established cities in Central Texas. Before construction of buildings began—or that of a rail line, for that matter—the true settlers of Buda, Texas, were given land grants from the Mexican government. The land, just south of present-day Austin, sat precariously between the lands of two Native American tribes, the Tonkawas and the Karankawas.

Less than 3 square miles in size, Buda burgeoned in the 20th century as the development site of dairy farms, ranches, mills and a railroad depot. A recent estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the city’s population today at more than 15,000. Needless to say, the area has seen staggering growth since its tally of only a few hundred citizens in the 1930s.

Located approximately 17 miles south of downtown Austin, Buda has started to evolve into a close-knit and family-friendly destination for millennials who have been priced out of Austin proper. According to city-data.com, the city’s median age of residents clocks in at 33 years old.

Photo by Caitlin Candelari.

A FAMILY AFFAIR The BM&G property has been in the Ellis family since the early 1960s, when Dodi Ellis’ grandfather purchased it. Dodi Ellis has sisters and a brother who are tied to the acreage too.

“When we started, we had no idea what we were going to do,” Saenger Ellis says. “There was always a picture of my grandfather’s drawing [of BM&G] from the ’80s that had all the businesses built out.”

The drawing reimagined the site as a converted shopping destination. With that image in mind, the Ellises rolled up their sleeves in 2011. While both brought natural talent and unmatched ambition to the project, they weren’t your average developers or renovators.

“It was so scary,” Saenger Ellis says. “It’s hard when you start off and you have no concept, no one really behind it and no tenants.”

He was 21 years old when he and his mom first started working on the redevelopment project.

Dodi Ellis had an art-history background and a career in photo styling for magazines like House Beautiful and Outside. She had also spent time working with an interior designer.

“We’re not big-time developers,” Dodi Ellis says. “No one thought we’d get this done. … We just love this property, and my mother loved this property.”

People’s skepticism of the property making a comeback was wellfounded.

“It was an eyesore,” Dodi Ellis says, recalling a time when drivers would pass by with one hand covering their peripheral view to avoid seeing it.

Considering such scars as the rotted siding and a 6-foot-high chain-link fence around much of the property, some residents

wondered about the safety of the area. But the Ellises believed in it.

In the beginning stages of their modern-day renaissance, Dodi Ellis and Saenger Ellis earned a $5,000 matching grant from the Buda Economic Development Corporation to work on the site’s exterior. The two worked on what now houses Salon One 12, both feverishly painting the walls themselves and attaching old wood to the ceiling. When a tenant on the property complimented the distinct, layered aesthetic, the Ellises knew the design direction they needed take. Today, the variety of patina and airy elements provides the property with a much-needed welcoming atmosphere.

Many found it hard to fathom there were just two people designing, cleaning and managing the site. When the Ellises fell behind paying a specific tax bill, even the IRS couldn’t believe there were only two people in charge.

Later, after they finished fleshing out the bakery and salon on the North corner of the site, they started work on the third building, a coffee shop and bar called Nate’s. The City of Buda required a civil plan to estimate parking concerns, which, in those beginning days of BM&G, proved to be a costly endeavor, coming in at about $10,000.

“We thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s expensive,’ ” Saenger Ellis remembers.

But undaunted, the family managed to gather the funds.

“I put in a little, he put in a little, Mom put in a little,” Dodi Ellis says.

They also spent a month selling several hundred thousand pounds of scrap metal that was on the BM&G property and family ranch, which covered the final salon touches, as well as drafting the civil plan. Fast-forward six years, and they’ve accomplished no small feat.

This view shows what passersby see of the remaining grain silos.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 65

“We were looking for a quality of life that made our lives richer.”

66 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

One of the historic buildings on the Buda Mill & Grain Co. site prior to its redevelopment for modern-day use.

Now housing Nate’s, a coffee shop and bar, this is an interior shot of the old building shown from the exterior on Page 64.

An aerial shot of the Buda Mill & Grain Co. site prior to 2010 shows how extensive the renovations have been.

Photos courtesy of Dodi Ellis.

A VISION Dodi Ellis’ mother and Saenger Ellis’ grandmother, Gay Dahlstrom, always had a fondness for the property.

After all, she had lived in Buda since 1937. Dahlstrom had a fervent desire to conserve the historic significance of BM&G, as well as her family’s ranch property, which she turned into a conservation easement.

Before Dahlstrom passed away in 2014, she saw her BM&G vision come to fruition, with the help of her daughter, Dodi, and grandson, Saenger.

“That was a huge, unexpected gift to get to be with my mom,” Dodi Ellis says.

The Ellises had spent the past two decades living in Santa Fe, N.M., a city known for its rich culture and creative architecture. What spurred their return to Buda?

“We were looking for a quality of life that made our lives richer,” Dodi Ellis says.

With that in mind, they developed BM&G with what they wanted to see in their community.

Since then, the team has restored and renovated many of the dilapidated buildings on the property. With an eye for design and a staunch belief in maintaining each building’s historic integrity, they have spent the last several years giving new small businesses a place to call home. Currently, Buda Mill & Grain Co. houses a salon, a bakery, a coffee shop and bar, a bike shop, a yoga studio, a consignment store, an art gallery, a boutique and a soon-to-be-opened ramen-noodle restaurant.

Throughout the years, the Ellises have worked with a handful of architects but have found it challenging to strike a perfect synergy with an outside source.

From the exterior, BM&G features farmhouse elements elevated with contemporary details, such as rusty signage, steel-framed windows, high ceilings and native landscaping. While the Ellises have drawn inspiration from their Texas surroundings, they’ve also —Dodi Ellis been influenced by the historic Pearl Brewery’s redevelopment in San Antonio, a site that serves as a role model for BM&G, functioning as a mixed-use space that combines industrial and historic elements while drawing in both residents and tourists.

In order to help tenants envision the BM&G design and implement cohesion, the Ellises completed the finish-outs in the first few buildings, making the interior-design decisions, from flooring to wall coverings. Now they work with the tenants, who can customize and implement their own vision.

Amy Krell, owner of the newly opened and very hip Ellipsis Boutique, chose BM&G for a reason. As Dodi Ellis walks in the space, she compliments Krell’s choice of whitewashed wood and white brick on the walls.

“I knew instantly that both their vision and mine for the space would work together seamlessly, bringing an open, bright space with mixed, simple textures,” Krell says, adding that she chose to repurpose the previous buildings’ wood floors for her boutique’s dressing rooms.

A CHARMING CURATION With BM&G’s 27,000 square feet of leasable space, another component of the Ellises’ job extends beyond the design. In addition to Dodi Ellis’ breathtaking photos and blog entries on the BM&G website, budamillandgrain.com, they must also lease finished spaces to tenants.

A bystander would easily have a sense that the duo is extremely selective, as the current tenants show the Ellises’ well-rounded and thoughtful choices.

“So many merchants we talk to that have businesses downtown are like, ‘We need to define Buda and make it this charming place that people just want to keep coming back to,’ ” Dodi Ellis says. “That is our intention on who to choose to put in the mill.”

As a result of the Ellises being careful instead of quick to choose tenants, these businesses, just like the silos that tower beside them, are here to stay.

Customers and tenants have naturally come about, either from just driving by or from word-of-mouth.

Childhood friends and co-owners of the Assemblage Contemporary Craftsman Gallery, Theresa Jones and Jacquie Hollis Martinez, have fond memories of purchasing feed and hay on the property, so they found BM&G a natural fit for their art gallery.

“We knew through Dodi and Saenger Ellises’ vision and aesthetics, BM&G would be the perfect backdrop for our own venture,” Jones says. “It was a journey of two smalltown girls coming back full circle to their hometown and being able to be a part of a revitalization project for future generations to enjoy.”

Dodi Ellis credits an architect who used the term “third space,” with defining the key characteristic of BM&G’s development.

“We naturally have two places, our home and our work,” she explains.

“So, the philosophy of the third place embodies a social environment in which we can connect with our community.”

For BM&G, that could be a Saturday bike ride hosted by the onsite bike shop, a quick bite at the ramen spot or a midday hot-yoga class.

A BRIGHT FUTURE While a significant portion of BM&G has been built out, construction continues. Among the oak trees and the Mexican sage, people are breaking a sweat to support BM&G’s vision and revive downtown Buda. Saenger Ellis remembers the manager of Nate’s, the onsite coffee shop and bar, making a simple request when getting married on the shop’s patio: “Can you guys please just stop jackhammering?”

The Ellises, as well as residents and representatives from the City of Buda, hope with continued revitalization efforts, the city will be a day or weekend destination for those coming from Austin, San Antonio and the Hill Country.

There are still plenty of common misconceptions about Buda, like the complaint that it’s far away from Austin, although it’s only about a 10-minute drive from Slaughter Lane to the Main Street exit off I-35.

“There’s a conception that it’s the suburbs, a little sprawl and ranch land,” Saenger Ellis says. “That’s the exciting thing. We’re just on the cusp of really growing because Round Rock, Georgetown and Pflugerville is where the growth went to first, and [those cities are] getting pretty packed.”

For longtime Buda residents, a concern is that the town and BM&G will become congested and overgrown, like Austin suburbs to the north.

“I think it’s one of those things that’s scary for people until they actually see it,” Saenger Ellis says.

“We’re not bulldozing and creating Austin,” Dodi Ellis says in assurance. “We kept Buda. It’s part of the collective memory.”

After all, the goal for Dodi Ellis and Saenger Ellis is to cherish the community they already have, not create an entirely new one. The act of cleaning up the buildings and restoring them with a sense of purpose, nurturing the property while also shining a spotlight on Buda’s history is what this family project is all about.

Assemblage photo courtesy of Assemblage Contemporary Craftsman Gallery.

The Assemblage Contemporary Craftsman Gallery was one of the first redeveloped buildings to open on the site.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 67

G

OURMET

RECIPE REVEAL

SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

Be the talk of the table when you recreate this recipe from Pastry Chef Dee Dee Sanchez of Jack Allen’s Kitchen.

BY APRIL CUMMING, PHOTO BY NATALIE PARAMORE

APPLE BOURBON PECAN COBBLER Serves 12 or makes 12 individual cobblers

Ingredients for the filling 8 to 10 Gala or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch slices 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons bourbon or Texas whiskey 1 cup Texas pecans, coarsely chopped Ingredients for the streusel topping 8 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup oats Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Toss all the filling ingredients together and set aside.

3. U sing two forks or a pastry cutter, mash the butter, sugars and flour for the streusel topping together until the mixture resembles a course crumble and butter chunks are about pea-sized. Toss this mixture with the oats.

4. Pour the filling mixture into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish or 10 to 12 individual baking dishes.

Pro tip: A large cast-iron skillet works nicely and makes a beautiful presentation.

5. Cover the filling mixture loosely and evenly with the streusel topping.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the streusel topping is golden brown.

6. S erve the cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

68 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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G

OURMET

FOOD NEWS

A TASTE OF TRADITION

Christine Celis revives a centuries-old brewing craft, along with her father’s legacy, with the reopening of Celis Brewery.

BY MIKAILA RUSHING In 1965, a man named Pierre Celis singlehandedly revived a centuries-old tradition: the brewing of Hoegaarden’s Belgian white beer. After the last brewery in Belgium to produce the white beer closed in 1957, Celis decided to open his own brewery, de Kluis, which became quite the success in Hoegaarden, Belgium.

Time comes with change, though, and after a fire in 1989 and a partnership with a larger company, Celis decided to retire and moved to Austin with his daughter, Christine Celis, to start Celis Brewery. Their craft beer was such a hit that, even while churning out 23,000 barrels a day, Celis couldn’t keep up with the demand and eventually started a partnership with Miller Brewing Company. However, conflicting goals eventually came to a head and Celis Brewery was sold to Miller. In 2001, Celis was closed, the brewery’s equipment sold.

Fast-forward 15 years, and Christine Celis, along with her team, decided to revive her father’s legacy and bring Celis Brewery back to Austin. They found the right equipment, the right location—off Metric Boulevard in North Austin—and the right partners, then opened the doors June 12.

Celis has received a warm welcome from the Austin community, including from many who remember the brewery from years past.

Christine Celis says the most important things in brewing are presentation, quality and, in her company’s case, legacy.

In bringing back her father’s craft, Christine Celis was delighted her own daughter decided to join her, continuing in the family tradition of producing one of Belgium’s—and now Austin’s—most prolific beers.

“I’m just so grateful for Austin and for everybody in Austin to believe in Celis again, to embrace us,” Christine Celis says. “It’s like having one big family again, like we had before.”

WHAT’S THE HOPS? Christine Celis is currently working on an expansion of Celis Brewery that will include a pavilion, a beer garden and, most notably, a Celis Museum and revived, historic brewery. Christine Celis had much of her father’s original equipment from when he opened de Kluis brought over from Hoegaarden, Belgium.

Some of the equipment dates back to 1914, while a few copper kettles date back to the late 1800s. Much of the equipment is still in operation and Christine Celis hopes to incorporate these tools into her company’s current manufacturing line, all in an effort to give customers a taste of the original Celis Brewery.

Photo courtesy of Celis Brewery.

Christine Celis

70 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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ELLNESS

WAITING ROOM

HEALTHY HOTELS

Whether you’re making accommodation recommendations for out-of-town visitors or planning a staycation for the family, these hotels consider fitness and wellness top amenities.

BY GRETCHEN GOSWITZ

HYATT REGENCY LOST PINES RESORT AND SPA THE WESTIN AUSTIN DOWNTOWN 310 E. Fifth St. A weekend getaway doesn’t necessarily mean a vacation from your workout routine.

For dedicated runners and active travelers, The Westin Austin Downtown is an optimal choice. Although the workout room is stocked with state-of-the-art treadmills and a variety of strength-training equipment, this hotel also takes great pride in hosting its RunWestin program. Tour the city while enjoying some fresh air on a guided group run, or just grab one of the running maps and take in the sights at your own pace. Additionally, the hotel’s partnership with New Balance means you can pack lighter. For only $5, guests can rent New Balance clothing and shoes for any of their active needs.

Rooms start at $158 per night.

575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road, Cedar Creek, Texas For a holistic and experiential stay, book a few nights in this tranquil Bastrop, Texas-area destination, located only 30 minutes outside downtown Austin. Deviate from the traditional exercise offerings by signing up for onsite activities like horseback riding, kayaking, archery, tennis and golf. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines is an especially great stay for families with kids; young travelers can take part in games and sports at the kid-exclusive Camp Hyatt, as well as pony rides for guests ages of 2 through 10. Plus, the hotel hosts daily tournaments specifically for families with a bit of a competitive edge. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines has multiple cafés and upscale and casual restaurants on the property offering fresh fare from the hotel’s herb garden.

Rooms start at $189 per night.

72 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

ELEMENT AUSTIN DOWNTOWN 109 E. Seventh St. With a light, clean and modern touch, Element Austin Downtown is beaming with eco-wise sensibilities. Aimed at guests looking for a balance between business and pleasure, the hotel provides amenities that cater to a healthy lifestyle.

Rather than serving the typical pastryladen breakfast buffet found at many other hotels, Element Austin Downtown enables guests to start the day right at the Rise Breakfast Bar, stocked with complimentary food that’s individualized and full of health-conscious options.

Thanks to the hotel’s partnership with Austin B-cycle, guests are encouraged to take advantage of the borrow-a-bike program and explore the neighboring locales on two wheels.

Rooms start at $191 per night.

Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa photo courtesy of Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa. Westin Austin Downtown photo courtesy of Westin Austin Downtown. Element Austin Downtown photo courtesy of Element Austin Downtown.

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OMNI BARTON CREEK RESORT & SPA South Congress Hotel photo by Neil Gandhi. Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa photo courtesy of Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa.

8212 Barton Club Drive A hotel with an 11,000-square-foot fitness center is serious about its guests’ exercise needs. From TRX bands, Pilates and one-on-one yoga to less commonly offered classes like prenatal yoga and aqua training, Omni Barton Creek has all the amenities for every fitness level. Sign up for nature hikes, miniature-golf tournaments and scavenger hunts to keep you and the kids busy, or play a round on one of the four nationally recognized championship golf courses. Following a day full of outdoor recreation, you may be ready to wind down with some self-care. Recovery is part of a well-rounded health routine, after all. For this, the property offers body, facial and massage spa treatments, and even seasonal specials that change month to month.

Rooms start at $242 per night.

SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL 1603 S. Congress Ave. Aside from having incredible walkability—a fantastic way to get your step count in, for those who are counting—a few days at South Congress Hotel provide the fast track to an immersive Austin experience. A clean start to each day is practically guaranteed if you stop by Café No Sé or Mañana Coffee & Juice, both located on the property. After you’ve had your avocado toast and ethically sourced cup of joe, check out the Faraday electric bikes available for rent to all South Congress Hotel guests.

Depending on when you stay, you might be able to jump in on the widely popular Sunday Ritual, a monthly series offering a 75-minute yoga and meditation class.

Rooms start at $203.15 per night when booked 30 days in advance.

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SUSTAINING ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS Texas Disposal Systems is preaching the importance of recycling, composting and the positive effects by way of the organization’s innovative new program, Eco Academy.

It’s no secret our natural resources are in dire need of protecThe Eco Academy curriculum is helping spread the word tion, restoration and management. We’re making progress, but throughout Central Texas communities about the importance even today, Americans produce, on average, approximately 4.4 of recycling and composting by teaching kids how they can help pounds of waste per day, per person, according to the Envithe planet at school and how to take what they’ve learned back ronmental Protection Agency, even though 90 percent of our to their homes. For example, did you know a potato peel decomdiscarded materials can be recycled or composted. What if poses within a few weeks, but it can take upwards of 200 years for we all did our best to protect the environment? What if every an aluminum can to break down? It’s just one of the things Eco person recycled, composted or repurposed used items? Imagine Academy teaches students. what our world could look This ripple effect is the key to like then. We can make saving our precious planet. When an immediate impact by children start learning these lescontinually looking for ways sons in elementary school, they to divert materials otherwise will grow up to become more intended for landfill disposal environmentally conscious adults. and repurposing them for The lessons Eco Academy teaches new life, as well as promotabout the life cycle of trash are ing environmental awareness steps in the right direction toward in our communities and making our communities and, educating others about how eventually, our world more envito recycle and compost to ronmentally sustainable. preserve resources.

Each school participating in the Texas Disposal Systems, Eco Academy program receives one of the largest indepenprepared curriculum with handsdently operated resourceon activities and videos, plus management companies in educational signage that’s perfect the country, promotes living for hanging up in cafeterias and in a cleaner and more beauticlassrooms. The lessons cover such ful world, which is entirely themes as ways to reduce waste, possible. For more than 40 how to conserve natural resources years, TDS has helped comImagine all the good that can and designing solutions for the munities, organizations and future. By the end of fall 2017, Eco schools manage and divert come if we all took the time to Academy will be in Central Texas waste to beneficial uses. The elementary schools, and there are company provides educationget a little more educated about plans to expand the program to al signage for highly attended both middle and high schools by events, such as the Austin what we can do for our planet. the end of 2018.

City Limits Music FestiImagine all the good that can val, and offers easy-to-read come if we all took the time to information on its website, get a little more educated about what emphasizing the importance of recycling and composting, we can do for our planet. Small changes to our daily habits can ultimately helping to divert waste from landfills, which, in turn, have a significant impact on our environment. Even if it’s just reduces greenhouse-gas emissions. throwing your leftovers in the compost bin, buying compostable But in order to get people excited about a more sustainable utensils or taking five minutes in the morning to send your child future, education is key. To increase recycling and composting to school with snacks packed in a reusable container, we can do education, TDS recently launched an innovative program called our part in helping the planet. Let’s all make more of an effort to Eco Academy. The program is designed to minimize waste in be good stewards of our environment while we still have time to schools, which is why it includes campus-wide recycling initiamake a difference. tives and compostable-material collection in cafeterias.

Photo courtesy of Texas Disposal Systems.

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ELLNESS

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

FLOUR POWER

If you know what to look for, whipping up gluten-free baked goods is as easy as sneaking a treat from the cookie jar.

BY MADISON MATOUS Having an ingredient intolerance, food allergy or bearing the weight of a strict diet can be an especially hard circumstance to endure during the holidays. To avoid letting any of your guests feel left out, try using gluten-free flour in your baking this season. Gluten acts as a binder, the effect of which gives traditional baked goods their elasticity, a texture that can be tricky to replicate. For this reason, it’s good to know which gluten-free flours to have on hand.

Eat this: gluten-free flour Not that: white or wheat flour Says who: Jennifer Fisher, founder of The Fit Fork blog (thefitfork.com) and a self-described health-food enthusiast Why: Traditional white and wheat flours are bleached, contain gluten and can be difficult for the digestive system to process. “Going gluten-free isn’t for everyone,” Fisher says, “but gluten-free flour is a great alternative for those with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, as well as for those who are on a low-carb or Paleo diet.”

Make the switch: The type of flour you should use mainly depends on the reason you are using gluten-free flour. r I f you are celiac or gluten-intolerant and looking for a more convenient option, Fisher suggests buying an allpurpose flour blend like those made by Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur. Unlike most other gluten-free blends that can be a tad high-maintenance when making substitutions, these flours allow for cup-for-cup substitution. rF lours like almond and coconut are popular and a great fit for people on a Paleo or low-carb diet. The most important thing to be aware of when using these types of flours is how they differ from regular flour. Often, to get the flour to behave as similarly to white or wheat flour as possible, several different types of flour may be needed.

Coconut flour, which has high levels of healthy saturated fats, is very dense, so it should be used for three-fourths of the amount called for, with another flour making up the rest. Almond flour, packed with nutrients like magnesium, copper, calcium and potassium, is richer and gives baked goods a moist consistency. rS ometimes, gluten-free flours—which also include oat flour, rice flour and chickpea flour, in addition to many other varietals—can cause baked treats to lack a fluffiness that gluten would normally add. To make up for this, Fisher recommends using a starchier gluten-free flour, like tapioca flour, which has little to no fat or sugar. rM ost gluten-free flours can be stored at room temperature and have a shelf life of as long as six months.

76 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

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ELLNESS

HER ROUTINE

SETTING HER BARRE HIGH

Mod Fitness Owner Marnie Duncan’s barre workout will make you sweat.

BY GRETCHEN M. SANDERS Austin’s barre scene has really heated up. In 2012, only a few studios throughout town offered yoga- and Pilates-inspired workouts featuring barre-based fitness, strength exercises performed while holding onto a ballet barre. Then Marnie Duncan came along with her version of a barre workout and opened Mod Fitness. She ignited an explosion. Today, Austinites can find a barre class as easily as a taco truck.

THE A.M.:

“I wake up and do 10 minutes of foam rolling. It helps with aches or pains and flushes out tension in my muscles. Then it’s time for coffee. My husband and I are really into butter coffee right now. After that, my son and I walk Jersey, our French bulldog, and then I head off to the studio.”

What stands out about Mod Fitness is the lady behind it all.

Duncan, who grew up in California and played water polo for the University of California Berkeley, has always liked to move her body. But a boating accident 10 years ago left her with a broken neck and in need of a gentler way to stay fit. Through friends, she heard about barre classes.

“Barre was a life changer for me,” says Duncan, age 33. “It took away my pain and helped me build back strength after the accident.”

Duncan taught fitness classes in San Francisco and New York before moving to Austin.

“I saw a hole here for good barre opportunities,” she says, “and I wanted to fill it.”

Mod Fitness met instant success.

Classes at the two Mod Fitness studio locations regularly fill up, attracting women and some men of all ages. The Mod method combines dance, yoga, Pilates and an athletic version of barre work in an hour-long session of calorie-burning fun. High reps of small range-of-motion exercises subtly wear the body out. Light weights amp up the burn on moves that tone arm, leg and core muscles. Ballet-inspired poses held at the barre make legs quiver.

“We work every point in the body,” says Duncan, who teaches three classes a week and keeps hearts pounding to constant motion and music.

Duncan has become a savvy businesswoman along the way.

After her son was born, she added a child-care service to make it easier for moms to attend class. The move sent sales soaring.

“Barre is good cross-training for all sports and life, and we know moms need to exercise too,” she says.

Here’s how Duncan stays fit while balancing business and motherhood.

HER PLAYLIST Dark Side of the Gym by The National What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 High Without Your Love by Loote Honest by The Chainsmokers

All Stars by Martin Solveig Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay Out of My Mind by The Killers 2U by David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean

78 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Photos by David Heisler.

There for You by Martin Garrix and Troye Sivan

EST. 1989

b en ef i ti n g

EST. 2015

CENTER FOR CHILD PROTECTION

THE WORKOUT:

“I take a Mod Fitness class about three times per week. I also mix in some walking or light running while pushing my son in his stroller. I will even try to make it to a reformer or equipment Pilates class at this place I love called Align. It helps with injury prevention.”

THE DIET:

“I’ve never been much of a dieter. I’m all about three meals a day and an afternoon snack: life in moderation. My family eats healthy Sunday through Thursday, then Friday and Saturday are our fun days. I never turn down a hamburger, though. Wine and dessert are totally OK too.”

THE GEAR:

“I’m in fitness gear the majority of my day. You can wear anything here. Leggings, tights, shorts: It all works. I really like Outdoor Voices, and it’s hard to beat Lululemon tops with a built-in sports bra. We also have our own Mod gear, which includes gripping socks that come in handy when we’re working on the barre or doing planks on the mat. The socks keep your toes from slipping and give you better traction. They also help with cleanliness and hygiene.”

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THE MOTIVATION:

“Fitness has always been my passion. I played sports growing up, so I wanted to turn my passion into my career. I also want to stay healthy and strong for my husband and son. My mind and body just feel better on days when I workout. I have the best of both worlds now.”

THE MINDSET:

“Be kind. This has become more important to me since I had my son. I realize there’s more out there than just my job. I want my son to see me being kind to others and working hard. Laughter and living life in moderation are high up there for me as well.”

THE P.M.:

“Cellphones go off after dinner. In my house, we really try not to look at our phones in the evening unless there’s some kind of emergency. Instead, we cook, talk or watch Netflix, usually Narcos or Ray Donovan. I try to read for about 10 minutes before lights out and I make sure to review my schedule for the next day.”

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OINT OF VIEW

I AM AUSTIN WOMAN

PROUD TO BE A TEXAN Texas’ first lady, Cecilia Abbott, reflects on Hurricane Harvey’s sweeping devastation, the people who jumped into action and the power of coming together in spirit as a family.

lines and lines of people waiting at shelters, not looking for help, As Thanksgiving and the holiday season near, now is a but wanting to volunteer and lend a helping hand. good time to not only count our blessings, but to consider I have been especially inspired by the stories of Texas women how helping others is itself a blessing. jumping into action to help those in need, stories like that of Becca I have always said what makes Texas truly special is the people.

Quisenberry, whose Houston home Texans are generous and carquickly filled with more than 5,000 ing people by nature, and that The first lady of Texas meets with Samaritan’s Purse volunteers diapers and other in-demand items compassion is the foundation helping with Hurricane Harvey cleanup in Rockport, Texas. after she put out a call for donations, of our success. My greatest then got her neighbor to volunteer a honor as first lady of Texas is military vehicle to deliver the items tapping into that compassion to nearby shelters. and encouraging more Texans There’s the story of Holly Hartto give back to their comman, who downloaded an app on munities. Promoting volunher phone and, in turn, became a teerism and service throughpart of the “Cajun Navy.” Using her out Texas is my top priority. It computer and cellphone, she worked is the combination of the two tirelessly from her dining-room table things I am most passionate as a dispatcher to connect volunteers about: Texas and philanthrowith those needing rescues in Port py. I call it “Texanthropy.”

Arthur, Texas.

In addition to encouraging There’s also the story of my dear Texans to volunteer and give friend DeAnn Walker, who worked back more, through Texanaround the clock at the State Operathropy, I highlight the many tions Center in Austin, coordinating amazing organizations and with power companies throughout individuals already making a the state to get power restored to the difference in their communihundreds of thousands of Texans ties. And never before have I who lost it because of Hurricane seen so many Texans making a Harvey. difference.

That’s what Texas is all about. We Hurricane Harvey left don’t back down when faced with a behind unimaginable destrucchallenge. Instead, we put our diftion throughout Texas. Our ferences aside and come together to hearts ache for the lives help those in need as if they were our lost and for the families and own families. Harvey was powerful, communities that have been but nothing is more powerful than uprooted by Harvey and are the Texas spirit, which shines brightnow left to pick up the pieces est when we have the opportunity to help others. and restore their lives. They will be recovering from this tragedy Millions of Texans will experience a holiday season different for years to come. from those of years past. But even in the face of this adversity, their But even in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas spirit has spirit is strong. They are determined to pick themselves up and get come shining through. The response from our fellow Texans—first their lives back on track. But they need our help. responders, nonprofit organizations, businesses and everyday citiSo, as you begin to plan your holiday gift shopping and the zens—has been nothing short of remarkable. expenses and time that go along with that, please don’t forget your We’ve all seen the images on TV or social media of citizens takfellow Texans who have fewer blessings to count this year than last. ing their boats or other watercrafts into the floodwaters to rescue Together, we will continue to show the strength, commitment and families from their homes and those trapped by the rising waters. resiliency that define our great state.

We’ve seen the truckloads of resources pouring into shelters to May God bless you and your families as you gather together this help those displaced by the storm, and we’ve witnessed our fellow holiday season. We all have much to be thankful for this year.

Texans dedicating their time to volunteer in those shelters. I saw Austin Woman features a reader-submitted essay every month in the I Am Austin Woman column.

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

80 | AUSTIN WOMAN | NOVEMBER 2017

Photo courtesy of the office of the first lady.

That’s what Texas is all about.

We don’t back down when faced with a challenge.

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