Brittany Highland - The Austinot

Reflections on 2013 Veterans Day Ceremony at the Texas State Capitol

November 12, 2013 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

Veterans Day Ceremony 2013 at Texas State Capitol

I’m proud to live in a state that takes care of its veterans. From property tax exemptions to complimentary state park admission, from vocational rehabilitation to specialty license plates, Texas has numerous policies in place to support veterans and ease the visible and invisible burdens they bring home after armed conflict.

I attended the 2013 Veterans Day Ceremony on the steps of the Texas State Capitol with certain expectations – given our state’s track record for veterans. After the morning’s parade up Congress Avenue concluded, veterans, public officials, and Austin residents gathered for an hour-long ceremony.

Many speakers took the podium during the ceremony. Multiple government officials gave addresses, resolutions were read, hands were clapped.

There were two standout speeches. The first was given by a World War II veteran with a [Read more…]

New Austin Bangle Bracelet Available Only on Austinot.com

November 5, 2013 by Brittany Highland 2 Comments

“Ten Things About Austin” Bangle Bracelet

Thank you for the warm response to our new Austinot t-shirt! It’s fun to display our favorite things about Austin in one design.

In response to “Are you going to offer anything else?” the answer is YES! We’re excited to announce the launch of our newest product, a wooden bangle bracelet styled after the “Ten Things About Austin” design on our t-shirts.

Made right here in Austin by Vinca, this piece of jewelry is exclusive to The Austinot. You can only find it here! Available in one size (approx. 2.5″ diameter wrist size), the Austin bangle bracelet is laser-cut from Maple wood, one of the most durable hardwoods available.

Our bangle bracelet is made from Maple for durability

[Read more…]

Find Your Perfect Retreat at Inn Above Onion Creek: Photo Tour

November 4, 2013 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

Welcome to Inn Above Onion Creek!

Editor’s Note: This lovely getaway changed its name to Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek in January 2014 to reflect an increased focus on dining and ecological responsibility.

I was instantly drawn to visit when I first learned about Inn Above Onion Creek, a bed and breakfast style getaway in Kyle, TX. Though the Inn first opened in 1995, ownership changed hands this past summer.

New owners John Banczak and Eric Goldreyer are bed and breakfast pros, and it shows. Goldreyer founded bedandbreakfast.com, and Banczak was formerly the company’s president. The two entrepreneurs have put their years of knowledge in the bed and breakfast consulting industry to work, expanding and finessing their new acquisition.

Business details aside, Inn Above Onion Creek is perfect for a weekend stay (you won’t want to go home). Located a mere half hour from downtown Austin, you’ll appreciate the geographical convenience while feeling as though you’ve entered another world. A quieter and simpler world. [Read more…]

Student Startup Burpy Sees Success with Grocery Delivery Service

October 29, 2013 by Brittany Highland 4 Comments

Burpy’s five founders, all students at The University of Texas

“September was a real month,” 21 year old Aseem Ali announced with a sparkle in his eye. The young startup founder was basking in the recent success of his brainchild, a grocery-delivery program called Burpy.

Grocery shopping is one of the time-consuming necessities in our lives. Aseem and Burpy’s other four co-founders – all University of Texas students ranging in age from 19-22 – started their service for UT students who didn’t have transportation to get to and from the grocery store. The customer base of the young company has evolved, and Burpy now serves many Austin residential families as well. For busy moms, grocery shopping isn’t as much of a transportation issue as it is a time issue. [Read more…]

Big Top Candy Shop: Rare and Massive Selection on South Congress

October 24, 2013 by Brittany Highland 1 Comment

Big Top Candy Shop on South Congress

You don’t have to be a child to be dazzled by the sight of shelves brimming with colorful candy. Walk off the sidewalk of South Congress into Big Top Candy Shop, and chocolate-covered happiness will whisk away any troubles you were carrying around outside the door.

This isn’t your shopping-mall-style candy store. And it isn’t your toy/candy variety store. Since 2007, Big Top has concentrated on candy, candy, and more candy with the kind of laser-beam focus that tends to lead to success.

And lead to success it has. Though the store’s average sale is around $6.50, there’s almost always a line on weekends and during special events. Customers are able to find candy that reminds them of their childhood, or candy that they’ve only ever seen overseas. A soda fountain with Blue Bell ice cream and various drink offerings is the other aspect of Big Top’s unique business model that keeps visitors coming back (especially on hot Texas days).

What other local business has won an Austin Chronicle “Best Of” award before they even opened for business? [Read more…]

Austinot T-Shirts For Sale Now

October 23, 2013 by Brittany Highland 4 Comments

Anya Surnina Austinot T-Shirt Design Contest Winner

Austinot T-Shirt Design Contest winner, Anya Surnina, with the Grand Prize package

(Don’t need the back story right now? Our new online store is here!)

This sort of project never wraps up quite as soon as planned. But at long last, I’m excited to announce that the first ever Austinot t-shirts are now available on our site!

Many of you recall that we ran the Austinot T-Shirt Design Contest over the summer, searching for the perfect design that exemplified everything we love about our city. Our winner was Anya Surnina, who won $2,000 worth of amazing local prizes, from laser tag tickets to a party barge on Lake Travis.

We’ve gone through a redesign process, coordinated with our screen printer, designed an online store, and tied up a ton of other loose ends to get to this point! I hope you enjoy the short read through our long journey, and finally seeing our t-shirts at the bottom of this article! [Read more…]

Mitscoots Provides Socks and Employment to Austinites in Need

October 21, 2013 by Brittany Highland 2 Comments

Mitscoots socks are American-made and packaged in Austin by locals in need of work

“I’d love to never give away socks again because no one needs them,” Tim Scott declared. As the co-founder of Mitscoots, Tim has built his business around giving away socks…or so it seems. In reality, Tim’s vision for community change is much more expansive.

A successful Indiegogo campaign jolted Mitscoots into being in 2012. Six months ago, Tim came on full-time. Customers, non-profits and retail stores are all excited about this company built around a cause. Last month, The Austin Chronicle recognized Mitscoots with a “Best of Austin” award for their impact in Austin and beyond. [Read more…]

Sideserf Cake Studio Transforms Cakes into Lifelike Art

October 9, 2013 by Brittany Highland 6 Comments

Natalie Sideserf of Sideserf Cake Studio

“My whole life was art, art, art,” Natalie Sideserf told me recently during a happy hour meeting downtown. Not surprisingly, her interests led her to study art at Ohio State. But Natalie didn’t choose to apply her training to clay or plaster. Instead, in a turn of events that may have seemed odd to onlookers, she decided on an unconventional artistic medium: cake.

“Why can’t cake be art? It hasn’t been taken seriously enough,” Natalie exclaimed. You may not take it seriously either…until you see what this girl can do with some flour and sugar. [Read more…]

Dust Off Your Dancing Shoes for 2013 Gruene Music and Wine Festival

October 3, 2013 by Brittany Highland 3 Comments

You’ll want to experience the sounds and tastes of Gruene Music and Wine Festival 2013. This fest has longevity as it heads into its 27th year. With that much history, it’s gotta be good!

Located just outside New Braunfels, the historical town of Gruene is one of my favorite day trips from Austin. With lovable shops and good food galore, the town has mastered the art of hosting special events and festivals. This year’s Gruene Music and Wine Festival is four days of live shows and friendly imbibing. [Read more…]

Spicy Mama Salsa Packs Punch with Non-Profit Twist

September 19, 2013 by Brittany Highland 4 Comments

Spicy Mama Salsa at Royal Blue Grocery

Austinite Rebecca Contreras created Spicy Mama Salsa because friends and family loved her homemade salsa and thought other people would love it too.

If the story ended there, Spicy Mama Salsa wouldn’t be much different from the dozens of other new local products that spring into bottles and packages near you on a monthly basis.

But in my line of work, I’ve learned that everyone has a deeper story to tell – the story of what inspires them to keep going when inevitable challenges arise. After learning Spicy Mama Salsa’s deeper story for myself, I thought it was unique and important enough to share with you. Read on!

Why Spicy Mama Salsa Exists [Read more…]

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