Et Cetera Archives - Page 13 of 35

Feel Light as Air at Psychedelic Levitation Music Festival

April 19, 2016 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Psychedelic sun at the 2014 Levitation music festival (Credit: Cecilia Alejandra/Levitation)

Editor’s Note: Levitation has been cancelled due to rain in the forecast and danger of flooding.

For one weekend in late April/early May, a private ranch next to the Colorado River transforms for a three-day psychedelic music festival and campground, complete with light projections, wooden swings, art, food trailers and incredible live music. People travel from around the world to come to this other-worldly event called Levitation. [Read more…]

AISD Teacher of the Year Brings Mindfulness to Classrooms

March 28, 2016 by Jessica Pino 1 Comment

AISD Teacher of the Year James Butler practicing mindful breathing with his students (Credit: Stephanie Friedman)

The mindfulness movement has made its way into our daily lives, yet some still don’t completely understand what mindfulness really is, or how it can benefit them and their communities.

Mindfulness is the purposeful attention on the present moment—the awareness of your thoughts and actions—and accepting these thoughts without judgement. Studies have proven that mindfulness, in both adults and children, improves both mental and physical health. So why aren’t we all practicing mindfulness everyday? Perhaps it’s the lack of understanding and/or training.

James Butler, Austin Independent School District Teacher of the Year and Pre-K teacher at Gullett Elementary School, is determined to change this. He’s bringing mindfulness into Austin classrooms with his Mindful Classrooms Curriculum. I spoke with Butler about his program and the importance of bringing mindfulness to Austin. [Read more…]

Amplify Austin: Let’s Meet Our Goal to Give Nine Million Dollars This Week

March 7, 2016 by Talena Ramnath 1 Comment

Update: More than $8.5 million dollars were raised for Amplify Austin in only 24 hours. This is an amazing accomplishment. Thank you to everyone who participated!

The countdown to 6 p.m. on March 8is nearing its close. Amplify Austin, Austin’s annual 24 hours of online giving, launches tomorrow. Six hundred nonprofits will come together on one website, where community members can donate to these local organizations.

From 6 p.m. on March 8 to 6 p.m. on March 9, donors can make a difference in the lives of their fellow Central Texans. In 2015, I Live Here, I Give Here, the nonprofit that launched this goliath of a fundraising event, raised $7.7 million for 500 nonprofits in the region. Amplify Austin has raised $16.2 million in total since its establishment in 2013, acquired from businesses and individual donors devoting their money to the good of the Austin community. [Read more…]

Austin’s Wild Monk Parakeets Search for New Home

February 26, 2016 by Guest Blogger 21 Comments

Austin’s monk parakeets lost their home when UT’s Intramural Fields were renovated last year
(Credit: Moonshine Images)

Guest article by Molly Morrow

It was a warm winter day in Austin, and the air carried strange avian and insect noises, the constant screeching and buzzing of a southern place. I looked up and saw a tree in the parking lot of Fiesta Mart off I-35, ablaze with parakeets. Dozens, possibly hundreds, of electric-green birds!

I stood in awe and watched them until the grocery bags started to slip out of my arms. I think it was then that I realized Austin had a big, beautiful problem with birds.

[Read more…]

Free Workout Day With Musical Performances to Support Local Students

February 16, 2016 by Leah Nyfeler 4 Comments

Can you sit still when good music fills the air? I can’t.

HEAT Bootcamp is hoping you’ll want to pair a good workout with some awesome tunes. On Feb. 20, Austinites can work up a good sweat and meet the young musicians whose lives are directly touched by their charitable donations at HEAT Bootcamp’s free community fundraiser for local nonprofit Anthropos Arts. [Read more…]

Viva Queen Lola Who Feeds Austin’s Hungry

February 9, 2016 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Lola Stephens-Bell, known in Austin as “Queen Lola” (Credit: Tyson Corporate Affairs)

Editor’s Note: The restaurant closed in April 2017. Lola, whose real name is Lozina, plans to relocate the restaurant to Taylor, Texas.

Twelve years ago, Lola Stephens-Bell opened Nubian Queen Lola’s Cajun Soul Food Café at Rosewood and Chicon. I visited during lunchtime on a Friday and watched as the family-style seating filled up.

Lola’s husband and a volunteer named Ellie helped to take care of the growing crowd while I spoke with Lola about her life and her mission to feed the hungry in Austin. [Read more…]

Celebrate Valentine’s the Pet-Friendly Way With Sit Stay Day

February 8, 2016 by Eliza Weeks Leave a Comment

The Sit Stay Day kit includes everything salty, sweet and sippable for a cozy evening in (Credit: Emancipet)

I think we’ve all struggled with the age-old question: should I go out tonight or should I stay curled up on the couch with my dog? While normally The Austinot would tell you to get off your couch and plunge into the incredible city surrounding you, Emancipet has convinced us that, for at least one day, we should definitely sit and stay in. [Read more…]

5 Reasons to Adopt a Greyhound in Austin

January 28, 2016 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

It's definitely not a "ruff" life for greyhounds in Austin (Credit: Inked Fingers)

You can rescue an Austin greyhound from a “ruff” life (Credit: Inked Fingers)

Guest article by Catelyn Silapachai

Here in Austin, adoptable greyhounds come from local racing greyhound breeders, other states where greyhounds race and Gulf Greyhound Park near Houston. This was the last race track in Texas to feature live racing, which ended at the beginning of this year.

As many hounds retire every month, there has never been a better time to consider adopting a greyhound. I adopted mine from Greyhound Pets of America-Central Texas (GPA-Central Texas) when I lived in an apartment, and discovered five reasons why this breed is absolutely perfect for life in our town.

[Read more…]

Austin Sunshine Camps: 88 Years of Empowering Local Kids

January 25, 2016 by Edgar Barguiarena Leave a Comment

Do you know a kid who could use a little sunshine? (Photo: Austin Sunshine Camps)

Eighty-eight years ago, the crown jewel of downtown Austin, Zilker Park, opened to the public. That same year, Austin Sunshine Camps was founded, and the two have been inextricably linked ever since. Serving our community’s youth through after school programs and summer camps, Austin Sunshine Camps is one of the oldest continuously-operating non-profits in Austin.
[Read more…]

Foundation for the Homeless Works to Address and Prevent Homelessness in Austin

January 15, 2016 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Guest article by Angela Bowers

Coffee + donuts = a great start to any day. While this wasn’t exactly their official motto, what is now a local non-profit called Foundation for the Homeless did in fact begin as a coffee and donuts ministry in downtown Austin.

At first, the organization was an ad hoc program by an interfaith women’s Bible study from West Lake Hills Presbyterian Church. The ministry transformed into coordinating others from the church to give rides to homeless individuals for a warm shower at the church. This sweet beginning grew into the variety of programs offered today. These include Feed My People, the Interfaith Hospitality Network and Best Single Source Plus.

[Read more…]

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