Austinot Loves - 6/7 - The Austinot

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…]

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…]

Never Run Out of Things to Do and See at Gorgeous Inks Lake State Park

July 31, 2013 by Brittany Highland 6 Comments

Photo credit: Kim Anh via Flickr CC

I can’t get enough of Texas state parks, especially during the heat of summer. Inks Lake State Park was one of my exciting 2012 discoveries, and I’m sorry I’ve taken so long to share it with you!

Located outside of Burnet, just over an hour from downtown Austin, this park spans more than 1,200 acres.

The lake stays at a constant level, so activities like swimming and boating are unaffected by drought conditions. [Read more…]

Austin Music Foundation: Amazing & Free Resource for Austin Musicians

May 28, 2013 by Eric Highland Leave a Comment

Austin musicians and bands, listen up. You want to make music because you can’t imagine doing anything else with your life…right? But you’re facing a dilemma that all aspiring musicians confront: how the heck do you make a full-time living doing what you love?

Austin Music Foundation

What if you knew of a state-of-the-art resource center that was 100% free, focused solely on helping Austin-area musicians realize their dreams, and make money doing it? [Read more…]

Wimberley Zipline Adventures: An Unforgettable Experience

May 6, 2013 by Eric Highland 8 Comments

Brittany and me during our zip lining tour, with Hill Country in the background

In the Texas Hill Country, we’re spoiled beyond measure. Few places on earth compare to the natural beauty in our area.

Most drive through Central Texas and get the perspective from the ground. But everyone does that, right?

Why not see the majesty of the Hill Country in a way that you’ll never forget? It’s time to zip line in Wimberley, Texas!

Wimberley Zipline Adventures

I’ve had a pretty adventurous life, but soaring over the Texas Hill Country on a zip line was one of the most [Read more…]

Bandana Ball Gives Hope to Children & Their Families in Central Texas

March 27, 2013 by Eric Highland 4 Comments

Brooke Hester’s spirit of joy and hope was contagious at the 2013 Bandana Ball

Twirling and dancing on the lush green grass of Wild Onion Ranch, a little girl was wearing heart shaped sunglasses and sporting a smile that could melt a heart of stone. Though she was surrounded by a thousand other people, including philanthropists, press members, and even celebrities, she was clearly the star of the show.

And rightfully so.

Two years ago, five and a half year old Brooke Hester was diagnosed with Stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma, a cancer that is common among infants and children, and difficult to treat. Upon learning the news, Brooke’s parents Beau and Jessica committed to do whatever was necessary, traveling wherever they needed to in order to find a cure. [Read more…]

Tempur-Pedic Partners with Soldiers to Help Austin Families in Need

November 12, 2012 by Eric Highland 10 Comments

Colonel McIntire, Ronald McDonald and Ann Jerome

Colonel McIntire with Ronald McDonald and Austin COO Ann Jerome

Having served in the military for 20 years, it’s always encouraging to see young men and women in uniform making a difference. There is a mysterious mixture of humility and pride in those who have donned the uniform in service to their country that only veterans really understand. There is a brotherhood, a camaraderie that cannot easily be put into words.

Among my fondest memories of serving in the military were the times when my crew volunteered to help the local community in which we were stationed. Recently, I was honored and privileged to attend a special event at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin. On September 20, 2012, dozens of soldiers from Fort Hood’s 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade volunteered to help out Austin’s Ronald McDonald House.

One Good Turn Deserves Another

The Brigade’s commanding officer, Colonel Randall McIntire, was personally impacted by Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) when his daughter was hospitalized for heart surgery. McIntire had always heard about RMHC, but he didn’t fully understand the impact it could have until he and his wife needed to be close to their daughter. [Read more…]

Shave It Off and Grow It Out for Men’s Health During Movember

November 1, 2012 by Brittany Highland 3 Comments

Cancer doesn’t discriminate; we’ve all been touched in one way or another. And though generalizations have their weaknesses, it’s fair to say that men have an especially hard time seeking out advice and support when they receive a diagnosis.

Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, Movember has become an explosive worldwide movement that is empowering men. The organization does this by recruiting “mo-bros” to raise funding and awareness for men’s health initiatives.

Last year, in Movember’s 8th year of existence, over 850,00 men registered to participate in Movember. Together, they raised more than $126 million dollars! In 2012, 21 countries around the world are participating in the movement. [Read more…]

Ex-Microsofties Reinvent Work at Nerd Tribe HQ in Austin

August 13, 2012 by Brittany Highland Leave a Comment

Cedric Dahl and Ben Hoffman, founders of the Nerd Tribe

Allowing society to function may not be worth the feeling you have, of being trapped in a monotonous job with little creative freedom and much frustration.

If this is you, maybe you’ve thought about what your “dream job” would be. Maybe it’s at a Fortune 500 company that provides you phenomenal benefits and covetous looks from friends.

The grass is always greener on the other side. [Read more…]

I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Know About Corona Cafe

July 18, 2012 by Eric Highland 15 Comments

Left to right: Kesley, Austin and Sunny White of Corona Cafe

When three young adults ages 19, 17 and 16 are the owners and operators of an Austin cafe, you’d probably expect mediocrity and anticipate the worst.

But you would be wrong. Very wrong.

Enter Austin (19), Kesley (17) and Sunny (16): Native Austinites and the children of Greg and Jenn White.

If you’ve been looking for that perfect gem of a coffee shop in Austin, we’ve found it. Located in the Windsor Park neighborhood, Corona Cafe is unlike any other cafe in the city. [Read more…]

Why Spicy Mama Salsa Exists [Read more…]

Wimberley Zipline Adventures

One Good Turn Deserves Another

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