Archive for ‘Things to Do!’

« Older Entries  |  
February 1, 2012

Get Happy with Me at DailyHap!

I teased you guys here, here, here, and here, and it’s finally HERE!

Daily Hap logo

DailyHap.com is a website designed to create a community of happy people and encourage people to openly, genuinely pursue happiness. It will guide people to Achieving Happiness 1 Day at a Time through a daily action item.

It is also my labor of love, my grand adventure, and now that it’s live, what will consume my life. :-D

We’re launching with a really cool campaign called Penny for Your Thoughts, where a visit to the website donates a penny to Austin Smiles. Sign up for a profile, and contribute Your Two Cents, another two pennies to Austin Smiles. Three cents donated for very little effort! We want to show you that it can be as easy as a click to start on your way to happiness.

What are you waiting for? Click on over to DailyHap and get happy!

Posted in Business, Things to do ... all the time, Thoughts | 9 Comments »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 23, 2012

Austin & Aspen: Blind Cafe Dinners

That’s right, a Boulder-based company is hosting two visiting events in the two cities I call home. The parallels!

The Blind Cafe comes to Austin January 26-28 and Aspen February 14. The Blind Cafe is a completely dark dinner, live music, and speaking experience. For more on the individual events in each of the cities, read on.

AUSTIN Blind Cafe

Keynote speaker Richie Flores will lead a Q&A and discussion on life with blindness. Richie is the president of the National Federation of the Blind in Austin, runs The BELL program (helping young blind children learn valuable life skills) and will also be doubling as a musician in the band.

Dinner is a delicious multicourse vegetarian/vegan meal prepared by local Chef Brian Henderson and includes a decadent, dark chocolate dessert. Then, guests indulge their ears during a full set of live music by Rosh & One Eye Glass Broken. Proceeds from The Austin Blind Café will be donated to support The BELL Program (a two week workshop for blind children in Austin).                        

Where: The Church of Christ (1903 University Avenue)

When:  January 26th, 27th & 28th  (Thursday – Saturday)

Thurs & Fri: (6:45pm check-in / 7pm seating)

Sat: (5:45pm check-in / 6pm seating)

Tickets: Available by calling 1-800-838-3006 and online at brownpapertickets.com/event/212981

Cost:  *Special pricing note: Guests are asked to ‘pay what you can’ from $45-$95 (suggested ticket cost is $55) to keep the event accessible to all. Group rates (8+ people) call 720.495.7797

theblindcafe.com/austin-blind-cafe.htm

ASPEN Blind Cafe

Make this Valentine’s Day something extraordinary: spend an evening in an event completely unlike anything else. Visit the Sky Hotel in for a delicious three course meal, full concert and community awareness event in complete darkness. The servers at the event are blind and guests have the special opportunity to explore darkness with their keynote speaker, Gerry Lerry, who will lead a Q&A and discussion on life with blindness. Gerry has been blind since birth. He was a car mechanic for over 40 years and then shifted gears to pursue one of his great loves, coffee. Gerry taught himself the roasting industry and opened his own coffee roasting business and café, The Unseen Bean, in Boulder, Colorado.

Dinner is a delicious three course meal that includes a decadent dark chocolate dessert that will be prepared by the Sky Hotel’s star chef. Full set of live music by founder Rosh & One Eye Glass Broken. Then there is the Black Box. It’s something special for this Valentines Café. While in the darkness guests will open their Black Box. What’s inside? To figure that out, they’ll have explore their senses of smell, taste and touch!

The Blind Café is also committed to giving back and improving the lives of sight limited individuals in our communities and will donate 10% of proceeds to Challenge Aspen to help their efforts supporting the blind.

Where: Aspen’s Sky Hotel

When:  February 14th  (Two times: 5pm or 8:30pm)

Tickets: Call 1-800-838-3006 or online at brownpapertickets.com/event/215857

Cost:   $195

theblindcafe.com/aspen-blind-cafe-valentines-day.htm

Posted in Eating, One-time event | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 17, 2012

Austin: Grand Opening of Hiatus Spa + Retreat Tonight

Remember the awesome massage I had a few weeks back? The spa, though it has been open about two months, is having its grand opening tonight with lots of treats, including wine, cocktails, spa experiences, giveaways, discounts, and more. Stop by and check it out!

Posted in Beauty, free, One-time event | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
September 19, 2011

National Yoga Month

Did you know September is National Yoga Month?

Did you know you can get a full week, seven days, of free yoga at tons of studios across the country thanks to National Yoga Month?

It’s no secret that I’ve been practicing A LOT of yoga recently. I did a seven-day boot camp in Aspen that was transformative. No, I didn’t come to any life-changing realizations. No, I didn’t make any decisions. Trust me, I had plenty of realizations and decisions needing to be had, I WANTED them. But yoga, you learn through doing it, is just about doing it. Just about being. The other stuff comes with being. Being present. And it definitely does not come instantly.

Why then was my yoga week transformative? Because it made me realize how important yoga is to my health and well-being. I have previously publicly declared that I’m not yogi. But I AM. I am a yogi.

There are 10 days left to take advantage; yoga month culminates September 30th with The Time for Yoga, a global community practice.

Use the studio finder here to immediately get your yoga on. For free.

Posted in free, Good people/services, Sports/Fitness, Things to do ... all the time | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
September 15, 2011

Austin: What to Bring to ACL (10 Essentials)

We learned what to wear to ACL a few days ago, now this one’s for the boys and girls … what to bring to ACL. Rule #1: as little as you can and still be comfy! Behold, the ten items you need (a sneak, click on the pick for the full ten-item board):

What to bring to ACL

http://re.pn/b/R4XW

Additional notes:

1. Water bottles must be either factory-sealed (2-1L allowed) or empty. This is why I recommend the Vapur: it folds. There are CamelBak refill stations all around the park, so USE them and don’t pay for water.

2. Snacks are technically not allowed, which is why I suggest minis. They hide under bandanas.

3. If you take nothing else from this list, wear your damn sunscreen. Don’t be an idiot and get sunburned.

Posted in Things to do ... all the time, travel | 1 Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
August 29, 2011

Aspen: Ashley Turner Yoga Bootcamp at King Yoga

Aspenites, if you can make time this week (8/30-9/2) from 11:30a-1p, you need to be doing yoga bootcamp. L.A.’s top yogini ASHLEY TURNER is doing a week-long bootcamp series at King Yoga. Based on Ashley’s upcoming DVD YOGA BOOTCAMP, this week program is specifically designed to wring out every nook and cranny of your body while radically shifting self-sabotage + negative habits in the mind and heart! Strongly recommended to be taken as complete series; individual classes may be purchased.

I went today and am signed up for all week. It’s a phenomenal experience, incredible mind and body workout. I can’t wait for the rest of the week!!

Click HERE to sign up! $25 drop-in.

Ashley Turner Yoga Boot camp

Posted in One-time event, Sports/Fitness | 1 Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
August 23, 2011

Austin: The Fashion Week Primer

It’s officially in swing! Tonight through Saturday, the third annual Austin Fashion Week is hoppin. Or shoppin? I may be missing an ‘s.’

Chedule?

Tuesday, August 23: Jewelry Showcase at the Driskill Hotel

Wednesday, August 24: Swimwear & Resort Wear Runway Presentations at the Driskill Hotel

Thursday, August 25: Eclectic & Edgy Runway Presentations at the Driskill Hotel

Friday, August 26: Classic Couture Runway Presentations at the Driskill Hotel

Saturday, August 27: Austin Fashion Awards Presented by Sono Bello at ACL Live

Additionally, the Austin Fashion Week Showcase events will take place from Sunday, August 21 – Friday, August 26 by area of town:

  • Tuesday, August 23: West Austin presented by the Hill Country Galleria
  • Wednesday, August 24: South Austin
  • Thursday, August 25: 2ND Street District
  • Friday, August 26: North Austin

To create your customized schedule, use this page or download the app. Technology is awesome.

Austin Fashion Week

Like all good Austin festivals, Fashion Week even has extra events, like these LOFT (hello, they’ve been doing a great job of late with their lines!) parties:

LOFT fashion week austin

*I worked with Matt Swinney, co-founder of Austin Fashion Week, on one of my latest articles, for Giving City magazine (as well as some of my other fave fundraisers!). Check it out online here: The Guide to Great Fundraising Events.

Posted in fashion, Things to do ... all the time | 3 Comments »

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
July 22, 2011

Austin: Live Center Stage

I dare you to show me a woman who doesn’t secretly love Center Stage. The movie brings out the inner ballerina in all of us, simultaneously showing the challenges and beauty behind ballet. Plus romance. And rule-breaking. Without Black Swan creepiness and sans toenail shots. Hell, I even love Center Stage 2: Turn It Up, probably mostly because I have a girl crush on the female lead. And I want her abs. Anyway, the Austin Film Festival and Ballet Austin are hosting a special screening of Center Stage followed by free admission to Ballet class after the film on Sunday, July 24th at Butler Dance Education Center at Ballet Austin.

The screening is at Ballet Austin’s AustinVentures StudioTheater on Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $10 (free for AFF members with RSVP) at www.balletaustin.org/film. Bonus! a pair of ballet shoes signed by the Ballet Austin Company will be given away to a lucky audience winner.

All proceeds benefit the Ballet Austin Academy Scholarship Program.

Posted in free, Things to Do! | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
July 21, 2011

Aspen: It’s Me or the Dog

As you probably know from my postings here and obsessively on twitter, it’s never going to be me or the dog. We are a package deal. I am one of those dog owners. Who has her dog on her phone case (I’d take a pic to show you, but I take most of my pics with my phone, so that is a physical impossibility). But for the Vermonster, it very well could come down to Him or the Dog. I won’t elaborate on who might win.

Perhaps to head off that terrible fate, I should attend this Saturday’s event. I mean, Nali dawg is a rescue dog and IS occasionally a pain in the ass. Like, any time I try to take her around strangers.

Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter Winterskol Skijoring Clinic

Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter (only THE best place ever to board a dog) is bringing Victoria Stilwell, the star of Animal Planet’s It’s Me or the Dog, to Aspen on July 23, 2011 for a series of events to raise money for its Spay/Neuter & Rescue Campaign. Wayne Pacelle, President & CEO of the Humane Society of the United States will make a special appearance at all events and John Oates, of the famed rock duo Hall & Oates, will attend and perform at a private patron dinner.

Victoria Stilwell and Wayne Pacelle will appear at a special luncheon for 100 VIPS at the Aspen Animal Shelter from 11:30am to 1:30pm on July 23rd.

At 5:30pm that evening they will appear at the Aspen Animal Shelter for a public event where Wayne will speak on animal welfare issues and Victoria will share her insight on positive-reinforcement dog training and explain why positive training is a better practice than punitive, dominance-based training techniques. She will address her fondness for rescue animals and will demonstrate her positive training techniques with several problem dogs.

To close out the evening, Victoria, Wayne and John Oates will attend a private dinner with 20 patrons at a local home where John will perform in an intimate setting. Tickets to all events are available through Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter at 970-927-1771 or email FAASaspen@gmail.com.

Event Pricing:
VIP Luncheon (luncheon only): $250/pp
Evening Event – VIP seating: $150/pp
Evening Event – General Admission: $50/pp
Patron Dinner: $2,500/pp

Packages:
 Patron Package (All 3 events; VIP seating:) $2,800/pp
VIP Package (Luncheon, VIP seating @ evening event): $350/pp

Posted in Business, One-time event | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
July 2, 2011

Austin: Yoga for Good … Blackshear Elementary School

Community Yoga Austin Presents: FIRST SUNDAY for Blackshear Elementary School

How awesome is this? On Sunday, July 3rd Community Yoga will collaborate with Eastside Yoga, Blue Dahlia Bistro, and other East Austin businesses to raise money to bring a weekly Yoga class to ALL of the students of Blackshear Elementary School, starting in Fall 2011.

Blackshear students are majority minority, with about 60% of its population being Hispanic and about 40% of the students being African American. 99% of the students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, so we’re dealing with an impoverished community without access to extracurricular opportunities that are often experienced by more advantaged students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.

Yoga is an atypical extracurricular, but it’s such a cool opportunity for the kids. Exposure to and experience with yoga at such early stages in their development will help them internalize key elements of the practice in order to support and strengthen a sense of inner calm as they move about their daily lives. So without further ado, you MUST attend the fundraiser classes!

9:30-10:15  BY DONATION meditation class at Eastside Yoga

10:30-11:45  BY DONATION hatha yoga class at Eastside Yoga

*I say, do them both!

ALL DAY: 15% off ALL food & drinks at Blue Dahlia Bistro (with coupon that is available on the Community Yoga website) & Blue Dahlia will also donate 10% of ALL SALES from that day to support the program.

RAFFLE ITEMS: gift cards & items from the following businesses will be on raffle at Eastside Yoga, Blue Dahlia, and also online through the Community Yoga website:  Zandunga Mexican Bistro, East Side Pies, Blue Dahlia Bistro, Give Back Yoga, & several more.

All proceeds from the classes, dining at Blue Dahlia, & the raffle will go to fund the semester of Yoga at Blackshear. This is an amazing example of how awesome the Austin community is—support it!

More info? community-yoga.org

 

Posted in Good people/services, One-time event, Sports/Fitness | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries  |  
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 47 other followers