Archive for ‘Things to Do!’

June 10, 2011

Aspen: OUTSIDE in Aspen

This weekend, Outside Magazine again hosts its outdoor adventure weekend in Aspen! If you didn’t pay $100 to sign up for a guide-led activity (there’s still time, check the list here—you can climb Castle Peak with the original Bachelorette winner Ryan Sutter!), there’s still tons of FREE fun to be had.

SATURDAY:

8am–4pm Base Camp open to public: includes sponsor tents and giveaways and Birkenstock Recovery Lounge: Free chair massage and foot treatments, oxygen lounge, recovery smoothies, Spin to Win prize giveaways, Birkenstock demos and tune ups.

8-8:45am & 11-11:45am Yoga Class for all levels with Aspen Yoga Society

8am–4pm Outward Bound Trail Restoration Sign Up. Sign up at the Outward Bound Tent to help restore the Ute Trail on Sunday [the Ute Trail is one of my favorite quick hikes in the Aspen area].

2–3pm Autograph signing with First Ascent pro athletes Melissa Arnot, the only Western woman to have summited Everest three times; Jake Norton, Everest guide and adventure photographer; and Ben Stooksberry, professional kayaker.  At ACES Kids Nature Corner tent in Gondola Plaza.

2–5pm Live Music Stage at Ajax Tavern featuring Colorado favorite band, Salem.

3pm Adventure Dog Demonstration with Mike Stewart of Wild Rose Kennels. At Outfitter Check-In Tent on Hunter Street.

SUNDAY

8am–4pm Base Camp open to public: includes sponsor tents and giveaways and Birkenstock Recovery Lounge: Free chair massage and foot treatments, oxygen lounge, recovery smoothies, Spin to Win prize giveaways, Birkenstock demos and tune ups.

8-8:45am & 11-11:45am Yoga Class for all levels with Aspen Yoga Society 

8–10 am Dagger Kayaks Paddle with the Pros at Sky Hotel Pool. Learn techniques and tricks with Dagger pro Brad Ludden and Dagger head designer, Mark “Snowy” Robertson.

9am–2pm Outward Bound Trail Restoration Project. Meet at Outward Bound Tent to help restore the Ute Trail.

3-5pm Athlete Panel Discussion – The Outer Limits: the Risks and Rewards of Extreme Adventure. PanelistsMelissa Arnot,  Michael Brown, Nick DeVore, Brad Ludden, and Ben Stooksberry. Followed by the Gear of the Year Giveaways.

This weekend is always a ton of fun, even if you don’t go on any of the guided tours, because there’s plenty of swag and free events with extreme athletes! Check it out :-)

 

May 18, 2011

Austin: Ultimate Scavenger Hunt

The summer-staple scavenger hunt is all grown up with the Four Seasons Austin’s summer-long scavenger hunt, with the chance to win one of more than 100 prizes! From Memorial Day (May 30, 2011) through Labor Day (September 5, 2011), the Four Seasons Austin Hotel’s Ultimate Austin Scavenger Hunt contest encourages everyone from locals to tourists to see the sights of Austin.

Austin skyline Four Seasons Hotel

“Our goal was to merge the fun of a scavenger hunt with modern technology and social media to encourage visitors to experience and share with others what makes Austin so unique,” says Rob Hagelberg, general manager.

To receive a prize, participants must complete at least 25 of 50 suggested photo tasks – ranging from two-steppin’ at the legendary Broken Spoke to viewing the Congress Avenue Bridge bats and tasting gelato at Whole Foods’ flagship store. You can’t upload until Memorial Day, but you can start snapping pics now! To view the 50 photo tasks, click on Ultimate Austin Scavenger Hunt contest website.

How to play? Photos must be uploaded to the “Contest” tab on the Hotel’s Facebook page, which will be visible starting May 30, 2011. The first 100 people to successfully complete 25 of the photo tasks will receive their choice of one of the following prizes:

  • One-night stay at Four Seasons Hotel Austin
  • Three-course dinner for two in TRIO, the Hotel’s award-winning restaurant
  • 50-minute spa treatment in The Spa at Four Seasons

In addition, one grand prize winner – the finalist whose photo album is voted the most creative by Facebook fans – will walk away with a luxurious vacation package that includes a three-night stay at anyFour Seasons hotel or resort in the continental US, round-trip airfare for two people and $500 in spending cash. The three finalists selected by Four Seasons staff will be announced September 7, with Facebook voting for the grand prize winner taking place September 7 through 14, 2011. The grand prize winner will be announced September 15, 2011.

What are you waitin’ for?

May 17, 2011

Austin Food & Wine Festival

… just another way Austin and Aspen are uniquely synchronized:

The Austin Food & Wine Festival

C3 Presents with Chef Tyson Cole, Chef Tim Love & Jesse Herman are creating the Austin Food & Wine Festival March 30-April 1, 2012 in locations throughout Austin. It is presenting sponsor Food & Wine (yep, the same as Aspen)’s first festival involvement in Texas.

Austin Food and Wine

“Our passion for food is integrated into each of our festivals—with the influence of culinary ambassadors Graham Elliot at Lollapalooza and chef Tim Love at Austin City Limits helping keep the local flavor of each event on par with the entire festival experience,” said Charlie Jones, founding partner of C3 Presents. “It seemed only natural that we expand this passion to host a culinary destination festival in Austin, Texas dedicated solely to food and wine, where the food scene continues to surprise and delight us.”

The popular Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival will turn into a 501 C (3) nonprofit organization called the Austin Food & Wine Foundation and be the designated beneficiary of the Austin Food & Wine Festival.

www.austinfoodandwinefestival.com / facebook.com/austinfoodwine / twitter.com/austinfoodwine

*Aspen just released its one-day Food & Wine tickets for $395.

May 3, 2011

Stronger Faster Healthier + Discount!!

No, literally:  You can get Stronger, Faster, and Healthier with the goodies from this company.

They’re perhaps most famous for their fish oil (@SFHfishoil is, after all, their company twitter handle), but that’s not why I quite literally became obsessed with Stronger Faster Healthier. No, it’s their grass-fed whey protein that first attracted me, and the badass people behind the company that eventually sold me entirely.

I am proud to be able to also bring you a discount on Stronger Faster Healthier:

Get 10% off when you order through http://strongerfasterhealthier.com/ref/lifein

While I talk about plenty of products and things I love, and I DO, rarely do I become so passionate about a product that I hunt down their marketing people and beg them for a discount code for you guys. I’m just too busy for that! But that’s not the case with SFH, I just HAD to find a way to be able to share it with you. Doesn’t matter if you’re not a CrossFitter or athlete or you don’t even work out ever. You probably need more protein, and you definitely need fish oil, and you can get that from an awesome source in Stronger Faster Healthier.

Stronger Faster Healthier is a family-run company staffed by some serious badasses. Papa made his fortune doing other things, then wanted to encourage everyone to use preventive medicine to change healthcare to wellcare (LOVE that). That means exercise, eating right, and clean supplements. They do what they can to keep product costs down so the products are as affordable as possible (no one’s saying they’re cheap, but prevention now is a helluva lot cheaper than the alternatives down the line). His daughter initially thought, “fish oil?!” but believes in the company as much as anyone—and as an extreme sports athlete and former marketing rep, she’s seen it all.

I thought I’d seen all the proteins out there and had all but given up when my mom (who as you may know LOVES Dr. Mercola) found Dr. Mercola’s, which has a clean, natural taste. But cheaper and equally delicious if not better—hello, chocolate!—is Stronger Faster Healthier’s Pure Whey.

pure wheyfish oil

Another reason I’m so in love with SFH? A simple, easy to understand but still science-based explanation of what, exactly, whey IS (from their blog): Whey is a great source of easily digestible protein.  Whey protein is a by-product of cheese making.  Cow’s milk is 20% whey and 80% non whey casein protein.  In the production of high quality whey the casein fraction is separated from the whey.

At a more molecular level, whey is a mixture of beta–lactoglobulin, alpha lacto-albumin and serum albumin, and various immunoglobulins. Whey is rich in branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs) which are directly related to muscle building. For example, leucine (another BCAA) indirectly helps stimulate muscle mass by fueling protein synthesis.

Besides being smart and not snotty, the protein powder is so delicious that I drank a protein shake nearly every day for the past month. When I ordered the Pure Whey at 30 servings, I was sure it would last me longer than a month, because I don’t drink shakes that often. WRONG-O! I had my first on March 30 (according to my own tweets, below) and had my last on May 2nd. The protein is so good you CRAVE it! That’s stellar. (It also got me hooked on fauxoats …)

Screen shot of twitter

And what of fish oil? Why do you need fish oil? It’s all the rage with the CrossFit/Paleo/Primal community, but here’s the advice from someone else: Zen to Fitness’ 5 Reasons You Need Fish Oil. In short, fish oil CAN make you feel better, look better (bonus: shiny hair and nails), lose weight, manage stress, and sleep better. And SFH fish oil doesn’t taste like fish, doesn’t make you burp fish, and isn’t slimy going down. There aren’t many other fish oils that can say that (everyone agrees liquid fish oil is better than capsules, so don’t even get into those, plus you have to swallow a billion to get enough to matter).

I just placed an order for Recovery Protein too, so I’ll let you know how that goes. I encourage you to take control of your wellness and give Stronger Faster Healthier a shot! Let me know how much you love it ;-)

[You'll also notice that there is now a Stronger Faster Healthier button ------> in the upper righthand corner. You can use this banner to order any time and get the 10% discount!]

April 29, 2011

Austin: MUST GO! Blondes vs. Brunettes

This will be my first year NOT playing, but I’m confident the brunettes can still dominate! This event is AWESOME to watch and be a part of, so DO IT! (it’s in just 2 weeks, get your tix now!!)

BvB Austin blondes brunettes football powderpuff

April 14, 2011

Aspen: Spring Celebrations Announcing BlissFits Aspen Boot Camp!

shutterfly-announcement-celebration

As spring rolls around, there are lots of announcements: babies, graduation announcementssave-the-date cards, and so on. Since I have no news of that sort, I’m excited to celebrate a more Lyssa-like announcement: BlissFits Aspen Boot Camp!

You guys know how much I love CrossFit, and sharing the word about fitness and how awesome it is. I’ve had my CrossFit Level 1 certification for over a year, and all last summer I was having a blast experimenting with Nature’s Garage Gym workouts. While I am confident the boot camp will be a success and that I’m a great coach, it’s nonetheless terrifying to be shouting to the world: “I’m making moves! I CAN HELP YOU GET FIT!”

It’s empowering, ya’ll. Because when you throw out the fear of failure, I KNOW I can help people. BlissFits Aspen is a chance to share my love of fitness and food firsthand, to affect change in people I know and don’t know. It’s a chance to bring my world in Austin, my wolfpack, my people (that’s you, CrossFitters), to Aspen in a format that resonates with Aspen. Outdoors. We moved here for the 70-degree summers with bluebird skies every. single. day. So why not move our fitness there too?

Aspen Boot Camp!

If you’re in Aspen, I’d love for you to come check out the FIRST boot camp, next Monday, April 18, ay 6pm at Rio Grande Park (across from Clark’s). BlissFits Aspen Boot Camp will run Monday through Thursday the last two weeks of April, and then I’ll update everyone on the times etc. once we see how this works! (www.blissfitsaspen.com for more info)

Now for the rest of you (and Aspenites), I’d love to offer you the chance to shout about something exciting going on in your lives! Maybe you’re preggers or graduating, or you want to mark some occasion with a photo book. I’ve got TWO Shutterfly giveaways! TWO thisislifeinaustin & aspen readers will get to choose between 50 announcement cards or an 8×8 photobook to commemorate whatever is going on in your life right now (or later, or earlier, or whatever, I don’t care!)

*Giveaway Alert!*

Post by 5PM CST on FRIDAY April 15 in the comments below what you’re celebrating (can be silly, serious, or inbetween) this spring and I’ll randomly choose TWO winners (promise I won’t judge your comments for funniness, as I sometimes do, because this is SERIOUS. I want you to CELEBRATE!)!

Are you a blogger, too? Click here to register for a chance at 50 free announcements!

This post is part of a series sponsored by Shutterfly. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.com, as I do.

April 5, 2011

Aspen: Mountain-Top Yoga (and some in the city too)

There’s less than a week left of skiing on Aspen Mountain, so Aspenites and visitors absolutely must take advantage of FREE yoga at the Sundeck every single day through Sunday (closing day)!

Taught by a rotating group of yogis, all of whom are skilled instructors, the yoga runs from 9:30-10:15ish every morning. Mats are provided, so you can show up in ski gear, strip to your skivvies (yoga appropriate skivvies, of course), and get posing … then just throw your boots back on and hit the slopes, relaxed and ready to rip.

Want more little-known yoga? One of the yoga instructors, Kendall, teaches at ACES (behind the post office) on MWF from 5-6:15pm. It costs just $5.

She also teaches at the Aspen Institute at Meadows from noon-1pm on Tuesday and Thursdays. That costs $8.

March 5, 2011

Austin: SHAPE Magazine Diva Dash!

SHAPE magazine, the #1 women’s active lifestyle magazine and place where I got my start in journalism, is bringing a women’s-only obstacle adventure race to Austin! I am so excited, these big magazine-sponsored events never happen in Austin!

SHAPE will hit Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park (6614 Blue Bluff Rd, Austin) on April 9 with an adventure filled obstacle race made up of running, swinging, climbing, and dashing.  The journey will be held on 3 miles of road and trail, and the course will include stimulating activities along the way. This route will challenge participant’s strength, speed and balance with activities involving water, ropes, mazes and more and will offer alternative tracks designed for beginners.

The Diva Dash is for female runners and walkers of all abilities. More than 2,000 athletes are anticipated to participate—from novice to elite. Don’t feel up to the task quite yet?  Two training plans have been created that will get participants ready to take on each obstacle. Already a pro? The training plans incorporate work outs suited for every level, one of which is a do-it-yourself training clinic developed by the fitness experts at SHAPE magazine. Training takes place twice per week at RunTex Riverside (422 W. Riverside Dr).

Each woman who crosses the finish line will receive a SHAPE Diva Dash pewter necklace, and the grand prize winner will win a trip to Aruba.  Men are welcome to join the ladies at the after party, which will be held on-site and will be a celebration of the days success with music, prize contests, and other fun activities.

The SHAPE Diva Dash race benefits GENaustin, a non-profit organization serving teenage girls throughout the state of Texas. Presenting sponsors at the race include Acura, Athleta, and Luna.

Registration is now open, so sign up with your favorite ladies at www.DivaDash.com. Prices start at $35 in advance, and participants will also have the option to register the day-of.

SO EXCITED!!!!

January 26, 2011

Austin: Manuary Party for the Men

I have never heard of this Manuary idea, but as men are occasionally left out here at this blog (you may like my fashion posts a smidge less than the other fabulous things I write), I feel obligated to post. Plus I really like Dulce Vida tequila.

Sabia, Criquet Apparel, and Dulce Vida Tequila would like to invite your readers to our special Manuary party, next Thursday, January 27.

Details:
Mantastic Event! Thursday, January 27th, 4-8pm at Sabia
Manscape: Sabia hair stylists are offering complimentary neck clean ups on site during the event.
Dress: The gents from Criquet, a locally owned company featuring organic polo and golf shirts, will be on hand to style.
Shop: Enjoy 20% off all shaving tools and products, plus peruse Sabia’s amazing selection of gifts for gals.
Cyclist Wax: For a smooth ride (and legs), 20% off leg waxing for bikers
Imbibe:  Anejo Old Fashioneds will be provided by Austin’s own Dulce Vida Tequila.

Sounds good for the fellas and the ladies, no?

January 25, 2011

Aspen: Everything You Want to Know About the Winter X Games (in pictures)

To watch in Aspen: Spectator Info and map

winter x games schedule

Winter X Games iphone android app

FREE Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert at the base of Aspen Mountain with OutKast rapper Big Boi! Saturday, Jan. 29 at 5:30pm.

More music:

Music at Belly Up During X Games

Thursday – Sunday. Buttermilk Mountain. Aspen, CO. Be there, frozen or no.

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