• HAPPY documentary: “Happiness is a skill.”
• Natural Grocer grocery store trip. I love tons of things there but my top three are Buffalo Guys Buffalo Andouille sausage, Applegate Farms happy pepperoni, and kelp noodles (oh, and the chocolate peanut butter malted milk balls, but don’t tell anyone about those).
• The Hunger Games. I finally get it. And I’ve read all three in three days. #nerd Can’t wait to see the movie now!
• Slaying elephants.
• New (to me, from Susie’s Consignment, only $19!) J. Crew sequin mini with pockets! So awesome, yet practical! Can’t wait to pair it with a tee and sandals and stroll around town.
  
• That closet reminds me, I love my apartment. And home office.

See last week’s Feel Goods here.

Today and tomorrow, you can shop these beautiful designs marked 50-70% off, OR hit up the $5 and $10 bins.  Their current collection features products made by their partners in India and East Africa. You could get sweet wooden bangles or a cool charm necklace …

I love that a local company is creating opportunities for women and sharing beautiful jewelry, journals, and bath products! Go check out the shop!

• DailyHap‘s launch!! If you haven’t been, please go visit DailyHap.com! And Like us on facebook!
• My baby brother (who is 25 years old, a male model, and 6’2″. But baby to me). Snowboarding with him, finding out some rooms need more ventilation with him, talking with him. He is awesome.
• You guys might be tired of me being grateful for this dog, but I AM. How funny is she?
  
• Pure Citizen (all good goods)
• One of the best Girls’ Nights I’ve had in a long time. Just what the doctor ordered.
• I asked a super cool dude I met randomly to draw me a tattoo (it worked in our convo, I promise), and this is what I got:
  
  Yes sir, I will.
• Double dose of gratitude today, check out my article on prayer here.

See last week’s Feel Goods here.

Luckily for you, life in austin & aspen got an insider’s peek at sneekpeeq and just for checking out new flash sale site Sneakpeeq, you’ll get lots of goodies: sneakpeeq is giving away 20% off your next purchase just for entering, plus three of you will win a $25 sneakpeeq gift card to use on your favorite food, style and home products. Five second place winners will receive a $10 sneakpeeq gift card—which goes along way in sneakpeeq’s low-priced boutiques!

Enter the giveaway by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/sj6ezK and joining sneakpeeq. Leave your name in the comments and you’ll be entered to win! All winners will be announced on my blog on Thursday, 12/29/11 … Happy Holidays!

Guilt-Free: Changing the Present

changingthepresent.org: ”Browse our causes to find gifts that make a difference, or search for your favorite nonprofit to make a donation”

Awesome things like adopting a sea otter, donating a kickball, or microchipping pets can be donated in a friend’s name, with a personalized greeting card mailed to them.

Designer-Savvy: Community Collection

communitycollection.com: ”We partner designer brands with the world’s top charitable causes and for every item sold we donate 20% to an affiliated cause.”

Hot-hot-hot designers like Elizabeth & James, Genetic Denim, Current/Elliot, Tibi, and more offer the ability to get the goods you love and give back via a trustworthy vehicle that is meaningful, measurable, and transparent.

Plain & Simple: Blu Democracy

bludem.com: save water + give water = save lives

Clothing line that saves water through its manufacturing process, gives water with every purchase, and is generally awesome.

Smarty-Pants: Out of Print Clothing

outofprintclothing.com: Donates a book to a community in need for every shirt purchased.

The shirt catalogue is like a list of classics I need to read or re-read.

Bedazzled: Joan Hornig

joanhornig.com: 100% of the profit goes to a charity you choose at checkout.

She has her own collection of earthy, architectural metal designs as well as charity-specific collaborations with other designers.

For Anyone: Pure Citizen

I already wrote about it here, but Pure Citizen is your charitable flash-sale site that not only provides eco-friendly and ethical goods on sale, but allows you to donate the sale difference to various charities. Check it frequently for new deals on accessories, cosmetics, jewelry, handbags and totes, blankets, and clothes.

But you guys also know how much I love sales and deals … and you share that, as we’ve discovered sale sites from LivingSocial to Eversave, MooLaLa to aDealio. Now there’s a new one, for awesome products that somehow make the world a better place. You KNOW what a sucker I am for those! Enter Pure Citizen.

Every weekday members receive an email filled with the inspiring story of a company that is committed to making the world a better place. For 72 hours members have exclusive access on Pure Citizen to purchase a hand-picked selection of products from this company at 30-90% off. The companies do things like providing employment and job training for the underprivileged, building wells, reducing global pesticide use, saving children from slavery, rescuing women from prostitution, creating healthier products, and are overall committed to making the world a better place.

Not only do purchases support these inspiring companies, but members have the option to save a little less and donate the difference to a featured non-profit. 20% of members have used this feature.

Here are some of my faves on sale right now:

I am totally obsessed with the whole sarong-towel-blanket thing. Perhaps I am preparing for some future days on a beach. Perhaps I am just dreaming.

How cute is this? Scarf, wrap, whatever.

I'm always searching for healthy, safe nail polish. It's terrifying when you think of all the chemicals you're mainlining into your nailbed!

The pants are hideous. The faux pony purple peep toes are hot, however.

Here are the distinctions Pure Citizen uses for the companies … look familiar? These are all the things I loved and championed while at Endless Beauty…

 Handmade

Celebrates creativity and the beauty of handmade. Many times unique and one of a kind.

 Organic

Grown with out pesticides, herbicides, or GMO’s. Organic is safer for farmers and organic fibers are healthier for you. Conventional clothing contains toxic residues from the growing process and finishing process. Something that you do not want near your skin, especially if you have allergies or MCS. No harmful bleaches, dyes or finishing processes are used.

 Fairly Produced

Helps thousands of artisans in the developing world by providing fair wages, safe working conditions, job training, opportunity, empowerment, and transparency.

 Eco-Conscious

Products that are made by companies that are mindful of reducing their environmental footprint. This includes the use of alternative energy sources, smart use of materials, and use of earth friendly materials.

 Recycled

It is amazing what artisans can come up with using recycled/repurposed materials. Think vintage leather jackets transformed into beautiful bags and magazines created into stunning beaded necklaces.

 Cruelty Free

Signifies that there was no animal testing or that the animal by-product is from humanely raised animals.

 Made in USA

Supports our domestic employment, and reduces the environmental impact from transportation.

 One of a Kind

We celebrate each of our beautiful individual self-expressions. With these products you can be sure no one else has one exactly like it

 Vegan

No ingredients or materials from animals or animal by-products were used in the creation of this beautiful item.

 Pure Safe

All of our Pure & Safe products are screened by our founder, Amy Ludwigson, an expert Building Biologist and former sufferer of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. These products are created with the most sensitive in mind, here you will find nothing that is impure.

These products will NEVER& contain: propylene glycol (PG) and butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) & sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), & TEA (triethanolamine), polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium hydroxide, triclosan, DMDM & urea (Imidazolidinyl), parabens, isopropyl (SD-40), mineral oil, FD&C color pigments, synthetic fragrance, BPA, phalates, formeldehyde, toulene, benzene, talc, lanolin…

Even though our Pure & Safe products have been proven thru past use to be safe for sufferers of allergies, asthma, and MCS, each person’s condition is unique, therefore Pure Citizen cannot be responsible for any adverse reactions from any of our products.

… shop away at Pure Citizen, friends!

Tie-dye T-shirts are an iconic late 1960s and early 70s fashion style closely associated with the age of free love and rock & roll. Worn
on college campuses, around drum circles, and at Woodstock music festival, this style was made popular by legends such as Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. This season, fashion designers pay homage to the summer of love, reviving tie-dye fashions and recreating them as boho-chic styles.

In its current reincarnation, tie-dye is cool, breezy, and surprisingly sexy. Celebrities have perfected the laid-back look by keeping it glam in body conscious cuts and muted color palettes. A favorite look of celebs is the tie-dye sundress, like this one from Electric Frenchie boutique.

Steal some style inspiration from these celebs and you’ll be looking boho-sexy look all summer long.

Katy Perry knows that going for a bold print means keeping accessories streamlined and simple. Take a cue from this California girl, and accessorize your tie-dye dress with flat metallic sandals, a floppy sun hat, and dark oversized sunglasses.

Leave it to a Victoria’s Secret model to make tie-dye look sexy yet effortless. Check out how Alessandra Ambrosio relies on bold but
simple pieces to jazz up her maxi dress. A skinny belt creates a sexy shape while a fringed leather handbag, sandals, simple hoops and long flowy hair bring everything together. Gorgeous!

Want to look like a supermodel on her day off? Here, Aussie supermodel Jessica Hart toughens up her tie-dye maxi dress with rock
and roll accessories including a studded back handbag and white Chuck Taylor’s. The result is a look that’s edgy yet chic. We love it!

Order anything online at electricfrenchie.com and use code LIFEINATX for 15% OFF your total order.

Lyssa’s note: I LOVE tie-dye, so I’m very excited Electric Frenchie rounded up these looks for us! In fact, I just bought a tie-dye dress myself …

So my quest began. Behold the fruits of my labor, searching for a mini- to knee-length skirt that is comfy, casual, and under $50.

J Crew a line skirt, $30
Old Navy striped skirt, $13
Long skirt, 20
CALYPSO ST BARTH short mini skirt, $49
Bench cotton skirt, 18
CALYPSO ST BARTH mini skirt, $49
Patagonia wrap skirt, $49
Armani Exchange draped skirt, $39
H M flared skirt, 13
Black mini skirt, €25
Old Navy pleated mini skirt, $5.99
TopShop cotton skirt, $30

In its stead, check out the first-ever open-to-the-public (normally just VIPs are invited) Davis Cup Draw Ceremony with Asleep at the Wheel, at ACL Live on Thursday. Tickets are $5 and benefit the Joplin Tornado Relief Fund.

Doors at 11am, program and performance at noon.  The teams, including the US and Spanish teams, will be present at the event and the draw will be performed by Ray Benson. More information and tickets at acl-live.com. What a lunch break, huh?

Original post:

Have you heard about ACL Live’s popular Wine Down Wednesday nights? Basically, someone awesome comes to play, free food from awesome 2nd Street restaurants is had, with happy hour prices on Clos du Bois wine.

The series was so popular in June that they’ve added two July dates: Dan Dyer (who, I will add, played at my friend’s April wedding!) on July 6th with complimentary food (while it lasts) from Malaga Tapas & Bar and Wendy Colonna on July 13th with complimentary food (while it lasts) from TRACE.

Wine Down Wednesday is free and open to the public and takes place from 5 – 7 pm.

“Wine Down Wednesdays are a great way to celebrate the middle of the week, “ said Rose Reyes, Director of Music Marketing for ACVB. “Great Austin music, a world-class venue, fine wines and a breezy porch makes this the perfect spot for visitors and locals alike.”

For more information on the schedule of dates, acl-live.com.

… don’t be scurrrrred of falling glass!

Click here for the full schedule; below are my top three can’t-miss events of the weekend!

1) Saturday and Sunday, 10a-5p: ECO Marketplace featuring vendors and demos of all things handmade, remade, recycled, organic, or reused; products must be at least 50% local materials! Bonus: Sustainable Food Court with delicious, healthy, local goodies.

2) Film Screening, Saturday, 1-2p: Vanishing of the Bees presented by Honeybee Organic Juice Bar (click here for my review!) at Wheeler Opera House. Check out the trailer here.

3) YoGroove Yoga In The Park by King Yoga, Saturday, 2-3p. Join Aaron King (my fave instructor EVER) and Evan Rachel in Wagner Park for “Yogroove” with live music by Cameron Williams of the local aspen band Jes Grew.

Of course, there’s also a Green Tie dinner and ball, but these are the three things I will be, without a doubt, checking out personally.