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“My husband and I recently moved both our business and personal accounts to Benchmark Bank. In shopping for a new bank, we had some very specific questions. Not only did they offer all the services we needed, they took the time to get to know us and our line of work. The entire staff is warm, professional and very supportive. You can feel they want to help you grow.” –Dr. Tenesha Wards, Infinity Wellness Center Benchmark Bank is raising the standard for a remarkable customer experience. At Benchmark, we believe knowing our customers goes beyond their visit to the bank. We personalize each customer’s experience by coming to your location and encouraging you to attend our charitable and networking events. We know that exposure in the community helps your business grow, so we host and attend events in Austin to support your efforts. A Texas family owned bank since 1964, Benchmark Bank’s outstanding personalized customer service will be around for decades to come. We invite you to come meet the Benchmark team and quickly see how our standards align with yours.
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Contents m ay
On the Cover
68 Julia Cuba
The executive director of GENaustin is reshaping female self-esteem, one girl at a time. By Shelley Seale
Feature
75
motherdaughter makeovers
Photo by Annie Ray.
Austin Woman treats four mothers and their daughters to a well-deserved makeover. By Jane Kellogg
Contents m ay
42 gourmet
savvy woman
24 spotlight event Through the Eyes of Texas
54 dining Top places to share a meal with your
exhibit at The Blanton.
loved ones.
habits with children.
26 5 things not to miss this month
56 celebrate Enjoying Cinco de Mayo,
86 entrepreneurial life
Austin-style.
Cheer Up Buttercups.
30 Around town Photos from Austin events.
to your health
healthy families.
38 Horoscopes Happy birthday, Taurus.
60 fitness Wear your workout.
90 making an impact F7 Group.
28 philanthropy Austin Heart Ball.
must list 40 on the bookshelf Family-focused reads.
64 wellness The stress of bed rest during pregnancy.
66 nutrition Natural remedies to boost
style
opposite sex
46 style Swimwear with a flair.
80 memo from JB The circle of life.
50 accessories Color me blue.
82 Relationships
12   Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
88 expert opinion Essential qualities of
62 wellness What to know about osteoporosis. 92 motherhood Older, wiser and rocking
42 travel Summer family getaways.
52 beauty Floral-inspired colors.
84 etiquette How to create good behavior
memory and prevent Alzheimer’s.
So you had a bad date... How to avoid getting stuck with a loser.
the cradle.
94 community resources Mommy
marketplace.
96 last word Ties that bind.
on the cover Photo by Annie Ray. Hair and makeup by Monnie Hightower and Ashton Smothermon, Pinup Salon, 7318 McNeil Dr., 512.258.4244
Photo courtesy of Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort.
on the scene
texas performing
arts
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Volume 11, issue 9 CoFounder and Publisher
Melinda Maine Garvey vice president and CoPublisher
Christopher Garvey associate publisher
Cynthia Guajardo CoFounder
Samantha Stevens Editor-in-chief
Deborah Hamilton-Lynne associate editor
Jane Kellogg Art Director
Victoria Millner ad designer
Jennifer Day art assistant
Katie Holmstrom marketing and operations director
Sadie Flynn marketing and operations associate
Rhonda Rushing Account Executives
Kimberly Ruka, Charmie Stryker, 512.328.2421 Contributors
Rudy Arocha, Erin Henry Bracken, Malia Bradshaw, Jill Case, Amory Casto, Stephen Paul Connor, Andy East, JB Hager, Ashley Hargrove, Katie Holmstrom, Cathy Johnson, Caleb Kerr, Eric Leech, Adam Linehan, Susan Malone, Deborah Mastelotto, Rachel Merriman, Mae Newcombe, Sarah Quatrano, Annie Ray, Shelley Seale, Darline Turner, Kristi Willis, Jean Yoo Interns
Malia Bradshaw, Amory Casto, Jessi Coronado, Andy East, Lauren Lara, Adam Linehan, Lindsey Troop, Jean Yoo Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc. and is available at more than 1,150 locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved. For submission requirements, visit awmediainc.com/contribute. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission.
We know it’s not easy. She cared for you when you needed her, and now you feel it’s your turn. Advanced Pain Care understands your efforts and we respect the sacrifices you make to take care of Mom. We consider it a privilege to help with her comfort. ■
PAIN MEDICATION
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DIAGNOSTICS
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ADVANCED TREATMENT OPTIONS
Visit us online at austinwomanmagazine.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512.328.2421 • 3921 Steck Ave., Suite A111, Austin, TX 78759
MARK T. MALONE, M.D. | Board Certified Pain Management Physician
■
From the Editor
1: A group of individuals living under one roof. 2: A group of persons of common ancestry; clan. 3: A people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock; race. 4: A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation; fellowship. 5: The basic unit in society traditionally consisting of two parents rearing their children. As you can tell from the definitions outlined above, the word “family” covers a lot of ground. I like to think that my definition of family covers even more territory, as I like to look at the big picture and the “family of man.” May is the month we celebrate Mothers’ Day, and thoughts naturally turn to mothers and their roles in the family structure. But while motherhood and mothers are indeed to be celebrated, we as women are so much more. Women are an integral part of all types of families, and so this month we chose to focus on just that—and what makes them work and keeps them healthy. You might think it odd that we chose a single, childless woman for the cover of this issue, but Julia Cuba understands and belongs to many types of families. She is devoted to her family of origin, who lives in San Antonio. She is passionate about leading the way for girls to grow into confident young women and build a healthy feminine family of sisters, mothers and daughters. She has also created an extensive and extended family of treasured friends and colleagues in Austin. In her role as executive director of GENaustin, she has touched
may launch party may 7, 6 to 8 p.m. at kohnami restaurant rsvp aw.ticketbud.com/maylaunch
Join me in celebrating our May issue at Kohnami Japanese Restaurant (there will be more than just sushi)! We’ll be benefiting Suzy’s Soldiers, a local charity that aids in breast cancer awareness. RSVP, bring their friends, and I’ll see you there.
16 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
families throughout Austin by building a solid “family” of individuals dedicated to the welfare of girls knowing that their health and well-being extends to each of their families of origin and to their extended families of choice. Humbled by the responses we received for our mother-daughter makeover giveaway, we could not choose just one. We bring you the stories that touched our hearts and define the bond that ties mothers and daughters together—one of the strongest family ties. Congratulations to these eight deserving women and thanks to everyone who contributed to their transformations. Austin authors Bernadette Noll and Renée Trudeau bring insight into ways to slow down and reconnect with your family. We look at traits of healthy families, family-style dining choices, advice on teaching your child to mind their manners, and a variety of family getaways. Health-related issues affect entire families in more ways than one, so we looked at a broad spectrum this month, from the hardships faced by women confined to bed rest during pregnancy to the demands of choosing motherhood later in life, as well as ways to combat osteoporosis and even Alzheimer’s— the costly disease feared most by Americans. Knowing that support is essential to families, Austin entrepreneurs Monika Burgett and Allison Reyna of Cheer Up Buttercups offer their services to help readers cope with the demands of motherhood. We also spotlight F7, an amazing organization dedicated to securing and providing resources, training, support and mentoring to female veterans and women in military families.
Is there something you want to tell us? Whether you have a great story idea that we should know about or you want to give us some feedback, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at submissions@awmediainc.com to tell us your thoughts!
Lest you think this issue is all about heavy-duty information, we offer an array of swimsuits, beauty products and spring accessories to brighten your look as the May f lowers bloom. May seems to be the month to go forth and dance—we have five choices for your entertainment this month. And speaking of celebrating, we bring you several options to enjoy one of ATX’s favorite holidays: Cinco de Mayo. Whatever your definition of family is—or how many different types of families you find yourself a part of—one of the greatest gifts you can give is the gift of uninterrupted time spent together. I urge you to cherish the connection with all of the members of all of your family groups, large and small, by building memories that will last a lifetime. In the words of Mother Teresa, “If you want to promote world peace, go home and love your family.” It all begins at home. Memories are made of this. We would be honored to have you share your treasured family memories with us and hope that our readers feel a part of our AW family. I look forward to hearing from you.
deborah hamilton-lynne Editor-in-Chief
Fashionably Pink Austin May 1, 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. at The W Austin info fashionablyaustin.com
This year the fashion show will be returning with a fleet of some big-name designers to help benefit Stiletto Stampede, a nonprofit organization with a mission to raise breast cancer awareness and education.
Photo by Korey Howell.
fam·i·ly (noun)
Contributors Annie Ray was born in Lewisville. She grew up in an Italian-Jewish family and moved to Austin three years ago after graduating from the University of North Texas with a bachelor of fine arts in photography. Annie has always loved capturing people and their stories visually. One of her gifts as a photographer is her ability to capture a moment in someone’s life in the images she produces. Some of her favorite things besides her camera are Christmas, gummy bears, astrology and her 20-pound cats. For this issue, Annie shot the cover story featuring Julia Cuba. A native Texan, Jane Kellogg studied magazine journalism at the University of Missouri before spending the past four years establishing herself in NYC. Her editing and writing has been featured in luxury city magazines such as Hamptons, Gotham, Boston Common and Vegas, as well as The Hollywood Reporter. After getting engaged, she decided to relocate with her fiancé to a city that better suits them—and Austin was the natural choice. She landed at Austin Woman and is excited to reconnect with her Texas roots through the capital city as the magazine’s new associate editor. Shelley Seale is an Austin-based writer and author who can be found vagabonding around the world when not in the ATX. She has written for The Guardian, Travel + Escape and National Geographic, among others. A longtime feminist, advocate for cultivating confident young girls and single mother of a daughter herself, Shelley was honored to interview Julia Cuba of GENaustin and write the cover story for this amazing woman and organization.
Originally from Dallas, Lindsey Troop is currently a senior at St. Edward’s University where she studies art. She loves fashion, and she designs and makes clothing in her free time. She recently joined Austin Woman as a fashion intern and loves getting to contribute to the style section. For this month’s issue she helped pull together the summer stories on swimsuits and blue accessories.
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Connect with us! find us online at austinwomanmagazine.com
Show Mom Some Love Treat mom to some breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day. We’ve got the recipes from the new Austin Food Blogger Alliance Cookbook, including a gluten-free quiche, cinnamon breakfast bread and fried-egg tacos—perfect for a morning surprise. Truckin’ It
Tweet to Win!
We’ve giving away a pair of tickets to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on May 8 at Bass Concert Hall. Tweet @austinwoman with #priscilla and what your favorite musical is! The winner will be chosen on May 7.
must-have
KEEP FIT WITH FIDO Run with or without your furry friends: The Petco 5K9 event on May 11 will benefit Austin Pets Alive. We’ve got the details.
Fridayfaves
1
2
3
4
5
We love exploring the city we call home, and every Friday on our Facebook page, we share five of our favorite things to eat, drink, do or see. This month, we picked our favorite brunch spots around town! (Mother’s Day, hint hint.)
Annie’s Cute, central and all-around a favorite. We love the fried egg sandwich and full English breakfast.
Russell’s Bistro Crossaint french toast, soaked in crème brûlée batter, with a splash of brandy. Yes, please.
Moonshine Indulge in a buffet of all the brunch food groups—you won’t leave hungry.
Chez Zee A staple in the Austin brunch scene. Keep the mimosas coming!
Blue Dahlia Enjoy this Frenchinspired bistro, tucked away in East Austin.
Follow us
@austinwoman
20 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
Editor’s picks for travel apps and websites: Everything you need to plan the perfect family vacation. Can’t get enough of this issue? Check out austinwomanmagazine.com for bonus content, including:
➥
Art Scene. Up close and personal with the UT alums who raided their personal collections for the Blanton Masterworks exhibit.
➥
In the Oven. UT alum Alex Taylor opens his hit Las Vegas restaurant, Due Forni, in Austin.
➥
Honor Your Mother. Learn about the work of the United Nations Population Fund, which helps mothers give birth to healthy babies worldwide.
Taking mom out for dinner instead? See our pick of family-style restaurants on p. 54.
like us
facebook.com/austinwoman
find us
austinwomanmagazine.com
Priscilla photo by Joan Marcus.
Head out to the first annual Trailer Truckoff hosted by ATX Brands founder (and AW ’s February Simply Irresistible Bachelor) Doug Guller. Prospective chefs will compete for a chance to run their own food truck on Saturday, May 4, at the Historic Scoot Inn. We’ll be there, forks and napkins in hand!
Austin Radiological Association
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15 locations to serve you including our two Women’s Imaging Centers Schedule at 512.453.6100 • www.ausrad.com
SEPTEMBER 6
2013 ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON WESTIN AT THE DOMAIN
SAVE THE DATE! Join us for exclusive networking, shopping and discounts throughout the Domain, gourmet lunch provided by The Westin, an engaging Q & A with five movers and shakers within the Austin business community, and more as we celebrate the 11th year of Austin Woman magazine.
EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE SOON! Individual: $70; Table of 10 (includes signage and premier seating): $800 DETAILS: AWMEDIAEVENTS.COM/ANNIVERSARY
2
200
Christopher Brennig, MD
Austin Vein Institute State-of-the-art Varicose Vein Treatment
11 YEARS OF
Thank You to our
2013 Women of Distinction Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors and supporters for making Launch Party 2013 a huge success! Congratulations to the first graduating class of the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.
Mary and Bill Keienburg ABE Charitable Foundation/ The Serra Family
Our Sponsors Wells Fargo
Lynelle McKay
Austin Woman
Michele Moore
Austin Business Journal
Stacey Hadash
AK Reynolds Foundation
Janet Wright
Mary and Howard Yancy
Stuart Smith
Nona Niland Beverly Dale Eddie Safady Celina Romero and Paul Williams Texas Gas Company HEB Seton Univision
MEET THE CANDIDATES who are helping beat blood cancer! PRESENTED BY
Brown McCarroll eBay Women in Technology Samsung Michelle and Thon Morse LatinWorks Emily Little
Texas Wall Street Women
Christie Garbe
Teri O'Glee
Jenny and Dan Ahearn
Mary Herman
Michele Turnquist
Luci Baines Johnson
The two individuals who raise the most funds during this 10-week campaign for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society win the title of Man and Woman of the Year. Please join us at the Grand Finale to find out who will be the 2013 Man & Woman of the Year. May 3, 2013 at the Driskill at 6:30 P.M. Andy Barclay Barclay Insurance
John S. Rubin Rubin Law Firm
Bill Gump Tower Commercial
Courtney Clark
Vasanti Brandl Grainger William “Hutch” Hutchings Texans for Lawsuit Reform
Kasey Johnson University of Texas Jennifer Spille Apple Kate Connolly Texas Technology Consulting Group
Blake Miller InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Dorothy Trainer White Lodging Services Ashley Cop NFP Albert Pomales ETMG Insurance
For more information or to sponsor a candidate, please visit www.mwoy.org/sctx or call 888.HELP.LLS.
sp o t ligh t ev ent
Claude Monet, Nymphéas (Water Lilies)
Through the Eyes of Texas: Masterworks from Alumni Collections Must-see exhibit runs through May 19, Blanton Museum of Art The Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin presents Through the Eyes of Texas: Masterworks from Alumni Collections. Coinciding with the museum’s 50th anniversary, Through the Eyes of Texas features nearly 200 works of art from the collections of UT alumni across the country. The unique nature of the exhibition allows Blanton to display works not normally available to Austinites. The range of featured works goes around the globe, such as Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, a Chinese urn from the Liao Dynasty and an Egyptian lion-headed goddess from 664–30 B.C. Go to austinwomanmagazine.com for an exclusive web article on the collectors behind the artwork. blantonmuseum.org—Jean Yoo
24 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
B See the complete May calendar of events at austinwomanmagazine.com.
Image courtesy of the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio.
on the scene /
May 16th
512-474-LONG
Austin to Andalucía at the speed of sight & sound!
Carlos Piñana
Bringing South Austin style up North! Sip a mimosa as you indulge on everything from a Brazilian blowout to a precision cut at our certified salon.
Body �Soul Thursday May 16, 2013 at 8 pm
Long Center for the Performing Arts Pre-Show Flamenco Party
Call 512-474-LONG
Join us!
Susan G. Komen Foundation fundraiser May 7, 6-8p.m.
Pilar Andújar
or
7318 McNeil Drive, Suite 110 Austin, TX 78729, (512) 258-4244
pinupsalonaustin.com
AustinClassicalGuitar.org
on the scene /
5 things
4 2
5
1
[ 5 things not to miss this month ] 1 Flamenco Austin Body & Soul May 16, 8 p.m., Dell Hall Experience the seducing mystique of flamenco music and culture as Austin Classical Guitar Society brings to Austin world-renowned flamenco virtuoso and Andalusia-native Carlos Piñana and his fourpiece ensemble consisting of a flamenco dancer, a percussionist and two guitarists. The concert will offer the hypnotic rhythms and dances of flamenco bulerías and rumbas that will surely conquer your heart and capture your soul. austinclassicalguitar.org
26 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
2
3
Compiled by Andy East
4
Studio 54klift Fundraiser
Ballet Austin’s Giselle
Heaven-EarthOne
May 18, 9 p.m. to midnight, ZACH Theatre
May 10 and 11, 8 p.m.; May 12, 3 p.m.; Long Center
May 19 through 26, 9 to 10 p.m., Long Center’s City Terrace
Put the fever back in Saturday night at Studio54klift 2013, the annual disco-themed fundraiser for Austin dance extraordinaire Forklift Danceworks. Good vibes will abound to the infectious grooves of DJ Mahealani. Rebecca Havemeyer returns as the mistress of ceremonies, and there will also be an open bar and silent auction. All proceeds benefit Forklift Danceworks. So dust off your bell-bottoms and leisure suits—this fundraiser is sure to be dy-no-mite. forkliftdanceworks.org
Spend Mother’s Day weekend reliving the magic of 19th century romantic ballet classic Giselle, with Ballet Austin and the Austin Symphony Orchestra. With 26 passionate, intricately choreographed scenes featuring one of the most challenging lead roles in ballet, Giselle is sure to live up to its reputation as a seminal work that has astonished and captivated audiences for more than two centuries. balletaustin.org/atb
Witness the symbiosis of the celestial with the terrestrial at Blue Lapis Light’s aerial dance extravaganza Heaven-Earth-One. Don’t miss this inspiring and poignant dance spectacle that features a tantalizing display of dancers dangling from the Long Center’s City Terrace. bluelapislight.org/ performances
5 Spring Choreographer’s Showcase May 3 and 4, 8 p.m., Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater Come out and support dance and theater students at Austin Community College at the Spring Choreographer’s Showcase. The showcase will feature a dazzling array of works from students and faculty. All proceeds will benefit the Dance and Drama Scholarship Fund. austincc.edu/dance
Flamenco photo by Miguel Peñalver; Studio 54KLift photo by Sarah Bork Hamilton; Ballet Austin photo by Tony Spielberg; Heaven-Earth-One photo by Sandy Carson/Blue Lapis Light.
3
on the scene /
phil a nth ropy
Take Heart
Heart transplant recipient Ally Smith Babineaux tells her emotional survivor story before a packed ballroom at last year’s event.
The annual Austin Heart Ball returns with hopes of raising half a million dollars for the American Heart Association. Georgetown’s JT Ellason might be 84, but he’s always been active. A retired construction superintendent, he was looking forward to spending more time with his wife of 31 years, Jackie, and their children and grandchildren. But through a period of years, he found he could hardly walk from room to room without losing his breath, let alone anything else more active. Ellason discovered that his severe shortness of breath and fatigue was attributed to his ticker when his doctors diagnosed him with advanced aortic stenosis, a narrowing and hardening of the heart’s main valve, which restricts blood flow. But because of his age, an obstacle many
stenosis patients encounter, open-heart surgery was a risky option—it could have been a death sentence. Yet with the world-class cardiovascular research the American Heart Association supports, Ellason had another option: His doctors performed a revolutionary new procedure
to replace the faulty valve through the use of a catheter as opposed to conventional open-chest surgery. With a “new” heart, Ellason has found a new lease on life. Austinites can contribute to this type of lifesaving cardiovascular research through AHA’s
Sponsored Events Stiletto Stampede’s Fashionably Pink May 1, 6:30 p.m., Wet Deck at W Austin, 200 Lavaca St. After the success of the Stiletto Stampede organization’s very first pink fashion show last year, Fashionably Pink is back at the W this year. Tickets at the door are $50 and get you access to yummy snacks, sips, goodie bags and, of course, the runway—featuring the best pink designs from local Austin designers including Project Runway’s Daniel Esquivel and Fashion Star’s Priscilla Barroso. The Austin group focuses on educating the community, especially those under the age of 40, on breast self-awareness and early cancer detection and prevention. stilletostampede.org/fashionably-pink
28 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
LLS Man & Woman of the Year May 3, 6:30 p.m., The Driskill, 604 Brazos St. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 10week fundraising campaign culminates with the announcement of the Man & Woman of the Year at the finale celebration. Thirteen dedicated LLS fundraisers are currently vying for the title by raising funds for LLS, which strives to fund blood cancer research. The pledge drive is motivated by Austin’s 2013 Boy and Girl of the Year: six-year-old Alexander Ryan, who completed his final round of radiation treatments for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last year, and Charlie Ortiz, a bright eight-year-old girl who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2009 and finally finished her treatment last year. mwoy.org/sctx
Art Bra Austin May 18, 7:00 p.m., Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces St. Artists, designers, celebrities and organizations have donated an eclectic mix of brassieres for Art Bra Austin, benefiting The Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas and the 2,600 breast cancer survivors they serve annually. The bra collection will be modeled by some of those survivors, and featured in the live and silent auctions, supplemented with tasty bites from eight restaurants around town and a signature cocktail. Last year’s sold-out event raised $170,000, which provided necessary patient navigation services, outreach and education in Travis and Williamson counties. Tickets start at $100. artbraaustin.org
Left photo courtesy In Your Eyes Photography; right photo courtesy Kerri Lohmeier Photography.
By Jane Kellogg
Mark and Pat Clayton with Stella Rader and Malcolm Belisle, 2013 Heart Ball chair
annual Austin Heart Ball. “There are no quick fixes for the challenges we face, whether it’s stemming the childhood obesity epidemic or eliminating tobacco use,” says Heart Ball Chair
Malcomn Belisle, vice president of corporate services for St. David’s HealthCare. “The changes we seek will result from our determined efforts to improve our region’s health day by day, generation to generation. As they have always been, the American Heart Association will be at the forefront of that transformation.” “Every single day in our community, the American Heart Association is working to educate our citizens about living healthier lives, working with health care providers to strengthen standards of patient care, advocating for policies that promote public health and, of course, funding world-class cardiovascular research,”
Belisle continues. “These efforts are transforming our community and making Central Texas a healthier place to live.” Last year nearly 600 people put on their ball gowns and tuxes and came out to the Hilton to show their support, which raised about $470,000. This year, organizers anticipate an even bigger turnout and have raised their fundraising goal to $550,000. That’s surely an attainable target with the live-auction packages organizers have pulled together. Expect an auction paddle battle over top prizes such as a weekend getaway to Jackson Hole, Wyoming; a trip to Nicaragua; a Hill Country hunting trip at the 1,200-acre paradise of Joshua Creek Ranch; a 2014 Masters Golf Tournament package; and a signed guitar from none other than Clint Black. Organizers guarantee a few big-name surprises and a live performance sure to get hearts pounding, if 2012’s house band—the Dixie Chicks’ sister project, Court Yard Hounds—is any indication. Hilton Austin, 500 E. 4th St., heart.org/ austintxheartball
Elizabeth Golembiewski, Shelia Bostick and Kimberly Enge at Austin Woman’s April launch party. Photo by C. Thompson Photography.
ON ON THE THE SCENE SCENE // AROUND AROUNDTOWN TOWN
Amber Withyconve and Melissa Madole-Kopp at Austin Woman’s April launch party. Photo By C. Thompson Photography. Odalis Mehta and Jennifer Baldacchino at Austin Woman’s April launch party. Photo by C. Thompson Photography.
Lindsay Kotin, Patricia Lehto and Micha Caudle at Austin Woman’s April launch party. Photo by C. Thompson Photography.
Christy Herbstreet, Becky Hopkins, Cassandra Wiggins and Allyson Falk at Austin Woman’s April launch party. Photo by C. Thompson Photography. Austin Woman’s April launch party featured treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Photo by C. Thompson Photography.
Neveen Simpson and Erica Mins at Austin Woman’s April launch party. Photo by C. Thompson Photography.
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Meredith Davis, Brooke Gonzales and Livia Pope at Austin Beauty Week.
ON THE SCENE / AROUND TOWN
Bob Schneider playing at Eat, Drink, Woman! Photography by Serena Lissy.
Services by Betty Lash at Austin Beauty Week.
Top: Skeeter Miller and Mike McClure. Bottom: Judy and Scott Ziskovsky, Sarah Rodriguez and Stacy McCulloch at Eat, Drink, Woman! Photography by Serena Lissy. Amy Holloway, Andres Perez, Catherine Robb and Chris Engle at Eat, Drink, Woman! Photography by Serena Lissy.
Alison Marwahan and Danielle Martinez at Austin Beauty Week. Chef Terry Wilson serves up plates at Eat, Drink, Woman! Photography by Serena Lissy.
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Tracy Talu, Barb Lucido, Jodie Evans and Laura Messer at Que Maravilla. Photo by Alissa Horrigan.
ON ONTHE THESCENE SCENE/ /AROUND AROUND TOWN TOWN
Lee and Anissa Allbritton at the Girls School of Austin Super Gala. Photo by Nancy Hoover.
Chris and Tricia Yost dressed up at the Girls School of Austin Super Gala. Photo by Nancy Hoover.
Jason and Adina Chirogianis at the Girls School of Austin Super Gala. Photo by Nancy Hoover.
Jennifer Charpentier and Danielle Sweeney at Que Maravilla. Photo by Alissa Horrigan. Sheila and Robert Johnson at Que Maravilla. Photo by Alissa Horrigan.
Lauren Wilson, Kenneth Pruitt and Vickie Roan at Que Maravilla. Photo by Alissa Horrigan.
Associate degree. Bachelor’s degree. Now law school!
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VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH Black/White— BECKIE SHAFER Reversed on black background
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Occupation: REALTOR® (Sienna Properties) Volunteer since: January 2011
Photo by Jason Youngblood.
A native Texan, Beckie has lived in Austin since she was about 12 years old and has been a REALTOR® here for almost 20 years. She has had a life-long love of animals and has had a variety of pets, including mice, skunks, turtles, a rabbit, fish, cats and dogs.
How did you get involved with APA?
A friend convinced me to help in the neonatal nursery after my cat died.
Do you own any pets?
I have three former APA bottle babies. Goober: had just been cleared of ringworm and placed in the cattery for adoption when I saw him—well, heard him! He was the most vocal kitten I’ve ever seen, before or since! Flip: a high-energy kitten that needed to be separated from his litter, so I took him to foster thinking he might make a great buddy for Goober. It turned out Goober wanted to be an only child, though. Moby: the first “miracle baby”
I encountered in the nursery. I took him home to foster about the same time I took Flip. Since Goober wasn’t happy about Flip joining the family, I adopted Moby so Flip would have a companion. When I bring home kittens to foster, Moby is their self-appointed nanny.
Can you give us a memorable experience from your time volunteering with APA? Watching all of APA, and my team in particular, respond to the needs of not only our surrounding communities but to any others we could reach who were devastated by fires last year. The sun rises and sets on a new experience every day, but this was monumental.
To find out how you can volunteer, visit austinpetsalive.org/get-involved
AustinPetsAlive.org
1156 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703
adopt@austinpetsalive.org
on the scene /
horoscopes
Happy birthday, Taurus! April 21–May 21 Your month: The world at large is in
serious danger of joining your personal “Cult of Personality,” ala the movie The Master. We are in awe of your ability to mesmerize a crowd, intuit what is needed by your group and be responsive to it. We want to be around you, to bask in that fabulous Taurus wisdom and charm that has us all queuing up to join you, in whatever you want to do this month.
➺
Steady the course, stable the path, don’t rock the boat, think before you speak. May is a quiet breeze after a thunderstorm. You’ll have more reasons to pursue the status quo than to shake things up, and that’s just fine—for now. This is a good time to begin projects that will take some time to finish, and a good time to establish things that are long-lasting and solid. Gemini (May 22–June 20): Follow every quirky, psychic, dream-based career idea with an immediate plan. It’s almost a reallife version of the movie Inception. This month your career direction is completely predetermined by forces outside of yourself. How will you know which of your brilliant ideas is real and should be pursued? Take a couple of first steps: The right direction will feel solid and real and safe. Cancer (June 21–July 22): Like Harry Potter getting his first glimpse of Hogwarts, you’ve got the owl, you’ve got the robes, now it’s time to join your group and get started. Months of planning have brought you to this place and this is the month you’re doing it. You are prepared and ready to make creativity a permanent component of your work. Friendship will be a huge part of what you begin this month—the friends you make this month will last a very long time. Leo (July 23–Aug. 23): In the movie I Don’t Know How She Does It, Sarah Jessica Parker’s ambitious ladder-climbing forces her spouse to pick up the slack, causing a
38 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
guilty push-pull for Parker’s character until she admits that she just really loves her work. Your struggle for work-life balance sometimes makes you feel guilty, but please don’t let it make you slack off. For Leos, work provides a strong sense of purpose and often true satisfaction from being really good at something. This month, you’re really good at work. Virgo (Aug. 24–Sept. 22): The small independent film Last Stop for Paul won more awards in 2007 than any other independent movie and could be a template for your life this month—a unique combination of travel, education, surprise, shared resources and serious, almost spiritual experiences, with communication difficulties causing trouble in all kinds of ways. The important things to remember are to keep your eyes on the spiritual component, the lessons learned and the people. Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Your month comes with intensity and passion, and resembles the movie Friends With Benefits. You long for a stable, safe relationship, but your job is all consuming. So you fall
for what you know to be dangerous, throwing yourself in head first, thinking if you keep it casual you can control it. It may leave you feeling confused, empty-handed and broken-hearted. You’ll pick passion over security, although you’d much rather have it the other way around. It’s just an unpredictable time for relationships: Make peace with it. Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21): The secret truth for all Scorpios is you yearn for the kind of deep, spiritual connection that poets write about, singers sing about and Wes Anderson makes a movie about. Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two 12-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact and run away together into the wilderness. As adults try to hunt them down, a violent storm forces the two young lovers to cling to each other for safety, setting an example of real love for their community. Of course, it’s a love fraught with external resistance, but because it’s rock-solid (at least this month), happiness too. Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): It’s been a long time since you’ve enjoyed your work environment as much as you do this month. Your May reminds me a little of the movie 21 Jump Street, about two police officers assigned to go undercover as high school students. Who knew they would end up enjoying their time as students and learning so much about themselves in the process? capricorn (dec. 22-JAN. 20): Capricorns get to have the most fun this month. Be especially aware of a close friend who could suddenly become oh so much more—think Ruby Sparks, where a blocked writer conjures the girl of his dreams from his new book, and learns about the nature of love and creativity. Pay close attention to any romantic or creative project you begin this month: It might actually turn out to be more than
just a flight of fancy and become a long-lasting success. aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19): Everyone knows about Winnie the Pooh, and some even saw the movie. Pooh and his disparate group of motley critters joined Christopher Robin to create a happy family unit, much like you do this month. Families can be created by birth or created by choice. Tolstoy wrote, “All happy families are happy in the same way.” You will be working hard this month, and your work will be inspired and intuitive, but nothing will be as important to you or as enjoyable for you as your family, however it was created. pisces (Feb. 20-march 20): While you’re busy procrastinating that necessary career change, why not give in to distraction and take a road trip? In The Trip, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play fictional versions of themselves eating and verbally one-upping each other in and out of restaurants through the English countryside—your idea of a perfect vacation. Take a sibling, your cell phone and your iPad, so you’ll always be connected to the real world. You love to speak your mind, pontificate and give your opinion about things some might consider trivial, so with a road trip you’ll have a captive audience. aries (march 21–april 20): This past year has been an exciting ride, sometimes feeling like a roller coaster, others a tilt-a-whirl. In Adventureland, a college grad’s life takes an unexpected turn after he reluctantly takes a gig at a local amusement park and discovers another world. Although it wasn’t his chosen career path, it sure turned out to be fun: He learned some new skills, met some new people and changed his mind and the course of his life...just like you in May. By Deborah Mastelotto deborah@pinkaustin.com
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on the book shelf
All In the Family
Bernadette Noll
Two Austin authors on the joy of slowing down and reconnecting as a means to strengthening family ties. By Erin Henry Bracken
Slow Family Living: 75 Simple Ways to Slow Down, Connect and Create More Joy by Bernadette Noll It’s a familiar scenario: On a typical weekday you’re weaving in and out of traffic, anxiously eyeing the clock as you prepare to drop off your kids at music lessons and baseball practice. Once home, you sling a meal together while simultaneously overseeing homework assignments. Bracing yourself, you try to keep your cool until you can herd everyone to bed. Slow Family Living is comprised of 75 creative (and totally doable) ideas to wrangle your kids and reclaim control of your family life. You’ll learn how to tidy up in a cinch, combine meditation with your child’s bedtime for some bonus togetherness and even get your family involved in community service. Noll’s tenets are simple: “Slow down, connect, and enjoy family life.” Whether you adapt a few ideas or all 75, my guess is that you’ll accomplish just that. Austin Woman slowed down with author Bernadette Noll to share how her book factors into her own family life at home. AUSTIN WOMAN: The book’s very first suggestion is to ask, “Is this working for us?” This question challenges parents to identity what is and isn’t working in their schedules and activities. For some parents, the decision to cut some long-standing activities may meet with opposition from their children. How can parents prepare their children for a potentially major change-up?
40 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
Bernadette Noll: Anytime a family is about to make major changes, I really think it should be done slowly and thoughtfully. Of course the first part of that change is the question you reference above, “Is this working?” If your children are old enough, they can be part of that discussion and help come up with a solution. Then, rather than thinking of it as “What are we taking away?” I think families can think of it as what are we gaining instead—and using that positive framework to state it to your children. For example: “We’re not going to drive across town to gymnastics in rush hour twice a week, but we are going to get a really cool gym mat for the living room.” Or: “We’re not going to do so many extracurricular activities during the week so that now you can invite a friend over one or two more times per week after school.” Frame it so they can get behind the action and so they feel like things are going to be better than they were. Know too that you might have to deal with a little griping from your children in the short term, but the long term will be a more balanced family and more balanced individuals. Ultimately you know what is best for your family. The last chapter in my book gives steps for
implementing change. It is a process that taken slowly can be way easier to put into effect than if you try to do it overnight. AW: There are so many wonderful ideas in this book to help families slow down and connect with one another. Is there one in particular that has become a favorite in your own home? BN: From a utilitarian sense I really like “The Blitz,” which is about getting everyone on board for a quickie family tidy up. It’s not a house cleaning as much as it is getting the house in order, but it goes a long way toward comfort and sanity. And it’s fun to do it this way as opposed to the parents doing everything. On a more emotional level, I really like “Practicing Family Life.” Always there is something I need to work on in my parenting;
whether it’s being present, not yelling, being appreciative, whatever. And so when I give myself a “practice” for the week, it really helps me get that particular trait under my belt. Last week I wanted to really greet my family with an open heart. All week it was in my consciousness and it really helped me achieve that goal. Now that I’ve done it so intentionally and thoughtfully, it is way more a part of who I am. Not that I do it all the time, but I do it mostly. AW: Between your workshops, previous writing and now this new book, some readers might assume your own family life is near-perfect. Can you share how well your family is able to put some of these 75 suggestions for slower living into practice on a daily basis? BN: Well, if we live in the belief that everything is perfect, then I guess my life actually is perfect—for me. It is the life I have created, the life I love and the life I am living. At the same time, my life is certainly not for everyone. There are things we do and choices we’ve made that wouldn’t work for all. That
Nurturing the Soul of Your Family: 10 Ways to Reconnect and Find Peace in Everyday Life by Renée Peterson Trudeau Renée Trudeau admits she’s a reluctant author, but when her publisher approached her about re-releasing her first book, she knew she had something else to offer. After polling thousands of families, she had discovered some disheartening common themes: Parents and individuals were lamenting that they suffered from a lack of well-being and overall happiness. As a result, Trudeau decided to draw on her 15 years of experience extolling the virtues of self-care to educate her clients and readers, and the idea for Nurturing the Soul of Your Family was quickly born. In her new book, Trudeau dismisses the notion that people are self-improvement projects and instead lays out 10 paths to peacefulness. During a recent conversation, Trudeau clarified that “this book is not about the things you should do—it’s about imagining what it would feel like to be in greater align-
being said, I also must say I have super support at home in the form of my husband, Kenny. He has been the stay-at-home parent for the past few years and it works pretty well for us. That was definitely one of those situations where we said, “Is this working for us?” The appreciations are definitely a part of our everyday life. Actually, I truly attribute the appreciations with saving our marriage! It is a huge shift in how we perceive things, how we perceive each other and the children. The appreciations make us really look at what’s good, and the more we look for what’s good, the more we see what’s good—as opposed to seeing what the others are not doing or what they’re doing wrong. Of course there are some days it’s not always easy to appreciate, and those are exactly the days we need to do it more! We use lots of the things in the book. Sometimes we use them every day and sometimes we use them when we know it’s time to use them. The blitz, the appreciations, the road trip or even just forgiving and forgetting. It’s all part of our life over the
weeks, months and years. But really what I want people to realize about this book is that it isn’t about me. It’s about each particular family and what works for them. Recently I did a blog post about the dangers of looking in on people’s lives and knowing what they’re dealing with. We really never get the big picture, we only get a snapshot. So rather than looking out and judging ourselves against what we see, we can just look at our own family and figure out what we love, need, want and take it from there. That’s sort of what Slow Family is about: pausing long enough to know what those things are. Bernadette Noll is the cofounder of Slow Family Living, a series of classes, workshops and speaking engagements that helps families navigate the journey of slowing down their home and family life. The Austin-based author, teacher and mom of four also wrote Make Stuff Together: 24 Simple Projects for Your Family, published in 2011. Learn more about her projects at slowfamilyliving.com.
ment and feel like you’re living the life you desire.” The self-described compassionate writer concludes each chapter with a “pat on the back” and is bursting with introspective exercises. Each chapter contains the kinds of aha moments and insights that will have you circling and Renée highlighting the pages again Peterson Trudeau and again.“There’s just so much joy waiting to be experienced with your family, and it’s just a matter of slowing down and being more present.” Renée Trudeau, the acclaimed speaker and life-balance coach at the helm of both Renée Trudeau & Associates and Career Strategists, lives in Austin with her husband and their 11-year-old son. Her first book, The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate, Re-Balance your Life, is a yearlong manual helping women of all ages develop and maintain self-care while transforming their lives. Trudeau’s blog, upcoming events and information on her other work can be found at
reneetrudeau.com. Join Trudeau on May 5 at Book People for a book signing and special Mother’s Day miniretreat.
austinwomanmagazine.com 41
must list /
t r av e l
Honey, I Brought the Kids Travel destinations for the whole family. By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne
42 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
With his typical Seinfeld smirk, Jerry once remarked, “There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.” While this may bring a laugh based on experience, I know there actually is such a thing. I have been writing family travel articles for more than
20 years, and my (now adult) children are the only kids I know who begged not to return to Disney World for the third year in a row. What I learned from those years of writing about family vacations was twofold: It is all in the planning, and in the
immortal words of Khalil Gibran, “let there be spaces in your togetherness.” With that in mind, Austin Woman recommends getaways guaranteed to provide fun for the whole family—and make lifelong memories in the process.
Photos courtesy of Hyatt Regency Lost Pine Resort.
Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa Long drives and cumbersome airplane trips can ruin a vacation before it begins, so why not choose a nearby destination that is close in proximity but miles from Austin in attitude and atmosphere? The Hyatt Lost Pines Resort is less than an hour from downtown Austin—a short drive down Highway 71, just minutes from Bastrop. You begin to decompress immediately as a long drive winds toward the secluded 405-acre property located on the banks of the Colorado River. Designed to be Texas comfortable, the feel of the resort is rustic and welcoming. While the resort is familyfriendly, the rooms are upscale featuring luxe linens, spa quality bath products and beautiful bathrooms with soaking tubs. The resort was one of only two Texas properties to receive the coveted Travel + Leisure Top Family Hotel designation in 2012, ranking 18th of 50. The key to fun for the whole family is that there must be plenty of activities and amenities to satisfy children of all ages as well as parents. Lost Pines succeeds in all categories. Activities are posted each day and families can always plan ahead with help from the concierge. A Condé Nast Traveler–recommended spa for mom; a Golfweek top 100 golf course for Dad; hikes, art, music, rafting, horseback riding, a water park and nightly treats for the kids—a good time will be had by all. 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road, Lost Pines, 512.308.1234, lostpines.hyatt.com
For the Entire Family ➜ Golf specials: Kids under the age of 12 play free after 2 p.m., while children ages 12 to 17 can enjoy 50 percent off. Offer valid for one child per paying adult. $100 can get a whole family in after 4 p.m. The rate includes rental
Recommended for Mom and Dad ➜ Spa Django ➜ Wolfdancer Golf Club ➜ A quiet day at the adult pool with a cold drink and a magazine. ➜ StayFit fitness center
Spa Django
For the Kids ➜ Wild Hare Youth Spa for ice cream, manicures and ooeygooey pedicures. ➜ Camp Hyatt, with morning and afternoon sessions to fit your schedule. ➜ Only at Lost Pines—The Hooves and Horns mascot program featuring two Texas Longhorns (T-Bone and Rib Eye) that come when called and are saddle broke for great photo ops; four Percheron draft horses who pull the Red Wagon for trips around the resort; two alpacas and two miniature donkeys round out the menagerie located in the corral across from the hummingbird garden.
clubs and a dozen golf balls for up to four family members. ➜ Ice cream from the McDade Emporium. ➜ Tennis, kayaking, rafting, equestrian activities and trail rides, floating the Crooked River and playing in the water park, and hiking in McKinney
Texas Longhorn T-Bone
Roughs Nature Park. ➜ Discover the wonders of birding. The 405-acre resort and adjoining 1,100 acres of McKinney Roughs attracts some 250 species of birds and some of the most unusual seen in Central Texas. The desk will provide binoculars and a list for recording sightings of feathered friends.
➜ There is a wide variety of family-oriented activities scheduled throughout the week which can include stargazing, family Olympics, kickball, tug-of-war and horseshoe tournaments. ➜ Not to be missed are s’mores around the fire pit at dusk.
austinwomanmagazine.com 43
must list /
t r av e l
Top Destinations
To reunite you and your family with the great outdoors From cruises, European vacations, adventure trips, biking vacations, train trips, beach vacations and holiday travel, some of the best ideas for family vacations reside in wide-open spaces. Here are three of our favorites:
Best Budget-Friendly Vacation Spot
El Capitan Canyon
Vista Verde Guest Ranch
El Capitan Canyon: For glamorous camping 20 miles north of Santa Barbara on the California coast, families can stay in secluded cabins that have kitchenettes and private bathrooms with soaking tubs, or safari tents. Fire pits in the cooking area allow families to prepare their own meals. Family activities include storytelling, Saturday-night barbecues and concerts in the summer. There is also a heated swimming pool.
Best All-Inclusive Family Resort in the US Vista Verde Guest Ranch: Beat the Austin heat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. During the summer, families can go horseback riding, fly fishing, hiking, rafting, kayaking and rock climbing; in the winter, families ski, sled and snowshoe. Throughout the year, guests also enjoy the swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, spa, culinary classes, wine tasting, yoga and evening entertainment. The resort offers special programs for kids and teens. Kid-friendly dining options abound, and guests stay in cozy cabins or lodge rooms.
Best National Park Vacation for Families
Yellowstone National Park
44 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
Yellowstone National Park: My family visited Yellowstone when I was 11 years old, and the images and memories are ever present. It is a vacation for every bucket list. On the Wyoming-Montana border, Yellowstone is the country’s first and arguably finest national park. One day you’re watching Old Faithful, a towering geyser, erupt. The next day you’re going eyeball to eyeball with buffalo, elk and moose. It’s ideally suited for families. In addition to Old Faithful, you’ll find a historic dude ranch specializing in horseback riding and fly-fishing excursions, canoe rentals and a favorite local hot springs.
meet the critics No time to plan the ultimate family vacation? AW recommends Family Vacation Critic, an extensive website featuring reviews of family-friendly hotels, resorts, destinations and attractions. The site is packed with ideas on where to go next, highlights of the best family travel deals and advice for traveling with kids of all ages. Members can ask questions about destinations or any aspect of traveling with kids in the popular family travel forum, share their tips and ideas, and post reviews of the places they’ve visited. Every review on Family Vacation Critic is written specifically with families in mind. The site features in-depth reports on familyfriendly hotels, resorts and destinations, written by experienced family travel experts, as well as member-submitted reviews. These reviews—written by parents, for parents—offer families a priceless insight into how kid-friendly hotels and resorts really are. Lissa Poirot, family travel expert and editor of Family Vacation Critic, has been a writer and editor for 17 years. Mom to two young travelers, she tours the world and puts her advice into practice with her kids in tow. familyvacationcritic.com
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Summer tr ends
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Marc by Marc Jacobs bikini, $94 top, $89 bottoms, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com
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the ocean blue Betsey Johnson lace bikini, $64, available at Everything But Water, 10000 Research Blvd., 512.346.2682, everythingbutwater.com
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Blue Glue floral bikini, $22 top, $25 bottoms, available at Blue Glue, 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 108, 512.838.9113, blue-glue.com
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Summer tr ends
on the dot Jantzen polka dot one piece, $112, available at Everything But Water, 10000 Research Blvd., 512.346.2682, everythingbutwater.com
the little black suit Jantzen one piece with peplum, $96, available at Everything But Water, 10000 Research Blvd., 512.346.2682, everythingbutwater.com
Modest Miss Flattering suits for all shapes and sizes summer romance
pink lady Profile one-piece suit, $128, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com
48   Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
Betsey Johnson floral one piece, $148, available at Everything But Water, 10000 Research Blvd., 512.346.2682, everythingbutwater.com
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style /
acce ssor i e s Manic Trout sea horse necklace, $90, available at manictrout.com
Color Me Blue From teal to cobalt, these blue hues are staples for your summer wardrobe.
Joan & David sandals, $99, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com
Photos by Caleb Kerr Zad blue necklace, $40, available at Blue Elephant, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 510, 512.371.3259
East Cloud scarf, $26, available at Adelante, 1206 W. 38th St., 512.452.5322, adelanteaustin.com
Sun ‘n’ Sand hat, $25, available at Adelante, 1206 W. 38th St., 512.452.5322, adelanteaustin.com
Rebecca Minkoff bag, $395, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com
Ring, $15, available at Blue Elephant, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 510, 512.371.3259
Peaches ‘n Cream dress, $59, available at Adelante, 1206 W. 38th St., 512.452.5322, adelanteaustin.com
Apt. 9 clutch, $50, available at Kohl’s, 4805 Hwy. 290 W., Sunset Valley, 512.358.7607, kohls.com
Kendra Scott Delilah earrings in Cobalt, $75, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com 50 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
Belt, $15, available at Blue Elephant, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 510, 512.371.3259
Furla large blue tote bag, $398, available at Nordstrom, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.691.3500, nordstrom.com
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style /
b e au t y
May Flowers
“To create a palette of blues and purples, I used a Vanda orchid for its exotic beauty and hyacinths for their playful nature as the focal flowers of this arrangement,” says Natasha HarperMadison, owner of Eco Chic Floral (ecochicfloral.com). Eco Chic is one of Austin’s Green Business Leaders for their use of sustainable, locally-sourced flowers.
Find beauty inspiration in the delicate pinks and bold indigos of summer flowers. Photo by Caleb Kerr
Cargo Barcelona Eyeshadow Palette, $30, available at nordstrom.com
52 Austin Woman M a y 2 0 1 3
Urban Decay Lip Love Lip Therapy in Drizzle, $12, available at urbandecay.com
Rae Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Bamboo, $16, available at Rae Cosmetics, 1206 W. 38th St., Suite 3102, 512.320.8732, raecosmetics.com
OPI Nail Lacquer in Can’t Find My Czechbook, $9, available at Austin Beauty Store, various locations, austinbeautystore.com
Everyday Minerals Blush in Glam Guru, $7, available at everydayminerals.com
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gourmet /
din ing
Feasting, Family Style Six great places to share a meal with your loved ones. By Kristi Willis Few things reinforce the comfort of home like plates being passed around the table at family dinner—serving spoons clanking against the sides of bowls, chatter filling the air, loved ones sharing dishes and stories and maybe a hand or two sneaking that last serving off of a platter. There is something magical about passing the plate and sharing from communal dishes. But getting family dinner on the table isn’t always easy with competing, jam-packed schedules, and increasingly restaurants, from the chic to the casual, are offering menus for shared family-style meals.
Buca di Beppo
Olive & June 3411 Glenview Ave., 512.467.9898, oliveandjune-austin.com When the occasion calls for something special, Sunday night dinner at Olive & June fits the bill. Chef Shawn Cirkiel creates a weekly four-course menu featuring Italian dishes from his grandmothers’ tables. The $35 price tag might seem steep, but the servings are ample and children younger than 12 eat free, making this meal an exquisite family value. Check the website or their Facebook page on Thursdays for that Sunday’s menu, and make reservations to ensure there is plenty of room for your brood or to guarantee a coveted spot on the patio under their sprawling oak tree.
Din Ho Chinese Barbecue 8557 Research Blvd., Suite 116, 512.832.8788, dinhochinesebbq.com If your tastes trend toward the Orient, Din Ho Chinese Barbecue offers special combination dinner menus for three to 10 people. Ask for the family-style menu
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Buca di Beppo 3612 Tudor Blvd., 512.342.8462, bucadibeppo.com This nationally known Italian restaurant offers a more casual family dining experience any day of the week. Their shared-plate approach and focus on group dining makes this the perfect place for celebrating that big soccer win or family birthday with a large crew. All dishes are sized to be shared—small, for two or more, or large, for four or more—encouraging families and friends to pass that plate of salad, pasta or pizza in true Italian style. The restaurant is lively, making it easy to entertain a large party without worrying about disrupting those around you.
when being seated to enjoy an assortment of traditional Chinese dishes including succulent roasted duck, smoky barbecue pork, stir-fried greens and a silky shredded pork, and vegetable and tofu soup that will leave you asking for more. Din Ho has a no-frills diner feel, but you won’t mind once you start digging into dinner.
Fresa’s Chicken Al Carbon 915 N. Lamar Blvd., 512.428.5077, fresaschicken.com
For a healthy shared meal when there is no time to cook, Fresa’s Chicken Al Carbon is a tasty alternative. This takeaway gem on North Lamar offers whole, half or quarter grilled chicken spiced with either achiote and citrus or fresh oregano and cracked pepper, and comes served with rice, beans and tortillas. Add one of their fresh salads, guacamole or a few sides of Mexican street corn to create a feast the entire family will enjoy as a picnic or at the dining table.
North Austin Trailer Yard 1012 W. Anderson Lane, 512.750.5361, facebook.com/austinNATY The NATY on Anderson Lane is a great place to share dinner when everyone has different tastes. The trailer park has a few key anchor tenants with several other seasonal trailers, shaded seating, live music nights and a playground for the kids. Snarkys Moo Bawk Oink sells specialty sandwiches like the Cubano or Banh Mi with creative gourmet doughnuts like the s’mores delicacy with chocolate syrup, mini marshmallows and graham cracker topping. Johnny T’s Barbecue, a trailer outpost for the popular Round Rock restaurant, serves up traditional Texas barbecue, while Chilly Dogs ATX sells hot dogs and hamburgers with the toppings of your choosing as well as shaved ice topped with syrups from Louisiana. These restaurants and others are making it easy to share family dinner, and more importantly the conversation and fellowship that goes with it, even when it doesn’t come from your own kitchen. Whether it’s a celebratory meal at Olive & June or a casual night at the NATY, gather the family around for a special evening.
WE WON’T
TWIST YOUR ARM TO PUT A RING ON
HER FINGER
The Salt Lick
Photo courtesy of Salt Lick.
18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, 512.858.4959, saltlickbbq.com Possibly the most traditional of Texas’ shared meals is the family-style barbecue dinner at The Salt Lick. Piles of juicy, pit-smoked brisket, sausage and ribs are guaranteed to satisfy the largest appetites, particularly when paired with heaping helpings of potato salad, cole slaw and white bread with a little sweet tea on the side. Conversation may come to a halt when the plates arrive, but discussion will pick back up over tangy cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream.
2900 WEST ANDERSON LN.
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gourmet /
ce l e br at e
Cinco de Mayo, Austin-Style
Chicken Enchiladas with Habanero Cream Sauce
There is no shortage of opportunities for celebrating this May 5th in Austin.
The 4th Annual La Condesa Cinco de Mayo Downtown Block Party May 5, 1–9 p.m., West Second Street between Guadalupe and San Antonio streets With a vast assortment of Mexican food and drinks
56 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
as well as performances from a variety of Hispanic music groups and DJs, this block party—which expects to draw a crowd of 7,000—will be nothing short of a great time. Fiestas Patrias of Austin’s 8th Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta May 4–5, Fiesta Gardens Park, 1901 Jesse Segovia Ave. Since 1978, Fiestas Patrias has worked to preserve and promote Hispanic heritage and culture through festivals. Proceeds from this two-day event will benefit youth programs in Austin’s Hispanic community, including an annual free community Thanksgiving dinner. A great line-up of traditional Tejano and Cajunto bands—and traditional Mexican fare, of course—gives this festival a truly authentic feel.
If you’re looking to host a Cinco de Mayo party of your own, why not impress your guests with a couple of stellar recipes courtesy of David Garrido himself?
Tequila Tasting at Garrido’s May 5, 2–4 p.m., Garrido’s, 360 Nueces St. As promised, there will be no shortage of tequila in Austin on May 5th. For many, drinking tequila and celebrating Cinco de Mayo go hand-in-hand. If that’s the case for you, head down to Garrido’s and take part in a Tres Generaciones Tequila tasting they’ll be hosting that day. Once you’ve had your fill of tequila, throw on your dancing shoes and get ready to party, because the La Condesa Block Party is just around the corner.
Chicken Enchiladas with Habanero Cream Sauce (serves four)
Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients: 8 corn tortillas 1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded 2 tablespoons chipotle purée (add more if you want it spicy) ½ cup diced onions 1 cup diced potatoes, cooked in water until soft 1 cup diced tomato ¼ cup chopped cilantro 2 cups shredded jack cheese Salt to taste Habanero cream sauce Guacamole Pickled onions Directions: Preheat oven to 350˚ F. In a bowl, mix chicken with chipotle purée, onions, potatoes, tomato, cilantro and cheese. Season with salt slightly. Warm tortillas slightly in a skillet to
Photo by Kirk Tuck, courtesy Garrido’s.
Do you like to party? If the answer is yes, you’ve probably been gearing up for this year’s Cinco de Mayo festivities since May 6, 2012, and we can’t blame you. Austin is notorious for throwing some of the best May 5th fiestas this side of the Rio Grande, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever. The holiday began as a commemoration of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. But over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become for many people a day to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture, especially in areas of the United States with sizable Mexican-American populations. Like many other cities in the American Southwest, Austin is largely defined by its proximity to Mexico and the many Mexican-Americans who have played a significant role in shaping its unique culture. For that reason, it is no wonder thousands of Austinites take part in the Cinco de Mayo celebration every year to pay tribute to Mexico and the many Mexican traditions that have become permanent fixtures in our daily lives. And since the holiday has only become more and more popular in recent years, you can expect this year’s Cinco de Mayo to be as lively as ever, with plenty of music and dancing, as well as Tex-Mex galore. Oh, and tequila— there will certainly be plenty of that too. If you’re looking to take part in the festivities, you need look no further: Austin Woman has pinpointed the capital city’s spiciest events.
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ce l e br at e
[continued from previous page]
make them soft enough to roll the enchiladas. Divide the chicken mixture evenly onto the eight tortillas and roll. Place them in a greased baking dish and cover until ready to serve. When ready to heat enchiladas, spoon a little sauce over before you put them in the oven so the tortillas don’t get hard. Heat for six to 10 minutes, or until hot inside. Remove from the oven and divide onto four plates. Spoon more sauce over the enchiladas and garnish with guacamole, Mexican crema (found at most grocery stores and specialty Mexican stores) and pickled onions.
Habanero Cream Sauce Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped garlic ½ cup diced onion 2 cups coarse chopped tomatoes 1 habanero (add more if you want it spicy) ½ cup heavy whipping cream Directions: In a saucepan, heat olive oil to medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook for one to two minutes or until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, habanero and cream, then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Transfer to the blender and purée, starting at the lowest speed until smooth. Keep sauce warm.
Guacamole Ingredients: 1 avocado ¼ teaspoon lime juice Salt to taste
Garrido’s If you’ve followed the Austin food scene over the years, the name David Garrido should ring a bell. In 2009, the former executive chef of Jeffrey’s opened Garrido’s on the ground floor of the 360 Condominiums, located at the corner of 3rd and Nueces streets. Bordering a lush stretch of Shoal Creek, the restaurant’s high ceilings, soft lighting and capacious patio come together to affect a feeling of cool isolation in the heart of downtown. Although
58 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
Directions: Mash ingredients together in a bowl with a fork. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Paloma Margarita
Pickled Onions Ingredients: 1 red onion, sliced 1 cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon salt Directions: Place all ingredients into a saucepan, then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and refrigerate until ready to use.
Paloma Margarita
Ingredients: 1–1½ ounces Tres Generaciones Tequila 1 ounce Grand Marnier 2–4 ounces fresh grapefruit juice 4 ounces Fresca Directions: Shake ingredients together and garnish with a slice of grapefruit or orange wedge.
the restaurant attracts a vast clientele, the wide-open interior and adjoining patio allow for enough space to give customers a liberating sense of privacy, even on the weekends when the place becomes a convenient launchpad for hundreds of fashionable Austinites ramping up for a night on the town. Scion of the Latin-American culinary tradition, David Garrido’s success as a chef can be partly attributed to his ability to render complex dishes using a limited number of simple, fresh ingredients. The same aesthetic
sensitivity apparent in the restaurant’s elegant layout can be observed in most everything issued from its tightly managed kitchen. In contrast with the dining room’s soft, orangish atmosphere, each plate radiates with a well-orchestrated blend of bright colors derived from the spices and peppers commonly found in Mexican cuisine. Yet, a pervading health consciousness contributes an additional David Garrido
color template to the menu as well, a few shades lighter than what we typically associate with run-of-the-mill Tex-Mex. Unusual harmonies, such as the coupling of watermelon and pork, may give pause to those unfamiliar with Garrido’s unique brand of “New World Latino,” but one need only taste to realize that it is the palate he ultimately seeks to please. “Health and pleasure on the plate” is the motto Chef Garrido uses to explain his culinary vision—a vision he has fully realized in a restaurant worthy of his highly regarded name.
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to your health /
fitness
Built-In Workout Add resistance to your workout and your life on the go with a stylish new alternative to dumbbells. By Deborah Hamilton-Lynne They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and such was the case when aerobics instructor Maya Kaminsky noticed that adding traditional weights to her students’ workouts limited their movement. The solution: Add hidden weights to workout garments with the creation of innovative fitness apparel line W8Fit Activewear. The great news is that adding weights increases resistance and fat-burning power to any workout and helps to build muscle and bone density, thereby combatting osteoporosis and building strength. Your body burns calories based on weight, exercise, duration and intensity. When you add weight to your body, your muscles work harder, burning more calories. Properly weighted clothes will intensify any activity or exercise, increasing the metabolic rate, improving your results by burning more calories in the same amount of time, and making any workout more effective.
4 Steps to Start Your Day Off Right If setting your alarm early to exercise before heading to work seems impossible, Maya Kaminsky shares four tips to help get you moving in the morning. Try these tips for a full week, and you’ll really notice a difference. 1. Breathe Deeply: The first thing you should do in the morning is take some deep breaths into your stomach
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W8Fit weighted tank
This line of workout apparel is designed specifically for women and is the only activewear on the market with hidden pockets designed to hold weights. The weights are also innovative because they are small, bendable and easy to conceal. The flat rectangle design fits comfortably against the body. Adjustable in quarter-pound and halfpound increments, weights are easily removed to customize overall weight to meet specific training needs. All the edges are fully rounded, so there are no sharp or hard corners or bulges. The workout wear moves well and can also be worn for a wide variety of activities, from dancing
and concentrate on waking up. Imagine breathing in a bright-white light that makes your body feel happy and light.
your bed and, if you’re feeling up to it, 20 jumping jacks. (You might have to put on a bra first!)
2. Reach for the Stars: Laying in bed, take a nice deep breath in, exhale and stretch your arms and legs like a star as far as you can. Then pull your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them. Repeat five times.
4. Drink a Glass of Lemon Water: A warm glass of lemon water on an empty stomach actually has a lot of health benefits as well as serving to wake you up. It will kick-start your metabolism so your body wakes up faster and you feel more alert.
3. Do a Mini Workout: 20 squats, 20 push ups off
For more fitness tips, go to w8fit.wordpress.com.
to yoga to running to walking—even wearing these while running errands can convert a grocery store trip into a workout. W8Fit also makes a weighted cuff that can be adjusted and used by women of any age or fitness level to help improve arm strength in women with limited activity levels or mobility, while still adding an extra workout boost to more active and physically fit women. So say adios to bulky dumbbells and cumbersome weights and hello to stylish alternative active wear. w8fit.com About the Founder Maya Kaminsky combined her love of fashion and fitness when she launched W8Fit Activewear last summer. In the past year, her line has been featured on the Today Show and in Shape, People and Prevention magazines. Austin Woman asked the 29-year-old entrepreneur to share her advice on starting a business. “You can always figure out what you need,” Kaminsky says. “I knew absolutely nothing about product development, manufacturing, marketing, website development, social media or how to patent a new product. That didn’t stop me. I Googled everything, hired out what I couldn’t do, and talked to everybody to see if I can make any helpful connections. Don’t stop yourself from pursuing an idea because there are roadblocks. If there is a will inside you, you can find a way to achieve your business goals.”
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GISELLE MAY 10 -12
The Long Center
A story of love and forgiveness in the most romantic ballet of all time. Choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot ~ Music by Adolphe Adam Featuring the Austin Symphony Orchestra
Tickets starting at $15, visit balletaustin.org or call 512.476.2163 Production Sponsors
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D
to your health /
The Bare Bones Everything a woman needs to know about osteoporosis.
wellness
Avoid caffeinated beverages and soft drinks (the caffeine and acid in soft drinks can decrease calcium absorption)
Exercise (walking is the best form of exercise for bone health)
Get 1000 mg of calcium in your diet, naturally or with supplements
Take 1000 international units of Vitamin D daily
Quit smoking (smoking robs your bones of calcium and vitamin D)
Keep drinking to a minimum (alcohol interferes with the parathyroid hormone, and it increases vitamin D deficiency)
By Jill Case It might not be fair, but there’s a huge gender gap when it comes to bone health: women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. A staggering 200 million women around the world are afflicted with this treatable and often preventable disease, so ladies: It’s time to start looking after your bones. Bone Density Testing “Osteoporosis happens when you lose too much bone, make too little bone or both,” the National Osteoporosis Foundation explains. “As a result, bones become weak and can break from a minor fall or, in serious cases, even from simple actions, like sneezing or bumping into furniture.” Osteopenia, another term you often hear, is when you have a low bone density, but not low enough for you to be osteoporotic. The primary test that is currently used to determine whether or not a woman has osteoporosis or osteopenia is a bone density test. Dr. Simona Scumpia of Austin Thyroid and Endocrinology suggests routine screening, even when there are no symptoms existing at all, starting after a woman begins menopause. She says that if women have two or more risk factors, especially a family history, she may need to be tested at an earlier age. When you have a bone density test, you will receive a T-score. This score compares your bone density to that of a healthy 30-year-old adult.
What can you do to help protect yourself? There are steps you can take that may help strengthen your bones, even if you aren’t showing signs of bone loss yet.
Dr. Scumpia emphasizes that a patient could have a T-score that indicates osteopenia, but if they have a fragility fracture, then they would still need to discuss treatment with their physician. “A fragility fracture is defined as any fracture that you have when you fall from a standing position—of your spine, your hip, your wrist or your collarbone,” Dr. Scumpia says. She adds that this consideration of a person’s fragility fracture, in addition to the T-score, is relatively new, and many physicians may not take this into account. “We are missing a lot of cases where we could actually prevent a fracture.” Consider breaching the topic with your physician when you discuss your T-score. Another score that is being used to help physicians determine whether or not patients need treatment is the FRAX score. “The FRAX is incorporating all the other risk factors we’ve talked about,” Dr. Scumpia explains. “For example, if the patient has a fracture, then the
Understanding Your T-score -2.5
Osteoporosis -2.5 and below
Normal Bone Density -1 and above
*Source: World Health Organization
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Risks and Benefits of Medication There has been quite a bit of coverage in the media of the risks associated with osteoporosis medication. Dr. Scumpia emphasizes that while there are risks and side effects associated with these medications (as there are with any medications, even over-the-counter medications), the benefits to patients with osteoporosis far
Assessing Your Risk The primary risk factor for developing osteoporosis is being female. Approximately 80 percent of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis are women. Other uncontrollable risk factors are:
-1
Low Bone Density (Osteopenia) Between -2.5 and -1
FRAX score is immediately going to be much higher. If the patient has a mother with a hip fracture, it’s one of the strongest risk factors. It’s a very powerful tool that’s still penetrating the medical community, and every woman who has a bone density test and has osteopenia should have a number reported on the bone density.” She says if you do not see a FRAX score on your test when you have osteopenia, you should ask your physician about it. If you have osteoporosis, you don’t need to worry about a FRAX score—the physician already knows that you need to be treated.
Age: Women over the age of 50 are more at risk, especially once they are in menopause.
Race: Caucasian women and Asian women are at greatest risk.
Family history: If your parent or siblings have osteoporosis or a history of fractures, you are at greater risk.
Body size: Having a small frame or low body weight. *Source: The National Osteoporosis Foundation
Make it a night on the town outweigh the risks. “These side effects are extremely, extremely rare, ranging from one in 200,000 to one in 500,000 cases,” Dr. Scumpia says. “This needs to be compared with the fact that the risk of fracture is one in two in women in menopause.” “I have a tough time convincing many of my patients to take the medications because they are so scared of the side effect,” she continues. “I, as a physician, have treated tens of thousands of patients, and I have never had a case of these complications. You have to put a bit of common sense in this—it is much more devastating to have a hip fracture, as a woman, because everything you hold dear—gardening and walking and taking your grandchild in your arms—could be over.” Preventive Measures In addition to the steps diagrammed left, women need to be very careful—especially after age 65— to avoid falls. Dr. Scumpia recommends safetyproofing the home as much as possible. “They should have night-lights,” she says, “and if there are stairs, they should have something that reminds them about the stairs. In the shower, they need to have things that prevent falls, like safety rails. All homes should have these, but very few of them do.” It is also important to keep floors free of throw rugs, cords and clutter. Osteoporosis is a treatable disease when you work with your physician. It’s important to be aware of your risk factors and to get tested if you have symptoms, have two or more major risk factors or, for all women, when you reach menopause. You hold the key to your own bone health: Be proactive, stay informed and work with your physician so you can keep moving safely for many years. Dr. Simona Scumpia is the founder of Austin Thyroid & Endocrinology and Austin Osteoporosis Center. She has clinical research experience as a principal and secondary research investigator in 15 osteoporosis studies, has been awarded with expertise in internal medicine and endocrinology under the Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Endocrinology, and is a member of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Dr. Scumpia provides the holistic and integrated approach to evaluation and management of osteoporosis with instant assessment of the bone density and presence of fragility fractures, reading the results and discussing the treatment plan at the same visit. 612.467.2727, austinthyroid.com
with live music from the Austin Symphony
Enjoy the best in classical music with your best friends. Slip on the stilettos and have a night out with the Austin Symphony!
2012 – 2013 Season P E t E r B A y, M u S i c D i r E c t o r
For tickets and concert information: (512) 476-6064 or austinsymphony.org Ask about group rates!
to your health /
wellness
The Stress of Bed Rest When a pregnant woman is confined to her bed, it impacts not only the mother and baby, but also her family, her job and her entire life. By Darline Turner Johanna is a successful magazine editor who, at 39, seems to have it all and is at the top of her game. A jetsetter, Johanna’s days are filled with work, cocktail parties, networking and spending time with the love of her life—her husband, Tom. When Johanna learns that she is pregnant with the couples’ first child, she is overjoyed. While she has enjoyed enormous success personally and professionally, Johanna and Tom struggled to become pregnant. Now her tableau is complete. To Johanna’s surprise and horror, the pregnancy is in danger. At 24 weeks, her cervix has begun to soften, shrink and dilate. If this continues, Johanna is at risk of preterm labor and delivering a very fragile preterm infant. She has been prescribed strict bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Johanna is a composite of hundreds of women whose letters and e-mails I read, whose stories and journeys I have witnessed. They are regular women, like you and like me, who become pregnant, are ecstatic and then nearly shattered when they learn that not only is the pregnancy not progressing as they had hoped, but that it could in fact end too soon and without a happy ending. How can this happen? What causes it? Each year, some 750,000 American women are placed on prescribed bed rest for some or a very large portion of their pregnancies. The reasons for the bed rest prescription are myriad. Yet despite no documented evidence of efficacy in the medical literature, bed rest is prescribed in
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an effort to ward off preterm labor (labor that occurs before 37 weeks gestation, resulting in a premature infant) and to produce as healthy and well developed a baby as possible. So, what is bed rest exactly? Well, it depends. Bed rest can be modified activity restriction such that women are “confined” to their homes, but can move about while not engaging in the regular activities of running a home and caring for a family. Or, it can be as strict and severe as complete confinement to bed in the hospital, lying on the left side and only up to use the toilet (and a bedside com-
mode at that!). The bed rest prescription really depends on a woman’s symptoms, her reproductive health history, where she is in her pregnancy and the development of the baby. If she is early on, let’s say 18 weeks, she may get a much stricter prescription than if she is, say, 34 weeks. At 18 weeks the baby would have little chance of surviving if it were born, so everything possible is done to “keep him cooking.” But at 34 weeks, the baby has a much greater chance of survival outside of the womb, so while a mama may be put on bed rest, if her symptoms aren’t severe and her overall health is good, the prescription may not be as stringent.
It’s not a luxurious rest. It’s not a spa retreat. It is long, tedious, tiresome work the takes a tremendous toll on women physically and emotionally.
Why don’t most women welcome the the boredom and isolation that eats away at a womrest? Aren’t most pregnant women an’s resolve. Whether it’s being able to hear conflict tired anyway? in the other room and not being able to tend to it Fatigue is one thing—potentially losing your with her usual aplomb, or it’s hearing your toddler baby is another! Any woman who has been on bed cry because he fell and you can’t run to pick him up rest will tell you, it’s anything but restful. Bed rest or hold him, or the deafening silence of being home is often the result of a routine prenatal examination alone—all day, every day—that makes mamas on bed detecting a complication. The woman is then imrest a bit anxious and sometimes depressed. mediately “put to bed”—at home, or if the situation And let’s not forget the physical toll that bed is more serious, in the hospital. That’s it. There’s rest inflicts on a woman’s body. Pregnancy is no time to plan, no time to make arrangements, no an enormous stressor to a woman’s body; the time to put anything in order. She then spends the growing uterus encroaches on the other internal next several days, weeks or organs affecting digestion, months worried, thinkurination, bowel funcing, Will my baby survive? tion (or nonfunction!) and What did I do wrong? breathing. The musculoWhat could I have done skeletal system shifts and differently? How could adapts (out of alignment) A multiple gestation: twins, triplets this have been avoided? to be able to support the or higher multiples She cries. She cries at the pregnancy. The cardiothought of losing her baby respiratory (heart, lungs An “incompetent cervix”, or one that (or another baby, as many and circulatory) systems begins to open prior to 37 weeks women who are put on bed increase function to be pregnancy, endangering the life of rest have a history of misable to accommodate and the fetus and possibly the mother carriage or preterm labor move the increased blood and delivery of premature volume and support the Preterm labor or a history of preterm infants). She cries in fear. nutrient and oxygen delabor (before 37 weeks gestation) She cries in frustration. She mands of the mother and cries at the loss of control— growing baby. NASA studHistory of prior miscarriage, stillbirth over the situation and over ies on inactivity showed (death in utero) or premature birth her body and the pregthat inactivity for as little (prior to 37 weeks gestation) nancy. High-risk pregnant as 60 days can result in women miss out on the full significant decreases in Intrauterine growth restriction/ pregnancy experience: No muscle mass, muscle tone retardation (impaired growth) strangers coming up to you and decreased bone mass in stores, asking how far density. Add to that, potenPlacenta previa (when the placenta along you are. No unsolictially, lying in the same popresents first at the cervical ited advice. No pats on the sition for days on end. It’s opening) belly. No people carrying not a luxurious rest. It’s your bags, opening doors, not a spa retreat. It is long, Gestational hypertension, with or catering to your every tedious, tiresome work without pre-eclampsia (toxemia) whim. As one mama told that takes a tremendous Gestational diabetes me, “Pregnant women on toll on women physically bed rest become invisible, and emotionally. Is it no Vaginal bleeding out of sight, out of mind.” wonder that women on bed And then the boredom rest are eight times more Too little amniotic fluid sets in. After the initial likely to develop postpar(oligoamnios) shock of the bed rest tum depression than their prescription, most women counterparts with uncomdo try to make the best of plicated pregnancies? it. Almost immediately daytime TV loses its appeal. Reading, crossword puzzles, crafts—these things What about a pregnant woman’s only go so far. Many women join online support family, her job, her life? groups and forums and find some solace in the com- The United States is one of only four countries pany of other women on bed rest. But in the end, it’s (the others are Papau New Guinea, Swaziland
Indications for Bed Rest
and Lesotho) in the developed world that offers no paid family medical leave. In other countries, both parents have a certain amount of paid leave where each parent can take time off and be with a new baby, a newly adopted child or to care for a loved one who is ill. In the United States, unless an employer decides to provide that benefit to employees, paid leave is nonexistent, so it’s completely arbitrary how much time the employee can take and how much pay will be granted. California, New York and New Jersey are the only states with paid-leave laws. Other states and many cities are adopting some form of paid leave, but it’s highly variable. Citing data on family poverty reduction, maternal and infant health benefits and employee retention, The National Partnership for Women and Families, the Progressive States Network, MomsRising and others are working aggressively to change the state and national workforce laws. Currently, American women must save vacation time and bank money prior to going out on leave. Maternity leave in the US is typically six weeks—hardly enough time to bond with a baby and establish feeding patterns. If a woman is prescribed bed rest, all hell breaks loose! If she is lucky enough to work for a company with more than 50 employees, her job will be secure for at least 12 weeks (without pay), according to the Family Medical Leave Act. After that, her employer is under no obligation to hold her position. If she works for a company with less than 50 employees (like 47 percent of the US workforce), her employer is under no obligation to ever hold her job or pay her salary. Some women are lucky enough to be able to work from home, and in that way maintain job security. Others are not so lucky and lose their jobs. This precarious situation puts entire families at risk, especially when a woman is the sole source of financial support, when she makes more than her spouse or when her job provides the medical benefits. Bed rest is never on anyone’s agenda for pregnancy. It has serious physical, emotional and economic consequences for pregnant women, their families, their employers and their careers. Researchers are studying and trying to determine the best way to not only treat but to also prevent complications leading to preterm labor and bed rest in American women. As the United States lags woefully behind most other nations in both physical and financial support for growing families, pending legislation could end the excruciating choice between having a family and economic security many families are forced to make.
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to your health /
Refresh Your Memory
The latest antidote in the quest for a cure for Alzheimer’s: green tea. By Andy East The disease that strikes the most fear in the hearts of Americans these days is not cancer, heart disease or even diabetes. According to a 2012 Marist poll, the dubious blue-ribbon prize of Most Frightening Disease now belongs to Alzheimer’s. On the heels of alarming projections on the surging Alzheimer’s epidemic in the U.S., new research on a molecule found in green tea offers a glimmer of hope. The results should not surprise given that the neurodegenerative disease is already the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and is the only top 10 cause of death that cannot be averted, cured or even debilitated. While fatalities from breast cancer, heart disease and stroke have declined since 2000, Alzheimer’s-related mortalities rose 68 percent from 2000 to 2010, and the Alzheimer’s Association’s projections for the first half of the 21st century could not be any more ominous. Alzheimer’s currently afflicts more than five million Americans, and that number is expected to eclipse seven million by 2025 and nearly triple by 2050, raising the economic burden on the U.S. healthcare system from $210 billion in 2013 to more than $1 trillion by mid-century. “As baby boomers hit their peak, you’ll see one in three seniors with Alzheimer’s or some kind of dementia,” says Michael Wilson, Ph.D., program officer
Food for Thought Keep your cerebrum in top shape and enhance your memory by consuming more of these superfoods.
Blueberries This diminutive azure fruit is replete with anthocyanin, a potent antioxidant pigment that can supercharge your memory.
66 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
n u t r ition
for healthy aging at St. David’s Foundation. “Our [health care] system is not effectively geared up to care for Alzheimer’s patients at present. If we’re not adequately prepared now, when we’re flooded with patients in 2050, we’ll be overwhelmed.” Despite the dour outlook, recent breakthroughs in research have shed light on an ancient delicacy readily available on supermarket shelves that may finally hold the key to finding a cure. In China it is called lü chá. The Koreans refer to it as nogcha. In the Anglosphere, it is known simply as green tea. Discovered nearly 5,000 years ago in China, the soothing, verdant infusion made from the leaf of the camellia sinensis plant has gone from being an exclusive luxury for Mongolian Dynasty aristocrats to becoming the second-most consumed beverage on Earth after water. Even though green tea has been consumed for medicinal purposes as far back as ancient China, scientists are still uncovering surprising health benefits of the brew millennia later. “Green tea is a very famous antioxidant,” explains Mi Hee Lim, Ph.D., the lead author of a new University of Michigan study on green tea and Alzheimer’s published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. “But nobody has been looking directly at [the possible effects of green tea on dementia].” The study’s findings have scientists buzzing about a molecule found in green tea called epigallocatechin3-gallate—or EGCG—which might be able to slow down and even prevent Alzheimer’s. Although scientists have yet to pinpoint what specifically causes Alzheimer’s, the prime suspects are clusters
Almonds Although commonly assumed to be a nut, almonds are actually the seed of a fruit and contain a generous dosage of protein, zinc and vitamin B6, which all help to keep the brain in pristine health. Dark Chocolate Before you clean out the grocery store candy aisle, double-check that your favorite dark-chocolate
of glutinous proteins called beta-amyloid plaques that adhere themselves to neurons in the brain, destroying the neurons and disrupting cell-to-cell communication. As the disease progresses, more and more beta-amyloid plaques accumulate, resulting in further loss of neurons and the gradual deterioration of cognition. Lim’s study demonstrated in a laboratory setting that the EGCG molecule from green tea extract could impede the formation of beta-amyloid clumps and even break down existing plaque formations. The next step will be to modify the chemical structure of green tea extract for use on fruit flies, a frequently-used animal model for medical research. “The ultimate goal is to develop medication for treatment before and after [diagnosis],” says Lim, who is quick to caution that the results are preliminary. “It’s hopeful news,” says Wilson. “It gives hope to people who either have Alzheimer’s or have loved ones with Alzheimer’s to know that there is research going in the right direction.”
delights are made from at least 70 percent cacao so as to reap the cognition-boosting benefits that cacao flavonoids offer. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Inject some Mediterranean panache into your diet by delighting your limbic system with hydroxytyrosol, a phytochemical with antioxidant compounds found in extra-virgin olive oil that is
believed to reduce susceptibility to cognitive decline. Green Tea Aside from its many health benefits such as the ability to lower your cholesterol, boost your metabolism and protect you from cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes, the abundance of antioxidant polyphenols in green tea can also improve your memory.
One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer. If you are 40 or older, or are considered to be at risk, Cedar Park Regional Medical Center encourages you to have a screening mammogram once a year – starting now. Please call 512-528-7035 to schedule your mammogram today. For more information, visit CedarParkRegional.com.
sChedulIng a MaMMOgRaM Is One Of the best thIngs yOu Can dO fOR yOuRself.
Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. A physician order is not required but the patient must provide a physician’s name when an appointment is made. If the patient does not have a physician, a list will be provided for the patient’s selection. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician and follow-ups are the responsibility of the patient.
Roberto Cavalli top, $745, and Stephen Dweck necklace, $690, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200.
closing the
genderation gap
GENaustin’s Julia Cuba is reshaping female selfesteem, one girl at a time.
By shelley seale Photos by annie ray Hair and makeup by Monnie Hightower and Ashton Smothermon, Pinup Salon, 7318 McNeil Dr., 512.258.4244
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When Julia Cuba was seven years old, she was the only girl on her T-ball team—and the fastest runner. At the end-of-season awards ceremony, kids ran down from the bleachers to claim their trophies as their names were called. The players were recognized for their individual talents on the team as they received their trophy, which featured a man in a baseball uniform, swinging a bat. Everyone on the team knew that Julia would be awarded Fastest Runner. But when the coach handed the trophy to the accomplished, expectant young girl, it featured a woman in a tight baseball outfit with giant breasts. “This is for the only girl on the team,” the coach said. “She really hung in there.” “I was humiliated,” Cuba says today. “The parents and kids all laughed as I held it. My parents took me home, and on the ride, I asked them why I had been made fun of for being the only girl—why they didn’t call me the fastest runner. My mom looked at me knowingly and said, ‘I hope you figure that out someday.’ Her response caused me to begin to notice the endless number of ways girls lose their selfesteem as they approach their teen years. And her response is likely the reason I do what I do today.” What Cuba does today is lead GENaustin, the Girls Empowerment Network of Austin with a mission to support and guide girls to make wise choices as they navigate the unique pressures of girlhood. “GENaustin is responding to a national crisis for girls—a systematic decline in self-esteem as they approach their teen years,” Cuba says. “GENaustin is addressing critical issues that girls face today, both locally and nationally. The organization is an amazing catalyst for change because we are educating our community about the unique pressures of growing up female. We serve girls from all backgrounds between the grades of four through 12.” Cuba says that girls are oversexualized at a very young age in the media, and that concept is engrained in our culture, so that they can sometimes be oversexualized in their personal lives. “Have
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you ever walked down the aisle just before Halloween and seen the costume options for little girls? Or looked at the toys for girls versus boys? Almost everything is oversexualized; girls are trained to believe they need to be sexy, petite, sweet and perfect from a very young age, and it leads to a lot of self-hatred in their futures.” Cuba is far from the only person with these fears. A national outrage was sparked recently over the Victoria’s Secret line of lingerie on her family of friends “The people I love are extremely generous called Bright Young and extremely tender. Those two qualities make them the most Things, which is aimed wonderful people on earth with which to share life, and I am lucky I at young women. Very have found so many of them right here in Austin. Laura [Smith, above middle] and Lacey [Richter, above right] are a perfect example of that.” young women—girls really, and much too Being single and with her family living close-by but in San Antonio, young, many say. The Julia has created a “family of friends” here in Austin. underwear, some of it “My friends have come from all over and settled in Austin. Living thong style, features alone, I love to spend time with them. They are connected and printed slogans that say always have the most interesting things going on. Laura and I went “Call me” and “Dare to Paris—we would be sitting in cafés talking and laughing for hours, you.” Although the while the waitstaff would be looking at their watches.” company claims the line is meant for college-age females, the marketing clearly seems aimed at a their skills, talents, intelligence and abilities. That far younger crowd. Justin Bieber, who has a huge is why GENaustin’s clubGEN after-school program audience that starts as young as eight or nine years exists. ClubGEN meets every week after school old, was recently hired to perform at the Victoria’s for girls in fifth to eighth grades all over central Secret Fashion Show. And Chief Financial Officer Texas, and it exists specifically to build long-term Stuart Burgdoerfer himself said, “They want to relationships with girls so they have a safe place to be older, and they want to be cool like the girl in go and talk about these types of issues. college, and that’s part of the magic of what we do “I think it is one of the best services I have ever at Pink.” His words indicate that the line is, in fact, seen,” Cuba remarks. “While there is not some targeted toward girls who are not yet adults. transformative change for girls each week, there is a Growing up female has always been challenging, life-long impact the program makes for girls as they but the onslaught of the media and Internet in togrow older and remember the issues they discussed, day’s world means a bombardment of messages and the voices they cultivated there and the goals they set images that tell girls they must be beautiful, sexy, there, all taking them beyond being oversexualized as look like this, act like that—rather than focusing on young girls. Some girls are dealing with perfectionism,
on life in austin
“I choose to be in Austin. My family is an hour away in San Antonio, but this is a better city for me being a single person. Austin is so open and into social service—I have never been to a town that cares so much about girls, and it is a privilege to be a part of leading that effort.”
challenges with goal setting or poor body image; other girls are dealing with harsh bullying, depression, selfmutilation, teen pregnancy, dating violence or problems at home. I think it’s the coolest thing that GENaustin has a program that can work with girls who are dealing with any of those issues, and we do it so well.” Cuba adds that GENaustin is unique as a girl’s organization because they understand girls’ issues and have the core competencies to teach girls in the ways they learn best. The idea of affecting the lives of young girls in such a positive way is something that was instilled in Cuba early on. In high school, she was already asking adults what jobs she could do when she grew up that would better the world for women and girls. She learned
living on the veg This year Julia Cuba celebrates 20 years as a vegetarian. “People don’t realize what an easy thing it is to do, and Austin restaurants are very vegetarian friendly.”
that while there were a lot of direct service positions, very few people knew how to raise money for girls’ and women’s issues. “That idea stuck with me, and I always sort of knew I would end up mobilizing resources for women and girls in my community and hopefully someday on an international level,” she says. The native Texan—born in San Antonio but living in Austin since 1998—went to college in Wisconsin and then moved to Chicago, where she worked at various grassroots women’s agencies on equal employment opportunities, international women’s issues, mentor programs and emergency rape counseling. “I pieced together five or six part-time jobs at various organizations so I could learn as much as possible
Buenos Aires Café Spinach salad dinner entrée and verdura empanadas “Light, delicious and healthy. Wonderful atmosphere, extensive wine list and it’s in my neighborhood.” 1201 E. 6th St., buenosairescafe.com
about working on behalf of women and girls,” Cuba says. “Having been away from Texas for six years, I decided to come back, and I selected Austin since it was a great town for a young, single person and just down the road from my family.” That year, 1998, Cuba went to work for the Girl Scouts of Central Texas. Her role was to help develop a program for girls whose mothers were incarcerated. Prison takes a heavy toll on more than those behind its bars—perhaps none more so than the children of those inmates. The new program, Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, was meant to bring these mothers and daughters together, in spite of the prison walls. Cuba’s job was to be a troop leader and help the program evolve into a strong part of the council’s services. She led the troop for eight years, working with more than 100 girls whose mothers were incarcerated. “It required me to drive a 15-passenger van around central Texas picking up girls and driving them to the prison to be with their moms, and then facilitating activities and discussions between them and their moms,” she says. “I had the great privilege of managing collaboration with several other organizations that brought services to the girls and their families, and managed our relationship with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. I developed precious and invaluable relationships with the girls in this troop, and sometimes I felt like a parent figure to them,
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(photographed on opening page)
“I love so many of the things on this menu—the frittatas and the Belgian waffles, and the salads are delicious.” 1115 E. 11th St., bluedahliabistro.com
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sometimes a big sister or a teacher. No matter how they saw me, those relationships were long-lasting (in some cases many years), consistent and very rewarding—for me as much as it was for them.” The first year that Cuba began acting as troop leader for this program, she met a woman who wanted to film a documentary about the troop. Cuba admits she thought it would be an impossible undertaking, but she was persuaded to pursue the opportunity. “Before I knew it, we were bringing cameras into the prison and the girls were filming their own mothers and interviewing them with hard life questions. On Leadership Austin The result was an “At first I thought a award-winning film, Leadership Austin class was just a good way Troop 1500, which to network and build aired on PBS and went my resume. After I to national film festiparticipated I realized vals all throughout the how lucky I was to have country, and even got been a part of that group purchased by the Al and met accomplished Jazeera Network.” and effective people. One of the highYou meet people from lights came during all different sectors. I the SXSW Festival, was exposed to people with different viewpoints, when the docuand I respected them mentary enjoyed tremendously. It was a special premier enlightening and the at the Paramount thing I looked forward Theater with many to most every month— notable audience knowing that I was going members including to spend the day with Ann Richards and people who were going her daughter Ellen. to teach me something.” “The families in the film felt famous,” Cuba recalls. “I had the privilege of traveling through the country to deliver Q&A’s with the film and advocate on behalf of children of incarcerated parents at places like the MOMA in New York and The Fine Art Museum in Boston.” She adds that her days with that Girl Scout troop pretty much taught her everything she knows about human beings. “It is an amazing experience to see those same girls today and know what powerful, resilient young women they have become out of such challenging lives. I am so proud of the work my colleagues and I did on that program—it makes me cry a little bit!” While working full-time with the Girl Scouts, Cuba also enrolled in the master’s program at the University of Texas School of Social Work, receiving her degree in 2006. While she was completing the program, she went on an informal tour with some of Austin’s best and brightest leaders to learn about strategies to transition to interna-
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tional social service for girls and women. After eight years working with the Girl Scouts, Cuba was ready for a change. She learned that GENaustin was hiring an executive director, and several people encouraged her to apply. “[They] felt that I could be a good fit due to my passion for girls’ and women’s issues,” Cuba says. “Before I knew it, I was walking into an interview with the board of directors. I remember I had a terrible
cold that day and decided I was going to show up and do my very best despite how bad I felt. Somehow when I walked in the door, my cold just disappeared, and I was on fire! It felt like a great fit to me to be with those progressive women who believed in such a special mission, and I wanted them to pick me.” As soon as the interview was over, Cuba went out to her car and immediately called her mother to tell her how it went. Then, the call waiting
➜ clubGEN beep informed her there was another call coming in. It was the GENaustin board chair, offering her the position. It had only been 10 minutes since Cuba had left the interview. “For that moment, I felt like a total superstar.” Cuba’s experience with the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program helped inform one of GENaustin’s newer programs, 180, which is focused on highrisk and court-involved girls. This program is designed specifically to prevent girls from going into or further into the juvenile justice system, because girls are the fastest-growing population in the juvenile justice system today. The nonprofit also offers Girl Talk Workshops—one- or twotime workshops that address all of the GENaustin focus issues—and the GirlConnect program, which allows girls to explore these issues through technology. There is also a huge annual event, the We Are Girls Teach that Beauty Comes Conference, From Within which takes When speaking of beauty place at Austin with your daughter, focus on her personality, strength and High School compassion. and reaches 1,600 people. Discuss Media Influence Help your daughter think The conference critically about the messages will happen on and images she sees. November 9 this year, and is also End Negative Self-Talk at Home the organizaExamples include “Do I look tion’s major fat in this?”, “She’s too fat to fundraiser. be wearing that” and “You We Are Girls look so good! Have you lost helps girls weight?” explore issues of Cultivate Her Authentic bullying, body Voice image and being Applaud your daughter for a girl, addressbeing a beautiful person ing topics such when she speaks positively about herself, when she as bullying, works toward a goal or tries self-image, datsomething new. ing, diversity, media literacy, Advocate for Healthy SelfEsteem Programming at financial literacy, Her School parent-daughter GENaustin has customizable relationships, caprograms that can be reer exploration, implemented at your higher education daughter’s school, so that and physical she sees herself as beautiful health and wellinside and out.
5 ways
ClubGen photo by Rudy Arocha.
to help your daughter achieve a healthy outlook
In this research-based, peer-led after-school program, trained and employed high school girls lead middle school girls through curriculum proven to prevent highrisk behaviors that lead to eating disorders, teen pregnancy and juvenile delinquency.
GENaustin Programs genaustin.org
We Are Girls Conference
This statewide conference helps girls explore the issues of bullying, body image and being a girl. Topics include bullying, cyber bullying, self-image, dating, diversity, financial literacy, media literacy, parent-daughter relationships and physical health and wellness. The We Are Girls conference is a one-day event for girls in grades 5–12
and the adults who care about them. Girl Talk Workshops
Exploring the issues of being a girl with topics such as dating, body image, communication, friendships, and parent-daughter relationships, Girl Talk Workshops are offered to schools and community groups for girls in grades 4–12 year-round. 180 Program
This program offers services for courtordered teen girls and functions as a collaboration with
ness. The conference is statewide and offered for girls in grades five through 12, as well as the adults who care about them. This year’s keynote speaker is Marlen Esparza, who made history at the 2012 London Olympics, where women’s boxing was added as an Olympic sport for the very first time, by becoming the first US female boxer to win a round as well as the first to medal with a bronze. Cuba says that the most rewarding aspect of her work with GENaustin has been expanding the organization’s reach in central Texas, so that they have been able to touch the lives of so many girls, educators and parents. “When I was hired, I had the opportunity as a full-time executive director to grow us to the next level,” she says. “Now we personally work with almost 5,000 people a year through our unique programs.” She adds that she is also extremely proud of the team of directors that she had a hand in hiring. “Our program director, operations director and development director are all people I hand picked out of this world to come aboard our team. Each one is very different, and together we are amaz-
local juvenile justice judges and schools. Its goals are to decrease rates of juvenile delinquency and increase in-school functioning, critical thinking skills and self-sufficiency for program participants. Parent Workshops
Resources are available at these workshops to address parents’ concerns. Tips, tools and strategies are shared for parents to use to raise a healthy, empowered daughter. These workshops also provide a space
to connect with other parents experiencing similar challenges. Girl Connect
Technology has a major impact on the lives of girls today, influencing their choices and relationships, which is why this Dell “Powering the Possible” program was created. GirlConnect’s goal is to address the challenges girls face in their daily lives by incorporating technology and 21st century skills into an engaging and interactive curriculum.
ing. I have so much respect for all of them and the amazing impact our organization has on the community because of their vision, good decisionmaking and commitment to our mission. If I am good at anything, it is at finding the right people for our organization and creating a culture that they want to be a part of.” The bottom line, for Cuba, is that GENaustin continually strives to be the community expert on programs for girls. “Our vision for the future is that we are able to reach more girls and their caring adults through all of our customizable programs. Our effort to expand our reach in the Austin/central Texas community will take more dollars, more volunteers and strong leadership on our board and committees. We have an amazing team who is devoted to making it happen, and we would love more people to come aboard our movement to reach more girls. Together, we are committed to being a resource for our community—so that when a parent, educator or girl calls us for help, we have a way. We have been growing as far back as I remember, and that doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon.”
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photo shoot makeup from the team at Rae Cosmetics
Jewelry from Kendra Scott Jewelry
with Rudy Arocha at Studio 106
the motherdaughter m a ke ov e r
Manicures
from Jen Casey at Mirror Mirror
fashion Styling
with Ashley Hargrove of DTK Austin
haircut + color from the team at Mirror Mirror
The bond between mother and daughter is often tested. But for those women among us lucky enough to know a strong relationship, life still gets in the way. When Austin Woman asked readers to nominate their moms and daughters for a beauty and fashion makeover, stories of both heartbreak and courage rolled in. While their daily lives and challenges varied, these women all shared one thing: They all needed a break from their busy lives, and a day of pampering was the perfect outlet. We teamed up with the best pros on the Austin beauty scene— Mirror Mirror salon, Rae Cosmetics and Kendra Scott—to breathe new life into the beauty regimens of these eight deserving and inspiring Austinites. After all the haircuts and high heels, makeup and manicures, this day of beauty also served as a reminder for these mothers and daughters: Be thankful for the positive moments you have with each other, as every chance you get together is a chance to connect with those who know your beauty can be more than skin deep. Story by Jane Kellogg / Photos by Rudy Arocha / Photo assistance by Javier Trevino
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t he mo t h e r-d a u g h t e r m a k e o v e r Christina Collazo, 33
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Nellie Benavidez, 52
Christina Collazo came across Austin Woman’s makeover contest while sitting in a doctor’s waiting room, attempting to pass the time as her mother completed yet another test to see if she was cancer-free. Her mother, Nellie Benavidez, 52, was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer in September, and her carefree life has since been turned upside down with three surgeries, countless scans and dreaded chemotherapy. “Everything happened quickly,” Collazo says. “But she has been absolutely amazing and strong through it all.” While Benavidez was ready to lose all her hair to reclaim her health, she wasn’t quite prepared for the emotional toll of it all. Thankfully, she had an amazing support system in her daughter. “She’s independent, but she let me take care of her through this,” says Collazo, who is also the founder and executive director of Si Se Puede Learning Center in East Austin. “For that I am grateful.” Benavidez lost all of her eyelashes, and her eyebrows are only now starting to grow back in. “I do my makeup every day, but I never had to do my eyebrows,” she says. “I had to change my routine—you just have to make yourself look better, in order to help you feel better.” “[Losing your hair] is physical evidence that you’re sick,” her daughter chimes in. “But doing your self up, doing your makeup—it’s one of the few things you still have control over.” Since the chemotherapy treatments, Benavidez has been wearing a brown headscarf (“always wrapped perfectly around her head—still beautiful,” Collazo says). Parker Serenity Wig Spa, a north Austin boutique, donated a hairpiece toward Benavidez’s new look. “That has been my favorite part of this makeover,” Collazo says. “She looks like herself again.” Meanwhile, Mirror Mirror’s Johna Simon reshaped Collazo’s long, one-length hair. “It was beautiful, yet lacking shape,” Simon explains. “To add more bounce and movement, I trimmed the ends and added gorgeous layers to create a fresh, fun look.” “I was watching her as she got her hair done, and—” Benavidez tries to put it in words, but her emotions get the better of her. After collecting herself, she says, “To see my daughter be taken care of after taking care of me—it’s a good feeling.” On Christina: Sam necklace in pink onyx, $195, and Celeste bracelet in pink onyx, $120, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Michael Kors heels, $99, and INC white dress, $99.50, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com
“When selecting a wig for Nellie, we wanted to add a little more length to enhance her youthful features. We trimmed some bangs to give her a confident, trendy and slightly sassy look.” —Candy Garza, Parker Serenity Wig Spa
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On Nellie: Skylar earrings, $65, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Michael Kors flats, $110, top, $110, and jeans, $69.50, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com
At the studio, Paige Hanson is quiet, polite and reserved. But when asked what she’s most thankful for about her mom, Rachel, the 16-yearold speaks without hesitation: “I don’t think I would be the way I am today without her advice—she’s an inspiration to me. We’ve had a lot of stuff go on in our lives, and the way she stays strong through it…she doesn’t let anything bring her down. She’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.” Rachel was quick to point out in her makeover contest entry letter that her strength comes from her oldest daughter. “I’m a single mom of six,” she says. “While I work, she cares for her brothers and sister. She cleans house, cooks dinner, makes sure their homework gets finished, that they get their baths and that everyone goes to bed on time. No teenager should have quite this level of responsibility, but she does it all—and most importantly she maintains her grades as well.” Despite being stretched thin, Rachel took in another family earlier this year after learning that the family had suddenly become homeless. Amazingly, she runs this full house on her income alone. “I was working for the Better Business Bureau, but I’m no longer with them,” she tells us with a sigh. “Right now I work part-time at Best Buy, and I bartend during football season at the stadium and for events at Circuit of the Americas. I’m looking for that career again where I don’t have to juggle four or five jobs, but I’m grateful for anything. Everything helps me support my family.” While she’s searching for that dream job, Rachel now has the dream hair to match. Mirror Mirror stylist Whitney Paul richened the base color and did a Kerastase treatment (“to add strength and shine while focusing on the integrity of the hair,” Paul explains). As Paige navigates her way into womanhood, her mom hopes she’ll be able to cherish those last few moments of youth. “At some point I have to let her go be a kid and have fun. She’s such a special girl.” Rae Cosmetics’ Aubree Storlie gave Paige a fresh, simple beauty regimen, but played it up with eyelash extensions. Paul then enhanced her natural beauty with the balyage technique to brighten and add sunkissed highlights. “I finished off her look by giving her hair a textured and sassy bounce with a voluminous blow out and curling iron.” Ah, to be young again. On Paige: Dayla earrings, $65, and Elysa bangles, $80, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Rachel Rachel Roy dress, $109, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com
Paige Hanson, 16
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Rachel Hanson, 36
“Paige has naturally beautiful skin, so she didn’t need a ton of makeup. We kept it simple and ageappropriate by using colors that were more subtle and natural.” —Lauren Lumsden, Rae Cosmetics
On Rachel: Alison earrings, $65, and Khammi bracelet, $135, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Style & Co pumps, $45, and Michael Kors shirt, $79.50, and pants, $69.50, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com austinwomanmagazine.com 77
t he mo t h e r-d a u g h t e r m a k e o v e r Donna Powell, 53
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Brandie Brown, 32
Last summer was an endurance test for Donna Powell and her family. First, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The next month her husband was laid off, which eventually forced them to move out of their apartment. Then, tragically, her son was critically injured in a car accident in June. “When your son—my brother—is living in a wheelchair and unable to even brush his own teeth,” Powell’s daughter Brandie Brown explained to us in her makeover contest entry letter, “getting your hair done, buying new makeup or even going shopping seems so unnecessary.” As the family supports one another as they find their way back to normalcy, Brown, a physical therapist and mother of two, wanted her mom to get Austin Woman’s makeover for the extra boost of self confidence she needs. Powell has been growing out her hair, so Martha Lynn Kale and her team at Mirror Mirror focused on giving her tresses a rich brown color. “That was the best change for me—my hair was gray and black and remnants of an old color a long, long time ago,” Powell says. Kale’s assistant, Mollie Morgan, notes that it’s important to go to the salon in the interim. “Keep your hair trimmed and shaped while growing it out so it can look stylish through the process,” she says. While Brown may have nominated her mom for our makeover, it turns out she may have needed the help more, admitting that she wears maternity clothes—even though her daughters are three and four years old. “For Easter, I put on a dress I wore when I was pregnant, ” Brown says. “I looked back at past pictures and saw that I’ve worn it the past six Easters.” Brown was up for a change, and she made sure our stylists knew it. “We took off about four inches and did a long bob that is polished without being fussy,” Kale says. “It is slightly longer in the front, which keeps it current.” “I think that was the first time my hair had been brushed in three months!” Brown admits. “I would just wash it and put it in a ponytail. Today was a reminder that you have to take care of yourself.” On Donna: Tavi earrings in white, $55, and Jana bracelet with white mother of pearl, $80, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Michael Kors shirt, $89.50, and Calvin Klein pumps, $99, and pants, $89, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com
“With this makeover—and all of the makeovers—we want to make sure that we are creating a look that they can style and that will work for them.” —Martha Lynn Kale, Mirror Mirror
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On Brandie: Tanay necklace, $195, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Michael Kors heels, $99, and dress, $120, available at Michael Kors, Barton Creek Square, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Suite E08, 512.329.5444, michaelkors.com
Magali Lañas is a woman like most mothers: She put herself on the backburner while raising her children. But unlike most mothers, she had six to raise. In 1989, she brought her large family to Austin from Lima, Perú. She managed to keep her home organized among the chaos of raising half a dozen smart and active young adults, who clearly take after—and look up to—this adventurous woman. To daughter Carla, “she is a source of constant strength, wisdom and happiness” in the lives of everyone she touches, but especially her children. At 71 years young, she remained as active, bright and flirtatious as ever until a serious health issue slowed her down. Doctors discovered a problem in her heart, and she underwent double bypass surgery in November. With a new lease on life, she’s counting her blessings as she spends this year helping her daughter Carla plan her wedding. “For my mother, 2013 is a year of recovery and a celebration of strength,” Carla says. “For me, it’s a year to plan my wedding, get in shape and celebrate being a woman.” Rae Cosmetics’ Lauren Lumsden paid close attention to Magali’s glowing skin, marked only with the lines that serve as evidence of a constant smile. “She transformed my face,” Magali says. “The concealer she applied—she used the right color to hide the differentiations in my skin. It covered every wrinkle.” Mirror Mirror’s Alli Claunch styled Magali’s short hair off her face for a fresh look, and added highlights and lowlights to give her the vibrancy needed to match her colorful personality. Daughter Carla, on the other hand, is growing out her long curly locks for her wedding day. “She’s a natural beauty, so we lightened her natural hue a little and gave it a richness and shine,” Claunch says. “She taught me how to take care of my frizz, with the humidity here,” Carla says. “I think everybody should get a makeover! It’s a refresher course.” On Magali: Ashlyn white onyx necklace, $105, and Tavi earrings in white, $55, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott.com. Nine West flats, $59, and Calvin Klein top, $69.50, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com. Black pants, her own On Carla: Alison chalcedony earrings, $65, and Elysa bangles, $80, available at Kendra Scott, 1400 S. Congress Ave., Suite 170, 512.354.4737, kendrascott. com. Calvin Klein heels, $99, dress, $119.50, and cardigan, $79.50, available at Macy’s, 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 512.329.2300, macys.com
Carla Lañas, 37
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Magali Lañas, 71
“Carla usually wears very natural makeup, but with a wedding on the horizon, we wanted to give her a more dramatic look. Because of her olive complexion, she can easily pull off a lovely violet smokey eye.” —Lauren Lumsden, Rae Cosmetics
austinwomanmagazine.com 79
opposite sex /
memo from jb
The Circle of Life Confidence building and crises of confidence in a woman’s life. By JB Hager, Photo by Rudy Arocha Sometimes I come home to find my wife locked in the bathroom, in the fetal position with mascara running down her face. Is it because she just got horrific news? Is it unbearable injury? Possibly seen a ghost? Possessed? No, it’s none of those things. My once stoic and confident wife has been once again reduced to tears by…wait for it…our child. No one fears my wife like I do (I promise I mean that in a good way). Our daughter, not so much. One of the many reasons I fell in love my wife was because of the way she carried herself, with direction and purpose. She was confident and assertive with every aspect of her life. I never in a million years thought that a child could unravel the decades it took for her to build that. I often wonder if we are raising too confident of a daughter, one that can destroy you. I know that during the toddler years, we kept reminding ourselves that she had all the qualities we want in an adult woman, but we don’t know how to handle them when she’s a child. Independence, decision-making and problem solving make for one manipulative little booger. If you were only to judge humanity based on Facebook posts, you would conclude that life is full of birthday cake, bounce houses and bluebonnets. Unfortunately that is not the case. I have always lifted the curtain on parenthood because I think it’s fair to be honest. Yes, it’s wonderful, rewarding, I wouldn’t change a thing, all those things…blah, blah, blah. Those are all true. However, in an effort to raise a confident daughter, we may have created a monster that is destroying her mom. I know I’m painting a drastic picture, but I sat down with my wife to discuss exactly what our child was doing to destroy her. Here are a few examples: ➜ She insults my cooking. ➜ She asks me to help her pick out clothes and then hates on my selections. ➜ She refers to me as “sweetheart” when she disapproves—it’s so condescending.
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If you were only to judge humanity based on Facebook posts, you would conclude that life is full of birthday cake, bounce houses and bluebonnets. Unfortunately that is not the case. ➜ She tries to keep me from dancing because I’m “not cool.” ➜ Everything I tell her goes through one ear and out the other. Here’s where this really gets weird. I’ll preface this by stating that I am not a woman and I don’t claim to understand all the inner workings of a woman’s brain. This is what I have noticed as a casual observer. You’ll have to follow this closely. This is like a math problem taking the SAT. We work so hard to raise confident daughters. They, in turn have daughters of their own. Those daughters, between elementary and high school years, destroy moms. Those daughters grow up, move on and Mom regains her confidence and composure. Daughters have babies. Mom spends her empty nest, reestablished confident years convincing her daughter that her kids are not out to destroy her, and she’s here to help. Mom also on a daily basis is on the phone with her mom (Grandma) building her confidence and telling her that everything is going to be all right as she enters her golden years. Mom is in the middle of advisory sandwich. Meanwhile, Dad is watching golf. Ugh…hope you followed that. If this doesn’t make
sense, contact me during office hours. There’s a very popular song that might make you feel better: It’s the Circle of Life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life Thank you Elton. Hang in there ladies. Although you may not realize it, you’re much tougher and more confident than men. Because you care so much, it might reduce you to tears from time to time. Pick yourself up, and dust yourself off, because the human race needs you. We really do. I am just a casual observer, ladies, and I appreciate all that you do. Every time I pick my wife up off the floor, I remind her: Not only will she thank you later, she’ll be there to return the favor someday. I promise. JB Hager can be heard as part of the JB and Sandy Morning Show on Mix 94.7 Austin, weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m.
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r e l at i o ns h i p s
So You Had a Bad Date How to avoid getting stuck with a loser.
Best Desserts, Austin Chronicle
By Eric Leech In the dating market, there are trophies and consolation prizes, and then there are these 16 wads of already chewed gum, of which I highly recommend scraping off your shoe before you get stuck where you don’t want to be. 1. The “Hug, Smooch, ‘I’ll Call You Next Week’ But Never Does” Wanker This player knows what to say, what to do and how to make the ladies swoon. His only downfall is he is dating 10 other women, which is why he can’t remember all those promises he’s made.
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2. The “I Can’t Find My Phone” Guy This guy has an endless number of excuses for why he is always conveniently unavailable. Lose him, along with his phone, which seems to be permanently misplaced. 3. The “I Can’t Find My Toothbrush Either” Guy This guy is never fun to hang around, especially when speaking distance is reduced to only several feet. 4. He’s Late, He’s Late, and It’s Probably Because It’s Not Such An Important Date He’s late for everything, and especially for dates he could not care less about.
8. The Anti-Family Man The guy who hates his family, even though they seem to be a pretty good bunch of folks. 9. The Loafing Loser This is the dude who always has enough money for video equipment and video games, but he always seems to have an empty wallet when it comes to dinner and a movie. If video games take precedence over quality time together, you best be hopping along like Mario and Luigi. 10. The “Blame Game” Dude These guys blame everyone else for their shortcomings, and if you’re around long enough, you might get to share the blame too. 11. The “Divorce is Almost Final” Married Man These cheaters are always promising their relationship is on the fritz, and if you just wait long enough (and hook up with him in the meantime), he’ll be free and clear. Even if he ever follows through, there’s a good chance you’ll be his next Mrs. Soon-to-Be Ex...yay. 12. The Beef Jerky He’s cruel, critical, unpredictable and emotionally unavailable, yet somehow this guy still gets dates. Would somebody please ban this jerk from infiltrating women’s lives once and for all? 13. The Egomaniac This is the guy who has to tell you about every girl who threw herself at him while he was at the store, or jogging in the park or getting the mail. That’s great, why don’t you get their phone number and call me when you get over yourself? 14. The Treats you Like Dirt Guy Girls are sometimes attracted to the bad boy. He is exciting, because you just never know what he is going to do next. I’ll tell you what he’s going to do: break your heart. Save yourself the trouble and dump him.
5. Mr. Keeps Coming Back Everyone has that infatuation who keeps showing up at their doorstep at the most inconvenient time (when you don’t have anyone else). Kick him to the curb already, and make sure he stays there this time.
15. The Leftover This is the guy who nobody else wants, and yet you end up with him because you don’t think you’ll ever find anyone better. Quit reheating these duds, and get yourself a man worth your potential!
6. The Guy Who’s Still Living With His Parents (Or College Roommates) After Age 30 There are occasions when this is a necessity. However, there are also guys who use this as an excuse to avoid growing up. If you’re not looking to adopt a man-baby, move on.
16. Mr. Noncommittal He may be great for a good time, but once you’re ready for more, all he’ll have waiting is more good times. That may be fine until you realize how fast time flies (like…10 years) when all you’re having is fun.
7. Mommy-May-I This guy can’t do anything without consulting his mommy first. Just think: If he really likes you, and you get married, one day he‘ll start consulting you for everything from changing his underoos to eating a peanut.
In truth, ladies, deep down you already know how to recognize the red flags that show up early on in the dating ritual. Do yourself a favor, and pull the trigger quickly before you get stuck with one of these guys. It’s a lose-lose proposition.
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MAY 7TH, 6-8PM Join us at Kohnami Japanese Restaurant to celebrate the launch of our May issue! On top of great networking, killer drink specials and amazing giveaways, the chefs at Kohnami will prepare a delectable sampler plate for all palettes–not just you sushi lovers. Plus: Find out how you could win a week lease on a Roger Beasley Mazda!
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savvy woman /
etiqu et t e
Mind Your Manners Three easy steps to teaching your children good behavior. By Jan Goss, Illustration by Katie Holmstrom Have you ever noticed that parents with well-behaved children think they are the greatest parents on earth? When our children act out in front of them, we feel like complete failures. I ran a therapeutic group home for eight years and had up to 10 children in my home at a single time who were birthed by someone else…plus three children of my own. Yes, I had 13 children under the same roof. I developed behavior plans and taught manners. Some
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children were well behaved, and some were, well, let’s say challenging. Had I tied my self-esteem to my children’s manners, I would have been on an emotional roller coaster—I definitely would have given the Texas Giant a run for its money. So over time, I discovered the first secret to teaching children manners: detach emotionally. It’s true that children learn what you live, but there’s more to it than that. You are not responsible for your child’s choices. I have seen the most gracious, kind parents with some pretty unruly children. Living the example is critical and my second secret to teaching manners. However, it takes more than just living the example and detaching emotionally for effective manner development. It takes the third critical key to achieve success.
If you are a parent you are acutely aware that children have a mind of their own. So how do we teach children manners? It is really quite simple. It is a matter of training. You know that feeling when you take your new puppy to dog training class and realize they are not really training your dog? It is you that needs to make adjustments! It is not so different with children. Training is developing habits, thoughts and behaviors by repetitive discipline and instruction. My suggestion is to take one behavior at a time and work only on that one behavior until it is a habit. This part of training is much more about you than the child. If you are working on the manner of “saying please when you make a request,” Austin Junior Forum it is important for is conducting summer etiquette classes you to hold your for children at the ground and not Caswell House. Visit give in until they austinjuniorforum.org say please. This for additional inforpoints back to the mation. first secret: If you don’t detach emotionally and you give in when they throw a fit, you are training them to throw a fit. I think we all know adults who still try this behavior! Live the example before them and repeat the training until it becomes a habit. You are laying a foundation for your child’s success. Teaching your children manners is not about you or protecting your image. It is for their benefit. It takes time, swallowing your pride and patience. In the end, however, it always pays back great dividends. When a child is clear about how they should behave, it gives them an edge in life. It opens doors for them. It gives them their greatest chance to develop healthy relationships. Manners matter. So develop manners in your children by using these three secret keys: Detach Emotionally Live the Example Train by Repetition Teach or train? Well, I believe both! Jan Goss is the founder of Civility Consulting. civilityconsulting.com
“Take one behavior at a time and work only on that one behavior until it is a habit. This part of training is much more about you than the child.”
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entr epr eneu r i a l life
Cheer Up Buttercups
Allison Reyna and Monika Burgett
Austin moms Allison Reyna and Monika Burgett launch a one-stop shop helping parents learn how to take care of their little ones—and themselves. There comes a point in every new mom’s life when she reaches a breaking point. Sleep deprived, covered in who knows what, depressed or all of the above—parenthood is, as we’re always told, the best and the hardest job you will ever have. But just like every new job, training is vital, and asking for help is the first step. That’s where Cheer Up Buttercups comes in. When longtime Austinites Allison Reyna and Monika Burgett became first-time moms five years ago, they found that their best resource for the “new mom training” they so desperately needed was not through physician referrals and online searches, but instead through word of mouth and talking with other moms. “Mom groups are a big resource—that’s actually where we met,” Reyna says. “You’re relating with other women and finding that they share the same problems or can share a solution they found with you. They really become your family.”
May Workshops Focus on Mom: Health & Fitness Learn about nutrition tips for busy moms and a fitness routine you can do in your own house, even with the kids around. When: May 6, 9:15–10:15 a.m. Where: West Austin Youth Association, 1312 Exposition Blvd. Cost: Free RSVP: info@cheerupbuttercups.com
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The pair realized that moms know when they need help; they just don’t necessarily know who to ask or where to look. So the entrepreneurial moms decided to create a one-stop shop for parents. “It was like when you go to the grocery store and you’re not finding all your food in one aisle. We wanted to point moms in the right direction, or bring the experts they need directly to them.” After years of planning, Cheer Up Buttercups officially launched in April. “Now, help is all in one place. It’s a service we wish we had had,” Burgett says. With six kids under the age of five between them, Reyna and Burgett have incorporated both their real-world parenting experiences as well as their
Parenting 101: Post-Birth Preparation Everything you need to know for a smooth transition once baby arrives. This workshop covers breastfeeding, car seat safety and selection, and infant CPR. When: May 11, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Where: Posh Coworking, 3027 N. Lamar Blvd. Cost: $45/family (including grandparents, nannies or whomever you’d like to bring RSVP: info@cheerupbuttercups.com
Strategies for Your Picky Eater Learn about innovative ideas, ending meal battles, when picky eating is developmentally appropriate and much more during this interactive workshop. When: May 18, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Where: Posh Coworking, 3027 N. Lamar Blvd. Cost: $15 RSVP: info@cheerupbuttercups.com
professional backgrounds into the company. “It sort of happened organically,” Reyna says. “I think the idea was always there.” Reyna, a certified nutritionist, and Burgett, a professional within the health science and environmental service industry, built a team of experts through an extensive search as well as their own personal experiences with them. “As moms ourselves, we’ve used about half of our team personally,” Burgett says. Cheer Up Buttercups offers professional services to new moms—such as lactation consulting, early childhood development, car seat safety, and prenatal and postpartum psychotherapy—and continues to help parents who seek guidance a few weeks, months or even years down the line, with sleep consulting, behavior redirection, potty training, nutritional consulting and personal training. “By the time moms contact us, they’re at their wits’ end,” Reyna says. “Our policy is that once we match them up with an expert who can meet their needs, the expert has to contact them within 24 hours.” Depending on the services they seek, the client can receive a written plan or in-home consultation within two or three days. “Austin has nothing like this,” Reyna says. “We’ve vetted the experts and put them all in one place so parents don’t have to.” 512.542.3354, cheerupbuttercups.com
Photo by Candice Ghai, Twin Sisters Photography.
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savvy woman /
ex pert opinion
Warped by Your Family? Join the Club Three essential qualities of healthy families. By Susan Malone At the heart of almost all of his patients’ problems, psychiatrist Gary Malone says, are issues that stem from the family who raised them, creating problems in the family they’ve started. “Almost all of us deal with this to some degree or another. Very few families are idyllic,” says Malone, a distinguished fellow in the American Psychiatric Association, and coauthor with his sister Susan Mary Malone of What’s Wrong with My Family? “Forget Leave it to Beaver. Normal families are more like The Twilight Zone.” Despite that, most of us manage to lead happy, productive lives. “Once we recognize the childhood baggage we’ve carried into adulthood, we can take steps to compensate, make corrections, and change how we raise our own children,” Malone says. Malone identifies some of the qualities of a healthy family, and what you can do if that quality was missing or in short supply as you were growing up. Shows love Family is usually the one place and
time in life that a person experiences unconditional love. If you didn’t receive that as a child, you likely have difficulty loving and valuing yourself. There is no substitute for loving yourself; This issue is the No. 1 cause of unhappiness in adult relationships. The first step in healing is recognizing the damage and being willing to believe your feelings of unworthiness are not based in reality but are the product of a deficit likely handed down through generations in your family. Listen to what you tell yourself—if it’s things like, “I’m an idiot” and “I am really messed up,” change that self talk. Words are powerful! Respects autonomy Individuals in the family
are encouraged to develop their own personal
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“Once we recognize the childhood baggage we’ve carried into adulthood, we can take steps to compensate, make corrections, and change how we raise our own children.”—dr. Gary Malone identity and separate from the family while maintaining a role within it. The family supports and even cheers on individuals in their personal quests. Children who are not allowed the freedom to express and explore their identities may become adults who develop codependent relationships—wherein they put the needs of others before their own or are dependent on the control of others. Ways to begin addressing autonomy issues as an adult include learning how to comfortably spend time alone, pursuing interests (whether or not they are valued by friends and family) by taking classes or joining clubs, and boosting selfesteem through positive self talk. Creates structure and boundaries Parents
are the keepers of the rules; they provide structure for children, both to protect them and to foster learning and growth. People who grow up with little or no structure may fail to offer structure to their own children—or tend to overreact and be too rigid. Provide structure and consistency by
setting up routines that everyone in the family is expected to follow daily, with occasional exceptions. These might include making your bed in the morning, daily chores, a set dinnertime with everyone at the table and “together” time, such as a game night. Dr. Gary Malone is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern and a teaching analyst at the Dallas Psychoanalytic Institute. He is a distinguished fellow in the American Psychiatric Association with board certifications in general and addiction psychiatry. He has worked in hospitals and private practices for more than 30 years. Dr. Malone is director of Adult Chemical Dependency Services at Millwood Hospital in Arlington, Texas. Award-winning writer and editor Susan Mary Malone is the author of the novel By the Book and three nonfiction books, including Five Keys for Understanding Men: A Women’s Guide. More than 40 of the book projects she has edited were purchased by traditional publishing houses.
We pass the test At Austin Water, we take water quality very seriously. Our technicians test the water from our treatment plants every day. We monitor the water, so you don’t have to. It’s just another way Austin Water is clearly reliable. Learn more about water quality at austintexas.gov/water
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JOAN Moran Lessons My Mother Taught Me For Lifelong Vitality
Celebrate your Mom or other special lady at a lunch that honors and empowers women! Extend and enhance her 2013 Mother ’s Day celebration by creating a lasting Memorial or Honorarium that will build, grow and endow the efforts of other women. Additional details at: texaswomeninbusiness.org — Events
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m a k i n g a n i m pa c t
Champion of Change F7 Group founder Cassaundra StJohn receives the White House Champion of Change award. By Rachel Merriman A self-described “army brat,” Air Force veteran Cassaundra StJohn is also the founder of F7 Group, an Austin-based organization that connects female veterans and women from military families all over the country with vital resources. Through partnerships with other organizations, retreats, workshops and corporate training programs, F7 builds a strong support system for female veterans who face unique challenges in their everyday lives, especially when they return home and transition to civilian life. “I had a really hard time transitioning out of the military,” StJohn says. “I never wanted to talk about my time in the military, and I didn’t reach out for whatever support was out there because it was too hard to find any good resources. We’re working diligently to make sure that doesn’t happen.” StJohn spent a total of 12 years serving in the Air Force before getting her MBA and becoming a successful entrepreneur. It was then that she met Victoria Wegwert, another entrepreneur whose father had been a paratrooper in the Korean War. The two decided to sell their respective businesses to come together and form F7 to serve the military and veteran communities where they had strong ties. “I felt that it was time for me personally to stand up and not wait for a bill to pass, or wait for a city or a state or for the national government to do something—not because I don’t think they’re capable, but because they’re taxed,” StJohn says. F7’s foundation rests on the seven F’s, which stand for friends and family, freedom, foundation/formation, function, focus, flexible and fundamentals. Each of the seven F’s (or eight, or nine, depending on how you’re counting) is essential to not only helping veterans transition from military to civilian life, but also providing support for military families. The Lone Star Retreat, hosted biannually, gives women a chance
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to refuel and gain a sense of empowerment that stays with them long after the weekend ends. “It really is the whole family that serves and supports and sacrifices…we get lots of calls from men [who say] ‘I don’t know what you do at your events, but it’s really improved my home life because now my wife or my daughter understand what I’m going through,’” StJohn says. F7 also offers VetPro, a program developed by StJohn designed to educate corporations about veterans, who often struggle to find jobs after serving in the military. The workshop-based program aims to break down misconceptions about some of the common afflictions veterans suffer from, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Military Sexual Trauma, by bringing in “combat-tested” women to speak about their personal military experiences. After the veterans are hired, F7 continues to mentor them in their new career. “When you get a veteran who comes into your company, they might know all the tools to acclimate to you—and there will be some success there—but fundamental change is if you both understand each other,” StJohn notes.
StJohn’s work with F7 hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last month, she was appointed to serve on the City of Austin’s Commission on Veterans Affairs, which will help connect the estimated 40,000 veterans in Austin with necessary resources. StJohn also received the 2012 Royito “Don’t Do Mild” RISE Award, which allowed her to award scholarships to women to attend F7 events. Finally, last May, StJohn was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change, the only woman out of 11 veterans. “It’s just amazing to know that all the sacrifices and all the work you’re doing is making such an impact that it’s being heard from across the nation,” StJohn says. f7group.com
Upcoming F7 Events
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Push-ups for Charity May 18 F7 is affiliated with The Boot Campaign, an organization founded by five Texas women known as—you guessed it—the Boot Girls. The organization, which estimates that at least 230,000 direct family
members are affected by military casualties, helps wounded veterans and their families with job placement, mortgage-free homes and counseling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. If you want to help raise money for The Boot Campaign, sign up to help F7 reach their goal of 7,777 push-ups in just 90 seconds.
Cassaundra StJohn, recipient of the Champion of Change award.
Spring 2013 LSR Retreat and Workshop May 24–26, Camp TexLake The special edition Memorial Day Weekend theme for the Spring 2013 LSR Retreat and Workshop is “Sisters in Service Reaching out to
Sisters in Red, White and Blue.” Women working in fire, medical, police and other service-oriented industries are invited to attend, but the retreat is open to all women, regardless of affiliation. The cost of the retreat is $250; need-based scholarships are available for anyone wishing to attend.
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savvy woman /
mother hood
Older, Wiser and Rocking the Cradle Austinite Sharon Munroe shares her later-in-life road to motherhood through the Advanced Maternal Age Project. By Malia Bradshaw If you’ve noticed that more and more women are having children later in life, you’d be spot on. In fact, the proportion of women becoming moms for the first time at age 35 years and older has increased nearly eight times from 1970 to 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Based on this fact, as well as her own experience, Austin mother Sharon Munroe founded the Advanced Maternal Age Project, a blog of collected stories by women who decided at age 35 or older to start a family. The blog allows women to share their unique stories, which Munroe hopes will provide support and motivation to women who are contemplating this choice or are considering waiting until they are ready for motherhood and the commitment it requires. Working full time in marketing for more than 20 years, Munroe was a busy and driven career woman with no specific timeline for starting a family. It wasn’t until she was 39 that Munroe finally found herself ready to start down the path of motherhood. She was confident, financially stable and had recently married a supportive man. So at age 40, she gave birth to her first son. She later became a foster parent to a baby girl (eventually adopting her) and gave birth to another son just before her 44th birthday. The stories of the Advanced Maternal Age Project “are meant to be inspiration for other women who have contemplated balancing family and professional life and are not sure how to do that,” Munroe explains. “Or they’ve just waited until they were in the right situation, the right relationship, the right financial means to start that family.” Munroe finds that much of the current blogging
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and media surrounding motherhood is negative and filled with criticism. She references the “mommy wars” and the recent breastfeeding dilemmas. “In general, I think women need to be accepting of each other. There’s been so much coverage in the news, especially in the past year, of women criticizing one another about the decisions they make,” Munroe says. “I’d say that breastfeeding is not hard because it wasn’t hard for me. But it’s very hard for some women. I’m not going to criticize you if you can’t do it. But there are a lot of women, a lot of ‘mommy bloggers’ with a lot of negativity about those who do and those who don’t.” One goal of the Advanced Maternal Age Project is to veer away from mother-to-mother negativity and toward acceptance and inspiration. “I don’t want to pass judgment,” she says. “I want to inspire women to choose their own path, because you should. Your background, your circumstances, your goals are different from mine. Even if you’re on a similar path, your experience is going to be different.” Munroe’s website also includes supportive resources with information regarding pregnancy and conception, postpartum support, fostering, adoption and articles by doctors, psychologists and social workers. She believes it’s important to provide resources to have a healthy pregnancy and baby for
Sharon Munroe
women who are being labeled high risk due to their older age (and thus get the Advanced Maternal Age Label by their obstetrician). As phase two of the project, Munroe has teamed up with University of Texas student Kathryn Sisler and professors in the School of Nursing to conduct sociological research. The project will include a survey and in-depth interviews of women about the barriers they faced and the resources that gave them great health and strength during first-time pregnancy and childbirth after age 35. For more information on how to share your story or participate in research, visit advancedmaternalage.org.
YWCA Greater Austin Presents:
Women of the year
AWA R D S JUNE 28, 2013 6:30-10PM W H OT E L AU S T I N
www.ywcaaustin.org Sponsorship tables available!
LONG CENTER PRESENTS
June 6-8 Dell Hall
ON SALE MARCH 7 SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody is the hilarious new musical that brings all the naughty fun of the best-selling book to life. Your inner goddess will be laughing out loud with this new imagining of the characters as they come to life with sharpwitted comedy, musical numbers, steamy and fun performances from the hunky leading man, plus lots of surprises! Grab your girlfriends and don’t miss the funniest and most exciting girls’ night out of the year! Recommended for adult audiences.
SPANK! is not associated with, nor authorized by, author E.L. James or Vintage Press
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Mommy Marketplace Call it Craigslist for moms: Intelligent Mommies introduces a new, safe and easy way for parents to buy and sell in Austin. By Malia Bradshaw Any mother who has tried to buy or sell used items for children online could tell you that it Derek and Jennifer Haake with their 2-yearold daughters, Emma and Katherine.
isn’t the easiest venture. First, there’s finding a reliable buyer. Then there is finding a convenient place to meet. Not to mention, there’s always the issue of safety when interacting with strangers online. Intelligent Mommy, a start-up service website, handles all those messy details for you. Intelligent Mommy is a free, private and secure parent’s social marketplace that allows users to buy and sell used baby and kid products locally or through the mail. Unlike other online sale sites, communication between a buyer and seller is done anonymously through the Intelligent Mommy Marketplace, adding an extra layer of security. Personal information including the seller’s name and e-mail address is never disclosed to the buyer, and vice versa. For those Austinites who opt not to interact face-to-face with the buyer or seller or prefer not to take the time to travel, the site offers secure shipping: The seller only drops the package in the mail after Intelligent Mommy validates the credit card purchase. The transaction won’t be finalized until the package has been safely received. The idea for Intelligent Mommy came about when founders Derek and Jennifer Haake became pregnant three years ago. Being on a budget and preparing for multiples, the pair decided to get creative. They went to several garage sales, raided Goodwill and searched online sites like Craigslist for baby items. The couple found that their efforts took a significant amount of time. When they did find something they wanted to buy, either the meet up would fall through, the items wouldn’t be as advertised or of good quality and condition, or they would wait for answers
to their inquiries only to find out More other buyers were Intelligent already in line for Mommy the item. Services “My wife and Mompreneur Tools I spent countless Here’s the place to bring hours trying to your brilliant idea, blog find the stuff our or other mompreneur kids needed, but venture to life. Intelligent Mommy lets you promote we knew there your ventures within their had to be a better community-centered way,” Derek says. marketplace, allowing you “And that’s why we to work with other users created Intelligent and make local sales. Mommy—to give Local Interaction families who are Austin parents looking buried in clutter to start a neighboran easy way to sell hood play group, find fun things to do with their kids’ clothes, your kids around the toys and furniture capital city or promote a to other parents in group by posting events their neighborhood can establish this local that need them.” interaction through The company is Intelligent Mommy. Each user can create and join based on the pringroups for free within ciple that kids grow her community. quickly and that families constantly need new items. The service helps parents to find these items while saving money and helping other parents with similar needs. Now that’s something we can grow into. Intelligent Mommy is free to join and anyone can list items locally for free. intelligentmommy.com.
Photo by Krista Brown Photography.
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Ties That Bind My kids know the most surefire way to talk me into something is to declare “but it’s a tradition!” I am a sucker for anything labeled a tradition. I love big ones, small ones and ridiculously silly ones. I love extravagant holiday customs and simple daily rituals. Traditions bind a family together. My childhood showed me those family dinners—every single night—really do matter. Bedtime prayers with a parent might grow into a life grounded in deep faith. Saturdays are for big breakfasts and sailing. Sunday mornings are for church. Sunday lunch is for grandparents. Sunday night means steak and a family powwow. Summer means Minnesota. When the grill is lit, it is time for an ice-cold beer. Any amount of snow means hooky and sledding. Not a day shall pass without a serious conversation about food. Gin rummy, cribbage and scrabble are inexplicably important to our family culture. Every home should have a well-tended vegetable garden. Family bike rides and neighborhood strolls will be remembered fondly. Good grades deserve a celebratory dinner. And a secret handshake shared with only one other person makes a kid feel special. Where do these traditions stand today? Well, as of this writing, my kids have no clue what it means to tack or jibe, and they only have a vague sense of why snow might be fun. But, they are seeing that family dinners—almost every night—really do matter. Bedtime prayers are a given. Saturday means waffles, or muffins, or pancakes, or French toast. Buttermilk biscuits, church (or a strong debate about attendance) and a family meeting are always on the Sunday agenda. Every summer, my kids and I drive 1,350 miles to the Min-
nesota cabin built by their great-grandparents. My little foodies play Iron Chef for fun. And I gain an odd satisfaction from knowing my kids can probably beat you at a game of cribbage or scrabble. Strolling with mom might not look cool, so the dog provides an easy cover story. Owning a bike is mandatory, even if most of the time the tires are flat. Our attempts at gardening are feeble, but my kids believe they are farmers. Every good report card provides an excuse to eat out. And my youngest is the keeper of the secret family handshake, while my oldest and I share a precious tradition that began when he was four years old. (I would tell you about it, but then he and I would no longer be the only two out of seven billion people to share it.) These are just a handful of the small traditions that make our family our family. Somehow, our constantly changing lives make more sense when grounded in rituals. Family traditions help balance what we expect against what is. And lighting the grill still means it’s time for a cold beer, as does stirring a roux, or a visit from our favorite uncle, or 5 o’clock at the lake, or...you get the picture.
— Christine Darby
July’s Last Word topic will be “Beating the Heat.” To be considered, email a 500-word submission by June 1 to submissions@awmediainc.com.
Illustration by Sarah Quatrano. 96 Austin Woman m a y 2 0 1 3
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