Austin, TX April 2021

A P R I L 2 02 1

TA LK I N G SUSTA I N A B I LIT Y

with Gen Padalecki

LI F E + C U LTU R E REC O G N IZ I N G H O M E T OWN H ER O S

INSPIRE INK LIZZY SMITH

Tattoo Artist

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY:

Coming Soon to Leander!

LIZZYWIGLZTATOOS@GMAIL.COM

(864) 386-4978

@lizzywiglz

LIFESTYLE LETTER

APRIL 2021 PUBLISHER

Joe Kerby | joe.kerby@lifestylepubs.com EDITOR

Jennifer Birn | jennifer.birn@lifestylepubs.com

Perfectly timed, April is the Eco Issue

ACCO UNT MANAGER

Dawn Pepka | dawn.pepka@lifestylepubs.com AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe

WORKING ON THIS ISSUE SHORTLY AFTER THE FEBRUARY SNOWSTORM, WITHOUT HEAT OR HOT WATER, GOT ME THINKING ABOUT DOING MORE WITH LESS – AND THE POWER OF KINDNESS AND COMMUNITY.

L AYO UT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Skylar Reeves, Lesson Medrano

For this month’s cover we talked to actress, entrepreneur, blogger, mom, wife and overall extraordinary woman Genevieve Padalecki. On any given day you can click through Gen’s Insta-story and probably find a tip on sustainability or a clean brand she’s currently loving. Recently, she launched Towwn (Take Only What We Need) to create a community sharing little tweaks we can incrementally make to be a better friend to the environment, and ourselves.

We also caught up with a few of the many people who stepped up during and after the storm to help others, even when they often didn’t have water or power themselves.

Special props to the hospitality industry. Already struggling just to survive during a global pandemic, Austin’s restaurants banded together to get tens of thousands of people food and clean drinking water in the days and weeks after the deep freeze.

Let’s now celebrate Spring watching the flowers bloom while enjoying a meal, coffee or cocktail at one of our city’s many amazing restaurant patios. Get you bellies filled and

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

your senses delighted while supporting those who’ve supported us. In the meantime, I

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

hope you enjoy this issue and find something that informs or inspires you.

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

Cheers,

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

Jennifer Birn, Editor *As food insecurity & financial hardships continue to impact people, the Austin Ed

514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

Fund is accelerating financial assistance to families & staff in need thru the AISD Crisis Support Fund. You can learn more at http://austinedfund.org. For other ways to get involved in ongoing recovery efforts check out https://goodworkaustin.org/.

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEVADA | NEW JERSEY NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

CityLifestyle.com/Austin ON THE COVER Genevieve Padalecki PHOTOGRAPHY BY SKYLAR REEVES 4

Austin Life | April 2021

Proverbs 3:5-6 Austin Life™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Austin area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Austin Life™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE APRIL 2021

FEATURES 10 Powering Up with Dr. Joshua D. Rhodes Rhodes researches electrical grids and shares some of what he's learned with Austin Life

16 By Design Austin Veteran interior design company officially roots itself in Austin

26 Genevieve Padalecki is Leading

by Example This wonder woman is proving you can live a more sustainable life stacking small steps

16 26

32 Hometown Heroes So many stepped up when the city was down

32

10 DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

8

Around Town

10

Local Limelight

12

Culinary Creations

38 Local’s Choice 40 Healthy Lifestyle

AROUND TOWN

SWIFT FIT EVENTS PRESENTS: PROPER RESET WEEKEND Swift Fit Events, a locally owned wellness company, has introduced the Proper Reset Weekend - a special wellness weekend package at Austin Proper Hotel and Residences Friday, April 16-18.

Retreat leaders Meg Sylvester and Camila Matos host the weekend where guests will receive inspiration, healing, rejuvenation and relaxation led by Austin’s top instructors. The package includes access to 10 different curated health and wellness activations, a 2-night stay at the hotel, a $200 dining credit, a Swift Fit Events wellness box and more. Find additional information at @SwiftEvents on Instagram.

Would you like to get in touch with us? We would love to hear from you!

Contact us at CityLifestyle.com/ Austin using the Get In Touch link and let us know what you think.

8

Austin Life | April 2021

LOCAL LIMELIGHT RHODES RESEARCHES ELECTRICAL GRIDS AND SHARES SOME OF WHAT HE'S LEARNED WITH AUSTIN LIFE

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

P OW E R I NG U P W I T H D R . J O S H UA D. R H O D E S

AUSTIN, A CITY BUILT MORE FOR HEAT WAVES OVER DEEP FREEZES, WAS GROSSLY UNDERPREPARED FOR FEBRUARY’S SNOW STORM. No one needs to be reminded of the rolling blackouts and wide-spread power outages that in some cases lasted several days. Dr.Joshua D. Rhodes, founding partner of IdeaSmiths, an energy-focused company that has deep expertise in Texas, shares educated options based on facts and research on how Austin and individuals can prepare to be better protected from unpredictable weather.

WHAT STEPS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AUSTIN TAKE TO MAKE ITS ENERGY SYSTEM MORE RESILIENT?

WHAT DOES IDEASMITHS DO?

I think we should do a better job of being able to map out crit-

We help utility clients make more sense of their

ical loads on the system. Knowing exactly where those loads are

data and develop market reports and strategies for

might have helped us better manage the blackouts that we saw

new market entrants. We have also developed a

in February. Homes in this area are not really designed for such

complex and detailed model of the Texas electric-

cold temperatures as we usually think of summer in our designs.

ity grid (ERCOT) that allows us to model how the

We could consider building out homes better, to higher energy

system will evolve over time, preform under new

codes, such that even if we lose power, the homes are able to

sets of policy, and respond to a changing climate.

hold in the heat longer. Whenever homes in Austin are sold, an energy audit is required, but there is no minimum standard that

YOU ALSO TEACH AT UT. I mostly teach data analytics courses to graduate students. The classes focus on how to gather,

the homes have to be upgraded to as a result of the audit. It might be a good time to do such a thing to make sure we’rel better prepared for future disasters.

clean, and manage diverse sets of data and how

10

to visualize both the data and their results in intui-

DO YOU THINK THIS WEATHER WAS A FLUKE, OR GOING

tive ways so that, as scientists and engineers, they

TO BECOME MORE OF THE NORM IN TEXAS?

can be better communicators of their results. In a

While it’s hard enough to get the weather right in a 10-day fore-

nutshell, I designed the class around “what tools I

cast, climate science is telling us that the weather will become

wish I had had coming into graduate school.”

more variable over time. In Texas, that might not just mean hotter,

Austin Life | April 2021

dryer summers, but we might get more of these intense winter storms. I think we will see more of this going forward, and it would be good for us to prepare.

WOULD A HOME THAT HAD SOLAR PANELS MAINTAINED POWER DURING THE STORM? Only if they had an “off-grid” and/or backup battery storage. Most of these offgrid systems are designed to carry a whole house through just a couple of hours of blackout. So, over a few days, one would want to just prioritize smaller critical loads, like a refrigerator or small space heater, in order to make it last longer.

WHAT DOES MAKING YOUR HOME MORE SUSTAINABLE ENTAIL? In general, the best approach is to make a home use less energy overall. Boring things like insulation, filling in cracks, and good windows can go a long way in keeping a home comfortable for longer while using less energy. Only after these basic bases are covered should one consider things such as solar panels.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HAVING A SOLAR POWERED HOME? I think that most people consider a solar-powered home to be “efficient”, but that is not always the case. Making sure that the home is well insulated to the elements should be the first thing done.

ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? Austin is a great place and I’m happy to call it home. While we have our challenges, it was great to see how people came together during the blackouts because all we really have in this world is each other.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

11

CULINARY CREATIONS

W B T

Inside Corinne

A E A G E R Y F T U

A R E

CORINNE IS NEW IN TOWN, OPENING ONE MONTH AGO IN THE NEW AUSTIN MARRIOT DOWNTOWN. The hotel’s signature restaurant serves up boldly simple fare class American fare with a focus on rotisserie dishes. We asked Chef Price to share a dish you can attempt in your own kitchen and he suggested one of his favorites, the Wagyu Beef Tartar. He says he chose this one because “the dish is a fresh and honest take on a classic dish.” Tip: He says, “Put the meat in the freezer for an hour before slicing to make it easier to cut.”

BRING CORINNE TO YOUR KITCHEN ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CORINNE'S

12

Austin Life | April 2021

+ 5 oz. Akaushi Beef Tenderloin

W A G Y U B E E F TA R TA R E

(trimmed 100%, ¼ dice) + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil + 4tsp. slivered castelvetrano olives + 2 tsp pickled mustard seeds + 4 tsp celery (1/8 dice) + 1 tsp chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, chives)

ingredient s

+ Kosher salt to taste + Fresh ground black pepper + Seeded bread (baguette or demiloaf, ¼ thick, 6-8” long) – 4 slices + Extra virgin olive oil – drizzled + Grana Padano Cheese as needed EGG YOLK VINAIGRETTE + 2tsp white balsamic vinegar + 2 egg yolks + Lemon cut in quarters – Squeeze + 1 tsp honey

1. Make Egg Yolk Vinaigrette: Combine egg yolks, vinegar, honey, and parmesan cheese in mixing bowl and squeeze lemon (make sure to watch for seeds). While whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil.

2. Add beef, olives, mustard seeds, celery, herbs, salt and pepper to Egg Yolk Vinaigrette and gently mix together. Taste and re-season if necessary.

3. Seeded Bread: Drizzle olive oil on both sides of bread slices and season with salt and pepper. Place on grill until evenly caramelized and lightly charred on both sides.

4. Finish/Garnish/Serve: Spoon tartare mixture onto center of chilled plate and top with freshly shredded Grana

+ 1 tsp grated parmesan cheese + Pinch kosher salt

direc t ions CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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by design austin

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON MEDRANO

VETERAN INTERIOR DESIGN COMPANY OFFICIALLY ROOTS ITSELF IN AUSTIN

LUXURY INTERIOR DESIGN COMPANY BY DESIGN

HOW LONG HAVE YOU EACH BEEN

INTERIORS HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS JUST OVER

INTERIOR DESIGNERS?

30 YEARS. Originating in Houston, they branched out

Erika: I have been a designer for over 12 years now.

to San Antonio and in 2020 put boots on the ground in

I chose Interior Design as a major out of sheer curios-

Austin. Heading up Austin operations are Senior Interior

ity and fell in love with the possibilities after my first

Designer Erika Barczak and Lead Designer Isabel Sarria.

assignment – designing my idea relaxation room. It

We chatted with them at a lake house they took from bare

was the first time I realized all the creative possibilities

to abundant about design tips and what sets Austin apart.

for just a single room.

Lake view

16

Austin Life | April 2021

HOW LONG HAVE YOU EACH BEEN WITH BY DESIGN? Erika: I started as an intern with BDI in 2009, was hired as an assistant in 2010, and promoted to a designer in 2011. I have been procuring, managing, and designing my heart out ever since!

Isabel: I have been with By Design Interiors for 4 years. I actually

WHAT IS THE EASIEST THING PEOPLE CAN DO TO IMPROVE

completed my internship at By Design Interiors before graduating. I

THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THEIR HOME IF THEY’RE ONLY

worked with Erika throughout my internship and was offered a per-

GOING TO RENOVATE ONE THING OR ROOM?

manent position as a Junior Interior Designer. I’m now working as a

Erika: After living in a tiny home for two years, I have grown to love

lead interior designer, still working with Erika on projects, but fully

versatility. I strive to create spaces that serve more than one purpose

managing the Austin design scene and projects here!

or can be easily changed and refreshed. That said, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders!

WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE SPACE?

Isabel: Paint! The options are endless – there are so many colors

Erika: We furnished the entire home. The wife insisted the spaces

and finishes to work with that can make a huge impact in a home.

be as fun as possible for when their kids and grandkids visit. Every

It’s a great way to add a pop of color, some personality and contrast

room was a complete blank space – the only things we did not select

to a space. Also, art and accessories are a great way to elevate and

were mattresses, dishes, and some personal affects.

update a room with minimal changes.

CONTINUED >

Isabel Sarria, Erika Barczak and design assistant Lindsey Taylor

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

17

BY DESIGN AUSTIN (CONTINUED)

Erika & Isabel

“I love how our clients have such diverse backgrounds and personal styles.”

WHAT DO PEOPLE GENERALLY SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON WHEN THEY’RE REMODELING?

to really think about how they live in a space – I ask a thousand

Erika: I don’t think people realize how much renovating truly costs.

questions! I want to know where they spend their time and what

In addition to quality materials, you want quality and skilled crafts-

brings them joy. I want people to walk into those spaces, instantly

men. Quality labor can cost just as much or more than the materials

feel relaxed, and so happy to be home.

being installed. It is so much better to do it right the first time.

Isabel: My first thought is labor, the ‘measure twice, cut once’ mentality! It’s crucial to find trustworthy workers to help a project run smoothly but it can get pricey. The key is to not compromise

HOW IS THE AUSTIN MARKET MOST STARKLY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER MARKETS? Erika: My favorite thing about the Austin market is that it is

quality but also to be mindful of the budget.

more colorful and definitely quirkier…. Just like us!

WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE INVEST IN A REMODEL?

such diverse backgrounds and personal styles. There are tra-

Isabel: Austin is such a fun city! I love how our clients have Erika: People should invest in the spaces they use the most!

Your home should function well for you. I love pushing clients

18

Austin Life | April 2021

ditional houses but also modern, midcentury, ranch homes, bungalows and skyrise apartments. I love the variety.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

19

This Jeweler's a Gem NINA BERENATO'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH HER SUSTAINABLY-MADE NAMESAKE LINE AND IS HELPING OTHER WOMEN ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS TOO Nina's storefront

JEWELRY DESIGNER NINA BERENATO PUT IN THE TIME…SHE

APPRENTICED

IN

BROOKLYN

FOR

SIX YEARS BEFORE OPENING HER FIRST AUSTIN RETAIL LOCATION IN A 1959 AIRSTREAM BAMBI – ALTHOUGH SHE CREATED HER FIRST COLLECTION JUST A YEAR INTO HER APPRENTISHIP. Nina is a poster child for operating an environmentally conscious business…Not only is her material of choice recycled metal, but her studio and storefront run off 100 percent wind-powered energy and her packaging is zero waste and entirely compostable. The shipping labels are made from sugar cane (don’t try to eat them) and the ink is soy.

Nina’s sought after by some of the world’s most stylish and strong women…She’s been commissioned to make custom pieces for Lizzo, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Natalie Dormer and more.

Nina is humble…She still handmakes each piece – except the ones her customers turned students make in her weekly jewelry-making classes.

Nina is generous, with her time and expertise…She began a course to help aspiring jewelry designers set themselves up for success, considering them peers rather than potential competitors.

We spoke to her to learn more…

CONTINUED >

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NINA BERENATO 20

Austin Life | April 2021

Nina Berenato

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

21

THIS JEWELER’S A GEM (CONTINUED)

HAVE YOU ALWAYS CRAFTED SUSTAINABLY-MADE JEWELRY FROM PRIMARILY METALS? Yes, that was definitely a focus from the beginning. I took time to get to know my production partners in New York and understand exactly how and where the metal I was using was coming from. Luckily, I was able to find people just as passionate about sustainability as I am, and I’ve worked with these same people for over a decade.

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR PIECES? It’s always different but usually I see some type of iconography that just grabs me and I want to start researching it more. Usually it’s rooted in some aspect of the female experience, be it mythological portrayals, everyday life for women, our struggles or our hopes and dreams. I’m attracted to these themes and you’ll see them throughout my collections.

AND YOU STILL HAND-MAKE EACH PIECE? Yes, I still handmake every single piece that I sell both in the store and online.

YOUR JEWELRY HAS BEEN WORN BY SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN THE WORLD. ANYONE STILL ON THE WISH LIST? Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Michelle Obama are high up on my list.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BUSINESS IS MEN’S JEWELRY? I don’t do much men’s at all, it’s a very small collection. Almost everything I make is pretty feminine. My men’s collection was created as a symbol for our male allies to wear and show support, so even my men’s stuff really still revolves around women.

HOW OFTEN ARE YOUR JEWELRY-MAKING CLASSES AND WHAT DO YOU TEACH? I teach every Saturday each month. In the classes you’ll be learning everything that I do, soldering, sawing, forming etc. You’re lighting things on fire and doing the whole thing. You do get to take home what you’ve made. It’s always something you’d really wear and you’re super proud of.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START THE JEWELRY ACADEMY? I created The Jewelry Academy because so many designers were really asking me the same questions in private mentoring sessions.

How do I price my designs? How do I know when and how to put out collections? How do I do wholesale? How do I market my line? So I just thought, let me make this into a class. It’s been really popular and it’s great to know that I’m helping some aspiring designers jump past some of the mistakes I made.

22

Austin Life | April 2021

Inside the store

Nina teaching class

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN YOUR MASTERCLASS? I launched in Spring 2020 and now have about 40 students.

DO YOU EVER GET NERVOUS SHARING YOUR TRADE SECRETS AND CONTACTS? Never. I have always been about supporting and lifting other small business owners and creatives up and I will always share my knowledge if someone needs it. That’s a big reason why I wanted to make sure that the masterclass had a full scholarship option for those who need it. Another person’s success never takes from mine, and I feel like if something like sharing a contact or a hack you have is going to make your business fail, you don’t deserve to be on the playing field. I’ve always felt confident in my designs and what we do as a company, so it’s allowed me to be really open and giving when it comes to knowledge and “trade secrets”.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE STARTING OUT? As the company has grown I realized how important selfwork and growing as a person is to being a good business person and leader. Not only do you need to be creative, relentless, driven, smart, but you also have to learn to navigate the obstacles from a place of deep knowledge about yourself and commitment to who you want to be. So, I wish I would have started that self-work earlier.

WHAT STAPLE PIECES OF JEWELRY DO YOU WEAR? I always wear the Horizon cuff. I usually double up and wear them on both arms. They are my favorite because they are so eye catching.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR OTHER FAVORITE SUSTAINABLE BRANDS? I love DL 1961, Girlfriend, Zero Waste Daniel WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE (OR BUSINESS) IN AUSTIN? As a business, I love our neighbors at the Domain “Kickin It” We got super lucky to have them next door to us. And my favorite place is probably Laguna Gloria.

WHAT WOULD YOU IN 30 YEARS TELL YOU NOW? Don’t Stress! Everything always works out.

You can shop Nina’s pieces online at or swing by the store: 3200 Palm Way #152 at Domain.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

23

THIS JEWELER’S A GEM (CONTINUED)

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Austin Life | April 2021

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genevieve padalecki is leading

by example THIS WONDER WOMAN IS PROVING YOU CAN FOLLOW YOUR PASSIONS AND LIVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFE STACKING SMALL STEPS ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY SKYLAR REEVES

LIVING A MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS THE EAS-

WHAT ARE SOME CHANGES YOU’VE

IEST CHOICE, DOING WITH LESS WHEN YOU COULD HAVE

MADE OVER THE YEARS TO BE MORE

MORE. But, actress/entrepreneur/blogger Genevieve Padalecki

ECO-FRIENDLY THAT YOU FEEL

makes it seem effortless. Being more conscious of the environment

GOOD ABOUT?

doesn’t mean you have to follow a playbook to the letter. You don’t

For me it’s in my fashion. I love to shop

have to go vegan or never use a leather handbag again. It can be

and love clothes but I realized pretty quickly

as simple as making a few tweaks, like buying only what you need

how wasteful the fashion world is and was.

rather than giving the Costco card a workout. That was part of the

I started making habits about checking in

impetus behind TOWWN (Take What We Need), a company Gen

with wants and needs and making pur-

launched in the Fall to make it easier for people to learn ways to live

chases with a more eco mindset.

a little better, as a community.

In the Fall Gen also went back to her first love, acting. She has

TELL US MORE ABOUT TOWWN.

a reoccurring role on Walker, Texas Ranger where she plays the

I love this quote by Edward Abbey,

deceased wife of the title star, played by her real-life husband Jared

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of

Padalecki, with whom she has three children and recently celebrated

the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water

her 11th wedding anniversary. We chatted with Gen about Towwn

and good bread. A civilization which destroys

and sustainability and got the scoop on working with her husband.

what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and

WHEN DID YOU START BEING CONSCIOUS OF LIVING A MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE?

betraying the principle of civilization itself.

Nature and the outdoors have given me

I’ve always been aware of the environment and Mother Earth

so much throughout my life. I wanted to find

kinda vibes. I grew up with parents who, at the time, were outdoorsy

a way to bring that to my everyday life and

and adventurous. When we vacationed it was usually someplace

my children’s lives and find a way to encour-

that required hiking, fishing, skiing or camping. We were always

age others to depend on and defend nature,

taught to respect the outdoors and look after it

to find solace in her and ways in which we CONTINUED >

26

Austin Life | April 2021

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

27

GENEVIEVE PADALECKI IS LEADING BY EXAMPLE (CONTINUED)

e nt re p r eneur

es s actre ss:

e ntre pre ne ur:

blo gge r:

Currently has a reoccurring

Founder of towwn, helping

Check out NowandGen.com

role opposite real-life

people incrementally live

for recipes to book club

husband Jared Padalecki on

more sustainably

recommendations.

Walker, Texas Ranger

28

blo

gger

actr

Austin Life | April 2021

can holistically take care of ourselves, make empowered

environmentally friendly way etc. I hope to encourage

purchases with eco-consciousness in mind and give back

others to simplify, change habits and create a com-

to our community. Towwn stands for Take Only What We

munity where we don’t need all the things. We can

Need. I wanted to find a way to learn from nature, to sim-

reuse the things we have.

plify and reconnect within ourselves, to put our oxygen masks on first and take better care of ourselves and in

WHAT ARE SOME FAIRLY SIMPLE TWEAKS

turn take better care of the environment. There are so

PEOPLE CAN MAKE IN THEIR OWN LIVES TO

many resources for sustainability and the environment,

LIVE MORE CONSCIOUSLY?

but when I would go down a rabbit hole to learn how to

I would make easy swaps like use reusable bags,

be better I would get caught up in the doom and gloom.

stay away from single use plastics, support local busi-

It made me feel powerless a lot of the time and it wasn’t

nesses, use products that won’t deplete the ecosys-

realistic to 100 percent completely change my life. I knew I

tem, or have harmful chemicals, look into regenerative

needed to make incremental changes. I wanted to create

farming, compost and try and use all food in fridge and

a non-judgmental space that would encourage and uplift

pantry before buying more.

others to do better and be better, living a more sustainable life by taking only what we need and giving back where

WHAT ARE SOME FUN WAYS YOU TEACH YOUR

we can. We aren’t perfect and the irony is we can’t or

KIDS TO LIVE MORE ECO-FRIENDLY?

usually don’t take only what we need, but we can sure try.

Encourage their curiosity. Respect the environment.

Get them to go outside as much as possible, develop

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE WITH TOWWN?

their senses and let them explore.

I hope to inspire and encourage others to think about sustainability differently. It’s not just about

LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY IS SOMETHING

taking care of our planet, it’s about taking care of

PEOPLE ARE STILL LEARNING. WHAT RESOURCES

ourselves as well. Everything is in a balance and

DO YOU USE TO GET INFORMED?

everything is moving. What is right for me to make a

Gosh there are so many good ones. I love Zach

change and impact is different than my neighbor, but

Bush and his stance on our soil. I love Roam Ranch for

we can each try to use less carbons, shop in a more

lessons in regenerative farming and how to eat. I love

ANTED TO CREATE A NON-JUDGMENTAL SPACE THAT WOULD

EN C

“I W

CONTINUED >

OURAGE AND UPLIFT OTHERS TO DO BETTER AND BE BETTER.”

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

29

GENEVIEVE PADALECKI IS LEADING BY EXAMPLE (CONTINUED)

Green Dreamer for her incredible insight on how to live more sustainably and look at micro and macro and always digging deeper.

I love Paul Stamets and learning about mycology mushrooms, which are truly magic. Trisha Sutton and Natasha Nicholes are gems on all things gardening.

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO YOU GROW IN YOUR GARDEN? I love to experiment. I usually grow a few staples that I know will be successful, like beans or cucumbers, but I really enjoy purchasing seeds I’ve never grown before. Usually I buy with the Baker Creek Seed catalog.

DO YOU STILL HAVE CHICKENS? IF SO, HOW MANY? Seven. Unfortunately we lost a bunch during the pandemic. We had 10 and got a few more grown chickens after the pandemic to help with our neighborhood egg supply, but they ended up having Mareks Disease and gave it to the flock.

HOW ARE YOU LIKING RETURNING TO ACTING? I love acting. It makes me feel so good and so free.

fun fac t

s

The Team: Ange Bebbington (Hair), Skylar Reeves (photographer) Billy Mercer (make-up) Some of her favorite eco-friendly beauty brands are Rms, Rahua, Ren,

By Humankind, Axiology, No Tox Life, Bite, Neighborhood Botanicals and Lina Hanson Some of you’re her favorite sustainable clothing brands are Outerknown, Boyish and Zero + María Cornejo She met her husband when she played his love interest on Supernatural Her team for this shoot included: Skylar Reeves (photographer), Ange Bebbington (hair), Billy Mercer (make-up) and Cristina Facundo (stylist) Find her at @genpadalecki and @towwn on Instagam and follow her blog at https://nowandgen.com/

30

Austin Life | April 2021

WHAT IS IT LIKE PLAYING THE ON-SCREEN LOVE INTEREST OF YOUR REAL-LIFE HUSBAND? Complicated: (laughs) Kidding. It’s really fun. I fall in love even more.

He makes me feel really secure and safe on set. I love working with him.

WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU? Wake up around 5:45am, workout or get kids ready for school. I get them dressed and fed and off to school and then I’ll start working on towwn ideas and figuring out ways we can get the message across. Or, I’ll prepare to shoot some Walker. After meetings I like to pick up kids and shuffle them to sports and after we cook dinner and sit down as a family. Then I get them to bed, it’s really important to me they get individual time each day so I will usually scratch their backs and catch up. Then I head downstairs and read.

YOU HAVE THREE KIDS. ANY HACKS FOR WORKING MOMS ON BALANCING IT ALL? Honestly no. I feel like I do a crappy job most of the time, but I’m trying, and I let them know when I make mistakes. And, everyday I let them know how much I love them. (Pauses) Well maybe I’d tell moms to give themselves a break.

IF YOU HAD THREE HOURS TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Hike or ski in the mountains with my family.

YOU REGULARLY RECOMMEND BOOK CLUB BOOKS, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK EVER, AND THAT YOU’VE READ LATELY? I honestly really loved “Breathless” by Jennifer Nivens. I didn’t realize how much i enjoyed YA books, so it was a real treat. I am loving “ Under a White Sky” by Elizabeth Kolbert, it’s eye-opening and she has a knack for tackling a tricky subject and making it incredibly entertaining. I love anything by Lisa Tadeo, or Jaqueline Woodson, and David Sedaris! I’m currently reading “Hamnet” which is good.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PLACES AND/OR THINGS TO DO IN AUSTIN? The music scene. This last year has been really tough on this musically rich city. We love taking our kids to the ACL Live shows at the Moody Theater. It’s been really fun for our family and we have missed it. And of course, a great taco!

WHO INSPIRES YOU? My children. They are each rockstars in their own way and I love watching them be who they are and navigate the world.

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU KNOW NOW YOU WISH YOU KNEW 20 YEARS AGO? Not to apologize so much and doubt myself.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU IN 20 YEARS BE GIVING YOU NOW? Don’t be afraid.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

31

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

HOM E T OW N H E ROE S 32

Austin Life | April 2021

SO MANY STEPPED UP WHEN THE CITY WAS DOWN

FEBRUARY’S UNEXPECTED DEEP FREEZE HIT A LOT OF AUSTINITES EXTRAORDINARILY HARD. Already struggling nearly a year into a global pandemic, the storm that brought Austin to a standstill, and left millions without electricity, hot water or both, the least fortunate among us without shelter, medical help, enough to eat or clean drinking water.

While outside resources and assistance were scarce early on, the kindness in the community and people’s willingness to help neighbors and strangers was abundant. Austinites generosity was especially apparent in the hospitality industry. Led by mobilization efforts of Good Works Austin and World Central Kitchen and amplified by the texts, calls and PR skills of a collective of communication execs, Austin showed its beauty in its people. WCK partnered with Siete & Loro to prepare 1000 lunches for housing units as well as the Complex Care Clinic, Chef Kevin Fink and teams at Hestia and Emmer & Rye provided between 600-800 meals to those in need

Easy Tiger fed front line workers

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

33

HOMETOWN HEROES (CONTINUED)

per night the first five days. Easy Tiger paused preparing for their grand opening and pivoted to feed people and Cara Culkin, Jake Ko, Chelsea McCullough and Kristy Owen acted quickly to put their skill sets to use, starting an Austin Winter Storm Relief GoFundMe that raised nearly $160,000 at press time, contacting restaurants to open to feed those in need and spreading the word on where help was needed most immediately.

Culkin tells Austin Life, “What started with Deep Eddy Vodka and Kendra Scott offering us funds to get free meals to the public and to hospitals turned into a week of 15-hour days on email, phone and text coordinating free public meals to hospitals, low-income communities in need and much more. Through the power of social media and our day jobs that connect us to the local news, we led a lot of the communication on where to get resources to people who desperately needed it.”

Ko says the GoFundMe they started led to more than 40,000 warm meals going to the community, EMS, warming centers, Section 8 Low Income Housing, and more.

She notes that their efforts were a win/win for restaurants and people in need because “Our local restaurants lost out on the biggest weekend of the year (Valentine’s Day), so we helped by purchasing meals from them when they would have had to throw out all this excess food.”

McCullough shares, “As a born and raised Austinite, it was truly inspiring to see my community come together and provide help wherever it was needed. It energized us, even through crisis, to step up and do more for our community on a daily basis. Once we realized how dire the hunger situation was in Austin the restaurant owners sprang into action, using any inventory they had left.”

34

Austin Life | April 2021

Cara Culkin, Jane Ko, Chelsea McCullough and Kristy Owen

One of the many restaurants that went above and

Stitts says, “We’re part of a group that does

beyond is Easy Tiger. Mike Stitt, CEO of Easy Tiger,

Caregiver meals and during the pandemic the

shared, “Our team gets on a call at 7:55am every

school district realized the families of students

day and when we looked at the weather forecast

who were on free and reduced lunches needed

and saw things were getting worse, we started

food and we realized some of these families were

going into storm prep mode not knowing how bad

so underprivileged they were sharing their kids

it would be. We asked, ‘How can we feed Austin?’

meals, so they partnered with local restaurants

It was difficult because we lost power and water at

to provide the meals. Those are paid, but it’s win/

the bakery and we had some bread in the bakery

win because we hire additional people to make the

we couldn’t get out because the roads were already

meals, people get fed and we take any profits and

kind of bad. But, little by little we started getting the

put it back into the community.”

extra bread we had out.”

He adds, “What was amazing is our team, even

Michelle Wallis, executive director of the Austin

without power or water themselves, came in and

Ed Fund praised the hospitality industry for helping

made meals with all the food we had. One of the

them continue feeding the students and families in

things I love about Austin is it’s a city that’s big

the Caregiver Meal Program (funded by Ed Fund

enough to matter but small enough to care and they

via the city and donations).

take care of each other.”

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

35

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Austin Life | April 2021

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CityLifestyle.com/Austin

37

LOCAL’S CHOICE

S P

spring style:

R

IN G

SPRING IS HERE AND SO ARE THE STYLES ARTICLE STEPHANIE COULTRESS O'NEIL

ST 38

Austin Life | April 2021

S P I R I TE D

&

Y

BO LD

L

E

ASSOCIATED WITH SPRING. From tie dye to the 80’s-inspired bold shoulder to the fantasy floral, Spring trends are allowing us to be bold and adorned in a cheerful color palette. As we find ourselves smiling with the sunshine Spring brings, we should drape ourselves in its color palette and styles. Spring vibes evoke happiness -and happiness is always on trend.

TIE DYE Always a crowd pleaser, especially in Austin. Vivid neons, and contrasting neutrals make an appearance with this trend. From sweat sets to silk dresses,

S PR I N G

THE SEASON’S TOP TRENDS EXEMPLIFY THE FREE-SPIRITEDNESS

tie dye screams fun without saying a word.

BOLD SHOULDER The shoulder has been showcased for a few seasons now.

Variations like the puff sleeves, flutter sleeves and shoulder pads are giving the trend a resurgence. Pair a flirty top with some distressed jeans and a heel and you’re rockstar ready.

FANTASY FLORAL Spring florals are always a must. As nature blooms around us we want to embody that beauty in our wardrobe. This year you will see bolder and brighter florals, rather than the abstract, soft florals that we have seen in prior seasons.

PINKS, BLUES AND MARIGOLDS Spring’s palette is fresh, fun and vibrant. We’re embracing bright, playful colors that evoke joviality, such as neon pink, bold blues, and sunny marigold. These bold colors are a must in your closet.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

39

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Benefits of a

chemical-free home

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO TURN YOUR HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL-FREE? It's not as hard as you might think!

We hear a lot about the dangers of chemical ingredients, but it's easy to ignore all of the warnings and keep using our favorite products.

When you don't know of a better alternative, it's just what you do!

However, all of those ingredients add up and can make a big difference in your health, as well as the health of your family and pets.

The products that are most important to swap out depend on your lifestyle and what you use the most.

If your little ones are eating food right off of the counter, you might consider the ingredients from the cleaner you just used to wipe it down and start by switching to a natural method.

ARTICLE HAYLEY HYER

If you have sensitive skin, you might start by taking inventory of your beauty and personal care products to see what you can replace.

To get you started, here is a DIY product that you can make yourself for your chemical-free home.

40

Austin Life | April 2021

DIY Laundry Scent Enhancer If you have ever added those popular scent beads to your load of laundry before, you know how lovely it is to pull your amazingly scented clothes out of the dryer.

The funny thing about a product like that is it truly has no purpose other than adding a good smell, but it does add lots of chemicals to your daily life!

There's a safer and more beneficial way to make your clothes smell heavenly. Try this DIY scent enhancer with your next load of laundry and put it to the test.

Ingredients 3 parts Epsom Salt + 1 part Baking Soda + Essential Oils

Directions Mix your ingredients together in a jar or canister and scoop about ¼ cup directly into the washer basin before adding the clothes—just like you would with scented beads. Continue with your laundry like normal.

Learn More

For more information on starting a chemical-free household, you can browse online resources such as ChemFreeCom.com or find a social media group to join with likeminded people who have some experience from their own trial and error. If you get overwhelmed, remember that you don't have to get rid of all chemicals in one day. Every swap you make is something to celebrate!

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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