Austin, TX June 2021

J U N E 2 02 1

ON THE FARM W ITH A D R I A N G R E N I E R

WELLNESS F RO M SK I D ROW T O SEL F- M AD E M I L L I O NAI RE LI F E + C U LTU R E T H E D EC I C C O S: SPRE AD I N G P O SI T IVE EN ERGY

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

JUNE 2021 PUBLISHER

Joe Kerby | joe.kerby@lifestylepubs.com EDITOR

Jennifer Birn | jennifer.birn@lifestylepubs.com

Everybody Has a Story

AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe L AYO UT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor

YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO READ THOSE OF THE MEN IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Sarah Ivens

Last month we celebrated ladies of Austin. For the June issue we’re spotlighting some gentleman who have inspiring stories to tell. Our dapper cover star Adrian Grenier

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Laura Morsman

shares his journey of going from a life a lot like the character he played on Entourage, to life as an apprentice farmer on his land in Bastrop, in tune with nature and passions that have long been tugging at him. The positive energy at the shoot was a testament to the happiness he’s found here.

Speaking of positive energy, we caught up with The DeCiccos, three brothers who began literally mixing positive energy in a dorm room and now spread it from their new 8000 square foot headquarters in Austin. Elsewhere in the issue, a grey Sunday was brightened when we met SunLife Organics founder Khalil Rafati, who went from living in a cardboard box on Skid Row to becoming a self-made millionaire. We got to know Michael Bosstick, who propelled a successful podcast with his wife Lauryn Evarts into a media company that now produces more than 60 predominately female-led podcasts and Joah Spearman, who founded Localeur so people could explore cities like a local rather than a tourist.

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

I know I use the word inspiration a lot, but these pages are packed so full of it I’ve

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

been counting down the days until I could share this issue with you. I hope you enjoy

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. As always, if you have any questions,

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen

comments or suggestions, please email me or DM me on Instagram @simplyjen22.

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

Happy summer y’all. It’s going to be a good one.

Cheers, 514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

Jennifer Birn, Editor 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 Adrian Grenier PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA MORSMAN PHOTOGRAPHY 4

Austin Life | June 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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Our Passion

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INSIDE THE ISSUE JUNE 2021

FEATURES 08 The Least Lazy Couch Potatoes The creators of Texas’s largest sofa also have super-sized work ethic & compassion

16 Super Coffee’s The DeCiccos Brothers spreading positive energy nationally from their Austin headquarters

22 "Be Mindful, Not Afraid" Adrian Grenier opens up about bravely embarking on soul-nourishing new chapters - from his farm in Bastrop

22 34

34 Feeding Souls Through Food Journey from Skid Row to Sunlife Organics

08

16 DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

8

Inspired By

12

Healthy Lifestyle

30 Back Stage 40 Local Limelight

GET INSPIRED

EAT + DRINK

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City Lifestyle YOUR DIGITAL DESTINATION FOR LOCAL LIVING

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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INSPIRED BY

The Least Lazy C o u c h Po t a t o e s ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY KATIE JAMESON

CO U C H The Couch Potatoes: Dan Anthony, Travis Morgan, Brian Morgan

8

Austin Life | June 2021

AUSTIN’S COUCH POTATOES IS A FURNITURE STORE WITH THREE TEXAS LOCATIONS WHERE YOU CAN OUTFIT YOUR HOME FROM THE LIVING ROOM TO THE BEDROOM. But, things looked a lot different in 2009, the year before brothers Travis and Brian Morgan and college friend Daniel Anthony started the company. Then, Brian, who originally wanted to be a pastor, and Daniel, who wanted

Center to employ people exiting the prison sys-

to be a stockbroker, were buying and selling

tem, and share, “Our roots have always been in

unsold, returned or slightly damaged department

the salvage business and our strong family faith

store merchandise – that ranged from furniture

taught us to look past the situation that was dealt

to lingerie- on eBay and Craigslist. When Travis

to a person and see the potential when given the

joined them and they decided to expand and get

opportunity to thrive. Salvaging stuff proved time

a warehouse, they each had stints where they

and time again that products still have value even

were living in the warehouse.

if they’re out of season, or slightly imperfect. How

Today, the company has its own line of designs

much more is a human being, that has God-given

and is focused on three main brand initiatives:

breath in their lungs, “salvageable” - or a better

Love People, Bring Comfort and Fair Trade. They

word is beautiful and full of potential that just

also have a strong thread of giving back and mak-

needs to be discovered or given the opportunity.”

ing the world better weaved throughout the com-

And those comfy bean bags (available in 50

pany. They partner with The Texas Transitional

different fabrics!) – they’re essentially made from trash and they’re helping save the environment. “They were birthed out of necessity,” says Dan. “Foam scraps were piling up and we couldn’t bear to throw them in the garbage. So, we saved them and for months. Finally, we jokingly saw an opportunity to turn this waste into something useable - bean bags. But the foam was all different size remnant pieces. We also had tons of Styrofoam filling up 2-3 dumpsters a week after unpacking the packing trash from the manufacturers. How wasteful is that? Just to think everyone in our industry is doing the same thing - filling our landfills with stuff that takes 500 years to break down...So we sought out a unique milling process and equipment from Eastern Asia to grind down this waste into a mix of amazing comfort! It’s truly breathtaking every time you sit on one of these bags!” Find them and more at https://austincouches.com/.

P O TAT O E S

THE CREATORS OF TEXAS’S LARGEST SOFA ALSO HAVE SUPER-SIZED WORK ETHIC & COMPASSION

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

limitless possibilities ONNIT WANTS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE TOTAL HUMAN OPTIMIZATION

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ONNIT

CEO Jason Havey in his office

12

Austin Life | June 2021

"TH O is about recognizing that nothing works in a vacuum. You have to bring it all together if you want to maximize what' s possible."

AUSTIN-BORN WELLNESS BRAND ONNIT WAS

building it as a business. He grew up around supple-

ACQUIRED BY UNILEVER IN APRIL, BUT CEO JASON

ments because his mom was a neuropathic doctor.

HAVEY SAYS THE COMPANY THAT SELLS NUTRI-

He hated that he was taking platefuls of pills and had

TIONAL SUPPLEMENTS AND FITNESS EQUIP-

the idea to condense it into a single dose. He liked to

MENT TO HELP PEOPLE ACHIEVE TOTAL HUMAN

workout so we got into kettlebells. We even got into

OPTIMIZATION (THO) WILL CONTINUE BUSINESS

personal care for a bit but we slimmed it down to just

AS USUAL, AND HE’LL REMAIN AT THE HELM.

things very specific to total human optimization: nutri-

Founder Aubrey Marcus, who will continue as a Brand Ambassador, has said, THO is a commitment to get strong

tion, physical fitness, supplementation and mental and emotional wellness.

in places where we are weak, become great in places where we’re good, and shine a light on the stuff you need to take a look at. Most importantly, THO is about recognizing that nothing works in a vacuum. You have to bring it all

WHO’S THE TARGET AUDIENCE? Whether you’re vegan or a bodybuilder or just walk 20 minutes/day, there’s something for anyone.

together if you want to maximize what’s possible.

Onnit has a robust online business and their products can be found on grocery store shelves nationwide, but

WHY IS AUSTIN THE PERFECT CITY FOR ONNIT’S HEADQUARTERS?

being an Austin-based company, our city has the addi-

Austin allows people to think uniquely and inde-

tional benefit of being home to an Onnit gym and café.

pendently and when Onnit first started it was doing

As summer gets in full swing, we caught up with Havey

things people hadn’t heard of before – taking Alpha

to learn more about how we can achieve THO.

BRAIN to enhance neurotransmission in the brain wasn’t something people were talking about. It’s a very

YOU MOVED FROM WISCONSIN AND A

performance-focused city and for a performance-fo-

CAREER IN HOSPITALITY TO WORK AT ONNIT

cused company we fit right in.

NEARLY 10 YEARS AGO Yes. It was a small company when I moved here,

AS WE HEAD INTO OUR FIRST SUMMER AFTER A

but it already launched Alpha BRAIN, which is still far

YEAR INDOORS, HOW CAN PEOPLE JUMPSTART

and away the #1 product. That’s why I came to Onnit.

THEIR HEALTHY RE-EMERGENCE INTO LIFE?

We’ve been talking about heart health for 50 years, but

Develop a personal strategic plan that you’re willing

you don’t really hear people talking about brain health,

to follow. Figure out what your outcome is and know you

except in the disease state.

can only get a little bit better every day, but think of the outcome and break that into small consumable steps. All

THAT WASN’T LONG AFTER THE MOVIE

the steps on that journey are actually not that difficult,

“LIMITLESS” CAME OUT.

except for the first one. If people do nothing else, get

Alpha BRAIN came out right when that movie came out. So many things you take and hope they work, but

up and do one thing today, no excuses. The momentum starts with the initial action.

Alpha BRAIN you can feel.

The Onnit Gym and Café: 4401 Freidrich Lane Suite ONNIT OFFERS A DIVERSE ARRAY

301, Austin, TX 78744. The café is open to the public

OF PRODUCTS NOW.

you can get a two-week trial membership for small

The company evolved because Aubrey built a company based on things he was interested in instead of

class private training at the gym for $149. Learn more at https://www.onnit.com.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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super coffee’s

the DeCiccos BROTHERS SPREADING POSITIVE ENERGY NATIONALLY FROM THEIR AUSTIN HEADQUARTERS ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON MEDRANO

JIMMY, JAKE AND JORDAN DECICCO ARE BROTHERS YOU

for bottled coffee companies, High Brew and

SHOULD BE KEEPING UP WITH…THEY ARE THE OWNERS

Chameleon coffee are both in Austin. So, it’s

OF SUPER COFFEE, THE FASTEST-GROWING COFFEE COM-

cool be part of the culture that exists here.

PANY IN AMERICA AND THE THIRD BIGGEST READY-TODRINK COFFEE BRAND BEHIND STARBUCKS AND DUNKIN’

IT’S VERY AUSTIN OF YOU TO BE EXCITED

DONUTS. Like the siblings themselves, the company is built on the

TO WORK WITH SIMILAR BRANDS.

premise of spreading positivity and operates on the simple principle, “Work hard and be nice to people.”

Jimmy: Not just coffee, there are so many cool brands here. I’ve enjoyed being here

The DeCiccos, all collegiate athletes, started Super Coffee just

and meeting with founders of very different

over six years ago when youngest brother Jordan began mixing

brands in very different categories but facing

coffee concoctions in his dorm room to find a healthy alternative to

the same problems and helping each other,

Starbucks Frapuccinnos. The company is now valued at nearly $400

making introductions, collaborating. You just

million and has investors including Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez,

didn’t get that in New York.

Aaron Rodgers, Baron Davis, Patrick Schwarzenegger and more.

This month Super Coffee was honored as one of Inc Magazine’s

WHAT MAKES SUPER COFFEE SO SUPER?

top workplaces and opened an 8,000 square foot headquarters

Jordan: First it’s the people and the cul-

in Austin. We caught up with them to learn more about the move

ture, people with the same shared vision,

and motivation.

mission and values working really hard together but having fun doing it. And then

WHAT DREW YOU TO MAKE AUSTIN YOUR

you have a product that’s no sugar, high in

BASE OF OPERATIONS?

protein and has MCT oil in a category that’s

Jimmy: The entrepreneurial energy, the creativity and the collaboration.

loaded with sugar, calories and carbs. We

Jake: Our distributor Anheuser Bush and 3 of the 5 largest beer

always start with removing the negatives,

distributors in North America are located in Texas. Austin is a hub

16

Austin Life | June 2021

then we add positives.

CONTINUED >

+

t h e m o re yo u k n ow + By the end of 2021 Super Coffee will have removed about 10 million pounds of sugar from being consumed. They’re working to turn the sugar into electricity to power things like robotic baristas and electric vehicles

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

17

SUPER COFFEE’S THE DECICCOS (CONTINUED)

HOW MUCH SUGAR HAVE YOU ELIMINATED

would get there or what it would take. So, we’re not

FROM THE BODIES OF CONSUMERS?

surprised that we’re at this point, but how it’s unfolded

Jordan: We have a tracker where we measure it and for

has been beyond our wildest dreams.

every bottle of Super Coffee sold, we assume it’s one bot-

Jake: I do think it’s important to mention we did always

tle of Starbucks that wasn’t consumed. By June 1, in 2021

think this would be a few hundred million or billion-dollar

alone we’ll be at just under 2.5 million pounds for the year.

company because that guided our decisions and made

Jimmy: We’ve already removed 5 million pounds and

us make decisions on scale the whole way. We always

the goal for 2021 is to remove 5 million more.

said we’re more for Walmart than Whole Foods and that helped us get the scale we wanted to achieve.

YOU’VE MENTIONED CONVERTING SUGAR TO ENERGY?

Jimmy: It’s not like it’s a bottom’s up let’s build a billion-dollar business. It’s let’s be the healthy alternative to

Jimmy: Yeah, these kids from MIT figured out a way to

Starbucks everywhere and if we successfully do that, it will

convert sugar into electricity and since our whole brand

be worth a lot of money and we’ll create a valuable company

is based on this idea of removing the negatives and add-

in doing that. Back then we had no idea how to get here,

ing positives, we’re talking about how we can use this

we learned along the way, but we always knew in order to

new invention for something positive. We’re messing

compete with Starbucks, we had to be a really big company.

around with funding a robotic barista that pours coffee or powering an electrical vehicle that delivers Super Coffee.

FINAL THOUGHTS?

DID YOU FORESEE SUPER COFFEE

in the company and moving to Austin and opening the

BECOMING THIS BIG?

new office feels like the start of a new game, a new

Jimmy: Every year something big happens or changes

energy and a new challenge, and we’re so happy to be

a billion-dollar company. I think we knew and we

in Austin. For the first time in my life and my career I feel

believed in ourselves, but we had no idea how we

like we’re right where we should be.

ERY YEAR SOMETHING BIG HAPPENS OR CHANGES IN THE COMPANY D MOVING TO AUSTIN AND OPENING THE NEW OFFICE FEELS LIKE THE RT OF A NEW GAME, A NEW ENERGY AND A NEW CHALLENGE.”

STA

AN

“E V

Jordan: We definitely thought we could become

18

Austin Life | June 2021

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" BE M I N DF U L , NOT A FR A ID"

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Austin Life | June 2021

ARTICLE SARAH IVENS | PHOTOGRAPHY LAURA MORSMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

ADRIAN GRENIER OPENS UP ABOUT EMBARKING ON SOULNOURISHING NEW CHAPTERS FROM HIS FARM IN BASTROP

JUST ONE DAY WITH THE FILM STAR-TURNED-FARMER AT HIS HOME 45 MINUTES OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN WILL NOT ONLY PERSUADE ANYONE WHY LEAVING HOLLYWOOD BEHIND WAS A GREAT DECISION FOR HIM, BUT WHY WE ALL COULD BENEFIT FROM ENJOYING NATURE AND SLOWING OUR PACE IF WE WANT TO BE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER. Nestled into the soothing flow of the Colorado River and a living painting of wildflower fields, Adrian explains – as an orchestra of birds play their finest tunes and he sips coffee from a mason jar - why his new home is the place he’s been moving towards for years, not just physically but mentally.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST FALL IN LOVE WITH TEXAS? I bought a place in Austin five years ago and a year ago I decided to move here permanently. I had friends here, I ran a business here, and liked the pace. Austin is cosmopolitan without being snooty; it’s earthy. People are smart and successful but they don’t flaunt it. There is nothing to prove, people accept you and it felt good right away. Plus, the great food, like Nixta Taqueria and ATX FOOD CO. Tacos three times a day.. And the weather – I’d had enough of brutal winters.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

23

“BE MINDFUL, NOT AFRAID” (CONTINUED)

DECEMBER YOU MOVED FROM AUSTIN TO A FARM IN BASTROP. DO YOU WAKE UP EVERY MORNING, SEE WHERE YOU LIVE AND FEEL HAPPY AND RELAXED? Yeah! Living in the moment, living mindfully, this is meditation served up in every direction I look in every moment.

My land says “you’re welcome” – I don’t have to fight for it anymore. I do feel totally at peace. My work on the farm is present, immediate, apparent. The work I used to do got created over time; you make something but you don’t ever know if it will be good. Acting is a dissociative experience where you don’t even know if you’re doing it right - you need a director to tell you! It’s a mask-wearing process - you’re not even you, you’re just playing! So just to be here, to be me, to be rooted, to feel the earth, to dig in the dirt… it’s so grounding. I’d been stepping on concrete my whole life, separated from the earth. Here and now, I feel so much more centered and balanced.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE THE GLAMOUR OF HOLLYWOOD BEHIND? I have been doing environmental work for the last 20 years, I’ve started organizations and run non-profits, all designed to tell people to live more in line with nature – and yet, I wasn’t living that way. In my mind it was an ideal, but it wasn’t in my daily experience.

I was still living everywhere, in the process of accumulating, getting things and stuff, fancying myself a mini mogul of anything and everything. In many ways, I reached the apex of that promise – if you work hard, you become famous, then you make a lot of money… but it was lackluster at the top.

WAS THAT A SHOCK? A DISAPPOINTMENT? Ha, no - it was a f*ck load of fun, and amazing while it lasted. I’m not disparaging

24

Austin Life | June 2021

that stage of my development when I could go deep

for her, so we ended up looking for a home – and fell

into my total abject debauchery. But look at nature!

in love with this place which is just far enough out of

Nature will tell you things eventually have to come

Austin for us to have the nature we were looking for,

down to earth, and I found myself in a stage of my

but still close enough for her to have access to school.

life where I had to change. I had to deal with the

It had great infrastructure but it wasn’t so nice and

personal things I’d been avoiding. I started to shed

neat that we couldn’t put our imprint on it and make it

some of the things I’d accumulated, I Marie Kondo’d

our own. We’re bringing it back to life.

my life and embraced letting go.

WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF NOW IF AND YOU’VE FOUND SOMEONE WONDERFUL TO SHARE THIS NEW DIRECTION AND LIFESTYLE WITH…

NOT AN ACTOR? A FARMER? I’m an apprentice. This land has so much potential in time. We’re taking things slowly and we have a

When I decided I wanted to settle in Texas I knew

healthy dose of humble. I’m a city kid so I’m learning

I wanted a partner to live that experience with me,

how to do all the things without rushing to impose my

that’s where Jordan comes in. We have a long history,

half-baked ideas on to the land. I’m letting the land

and I said, “I’m in love, and if you are too, I want to

speak to me. I just got my permaculture certification –

build something together.” Thankfully, she was inter-

and rule one is first observe and see what is. I’m learn-

ested. We negotiated terms of the heart, and decided

ing to live in harmony with what exists rather than go

we were going to get some land. She’s going to school

against the flow. We all have opportunities to rebuild

for acupuncture, so trying to build a house while we

our society, our relationships, and focus on what really

lived in a camper indefinitely was not going to work

matters, like family, community and nature.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

25

“BE MINDFUL, NOT AFRAID” (CONTINUED)

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THIS LAND? Our intention is to create a wildlife sanctuary, with elements to give wild animals respite – food for bees and butterflies, birdboxes for migratory birds. We’ll have llamas or alpacas, maybe some goats - not for a livestock operation but to keep the grass down, our living mowers, and to create manure for nutrients for the farm, compost.

We’d love to create food to eat, to give to our neighbors and to sell. Native Americans have a philosophy – produce a third for consumption, a third for profit, a third for giving away, and that sounds like a good balance. We’ve planted a fruit forest - peaches, apples, loquats, figs, avocados, grapes, blueberries, and tangerines and we are working on getting the ecosystem of our pond back into balance so we can fish from it.

We’ve stocked it with some fathead minnow and feeder fish, eventually we’ll add tilapia to pare down the algae. We’re treating it with probiotics not chemicals, which is a longer process but better for the environment.

AND YOU HOPE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY HERE FOR LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE? We do. In New York, where I grew up, there are about 8 million people living on top of each other. There are one hundred people in a building, but you don’t know your neighbors, you’re not connected, you don’t share joy. There are a lot of interactions with humans but they’re often tense. Full of conflict. But now I can see what’s possible, I want to share sugar with four or five families on these 45 acres. This is not a development, we’re not looking to make money from the sale of the lots, we are looking to find people with shared values to build their home here, in a lifelong effort to live better.

grew up sweeping floors in an adobe hut. There was scarcity when I was a child, and it was hard

26

WHAT DOES YOUR MOM THINK ABOUT

for her to give me the opportunities I’ve had, but

HER HOLLYWOOD STAR SON MOVING TO

she worked really hard – and then I took the ball

TEXAS TO WORK THE LAND?

and ran with it. I was able to climb the ladder and

My mother lives in Long Island, but she raised

do some great things in my day too, but my mom,

me like this, she was just waiting for me to finally

in her heart, was always connected to the land, to

comes to terms with it. She raised me on her own

nature. My mom had to get out of it to be aspira-

in one of the most expensive cities in the world,

tional for herself, and for me, but it was always part

and she is a survivor, brilliant and powerful - she

of our story, and now I’ve returned to the earth.

Austin Life | June 2021

S N A P S H O T: W H A T H A S A DRI A N’S AT TEN TION… 01

02

03

Farming Apprentice:

DuContra Ventures:

Lonely Whale:

He bought a farm outside of

Co-founder of an impact

Inspired by the story of the

Austin, Texas and is learning

investing fund that backs

loneliest whale, “52 Blue,”

how to care for and nurture the

founders who understand their

Adrian’s non-profit promotes

land. He lives a life more off the

responsibility as leaders. Those

lasting individual behavior

grid and intends to evolve it into

who are building systems that

change to effect permanent

a community and retreat for

improve the human condition

changes to a system that

like-minded people.

while also benefiting our planet.

continues to promote more

If interested in getting involved.

single-use plastics.

Learn more at https://www. ducontra.ventures/

CONTINUED >

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27

“BE MINDFUL, NOT AFRAID” (CONTINUED)

Shoot Team: Writer: Sarah Ivens, Editor: Jennifer Birn, Adrian, Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O'Neill, Photographer: Laura Morsman

28

Austin Life | June 2021

WHEN YOU’RE NOT DRIVING YOUR GATOR, DIGGING THE DIRT, WATCHING HUMMINGBIRDS, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO? I am the co-founder of DuContra Ventures, an impact investing company that works to create positive change.

DuContra comes from the Portuguese meaning to rebel, to oppose… we push against the established rules of business to achieve healthy returns and ensure the communities around it flourishes. If people would like to know more about investing, they can go to www.ducontra.ventures on contact me through LinkedIn. DO YOU MISS ANYTHING FROM THE OLD DAYS? DO YOU STILL ACT? No. And I don’t miss anything about that world. Listen, if you go on Instagram long enough, you’re going to find some FOMO somewhere, but everyone is just pretending they’re living their best life.

Ultimately, I know that I am, so I don’t even tell anybody about it. Certainly, there’s lots of shiny memories that I crave, but I’ve done too much work not to recognize that I’m here for something bigger than going to nightclubs. I want more now. I want different now. I’ll leave those experiences for the youngsters.

HAVE YOU FINALLY FOUND YOUR HAPPY PLACE, YOUR SOUL’S HOME, HERE IN TEXAS? Yes. My hometown, New York, is a city flanked by two great rivers and the Atlantic but I didn’t feel like I was living on the ocean, I felt I was in concrete.

There was a part of my soul, my being, that was craving something I wasn’t able to identify. After going through some personal changes, I went inward and asked myself how do I want to live? This, here and now, being in Texas, this is how I want to live. I’m relearning, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. At least the locals can’t say “If you don’t like it here, go back to where you came from” because I just say, “Oh, I like it here!”

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

29

BACK STAGE

30

Austin Life | June 2021

ARTICLE STEPHANIE COULTRESS O'NEILL PHOTOGRAPHY LAURA MORSMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

n o i m h r s fa n the fa o

STYLING THE ADRIAN GRENIER SHOOT

THIS SHOOT WAS SUCH A FUN EXPERIENCE. The fantastic setting allowed for creativity and fun with colors and styles.

The John Varvatos deconstructed suit was a great juxtaposition to the farm setting and created an almost British Countryside feel.

I chose the green and mustard NNO7 “shacket” and shirt to play against the beautiful trees that filled the space. I loved the casual coolness of the Rails plaid shirt with shorts on Adrian’s tractor and the cool blue and white stripe lightweight cotton shirt for his traditional Texas photo in the bluebonnets . The amazing yellow wall with the fabulous blue door was the perfect backdrop to the classic white NNO7 button-up and AG khaki pants look.

The styles and scenery proved to be the perfect complements to each other. Who knew that fashion on a farm could be so fun.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

31

PROPELLING FEMALE-LED PODCASTS TO THE FOREFRONT

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

DE A R M E DI A’ S M I C H A E L B O S S TI C K LAST MONTH WE INTRODUCED YOU TO HER. This month, meet Him. What started as supporting his wife Lauryn Evarts Bosstick, her brand The Skinny Confidential and co-hosting their podcast The Skinny Confidential: HIM & HER has blossomed into a media network where Michael provides a platform to dozens of strong female voices.

After tens of millions of downloads of their podcast, Michael started Dear Media, a podcast network where at least 80 percent of the shows are hosted by females. A large part of the reason is the influence of his grandmother Michiko. He shared a story in a touching social media post about her immigrating to the US with her husband after WWII and having three children – before his grandfather left them with nothing and his grandmother became a single mom who worked multiple jobs to support her family. It contributed to the respect he has for hardworking women.

He also acknowledges the good business sense

He’s also excited to raise his family here. A new father to

it makes. “I looked at charts and wondered why

18-month-old Zaza, he says, “I love being a father, the baby was

more women weren’t being represented in the

born in January 2020 and I did what most fathers do and went

space. So, the mission is to empower female

back to work after two weeks. Then the pandemic hit and I got to

voices.” It’s working. Dear Media went from six

spend so much time with her I wouldn’t have otherwise and I’d

shows in 2018 to about 80 now.

never have known what I was missing. I was able to learn a lot

And he’s just getting started. Michael says, “I’m

32

about fatherhood I don’t think I would have otherwise.”

like a dog chasing a car. I’m continually pushing

And on his other half he admits, “This is going to sound cheesy

the goal post.” Newly headquartered in Austin,

and like some Notebook stuff, but I met my wife when I was 12 and

Dear Media is currently opening studios here and

I knew then. I always knew I was going to come back to Lauryn.”

hiring. “I’m investing what I can into people in

Go to https://dearmedia.com/ to find Michael and Lauryn’s

Austin, into growth in Austin and people looking

podcast as well as a shows from a who’s who of amazing tal-

to get into the world of audio/digital outside of the

ent including Molly Sims and Emese Gormley, Victoria Garrick,

Hollywood/New York box,” he says.

Gabby Reece and more.

Austin Life | June 2021

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33

F E E DI N G S OU L S T H ROU GH F O OD

JOURNEY FROM SKID ROW TO SUNLIFE ORGANICS

34

Austin Life | June 2021

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KHALIL RAFATI

INSIDE EVERY SUNLIFE ORGANICS IS A NEON

macadamia nuts, avocados, goji berries, a bunch of

SIGN THAT SAYS “LOVE, HEAL, INSPIRE,” A UNI-

stuff you’d imagine a hippie with a VW van would bring.

CORN WITH A RAINBOW HORN AND CRYSTALS

I was starving physically and emotionally and he fed me

FOUNDER KHALIL RAFATI TRAVELS THE WORLD

and gave me a massage. It was a beautiful, nurturing

TO FIND. From the outside, he appears to be a fit,

and loving experience. And he kept coming back and

healthy, attractive man younger than his years and his

bringing me food. I took to it immediately.”

orange sneakers by Pharrel illicit a quick smile. It all outshines the dark history that paved his way here.

“But, like any good addict, if I’m putting something in my body and it makes me feel good, I want more. So, did I really stop being an addict? The answer is no, the ingre-

ON WHAT MADE HIM GET SOBER THE TIME IT STUCK

dients have changed, that’s all. I’m obsessed. I get up

“I had taken enough beatings, I had enough seizures

every day and this is what I do, I’m at SunLife Organics

and overdoses and went through the absolute horror

just shoveling it into my mouth because I know what

of LA County jail multiple times. What you see in there,

it does for me. I’m 51-years-old, I don’t workout every

the smells, things that happen to you…I certainly didn’t

day but this keeps me thin, it keeps me young, full of

get sober out of virtue, I got sober out of desperation. I

energy, it keeps me alive.”

suffered the high cost of low living. I had scabies, I had ringworm, my teeth were falling out of my head and I was sure I was dying of AIDS.”

MAKING PROMISES When Khalil was newly sober he got an AIDS test and during the painstaking days waiting for the results

ROAD TO RECOVERY

he says, “I made a pact with God that if he could give

“I was living with a guy from NA and the only friend

me one more pass, one more chance, I would do good

I had who would still answer my calls was this guy

for the world. I was making smoothies in my kitchen

named Sean. He was an old hippie, yoga teacher and

and giving them to my clients (recovering addicts)

masseuse who I told I don’t have any money and I was

who were responding like I was responding to them

really having a tough time. He came over with mason

and I’d see these miracles take place in front of me

jars of different juices he’d just juiced and raw almonds,

and I was like, ‘I should open a juice bar,’ and that was CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

35

FEEDING SOULS THROUGH FOOD (CONTINUED)

the beginning of this…I’m still a deeply flawed

HOW THE AUSTIN SUNLIFE ORGANICS

individual. I’m a work in progress and I make

CAME TO FRUITION…

mistakes every day, but I do the best I can to

Khalil got sober at 33, had to get minimum

make the world a better place. I think we need to

wage jobs walking dogs, cleaning cars and

stop attacking each other and look in the mirror

apartments and then as a recovery companion

and say, ‘What can I do?’ Do what Ghandi said

before he opened the first SunLife in Malibu at

and be the change you want to see in the world.

41. Ten years later he opened the Austin location

If that just means being kind to my employees,

in Fall 2020.

smiling when I’m meeting new customers and

He shares that although he’d previously con-

maybe treating them and giving them the nutri-

sidered buying a house here, “I never would

tion to meet their challenges, that’s what I do.”

have opened in Austin, but I was at Soho House in Malibu two years ago and the guy who started

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Paul Mitchell haircare products, John Paul

“When I was newly sober and studying Ram

DeJoria, walks up to my table and says his wife

Dass and all these enlightened people, one

loves the smoothies I make and asked if I’d open

thing I found in all of their different teachings

one in Austin. I said no, that I needed to grab

was to be careful who’s preparing your food

low-hanging fruit in California and do San Diego

because you’re eating their energy. If you have

and Santa Barbara. Then he said, ‘What if I were

angry people in an angry kitchen and you’re eat-

to give you the money?’ I said maybe and he

ing their food, you’re eating their anger…My idea

said, ‘What would I get?’ and I said, ‘I’ll give you

from Day One was to create a lighthouse in the

30% of the profits’ and he said, ‘Would you give

storm for people who were going through stuff

me more?’ I said no. Then he said, ‘What if I were

like me. A safe drug and alcohol-free environ-

to donate all of the profits that you gave me to

ment where people could work, feel safe and get

homeless people since you used to be homeless

real nutrition. Our ingredients don’t make sense

and I used to be homeless?’ and I said, ‘I’ll give

financially (he sources and imports top-grade

you more.’ And he said, ‘How about 40% and my

ingredients), it’s not good business practice, but

40% will go towards feeding homeless people,

if I cared about that we’d just be getting stuff

building them structures, drug testing them

from Cisco and throwing it in a bowl and you’d

and teaching them a vocation.’ I said ‘Done.’ He

be suffering through yet another average pedes-

walked back to his table and 20 minutes later

trian-grade meal. Instead, we deliver real nutri-

he came back to my table with a handwritten

tion, real sustenance. Whether it’s the matcha

piece of paper and said, ‘Here it’s done. This is

from Japan, maca from Peru or the cacao beans

my legal contract with you.’”

from Ecuador, I’m going to get into a situation where I can do direct trade with those people.

36

AND NOW YOU’RE LIVING IN AUSTIN

The matcha we’re importing now, eventually

“I left LA for a multitude of reasons. I was stag-

we’ll import the maca and cacao. I’m not there

nant, I wanted a change. When we came here,

yet, but I will be. That’s my jam.”

within a week, the knots I had in my stomach

Austin Life | June 2021

Khalil outside the SunLife Organics on South Congress

The 'contract' handwritten by John Paul DeJoria that was the impetus for the Austin location

“It’s bizarre for me to think about that guy shuffling down the street with one flip flop on muttering to himself, but that was me.” Today living in LA for 29 years were gone. My shoulders

he speaks to the cop who arrested him for the

began to drop, I began to breathe deeply rather

last time nearly every day, saying, “You have to

than shallow. Two weeks straight I walked the

hold people accountable or they’re never going to

river they call a lake and I kept looking down at my

change.” Khalil’s living proof that we can rise from

shirt because people would look at me and smile

challenges and change our stars.

and I thought I had something on my shirt. Then I realized they were smiling at me, not because I

For more, read Khalil’s books. The first one “I For-

spilled something, but because we’re supposed

got to Die,’ is a biography. The second, “Remem-

to smile at one another. People here are so nice!

bering to Live” he says, “is the answer to all the

I don’t want to beat up on LA because LA gave

idiots who would DM me and say, ‘I want to be rich

me the ability to build a brand, to write a book…

like you. How did you go from living under a bridge

but we were here about a week and my girlfriend

to being a millionaire?’ This is the how-to. This is

says, ‘What about living here?’ and within two

literally every step of the way what I did.”

weeks we decided to stay.”

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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Austin Life | June 2021

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CityLifestyle.com/Austin

39

LOCAL LIMELIGHT ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON MEDRANO

meet...joah spearman ABOU T: THE LOCALEUR CO-FOUNDER HAS MADE IT EASIER FOR

only in me building Localeur, but also in me building my life,

AUSTINITES NEW AND OLD TO FIND HIDDEN GEMS IN

my community and my identity. I often think that I became the

THE CITY – OR WHILE THEY’RE ABROAD, AND HE’S JUST

person I am largely as a result of my upbringing, but also as a

GETTING STARTED. We caught up with him to learn more

result of the places I’ve lived and no place has been more for-

about his favorites and his vision for the future.

mative in my professional life and quality of life than Austin. It’s

Joah and his co-founder conceptualized Localeur because

really been a city that has fully tapped and unlocked my sense

they didn’t want to go where tourists go when they traveled, but

of priorities around philanthropy, community, civic engagement,

where locals go. “It was born out of our personal desire to know

creativity, entrepreneurship, and having a healthy lifestyle.”

where locals ate and drank and shopped and worked out instead

Looking ahead he says, “My big long-term goal is to help my

of going on a review app and trusting other people who didn’t live

community - whether that’s Austin or the country or the world at

there. I got friends in Austin to recommend 5 to 10 of their favorite

large - better understand the link between civic engagement (not

places to eat, drink and hang out in Austin and February 2013 we

just voting, but truly investing in a sense of place at the city level,

launched the site with about 50 or 60 recommendations”

especially), philanthropy (not just donating, but truly instilling a cul-

They launched their 200th city, New Delhi, India, in April

ture of giving in all things) and economy (not just generating wealth,

and Cairo, Egypt, Helsinki, Finland, and San Jose, California

but positively influencing society through investment and innova-

earlier this year.

tion). The words I’ve started using to describe this is constructive

White Localeur has gone international, Joah’s heart and home are Austin, “Austin has played such an incredible role not

SOCIAL :

@joahspearman on IG & Twitter

|

optimism: being able to assess and analyze things not solely to be a critic, but to build them even better with hopeful intentionality.”

facebook.com/Localeur

FAVOR ITE QUOTE :

“Each day is a chance to do the things I could’ve done the

day before, but didn’t and know I should’ve.” It’s a lyric by a rapper named Phonte.

PL ACE S I ’ M LOV ING IN AUS TIN R IGHT NOW:

1. Monger’s in Hyde Park: it’s become a really nice date night location.

2. Roy C Guerrero Park: I proposed to my fiancé here.

3. Johnson Creek Trail: I love running or biking here.

4. Gelateria Gemelli: Nothing beats the amazing flavors of gelato here.

5. Cuantos Tacos: I’ll probably start a fight by saying this, but these are the best tacos in Austin.

40

Austin Life | June 2021

|

@localeur on IG & Twitter

CU R R E NT OB SE S S ION :

1. My fiancé’s music. I got myself a new record player during COVID and have been playing her debut album REINA

R E S TAU R ANT S:

Comedor’s Their Bone Marrow Tacos are the best single dish of any restaurant in Austin.

Uchiko The fried milk cereal dessert never gets old.

2. My Olympus Stylus film camera. Got it as a birthday gift a couple years ago from my fiancé and I can’t travel without it.

3. Nike Zoom Bruins. I love Nike Skateboarding shoes. I used to own a sneaker boutique and collect sneakers, but now I like a shoe with more comfort, durability with some style without going all out.

4. Reposado Old Fashions. I perfected my own at home during the pandemic. My key has been putting water in the glass first and only using Grapefruit bitters.

Cuantos Tacos

Gelateria Gemelli

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

41

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Austin Life | June 2021

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