Austin Life, TX October 2020

O C TO B E R 2 02 0

M E ET KO KO

FOOD + DRINK AVAN T G ARD E H O SPI TAL I T Y AUS T I N’ S P O SH I N T ERI O R D ESI G N Q U EEN 3 PERF EC T O RC HARD - I NSPI RED REC I P ES FO R FAL L

INSPIRE INK LIZZY SMITH

Tattoo Artist

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY:

Coming Soon to Leander!

LIZZYWIGLZTATOOS@GMAIL.COM

(864) 386-4978

@lizzywiglz

LIFESTYLE LETTER

OCTOBER 2020 PUBLISHER

Joe Kerby | joe.kerby@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Roslyn Bond | roslyn.bond@lifestylepubs.com

The Ingenuity of Food HAPPY FALL SEASON AUSTIN! This month is all about food - color, shape and texture, arrangement, garnish, and plating are just a few of the tasteful elements you’ll read about with respect to Austin’s most dedicated and successful restaurant owners and chefs, foodie influencers, and designers.

AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe L AYO UT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lesson Medrano, Haley Plotkin of Ready Set Jet Set, Jane Ko of A Taste of Koko

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and find yourself eating the same things each day. We get it; we’re all busy, and we have our go-to meals that we know will feed the family for the whole week. We return to our favorite restaurants and order our favorite dish every time because we know it is always amazing.

But, this month, it is time to branch out and tantalize your taste buds. Try something new; you might find a fresh staple to add to the rotation. And we’re here to point you in the right direction. This issue is packed full of ground breaking, nuanced thinking, in which Austin is known for, featuring some of the most ingenious leaders in our hospitality industry!

Cheers and Happy Eating, Austin.

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen

Roslyn Bond, Editorial Coordinator

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

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

ON THE COVER Photo taken at the Austin Proper.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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

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Austin Life | October 2020

of all information cannot be guaranteed.

INSIDE THE ISSUE OCTOBER 2020

FEATURES 10 Austin’s Posh Interior Design Queen Modernistic Kitchen Design and Remodeling

14 Overcoming Adversity with Ingenuity and Persistence 20 Avant Garde Hospitality Local Restaurants Revolutionize the hospitality industry, pioneering new and innovative approaches for serving the Austin Community

20 10

24 Meet Koko One of the most Successful and Influential Women in the Digital Era

14

24

DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

8

Around Town

10

Locally Owned

14

Hot Spot

20 Local Limelight 24 Inspired By 28 Renovate & Refine 34 Culinary Creations 38 DIY

WE BELIEVE IN 100% ORGANIC SELF REMEDIES Highest quality locally grown herbs made into essential and infused oils, bath soaks, salves, and teas and tisanes.

2423 S Bell Blvd. Suite A Cedar Park, TX 78613 jacksmountaintea.com doug.jacksmountain@gmail.com (512) 514-1250

AROUND TOWN grown and bottled in true French fashion in the South of France. This is the third vintage to be released from the Texas-owned Rose Gold since the brand launched in 2018, which is now offered at 250 restaurants and stores throughout Texas, and is readily available for retail at Randall’s grocers. For a full list and additional information, visit rosegoldwine.com.

POWERS & KERR EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS The renowned and respected law firm are excited to announce their new location to a more expansive office space better suited to accommodate their clients during these uncertain times in history. They have also welcomed a new associate attorney, Mr. Kayvon Rashidi, into their dynamic and reputable team in order to more efficiently tackle the most complex, highly conflicted divorce and custody disputes in the

EASY TIGER COMMUNITY BREAD CHALLENGE

Austin area. If you or someone you know needs

Easy Tiger announces the expansion of its

sound, experienced guidance through a difficult

Community Bread Challenge to 100,000 loaves,

family law issue, please contact the team at

based on Austin’s overwhelming support and

Powers & Kerr! powersandkerr.com

success of the initial program. Easy Tiger’s initial

6034 West Courtyard Drive, Ste. 100

Challenge began as the pandemic hit in March and was completed within 40 days, delivering more than 10,000 loaves of fresh bread to Austin-area food banks. Easy Tiger once again kickstarts the Challenge, this time by pledging 20,000 loaves and asking the community for its continued support to reach its goal of 100,000 loaves of Community Bread by Labor Day 2021. easytigerusa.com

CONTINUING THE FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM Military rights advocate and attorney, Sean Timmons, served in the Army, as an attorney for four years at Fort Hood, Texas. Since returning to civilian life he has managed a civilian military law

ROSE GOLD WINE RELEASES 2019 VINTAGE

8

practice in Austin and Houston as part of a national firm. He understands that military life can cause complex legal issues to arise, and servicemembers

Casey Barber released her 2019 vintage of

should not be left in the dark on resolving matters

Rose Gold wine, a classic dry Provence rosé,

for themselves and their families. Sean helps them

Austin Life | October 2020

navigate unique military law problems when

participants earlier in the day, and then meet up

faced with challenges and nowhere to turn. To

via Zoom where Paul leads them through making

inquire about how to help this cause or if you

cocktails and tasting. Inquire about having your

need personal assistance for your own legal

own experience at events@assembly.kitchen or

issues, call Sean. 832-241-5888 tullylegal.com/

512 320 5909.

locations/austin-tx/

ASSEMBLY KITCHEN’S VIRTUAL BEVERAGE EVENT Assembly Kitchen’s Virtual Beverage Event Lead, Paul Finn, explains how Garage, in partnership with Assembly Kitchen, offers an array of virtual experiences, ranging from Virtual Happy Hours for corporate events to curating bi-monthly

Would you like to get in touch with us? We

events where they team up with a brand and

would love to hear from you! Contact us at

do a spirits tasting and cocktail build-along.

CityLifestyle.com/Austin using the Get In

They send out cocktail kits to all of the

Touch link and let us know what you think.

LESSON MEDRANO PHOTOGRAPHY

VISIT www.lessonmedrano.com CONTACT info@lessonmedrano.com INSTAGRAM @lessonmedranophotography

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

9

LOCALLY OWNED

MODERNISTIC KITCHEN DESIGN AND REMODELING

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Austin Life | October 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON MEDRANO

Austin’s Posh Interior Design Queen DEPARTING FROM THE ORDINARY IS THE ULTIMATE LOCAL OUTLIER IN THE REMODELING AND INTERIOR DESIGN WORLD, JESSICA LOVE WITH URBANE DESIGN. Surrounding yourself with a community that truly understands and appreciates design can be the key to thriving as a designer, and Jessica has earned her title as a true innovator of design as well as an advocate for diversity and progression in the Austin community.

“My hope is to inspire Austin Life readers to achieve greatness through interior design as well as offer education and sneak peeks into our design journey.”

As a young girl, Jessica would spend hours rearranging her bedroom and designing custom furniture for Barbie. She said she always knew she was destined to become an interior signer which led her to earn her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Interior Design. She started her first iteration of her design firm the day after she graduated.

Jessica’s expertise lies in design and psychology, which has proven to be an effective methodology for creating unique, interior combined with exceptional customer satisfaction.

“I believe that our environment affects our mood, productivity, energy levels and overall attitude. It is always my goal to improve the quality of my client’s lives by creating a safe and healthy space in which their families can thrive. There is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing our client’s energy shift once their spaces have been transformed.”

When remodeling homes, Urbane Design takes a tried and true approach to interior design. It is of utmost importance to understand one’s lifestyle prior to undertaking a remodel. They begin with an initial consultation in the client’s home, which offers a better understanding of how their client’s live day to day while discovering what does and does not work in their existing space.

Once they have a good understanding of their client’s desired outcome and budget, they take necessary measurements, review inspiration images, and hit the drawing board, literally. In turn, they provide detailed AutoCAD plans, as well as concept boards to convey the overall vision of the project.

They oversee all aspects of the interior design process from concept to completion, which also entails bidding with several contractors and subcontractors to ensure their client’s select the best for them. Every project is quite different and personalities are a large component of the process. Once their clients have selected their desired contractor, they begin assisting in the ordering process and oversee construction up until the very last accessory is placed.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

11

LOCALLY OWNED (CONTINUED)

“I be lieve that our env ironment affect s our mood , p r o d u c t i v i t y, e n e rg y l e v e l s a n d o v e r a l l a t t i t u d e .”

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Austin Life | October 2020

Jessica Love

Below, Jessica explains to Austin Life her recent experience of remodeling her own kitchen, giving us the opportunity to see inside the mind of a truly talented designer as she walks us through the thought process behind the groundwork of her overall design and vision.

There are a lot of important things to consider when remodeling a kitchen but number one is having a clear idea of the investment you want to make in your home. We never begin a conversation about design until we have a clear understanding of the budget. The budget will inevitably direct the overall finished look of a kitchen, from layout to selections.

The layout functioned quite nicely and everything was brand new when we bought the home, so I didn’t feel comfortable from a sustainability standpoint of gutting the entire space. I decided that the solid wood cabinet boxes and the layout would remain as is. We removed the door fronts, painted the boxes black and I had custom walnut slab doors fabricated to replace the old. Since we left the boxes in place that meant that I did not have to be in a rush to replace the countertops immediately. Like most people, even as a designer, I too have a budget. For now, our Quartz countertops remain, but I do have future plans to replace the countertops with Soapstone. I added new cabinet hardware to the cabinets, updated a few appliances, added new perforated steel cabinet inserts and decorated accordingly.

We were one of the lucky few, as our kitchen functioned for us and offered plenty of storage. My overall goal was to achieve a more modern look and feel, as well as something we love versus a room we rarely want to visit because it was simply not our style. Now we love our kitchen, don’t tell my husband, but I actually enjoy cooking from time to time now.

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF REMODELING ONE’S KITCHEN AND WHY SHOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE TO DO IT? This is a tricky one because each individual may see value in different ways. In my experience, most people find value in their return on investment. I think it is important to understand how long one intends to live in their home and this is important in determining a budget and projecting resale of a home. As a general rule, kitchens offer the largest return on one’s investment and 9 times out of 10 are always worth it. To others, they may see value in simply living in a well organized and thought out space in which they can sustain their family’s life by preparing and feeding their family healthy meals. In my opinion, we should remodel our kitchens for both. Homes are typically the largest investment one will make in their lifetime, I believe from a financial standpoint it is smart to protect that investment and there is nothing better than a well designed, custom kitchen. Believe me!

The previous homeowner installed Quartz by Caesarstone and since they were brand new we decided to keep them. Quartz is a great option for kitchens and offers durability as well as a consistent look.

For more remodeling and design ideas, check out Urbane Design’s website https://urbanedesignstudios.com/ and call Jessica up for your own customized consultation!

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

13

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY WITH INGENUITY AND PERSISTENCE HOT SPOT

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Austin Life | October 2020

“ We i n v i t e y o u to suppor t Sway and experience our unique menu items and different options available now for ser ving the Austin communit y!”

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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HOT SPOT (CONTINUED)

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Austin Life | October 2020

“I genuine l y love my s taff as though the y a r e f a m i l y, a n d I w a k e u p e v e r y d a y e x c i t e d f o r t h e p l e a s u r e o f w o r k i n g a l o n g s i d e t h e m .”

SWAY IS AN AWARD-WINNING MODERN

the box on how we can bring the experience of

THAI RESTAURANT, CURRENTLY OFFERING

Sway to guests’ homes, such as, to-go cocktails,

DINE-IN + TAKEAWAY FROM ONE OF THEIR

make-it-yourself meal kits and house-made

LOCATIONS IN WEST LAKE HILLS, TEXAS.

sauces sold by the jar for at-home recipes.

In this article, Chef Schlienger, Executive Chef,

Another change is our kitchen layout. With

shares his thoughts with Austin Life regarding

the shutdown this past spring and potential

Sway’s ingenuity in adapting to the new era of the

for future closures, we have been forced to

food service industry, and how they plan to con-

completely change our equipment layout to

tinue their endeavors for the Austin Community.

accommodate for reduced staffing levels, allow-

So much has changed in the way we operate

ing us to still operate without missing a beat.

at Sway since March 2019; however, we still

This means we have also shifted gears slightly

have the same goal of providing a memorable

on some of the menu items we offer, but also

and consistently excellent experience for our

allows us the opportunity to create offerings like

guests. We temporarily shut down all three

‘MF Wednesday’ (Market Fish Wednesday, the

locations in March, and now are solely operat-

only day our whole fried fish is now available)

ing out of our Westlake location only for the time

and makes those dishes feel even more special.”

being, due to its size, dedicated parking lot we

We invite you to support Sway and experience

utilize for curbside, and multiple outdoor dining

our unique menu items and different options

spaces. We also got rid of the communal seat-

available now for serving our dedicated and

ing in our courtyard, to provide better spacing

fast-growing customer base!

for guests sitting there.

I enjoy being the executive chef at Sway for many reasons, but the number one reason is the

Order online for pick-up orders, get sway delivered via favor or ubereats, or make a dine-in reservation.

people I work with and for. I genuinely love my staff as though they are family, and I wake up every

SWAY WEST LAKE HILLS

day excited for the pleasure of working alongside

512.326.1999

them, through hard and smooth services alike.

3437 bee caves road

Our to-go program has really taken off, forcing

west lake hills, texas 78746

us to rethink the way we are able to continue pro-

westlake@swaythai.com

ducing high-quality food at increased volumes

westlakeevents@swaythai.com

and with many orders coming in within a shorter

Hours: open for dine-in + takeaway:

time frame. It’s also pushed us to think outside

tuesday-saturday, 4pm–9pm

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

17

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Austin Life | October 2020

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19

LOCAL LIMELIGHT

Av a n t G a r d e H o s p i t a l i t y

Chef Giovanni Pujol

Chef Giovanni Pujol WHEN DID ASSEMBLY KITCHEN BEGIN? Assembly Kitchen was founded in the midst of the unfortunate and unforeseen pandemic closures that plagued all of the wonderful restaurants here in Austin.

DETAILS: Restaurant: Assembly Kitchen and Comedor Position: Executive Chef at Assembly Kitchen Sous Chef at Comedor

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING THE SOUS CHEF AT COMEDOR? Working with such passionate cooks that look to strengthen their skills everyday by constantly keeping each other sharpened through holding stiff standards. We

WHAT IS ASSEMBLY KITCHEN’S PROCEDURE?

consider these standards to be the Comedor way. I love the

Our procedures and mission at Assembly Kitchen is

focus that Chef Philip Speer delivers of bettering the lives

to deliver fine dining restaurant meals that people expect

of all employees through offering multiple outlets of well-

from Comedor and other exemplary restaurants around

ness; this includes our company sponsored yoga classes

town. We didn’t want to settle for just to go food. We

and amazing clubs such as the Comedor Run Club.

understand there is so much more to the experience of

Comdeortx.com and Assembly.kitchen

going out to a fine dining establishment than just the food.

With our par cooked food and meticulous instructions we their own homes. When you pair these boxed dinners with

favorite dish?

crafted cocktails from our sister company, Garage Bar, we

Comedor Taco dinner: Triple Meat combo: Chicken

believe its a little closer to having the full fine dining expe-

Tinga, Peaceful Pork Carnitas, Peeler Farm Skirt Steak,

rience that we have all grown to love and look forward to.

accompanied with local farm vegetables, salsa, Tamoa

invite our guest to complete the preparation of the dish in

heirloom corn tortillas, Hausbar herbs 20

Austin Life | October 2020

LOCAL RESTAURANTS REVOLUTIONIZE THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, PIONEERING NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR SERVING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY Chef and Owner Eric Silverstein

WHAT KIND OF FOOD DOES THE PEACHED TORTILLA SERVE? We serve modern Asian comfort food with a Southern twist.

IN WHAT WAY HAS THE PEACHED TORTILLA PIVOTED DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES IN ORDER TO THRIVE AND ACCOMMODATE YOUR CUSTOMERS? Initially, at the start of the pandemic, we switched to only take out business with a curbside specific menu. We were doing family meals that fed 2-3 people. We launched an instant-ish ramdon noodle kit and also reheatable meals.

Our catering division launched a family meal program and we started sending our food trucks to different HOA’s. We also did a pop up concept called “Fat City,” which was a modern take on White Castle.

WHAT IS THE DISH AND COCKTAIL DISPLAYED IN THE PHOTO? The Southern Fun (front) - braised brisket, kale, bean sprouts, wide rice nnooldes / #60 Fried Rice - chinese DETAILS: Restaurant: The Peached Tortilla Position: Owner, Author, and Chef

CHEF ERIC SILVERSTEIN

sausage (lap cheong), shiitakes, scrambled egg, herbs, sweet tea pickled onions / Smoke Screen. mezcal, pomegranate, agave, lime, togarashi salt thepeachedtortilla.com

favorite dish?

The Southern Fun and Taco Trio is our most popular dish; The Margarita de Peached is our most popular cocktail.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

21

LOCAL LIMELIGHT (CONTINUED)

Founder John Lee

DETAILS: Restaurant: Seoulju Korean Kitchen Position: Founders John Lee and his mother, Chef Sang Mi Kang

CHEF SANG MI KANG HOW HAS YOUR ESTABLISHMENT PIVOTED

drinking culture with the Austin community, hence the

DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME IN ORDER TO

re-branding of the restaurant to Seoulju Korean Kitchen

ACCOMMODATE YOUR CUSTOMERS?

and Bar, a play on word that sounds like soju (Korean

We opened a second location inside Kitchen United Mix

liquor). John is always experimenting with different rec-

to streamline our takeout and delivery operation. We started

ipes using soju. Seoulju Korean Kitchen and Bar is the

working with Spirit Tree Delivery, a local Austin startup that

only Korean bar in Austin with the widest selection of soju

hires TABC certified drivers to deliver our food and alcohol.

brands and flavors, including infused soju made by John.

Kitchen United Mix is a convenient take out and delivery for our guests. Since we’ve closed our dining room for our restau-

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE SIGNIFICANT YOU

rant, we needed to pivot to a virtual kitchen for more traffic.

WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

WHAT KIND OF FOOD IS SERVED?

September to accommodate guests who are comfortable

We are looking forward to reopening our dining room in We serve Korean comfort food and Korean fried chicken.

dining out. We will also continue to operate concurrently with Kitchen United Mix for guests who are not yet comfortable

WHAT AWARDS HAVE YOU WON? We were voted best fried chicken category by Austin

with dining in restaurants who have open their dining room. seouljuatx.com and kitchenunited.com

Monthly magazine in 2020.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND STORY BEHIND YOUR BUSINESS? John joined his mother’s restaurant in June 2018. He has the ambition to share his knowledge about Korean 22

Austin Life | October 2020

favorite dish?

Korean Fried Chicken

Founder of TenTen and Devil May Care

Jack Zimmerman Dish from Devil May Care

DETAILS: Restaurant: Ten Ten & Devil May Care Position: Founder

Dish from TenTen

WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR ENDEAVOR IN

program and have just rolled out home catering for those who

CREATING MORE UNIQUE LOCAL RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN,

are more comfortable with our team coming to them! info@

AND HOW WILL THIS BENEFIT THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY?

novahospitalitygroup.com is a great avenue for getting in touch

We relish creating unique concepts that excite and inspire people,

quickly and inquiring about all of our projects, too.

and a company culture that breaks the norm for our industry. We get to create lots of jobs for wonderful people, while doing what we love;

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AS HELPING YOU IN

and that, in itself, is an absolute honor.

YOUR ENDEAVORS FOR YOUR SUCCESS OF TENTEN, DEVIL MAY CARE AND ANY OTHER FUTURE ENDEAVORS?

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE AUSTIN? I’ve been fortunate to work in Las Vegas, Miami, London, Shanghai and Dubai. While all of those cities are special in their own ways, none of them has the easygoing authenticity of Austin, Texas. Austin

It has just been so collaborative that I want to acknowledge our phenomenal staff, talented management teams, dedicated partners and supportive investors for the early successes we have seen.

These establishments are special because of the team as a whole! tentenaustin.com and devilmaycareatx.com

has so many aspects that contribute to quality of life, while its people are gracious and appreciative. Ultimately, I went to University here before embarking on a career in hospitality, but always knew I wanted to come back one day.

favorite dish?

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE

TenTen: hamachi carpaccio - black truffle, yuzu;

CURBSIDE, DELIVERY, OR CATERING ASPECTS THAT YOU

Devil May Care: The Shellfish Platter

GUYS HAVE CREATED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC? People can find TenTen, Devil May Care, The Well and Neptune Sushi easily through our websites! We have a wonderful take-out CityLifestyle.com/Austin

23

INSPIRED BY

meet koko

Jane Ko, of A Taste of Koko

ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN THE DIGITAL ERA ARTICLE ROSLYN BOND | PHOTOGRAPHY HALEY PLOTKIN OF READY SET JET SET 24

Austin Life | October 2020

ACCORDING TO THE JANUARY 2019 WE ARE SOCIAL REPORT, 45% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND USERS HAVE BECOME NOTORIOUS FOR CRAVING SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS WHO, NOT ONLY GUIDE THEM WITH THEIR DECISION MAKING, BUT ALSO INSPIRE THEM TO EXPRESS THEIR CREATIVE FREEDOM AND FIND THEIR OWN INDIVIDUALISTIC GIFTS THAT WE WERE ALL BORN WITH. One influential leader that will never be forgotten during this modern digital age of history is one of our very own Austinines, Jane Ko of A Taste of Koko. She has dedicated her gifts to inspire the masses which has earned her the title of being a best selling book author, successful blogger since 2010, and mega influencer on Instagram

This is when Koko took it upon herself

where her loyal following continues to build

to launch ‘Hundred For Hospitality’ with

at an astronomical rate irrefutably due to her

Mylk Collective which enabled them to

marketing ingenuity, authenticity to her fan

raise $15,000 from the community and

base, and precise knowledge of her niche

provide 4,000 meals to service industry

she has acquired.

workers that were laid off by a restaurant in

Koko’s zeal and acquired expertise in the

Austin affected by COVID-19. Their noble

food industry led her to create different ave-

endeavor included donating 100% of the

nues of featuring the hottest restaurants and

funds back into the restaurant economy

weekend getaways in the Austin area.

which once again proved Koko’s unceasing

When the city of Austin mandated all

dedication to the food industry, which has

restaurant dining rooms to close on March

stood the test of time as being a monu-

17, 2020, there was a domino effect of hun-

mental industry for growth and economic

dreds of restaurant owners and service

development in the Austin community.

industry that took it upon themselves to

Another achievement that Koko has

ask Koko for assistance. She mentions

attained amongst the Austin community

how she felt absolutely devastated during

and across the world is her well respected

this time; because, she too was at a loss

and popular blog, A Taste of Koko which was

of what the next steps were for rebuilding

launched in 2010. A Taste of Koko has been

morale and change when the rapid and

voted Best Local Blog by Austin Woman

overwhelming shutdown of restaurants

Magazine, the Austin Chronicle, featured

became unbearable and out of anyone’s

in the O Magazine, InStyleMagazine, OWN

control. The historical effects of this partic-

TV Network, and The New York Times. Her

ular pandemic, which continues today, has

blog has succeeded in photographing and

caused financial strain on local restaurant

writing on hundreds of local Austin restau-

owners with no relief in sight.

rants since 2012.

This catastrophic downturn caused local

Just when you thought this self made, pio-

businesses to suffer and thousands of peo-

neering foodie enthusiast had made it to the

ple in the service industry were forced to be

top with her monumental influence of gaining

furloughed and laid off. Koko could not sit

a prolific, loyal following, Koko pushed it to

back and watch the local restaurant industry

the limit and went on to self-publish her own

desempate right before her eyes without

guidebook to Austin called, Koko’s Guide

taking some form of proactive action to help

To Austin, which features over 300+ local

her fellow industry leaders.

restaurants and businesses.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

25

INSPIRED BY (CONTINUED)

There is absolutely no doubt in any Austin resident’s mind that this inspiring and influential leader in the restaurant community birthed a movement like none other, and she will be forever recognized as someone who didn’t allow obstacles to stop her sole purpose of informing the masses of how important local restaurant businesses are to not only the growth of our economy but also the diversity and culture that lies within it as well. atasteofkoko.com

KOKO’S GUIDE TO AUSTIN:

Jane Ko - Author of Koko’s Guide To Austin, a pocket-sized guidebook to Austin Texas.

Koko’s Guide To Austin is a pocket-sized travel guidebook to eating and drinking your way through Austin, TX with Austin’s top food blogger, Jane Ko, of A Taste of Koko.

Jane Ko launched A Taste of Koko in 2010 and has featured the hottest restaurants and weekend getaways from Austin. A Taste of Koko has been voted Best Local Blog

by Austin Woman Magazine and the Austin Chronicle, and has been featured in O Magazine, InStyleMagazine, OWN TV Network, and The New York Times.

IN KOKO’S GUIDE TO AUSTIN, YOU WILL FIND: + Insider’s guide to Austin, Texas by a local Austin blogger + 330+ local restaurants and businesses + 3 hand-drawn illustrated maps of Austin + Pages of beautiful, original photography of Austin + In-depth restaurant section that breaks down the best spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch,date night, tacos, margaritas, Tex-Mex, and more + Neighborhood section featuring the popular neighborhoods of Austin with the best spots for coffee,breakfast, lunch, dinner, shops and more + Calendar listing of iconic events like Austin City Limits (ACL), South by Southwest (SXSW), etc. + Weekend getaways from Austin + Austin bucket list that you can check off!

This is the ultimate guide to Austin, Texas for both locals and visitors.

Amazon.com 26

Austin Life | October 2020

Jane Ko, of A Taste of Koko

A Taste of Koko launched Shop Koko in August 2018 - a line of cute, foodie t-shirts that benefit local charities in Austin like Central Texas Food Bank and Austin Pets Alive. shop.atasteofkoko.com CityLifestyle.com/Austin

27

RENOVATE & REFINE

Kitchen Counter Tops 101 JESSICA LOVE WITH URBANE DESIGN SHARED WITH US, THROUGH HER EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE, THE MOST POPULAR KITCHEN COUNTER TOPS TODAY AND WHY! Quartz is not a natural stone; it is a man-made, engineered stone. Quartz is fabricated from natural silicon dioxide and synthetic materials, meaning approximately 93% of quartz tops are natural. The stone is then blended with a binder and pigment, and then it is formed into a counter top.

Counter top St yles:

Quartz is non-porous, so it resists staining much better than natural stone. For cleanliness, a non-porous surface means that it will not harbor bacteria or viruses. It has the same durability as granite but more forgiving in nature, so it will not chip or crack as easily. Furthermore, the manufacturing process allows for a much wider range of color than you will find in natural stone and the surface is much more consistent in color and texture.

Granite is a light-colored igneous-rock with grains large enough to be visible with the unaided eye. Granite is

Quartz

Granite

Quartzite

Porcelain

formed from the slow crystallization of magma below the Earth’s surface. It is composed mainly of quartz and feldspar with small amounts of mica, amphiboles, and other minerals. These mineral compositions usually give granite a red, pink, gray, or white color with dark mineral grains visible throughout the stone.

Granite is found in a variety of colors. It is scratch and heat resistant.

Quartzite is a natural metamorphic stone, quartzite is created when sandstone is under extreme heat and pressure from compression of tectonic plates in the earth’s crust.

CONTINUED >

28

Austin Life | October 2020

Jessica Love

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

29

RENOVATE & REFINE (CONTINUED)

The stone is then mined and sawn into slabs to become countert ops. After this process they are then polished and sealed for better durability.

Quartzite is a high end natural stone with an incomparable aesthetic. Quartzite is heat and fire resistant and with its low porosity, this material is stain-resistant.

Porcelain counter tops are made from non-porous ceramic clay that contains various minerals, such as kaolinite and silica. The material is baked in temperatures ranging from about 2200-2650 Fahrenheit. These extremely high temperatures produce a durable counter top material that is resistant to scratching, cracking, UV light and heat. Additionally, porcelain

DETAILS:

counter tops are stain- resistant; unlike porous materials such as granite or quartzite, liquids

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Austin Life | October 2020

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CULINARY CREATIONS

3 perfect orchard-inspired recipes for fall ARTICLE MAUREEN PETROSKY

shopping list

34

+ 2 pounds Granny Smith apples

+ Clover or tupelo honey

+ Small can of chickpeas

+ Flour

+ 3-4 red apples

+ Apple cider

+ 1 Refrigerated pie crust

+ Coarse salt

+ 1 baguette

+ Lemon juice

+ Cinnamon

+ Eggs

+ 1 wheel of Brie

+ Bourbon

+ Butter

+ Walnuts

+ 1 bunch of thyme

+ Club soda

+ Turbinado sugar

Austin Life | October 2020

one

APPLE & BRIE B R U S C H E T TA W I T H HOT HONEY

INGREDIENTS: + 12, ½- inch thick biased slices of baguette + 2 tablespoons of melted butter + Coarse Salt + 12 slices of Brie, sized to fit the sliced baguette + 36 very thinly sliced red apples (about 3-4 small apples) + 1 bunch of Thyme, tender, not woody stems + Clover or tupelo honey, for drizzling + Walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly brush each piece with melted butter. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Cool.

Arrange one piece of Brie cheese on each ABOUT MAUREEN PETROSKY

piece of toasted baguette. Shingle 3 very thin

Maureen Petrosky is the ultimate hostess,

slices of apple on top of the Brie. Drizzle with

author of The Wine Club and The Cocktail

honey and top with a small tender piece of

Club and soon to be released Zero- Proof.

thyme. Garnish with walnuts (optional).

She is a classically trained chef who appears

Makes 12 pieces

regularly as an Entertaining & Lifestyle Expert on NBC’s TODAY show and is a host for Local Now. She is also a popular columnist for today.com and thekitchn.com.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

35

CULINARY CREATIONS (CONTINUED)

two

three

A P P L E B O U R B O N F L I P

E A S Y A P P L E G A L E T T E

INGREDIENTS: + 2 ounces Bourbon

INGREDIENTS: + 1 refrigerated pie crust

+

+ 1 ½ ounces apple cider + Wafer thin apple slices,

APPLE FILLING:

sugar,

+ 1 ounce lemon juice

+ 1 ½ lb granny smith apples, sprinkling crust

+ 2 Tablespoons aquafaba* for garnish

+ 2 ounces club soda DIRECTIONS In a cocktail shaker or thermos half filled with

1/4

cup plus

turbinado some

peeled, cored and sliced

+ 2 tablespoons flour

+ 1 tablespoon lemon juice

+ 1 tablespoon unsalted

+ ¼ teaspoon

butter, cubed

ground cinnamon

+ 1 egg, beaten

ice, add the Bourbon, apple cider, lemon juice and shake to combine. Add the aquafaba and

DIRECTIONS

shake, shake, shake. Add the club soda and stir

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

once. Strain into a coupe or stemmed glass if

In a bowl combine the apples, cinnamon, sugar,

you have one. Spoon the foam on top of your

flour and lemon juice. Add to a pan over medium

cocktail and garnish with an apple slice.

high heat and cook, stirring continuously until the

*Aquafaba is liquid strained from a can of chickpeas

apples are soft. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Method: Using a fine-mesh sieve set over a

Roll out the dough on a parchment paper lined

bowl, drain the chickpeas. The liquid in the bowl

baking sheet. Spoon the cooled filling into the cen-

is aquafaba. This will keep for up to 2 days in

ter of the dough, leaving a 2- inch border. Then fold

the fridge.

edges of dough up and overlap the fruit filling, all the way around until all edges are folded up. Brush the crust with the beaten egg. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the crust. Distribute the cubes of butter on top of the fruit filling.

Place into the oven and cook for about 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling.

Serve with toppings of your choice like caramel sauce, whipped cream or ice cream.

36

Austin Life | October 2020

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37

DIY ARTICLE NICOLETTE MARTIN

Pumpkin Pe r fe c t i o n PUT THE CARVING TOOLS DOWN + CHECK OUT HOW YOU CAN ADD SOME PIZZAZZ TO YOUR PUMPKINS WITH JUST A PAINT BRUSH

38

Austin Life | October 2020

THE

CREEPY C R AW L E R

+

For this design, you’ll need several pumpkins or gourds in various shapes and sizes, some white and metallic acrylic paint, hot glue and some fake creepy crawlers.

+

Paint

your

“background”

pumpkins in metallic colors. For your centerpiece, use white paint to cover the body, metallic paint for the stem and hot glue your creepy crawlers all around.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

39

DIY (CONTINUED)

THE

METALLIC

MASTERPIECE

40

Austin Life | October 2020

+

Start with several mini pumpkins. (We prefer to use fake ones so you don’t have to worry about leaving them out too long!)

You’ll also need some white paint, metallic paint and black paint. Twine is optional to add a slightly rustic vibe to the stems.

+

Paint all of the stems with black paint and wrap some with twine if desired. Then, create

several

different

looks with combinations of metallic and flat paint.

Make extra creepy “oozing” pumpkins by allowing paint to run down the sides.

+

Don’t feel limited to solid colors! Experiment here with different patterns and textures (like painting over lace or using a sponge to apply paint instead of a brush), and add some extra sparkle with glitter!

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

41

DIY (CONTINUED)

+

Go to the “dark side” with this design that requires matte black paint, white paint, some metallic paint (for an out-ofthis-world vibe) and some newspapers. Be careful—this one could get messy!

+

Leave your stems natural or cover with metallic paint if desired. Then, coat your mini pumpkins in matte black paint— be sure to cover everything!

THE

G A L AC T I C GOURD

42

Austin Life | October 2020

+

You can leave some matte black, but for an extra touch, lay out newspaper and splatter your white paint onto some of your black pumpkins. Bonus—as long as you catch it before it dries, any paint should be easily removed with some warm water.

Whatever your lifestyle...

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downtown

I can help you find it.

Stephanie Nick c. 512.426.9183 | stephanienick.com st.nick@sothebysrealty.com