Mueller
November 2026
BREATHE EASIER
WITH DR. KASIE CULOTTA, AIRWAY HEALTH EXPERT
REST AND REJUVENATION ROSEWOOD ACUPUNCTURE & AYURVEDA
Growing
Together
THINKERY CEO MICHAEL SHANKLIN
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3RD ANNUAL
S A N TA at Mueller
Hosted at The Thinkery
Come Celebrate the Season with Santa!
Join us for a festive holiday gathering with Santa! Bring your little ones for a special visit, holiday cheer, and plenty of Christmas magic. As part of the celebration, we’re partnering with AVANCE Austin to help bring joy to local families this holiday season. We’ll be collecting new, unwrapped toys, with a special request for toys appropriate for children ages 0–3. Toys for children of all ages are also greatly appreciated. 1 8 3 0 S I M O N D AV E , AUST I N , T E X AS 7 872 3 S U N D AY D E C E M B E R 6 T H F R O M 1 - 3 P M
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Contents NOVEMBER 2026
14
26 F EATU RES
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Breathe a Little Easier
For Dr. Kasie Culotta, airway health is more than just a practice. She takes us inside her office, talks treatment, and shares her love for the Mueller community. 18
Growing Together Thinkery CEO Michael Shanklin on creating access, expanding programs, and why play is for everyone.
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I N TH I S I S SU E
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE Make the Most of the Season
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WHAT’S NEW November Events
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MEET ME AT THE MARKET The Science of Life
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LIVING WELL Rest and Rejuvenation
30
PERSPECTIVES The Mystery Inside
32
PHOTO OP Love in the Air
COVER
Thinkery CEO Michael Shanklin and Thinkery employees Photograph courtesy of Thinkery
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PUB LISH ER’S NOTE
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MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON HERE WE ARE, heading right into the holiday season! Halloween is already in the rearview mirror, and now we’re gearing up for all the excitement, activity, and fun that comes with the holidays. In this issue, we meet the new CEO of Mueller’s own Thinkery, Michael Shanklin. With more than 20 years of experience working with children’s museums and a real passion for their role in the community, Michael brings a great perspective to his new role. We’re excited to see what’s ahead for this neighborhood gem.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARGARITA GARCIA ACEVEDO
Mueller MAGAZINE Of course, the holidays can bring plenty of fun, but they can also leave us feeling a little worn out. Wouldn’t getting a good night’s sleep help us enjoy the season a little more? We think so! Meet Dr. Kasie Culotta of Austin Sleep and Airway Health, whose unique approach to addressing sleep and airway issues may be just the answer for getting better rest. Taking care of our bodies and minds can also go a long way toward keeping us feeling our best. Mueller resident Kathy Duffy, owner of Rosewood Acupuncture & Ayurveda, shares her journey and her expertise, along with some insight into the ways acupuncture and wellness can help us find a little more balance. And the healthy theme continues in Meet Me at the Market, where Carmen Gray talks with Caitlin Rowe, owner of Herban Veda. Her line of natural products is designed to help us stay healthy and grounded, even when life gets a little hectic. So, this month, it’s all about feeling good, staying healthy, and making the most of the season. We hope you’ll enjoy all that Mueller has to offer and find plenty of time for the people, places, and traditions that make this time of year so special.
Liz Reingold Publisher
muellermagazine.com @muellermagazine
Editor & Publisher Liz Reingold Writers Carmen Gray Photographer Margarita Garcia Acevedo Marketing Coordinator Nicole Higgins WAINSCOT MEDIA Chairman Carroll V. Dowden President and CEO Mark Dowden SVP, Group Publisher Thomas Flannery VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan Creative Director Kijoo Kim Art Director Rosemary O’Connell Executive Editor Elaine Quilici Associate Editor Sophia Carlisle Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer Operations Director Catherine Rosario Production Designer Chris Ferrante Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden
Mueller magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Mueller, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
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EMPOWERED CAFE NOW OPEN! EmpoweredCafeATX.com Tue-Fri 7am – 2pm | Sat-Sun 9am – 2pm Carlin Wealth Management Group is proud to introduce Empowered Café, a full-service coffee house also offering juices, pastries and breakfast tacos from a friendly staff of individuals with Down’s Syndrome. Café: contact@empoweredcafeatx.com | 512 855 1222
22 Eventful Years Guiding Families with their Financial Decisions and Celebrating Goals Achieved!
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1701 Simond Ave, Unit 104 | Austin TX 78723 – Parkside Building (facing the park) CWMG: Carlinwmg.com | Info@Carlinwmg.com | 512 688 7414
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DIRECTORY OF SPONSORS Many thanks to our committed sponsors, who make it possible for us to bring you high-quality local stories each month. Shopping and doing business close to home are excellent ways to support our community. When you visit our sponsors, please tell them Mueller magazine sent you!
Alite Laser
Austin Institute of Dental Medicine
Carlin Wealth Management
Crane & Holtzman
Dish Society
Empowered Cafe
European Wax Center
Floyd’s 99 Barbershop
Honest Mary’s
Kuper Sotheby’s
Mueller Silent Market
Nature’s Treasures
Austin’s locally owned, family-run laser clinic for over 30 years. Offering expert laser hair removal and electrolysis, ethical treatments, real results, and payas-you-go care. Look good, feel great, be confident. 512-328-1555 | alitelaser.com
Crane & Holtzman is a boutique, full-service accounting firm providing tax, consulting, and accounting services to individuals, businesses, and trusts. 512-215-0057 | craneholtzman.com
European Wax Center is the numver one safe place to start removing hair safely and effectively at an incredibly affordable price. First Time Guests can try it for free. 512-617-9157 | waxcenter.com/pages/first-wax-free @europeanwax
A distinguished real estate advisor and proud Mueller resident, offering expert guidance whether you’re buying, selling, or exploring the neighborhood. 512-831-6577 | sotheybysrealty.com @soud_twal
AIDM offers comprehensive and specialty dental care for families in Mueller, all in one location. From preventive care to implants and restorations, we provide comfortable care, transparent pricing, flexible payment options, and welcome new patients without referrals. 737-434-2436 | aidm.org
Dish Society is a Mueller neighborhood favorite for locally sourced food, everyday feel-good meals, good vibes, and great company 512-623-1498 | dishsociety.com | @dishsociety
Floyd’s 99 Barbershop offers expert cuts, shaves, and color for everyone—set in a fun, family-friendly space with our iconic poster wall and lively music. 325-268-5906 | floydsbarbershop.com @floyds99atx
Since 2008, the Mueller Silent Market Team has specialized in Mueller and Central Austin real estate, offering expert guidance on both public and private listings. 512-913-8642 | muellersilentmarket.com @muellersilentmarketteam
Carlin Wealth Management Group helps families optimize the efficiency of their finances. It also introduces Empowered Café, creating opportunities and inclusion for a staff with Down syndrome. 512-688-7414 | carlinwmg.com
Empowered Café is a full-service coffee house, also offering juices, soup, sandwiches, and pastries from a friendly staff of individuals with Down syndrome 512-855-1222 | empoweredcafeatx.com
Honest Mary’s fuels the Mueller community with lifegiving fast food—clean, chef-crafted bowls made fresh and fast. Perfect for families, busy professionals, and active lifestyles. 512-375-3906 | honestmarys.com | @honestmarys
Explore the beauty of Nature’s Treasures, your iconic rock and crystal shop since 2000, and invite nature into your daily life with home and garden décor, jewelry, sage and pocket stones. 512-472-5015 | ntrocks.com @naturestreasurestexas
S A N TA
CATARINA Mexican Restaurant
Origin Hotel
Discover Origin Hotel Austin, blending Texas charm with modern comfort, stylish rooms, and all-day dining from Blue Lacy right in the heart of Mueller. 512-861-1140 | originhotel.com @origin_austin
Parkside Family Vision
Parkside Family Vision provides comprehensive, familyfocused eye care in Mueller offering routine exams, advanced myopia management, and stylish eyewear with warm, personalized service to help your whole family see their best. 512-276-6117 | parksidefamilyvision.com @parksidefamilyvision
Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina is a boutique family restaurant with homestyle cooking from South Central Mexico. Our bar features 100% Agave tequilas and Mezcales. All of our juices are homemade: no sugar added. 512-291-7154 | santacatarinarestaurant.com @santacatarinatx
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Texas Mutual
As the state’s leading workers’ compensation provider, Texas Mutual Insurance Company is dedicated to protecting employees, supporting local communities, and fortifying the state economy. 512-224-3800 | texasmutual.com @texasmutual
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The Herb Bar
The Herb Bar, Austin’s oldest apothecary, has served the community for nearly 40 years with teas, tinctures, organic body products, and holistic workshops focused on wellness and connection. 512-444-6251 | theherbbar.com @theherbbar
ThoroughFare
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Fresh made from scratch food made from all clean ingredients in a full market experience including a bakery, cafe, deli, and grocery. thoroughfare.com | @thoroughfare
Thinkery
Thinkery, a nonprofit children’s museum and home to Little Thinkers Preschool, sparks joyful, play-based STEAM learning so ALL children cultivate a lifelong love of learning. 512-469-6201 | thinkeryaustin.org @thinkeryatx
Life-giving, feel-good food.
VIO Med Spa
Feel great, look amazing at VIO Med Spa. Our medical professionals specialize in skin rejuvenation, Botox, cosmetic injectables, skin care, weight loss and body contouring. 521-900-1051 | viomedspa.com @viomedspa.mueller
OPEN DAILY 10:30AM-9:30PM 2021 ALDRICH ST KIDS EAT FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY
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WHAT ’S NEW
November Events As the weather gets colder, these events are heating up!
ANNUAL TOWER LIGHT: TOWER TURNS 21
ROCK THE PARK KUTX’s free family-friendly Rock the Park concerts are back on Friday, Nov. 6, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mueller Lake Park. The opening act is A Parent’s Project at 6:30 p.m., followed by Almost Heaven at 7:15 p.m. For more events, visit kutx.org/live-events/kutx-events/rock-the-park.
Celebrate Tower Turns 21 at Mueller’s Annual Tower Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Market! Enjoy live music, local vendors, holiday crafts, family fun, and the magical lighting of Mueller’s iconic control tower.
ANNUAL MEETING & MUELLER HARVEST GIVE BACK Join us for the 2026 Annual Meeting & Mueller Harvest Give Back—a community brunch featuring important updates, service opportunities, fall festivities, family fun, and meaningful connection as we celebrate Mueller’s progress together.
LEARN MORE The Mueller Neighborhood Association is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit building a strong, inclusive, and connected community through events, activities, advocacy, and outreach. To learn more about Mueller, visit muellerneighborhood.org.
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF HERBAN VEDA
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M E E T M E AT TH E MAR K ET
The Science of Life Inside Caitlin Rowe’s Ayurvedic line of wellness products that prioritize holistic healing. BY CARMEN GRAY
THERE ARE MANY offerings at the Texas Farmers Market at Mueller, but a unique one that stands out is an Ayurvedic line of wellness products called Herban Veda. Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest medical systems that originated in India 5,000 years ago. It relies on a natural and holistic approach to physical, mental, and emotional health. The word “Ayurveda” comes from Sanskrit and means “the science of life.” In Ayurveda, the belief is that everything in life is connected. Because of this, wellness is about achieving balance and harmony. If you’re looking for an alternative healthcare product line, you should take a look at Herban Veda.
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M EET M E AT TH E MARKET
ROOTS IN HEALING Caitlin Rowe, the owner of Herban Veda, said her business idea began when she attended the Sacred Journey School of Herbalism in 2014. At that time, she created mostly tinctures, cordials, and mushroom extractions. She says, “At that time I was inspired by the world of plants as a budding herbalist.” In 2017, Rowe began training to be an Ayurvedic Practitioner. This informed her practice in a whole new way. When she took a deep dive into understanding the philosophy behind Ayurveda and how the principles of the elements show up in the body, she began shifting the herbal products she was already making into more focused, daily routine-style topicals and remedies. This changed what she was formulating and expanded her line. “I started making things like oil infusions, alcohol-free digestives, seasonal hydrosols, herbal first aid, and daily practices safe for the whole
family. I make these products with all elemental constitutions in mind so that they are helpful and balancing for most people.” It turns out that just because an herb works for a symptom someone is experiencing does not mean it is beneficial for that person. And that is what inspires Rowe’s formulations. Because we are all so unique with different needs and health issues, Rowe works on creating formulas that strive for moderation and balance to heal the body, mind, and spirit. What Rowe creates apparently works very well, because for the past 13 years, her business has blossomed and evolved. “The plants are still at the root of it all.” She began selling her products at Mueller Market in 2021. Since then, she’s developed a following, and her best-selling products at the market are the Amrita Face Serum, the Juniper Infused Magnesium Lotion,
and the Sun’s Out organic and natural sunscreen. I did grab a jar of the natural sunscreen and can attest that it is very nice and works beautifully. Her products are also sold at Wheatsville, Herb Bar, Earth Commons, and online (herbanvida.com). Rowe clearly has a passion for holistic healthcare, as she has been a massage therapist for over 20 years and does Ayurvedic body therapy treatments. She cares deeply about the ingredients that go into her products and even grows many of her own herbs that she uses in the formulations. A native Austinite and 6th-generation Texan, Rowe is very knowledgeable about the landscape and the herbs that grow best in this climate. The next time you head to the market on Sunday morning, consider stopping by Herban Veda and learning more about Ayurveda and Rowe. Her stall is outside, facing Kerbey Lane Cafe.
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Breathe a Little Easier
For Dr. Kasie Culotta, airway health is more than just a practice. She takes us inside her office, talks treatment, and shares her love for the Mueller community.
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF AUSTIN AIRWAYS
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MOST PEOPLE DON’T expect a visit to the dentist to turn into a conversation about how they’re sleeping. But for Dr. Kasie Culotta, that’s exactly what it’s about. She is a proud dentist who focuses on far more than just teeth. She recognizes that our bodies are one connected system and incorporates that into her unique approach. This philosophy is what inspired Austin Sleep and Airway Health, a practice that looks beyond the smile to understand how the mouth, jaws, tongue, and airway influence breathing, sleep, growth, and overall health. Instead of simply treating symptoms, Dr. Culotta focuses on finding the reason they’re happening in the first place. Solving those problems often means looking at the bigger picture. “No one provider has all the answers,” she says. “The best care happens when we work together.” That’s why Austin Sleep and Airway Health works closely with sleep physicians, ENT specialists, pediatricians, orthodontists, lactation consultants, myofunctional therapists, and other healthcare providers to create a treatment plan that addresses the root cause instead of simply managing symptoms. NOVEMBER 2026 |
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HELP FOR ALL
One of the things that makes her practice unique is the wide range of patients Dr. Culotta sees. Her youngest patients are just days old. Through her infant-focused practice, Latched Beginnings, she helps babies with feeding difficulties and oral restrictions, including tongue ties, which she treats with a CO₂ laser. As children grow, her attention shifts toward helping families recognize early signs of developmental issues. “My favorite patients are kids between four and seven,” she says. “If we can see them before puberty, we have a tremendous opportunity to guide healthy growth.” She explains that before puberty, the bones of the face and jaws
are still developing. Many parents don’t realize that airway problems can show up in surprising ways. A child who snores, breathes through their mouth, wets the bed beyond the expected age, grinds their teeth, struggles to focus, has frequent cavities, or always seems tired may actually have an underlying airway issue. Treating children at an earlier age may help to avoid more serious issues as adults. Adults have their own warning signs. Loud snoring, chronic fatigue, morning headaches, jaw pain, waking throughout the night, high blood pressure, brain fog, or difficulty tolerating a CPAP machine can all point to problems that deserve a closer look. For adults diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, the practice
offers custom oral appliance therapy as an alternative to CPAP for many patients. These small, comfortable devices gently reposition the jaw to help keep the airway open during sleep. Since many adults with sleep-disordered breathing also experience TMJ pain, clenching, and grinding, Dr. Culotta also offers treatments such as Botox and trigger-point injections to relieve muscle tension and discomfort. Technology plays an important role in the practice. “Having a 3D CBCT scan in my office allows me to see so much more than the average provider. And the cherry on top: it’s very low dose, so it’s an easy scan to take. It is done in just seconds, but tells us so much more than a traditional X-ray.”
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TREATING WITH CARE
Providing cutting-edge technology is amazing, but it’s truly the relationships she develops with her patients that matter most to Dr. Culotta. She chose Mueller for her practice because it already felt like home. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she has lived in Austin for more than two decades, and she and her family have lived in Cherrywood for the past 12 years. Mueller is exactly the kind of community she hoped to serve since it’s full of young families, growing kids, and people who really value their health. She’s also one of those neighbors you’ll likely bump into outside the office. Whether she’s walking around Mueller Lake Park with her two daughters, grabbing coffee at Empowered Cafe, or spending an afternoon at the Thinkery, she’s part of the same community she cares for every day. “I wanted to build a practice that felt approachable, collaborative, and connected to the neighborhood.” The community has embraced that vision. “The response has honestly exceeded my expectations,” she says. “Families, physicians, therapists, and other healthcare providers have been so supportive. It’s exciting to see more people learning how important airway health really is.” The moments that stick with her most are often the simplest. A patient who finally sleeps through the night after years of exhaustion. A child who begins breathing through their nose instead of their mouth. A baby who can finally feed comfortably. Those victories, she says, are what make the work so rewarding. That mission continues to guide Austin Sleep and Airway Health today: helping patients recognize concerns early, bringing the right healthcare professionals together, and improving not just sleep, but health and quality of life for years to come. NOVEMBER 2026 |
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Growing Together
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THINKERY
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Thinkery CEO Michael Shanklin on creating access, expanding programs, and why play is for everyone.
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WHEN MICHAEL SHANKLIN talks about his new role as CEO of Thinkery, he doesn’t explain all the things that he wants to change. Quite the opposite, in fact. He instead leads with all the amazing things that are already there. That’s fitting for someone who has spent more than 20 years working in children’s museums. Shanklin knows that organizations like Thinkery don’t become part of a community overnight. They grow into that role over time, becoming part of family routines, childhood memories, and, eventually, traditions passed from one generation to the next. In his new role, Shanklin plays a critical part in helping shape the next chapter of an Austin institution that has been part of the city for more than 40 years. What attracted him to Thinkery was that history, but what really excited him was the opportunity to help carry it into the future. His goal isn’t to reinvent Thinkery. It’s to understand what makes it special, listen to the people who know it best, and look for ways to make it even stronger. That listening-first approach comes from years of experience working with cultural and educational organizations at different stages of growth and change. Shanklin believes the strongest institutions are built with their communities, not simply for them. At Thinkery, that means listening to staff, families, members, educators, supporters, partners, and neighbors before deciding where the organization should go next. NOVEMBER 2026 |
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This page, top: From left: Michele Freeman, chief people officer; Leshia Hoot, chief operating officer; Michael Shanklin, chief executive officer; Matt Stalberger, chief museum officer; Jené Shepherd, former vice president of marketing and communications; Rachel Mallernee, chief advancement officer Above: Thinkery board members Soud Twal (left) Jessica Guerra Reynolds (president), and YiShaun Yang (right)
CONNECTING COMMUNITY It’s an approach that feels particularly appropriate here in Mueller, where Thinkery and the neighborhood have grown up alongside each other. When Thinkery moved to Mueller in 2013, our neighborhood was still taking shape. 13 years later, the museum has become part of the everyday rhythm. Families walk or bike over, meet friends, attend events, and make Thinkery part of their family routines. Its location next to Mueller Lake Park also means a trip to the museum can easily become part of a larger day in the neighborhood. At the same time, families from across Austin and Central Texas also regularly come to Thinkery, bringing new visitors into Mueller and connecting them with our businesses, parks, and gathering spaces. That makes both Thinkery and Mueller a destination for people of all ages and benefits the greater community at large.
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As Shanklin has settled into his new role, one of the things that has surprised him most is just how deep the connection to Thinkery runs. He regularly hears from adults who remember visiting the original Austin Children’s Museum when they were kids and are now bringing their own children to Thinkery. But it’s the people behind the museum who have perhaps made the biggest impression on him. “There is an incredible amount of talent, creativity and care across the organization,” he says. The exhibits may be what families see first, but Shanklin points to the people who welcome the visitors, develop the programs, design experiences, keep the museum running and get down on the floor to explore alongside a child. Over the next several years, he wants to continue investing in the museum, keeping it vibrant and giving families new reasons to come back. That includes updates to gallery spaces, continued growth at Thinkery—Del Valle, and expanded work with schools, educators, and community partners.
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Access is another important part of his vision. Shanklin believes a family’s ability to pay shouldn’t determine whether a child gets to experience meaningful, hands-on learning through play. Making that possible, he says, requires strong community partnerships, philanthropic support, and a sustainable financial model. And while there are plenty of these practical goals on the horizon, Shanklin keeps coming back to a much simpler idea: Thinkery should continue to be a place where children can be curious. A place where they can try something, get it wrong, laugh about it, and try again. That may be one of the things he finds most inspiring about children. Adults tend to see failure as something to avoid. Kids often just see it as information. “One of my favorite things is watching a kid try something, realize it didn’t work, and immediately try it again,” Shanklin says. “They don’t think of that as failure. They’re just figuring it out. There’s a lot we can learn from that.” That sense of curiosity is something Shanklin wants Thinkery to hold onto as it grows, not just for the next few years, but for the next generation of Austin families. Shanklin is looking ahead. The exhibits will change. The city will change. The families walking through Thinkery’s doors will change. But the heart of the experience remains the same: giving kids the freedom to play, experiment, create, ask questions, and try again. For Shanklin, the real measure of success will be making sure Thinkery is still doing all of these things 40 years from now. He thinks about the kids who haven’t even walked through the doors yet and wonders what they’ll discover when they do. He knows there’s always something new around the corner, and he’s just as excited as the kids about what comes next. NOVEMBER 2026 |
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$35 FIRST TREATMENT ON ANY NEW LASER HAIR REMOVAL AREA alitelaser.com | 512.288.2190 Parkside at Mueller 1701 Simond Ave, Unit 107B Austin, TX 78723
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LIVING W ELL
Rest and Rejuvenation
Inside Rosewood Acupuncture & Ayurveda, a place of holistic healing in Mueller.
SOMETIMES A CAREER change starts with a plan. In Kathy Duffy’s case, it started with a bad shoulder. For Duffy, the owner of Rosewood Acupuncture & Ayurveda, the path to acupuncture, and eventually to Austin, started while she was working in academic publishing on the East Coast. A shoulder injury was made worse by long hours at a desk, and the usual Western medicine approaches weren’t helping. In fact, they seemed to make things worse. A friend who was attending acupuncture school suggested she give acupuncture a try. She did, along with massage, and was surprised by how much better she felt. That experience planted a seed that eventually led to a new passion. In 2006, she was visiting Austin for work and found herself sitting on South Congress, falling in love with the city and imagining a different life for herself. She knew she wanted to change careers and move from the East Coast, and her positive experiences with acupuncture and massage gave her an idea. She went home and enrolled in massage school, continuing to work in publishing while she studied. After graduating, she spent several years doing both and volunteering at an acupuncture clinic. Eventually, the decision became clear: She would leave publishing and go to acupuncture school.
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Right: Kathy Duffy and massage therapist Claire.
A NATURAL PATH And if acupuncture was what gave her the idea in the first place, Austin seemed like the natural place to go. “I decided that since this is where I was inspired to make a huge change, I should move to Austin for acupuncture school,” Duffy recalls. While in school, she met her future business partner. They also happened to live in the Rosewood neighborhood and shared a vision for a clinic that would be an accessible, affordable neighborhood resource. Rosewood Acupuncture & Ayurveda was born. The original location was at 12th and Chicon, in a little cinderblock building next to a liquor store. It was, as she describes it, very much an old Austin experience. The practice has evolved, but that neighborhood-minded spirit remains. Given her background as a massage therapist and her own history with chronic pain, musculoskeletal issues and pain management are a big part of the practice. Duffy works with athletes, people recovering from injuries, and those dealing with the physical effects of spending too much time at desks and on devices. Acupuncture can address much more than sore muscles, though. Stress, insomnia, migraines, hormone balance, perimenopause, and menopause are
also common reasons people come in. Duffy has specialized training in acupuncture for fertility and pregnancy and works with patients pursuing natural fertility as well as those going through IUI or IVF. Her approach is decidedly individualized. A first appointment lasts about 90 minutes, giving her plenty of time to talk through a person’s health history, concerns, and goals. Part of that process involves a traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostic framework known as “the 10 questions.” These questions can cover everything from sleep and
digestion to energy and emotions, and sometimes prompt patients to mention something they had forgotten or didn’t even think was relevant. “There’s never TMI in Chinese Medicine,” she laughs, adding that it is always up to the patient’s comfort level on what they share. She also uses tongue and pulse diagnosis to better understand each patient’s constitution. Together, those tools help her develop a treatment plan based on the individual rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. And that whole-person philosophy continues throughout treatment. NOVEMBER 2026 |
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connected,” she says. Duffy’s affinity for Mueller feels like a natural extension of the neighborhood roots that inspired Rosewood Acupuncture & Ayurveda in the first place. She lived on the Eastside for about 14 years, and Mueller has long been part of her daily life. She watched the neighborhood grow, spending time at local restaurants, the Alamo Drafthouse, and the trails and ponds.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF @STARFRUITSTUDIOS33
“If somebody comes in for an ankle injury, I’m never looking only at their ankle,” she says. “I’m always looking at the individual as a whole.” That might mean uncovering other imbalances that could have contributed to the injury in the first place. It can also mean unexpected benefits. Someone may come in for an injury and notice they are sleeping better or feeling less anxious after treatment. “Everything is
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A HOME IN MUELLER Last year, she made the move official and bought a home in Mueller. “I avoid driving as much as possible,” she says, making Mueller’s walkability and bike lanes a particularly good fit. Her office is only about a 10-minute drive or bike ride from home, something she says has made a real difference in her quality of life. And then there’s the community itself. She describes Mueller as having a village feel, where neighbors help each other, share resources, swap puzzles and commiserate about the occasional neighborhood frustrations. That sense of community is something she hopes to bring even more into the next chapter of Rosewood. Duffy likes designing her clinic spaces to feel calm, beautiful, and relaxing and believes that the environment is part of the healing experience. She loves her current space, but she has started imagining what the practice could become. She regularly gets inquiries about Ayurvedic bodywork that she currently doesn’t have the space or capacity to offer. In the future, she could see bringing another Ayurvedic practitioner into the practice, adding more massage therapists, and creating an herbal apothecary and curated retail area. The idea of creating a larger space on the Eastside or in Mueller where she could bring all of those elements together is exciting and something she can certainly envision. For now, though, Rosewood Acupuncture & Ayurveda offers acupuncture, standalone cupping sessions, and acupuncture for facial rejuvenation. Claire, an experienced massage therapist and fellow Mueller neighbor, is also an integral part of the practice. For Mueller neighbors looking for an alternative approach to wellness or who are simply curious about what acupuncture might offer, Rosewood provides a welcoming place to start. For more information, visit rosewoodacupuncture.com. NOVEMBER 2025 |
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PERSPECTIVES
The Mystery Inside BY CYNTHIA A. ALEXANDER
Words are not enough when it comes to what’s inside Inside Winter as it falls from storms to spring Inside clothing we wear taking off because it brings Brings for a different type of discovering Things that cover us up also, hides the treasure the mystery inside our precious self The treasure is the love Love we have for one another is The Mystery Inside
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PHOTO OP
LOVE IN THE AIR LOVE IS ALWAYS in the air at Mueller Lake Park. Aside from being a romantic spot for an evening stroll, it is a favorite for proposals and in this case a declaration of love! Mueller resident Arturo Silva is a bilingual architectural designer, project manager, and entrepreneur whose creative perspective is shaped by culture, community, and a passion for designing thoughtful spaces with lasting meaning.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ARTURO SILVA
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Turning over a new leaf? Let’s make your next move a good one.
Hilary Herrin, Realtor® Mueller Silent Market Team M: 512.913.8642 hilary@hilaryherrin.com
Mueller Resident & Realtor 18 years helping neighbors
Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
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