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Monthly Archives: October 2016

Event Recap: Dry Society Styling Lounge debuts blow-dry studio near The Domain

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by blogjoiedevivre in ATX Events, Beauty, Hair Game

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Austin Events, Austin salons, Beauty Blogger, blow dry bar, blow-outs, Dry Society Styling Lounge, Grand Opening, parties, Shop Local, small business spotlight, The Domain

Dry Society Styling Lounge is North Austin’s newest blow dry studio specializing in blowouts, braids and fabulous up-dos.  My guest Alicia were ‘blown away’ at their lavish debut party the night of October 15th.  We had the pleasure of meeting Dry Society’s experienced team of stylists, owners, and their Creative Director, Rick Klepach.best-dry-societyConveniently located adjacent to The Domain, guests enjoyed sounds by DJ A/C, an open Veuve Clicquot champagne bar and light hor d’ oeuvres.dry-society-2 Whether you’re headed to a special event, a night on the town or simply need a pick-me-up, Dry Society has you covered.  Located adjacent to The Domain, Dry Society offers a variety of beautiful styles that suit every taste.  The stylists at North Austin’s premier blow dry bar focus on one thing and doing it well:  no cuts, no color, just couture style and beautiful blowouts that last and last.  dry-society-3Dry Society is open seven days a week, Monday-Wednesday 9am to 6pm, Thursday-Saturday 9am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm, or by appointment. For more information, please call Dry Society Styling Lounge at 512-906-0759.

Life[style]: Oct. ’16 — This Halloween, Trick the Kids with Treats that are Healthy

17 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by blogjoiedevivre in Au Naturale, Holidays, Product Reviews, Shopping, Snacks

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breakfast bars, Crispy Fruit, Crispy Green, freeze-dried fruit, GoMacro, Halloween, Halloween candy, healthy snacks, HOPE Foods, hummus, kid-friendly foods, snack bars, Thrive, whole foods market

It’s that time of year again…stores are pushing bags upon bags of that infamous Halloween candy. Sure, they’re festive & wrapped in devilishly attractive orange & black packaging, but don’t be tricked into buying extra treats filled with shocking amounts of sugar and a ton of chemical ingredients you can’t even pronounce. With Oct. 31st a mere two weeks away, I shudder to think about the mountain of artificially colored & sweetened candy that will be at our family’s fingertips. So, I figure it’s no better time than the present to showcase some new healthy snack options to hit the market — call it a little pre-Halloween damage control. Best of all:  everything here is kid-friendly and portable for life on-the-go! Stock up on these healthy offerings to provide a quick hunger-curbing option to reach for over all that leftover Halloween candy:

Thrive by GoMacro:  GoMacro is a family-owned vegan company that was started by a mother-daughter team on their organic farm in Southwest Wisconsin. While you may be familiar with their original MacroBars, they have launched a delicious new line of plant-based bars called Thrive.go-macroThrive are made up of a superfood ancient grain blend, are all less than 200 calories and provide plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, and prebiotic fiber to fuel your body and mind. Like all GoMacro products, Thrive are USDA-Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Gluten-Free certified, 100% Vegan, and soy-free. Thrive is currently available to purchase online and will become available at Whole Foods Market locations this month.  *Special discount for Blog Joie de Vivre readers:  Use code Thrive30 for 30% off of your purchase for Thrive at GoMacro’s online store.

HOPE Foods hummus:  Whatever your tastebuds are craving, HOPE has tons of mouthwatering flavors to give you total satisfaction. Featuring unique flavors such as Spicy Avocado, Chocolate, Thai Coconut Curry and more, this label has pioneered adventurous flavors in the hummus category.
hope-hummusA healthy alternative to other fattening dips on the market, HOPE makes a terrific snack for the whole family. Eat it with pita chips, vegetables or try one of their mouth-watering recipes — from mashed potatoes to jalapeño cilantro cornbread, the possibilities are endless! Organic, dairy-free, and vegan-approved, this creamy hummus dip uses a state of the art High Pressure Processing (HPP) technique. Instead of using heat pasteurization which can fill hummus with tons of unwanted preservatives, they ensure the best quality hummus by using cold-pressure technology. You can find HOPE hummus at natural grocers like Whole Foods Market & Sprouts, as well as many conventional retailers like Safeway & Price Chopper.

Crispy Fruit:  Have you tried a bag of these freeze-dried fruit snacks from Crispy Green? There’s just one nutritious ingredient in every bag:  fruit. That’s right, 100% pure fruit, nothing else. Their freeze-drying process produces delicate slices that snack like a chip, but contain the perfect balance of flavor & nutrients provided by mother nature – making it both delicious AND healthy.
crispy-greenLightweight and long-lasting (no refrigeration necessary), the all-natural, Non-GMO Project-verified snack is ideal for Halloween, but also perfect for school lunches and extracurricular activities for kids (and parents) constantly on the go. There are NO skeletons in the closet here – Crispy Fruit has no cholesterol or fat, no added sugar, is free of additives and preservatives, is nut-free, Kosher certified and has a long shelf life. Crispy Fruit is available online and in retailers such as The Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, ShopRite, Safeway and selected Whole Foods Markets.

Mom-to-mom life hacks from designer Rebecca Minkoff

11 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by blogjoiedevivre in ATX Events, Fashion, Interviews, Shopping

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designer, handbags, Kids, life hacks, mom-to-mom, monogramming, Neiman Marcus, Rebecca Minkoff, silver gel, tips

rm-interview-pic-1

Earlier this Fall, I received an invitation to interview Rebecca Minkoff before her meet & greet event at Neiman Marcus – Austin.  Rebecca Minkoff is an industry leader in accessible luxury handbags, accessories, footwear and apparel.  Her playful and subtly edgy designs can be spotted around the world on young women and celebrities alike.

Guests enjoyed light bites, cocktails, and hip beats while shopping a well-curated selection of Minkoff’s Fall ’16 line across all categories.  The space was full of booties with embroidery and clutches with colorful tassels!  A local artist was on-hand customizing pieces with monogramming, plus the designer herself signed purses for fans.  At first I was a little embarrassed to bring in my ancient canvas & leather tote, but turns out  Minkoff loved seeing this little blast from the past (it’s like 9 years old & bears her old logo)…and she even snapped a pic of it to share with her team!rm-bag-pic

Meeting her up close & personal was such a fun opportunity!  She is everything you’d imagine an international fashion designer to be:  tall, slender, styled all fashion-forward, but totally funny & charming, too.  She runs a legit major fashion line with her brother and seemingly rocks her role of wife & mom, too.  Of course, I couldn’t help but ask her about being a mom:rm-interview-pic-2

–What’s one thing every mom should have in her M.A.B.? (the ‘Morning After Bag’ that propelled her brand into the limelight)

RM:  A paci and silver gel.

–Silver gel?  Never heard of it!  Is that like colloidal silver?

RM:  Yes, it’s like this (gestures to a bottle of Purell on our table) but it’s natural.  It’s great for kids because they’re always touching everything.  You can put it on their fingers and just under the nose.

{Awesome tip for keeping the little ones healthy, right?  Apparently it has powerful antimicrobial properties.  Check out some brands & types of silver gel here on Amazon.}

–So I read somewhere that asking a woman “How to you balance it all?” is the new “What are you wearing?”  …I still think it’s a very relevant question for moms, so I’ll go ahead and ask it anyway.

RM:  It’s relevant because we’re all hoping someone has the answer, hoping someone’s got it all figured out.

–That’s comforting to hear that maybe even someone a successful as you is still perhaps feeling the same way as the rest of us!  You totally seem to have it all together, though.  What’s a mom-to-mom life hack you can share?

RM:  Hmm, that’s a hard one!  I try to do a very conscious job of not fitting kids into a mold.  I let them be free as kids, rather than this force of boxing them in.  I try & stay calm…just be a sea of calm, because they feed off how you react.  Comfort is greater than sympathy.

ATX Mamas: find us Saturday night at Hush Hush Music Bash!

06 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by blogjoiedevivre in ATX Events, Baby Girl A, Everyday Joie, Motherhood

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ACL Fest, babywearing, fall, Family Fun, Free events, kid stuff, live music, music festivals, The Domain, weekend activities

Austin-area kids are invited to rock their hearts out at The Domain’s the third annual Hush Hush Music Bash, a free music festival for kids on Saturday, October 8, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Baby Alexandra & I went last year and had an absolute blast!  Such cool family event and a nice ACL-alternative.hush-hush-music-bash-2

KB Whirly will kick off the bash at 3 p.m.  Known for his earthy, folksy, bluesy and always upbeat music, KB incorporates storytelling, improvisational song writing and interactive music making in his one-man band.  Next, The Que Pastas will hit the stage at 4 p.m.  This local kindie (kid+indie=kindie) band’s uplifting, highly interactive and ridiculously funny performance is sure to thrill the kids.  At 5 p.m., Sonia De Los Santos’ musical stories will inspire messages of joyful community music making and cultural bridge building. Performing songs about history, art and culture, El Tule Band will perform at 6 p.m., finishing off a night that will have kids begging for more. hush-hush-music-bash-3

In addition to getting down and funky at the main concert, kids will enjoy hands-on activities, giveaways and more, all on the lawn outside iPic Theaters.

For more info, check out the Facebook event page.  See y’all there, Mamas! 

National Taco Day: free fajita tacos & fundraiser for Austin Children’s Shelter

04 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by blogjoiedevivre in Charity Events, Dining, Holidays

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Austin, charity, for a good cause, free stuff, fundraisers, National Taco Day, tacos, Tex-Mex

Calling all my Tex-Mex lovers:  Today is National Taco Day!  Whew, I’ve never lived in a city with so many taco places:  from the fancy modern (La Condesa), to the trailer park (Torchy’s) to the drive-thru (Taco Cabana) — it’s head-spinning!  When I first moved to Austin, I would baffle at how there was a various taco option for every meal of the day.  Well, to celebrate today’s occasion, Austin Taco Cabanas will offer guests one FREE Chicken Fajita Taco from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4. ntd-image-1This event will also celebrate the launch of Taco Cabana’s month-long fundraiser, Taco Treat, to benefit the Austin Children’s Shelter.  Throughout October, local Taco Cabana guests can help raise money for the charity by purchasing $1 coupon books.  Coupon booklets include five free bean and cheese tacos and a buy-one-get-one Dr Pepper fountain drink – a $7 value, with 100% of the proceeds going to the organization.  So go ahead & grab some tacos for lunch AND dinner today — c’mon, it’s for the kids! 😉ntd-image-2

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