SXSW Free Event: Glomper Recharge Event

After you've added the below FREE event to your calendar, check out my SXSW Guide.

If you're a local, you know that there are many, many free SXSW events around. So many you may not even have to pay for a badge to be fully occupied. And if you're not, shhhh, don't tell anyone I told you.  If you're marking your calendars now, make sure to put this one on for this awesome free SXSW event this Sunday, March 11th, from 3-7pm at Launch787 next to Moonshine Bar & Grill hosted by my amazing friend, Mai.

Free drinks from Sweet Leaf Iced Tea, Graham's Texas Teas, Treaty Oak Rum, Waterloo Gin, and High Voltage, free food from the super yummy and popular Verts from the Austin Gypsy Picnic, and a photo booth by Generation Domination. Located next to Moonshine Bar & Grill @Launch787. What more could you ask for? Perfect event to stop by to recharge from the weekend's festivities! RSVP not required, but you can RSVP here or on facebook. Go, and, if you see Mai, tell her I sent you!

Also, if you are out and about during SXSW and you find yourself in need of a pedicab, look for the Glomper branded ones and pedicabs wearing Glomper shirts, they'll give you a free ride! 

Here is the media release from my girlfriend with more information on the financiers and creators of a super fun app behind the event, Glomper - see the last paragraph for a chance to become part of the beta group for Glomper:

I'm working with a group making a new geosocial service called glomper. Glomper is designed to help you easily find out what your friends and people nearby are up to tonight, involve into their activities and share your own. Both mobile (iOS & Android) and web versions available to let you always stay updated about your friends' plans, opinions, favorite TV shows, etc. You can tag people in posts/ events and assign location. Social (co-)check-ins can be cross-posted to FB or Twitter. The service is in the closed beta now and will be launched officially at SXSW.

Our mobile app is strongly event-focused - it is more about partying, planning parties and easy adding photos/ videos from a party and comments on them to the appropriate "event". We are planning to focus on that one for SXSW as we know it is a hot issue how to spend your spare time during off-hours.

Here is some screenshots of what we already have and I will try to describe what is to be there soon.

- Place page is a page you would get to by clicking at any location tag within the service. This kind of page has all the info about social activities performed at chosen location - it contains all events that took place there, all people who checked in and all pictures they posted.

- Explore page. This one has everything which is going on nearby - all posts, checkins, pictures, events. You can view them within a list as well as on an interactive map.

As for mobile app - you will see all the events nearby by type/date and you will be able to share your plans to visit them before they have started and then to check-in when you have arrived. Path-looking like interface will help you to share photos/emotions/updates from the event easily.

We aren't trying to compete with foursquare or facebook for check-ins, just integrate with twitter, FB, instagram for all-in-one access to a stream of people's photos so you can see where you want to head to or what cool thing is happening on that date/time. You don't even have to integrate with other social networks, it can be silent as well. We are similar to Glancee or highlight in the sense that you can find who of your friends are nearby and where you should go, I think the interface is a bit more user friendly for both droid and iOs, and again, it is more event focused.

We have an event planned on Mar. 11, at the Launch787 space from 3-7 next to Moonshine bar and grill. Hopefully you can come and learn about the app and use it for the rest of interactive events you plan on going to. If you are interested, we can send you a beta version of the app to try. It's in closed beta and I'm using it on my droid and it's pretty awesome, hopefully you can be some of the first to use it and beta test it during SXSW. Any feedback would be appreciated so let me know if you want me to send you a link to the app when we launch it and twitter.com/glompr would probably be the fastest way to reach me if you are having probs with the app during SXSW. The party invite link is http://www.glomper.eventbrite.com .

Sunday Fun Day

Yesterday, Brando and I attended the Austin Monthly Bridal Bash with my girlfriend and her fiancee.

Side note: How hot is my husband? He's prepping for surgery for his sinuses and has been taking Prednisone to prep (an awful drug along with 90% of drugs in my opinion, but him being able to smell again for the first time in eight years has balanced out my worries) which has completely cleared up his sinuses and has even made his face look different - less swollen and puffed up.

I was sort of expecting a Tribeza type bridal event like Brando and I are used to and were so inspired by, but I'm sad to say it was nothing like it. The tickets were a lot less expensive, and that must make the difference. Unfortunately, I'm not even sure they pulled it off well for the price of the tickets. There were three aisles and the center aisle had a strange inward triangular setup that left some of the booths crowded in the center facing each other with barely enough room to walk in between. There was a lot of bumping into each other at the end of our time there and I am glad we came early before there were so many people in such a crowded space. There were a few booths at the end that were completely uncrowded, which I thought was strange to have them there when the space could've been used to make a more free flowing area for all the booths. Then, there was a gentleman's lounge that perhaps could have been better utilized for more booth space as well to allow more space to walk around. As it is, the gentlemen's lounge was almost unnecessary as there were enough cupcakes and other treats as you walked around to keep most gentlemen happy.

Any way, this wasn't meant to be a review of it, but that's how it went down. We had a blast, any way, til' we had a beer just before we left and our stomachs hurt from the over-carbonation of the Miller Lite. We knew it was the beer and not the freshest yummiest gummy bears ever, because my girlfriend was the only one who didn't drink though she ate the gummy bears as did I and her stomach was fine.

Later in the evening, after I laid out at home for a few hours (love Austin weather!), Brando and I went on a date to the Cheesecake Factory. The evening was perfect to sit outside underneath the gas heaters. Brando had already eaten at home, so I ordered a few fun appetizers, fried zucchini, my favorite, and an oh so delicious gorgonzola, pear, and arugula flatbread.

I also ordered hot tea which felt so quaint with the honey, lemon, and basket of bread next to it.

We enjoyed the quiet patio until it slowly filled up at Austin's normal dinner time - 7pm. Since we already ate, we were happily on our way by the time it got too crowded.

Love the Paris cafe feel and lighting of this photo

A gratuitous photo of Brando and I at the bridal event and I'm off for the day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Looking for things to do in Austin, whether you live here, are visiting, or maybe even looking for things to do in Austin while at SXSW aka South by Southwest? Check out this treasure cove of things to do in Austin from GSD&M's Pinterest. My Valentine gift to you! Don't miss my own collection of favorite things to do in Austin, as well.

Image created with Red Stamp

The photos above are perfect for this post as the first two are in Austin, and the third, TSR, is a short twenty minute drive south to New Braunfels. From top to bottom: hiking at Commons Ford Ranch, symphony at Zilker Hillside Theatre, and wake boarding at Texas Ski Ranch. TSR also offers wake boarding, helicopter rides, sphere rides an indoor trampoline park, and ATV riding!

Heywood Hotel Grand Opening

Heywood Hotel is the East Side's first boutique hotel in Austin. Mai and I were able to spend a day together the other day doing what we love best - exploring Austin. Attending the grand opening of this absolutely adorable hotel Mai has been following the progress of and recommending friends stay here for awhile was one of the things on our agenda. And what a cute place it was! Excuse the iPhone quality photos. Fortunately, the sun was shining so beautifully and each room was so full of light that most of the places photographed just fine.

Mai and I enjoyed fresh hibiscus lemonade then perused the open rooms complete with local artists' works from the local art to the pillows, and chose our favorites. As I was going through my photos, I realized I obsessed over the many skylights which made the entire experience in each space feel light and airy, one of the architectural genius touches of this place. 

 Please note the photo above is a 360 degree panorama to show the decorating and finishing details and not an accurate or to scale architectural representation of this particular room.

 One of the enclosed patios with an open air skylight streaming in sunlight over head.

 A bathtub and open shower with an enclosed skylight letting the light flood in.

 Another gorgeous skylight. 

After we had seen all of the gorgeously architect-ed, styled and surprisingly affordable rooms, we again walked upstairs to the peaceful open air upstairs courtyard.

 

As you walk up the stairs to the open air courtyard and upstairs rooms

 Photo credit for the above photo goes to the lenders for Heywood, Capital CDC. Included because Mai and I are in the photo. That's me, in the bright orange and hot pink dress, and Mai in the navy and white.

 We sat down to enjoy the gourmet cheese and fruit spread with spicy pecan brownies in that same courtyard,

before the owners, Kathy and George gave a little talk. The architect from KRDB, Chris Krager, spoke first. Note: May be boring, but totally fascinating to me information ahead on the architectural work, design, and pure tenaciousness it took to make this place.

He talked about how his colleagues and he joked that this project was tougher than the Austonian as they managed to fit SO much into such a small space - the average lot size of a house in East Austin. He also spoke about how, in turn, it was such a rewarding project because they did find that they could do so much in such a small area.

Council Member Mike Martinez spoke how he was in support of the project from day one, supporting Kathy and George's dream to bring a boutique hotel to the East Side.

My favorite though, was hearing Kathy talk about her dream that has been in the works for three years, how they sunk all their savings into it, the support of her and her husband's parents, and, most of all, the support of her husband, George.

Hearing her speak was so inspiring. She talked about how amazed she was at the things her husband did throughout the process that she didn't even realize he was capable of and the new found admiration and respect she had for him out of that. She thanked her husband for supporting her, believing in her more than she did, and, most of all, for keeping her sane.

Her references made me laugh at how similar their relationship sounds to Brando's and I, but they have accomplished SO MUCH. Gives me hope and inspiration that one day Brando and I will accomplish as much as well. Her words of advice for following your dreams, which I loved, were, "Find someone who believes in your dream and you as much, or more, than you do." Then, "Be tenacious." The people she found to believe in her dream was the architect she hired, the councilman, and most of all, her husband. Then, her husband spoke about how he was so proud of her and all of her hard work over the last three years. He spoke about how amazed he was when she branched off into areas of expertise she'd never worked in before and blew it out of the water. He mentioned how none of this would have happened if not for her. Their story was such a sweet love story of working together and accomplishing your dreams that left me totally inspired, and even more in love with their now finished project, the Heywood Hotel.

Abandoned Buildings

One of Brando's and my favorite past times is going on photo shoot adventures. I get to play model, and he gets to play with his camera in new places. This particular time, it was at an abandoned building here in Austin that's about to be turned into an art gallery. I love the spookiness of an abandoned place and all the different textures to play around with. I was a little antsy playing model while he was trying to make art, until I got to pick the shoot locations about halfway through. I love picking the locations while he makes it pretty.

 If I look a little pissed in this first batch, it's because I was. We got Justinbustin a haircut, and, oh, what an adventure that is trying to get a preteen's hair cut who does not want to. Fortunately, at the end of the day, I had to thank Brando and tell him how proud I am of him for his maturity and wisdom in dealing with my crankiness because he stayed continually levelheaded. And, fortunately, after about here the crankiness started to subside. Especially when we got back to pick up the boys and Justinbustin gave me a hug. Whew.

 And, finally, my turn to pick the spots. I love depth, texture, a rustic feel, and nature, as you can see...

Earrings ~ Forever 21, Necklace ~ Gift from my MIL,

Bracelet ~ First anniversary gift from Brando from Dell Williams in Santa Cruz, 

Plaid Shirt ~ Macy's, Tank ~ American Eagle,

Skirt ~ Hot Topic, Tights ~ Claire's, Socks ~ Brando's, Boots ~ Mia from DSW

Oasis Photo Shoot and Morning Date

Brando and I went on a date morning this morning instead of a date night last night, as we went out with family and the kids last night. I love that Brando knew I was a little upset about not having a date night so before we even left for dinner last night, he scheduled on the calendar a date morning and emailed me a reminder that said, "Date morning - Be happy". He knows me so well.

We have a shopping and restaurant mecca near us called the Oasis. It's a mecca for our area, any way. The Oasis has been there for over five years, but the other restaurants and stores were built in the last year. It's situated right on Lake Travis with the most stunning view around. The sun sets just over the lake and makes for the perfect romantic evening eating at any of their now many restuarants: Oasis, Soleil, Austin Java of which this location has coffee only, Austin Chill which has self-serve yogurt, and another seafood restaurant that I don't remember the name and can't find anywhere - perhaps they are not open yet. Brando knows I LOVE going there to watch the sunsets or just see the gorgeous lake and explore especially since it's only a mile from our home, so that's where we headed to.

Our date started off with coffee at Austin Java and then we walked around and had fun exploring the decks before the crowds of people came. We had a huge storm last night so all the patio chairs were wet, which made it even more intriguing.

Besides the view, the architecture, design, and pure color of the place is SO MUCH fun it's the perfect place to have a little fun with the camera. Brando and I took turns, like usual, with the fun colors, architecture, and angles. He did quite a bit more than I, though, as I was mostly obsessed with the busy, colorful backgrounds and he did more inventive things with less of a main focus backgrounds.

There's so many photos, actually, that this is just a small portion and I'm saving the rest for later when I get to it. As you can see in the above photo, I've gotten a little bored of standing still for photos, so the majority of the rest of the photos I have are goofy and fun as can be. Which was perfect, because it made for a perfect, silly date morning.

My handsome hottie of a hubby. He shaved his hot as hell scruff, so now he looks like a baby, but still hot as hell.

These windows reminded me of doors. Gorgeous, either way, and I had Brando snag a photo for me because it would take too long for me to figure out how to change the settings for the perfect picture in a second.

Earrings and Bracelet ~ Bunny's Too, Plaid Shirt ~ Rip Curl, 
Lace Shirt ~ Macy's, Belt and Jeans ~ Forever 21,
 Boots ~ Seychelles from Bunny's Shoes

Love Brando's eye with photography and am trying to accept how different his style is than mine, thanks to the encouragement of GFF. He creates gorgeous images, magazine, high-quality, sharp as a tack images versus my love of vintage or blown out images. He blows me away with his knowledge of all the ins and outs of the camera and how they work together. I swear, he should teach photography classes, as he's taught me all I know and I know more about cameras than some photographers I have met. Now if only I could utilize that knowledge with my camera as well as those photographers utilize their knowledge with their cameras.