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LIFESTYLE LETTER

NOVEMBER 2021 PUBLISHER

Joe Kerby | joe.kerby@lifestylepubs.com EDITOR

Happy Season of Giving, Receiving and Gratitude IT’S FALL Y'ALL…AND I’M THANKFUL FOR THAT AND SO MANY THINGS.

Jennifer Birn | jennifer.birn@lifestylepubs.com INTERN

Ashley Pena AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe L AYO UT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor

It’s my first autumn in Austin, and while summer wasn’t as hot as I’d been warned, the crisp air when I walk outside in the mornings now delights my soul. I start each day sitting outside writing in a gratitude journal, a practice I’ve had for five or six years and can’t recommend enough. If it’s something you’ve ever considered, November,

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Stephanie Coultress O'Neill, Genevieve Padalecki CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Todd White

a month we celebrate Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season, is a great time to start one. Some days I just write, ‘I’m so thankful for the way the light is passing through the trees,’ or that I’m grateful for a good night’s sleep. Some mornings it goes deeper. Every morning it reminds me to begin the day with what’s good in life and sets a tone for the rest of the day. The 5 Minute Journal is a good starter and a great holiday gift idea! And now to what's good in Austin Life this month... Our cover star Christy Carlson Romano is literally a Disney princess, having been Belle in Broadway’s Beauty & the Beast – after a career on the Disney Channel that started when she was a child. Now she’s married with two children herself and is celebrating one year of calling Austin home. She was the perfect subject to model sparky holiday ensembles fit for the season. We also got to delve into her headline-generating YouTube content and all the fun things she has in the works- in collaboration with her husband Brendan Rooney.

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

We caught up with Zane and Amal Wilemon, an Austin couple who split their time between Austin and Africa running their company Ubuntu, which supports an entire

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

African village. And we chatted with Andra Liemandt, who started The Kindness Campaign, introduce you to Anastasia Hera, a local musician flexing her entrepreneurial muscles with a namesake rum and more. Flip through, enjoy, and feel free to reach out with any thoughts, ideas or to share

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Jennifer Birn, Editor ON THE COVER Christy Carlson Romano, shot at The Colton House

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD WHITE 6

Austin Life | November 2021

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 of all information cannot be guaranteed.

INSIDE THE ISSUE NOVEMBER 2021

FEATURES 18 Meet…Anastasia Hera Austin musician + entrepreneur

22 That Ubuntu Life How an Austin couple's company is supporting entire communities in Africa

28 Christy Carlson Romano Christy and her writer/producer husband Brendan are...

18 28

38 Cultivating Kindness Andra Liemandt's saving lives with The Kindness Campaign

38 DEPARTMENTS 6

Lifestyle Letter

Good Times

Local Experiences

Page Turners

Local Limelight

38 Giving Back 42 Artist’s Palette

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GOOD TIMES

Kendra Scott Introduces Austin FC-Inspired Scott Bros On September 26 Kendra Scott had a VIP celebration in a suite at Q2 Stadium celebrating the launch of Austin FC-inspired verde styles to add to the Scott Bros by Kendra Scott line - designed in collaboration with her sons! We're happy to report Austin FC won that game against the LA Galaxy.

1. Scott brothers | 2. Kendra Scott with Austin FC captain Alex Ring

Fortlandia at The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center celebrated the unveiling of an interactive, innovative and play-worthy fort designed and built by Jack Wilson, a teenager with Down Syndrome, Reach Architects and StoryBuilt, an urban residential and commercial community developer. The fort (and others in Fortlandia) will be available for play through January 31, 2022.

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Austin Life | November 2021

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THANKFUL THIS MONTH, WE CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING, A TIME TO REMIND OURSELVES OF THE BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES. November is an opportunity to spend time with the ones we love during this holiday season and give more of ourselves to those around us.

CAFÉ CRAWL + Mozarts is the perfect place to bring a date or your entire family. They have homemade pastries, a view of the lake and live music! 5915 Idlewood Cv Austin, TX + Cherrywood Coffeehouse is your cozy neighborhood coffee shop, with a great outdoor space and super dog-friendly. 1400 E 38th 1/2 St Austin, TX + Tiny Boxwoods chocolate chip cookies are absolutely delicious and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee in a darling setting. 1503 W 35th St Austin, TX + Merit Coffee is a go-to work spot or place to catch up with friends. Their iced lavender matcha latte is delicious. 1105 S Lamar Blvd Austin, TX + Come for coffee during the day or cocktails at night, Codependent has a wide variety of drinks to choose from. 301 West Ave STE 110, Austin, Texas 78701

Austin Life | November 2021

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THANKSGIVING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES + Coats for Kids will be donating coats to kids in need in December so start setting extra ones aside . + The Austin Empty Bowl Project is looking for volunteers on November 21st to help with filling ceramic bowls with fresh Thanksgiving meals. + Operation Turkey is run by local Austinite volunteers providing Thanksgiving meals to the homeless and less fortunate. + Thundercloud Turkey Trot is a 5-mile run where 100% of proceeds go towards "Caritas of Austin," a homeless shelter in Austin. + Ran by Austin Police Dept, Operation Blue Santa is a great way to help the less fortunate by donating meals and gifts.

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PAGE TURNERS

From the Bookshelf (and Beyond) with Genevieve Padalecki BOOKS

I LOVE TO EAT, AND NO BETTER TIME TO TALK ABOUT FOOD THAN AROUND THANKSGIVING. Traditionally speaking, Thanksgiving leads with a turkey and all the fixings and in our house, arguments over

Call Us What We Carry

whether we will spatchcock or traditionally roast our bird; will we dry brine or wet brine and do I have to sprinkle marshmallows on those sweet yams?! Never did we ask our-

by Amanda Gorman

selves where the heck our bounty actually

From a young generation not afraid to

came from. We were just glad one of us

call out injustices and paint a picture

remembered to order and thaw our bird in

on the page with hope and optimism,

the nick of time. But recently, as I’ve begun

Amanda Gorman is a force of nature

to have a better understanding and con-

who is conquering the poetry world

nection to where our food is sourced and

one beautiful verse at a time.

how it is raised, I started to become more discerning with where I made my purchases. I know it’s not a subject most of us like to think about, but I encourage everyone to take a peek at the “where” and the “how” of your food sources. For example, how far

The Wild Woman’s Way

did your food travel to get here and how was

by Michaela Boehm

it raised? I offer some suggestions in this

The quest to have it all, do it all and

month’s TOWWN Tips. And, who else is so

be it all, all the time, isn’t healthy or

excited to finally be able to devour Amanda

sustainable for the body or mind.

Gorman’s book of poetry? So much to be

In this book by intimacy expert

grateful for this season.

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ARTICLE GENEVIEVE PADALECKI

women can reconnect the body and mind to be healthier themselves and in their relationships.

Austin Life | November 2021

TOWWN TIPS ROAM RANCH

At Roam Ranch you can actually

book a harvest where you’ll defeather and prepare your own turkey with “grace and honor” on Nov 20 or 22. As their website describes, “Unlike conventional “Butterball” turkeys, which have been genetically manipulated to grow unnaturally large in a confined setting, our heritage breed birds can fly, mate, walk, run and display all of

L IGH T S FA N TA S T IC

their natural behaviors. The resulting meat is rich, flavorful, and moist…The ROAM Ranch annual Turkey Harvest Event is timed perfectly to coincide with Thanksgiving. We want to give families the opportunity to see the environment in which their turkey has been raised and work together to harvest, butcher and prepare their own Thanksgiving turkey. Witnessing and participating in this process will give you a sense of connection and satisfaction in knowing your turkey was treated ethically and with care. Attendees will leave with a heritage breed turkey of their choice to cook for an epic Thanksgiving meal.” Learn more at: http://roamranch.com If you can’t make it to Roam Ranch’s harvest days, check out the sweet family-run Yonder Way farm. Love and kindness is at the core of everything they do, even in their farming practices. So, when thinking about your Thanksgiving feast, consider supporting them and purchasing a Yonder Way farm turkey. They always go the extra mile ensuring that their animals are loved and cared for so that you can eat better for the health of yourself and the planet.

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ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

Meet… Anastasia Hera ABOU T:

WHAT I ’ M LIS TE NING TO:

ANASTASIA HERA IS A RAPPER, SONGWRITER AND OWNER OF HER OWN NAMESAKE LIQUOR BRAND, HERA TROPICAL RUM. The Texas native’s interest in rap began when her father taught her to deliver MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. She also credits being introduced to rap music as a pre-teen when she attended a free program at the Austin Public Library. “A volunteer came in with lyrics printed out on paper, a cassette tape and a boom box. We read and recited the lyrics, learned a bit about recording equipment and technique and the rest is history,” she says. Earlier this year she released her first EP “This is Anastasia,” which she can be found performing around Austin as “Anastasia Hera and The Heroes.” Her first fully self-produced project is slated for 2022. And, she recently

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partnered with Local Choice to create coconut rum Hera Tropical Rum. Anastasia says her inspiration for all that she does and writes comes from everyday life, the feelings, emotions, ideas and dilemmas which are common to all of humanity. “I put those things into poetry,” she says. “My goal as an artist is to grow beyond genre and classification and simply speak to hearts.” She’s well on her way and definitely one to watch.

SOCIAL :

INSTAGRAM: @Anastasia_hera_

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“What I’ve returned to most consistently over my adult life is the classic poem “If,” by Rudyard Kipling. Concise sentiment, a moral challenge, and not a word wasted! “If you can keep your head…”

WHAT I ’ M OB SE S SE D WITH:

+ Making beats

Hera Rum with coconut water or ginger ale

Austin Life | November 2021

+ Polishing my fried rice recipe + 80s pop music (always!) + “The Dark Side of the Ring” (a professional wrestling docuseries by Vice) + Writing the perfect song

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Jeremiah Kuria and Zane Wilemon

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HOW AN AUSTIN COUPLE'S COMPANY IS SUPPORTING ENTIRE COMMUNITIES IN AFRICA

Austin Life | November 2021

T H AT U BU N T U LIFE

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

UBUNTU IS AN AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY THAT MEANS ‘I

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BEST SELLER?

AM, BECAUSE WE ARE.” It describes the interconnected-

Zane: Our bracelets have been number one. We’re 50

ness among all things….To reach our full potential, both indi-

percent bracelets and then about 20-30 percent bags and

vidually and as a society, we must help others reach theirs…

20-30 percent shoes. Our tried and true is definitely is defi-

Jeremiah Kuria and Zane Wilemon, pastors from Kenya

nitely our bracelets made by Maasai maker moms.

and Texas respectively, started Ubuntu Life ten years ago because they realized this philosophy. “Jeremiah and I committed to serving the people of Kenya the best we could by creating opportunities that empower the local

WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK TO AUSTIN? Amal: It’s home. Once a Texan, always a Texan. Family’s here. But, we consider both home.

community to lift themselves to where they wanted to go,” Zane tell Austin Life. “It was actually nine maker

UBUNTU IS 10 YEARS OLD, DID YOU FORESEE

mom’s idea to start selling, not our idea. A year after that

BEING WHERE YOU ARE NOW WHEN YOU STARTED?

we got a partnership with Whole Foods, so it feels like

Amal: I don’t think we ever thought Oprah would ever

there was always something bigger at work.” Austin Life caught up with Zane and his wife Amal, also an intricate part of Ubuntu Life, to learn more about

pick us as one of our favorite things. And it almost didn’t happen because it was in our spam folder for a while.

the Austin and Maai-Mahiu-based lifestyle company

Zane: They reached out to us months before and

that sells African-made and inspired goods that sustain

then they reached back out and were like ‘Do you want

entire communities.

this?’ We were a non-profit for the majority of time we’ve been running Ubuntu and then we shifted to for-profit for

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU EACH BEEN TO KENYA?

the product side. The non-profit is still focused on empow-

Zane: I’ve been doing this for 21 years and lived there

ering children with special needs. But when we pivoted

for over year the first time when I met our co-founder

to for-profit we had this audacious vision that there aren’t

Jeremiah, who was born and raised in Kenya. Since then

many brands that are based on the continent of Africa that

I’ve gone about twice/year.

have successfully leapt over to the West and sold at scale.

Amal: I’d say Zane is probably at about 40 and I’m at 11 or something.

So we thought we could potentially be one of the first ones and then for Oprah to pick us was super reaffirming.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

THAT UBUNTU LIFE (CONTINUED)

Zane and Ubuntu kids

our moms have now helped their husbands with their businesses and it’s a ripple effect which penetrates the entire community, which is super powerful. Zane: Less than 10 percent of Kenyans have health insurance and 100 percent of our full-time staff have health and insurance and benefits not just for themselves but for their households, so that alleviates a lot HOW MANY MOMS DO YOU HAVE FULL-TIME NOW?

of the reserve cash that these families have to have

Amal: We have about 120 full-time moms in Kenya.

because they know their basic needs are met. So that

Zane: A lot of our Maasai moms are part-time

allows 100 percent of our staff to send 100 percent of

depending on seasonality of sales. Last year at our peak

their kids to school and the majority of our make moms

were employing up to 800 total.

own their own land and have built their own homes.

DO YOU WANT TO TRY TO RECREATE

ZANE, YOU WERE A PASTOR, ARE YOU STILL?

THE MODEL IN OTHER CITIES? Zane: For sure. Already we’re talking with some leaders

Zane: I am, yeah. I’m an Episcopal priest, that happened along the journey.

in South Africa about expanding Ubuntu Life into South

Amal: It’s not a full-time job anymore, but it’s still there.

Africa and Nigeria. I think there’s a lot of opportunity with

Zane; Jeremiah is a pastor as well so that’s how

the non-profit and for-profit hybrid and how those work

we originally meshed together and we would say we

symbiotically, and I think whether it’s us expanding or

received this vision, it wasn’t ours, we received this vision

sharing that model with other non-profits or social impact

and our focus has been how can we be responsible and

businesses and social enterprises, to serve marginalized

good stewards with this vision to do the right thing.

communities at scale in the global marketplace. Amal: The coolest thing is we started with nine moms and now we’re the largest employer in Maai Mahiu and

Austin Life | November 2021

Learn more and support Ubuntu at https://www. ubuntu.life/.

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Christy Carlson Romano ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

PHOTOGRAPHY TODD WHITE

Styled by: Stephanie Coultress O'Neill/Estilo Boutique

CHRISTY AND HER WRITER/PRODUCER HUSBAND BRENDAN ARE...

HOME. And they’re stirring the pot and making plans. We caught up with the couple of ten years for a photo

the Disney Channel as Ren Stevens in Even Stevens and

shoot at The Colton House Hotel, where we had so much

voicing the title character in the animated Kim Possible.

fun while Christy modeled holiday looks (from Estilo

She made her big screen debut as a pre-teen, in Woody

Boutique!) that we ran out of minutes before Christy had

Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You and has a litany of credits

to pick up their kids Isabella, 4, and Sophia, 2, and we had

across film, TV and the stage. Much of the content you’ve

to do the interview the next day.

seen from her recently has been streaming – on Hulu, Fox

Christy has been acting since she was six. She’s a

and recently on her own headline-making YouTube chan-

literal Disney princess after playing Belle on Broadway

nel. She talks about it all on our call where the consummate

Brendan & Christy laugh, a lot.

in Disney’s Beauty & the Beast and had long runs on

Austin Life | November 2021

multi-tasker is also baking an apple crisp for Texas WIC, a program that helps women and children with insufficient food eat better. Christy’s been spending a lot of time in the kitchen, creating a string of shows centered around cooking, from Christy’s Kitchen

“A big part of our life is food,” Brendan says. “Christy doesn’t drink, I drink rarely, so food is where we break bread. A big part of how we communicate and build community is over cooking or going to restaurants.”

Throwback where she mixed up entertainment in the form of cooking,

Christy and Brendan met early 2011 while both studying at

singing and chatting with fellow famous faces to Bucket List Bistro, a

Columbia in their mid-20s, Christy during a break from acting and

travel-inspired show where she and Brendan made some of their

Brendan after four years in the Marines. “We were in a screenwrit-

favorite dishes from abroad while trapped indoors and unable to

ing class together,” Christy says, “We were 26 and 27-years-old

take trips during the pandemic. It’s currently available on Hulu where

and though we’d lived a million lives already we decided to go

it was the platform’s first ever short-form series. Up next Brendan

back to school.” They got married on New Year’s Eve in 2013. They

says they want to go bigger in the food space. He shares they’re in

made their first trip to Austin together as a stop while road-tripping

development on a project with Guy Fieri’s Citizen Pictures and trying

from NYC to LA after graduation. Brendan had a cousin who lived

to cook up some ideas for Chip & Joanna Gaines Magnolia Network,

here and says, “He loves Austin and is such a good ambassador

although he says, they don’t know it yet.

of Austin, but he didn’t have to sell us too hard to make an impact. CONTINUED >

That look of love

Clinking glasses with non-alcoholic bubbly and all the smiles

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

CHRISTY CARLSON ROMANO (CONTINUED)

We both love water and greenery and Texas is such a desirable

moving here we moved here. California was bizarro land and we

location, in Central Texas in the center of America.” They said they

didn’t recognize it anymore. Christy and I share a passion for lake

knew they’d like to come back, but at the time thought it was a

life and nice people. We wanted to move here and integrate into the

pre-requisite of their careers to live in Los Angeles.

Austin community, we want to be Austinites and give back to the

Cut to 2020. Not only was there a global pandemic but fires were

Austin community. We want to be fully immersed in the Austin com-

raging in California. Christy says, “I was at my house watching the

munity, and I think we’re doing that. I think the fear that Californians

fires get dangerously close to the highway. We were on the line of an

want to come in and change Austin is misguided.”

evacuation zone and I was pretty terrified. That was the last straw.

They couldn’t be happier with the decision. When asked what she

We moved while the haze of smoke was above my house and every-

likes about Austin Christy is quick to say, “I love almost everything

thing was burning around us.”

about Austin. I think Austin has a personality of its own. Austin still

With the success of creating and producing shows from home

has the mentality that it’s a small town when it’s actually a big city

during the pandemic, they realized they didn’t need to be in California

with a tight-knit community. People are kind and that makes people

anymore to work doing what they loved. Brendan says his brother

feel connected to each other. I’ve never met my neighbors anywhere

had been living with them for a while and they sent him to Austin to

I’ve ever lived and here, right when we pulled in our neighbors were

check it out, “as kind of a litmus test.” The verdict? “He got here and

there and there was an instant sense of community. And I joined a

the way he described it sounded like the place I wanted to live and

mom’s club that’s a lot of fun. The ladies are all amazing and I was

raise my kids,” Brendan says. “Within a month or two of my brother

able to find friends right away.”

Austin Life | November 2021

CONTINUED >

Partners in life, & business

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

CHRISTY CARLSON ROMANO (CONTINUED)

Pretty in purple

Austin Life | November 2021

Christy

and

Brendan

have

also

Inspired by Community

started working more collaboratively, under the umbrella of Thinking Cap Productions,

creating

content

from

short and long-form ideas to individual YouTube Channels. Christy’s has made her a regular in entertainment headlines with outlets sharing and dissecting each new episode. But, with topics like “Why I Don’t Talk to Shia LaBeouf Anymore,” “How I Lost Princess Diaries to Anne Hathaway,” and “The Truth About Disney Channel,” there’s no wonder they’ve garnered millions of views and sprung a new well of attention. Although, she says she doesn’t think it would have been possible, if not for Austin. “Without Austin as the landscape and background for my walks, and feeling so at home here, I wouldn’t feel as comfortable being so vulnerable and open. There’s a magic here when you walk outside that hits you in the face and is nurturing to the soul,” she says. “I always hoped that I could be vulnerable, but for a long time, I didn’t think people really cared what I had to say…I had no idea this would get so much traction.” Brendan also recently started his own YouTube channel with episodes like, “What Marine Boot Camp is Really Like,” “How I Met My Wife” and “How Becoming a Dad Made Me a Better Person.” “Brenden is starting to create his own brand because in Austin he can be himself, he can be respected as a

It’s time to think

locally ADVERTISE WITH US

to deliver your message to the most affluent families in our community.

veteran…” Christy says. While they’re both doing well with their YouTube channels, Christy says, “We’d love to get back to making longform content and think we’d do excellent in the family space. I’ve directed family

lifestylepubs.com/advertise

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

CHRISTY CARLSON ROMANO (CONTINUED)

Austin Life | November 2021

films for Lionsgate and Brendan comes from a more serious space and I think we could do great content that is familyfriendly and artistic, that can exist on Hallmark, but it doesn’t have to. Thinking Cap has all the equipment it needs to make movies in Austin, and we’d want to hire local people who want to work.” On working together in addition to parenting and doing life together Christy says, “Brendan always consulted for me in some ways, but he was doing his own projects as a screenwriter and producer so I couldn’t really take time out of his schedule outside of him being my partner, but once we had our second baby and things got more complicated I thought we had a great opportunity to make good content and asked him to work with me. We always like to brainstorm together, we like to take walks together and brainstorm when we hike, which is one reason why Austin is so great and inspiring for us. Brendan and I make a good team because we pivot together. I don’t know if it’s his military training but he’s very good about seeing what’s working and not working and I try to think of it more holistically, so there’s a lot of conversation that goes into everything. We agree 80 percent of the time and the other 20 percent we don’t, but it’s necessary. If there wasn’t the other 20 we wouldn’t have any new ideas, if we disagree we use it to our advantage.” Brendan adds, “The beauty of being here is we’re now saying no to a lot. We realized the yes mentality was trying to keep up with the Joneses in LA and that the power of no in the most polite, Southern way has made us much happier.” CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Austin

CHRISTY CARLSON ROMANO (CONTINUED)

Quick Takes with Christy: HOLIDAY COOKING SONG:

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 16-YEAR-OLD SELF? There are so many things I would want to say. Don’t just balance your work life, learn to balance your emotions as well. I should have put focus on my mental health at a younger age. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOUR 60-YEAR-OLD SELF GIVE YOU TODAY? I think I need to learn how to laugh more.

I really like this silly song Turkey Lurkey Time. When it’s game time on Thanksgiving I’ll put it on, put on an apron and cook

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN: Hestia, Sushi Bar ATX, Intero…Brendan, who says he has a

WHAT ARE YOU MOST GRATEFUL FOR RIGHT NOW?

‘pizza problem’ adds Favorite Pizza and Sammataro

I’m most grateful for Austin and that I found a home here and my mom and my husband’s brother are close by.

FAVORITE HAIR SALON: Melanie Jacobs at Deep Roots Salon

GO-TO NON-ALCOHOLIC HOLIDAY BEVERAGE: Apfelschorle, it’s a German apple cider drink. You float apple cider on sparkling water. It’s my favorite mocktail. 36

Austin Life | November 2021

OTHER AUSTIN FAVORITES: Austin FC

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GIVING BACK ANDRA LIEMANDT'S SAVING LIVES WITH THE KINDNESS CAMPAIGN

ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

C U LT I VAT I NG KINDNESS BORN

FROM

TRAGEDY

2015,

THE

KINDNESS CAMPAIGN (TKC) HAS HELPED NURTURE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF NEARLY 200,000 PEOPLE AND GROWING WITH ITS PROGRAMMING AND TOOLS. Their “I Am Enough” journals, available on their website for $7, are the foundation of TKC, and Andra Liemandt is the mastermind and heart. We caught up with the mom, musician and innovator to learn more. WHAT LED YOU TO BEGIN THE KINDNESS CAMPAIGN? It was inspired by one child, and though we serve

such as AMC Theatres, Nordstrom, Bumble, Girl Scouts of

many, we will strive to save just one life. Several

America and SXSW, thousands more have been impacted by

years ago I experienced a personal tragedy. A

TKC across the country. Our signature activation, the Magic

family friend took her life. What made it even more

Mirror, has even traveled the nation, from Top of the Rock in NYC

shocking was that she was just 12-years-old. I could

to Lady Gaga concerts right here in Austin.

hardly comprehend how incredibly low she must

We’re also proud to work with private and parochial schools

have felt that suicide seemed like the only way out.

as a trusted SEL provider and in 2021 alone TKC raised enough

I started looking for answers and discovered

funds to gift 60 Title 1 elementary schools with “Kind Kits,”

something even more shocking -- suicide was, and

impacting 35,338 children in the 2021-22 school year.

remains, the second leading cause of death among teenagers. I felt like I was being called to a mission,

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM TKC?

and slowly, TKC began to emerge. My daughters

How much time do you have? Ha! But, seriously...mental and

helped me and together we created our first jour-

emotional health is a daily practice, that’s been my biggest les-

nal. Today TKC has a full suite of grade-level SEL

son. I’ve learned that no matter what life stage you’re in, you can

(social emotional learning) curriculum, programs,

improve your mental and emotional health. Whether it’s through

workshops, and activations. It’s been an incredible

journaling, therapy, meditation, there are a lot of tools out there

and very fulfilling journey!

these days. At the end of the day, we all want to live a more pur-

It’s had a lot of traction…TKC started in just one district and has grown exponentially since

poseful, joyful and meaningful life. And the way to get there is to prioritize your mental and emotional health.

its founding in 2015, serving 187,177 children and adults with in-depth, hands-on curriculum and

WHAT DO YOU HAVE COMING UP THAT

programming. And, through partnerships with our

YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT?

Kind Companies and nationwide organizations

Austin Life | November 2021

We have three huge products rolling out at TKC:

NYC’s Upper East Side Beauty Secret has now moved to Austin! Jaime Carson’s Oxylight® a n d C u s t o m F a c i a l Tr e a t m e n t s w i l l help revitalize your complexion and TKC Founder Andra Liemandt

leave you looking younger.

1. KindMusic: A beginner-friendly songwriting platform for all ages, complete with a hands-on or digital workshop and your choice of music package. It emphasizes emotional health and helps turn feelings into music and allows participants to write their own song lyrics. This hour-long workshop also helps put musicians back to work. Every time a KindMusic workshop is completed, TKC hires a musician to professionally record and produce the lyrics, turning them into a real song. 2. KindGym: Geared towards teens and older, KindGym is a year-long program that teaches skills for improved emotional wellbeing, utilizing daily activities, teams, and group support. Facilitated by mental health coaches associated with TKC, participants select an emotional muscle to work on, such as joy, trust, fear, etc. Then, they’re led through day-to-day “workouts” via a mobile app. 3. KindHouse: This is our latest curriculum offering for young learners! The KindHouse is a digital program that supports students with engaging and gamified skill-building. Inside the game, students encounter TKC’s KindHouse, a virtual space where they take on various challenges connected to TKC’s four core pillars: self-image, emotional awareness, empathy and community. Students are incentivized to create new habits for emotional regulation and walk away with positive problem-solving skills. We’re currently piloting it with fourth graders across Texas. ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? We’re preparing for our annual gala, Art of Kindness 2022! More than ever, we need support to bring these tools to

Rollingwood’s Newest Resident Is Now Accepting Appointments In Her Relaxing Skincare Studio

schools, students, educators - and truly, anyone who wants to improve their emotional health. Art of Kindness is our prime opportunity to generate this support, and we’d love our entire Austin community to be involved.

C ARS ONS K IN.C OM 512.675.4721 // admin@carsonskin.com 1015 Bee Cave Woods Drive in Rollingwood

Learn more at: https://tkckindness.org/ CityLifestyle.com/Austin

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CityLifestyle.com/Austin

ARTIST’S PALETTE ARTICLE JENNIFER BIRN

A R O U N D AU S T I N C I T Y L I M I T S THE BANDS, THE POP-UPS AND THE MAGNIFICENT WEATHER MADE ACL WORTH THE WAIT

Estilo Boutique's VIP pop-up shop

Aerial shot by Charles Reagan

Photo moment captured by Roger Ho

Black Pumas

Tito's Party in the Shack

Silent Disco, photo by Todd Owyoung

Lucy Hale & friends with Stephanie Coultress O'Neill (far left) at Estilo Boutique''s VIP pop-up shop

WE LOVED CATCHING LOCAL FAVORITES LIKE THE BLACK PUMAS TAKE THE ACL STAGE AND ALL THE MUSIC WAS AMAZING! There was also plenty to do between sets. Especially when we were feeling under-accessorized, we were thrilled to find Estilo Boutique’s pop-up shop in VIP to save the day. We even saw Lucy Hale there! Elsewhere the Tito’s Stage hosted a Silent Disco and at Tito’s Party in the Shack festival-goers could write a thank you postcard to a crewmember & hang it on the Love, Tito’s wall. For every card that was signed, Tito’s donated $5 to Crew Nation (up to $10,000) to support production crew who were out of work during the pandemic. 42

Austin Life | November 2021

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