Homegirl Quel (kel) in Austin

Guayaki Yerba Mate-Brett Dennen Show-SXSW 2011

I was ready to call SXSW 2011 a total bust for me this year. My son was home from school for spring break so daytime shows and screenings were already a no-go. Going out at night is almost always never an option for me, so I didn't even try. But I got an email last-minute that changed all that...for one day, at least.

The PR folks for the Guayaki Organic Yerba Mate- Brett Dennen show sent me a VIP invitation to attend the show, bring a guest and collect swag. There was also a documentary screening scheduled after the show. After working much logistical magic between the family of my plus one and mine, it was settled: the men watched the kiddos and me and my plus one were out to do it VIP style in the ATX! Which was awesome and also totally not what you think...

The show was on the rooftop at Whole Foods Headquarters. It's located on my favorite corner in Austin right across from Book People (where I have spent many hours drooling over the awesomest collection of stationary, handmade jewelry, scarves and oh yeah--books)  and Anthropologie (where I usually wear blinders as I make  a beeline for the clearance room in the back of the store) and Waterloo Records (which I've never been into because I'm not hip and am not into music THAT much, but is great for people watching from the street-level cafe seating outside Whole Foods. Anyway, so the show was on top of Whole Foods HQ. Brett Dennen performed a great acoustic set as children played on the playscape behind him. Oh yeah, there's a playscape on the rooftop at Whole Foods, mostly because Austin absolutely ROCKS when it comes to keeping whole families in mind and the best businesses always keep that in mind. Austin luh da kids. 

I am so benched...

Couch to 5k? Barely Never really made it off the couch. I recently bought some Nike+ sneakers. I got them at Nordstrom's Rack for $29! Steal. Never been worn. I was "saving up" for the chip. But it's not about the shoes...

Thanks to an awesome whiplash, I have to take it easy for a month (maybe 2) while I'm doing thrice a week adjustments. I can still walk, which will probably happen outside (gasp!) and do exercises that don't put strain on my neck/upper shoulder area, which means no crunches. Awesome.

Basically I'm going to have to research and find some great ways to get in shape with soft tissue and ligament damage (the technical words--it sounds SO much worse than it is).  

Bright side of all of this: I totally got to see my bones! My son and I were fascinated by the ex-rays! 

Zilker Park Kite Festival 2011

The stars aligned for us at the Kite Festival last weekend... eventually. The day actually started out with a series of certifiable FAILs. 

When we had gotten our 3-year old and all of our park-day baggage packed into the car, it hit me that we were starting our adventure approximately 5 minutes before my toddler's nap time. I wouldn't have been so bad if we could go from the car to the park in 20 minutes, but I knew we would be in the car at least an hour during our drive from the suburbs, through the maze of downtown traffic and the joys of finding a place to park. Awesome.

So we get on the road and a few more things occur to me:

Diana Ross on Oprah

I'm writing another blog post right now and watching Oprah on DVR. I tried to post this all on a Facebook status, but it was too long, so I'm posting it over here...

This episode with Diana Ross has had me happy since I pressed play. The footage of her 1983 concert in the rain in Central Park in NYC gave me chills. She's so joyful and beautiful. She is one of my favorite people and starred in one of my favorite films, Mahogany, which I have blogged about several times. Billy D. Williams just walked out on stage and OMG! They both still look amazing! The interview with her kids had me emotional. Tracee talked about how her mom woke them up so sweetly every day. My mom is the same way! I think I have blogged about how she use to walk pass the door and sing our name SO sweetly. She would sing my name...like sing it... like, "Kay-uuuuuuul!"  Right now I wake my son up in sweet ways and let him wake up slowly, because of how awesome it felt for me to wake up feeling loved everyday, and I want him to know that feeling too.  Diana reminds me of my mommy in SO many ways. What a beautiful, happy lady. End mushy love fest. 

If you're like me and this post has you feeling all emo about Mothers Day, window shop for nice Mothers Day Gifts at the perfect place to find perfect gifts...Red Envelope. If that sounded like a commercial, it totally was. Sponsored post with promo codes for HomeGirl readers coming up soon...just in time for Mothers Day. Thanks, Red Envelope! 

Go Girl: Natural Hair Stylist Veola, Do You Naturally

Last Saturday I attended sneak peak event the get a look inside the new location of Jae Undreas full-service natural hair care salon. I was there to support my friend and one of their newest natural hair stylists, Veola, who is also the founder of Do You Naturally. Do You Naturally evolved from the original group Veola founded called Do You Austin, which I last mentioned in a post about the group's Anniversary party.  

At Saturday's event, we enjoyed a nice spread of refreshments and drinks, giveaways, and educational discussions and demonstrations about natural hair care. My favorite part was listening to all the natural hair journeys some of the women shared. All the stories were so different, but the one thing they all had in common was the increased joy and self-confidence every person who made the transition to natural hair experienced after their transition was completed. Love that. 

I left my camera home and my Blackberry died on the way to the event. I had my iPod Touch on me, but there's no flash on it so my photo from the event are crappy. But I do have a video! Homegirl and gents, meet Veola...

Photos of some of Veola' recent clients from big chops to straw sets (yes, on natural hair) to cornrows after the jump. Check 'em...