Homegirl Quel (kel) in Austin

On Being Young-Old & (totally unrelated) Not Having Haters

I went to a dance last night with my husband and a few friends. It was a scholarship fundraiser hosted by  the sorority Delta Sigma Theta. My husband and I were the first of our group to arrive. When we walked in, I was pleased to hear something from the seventies (Earth, Wind & Fire maybe) blasting from the speakers by the DJ booth, to smell some type of party meat (turned out to be wings and meatballs) because we hadn't had dinner and were starving, and to see so many older people out to have a good time. While we waited for our friends to show up, I traded text messages with some of them, mostly telling them about the vibe of the event. We traded a few "old folk" jokes since we were among the youngest ones there. As they showed up two by two, we continued with the "old folk" one-liners. We danced to funk and r&b from way-way back in the day, and some hip-hop from the birth of hip-hop the whole time, taking breaks for food and water and to talk with friends. I have been known to dance all night to Gaga and Rhianna and Pitbull, etc., but I have not had more fun than two-stepping and doing dances from before I was in high school with my husband and friends. About mid-way through the event, we were having drinks, and one of us said something else about how much fun it was two-stepping and doing [insert any of several awesome old and new popular black line-dances here] with the old heads. That's when the youngest one in our group who is still a twenty-something was like, "What y'all have failed to realize is that this is y'all's music. Y'all are the 'old heads' now." That hurt. For like half-a minute. Then, on my way back out to the dance floor, in true old head form,  I was like, "Well old heads can sho'nuff show the young'ns a thing or two about how to have a good time." 

I am SO not an old head. Technically...technically...I'm not even in my mid-thirties yet. Still, I hadn't realized that while I'm talkin' about old heads, I am indeed becoming one of 'em. The greyest head there, was obviously still young at heart, and I can dig that. What I cannot dig is how some of the older women there were bringing it to some of us thirtysomethings. I left that party with a new determination to re-evaluate my fitness lifestyle and my beauty regimen. Eye cream, H2O and a little sweat ain't never hurt nobody...except haters.

Sidebar: I really like inserting "haters" into my everyday speech, whenever I can. I'm sure I don't have any haters. Nobody wants to be me, or wants what I have, or if they do (but nobody does), they don't hate on me for it, because, honestly, I'm a really nice person. I'm not one of those people who wnts to have haters so bad that I create them in my head. Still, saying "haters" whenever it's remotely appropriate makes me giggle. And speaking of people who create haters in their heads... 

 

February Foto-A-Day! Day 5: 10 A.M.

As I mentioned before, I am posting all the photos from Fat Mum Slim's February Photo A Day Challenge on Tumblr. I could not resist sharing this one here. 

I took my son out for brunch at Magnolia Cafe South. I thought I had gone wrong as a parent, somehow, when he sat across from me still playing the game he had started while we were waiting to be seated. 

I was relieved when the waiter brought paper and crayons to our tablem,  and my son turned the Touch off and handed it to me saying, "Mom, I'm all done with Angry Birds now, I want to color."

Austin 2011 Turkey Trot: Z's First Kids 1K

When I ran my first 5k 2 weeks ago, my son was so excited about my "running race". Leading up to race day, he demonstrated for me how super fast his running shoes made him go--it's all about pushing those elbows back as fast and with as much force as possible. When he finally understood that I was the only one running, he was like, " Aw! I wish I could run in a running race that was just my size."  So I found one...

Please continue reading this post with more pictures on HomegirlRuns.

Thanks! 

Soular Foods Community Garden Winter Planting

Last Saturday, my husband son and I joined RawBella, Mr. Hoover (of Hoover's restaurants) and helpers at the GMZ Soular Foods Community Garden in East Austin. We planted winter vegetables and strawberries and had a great time during the process. My 3.5 year old probably had the most fun. Here are a few pictures of him and others hard at work...

Zack,  "I like planting SOOOOOO much."

Homegirl's First 5k & Outdoor Run In The Bag!

Homegirl's first 5k & outdoor run is in the bag! 

I totally did not train properly for it. Mostly because my first run went so well. After covering almost 2 miles in less than 30 minutes, I was like 'Pshhh 5k? I GOT this.' Only I didn't. After not training for the 5k, I still ended up running a 12'52" (12 minutes, 52 seconds) mile to finish the race in just over 40 minutes. Considering that it was also my first time running outside (I only run on treadmills because...you know...the dogs), I am actually satisfied with that time. Still kicking myself because it could have been so much better.  I was holding out on putting this post up with hopes for an official finish line photo, but a search for my bib number over at Brightroom.com, the official race photographers, turned up not one photo of me in action. I was chip timed though, so there is some official record of my first 5k. A Facebook friend of mine told me she saw me running on Fox News Austin, but I couldn't find the video. If anybody else does, please send me the link. I'm rambling. On to my official race report...

Please continue reading my full Race Report on HomegirlRuns.

Thanks!

Diary of An Austin City Limits Music Festival Rookie

Thanks to The Austin Chronicle and  my uncanny luck with online contests (I don't enter many, but I win a lot of the ones I enter), I won two 3-day passes to Austin City Limits Music Festival 2011! I never have cash during early-bird pre-sales and had given up on going this year. I didn't even recall entering the contest. So when I saw the email that I had won, it truly was a pleasant surprise. The fact that the weekend kicked off on my birthday made it extra special. My husband came with me the first two days, our three year old son joined us on day 2 and was my date on the last day of the festival. Lots of planning and patience helped make this weekend awesome. Lots of pictures and videos make the memories that much sweeter. Here's what happened...

I'm Back! From a much needed tropical vacation.

I am back off a 17 day visit with my in-laws in St. Vincent & The Grenadines. We have been back there many times since my husband brought me to meet his family after we had been dating for almost 2 years in 1998. It is a small island and does not change much, so it always feels like home when I am there. This was our third time taking our son, but it was different because he is 3 years old now and really got to know his aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. We went to the same beach and posted up under the same almond tree every day, as usual. Mostly, we just sat around my in-laws' house-- windows and doors open--or on the porch enjoying the breeze and the constant flow of visitors. My husband and I left our son with his folks and took a ferry over to a resort on Bequia, a neighboring island, for two nights to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary together.

There is nothing like taking a break from the every day routine with the family, especially if you are a stay at home mom. For 17 days, I got a break from the busyness of taking care of a child, getting in gym time and running a household and all that entails, and my husband got a break from work and other obligations that keep me handling most of the details of daily life by myself. He relaxed completely, his Caribbean accent got thicker and his skin tone got darker (#WIN and WIN). We got to be boo'ed up all the time and sneakin' and freakin' in his parent's house when we could. Even with a 3 year old running around, it felt like old times. Seventeen days was just enough time for us to remember why we bother to be bothered with family life.

The routine at home is the same. He's busy. I'm busy. My 3 year old is bossy. But we're still a little high, running of fumes from our family vacation. If we're lucky, that will sustain us until our next one. 

Here are a few pics:

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. 

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:

The Hey Lollies @ Cherrywood Coffeehouse Austin, TX

When I saw this concert posted on the Parent Wise Facebook page about a week ago, my first impulse was to skip it. Mainly because it was to take place on a Sunday morning at 10:30, when I'm usually in bed, at the gym or at church. Then I considered my son who is a ball of energy, just turned three and who loves music. I fought through my selfish bone and accessed my selfless mommy bone and put The Hey Lollies kid's music and puppet show  on my calendar. I also shared it with my Mocha Moms group. 

Yesterday morning we got off to a late start, but arrived at Cherrywood Coffeehouse just in time to see the second half of the show., and for breakfast! Y'all know I love coffee, I love to sing and I love to get silly-- so to sit with my son and enjoy all of the above was a treat. The performance was awesome and the women were, as expected, so warm and welcoming letting some kids sit on stage and engaging them with hugs and hellos after the show was over. I am an instant fan of The Hey Lollies. 

Here is a video of my son enjoying the show, complete with photos and slow-mo toddler footwork action. Enjoy!

They have more shows scheduled for March. If you're in Austin, get ye there to see them. It's great weekend fun. Show times and locations listed after the jump.

Photos: GMZ Soular Foods Community Garden Spring Planting 2011

The Spring planting was just as fun and productive as the one last fall. My son was so tickled at the sight of the vegetables in the ground. Now, when we're in the produce section of the grocery store, he says, "...like in the garden" when he points to and names vegetables there. If you're in Austin, you should totally join the facebook group and get involved. It's free. 

Yo Gabba Gabba Live in Austin was awesome!

A little background. I entered a video of my two year old playing drums in the Yo Gabba Gabba Cool Tricks Facebook contest. Then I begged for my Facebook friends to vote for weeks on end. Thanks to their votes, he won! The prize: VIP tickets to the show, tons of organic toddler snacks by Revolution Foods and access to the after party to meet the Gabba Gang. I thought we would get to meet DJ Lance too, but when he didn't show up early on at the after party, we asked the door guys and alas, it was not meant to be. No DJ Lance. But we sat so close to the stage, that every time he came to our side of the stage, he appeared to wave right at us. Although I can't say definitively, my guess is that he did wave right at us because we stuck out like brown...brown...sore thumbs in a sea of white thumbs. Mhm. DJ Lance waving at us was enough for my son to think he had actually met DJ Lance, which works for me.

I went to Gypsy Picnic Food Trailer Festival 2010 and all I got were these stupid pictures

I went. I saw. I SO did not conquer. For me the Gypsy Picnic was all gypsy, no picnic. But me and my guys still had a great time! 

Keep It In My Backyard, Austin!

Kiimby (Keep It In My Backyard) is so quintessentially Austin-- a movement created by tech guys, encouraging people to do good, while shopping local. Wednesday night I had the pleasure of joining them at Dress Shop in downtown Austin for the first of many events around town to celebrate their good-hearted movement to encourage Austinites to shop at locally-owned businesses while simultaneously supporting local charities. The short of it is that shoppers can register (at no cost) for a Kiimby card, select a local charity to support, and use the card when shopping at Austin businesses. The card works like a local shopper loyalty card--swipe it at an locally-owned business and a percentage of the purchase goes to an Austin charity. Pretty good, huh?

A percentage of purchases made at Wednesday night's event went to support  . In case you missed it, my relationship with DFS started with a little cupcake party I threw and has blossomed from there. Leslie, Judy and the team of volunteers there are just awesome. Austinites, if you have a do-gooder itch to scratch, and being part of an organization that supports women interests you, go register to volunteer with us! If you don't have time to volunteer, go over to kiimby.com, register for your card, select Dress For Success or any other local charity you want your purchases to support and shop local! Let me tell you, Dress Shop is a great place to start. Obviously the dresses there rock, but the accessories at that place? Girl! I promise my heartrate increased when I saw the first display of statement necklaces. I'm going back there for my next accessorie run and you should too. Brave downtown parking (I tried to use the law of attraction--really--to find a close spot, but still ended up walking 4 blocks to the store), wear comfy shoes, and prepare to be enveloped in ultimate girlieness

I managed to snap a few decent pictures during the event. Here are a few, but as usual, head on over to my Facebook page for the full monty!

 

Do You Austin's First Anniversary Bash

I remember being at the first meeting of this group started by an acquaintance of mine a year ago. Do You Austin (as in Do you, Austin.) started out as a small group of women looking for  solutions to care for natural hair. In just one year, has expanded to over a hundred men and women and kids who come together to celebrate life, encourage and support entrepreneurship, natural living, wellness, art, music, dance and all things beautiful. Do You Austin has come a long way from being just about natural hair care, but you know what? There's no other resource that has been more useful for finding out where to get  your natural hair done or who to consult about caring for your hair at home in Austin.

Corinne Bailey Rae Concert: Austin, TX

I hooked up with some of my lady friends and took in CBR's show at La Zona Rosa last weekend. I was surprised at how much she actually kinda rocked out. I had expected a low-key show, but it was live! Her band was amazing. Fortunately, her show was at a small venue, so we got to see her up close. How beautiful is this woman?! A friend of mine called her mesmerizing and that's exactly what she is. Pure talent is when an artist can stand on a stage, sans pyrotechnics and background dancers, barely move around and still command your attention. I didn't want to look away. Everything about her up there singing was awesome. I was kinda forced to look away for a quick hot minute when I passed out...yes...went blind and deaf and ended up on my hind parts on the floor during her first or second set. No I wasn't drinking--I was actually the designated driver, and No I'm not pregnant again--yet--I think. It was standing only and hot and crowded and I'm sure I wasn't moving around enough. Plus the air was stagnant and it all just added up to me falling out. It went down something like this:

After feeling like I had to puke and getting dizzy, I reached out and touched one of my friends on the shoulder...

Me: "Leesha, something is wrong. I feel like I'm 'bout to pass out."
Leesha: "You okay, Quel?!"
Me: "No."

Blind. Deaf. Floor.

 

X Marks The Spot

 
This is where you'll find me...

I'll be back soon to announce book giveaway winners (see previous posts, there's still time to enter!), and to get on with my usual Homegirl randomness.

P.S. I love my fancy digital camera, but am photographing my entire vacation almost exclusively on an iPhone 4. This thing is a beast! That is all.

Tony Robbins Is My Homeboy

On a road trip to New Orleans this past weekend, one of my roadies brought along CDs by life coaches. She told me ahead of time that she would be bringing them and I had hoped that my iPod playlists and casual conversation would be enough to occupy us both ways during the 9-hour trip. I told her I wasn't into self-help things and motivational speakers (and by "not into" I meant "hate"), but she said she'd bring them anyway just in case. There was a third person in the car with us who, turns out, likes motivational things. So, subject to the majority rule, I had to listen.

5 Things I Learned Over 18 Holes

 

1. Diving into the deep end can be fun--even if you've never been swimming!
   Figuratively, of course. Do NOT literally dive into the deep end or the shallow end of any pool if you cannot swim. What I'm saying is, if it's something that couldn't potentially kill you, and you want to try it, do it! Sunday was my first time playing golf and it was fun! I actually had some pretty good strokes too. The thought of playing 18 holes of golf was intimidating, especially when all the other teams were experienced men, but once we got out there the guys were supportive and we shared some laughs and it was awesome. In my swag bag I got another free 18 holes of golf and I cannot wait to play!
2. Sun visors are stupid.
   But they are highly functional. That is all.
3. Golf is hard!
   I ended up with some pretty good strokes, but it's a tricky sport. Only if you're scoring fairly though. I missed on almost every first, second and third attempt to hit every ball. The difficulty made me appreciate the sport though. I intend to spend some time practicing hitting whenever I can. Golf's really good for personal challenges like that.
4. Men really do have it all figured out.
   After spending four hours rolling around in a golf cart with friends on a beautiful course laughing, talking, breathing fresh air, and challenging myself mentally, I totally get why golf is such a popular sport. And the animals! There were cranes and some other bird I'd never seen before, turtles... I would choose playing 18 holes of golf in the afternoon over dinner and a movie with my girls any day--as long as the weather is good.
5. Golf is an incredible workout. I haven't googled it or anything, but I'm guessing there was some serious calorie burning going on Sunday. I woke up Monday morning feeling like I had done Body Pump the day before. Muscles in my back that I didn't even know I had were sore, and I wasn't even using proper form. And we had carts. I imagine that playing 18 holes of golf using proper form and walking is a pretty decent workout. It's like an added bonus to #4.

A Celebration and a Beer

My husband and I attended a wedding of a friend of mine this weekend in Dallas. It was the most beautiful celebration of love and marriage and family that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. It was one of those weddings that, if you're married, fortifies your bond and reminds you why you're married in the first place--you kind of renew your vows from the bench. It was one of those weddings that, if you're not married, gives you the perfect example of what a great marriage...not wedding...but marriage looks like.

Both the families of the bride and groom had histories of long, successful and happy marriages. Old married couples were honored and celebrated during the reception and offered words of advice to the other married couples there. Mutual respect, compromise, and willingness to work through the inevitable hard times together, where a recurring theme when older married folks addressed the guests. My favorite advice was from the oldest married couple there, who told the fellas that saying "Yes, dear" would keep them happily married for 59+ years. It was wonderful.

My favorite reading during the ceremony was the Apache Wedding Blessing, which almost brought me to tears--I'm positive the music from the harp had much to do with it too. The blessing is about togetherness and oneness and speaks directly to why we humans choose to do this whole marriage thing in the first place. The blessing is so simple and basic and void of religious tones. I left the wedding with a renewed faith in marriage and a stronger desire to create the best possible family experience with my husband and son and future children. I think that's how all weddings should make all guests feel, regardless of whom they have chosen to love.

In the photo here, I snapped the camera while it was sitting on our table at the reception. It's a Carona with lime. Perfect refreshment at the perfect Texas wedding.