Although we didn’t have time to eat a long meal, after visiting the National Postal Museum, we took the brisk and short walk from the Union Metro station to Bistro Bis for a fabulous light meal that offered good food and great ambiance.
Website: http://www.bistrobis.com
Twitter: @bistroBisDC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BistroBis
When Beth, of Tip Toe Photography, offered me a complementary mini-session (also look at her “belly to baby” and “baby’s first year” packages as well as different sessions) I knew that I would get some amazing pictures of my daughter. Little did I know though HOW absolutely fantastic they would be. With an artistic eye and quick trigger finger, she snapped up 15 of the best pictures of Jaden (and with some convincing a couple of Jaden with me). To be honest I had a couple tears in my eyes when she posted the pictures that night. They all looked very natural (even though Jaden doesn’t normally feel at ease in front of the camera.)
Website:
http://www.tiptoephotography.net
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TipToePhotography
In a remote field, just outside of Boerne, with a SUV parked nearby that she transported her beautiful suede couch in, Beth captured the moments I knew existed but I never had been able to catch before. (Another plus, she delivered them without any prompting from me! She just knew!)
When I received the cd with all the pictures, it came in an adorable cd sleeve with detailed printing recommendations (see her interview below for more details!) If I haven’t convinced you to give Beth a call to book your session immediately, her interview responses will! She talks about what led her start the business she passionately loves, suggestions for keeping photo sessions natural, best outfits to wear for sessions, and much more.
Beth is very laid back, your entire family will feel at ease as she patiently the moments you’ll want to remember and cherish for forever. As someone who had never hired a professional photography, I never realized how much of a good investment you are making.
Check out her beautiful portfolios of children, families, maternity, and newborns to see the different techniques and styles she leverages during her sessions. LOVE them all!
*Click on any of the images for more detailed, related information.
Beth pictured below with her two precious babies:
From her blog, she immediately posted sessions the day of with a couple more pictures to follow the next day of our mini session.
Did you grow up wanting to be a photographer? What did you originally want to do?
When I was younger, I don’t think I ever really knew what I wanted to be. I’ve always loved photography, to be honest, but never thought about making it into a career. I went to college and got my degree in business and then went to culinary school where I became a pastry chef. But then I realized I only really enjoyed baking for my family and friends, so I never made a career out of it. It was only after my daughter was born that I realized how much I truly loved photography and set out to learn as much as possible.
What is some “standard” advice you give people before to prepare for their first session?
Advice I give before their first session is mostly related to clothing! Nothing matchy-matchy because not many people look back on pictures where they’re all wearing the same thing and are thrilled with them. My photography is all about a family being themselves, so I don’t want anything too manicured, too perfect. I want to take the pictures that you look back on and remember just being yourself with the ones you love, so don’t worry if your baby has her hand in her mouth all the time because she’s teething or your toddler is running around crazy while I’m trying to take pictures – those are the memories you’ll want in ten years.
What do you think about as your photographing your clients?
As I’m photographing, I’m mostly just thinking about technical aspects of pictures. I keep reassuring people to just be themselves and don’t worry about the rest, that’s my job!
It must help to have a supportive husband! Does he enjoy being a model?
My husband is definitely not a model for me, lol. He much prefers being behind the camera with me to grab the attention of our less-than-cooperative children while I take their pictures. He’s a wonderful support system and I would never have come so far without him. He is my best friend and my biggest fan.
What outfits photograph the best?
Outfits that photograph the best definitely depend on the person wearing them. It’s completely case-by-case. If you’re a mom to a one week old and we’re doing the newborn session, I always recommend you don’t dress up in a fancy dress and put on all of your make up – there’s nothing less realistic than a well-rested new mom, lol. For newborn parents, I always strive to have them wear something very simple and comfortable – plain black or white shirts that will leave the focus on baby. For families, something coordinated but not matching. In this time of year, navy, maroon, browns and creams all go together well. Or you could change it up and go all bright, retro colors like oranges and teals. Yellow and gray is an awesome combo right now (and what we did when we had our family pictures taken in the spring!). Some people like to get dressed up for pictures, others like to wear something similar to their every day garb – it’s all about how YOU feel comfortable and how you want to remember yourself in pictures. Of course, letting your 3 year old pick out his or her own outfit is always fun and exciting too 
)
Thanks to the information you provided with our photo cd, I now understand that not all print developers were created equally. What are some of your favorites?
For clients, I usually recommend mpix for printing. The quality is not going to be quite the same as prints that I do for clients, but they are still good and reasonably priced. Never, ever use your drugstore or grocery store. All printers are NOT created equal.
With the holidays coming up, do you offer any personalized gifts for purchase with the sessions. Do you have any suggestions or favorites?
With the holidays, lots of people love giving mini accordion albums. They’re 3×3 albums that fold accordion style and have between 7 and 10 images in them. They’re adorable and make awesome little gifts for grandparents, aunts and uncles. Of course my absolutely favorite idea for gifts is the Organic Bloom frames that I sell. These frames are completely awesome and make a real statement. Then there’s always the classic gallery wrapped canvas, one of my other favorites )
Gallery Wrap Canvas
are
dramatic, with the image printed onto a piece of canvas and then stretched over a 1.5? thick wooden frame:
Check out 28 variations/examples of the Mini Accordion Albums:
Example of the Organic Bloom frames and the incredible customizations included:
Although the “12 Days of Christmas” normally occurs the day after Christmas, December 26 leading to the Feast of Epiphany, on the twelfth day, on January 6, the following retailers and talk show hosts are offering 12 days of giveaways, discounts, and prizes to get you in the holiday spirit!
Check back daily from now until the 12 of December (depending on the website…) and take advantage of their that day only sale or surprise. Enter to win giveaways or use special coupon codes! Online only.
Starbucks 12 festive holiday gifts
Ellen Show Tune in to see these fantastic prizes and watch all show long to see the names of the 25 lucky winners.
Oprah Twelve lucky readers will win the Favorite Things chosen by Oprah
Thai Airways 12 days special fares
For people living in Sam Antonio or just visiting, the winter holidays are one of the best times of years. One family tradition we have enjoyed for the past two years is provided by the Westin La Cantera. This luxurious resort paints a beautifully festive backdrop to kick off the yuletide season with plenty for families, couples, and friends to do.
During a complimentary “mommy bloggers” preview, my daughter and I, her best friend’s family, and a couple other families were able to see firsthand all the excitement and Christmas spirit the Westin is returning to the Hill Country.
When: Nov. 18th through Jan. 8
Where: Westin La Cantera | 16641 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256
Phone: (210) 558-6500
Website: http://www.westinlacantera.com/holidays.html
The fun kicks off with Frost – imagine be able to skate outside on a 1,200-square-foot synthetic outdoor iceless skating rink, whether it’s in the 20s or 80s!
This activity is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Cost is $10 for 45 minutes of skating and skate rental.
*A portion of the proceeds will go to the George Gervin Youth Center, Inc.
**Guests who skate will instantly be included in a prize drawing. The grand prize includes: a 2-night stay, daily breakfast for two at Brannon’s Café and a personalized memento from Spurs legend George “Iceman” Gervin
Santa’s Workshop
When: Dec. 13 to Dec. 24
Drop by Santa’s Workshop where guests or locals can take a photo with Santa, make a holiday toy or decorate cookies with the elves. A portion of the proceeds will go to a local charity.
Legendary Holidays
When: Dec. 13 to Dec. 24
The resort’s 13th annual Legendary Holidays program is sure to dazzle kids of every age. This one-hour resort tradition takes place daily at 5 p.m. Guests are guided around the property by the popular storyteller, Bandera Cowboy ‘Makin’ Dust’, who sings and tells holiday stories.
The program concludes with ‘snow’ magically falling from the sky as the choir begins to sing a holiday song at the top of Plaza San Saba.
Holiday Menu and Cocktails
Celebrate the season with culinary delights, including a special Thanksgiving Day Brunch as well as delectable Christmas and New Year’s Eve menu selections.
San Antonio’s local children theater presents a holiday comedy “The Pirate’s Holiday”!
Cost is $5.00 for adults; children under 3 are free.
Shows start at 7:30 p.m. The kids (ages from 3-8) and the adults (slightly older) in our group all laughed throughout the show, everyone having a TON of fun!
Below are some more pictures from our visit!
BlackFriday is in an hour and a half if you are on CST, sorry for the crudeness of the post but I had to get the information to the people!
I couldn’t find these stores’s ads on Wednesday so I went to each one and asked the clerks. 
NY and co: additional 10% off between midnight and 8am
gap – same deals as now with additional door busters
Black and White market: 25% off entire store open at 7am, tote with $8 purchase or more
Express: opens midnight. 40% off until noon then 30% off
Guess: 4am opens
8am opens aveda. Gift sets already discounted
8am-noon loft something additionally special
Victoria secret: midnight sales
Forever 21: 6am everything in yellow still on sale. Everything else more down.
Anthropology: 6am-11am 50% sale items. 25% off weekend sale items.
Bebe: 8am 25% off entire store until noon. 40% off select items now.
William Sonoma: 6am Door busters.
Ann Taylor: opens midnight. 50% off
Brooks Brothers: 20% off everything with MasterCard, 15% off with other cards. Til noon. Open at 8am
Coach: 8am nothing special.
BCBG: opens at 7am. Pick 2 items for 50% off. 50% off jackets leather and boots out wear.
Sony opens at 8am
Banana: midnight 40% off entire store
Zara opens at 8, check website for black Friday sales for women, kids, and men’s (just posted)
Limited: opens at 7am
Off Saks 5th: 6am 30% store wide. 40% clearance
Does anyone here like to win free stuff?! (I know I do!!)
Thanks to Eversave San Antonio, one of my fabulous readers is going to walk away with a gift certificate to Dallia’s Hair and Nail Studio ($55 value!!)
Multiple Ways to Enter and Win:
** All winners must have already signed up for Eversave San Antonio! **
Did you know?? Eversave San Antonio:
Become a fan on Facebook:
Follow their tweets, @EversaveSAT:
The winner will be selected randomly on Tuesday, November 22! Check back to see if you won!
Don’t forget to check out my 2009 Black Friday post and my 2010 Black Friday posts for my past Black Friday shopping plans and favorite websites. I read through them and both still absolutely apply!
Based on the stores listed by Black Friday 2011, I sorted the stores by open hours (a LOT of stores are opening their doors at midnight this year!!) so that you can strategically forgo sleep and pace yourself like I plan to from midnight to 10am (at which point the major deals are mostly over…)
After spending one year fighting Kohl’s website outages (let’s performance test people!!) I have been paranoid about doing all my shopping online. Where do you plan on shopping? The list of over 40 stores below link to their Black Friday newspaper ad.
*I’ll update this list the week of Black Friday with more stores and store hours!
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BlackFridayFans
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/BlackFridayFans
iPhone App:
http://www.blackfriday2011.com/app
| Black Friday Store Ad |
Black Friday Hours |
| Bealls | 12am |
| Best Buy | 12am |
| GameStop | 12am |
| Little Tikes | 12am |
| Macy’s | 12am |
| Old Navy | 12am |
| Shopko | 12am |
| Walmart | 12am |
| Toys R Us (Holiday Express) | 12am-10pm most stores |
| Target | 12am-11pm |
| Kohl’s | 12am-12am (open 24 hrs) |
| Sears | 4am-1pm |
| Avenue | 5am |
| Fred’s Super Dollar | 5am |
| Gordman’s | 5am |
| Lowe’s | 5am |
| Michael’s | 5am |
| Sam’s Club | 5am |
| A.C. Moore | 5am-10pm |
| Babies R Us | 5am-10pm |
| Electronics Expo | 5am-10pm |
| Burlington Coat Factory | 5am-11pm |
| Radio Shack | 6:30am |
| Five Below | 6am |
| Jo-Ann | 6am |
| Office Max | 6am |
| Tractor Supply Company | 6am |
| Gander Mountain | 6am-10pm |
| Fashion Bug | 8am-9pm |
| Walgreens | 9am-6pm |
| La-Z-Boy | 9am-9pm |
| Bon-Ton | Sale hours: 12am-1pm |
| JC Penney | Sale Hours: 4am-1pm |
| Kmart | Sale hours: 5am-11am |
| Sports Authority | Sale Hours: 5am-3pm |
| Menards | Sale hours: 6am-11am |
| Cabela’s | Sale: 5am-10am |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | Sale: 5am-2pm |
| Bass Pro Shops | Sale: 6am-11am |
As someone who aspires to be Martha Stewart when it comes to pumpkin crafts, I thought I would try my hand at a poker themed pumpkin!
Make Your Own Poker-themed Pumpkin
First, start with a pumpkin:
And make sure you have the right tools…obviously; this wasn’t the first time I’ve carved pumpkins. In addition to the traditional 5 piece set that includes the scoop and different serrated knives, last year I also splurged and got the linoleum cutters from Michaels (with a 40% off a single item coupon, of course!)
Then we thought about what we wanted to make and got inspiration from the Zynga iPad apps:
And sketched out our ideas. I normally cut the bottom of the pumpkin, instead of the top…this prevents the pumpkin from rotting as quickly and it keeps the top of the pumpkin pretty.
We got all the seeds and goup out:
With just our hands and the scoop that comes in the pack.
Since I didn’t have a pattern and it’s very easy to make a mistake and cut the wrong line, I visulized everything by cutting out my design and taping it to the pumpkin.
Then I traced on what I wanted to make:
After tracing the basical outlines with a market that could easily be wiped off, I drew in the details since I was going to be cutting around the lettering and cards.
Then with my linoleum cutter I started shaving away.
I used a lamp to sign under the pumpkin so I wouldn’t have to play with fire everytime.
Eventually I was done! I used the smaller blade to edge out the details…then I shaved away the excess pumpkin.
This past Saturday, my family enjoyed visiting the Tejas Rodeo Company’s Saturday rodeo with 6 other families from work. We all had children ranging in ages from preschool through elementary school. EVERYONE had a blast! As someone who (proudly) did NOT grow up in Texas, I don’t always agree with everyone’s Texas-sized ideas of fun. This was a blast though. Rodeo events running from March through November each year, is a must do for anyone living near San Antonio.
The actual rodeo starts at 7pm on Saturday nights with live music to follow, around 930pm. The tickets were a very reasonable $10 each with discounts for children and military. Details here. The gates actually open at 5pm and we got there around 6:30pm. That gave us a chance to secure premium seating and get some grub before the long lines formed. I have it on good authority that while the actual rodeo is going on, the lines take forever! They do have a loud speaker to let you know when you’re food is ready, as long as you’re listening for your name you should be fine. And get the fries, they’re the slender, crispy kind. Addicting!
The rodeo started at 7pm and lasted through 9pm with bull riding, barrel races (even some 7 year old competitors!), mutton races (children riding buckin’ sheep!), and a calf run where children under 12 years old are invited to chase calves with tickets pinned to their tails. Children who capture the flag get free McDonalds kid meals! All the girls in our group had a blast during this event, even a little girl, originally scared of horses!
Don’t let the small town feel fool you. The cowboys and cowgirls had impressive resumes as long as the food lines! Many had awards and prizes from the prominent, national rodeo circuits and one cowgirl had been inducted not once but twice into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. The kids stood on the fences around the rodeo, with cowboys bringing their horses up close for some petting love.
In the middle of the rodeo, they announced a woman winning a free steak dinner at the next door steakhouse. They then proceeded to surprise the wife of a soldier, deployed to Iraq but on leave for two weeks with her husband! They just hugged and hugged while the audience gave them a standing ovation. Not only did they pay tribute to the military with this, at the beginning they also prayed over the event and asked God to keep the soldiers and their families safe. Very sweet and something you might not get at the big time rodeo productions.
Website: http://www.tejasrodeo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TejasRodeo
Address: 401 Obst Road, Bulverde, TX 78163
Phone: 830-980-2226
Event Calendar: http://www.tejasrodeo.com/calendar.php
The Love & Respect Experience
A Husband-Friendly Devotional that Wives Truly Love
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
The Love & Respect Experience | Devotional by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
WARNING!! This book may change the course of your relationship for the rest of your life. For the better! Emerson (accessibly referred to by his first name) has come up with a year-long relationship devotional, based thousands of surveyed couples. It’s not a daily devotional because real-life couples can’t commit to every day. Life happens. And when it does, you want to have Love & Respect under your belt.
I love reading relationship books. I feel ridiculously empowered after understanding the ways other people might perceive things, especially in ways I had never considered. I felt just this way after reading this book. Being able to offer a comparable selection of self-help/relationship books to any mainstream bookstore, it’s hard to find something I haven’t heard before. Emerson surprised me with a couple great thoughts. I would recommend this devotional for any adult, whether you’re in a marriage, a couple’s relationship, or single. We have to nurture relationships all around us, at work, in our extended families, and networks…this book gives you the tools to understand where people of the other sex are coming from. And it’s not always even a guy/girl thing. Emerson very clearly states that there are two kinds of lenses people see through, pink and blue. Sometimes guys can see through “pink” lenses and girls can see through “blue.” Sometimes you see purple. The important part is to understand where the person is coming from, why they’re reacting the way that they are, and how to get off the “crazy cycle.”
Additional Love & Respect Resources:
Website: http://loveandrespect.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/loveandrespect
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/loveandrespectministries
*They’re very engaged and active on their social media channels as well! Have had direct conversations through Twitter!
God Gave Us the World
Written by Lisa T. Bergren
Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
This delightful children’s story uses a wise mama bear to help her cubs understand- the beautiful world that God has made, full of all types of different bears. They journey across the globe to see bears in different habitats that enjoy different types of foods. The book has a very genuine tone and does not succumb to clichés or cheesiness which many children’s stories do. The mama bear also uses excellent imagery to really drive the important messages home.
The book also ends on a perfect note, using the example of the God being sad when we don’t take care of His earth…just like the brother bear gets frustrated and hurt when his younger twin siblings hurt his toys.
My 8 year old enjoyed the story but would definitely be appropriate for someone as young as preschool aged.
Discussion Questions
Another thing that I love about the publisher’s website, there is a FREE downloadable PDF of questions for the entire series to discuss with your child afterwards. Sometimes parents don’t want to come up with all the thought provoking questions…or maybe you’re a Sunday School teacher, looking for a new lesson. These colorful discussion questions are worth checking out here as well.
Coloring Sheets!
Download these printable PDF coloring sheets from the beloved series:
Learn more about all of Lisa Tawn Bergren’s books, here. She’s the best-selling author of over 30!
Although Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes, my opinions, positive or negative are my own.
Yesterday we celebrated a birthday at Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar! I was very excited to finally get a chance to eat here. I’ve been meaning to go during Restaurant Week (or any other time) because I am Boudro’s Bistro‘s biggest fan and also because of a Yelp event which was catered by Boudro’s in the private Firewheel area! If you’re looking for the perfect backdrop for any private event, you would be hard pressed to find one better than those offered at Zinc! Check out their beautifully romantic courtyard area, their wine cellar for parties of 50 and their reception area with both an upstairs overlooking the floor.
We enjoyed all of our appetizers and lighter entrees! The hummus disappeared especially quickly, and I LOVED that the bread was backed around the dish. A big fan of escargot, the dish was well-prepared, full of garlic buttery goodness. Everyone agreed that they left feeling wonderfully full and satisfied.
We also had some fun drinks from their extensive cocktail and wine menu, some opting for a Chilean Malbec while others enjoyed a “perfect” Bloody Mary (that was served with crisp pickled green beans that everyone enjoyed!)
Although we were celebrating a birthday, we didn’t get a chance to enjoy anything from their dessert menu. I was a little surprised when none was offered but we had such a fabulous meal that it was an ignorable, minor detail.
Don’t forget to become a Facebook fan and follow their tweets! They’re great about updating both sites individually in response to customer comments and to post yummy food pictures and daily specials.
Facebook here and @zincbistro on Twitter!
ESCARGOT
Please consider going through the list below to see how you can donate to help the victims of the massive fires sweeping across Central Texas right now. Already tens of thousands of acres of land with people’s home and personal belongings have felt the wrath of this natural disaster. Although there is so much tragedy engulfing the area right now, neighbors, Texans, and people across the US are banding together in support of the cities. Below are links to the local Red Cross chapters, churches, food banks, shelters, and even baseball teams looking for donations of food, clothing, personal items, and money to help continue to fight the fires and the devastation left in its wake.
Picture courtesy of http://www.kvue.com.
EMERGENCY COUNTY BROADCASTERS
Check out information from the local emergency response government sites about the fires, shelters, and more detailed information here:
| Texas Forest Service |
| Texas Road Closures |
| Hays County Fire & Evacuation Information |
| Bastrop County Emergency Management |
| Red Cross of Central Texas |
| Travis County Information |
LOCAL NEWS
Local news channels and radios provide more links and donation facilities here:
| KLBJ Radio 99.7 FM | Lots of detailed information and links, frequently updated. | ||
| KGSR Austin | When: All day Wednesday, 6am-7pmWhere: Rudy’s @ 2400 North IH-35, Round Rock (I-35 and between 1431 and 620)
Taking donations for fire relief. |
All day Wednesday, 6am-7pm, KGSR will be at Rudy’s @ 2400 North IH-35, Round Rock (I-35 and between 1431 and 620) taking donations for fire relief. | |
| KLBJ 93.7 | When: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 – 6am-7pmWhere: 11570 Research Boulevard
KLBJ-FM will be at Rudy’s @ 11570 Research Boulevard, Austin (183 and Duval) taking donations. |
||
| ABC KVUE | Lots of detailed information and links, frequently updated. |
DONATIONS
Donation stations accepting food and/or clothing and other supplies this week:
| Organization | Address | Phone Number | Details |
| Spicewood TX | Spicewood Community Center 7901 CR 404 Spicewood, TX 78669 |
The Legacy Fund has been established by the Lions Club and are accepting donations and asking for assistance at the location listed. | |
| Saint William Catholic Parish | St. William Catholic Church (map) 620 Round Rock West Dr Round Rock, TX 78681 |
Donations will be accepted at St. William Catholic Church in the church Pavilion, starting September 6, between 7:30am – 9pm. | |
| Hill Country Bible Church | 12124 RR 620 North Austin, TX 78750 |
512-589-7675 (for prayers or help) | We will continue to need donations of the following items which may be brought by the church between 8am and 8pm |
| Catpial Area Food Bank of Texas | 1201 Pine Street Bastrop, TX 78602 |
512-303-0033 | Bastrop Emergency Food Pantry is receiving food donations and is open 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. for donations the rest of the week.*Looking for non-perishable items listed on site. Also have a list of shelters here. |
| Capital Area Food Bank | 8201 S. Congress Avenue Austin , TX 78745 |
8-5 p.m. or leave in boxes on dock outside of those hours | |
| Caring Place | 2000 Railroad St. Georgetown, TX 78627 |
512-869-4735 | Looking for non-perishable donations. |
| Round Rock Serving Center | 1099 East Main St. Round Rock, TX 78664 |
512-244-2431 | Looking for non-perishable donations. |
| Old Wind’s/Dollar General Store | 210 Main St, Smithville, TX | Clothing Donations | |
| Zion Church | 151 Shiloh Road Bastrop TX |
512-308-9344 | Clothing Donations |
| St. Vincent de Paul South Congress Store | South Congress Ave Austin, TX |
512 442-5652 | Clothing Donations |
| St. Vincent de Paul Yager Collection Center | 18 West Yager Ln Austin, TX |
(512) 238-6737 | Clothing Donations |
| Red Cross of Central Texas | |||
| Diocese of Austin | 1817 E. Sixth StreetAustin, TX 78702 | (512) 651-6102 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Catholic Charities of Central Texas in AustinMake donations online here. |
| The Independent | 14251 W. SH 29, Suite BLiberty Hill, TX | (512) 778-5577 | Food, water, personal hygiene and household items will be accepted from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. |
| Round Rock Express | 3400 East Palm ValleyRound Rock, Texas 78665 | 512.238.2217 | Beginning Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., The Dell Diamond, home of the Express, will become a central drop-off point for household items and clothing intended for victims of the fires.All items can be dropped off at The Railyard, the official team store of the Express, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. weekdays and during upcoming playoff games. |
| Palm Valley Lutheran Church Round Rock | 2500 East Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665 | 512-423-4862 | There is a big need for diapers, wipes, baby food, nonperishable food items, trash cans, trash bags, underwear and socks, water, toiletries and kennels for dogs and cats. |
| Austin Disaster Relief Network | Fellowship SW Church in Buda (3870 FM 967, Buda)T-F from 9-5PMAustin Christian Fellowship (6401 Riverplace Drive, Austin) M-F, 10AM-8PM
Church of the Resurrection (2008 Justin Lane, Austin) M-F, 9AM-6PM Celebration Church (1202 Rabbit Hill Trail, Georgetown) M-F, 9AM-5PM
Hill Country Bible Church (Office – 12124 RR 620, Austin, Tx 78750) M-F, 9AM-5PM |
Volunteer Hotline: 512-331-2200 | Diapers, Baby Food, Adult Food (non-perishable), Trash Cans, Trash Bags, Underwear, Kennels for Dogs, Socks, and Water |
| OASIS on Travis Lake | 6550 Comanche TrailAustin, TX 78732 | 512.266.2442 | The OASIS on Lake Travis will be a drop site for Steiner Ranch evacuees. Austin Christian Fellowship is asking for bottled water, flashlights with batteries, tolietries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving products, shampoo, etc.), heavy trash bags, and work gloves. |
| Austin Christian Fellowship*More detailed information on their Facebook page here. | 6401 River Place BoulevardAustin, TX 78730-1112 | (512) 381-5700 | We are open WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 6AM to take donations.ONLY THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NEEDED:
::Please no clothing or toys at this time::
|
| The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection | 2008 Justin LaneAustin, TX | 512-459-0027 | The Thrift Shop at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection is accepting donations of clothing, housewares, and toiletries for victims of the Austin-area wildfires.Between 9am and 6 pm someone will be here to receive donations personally.
After hours use the drop box at the back end of our parking lot at 2008 Justin Lane, or leave donations at the front door of either the Thrift Shop building or the Parish Hall building. |
UPDATED (9/14/2011): Blankets for Bastrop is recruiting crafty people to make blankets for the families once they relocate or get back into their homes:
http://blanketsforbastrop.
And learn about how you can donate supplies or precious quilts to keep them warm in the winter and bring love into their new surroundings.
Looking for some back to school coupons? Below are almost 50 coupons at various clothing and office retailers to help meeting all your back to school clothing needs while staying within your budget!! Let me know if you’d like to see coupons from particular stores in the future, this is a list of stores that I found currently offering discounts.
*Click on the store image to be taken directly to the offer page or coupon.
Notice that some coupons expire soon and some don’t expire until the end of the year! 
| Retailer | Discount | Coupon Code | Expiration |
 |
15% off + Free shipping on $50 | SCHOOL | 08/08/11 |
 |
$20 Off $80 purchase | 20SCHOOL | 08/07/11 |
 |
$10 off $50 | $15 off $75 | $20 off $100 Purchases | KIDSBTSPrintable Coupon | 08/06/11 |
 |
$10 off coupons | Printable Coupon | 09/25/11 |
 |
$10 off $50 Kids School Uniform Purchase | 12DOCKERS10Printable Coupon | 09/17/11 |
 |
Free Amazon Prime for college students for one year | Online Offer | |
 |
25% off Your Entire Purchase | 10071 | 08/07/11 |
 |
Free Shipping on Any Order (No Minimum) | FREESHIP711 | 08/08/11 |
 |
20% off purchase | 29756561 | 08/07/11 |
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I really don’t need to say much in this blog post as the pictures explain the incredible meal we enjoyed at the still relatively new Restaurant Gwendolyn. We were a party of three sets of couples enjoying a celebratory birthday dinner next to a table of six celebrating something special as well. Very close to the Majestic Theater, we were able to valet at the Crown Plaza (111 Pecan Street East, 78205) across the street from the restaurant that sits above the river. (Although they were doing construction on Pecan St., you normally can give your server the valet ticket to have your car brought to the restaurant.)
Of course we opted for the 5 course meal which was a fantastic culinary time travel to 150 years ago when food was not pre-processed, everything was made from scratch, and everything was homegrown good (everything served is created from ingredients found within an 150 mile radius.)
At the end of the meal, Chef Michael Sohocki made rounds to each of the dinner party tables (other smaller groups came and went while we were there) humbly curious if everyone enjoyed their meal. His dishes focused on individual ingredients, marrying them to bring out the best in each other.
I definitely recommend this special treat for any warranted (or unwarranted) occasion. We went on a Thursday night and made reservations in advanced. I’m sure it gets much dressier on the weekends (jackets appreciated, which we met in various degrees coming from a casual work environment.)
Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restaurant-Gwendolyn/115635658516708
The menu changes daily highlighting the various local ingredients selected for that evening:
Homemade bread and butter covered with poppy seeds and topped with thyme and other various herbs growing in pots at the restaurant’s entrance:
Enjoyed homemade raspberry soda – soda water and raspberry syrup is brought to you with an accompanying miniature pitcher with additional syrup to add to your taste:
The ginger beer was also great!
Our amuse bouche included a fried potato (server still hot), topped with cod and red peppers:
Potage of zucchini was rich and creamy!
This fabulous course served an impressively tasty braised pork and savory crepe:
One of the people in our party was not able to enjoy the pork course for religious reasons and the kitchen instantly accommodated with a tasty salad:
Before our main entrees we enjoyed plum sorbet that was so ridiculously fresh, if you had closed your eyes you’d have thought you just bit into the ripest plum:
Entree choices were bangers and mash, the sausage made in-house of course:
and rabbit with polenta that the table agreed exuded the comforts of a Thanksgiving holiday meal:
For dessert we struggled between the choices of rum raisin and almonds with homemade ice cream:
and peach piece with honey ice cream:
We were also surprised with THREE more sweet treats! Cookies shared around:
Bite-sized candies:
and a wrapped cookie for each of the ladies to take home.
Reading other reviews about Restaurant Gwendolyn suggested the freshness of siphon coffee for two, although I am not a java drinker (just Java writer…) thankfully someone in the group ordered it. We all watched in wonder as the water was heated to eventual boil, the pressure eventually moving the water to the top container before filtering the brew down to the original jar.
One of my favorite recent experiences (complimentary, courtesy of the Westin La Cantera) received from our staycation at the Westin La Cantera (more posts to come!!!) was the two intimate hours spent in the kitchen of Francesca’s at Sunset with executive chef John Armstrong and chef de cuisine Ernie Estrada. This restaurant is opened daily from 6pm to 10pm and offers “South Texas cuisine with a Southwestern flair”. The chefs pride themselves on their menu items almost all containing “Farm to Table” ingredients provided by local Central and South Texas farmers and ranchers.
This fabulously romantic restaurant has so much heart behind it in the kitchen. You would not believe how welcomed and gracious Chef Armstrong and Chef Estrada were to our small group. We bombarded them with every question we could come up with and they answered them all in strides and smiles, welcoming us to ask more by emailing them anytime (like other frequent patrons already do!) Everything we ate that afternoon tasted as good as it looked and will definitely remain a top 10 memory in my mind. The chefs offer frequent opportunities to meet with them on a more personal level at the restaurant and we all felt truly welcomed into their world.
*Brunch menu found here (served Sundays from 10:30am-2pm)!
How Francesca’s got her name?
This restaurant has an equally passionate story behind its namesake. There’s a Wild West legend that involves a young man named Ferenor who was preparing to enter into priesthood by taking his final vows when he met and fell in love with a beautiful girl named Francesca’s, who returned his love. Dismissed by the leaders in the church, they ran away together, unfortunately straying from the path and becoming lost. Leaving Francesca to find help from a light in the short distance, Ferenor never found the light or help that eventually diminished. In his hast to return to Francesca, Ferenor lost consciousness when he struck his head on a rock after stumbling in the darkness. Regaining consciousness the next morning, he found the village searching for himself and Francesca. Setting out in search of Francesca again, neither Ferenor nor Francesca was ever found again.
Luckily our love affair with Francesca’s kitchen was more lucky and we started with Peach cider with grill roasted peaches, pecan oil, and a micro arugula salad:
Chef Armstrong patiently explained how to prepare everything:
Including the rub he quickly made:
With the paprika he brought from his home kitchen since they didn’t have any at the restaurant that day:
To how to sear the peaches:
He also explained that micro arugala was just arugula that was harvested when it was in it’s infant stages of growth:
Plating the beautiful salad with a sample of locally made peach cidar.
And happily marched to one of Francesca’s long-time favorite staple menu items: Francesca’s Guajillo Chile Rubbed Filet of Beef
We did a sniff taste in the kitchen to figure out the ingredients below (that included chipotle chiles, corriander, carmelized onions, cipotle, burgundy, and roasted tomato):
The locally grown and butchered filet mignons:
Rubbed down with a few different spices:
And enhanced after being grilled with a veal reduction (that was homemade and reduced for over 18 hours!!!)
Topped with a fabulous southwestern queso fresco and micro cilanotro.
Perfection on a platter.
Brioche French Toast stuffed with blueberries and bananas with pecan maple syrup:
Homemade brioche bread (which I enthusiastically believe makes for the BEST French toast ever!!)
The chef sliced bananas and combined with fresh blueberries in a bowl, mashing them together:
Which would be stuffed into the bread later:
We got to use tasting spoons to sample the batter that included a tasty standard recipe kicked up a notch with heavy cream, egg, sugar, Tahitian vanilla bean, and rum:
The maple syrup also included pecans and bananas:
The bread was sliced thickly so that the chef could slice in half and then stuff the seasonal fruit in:
Pressed down and sealed in once stuffed:
And then submerged in the batter for several minutes:
Cooked on a hot skillet:
And toasted to perfection:
Drizzle and server…voila!!
