Austin Psych Fest 2014 - Austin, Texas

Cinco De Mayo at Half Step - Austin, Texas

We stopped by Half Step in Austin, Texas and were in for a real treat. Half Step's amazing chef Rob Crabtree grilled some delicious goat tacos in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. There were refreshing margaritas and tecates. Patrons patiently waited in line as Rob grilled some spicy, goat tacos.

I told Rob personally, "these are the best tacos I have ever had!"

Here are some photos of the event:

Organic Avenue: The food of LOVE

Cleanses and detoxes have been the talk of the town (every town!) for years now, I wanted to finally find out what the hype was all about. I had never done a cleanse, and couldn’t wait to give it a try. The experience was excellent, though started out a bit bumpy. I tried the “LOVE FAST” cleanse. For the first few days I experienced headaches, mood swings and bad skin. It was my body’s way of saying that I was literally going through a detox by expunging all the leftover food debris that has been sitting in my system for heaven knows how long. Once I got through the initial tough detoxing phase, I felt amazing (around day 3). I shed more than several extra unneeded pounds and my skin was sparkling. I actually looked prettier and my skin was brighter. Even the whites of my eyes and my teeth were whiter. I generally looked healthier, incredible!

But it wasn’t just that…I seemed to feel better emotionally. I’ll be honest I was feeling a little bit down before I started the cleanse. Fatigued and a little bit depressed, but by day 3 I suddenly felt less sluggish, less anxious and my energy level was through the roof. I not only looked better, but emotionally felt happier with this certain mental clarity that I can’t put my finger on. I really wasn’t expecting these kinds of results, not in the slightest.

A typical day would start out with a health shot in the morning (pure aloe vera juice, for instance), followed by fresh pressed grapefruit juice for breakfast, watermelon juice for lunch, a raw vegan salad for a solid lunch and then a plethora of delicious and super healthy fruit and vegetable juices throughout the day ending with a last juice around 7pm.

Love Fast taught me the importance of being conscious of what I put in my body. I mean really…If doing a cleanse and eating right can make me feel this much better I’m SOLD! I’ve always known that “we are what we eat” and that what we put in our bodies is important, but I had no clue that the ends to the means could be this beneficial.

I was a little bit worried that when the cleanse was over that I would feel lost as to how to start eating, and after the cleanse was over I felt very picky as to what I was going to start eating. So in continuing with a heath eating regimen I found that Organic Avenue offered all the health food and drink that you need to continue on a clean path long after you finish your cleanse. There are stores located throughout Manhattan so you can easily access all the same components that you used during your cleanse. If you don’t live in the city, Organic Avenue ships nationwide. Many thanks to Organic Avenue for heading me in the direction of health.

www.organicavenue.com

Thirsty Cat Fountains – Feng Shui, meet Healthy Cat

You can maintain your cat’s health by making sure they drink enough water and eat healthy, organic cat food. Healthy food is another subject for another time but it’s a well known fact that keeping your cat hydrated will keep them at their optimal health -especially during warmer months. Not only will a ceramic cat fountain encourages your cat(s) to drink more water but it also brings good Feng Shui and energy to your home. The calming sounds of water trickling down from the gorgeous ceramic fountain will bring peace to your home but also offers many other advantages for your cat’s health and well being. You can find plastic fountains at your local pet store but these kinds of fountains harbor bacteria and are not easy to maintain and keep clean. A ceramic fountain is easy to clean because it’s made of high fired ceramic sanitary ware.

 Thirsty Cat Fountains offer handmade, 100% food-safe ceramic cat drinking fountains which serve equally as well as indoor fountains for home decor. Cats need to drink enough water and it is well known that cats much prefer moving water. Whether flowing up, down or sideways, these fountains encourages your cats to drink,contributing to their health with none of the negative effects that come from China-made or plastic cat fountains.

“Cat Fountains” founder and creator (he creates each and every fountain himself) Keith Davitt says the following about ceramic cat fountains:

If you come from using a plastic fountain, please note that these fountains, unlike what you are used to, are extremely easy to clean and because they are not made of plastic they don’t harbor harmful bacteria and never cause chin acne. They also are not noisy, as are the Drkinkwell and other plastic fountains.

Did you know that cats prefer moving water to standing water? In nature, moving water is safest. Did you know that cats prefer to find their water source someplace other than where their food is and will often drink more if the two are separated? Try placing your handmade ceramic cat fountain in your living or dining room, perhaps on a low table or stand. You can enjoy it for its visual appeal and delightful sounds and your cats will appreciate finding their water there and will almost certainly drink more.

Whatever you do, avoid plastic fountains. They are known to cause numerous feline health problems. I receive comment after comment from customers telling me of the chin acne their cats developed from plastic fountains.

Each fountain adds a uniquely wonderful accent to your home as well as promoting feline and human health (moisture and ions in the air and such.) They are great Feng Shui and a delight to see and hear.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CatFountains#

Juice Beauty – The True Organic Beauty Solution

Most beauty products that use “organic” in their marketing use only a few organic ingredients in a water base, making the total organic content dilute and often less than 5%. Instead of the typical water base that cannot be certified “organic or pesticide free,” Juice Beauty puts over 100 USDA certified organic powerful ingredients into a 100% certified organic juice base (made from over 30 different juices) thus bringing the total organic content up to 98% in every product.

Clinically validated age-defying results:

Juice Beauty uses alpha lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, DMAE, peptides, fat soluble Vitamin C and essential fatty acids for optimum age-defying results validated by clinical studies that have shown an 85% reduction in free radical skin cell damage.

Antioxidant-rich 100% organic juice:

Our patent-pending, antioxidant-rich, 100% organic juice base brings our total organic content up to 98%. Every drop feeds your skin with powerful antioxidants and polyphenols, essential vitamins, vital phytonutrients and age-defying hydroxy acids. Most other beauty products drop a few organic ingredients in water and have a total organic content of less than 10%.

Paraben & petroleum free:

Juice Beauty products contain no parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances.

www.juicebeauty.com

Oh Jonathan!

“See the water and feel the steam, as it’s winding around you and me, Feeling dirty and feeling clean, in the center of our fantasy”… Somehow I don’t think our fantasy included skin-damaging chemicals and hair-stripping metals. Or did yours? Mine didn’t. If yours did you can just get out of the shower right now, cuz I don’t think we’re gonna work out. Well, luckily for the both of us we’re showering with Beauty Water® brought to us by the JONATHAN Beauty Water Shower Purification System™. So you can take your showers in the natural springs of Hawaii, or you can shower here with me. The JONATHAN Beauty Water Shower Purification System™ is the closest thing to showering with natural spring water that you’re going to find in this city. The system not only enhances pH balance by removing the heavy metals, it replaces them with healthy potassium ions to balance pH and produce the closest thing to pure, natural spring water. Thy system also increases the shine and manageability of your hair, and it also helps to preserve your hair color. Don’t trip, your secret will last a little now. I’m just saying… Oh, wow, and check this: Even you could install this advanced shower water filtering system. It’s so easy that you don’t even need a wrench. And because the filter lasts from three to six months, you only have to change it out like twice a year. So easy, don’t you think it’s worth the noticeably softer hair and skin you’re going to have after only one week?

Are you wondering who JONATHAN is?

JONATHAN hair care products currently consists of a four-tiered collection broken down into five categories: Shampoo, Condition, Create, Finish, and Tools. Committed to the principles of veganism, the sulfate-free products avoid, wherever possible, wheat, dairy and animal derived ingredients while incorporating botanical and plant infused potent Essential Waters. In 2005, JONATHAN was publicly recognized for changing the face of hair care by being named Newcomer of the Year in the prestigious WWD Annual Beauty Awards. In 2006, JONATHAN was honored as a CEW Finalist and won the “Best of Sephora” award for cult-favorite Dirt® Texturizing Paste. More recently, JONATHAN was nominated by CEW as a finalist for the Indie Beauty Award. For more information, please visit
 www.jonathanproduct.com.

Beauty Water Shower Purification System™ $95.00
Replacement filters $55.00
Available at Sephora

BITE – Lip Tint and Liner Summer Launches

LUSH LIP TINT

Lush Lip Tints offer the perfect balance of BITE’s rich pigmentation with vibrant, long-lasting color and a glossy finish. Packed with organic oils and fruit butters, such as mango seed and Vitamin E, the ultra-smooth texture hydrates but leaves lips with a natural hue powerful enough to last all day.

Packed with a double dose of Resveratrol – 10 mg are housed in the shape of each innovatively crafted “B” – these age-defying lip tints deliver the antioxidant equivalent of 10 glasses of red wine to regenerate skin and fight free radicals. The silhouette bearing the brand’s signature symbol also contains a soft pearl highlighter to make lips look plump and healthy. Lush Lip Tints are available for $24 USD at select Sephora doors and at www.sephora.com

LINE & DEFINE LIP PRIMER 

A translucent natural base that primes and conditions lips, reduces feathering and extends the wear of color-based lip products. This colorless mint-flavored primer is designed for use with any shade. The silky,weightless formula is made with jojoba oil and argan oil to naturally nourish lips and retain long-term color.
Lauroyl Lysine works to smooth and restore youthful lips while a high concentration of the natural mineral,silica, primes the surface of lips to lock in moisture and seal color. Antioxidant-rich Resveratrol helps reduce
wrinkles and fights free radicals for protection and hydration with each use. The dual-action applicator utilizes a fine point to create an invisible barrier around the lip line while the flat section of the pencil primes the
surface of lips.
 

For best results, line center of lips and fill in remaining surface working towards outer corners. Tip of the pencil can be sharpened using the innovative built-in tool at the base of the applicator. Line & Define Lip Primer is available for $22 USD at select Sephora doors and at www.sephora.com