Central Texas News

MommyCon is coming back to Austin on June 25th. The nationwide convention series is dedicated to creating and nurturing a community of parents and parents-to-be in celebration of natural parenting.

MommyCon takes a gentle and positive approach to educating parents about the emotional and physical benefits of natural birthing, breastfeeding and babywearing. We advocate values of holistic health, eco-friendly diapering, child safety standards and procedures, and female self-care and wellness. Our mission is to create a community of support, acceptance and non-judgement for women journeying through parenthood.

The convention in Austin will consist of panels on topics, such as: “Cloth Diapering 101”, “Sex and the Breastfeeding Mom” and “Fall in Love with YOU”. The full schedule (+ additional details) can be found here.

Central Texas’ most well-known children’s theatre company, Pollyanna Theatre, a resident company of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, presents Cowboy in the Kitchen – An Interactive Theatre Experience for Very Young Children by playwright Bethany Lynn Corey. The production runs June 11 and 14 – 18 at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. at the AT&T Conference Room in the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 West Riverside, Austin, TX  78704. Tickets are $6.50 – seating is limited to 30 children per performance. Discounts available for groups of 10 people or more, call (512) 743-7966 or email pollytheatre@gmail.com. Tickets may be purchased by calling (512) 743-7966 or online by visiting  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2543896

Created for children as early as 18 months – 4 years of age, Cowboy in the Kitchen engages children through a visual theatre style performance and dramatic play right alongside the actors. It is classified as ‘Theatre for the Very Young’ (TVY) – an umbrella term often used to describe a variety of theatre work and practices intentionally designed for children under the age of 6. While TVY is widely performed in Europe and Australia, it has only begun to appear in the US within the past 10 years, and Pollyanna Theatre Company is the first to bring it to the Central Texas region. This season, Pollyanna has produced 2 successful TVY plays with playwright Bethany Lynn Corey, including Under the Big Top and Jamie Doesn’t Want to Take a Bath.

Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, Ph.D., Founder and Artistic Director of Pollyanna Theatre Company, is thrilled to produce this type of theatre for the very young. “Traditionally, Pollyanna patrons are slightly older and more developmentally ready to be audience members who participate by using their imaginations but not their voices or bodies. Younger children, ages 2 – 4, learn through actively playing.  So this newest series of productions provides a bridge for them to merge their natural instincts for dramatic play with a story that invites them to participate. It is a true hybrid of creative drama and theatre for young audiences. For many of these children, it will be their first exposure to a formal theatre experience. We are so excited that they will have this very first audience time with Pollyanna Theatre Company.”

In this new play, Cook is planning a special surprise party and needs to bake a very, very special cake. Musician is busy writing a birthday song to surprise her friend. But just as they get started, Cowboy wanders in and wants to help out. As Cook and Musician set out to get the party ready without ruining the surprise for Cowboy, they are met with some surprises of their own. How can Cook bake a cake when the eggs turn out to be maracas and the cake mix box is full of confetti?  Will Cook and Musician be able to get the party ready in time? Cowboy in the Kitchen invites Pollyanna’s youngest audience members to play along and learn what it is to be an audience member all at the same time.

This production features live music by Lucy Bergin, who plays the role of Musician. Bergin is a voice and early childhood music faculty member at the Armstrong Community Music School, where she teaches students ages 3 to 66. She received her B.A. in Music Performance (voice and flute) from Wellesley College.

The playwright and director, Corey, has an extensive background in both Drama and Education and is currently a Drama Specialist for the Creative Learning Initiative in the Austin Independent School District. She also served as an Early Learning Manager for the Thinkery, the Children’s Museum in Austin, focused on STEAM education.

When it comes to her process, she says, “I focus on creating an immersive experience, a world with childlike characters going on a journey of some sort. Having worked with early learners as an educator I think about what young children know and where they are developmentally as I craft a story. I find discovery, especially the sheer joy in experimenting with a new object, to be one of the most exciting parts of a young child’s world. So I always include lots of opportunities to explore and discover within the pieces I create.”

In addition to public performances, Cowboy in the Kitchen is also available for schools, daycare centers and camps throughout Central Texas.

Overwhelming excitement and outstanding reviews caused by Boy George and Culture Club‘s performances from last year’s brief mini-tour of the U.S has driven the group to announce their first full tour in over 12 years spanning 40 cities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia and Asia.  Known for dominating the charts worldwide with their classic hits including “Karma Chameleon,” “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,” and “Miss Me Blind,” the iconic band will make a stop at the Statesman Skyline Theater at the Long Center on August 2.

Throughout Culture Club’s 2015 mini-tour, the band received rave reviews from some of music’s toughest critics:

“But if you like to go out, if you like to feel good, if you like to be transported by music, if you’re in search of authenticity in a land inundated by fake. This is your gig’’ – Bob Leftsetz, The Leftsetz Letter

“headliner Culture Club provided soul aplenty, thanks to a large backing band consisting of female singers, a horn section and George’s own burnished vocals. “Church of the Poisoned Mind” was as vibrant as ever!”  – George A. Paul, Orange County Register

“Re-emphasized George as an outsider who found a path to acceptance by his sheer lovability,” and the group’s performance, “underscored the two themes of the night – the pull of nostalgia and the power of individuality.” – Jim Farber, New York Daily News

The Grammy Award®–winning band received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans last year as they reunited and toured 20 cities in North America, leading Culture Club band members Mikey Craig (bass guitar), Roy Hay (guitar and keyboards), Jon Moss (drums and percussion) and the flamboyant front-man Boy George (lead vocals) to embark on one of their biggest tours-to-date in 2016.

As the first multi-racial band with an openly gay front man, Culture Club has set many records, including being the first band since The Beatles to have three Top Ten hits in America from a debut album. In the eighties the band dominated the charts in over a dozen countries, with multi-platinum albums and more than 50 million albums sold worldwide to date. In 2014, Culture Club reunited to create new music and has been in the studio putting the finishing touches on their new album Tribes, available now for pre-order, set to release later this year. The band recently headlined iHeart Radio’s 2016 “iHeart 80s Party” at The Forum in L.A. to a packed crowd.

Tickets, starting at $49.50, go on sale Friday, April 15, at skylinetheater.com.

A few months ago I was contacted by Treat Beauty and informed that I had won a contest that I had entered and that I could select one of three gift sets on the website. I love winning contest! Free things are great.

I have just started this past year dabbling into the makeup world. For many years I was a work at home mom. I didn’t wear makeup unless it was for a business meeting or a wedding. It takes time, money and patience. I didn’t use lip gloss or balm. I didn’t even use moisturizer on my face. I was just a plain Jane for the most part. Which makes me question if my husband was aware of the commitment he was making when we got married. lol

I selected the Confectionary Organic Jumbo Lip Balm Gift Set. They were out of stock at the time but the company still sent it to me which was really cool. I selected this set because the flavors sounded great!

First of all, the packaging that it came in was really great. They took a lot of care in to making sure the goods go to me in great condition. The gift set consisted of three different flavors: Marshmallow Cream, Sugar Cookie & Confetti Cake. They are USDA Certified Organic and cruelty free which means no testing on animals. When they say jumbo, they mean jumbo. These things are 2x the size of a normal sized lip balm. Which is not bad at all, its great!

They are smooth, extremely yummy smelling and really do moisturize very well. They last for a while on the lips (if you can keep from licking it all off). My most favorite is the Marshmallow Cream, the Sugar Cookie is a tasty second and the Confetti Cake smells great but doesn’t have a lot of flavor.

All in all, when these run out I would be more than happy to buy more from Treat Beauty.

You can find the gift set here. The set runs $28. It looks like it is very popular and often out of stock but you can also buy these individually as well 🙂

Take me out to the ballgame! Round Rock Express Fun Packs are now available at Round Rock Premium Outlets. The Fun Packs will be offered through August 31 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Guests Services.

The Fun Packs include four tickets to any Round Rock Express game in 2016 (except for July 3), four ticket upgrades to the Intel Club, a $25 American Express gift card as well as other bonus items! The Fun Packs allow for the purchase of upgraded tickets for $6 less than the price of a regular ticket. These great savings are perfect for a family outing at the ballpark.

COST: $75

WHEN: Now through August 31
10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: Round Rock Premium Outlets – Guest Services
4401 North IH-35
Round Rock, TX 78664

MORE For more information please stop by Guest Services in the Food Court or visit
INFO: www.premiumoutlets.com/roundrock/.

MAD Greens to offer Free Kids Meals Through Tuesday, May 31
Children Will Receive a Complimentary Kids Menu Entree with Each Paying Adult

MAD Greens, which opened on last Thursday, April 7 at Rock Rose in The Domain, is making it more affordable for families to eat better. Each child who comes into MAD Greens with a paying adult will receive a FREE Kids’ Menu entrée. During the promotion, families are encouraged to try the new Awesome Box and Super Box kids’ meals. Designed to please even the pickiest young eaters, the bento box mix-and-match Awesome Box and Super Box features a choice of fresh ingredients such as Grilled Citrus Chicken, pasta, edamame, carrot sticks, apples, ranch dip and a kids’ drink for $4.95.

“At MAD Greens we know that healthy eating habits starts at an early age,” says MAD Greens Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Marley Hodgson. “We created our new box meals to help make it easier and tastier for all kids – even the pickiest eaters – to get those fresh fruits and veggies that are the building blocks to better nutrition.”

WHEN: Now through Tuesday, May 31
WHERE: MAD Greens
3100 Esperanza Crossing #130
Austin, TX 78758

A peak season for identity thieves is tax time: old tax records and other expired documents are being discarded and your identity is ripe for the picking. Those old files, records and documents may be useless to you, but they provide valuable information to thieves waiting to steal your identity. Don’t just throw your identity out with the trash—help safeguard against identity theft with proper shredding and disposal of your sensitive documents at Frost’s Shred event. Shred-It shredding company will be on-hand to professionally shred and dispose of your documents and records at this free event that is open to the public. To add a sweet note to the event, sweet treats will be available to enjoy as your documents are safely destroyed.

What should be shredded to help protect against identity theft? Any document that has identifying information on it that ties to financial accounts or contains personal information such as account or loan numbers, birth dates, social security numbers, your mother’s maiden name or any online passwords; investment records and statements; bank statements and canceled checks; paycheck stubs or pay statements; ATM, credit card and debit card receipts; credit card statements; utility bills and other household receipts; insurance policies; loan agreements; and information regarding tax returns. Old driver’s licenses, passports, expired insurance cards—even mailing labels from magazines:  if it can help a thief assume your identity, it needs to be properly disposed of. If you are unsure that a document needs to be shredded, don’t take chances—shred it.

Proper information disposal isn’t just for personal information—it impacts businesses as well. Many types of documents eventually outlive their purpose, and holding onto them too long puts businesses at risk of a security breach and non-compliance with current privacy legislation. Frost is proud to offer businesses the opportunity to participate in Frost Shred too. Financial records, such as expense reports, depreciation records, payroll records, sales reports, inventory lists, production reports, invoices, time cards, payroll reports and more, including personnel files and anything that can identify you, your employees or your customers, should be treated with care. Guidelines regarding record retention are important to follow, but once you’re ready to dispose of sensitive records or documents, be sure to securely shred them in a trusted manner.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 20th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
WHERE: La Frontera Financial Center
2710 La Frontera Boulevard
Round Rock, TX 78681

WHEN: Saturday, April 23rd from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
WHERE: Tarrytown Financial Center
2425 Exposition Boulevard
Austin, TX 78703

New Braunfels Financial Center
315 Landa Street
New Braunfels, TX 78130

All events are free and open to the public.

Grapevine Mills will offer an added benefit for out of town shoppers this spring. Visitors traveling 50 miles or more to Grapevine Mills will be eligible for the new Spring for Your Mileage program, which reimburses customers for their mileage.

“We are thrilled to offer this new incentive to our long-distance shoppers,” said Trudy Cresswell, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Grapevine Mills. “We are so appreciative to those who go out of their way to travel to Grapevine, especially during Spring Break, and thought that this would be a great way to thank them for shopping with us.”

To be eligible for the program, shoppers ages 18 years or older must provide a valid driver’s license proving that they reside at least 50 miles from Grapevine Mills. They will receive $.50 per mile reimbursement, payable through a Simon Giftcard®. Reimbursement will only be made for the leg of the trip traveling to Grapevine Mills, and the Giftcard® amounts will be rounded up to the nearest $5 dollars with a cap at $100 dollars. The program will be available to the first 50 shoppers, and reimbursement can be retrieved at Simon Guest Services.

As the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in North Texas, Grapevine Mills welcomes millions of visitors per year and offers fashionable name brands at phenomenal prices. With Grapevine Mills’ expansive lineup of stores including Neiman Marcus Last Call, NIKE Factory Store, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, and Swarovski, customers can easily make Grapevine Mills their one-stop shop.

The center also recognizes that tourism is a huge economic driver for the city. Therefore, with the Spring for Your Mileage program, Grapevine Mills acknowledges those long-distance customers by offering a little something extra for making the trip.

The Spring for Your Mileage program will begin on Saturday, March 12 and will run through Sunday, March 20.

For more information, call (972) 724-4900 or visit www.grapevinemills.com.

SPRING INTO READING WITH ROCK + READ EVENT AT THE DOMAIN
Children of all ages invited to enjoy music, storytimes and more on the lawn

The Domain is teaming up with Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child and LiveMom.com to bring the Austin community Rock + Read, a family-friendly music and book festival filled with live performances, storytelling, prizes and more.

On Sunday, March 20th from 1 – 5:30 p.m., families are invited to welcome spring with a free outdoor festival on the lawn at Domain II. With live music performances by Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam band, Mister G, The Que Pastas, Big Don, The Not-Its!, Red Yarn, and the Deedle Deedle Dees, children and parents won’t be able to keep their toes from tapping.

If you love a good book, head over to the BookPeople Storytime Tent for readings by Rob Harrell, Dianne Hutts Aston, Don Tate, Chris Barton, Emma Virján and Jan Bozarth.

In addition to musical performances and storytelling, Rock + Read will also have a number of exciting activities to keep the little ones entertained. Kids can jump around on Springfree trampolines, get their creativity flowing with arts and crafts, enter giveaways to win prizes and more. The fun doesn’t stop at Rock + Read on the lawn!

“We are looking forward to hosting another family-friendly event on Domain II’s state of the art lawn,” said Lauren Krumlauf, Area Director of Marketing at The Domain. “The space is the perfect venue to celebrate spring’s arrival and host activities that everyone will enjoy.”

All of these activities, combined with the outstanding selection of stores offered at The Domain, create a lasting impression and unique social experience for the community to come together and celebrate.

Rock + Read is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (512) 873-8099, or visit www.TheDomainInAustin.com. Area shoppers looking for the latest deals, contests and event information can also visit www.facebook.com/TheDomainAustin, www.twitter.com/TheDomainAustin or www.instagram.com/TheDomainAustin.

Open Season: Scared Silly Characters Join Smokey Bear and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to Promote Campfire Safety

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) and Sony Pictures Animation have joined forces with the Ad Council, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to help raise awareness for Smokey Bear’s national wildfire prevention campaign, using #SmokeyBearHug. OPEN SEASON: SCARED SILLY stars Boog & Elliot received a hug from Smokey Bear this weekend for promoting campfire safety, kicking off a nation-wide program teaching youth from the Boys and Girls Club of America how to safely build, manage and put out a campfire.

“We are so pleased that Boog & Elliot are serving as ambassadors for Smokey’s wildfire prevention campaign,” said Jennifer Anderson, SVP, Marketing, SPHE. “Teaching children campfire safety tips will bring the importance of wildfire prevention to a whole new generation.”

“The U.S. Forest Service educates children to prevent unwanted wildfires,” said James Hubbard, deputy chief of the agency’s State and Private Forestry. “We are excited Boog and Elliott will help spread Smokey Bear’s message of campfire safety. This partnership helps today’s youth become tomorrow’s adults who use fire responsibly and care for our nation’s forests and grasslands.”

For every Boys & Girls Club youth member participating, SPHE will donate a tree to be planted by the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to replace those lost during natural disasters such as wildfires, and insect and disease outbreaks.

“Our national forests and grasslands are home to thousands of animals, from bears like Boog to deer like Elliot. They also provide clean water, clean air and opportunities for hiking, camping and playing in nature. Wildfires, insects and disease can negatively impact forest health, which is why we’re very grateful to SPHE for supporting reforestation efforts through our Trees for US program. Together, we can ensure our national forests and grasslands are healthy and vibrant for generations to come,” said Marcus Selig, Interim President at the NFF.

Audiences everywhere are encouraged to also participate in spreading awareness of campfire safety by posting their own fire safety photos using #SmokeyBearHug online.

Ever wanted a one-on-one with the legendary Carol Burnett? Now’s your chance! Theward-winning actress, best-selling author, and American icon returns to the Long Center for the first time in nearly five years in a brilliant, impromptu story-telling format that grew out of the hilarious question and answer sessions she shared with her studio audience for 11 years on “The Carol Burnett Show.” Don’t miss this rare opportunity to talk to Carol in the same enjoyable and intimate audience-interactive format! Tickets are on sale now and start at $59.

Carol Burnett, an award-winning actress and best-selling author, is widely recognized by the public and her peers for her work for her comedic and dramatic roles on television, film, and Broadway, most notably The Carol Burnett Show. Named in 2007 by TIME magazine as one of “100 Best Television Shows of All Time,” The Carol Burnett Show ran for 11 years, averaged 30 million viewers per week, and received 25 Emmy Awards, making it one of the most honored shows in television history.

Currently, Carol is focused on three major projects. The first is the long awaited release of the initial five seasons of The Carol Burnett Show. These “lost episodes” have never been seen nor distributed since their initial broadcast and will for the first time be combined with the already available episodes from Seasons 6 – 11. Rollout commences August, 2015. On the filmed entertainment front, Ms. Burnett is in active development with CBS Films on a theatrical project originated by her late daughter, Carrie, entitled Sunrise in Memphis. In the publishing arena, Ms. Burnett is in the midst of writing her fourth book entitled In the Sandbox which is a poignant love letter to the golden era of television while simultaneously dissecting the elements of what made The Carol Burnett Show the iconic success that it was. This publication is scheduled for release in November, 2016.

If there is one thing this renowned entertainer can do better than anyone else, it is talk at length, impromptu, before a live audience. This is a great evening of fun, nostalgia and true reflections.

Tickets are available at TheLongCenter.org or by calling (512) 474.LONG (5664). Also available at the Long Center’s 3M Box Office located at 701 West Riverside Drive at South First Street. For groups of 10 and more, please call 512-457-5161 or groupsales@thelongcenter.org.

Amplify Austin Concert with Charlie Mars Comes to Travisso, March 8

Known for his hit song “How I Roll,” singer-songwriter Charlie Mars serenades Austin parents during Amplify Austin with a private Amped House Concert hosted by Travisso in Leander, March 8.

The Austin City Limits performer is known for telling entertaining stories about his songs and will be giving a live performance benefiting local teachers and students through the Leander ISD Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF).

“What better way for parents to get together and fundraise for our schools than with a private concert from Charlie Mars?” said Kathy Mayer, marketing manager for Travisso. “The annual Amped House Concert helps amplify the importance of supporting our local students and the teachers who work so hard for our community. This is a great opportunity to see Charlie Mars up close and personal while helping a good cause.”

The festivities will begin with a pre-concert happy hour with complimentary appetizers and cocktails from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Travisso Welcome Center, 18088 FM 1431 in Leander.

The newly opened Travisso Welcome Center provides concert goers and guests with a taste of the luxury offered at Travisso. Travisso offers homes by some of Austin’s finest homebuilders, including Toll Brothers Inc., Taylor Morrison, Drees Homes, Highland Homes, and Graven Haven Homes.

Charlie Mars will perform a private concert from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at a beautiful Travisso model home located at 3950 Venezia View.

Tickets are $50 and benefit Leander ISD students and teachers through programs that support innovation, enrichment and equity in pursuit of academic excellence.
For ticket and event information, please visit http://www.leeftx.org/.