Life + Culture

Black Pearl Bookstore - It's a Vibe

The local bookstore is creating community and more through books Article by Jennifer Birn Filled with stories traversing time and place, bookstores hold bits of magic. This local bookstore is a treasure in a sea of gems. The female-owned and family-run bookstore began operating online just four months before the pandemic, but rather than slow them down, it had the unexpected twist of having the opposite effect – overwhelming them with almost too much business to keep up. Thankfully, with help...

Local Services

5 Favorite Things

Female-Founded Edition Article by Jennifer Birn   DJ Cassandra  Cassandra Shankman seems to be doing everything, everywhere all at once. She DJ’d NASCAR at Cota, the   Sips & Sounds Music Festival and ACL. She’s shared a stage with Willie Nelson, Blake Shelton, Teddy Swims and more, this year she became the first woman to win  Best DJ  at the 43rd Annual Austin Music Awards – she’s a friend to all and ever evolving.   Foxes and Bows A female-founded, Austin-based Irish Whiskey. You can...

Entertainment

Flashback: Moments from SXSW 2025

Panels, premieres, music and more injected the city with days of non-stop energy and excitement Article by Jennifer Birn

Fitness

PURSUIT OF WELLNESS

Mari Llewelyn’s business blossomed from her own inspiring wellness journey – and it keeps getting bigger Article by Jennifer Birn In 2017 Mari was a college student struggling with her mental health and not taking care of her physical health. She hit rock bottom before deciding to make incremental changes that would lead to a 90lb weight loss and the foundation for what would soon after become Bloom Nutrition, a company she co-owns with her husband Greg LaVecchia that sells supplements and...