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...

Entertainment

BTS with Alexandra Chando

The actress/director on her directorial debut and laying down roots in Austin Article by Jennifer Birn Alexandra Chando may have rolled in on the wave of Angelenos moving to Austin during the pandemic, but she’d actually already lived here more than a decade prior, when she played the lead role of identical twins in The Lying Game , which was filmed in Austin 2010-2012. When the show got canceled, she headed back to Los Angeles but tells Austin Lifestyle , “I decided to make my way back...

Style + Beauty

Your Cowgirl Chic Inspo

The Western trend is nothing new in Austin, and these these Texas brands are doing it right Article and Photography by Cowgirl chic is having a major moment, blending traditional charm with fashion-forward flair. I’m obsessed with the denim-on-denim looks, vintage-inspired embroidery, fringe details, and bold prints that give a playful nod to the Wild West. Turquoise and coral tones pop against earthy neutrals, capturing the vibe of desert sunsets and echoing the beauty of classic Western...

Life + Culture

Texas Girl Leven Rambin

The actress & musician returns to her roots Article by Jennifer Birn | Photography by Dawson Smith Leven Rambin’s roots are deep Texan. She was born in Houston to parents who owned a real estate company there and her grandfather was the president of of Texaco (formerly The Texas Company). But at just 13 Leven knew she wanted to be an actress, got an agent and landed her first audition - playing look-alike half-sisters on All My Children . Her mom moved to New York City with her for the role...

Arts + Culture

Hunt Slonem’s Birds, Bunnies & Joy

Austin Lifestyle has a chat with the artist in advance of his show at West Chelsea Contemporary Article by Jennifer Birn Step inside Hunt Slonem’s world and you’ll find yourself surrounded by an explosion of color, swirling pattern and an array of exotic birds chirping in the background. The neo-expressionist artist, internationally renowned for his vibrant depictions of bunnies, butterflies and tropical birds, will be in Austin for a show April 27-May 26. Art and nature have long been...

Food + Beverage

Field Guide Festival April 24-27, 2025

65 local chefs & farmers, farm-to-table bites, community, philanthropy & more Article by Jennifer Birn | Photography by Randi Reding Field Guide Festival is back for its fourth consecutive year and it keeps getting better. Unlike a traditional food festival, Field Guide takes attendees on a journey from farm to table where they have the opportunity to meet local farmers, learn about sustainable sourcing and watch chefs craft visually stunning dishes with seasonal ingredients from those very...

Finance + Legal Services

LoneStartUp’s Learnings from Austin Entrepreneurs

Pat Killoren shares takeaways from more than 50 interviews with some of Austin’s brightest minds Article by Jennifer Birn Pat Killoren moved to Austin in 2013 and left for a stint working in New York City in 2016. It was there he had the idea for a hyper-local podcast interviewing entrepreneurs – who are based in Austin. He came back ‘home’ late 2021 and now he’s hosts the LoneStartup Podcast, where all guests are Austinites. We caught up with him to learn more, including what he’s learned...