Life + Culture

Round Top Mamas

Local Vintage Stores Curate Boho-Chic Style with Substance Article by Julie Fustanio Kling The Round Top Antiques Fair in Fayette County is a feast for vintage junkies who love a good story behind an antique or a garment. Shoppers travel from all over the world to Round Top, the smallest incorporated town in Texas, to sift through treasures. Vendors display their wares in barns, tents and small buildings stretched over 11 miles along Highway 237. The renowned city with a population of 87...

Beauty

From Boardroom to Beauty

Redefining the Modern Nail Salon Article by Samantha Daviss | Photography by Twinty Photography When most people think of a successful nail salon owner, they imagine someone who has spent years behind a manicure table. Truc “Trudy” Nguyen’s story couldn’t be more different. Armed with a degree from the University of Texas, a master’s in business administration from Harvard, and more than a decade in finance, investment banking, mergers, acquisitions and consulting, Nguyen left corporate...

Education

The Best Medicine

Buda Dance Studio Teaches (and Learns) Life Skills Article by Ashley Brown | Photography by Pivotal Academy of Dance Dance is not just about steps, it’s about life skills, says dance instructor and owner of Pivotal Academy of Dance in Buda, Jade Greenough Powell. For Jade, dance has never been just about movement. It has been a source of belonging, resilience, and purpose through every season of her life. It all began with her first dance class at age four and with one special teacher–Miss...

Life + Culture

Foster Care Community Center Features Groundbreaking Design

Austin Angels Aims to Reshape the Way People View Charity Article by Julie Fustanio Kling | Photography by Austin Angels Inspirational design and foster care don’t usually belong in the same sentence – until now. Most people think of foster care as the responsibility of government agencies and courtrooms. In a system where instability is common – nearly 50% of foster families discontinue fostering kids within their first year– creature comforts are hard to find, much less rely on. But the...

Style + Beauty

From the Top

Where hair is more than a service – it’s a transformation Article by Samantha Daviss | Photography by Twinty Photography Rebecca "Bek" Acosta Ojeda knew she wanted to become a hairstylist long before she ever stepped behind a salon chair. As a junior high student, she dreamed of cosmetology, but teachers discouraged her, insisting it wasn't a "real career." She followed the traditional path, enrolling in junior college, but quickly realized she was miserable. "I finally went to cosmetology...

Education

Mahjong Maven

Local Artist Finds a Painterly Outlet in Teaching Mahjong Article by Julie Fustanio Kling | Photography by Twinty Photography Whether it is the satisfying sound of shuffling tiles, the stylish Chinese characters carved into them, or the desire for community amidst the drain of the digital world, the American allure for the centuries old game of Mahjong is mounting. Yelp searches for Mahjong instructors have jumped 818 percent, and searches for clubs are up almost 4,500 percent from 2023 to...

Life + Culture

Fresh Cuts & Fresh Starts

Helping kids walk into a new school year with confidence Article by Samantha Daviss | Photography by Cuts for Kids For most students, back-to-school season means fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and new clothes. But for many, something as simple as a haircut can become a financial burden. That is where Toni Arredondo, a barber at Capelli’s Barber Salon, has stepped in to make a difference. Arredondo has worked as a barber for over 15 years, but his passion for helping others began long...

Sports + Recreation

Green, White & Community

Celebrating community, partnerships, and the launch of Hays City Lifestyle Article by Jill King | Photography by April Rankin The launch of Hays City Lifestyle called for a celebration that reflected everything the publication stands for—community, connection, and local business. After four successful inaugural editions, the Green and White Pickleball Launch Party brought together advertising partners, readers, and community leaders for an evening of networking, wellness, and fun. Hosted at...

Health + Wellness

From Chaos to Calm

Building Healthy Sleeping Habits for Babies Article by Julie Fustanio Kling | Photography by April Rankin The saying “never wake a sleeping baby” has largely been debunked. In its place, sleep experts recommend that parents establish healthy daytime sleep routines to help children consolidate their sleep at night. During sleep, the brain is hard at work–supporting rapid development, consolidating learning, forming memories, and strengthening neural connections. Sleep also plays a vital role...

Entertainment

Illuminating Shining Stars

Where creativity, courage, and community help young people flourish Article by Ashley Brown | Photography by April Rankin Every parent wants their child to find a place where they belong. For some children, that place is a sports field or a science lab. For others—especially imaginative, sensitive, or unconventional kids—it may be a stage, an art studio, a chorus group, or even a light/soundboard behind the scenes of a theater. The arts have long been recognized as powerful tools for helping...