My Adventures in Laser Hair Removal

Well well well kids, it's time to document my newest endeavor - the world of laser hair removal. I've always dreamed of being hair-free, and have spent countless dollars on "guy razors", and waxing. Could you even begin to imagine the amount of time you spend in the shower removing all that hair every year? For me that's a plethora of hours. Coming from a Spanish/Mexican background, I have been blessed with pale skin and dark hair. Lucky me.

Due to the price of the procedure I would never consider myself a candidate until my husband suggested it to me a few weeks ago. Personally, I didn't know about the radio spot that continuously plays on a local radio station. (I'm hooked on Sirius, so I rarely listen to radio.) He mentioned I should go in for a free consultation and see what the price would be. Well now, if hubby says it's alright I'm going to run with it!

I go online and fill out the form to request a consult. I receive a nice email tooting the personal experience from my contact - and a time to come in. Fast forward to my consult, I meet a very nice and confident saleslady. She gives me a brief tour and discusses the benefits of the company. (Right now I'm going to keep this information under wraps until the procedures are underway.) The staff are all certified RNs and the laser is one of the best in the country. Weeks before I had scanned the interwebs for information on specific lasers and whatnot. I did recall the name she mentioned and felt more secure. Then we sat down and discussed the money aspect. A discount was offered on the full package - only good till the end of the day. Drat! Reminded me of apartment hunting in my younger days - I hated those look and lease offers. I did get payment options on 2 areas - bikini and brazilian. I have to say the most affordable option was splitting up the entire package on a monthly payment schedule with Chase. Interest -free for 18 months doesn't seem that bad.

My lifetime membership includes 9 sessions - spaced between a year and a half. All the hair is guaranteed to be gone by the last treatment or more treatment(s) is available. Also, during the span of my life, I can go in to any location (if the hair returns due to hormones or other life changing incidents) and get treated for $40. Not too bad - I like the sound of that.

So here I am, my first appointment looming later this week. Stay tuned for the fun ahead! Will it be painful? Will I suffer in silence or cry with joy when my ingrowns disappear? All these questions will be answered!

SWB Community Table delights

I don't even know where to begin to describe the joy I experienced last night at SWB. What is SWB you may ask? It's short for Southwest Bistro, located on the 2nd level of the Hyatt, downtown on Lady Bird Lake.

This gem has an incredibly special adventure for any foodies looking for a unforgettable dining experience. It's called the 'Community Table.' Chef Kevin and Javier will pick up fresh ingredients, based on your customized menu preferences, from the local Farmer's Markets in the area and prepare an unforgettable meal for you and up to 9 guests. What a fantastic way to celebrate an anniversary, birthday or just an excuse to get local, mouth-watering cuisine prepared in the finest manner possible!

Now back to the food!!! Sorry to keep you waiting....

It was a pleasure meeting @SweetJohn,@Supertsai,@Austinfarm2tbl and Justin B. You can't ask for better company than passionate foodies!

Look at this menu, if you mouth hasn't begun to water you may need to re-read it a few times.

Oh these beautiful seared scallops were pure heaven. Served with orange, arugula and grilled onion salad I secretly wished for a plate of these to myself.

Wild mushroom raviolis served with a morel sauce. Cutting into the ravioli was amazing. I made this sound - Mmmmmmm



For the entree, I chose the mushroom and brie stuffed quail with cranberry gastrique, blue cheese mashed potatoes (sigh) and roasted asparagus. I'll let the picture speak for my opinion on the quail.

Look at all that goodness stuffed inside!

Here's a glimpse of the swordfish. Sarah was kind enough to offer me a generous bite. At first glance, it looks like tomatoes are mixed in with the arugula - but it's not. That's watermelon. The combination of fish and watermelon was exquisite...something I have never tried or pondered.

Here it is, the superstar of the night. Strawberry shortcake with Pure Luck goat cheese, covered with an almond scone.

OMG so delicious!

I hated it, couldn't you tell?

Intrigued? You can call 512-480-2035 for more information and to schedule your dinner.

Want to win a guest spot to judge Go Texan Chef Showdown II?

Of course you do! Who doesn't love a contest that pays you with free food and wine? Check out the details right here:

And here are the important details on Chef Showdown II:

Last year was simply amazing. The food and atmosphere was incredibly fun and the food was delicious. My word of advice if you will be attending - wear some stretchy pants and eat an early lunch. You will be sampling many delectable dishes this year - and our secret ingredient is pork.

A few pictures from last year's event:

Sushi coming to Marker 10 Bar

Happy to report that the Marker 10 Bar, located inside the Hyatt Regency Austin is bringing in a fabulous sushi chef and station - serving to the public - starting this Wednesday from 5pm - 9pm.

Last week I sampled a few offerings on the menu, which is sure to make the mouth water, the eyes glisten and the tummy gurgle with glee. I give two thumbs up on the sushi and can't wait to see the menu grow with even more creative selections.

Come, my dears....let's look at some of the pictures I took.

Salmon Ceviche - elegantly served in a martini glass. At first I was hesitant, as I dislike peppers. But one taste of this ceviche had me back for more.

Seaweed and Cucumber Salad

Spicy Tuna Hand Roll - I was very impressed with the size and shape of this roll. It looks like a cone, which means more tuna chunks oozing out. The tuna had a pleasant kick to it - A+

Buttery salmon, oh my!

The Tuna Tataki was, by far, my favorite selection. Quite an interesting combination of ahi tuna, avocado, and shaved onions. The presentation in a chilled martini glass not only added a touch of sophistication, but improved the taste of the tuna. My favorite part was the taste of the top pieces and bottom pieces had such a different range of flavors.

Marker 10 is soon to become a favorite stop in my sushi locales. Saki and Asian beers are also on the way. Can I make this more enticing? The bats on the Congress Bridge have also returned. There...I did it. 3 fantastic reasons to try out Marker 10.

The FUN Trifecta

Oh who could not love a Wine and Cupcake happy hour? I, for one, am a sucker for these events and try my hardest to get the girls together to indulge! House Wine and The Cupcake Bar host these great little parties, with a pairing of mini cupcakes and wine. Here is an example of the fun we had Wednesday:

Cupcake and Wine Pairings for $13 from House Wine & The Cupcake Bar.

- Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake with a Strawberry Cupcake and Filled with Strawberry. With Whipped Cream Icing and Topped with Crushed Shortbread and Fresh Strawberries.

- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup...cake with Chocolate Cupcake filled and with Peanut Butter. With Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Icing and Topped with Crushed Peanuts.

- Caramel Italian Creme Cupcake filled with Caramel and, with Cream Cheese Icing. Topped with Walnuts and extra Caramel!

Wine Choices Include: - 2007 Pinot Grigio, Riff, Italy. Pear, flowers, lemon and lime; mineral and earthy with a medium body and crisp finish.

- Louis Perdrier Rosé, France Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cinsault. Delicate aromas of peonies, crushed rose petals, strawberries & wild raspberries.

- 2006 Malbec, Llama, Argentina. Aromas of strawberry, and vanilla, flavors of black currant, cherry, chocolate and spices.

Shopping from Local Boutiques such as Izzy and Ash, Soigne Boutique, Emotional Baggage, Anne Marie, Diamonds & Guns, Jessica's Traveling Boutique and Amelia Beth

Beauty Presentations at 5:30 and 6:30pm from Andrea Claire

The best part, besides the cheese plate and cupcakes and wine, had to be the door prizes! Every 30 minutes some lucky gal (or guy) got a fabulous gift. To my disbelief, I actually won something.



AmeliaBeth makes these gorgeous rings, pendants and cufflinks from Scrabble Pieces. You can browse her jewelry on her Etsy site linked to her name above.

Of course I could not leave without purchasing something from Diamonds and Guns by Action Jackson.

I loved every piece, and thanks to the wine that had loosened up my wallet, I picked this darling locket necklace.







Ok, let's move on to the fabulous cupcakes, wine and cheese plate. Words aren't needed here - just mouth-watering pictures.







You can stop drooling now and make sure you fan The Cupcake Bar on Facebook for the next event.

SXSWI - now this more pics to satisfy your craving

Last Friday marked the first day of SXSW Interactive. I have to say, I was a bit nervous and anxious, as I have never been to the official events. My boss hooked me up with a plat badge and away I went. Sadly the last day was very rainy and cold. Notice the not-cute hair.

Happy to report my brain soaked up everything I needed - social media was my life for those 5 days. Interactive is over, but not forgotten. Hence these pictures.



Yes, that is the official Travelocity gnome. I was thrilled to have my picture taken with him. Maybe a little too much. Thanks to the free drinks, I had a nice conversation with an inanimate object.





Even though we missed the Macgruber panel, we were able to track down the cast and watch a live interview. My camera was not doing what I wanted, so I'm sure my flash was a bit annoying. Hence the look on Kristin Wigg's face. Boy that Ryan Phillippe was smoking hot. And Will Forte stopped after the interview to take pictures with some lucky fans.



Always working it. Just call me the Twitter lady.



For any of you Xbox live nerds, this is Major Nelson. Had to get a fan photo with him.

Looking forward to attending some music events this weekend. Now if the weather will only cooperate....

More SXSW pics from the boat ride

Such lovely ladies!



Boatkill on the window. Just wipe it off....



The lovely Austin view from Lady Bird Lake



And you would know we were the last people off the boat. Yah that's how we party.

Menu Tasting at the Highball

Thanks to my favorite social media tool, Twitter, I won a seat to a menu tasting Tuesday night at The Highball. Like a smart girl, I made sure and ate a light lunch, wondering what morsels I had in store for me. I had a great time meeting Tim Alamo, Henri Mazza, creative director at the Alamo, and my fellow Twitter winners @ariel5x5 @unbrchain @RedPenOfDoom.

Ok, ok on to the food.



This delectable oyster is the perfect Southern treat. Why do you say that? What makes this oyster so special? One word my friends, chorizo.




Did you know that bacon is so hot right now? It is, and especially on this bacon chicken sandwich. It was messy and wonderful, all at once in my mouth.



I couldn't imagine a more perfect combination than grilled trout stuffed with creamy crawfish. Not to be outdone, the sides of carrots and snap peas were also crispy and flavorful.



Personally I am not a big quail fan. But this particular bird was stuffed with sweet potatoes. A more refined option, it had an interesting, unique taste.



Oooh the finale was something else. Bread pudding with Grand Marnier and cherries....ON FIRE! I want to say the presentation had me sold, but that would be a lie. It was the taste. Amazing. I was close to fighting the boys nearby for the last bites. Hopefully this dish ends up on the final menu because it was outstanding!!






Thanks again Highball. You fucking rock!