#click 3x

Travel & Culture:  The Austin Experience | SXSW 2013

I rarely (if ever) post about my day job (digital marketing & media). But I got to attend SXSW this year for work so I had to write about it!

I've never been before and was a total newbie, but was lucky enough to be well-planned and cared for by my friends at Click 3X and Heard City (woot Clickers!) who basically taught me everything I'd need to know to survive AND included me in every party invite. Sidebar:  the party itinerary is completely separate from the SXSW programming and justified an 5-page spreadsheet, broken out by day.

I hung out with old friends who I hadn't see in ages - shout out to @ErinEndres and Lauren Fernandes - and made new friends and contacts. I learned about the Gross National Happiness Commission, an innovative organization highlighted in a talk by John Gerzema, and heard WWE Star John Cena speak about his social media prowess and the WWE's digital org structure. But my favorite may have been seeing the guys from Deadliest Catch give a talk called 'Twitter for Tough Guys', which presented a totally different spin on social media, the environment, and reality TV.

I'd love to summarize my experience with some profound statement, but really it was just FUN. Lots to learn, tons of people to meet, and creative energy everywhere. But - I want to leave you all with something tangible, so here's a quick Top 5 of SXSW Survival Tips:

Hydrate and pace yourself - stamina is a requirement

Stay at the Driskill - awesome place, awesome location, awesome scene!

Let Peter Corbett plan your itinerary

Use GroupMe and Foursquare 

Have a bloody mary at Frank

Looking forward to SXSW '14!

xx

Lifestyle & Entertaining:  Fireside Brunch + a Bloody Mary

Picture it:  A cold, bright day, a blazing fire, snow-covered scenery, good friends and even better cocktails. That's brunch, City Meets Country-style. 

I had the good fortune of spending a long weekend up at the house with two awesome chicks, Betsy and Felicia. Our plans were built around PJ's, fires, wine, whiskey and a stop at Baker's Tap Room. But that was before my recent Bloody Mary obsession.

It started on New Year's Day, with an amazing late-day cocktail made by Betsy's friends Ron & Danielle. It continued when Tannia (of the Nashville post) and I enjoyed a Sunday lunch and Bloody Mary at The Odeon. So, naturally, with a winter weekend upstate planned, I decided we would enjoy a fireside brunch with my cocktail of choice. Our brunch posse included a couple of very good humored friends, and we enjoyed a fantastic meal while discussing the finer points of the 90's slow jam, Frank Ocean, poor Manti Te'o, global warming's legitimacy, and of course, the impact of the Chinese economy on the US. No joke.

You probably can't recreate our meandering conversation, but our menu was filled with easy classics that are totally doable! Here's the City Meets Country Brunch Menu with credits noted and links to recipes:

Greens with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette - The Barefoot Contessa (Tip: add an egg yolk also - per the original recipe!)

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche - Ellie Krieger - search Food Network.com - they won't let me publish the recipe! (Tip: I used a store-bought crust - sshhh!)

Pumpkin Chicken Soup - Thanks Jordan aka my cousin aka The Dancing Donut for finding this

Bagels, Lox and Cream Cheese - From Zucker's TriBeCa

Kick Ass Bloody Mary Mix (recipe pictured above) - Special shout-out to a new friend, Brian Rider, whose talents allowed us to enjoy a fabulous beverage

Pint glasses -  Click 3X - thanks Peter!

Pitcher - From Aunt Cindy....who got it at anthropologie

In the words of my guests: "Amazing". "So Yummy". "mmmmm". Have a favorite brunch recipe? Leave a comment!

xx

"Rhetorical Questions" - Classic from Geico...staring Mike McGlone. 

Directed by Frank Todaro (Moxie Pictures)

Edited by Ian Mackenzie (Mackenzie Cutler)

Colour: The Mill