• Categories

  Select Category ACL  (55) Activities  (102) arts & crafts  (24) Austin, Texas  (245) Blog Love  (8) Celebrities  (20) Chicago  (30) Clayton Christopher  (9) Cocktail Recipes  (12) Distribution  (2) earth day  (8) Epiphone Guitar  (8) Events  (188) Food & Beverage  (124) Fun Fun Fun Fest  (2) Grannyisms  (9) Guest Blogger  (15) Intern  (41) Live Music  (160) Lollapalooza  (56) Los Angeles  (5) Mile High Festival  (1) Muddy Buddy  (6) Nestle Waters  (2) New Years Eve  (2) new years resolutions  (2) Organic  (18) recipes  (3) Relief Fund  (2) Social Media  (19) Survey  (1) Sweet Bikes  (19) sweet birthdays  (1) Sweet Consumers  (74) Sweet Contests  (80) Sweet Leaf Dogs  (11) Sweet Leaf Tea Company News  (30) Sweet Leaf Tea Sightings  (9) Sweet Pets  (2) Sweet-Spot  (5) SXSW  (33) teasnacky  (13) Uncategorized  (188) Unwrapped  (2) Vacation  (9)

• Search

  Search for:

• Archives

  Select Month May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008

• Tag Cloud

  12 Days of Christmas @sweetleafdanny @SweetleafJacqui ACL ACL-Fest ACL-Festival Austin Austin City Limits Bicycles Chicago Citrus Green Tea Clayton Christopher consumers CONTEST Do512 free press summer fest Fun Fun Fun Fest granny Holidays Home Slice Pizza Houston iced tea interns Knuckle Rumbler Live Music Lollapalooza Mint-and-Honey-Green-Tea mixers Muddy Buddy music Phoenix Sweet Contests sweet leaf sweetleaf Sweet Leaf Tea sweetleaftea sweet stories Sweet Tea SXSW teasnacky Texas Tito's Vodka TX Whole Foods Market Zilker Park

  WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.

Thanks to the magical world of Twitter, me and the local (awesome) band The Boxing Lesson follow each other, but to be honest I was not familiar with their music until I heard their set during the Yellow Bike Project benefit show back in August.

What I heard caused me to fall in love with this talented threesome. These guys are so freakin’ new wave it’s unbelievable! Now, to give them credit they are a psychedelic rock band and rumor has it that they might be appearing at this years Austin Psych Fest (it’s not listed yet). Will I be there? Oh heck yeah, just look at the lineup that they have so far! (The Black Angels, Atlas Sound, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and Crocodiles to name a few.) But back to the important part, my new found love for The Boxing Lesson…

This past week was Free Week and I was able to catch two completely different shows by these guys at the Mohawk and Emo’s. Which set was better? I think they both ruled, but I really dug the Emo’s set. Now, they didn’t cover any New Order like the first time I saw them, but they still blew me away. Jaylinn owns the keys and Paul touches my heart when he sings. He’s a little bit of Texas with a side of Robert Smith and that makes my knees weak.

The Boxing Lesson – Jumping Someone Else’s Train (cover)
Uploaded by theloyaltyfirm. – Watch more music videos, in HD!

Their new album, “Fur State” is awesome and if you click on the link above with Jaylinn’s name, you can read all about how it came about and why it’s so trippy/esoteric/distorted/. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from Jaylinn herself but will be buying a copy on tape too. Just look at it up above, doesn’t the glow of the sexy orange colored tape just SCREAM for you to buy it?

I can’t tell you where or when they play next, but you should be hovering around your computer for the next bit of information from the band or their PR guys, The Loyalty Firm.

Is there a local band in your area making you giddy? Tell us all about it!

A band has to start playing gigs somewhere right?

Some of the best musicians and bands, EVER, started the same exact way. Take one of Austin’s hometown favorites, Stevie Ray Vaughan.  According to my parents who grew up with him in Oak Cliff, he used to play in his garage and in friends’ houses all around town before leaving D-town for Austin at the ripe age of 17. That’s right, at 17 he was well on his way to becoming a legend and everyone who heard him play knew it.

It makes me wonder, how many talented, young musicians do we have here in town right now that could be blowing us away with their musical prowess? Seeing that this is the Music Capital of the World, I have to believe that there are more than a handful of young rockers passing the after school hours writing the next big hit. I say, let’s live up to our motto Austin and give these kids a chance to show off their talent.

Now, through January 16th, under 21 bands can enter the Fox 7 and Sweet Leaf Tea My Band Rocks Fox 2011 contest. The winning band will win a recording session from the Recording Academy Texas Chapter AND a LIVE GIG at a BMI sponsored show in March during SXSW, South by Southwest!

Five semi-finalists will play LIVE on Good Day Austin February 7-11 and two finalist bands will face-off in a LIVE jam at the Gibson Guitar Showroom on February 23. (Right by Sweet Leaf Tea HQ!)

This is a huge opportunity for any under 21 band to rock Austin’s socks off. The tea’m here at Sweet Leaf is super excited to support these young musicians and we’re looking forward to jamming out at the upcoming shows! You never know, one of these bands could be headlining Lollapalooza or Austin City Limits before too long. No pressure, kids.

If you know a band that should be entering send them to Myfoxaustin.com for all the juicy details. And if you’re just interested in supporting these young musicians be sure to check the website January 21st – January 30th to cast your VOTE!

So, anyone know of an under 21 Austin band we should be cranking in the office?

I’m headed to Chi-town AGAIN! I’m catching a plane with my best friend and headed up to the Windy City to hang with mister @RobbyDeem for 5 days. Due to this awesome adventure I HAD to write about the top 4 things I have to do, or anyone that visits Chicago needs to do while there!

#1 – Eat a Chicago Dog

You’re in Chicago for CUBS sake!  THE HOME OF THE CHICAGO DOG.  As mentioned in my Lolla post, step on over to Portillos for a dog and cheese fries!

#2 – Head over to Millennium Park

Between the Bean, aka “Cloud Gate”, the Great Lawn, Crown Fountain, and Lurie Garden, you could spend hours admiring the parks great art, landscaping, and details. Definitely a spot to make in warm or cold weather!

#3 –  Gaze at Chicago’s Night Skyline

Coming from the small town of Inez, Texas, population 150, and seeing how far a 173 year old city has come is amazing. The buildings are mesmerizing and breathtaking. Click here for a timeline of Chicago’s History. I think this might be one of the reasons I love Chicago so much.

#4 – SHEDD AQUARIUM!!!!!

It rocks and makes you feel like a kid again. Penguins, otters, octopus, and dolphins. AWESOME! Seriously. Look at it!

I’m stoked, and it’s going to be cold. Wish me luck, and hit me up on Twitter if you live in Chicago! I’ll be there! — @SweetLeafDanny

It’s not unusual for the New Year to bring about a renewed focus on health. For me personally, this new year came with a completely new life and what better way to embrace life-changes than to allow mistakes along the way before returning to a place of focus.

What is my focus for 2011? I vow to get back on a solid 5-6 day a week workout plan, eat 5 meals a day with the correct balance of starch, veggies, protein and fats, get more sleep, get my finances in check, and organize my home. I am extremely blessed to be in Austin Texas because I found a gym that suits my needs, (holla Maria Luque, best trainer EVER from Fitness Unleashed) and because this town is chock full of FREE workouts. Yes, really. I’m not talking about going to a gym and saying that you are interested in checking them out and getting your free trial week, but actual workouts that are ALWAYS FREE!

Check out the Fox 7 Austin “Get Fit for Free” section for a great list.

Some of my personal faves that I’ve done and will be returning to:

1. Yoga at Lululemon. They offer free classes Saturday morning that are “sponsored” by a different yoga studio each month. You get to actually test places out! How cool is that?

2. Core(ture) class in the parking lot at Jack and Adam’s Bicycles. This class has a lot to offer you AND your core. Challenging exercises, funny people (it’s free, it attracts ALL kinds), and consistency. Yes folks, even if it’s raining and 30 degrees outside, if it’s a Monday or Wednesday evening, people are out there. Come moan and groan with the rest of us. It’s fun, I swear!

3. Yoga at Yoga Vida. Free HOT yoga, where they boast having the hottest happy hour in town, (fo sho!) every Friday at 6:30. Get there early though, especially since it’s a new year and everyone floods the free stuff before they fall back off the exercise wagon. You know who you are and we still love you!

The best way to keep the momentum of a lifestyle change going is to really be INTO whatever it is you are doing and indulge in a little variety. It IS the spice of life ya know. I love cycling, swimming, hiking, tough workouts (I know that makes me crazy), hula hooping, and yoga. Keeping it varied and interesting not only confuses the muscles which is a REALLY good thing, but it also keeps you from getting bored. If you dig what you are doing, I can almost guarantee that you will keep it up. It’s that simple.

After settling down for a cold Unsweet Lemon & Lime Tea after your workout tonight, be sure to tell us what YOU are planning to do for yourself in 2011.

« go back