Hometown Glory

Badass Texas singer goes national in hip Madewell campaign

Madewell is ushering in the spring season with a new collection and a national campaign featuring Texas' own Asli Omar.

Omar, the lead singer of the Houston-based indie rock band The Tontons (also frequently seen on Austin festival lineups) is featured in the “Life Madewell” campaign, which portrays the everyday, effortless lifestyle of the brand that focuses on denim and other basics.

The band, which started in 2007 and is comprised of Omar, Tom Nguyen, Adam Martinez and Justin Martinez, has been featured in several national media outlets. Their song “Golden” is the soundtrack of the Everyday Madewell campaign video.

The spring campaign, unveiled Tuesday, “is documenting the lives of creatives, artists and overall badass women across the country,” the chain said in a press release. A “Day-in-life” video shows Omar in Madewell overalls styled with her favorite pieces as she sips tea in her Houston home, stops by Tierra Caliente taco stand on West Alabama, roams Montrose Boulevard and Midtown, where she stops into Sig's Lagoon record store.

The brand will also be releasing a detailed interview with Omar and the other subjects on the Madewell blog.

To kick off the spring collection, Madewell stores will also be hosting an event on Thursday from 6-9 pm where you can donate denim and get $20 off on a new pair of jeans, sip some wine and listen to beats by a local DJ.

Brunchy Business

Mimosa Walk returns to Austin's South 1st Street for sips and shopping

Mimosa at Blue Suede Austin

Blue Suede/Instagram

Businesses along South 1st Street are welcoming shoppers with mimosas on Saturday, November 16.

Perhaps no other drink has the mimosa's power to draw people out on the weekend, and one Austin neighborhood is harnessing it for a leisurely tour of local businesses. The Austin Mimosa Walk: South 1st Fall Festival is scheduled for November 16, and will stop at local businesses, each with complimentary drinks.

The tour will include some shopping, some casual snack spots, and even some wellness stops. Although not every business mimosa walkers will pass is participating, the tour will pass lots of local eateries, making it easy to tack on a lunch when the Champagne starts making itself known.

The following eight businesses are participating as stops on the self-guided tour:

Austin Salt Room — a spa-like environment for salt therapy, essentially hanging out near tons of salt while breathing in microscopic salt particles, which are said to improve respiratory health
Blue Suede Austin — a cool women's shoe boutique (with a wine bar!) that specializes in semi-casual styles at mid-range prices, featuring brands like Sam Edelman, Jeffrey Campbell, and Cecelia
Devil’s Details Boutique — formerly Bloomers and Frocks, this vintage shop has rebranded and shifted its focus to jewelry, often in bold and unique styles
Glint Dental — a dental office specializing in aesthetic procedures like veneers and whitening, but also offering general and preventative care
Golden Mean — early holiday shoppers should keep friends and family in mind at this gift shop, which carries unique goods ranging from soaps and blankets to kitchen goods and avant-garde decor.
Once Over Coffee— an unassuming-on-the-outside, artsy-on-the-inside coffee shop serving Wild Gift Coffee and less common coffee shop finds like kombucha and Italian soda
Package Austin — a queer menswear store for harnesses, underwear, accessories, toys, and community events
Sugar Mamas Bakeshop — a colorful bakery specializing in fantastically decorated cakes, often with a sarcastic or funny twist

The listing on Eventbrite promises a hydration station by Topo Chico, a collector's glass, and that the event will sell out. It requires that tickets ($32) be purchased in advance online. [Update: An event organizer says the ninth business on the Eventbrite list is still under construction, and will not be participating.]

The walk will take place from noon to 3:30 pm. Guests will receive a "passport" to help navigate between tour stops. A check-in tent will get guests started at 1628 S. 1st St.

local business cocktails shopping

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