Tag: Austin Texas

SXSW 2016: Frank Frazetta masterpieces exhibited at The Robert Rodriguez Museum

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  • Photography provided by The Robert Rodriguez Museum.
  • “Death Dealer” by Frank Frazetta. Photography provided by The Robert Rodriguez Museum.
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    “Earths Core” by Frank Frazetta. Photography provided by The Robert Rodriguez Museum.
  • “Man Ape” by Frank Frazetta. Photography provided by The Robert Rodriguez Museum.
  • “Dark Kingdom” by Frank Frazetta. Photography provided by The Robert Rodriguez Museum.

On Mar. 8, 2016 an official press release was shared by FONS PR announcing that Robert Rodriguez is curating a Frank Frazetta art gallery exclusively for The 2016 SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Conferences and Festivals in Austin, Texas. Original art pieces created by the infamous Frank Frazetta, the gallery is endlessly colorful, hypnotic, intense, enchanting and darkling. Showcasing Frazetta’s spellbinding fantasy artwork to the city of Austin and all the travelers from around the world attending SXSW. This spectacular and rare exhibition is open to the public for an entry fee of $10. Please note that SXSW badges are not necessary for entry to the museum.

FONS PR granted local Arts and Entertainment Examiner, Nicolette Mallow, with permission to replicate their official press release stated below to help spread the word of art to the city of Austin.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Robert Rodriguez curates museum featuring original Frank Frazetta masterpieces.

SXSW 2016 gallery event runs March 12-19, 2016 in Austin, Texas.

For a limited time only during SXSW 2016, Robert Rodriguez is proud to present a curated collection of original art, including twelve masterwork paintings by iconic artist Frank Frazetta, including original paintings like “Death Dealer”. Considered to be the most influential fantasy artist in history, Frazetta contributed iconic artwork to classic works of fiction for Conan the Barbarian, Tarzan and John Carter of Mars among others. Other notable artwork being featured is artwork from the upcoming Rodriguez film “Fire and Ice” based on the works of Frank Frazetta.

The gallery will also feature an original “Sin City” masterpiece by Frank Miller, original art by Drew Struzan including his rendering of Sylvester Stallone for the movie poster “First Blood”, and original poster art for “The Thing”. Original paintings by New Pop Art master Sebastian Krüger including hyper real paintings of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Danny Trejo. Bronzed art sculptures from Clete Shields. Shields’ work has been commissioned by Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez and Samuel L. Jackson.

In addition, the gallery will feature original movie props from Rodriguez’s films and painted portraits of characters from Rodriguez’s films between Rodriguez himself and his actors including paintings by Josh Brolin, Rosario Dawson, Lady Gaga, Bruce Willis, and Joseph Gordon Levitt. There will also be a selection of hand numbered giclée prints of Frazetta pieces photographed and printed by Robert Rodriguez available for purchase. Proceeds from the prints and merchandise benefit the preservation of Frank Frazetta’s art.

Robert Rodriguez has been touring Frank Frazetta original art at Comic Con and Wizard Con to continue the wish of Frank Frazetta, a friend and collaborator of Robert’s who always wanted audiences to see his paintings in person. The original Frazetta museum in upstate New York closed after the passing of Frank Frazetta in 2010. The Rodriguez museum features other world class artists Robert has also worked with and studied under over the years, with art that he’s collected himself, and others that are on exclusive loan for this event. The Frank Frazetta Collection has an unprecedented amount of original masterpieces including new additions “Moon Maid”, “Flash Gordon”, “Kubla Khan” as well as “Death Dealer 2”, “Egyptian Queen”, “At the Earth’s Core”, “Conan Man Ape” and “Dark Kingdom”, and a rare original painting Frazetta did for the movie “From Dusk Till Dawn” among others, 15 original masterpiece paintings total.

“I’m extremely excited to host this very special event at South by Southwest, featuring mind-blowing art by my favorite artists and collaborators,” said filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. “It’s the only place in the world where you can see original Frank Frazetta art, 15 masterpiece paintings total, alongside original art by Frank Miller, Drew Struzan, Sebastian Kruger and Clete Shields. There’s no other museum like this.”

The gallery will be open daily to the public until Saturday, Mar. 19th from noon to 5 PM. The gallery will have a $10 entrance fee benefiting the preservation of Frank Frazetta art. SXSW badges are not required for entry to the art gallery. The Robert Rodriguez Museum is located at 920 Congress Ave. in Austin, Texas.

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“Santanico” painting in progress by Eiza Gonzalez and Robert Rodriguez. Photography by Nicolette Mallow.

 Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in March 2016.

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Salvador Dalí gallery at ART on 5th reaches its closing week

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“Mad Tea Party” by Salvador Dalí. Photography provided by ART on 5th gallery.

Prints by Salvador Dalí will be on display for only a few more days at ART on 5th in Austin, Texas. Also known as Ao5, evident within this art gallery are colorful butterflies, portraits, eroticism, symbolism and storytelling, as well as the notorious melting clocks that Salvador Dalí is well known for. All original copies, The Salvador Dalí art exhibition entails many printmaking pieces, too. Printmaking is a significant and unique form of art that launched in the 1400’s. And the last day to see this timeless exhibit of prints is Saturday, March 12, 2016.

Born in Spain the year of 1904, Salvador Dalí is an artist of the 20th century whom was talented in many art forms that included the following: painting, illustrations, sculpture, fashion, photography, writing, architecture and film. Known greatly for his work revolving around surrealism, Dalí’s artwork is captivating and haunting, unforgettable; a kaleidoscope of colors. A master of his craft, he tantalized, hypnotized and sometimes horrified the world with his powerful, one-of-a-kind artwork. After an extensive career of great publicity and artistic beauty: Salvador Dalí died of heart failure at the age of 84. Thankfully, the memory of his artistic legacy is immortal and will live on forever.

  • “Les Entre-Plats Sodamises” by Salvador Dalí. Photography provided by ART on 5th gallery.
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    Detail of elephant from “Roi, je t’Attends a Babylone” by Salvador Dalí. Photography provided by ART on 5th gallery.
  • Untitled etching on parchment from the series “Roi, je t’Attends a Babylone” by Salvador Dalí. Photography provided by ART on 5th gallery.
  • “The Eagle of Grace” by Salvador Dalí. Photography provided by ART on 5th gallery.
  • “Mark” by Salvador Dalí. Photography provided by ART on 5th gallery.

ART on 5th released a final promotion to inform locals in Austin, Texas that this is the last week to see the exhibition, “ART on 5th will be hosting a stunning exhibition of over 50 authenticated Salvador Dalí prints until March 12, 2016. The work spans three decades of the artist’s career, from the 1950’s – 1970’s, and includes a sampling of images from 6 different series by this artist. Owned by a private art collector in the northeast, this gallery is part of a larger collection of Dalí prints. Dalí worked in series and we have images from a wide variety of his series, including “Memories of Surrealism”, “Les Diners de Gala”, “Biblia Sacra”, “The Twelve Apostles”, “The Divine Comedy” and many others. One particularly interesting series is the 1973 “Les Caprices de Goya”, which Salvador Dalí created by printing over—adding color and new image details to the original series “Los Caprichos”, by 18th century Spanish artist Francisco Goya. As a result, each of these pieces bear the signature of both artists. There is a helpful description of “Les Caprices de Goya” online. Another interesting fact to note about the work: many of the pieces from the “Divine Comedy” series are deconstructions, which means they are sort of artists proofs that may have been used to test plates or colors before doing the entire edition. For instance, we have one on display called “Dante Purified” which only has the pink and the blue inks from the image are printed. It is an incomplete version of the image as it was released in the final publication of the edition.”

Located on 3005 South Lamar, admission to the gallery at ART on 5th is free of cost. For more information regarding ART on 5th and their hours of operation, please call 512-481-1111 or visit their website at www.arton5th.com. 

To explore more about this artist, please visit Artsy’s Salvador Dalí page which provides visitors with Dalí’s bio, over 1300 of his works, exclusive articles, and up-to-date Dalí exhibition listings. A current exhibition is featured at The Royal Academy of Arts in London from 7 October 2017 — 3 January 2018. 

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in March 2016. 

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Slings and Arrows: Zodiac Vodka concocts a romantic recipe for cocktail lovers

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Zodiac Vodka released several exquisite cocktail recipes in honor of Valentine’s Day weekend. Slings and Arrows is my favorite recipe: a refreshing and succulent mixture of vodka, lemon, thyme, simple syrup, vanilla bean and champagne. Slings and Arrows can be appreciated by all vodka or bubbly connoisseurs. Whether you wish to pair a cocktail alongside dinner, or simply relax with a libation. This easy-to-make, elegant and bold concoction is bound to seduce and calm your senses. Its presentation and scent is so soothing that it lures you to slow down and take a peaceful moment to imbibe.

Slings and Arrows is a drink of mystique that is suitable for any romantic occasion—which is why Zodiac Vodka featured this cocktail for Valentine’s Day. Rest assured, Valentine’s Day is not only a commercial holiday for lovers and couples to show their affection together. Valentine’s Day is a time to love yourself as an individual and to mark the month of February as a memorable time of self-endearment. Therefore, this amorous cocktail is suited for everyone. Think of Valentine’s Day as a time to treat yourself to decadence and passion. Zodiac is a perfect vodka to pick because of its smooth, clean creation that gives it a brilliant taste.

“Most vodkas aren’t made in one place. Water from here. Ingredients from there. Distilling and bottling happen somewhere else altogether. That’s one way to go. Another way is to handcraft vodka in a quiet town along the majestic banks of the Snake River. To combine humble little spuds harvested from the valley’s rich volcanic soil with water born high in the Upper Tetons. Single Source Distillation® means Zodiac is made from beginning to end, entirely in Idaho. The resulting smooth, clean spirit proves that like Idaho’s vast starlit sky, sometimes the best things are only found off the beaten path™.”

A demonstration video portraying the making of Slings and Arrows can be found online. All of Zodiac’s cocktail recipes are posted with the inclusion of a video to guide guests through the process. For anyone seeking to mix a memorable cocktail that is less oriented around romance, something a bit more casual, yet equally flavorful. Zodiac Vodka also features other recipes including the following: Texas Golden Girl, Star Eyed Julep, and Bullseye. Each cocktail entails various flavors, recipes and garnishes ranging from strawberries, honey, rosemary, ginger, jalapeño, lemon and mint.

Several liquor stores in Austin, Texas are presently stocked with Zodiac Vodka. However, a store locator is also available on the internet and by entering a zip code: guests can find out where to buy this product nationwide. For more information regarding Zodiac Vodka, please refer to their website at www.zodiacvodka.com.

 Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in February 2016.

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Naomi Whittel: Founder of Reserveage Nutrition has a vision for global wellness

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Naomi Whittel. Photography by Jack Plunkett.

Founder and CEO of Reserveage™ Nutrition, Naomi Whittel has dedicated her career to naturally beautify the world with a vision oriented around science, health and wellness. Whittel is a ‘nutritional navigator’ who travels the globe studying various cultures and ecosystems to discover the best standards in nutritional health. Launching her company with four products in March 2009—Reserveage™ Nutrition now offers an extensive list of products ranging from skin hydration, metabolism boosters, anti-aging, cardiovascular support, antioxidants, and much more. Naomi Whittel has received several prestigious awards for her role as a successful female entrepreneur, including the following: the Gold Stevie Winner as Female Executive of the Year and the Silver Stevie Winner as Female Entrepreneur of the Year. “Naomi Whittel is one of the nation’s leading female innovators in the natural products industry. With two decades of experience in developing and managing sustainable companies in the health and wellness sector, she is the founder and CEO of Reserveage Nutrition™ and two sister companies: ResVitale™ and ReBody™. Together these natural health supplement brands have earned over 30 industry awards in four years, and are recognized for their mission to produce life-changing products based on ground-breaking science.”

Recently, Naomi Whittel assented to an interview with a local Arts & Entertainment Examiner, Nicolette Mallow, to talk entrepreneurship and becoming a CEO at the age of 23. Whittel also shared some helpful tips and insights related to wellness. The interview was held within the Press room at Prevention Magazine’s third annual R3 Summit held at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas.

Nicolette Mallow: On stage, you spoke of age and numbers. You emphasized that a number doesn’t define us no matter how young or advanced in age. Listening to you talk about starting a company that went global and being the CEO at 23 years old is so inspiring to all female (or male) entrepreneurs. However, I also recall during the presentation you mentioned that sometimes in the past you hid the fact you were the CEO because you felt your age might cause others to not take you seriously… How did you overcome the fear of being the youngest? It’s important for us all to learn from our elders or those with the experience of time that exceeds our own. But I have often felt the same way as an artistic professional when I’m the youngest, and often the only female, in a group where everyone else is older. It can be hard to be taken seriously and it can feel discouraging… How did you break free of all that and succeed?

Naomi Whittel: Being a young entrepreneur can be difficult. In hindsight, I wish that I hadn’t always kept it a secret that I was the CEO. But it’s a learning process for everyone starting out. First off, in order to succeed you have to be willing to fail and to be bold. To take risks. Failure is a huge part of success, but so long as you hold fast to your purpose and sustain boldness in all you do. In due time your visions and dreams will transpire. It’s also imperative to have a voice and to be honest with yourself. To know your strengths and weaknesses… Not long ago, I was in a meeting with other entrepreneurs and we were discussing investments. We needed to raise money for something that day and it seemed daunting to the others. At first no one was willing to invest, but I saw no reason to not make a move and act. I was the first one, and the youngest, to offer up a check to invest. Once I made the first move, the others were interested in the investment and we raised the money that day. Boldness goes a long way… Once you harness your internal power and know how to use it in a healthy way. Once you find a vision and hold onto it: falling into success becomes natural.

NM: Speaking of healthy, in regards to nutrition and wellness, it can be daunting for those just starting out with a mission to achieve a better diet or a healthier lifestyle. There are thousands of books, recipes and products out there for people to try. Where to begin? What is your advice for anyone wanting to change their lifestyle and nutritional diet but they don’t know where to start?

NW: Yes there is a lot of information there. I would advise the first step to be the elimination of processed foods. Processed foods do not carry natural nutrients, or often any nutrients, and therefore the body is not getting anything vital or healthy from these processed foods. Processed foods can do more harm than good. Solely because processed foods often carry a lot of chemicals and damaging, artificial substances within them, too. People aren’t always aware that what they are eating isn’t actually food at all… I was fortunate to grow up in a home of science and chemistry with parents focused on a biodynamic, organic lifestyle. However, I want everyone to join me on the journey to wellness no matter how or when their journey begins.

NM: My last question is, for those of us who sustain an overall healthy diet, exercise, drink plenty of fluids, take nutritional supplements and hydrate our skin, hair and nails. For those of us who feel we are nearly doing it all. What is something else that we can do to improve our diet and overall wellness?

NW: Intermittent fasting is something even the pro’s can forget to do. Fasting periodically from 8 PM to NOON has amazing benefits on the body. Intermittent fasting has proven to control blood sugar and insulin. It can promote weight loss and reduce cholesterol levels. Intermittent fasting can even assist with cellular repair or inflammation in the body, reducing stress.

For more information regarding Naomi Whittel’s background story or to view and purchase products online, please visit www.reserveage.com.

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.

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Life coach Lauren Handel Zander speaks of self-discovery and the power of truth

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Lauren Handel Zander. Photography by Jack Plunkett.

Lauren Handel Zander is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Handel Group®, an international private coaching company. Zander is a life coach with a sense of humor and she specializes in bringing dreams and visions to life.On Jan. 16, 2016 whilst she was in attendance of Prevention Magazine’s third annual R3 Summit held at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas: Zander consented to a short yet insightful interview with A&E Austin Examiner, Nicolette Mallow. Prior to the interview within the Press room, Lauren Handel Zander shared the stage with other talented professionals that included Joan Lunden, Naomi Whittel, Dr. Jennifer Ashton and Dr. Lauren Streicher to present the keynote “Love Your Age”.

Nicolette Mallow: During the presentation, you spoke of the past and hating the shape of your own shadow. That stuck in my mind. The way you described nitpicking yourself so deeply to the point it became absolutely absurd: disliking your literal shadow while walking about… I believe many people can relate to that sort of melancholy unkindness directed to the self. We often speak silently to ourselves, in our mind, and say such horrible things we’d never allow others to say to our face. Ultimately, my questions revolves around this: how did you overcome such negative self-feedback and rewire your mind to see things positively, accurately and with kindness? How did you conquer the inner-voice that was trying to hold you back and distort the truth?

Lauren Handel Zander: Yes; editing the voices can be a challenge. My journey of self-discovery began in my 20’s. The first step was being honest with myself and everyone around me. It’s easy to become afraid to be our own individual. To stay true to ourselves, we must be honest. In the past, I was hiding truths from myself, and others, because I was hiding myself away. I was lying to everybody. I was the epitome of a bad girl. One day I simply decided to reveal everything that was truthful. And that was when my life changed. I was born to be a life coach, it’s in my blood. I just had to learn to edit my own voices and learn to be true to myself, first, before I could coach others.

NM: Once we edit the voices, then we can get to the truth?

LHZ: Absolutely. One of the aspects I love most about my job is that I can get to the root of things. Throughout the process of life coaching, I want to know why someone is doing what they’re doing. I want to understand what’s going on beyond surface level and why they’re feeling whatever it is they’re feeling. I want to understand what they’re thinking. That way I can help find the blocks and I can fix it. Bringing shadows to light helps people reach their highest self. Whether it’s a relationship, a job, an investment, family issues or whether someone is unsure why they’re doing what they’re doing as if running on autopilot… I want to know everything so that we can work on fixing it. I like fixing things. But people have to be willing to do the work.

NM: So you help bring dreams and visions to life?

LHZ: Yes. I like to say that I have ‘a vision for my visions’. Having a vision and following our dreams helps us to reach our highest self. I want people to find the truth and find a vision so they can turn their dreams into a reality.

“Lauren Handel Zander is a life coach, university lecturer, public speaker and, above all, a purveyor of the truth. As the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Handel Group®, she has spent over 20 years coaching thousands of private clients: entrepreneurs, couples, families, professors, politicians, Emmy and Academy Award-winning artists, Grammy-winning musicians and Fortune 500 CEOs. Her corporate clients have included executives from Sony BMG, The New York Times, News Corp, J. Walter Thompson Agency, Citibank, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Uniworld, The Gap Inc., BASF, NYU Langone Medical Center, and Vogue. She is a mediator, who has fixed corporate business relationships, mediated contract negotiations, reconciled marriages, and helped resolve complex family issues. In the early 2000s, Lauren created a groundbreaking methodology, The Handel Method®, which she developed and taught at MIT. Her methodology, supported by top educators and psychologists is now being taught at Stanford Graduate School of Business, MIT, NYU, Columbia, Yale Drama School, and Wesleyan, as well as in over 35 other universities and educational progrlauren-zander-candid-2ams across the country.”

www.handelgroup.com

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.

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Celebrity personal trainer Larysa DiDio talks fitness, healing and Kung Fu

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Larysa DiDio. Photography by Jack Plunkett.

Celebrity personal trainer and writer Larysa DiDio was a featured fitness instructor at Prevention Magazine’s third annual R3 Summit. Sporting hot pink Nike shoes, athletic gear and a stylish braid: DiDio taught her groundbreaking workout, Fit in 10, that maximizes results in only 10 minutes a day. Afterward, DiDio consented to an interview in the Press room with local Arts & Entertainment Examiner, Nicolette Mallow, on Jan. 16, 2016 at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas.

Nicolette Mallow: You’re a remarkable athlete and clearly you posses a strong, resilient body to be such a steadfast, successful and powerful instructor. However, when athletes (male or female) get injured. It can be very difficult, almost emasculating, to feel weak doing something that used to come naturally to our bodies. How do you handle injuries, or what advice to you give clients (athletes) when they are in the recovery process after an injury or surgery? How do you keep the mind focused on the end goal without overworking the body in the process, or feeling as if the body lost its physical power?

Larysa DiDio: Week-to-week progress is how I look at my fitness goals when I am injured. Being kind to ourselves as individuals is also an important factor. Talk to yourself positively—turn the negative into a positive—and the healing process goes a lot smoother. Mind over matter really is a huge part of fitness and staying focused. For instance, I’ve broken my ankles twice. The first time I was really annoyed and frustrated. And that did not help me heal any faster nor did it alleviate the pain. Later on, the second time around when I broke my ankle playing outside with my son. Even though I was not pleased to break a bone: I knew what to expect and I had a positive outlook. I knew that in time my ankle would heal and it wasn’t something that would last forever. The second break was a lot easier and the healing process was far less stressful or straining.

NM: For the beginners just starting out fitness classes with no prior athletic training, it can feel overwhelming and intimidating being around those with athletic skills. What is your advice?

LD: The gym should be a haven for everybody, especially beginners. For beginners, the gym is not a place of competition. It’s completely natural for a beginner to be afraid and there’s no shame in that. I advise those just beginning to enroll in fitness classes and work out in groups. That way everyone is in it together, learning the ropes and finding their strengths and weaknesses… When I started fitness classes as a kid, I watched Jane Fonda videos. I watched her videos so repeatedly the video would skip. Jane Fonda was a great teacher.

NM: Do you believe massage therapy is essential to the fitness lifestyle?

LD: Yes. Massage therapy is absolutely essential. And if people cannot afford massage therapy regularly than they should invest in a foam roller and explore foam rolling exercises. It applies the same kind of pressure and manifests the same results as massage therapy.

NM: Out of all the exercises you have mastered or explored. Do you have a favorite workout?

LD: Yes, I love learning Kung Fu. Martial arts has become my favorite workout! I love learning how to train with weaponry. I love Tai Chi. It’s not only logical so that I can and will defend myself if need be. But it’s very empowering and I love crossing the standard gender roles. It’s a great workout for men and women alike.

“Larysa DiDio is a celebrity personal trainer and fitness author. With over 20 years experience in helping celebrities, Olympians, professional athletes as well as moms, dads, and kids meet their health and fitness goals. Also, an accomplished writer of “Sneaky Fitness: How to Slip Exercise Into Your Kids Everyday”– Larysa has provided exciting articles and content for national and trade publications as well as blogs and websites. She’s currently an expert health and fitness contributor to Prevention Magazine, host of “The Perfect” online videos and host/co-creator of “Strogation” and “Fit in 10” Fitness DVD’s with Prevention Magazine. Larysa has appeared on Good Day NY, Better TV and CBS Morning segments to name a few and has been featured in over 50 national women’s magazine. Larysa spends time at schools, hospitals, wellness seminars, and on television motivating and inspiring others to live a healthy, active lifestyle.”

www.larysadidio.com

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.

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Dr. Travis Stork gets to the heart of the matter at Prevention’s R3 Summit

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Dr. Travis Stork. Photography by Jack Plunkett.

Dr. Travis Stork educated listeners about the human heart and how it operates at Prevention Magazine’s 3rd annual R3 Summit held at ACL Live at The Moody Theater on Jan. 16, 2016. Dr. Stork works in the emergency room and he seeks to advise people about the warning signs of heart malfunction and when to seek immediate medical attention. Joining him on stage was R3’s Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a Board-certified ob-gyn and fellow co-host of the Emmy®- Award–winning show “The Doctors”, ABC Chief Health Correspondent. Together, the two doctors delivered a compelling, interactive, playful and graphic presentation regarding heart disease and other medical miscellany.

Heart disease is the number one killer for both women and men. And Dr. Travis Stork says that too many people neglect the warning signs or the red flags of heart-related health problems due to factors such as lack of knowledge or lack of awareness. Sadly a lot of people are unaware of the symptoms or they unknowingly confuse a heart attack for something less severe like fatigue, numbness, indigestion or nausea. Resulting in a heart that goes untreated, sometimes until it’s too late. “Time is muscle” and Dr. Stork wants everyone to be aware of the facts.

“Dr. Travis Stork is an Emmy®-nominated host of the award-winning talk show, ‘The Doctors’, and a board-certified emergency medicine physician. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Duke University as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and earned his M.D. with honors from the University of Virginia, being elected into the prestigious honor society of Alpha Omega Alpha for outstanding academic achievement. Based on his experiences in the ER, Dr. Stork is driven to teach people how to prevent illness before it happens. As a motivational speaker on the topic of health and wellness, Dr. Stork teaches people how to achieve optimal health by focusing on the 200-plus seemingly inconsequential health decisions people make throughout each day.”

Prior to his presentation at Prevention Magazine’s R3 Summit—Nicolette Mallow, an Arts & Entertainment Examiner within Austin—interviewed Dr. Travis Stork in the Press room.

Nicolette Mallow: Working as an ER doctor, obviously you deal with a lot of blood and trauma. You have numerous patients in dire pain and distress, sometimes on the verge of life or death. How do you handle such high volumes of pressure and chaos on a daily basis and remain calm all the while to serve and heal your patients?

Dr. Travis Stork: Being an ER doctor is a lot like anything else. A learned skill. For instance, I am sure when you began writing and interviewing people that it made you nervous. You had doubts, fears and hesitations. Everything can be scary in the beginning. As an ER doctor, I felt all those emotions and fears in the beginning. But as time went by it became more and more of a routine and I overcame my fear. When you have a patient gushing or squirting out massive amounts of blood: you have to learn to overcome the fear, manage the stress and work under pressure.

NM: What is one aspect of being a doctor that Medical school could not prepare you for?

DTS: The healthcare system. It’s a beast. Nothing at school could’ve ever prepared me for that and it’s most definitely a huge problem that I was not prepared for. Fortunately doctors are becoming more vocal about our dysfunctional healthcare system and seek to improve the inadequacies.

NM: A veteran who served our country overseas as a Combat medic in the US Army during times of war once told me that the heart is the most important organ in our body. People often think it’s the brain, but he told me that the brain can die and yet the heart stays awake. Which is what happens when people go into a coma. Do you agree that the heart is our most imperative organ?

DTS: Yes; without a doubt the heart is the most crucial organ. Let’s say someone’s brain is damaged after a heart attack or the brain stops functioning. The result is not because the brain died or was damaged on its own without cause. It doesn’t just happen for no reason. When oxygen flow is cut off from the heart to the brain, tissue dies. The effect of such scar tissue is damage (sometimes permanent damage) to the brain. Our heart pumps out blood and oxygen that flows into every particle, cell and organ within the body.

For those unable to hear Dr. Travis Stork’s live presentation at the R3 Summit, there is plenty of information provided by online. Please refer to his videos “Signs of a Heart Attack” and what happens to the body during a “Heart Attack”.

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.

Joan Lunden empowers others by sharing her stories of survival and life purpose

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Joan Lunden. Photo Credit: Jack Plunkett.

Joan Lunden delivered a vivacious and heartfelt keynote speech for Prevention Magazine’s third annual R3 Summit held at ACL Live at The Moody Theater within the Warehouse District of Austin, Texas on January 16, 2016. As she stood on the main stage under bright lights and gold curtains: Lunden’s words filled the room like fresh oxygen, purifying the air. Her message and its delivery focused on the vitality of self-care and self-love. Why all women need to discover their life purpose and how to follow our dreams. Lunden also emphasized the utmost importance of sustaining a positive attitude whenever life is feeling dark, dreary or defeating. Her message encouraged all women to take care of their health as if it were a second job in order to avoid a collapse or a burn out.

Ultimately, Lunden speaks out to pass on her life story in order to educate and empower all womankind. Joan Lunden speaks out in hopes of seeing the light within every woman shine bigger and brighter than ever before. To see the stars in every woman take flight. And to help other cancer survivors make it through the hardest of times. Many moments throughout the keynote speech, she addressed all the women in the audience as ‘us’ and ‘we’, unifying women of all age, nationality and ethnicity.

A survivor of breast cancer, Joan Lunden is also an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, health & wellness advocate, motivational speaker, successful entrepreneur and mom of seven children. Listening to Lunden’s life stories of survival, television, journalism, family, men, health, sex, life and death—listening to how she succeeded despite any or all challenges or tragedies—was a deeply inspiring message to hear. Prior to Lunden’s keynote, The Master of Ceremonies for R3 Summit, Dr. Jennifer Ashton (a Board-certified Ob-Gyn, author and co-host of the award-winning talk show The Doctors) introduced her colleague to the audience as “The Queen of Good Morning America” and it’s a most befitting, honorary title.

To much delight, after the keynote address Joan Lunden sat down for a brief interview with local A&E Austin Examiner, Nicolette Mallow, to briefly discuss motherhood and her own inner-light.

Nicolette Mallow: Motherhood was a big focus throughout your presentation. And while I do value, honor and respect family traditions. Do you have any advice for women (of any age) that are unable to bear children? Or do you have any words of encouragement for women that choose to not have children in a society where motherhood almost seems to be expected of us?

Joan Lunden: When I first became a mother, I bore three beautiful children the natural way. Later on in time when I wanted to have more children in my 50’s, it was not as easy to get pregnant. I began using fertility methods like in vitro. Eventually it became too complicated. One day my husband lovingly reminded me that it’s not a competition. And I quit in vitro. At that point we sought out a surrogate mother. Our surrogate mother has become like family to us. I now have two sets of twins in addition to my other three kids. And it’s wonderful. I love all seven of my children equally. So, no woman should think just because their body cannot facilitate childbirth that there is anything inadequate with them… On the other hand, I have many female friends that do not have children and are successful and happy individuals. Motherhood does not define a woman even if it can be an all-encompassing trait of what it means to be a woman.

NM: Your career is so impressive and I know you have even more to offer the world in the years to come. However, when was the time in your career that you knew you’d made it?… Your life is so magical on so many levels that it reminds me of Elizabeth Taylor’s line in the Hollywood film based on Tennessee William’s play Suddenly Last Summer. The line when she speaks of ‘the sunshine days’. The days everything was in perfect sync and harmony… When was it that you knew in your heart that it was only going upward in your career from then on?

JL: (she smiled) During my 30’s when I began co-hosting Good Morning America with Charlie Gibson. That was when I knew. He and I used to describe the feeling as “the best seat from which to view the world”. It was an amazing time of my life with such happiness that I will always cherish… Suddenly I was going to The White House, interviewing politicians, rock stars, celebrities and all sorts of prominent figures. I was traveling worldwide covering global news… The happiness we felt on the show is something I will always treasure. Charlie Gibson and I made a strong team and we co-existed together. Which really caught everyone’s attention: seeing a man and woman work together so wonderfully on national television. Having said this, I am sort of a Master of Reinvention, and so I look forward to new journeys and new thrills as I began new media campaigns.

For more information pertaining to Joan Lunden’s life story of survival and success. Or to find health, beauty and lifestyle tips, please visit her website Joan Lunden: Creating a healthy lifestyle for a better tomorrow at www.joanlunden.com.

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.

Bob Roth talks Transcendental Meditation and dharma at Prevention’s R3 Summit

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Bob Roth. Photo Credit: Jack Plunkett.

Transcendental Meditation teacher Bob Roth spoke on the opening night of Prevention Magazine’s R3 Summit at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas on January 15, 2016. Self-transcending meditation was the focus of his speech. Bob Roth explained how this unique and timeless form of meditation could transform people’s lives for the better. Living in a such a stressful world where everything around us is moving at a hurried and constant pace, it can be immensely difficult, if not beyond overwhelming, for us to take complete care of ourselves: body, mind and soul. Through the course of his interactive presentation, Roth guided listeners through the scientific process as to how transcendental meditation and its sound mantra practice can help strengthen the brain and relieve trauma, stress or stagnant energy that’s locked in our minds. This form of meditation even lowers high blood pressure, reduces chronic pain and depletes excess amounts of Cortisol levels, a hormone that is directly related to stress. He described the end result like being in a state of dharma.

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Sharing stories of healing and delivering an insightful overview of his life’s work. A career that began in 1968 around the age of 18, when Bob Roth started to change his diet and even studied Prevention Magazine. Roth emphasized and explained the immense empowerment and peace-of-mind that comes from transcendental meditation (TM). He expressed the ‘constellation of positive changes’ and scientifically described the peacefulness that comes from integrating TM® into the routine of our daily lives.

“Bob Roth is one of the most experienced and sought-after meditation teachers in America. Over the past 40 years, Bob has taught Transcendental Meditation to many thousands of people and authored an authoritative book on the subject, fittingly entitled, Transcendental Meditation, which has been translated into 20 languages. Bob currently serves as the Executive Director of The David Lynch Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity which has brought meditation to over 500,000 inner-city youth in underserved schools in 35 countries, to veterans and their families who suffer from post-traumatic stress, and women and children who are survivors of domestic violence.”

Fortunately, Mr. Roth also had a moment to speak with an A&E Austin Examiner, Nicolette Mallow, regarding this ancient form of meditation.

Nicolette Mallow: During your presentation, you mentioned that you’re deeply focused on helping children, homeless shelters and veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And I do believe that people find immense peace and calm through transcendental meditation. The end results are obviously beneficial and worthwhile. But it can be hard for those who’ve endured such trauma to sit still in the silence and close their eyes. How do those beginning TM® overcome the struggle to find the patience and stillness to meditate with such internal angst? How do people overcome their turmoil and meditate in peace?

Bob Roth: That’s a beautiful question… Transcendental meditation doesn’t enter darkness and it’s a very forgiving practice that is practically effortless. Closing our eyes and looking into the dark can be scary. TM® is not scary nor is it a grueling process that sets off triggers or trauma. It’s a very charming, peaceful form of meditation. It does not evoke darkness on any level, and it feels like being in a state of dharma. Therefore people want to repeat it because it brings out positive feelings: a complete state of peacefulness.

NM: Does it take a lot of time to learn and is it hard to integrate into daily routine?

BR: It does not take much time to learn and it’s an easily acquired skill. This is why we have TM® teachers to help others begin the sound mantra meditations over the course of four days so it’s imprinted into memory… Frankly no one has the time. But what’s the alternative? Stress destroys life and it’s toxic. If we make the time twice a day to meditate, the results are remarkable and deliver an inner-calmness, ease, peace and state of happiness. Every aspect of our health and mental wellness improves after meditation. Transcendental meditation protects and regenerates the body. It’s very cleansing and the feeling of awakening and resilience is very purifying.

For more information regarding Transcendental Meditation and where to locate a TM® teacher in your area: please visit their website at http://www.tm.org. Lastly, if you are a veteran or know a loved one that served and is in need of cost-free healing: The David Lynch Foundation also has a division, Operation Warrior Wellness (OWW), that serves veterans in need of healing. Donations to sponsor a veteran can also be submitted on their website.

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.

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Star Wars exhibit presented at ART on 5th in Texas

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“Battle of Endor” by Rodel Gonzalez.

A Star Wars artwork exhibition has made its way to Texas for the first time and will remain open to the public at ART on 5th in Austin until January 31, 2016. “The Art of Star Wars” features original paintings and hand-embellished giclees by four official Disney artists: James Coleman, Rob Kaz, Allison Lefcort, and Rodel Gonzalez. Portraying a star system from another dimension of space and time—like a parallel universe—the artists created cosmic artwork in their own individual style. The gallery also entails vintage posters from Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, and Japan. Posters and collectibles that once promoted the original Star Wars trio from the ’70’s and ’80’s. Partnering with Disney to bring this exhibit to Austin, every piece of art on display within “The Art of Star Wars” at ART on 5th is available for purchase.

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    Detailed image of R2D2 in “Train You Must” by Rodel Gonzalez.
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    “Lifting the X-Wing” by Rob Kaz.
  • “Battle of Endor” by Rodel Gonzalez.
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    “Captain Phasma” by Rodel Gonzalez.
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    “Vader and the Emperor” by Rodel Gonzalez.
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    Princess Leia on an original, vintage movie poster promoting “Return of the Jedi”.
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    “Battle of Endor” by Rodel Gonzalez.
  • “Train You Must” by Rodel Gonzalez.
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    Screenshot from original publication on Examiner.com.

“The Art of Star Wars” is a unique collective of mythological artwork. Reflecting stories of science fiction, magic and fantasy over a timeline that spans from the original three Star Wars films up to present day characters like Captain Phasma and BB-8. Guests may admire scenes and snippets from roaring intergalactic battles; explosions blazing from crossfire and torpedoes. Spaceships soaring in the sky and The Death Star looming like a gigantic, evil shadow. However, while the scenery and atmosphere in the artwork is booming with detail and fictional memories. The majority of this art gallery focuses on snapshots pertaining to the original characters and predominantly highlights their portraits and their stories: Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca, R2D2, C-3PO, Boba Fett, the Emperor, the Storm Troopers, and the Ewoks.

Befittingly, the four artists from Disney also place a great deal of emphasis on The Force and perhaps that is one of many reasons why the art exhibit is so powerful: a united energy of light and dark flowing from art piece to art piece.

The art gallery is not only enthralling for long-time Star Wars enthusiasts that adore “A New Hope”, “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”. The artists and their artwork bring the nostalgia, the history and the stories to life for guests that are unfamiliar with the previous movies or the books. There may only be captions to the art and there may not be any text, but the imagery helps tie all the pieces of numerous stories together. The art takes you along the adventure. Guests see the training and challenges of a Jedi—and the monsters and dictators of the dark side. The imagery helps guests identify the characters with their names—and it tells of the journey, the war and the life lived in space, on ice, the barren desert and the forest.

Located on 3005 South Lamar, admission to the gallery at ART on 5th is free of cost. Children and adults are welcomed to attend this exhibit; alluring fans of many generations. For more information regarding ART on 5th and their hours of operation, please call 512-481-1111 or visit their website at www.arton5th.com.

Note: This article was originally published on Examiner.com in January 2016.