A Refreshing Walk Around Austin, TX at SXSW

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle.

It’s possible that I’m getting older. But after two days of the craziness of SXSW, I decided that I was going to walk. And walk. And walk. Being something of a country mouse, I’ve always been fascinated by cities–especially newer cities. So on my last day in Austin as a Cottonelle corespondent, I did three things: I put on my favorite dress, got my hair done, and I put on my walking boots (this is Texas, after all).

My hair was done courtesy of the Cottonelle Refresh Lounge. Which really was, as a concept, one of the coolest ideas I saw at the con when it comes to brand efforts. And I’m not just saying that because they brought me out there. Walking around the conference I saw lots of attempts from lots of brands to “stand out” from the crowd. But there were no other places that really offered a sense of, well, refreshment and relaxation like the Cottonelle Refresh Lounge. Not to mention awesome hair. And a place to recharge my phone.

The crowd was pretty impressive, and I was tired. So instead of muscling my way in, I took myself and my fabulous hair and I walked. I’m quite a fan of the Old West, and the buildings around Austin certainly didn’t fail to impress. As I meandered through the crowds and out I thought it might be interesting to share the one thing that most SWSXers weren’t sharing: the beautiful city that hosts such an amazing conference.

If you weren’t following me on Twitter or Instagram, you might have missed it. So I’m sharing the gallery below. It was, in a word, refreshing. When I returned for a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live and got ready to return to North Carolina, I was so glad I had a chance to experience Austin a little. Crazy cab rides with pugs in the passenger seat (which really happened) and adventures and all. I’ve got to say I was refreshed in more ways than I imagined, and I’ll always remember my trip to Austin, TX.