Jimmy Kimmel‘s gift to Austin keeps on giving. After a week of multiple restaurant meals, pie lunches, drinking games (Piñata!), and all-around culinary ambassadorship, Kimmel wrapped up his self-styled “No Meal Wasted” tour of Austin last Friday night by being wheeled out of the Long Center on a gurney with EMTs in attendance. Kimmel made nightly references to his Austin dining habits, checking out barbecue joints and taco stands, hip new eateries, and old-guard favorites. He joked about bringing several sizes of suits to wear as the week progressed, and though he didn’t weigh himself on camera, Kimmel did have his goofy sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez get on the scales as soon as the crew arrived in Austin on March 13. Guillermo tipped the scales at 192.4 lbs that night, and Kimmel pledged to donate $2,000 to local nonprofit Urban Roots for every pound Guillermo gained while they were in town. When Guillermo weighed in at 199.2 lbs during Friday night’s final Austin monologue, Kimmel announced that Urban Roots would receive $15,000. For readers who might not know, Urban Roots (www.urbanrootsatx.org) is a nonprofit that offers high school students the opportunity to learn all aspects of organic farming, from digging in the dirt to marketing and leadership skills. It’s as vital a component of our local food scene as any restaurant Kimmel visited, and he modestly failed to mention the other aspect of his generous donation to the worthy nonprofit. For the second year in a row, Jimmy Kimmel Live! arranged for Guitar Center to donate seven guitars, and each night, Kimmel’s guests for the evening signed one of the instruments. As of Friday, March 20, those guitars are being auctioned off on eBay, and Urban Roots will be the beneficiary of the proceeds of that auction. The last time we checked, a guitar signed by Bill Murray, Norman Reedus, and Steven Yeun and the one signed by Willie Nelson, Colin Hanks, and Alex Ebert were leading in the bidding. The auction offers photos and descriptions of each instrument, and the auction runs through Monday, March 30. Go to www.ebay.com/rpp/givingworks/kimmel-in-austin.
Mikaila Ulmer is a pint-sized Austin entrepreneur with a big personality and a wonderful beverage product. The 10-year-old businesswoman pitched her BeeSweet Lemonade on the episode of ABC’s Shark Tank that aired Friday, March 20. She was looking for investment funds to increase her product distribution to more Austin stores as well as the entire Southwest region of Whole Foods Markets. Mikaila and her dad, Theo Ulmer, went in offering a 10% share in the business for a $50,000 investment. While all the sharks loved the refreshing beverage made with flaxseed and local honey and were impressed with the young lady’s moxie, only Daymond John offered to make her a deal. His counteroffer included a $60,000 investment for 25% of the company, contingent on securing product distribution at an East Coast chain of convenience stores with which John is affiliated. Keep an eye out for Mikaila; she’s going places.
This article appears in March 27 • 2015.