SXSW: F123 Austin’s top picks

Going to SXSW?  Here are F123’s top picks for the entire conference period.

Interactive
Fast Society House Party
Social butterfly?  You’re just in time for the Fast Society Party, who is launching an app     just in time for SXSW that helps you find your buds all over the city so you can meet in one place!  And with Patron as a sponsor, why wouldn’t you want to meet there?  And while you’re there, take a seat, F123 is providing all the furniture for the lounge area.

The Good Capitalist Party 3.12.11
We love the mission behind this party!  Their tagline “Can you really do good for the world and make a profit at the same time?” is something that F123 believes in.  We do our best to give back to the community that supports us, so meet the folks that make it their business to do that everyday.  Literally.  And the best part?  No badge needed.

Film
Reel to Reality: A Lights. Camera. Help Event
Can’t wait for the official festivities to begin?  Find yourself at the Reel to Reality party this Friday, 3/4 at Union Park and learn more about the Austin based non-profit that produces the world’s first ever cause driven film festival.  Convio is sponsoring drink tickets, so we suggest to get their early and grab ‘em!

Music
SXSW Auditorium Shores Stage Concert Series
What’s better than free live music?  Free live music with awesome bands that you actually want to see, that’s what!  For three days between March 17-19, free concerts in  the park with the city as its backdrop welcome the badgeless music fans.  We recommend Thuesday the 17th to see The Strokes on stage at 8:00 PM and Blue October March 18th at 8:00 PM.  But bands will be hitting the stage for a few hours, so check the website for showtimes, come early, bring a blanket, and enjoy an open air kind     if night in Austin.

See everybody out there!

SXSW Survival Guide: Getting ready for couch crashers

SXSW is almost upon us Austinities, which for many of you readers means extended houseguests!  Having house guests can be a stressful situation for you AND for your guests, so below are our SXSW tips to survive the month of March.

The best way to maximize and turn a room in to a multi-functional space?  Sleeper sofas!  Turn your living room in to a giant slumber party where guests can both sleep and relax between  those British bands that you’re New Yorker friends have been dying to see.  Immediately, when furniture buyers think of sleeper sofas, they think twice as expensive as a regular sofa, but at Furnish 123, our sleeper sofas are still low priced, at $649.

Below is our sleek and stylish Marietta sofa in Onyx, and yes, it really is $649.

As stressed as you are getting your space ready for your guests, remember, your guests are stressed too.  So here are two little things that you can do to make your guests just a little more at ease, and take the pressure off of you:

Tip 1: Decorative Pillows Make Guests Feel at Home

A couple of decorative pillows on the bed or couch go a long way to bring warmth and coziness to a room. Show your guests that the space they will be inhabiting will really be theirs during their time with you and literally toss your decorative pillows aside as you get them settled in.  A small gesture like that lets your guests drop their guard and truly relax.

The best part? If you come in and sign up for our email list at the store, you get two pillows for FREE!

One of the most stressful things about being a house guest happens when it’s time to take a shower.  Thoughts that may go through your mind:

Can I go ahead and take a shower?  When do they take a shower?  What about towels?  Are they in the bathroom or in the bedroom?  I don’t want to open up their cabinets to look for a towel!

Tip 2. Hang Towels Where Guests Can See Them —

Why not address these potentially stressful questions by not just showing your guests where the bathroom is, but by hanging their towels where they can see them.

Tip 3. Give Guests An Outline of Shower Times —

Can’t get off from work to join in on the SXSW fun?  Give your guests a quick outline of what time you typically leave for work and what time your shower time usually takes place.

Tip 4.  There’s no such thing as too much bedding —

Most people only have enough bedding for the number of beds they have in their home, but when house guests are involved, it never hurts to have extra in easy reach.  Accidents happen, and let’s face it, SXSW is notorious for party hopping.  After a long night, stomachs and that last open bar may lead to messy accidents, so have your extra bedding handy.  It’s not something you want to be caught without in the middle of the night!

Stop by F123 and pick up an extra set or two to avoid the midnight scramble.

The Furnish 123 family hope you and your guests enjoy the SXSW fun!