I discovered a wonderful new app from creator Andrea Sanchez and her team at Beergr.am (yes that’s their website). BeerGram combines the functionality of Foursquare (checking in) with a mobile wallet type app that allows you to buy your friends beers even when you are not in the same bar, which is great at wide events like SXSW.

BeerGram is a free app to share and really connect during all of life’s moments, the good days, bad days or just because days. Now instead of just commenting on a particularly bad day or liking a moment in a friend’s life, you can send something small, inexpensive but meaningful. You can send them a beer, you can send them a craft beer!

So we decided to play 5 questions with Andrea. Here goes:

1. We love the concept behind the app, what inspired it?
Being connected with my friends from high school and college on real-time social applications left me frustrated. I felt connected to my friends but actually missed them more because I could now “see” them everyday and interact with them. I wanted to be able to do something for them when they had a bad day or just because I missed them. But, when you have not seen someone in years, what do you send? And besides WHAT to send, will my gift be considered odd or weird since it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other? Beer was the answer to me! I’m a huge craft beer gal and I wanted to send a beer to my friends so, ….BeerGram.

2. We know you are in Beta testing right now, any plans for expansion beyond Austin?
We are actually in a couple of bars in Houston already and will be adding more soon. While we are in our beta period we did limit the number of locations but will adding more in more cities as well! We have some great locations joining us before SXSWi.

3. How will we know when new bars/restaurants are added to our area?
BeerGram will begin blogging soon, www.beergr.am. We are going to run a spotlight on every location that joins our mission of spreading cheer with beer. In addition, the BeerGram news feed announces new locations that are added. But, you can always look by tapping the bar stools from the BeerGram app to see listed BeerGram locations.

4. Tell us about the integration with Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter.
Well, currently BeerGram is integrated with Facebook and Foursquare. We will be adding Twitter as well this month. You can sign up to BeerGram using Fb Connect or create a BeerGram account. BeerGram requests permission to share any BeerGrams you send or redeem. In addition, you can share a check-in via Fb and maybe a friend will send you a beer then and there to that location! Johnny on the Spot!

5. Any plans for SXSW?
Well, not officially yet but we are planning a fun bash with the wonderful ladies of BitchBeer!

There you have it! A great new way to socialize with friends over a beer! We’re really looking forward to trying it out at SXSW!

We here at The Baby! love Austin, SXSW, and well made Craft Beer. And we’d love to share all three with you!

So this year on the eve of SXSW we will be guiding you on the zymurgical delight that is Rainey Street in downtown Austin.

Imagine if you will, you are in town on the Thursday before all the madness ensues, you’ve picked up your badge at the Convention Center, and now there is nothing to do but wait.

Why not come out for a drink then? Rainey Street is a short walk from the Convention Center and is bustling with new bars opening all the time (one on our pub crawl isn’t even open yet as of this writing).

The Deets:

Thursday, March 7th from 5-9pm at the following bars:
5-6pm Bungalow at 92 Rainey St.
6-7pm Craft Pride at 61 Rainey St.
7-8pm Javalina at 69 Rainey St.
8-9pm Banger’s at 79 Rainey St.

We even have an app for it! We recently learned about Yapp and how it can be used to quickly make apps in under 10 minutes with no coding involved!

So, download the YappBox app, and our app within it using the link below! It will automatically let you know of any updates to the schedule!

SXSWBaby! Pub Crawl App

Today is the first of two Volunteer Calls (the second being next Tuesday 1/28) that SXSW uses to recruit volunteers to help run the annual festival and conference.

This year upwards of 3000 “minions” are needed to keep the wheels from falling off.

Volunteers can work on vaious crew from Stage crews for Music, Film Venue staff, Conference Access, and others. There is a minimum of 30 hours to earn a perk, and volunteers can earn wristbands, film passes or badge access.

And if you are out of town, SXSW can provide volunteer opportunutues for you as well.

For more info and to apply go here.

Once of our dietary staples last year was the “Java Monster Mornings” at the SXSW Registrant Lounge. sponsored by Monster Energy, it provided free Monster Java Energy Drinks and breakfast, deliciously prepared by Austin favorite Pink Avocado.

Unfortunately for both our caffeine addiction and our love for egg and bacon empanadas, this lounge isn’t on the schedule (yet).

FORTUNATELY for us, local chef Paul Qui of local dining spot Qui and owner of local food trailer spot East Side King trailers, will be “curating” a selection of gourmet food trucks right across from the Convention Center!

“Southbites” will be open to the public and will be operating all nine days of SXSW. No details yet on the menu or cuisines to be available, but we’re sure it will provide a nice alternative to the usual free lukewarm, picked-over BBQ to be found at most unofficial parties.

Bring your appetite, we will!

Well now that we here at the Baby! have gotten over our collective SXSW Hangovers, gone back to the real world, and found it lacking, we’re ready to get geared up for the next big thing at SXSW Eco!

Here are the key points:

To start off, get your Panel ideas submitted to PanelPicker by June 11th!

The deadline to register to attend SXSW Eco at the lowest rate is June 15th! At $195, it’s a HUGE bargain! Click HERE to register!

The 2012 SXSW Eco Opening Party will be hosted at the Blanton Museum of Art and will feature an open bar (yay!)

Look for more info as it becomes available here at the Baby!

We took the day today to explore the various and sundry lounges that are scattered about SXSW. It was entertaining, informative and fun. definitely worth taking time to get off the beaten path.

We explored the HP NVIDIA lounge on 6th, the Beacon, the Microsoft, and the Samsung Bloggers lounges in the Convention Center, and the Gemalto lounge in the Hilton.

There are many others, so step off the path, and explore!

As we did yesterday, here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Indie Game: the Movie (SXSchedule)
6:30pm The Canon Screening Room

• Play Werewolf like a Pro (SXSchedule)
2-6pm at Palm Park near the convention Center

• Panels
Can growing a moustache change the world (SXSchedule

• Parties
Film Opening Party at Buffalo Billiards, 10pm