Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2010 > February > 08
Monday, February 8, 2010
HomeAway Super Bowl Party at Molotov
While 200 or so guests pushed into the Molotov club on West Sixth Street for HomeAway’s Super Bowl Party, 25 employees held down the office fort. That’s because a commercial during the third quarter — HomeAway’s first of a kind — could have jammed their Web site if not carefully monitored.
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Steve Moreno and Jaime Dito
At Molotov, the mood was exultant. Guests dressed in costumes from the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” series. You see, the HomeAway ad was filmed like a trailer for a Vacation iteration — with Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo — sending TV watchers to the vacation rental listing’s site for a more complete mini-movie.
Emma, Brian and Chloe Sharples
I was forced to make a terrible confession: I’d never seen a “Vacation” comedy. Not one. I’m pretty sure I know the basic set-up. But even liking Chase and D’Angelo a lot, I never bothered. (I think I was deep into graduate studies back then.) So, a cultural Achilles Heel.
Toni Houghton and Amber Cope
That didn’t ruin the fun at Molotov. “It’s been stressful,” said HomeAway CEO Brian Sharples, cutting cake with his family. “But the media buzz alone is worth it.”
Stephanie Gutierrez and Patricia de la Garza
I’d guess the HomeAway crowd went 90 percent for the Saints. But they also were behind the ad and waited with just as much anticipation for the short commercial. Even though they grew comparatively hushed during the rip on bad hotel experiences, I couldn’t hear the dialog. So I’ll look it up online.
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Valentine’s Gala Presentation at Hilton Austin
I have not yet penetrated the inner sanctums of the tradition-encrusted Symphony Ball and its aristocratic presentations of princess debutantes. Nor have I journeyed into the heart of Old Austin’s Bachelor’s Club, which has presented available bluebloods to private audiences for decades.
Katie Jones and Henry Kittredge
Saturday, however, I delved into the much more democratic Valentine’s Gala Presentation benefiting Hospice Austin. This dignified event was launched in a private home, moved to the Renaissance Austin Hotel, then, this year, headed downtown to Hilton Austin.
Joanne Kemper and Laura Deskins
More than 100 high school seniors were slated for group presentations. Slender young women wore sleek red gowns. Upright young men looked dashing in tuxedos. Proud parents, siblings and friends also got gussied up, some mothers in demure versions of haute couture.
Kayla Kopp and Ryan Orton
Before entering the candlelit banquet room, the guests lingered in the sixth floor lobby. (Mostly) men gravitated to the HD screens to watch the Colts dominate the first quarter of the Super Bowl, then cheered when the Saints roared back in the second quarter.
Rick and Elise Schram
Why book a gala during the Super Bowl? One male guest said: “I didn’t make the connection until last week. But my daughter looks great and who would miss this?”
Elizabeth Lowrey and Patrick Brinkmann
Indeed, how many times does your son or daughter walk the stage to be presented to polite society? Some may think I’m being sarcastic, but I’m fascinated by these threads of tradition borrowed from European and East Coast culture. In our Open City, I’m rarely worried these rituals will be taken too seriously.
Ann Bauer and Marjorie Mulanax
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Rodeo Gala at Palmer Events Center
Rodeo is big in Austin. As proof, the Rodeo Gala is Austin’s biggest such charity event. “We expect to see 2,500 guests when all is said and done,” said grateful gala chairman and former Rodeo Austin president Gilbert Turrieta on Saturday.
EJ Lawless and Claire Vo
Wow. That’s two and one half times the size of the biggest meals I’ve joined lately — for Dell’s Children’s and Philanthropy Day, each in the 1,000-guest attendance range. One draw: Pricing is democratic. Only $700,000 gross was expected, however, compared to Dell Children’s $1 million mark.
Nicole Alberda and Tiffany Greer
Lots of black hats, plus a few white ones at the Palmer Events Center for the 2010 Rodeo Gala. Denim was OK. So were gowns and abbreviated tuxes. Just handling 2,500 people would challenge any event planner, but Rodeo Austin comes with some experience moving people — and livestock. Drink stations flanked the silent auction tables on the south side. Ten or more buffet lines, laden with barbecue and other delicacies, were set at angles against the north wall.
Kyle Ballarta and Allison Huth
One curiosity: The corral-style fencing used to designate the VIP sections. Guards with sensitive people skills were stationed to keep those from the other 200-plus tables from dancing in this area. (I guess you can only be so democratic.)
Stacy Looney and Christy Bowen
County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt sat at our table (No. 20), but we could only shout over the country sounds of Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros, warmups for headliner Dwight Yoakum. I heard, however, from my left-hand companions, Kurt and Kelly Bender, about the Tequila Club, the all-male group that historically built the rodeo’s leadership.
My right-hand companions were Jeff and Liz Carmack. Liz, a former journalist and author of “Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide,” has been commissioned to write a history of Rodeo Austin. What a delicious task! I hope rodeo leaders allow her to chronicle some of the road bumps along the way as well as the glories.
Mark Harrington, Megan Felker and Don Eckols
OK, yes, I’m a wuss. I left before Yoakum sang. I’m just not one for waiting and waiting and waiting. I’m sure he blew the roof off of Palmer. Remember, the rodeo is coming soon!
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