Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2010 > August > 16
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday’s Social Rounds
Sunday began badly. Map problems. Car problems. Phone problems. Camera problems. Shopping problems. Nobody knows how deaf and blind I am without a functioning iPhone.
Kayla Williams, Jen Hoover and Shondi Pugh
The first respite was secured at a small baby shower for colleague Peter Mongillo and Becky D’Orsogna at the Travis Country home of Sarah and Jeff Beckham. Best overheard comment: “Yeah, I’m going with pink,” D’Orsogna says. “I know, I’m all women’s studies and gender neutrality, but pink for this baby.”
Monty Muir, Amy Martin and Matt Muir
Once I found it, the next oasis was the Zoolander Party at Jen Hoover’s cute Pearl Hair and Make-Up Studio at West Avenue and 29th Street. (Flying blind because of an overheated iPhone.) Everyone was darling, although, no, I didn’t put on a Zoolander wig and prop up one of the movie’s beloved lines. My favorite: “Obey my dog!” Although I’d alter it to: “Obey my blog!”
Three mistresses of celebrity and gossip: Laurie Lyons, Heather Brady and Dani Dudek
All the coursing around meant I missed the Recycled Fashion Show at AMOA. Later, I skipped the Fashion Most Wanted at the Belmont. Just, you know, the heat and the technical difficulties …
But new friends Ian Carrico and Carter Wilsford accompanied me to Cameron Lockley’s sizzling new Latin restaurant, La Sombra on Burnet Road. Now that cooled and smoothed out the day!
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Voodoo Cowboy Party at the Belmont
A few years back, social arbiter Stephen Moser invited me to a party. “It’s the most decadent date on Austin’s social calendar,” he vowed. I attended attorney and man-about-town Mark Mueller’s summer party at the Austin Music Hall. It was a delicious gathering. But hardly decadent.
Had I become unfairly jaded? Well, several Voodoo Cowboy parties later, and I’ve changed my tune. The summer fiesta at the Belmont on Saturday — though competing with Fashion Week’s Bright Lights Idea City, the Ice Ball and a key media star’s birthday party — came this close to a debauch. And true dissolution might have transpired after I departed.
Roberta Riley and Mark Mueller
The jungle theme crouched from the darkness of the Belmont patio, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting guests. Performers had painted skeletons on their bodies. Thundering drums pounded from the stage. Trays of tall tequila sunrises circulated like cheap party favors.
Amber and Jude Galligan
I’m surprised the place didn’t just erupt. A slight breeze helped keep things chill, at least on the upstairs deck. Still, one couldn’t escape the pulsating musical acts (Black & White Years at the time I left), fire dancers and body painters, several of the women joyfully topless. Complete strangers flirted outrageously.
Micah King and Ramzi Chitour
Despite all this happy chaos, I was able to engage in long conversations with model Laura Aidan and her husband, tech specialist Chris; do-righters Turk and Christy Pipkin, record producer David Messier (and, charmingly, his creative real estate broker); band manager Randy Miller; inveterate downtowners Amber and Jude Galligan.
Randy and Diane Miller with David Messier
Touched bases with La Moser; party host Mueller, brandishing his peacock cane; charity promoter Micah King; eatery owner Nilda de la Llata (El Sol y La Luna); former City Council candidate Perla Cavazos; TV’s Michelle Valles; Austin Film Society’s Rebecca Campbell; international music promoter Dave Dart; and countless others.
Michelle Valles with Turk and Christy Pipkin
Mark, I owe you an apology. Nobody in Austin can throw a party quite like you.
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Austin Social Agenda: Aug. 16-22
Presenting more than 100 events, Austin Fashion Week trumps all other social activities for next few days.
Tuesday, after a tiny VIP Party at Beyond Tradition, the public will gather for the “Shoe+Hat: Fashion+Art” showing at the Designer Clearance House. (1970 Stephen Sondheim lyric: “Does anyone still wear a hat?”)
Wednesday, Rebels Honky Tonk morphs into a rodeo carnival for a Fashion Week round-up. Earlier, one could drop by “Fashion for Compassion” at Bead It, or “Cupcakes, Cocktails, Makeovers & Fashion” at Lovely Austin Boutique. “Lights, Camera … Fashion!” invites the paparazzi to Touch of Sass/Jackson-Ruiz.
Thursday, West Second Street is the locus for parties such as “Get Nailed into Fashion Week,” which matches Beyond Tradition with designer Tracy Tenpenny (logo pictured), and BoConcept’s strangely punctuated “Mod (blank).” Others will join “A State of Fashion” on the steps of the Texas Capitol.
Saturday night is dominated by Austin Fashion Awards at the Long Center. Afterwards, we might squeeze out the last drops of the Aye Eye Ball at the Off Center, but not Que Maravilla way out at TDS Exotic Game Ranch.
Sunday, the Italian Festival returns to Laguna Gloria. Perhaps we’ll drop by the pre-party for the Brian Jones Celebrity Class Golf Tournament at the University of Texas Golf Club on the same day.
Not directly related to Fashion Week is the annual Studio 54 bash at Kiss & Fly on Friday. One stray daytime event: Cupcake Smackdown 2.0 at Le Cordon Bleu near the Domain on Saturday. Stay away from the cupcake canon.
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