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Nightlife
February 2, 2012
Profile: Mia Washington
Serving as emcee for the evening, Austin’s most social city council member, Mike Martinez, convincingly impersonated an early rapper.
Draped in vintage fashion, youngish guests paid tribute to Pat Benatar, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, among other 1980s pop sensations, hoping to win prizes for best costume and best dancing.
Filling the Parish nightclub on East Sixth Street, they writhed well into the evening, almost as if designer drugs were fueling this nostalgic New Wave Ball. (They were not.)
In fact, Buffalo N.Y.-born Mia Washington, 44, works for one of Austin’s most serious charities. The Austin Children’s Shelter, beneficiary of the New Wave Ball, provides protection and care for children and young adults through emergency shelter care.
“We’re the place where the healing begins,” Washington likes to say. This director of special events knows, however, that a social affair to raise money for a critical nonprofit should not hit their guests over the head with the cause.
She recommends a well-crafted video, upbeat, to tell the charity’s story. A live speech is optional. Neither should exceed three minutes.
“People don’t want to hear talking,” she says. “If they came to your event, they want to support you. They also want to have a good time.”
The oldest of five — with four younger brothers — seems born to lighten the collective mood.
“I was fun, loud and playful,” she remembers of life with father Walter Louis Sims, who owned restaurants, and mother Sharon Ann Sims, a bookkeeper, both from Buffalo but now longtime residents of Portland, Ore. “How I am now is how I was as a kid.”
Washington changed schools several times, finishing her secondary education at suburban Pomona High School in Arvada, Colo. College was hit or miss, but she’s still determined to finish her communications degree from St. Edward’s University.
She studied music, dance, art and, being the eldest, learned to be responsible for others. Perhaps because her parents were self-made business people, she learned to shine while applying for her very first job in retail.
“I wanted to be at the mall. I wanted to buy clothes and see my friends,” she says. “My father coached me for job interviews. ‘Shake their hands and say ‘“When do I start?”’ When the interview was done, I yelled it ‘WHEN DO I START?’ By the time I got home, they hired me.”
Washington later did office work — always with plenty of people around — and eventually landed a job with the Urban League in Portland, Ore. during the early 1990s.
“That’s where I fell in love with nonprofits,” she says. “I loved what I did and that what I did directly affected somebody. Somebody ate because of what I did. Somebody got better because of what I did.”
She followed leader Herman Lessard to Austin when he became the CEO of the regional chapter.
“I knew nothing of Texas,” she confesses. “New Yorkers have a poor perception of Texas.”
By now she was a single mother. Azia Washington, 20, currently studies dance at Tyler Junior College.
“She’s most phenomenal thing I’ve ever produced,” she laughs. (Washington intersperses any conversation with generous laughter.)
A corporate gig in marketing and event planning ended in an untimely lay-off, but Washington landed on her feet with the United Way, the St. Ed’s. She’s been with the children’s shelter for six years.
Among her duties are planning the big annual events. Besides the New Wave Ball (Feb. 24 at Speakeasy nightclub), there’s Fashion for Compassion (March 23); a golf tournament (September) and the grown-up gala (Nov. 3).
Meanwhile, she’s the channel for third-party fundraisers — from lemonade stands to bike races — that benefit the shelter. She ensures that the gatherings are legitimate and ethical, fitting with the children’s shelter brand.
“It’s very valuable revenue stream,” Washington says of these grassroots affairs.
She dreamed up the New Wave Ball as a way to recruit new leaders.
“I started looking at events like the White Party (for LifeWorks) and others that were geared to a young demographic,” she says. “There’s a lot of young wealth here.”
Her formula for an effective fundraiser is deceptively simple, but as your social columnist an attest, not so easy to achieve.
“You’ve got to have good food, good drink and good people,” she says. “Having the right people there makes the difference. Then a good theme. A gala is a gala. A dinner is a dinner. Everybody does that. My job is to put the ACS flavor on our events.”
She works through volunteer committees, social media and other networking tools to get those people to the event. Even when things go reasonably well, there are no social guarantees.
The first New Wave Ball, with its campy ’80s theme, could have been the last one. Set in an awkward, bifurcated hotel space, it offered an over-abundance of food and cramped dance floor.
“The first one happened quickly,” Washington says. “I had to fight a bit to have the ball happen again. But the concept was good. Nobody else was doing that. The elements were there.”
In 2011, the ball moved to the Parish, a big, friendly, upstairs room best known for its superior acoustics. Media judges returned — I was one, not in costume, mind you — and many of the problems were fixed. Even so, emcee Martinez was forced to shout out raffle numbers to a distracted crowd and the wait for the prize announcements lasted way too long.
“You always need to get feedback,” Washington says. “Whether you like it or not. And you have to weigh it. We are still tweaking it.”
Like a stage director, Washington imagines what her guests will experience in advance. “People are sensory-oriented,” she says. “I try to be a guest and walk through it as a guest. What do they see? What do they hear? What do they smell? To me, that builds it all up.”
At Speakeasy, guests will be greeted with event lights, banners and several DeLorians on Congress Avenue.
“How they are received at the door sets the tone,” says Washington, who stations seasoned greeters near the reception table and directs refreshments to the guests before they even mingle. She also includes children at shelter events — not clients — to remind people subliminally of the charity’s mission.
“You tell your story when people don’t know you are telling it,” Washington says. “And if you tell the sad part, you also must tell the good. There’s got to be an upside.”
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January 24, 2012
Rattle Inn Preview Party
Live music is back — big time — on West Sixth Street. Monday, the Rattle Inn opened with a grand party that included a set by Asleep at the Wheel, co-owner Ray Benson’s act and pretty much the house band. Media and local celebrities rubbed elbows, as all three of the club’s spaces filled to the delight of Benson and his partners, Kevin Williamson and Matt Luckie.
Kevin Williamson and Ava Late
Luckie and Williamson are old nightlife hands, having opened their share of bars, clubs and restaurants in multiple entertainment districts. They were still putting finishing touches on the Texas-themed joint — comic murals, stuffed game, rattlesnake-skin-like banquettes, envisioned by designer Joel Mozersky — when the first guests arrived.
Michelle Valles and Jennifer Ransom Rice
Three distinct spaces allow customers a range of experiences. The heart of the place is a high-ceilinged ballroom with stage and enough floor space for a bit of dancing. The side bar feels more like a club house, filtered through an ironic sensibility about the Old West. Then there’s the immense rooftop deck, giving out to expansive views of the downtown skyline.
Eddie Safady and Olga Campos
Roof decks are in — I can think of at least 11 downtown — and this is among the most impressive, though it might get hot up there facing south and west during summer afternoons. Roof decks are for nights.
We ran into dozens of social regulars, but spent most of the time catching up with our dear friend Sean Massey, whose stepmother, collector and artist, Pat Brown, passed away from cancer early Monday. Her memorial will be delayed until the spring, so friends can converge on Austin from around the world.
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January 22, 2012
Hitting the high spots on an Austin Saturday
What an evening. It started at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza next to Highland Mall. I arrived expecting the Firefighters Ball. No sign of it. The desk clerk informed me that male strippers were performing in one ballroom. Not the right event. Turned out that the actual Firefighters Ball, which raises money for scholarships, returns to the same hotel on Feb. 8.
Sandy Abel and Steve Redman
So I slowly headed down to West Sixth Street to cover the opening of an exhibition at Lytle Pressley Contemporary. Lytle Pressley surged ahead of the curve a few years ago, selling high-end, high-design furniture. His new shop — next to his old shop — includes less expensive pieces, say $1,200 for a sleek desk, although one can purchase another desk for three times that price.
Gina Brezini Michele Golden
Pressley has segregated the fine art — always a part of his mix — to a large, long, separate gallery. Folks pressed into this space to view the luscious — almost voluptuous — mixed-media wall art of Bulgarian ex-pat Gina Brezini. I spent some time with Brezini, now based in New York City. She gathers photos, leaves and other objects and drenches them with a shiny resin for a highly polished finish. First-nighters I talked to also really liked her deep, radiant colors.
William Grieder and Hana Bakkar
It was time for another function and Facebook Events came to the rescue. It pointed me to a benefit for Colin’s Hope, the group that promotes water safety in memory of the late Colin Holst. The Best Day Ever Bash combined many of the elements of any Austin benefit, including live music, silent auction and a slew of people just enjoying themselves.
Will Reedy and Rachel Villanueva
It took place at Empire Automotive Warehouse, the open-air venue next to Sidebar on East Seventh Street. It’s not quite La Zona Rosa, but you get the idea. Love the adaptive reuse of any urban general utility space.
Michelle Marshall and Minh Tran
Talked with some of the supporters, several of whom were young parents whose concerns were clear: That everyone learn to swim and inculcate the lessons of water safety. Jan. 28, Olympians Brendan Hansen, Kathleen Hersey and Garrett Weber-Gale are hosting Colin’s Hope Got2Swim Clinic is for kids ages 7 and up at Nitro Swimming (Bee Cave).
Mark and Amy Brady
Time for another event. Earlier in the day, former State Rep. Diana Maldonado invited me to her birthday salute at Maria Maria. Several other legislators planned to attend. I arrived at the Carlos Santana-themed restaurant and bar just before 9 p.m.
The place was overrun. It felt like a California crowd, with a lively mix of patrons, many in their twenties and thirties. As I explored, it turns out Maria Maria is much larger than I had remembered, including three distinct rooms and two crush bars. Glad to see that business is booming.
But no Maldonado. I waited a while. Then realized I could wish her the best later. We see each other periodically. And so I headed home.
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January 9, 2012
Nona Niland Zero to 60 Party at the W Austin
Dr. Nona Niland has affected so many lives, it is no wonder so many showed up for her surprise 60th birthday party at the W Austin.
The co-founder of Pharmaco, the Austin drug-testing company, is always at the forefront of worthy causes, including the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Long Center, People’s Community Clinic, Center For Public Policy Priorities and the Niland Foundation.
Nona Niland and Arthur Andersson
The party was arranged by her companion, David Braun, who was gracious enough to invite Niland’s college boyfriend. Braun enjoyed the help of several socially alert friends, who made sure she was kept in the dark about the assembled masses.
Sylvia Acevedo and Janet Osimo
I arrived very early to find one wall of the W Austin’s bar adorned with images of Niland as if rendered by Andy Warhol. Another wall showed photographs of her, confirming that she has been striking and poised since childhood.
Ely Garcia and Alyssa Carper
As folks filtered in for the 6:15 p.m. “reveal,” one couldn’t help noticing how broadly the guest list reflected the community, or at least the engaged part of it. That list included state Rep. Elliott Naishtat, George T. Elliman, Dan Bullock, Annette DiMeo Carlozzi, Arthur Andersson, Dr. John Hogg, Lisa Jasper, Quincy Adams Erickson, Stephen Nagle, Sylvia Acevedo, Nina and Frank Seely, Ken Lambrecht and Bill McLellan.
All the best, Nona.
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January 8, 2012
Twelfth Night, Russian Christmas and Will Klemm
Twelfth Night was a pagan festival adapted by the Christian church to celebrate the Epiphany and, in the West, the visitation of the Magi. Though discouraged after the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, some Christians retained the feast day’s carnival atmosphere inherited from the Roman Saturnalia.
In this pagan tradition of social misrule, University of Texas English professor and Shakespeare scholar Bob Twombly and his wife, Sheila Twombly, threw a Twelfth Night party in their small Harris Park area home. When they moved a few blocks away to a big-boned 1934 house on Bellevue Place — it had belonged to the distinguished Cavness family — the party moved with them.
Sheila and Bob Twombly mock New Gingrich as newt phases
It attracted mostly UT faculty who relished the chance to dress up in elaborate costumes and tweak social and political conventions. That was at least 40 years ago (although Bob Twombly told me the party dates back 44 years).
Thomas Moe and Cass Grange
It continues under the aegis of the next generation, which includes son Thomas Twombly, president of Lucien, Stirling & Gray Advisory Group and a prominent St. Stephen’s Episcopal School alum, and his wife, Dana Twombly, a real estate agent with Turnquist Properties. They purchased the big house from his parents in 2002 and, at the insistence of neighbors, preserved the party tradition.
Paul Andries, Thomas Twombly and Kelly Twombly
The costuming and commentary have not flagged — Bob and Sheila Twombly came as different phases of an amphibious newt in mockery of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. The Saturnalian aspect has, however, evolved with the character of the next generation and their friends. One IBM employee, for instance, begged me not to photograph her as a French maid accompanied by a man portraying accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Wise.
Duncan Hopson and Aek Sommai Jekaram
Lovely to see such a tradition honored, nonetheless, just up the hill from the onetime site of Eeyore’s Birthday Party, started in 1963 by another UT English professor, Lloyd W. Birdwell, Jr.
While the Twelfth Night Party turned 40 (or more), the Russian Christmas Party hit its 10th anniversary, just blocks away in Hemphill Park at the home of the Austin Wine Guy Rob Moshein and website designer Bob Atchison. (Their Russian Easter Party is now 18 years old. Keep those traditions alive!)
Alex Andrawes and Graham Schmidt
For those who have not seen their collection of Russian Imperial art and memorabilia — inside the stucco house that once belonged to the Rather family — it’s an endless wonder. They serve traditional Russian food and the guests are always captivating.
Eileen Gill and Kevin Pruitt
Two in particular raised new conversational themes: Retired UT Press director Joanna Hitchcock and San Francisco visitor Albert Bartridge, who seemed to know everyone important in the city by the bay, but also some European royalty, which fit the party theme nicely.
Joanna Hitchcock and Albert Bartridge
Even earlier in the evening, I dropped by the Wally Workman Gallery to check in on Will Klemm’s opening. Klemm is the popular landscapist who refused to march in lockstep with his peers. He always injects a bit of mystery into his idealized views.
Catherine Mears and Will Klemm
He and his guests were in high spirits. We talked of his house over in the Guadalupe neighborhood down the way from architect Emily Little and also the French Legation (which is more important? I vote for Little).
Kathy Pong and Eve Norris
Also ran into the bewitching Sara Fox and her kits, Kate, Nick and Molly Fox.
Kate, Sara, Nick and Molly Fox
Never too early to expose the pups to good art.
Correction: In an earlier version of this story, the name Cavness was misspelled.
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December 17, 2011
The seasonal swoosh of socializing
The holiday parties are winding down for family time. …
The Commodore Perry Estate reopened with more than a little panache. Pale floral arrangements set off the dark interior paneling. Tables offered salty and sweet bites. Bartenders poured wine and scotch. A good 150 people wandered from grand room to grand room, then out under a tent and into the garden. I imagine there was not much outdoor activity the next night, when a second party was visited by soaking rains. …
Matt Neas and Alex Winkelman
Two parties rattled 816 Congress Avenue this week. The first served as a housewarming for Texas Monthly magazine on the 17th floor. The lustrous and orderly offices made most newsrooms look like “Hoarders.”
Caroline Fabacher and Evan Phelps
Another night, an equal number of dignitaries and social hounds hit the annual holiday party at the Law Office of Becky Beaver on the 16th floor. Both affairs sparked livelier than usual chats with guests. …
Elaine Garza, Kathy Casey and Amy Barbee
White Ghost Shivers has rewarded my loyalty since I first heard this vaudevillians at the Broken Spoke ages ago. They are serious musicians who have serious fun with a dark sort of early-century jazz. The recently released the CD “Nobody Loves You” for an adoring agglomeration at Antone’s, preceded by the East Side Dandies, who play 1920s music as if it were composed today, and Whiskey Shivers, fiddling up a storm as fans got so excited, they nearly formed a mosh pit. Swing dancers took advantage of the Dandies, whipping out historically informed moves I’d never seen outside of a movie musical. …
Allen Beuershausen and Paula Biehler
Dropped by soon-to-boom Rattle Inn, another Kevin Williamson project, sandwiched between his Ranch 616 and Star Bar. The place is as big as several barns, partitioned into a handy bar and a dance hall, with an enormous, vaulted rooftop patio. You can see it from West Sixth Street. The elevated arrangement showcases the skyline, as do the upper bars at nearby Molotov, the Ranch and the transplanted 219 West. …
Lauren Ford Smith and Elena Garcia
Seeking a quiet, out-of-the-way spot for lunch on a cold day? The the cafe at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center makes killer soups and sandwiches, as well as other hearty fare. Met former KMFA jock Rich Upton there for a far-ranging conversation that included a little reminiscing about Austin theatrical producers from the past. Quite a collection of outsized characters that was!
Jacob Stetson and Stratton Hrncir
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December 16, 2011
Nightlife update: Wes, Chad & Brad Womack + Jason Carrier
They don’t own and operate the most bars in Austin. That distinction likely goes to Mike Yassine, the nightlife entrepreneur who is currently redeveloping the former 219 West slot on West Fourth Street. That will put 10 local nightspots on his tab.
Their collective Q Factor can be attributed to Brad Womack’s double appearance on the fantasy/reality show “The Bachelor.” To confirm what is already widely known, the exceedingly polite and patient identical twin of Chad Womack long ago stopped dating contender Emily Maynard and says he’s “happily single.”
More to the point, the Carmack team — the company combines the foursome’s last names — opened their first bar 10 years ago. Along the way, they have matured. Three are married with children. And they’ve watched Austin’s nightlife scene evolve as they grew up.
At this time a decade ago, the four bartenders — an undeniably handsome bunch — decided that their first business, set in the former Lucy’s nightspot, should employ the image of a lovable animal. The monkey won out.
“Who doesn’t love a monkey?” Carrier asks, rhetorically. Thousands of T-shirts later …
Chuggin’ Monkey opened in early 2002, put together with “credit cards and Home Depot paint.” “We already had a following,” Carrier says. “So we knew could fill the bar with people.”
Carmack hit it big when another reality show, MTV’s “Real World: Austin,” parked its rowdy cast at their next venture, the Dizzy Rooster, across East Sixth Street from their first bar. That won them national exposure to the street’s core constituencies: tourists and college kids.
What made the concept work was the team’s personal attention to each customer and employee, a novelty in an entertainment district where most of the clubs are owned by rarely seen investors.
Years later, when their slightly older and better-heeled customers migrated to West Sixth Street, the foursome followed by purchasing and reviving the anchor club, Molotov.
“Our customers had graduated,” Brad Womack says. “Literally and figuratively.”
“You turn around and one day you’re too old for East Sixth Street,” Carrier says.
Not that they abandoned their original stomping groups, the much-maligned but still vibrant and vital East Sixth.
“We’ve never seen East Sixth like it is now,” Wes Womack. “It’s all out-of-towners.”
“A lot of people refer to it as Dirty Sixth,” Chad Womack says. “That makes us grit our teeth.”
Seeking something even classier on West Sixth, in 2010 they built, from the ground up, their crowning achievement to date: Dogwood. Inspired by the Womacks’ native Atlanta, the low, lean hospitable club opens onto a spacious patio that remains fairly full from early in the evening until late at night.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Chad Womack says. “We put our heart and soul into this place.” Not all Carmack concepts stood the test of time. They ventured onto West Fifth Street with the Marq, the Red River district with the Velvet Spade and tried a third East Sixth Street bar, the Thirsty Nickel. All are gone.
Now the club group is taking the Dogwood concept to midtown Houston, where it will attempt to please urbanites not far from that city’s outpost of Tyson Cole’s Uchi. (Is everybody watching Uchiko’s Paul Qui on “Top Chef”? We are shamelessly hooked.)
As East and West Sixth streets nightlife begin to converge, and the Rainey Street area, far East Sixth Street, Warehouse District, Convention Center cluster and Second Street District spin off in related orbits, the Carmack team is watching the fast-changing opportunities on spokes like South Congress Avenue, South First Street and South Lamar Boulevard.
“We love seeing how each entertainment district has a demographic all its own,” Chad Womack says. “Yet all of them seem to be doing well.”
“Everybody has a place to go,” Brad Womack says.
Even Dogwood gets clogged with the dating crowd, so the partners are looking for another fresh concept.
“And as we get older, we see the need for a more and more sophisticated place to buy a drink,” Carrier says.
“The economics of Austin nightlife are changing, too,” Chad Womack says. “There’s a level of accountability that wasn’t there when we were maxing out our Home Depot cards to open the first bar.”
“At one point, you could get away with just opening a bar,” Wes Womack says. “Now you have to provide an experience.”
Having four full partners means that each one can rotate out from the crash-and-burn nightlife industry, even to appear on a reality show.
“It would have eaten me alive, so we are lucky to have this dynamic,” Brad Womack said. “We are still having the time of our lives.”
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 13, 2011
Commodore Perry Estate opens
A prediction: Within the next few years, virtually every Austin charity will throw a party at the newly revitalized Commodore Perry Estate at East 41st and Red River streets.
So, too, scores of brides and grooms dreaming of a picture-perfect wedding will vie to make their vows among the estate’s terraces, gardens and fountains.
The pièce de résistance is a rescued formal garden ringed by graceful esplanades. A restored, Gothic-inspired chapel — attention brides! — is available for rental, while a half-dozen surrounding structures await either renovation or demolition.
Party hosts also need support spaces. The mansion houses a large kitchen complex that will undergo a more complete renovation when the owners, led by developer and filmmaker Clark Lyda, put in a proposed culinary center and restaurant. Nearby sit rooms once occupied by six live-in servants.
Informal parking is available on the estate’s lowlands near the headwaters of Waller Creek. Some of that land is slated for urban gardens.
Finally, hosts want character. The Italian Renaissance Revival mansion is loaded with character, historical and otherwise.
This week, two invitation-only parties reintroduce the estate to Austinites.
Some guests will remember the cluster of buildings as a school. Since the 1940s, the former home of Edgar Howard “Commodore” Perry and his wife, Lutie Perry, housed St. Mary’s Academy (the city’s oldest parochial school), Holy Cross High School, Christian Academy of Austin, Town-Country School, Sri Atmananda Memorial School and the Griffin School. Several microscopic schools currently employ the estate’s classroom building and former bowling alley.
Tall, thin and bespectacled, Lyda looks like an architect and speaks with arid wit about the project that has captured his imagination for decades. He actually attended school on the grounds in the 1970s.
“I had a strange fixation with this real estate,” says Lyda, who, with business partners, once owned the disorienting Austin Opera House complex in South Austin, and still maintains the Monument Cafe and Monument Market in Georgetown. “It’s an odd duck. … Everything is off-kilter.”
A wealthy cotton trader who made his fortune in Taylor and Austin, Edgar Perry — not to be confused with the early American naval leaders — was determined to enjoy his adoptive city and make it better. From the Austin Country Club, now Hancock Golf Course (which once included the land where Hancock Center now sits), Perry noticed an old gravel pit across the street.
He first built decorative stone walls around it and turned the enclosed land into sunken gardens that Lyda and crew excavated, saving or rebuilding the brick walks, fountains and walls. Later, an adjacent dairy farm was added to the property.
The 1928 hilltop mansion, designed by Dallas architect Henry Bowers Thompson, looks like a cross between an English country home and an Italian villa. There, the Perry family entertained Austin’s prominent civic and business leaders, some cultivated through the Austin Club, which Edgar Perry founded.
One story puts a young Congressman Lyndon Johnson in a meeting with Perry and Austin Mayor Tom Miller at the mansion to confirm Perry’s role as head of the new Austin Public Housing Authority, among the first of its kind in the nation.
In 1944, the Perry family moved into the Driskill Hotel when the estate became too unwieldy for an aging couple. Lyda tells of a spoiled, freewheeling adult Perry son whose rooms inside the mansion outstripped his father’s. One can only imagine the scandalous rumors that raced up and down the back stairs, miniature elevator and handy dumbwaiter.
The upstairs rooms will not be open for this week’s parties, but no matter. The walnut-paneled, oak-floored public spaces — the renovations were overseen by architect John Volz — are quite welcoming and opulent enough.
One particular addition to the complex is a long way from re-opening: A midcentury hall formerly clad in glass that served as a school library and someday could become a restaurant.
The first wedding is scheduled for February. To that bride and groom: “mazel tov!” You are now part of history.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Nightlife, Style
December 11, 2011
People's Community Clinic, Four Seasons Residences, Drink Local, Second Bar & Kitchen, Womack brothers, Longhorns basketball, Pink Panther Party, Zilker cottage
Back to three dots …
The penthouses at the W Austin are just what one might suspect: As swank as the lower condos, but with considerably more space and head room. My first visit to one came thanks to the People’s Community Clinic’s young leadership group, which mixed there merrily. Various leaders made short, impassioned speeches about the Austin charity that provides health care to the needy. Casey Chapman Ross seems particularly promising among the leaders …
Adam Longley and Ana Perkins
Another furnished model opened in the Four Seasons Residences. Super-classy designer Fern Santini introduced the concept to me, among the guests speaking several languages (such is the cosmo club in the clouds). Complementing the Italian mod furniture were heady works of art by Central Texans, including the fascinating Karen Hawkins, about whom I plan to learn more …
Melissa Martinez, Ociel Trevino and Bianca Flores
In just a few short years, Edibile Austin has thoroughly colonized Austin. Thanks Marla Camp, the publication — one of more than 60 nationally — has given succor to the locovore movement. During its popular Eat Drink Local Week, an event that could not have happened just a few years ago, Drink Local matches local distilleries with mixologists competing to make the most potable cocktail with local ingredients. It attracted a crowd, average age 30, to the AT&T Center that seemed as interested in the hot food as the cool drinks …
Tara Hurley and De Olagundoye
Lunched with prosecutor Rick Cofer at Second Bar & Kitchen, which is becoming something of a see-and-be-seen spot there at Congress Avenue and Second Street. Our conversation was off the record, but we both love politics, history and Austin, so you can very well guess. Spied among the luncheoneers Samantha Davidson, Dave Shaw, Elaine Garza, Kathy Blackwell and others …
Fern Santini and Barrett Morgan
The Womack brothers — Brad, Chad and Wes — along with business partner Jason Carrier opened up their West Sixth Street clubs to a long conversation about Austin nightlife. We talked about the ebb and flow of revelers among the city’s entertainment districts and the planned opening of an outpost for their Southern urbane Dogwood club concept in midtown Houston. Expect a longer report on our ramblings soon. …
Michael Wilson and Patrizio Chiarparini
Absolutely riveting was a panel discussion of the park-keeper’s cottage in Zilker Park at the Austin History Center. Three past inhabitants of the cottage recounted their days in the park since the early 1930s! Thanks to Kim McNight for assembling the research on floods, farms and phantom fires and for bringing together the park families. (The cottage will now serve as park rangers’ headquarters.) Again, expect a much longer report soon. …
Chris Pellegrino and Karen Hawkins
Jack and Carla McDonald’s Pink Panther Party brought out the top socials to their West Austin digs. If you are ever invited to this thematic holiday party — the theme changes each year — go, go, go. You’ll make friends you never knew existed. The food, drink and entertainment are impossible to beat. I relaxed and enjoyed. No further report. …
Kerri Poe and Lauren Bennett
Facebook and Twitter followers know I’ve been trying to convince somebody to accompany me to Longhorn games. I love sports and want to report more regularly on the social scenes at games.
David Cotshott and Dasha Yegorova
Though no huge sports fan, tech whiz Ian Carrico accompanied me to a Longhorns basketball game. We arrived around halftime and then watched the men demolish UT-Arlington. The play was wild, sloppy, weird and fun. I suspect the team will tighten up. The crowd rarely got into the action and started leaving way too early for my tastes. Ah well, a million more games to go.
Crystal and Justin Esquivel
Permalink | | Categories: Business, Charity, City, Food, Law, Music, Nightlife, Sports, Style
November 19, 2011
Tips on holiday entertaining
A tall doorman in full livery salutes the guests as they arrive. A fetching young woman passes out candy cigars and cigarettes. A jazz band plays an improvised nightclub with crowded cabaret tables and brightly colored drinks.
That’s perfectly OK. (The couple is following up this year with a Pink Panther-themed party. Anyone got a long, thin, pink scarf to spare?)
For the next month or so, families and close friends will socialize intimately over meals, games and gifts.
Colleagues and companions will gather in the glow of pubs, eateries and social halls (the office party is almost extinct, thanks to liability concerns).
Still others will brave the dance clubs and hotels for organized celebrating, especially on New Year’s Eve, which my former coworker Michael Corcoran liked to call “amateur night,” in part because those bacchants unaccustomed to public socializing tend to, well, overdo.
We offer a few simple tips for hosts and guests during this season of heightened socializing.
A. Go easy on the seasonal theme. Not everyone wants to dress up. Or carol. Or come as a character from “Frosty the Snowman.” These are not reasons to avoid a thematic strategy altogether.
“Great themes provide a unifying context for all elements of an event — from the invitation you send to the stamp you use to the food you to serve to the music you play — that results in a party that makes sense, but is also full of surprise,” says writer, businesswoman and activist Carla McDonald, who judiciously edited her Stork Club soiree last year. “But there is always a danger in interpreting themes too literally. Evocative interpretations are generally more interesting than literal ones.”
B. Timing is everything. Never too early. Never too late. Only the reincarnation of Truman Capote could make a case that true tardiness is fashionable. For those throwing holiday parties for guests outside the immediate neighborhood, do not start the shindig during Austin rush hour.
“Hate 6 p.m. Domain parties,” says photographer Jonathan Garza. “It’s like I have to leave at 4:45 p.m. to make sure I’m not late.” Also, unless your guests are in their early twenties, end before the clubs close.
C. Don’t tack on events. Trust your social columnist on this one: Progressive parties aren’t really as fun as they sound. Stay where you are for the evening. Otherwise, all your time is spent saying “hello” and “goodbye.” Stay out of the car if you’ve had even a little to drink. It’s just not worth the trouble.
D. That said, sparkling wine makes a nice gift. We are not big on personalized host gifts, which are for people with the time to scrapbook or make custom decorations. (Martha Stewart we are not.) Instead, before the season commences, we purchase a couple cases of good, but far from expensive gift wine.
Our current favorite on the dry end is the New Mexico-grown Gruet Blanc de Blancs ($20 a bottle, less with case discounts). Another surprising winner is the similarly priced Costo Kirkland-label Champagne (from Manuel Janisson in the Champagne region of France).
E. Make everyone feel welcome. Hosts, position yourself or a stand-in near the door (livery not required). Greet everyone briefly but warmly.
Provide an array of food and drink choices. “Include casually labeled options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free guests,” adds Austin writer Dean Lofton. “Since dietary restrictions are often health related, it can be a buzz kill to discuss them at a party while trying to discern the ingredients of a dish.”
If you really want to help out those guests happen to be parents: “Make it kid friendly by having indoor and outdoor activities and hire a babysitter to help the host out,” says Shuronda Robinson, president of Austin’s Adisa Communications.
F. Talk to everyone. This may seem overwhelming, but the point of a party is the people, not the food or drink or entertainment. Wander around the margins. Go outside, if that’s an option. Move away from the natural magnetic core of the event, usually the kitchen or dining room. After touching base with everyone you know, introduce yourself to strangers.
If you are a host, introduce guests to other guests with conversation starters. If you can afford it, hire help to free you up for socializing. “This party is for you too,” says Austin Fashion Association’s Connie Bakonyi. “Splurge on the help so that you can enjoy yourself and ensure your friends meet each other and have a great time.”
G. Make a toast. What sets the holidays apart is a sense of occasion. It’s not a wedding, birthday or anniversary, but, as a social tribe, you’ve made it through another year. Honor that occasion with a few public comments, sans a long list of thanks.
“Make sure you stop the action,” says Austin psychologist Albert Cantara. “Something that brings everyone together for a just few moments. This makes it personal and acknowledges the real reason guests were invited and decided to attend.”
In other words, savor the moment with the people you chose to share the holiday.
Photo by Mimi Klasson
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
November 13, 2011
The social impact of a UT System move
The possible relocation of the University of Texas System headquarters out of downtown presents Austin with some tempting social options.
The system may move its 500 employees from a cluster of office buildings along Colorado, Lavaca, West Sixth and West Seventh streets. Among the potential new spots are the Brackenridge Tract, Pickle Research Campus, Mueller Development and University Park. Officials believe they could save up to $3 million a year on updated facilities.
Currently, it’s a dead zone, especially at night. Facing West Sixth are two handsome Beaux Arts buildings that have served many purposes over their lifetimes. Yet they are completely uninviting at the street level.
Behind them on West Seventh rises a modest, modern, but no less chilly tower. A graceful plaza built around a low fountain unites these elements visually on the northwest corner of Colorado and Sixth.
What if the historic structures were to become boutique hotels with signature restaurants and bars, backed up by dense residences over the current parking lots? That would almost complete the link between the rowdier East Sixth and the increasingly livelier West Sixth, especially if hot new eateries also go into the ground level of the sleek McGarrah Jessee building on the intersection’s southeast corner.
Pedestrians, especially tourists, need continuity as well as complexity in order to read a street. Replace just a few buildings, including the universally reviled U.S. Post Office to the southwest, and you give walkers more motivation to roam all the way from MoPac on Sixth Street’s west terminus to Calles Street on the east end. (The same could be done for Congress and South Congress avenues from the UT campus virtually to Ben White Boulevard, but that’s another column.)
Recently, the fresh social activity on Sixth has gravitated outward, hip to the east, tony to the west. With a new anchor at the middle, movement could flow more easily in both directions.
OK, where should the UT System go? Brackenridge would cause the most fuss, since it would initiate the inevitable redo of the university’s 350 acres there, perhaps including the cherished MUNY golf course. (Golf courses are hard to justify in the middle of a city, unlike parks that everyone can use.)
Pickle is just too far out, though it seems less so as each year passes. But does anyone want to fight traffic on MoPac twice a day shuttling between the 40 Acres and the former World War II-era magnesium plant? (Remember, vehicular traffic is only where it’s at. You don’t have to join the car parade.)
Mueller is enticing because so many other groups — medical, educational, social service — are relocating there. At least some of the planned medical school will end up there, one way or another, especially if the school focuses on preventative medicine.
Yet the most logical location is actually University Park, the mostly abandoned mix-used site just blocks from the main UT campus. A fine new office building waits there, almost empty. A hotel, residences and retail might quickly follow with an anchor tenant like the UT System.
St. David’s HealthCare is right across the street. As UT partners with that group, along with the Seton Healthcare Family and other medical entities on the epochal school, University Park could be just the ticket.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: City, Education, Nightlife
October 24, 2011
Why does it happen all at once in Austin?
All weekend, they asked: “Why now?” Why so many festivals, parties, galas and other social events on one dry, dreamy weekend in October? Because so many Austin social hosts and promoters operate under three age-old rules:
Wait until things cool off.
Wait until the summer evacuees — including a big chunk of the college students — return to town.
Avoid, at all costs, butting heads with a Longhorns football home game.
These perhaps dated guidelines have been in place for a century or so. Happily, every event your columnist attended last week was full and flush with good will.
Some highlights (happy snaps from Season of Dance for Austin Children’s Shelter at Hilton Austin):
Learning more about charitable major leaguers Ann Showers Butler, Sandra Martin, Edith Royal and John C. Blazier at the Celebration of Giving for the Austin Community Foundation at Four Seasons Hotel.
Julia Spann and Kelly White
Cherishing the smaller, intense Film & Food for Austin Film Festival with Forrest Preece and Linda Ball at the Driskill Hotel.
Absorbing more of Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs’ animated personality at Heroes for Health for Marathon Kids at the Four Seasons.
Lance and Jessica Haley
Hearing poet and essayist Celeste Guzman Mendoz’s wrenching personal testimony during the SafePlace Celebration at the Austin Convention Center.
Laughing with Molly Shannon, Jon Scieszka and Jim Lehrer at the First Edition Literary Gala for Texas Book Festival at the Four Seasons. Also, sitting next to trenchant historical novelist Philippa Gregory.
Delyn and Chris Tyson
Learning that there will be a Seabrook Jones video of the Dave Steakley tribute show for Zach Theatre at the W Austin Hotel and Residences.
Seeing complementary executive directors Julia Spann and Kelly White support each other at the giant Season of Dance for Austin Children’s Shelter at Hilton Austin.
Max Ferguson and Nicole Contero
Touring the resort-like new East Austin facilities for stray pets with vivacious Lori Galloway during the Green Gala for the Austin Animal Shelter.
Spending quiet time on a Hyde Park porch with friends at a 54th birthday party for the ailing Stephen Moser.
Sitting with the socially adventurous Marcia Levy and Susan Lubin and gang at the Pink Ball for Seton Fund at Four Seasons.
Permalink | | Categories: City, Nightlife
October 15, 2011
La Dolce Vita at Laguna Gloria
For the past four or five years, Austin Museum of Art has been blessed by unequivocally blissful weather for its signature outdoor benefit, which combines food, wine, music and mingling. And yet the 22nd La Dolce Vita, staged on the verdant grounds of Laguna Gloria, has never felt so glorious as it did this week.
Laura and Chris Aidan
If one arrived early enough, the crowds never grew too large. Neither were they so small that the Figure-8 loop of paths on the east lawn ever felt lonely. One astonishing restaurant after another offered concentrated bites in white mini-tents, while wineries sampled a wide variety of red, white and bubbly potables.
Ashley Hall and Todd Grossman
(At one point, I was distracted by me. Or rather, a televised talking head that was me as interviewed on a KLRU special years ago about Laguna Gloria, rebroadcast on three large screens. Unsettling. And a bit embarrassing.)
Paula Biehler and Stephanie Keller
Every few steps, Austinites stopped to tout their favorite dishes and to soak up the delectable coolness of early autumn. By the time my companion and I had made the full Figure 8, we had already missed several other parties I had hoped to make that early evening. Why would anyone compete with La Dolce Vita?
David Alan and Garrett Weber-Gale
Later, floodlights saturated the landscape with color. The paths around the ideally spaced tents began to fill to the brim. Dance music kept the mood merry and — bonus! — we met Olympic swimming champion Garrett Weber-Gale, now an Austin expert on healthy cooking and eating. Quite the gentleman, too.
Permalink | | Categories: Food, Nightlife
October 10, 2011
OctoTea at the Barrientos Center
Humidity proved the only enemy. Otherwise, the OctoTea at the Emma Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center — when can we shorten that to the Barrientos Center? — was a blast. A club without a club.
Wesley King and Jen Burke
The annual dance funds the Octopus Club, a fundraising arm of AIDS Services of Austin. Few benefits are so simple yet so popular: Food, drink, music, dance. That’s all it takes.
Paul Holman and Richard Yuen
And the people. Don’t forget the people. Most of the crowd was male and gay. At first, they congregated in the air-conditioned auditorium. Then they moved out onto the center’s dramatic and spacious plaza. Conversation thrived wherever music didn’t defeat it.
JR Ryan, Marcus Foreman and Chauency Reese
I imagine the guests danced into the night on Saturday, but I had one more commitment to go — the “Dreaming in Color” design contest from Club Kid and Coco Coquette, another fundraiser for AIDS Services, this one attracting a slightly younger and artier set. Nicely matched benefits.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Charity, Nightlife
October 9, 2011
CultureMap Austin Official Launch Party at Pine Street Station
It was a hit with the hipsters. At least 1,000 urban bohemians streamed into Pine Street Station on East Fifth Street on Thursday to attend the official launch party for CultureMap Austin. Some may have been attracted to the publication’s second launch party by the free-flowing refreshments, others by the games and activities, which including a small petting zoo.
Rikki Hardy and Jake Rabin
Still others go wherever the hipster vibe leads them. I reckon the event emptied all the newish hipster hangouts along nearby (East) East Sixth Street that evening. The activity pushed the warehouse’s power supply, dimming the lights, if not the social energy, in the long, articulated yard by the railroad tracks.
Arianna McKinney and Heather Salter
Pine Street Station, by the way, was used for a similar but extended parties during South by Southwest. It’s been fascinating to watch, over the decades, the symbiotic expansion of SXSW and the districts that, at first, attracted only its peripheral attention, from Red River Street to South Congress Avenue and East Austin. No telling what will eventually land at this prime location on East Fifth — residences? retail? mixed use? — but Austin loves an improvised venue, so the big party will keep moving on to the next empty warehouse.
Like its Houston sibling, CultureMap Austin shows a lot of dash and reach. It has not settled on a particular character or tone, but its employees are certainly deployed around the social scene with admirable thoroughness. Congratulations to the publication’s Veronica Castelo for staging a spectacle that was as welcoming as it was mellow.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Media, Nightlife
October 3, 2011
Tribeza Fashion Week Show at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
The big fashion show that closes Tribeza Style Week ranks among the top two or three such events each year.
Kelly Sellers and Eloise DeJoria
The glitterati gathered Sept. 29 on the upper levels of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum before descending to the rotunda and the long, wide runway behind it.
Christian Ramirez and Ricky Hodge
Since this is a showcase for various stores, there’s no single vision. Yet the looks follow one another in a logical, almost thematic fashion.
Carla and Jack McDonald
The models were imported from Dallas this year. (Welcome kids. Please eat.)
Olive Plhak and Naila Ismail
My favorite samples were layered, retro creations from Patty Hoffpauir’s Garden Room.
Garrett Hill and Royale Price
Don’t have much more to say. Long weekend. And the Out & About 500.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife, Style
September 28, 2011
It's here! 2011 Out & About 500: Nightlife
The 2011 Out & About 500 will be rolled out today through Friday, one category at a time. Buy Sunday’s American-Statesman for the complete list of Austin’s most social citizens.
Send updates and nominations for 2012 to mbarnes@statesman.com
NIGHTLIFE
Monica Anderson. Austin Black Newcomers Association, St. David’s Foundation, Zeta Phi Beta, LifeWorks, Giving City
Paula and Paul Angerstein. Texacello Distillery, Paula’s Texas Orange and Lemon liquors, Project Transitions
Chad Auler. Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, Savvy Vodka, Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka
Tito Beveridge. Fifth Generation Inc., Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Clayton Christopher. Deep Eddy Vodka, Big Brothers Big Sisters
Neil Diaz. NCD Resources
Tre Dotson. Tre Dotson Productions and Talent, Stack Burger Bar, Maria Maria
Michael Girard. Speakeasy, TenOak, Imperia
Doug Guller. Bikinis, The Parish, Beale Street
Victoria Gutierrez. Apex Auction, Women’s Fund of Central Texas, St. Edward’s University
Jaclyn Havlak. Art Department, 101X, Full Service High Brow Creative
Mike Henry. ND at 501 Studios
Victoria Hentrich. Creative Consultants
Becky and Damon Holditch. Marquee Events
Sylvia and David Jabour. Twin Liquors
William Terrence Jackson. William Jackson and Associates
David Kurio. David Kurio Designs
Liz Lambert and Amy Cook. Hotel San José, Jo’s Hot Coffee, Hotel Saint Cecilia
Donaji Lira. Texas Heritage Songwriters Association, First Tee of Greater Austin, Center for Child Protection, Driskill Hotel
Julia and Dave McCurley. Something More, Accenture, Zach Theatre
Jetté Momant.Momant PR & Events
Matt McGinnis. Dell Inc., What Are You Drinking
Lance Avery Morgan and Rob Giardinelli. The Society Diaries, The Society Diplomat, Brilliant, Make a Wish, Octopus Club
DJ Manny Muñiz. DJ Dojo, RockIt
Tanya Posavatz and Denise Silverman. Clink
Paul Soileau. Rebecca Havemeyer
Camille Styles and Adam Moore. CamilleStyles.com, Spacecraft
Kara and Matt Swinney. Launch 787, Austin Fashion Week
Kevin Williamson. Ranch 616, Star Bar
Brad, Chad and Wes Womack. Molotov, Dizzy Rooster, Dogwood, The Chuggin’ Monkey, “The Bachelor”
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, The 500
September 25, 2011
MoJo Launch at Palazzo Lavaca
From the street, the building looks partially abandoned. No address confirms that the visitor has stumbled on the right place. Guided by the sound of a jazz band, an empty stairwell leads to a third floor.
Monica Burcham and Jonathan Tieken
The brain takes a few minutes to adjust to Palazzo Lavaca, a residence built inside a 19th-century firehouse and commercial structure on Lavaca Street that housed Capitol Saddlery and Boots for many decades. Inspired by a Venetian palazzo and graced with florist Coby Neal’s flourishes, it recalls scenes from Anne Rice’s vampire novels and Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris.”
Juan Carlos Deleon and Dusty Turbeville
I had read and heard about Giselle Koy’s multi-million-dollar fantasyland. The advocate of modern musing now rents the multi-story palazzo for photo shoots, parties and overnight stays. Thus, the party I attended Saturday.
Tecla Cosgrove and Chris Lindenmayer
It was a launch for MoJo, an event planning company, or as Jonathan Tieken put it “experience planning.” He and business partner Monica Burcham believe most parties just don’t go far enough. They lack imagination, panache. This launch party certainly did not, combining lustrous guests with intense bites and the silky Copa Kings band.
Charming. Odd. But charming.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife, Style
August 17, 2011
Nightlife Update: Hush, TenOak, Iron Bear, Roial
Four Austin nightclubs of fairly recent vintage blend traditional comforts with up-to-date designs.
TenOak is the latest concept bar from Michael Girard and pals. It replaces Cuba Libre, once a happy-hour magnet, on Colorado Street in the Warehouse District.
The fit and the tan once again flock there for happy hour. Yet on recent Sunday, a small crowd lounged away the hours in the cool semi-darkness. TenOak makes a handsome match to Girard’s recently upgraded Speakeasy and repopulated Imperia, both spots a short dash away.
The Iron Bear has taken the place of Amsterdam at the corner of Colorado and West Eighth streets, across from the Brown Bar. The club house for the Lone Star Bears, this friendly bar appeals to gay devotees of the adult male form (meaning hair, bulk, etc.).
This is not the place to explicate all the variations on the type, but rather to insist that almost anyone would feel welcome. Cafe tables wait on the sidewalk. A miniscule dance floor rises in one corner. A pool table sits invitingly at a below-grade level.
This is no dive. One can make out the features of other patrons without squinting and a full selection of spirits is displayed behind the bar. The bartender introduces himself with a firm handshake … and your evening begins.
Roial on West Fifth Street is the new Party Central. Like Pangaea or Belmont during their cultural ascensions, Roial is where every well-heeled host will want to throw a bash, like the recent Voodoo Cowboy/Mueller Law summer saturnalia there.
The precise party location is the rooftop deck, which, like Six, Hangar, Belmont, Speakeasy, Lanai and similar clubs, gives hosts a cool option even on a blistering August night. It helps that the design includes rows of industrial-strength fans.
Roial — which, when rendered in graphics, includes an indecipherable diacritical mark — replaces the cheery Apple Bar and an Onion pizza outlet. This upscale club gives the informal West Fifth Street district — the toggle between East Sixth and the Warehouse zones — an enormous boost.
(If only these districts were better signed, but that’s for another column.)
The youngest addition to the neighborhood is Hush, a narrow, clean-lined, bi-level gay bar formerly known as Light (straight) and Forum (gay). The long street-level bar leads to a chilly party room.
Upstairs, another rooftop bar emerges, almost kissing distance from Speakeasy’s terraces. The liquor selection is more courageous than at similarly positioned establishments and, on my first visit, the bar staff appeared to have left their shirts at home.
(Cue crabby emails about the objectification of the male form.)
The transformational figure here is nightlife promoter Jacob Stetson, who welcomes new guests as if to his own home.
Hush contributes to a trend quite positive for the Austin gay and lesbian community, historically underserved, vis-à-vis nightlife, for its size. Hush makes the 12th current gay club by my count. Only two are located outside the central business district; four lean into the corner of Colorado and West Fourth streets.
Nightlife is the most volatile sector of any entertainment economy. These four new additions appear primed for the long term.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post put Iron Bear on the wrong corner. It is at Colorado and West Eighth streets.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
July 25, 2011
Neal Wedding at Mercury Hall
In “Philadelphia Story,” the indestructable 1940 comedy of manners starring Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant, a reporter and a photographer infiltrate a high society wedding.
Jeff and Victoria Neal
Your social columnist has never stooped to that particular sort of subterfuge.
Julie Blakeslee and John Spong
Holding no engraved invitation in hand, I left Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker well enough alone, did not pursue Richard Garriott and Laetitia Pichot de Cayeux to Paris, kept my distance from the Julie Blakeslee and John Spong nuptials, and didn’t even know about Fox News Happening Now co-anchor Jenna Lee tying the knot with U.S. Navy SEAL Lt. Commander Leif Babin at the Old Glory Ranch near Wimberley until after it was over and done.
Peter Bay and Mela Sarajane Dailey
Saturday, however, I was among the lucky guests invited to the charmed wedding of nonprofit consultant Victoria Neal and landscape designer Jeff Neal.
Sonya and Patrick Apodaca
Miraculously, the heat did not melt the party of 200 that gathered under the leaning oaks at Mercury Hall on South First Street and Cardinal Lane. Except during the ceremony itself, folks shuffled between the lightly air-conditioned hall, a former church, and the tolerable cool of evening shade outside.
Michael Pungello and Kevin Smothers
Among the couples in attendance were symphony conductor Peter Bay and singer Mela Sarajane Dailey; opera conductor Richard Buckley and real estate broker Molly Anderson; philanthropist Julie Blakeslee and magazine editor John Spong; financial whiz Lynn Yeldell and magazine publisher Alisa Weldon; publicist Kevin Smothers and environmental music designer Michael Pungello.
Alisa Weldon and Lynn Yeldell
The bride wore a slim white sleeveless dress and the groom a chic truncated tuxedo top. The bride’s son, Jack Corcoran, escorted his teary mother down the grassy aisle. Nondenominational Rev. Connie Holmea Larson read among the most beautiful and inspiring vows I’ve ever heard. (Did I cry? Of course. Why even ask?)
Gary Schott and Sarah Sudhoff
The party repaired to the hall for barbecue and dancing to the Gourds, the amazing alt country band that has energized Austin social events for more than a decade.
Jaclyn Wetherholt and David Amend
This might have counted as a society wedding in Austin, but there wasn’t a snooty Philadelphia Main Line note during the whole long, gorgeous evening.
Richard Buckley and Molly Anderson
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
June 24, 2011
Profile: Paul Cross and John Fitch of Ticketbud
Like so many other members of the Next Great Generation, Paul Cross and John Fitch have traveled the world. Not to cruise the beaches of Ibiza or hazard the nightclubs of Prague. They headed, instead, to developing countries, separately, to volunteer their time and expertise.
These rites of passage, no longer the exclusive preserve of the Peace Corps, Fulbright Scholar Program or other older campaigns — as well as challenges in their personal lives — left Fitch and Cross mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted.
Quickly recognizing a potential accomplice, the older Cross told Fitch, just out of the University of Texas, about a simple, yet potentially revolutionary digital service he had put on hold: Ticketbud.
“I was already searching for a company that would provide technologies to assist fundraising events,” Fitch says. “Other applications were nickel and diming charities with per-ticket fees. I was going to create my own if nothing existed.”
Bingo! Ticketbud, which Cross had created in California in 2008 before moving to Austin, is online box office service for small to mid-size groups, mostly nonprofits.
Using a seamless connection to PayPal, it provides as many tickets as a charity needs for a flat fee of $19.99 per single event, and $39.99 for multi-day events. Customers can print out tickets or use a smart phone.
“If I could make it for free, I would,” Cross says. “It’s the Craigslist model for ticketing. Cut out the middle man.”
After post-party sandwiches at the former Katz’s Deli, Fitch lept onboard, becoming Tickebud’s director of marketing. Among other things, Fitch brought to the table his well-honed video-making skills, creating sophisticated shorts about some of the events the company ticketed.
Anyone who has paid several dollars — per ticket! — to use an online service must wonder how Cross and Fitch can afford to offer the same service to every single guest at a charity event for just under $20.
“Volume,” Cross says. “It requires huge numbers to come out profitable.”
Already, Ticketbud has been used in all 50 states as well as Europe, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The duo says they’ve experienced virtually none of the technical glitches that often daunt low-budget start-ups.
Cross says, in decorously modest tones: “Our stuff just works.”
Cross — tall, tawny and every bit the beach-bred son of a Destin, Fla. scientist dad and an artist mother— attended the University of West Florida before heading out to Southern California.
Yet there’s not a trace of dude-speak in his conversations, which more resemble the gently propelled pitches of a Northern California strategy and marketing man. In fact, in the late 1990s and 2000s, he worked for tech shooting stars like Silicon Graphics (now SGI), Ericsson and Merisel.
Fitch — whose ever-present smile helps warm his glacier-blue eyes — came from a radically different background. He grew up in El Campo (“More cows than people,” he says), raised by a rancher/farmer and a special education teacher.
He studied radio, television, film and business at UT, but “actually learned more about fundraising and event planning” due to membership in varied organizations, including the Texas Cowboys spirit club. Along the way, he helped start a nonprofit in El Salvdor and made a documentary in India.
Just before meeting Cross, Fitch rode in the Texas 4000 Ride for Cancer, the annual trek from Austin to Alaska that now partners with Livestrong, Lance Armstrong’s anti-cancer foundation. Last year, the student group raised $500,000.
“You leave Austin riding for someone specific,” says Fitch, who dedicated his trip to an uncle who fought cancer for decades. “But as the summer progresses, you ride for doctors, patients and strangers you meet along the way that have emotional stories of their relation to the disease.”
At that Katz’s encounter, Cross and Fitch discussed the parallels in their lives: The family losses to cancer, the Third World volunteering, the attraction to technological solutions. Cross explained to his new friend how Ticketbud was born.
“I was asked by a friend with a school for children with special needs to look at software packages to help them do some fundraising,” Cross recalls. “I started analyzing packages for nonprofits. It’s like a big block of cheese and rats are attacking the cheese. To raise $100,00 you have to spend $10,000 up front.”
Cross’ original idea was to build a family of technologies to help nonprofits. Ticketbud’s CTO Kenneth Berland set up the coding. But the only one that people chose was the ticketing service.
Just as the company was about to take off, a giant company with a vested interest in the word “Bud” opposed his trademarks, weighing him down with 40 pages of legal documents.
“We went back and forth for months,” Cross says. “And we eventually gave them a little black eye. Now Ticketbud owns 9 bud (trade)marks.”
His travails were not over. Cross raced back to Florida to tend to a relative terminally ill with cancer. Ticketbud would have to wait.
“I was going to give it up,” Cross says. “The cancer was visually and mentally unbearable. But I came out the other side. I feel blessed to have kept Ticketbud going. “
Because of their shared experiences with cancer, Cross and Fitch exempt all cancer charities from even the $20 fee.
The five-person firm now tickets hundreds of events each month and hope to expand their global reach. Their shared motto: “Grow something.”
Correction: In an earlier version of this post, the count of paid employees was inaccurate.
Permalink | | Categories: Charity, Nightlife
June 21, 2011
Town and Country Pre-Grand Opening Party
After years owning a large, downtown club, all Mike Strope wanted to run was a neighborhood bar.
You know, the type where folks show up at any hour in any garb to gulp a beer, wolf down some pub grub, play darts or pool, maybe two-step on a floor the size of a galley kitchen. A patio is always a nice touch in Austin: Nothing fancy, just a place where smokers can retire and others can catch a breeze. Parking also helps.
Tracy Shinsel and Jim Stotz
That kind of bar — not an ironic dive, sorry hipsters — is what Strope opened quietly last month. Where the former South Side Saloon sat at 1502 West Ben White Boulevard, he placed Town and Country, a neighborhood joint that’s a gay bar, but also a place where anyone could feel comfortable. Anyone.
Francisco Lara and Buck Cazares
You could easily miss the spot, since it’s located off what is an access road for an access road, side by side with metal buildings unloading mattresses, truck parts parts and the such. The place was blindingly dark, but fairly full when I visited late Sunday for an informal party thrown by some of the original Rusty Spurs crowd.
Jack Heffington and Mike Strope
“Everyone has been warm and welcoming,” Strope, former owner of the Rainbow Cattle Company, says about nearby community along the freeway. “We’re going to keep it simple: A classic neighborhood bar.”
Strope plans opening parties June 26 and July 4.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
June 6, 2011
The lure of the suburbs
“You never come to the suburbs.”
“But I do.”
“I never see you.”
“I come. When invited.”
“You are always invited.”
“And if the party is not slated for rush hour. Very few social events are worth a two-hour commute.”
So went my cozy banter with professional matchmaker Julia McCurley of Something More singles service, who lives near Lake Travis and works in an office alongside Loop 360.
The opposite is the case. Yes, I rail against the way sprawl chews up the landscape while encouraging horrific traffic and freeway uglification.
Once physically in the suburbs, however, I delight in the narrow, curling lanes, varied housing styles, dizzying views, and nearby greenbelts, ideal for every kind of outdoor adventure.
The suburbs — and kind, smart, open, fun suburbanites — are more than OK by me.
Hey wait, you are thinking, doesn’t this column frequently sing the praises of Austin’s pedestrian-friendly urban core, where one can live, work, play and shop without spending so much time in an automobile?
That’s true. I love the New Austin as much as the Old, the downtown spires as dearly as the verdant, near-in suburbs, as well as the bedroom communities and far exurbs.
Yet, so often, an argument is made for the suburbs which is not completely supportable.
When asked at a cocktail party why they chose to live in the ‘burbs, devotees will often answer first: “For the schools.” That’s almost impossible to contradict. What parent does not want the best education for their offspring? At the same time, parents in the urban core want the same thing and have found ways to support, improve or found schools near their homes.
The next argument is usually economic: “I can afford a bigger home the suburbs, with a yard and pets.”
Absolutely right, in raw valuation, a suburban Austin house is less expensive per square foot than one in the central city.
What should be factored into the equation is a family’s additional cost of purchasing, maintaining, insuring, parking and gassing up multiple vehicles required to hop from spot to spot, not to mention the added stress, pollution and lost time.
In our two-person Bouldin-area household — which includes a yard and pets, but no children — we usually budget around $700 a month to keep a single automobile in our driveway, half that once a car is paid off. We use our 2001 Chevy Malibu for fewer than half our errands and commutes.
Perhaps we are unusual, having learned to share one car, but we save there to spend more on our house because of it.
Remember what I said about those two hours that must be built into attending certain suburban events? That’s not the case in Central Austin, where I can drop by multiple social functions in one evening without once hitting traffic.
To recap, I love the suburbs, when I’m already there with people, like McCurley, worth visiting. Hate getting there and back.
Clarification: The passage on budgeting house and car was re-written to break down the costs and to clarify our household situation, as in, no children, etc.
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June 4, 2011
Don't walk if you want to show up crisp as frost
I asked Lisa Russell to identify the coolest spot in the shop. No, not the location blessed with the hippest vibe. But rather the exact point where the Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery air conditioning operated at its peak.
For I had walked. And walked. And walked. Then continued to walk in 100-degree June heat, against my better judgement. The relative aridity fooled me on Friday.
First stop: South Austin Pitch and Pooch Celebrity Golf Tournament and Canine Extravaganza, a combo benefit for the Dream Come True Foundation, which helps folks escape poverty.
Marisela Smookler and Atlas Smookler with Sir Watson
It took place at the Butler Pitch and Putt Course, the sweet little 9-hole playground tucked across the railroad tracks from Butler Park. A shady hillock at the center of the course provided an ideal locale for a silent auction, refreshments and a dog parade, finished off with a competition judged by South Austin celebrity Clark “Big Daddy” Hammond.
Matt Lanier with Gracie Kuhl
I hydrated well. Yet it already seemed time for a break, so I toddled over the Paggi House for a splash of viongier and a light snack. There, I met C.K. Chin, formerly of Imperia and Kenichi, who now helps keep Paggi House humming.
Lana Newlander with Logan and Tessa
I tried the new beer-battered fish and chips, which were fluffy, salty and a tad sweet. Hit the spot precisely. The viongier was on the fresh side. Clearly, the place’s happy hour is still popular. By the time I left, the shaded patios were packed with pretty things.
Next, I crossed the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge and its new wood-lined extension over West Cesar Chavez Street. At this point, I was still feeling pretty smug about my resistance to the heat. I found the railroad underpass along Lamar Boulevard handier than in the past, then turned the corner for shady West Sixth Street to make the gallery.
A few yards short of the door, however, I noticed the sweat cascading off my loose, black shirt. Not a good look. As the family of the late sculptor Charles Umlauf arrived for a retrospective of his work, I kept off to one side, examining the art and hoping to dry off.
Louis and Carl Umlauf
My favorites were the early semi-abtract works and life studies, completed before the introduction of his easily recognized elongated, fluid forms.
A lot of the Farrah Fawcett studies were there, too. Loyal fans of the actress will want these. Recall that Fawcett, trained as a sculptor, was Umlauf’s longtime protege.
Some larger pieces remained behind at the Umlauf house, located above the sculpture garden and museum on Robert E. Lee Road. The house will eventually join the City of Austin compound, so Russell promised to let me explore the place with her. While the top prices hit $75,000, most of the sculptures seemed, to me, reasonably valued.
Karl and Michelle Zimmerman
Long before dark, West Sixth Street bars, clubs and eateries were already booming by the time I passed them on my way to Congress Avenue. I stopped by Same Sky Productions for a mixer at 803 Congress Ave.
Vicki Solis and Brent Allen
There, David Messier and Andre Cantave welcomed guests attending a weekend-long artist development workshop. (I offered my free, hour-long, hands-on media relations workshop to the mix.)
David Messier and Jayne Weber
As anticipated, the compact party on a shady balcony allowed me to catch up with music idea men like Greg Vendetti and Dave Dart, as well as to meet new talent.
Tee Double and Kevin Flatt
My final stop was, blessedly, right across the street at Austin Museum of Art Downtown. The place was packed to overflowing for the opening of two exhibits, one on modern design built around the Herman Miller furniture company, and another by Austinite Rino Pizzi, “The Mona Lisa Project,” which re-imagines the over-familiar masterpiece with local women artists as the subjects.
Michelle Wald and Miriam Mendoza
It’s quite fun and clever. As for “Good Design,” I’ll return to examine it more closely when there aren’t a million people around it.
Taylor McNally-Anderson and Nicolas Allinder
The people, however, made great conversation companions. Always compelling artist, installer and community leader Sean Gaulager grabbed my ear first. Photographer and activist Nancy Scanlan made some astute political observations. Others filled my time pleasurably.
Lauren and Bob Jahnke
By then, the heat confirmed that there was no other choice but a cab home.
Correction: An earlier version of this post misspelled the names of Marisela and Atlas Smookler.
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June 3, 2011
South Congress: Why the crowds on a hot night?
I’m at Jo’s on South Congress Avenue, sipping a cold Stella and watching the promenading passersby on a hot evening.
Earlier, as I strolled south from two downtown parties, several hundred bicyclists whizzed by, all scrupulously obeying the traffic laws.
Jenny Murphy and Erica Welch
At one point, they passed bat watchers lining both sides of the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk. (Those leaning on the western guardrail would soon discover their poor positioning for the nightly mammalian flight.)
At Barton Springs Road, two men in cowboys hats trotted past me on chestnut horses, their saddles outfitted with safety lights.
Todd O’Neill and Stephanie Coultress
A quarter mile down South Congress, a bright yellow neon sign yelled: “CHICKEN.” Folks crossed their bare legs on folding chairs outside the food trailer, as a musician sang and strummed a guitar plaintively.
Now this: The flush sidewalk in front of Jo’s. Children and parents and grandparents. Hipsters and hand-shakers. Visitors and those, like me, for whom South Congress Avenue is, normally, a pedestrian expressway home.
Shaady Ghadessy and Reid Schwartz
Refreshed, I walk some more. The pedestrian traffic slows to the pace of MoPac at the end of a workday. Packs of people jump Congress, properly, at the intersection crossings.
I tweeted: “Amazing that no matter how hot it gets, street life does not droop on South Congress.”
Brian Willey and Thao Votang
Then I spied a familiar flag emblazoned with the words “First Thursday.” Ah, yes. The monthly street festival explains some of the heavy sidewalk action.
Here’s the even stranger thing: We live two short blocks from South Congress, but our streets are so busy all year long, we had forgotten there was such a thing as First Thursday.
Jason Balcauski and Alecia Harris
Earlier in the evening, I was given a preview of the W Austin Hotel & Residences’ iPad and iPhone apps. (Cool.) And I had visited the immaculate, U-shaped Champion gallery at 800 Brazos St. for a very social opening of works by New York artist Claire Falkenberg and photographer Barry Stone. (Very cool.)
Amy Revier and Sonia Dutton
Still, the highlight of the evening was the Stella savored amid the hordes outside Jo’s.
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May 30, 2011
Making the Social Rounds before the Holiday Weekend
Before the holiday, I passed through a few parties, met new people, and picked up fresh story ideas. You may see the following names attached to an Out & About column in the near future.
Katie Warner and Jacob Stetson
On the patio of the Womack clan’s tony Dogwood, a mixed set raised money for the Boys and Girls Club. They plan to use $33,000 to mend the basketball and tennis courts there on the corner of Johanna and Wilson streets.
Julie Abernathy and Linda Rodriguez
They have partnered with the Manifest Foundation in this quest. This nonprofit is relatively new to me, but admirer Julie Abernathy brought me up to date.
Lissa Diaz, Ashley Ryan and Claudia Godoy
I attended the warm happy hour at the invitation of Jacob Stetson, whom I’ve encountered several times on the social circuit. He has all the makings of a capable social connector.
Eric Shepperd and Tanya Vasquez
Next I headed to Bauer House, the official residence of the Chancellor of the University of Texas System. I spotted neither heroic Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, nor his attorney wife, Graciela Cigarroa.
Bill Stotesbery, Martha Smiley and Gregory Harrington
Yet the august house filled with congratulations for three outstanding Austinites — Martha Smiley, Gregory Harrington and Bill Stotesbery — recognized by Leadership Austin.
Teana Harrington and Gordon Jones
This was a sort of pre-party for the Best Party Ever, the training group’s fundraiser, coming Wednesday at the Driskill Hotel.
I caught up a bit with writer/editor Christine Moline and graphic artist Terrence Moline, whom I hadn’t more than glimpsed since they enlivened our most recent Wren Cottage Feast.
Brian and Brook Rogers
Then it was over to the new restaurant and lounge in the Monarch complex, Enzo. This long, high-ceilinged place served as the site for an International Fashion Show.
Rosa Franco and Adriana Physco
Low couches were set up to form an improvised runway. Models lingered behind a curtain, while guests nibbled and sipped refreshments before beholding the entertainment.
Alon Zilkha, Julie Wang and Eithan Zilkha
Eventually, the models walked. The clothing said more about the countries of origin than current fashion, as seen on the very same Austinites most nights out, which was a delightful surprise.
Some hewed closely to folk patterns — such as those worn by dancers in the Hungarian tradition — while others were inventive — like a dress inspired by traditional materials from Ethiopia.
Some of the organizers I recognized from the Austin Intercultural Network, which continues to remind us that our city becomes more worldly every day.
Danna Davidson and Dr. Mustasim Rumi
My last stop took me to the dizzying heights of the Austonian Club. Here, a well-dressed and energetic mob split into two or three gatherings around information about the MedRebels Foundation.
This group explores the use of adult stem cells in various medical treatments. It has partnered with some for-profit research groups to look, especially, into the use of cells from the patient’s adipose tissue, in other words, fat.
Shay McBurney and Tracy Stuart
A few inevitable jokes floated around the rooms about the voluntary contribution of fat cells, but I could tell the cause was serious. I met several doctors who already work with adult stem cells in Austin.
Also spent time with foundation leader Shay McBurney and Austin Lifestyle magazine’s Tracy Stewart, both adept raconteurs.
Monty Calderoni, Jenna Marshall and Spencer Mactier
Stand-up guy Chris Brewer reported that morale remained high at Livestrong, despite Lance Armstrong’s troubles. Our off-the-record chat reassured me that that foundation will survive and even thrive.
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May 14, 2011
Austin Intercultural Network at Trio
Austin needs the Austin Intercultural Network, which attempts to connect the city’s highly dispersed social groups identified by social, cultural or ethnic background.
M’Lissa Quintinilla and Kevin Williams
For instance, during the network’s happy hour at Trio on Thursday, I met Nimo Ibrahim, who represents an association of Africans here, and Larissa Tolstykh, who assumes a similar role with the Russian-speaking community.
Roger Chan and Chi Dinh Ain
Network leader Chi Dinh Ain kindly introduced me to others who slowly filtered into Trio’s crowded foyer. City Council candidate Roger Chan spoke at length about what he thinks is wrong with Austin government, also about the epiphanies he experienced after losing his leg in an accident. (The election is today. See the Statesman’s endorsements.)
Nimo Ibrahim and Larissa Tolstykh
But I discovered one gem on my own: Gregory Cantú, a businessman involved with real estate who told me stories about Old East Austin. One involved “Big John” Limón. Part of the vast clan of Austin Limóns, he was a superb sandlot athlete. Cantú recruited him for an organized baseball team. Limón agreed and a good chunk of his extended family filled the stands for his first game.
The team welcomed the built-in fans: “Here come the Limóns!”
Anyone familiar with the family — an informal headcount lists 3,500 relatives — knows this feeling. Keep an eye out for the American-Statesman on May 29 when we expect to publish a lengthy story about the intermarried Limón and Estrada families. Both arrived in the 19th Century and have remained a crucial part of Austin social history.
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May 13, 2011
Dive Bar Grand Opening
It started as a book club. Which turned into a sort of drinking club. And, in turn, became a neighborhood bar.
A group of friends invested in Dive Bar & Lounge. It is located at 1703 Guadalupe Street, opposite the veteran Dog & Duck Pub, in the former digs of an architectural firm.
Chris Engle and Amy Holloway
The owners are all creative types, middle young, familiar to the Austin social circuit. On the Dive Bar website, they call themselves: “Our clan of artists, bartenders, musicians, strategists, passionate Austinites.” They did all the renovation work themselves and one can spot the creative imprint.
Pat Buchta and Jim Neely
Their 1930s commercial structure is small, with a bar splashed across one back corner at a diagonal. During the grand opening on Wednesday, the place was packed from opening to closing, the owners reported.
This will be the new hang-out spot in what they are calling “midtown” between the State Capitol and the University of Texas campus. This area will soon take off, as the state government engages in proposed public-private projects, bringing fresh residential, retail and other amenities into the area.
Investors not shown are Beverly Barrett (matches up with Neely) and Amanda Buchta (paired with Pat).
Clarification: Other investors include Thomas Siragusa, his wife Angella Emmett, and Hau Phan.
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April 6, 2011
Austin Social Agenda, April 13-17, 2011 + Leadership News
April 13, I plan to catch Austin Lyric Opera’s ongoing production of “Flight.”
April 14, the American Red Cross of Central Texas confers the Lady Bird Johnson Humanitarian of the Year Award to University of Texas football coach Mack Brown at Truluck’s Seafood and Steakhouse.
April 15, the American Institute of Architects-Austin bestows its annual design awards at the Blanton Museum of Art.
Also that Friday, Chez Zee hosts a concert with Amanda McBroom and Lee Lessack for Austin Cabaret Theatre; and Fashion for Compassion lends a hand to the Austin Children’s Shelter at Sak’s Fifth Avenue.
April 16, the big event will be the always fiery Red Hot and Soul gala for Zach Theatre at Hilton Austin. Firecrackers Maria Groten and Mary Herr Tally chair the party. Wear 1960s attire if you dare.
Also that Saturday, Casino Rio for the Athena Montessori Academy at the American Legion Hall; the Writers League of Texas holds its 30th Anniversary Party at the Hyatt Regency Austin and the Texas Wine and Food Foundation serves its Rare and Fine Wines Auction and Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel
April 17, consider this small social gem: Petcasso for Animal Trustees of Austin at the AT&T Center. Pet art sounds goofy, but the stories make you smile. And sniffle.
Alert: Impact Austin founder, Rebecca Powers, pictured, has been named as Concordia University’s 2011 “Excellence in Leadership” gala honoree. Powers, you may remember, raised more than $3 million for needy Austinites with her giving club. The up and coming gala returns to the Four Seasons Hotel on Aug. 26.
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February 27, 2011
Links Mardis Gras Party at Sheraton Austin
Every year, the Mardis Gras party presented by the Town Lake chapter of Links grows in size and stature.
Austin City Manager Marc Ott and Darrick Eugene
Links, Inc. traditionally confined to African American women, embraces a wide swath of the community as it provides friendship and service, especially focused now on feeding and mentoring low-income school kids.
University of Texas Vice President Greg Vincent and Gerry Tucker
The Town Lake chapter is very lucky to have Gerry Tucker as its president. Tucker is one of the city’s most charismatic social leaders and a fantastic hostess. She can give my parties any day.
Floretta Andrews and Mark Jackson
I was at the Sheraton Austin during the more restrained part of Saturday evening, as several hundred guests settled down for dinner to the swoony sounds of a jazz band. I was hoping to catch the dancing later, but it was a crazy busy evening.
Cindy Scott, Cecilia Green and Brenda Kelley
That said, I sat for dessert and gossip with several of my favorite people: Christine and Terrence Moline, My-Cherie Haley, Lisa Hufnagel, Rodney Ahart and Revlynn Lawson. How cool is that?
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New Wave Ball at the Parish
Now that’s more like it. Last year, the Austin Children’s Shelter orchestrated a New Wave Ball inside an airless, upper room of the Hyatt Regency Austin.
Kris Flury and L.T. Robinson
The costumed guests writhed to 1980s tunes, but the charity event seemed more like an actual high school party from that period - fluffy and at the same time prophylactic.
Christy Thomas and Mark Strub
Friday, the event blossomed at the Parish. Weekend versions of Madonna, Richard Simmons, Vanilla Ice and Siouxsie Sioux roamed the room, dancing to the hypnotic hits of that ecstasy-imbued era.
Mark Erwin and Stephen Rice
Celebrity judges and emcee Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez stoked the fires of yesteryear. Folks adored it, except the endless raffle and an auction not designed for a downtown club.
Courtney Hans and Earl Vallery
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Charity, Nightlife
February 15, 2011
What I will miss (but you go anyway)
Almost time for the Winter Reading Week at Surfside.
And no blogging on vacation. Just a spot of social media every once in a while.
Before we leave, only one social commitment: “Black Watch” at Bass Concert Hall, a Scottish National Theatre show about war that observers on both sides of the pond have highly recommended.
Meanwhile, a list of some Austin social events that I will miss in the coming days (but you go anyway).
Thursday: Arte en la Charrería Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Friday: Directors Circle Preview Party for “Recovering Beauty” at the Blanton Museum of Art.
Saturday: Casablanca for CASA honoring Judge Darlene Byrne at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Also Saturday: Spring Swing for St. Stephens School at Glayont Gymnasium; Charity Bash Masquerade Ball at Austin Children’s Museum.
Sunday: Livestrong Austin Marathon, with all its attendant socializing.
Tuesday: Hospice Austin Gala at Hilton Austin Hotel and Mad Hatter Tea Party for Catalyst 8 at Allan House.
I’ll be back in time for the KLRU Gala at Austin City Limits Live at Moody Theatre Feb. 24 — and all that follows.
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February 7, 2011
Austin Social Agenda, Feb. 7-13
Today, some will get a sneak peek inside the upcoming Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival at Whole Foods Culinary Center.
Tuesday, backers of the Women’s Fund of the Austin Community Foundation lunch at the Four Seasons.
Thursday, we’ll rise and shine for the Philanthropy Day Breakfast at Hyatt Regency Austin (7:30 a.m.!).
That night, big names are expected at the new Kendra Scott jewelry store at 1400 S. Congress Ave., while Fonda San Miguel throws a special fiesta.
Friday, Ballet’s Austin’s “La Sylphide” opens at the Long Center.
Saturday, the Human Rights Campaign Dinner salutes JoAnn McKenzie, Brent Hasty, Stephen Mills and the Anti-Defamation League at the Four Seasons.
Also Saturday, the Rodeo Austin Gala rides into the Palmer Events Center with Vince Gill and Jack Ingram; Guitars Under the Stars strums up dollars for the Austin Classical Guitar Society at One World Theatre; and Parkside Community School raises funds with Alejandro Escovedo at Austin Music Hall.
Sunday, we’ll take in a Willie Nelson concert launching the Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater. So we’ll miss Austin Cabaret Theatre’s gala with Lucie Arnaz at the Driskill Hotel.
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February 5, 2011
Carnaval Brasileiro Pre-Party at La Sombra
One expects a pre-party for Carnaval Brasileiro to go a little crazy. Yet Thursday’s mixer at La Sombra, the Latin American eatery on Burnet Road, turned into a sojourn about inventive food and quiet conversation instead.
Terry Fagan and Erika Mata
First, co-owner Cameron Lockley ushered me into chef Julio-Cesar Florez’s kitchen. This was a rare treat. Cooks paddled little appetizers, including a dark, flavorful falafel ball wrapped around a moist combination of spicy ingredients. Should have asked what was inside, but I was too busy savoring them.
Next, I mingled with some of the guests. Two, Terry Fagan and Erika Mata, were liquor company representatives, a tribe of party watchers that I’ve come to respect and admire for their acute observations on nightlife. (Former rep Dagan Martinez-Vargas has been among my most astute guides to the scene.)
Andres Araiza, Drew Wilson and Paul Arellanes
Then I introduced my self to Andres Araiza, Drew Wilson and Paul Arellanes. Araiza, it turns out, teaches mass communications at the Texas State University-San Marcos, where he attends graduate school. Arellanes is a careful reader of Out & About and even rattled off my next night’s itinerary.
Finally, I lingered with two lawyers, Carolyn and Josh Saegert. One grew up in Austin, the other around Houston, both with stories about the benefits of school integration — voluntary and involuntary — during their youths. They met at a legal conference in Mexico City and had much to say about the world of criminal justice.
Carolyn and Josh Saegert
They were particularly amused that U.S. Rep. John Carter was pleading for mercy in former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay’s case. Apparently Carter’s argument that “he has suffered enough” didn’t fly often in his court when he was a tough-on-crime Williamson County judge.
You learn so much, even at a pre-Carnaval party.
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February 2, 2011
Austin Social Agenda, Feb. 2-6
Sorry for the late posting of the weekly agenda …
Today, two historical events collide midday: Zach Theatre breaks ground for its new facility on South Lamar Boulevard, and the Austin History Center honors former Austin mayors during the Angelina Eberly Luncheon at the Driskill Hotel.
Thursday, a Carnival Brasileiro pre-party preps at La Sombra on Burnet Road and the Razzle Dazzle Me, My Charity Event sizzles at J Black’s Feel Good Lounge.
There’s also a party for Capitol Area Asian American Democrats at the AFL-CIO Building.
Friday, a Tequila and Art reception is expected at East Austin Art Gallery and, coincidentally, a new tequila debuts at Guerro’s.
Also Friday, Fashion Freakout returns to the Mohawk club; a Livestrong Foundation assembly collects at the Hyatt Regency Austin, and singular Datri Bean sings at a CD release party at Swan Dive.
Saturday, the Carnival Brasiliero mambos through the Palmer Events Center.
Also Saturday, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner benefits Project Transitions at multiple homes; Sara Hickman and friends play the Paramount Theatre to support Theatre Action Project; Eliza Thomas shows new work at Wally Workman Gallery; the Lunar New Year is toasted at the Bullock State History Museum; the Milestone Gala for the Jewish Community Association of Austin buoys the Texas Hillel Center.
And, oh yes, the Austin Modern Homes Tour is that day.
On Sunday, they rested.
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January 27, 2011
Austin Social Hot Spots for January
Three downtown Austin hot spots traced a triangle of social activity in January.
Haddington’s on West Sixth Street, Trace and attendant lounges on Lavaca Street and the duo of Second/Congress at Second Street and Congress Avenue.
Reports of waits of up to three hours have discouraged some early adopters, although both Haddington’s and Second Bar and Kitchen accept reservations for six or more. The waits will shorten, too, as the weather continues to warm and outdoor seating becomes available.
Indira Castillo and Glenn Williams at Qua
Folks are headed to Haddington’s for Bill Norris’s succulent cocktails. They love chef David Bull’s soul-stirring inventions down at Second and Congress. As co-owner Jeff Trigger will happily demonstrate, the siblings were meant for socializing. Table hopping is almost required.
And speaking of drinks: Best Manhattan ever Monday night at Second. “Right glass, right ice, right ratio, right ingredients, stir just long enough but not too much & the perfect maraschino cherry,” explained the tweeter behind the CongressAustin handle.
Robyn Grona and Anthony Martinez at Qua
And the tall lounges leading to Trace at the W Hotel & Residences are always packed, for the atmosphere, music, buzz and slowly improving service. (I see the Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater imagineers — Tim Neece, Terry Lickona and Arthur Andersson — passing through the lounges often.)
As previously reported, guests are assembling at Annies on Congress Avenue on Thursdays for Jim Cullum’s jazz band, but also at Qua on Wednesdays for DJ Manny’s global music sets. The shark-tank club on West Fourth Street often looks empty to me, but it was stuffed with the stylish set on Sunday.
Connie Bakonyi and Colleen Tomlin at Qua
That’s when Brianna Fleet’s Top Austin Model contest settled there. A line had formed by the time I arrived at 8 p.m., but the fashion show didn’t start until almost two hours later. Responding to my tweets on the subject, several readers responded “that’s why they call it ‘fashionably late.’”
I stayed for the first line of clothing and admired the dauntless models. Fantasy themes abounded.
There was some grumbling among the masses that ButterFly Entertainment’s contest didn’t really reflect the Austin modeling community accurately, but hey, do TV reality shows truthfully mirror the societies they infiltrate? Don’t bother answering.
Fleet, just out of college, is ambitious and courageous. And the crowd at Qua proved her point.
Permalink | | Categories: Food, Nightlife, Style
January 24, 2011
Chad Womack speaks out about Brad's criminal record
Austin club owner Chad Womack, brother and business partner of “Bachelor” reality star Brad Womack, has broken his silence about reports that his twin bears a criminal record and has changed his name.
Yet through Facebook direct messages, he wanted clear up any lingering questions generated by the originating Star magazine report about Womack’s changed last name (from the slightly ludicrous ‘Pickelsimer’), the source of the drab photograph shown in widely distributed reports and the ongoing legitimacy of their business.
“Our birth name is Womack,” Chad said. “My mom’s second husband adopted us at the age of four and gave us his last name which was ‘Pickelsimer.’ They divorced 10 years later and all three of us — Brad, Wes and I, changed our name back to our birth name as soon as we legally could. We’ve all been Womacks again for years and are very proud of that name — once again our birth name.”
As for the mug-shot-like photo: “The picture of Brad that is being used for this story is a picture taken at the Department of Public Safety for a Small Business Administration loan,” Chad said.
Chad adds that similar photographs of himself and Wes were taken the same day for that loan.
As for the weight of the decades-old charges against Brad, his brother said the family has undergone rigorous background checks and earned eight liquor licenses from the exacting Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission over the past 10 years.
Chad is not unaware that his brother’s high profile means the past is not always considered the past.
He said: “We all understand that when you’re in the public eye there are both good and bad issues that you have to deal with.”
CLARIFICATION
Tela Mange, spokeswoman for the Texas Department for Public Safety, today said Brad Womack’s photograph, taken as part of the fingerprinting process for a background investigation, was not from his arrest.
It then became part of his criminal record.
“The photo is attached to the person, not to an event,” Mange says.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Media, Nightlife
January 17, 2011
Austin Social Agenda, Jan. 17-23
This week, the inaugurations of Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst overshadow other Austin socializing.
After the sun goes down, some guests in cocktail and business attire will arrive at the Palmer Events Center for dessert, music, dancing, speeches and a cash bar. Tickets are $75. All part of the “Austerity Inauguration.”
Wednesday, respected Austin filmmaker David Modigliani privately screens “Espwa (Hope)” at the W Austin Hotel and Residences. The short documentary revisits inspirational work in post-earthquake Haiti. Modigliani is best known for “Crawford,” his doc about President George W. Bush’s adopted town.
I’m hoping that later in the evening, I can drop by FronteraFest’s Short Fringe at Hyde Park Theatre.
Thursday, San Antonio jazz great Jim Cullum — father to Vortex Repertory Theatre director Bonnie Cullum and uncle to Austin social connector Robert Nash — will play Annies on Congress Avenue.
Saturday, dig into the 5th Annual Chili Cold Blood Chili Cook-Off at Jo’s Hot Coffee on South Congress Avenue.
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January 9, 2011
Spinning time with DJ Manny
Few of us spent the holidays like Manuel Muñiz, better known as DJ Manny, who worked a range of private parties for a week in Southern California.
One noisy night, he spun for friends Sunny McMillan-Kientz and Rob Kientz, who own a mansion in West Hollywood. For the past few years, the Austin lawyers have hired Muñiz to entertain an eclectic assembly of 150 or so guests.
On another night, he acted as DJ for a tiny party that included “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert at friend Hans Haveron’s art studios in Glendale, Calif.
“It was really chill,” Muñiz, 37, says. “We talked about art and music until early in the morning. I played atmospheric tracks, combined with ’80s Cure, Depeche Mode, house music.”
A fixture on Austin’s DJ and dance scenes since the late 1990s, Muñiz is exquisitely sensitive to the shifting moods of any social gathering.
“I watch the attention span on the dance floor,” he says. “I pick it up from the room. The room creates a certain energy.”
Muñiz, who doubles as a graphic artist, certainly looks the part of the modern DJ — long face, aquiline nose, salt-and-pepper beard, streaky hair, oversized brown eyes, self-designed tattoos and wing-shaped earrings made of bone. A microscopic, blue stud glints from his nose.
Regulars in Austin’s vast nightlife scene best recognize Muñiz, however, from this radiant personality.
“People enjoy seeing me get into it — dancing, rocking out, connecting with crowd,” says the San Juan, Puerto Rico native.
His father, Tomás Muñiz, is a writer; his grandfather, Tommy Muñiz, an actor who starred in the 1989 Oscar-nominated “Lo que le Pasó a Santiago.” His mother, Margarita Garcia, is a painter and teacher who married three times. He is a middle child among three brothers and two sisters.
Muñiz attended private Catholic schools in San Juan before moving to the Houston area in 1985, switching to Sugar Land public schools. From an early age, he was employed in retail stores, at restaurants and at entertainment events.
“I was brought up to work hard and try new things,” he says. “By the time I was in my 30s, I realized that I always had everything I needed.”
In 1994, brother Tomás Muñiz lured the future DJ to Austin.
“My brother called at two in the morning from dance club,” Muñiz recalls. “He said Austin is small enough for somebody young to get started, but the amount of art and music is really going to blow your mind.”
Jeff Strange of Strange Tribe Productions — also owner of the Downstairs apparel store on South Lamar Boulevard — gave him his first breaks, including opening for the band Thunderball at Texture dance club. Soon after that, Muñiz earned his first regular gig at the Red Fez, where he played for eight years on Tuesdays. (He left that engagement six months ago.)
Typically, he throws Top 40, hip hop, reggae, jazz, punk, techno, anything Latin oriented into the mix. Early on, he noticed that club guests noticed his outgoing performance style.
“At first, I wondered if they were making fun of me,” he smiles. “But my personality is friendly, eclectic. I feel like a chameleon and attract a lot of different people into the same place.”
As he struck out on the road to parties in New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans and elsewhere, he wondered what to play. “I told myself: Think that you are at the Red Fez. Be that. Following that, everything flowed naturally.”
In 2006, Muñiz started DJ Dojo, a combination record store, studio and DJ school, with Javier Arredondo a.k.a. DJ Bigface. That magnet on South First Street closed two years later because Muñiz was traveling more and wanted to spend time with wife Talitha Wallick, a Montessori teacher, and daughter Phoenix Love Muñiz, now three years old.
He still teaches the DJ craft — from choosing the right hardware and software to mixing music — one-on-one as DJ Dojo by appointment in the Art Department building at 503 Neches St.
“You’ve got music going in your head that sounds different than what’s being played in the speakers,” he says. “You must be in right place to make two records match and make them sound in harmony. I see people sweat it, but when they get it, the student starts to get really excited. I teach everybody from four years old - my youngest - to my oldest - I never ask - over 50.”
Muñiz nurtures a few collaborative projects with fellow DJs and MCs. He divides the DJ scenes into older, club crowd that dances to spiky music from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m., and mostly teen dancers, who haunt private parties under waves of electronica until dawn. His current regular gig is at Qua — the once controversial West Fourth Street lounge — on Wednesdays.
“Austin’s tastes are diverse,” he says. “We’re into blending as many genres as possible with an edge of heavy base or something that really moves the body.”
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January 7, 2011
Milonga for Tango Buenos Aires at the Long Center
Although tango may be 120 years old, its social antecedents go back many centuries. I learned that during the milonga prior to a performance of Tango Buenos Aires at the Long Center. Noticing, after 90 minutes or so, that women, dressed to the nines, were waiting long turns to glide across the dance floor with a few suave gents in the Kodosky Lounge, I was told the reason was sacred milonga tradition.
Rachel Martin and Orazzio Loayza
The women must wait for a man to lead at these tango opportunities, and since there are fewer men than women in Austin’s tango community, the gals are left standing on the outside more often. Sounds like an ancient gender agreement ripe for repeal.
Dear friend Laura Pellegrino — we survived intensive Italian together more than 20 years ago; she still looks 20 — served as DJ for the music that sounded as if it were transported from pre-World War II Argentina. I spoke with several tango aficionados, including Rachel Martin, who informed me that a rogue teacher would be conducting workshops in same-gender tango partnering soon in Austin.
Laura Pellegrino and Bentley Post
Spent a good deal of time with Irais Galvez, trying to determine how she might be related to Bernardo de Galvez, the 18th-century Spanish colonial leader after whom Galveston was named. (The spelling for the bay changed from Galvezston on Spanish maps, a not infrequent occurrence, since they were supposed to remain top secret.) Turns out Irais’ great-grandfather was a performer who took Galvez as a stage name, so probably a thin connection to Bernardo.
Irais Galvez and Jose Luis Lopez
Chatted at length with Long Center interim director Paul Beutel, who spends long spells of every year with his beloved in South Africa. You see, Christmas Eve, I had came up with the notion that Kip, my brothers and my brothers-in-laws should take the seven Barnes nephews to Africa in 2012 (my sisters and sisters-in-law had taken the Barnes nieces to Italy last year). Paul provided the most elegant two-week itinerary — wildlife parks, wine country, surf spots — and even a possible guide.
Oh, the show. Almost forgot: Tango Buenos Aires showcased the dance form through short pieces. Look for a review soon on Austin Arts: Seeing Things.
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January 5, 2011
3 Dot: Johnny Depp, Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Billy Gibbons & more
Second edition of the 3-Dot revival:
In more Barrymore news, she’s purchased a $7 million mansion near Oprah Winfrey in Montecito, Cal., near Santa Barbara,. Don’t ask me where Barrymore lives in Austin — I wouldn’t give out the address anyway, dear ones. But boyfriend Justin Long almost assuredly owns a pied-à-terre in Travis Heights, according to multiple sources.
Not far away, part-time Austinite Johnny Depp dined with ZZ Tops’ Billy Gibbons and other buddies at Vespaio on South Congress Avenue. Like most Hollywood celebrities, Depp keeps a pretty low profile while in Austin. We respect that.
You aren’t going to spot many bold-face names there — surely not Depp — but the Wahoo Fish Taco chain outlet on South Congress has settled quickly into the neighborhood, attracting tourists, artists, musicians and other eclectic types. The Wahoo folks cleverly wedge their surf-themed eateries and full bars within urban pedestrian zones, like the thriving spot in the West Sixth Street district. Met Eric Erickson there — the brother of rocker Roky Erickson, not the political blogger Erick Erickson. My only complaint: The cheap windows that look borrowed from Long John Silver’s.
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January 3, 2011
Austin Social Agenda, Jan 3-9, 2011
As usual, the new year gets off to a slow social start.
Good time to explore the musical riches of Red River Street as its clubs offer their annual — self-explanatory — Free Week. Dozens of acts play, among them, Quiet Company and What Made Milwaukee Famous.
Tuesday, thinking about buying a late ticket to the University of Texas Longhorns against the Arkansas Razorbacks at the Erwin Center.
Friday, who would miss the Russian Christmas Party at a Hemphill Park home (OK, you’ll need an invitation first from hosts Rob Moshein and Bob Atchison).
Saturday, there’s the Bachelors of Austin Presentation Ball, one of the city’s older social customs, at the Omni Hotel. The previous night, find a smaller Patron’s Party at the Driskill Hotel. Gordon McGill, whose wife, Charmaine Denius McGill recently triumphed at Dancing with the Stars Austin, chairs the Bachelors board of governors.
Also Saturday, L Style G Style launches its next issue at BMW of Austin, 7011 McNeil Drive.
Sunday, Spike Gillespie’s Kick Ass Awards recognize under-recognized Austinites at BookPeople.
You go for me, because I’m tapped for a wedding in Houston on Saturday, then a Wren Cottage Feast at home on Sunday.
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January 2, 2011
A mellow New Year's Eve
Dec. 31, 2008 was spent migrating to various smoldering parties in the West Texas arts colony of Marfa. It was like refining the open, fit, kind, smart, festive and informal Austin into a few arid blocks.
Dec. 31, 2010, it was time to downsize.
This New Year’s Eve, Kip and I attended a house party with a short guest list. Nick and Nora were safely stashed in the quietest room of our home — big Labrador retriever ears can’t bear fireworks. And we were off to negotiate the maze of partially closed downtown streets by 8 p.m.
The bungalow in Aldridge Place comfortably handled the collection of artists, musicians, writers, producers, editors, educators, lawyers, entrepreneurs, at least one judge and one unemployed construction worker. In fact, a fair fraction of this intriguing crowd, it occurred to me late in the evening, had journeyed to Marfa precisely two years previous.
Three versions of cassoulet — one of them the four-day recipe — various desserts and barbecue from an East Austin trailer were among the delicacies produced by a host-driven pot luck process.
The advantages of smaller New Year’s Eve celebrations should be obvious. One is less likely to be swept up in a public frenzy that would make Euripedes’ flesh-flaying maenads seem tame. Conversations dip into deeper waters and acquaintances grow a bit older, mellower.
It’s hard to keep a party interesting for five hours, but our hosts are experts at human interconnection. A final dozen guests dawdled well past midnight in two pods. At one point, we shared our New Year’s “words,” which is our version of resolutions, only less directed.
Mine? “Showtime,” adapted from “It’s showtime folks!” in Bob Fosse’s “All That Jazz.” Indeed, every night on Austin’s social circuit feels like “showtime!”
The next day, I accomplished my only goal: To accomplish nothing of any import. Which is why this report is a day late.
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December 30, 2010
Three dots: Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Billy Gibbons, Jim Franklin and more out on the town
The return of the 3-dot format for some select social items:
Sometime Austinite Drew Barrymore and frequent visitor Scarlett Johansson were spotted at Manuel’s and on South Congress Avenue this week. They are also expected at the New Year’s Eve celebration at the Seaholm Power Plant, scene of last year’s smash NYE party. The frequent sightings only feed the raging rumor that Barrymore and boyfriend Justin Long have purchased houses here. …
Red hot spot: Hopdoddy hamburger and beer joint on South Congress Ave., where co-owner Larry Perdido (Moonshine) was working the full room last week. Despite the wait at the rear counter, folks were noisily digging into the large burgers and bowl-sized goblets of local draft beer. Right concept, right spot. …
Also hot: Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse on South First Street — bigger, brighter, new location, but still packed midday last week. Table service replaces most counter orders at this extremely laid-back spot. The service is shared, so either everybody is waiting on you, or nobody. Unsettling. Met former music manager Ihor Gowda there for snacks and nonprofit chat. Next table: Poet Carrie Fountain and playwright hubbie Kirk Lynn. They were splitting up household chores like a party game. …
Getting hot: Taking some of the overflow from the W Austin Hotel & Residences, whose lounges fill quickly on party nights, is spanking new Hangar. It’s located directly across Colorado Street from Lance Armstrong’s Six, matching the other lounge’s mass and three-level allure. Dick Clark’s firm designed it with a retro airport theme; high-tech security guru and highly eligible bachelor Joe Ross is one of the investors. Prediction: The must-be-seen tribe will flock here this mild winter.
Allison F. photo from Yelp
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December 26, 2010
Early 2011 Date Saving
As the year ends, it’s time to look ahead to early 2011 dates already reserved by smart party planners.
Jan. 13, Hill Country Ride for AIDS kicks off with a party at the Austin Music Hall.
The Atticus Circle Luncheon with country artist Chely Wright follows Jan. 27 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel.
Going head to head on Jan. 29 are the Gala Lumière at the Blanton Museum of Art and the Dell Children’s Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas gala at the Austin Convention Center.
Also that night, consider the Austin Lyric Opera pre-opening dinner for “The Italian Girl in Algiers,” as well as the always lively Merry Martini Mixer for Equality Texas at Sheraton Austin.
An Austin institution — Carnaval Brasileiro — sambas across the Palmer Event Center floors Feb. 5. The same night, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? spreads out to many private homes, benefiting Project Transitions.
The Philanthropy Day Breakfast, which recognizes charity heroes, is Feb. 10 at the Hyatt Regency.
Feb. 11, the Boots, Bells & Hearts Gala for Mental Health America of Texas kicks in at the Four Seasons Hotel.
On Feb. 12, the Human Rights Campaign recognizes crusaders for equality at the Four Seasons Hotel, while the sprawling Rodeo Austin Gala returns to the Palmer Events Center.
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December 22, 2010
Stork Club Holiday Party at an Old Green Park home
Over. The. Top.
Kory Wilson acts as a doorman with hostess Carla McDonald
Carla and Jack McDonald, already solid-gold hosts, threw a holiday party that people will be talking about for years. They decked out their Old Green Park house like the swank Stork Club, the nightclub that ruled New York City society with class and style from 1929 to 1965.
That’s Austin’s Nancy Scanlan, second from the left, at the Stork Club in the late 1950s!
One room gathered table-clothed cabaret tables around a perky jazz band. Other rooms were laid out with savory or sweet snacks. An army of helpers held the door, made designer hot chocolate, passed out candy cigarettes or served special Stork Club cocktails.
Nancy Scanlan (now) and Nina Seely (in all-vintage wear)
This was the second night in a row that I relished the rejuvenated wonders of Leslie Moore’s Word of Mouth Catering. Once Austin’s buzziest caterers, they are back on game in a big way.
Dapper Eric and Maria Groten
Men arrived in tuxes or dark suits. Women, free to improvise, wore vintage gowns almost exclusively. Some were adorned with vintage furs, which I suppose are less likely to arouse the ire of animal activists. They looked dreamy.
Turk Pipkin and good-sport Shawna Fletcher
None dreamier than our hostess, Carla. Some readers are probably tired of the hosannas sung about this wife, mother, businesswoman, activist, writer and humanitarian. They are out of luck: I don’t know how she does it — and still looks like a million bucks night after night.
Piet (pronounced Pete) and Cindy Vanhoutte, who told me about their Flemish-language wedding in Bruges, Belgium several years ago
I also spent time with Lindsey Love, who shares the society beat at the Houston Chronicle with Douglas Britt. She was skipping three Houston parties for the McDonalds’ Stork Club soiree. Good bet.
Kevin Lalande, Christie Horne-Lalande and Joe Liemandt
Personally, I felt a bit tired from the holiday social grind. Carla took me aside to ask if I was OK — in so many words. (Kind, too.) I chugged hot chocolates to keep awake, but still left well before the party’s final goodbyes, timed well past midnight (according to my spies).
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December 21, 2010
Harlem Nights for Austin Chapter of Links
Talk about historical glamour! The Harlem Nights party for the Austin Chapter of Links lit up the Renaissance Austin Hotel on Saturday with style and panache. (Nice touch that the Harlem Renaissance was remembered in the Renaissance Austin.)
Angela and Dexter Henderson
Links, Inc., the African American answer to the Junior League back when that organization was segregated, counts two local chapters, the other named for Town Lake. The older Austin iteration celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Harlem-themed event.
Gisselle Little and Sandra Little
As soon as I entered the atrium lobby, I encountered familiar socializers such as state Rep. Dawnna Dukes and Sherry Ransom, executive director of Leadership Enrichment Arts Program. They and others were dressed to the nines, some in vintage garb that recalled Harlem in the 1920s and ’30s.
Shirley Gordon and Sandra Talbot
For whatever reason, this event always falls on a night stacked with multiple competing social events. So it is with chagrin that to each query: “Are you staying for the dancing?” — I replied “sadly, no.” Some day. Soon.
Dominique and Corey Smith
A joyous New Year’s resolution? How about dancing at every event where dancing is allowed?
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December 20, 2010
Holiday Party at a Tarrytown Home
Civic activist and arts backer Anne Elizabeth Wynn and filmmaker Joaquin Avellán kindly invited us to their holiday open house in Tarrytown. It was an open-hearted family affair, with kids making smores over a fire and adults bouncing between the pizza slices and sweet treats.
Sarah Bird and George Jones
Many of the same socializers who attended the holiday party earlier that Friday evening at the Law Office of Becky Beaver also dropped by Wynn’s airy, art-bedecked house. I met two fascinating young people, recently arrived from Venezuela: Lope Gutierrez Ruiz and Michu Benaim Steiner, who have produced a novel art magazine.
Michu Benaim Steiner and Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz
Perhaps we should pause here to remark on the increased number of Latin Americans who have moved to Austin recently. This is in addition to the migratory patterns of mostly Central Americans and Mexicans who have made up the bulk of immigrants during the past decades, and have been the focus of most public discussions on the issue. These newer arrivals come from educated, entrepreneurial sectors across Latin American society, including Mexico, especially Monterrey, contributing yet another layer to our creative class.
Rosa Rivera, Juan Miró and Nancy Scanlan
On other topics, I was interested to discover that Ihor Gowda has left behind music management and aims to dive into the nonprofit sector. Also that Wynn and family have invented a collapsible Christmas trees with clear rings to support ornaments and gifts as if on circular shelves. Neat.
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December 17, 2010
A West Lake Hills Holiday Party
Another party, another skyline. Robert Nash and Paul Simmons give a holiday party each year at their trim, mid-century modern home in West Lake Hills. A prime draw: The vast view of Austin. And every time it appears Austin’s skyline has transmogrified.
Sherry Matthews and Stephen Rice
Nash and Simmons are social connectors. So the guests — along with copious refreshments — are always worth the climb along winding Stratford Drive, Red Bud Trail or West Lake Drive. (Nash and Simmons live very close to the former home of the late super-connector Liz Carpenter.)
Frank Rivera and Gabriel Lewis
The guest list is governed by males, but the age bracket ranges from infants to ancients. I chatted with an artist, a teacher, a writer, a law student, a marketer, a businessman or two, even a small-town mayor.
Elliott Beck, Kelsey Lyon and Jake Lewis
A sprightly jazz trio noodled out melodies, some seasonal. Folks migrated from the slightly chilly balcony to interior nooks, completing the circuit in the kitchen, where lively conversation and laughter reigned. Then they headed back to the view. Always, the majestic view.
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December 16, 2010
Deborah Main Designs Soiree + Warehouse District + Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
Pillow designer Deborah Main is not the only businesswoman throwing a holiday party this season. But she may be the only one doing so deep in the Zilker neighborhood. Her smart affair Tuesday stationed pillows, hats, jewelry and art from various designers and artists around the house, making for a domestic version of the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, even including a mellow musical act.
Griff and Cat & Steitz
The most alluring station for Deborah Main Designs was in Main’s tub, where she plumped up some discount headrests ($50). At that price, count me in! Ran into various fixtures on the fashion scene, but also Rebecca Powers, who, by coincidence, I was slated to interview for the column the following day. We had never formally met, so it was a pleasant shock to witness her testimony on Impact Austin, the giving circle she founded. I broke custom and bid on a silent auction item — a book about signature Texas homes.
Laura Del Villaggio and Deborah Main
Following the party on Tuesday, companion-for-the-evening Ian Carrico and I decided to hit the Warehouse District. We stopped for a drink at the W Austin Hotel & Residences, my third visit to this chic new social magnet. For the first time, it was pretty quiet and there was no problem securing a couch.
Rebecca Powers and Becky Griner
We then headed to Hangar, the new club at Fourth and Colorado streets designed by Dick Clark’s group. Shelved on three levels, it somewhat matches the club Six across the street. (And from what I hear, shares some investors in the Lance Armstrong circle.) The retro-cool airport theme led to some couches that too closely resemble those in waiting areas, but overall, it is impressively jet-setty. Our final visit was to Rain on West Fourth Street, the gay bar which recently added tall, black leather banquettes to its front lounge. Good addition.
Bruce Willenzik and Annie Harding
The following night, I had several social options, but was stuck responding to some technical glitches in the newsroom. So when the next column was put to bed, I strolled over to the Palmer Events Center for the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. This is the right home for the decades-old art-and-crafts gift fair. There’s more room for musicians and their fans, as well as for exhibitors.
Almost immediately, I ran into Austin Film Festival wrangler Barbara Morgan and her daughter. Morgan endorsed the bazaar’s combination of veteran artists and newcomers. I agreed. I was far more tempted to make purchases than at any time in the past. Congratulated Bruce Willenzik and Annie Harding, who are stepping down from the leadership of the bazaar, then bought some seasonal cards from Pro-Jex’s Neil Coleman and his booth partner, Tim Taylor; together they run a thriving photo biz called Historical Image Reproduction.
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December 14, 2010
Rusty Spurs closes its doors
Rusty Spurs, once the hope of a fresh gay district on East Seventh Street, has closed its doors indefinitely.
“The new investors for the club could not come to an agreement with the original owners, so they just shut the whole thing down,” said Rob Faubion, fundraiser and blogger who had planned the “Jingle Bell Jubilee” event there for Friday to benefit the Wright House Wellness Center.
The news comes as other gay and lesbian bars outside the crowded Warehouse District have closed or face extinction.
The city’s only lesbian-centric bar, located at 113 San Jacinto Blvd., locked its doors after a short run earlier this year. Yet another, Lipstick 24, recently opened up at 606 East Seventh St.
The building that houses the decades-old Charlie’s Austin — on Lavaca Street near the Capitol — was for sale for months. The business itself, however, was not for sale.
The Chain Drive sits on land slated for Waller Creek redevelopment, although there are no immediate plans to build the 21C Museum Residences and Hotel at that site (a project not give much hope by downtown watchers).
A Facebook page for the Iron Bear, slated to replace Amsterdam on West Eighth Street, reads that it is “Coming Soon!”
What else is out there? Rain, Oilcan Harry’s and Kiss & Fly in the Warehouse District and the ‘Bout Time neighborhood bar in far north Austin. Other bars feature gay nights.
UPDATES: Information on the Lipstick 24 and the Iron Bear were added to the previous post.
CLARIFICATION: A previous post said Charlie’s Austin was for sale. The building was for sale, not the business.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Business, Nightlife
December 9, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Dec. 13-19
Hosts are sharing that holiday cheer throughout Austin’s social scene next week.
Dec. 13, Dave Steakley and Elisbeth Challener’s crew stages Zach Theatre’s Holiday Party at Spring Condominium.
Dec. 15, the Young Women’s Alliance mingle during a VIP Happy Hour at Cameron Lockley and Eddie Bernal’s La Sombra resaturant on Burnet Road.
Also Dec. 15, guests will flock to the Grand Opening Party at Soleil on Lake Travis (6550 Comanche Trail) or the Austin Film Society presentation of “True Grit” at the Paramount Theatre, with an after-party at the Belmont.
Dec. 16, some will head to Robert Nash and Paul Simmons’ famed Christmas Party in West Lake Hills.
Dec. 17, find me at Becky Beaver’s Office Christmas Party at 816 Congress Ave.
Dec. 18, guests will be puttin’ on the ritz for the Holiday Soiree — with a Stork Club theme — at the home of Jack and Carla McDonald.
Also Dec. 19, join the Harlem Nights Stompin’ at the Savoy for the Links Austin Chapter at Renaissance Austin Hotel.
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December 8, 2010
Big Weekend Calendars Launch at the Vortex
How to keep track of Austin’s unending festivals, tours, rallies, concerts, markets and competitions? One popular tool is the Big Weekend Calendar, which for the past five years has guided Austinites around their town’s treasures. It’s a straightforward wall calendar, combining crisp photography with an easy-to-read grid and text tabs for more than 250 events and activities.
Anne L. Tiedt, Mike Stefanik and Laura B. Williams
Editor/publisher Mike Stefanik sold more than 12,000 copies of the calendar last year and hopes to expand to Portland, Ore. soon. Used in combination with AustinSocialPlanner.com, I Live Here I Give Here’s online calendar, plus the usual alerts from austin360.com, Tribeza, Rare, Launch787 and Do512, etc., one can practically schedule a year’s activities in one sitting.
Bryan Flores and Malkia Smith
Tuesday, Stefanik’s crew threw a launch party for the 2011 calendar at the Vortex, complemented by dancers, musicians and refreshments. It was a predictably youthful group and one that clearly likes going out. (Former Statesman columnist Lee Kelly’s phrase “cafe society” comes to mind.) A few of them even knew that 10 percent of the company’s after-tax profits goes to local nonprofits, especially the Austin Parks Foundation.
David Staab and Crystal Cao
Caught up with the Vortex Repertory Company’s Bonnie Cullum, who is working on programs that help creative artists — who write their own work — carve out careers. Cullum’s a rare Austin gem whose performance company is more than 20 years old. Quite impressive for an East Austin warehouse theater that has specialized in innovative efforts.
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December 6, 2010
Headliners revealed for Austin City Limits' studio gala
The top tickets for the seated dinner on the studio floor are already sold out. Still for sale are dinner-by-the-bite-plus-performance tickets at $500, and performance-only tickets in the balcony at $150. Following the performance, the entire theater will open up for a reception with snacks and a chance to tour every seat in the surprisingly intimate house. Get more information at KLRU.org.
The hotel itself opens to the public on Thursday.
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December 2, 2010
Holiday Party at a Tarrytown home
More than one guest called it “the kick-off party for every Austin holiday season.” Others said it was simply one of the biggest and best house parties of the year.
Nina Seely and Mary Yancy
At the last minute, social savior and Ralph Lauren proxy Nina Seely took me by the arm to witness Becky and Mark Powell’s renowned holiday affair on Wednesday. The Powells live a low, long Tarrytown house that looks like a European hunting lodge crossed with a remote monastery. It’s cool, unlike anything else I’ve seen in Austin, and formerly sat on many acres of land just off Exposition.
Becky Powell and Susan Auler
The Powells have made this manse thoroughly livable with an extensive patio, a pool and a basketball half-court, along with game rooms, dens, living rooms and a new wine cellar. Other houses now enclose the street and neighbors include project management expert Dealy Herndon.
Bill Jones, Dealy Herndon and Johnita Jones
Guests spilled from room to room as servers passed around treats like sugared bacon and specially made little puddings. Who were these folks? Many live in Tarrytown. Or they formerly lived in West Austin. They knew the tradition of dropping off an unwrapped toy — for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Service’s Rainbow Room — inside a sleigh in the front yard. It would be disingenuous to pretend that power performers, many tied to the statewide Republican ascendancy, others associated with the downtown business community, were not there.
They, and everyone else, dived straight into the holiday deep end. Conversations multiplied into the cold night.
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December 1, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Dec. 6-12
Heading into that holiday swing next week …
Dec. 6, live for Liveable City’s Holiday Bash at Black Star Co-Op Pub & Brewery.
Also Dec. 6, sing for Conspirare’s Christmas at the Carillon Gala at the Long Center.
Dec. 8, the media will take another sneak peek at the W Hotel and Residences.
Also Dec. 8, AVAA gives out its Visual Arts Awards at AT&T Center and the Blanton Museum of Art’s Director’s Circle Holiday Party is just around the corner.
Dec. 9, a Ralph Lauren Showcase benefits the Long Center at the Domain.
Also Dec. 9, the Austin Marathon’s Holiday Party goes the distance at 710 Rio Grande St.; and FuturoFund throws a Christmas Party at the LatinWorks offices.
Dec. 10, the Heritage Society’s Preservation Awards dignify the Driskill Hotel over a luncheon.
Dec. 11, the 100 Club of Central Texas holds a Holiday Party at Headliners; the SIMS Benefit Bash shakes the Austin Music Hall; and American-Statesman style writer Marques Harper appears as Mother Ginger in “The Nutcracker.”
Dec. 12, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin sing for Marathon Kids at the Paramount Theatre.
CORRECTION: Zach Theatre’s “Red Hot Patriot” does not open this week.
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November 16, 2010
Winding Down the Fall Social Season
Only four days remain in the fall social season. Then the holidays take over for six weeks, returning social focus to family, friends and colleagues. In fact, Nov. 20-28, this column will take a break, while its columnist dallies in Fort Worth, Houston, College Station and Galveston, outside the public glare.
Allison and James LaMarr
Meantime, Sunday night twirled me all around central Austin. A false start: I parked in one of those secret spots near the Four Seasons Hotel, assuming the evening’s first event would commence there. Nope. Over on the University of Texas campus at the AT&T Center, which is providing the Four Seasons with stiff competition these days.
Faires Beale and Michael Girard
The gala in question was given by HeartGift Austin, which provides lifesaving heart surgery to disadvantaged children from developing countries. The lobby was decked out with tables for a fine wine silent auction. Nice theme. And because the crowd was not too large, the tables didn’t constrict the already narrow lobby.
Robert and Carrie Hicks
Talked downtown development with nightclub owner Michael Girard (Cuba Libre, Speakeasy, Imperia). Seems things are looking up for smaller-scale projects. Caught up with other friends, although the HeartGift group doesn’t cross-pollinate promiscuously with other local charity backers.
Nadeem and Anna Ansari
Then it was off to El Sol y La Luna for the celebration of Mahiga Hope High School. This is the building program backed by Austin’s Nobelity Project. Christy and Turk Pipkin — plus their myriad of like-minded friends — raised the money and the brainpower for this school in rural Kenya.
Blanca Alvarado and Annabelle Arteaga
The crowd at the Sixth Street restaurant mingled freely before the program, which included before-and-after videos of the school and its innovative “rainwater court,” which captures water across the broad roof of a wall-less basketball court. The Pipkins and their designer friends hope it will prove a way of providing clean water in other places where rain comes and goes.
Laura Vilches and Mary Anne Connolly
Hollywood’s Dennis Quaid came early, stayed late. He played a set with Austin’s Marcia Ball. Quaid and the Austin clan of his bride, Kimberly Buffington, have remained loyal supporters of Nobelity. No updates on a Quaid house planned for Lake Austin.
Sharon Gibbons and Melissa Squyres
There was still time to make the Luminalia for Austin Shakespeare. Since taking over this theatrical company, veteran Ann Ciccolella has applied what she learned at Zach Theatre and the Austin Circle of Theaters to institution-building with what has always been a slenderly supported group.
Lloyd Teal, Michelle Busby and Robert Busby
The Luminalia brought out some relatively big names from the philanthropy circuit, some of them dressed as if for a masque. Scenes were performed in the Umlauf Sculpture Garden under moon balloons, then sonnets were recited during dinner. No fire tricks this year.
Sylvia and Phil Spertus
Everyone seemed to be having so much fun, I decided that, next time, I’ll sit down to this banquet, if the timing is right. In fact, it made me rethink my social schedule altogether. These things run in cycles, but it’s time again to consider only one, or at most, two events per evening. Makes for better stories in the end.
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November 14, 2010
Revlynn Lawson: Sane Socializing
She holds down a serious legislative job with an ominous-sounding State of Texas title (committee director for the House Committee on County Affairs).
She earned impressive degrees from prestigious institutions (bachelor’s in psychology and sociology, master’s in social work from University of Southern California in Los Angeles; law from Washington University in St. Louis).
She comes from a long line of high achievers (doctors, nurses, lawyers, librarians, teachers, managers).
“It has to benefit something I care about — education, victims of abuse, health issues, children and teens, dogs, arts,” Lawson says “Then it has to be fun. So many events are people just standing around chit-chatting. I want to hear music and see people having fun.”
Lawson, 40, proves that one can make a difference in the world and still party down. Even gown-bedecked galas, which can be awfully starchy, strike her fancy.
“I love a good ball as much as the next person,” she says of formal charity events. “Any opportunity to get dressed up in Austin is welcome. They are not frivolous. There are some people won’t write the check unless the get involved socially.”
Raised in Houston’s Third Ward, she credits strong maternal influence from Janice Lawson, now director of business development and contract compliance with Austin Energy.
“My brother and I were raised as middle-class kids within a very small, but close-knit family that believed in a strong educational foundation, and exposure to the arts and diverse cultures,” she says.
Most of the family has stuck close to the Third Ward, historically home to Houston’s Jewish community, but majority African American since the 1960s.
“They don’t leave Houston,” Lawson says. “Everyone is still there.”
During the summer, she splashed at the McGregor Park pool, eating Frito pies and pickles. She spent whole days at Astroworld amusement park, where her aunt served as head nurse, but she also hung out at the public library, crabbed in Galveston Bay and toured the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
She didn’t mind returning to Herod Elementary School or Fondren Middle School each fall.
“I loved it. Loved to read,” she says. “Math came easy to me. Perhaps because of the finite answers. I liked new formulas, shortcuts and tricks.”\
Raised Episcopalian, Lawson’s school friends were mostly Jewish.
“Houston feels much more like home to me,” she says. “I felt more part of the world. Diverse friends. Food. Cultures. It was a big world. Between the library and Houston, I learned the world.”
How did she end up in Austin?
“My mom ‘kidnapped’ me and my younger brother and moved us to Austin,” she says “It was a forced removal and it was traumatic. I was 13. I had been accepted honors program at Bellaire High School and the High School for Health Professions.”
In fact, the Third Ward was becoming more dangerous. She recalls: “Used to be, for us kids, it was just get on your bike and go.”
Instead, Lawson attended racially mixed Reagan High School in Austin during some of its best years, when spirit was high in part because of a competitive football team.
“On balance I got everything I needed,” she says. “After not speaking to my mother for much of the summer before high school started, I got into the rhythm. Made friends.”
Involved with student council and other social activities, the still-single Lawson didn’t date a lot or have a serious boyfriend in high school.
Still, she kept a backup plan: “I was out of here.” USC offered the allures of Los Angeles: “I was back in a city — big, massive, diverse. I was happy.”
The policy bug had tickled her early. She worked in late U.S. Rep. J.J. “Jake” Pickle’s local office and for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett in Washington.
After graduation, she worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Children & Family Services as a social worker, then supervisor for two years. She was promoted to an internal lobbying job for the county. She stuck her nose into political races.
“I never considered running,” she says. “I like to be the person behind the scenes. I don’t want to be the face of anything.”
Eventually, as the Southern California social and business landscape shifted, she sold her house and returned to Texas.
“I do appreciate the Austin lifestyle and quality of life,” she says. “It’s more laid back and relaxed. Which was what I needed after years of the crazy hustle in LA. And I hadn’t lived near family in almost 20 years. It was time to come home.”
She got into consulting for an executive recruiting firm, then opened a short-lived day spa in Windsor Park.
A tip from family friend Anthony Haley led to a job working with Rep. Garnet Colemen when he was appointed a Texas House committee chair in 2009. Since then she has been making the rounds of the state’s 254 counties, make sure hearings run smoothly and according to House rules, rounding up members for hearings, and summarizing big research projects.
On the social side, she’s deeply involved with the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and LINKS, which she says was “like Junior League at a time when African American women were not allowed in the Junior League.” She belongs to the Town Lake Chapter, the younger of the city’s two LINKS groups, working to help Kids Cafe, an after-school program that feeds kids.
“For some of our kids, it’s the only meal they get during the day,” she says.
The Cafe is the motivational driver for LINKS’ Mardis Gras gala Feb. 26, 2011 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol.
“A little formality is a good thing,” she says. “Do I want to do that every weekend of my life? No. But when done well, people donate more.”
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November 12, 2010
A Frisky Night on the Town
After a somber but comforting function honoring a dear, departed friend, your social columnist socialized, professionally, as long as he could stand on Thursday.
Lauren Kelleher and Titus Dunham
My first intended stop was an Enfield home to finally experience the Trees for Pease party, to which I have been kindly, emphatically and repeatedly invited. Didn’t happen. No parking for blocks and blocks around the house. And I don’t give up easily.
Christopher Bargmann, Crisana Sanchez and Steve Gibson
So off to downtown. Parked in my sweet spot near the Bremond Block, so near to everything social, but hidden away.
Tobin Lim and Maureen Toribio
First event: A reception at Savoir Beds, a transformed bedding store on West Third Street. Beds for $80,000? Got ‘em. For much less, too, as well as pillows, neck rests and other sleep aids.
Yes, they enjoyed the beds
A toothsome, well-lubricated crowd was getting pretty frisky by the time I left. My thanks to David Whiteaker for turning me on to this small, carefree party. Appreciated. Lifted me out of a funk.
Sharon Miller, Dean Lofton and Stacy Davenport
Next came a Dean Lofton reception at Ruth’s Chris. Although a relative newcomer from South Carolina, Dean is an inveterate connector, so folks from the worlds of writing, public relations and music meshed there.
Louis Carnicle and Abbie Marriott
They listened to the rippling sounds of jazz trumpeter Jeff Lofton. Dean told a crunchy story about meeting Sonny Rollins backstage at Bass Concert Hall with Jeff, all thanks to an alert limo driver.
Joanna Duncan, Mary Latouf and Vanessa Lively
Folks were settling into their drinks, so I thought: CharityBash at the Parish or AceFest at the Belmont next? That’s when another night owl met me on the street, saying the CharityBash date auction was insanely crowded and hot — for good or ill — so I went the other way. (I heard later that CharityBash raised $90,000!)
Jessica Lovell and Jason Wadge
OK, so just what the heck is AceFest? Nobody on the Belmont’s upstairs terrace seemed to know. Really. I asked more than a dozen guests.
Deanna and Trenton
A little Internet search showed that AceFest is a way of bringing together folks from the movie industry in social settings. That’s good. But why do we need that, when there are scores of film-related parties in Austin every year? AceFest is up and running in NYC. We’ll see if it catches fire here.
Brandi Smith and Peter Armendariz
Talk about frisky, though. The proffered funky music, silly props and shiny wigs did not go unused by the movie gang, even if they weren’t exactly sure what they were celebrating.
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November 10, 2010
Austin Social Calendar, Nov. 15-21, 2010
A few last chances to socialize before the Thanksgiving family break …
Nov. 15, you may “Rock the Casbah” for Refugee Services of Texas at Phara’s Middle Eastern restaurant.
Nov. 17, join the greens from the Rainforest Partnership at the Barr Mansion.
Nov. 18, one of the great parties of any year, Help Clifford Help the Kids for Youthworks, takes off with Los Lonely Boys at AT&T Center.
Also Nov. 18, sample from Big Reds and Bubbles for Texas Wine & Food Foundation at the Driskill Hotel; an Underground Party for Austin Bat Cave at a Tarrytown home; and Catalyst 8’s Thanks for Giving Party at ProAce Technologies.
Nov. 19, the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation Annual Benefit celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the publication of Larry McMurtry’s novel “Lonesome Dove,” at AT&T Conference Center.
Also Nov. 19, take a look at SafePlace Celebration at Hyatt Regency Austin; or Extravagasm Fantasy Ball IX: East of Hedon at the ND.
Nov. 20, if the weather is fair, dig into Home Slice Carnival O’ Pizza 2010 at 1415 South Congress Ave.
Also Nov. 20, select from the Friends of Austin Cultural Entrepreneurship Networking Party at Brown Building; or the Austin Empty Bowl Project at the Emma Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.
Correction: An earlier version of this post listed the Catalyst 8 party for the Long Center on Nov. 18 at the Long Center. It’s at ProAce Technologies.
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October 28, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Nov. 1-7, 2010
So many social choices …
Nov. 1 consider joining the Austin Toros for the 2010 NBA D-League Draft Party at Hyatt Regency Austin; or attend the 36th Annual B. Iden Payne Theatre Industry Awards at the Long Center.
Nov. 2, find me at the Opera Dudes Season Kick-Off at the Long Center, part of Austin Lyric Opera’s creative Opera Stampede series of public events.
Late that Tuesday, I might drop by the Texas Tribune Election Night Anniversary Party at Arthouse at the Jones Center.
Nov. 3, the big deal is the Harvey Penick Awards for Caritas Austin saluting Teresa and Joe Long at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Also that Wednesday, an event I thoroughly enjoyed last season, Vive le Vin, devoted to the Ballet Austin Guild, moves to Mercury Hall.
Nov. 4, my entire evening is invested in the private concert with Jimmie Vaughn to benefit the Palmer Drug Abuse Program at Antone’s.
Others may be attending the Texas Hold ‘Em for Heroes, which helps Heroes for Children, at Westwood Country Club.
I’ll begin Oct. 5 with the Let There Be Hope Gala for the Glimmer of Hope Foundation at the AT&T Center.
Later, I’ll mosey over to the Casino Royale Party staged by LifeWorks Executives and Professionals at Seaholm Power Plant.
On the way, I might stop by the Austin Young Chamber Fave Awards at the Driskill Hotel.
Nov. 6 is an unholy mess, socially. The top event is Season of Song for Austin Children’s Shelter at the Four Seasons Hotel.
But several other notable invitations grace my mailbox, including the Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival at Auditorium Shores; Fun Fun Fun Festival at Waterloo; the University of Texas School of Architecture Dinner; Barkitechture on Second Street for Animal Lovers of Austin; and S’more Soiree for the Girl Scouts at Camp Texlake in Spicewood.
Nov. 7 is easy: Dance the night away during the Octo Tea for the Octopus Club at the Long Center.
Perhaps earlier in the day: Somewhere in Time party for the Heritage Society of Austin at Boggy Creek Farm. ————————————————————————————————————- UPDATE: The L Style G Style party slated for the Arthouse rooftop on Nov. 6 has been canceled.
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October 24, 2010
Just Wandering Around Austin on a Saturday Night
The evening began at Chuy’s on Barton Springs Road. Clangy, peppy vibe. Tourists shoehorned into every crack and cranny.
Discussed old theaters, universities, nightlife and such with dear friend and stage director Scott Shattuck, now chairman of the theater department at Stephen F. Austin University, and his colleague, Alan “Butch” Nielsen, who teaches history of the cinema, playwriting and other courses there in Nacogdoches.
Next stop: Mexic-Arte Museum at Congress Avenue and Fifth Street. The Viva la Vida Fest, which is the arts center’s reconfigured Day of the Dead party. A block of East Fifth Street was cordoned off for booths, sculptures and a stage, where a band played cross-cultural music.
Ashley Vasquez, Carolyne Aguilar and Cassandra Cazares
Almost without warning, the Day of the Dead parade arrived, swooping around Congress Avenue from its start at Plaza Saltillo. It was a sight. Seriously researched, head-to-toe costumes, make-up and banners. in typical Austin fashion, all races embraced a Mexican tradition, cultivated here for decades by Mexic-Arte. Director Sylvia Orozco grinned: “Our biggest ever.”
Alana Macias and Blue Osiris
Just up the street, the weekend-long revels continued inside Arthouse at the Jones Center. Saturday’s guests did not face the same donation barrier as some did on Friday for the re-opening dinner. The place is now truly launched, though as director Sue Graze says, the test will come Tuesday, when Arthouse opens its doors again, but without the parties.
Emily Kaye and Erika Schultz
Poked my head into the Driskill Hotel, thick with folks wearing Austin Film Festival badges. They huddled near the bar, ducked into conference rooms, set up shop in the lobby. I was looking for the Mimi Foundation’s Black Tie event. Either I had the wrong date or the wrong place in my iPhone, but it was nowhere to be found.
David Drummond and Marimo Berk
So off to the Austin Convention Center. There, in one of those airplane-hangar rooms, hundreds awaited the Livestrong Challenge Fundraising Appreciation Dinner. A trim, fit crowd, as one would surmise beforehand, running, walking or biking for the cure this weekend.
Nick Reistad and Ben Raby
The cancer-fighting foundation’s staff jumped to my assistance, but I preferred to wander around the diners, making small talk. Everyone awaited Lance Armstrong, who was scheduled to answer guests’ questions, plus “Grey’s Anatomy” headliner Patrick Dempsey, the additional star power for the evening.
Tesha and Tana Karn
Said one cyclist: “People who run frown. People who bike smile.” I’ll have to pay more attention to that. I might add: “People who walk dream.”
I was not there to dine, though. And, when conversation petered out, before the stars arrived on stage, I pointed my feet south toward home, a little bummed that I had let a celebrity report slip away.
Chris Brewer and Mona Patel
Then what before my eyes should appear at South Congress Avenue and Academy but ol’ “J.K. Livin’,” — Matthew McConaughey and equally tanned, sleek partner Camila Alves, ambling around a corner with tots in tow.
Nice touch, Austin fates.
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October 20, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Oct. 25-31
Given the blank spots on the social calendar, this may be a good week to sneak into a Longhorns soccer, volleyball or football game.
Oct. 26, one may attend Give Back Jack for I Live Here I Give Here at the Headliners Club.
Oct. 27, the big story is the Austin Habitat for Humanity Gala at AT&T Center.
Also that Wednesday, find Cupcakes and Champagne at the ModPaper Party at 1201 W. 24th St.; “Boo! The Sing-A-Long” cabaret at M Two; Heroes Dinner for Texas Regional Office of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at Westin Austin at the Domain; or a Austin Classical Guitar Society function at the Bauer House.
Oct. 28, the Rostow Awards honor Stephen Kinslow and Paul Carrozza at the AT&T Center
Also that Thursday, consider Lone Stars & Angels fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the Driskill Hotel; or the Butler School of Music’s “Elixer of Love” at McCullough Theatre. And one of Austin’s most electric party bands, Ghostland Observatory, plays the Cedar Park Center.
Oct. 29, the most anticipated social event is the Byrne-Reed House Re-Opening for Humanities Texas.
Also that Friday, I hope to drop by Four Seasons Residences Austin Grand Opening, 13 Years at Blackmail; or the Ghoulwill Ball at Drisklll Hotel, themed to “The ’80s Resurrected.”
Oct. 30 is actually kind of clear, except for some Halloween-related parties, such as the Funk Freak Halloween Ball at Beauty Bar; Hotel San Jose’s SoCo Spooktacular; and Do512 and Sustainable Waves’ Zombie Ball at the Seaholm Power Plant.
Oct. 31, we’ll host our first Wren Cottage Feast of the cool season. Kip promises cassoulet as the centerpiece for our six guests, all friends of decades in standing.
—————————————————————————————————————- UPDATE: A previous version of this post listed the Ghostland Observatory performance on the wrong date.
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October 14, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Oct. 18-24
Next week’s highlights at the height of the fall social season:
Monday, the Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market serves a 5-course Farm to Table dinner to benefit various charities at McKinney Roughs.
Also Monday, the annual Public Affairs Dinner for Planned Parenthood signs in at Renaissance Austin.
Tuesday, the New Milestones Champions Dinner is keyed to Triumph over Depression at the AT&T Center.
Also Tuesday, attend a preview of the documentary “40 Nights of Rock and Roll” at the Gibson Guitar Showroom, or drop by the American Red Cross Young Professionals tote-themed happy hour at the Dogwood.
The big show Wednesday is Film & Food, the popular prequel to the Austin Film Festival, at the Driskill Hotel.
Also Wednesday, the Dress by Candlelight fashion show for Candlelight Ranch illuminates Saks Fifth Avenue; Liz Lambert toasts the Democratic Party at the Hotel St. Cecilia; the Hamilton Book Awards are at the Four Seasons Hotel; and Girls on the Run hosts an affair at the Belmont.
Thursday, the Austin Film Festival opens with movies and parties, including a reception at Speakeasy.
Also Thursday, the Plastic Pollution Coalition welcomes musician Jackson Browne to a West Austin home.
The party of the week should be the grand re-opening of the ultra-chic Arthouse at the Jones Center. Everybody wants a golden ticket to this one.
Also Friday, the Hill Country Conservancy parties at the Salt Lick Pavilion; Charity Bash helps Hope Farmer’s Market celebrate its first birthday at Pine Street Station; Austin Film Festival throws its fabulous annual barbecue at the French Legation Museum; and Huston-Tillotson University marks its 135th anniversary with a concert at First United Methodist Church.
Saturday, the arty action is at Viva La Vida Fest at Mexic-Arte.
Also Saturday, the Mimi Foundation checks into the Driskill Hotel with a Black Tie Event.
Sunday, Signature Chefs of Austin backs March of Dimes at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Among the other Sunday invitations: Famed wine writer Alice Feiring appears at a private home; the Mallots and Merlot Polo Match benefiting Ride On Center for Kids trots out at the Vineyard of Florence; the always festive Fall Fusion ripens at the Dell Jewish Community Center; and the Above and Beyond dinner and concert helps the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation at the Salt Lick.
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October 6, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Oct. 11-17
Once another Austin City Limits Music Festival has passed into memory …
Oct. 12, time to head back outdoors for the Night Under One Sky party benefiting Austin Area Interreligious Ministries at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum.
Oct. 13, I’m answering questions about “Austin glamour” for a Wisdom Wednesday gathering at Satay restaurant on West Anderson Lane.
I’ll miss altogether the Human Rights Campaign river cruise for Federal Club members.
Oct. 14, if the weather is fine, I’ll linger at La Dolce Vita, the epicurean fair that supports Austin Museum of Art on the grounds of Laguna Gloria.
The same evening, Sprecht Harpman hosts a small party benefiting the Hope Market at its 512 Rio Grande offices. Also, there’s a lake-side cocktail reception for the Blanton Museum of Art’s upcoming Gala Lumière.
Oct. 15-16, I’ll spend as much time as possible at the sold-out convocation for the 50th anniversary of “The Fantasticks” at the University of Texas department of theater and dance. The alumni weekend’s events includes a revue of songs by UT exes Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, as well as a performance of the longest-running musical of all time, which they wrote.
This means I’ll miss at least two significant social events on Oct. 15: The First Edition Literary Gala for the Texas Book Festival at the AT&T Executive Conference and Education Center, and the Black and White Ball for Texas Advocacy Project at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Oct. 16, however, I’ll duck out of “The Fantasticks” weekend early enough to make the Women’s Symphony League Jewel Ball at the Hilton Austin.
It hurts to miss, that night, Travis Audubon Society’s first Victor Emanuel Conservation Award cerermony at the Four Seasons; and Cake Rattle and Roll for Open Door Preschools at the 360 Condominiums.
Oct. 17, we’ll return to a certain popular Mayfield Park house for a Planned Parenthood reception, then bop over to Seton Development Board Gala at the Four Seasons.
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September 29, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Oct. 4-10
I’m rolling out my weekly calendar earlier so that folks can plan ahead.
The Austin City Limits Music Festival floats into town next week. But before that …
Then it’s over to Studio 6A to check the KLRU Soundcheck for Opening Night, one of many preview events for the venue in W, expected in February.
We may stop by late to the Texas Hold ‘em Fundraiser Tournament for the Horse Boy Foundation at J. Black’s.
Oct. 6, we’ll toast the 100th anniversary of the Littlefield and Scarbrough buildings — Austin’s original skyscrapers — on the first floor of the Scarbrough Building.
Also that Wednesday, the opening of Jaston Williams’ “Cowboy Noises” benefits Out Youth at the Long Center.
Oct. 7, Marathon Kids lionizes Susan Dell as its latest Hero for Health with a “farm to table” dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel. (We assume that means fresh, healthy foods.)
Also that Thursday, we might drop by Tour de Vin 2010 at Whole Foods Market Rooftop Plaza and the Art Divas 2nd Anniversary Party, hosted by Sherry Smith and Stacey Abel.
Oct. 8-10, you’ll find me at Zilker Park, reporting on the audiences for the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I’m particularly interested in the followings for Austin musical acts and how they were engaged socially. (Pray for perfect weather.)
But for those who can’t make it, think about attending the Texas Fall Fest & Wine Auction in Marble Falls, Oct. 8-10.
Oct. 9, consider the Diamonds in the Rough gala for a World of Children at the Four Seasons, or, if you dare, the Vampyress Cocktail Party for Ethos’ production of “Vampyress” at the Vortex.
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September 28, 2010
Michael Mitchell 50th Birthday in Aldridge Place
At least one reader thinks I write too much about Eugene Sepulveda and Steven Tomlinson. Anyone remotely aware of the Austin social scene knows better. And a 50th birthday party at their Aldridge Place house for their close companion Michael Mitchell gives me another opportunity to express my awe at their lives together.
Steven Tomlinson and Eugene Sepulveda (at an earlier function)
Eugene and Steven are not defined by their jobs. Yet what they do says a lot. A former banker and educator, Eugene heads the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas. A former business professor at the University of Texas and the Acton MBA in Entrepreneurship, Steven now conducts high-octane workshops in corporate communications, when he is not coaching individuals and writing plays.
Hannes Wieck, Steve Moore and Martha Lynn Coon
This couple’s charitable work is never far from view. Their causes are countless, but the Top 5 for them this past year have been: Fusebox Festival, Entrepreneurs Foundation, PeopleFund, Marfa Public Radio and Organizing for America. Eugene recently returned from Haiti, where he examined the good work of HelpHaiti, for which he helped raise $1.3 million raised for basic needs. He is in nearly constant contact with the White House on numerous issues, including gay rights, and his blog, Community Matters, is read nationally.
Dr. Emmanuel Lee and Julianna Sciaraffa
Despite all this, they entertain at their house with a frequency that boggles the social imagination. They counsel, spoil and keep tabs on a dozen or so godchildren, some of them former students, and contribute selflessly to their faith community. They travel — Marfa, London and Rome are among favored destinations. When they are not entertaining, they are out with friends — and still reserve quiet time for domestic bliss.
Kim Hughes and Michael Mitchell
When Mitchell was diagnosed with cancer recently, Eugene, with Steven’s full support, dropped everything to accompany him regularly to M.D. Anderson in Houston. Mitchell is now very much on the mend, looking hale and hearty at his mid-century mark. Steven and Eugene cherish every minute with him. And with other friends.
This is what it means to live the good life.
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September 27, 2010
Oliver Everette Open House on Cardinal Lane
Rarely has a personality so carefully matched our evolving city. Oliver Everette arrived here a few years ago from the Northeast. In very little time, he got Austin. And changed it for the better.
Oliver Everette and Alan Adkins
I should say at this point that Oliver has become a dear friend. That is no reason to hide his light under a bushel. Along with Alisa Weldon, he has put the gay and lesbian community at the forefront with the magazine L Style G Style. At the same time, he has frequently exhibited core Austin qualities: He’s kind, open, smart, fit, festive and informal.
Kelly Jackson and Sally Jackson
When the downtown towers went up, Oliver served as cheerleader, living first in the Monarch and then the Ashton. Now he has set up house on Cardinal Lane, right behind Mercury Hall. He invited friends over for a housewarming Saturday.
Mark Erwin, Richard Hartgrove and Stephen Rice
Austin media, interactive, business, charity, education and nightlife tribes sent dignitaries. All the best to Oliver and his new life.
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Austin Social Agenda: Sept. 27-Oct. 3
Oh my social ones, prepare for a frenzied Thursday. But first …
Today, the University of Texas confers Community Leadership Awards at the Mexican American Cultural Center.
Also today, the Austin Children’s Shelter swings its irons during the Fore for the Children Golf Tournament at River Place Country Club.
Tuesday, it’s the Beauty of Life Wrap Up Party at Russell’s Bistro at Jefferson Square.
That means we’ll miss Antonelli’s Cheese Pairing Dinner at 24 Diner. (Rats! But you could go.)
No kidding, I received nine notable invitations for Thursday.
“Art, Architecture and Animals” aims to warm hearts for the Austin Humane Society at the Guadalupe 5 condos; the Garden Conservancy’s “Open Days Hosts Party” buds at the Utility Research Garden; the Children in Nature Collaborative Awards Dinner blooms at the Four Seasons; “Texas Roots: 25th Anniversary Party & Star of Texas Folklife Awards” strums up a storm at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center …
Continuing: “Be Brave and Fight Like a Girl” puts up its dukes against breast cancer at the Hyatt Regency Austin; “Bites and Beats” for United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up Campaign gathers at the Dogwood; painter Graydon Parrish unveils his latest large canvas at the Hartgrove/Cooper home; Heart Gallery of Central Texas shifts locations to the Renaissance Austin Hotel’s Glass Oaks Room; and Greenling.com’s Best of Austin Bash sweetens Hummingbird House.
Friday is comparatively free. The main function is East Night for PeopleFund at the new Center for Economic Opportunity. That’s a big one.
The same evening, Mana Culture Boutique holds the city’s next fashion show on South First Street.
Saturday and Sunday, the AIA Austin Homes Tour opens private doors at various locations.
I may take the weekend off for a river tracing. Or cadge a ticket for OU Weekend in Dallas.
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September 23, 2010
Glee After-Party, Dancing with the Stars Preview, Tribeza Menswear Show & the Big Give
What a scrambled Wednesday! Four parties on deck. Made two. And one of those was sweetly, sadly a social miss by a mile.
Usually, I’d do almost anything for Tamara Hale, including sharing a media relations workshop regularly with her entertainment PR class at the University of Texas. Well, she asked if I would judge Gleek costumes at a “Glee” season premiere after-party. And she asked a long time ago. So I said yes.
Alex Jackson and Lauren Phillips
When I arrived, Abel’s on the Lake was virtually empty, including the broad, breezy upper deck, newly added to the Lake Austin party palace. It stayed that way for the next hour. Virtually all the dozen or so folks on board belonged to the staff, the organizers or the media. Ouch. Hale and her cohorts handled the flub with grace. Or as much grace as you can when your costume is plastered with plush dolls.
Katie Leach and Henri Gutierrez
By this time, it was too late to head up rain-slick SloPac to reach the Domain for the VIP Dancing with the Stars Austin preview party. I’m sure the reception came off well.
The news from the preview arrived today via e-mail: Featured Austin celebrities for the Dec. 5 will include Kristie Dennis, David Garrido, Stacey Hammer, Dr. John Hogg, Mickey Klein, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, Charmaine McGill, Joe Ross, Amy Rudy and Wendy Topfer.
Alex (a.k.a Digitz) and Sara from JB & Sandy
Celebrity judges include Ed Clements, talk show host for KLBJ-AM, Turk Pipkin, writer, filmmaker, and founder of The Nobility Project and yours truly. (Yes.) Co-chairwomen Maria Groten and Mary Herr Tally return for more charity fun. Honorary chairpersons: Eloise and John Paul DeJoria, listed by Forbes magazine yesterday as building more than $4 billion in assets.
So no preview party for me, but I could just make the Tribeza Style Week menswear fashion show at the ND at 501 Studios. A long line had assembled outside the club, which gave me a chance to catch up with Bennett Ford, husband of Tribeza editor Lauren Smith Ford and interdisciplinary engineer. More on the fabulous fashion show in a subsequent posting today.
So what else was left on the calendar? I didn’t check my iPhone after the Tribeza event, and so just plain forgot about the Big Give gala for I Live Here, I Give Here at the Belmont. Just out and out let it drop from my brain pan.
Luckily the ever ready Karen Frost e-mailed me the results this morning: It was three times larger than last year’s event. Winner of the $10,000 prize to nonprofit: Any Baby Can. Ages ranged from 21 to 70, “equal parts under 30, over.” Black Joe Lewis tore up the house.
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September 22, 2010
Brad Womack a 'Bachelor' again?
The celebrity blogs are clogged with rumors that Brad Womack will return to ABC’s “The Bachelor” for another season.
The 2007 appearance trained a bright spotlight on the Womack clan’s group of clubs, then mostly on East Sixth Street. Since then, they’ve moved west and classed up their act, still owning the Chuggin’ Monkey and the Dizzy Rooster as well as the more upscale Molotov and the Dogwood.
The Womacks have not returned messages requesting comment. That is not uncommon when dealing with the more popular reality shows, which require strict secrecy from everyone involved. (I can’t even find Chad Womack’s Facebook page any more.)
We respect that. As in 2007, some in the media may have the inside track. Brad’s radio jock buddy, Bobby Bones, tweets: “our boy Brad Womack will be the Bachelor for a 2nd time.. First bachelor to do that on ABC.”
The official announcement from ABC will come Monday.
UPDATES
US magazine confirms that Brad Womack will be the next Bachelor, but doesn’t name the source.
Also, a source close to Womack says he’ll appear on “Ellen” on Tuesday and the series will premiere in January. The Repeat Bachelor himself has now embarked on media silence.
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September 20, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Sept. 20-27, 2010
Today, arts leaders will meet Brant Pope, the new chairman of the University of Texas department of theater and dance at Chez Zee.
Also Tuesday, the Austin Community Foundation holds its Celebration of Giving at the Four Seasons Hotel; and the HAAM Benefit Day wraps with a concert at Antone’s.
Wednesday, there’s a Glee After Party benefiting Caritas of Austin at Abel’s on the Lake (I’m judging Gleeks).
Also Wednesday, Dancing with the Stars Austin reveals its celebrity line-up at Neiman Marcus; Style Week continues with Rock + Runway Men’s Show at ND at 501 Studios; and the Big Give Gala for I Live Here I Give Here lands at the Belmont
Thursday, Fantastic Fest, the largest genre movie festival in the country, opens at various Austin theaters.
Also Thursday, the Women’s Symphony League Sponsorship Party heads to Villa del Sol; TV Torso plays at the Parish; Yelpers yelp with a party at Speakeasy; and Estilo celebrates is five-year anniversary with a Style Week soiree.
Friday, the Tribeza Fashion Show brings down the house at Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Also on Friday, the University of Teas Visual Arts Center opens, grandly, with a dinner; and former South by Southwest Film leader, Matt Dentler, now of New York, accepts congratulations during a wedding reception at the Palm Door.
Saturday, Texas Mamma Jamma Ride against Breast Cancer winds up with a party at Reunion Ranch in Georgetown.
Also Saturday, Cure on the Colorado takes over Riverbend Park just outside of Smithville; the Mellow Yellow Benefit for the Livestrong Challenge settles at a private home; “Promises of Independence” opens at the Mexic-Arte Museum; Steve Marley is toasted and roasted at the Four Seasons ballroom; and Hosteria Verde Supper Club’s 2nd Annual Lucha Libre Wrestling Event burns up the Pump Project.
Sunday, the Pecan Street Festival returns to Sixth Street.
Also Sunday, I’ll catch Ballet Austin’s “Carmina Burana” at the Long Center; and might have time for the Art on the Way launch at Hudson’s on the Bend.
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September 15, 2010
Courage Inc. Launch at Speakeasy
When all else fails, my camera is my icebreaker. Courage Inc. listed 16 icebreakers on personal prompt cards at the social media company’s launch party on Tuesday. Examples from the party game: “Find someone wearing green.” “Find someone who has been to Europe.” “Get a hug from a total stranger.”
Benjy Portnoy and Ellen Julstrom
That’s kind of rushing things, isn’t it?
Lynn Scheirell and Dingi Ntuli
The deliciously named Benjy Portnoy is the main energy behind the website, social service and attendant event. Early during the party at Speakeasy, Portnoy swept around the Kabaret room, checking the band, consulting volunteers, greeting guests. Clearly, Portnoy has no problem with social courage.
Josh Katz and Zack Teibloom
Many early guests, in fact, already knew each other. Conversations, rather than relying on predetermined icebreakers, opened with “How do you know these folks?” (“The band.” “The artist.” “Benjy.”)
Any effort to bring people together deserves attention. Welcome, Courage Inc.
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September 14, 2010
Ballroom monarch Linda Holland
Linda Holland started ballet lessons at age 4. Before the year was up, the restless girl was asked to leave for disrupting class. At age 5, Holland changed Rio Grande Valley dance schools.
She took classes for 13 more years with Frances Jennings Schofield before seeing her first ballet — “The Nutcracker” — in nearby McAllen.
“I didn’t have a clue,” Holland says of ballet performances. “There were no professional productions to see. Not even on television or in the movies. Yet my teacher instilled a passion and love for dance that will always be with me.”
“I didn’t have it and I want to make sure my kids have what they need to succeed,” says Holland, meaning the students — youths and adults — studying dozens of styles there. (Holland, the proud mother of two Shih Tzus, has no children.)
Although she complains that her neck is too short for the right lines, Holland looks every bit the former ballerina. Her black hair is pulled back from pale features above finely cut bone structure. She wears tight, black active wear with jewelry branded with the Dance Institute’s “DI” logo, incorporating the arched silhouettes of ballroom dancers.
The $3.5 million, light-soothed studio is a far cry from the quarters where she learned to plié , balancé and step en arrière in the Valley. The daughter of a blacksmith and a housewife, she was born in Mercedes, moved to La Feria and then to Harlingen. To play, she made pretzels of her father’s welding rods and dug in the coal pit. “Somebody told me that diamonds came from this kind of coal,” she says. “I was always looking in the pit for diamonds.”
After seeing that “Nutcracker” and taking workshops, Holland took over her teacher’s dance school at age 18. Over the course of 16 years, she sent dancers to the New York City Ballet, Metropolitan Opera, Broadway and elsewhere. The Valley couldn’t hold Holland forever.
In 1986, she moved north to dance with the Houston Grand Opera. After a year, she answered the siren call of Austin to perform with the pioneering Texas National Dance Theater, where she met one of her enduring friends and colleagues, Greg Easley.
She joined Ballet Austin staff during the years when Eugene Slavin and Alexandra Nadal, former principal dancers with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, ran the show. She rehearsed the “Nutcracker” children and worked in the dance school.
In 1992, Holland made a radical career change, becoming a registered nurse.
“I’ve always been fascinated with science,” she says. “There was a point when I asked: ‘doctor or dancer, doctor or dancer.’ I decided to dance while I could, because I could always go back.”
Her future husband’s sister, a patient, said: “ ‘My brother is a really nice guy. I wonder if I can give him your number.’ I was shocked at myself for giving her my number. Five months later, Nic and I were married.” Their first date was a long chat over coffee at Kerbey Lane Cafe. The next morning, she found flowers on her doorstep from the Valley-born Texas A&M graduate.
After splitting time between the ballet and the hospital, she co-founded Holland Bieber & Associates, a successful medical consulting firm.
“It allowed me the financial strength to build this building and share my passion for dance with the Austin community,” Holland says.
To alleviate the stress of running a medical business, she tried ballroom dancing. Six months later, she entered her first competition in Miami. “I placed first in all dances and was hooked!” she says.
Outsiders might not know that international contests start with five standard styles (waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz and quickstep) and five Latin styles (cha-cha, samba, rumba, pasodoble and jive). In the bronze, silver and gold competitions, the “syllabus is closed,” meaning no deviation from the prescribed poses and movements allowed.
When one reaches the “open” level, creative moves, shapes and steps enter the picture. She now dances with professional Denis Generalov in pro-am open gold.
In 2005, she started planning the Dance Institute. “I drew a layout for my husband,” she says. “He was shocked when he realized I had drawn it to scale. I’d been married to an architect long enough! He took it from there, creating a fabulous space.”
She’s not the only ballroom proponent in town. For years, former ballet dancer Stewart Yaros has held classes and staged a local festival.
Yet despite contributing the “pros” and scholarships from her Institute to the deliriously popular annual Dancing with the Stars Austin galas, Holland says the Austin ballroom community still is minuscule.
“People say: ‘You picked a great time to build this studio, what with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ ” she says. “Austin does have a large social dance community, but there are probably only 10-15 dancers that are really passionate about competitive ballroom dance.”
Holland will continue spreading the ballroom gospel. As she says: “I put everything in the world on the line for this.”
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September 13, 2010
Austin Social Agenda: Sept. 13-20
Another week in social Arcadia.
Today, guests taste discerningly at the Sabores Autenticos de Mexico gala, showcasing celebrity chefs and cuisine queen Diana Kennedy, at the Long Center.
Tuesday, Jack Allen’s Kitchen at the Y in Oak Hill teams with Tru Liquors to serve a five-course dinner paired with cocktails. That same night, Courage, Inc., which teaches social skills, introduces its Inner Circle membership site at the Kabaret Room in Speakeasy on Congress Avenue.
Thursday, the Red Dot Art Spree mixes things up at Women & Their Work with an early sale at 1710 Lavaca St. Not enough art for you? Also Thursday, the ASH Bash for the Austin State Hospital pairs patient and expert art at 816 Congress Avenue.
Later that night, musicians raise money for LGBTQ suicide prevention, as the national Trevor Project tour pulls into Rain on West Fourth Street. At some point that evening, I may also drop by the Twitter Happy Hour at Union Park on West Sixth Street. Why not, tweeps?
Friday, Zein Al-Jundi releases a CD, “Sharrafouni,” attended by a whole bazaar of exultant activities at the Austin Music Hall.
Saturday, the Asian American Cultural Center salutes its 10th anniversary with a Harvest Moon Festival at its 11713 Jollyville Road home.
That night, head over to the Juju Foto Factory kickoff party at 2235 E. Sixth Street. Or play bull chip bingo at the HYP Urban Ranch Round-Up to benefit Habitat for Humanity at 4906 Pecan Springs Road.
Sunday, we finally — finally! — attend one of the famed Oyster Club benefits for Rude Mechs, this one on the grounds of the Plant at Kyle.
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September 9, 2010
Austin Social Planner first out of the calendar block
The first of three new online calendars, Austin Social Planner, is up and running.
Currently, the calendar extends well into the spring season and should start sketching out 2010-2011 as soon as local planners select dates.
We congratulate Laura Villigran Johnson and Kevin Smothers, who have been working on Austin Social Planner for the better part of a year.
Rare and I Live Here I Give Here also are compiling social calendars to help event planners spot potential party conflicts at a glance.
We hope that these three tools will detour social train wrecks, such as the one on Sept. 25, which, according to my invitations, promises eight competing events.
In the interest of transparency, I should note that I have given all three efforts encouragement, privately and in print.
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September 7, 2010
Sixth Street x 8
Clambering around M Two, searching for a lost item, Josh Allen turned his head to find me sitting at a high table. The director of 6ixth Street Austin — yes, that’s how the nonprofit group spells it — smiled and delayed his search of the Fourth Street canteen to discuss downtown nightlife.
West Sixth, we agreed, booms. The newer club district, located between Shoal Creek (the actual creek, not the boulevard) and San Antonio Street, is not part of Allen’s promotional domain, which extends from Interstate 35 to Congress Avenue.
It came to me in a flash: Why doesn’t Allen’s group represent all of Sixth Street, from its ignoble cusp under MoPac to its eastern terminus at the redundant-sounding Calles Street? 6ixth Street Austin (groan) could market eight fantasized mini-Sixth Streets.
Far West Sixth — Despite the suburban feel of the office buildings and garages in the shadow of Mopac, street life has grown up around the Third Base sports bar. Some of it spills over past El Arroyo to the Mean-Eyed Cat, Sushi Zushi and other West Fifth Street magnets.
Near West Sixth — This collection of galleries, bakeries and genteel shops, stretching from North Lamar Boulevard to Pressler Street, pumps up sidewalk trade on art nights. Z Tejas is the fulcrum. Nearby, find Cafe Josie, 24 Diner, Amy’s Ice Cream and Counter Cafe, among other spots.
West Sixth — Whatever rises behind the Whole Foods Vatican will include retail, hopefully linking Near West and West Sixth. The fresh addition here is the novel Dogwood. On any noisy night, revelers make a circuit of a dozen bars and restaurants, fading out at Sandra Bullock’s Bess.
Middle Sixth — The new Dakota, formerly the Belmont’s back bar, tipped the scales. No longer just an outpost of the Warehouse District, this zone enfolds redone Belmont, District 301, Maiko Sushi and Betsy’s Bar. Too bad easterly Ruth’s Chris and Athenian Bar & Grill are separated from Middle Sixth by a nightlife gap.
Upper East Sixth — No way can we list all the watering holes between Congress Avenue and Neches Street in this space. The Driskill Hotel reigns, majestically, at the uppermost end. Alamo Drafthouse, Iron Cactus and Maggie Mae’s anchor the other end. Neophytes Bikinis and Aces join battle-scarred night spots.
Lower East Sixth — We draw the boundary along Neches because everything east barrels downhill (terrain-wise) to music-flooded Red River Street. Esther’s Follies is here, as are El Sol y La Luna and Casino El Camino. High-sales Jackalope gets lost in a packed field of visitor-friendly bars.
Near East Sixth — Even more so than Rainey Street, this is the feverish hang-out for hipsters. Shangri-la, East Side Showroom, Cheer Up Charlie’s, the Brixton, the Good Knight, Rio Rita and food trailers join indigenous Nuevo Leon and older neighborhood bars.
Far East Sixth — The sidewalk energy peters out east of Comal Street. Lounges, coffee shops and eateries pop up, but not in a connected way. A replacement for Peacock at Pedernales, however, could plant a prominent pole for our imanginary Sixth Street pedestrian axis, 3.5 miles long.
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September 4, 2010
Austin Social Agenda for Sept. 6-13
Deny the heat. Let the autumn social games begin!
Wednesday, H2Orange’s investors and friends gather in University of Texas President Bill Powers’ office.
Thursday, the Glossy 8 Style Makers will be presented at a private home in the St. Stephen’s School neighborhood.
Also that night, the breast cancer-themed Smile that Never Fades Gala returns to the Long Center.
Friday morning, the Beauty of Life luncheon for Hospice Austin returns to the Renaissance Austin Hotel brings back Carson Kressley as well as the Glossy 8.
That night, Ballet Austin throws the Party of the Decade in three parts, ending at the Seaholm Power Plant. We intend to linger at this special edition of Fete.
Alas, that means we’ll miss the Ransom Center’s Picture Perfect Evening, toasting the opening of “Discovering the Language of Photography: The Gernsheim Collection.”
Saturday, Royal Memorial Stadium fills for the University of Wyoming game. I’ll sneak out at half time. By then — knock wood — the game should be essentially over.
That will give me time to make the second of the Austin Symphony Orchestra opening concerts at the Long Center.
After that, we may drop by AGLIFF’s Centerpiece Party at Frank on Colorado Street.
Sunday afternoon, Mary and Howard Yancy hold a benefit at their home for Texas Book Festival’s Reading Rock Stars program.
Two AGLIFF closing bashes this night — at Charlie’s and, whimsically, Cheer Up Charlie’s.
UPDATE
The Symphony of Soul CD release, mentioned in a previous version of this post, has been moved to Oct. 17.
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August 30, 2010
Austin Social Agenda: Aug. 30-Sept. 5, 2010
Today, devotees of Brad Sorenson, who appeared on “The Next Food Network Star,” toast the Asti cook at the Hyde Park-area eatery. A portion of the take goes to the American Cancer Society.
Also today, L Style G Style launches its September/October issue at Rain and Oilcan Harry’s on West Fourth Street.
Also Tuesday, the AIA Homes Tour 2010 previews at a private residence in West Austin.
Wednesday, the Arc of the Capital Area and Austin’s Anti-Defamation League unite for Austin Destination Dignity, a reception promoting respect for people with disabilities, at Austin City Hall.
Also Wednesday, Austin’s Lawrence Wright’s HBO film, “My Trip to Al-Qaeda,” previews at the Blanton Museum of Art in a benefit for The Texas Tribune.
Thursday, the tour for “I’m From Driftwood,” the website that collects personal stories from GLBT folks, launches at the Salt Lick in — where else? — Driftwood.
Also Thursday, Robert Rodriguez’s contentious “Machete” premieres at the Paramount Theatre. The after-party at Austin Film Society’s Austin Studios promises to be “explosive.”
If that party scares you a bit, chill down with the DJs of (In) Fused, who have moved to West Fourth Street at M Two on Thursday nights.
The next night, plan to check out First Friday Frolic with Adi Anand, who writes the blog “From The Mind of Adi,” at Club de Ville.
Also Friday, “The Intergalactic Nemesis” opens at the Long Center, followed by a small VIP after-party at Little City on Congress Avenue. A larger public event rockets over to the Highball on South Lamar Boulevard on Saturday.
Saturday, the Brazil Independence Day Celebration and Austin Aztex Pre-Game Tailgate Party parks at the Thundercloud Subs lot on West 12th Street.
Sunday, the Women’s Symphony League’s sneaks in a Spymaker-themed party at the Renaissance Austin Hotel.
Also Sunday, Heartbeats II supports Health Alliance for Austin Musicians at ND at 501 Studios in East Austin.
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August 23, 2010
Austin Social Agenda, Aug.23-29
Whew! Now that Austin Fashion Week is over, we can breathe a bit. Still plenty for socializers to do, as always in Austin.
The same night, the Austin Fearless Woman Awards will be conferred at Maggiano’s in the Domain. The event toasts Mary Ann Halpin’s book of portraits, “Fearless Women.” Austinites Jean Carpenter-Backus and Patti DeNucci are featured in the book. (The women were photographed holding fearsome-looking sword.)
Also Thursday, the iCare Gala supports Care Communities at the Hilton Austin Hotel and the Cole Haan Fashion Show benefits the Octopus Club at the Domain. Friday, HelpAttach, designed for people converting their online activity into donations for nonprofits, launches at Conjunctured Coworking’s office space on East Seventh Street.
I’ll spend some time Friday with Tom and Penny Cedel, plus their friends at the Excellence in Leadership Gala for Concordia University Texas at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Saturday, I wouldn’t dare miss the Texas 4,000 Tribute at the Hyatt Regency Austin. This gala salutes the University of Texas students who raised money by cycling from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska. Often, Olympians show up at this physically fit event.
That night, Zilker Theatre Productions, currently presenting “Annie” at the Hillside Theater, holds a benefit cabaret at the Nutty Brown Cafe; and ColdTowne holds all-night fundraiser to secure a new space for its comedy troupe, classes and indie performance groups.
I’ll probably round out the evening at the Catalyst 8 Bash at the Long Center. Last year, this party, thrown by the center’s young leaders, proved a bash and a half.
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August 16, 2010
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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August 14, 2010
Fresh slices of Austin nightlife
Austin nightlife pulsates in a state of constant flux.
So periodically, we tag along with budding experts, such as online gallery owner Jeff Kirk or spirits guru Carter Wilsford, now working at the absinthe-themed Péché on West Fourth Street.
Black Sheep Lodge (2108 S. Lamar Blvd.) In 2009, this bar quickly established itself as a lure for the Zilker. Barton Hills and adjacent areas. Comfortable, commodious, it includes seating on an uncovered front porch. The Black Sheep attracts a slightly older clan than other new pubs in town. “It reminds me of a college bar, but for alums only,” Martinez-Vargas says. One can choose from an array of exotic beers, pub grub, TV screens and variously arranged conversation nooks. Shorts, T-shirts and sandals adorned the garrulous, mostly male crowd the night we dropped in. Only one couple followed the Texas Rangers game intently. Parking is a challenge; watch out for the posted warnings.
The Aviary (2110 S. Lamar Blvd.) We almost tripped over this wine bar attached to the home decor store by the same name. Like the Black Sheep next door, it offers a front-porch roost, though considerably smaller and slightly elevated above the busy boulevard. We didn’t spend time here, but noted a hipper vibe and younger tribe than at the nearby pub.
Red Shed Tavern (8504 S. Congress Ave) What a hidden gem! This former biker bar located near the terminus of South Congress Avenue is an exception in a land of chain outlets and familiar eateries. A huge back patio includes a fold-up stage and dozens of tables. Without much promotion, the Shed has attracted plenty of admirers from the growing Southpark Meadows district. Inside, a jukebox and pool table wait for friendly interactions. “It’s the only place in (far) South Austin that is a full bar, and is not a sports bar or restaurant,” Martinez-Vargas says. “But they do have a Spartan Pizza trailer.”
The Dogwood (715 W. Sixth St.) The hottest club downtown comes from the Womack brothers and their business partners, their first project built almost from scratch and a far cry from their East Sixth Street hangouts. Formerly cozy Mother Egan’s, the Dogwood is defined by classy, clean lines and horizontal masonry. Cooled by misters, the new club’s patio is spacious and airy. Inside, an even chillier aura rules. The attention to detail is absolute. “This place has plenty of the ‘I-wanna-be-seen’ crowd,” Martinez-Vargas says. “The place is full of ladies in dresses and heels, looking like a wrap party for a fashion photo shoot.”
Rebels Honky Tonk (305 W. Fifth St.) I was leery. The former Rainbow Cattle Company reopened so quickly and with so little fanfare. And what were the owners trying to convey with the name? Whatever it was, the crowd skewed wonderfully Austin the night we attended. Flip-flops may have outnumbered cowboy boots. Almost no hats. So country — rare for downtown — but also contemporary. Patrons tried their luck on the throw-back mechanical bull. The real attraction here is the vast dance floor, among the largest in the Warehouse District. “I call it a ‘Carrie Underwood’ country bar,” Martinez-Vargas says. “It fits the mainstream downtown scene.”
Townhouse (303 W. Fifth St.) Next to Rebels — and connected by an inner door — is perhaps the most intense addition to the local cocktail revolution. This narrow spot, formerly the Whiskey Bar, among other incarnations, has already altered its leadership team more than once in its short life. It bristles with fresh ingredients like basil, fruit and plenty of infusions. One can order from a long cocktail menu — or not. Wednesdays are Downbeat and Dub Nights.
The Brixton (1412 E. Sixth St.) Now this is a no-nonsense pub. Not like any theme bars you might find at a mall or along a freeway, but rather low-profile, stripped-down joint discovered on a back street in South Boston or South London. Any place where the prime ingredients are beer and companionship, with a little sport and a patio thrown in. And it’s part of the East-East Sixth Street revival that includes restaurants, food trailers and several more bars, plus some active street life these days.
Cheer Up Charlie’s (1104 E. Sixth St.) One of those East-East bars is this eccentric, extremely laid-back place. Barely four walls and a patio, it defines East Austin funky. Cheer Up shares a lightly-upgraded lot with food trailers, and the traffic among the campers is constant. At times, this tiny place goes gay as Queer Up Charlie’s. It all works in Austin.
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August 12, 2010
Mercury Hall + Continental Club + Péché + Townhouse
To buzz from Mercury Hall to the Continental Club to Péché and Townhouse in one evening is to sip from many Austin night flowers. Besides the food, drink and amusements at these paragons, the people there provided sustenance in the form of honeyed conversation. (Now that I’ve drained that metaphor for its worth, let’s review.)
Ryan and Kristen White
Mercury Hall was the site for the anniversary celebration for Austin Cake Ball, a bakery that makes divine little truffle-like desserts. Popular at weddings, they come in 11 flavors, including the newly added tiramisu edition. Folks — crisply dressed for such a humid dusk — circulated among the tables at the former church, now often used for events such as weddings, tasting the goodies and comparing notes.
Becky and Michael Bullard
Over on South Congress Avenue, a reverential crowd in T-shirts and shorts caught one of the last in a series of performances of singer-songwriter Aimee Bobruk, soon off to New York City to spread her creative wings. For one song at the Continental Club, she promised: “A little existential angst. Go existentialism!” Indeed, a melancholy strain is woven into the melodies and lyrics of this Walker County songstress, who has established a subscription system to pay for writing her next singles, then album.
Verity Branco and Xochitl Romero
Friends texted me that they had gathered at Péché, the absinthe-themed lounge on West Fourth Street. The place bustled, especially for a Wednesday night, and a little subset gathered around a low table near the back of the place. I asked for “something refreshing” and the waiter returned with a frisky concoction that raised my spirits, then some slices of artisan cheese from a outfit in Houston (Dairymaids?). The discussions ran long and deep as the night slipped away.
Left at the table were Asian Studies student Ian Carrico and Daily Texan reporter Gerald Rich. We were discussing the cocktail revolution in Austin and how it branched out from the experiments by Bill Norris at Fino. Then I discovered they hadn’t visited Garrett Mikel’s cocktail hot spot, Townhouse, on West Fifth Street. So we steered over in that direction.
We were later followed by our friend and spirits guru Carter Wilsford and his coterie. If anything, the Townhouse attempts at “refreshing” were more intense, redolent of basil, Pimm’s, even tomatoes.
Wednesdays are Downbeat & Dub night at the former Whiskey Bar, so we luxuriated in the European-style blends. “(In) Fused” comes from the imaginative fount of Architektur/John Gomi.
Drinks. Chats. Downbeats. Exhilarating.
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August 11, 2010
Dance Institute First Anniversary Party
Few could have predicted that ballroom dancing would march back into the public imagination with such a vengeance. Thank “Dancing with the Stars” and all its iterations for popularizing social dance forms that never went away, just remained out of the spotlight for a while.
Linda Holland with Michael and Celeste Simons
Now it is not only acceptable to move to every conceivable genre — consider the astounding variety showcased on “So You Think You Can Dance?” — once obscure forms have become core staples for TV reality competitions.
Greg Easley, Omar Lopez and James Allan
Former ballet dancer and current ballroom expert Linda Holland was ready for the revival. A year ago, the arresting Austinite opened the Dance Institute just off of RR 2222 near RR 620. The school is housed in a handsome stone building, designed by Holland’s husband, with several spacious studios saturated with natural lighting.
Phil and Melissa Swain
When three of the studios are combined into one, the performance and party space is spectacular. Saturday, I finally found the Institute (a previous attempt left me lost in the hills). I caught up with Holland and with amazing violinist and Institute regular Omar Lopez. Also with Austin ballet trailblazer Greg Easley and his partner, James Allan, both social treasures, while munching on Mirabelle edibles.
Daniela Cos and Monica Peraza
I arrived very early for the party and couldn’t stay for the performance — though I witnessed some athletic rehearsals from Institute staff and students. So I missed “Dancing with the Stars” standouts Edyta Sliwinska and Alec Mazo. Ah well. Another time. Meanwhile, I’m fascinated with what Holland is doing in the red hot zone of social dance.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
August 9, 2010
Austin Social Agenda Aug. 9-15
Undoubtedly, the social highlight of the early week is the Tuesday arrival of former Austinite Ryan Piers Williams and his fiancee, America Ferrera, for the premiere of “The Dry Land.”
Ferrera’s co-stars Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Ritter and Ryan O’Nan are not expected to accompany the recently engaged pair.
Wednesday, it would be amiable to bid farewell to singer-songwriter Aimee Bobruk at the Continental Club before she moves to New York City.
Thursday, two more music-laced events tempt us: The Texas Premios Awards honoring Latin musicians at the Long Center; and a CharityBash benefiting the Cipher Hip Hop Project at Aloft Hotel in the Domain.
Friday — what the heck — I might sneak into the Lucky Lounge’s Leo-Palooza Celebration, even though everyone will surely suspect right away that I’m a Libra. (We look so balanced.)
Saturday presents a tough call for any inveterate socializer: The second annual Austin Fashion Week opens with a chichi bash at GSD&M. The Ice Ball for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Texas skates into the Hilton Austin. The Voodoo Cowboy Annual Summer Party mesmerizes at the Belmont. Friends of KXAN’s effervescent Elizabeth Hufnagel will cheerfully mourn the passing of her twentysomething status at a private residence in Brentwood.
I say: Why not hit them all?
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August 8, 2010
Stephen Rice Treasure Hunt at Charlie's
Do people play party games as often as they did in the past? Such activities take initiative. And cooperation. Party games can so easily descend into anarchy, even hard feelings.
David Smith, Stephen Rice and Matthew Burnett
Stephen Rice took that chance on Saturday. To toast his birthday, the budding leader summoned his friends to Charlie’s, the enduring bar that rests in the shadows of the Texas Capitol, for an extended party game. The invitation read: “5 p.m. sharp,” but most guests knew better.
Giless and Susan Bollinger
A goodly number of Austin social connectors breezed in over the next hour: Scot Tulk, David Smith, Stephen Moser, Mary Morrison, Marques Harper, Seabrook Jones, Micah King, Heath Riddles, etc. Also greeting arrivals was Rice’s spouse and charity generator Mark Erwin.
Jimmy Hall and Mark Erwin
The crew seemed eager to close out their tabs and embark on Rice’s Facebook-promoted treasure hunt. Though the details remained secret, it was possible from his description to discern that the hunt was a pub crawl in disguise. Since I was promised at subsequent events, I didn’t witness the actual competition. Perhaps Rice will send us an update!
Let the games continue …
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
August 6, 2010
Tribeza Nightlife Issue Launch at Dogwood beats the heat
The heat finally hit me. Had planned on slamming four or five events Thursday night. Easily survived one: The Tribeza Nightlife Issue Launch at Dogwood.
Bobbie Ragsdale and Shawn Ewbank
Things were fine for a while. Cooled by misters, the new club’s patio is spacious and airy. Inside, an even darker, chillier vibe rules. Inspired by their native Atlanta, the Womack brothers have created a new magnet for nightlifers. The attention to detail is absolute.
Chase Alexander and Elizabeth Campbell
Dozens of Out & About 500 leaders gracefully personified their Food, Media, Style, Nightlife, Interactive and Business tribes. The best news: Laura Villagran and Kevin Smothers promise the new social-planning calendar will be ready by Labor Day. If party wranglers pay attention, then no more Blanton Museum and Dell Children’s galas on the same night, etc.
Stephanie Kuo and Kristin Green
So, lingering at Dogwood (who wouldn’t?) made me late for the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Etiquette Dinner at the Hyatt Austin. Don’t like paying for parking, so pulled in across the street at the Statesman lot. That’s when the heat began to take its toll.
Then, a comedy of errors ensued while seeking the dining room on the 17th floor, despite directions from Hyatt staffers, until it was too late. Then I considered the other three invitations: Trail Foundation’s Midnight Margarita Run after-party at the American Legion Hall; Hedda Layne for LEAP at the Belmont; and a buzzy singer that Taylor Perkins brought in to the Key Bar.
All outdoors. Heading back my vehicle, my body just shut down. Last summer, we had already suffered more than 40 days of 100-degree weather by this date. So we got accustomed to it. Back then, 99 degrees felt cool. But yesterday tolled my heat defeat.
Permalink | | Categories: Charity, Nightlife
August 2, 2010
Social Agenda for Aug. 2-9
People. Places. Scenes. That’s why Out & About combs Central Texas each week for varied socializing.
Tonight, I catch the fundraiser for the Michael McKelvey’s summer stock group at the Rollins Theatre.
Counting down the dates before moving into the W Austin Hotel & Residences, Austin City Limits hosts two favorite sons, Robert Earl Keen and Hayes Carll, Wednesday at its worn-shoe studio on the University of Texas campus.
If voters agree to put up $16 million in bonds, the Austin Trail Foundation must still raise $3 million to complete the proposed 1.1 mile boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake. Fill their coffers even before the vote, Thursday during the Maudie’s Tex-Mex Moonlight Margarita Run, which wraps with a gala on the grounds of the American Legion Hall.
Also Thursday — across the lake — is the Social Etiquette Dinner for Hispanic Scholarship Consortium at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Austin. Later that night, prolific, versatile singer Hedda Layne lights up the Belmont for LEAP, the group that points disadvantaged kids toward fresh cultural horizons.
Friday, the Williamson County A&M Club joins forces with the Austin A&M Club for a buffet and ball game during Aggie Night at the Dell Diamond. The traditional event feeds money into scholarships.
Saturday promises a triple party threat: Stephen Rice’s birthday “Photo Scavenger Hunt,” which starts at Charlie’s; Wally Workman Gallery’s 30th anniversary party; and the Dance Institute’s Latin-themed show with Alec Mazo and Edyta Sliwinska from “Dancing with the Stars.” Local violinist Omar Lopez opens.
Sunday is turning into theater day, isn’t it? So you might find me at “Metamorphoses” by Mary Zimmerman at Zach Theatre. I’ve seen the adaptation of Roman poet Ovid’s narrative poem in four previous productions. Bewitching.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
July 26, 2010
Social pilgrims in our midst: Sean Massey & Joshua B. Ludzki do Austin
Last week, Sean Massey and Joshua B. Ludzki, two friends from Upstate New York, visited Austin. Since I was absent during their first days here, I asked Christopher Carbone, associate editor of L Style G Style, to introduce them to Austin social life.
The result was a full week of activity during what is usually considered a dead time of year. The traveling companions — Ludzki, a radio personality and community leader, and Massey, a university professor, city council member and business owner in Binghamton, N.Y. — shared some social observations harvested at the Oasis, Hike & Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake, Hotel San Jose, Alamo Drafthouse, Max’s Wine Dive, Vespaio, Azul Tequila, M Two, 24 Diner, Oilcan Harry’s, Halcyon, Taco Shack, Guero’s, Rusty Spurs, Rain, Madame Mam’s, Elysium and Barbarella.
JOSHUA: What struck me about Austin in the dead of summer was how walkable it still is. We’ve gone to the hike and bike trail almost every day since we’ve gotten here. It’s been packed with people. And friendly people. People that hot and sticky and tired and well-exercised shouldn’t be that friendly. It occurred to me that Sean and I actually took up quite a bit of room strolling along on the trail; Being from the Northeast, I kept expecting some bitter biker to swing his head around and shoot us a dirty look, but people seemed to generally just get along—the bikers swerving around the runners, the runners weaving through the walkers, and so forth. And with all the shade, it’s actually been a pretty comfortable series of walks.”
SEAN: “I often use Austin as an exemplar for creative class cities. Binghamton has many of the potential strengths that Austin does (high tech industry, large creative class, growing arts scene, a university, and is located at the convergence of two rivers amid lush green hills). And yet, Binghamton still hasn’t realized its full potential.”
JOSHUA: “One of the first things I noticed … was the degree to which local businesses really seem to tend to the aesthetics. And I’m not talking about high-end restaurants and cute little independent coffeeshops. I’m talking about lots of businesses you wouldn’t expect—the liquor shop on the corner or the laundry mat down the block.The graphic design geek in me really appreciated the amount of time spent giving even the less glamorous buildings a look. It’s definitely a distinguishing factor from everywhere I’ve lived in the northeast, and helps you appreciate independent business even more.”
SEAN: “Our new gang of friends made us feel completely welcome and an immediate part of their scene. Conversations were easy and varied. The men were all attractive, smart and successful.”
JOSHUA: “The people here have been incredibly warm. Almost everyone I met and chatted with asked me how long I’d be in town and said we should grab a drink later in the week. Not long after hooking up with a new group of people, we were invited to brunch at Max’s Wine Dive. What I thought would be a small group of 5 or 6 turned into a party of 22, many of whom were strangers to each other. … And, of course, I had 10 new Facebook friends by the end of the meal; everybody pulled out their smartphones to make sure we were digitally linked forevermore. I shouldn’t underplay the degree to which that’s helped us stay linked to our new Austin friends.”
JOSHUA: “I suppose what I’ve loved most about my time here is discovering all the unique little twists that Austin residents apply to things I already know and love; the urban brunch I’ve experience in New York and San Francisco had an endless fried chicken and waffle option on the menu here in Austin. A night out at the Alamo Drafthouse was like some mad combination of dinner theater and the cinema. And there’s art absolutely everywhere—from the smallest breakfast diner to the nicest restaurant.”
SEAN: “One of our observations was that in many other cities a group of this sort would be much more hesitant to allow two outsiders to break in without some amount of vetting first. Perhaps it was Michael’s or Christopher’s referral, or perhaps it was just Austin charm. Brunch ended with a promise to meet up again later in the day.”
JOSHUA: One of the things that marked our visit was how many social connectors we met. More than half the people we were introduced to were described by their friends as “knowing everybody in town”. I don’t think it had to do with the group we stumbled into, or the generosity of the people describing their friends, so much as the fact that Austinites in general seem so willing to make social connections.”
JOSHUA: For my birthday, we decided to eat at Vespaio on South Congress. The atmosphere was fantastic; hip, understated, comfortable. And everything on the menu appealed. But the thing that immediately drew me in was perhaps the very simplest thing offered. In my experience, every quality restaurant offers one fairly vanilla option for non-foodies. Well I have a long and enduring love affair with very simply prepared pasta—so the pasta with pesto seemed like ideal birthday comfort food. I nibbled at my dinnermates tuna tatare and crab bisque. But I devoured my meal—which, simple as it was, turned out to be delicious.”
SEAN: “Rain has all the basics, a bar in the front as you walk in with TVs and a big video screen, another bar in the middle of the space with a dance floor, and then a spacious partially covered patio (very busy, even on a Sunday) with plenty of seating and another small bar.”
JOSHUA: Being new to town, we were perfectly willing to introduce ourselves to just about anybody. A youngish and fun-looking free spirit standing next to be was holding a tote back from San Francisco’s well-loved record store Amoeba Music. A bit tipsy, I exclaimed that I loved Amoeba music—that I’d lived in San Francisco 10 years ago, missed it incredibly, and spent most of my time there with electronica scenesters who were constantly shopping for vinyl. A grin spread across her face, she unloaded her belongings from the tote, and she absolutely insisted that I take it home with me. I will never forget the birthday present I received from that kind stranger”
SEAN: “We got to the neighborhood a bit early and had the good fortune to walk by Guero’s Oak Garden and hear the band Johnny Gimble and Texas Swing. We both remarked on how easy it was to just walk up to music in Austin. We enjoyed a frozen margarita and the band’s fun mix of jazz and country.”
JOSHUA: “I was somewhat sensitive to the fact that I was visiting Austin and might be getting a rosy impression of the city, so I paid close attention to any negative comments I heard as well. And there were truly only two. One new friend who accompanied us to Oasis whined a bit that the city was too hot—duh. And another commented that the public transportation system isn’t what it should be. I did end up riding the bus once and found it to be a positive experience; well air-conditioned, thank God, and with a very friendly driver.”
SEAN: “Tuesday night was “Tuezgayz” at Barbarella. This Red River bar was a big change from West Fourth Street with its dive-bar-hipster-meets-video-dance-club atmosphere. I’m pretty sure most of the kids (including Joshua, who I’m ironically referring to here as a “kid” because his birthday is on Friday) had no idea who Barbarella actually was — even with this big poster on the wall.”
JOSHUA: Being a big tech geek, I also took a moment to check out the computers and smart phones in the room. If that experience was anything to judge by, Austin in definitely an Apple city. I literally couldn’t see one person in the room that WASN’T on an IPhone. It was like part of the uniform.”
SEAN: “Attended the Austin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival’s Bloom fundraiser (at Action Figure Studios). … Performance artists danced in one room, and people wandered through the collection of paintings, photographs and sculptures donated for the silent auction in the other. Those attending were quite diverse in age and scene: Hipsters, middle-aged parents, circuit boys, artists, etc. all there to support the organization and have fun.”
JOSHUA: “The bottom line for me is that just about any major city you visit in the United States will have great restaurants, great music, great clubs, great art… but there’s definitely something pretty great—and pretty unique—about the people in Austin.”
SEAN: “We ended the trip a bit like we started, a dancing marathon at Rain with our new best friends. Our epic adventure came to a close with a dramatic send off rendition of a dance remix of the ‘Glee version’ of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’.’ It was fabulous!”
Permalink | | Categories: City, Nightlife
July 3, 2010
Traces of Socializing Before Vacation
This last week before vacation, it got personal. Meaning, I devoted my time to intimate social connections.
Joanna Linden and Oliver Everette
I don’t know Joanna Linden that well. We’ve spent time together. It’s always been more than pleasant. I trust her. She’s advised me about the donor community with discretion.
So I was delighted to attend her birthday party Sunday at the home of Dr. John Hogg and David Garza, breakout social stars this season. It was a splendid affair in pink. No big speeches. Just sweet fun.
Justin Shook and Kim Potts
And loads of Out & About 500 honorees. Monday, we joined Suzie and Randy Harriman at Sushi Zushi for Suzie’s 60th birthday. Since we had not seen this pair for many weeks, it turned into a furious hurricane of food, drink and conversation.
I so look forward to their permanent relocation to Austin, though I’m sad for them they are giving up their gorgeous second home in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
Courtney Sanchez and Kendall Sanchez
Tuesday, I tried to attend two social gatherings, but the flash flood warnings kept me at bay. Wednesday, we met famous social all-stars Carla and Jack McDonald at El Arbol. This Argentinian restaurant is all the rage, and we can see why. I had an incredibly tender brined half chicken, on the advice of a reader. Wasn’t sorry.
It’s hard to imagine a smarter, more engaged or less pretentious couple than the McDonalds. We are honored to know them. We could have spent the whole night discussing limitless issues under a “triple cone of silence.”
Cynthia Ellis and Jeanine Cuellar
Thursday, I started the evening meeting Kevin Smothers and Laura Villagran for a preview of their planned online social planner. If all goes well, they should be helping the event-planning community cut the Gordian knot of Austin’s social calendar.
Then it was L Style G Style’s Oliver Everette at Parkside, a perfect perch for the early evening on Sixth Street. Everette has become a dear friend and we caught up on mostly personal connections, with sprinklings of professional sharing.
Vanessa Martin and Josh Goler
To round out that early evening, I headed to Stubb’s for the Not Just Another Cancer Event 2.0 for Team Survivor. Immediately I ran into column profile subject Sarah Lisle and her lively husband Matt.
I had such fun catching up with numerous new and old friends, including Scot Tulk and David Smith, who shared so much insight into upcoming events, including the Mamma Jamma Ride. I look forward to getting to know them better.
Kathy and Ron Farshler
At last, Friday. Long day at work — at home and in the newsroom — trying to finish off all my vacation columns. Then the promised release of a coveted reservation at Uchiko, the follow-up to Tyson Cole’s triumphant Uchi. The place was packed with foodies.
We had a glorious meal — check the tweets below for the record — and we ran into numerous well-connected Austinites. What an exquisite way to round out a week of savoring Austin at its best.
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June 30, 2010
Save the Social Dates: Part 3
Some readers must be thinking: “Really? You’re saving dates for December?” Hey, your social columnist is saving dates for 2012. Makes it a lot easier for everyone to navigate Austin’s social currents if you do so.
Oct. 1: East Night for PeopleFund at Center for Economic Opportunity
Oct. 2-3: Austin AIA Architects Homes Tour at various locations
Oct. 8-10: Austin City Limits Festival at Zilker Park
Oct. 16: Women’s Symphony League’s 56th Jewel Ball, Diamonds Are Forever, at Hilton Austin
Oct. 19: Champions for Children Luncheon for the Helping Hand Home Society at Hilton Austin
Oct. 20: Film & Food for Austin Film Festival at the Driskill
Oct. 21-28: Austin Film Festival at various locations
Oct. 21: Dress by Candlelight for Candlelight Ranch at Saks Fifth Avenue
Oct. 22: Hope Farmer’s Market’s 1st Birthday presented by Charity Bash for Charity:Water at Pine Street Station
Oct. 22: Hill Country Nights for Hill Country Conservancy
Oct. 22: Arthouse Reopening Celebration
Oct. 24: Mallots and Merlot Polo Match benefiting Ride On Center for Kids at the Vineyard of Florence
Oct. 24: Signature Chefs of Austin for March of Dimes at the Four Seasons Hotel
Oct. 29: Byrne-Reed House Re-Opening for Humanities Texas
Nov. 6: Austin Children’s Shelter Gala A Season of Song at Four Seasons Hotel
Nov. 18-19: SafePlace Celebration at Alamo South and Hyatt Regency Austin
Dec. 6: Conspirare’s Christmas at the Carillon Gala at the Long Center
Dec. 8: Blanton Museum of Art’s Director’s Circle Holiday Party
Photo: Jay Janner of the American-Statesman
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June 29, 2010
Save the Social Dates: Part 2
Looking ahead to some September socializing. Note that, in some cases, a location could not yet be confirmed. And the dates could change. It is Austin, after all.
Sept. 3: “The Intergalactic Nemesis” VIP After-Party
Sept. 9: The Smile Never Fades for Breast Cancer Resource Center at the Long Center
Sept. 10: Beauty of Life with Glossy 8 at Renaissance Austin Hotel
Sept. 10: Ballet Fete at Butler Center and Seaholm Power Plant
Sept. 12: Symphony of Soul at Antone’s
Sept. 13 Sabores Autenticos de Mexico at the Long Center
Sept. 16: Red Dot Art Spree at Women & Their Work
Sept. 16: Ash Bash for the Texas State Hospital
Sept. 21-26: Tribeza Style Week at various locations.
Sept. 21: Austin Community Foundation Celebration of Giving at the Four Seasons Hotel
Sept. 22: The Big Give for I Live Here, I Give Here at the Belmont
Sept. 23: Superhero Show at Antone’s
Sept. 23: Fantastic Fest opening night at the Paramount Theatre
Sept. 25: Laugh Out Proud for Out Youth
Sept. 26:Champagne Brunch and Auction for Breast Cancer Resource Center
Sept. 27: Austin Children’s Shelter Fore the Children Golf Tournament at Riverplace Country Club
Sept. 29: Preview and Dinner for “Turner to Monet: Masterpieces from The Walters Art Museum” at the Blanton Museum of Art
Sept. 30: Children in Nature Collaborative Awards Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel
Sept. 30: Texas Roots: 25th Anniversary Party & Star of Texas Folklife Awards at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
UPDATE: A previous version of this post listed the location of the “The Intergalactic Nemesis” VIP After-Party at the Long Center. The show is at the Long Center. The party is at a location to be announced.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Save the Social Dates: Part 1
It’s not too soon to plan for August. Put these social dates on your calendar:
Aug. 6: Aggie Night at Dell Diamond (we must be fair, folks).
Aug. 7: 30th Anniversary Party for Wally Workman Gallery.
Aug. 12: CharityBash benefiting The Cipher-Austin’s Hip Hop Project at Aloft Hotel in the Domain
Aug. 14-21: The second annual Austin Fashion Week. Loads of parties, shows and sales, including an opener at GSD&M, along with the culminating Austin Fashion Awards at the Long Center.
Aug. 14: The Ice Ball for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Texas at Hilton Austin.
Aug. 14. Mueller-Hillin and Voodoo Cowboy Annual Summer Party
Aug. 21: The Aye Eye Ball for Rude Mechs at the Off Center.
Aug. 21 Que Maravilla for Wonders and Worries at TDS Exotic Game Ranch.
Aug. 22: Italian Festival at Laguna Gloria.
Aug 22: Pre-Tournament Party for Brian Jones Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area at University of Texas Golf Club.
Aug. 27: Excellence in Leadership Gala for Concordia University at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Aug. 28: Texas 4000 Tribute Gala at the Hyatt Regency Austin
Aug. 28: Catalyst 8 Bash 2010 at the Long Center
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
June 28, 2010
Social columnist FAQs
And now for the questions most frequently asked of this social columnist. And the factual answers.
“So you really like your job?”
“Most of the time.”
“How do you decide what to attend?”
“I’m usually invited. I go to what’s most interesting.”
“Exercise. Diet. Two naps a day. Plus domestic bliss.”
“Do you ever just skip the parties and stay home?”
“A few times a month.”
“Otherwise …”
“Seven nights a week.”
“Is there really that much to do in Austin?”
“You have no idea.”
“How long have you lived in Austin?
“Twenty-six years.”
“I bet you’ve seen some changes …”
“Yes. Some not so good (sprawl, traffic), others heartening (increased diversity, more social options).”
“So would you say Austin is still weird?”
“Depends on what you mean.”
“Everybody knows what ‘weird’ means. Don’t they? There’s a whole book about it.”
“If by “weird” you mean “funky,” I’d love to preserve as much of it as possible. But I really don’t think it should cancel out other options, which is what people often mean when they say “keep Austin weird.” We can celebrate innovation and variety and keep the weird, too.”
“So we aren’t trying to be Dallas or Houston? People say that.”
“People are wrong. In my 26 years here, I have never once heard an Austinite say they wanted our city to be more like Houston or Dallas.”
“The tone in your column is usually kind. Is that on purpose?”
“Whenever possible.”
“So you must meet all the celebrities, too.”
“Not all. But a lot.”
“How’s that Sandra Bullock?”
“Never met her. Never even seen her in the flesh. So you see …”
“Hey, you know who you remind me of?”
“Do tell.”
“Well, you kinda look like Vincent van Gogh. You know, the crazy painter who chopped off his ear. But your column reminds me of Herb Caen, that guy who wrote a column about San Francisco, six days a week for almost 50 years.”
“That’s the highest compliment you could pay me. Thanks. You’ve made my week.”
“So you really like your job?
“Yes.”
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Nightlife
One last week of socializing before vacation
Once the conventional social season comes to a full stop, one is free to experiment. (Cue the Cole Porter.)
Last week, we sampled delicacies from La Sombra Bar & Grill and M Two. The first is South American concept from Cameron Lockley and Eddie Bernal, slated for a late July launch on Burnet Road.
(Did we report that Sister’s Edge, the city’s only lesbian bar, had closed? I’m counting the days until developers announce a major project for that obviously mothballed block, bounded by East Cesar Chavez, Trinity and East Second streets, as well as San Jacinto Boulevard.)
This week, we’ll try some relatively new spots. Today, it’s Sushi Zushi on West Fifth Street with Randy and Suzie Harriman, who have put their San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato second home up for sale. The upside of that doleful news: We’ll see this endlessly entertaining Austin couple more often.
Wednesday, it’s El Arbol with Out & About 500 All-Stars Jack and Carla McDonald. The Argentinian restaurant sporting the Joel Mozersky design is a social sizzler, which is why we made reservations more than a week in advance.
Backing up to Tuesday, I’ll start with the Wine and Cheese Social Hour for American Youthworks at the Copa Bar & Grill, so lonely there on its nearly empty Congress Avenue block. Maybe new Youthworks CEO, Parc Smith, will attend.
After that, I’ll drive out to the Tequila Ambhar launch at Jack Allen’s Kitchen at the Oak Hill ‘Y.’
Thursday, we’ll mosey over to the Not Just Another Cancer Event 2.0 at Stubb’s BBQ. The title of this party reminds us how hard it is for organizers to distinguish one donor event from another.
Before that, Parkside happy hour with Oliver Everette; after that Paggi House reverse happy hour with CK Chin.
Friday, I think we’ll try Tyson Cole’s new outfit, Uchiko, on North Lamar Boulevard, during its soft phase.
After that: vacation. Eight friends are headed to a cabin on the remote north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. During the vacation weeks, the Monday Out & About column will look ahead to fall social dates.
Photo courtesy of Uchiko.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
June 27, 2010
2010 Out & About 500: Nightlife
2010 OUT & ABOUT 500: NIGHTLIFE
Nightlife Star: Donaji Lira
Previous Nightlife Stars: Brad and Chad Womack (2009); Jen Shoemaker and Sid ‘DJ Kurupt’ Sharda (2008)
Paula and Paul Angerstein. Texacello Distillery, Paula’s Texas Orange and Lemon liquors Chad Auler. Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, Savvy Vodka
Sofia, Rosa Maria and Victoria Avila. Mandarin Flower Co.
Tito Beveridge. Fifth Generation Inc., Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Clayton Christopher. Sweet Leaf Tea (former), Deep Eddy Vodka
Samantha and Ty Davidson. Uchi, Central Austin Management Group, Cultivate PR
Larry Davis. Oilcan Harry’s
Neil Diaz. NCD Resources
DJ DIGG and DJ Kid Slyce. Table Manners Crew
DJ Chicken George. djchickengeorge.com, Move Something
DJ Manny Muniz. DJ Dojo, RockIt
Tre Dotson. Tre Dotson Productions and Talent, Maria Maria
Rachel Elsberry. Pickie Pie Productions
Michael Girard. Speakeasy, Cuba Libre, Imperia
Doug Guller. Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, the Parish, Beale Street Tavern
Victoria Hentrich. Creative Consultants
Becky and Damon Holditch. Marquee Event Group
Liz Lambert and Amy Cook. Hotel San Jose, Jo’s Hot Coffee, Hotel Saint Cecilia, ‘Let the Light In’
Garrett Mikell. Péché
Jette Momant. Manna Lifestyle Marketing, Decor Jette Event Design
Lance Avery Morgan. Make A Wish, Human Rights Campaign Fund, Center for Child Protection, Brilliant
Matt Luckie. Lucky Lounge, Lavaca St. Bar, Red Fez, District 301, Betsy’s Bar and Star Bar
Kristin Owen. Do512.com
Susan and Michael Parker. Opal Divine’s
Taylor Perkins. Rare
Tanya Posavatz and Denise Silverman. Clink Events
Joe Reynolds. M Two
Jen Shoemaker. Jen Shoemaker Marketing and Events
Sascha Stone Guttfreund. Scoremore, Aces
Kara and Matt Swinney. Launch 787, Austin Fashion Week
Michael Terrazas. Club de Ville, Woodland, Mohawk, Lamberts
Danielle Thomas and Adam Garner. Big Green House Presents, Trigger Studios
Kevin Williamson. Ranch 616, Star Bar
Brad, Chad and Wes Womack. The Chuggin’ Monkey, The Dizzy Rooster, Molotov and The Dogwood
UPDATES
ADDITIONAL READER NOMINATIONS FOR 2011 OUT & ABOUT 500 NIGHTLIFE
Victoria Gutierrez. Apex Auction
Larissa Ness. Larissaness.com
Camille Styles Moore. Camille Styles Events
CHANGES IN 2010 STATUS
The Womack brothers no longer own the Thirsty Nickel and have recently opened The Dogwood
Bartender Garrett Mikel has moved from the Townhouse to Péché
Added to Lance Avery Morgan’s affiliations: Brilliant, which continues as an online publication
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, The 500
June 26, 2010
Report: A 4-Party Friday
Shy by nature, authors, agents and literary hopefuls danced around each other at the Writers League of Texas reception on Friday. When anyone approached me at the Hyatt Regency Austin ballroom, it felt like an act of supreme will, the inner command sounding: “I will be social!”
Jud Laghi and Cyndi Hughes
It’s easy to empathize with this tribe of 200 or so, forced to market their talents.
Lupe Zamarripa and Fr. Louis Brusatti
Still, they told scintillating stories. I spoke with a geneticist, a humanities dean, a literary publicist, an attorney and a former journalist, among others. I predict that columns will follow about more than one.
Shane and Shelby Sledge
Over at the Carver Museum and Cultural Center that night, a few dozen folks gathered in the atrium, all-agog over the imminent arrival of Leonard Pitts Jr.
Sedora Jefferson and Susan Stotesbery
In town for the African American Book Festival, Pitts has become a media celebrity by just doing his job, writing clear, reasoned and practical columns, which are syndicated and published in the American-Statesman. He graciously signed books and chatted with fans at the Links of Town Lake reception.
A.J. Bingham and Revlynn Lawson
Among my conversation mates were chef Toni Tipton-Martin, illustrator Don Tate, KLRU station director Bill Stotesbery, Links social star Gerry Tucker, and Facebook chum Revlynn Lawson.
Gina Harris and Toni Tipton-Martin
Mere blocks away, the East Village opened to a jumbo, groovy party. Guests, most of them in the 20s, swarmed over the modernist building on East 11th Street that blends retail, office and residence spaces.
Brandyn Balmos, Sandra Antoun and Jesse Adler
Thanks to swarming social media by Taylor Perkins (Rare) and Blake Shanley (East Village), hip met hauteur in equal measures, sampling food from area eateries and sipping local drinks to ward off the equatorial heat. (Hydrate, kids, hydrate.)
Frank Estrada and Kristin Owen
The residences and rooftop offer sweet views of downtown and East Austin.
Jamie Rix and Valerie Nies
My final stop of the evening was M Two. This is the former Saba, which owner Joe Reynolds has revised as a gay-themed restaurant and lounge.
Aaron Lofton and Brian Dillard
Why? Because it makes some sense to add a gay-friendly gathering place that’s not strictly a bar or club to the nightlife mix in the West Fourth Street area. Interestingly, the space above Cedar Street Courtyard opened in the 1990s as Soma, a gay-themed eatery.
Barbara Kimbel, Cecilia Schmidt, Joe Reynolds and Josie Rodriguez
A chat with a young married gay couple from Santa Cruz, Cal. took me back to the Voices of Gay Austin survey and series of articles that the American-Statesman ran in 2001. The findings: That gay men and lesbians felt generally safe and happy in Austin, but missed the trappings of gay culture found in some other cities. One of those missing links: Gay restaurants.
Frank Carmona and Jeffrey Lane
Well, guys and gals … it’s yours to use or lose.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
June 21, 2010
Deeper into the Austin party summer
Today, Brant Pope, the new chairman of the University of Texas department of theater and dance, will meet and greet drama groupies in the President’s Room West at the University of Texas Club. Despite its periodic withdrawal from the public sphere, the department still wields enormous local influence.
The next night, Trailer Trash Tuesday beckons at Ego’s Bar on South Congress Avenue. Patrons are encouraged to “dress up in your favorite torn and stained shirts and your best trucker hat.”
Austin Goes Classical, a festival of 60 classical music events orchestrated by the Austin Classical Guitar Society, also starts Tuesday. I’ll wait, however, until the socializing kicks in, Thursday at the Long Center.
Also that day, the KittyPolooza Kick-Off Party offers drinks, snack and mingling with fellow cat lovers at the — where else? — Mean-Eyed Cat of West Fifth Street.
Friday, the Austin Writers League hosts its Agents Conference reception at the Hyatt Regency Austin.
Earlier in the day, Pulizter Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts — a personal hero — will be the guest speaker at the Carver Museum and Cultural Center as part of the Austin African American Book Festival.
Hopefully, I’ll still have time to see Rob Nash’s “Special Needs” at the Vortex on Friday night.
Saturday, two late-night options: The Slow Motion Music Summer B-Day Bash at the Phoenix nightclub features DJs Toddy B, Jesse Brede and Alex Vazquez. I’m also intrigued by Queer Up Charlie’s: Bearz vs Gayzns with DJs Realness and Manalog at Cheer Up Charlie’s on East Sixth Street.
I hope the following isn’t a surprise party, because, if so, I just ruined it: Sunday, Dr. John Hogg and David Garza throw a Pretty and Pink Birthday Party for Joanna Linden, CEO of Make-a-Wish Foundation, at their Westlake home.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Nightlife
June 14, 2010
This Week in Austin: Party, Party, Party
Austin is the party that never pauses.
Tuesday, I’ll join the dizzy pranksters committing dance, clowning, interactive Wii and jazz, among other festive activities during the Party on the Vanguard at the Salvage Vanguard Theater.
Wednesday, Billy Caruso’s Krupp Brothers Wine Dinner lures me to 24 Diner on North Lamar Boulevard. You really don’t think about diners serving wine-themed suppers, but this is Austin. Anything can happen.
Thursday, I’ll stop by the reception toasting the publication of “Natural Houses: The Residential Architecture of Andersson-Wise” at Laguna Gloria. Andersson-Wise is the firm that designed the W Hotel & Residences (pictured in an AW illustration) and Zach Theatre’s planned new home.
I’ll wind up the evening at the concert aiding the Palmer Drug Abuse Program at Antone’s. It features Eric Johnson and Chris Layton. Also, I expect social superstars John Paul and Eloise DeJoria to lead the cheers.
Friday, the Cabana Cocktail Party at the HomeAway Building benefits Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas.
Then it’s off to the Make Watch Love Film Party, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Austin Studios. You can bet movie-makers Richard Linklater, Mike Judge, Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellán will be there.
Saturday, Diego Huerta’s “Town of Clouds/ El Pueblo de las Nubes,” a photographic exhibit, opens at the Mexican American Cultural Center, while the comic drama “Bug,” directed by Austin Critics Table Award-winner Mark Pickell, closes at Hyde Park Theatre.
Later that night, I’ll hit the Worldwide Maniac Foundation Launch & Fashion Show at the Austin Music Hall. Always gratifying to welcome a new foundation to the charity and glamour games.
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June 12, 2010
Friday Night on the Town
So, instead, I took the evening off to luxuriate in downtown Austin nightlife without a rigorous schedule.
First stop: Townhouse. Mix master Garrett Mikell’s new jewel replaces Back Alley Social, which replaced the Whiskey Bar on West Fifth Street. It’s a shotgun-style room with a long, high service area made formal by tall shelves holding rare and common spirits.
The place, packed with fresh ingredients, smells divine. How often is that the case in a club or bar? Herbs, citrus, infusers and other cocktail makings proliferate.
The scrupulous bartenders hand you a menu with a couple dozen enticing choices. (You could order a vodka and Red Bull, but really?)
Mikell personally mixed me a drink that included brûléed oranges and thyme. Oh my. Mikell is on his way to stardom in his field.
I also talked to Nakia, who has popped up everywhere this week, and John Pointer, another outstanding musician. We talked about the rise of the arrogant male — usually called a word reserved for cleaning discreet body parts — now populating West Sixth Street. That’s unfortunate. I almost never experience attitude in Austin nightlife. I must investigate.
My Saturday route twice took me past Republic Live, where the Biker’s Ball was about to take place. The door staff, who addressed me by name, kindly asked me to join them both times. But as said, enough of ROT this year. My only disappointment was missing Miranda Dodson’s CD release at Stubb’s, which conflicted directly with Colonna’s.
UPDATE: An earlier version of this post gave incorrect addresses for Townhouse and the Ghost Room. The first is on West Fifth Street, the second is on West Fourth Street.
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May 31, 2010
Time for Summer Soirees
Newcomers may not believe it, but Austin enjoyed a relatively mild spring this year. Summers, novices are forewarned, are Amazonian. Still, Austinites barely pause as they socialize.
Tuesday, an intriguing possibility: The Drink Pink Bombshell Ball, a Las Vegas-style extravaganza celebrating Marilyn Monroe’s birthday, at Opal Divine’s at Penn Field. Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Resource Center. Fittingly, Mr. Fabulous and Casino Royale top the bill.
Wednesday, Leadership Austin ups the ante on its traditional Best Party Ever with the Best Party on Earth at the Four Seasons Hotel. More than 500 social connectors are expected to network furiously.
Thursday, the American-Statesman throws another Glossy Glam party, this time at a Zbranek Custom Home with treats supplied by Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Delish and Twin Liquors.
Also Thursday, Les Amis de Hospice Austin summons summer chic with the Vino and Virtuoso party at Laguna Gloria. The Viva Trio conveys the tunes. Wine will flow.
Friday sees the introduction of Queer Bomb, an alternative expression of gay pride at 501 Studios, and a big Charity Bash at Allan House.
Saturday brings a new edition of Austin Pride, uniting area gay, lesbian and allied communities through a day-long festival and concert at the Long Center, followed by a parade across the Drake Bridge and a block party on West Fourth Street. Comedian and actor Mario Cantone headlines.
Sunday, the Austin Chamber Music Center conducts a gala concert, dubbed “Chopin and Champagne,” at Congregation Agudas Achim.
I think Frédéric would approve of that particular thematic match. mbarnes@statesman.com
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May 28, 2010
'Cougar Night' at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse
When did “cougar” become such a derogatory term? Earlier this week, I published some short reports through social media about the informal “Cougar Nights” Wednesdays at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse. They are so-called by super-sociable Kristin McCullar and her friends, residents of the rugged subdivision straddling Lake Austin and Lake Travis.
Sid Steiner and Kristin McCullar
A thoughtful Facebook friend objected, wanting to retire the word. That took me by surprise, because cougars are considered beautiful, noble, strong and independent animals. Attractive, outgoing women over a certain age have embraced the term. Sure, there is always some stigma attached to age disparities in relationships, but I found it difficult to believe that “cougar” had become quite so offensive to some readers. I promise to listen more carefully to context and tone.
Rod Williams and Kimberly Kitlowski
I met Kristin at the bar on the patio of the hilltop steakhouse. The view of Lake Travis on that side of the restaurant is spectacular. All the land around the hill was once owned by the Steiner family, who ranched it for generations. They retained a few choice bits, including this hill. I spoke with rodeo star Sid Steiner about his family and instantly considered them candidates for our Ancestral Austin series.
Bridget Allison and Elain Thibodeaux
Back to the action on the patio. The crowd was fit, tanned and, let’s admit, a bit older than the tribes at most downtown clubs. Some were dressed in Western duds, others in revealing summer dresses. They didn’t prowl, exactly, but they mingled a lot, socializing freely. I found the mood — and almost everyone I met — delightful.
Most of the chatter, actually, was absolutely benign: Children, daycare, sports, school, etc. Now when was the last time I journeyed out to the lake three times in one week? Visited three eating establishments: Mizu, Ciola and Steiner. Pretty cool for an urbanista.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Nightlife
May 12, 2010
Your A List: Best Place to Get Married
Most of the winners of the A List readers poll for Best Place to Get Married offer al fresco options.
Numero Uno was Laguna Gloria, Austin Museum of Art’s lakeside retreat, with 41 percent of the vote.
Nearly tying for second were Green Pastures and City Hall, both with approximately 10 percent of the tally.
On the third tier landed Zilker Botanical Gardens, Mansion on Judges’ Hill, One World Theatre, Barton Creek Resort, Vintage Villas, Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Mount Bonnell, each with substantial legions of fans.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
Your A List: Best Sports Bar
Third Base is clearly the favorite of A List readers, who gave it 51 percent of their vote in our most recent poll.
Pluckers and Lavaca Street Bar placed second and third with 29 percent and 16 percent.
Bringing up the rear with 1 percent or less were Doc’s, Fado, Champions, Bikini’s, Aussie’s, Mulligans and Joe’s Bar.
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May 10, 2010
Spring social marathon slows to a trot
The spring social marathon has ended. Time to plan for a more pedestrian pace.
Today , we look forward to “There’s No Such Thing as A Free Lunch” luncheon for People’s Community Clinic at the Renaissance Austin.
Wednesday comes the opening of “Pioneers from the East: First Chinese Families in Austin” at the Austin History Center, and then “Tequila Talkin’” in the Toast of the Town series at Eddy Safady’s Congress Avenue loft.
The first of several events for Arthouse’s “5x7” sale/party, as well as the Women’s Symphony League of Austin Designer Showhouse at the Austonian, start on Thursday (both traditional fandangos culminate Sunday).
For me, Friday is reserved exclusively for Beyond the Lights, the golf tournament, dinner and concert at Hyatt Lost Pines Resort with the cast of “Friday Night Lights” and other celebrities.
Saturday, I’ll stick pretty close to the Paramount and State Gala that closes down Congress Avenue for the evening.
Sunday, there’s another Toast of the Town event: Luigi and Sofia’s Wedding Gai and Gerry Newkirk’s home. And I’m sure I forgot something.
Sound like a lot? Actually, it’s a breeze compared to the previous weeks.
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May 9, 2010
Where are the party reports?
A brief note to explain the absence of Out & About images, as well as posts about recent Austin social events: Our company’s servers are experiencing critical problems. We hope they will be resolved soon. Meanwhile, fans of this column can make do with Facebook, Twitter, Gowalla and, of course, print updates. The social scene has not faltered, even if the flow of my reports has.
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April 28, 2010
Your A List: Best Hotel Bar
Since the 19th Century, the Driskill Hotel has served as a watering hole for the powerful and anonymous alike. Located outside the hotel’s famous grill, the Western Baroque bar is quiet, yet lively, posh, but approachable. It won 41 percent of the vote in the A List readers poll for Best Hotel Bar.
The Four Seasons, a den of understated luxury, is also a celebrity magnet. It took 21 percent of the tally.
The Omni, located in a vast atrium, came in third with 17 percent. The Stephen F. Austin, with its romantic terrace and old urban feel, was not far behind at 14 percent.
Hotel San Jose on South Congress — which opens onto a gorgeous garden — attracted 5 percent. The rest — Lakeway Inn, Barton Creek, Radisson Downtown, Hyatt Regency and Hilton Austin — managed less than 1 percent each.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
April 7, 2010
Your A List: Best Club DJ
DJ Mike Swing, who spreads hip hop to spots like the Hudson, the Madison, Six Lounge, Union Park and Red Fez, handily won the A List readers poll for Best Club DJ. With 59 percent of the vote.
DJ Chicken George bravely followed with 11 percent and socially connected DJ Kurupt responded honorably with 8 percent.
Spinning 5 percent or less were DJ Manny, Toddy B, DJ Mel, Seth Cooper, Rapid Ric, DJ Dallas and Soul Happening DJs.
We revere them all.
Permalink | | Categories: Music, Nightlife, Your A-List
April 1, 2010
Philanthro-Party 101
Business manager Shawne Groves is accustomed to organizing things. Communications. Programs. Offices. Events.
Yet the inveterate multitasker at Protect America, the Round Rock interactive wireless security company, last week had barely reached Square 1 on a proposed charity event with a musical act. And she wanted advice.
“The world has changed so much with the economy and all,” said Groves, who switched careers and moved to Austin, in part because of the recession. “All you need is to change is yourself.”
A good start on the road to philanthropy. My first impulse was to send the Oregon native to the city’s youthful tribes of social fundraisers, such as the CharityBash or Austin Involved, or to one of the charity umbrella groups, like I Live Here, I Give Here or Greenlights for Nonprofits. Admirable groups all.
But instead, why not brainstorm over coffee? Maybe I could save Groves some time and, a little selfishly, track her progress for this social column. Our lively conversation on a blissfully sunny day settled on clusters of questions.
That’s an appropriately scaled group, too. Giants like the Livestrong Foundation and Dell Children’s Medical Foundation could use any financial help and social investment you offer, but, for a first venture, something less ambitious is in order.
Besides money, you dearly want wider exposure for your chosen charity. And, if you represent a business like Protect America, some recognition for your own group wouldn’t hurt.
So don’t get too distressed if donations are relatively modest on your first try. You are building social connections for later harvests.
What’s your bait? Even if your potential guests adore pets, too, they could just write a check and skip the event. Some nonprofit managers actually advocate this kind of giving, since it’s undeniably efficient and cost-effective. Sending in a signed piece of paper or checking an online box, however, does not bond the donor socially to the cause. Thus charity events, even beginner ones.
How can you lure potential guests off the couch? The venue is crucial. It must be a place that’s convenient, attractive and correctly scaled. The more unusual, the more likely you’ll attract the curious. If you can add decorative twist you’ll improve the mood and deepen the memories of the event.
Not everybody has the skill or resources that Bobbi Topfer, Patty Huffines and Creative Consultants had for the recent Long Center Anniversary Party — a glorious madhouse of purple! — but a creative eye can turn an adequate venue into a party palace. Just remember, everything counts: E-mail invitations, social media notices, traffic, parking, greetings, lighting, lines, too much or too little space. So much to consider!
What about “swag”? Don’t bother, I say. People like free things, but it’s hard to please them with a uniform gift. And it gets expensive. Unless you come up with something reasonable and completely novel, like the mood-ring putty Groves was carrying around already.
What about entertainment? Everybody in Austin thinks music. A band. A buzzy singer. No-brainer, right?
Wrong. If you book an Austin act with sympathy for your cause, you can obtain their services for minimal costs. But almost every Austin musician also plays regular local gigs. The market is saturated. Even a Patty Griffin or an Okkervil River can’t guarantee a big crowd for every event.
One way of dealing with this challenge was pioneered locally by American YouthWorks. Its annual gala at the Austin Music Hall is divided into three distinct sections, with different audiences for each: Early for mingling; later for dinner and formalities; even later for the musical act, booked to attract a third set of ticket-buyers. The Paramount Theatre gala switches this order, putting music first, which works for them.
When should all this happen? We covered the problem of overbooked social dates in a recent column. But what about times? If you don’t mind a dry event, a luncheon is an effective alternative. Many planners go for early in the evening, hoping that people will arrive almost directly after work, skipping the trip home, where they could fall into the nesting trap. Others allow time for a change of attire and perhaps a nap. Unless it’s an athletic or religious event, mornings are right out.
All that said, the most important advice is to do what you’d do at home: Be a good host. Stay sensitive to your guests’ needs and moods. Don’t force things. And everyone will walk away with positive feelings for you, your charity, your business and your backers.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: City, Nightlife
March 31, 2010
Your A-List: Best Dance Floor
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it forever: “If music is god, dance is prayer.” There is no greater praise for music than human movement. And Austin hosts plenty of places to pray this way.
Oilcan Harry’s, the venerable gay bar, shook out 17 percent, while truly historic Gruene Hall near New Braunfels tied down 13 percent.
Latin-themed Copa, eclectic Barcelona and underground Prague tied at just under 9 percent. Graham Central Station, the Pflugerville-area club multi-plex, nabbed 8 percent. Rain, Oilcan Harry’s chief rival on West Fourth Street, boogie dup to 7 percent.
Dallas Nite Club and Midnight Rodeo settled for 4 percent or less.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
March 16, 2010
SXSW 18: Locals Only Party at Star Bar
Overheard on the deck of Star Bar: “This is the cool kids’ party.” Indeed, it felt that way. While the visiting throngs headed to the Gowalla party at the Belmont, Thrillist party at Stubb’s, or always thrilling Plutopia at the MACC, a few dozen entertainment-oriented Austinites relaxed over delicious drinks at the annual Locals Only Party, thrown in part by Giant Noise.
David Kittredge and Ginger Roddick
Right away, I ran into Ginger Roddick, former publicist for brother-in-law Andy Roddick. She’s now living in Norman, Okla., where her husband, John Roddick, is head of men’s tennis at the University of Oklahoma. She confirmed that Andy’s bride, Brooklyn Decker, is very grounded and just the right gal for the tennis ace’s future.
Taylor Choi and Lyle Jackson
Any number of journalists, promoters, publicists, administrators, activists, networkers and creatives continued to mingle in the blank-ish spot between SXSW Interactive and Film and the subsequent SXSW Music. Rumors raced through the synod. All agreed that the festival’s younger siblings were showing Music how it’s done this year.
Matt Dy and David Gil
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March 11, 2010
Live Chat with Parkside's Shawn Cirkiel on the State of Austin Nightlife & SXSW
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Food, Nightlife, SXSW
March 6, 2010
Tribeza Issue Launch at the Gibson
On Thursday, the new Tribeza hit the stands. Yes, despite the public and acrimonious split among the owners, the pioneering Austin lifestyle magazine launched its 103rd issue. Please don’t ask us to take sides. We like all the principals.
Graydon Parrish, Eddie Safady and Skeeter Miller
The launch party was held at Gibson Bar, the buzzy new bar across South Lamar Boulevard from Alamo Drafthouse and Highball. Master designer Joel Mozersky’s inspiration was the movie “There Will Be Blood,” and there’s a dark, leathery, California mining country feel to the unobtrusive space.
Joel Mozersky and Ben Brown
Making the rounds, I’m afraid I failed to express my condolences to Skeeter Miller about the accidental death of his County Line Barbecue business partner Randy “Rib King” Goss in February. Still, I did congratulate him on critic Mike Sutter’s glowing — and glowingly written — Restaurant Week review in 360.
Bennett and Lauren Ford
SoLa is throbbing with energy and new businesses like Gibson Bar are taking advantage of it. The only missing element: Pedestrian improvements. It would make sense, for instance, to meet for a cocktail at Gibson before dashing to a movie at Alamo. Don’t try it on foot. South Lamar is a traffic monster.
A final note on the name: Prior to attending the Tribeza event, I assumed the name Gibson came from “Gibson Girl” or the like. No, the bar sits on the corner of Lamar and Gibson Street, which stops and starts all through the Bouldin neighborhood.
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March 4, 2010
Live Chat with Larry Davis on the State of Austin Nightlife
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
March 2, 2010
Social Record 1
Twitter has replaced the shortest, most traditional blog posts, you might have noticed. Especially when one’s tweets are published on the same page as one’s blog (see the black box below the commentaries).
Every once in a while, however, it makes sense to aggregate those strands of observation. Hence this first, experimental Social Record of short items for Out & About. …
Ted Hibler, executive director of the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, is a Renaissance man. Actor, writer, manager, world traveler, Hibler wears many hats. He gave me a comprehensive tour of the facilities before we sat down to lunch at chef Josh Watkins’ Carillon, best known as the center’s dinner spot. Ran into Paula Beihler who was meeting with Watkins, along with his and her staffs. …
Met with staff members from the Lady Bird Wildflower Center to consult about the upcoming articles in the Lady Bird Legacy Wildflower series. Learned a lot about the center as a gathering and distribution point for public information on sustainability, master gardening, indigenous plants and, conversely, invasive species. …
The Longhorns redeemed their home series with a win over the Sooners last night. It was pretty grim for three quarters of the game. Then the team roared back, and we roared with them. Even on the top row of the top seats of the Erwin Center, we felt like part of the action. …
Sean Martin, Helen Merino and Pam Christian were stand-outs in Austin Shakespeare’s “Mary Stuart.” … I kept thinking Susanne Abbott deserves a spot on Austin City Limits all through her recent concert at Zach Theatre, backed by top-shelf side men. Buy her new CD: “No History of Prevention.” … Sarah Gay and Andrew Cannata kept every minute of “John and Jen” real, ultimately moving at the Hideout. … Ballet Austin’s “Truth & Beauty: The Bach Project” reminded me how lucky we are to merit such creative and interpretive artists in Austin. Ravishing.
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Live Chat with Laura Garcia on the State of Austin Nightlife
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February 27, 2010
Seen Launch at the Ranch
Photographer of radiance Annie Ray set up shop near the door. At the far side of the Ranch’s rooftop terrace stood a Say Cheese photo booth. In between, at least six professional photographers prowled. And that doesn’t count all the guests who continuously snapped the social scene for digital posterity.
Ryan Tietz, Katy Dunlap and Adam Lewis
The Thursday night launch party for Seen, an online publication featuring user-generated words and images, brought out the forever young, the inveterate nightlifers and the just plain curious. They all seemed ready to indulge in the latest social media concept, while DJ Toddy B kept everyone circulating.
Alison Giese, Falana Chonel
Typical conversation: Adam Lewis: “Oh, Michael Barnes, yes, we’re friends on Facebook.” Me: “Yes, of course.” AL: “When you friended me, I saw that Alex Winkelman was a mutual friend, so I asked her, ‘How do I know Michael Barnes,’ and she said, ‘Silly, everybody knows Michael Barnes.’”
Tyler Buckler and Magan Gibbs
I laughed demurely at the joke. Then suddenly, Winkelman herself pops up next to us. I nearly jump out of my skin. It was like Facebook (or Seen) come alive! You make a connection, then another — and there they are. Right in front of you.
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February 25, 2010
Live Chat with Doug Guller on the State of Austin Nightlife
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February 23, 2010
Live Chat with Crave Gals on the State of Austin Nightlife
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February 20, 2010
Back from the beach; ready to go
The 17th annual Winter Reading Week is history.
I missed a few things whilst at the beach, internationally (Olympics); nationally (Westminster Dog Show, Hollywood Week on “American Idol”); and locally (IRS crash, terrorism rhetoric, Longhorn men’s basketball collapse).
I’ll live.
A few pe-SXSW social commitments include:
Today: Guitars Under the Stars at the Mexican American Cultural Center; Viva Las Vegas Monte Carlo for AIDS Services of Austin at Austin Music Hall; and Carnaval Austin at Palmer Events Center
Sunday: Petcasso for Animal Trustess of Austin at Dell JCC; Evelyn Erickson’s Birthday Bash at Jovita’s
Wednesday: Toast of the Town Preludes and Accolades for St. Davi’s Community Health Foundation at Bauer House; Longhorn basketball game
Thursday: Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Gala in West Lake Hills; Seen Magazine Launch at the Ranch
Friday: Art Divas Party at Becky Beaver’s
Feb. 27: CASAblanca Gala at the Four Seasons; Red, Hot & Soul Gala at the Austin Convention Center
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
February 10, 2010
Your A List: Best Place Where You Can Still Smoke
Here’s a dirty little secret: Almost every single establishment that threatened to shut its doors when the City of Austin enacted an indoor smoking ban did not. They are open and, given that we are deep into our second recession since then, most are not doing so badly. So sending smokers outside didn’t, as adverstised, kill Austin nightlife or live music.
Opal Divine’s did divinely with 11 percent, tying with Cedar Street Courtyard.
Crown and Anchor, a pub crossed with a dive married to a student hangout, held down 9 percent.
Shoal Creek Saloon and Lovejoy’s tied at 8 percent. Ruta Maya and Ego’s tied at 5 percent. (That’s a lot of ties.)
G&S Lounge grouched into 4 percent, while Flamingo Cantina emerged with 1 percent.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
February 4, 2010
Live Chat with David Alan on the State of Austin Nightlife
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February 2, 2010
Live Chat with Margie Coyle about the State of Austin Nightlife
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January 26, 2010
Live Chat with Samantha Davidson on the State of Austin Nightlife
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January 21, 2010
Live Chat with Paul & Paula Angerstein on the State of Austin Nightlife
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January 20, 2010
Your A-List: Best Pickup Bar
Funny, I had always thought of Six, the tri-level lounge at Colorado and West Fourth streets, as a cool place to relax. Maybe catch up with friends. Or to join a party in progress on the rooftop.
Rain, often the busiest gay bar in town, managed 5 percent. It’s near-neighbor on West Fourth Street, Oilcan Harry’s, took 3 percent. A few of the others — J. Black’s, The Ranch and The Belmont — stretch more toward the West Sixth Street district, which has been friendly to the pickup demographic.
Lucky Lounge nabbed 2 percent. Vicci, now christened Kiss & Fly, also eked out 2 percent. Upstairs/downstairs neighbors Cuba Libre and the Phoenix convinced only 1 percent.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
Your A-List: Best Addition to Austin's Nightlife Scene
This vote boiled down to two-way contest. The A List readers poll on Best Addition to Austin’s Nightlife Scene pitted a Houston import against an Austin classic reclassified.
The renovated Star Bar, once and future gateway to West Sixth Street, twinkled with 30 percent.
Kiss & Fly, the giant gay dance club that’s morphed continuously since the 1980s, flew away with 4 percent.
All the rest — the Lustre Pearl, the Phoenix, renovated Cedar Door, East Side Show Room, Malverde, Peche and Clive — accomplished less than 1 percent each.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
January 19, 2010
Live Chat with CK Chin on the State of Austin Nightlife
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January 14, 2010
Live Chat with Tito Beveridge on the State of Austin Nightlife
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January 13, 2010
Your A-List: Best Cheap Drinks
Years ago, the State of Texas clamped down on really cheap alcoholic drinks. Remember 10-cent-drink nights back in the 1980s? Probably a good thing that trend dried up.
The top dog is located on East Sixth Street, land o’ shots: Treasure Island (24 percent of the tally); as are two of the other contenders — Cheers (11 percent) and Jackalope (2 percent).
Others are scattered up north: Barfly’s (12 percent); Ginny’s Little Longhorn (12 percent); Poodle Dog Lounge (10 percent), Nasty’s (8 percent) and Carousel Lounge (7 percent).
One is south: Horseshoe Lounge (7 percent). Another is east: Longbranch Inn (6 percent).
Sounds like the neighborhood dives are keeping up with the downtowners on this score.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
January 12, 2010
Live Chat with DJ Chicken George on the State of Austin Nightlife
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
January 7, 2010
The State of Austin Nightlife with Mason & Mylie Arnold
Permalink | | Categories: Food, Nightlife
January 5, 2010
The State of Austin Nightlife with Conrad Bejarano
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
January 3, 2010
The State of Austin Nightlife
During the next three months, we plan to examine Austin’s nightlife to see where the bars, clubs, parties and coffee shops — and, to a lesser extent, cafes and restaurants, which are related but not the central topic — are headed.
We’ll use many reporting tools, most prominent among them a series of Live Chats on this blog 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. You’ll have the opportunity to comment and ask questions of these and other nightlife leaders.
We’ll check in with these folks (and others):
In February: Manuel ‘DJ Manny’ Muniz (DJ Dojo, RockIt); DJ Mel (Swoll, Rock the Casbah); Tre Dotson (Tre Dotson Productions & Talent, Maria Maria); Bridget Dunlap (Clive, Lustre Pearl); Michael Girard (Speakeasy, Cuba Libre, Imperia); Thomas Gohring (Kick Butt Coffee); Doug Guller (Bikinis); George Gutierrez Jr. (everywehre); Becky and Damon Holditch (Marquee Tents); Donaji Lira (Wine & Food Foundation of Texas, Texas Heritage Songwriters Association); Matt Luckie (Lavaca Street Bar, Star Bar, District 301)
In March: Gary Manley (Iron Cactus); Dagan Martinez-Vargas (everywhere); Jette Momant (Manna Lifestyle Marketing, De’cor Jette’ Event Design, Cissi’s Wine Bar); Kristin Owen (Do512.com); David Pantano (Rain, AIDS Services of Austin); Taylor Perkins (Rare); Brendan Puthoff (Third Base, Aces); Jen Shoemaker (The Phoenix); Denise Silverman (Clink); Randall and Donya Stockton (Beerland, The Good Knight, Rio Rita, Shangri La); Jim Stotz (Rusty Spurs, Emerald City); Kara and Matt Swinney (Launch 787, Austin Fashion Week); Danielle Thomas (Big Green House Presents, Red Bull); Mike Yassine (Vicci, Qua, Treasure Island, Pure, Kiss & Fly); Kevin Williamson (Ranch 616, Star Bar); Brad and Chad Womack with Jason Carrier (Thirsty Nickel, Chuggin’ Monkey, Dizzy Rooster, The Marq, Molotov)
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
January 2, 2010
Joy to Austin on New Year's Eve
I rang in the new year with a dash of Old Austin and a pinch of New Austin.
Joseph Boyle and Christina Clark at Cissi’s
Central Texas native son Sean Massey, since transferred to Upstate New York, but in town for the holidays, personified the old. Representing the new were Nick Shapiro and Laurel Pochucha, stopping over during an expedition from Richmond, Va. to Los Angeles, where they’ll chase careers in film and fashion. They don’t live here now. But I suspect some day they will.
Clare Tucker and Rainy Edwards at the Long Center
First, Massey and I toasted the silver anniversary of our friendship at Cissi’s Wine Bar, where the always alert Charles Nikkel poured a fruity, full-bodied Gramona Gran Cuvée 2005.
Ann Sauder and Manny Moss at the Long Center
Taking our time, we aimed downhill to the Long Center, where First Night revelers huddled, escaping a sudden Norther. Wisely, the art event’s leaders opened the VIP areas to the public. Hoarse and fatigued, First Night board chairman Albert Cantara appeared nevertheless proud, standing next his bride, Jamie Smith Cantara, who looks exactly as she did more than 20 years ago when we shared a basement office at the University of Texas.
Dann and Christina Sanchez at Malverde
Scanning the skyline from the Long Center plaza, Massey and I counted the new towers whose names he didn’t know. After grabbing a street taco, we ascended the blue stairs to Malverde on West Second Street to find a find a sleek social set who looked as if they had just jetted in from Rio de Janeiro. They sipped the club’s modernist cocktails with gusto.
Fernando and Mayra Peralta at Malverde
After this dalliance in cosmopolitan Austin, we steered over Congress Avenue to the Cedar Door, a funky Austin institution recently spiffed up by designer Michael Hsu. We drank traditional Mexican martinis, introducing ourselves to folks well-girded for further adventures downtown.
Kaitlyn Merchant, Christopher West and Nicole Pullin at the Cedar Door
I had hoped to show Massey the hipster hive of clubs on Far East Sixth Street — maybe the sock hop at Shangri La — but the clock was ticking, so we turned left at Sixth and Brazos, which is where we met Schapiro and Pochucha. They asked where they should greet midnight. We said: “Follow us!” and faced west.
Maricela Trevino, Maria Anaya and Daniella Garcia at the Cedar Door
We poked our heads into Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, where Linda Ball, Forrest Preece and party were lapping up the sultry sounds of jazz trumpeter Jeff Lofton. Then we targeted the red Star Bar sign. We huddled outside briefly until the manager waved us in, then warmed us with his graciousness. The mob here was lively unto delirious.
Nick Schapiro and Laurel Pochucha on East Sixth Street
“You said something about a power plant,” Schapiro reminded me. Yes! Minutes to go before 2010, we strode over to Seaholm, where our new Virginia friends marveled at the mottled lighting on the former smokestacks. Once inside, we turned into the vast, industrial space, done up like something out of “Bright Lights, Big City,” and packed with writhing dancers. I glanced back at Pochucha and Schapiro, whose eyes had grown round with delight.
Luca Ceroofoli and Alberto Serafini at Star Bar
Not bad, huh? Taylor Perkins and his Rare/WOXY gang had completely outdone themselves, creating a New Year’s Eve party for the ages. We danced and danced, then headed back deeper downtown. Resistol-topped couples disgorged from the Austin Music Hall, while urbanistas tangoed out of Mulberry.
Amanda Bullard, Gaia Ciolfi and Julie Serafini at Star Bar
Bacchants filled West Second Street as completely as they had East Sixth. We dashed up the stairs of the Phoenix, where I knew events coordinator Jen Shoemaker had whipped up a storm of a party. She and I wished each other well, but didn’t understand a word the other said because of the DJ’s agitated hip-hop din.
Spencer and Devan Palmer at the Seaholm Power Plant
Massey and I hugged the parting Schapiro and Pochucha, who planned breakfast at TacoDeli, then buzzed across Colorado Street to the dance-happy Kiss & Fly, which my friend had not seen since its days as Hall’s more than 20 years ago. (We missed the naked dancer reported by a reliable Facebook friend.) Afterward, we skipped by still-buzzy West Second Street to cross the Drake Bridge, hiking toward home.
Matt McCormack and Candace Wasilew at Seaholm
Viewing the city through homecoming and sojourning eyes just magnified the evening’s joys.
Permalink | | Categories: City, Nightlife
December 30, 2009
No, not Marfa
Readers continue to ask: “Are you headed back to Marfa this New Year’s Eve?”
No. Last year’s West Texas parties — replete with Austinites — lingered in the memory for months. This year, I’m concentrating on closer quarry: Downtown. I’ll start at the Long First Night Party at the Long Center and City Hall Terrace, then hit Malverde, Cedar Door, Shangri La, Star Bar, Mulberry, Seaholm and the Phoenix, according to the most recent plan. Dear friend Sean Massey is in town and will accompany me. (Kip’s sticking with an intimate dinner at Nick Shumway and Robert Mayott’s).
“I can’t wait for our friends to arrive for the new year celebration. The Cohen-Cramers (Sonya, Reid, Dio & Gabel) arrive tonight after a day in Carlsbad Caverns. Margo, Gregory & Benjamin spending tonight at Indian Lodge in Ft. Davis, then here midday tomorrow.
Tomorrow the arrival of the Fefermans (Rachel & Michael), the Christies (Tana & Joe), Margaret Keys, the Graves (Nancy, Keith, Emma & Max), Jill McRae & Stephen Yelenosky, the Bermans (Solvye, Isaac, Daniel, Ingrid & Mitch), the Hughes (Kim & Kyle), Trey Herschap & Vivian Castano, Michael Mitchell/Robert Torian, Victoria Corcoran & Jeff Neal, Richard Hartgrove & Gary Cooper, Graydon Parish & Heath Riddles; Susan Ghertner, Christina Gutierrez & Hazel Barbour; and I’m missing some and will add later.
Tomorrow night, McDonald Observatory private tour, dinner with the astronomers, star party (on a near blue moon night) and looking through the 107-inch telescope; softball & soccer organized by Gabel & Michael F.
On Thursday, lunches, dinners, a book reading, the new years eve party in the Paisano’s Rock Hudson suite (sneaking away briefly for Tobin Levy’s bash across town), brunch at the Hilltop Hotties place overlooking the city on new years day, parlour games, hiking and good food that day/evening and just reading, eating, long conversations and chilling with our dearest friends until the last head home on the 3rd.”
Why doesn’t Eugene just write my column for me?
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 29, 2009
Sketching Out the New Year
Early invitations nab the social columnists.
I’m sketching out major social events to attend in the coming months. Now is the time to act. There’s much more out there, but these guys have been considerate enough to send invitations early.
Jan. 1: Smothers/Pungello NYD Party
Jan. 4: Johnson Bentsen Richards Dinner (Four Seasons)
Jan. 12: “The Color Purple” Opening Night (Bass)
Jan. 16: Merry, Merry Martini Mixer (Mercury)
Jan. 17: Wren Cottage Feast
Jan. 19: Dart International Awards
Jan. 23: Children’s Medical Center Foundation Gala (Convention Center)
Jan. 28: Torch of Liberty Awards
Jan. 29-Feb. 1: Sojourn (St. Peter, MN)
Feb. 4: “John & Jen” Opening Night (Hideout)
Feb. 6: Rodeo Austin Gala (Palmer)
Feb. 12-19: Winter Reading Week (Surfside, TX)
Feb. 25: Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Gala
Feb. 27: Casablanca (Four Seasons); Red, Hot & Soul (Convention Center)
March 11: Texas Film Hall of Fame Gala (Austin Studios)
March 12-20: South by Southwest (Film, Interactive, Music)
March 20: Human Rights Campaign Gala (Hyatt)
March 25: New American Talent Opening Night (Austin Ventures)
March 27: Long Center Anniversary Party
April 13: Lang Lang (Long Center)
April 15: “Our Town” Opening Night (Zach)
April 21: Preview Party for Austin Settings
May 15: Paramount & State Gala
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
December 26, 2009
Bartender Garrett Mikell on New Year's Eve
“Eat,” Garrett Mikell begs. “Please eat.” That’s a New Year’s Eve message from the other side of the bar, delivered by an award-winning Austin bartender, formerly of Starlite, Peché and the Woodland.
Mikell’s just as eager as anyone else to celebrate on the big party night. In fact, he admits feeling mildly jealous about non-working revelers. Yet he’s dealt with enough guests who’ve had too much to drink on empty stomachs.
“There’s always the one who sips only a few drinks a year,” Mikell says. “But then, there she is, on her second bottle of champagne. We watch all patrons with our peripheral vision to make sure they are OK.”
Ex-military, compact, brown-topped with a manly, reddish beard, Mikell looks like he can handle any customers who reach their happiness limit. Or who pass over into rudeness because they feel entitled to a good time.
“With any large, happy crowd, it could go either way,” he says. Following an afternoon of moving furniture from Clarksville to South Austin, then competing in a late-night club-bartending contest, doughty Mikell met me at Snack Bar on South Congress Avenue for a morning Topo Chico mineral water (him) and decaf (me).
Still fairly new to the bartending game, Mikell quickly ascended the hierarchy of local “mixologists,” a word he finds too prissy. He won an Austin-wide contest to make something inventive with Bombay Shappire gin, then competed against bartenders from across the country in the Las Vegas finals with his Bombay Bacon and Eggs.
“What idiot would put bacon in gin,” asks the Mississippi-born traditionalist with a rebel streak. “But once I decide to use some ingredient, I work until I get it exactly right.”
In the bacon case, the “aha” moment came when he ran across a photograph of a melon. Bacon and melons go together, right? Why not pair them with gin? Mikell was featured in the December issue of GQ magazine for his discovery.
The internal strain between the conventionalist, who wants to preserve cocktail recipes going back to the 1920s, and the still-young man, 25, with an incorrigible appetite for fun, goes back to childhood. He claims to be “part redneck, part Cherokee,” and grew up in Oxford, Miss., the son of a microbiology professor, but without his own academic focus.
“It was a really small town with nothing much to do,” Mikell says. So he took a job cooking at City Grocery, a nationally recognized restaurant. “My palate developed in the kitchen,” he says.
That training in taste combinations serves him well when bartending. That chance came when he was busing tables at the former Starlite on Colorado Street. When the bartender didn’t show for one shift, Mikell found himself uncorking $80 bottles of wine — very carefully.
“I broke the cork on the very first one,” he said. Panicked, Mikell informed the head server, who showed him how to pull the cork halfway out. “Then I tried to refill a glass with a corked bottle. Everybody had a few laughs at my expense.” Accomplished after only two years behind the bar, having also worked at Peché, one of the city’s top cocktail destinations, Mikell is taking time to cook up the right recipes.
“When conceptualizing a drink, I look at a cookbook first,” he says, rattling off a precise recipe for a classic Sazerac.
Recently, Mikell devised a cocktail list for the exclusive Hotel St. Cecilia, “a twist on Prohibition drinks that stay true to the hotel’s rock ‘n’ roll sensibililty,” he says. Now Mikell is noodling on a drink menu for Takoba, an interior Mexican restaurant slated for East Seventh and Onion streets.
Although a proselytizing supporter of bartender guilds, Mikell remains pretty modest. No Tom Cruise-style bottle juggling for him.
He’s not even completely comfortable with the wider recognition: “Recently, I realized that I knew a lot more about booze than I ever wanted other people to know.”
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Nightlife
December 24, 2009
Studying the Staff Holiday Party at Rain
Nineteen years after meeting and marrying Kip, I still haven’t negotiated a completely comfortable new relationship with gay bars. Essential social centers of my young adult years, they are still tinged, for me, with the sexual politics of singledom. Other friends have successfully settled into roles as bar-side observers, or participants in small, specialized subsets of the club crowd.
Stephen Rice, Eric Lewis and Ben Solis Jr.
I actually feel more comfortable in straight clubs, where the sexual tension, at least for a gay man, is absent. I chat — and even flirt demurely — with men and women. It’s all friendly, never edgy. Not so at Oilcan Harry’s, Kiss & Fly, Charlie’s or Rain, where I dropped by the staff holiday party last night. (Rusty Spurs and its sibling, Emerald City, on East Seventh Street, come closest to being regular gay haunts for me. I drop by on my way to and from other events.)
I’ve always really liked Rain, despite its itty bitty dance floor and always overstuffed patio. I’ve just not made it home. Last night, urged on by colleagues, I ran into dear friends such as Michael Kellerman, Stephen Rice and Mark Erwin. And I met strangers. But here’s the rub: Despite the openness of my fellow club patrons, none of the new conversations went anywhere.
Jessica Salinas and James Garza
What does that mean? Were these men and women hanging back, waiting to see where I would take the interchanges? That strategy doesn’t mesh well with my natural shyness. Did they suspect alternate motivations in my conversational openers?
The cranked-up dance music certainly didn’t help. Moving to the quieter front lounge didn’t help, since everyone there huddled in tight clusters, each time I circled through. And the patio crowd, predictably, stood shoulder-to-shoulder.
Cesar Serpas, Shane Hughes and Phil Denson
I’ll probably go to my grave studying the social patterns in gay clubs without really understanding them.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 12, 2009
Star Bar Relaunch all one could wish for
Star Bar was a classic. Now it is a classic reclassified. For years, the bar with the curved, red, neon sign helped define West Sixth Street district. It staged a buoyant happy hour inside and perched regulars on its sliver of a front patio outside. Yet it could be dark and a bit uninviting for such a prominent location.
Kevin Benz, Olga Campos and Kevin Williamson
And now it must keep up with neighbors, such as Brad Womack, Chad Womack and Jason Carrier’s Molotov and whatever they will swap out with Mother Egan’s in 2010. Not far away are of-the-moment clubs Key Bar, Union Park, Momo’s, the Ranch, Annie’s West and J. Black’s.
Anika Kunik and Matt Luckie
At Star Bar, business partners Kevin Williamson (Ranch 616) and Matt Luckie (Lavaca Street Bar, District 301, Lucky Lounge, etc.) stripped out the east wall, leaving an elegant glass curtain. They lightened the ceiling and cleared out the central well. Perhaps most dramatically, they added a spacious back patio that will connect Star Bar with Ranch 616 and a planned honkytonk in between.
Jared Arldt and Rhonda Leschber
The bar food from Ranch 616 was predictably tasty, especially a little shrimp bloody Mary that took my breath away. The drinks are grown-up. People expect a well mixed cocktail these days. Don’t underestimate that.
Sarah and Joey Martinez
Williamson and Luckie worked the room, packed as it was with with former regulars, media and all-round scenesters. The conversation remained bouncy, although it got a bit loud since the pivoted windows were closed against the wintry weather.
Lindsay Novy, Brett Ketchum and Kate Morgan
I talked insider biz with power parents Kevin Benz (News 8) and Olga Campos (KVUE). I revisited with Anika Kunik, actress and author, whose “Forty-Five and 1/2 Lovers” is causing a sensation.
Back to Star Bar, this is going to be a hot spot again. Bet on it.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Food, Nightlife
December 10, 2009
Zach Holiday Party at Nowlin Room
The newly christened Nowlin Room in the Zach Theatre complex plays multiple roles: rehearsal room, performance space, classroom and — naturally — special events space. (Never enough of them in Austin.) Tuesday night the former bicycle shop just to the east of Zach’s offices and Whisenhunt Arena Stage was decked with holiday bunting. Not quite the visual saturation of “Rockin’ Christmas Party” or “The Santaland Diaries,” but a scenic arrangement worthy of a holiday bash for backers, artists and a few other invited guests.
Tony Johnson and Suzan-Lori Parks
Independent publicist Brenda Thompson and Texas Book Festival’s Clay Smith filled me in on their holiday plans, on reports of Smith’s recent birthday party upstairs at Frank (an annual blowout that knocked me over last year), and various strands of gossip. Both looked sharp and rested, given the brutality of the holiday social rounds.
Espie Randolph and Tommy Haynes
Spent time with husband-and-wife arts power duo Barbara Chisholm (currently on the cover of AustinWoman magazine) and Robert Faires (who recently presented the first Austin Visual Arts Awards at Austin Museum of Art). We also compared notes on the back-door bash-ins in our Bouldin neighborhood, especially those of houses accessed through alleys. (Bouldinites beware!)
Stacy Lopez and Amanda Coffman
Talked with two lawyers who know the arts well — Tom Green and Eric Groten — smooth-pated men who call themselves the “Hair Club for Men” (I’d qualify). Green has just purchased a condo in Manhattan’s West Village. I believe Calvin Klein is his condo president, but we’ll check up on that tidbit. Also caught up with Maria Groten and Mary Tally about the post-Dancing with the Stars Austin chatter. Sounds like they topped $650,000 for the Center for Child Protection.
Caitlyn Guerra and Daniel Cabral
Zach’s managing director Elisabeth Challener addressed the assembly of 150 or so, who politely swung away from the alluring buffet tables and bars to listen. She listed some of the theater’s achievements for the year, including unveiling designs by Arthur Andersson for the complex’s fourth building. Also ending the fiscal year in the black, no small feat in a recession. She then introduced a video presentation of artistic director Dave Steakley’s winning samba at Dancing with the Stars. (Much fond kidding followed.)
Tom Green and Eric Groten
Steakley gave a rousing speech about the socially adhesive role of theater in a community and brought Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks up to the dais. (She’s in town finishing a script.) Challener and Steakley have much to give thanks for this season. The theater is on the upswing, having attracted the attention of big funding guns like Joe Long, Bobbi and Mort Topfer and Bettye and Bill Nowlin, who were honored with the room-naming. Looks like Zach’s Lamar-and-Barton Springs Road project will be the next one built, after Arthouse’s upstairs expansion, now underway.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 8, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: SoCo
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!) Follow the Nightlife category link below for previous posts.
Botticelli’s. 1321 S. Congress Ave. 916-1315
Cissi’s Wine Bar. 1400 S. Congress Ave. 225-0521
Continental Club. 1315 S. Congress Ave. 441-0202
Doc’s Motorworks Bar & Grill. 1123 S. Congress Ave. 448-9181
Ego’s. 510 S. Congress Ave. 474-7091
Enoteca. 1610 S. Congress Ave. 441-7672
Güero’s Taco Bar. 1412 S. Congress Ave. 707-8232
Perlas. 1400 S. Congress Ave. 291-7300
Snack Bar. 1224 Congress Ave. 445-2626
South Congress Cafe. 1600 S. Congress Ave. 447-3905
Hotel San Jose. 1316 S. Congress Ave. 444-7322
Trophy’s. 2008 S. Congress Ave. 447-0969
Vespaio. 1610 S. Congress Ave. 441-6100
Woodland. 1716 S. Congress Ave. 441-6800
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Open Source Bar Guide: West Second Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!) Follow the Nightlife category link below for previous posts.
Cantina Laredo. 201 W. Third St. 542-9670
La Condesa. 400 W. Second St. 499-0300
Crú. 238 W. Second St. 472-9463
Jo’s on Second. 242 W. Second St. 469-9003
Lamberts. 401 W. Second St. 494-1500
Málaga Tapas & Bar. 440 W. Second St. 236-8020
Malverde. 400 W. Second St. 705-0666
Taverna. 258 W. Second St. 477-1001
III Forks. 111 Lavaca St. 474-1776
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Open Source Bar Guide: Convention Center Area
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!) Follow the Nightlife category link below for previous posts.
The Cedar Door. 201 Brazos St. 473-3712
Chain Drive. 504 Willow St. 480-9017
Champions Sports Bar. 300 E. Fourth St. 473-0450
Clive. 609 Davis St. 494-4120
Copa. 217 Congress Ave. 479-5002
Elephant Room. 315 Congress Ave. 473-2279
Fleming’s. 320 E. Second St. 457-1500
Fogo de Chao. 309 E. Third St. 472-0220
The Lobby Bar at the Four Seasons. 98 San Jacinto Blvd. 478-4500
The Loft at Finn & Porter. 500 E. Fourth St. 493-4900
Lustre Pearl. 97 Rainey St. 469-0400
Max’s Wine Dive. 207 San Jacinto Blvd. 904-0105
Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill. 303 Red River St. 236-9599
Piranha Killer Sushi. 207 San Jacinto Blvd. 473-8775
Rio Grande. 301 San Jacinto Blvd. 476-8300
Roy’s. 340 E. Second St. 391-1500
Sister’s Edge 2. 113 San Jacinto Blvd. 457-8010
The V Lounge at Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille. 301 E. Fifth St. 472-1860
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 7, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: Campus Area
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!) Follow the Nightlife category link below for previous posts.
Cain & Abel’s Bar & Grill. 2313 Rio Grande St. 476-3201
Charlie’s. 1301 Lavaca St. 474-6481
The Cloak Room. 1300 Colorado St. 478-2622
Crown & Anchor. 2911 San Jacinto Blvd. 322-9168
Cuatro’s. 1004 W. 24th St. 234-6361
The Dog & Duck Pub. 406 W. 17th St. 479-0598
Fino. 2905 San Gabriel St. 474-2905
The Flying Saucer. 815 W. 47th St. 454-7468
Hole in the Wall. 2538 Guadalupe St. 477-4747
Little Woodrow’s 2610 Guadalupe St. 478-2337
Mansion on Judge’s Hill. 1900 Rio Grande St. 495-1800
Nasty’s Bar. 606 Maiden Lane. 453-4349
Posse East Bar & Grill. 2900 Duval St. 477-2111
Sago. 4600 Guadalupe St. 452-0300
Spider House Patio Bar & Cafe. 2908 Fruth St. 480-9562
Scholz Garten. 1607 San Jacinto Blvd. 474-1958
Texas Chili Parlor. 1409 Lavaca St. 472-2828
Trudy’s Texas Star. 409 W. 30th St. 477-2935
United States Art Authority. 2906 Fruth St. 480-9562
Vino Vino. 4119 Guadalupe St. 465-9282
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 3, 2009
Cedar Door Relaunch Party
The Cedar Door is Austin’s lucky charm …
Chris Apollo Lynn and Ari Guerrero
The bar and restaurant is snug at its fourth location in 26 years of business …
Jeramy Neugent and Andrea Cowan
No, the owners did move from building to building …
Maggie Lea and Dan Gentile
They moved the whole building, now resting at Brazos and East Second streets …
Jason Zepeda and Brandon Jacobs
Current owners Heather Hart Potts and Steve Potts didn’t want to rub that lucky charm the wrong way in a recent expansion and renovation …
Ken Burger and Trisha Atwater
So they asked designer Michael Hsu to keep the original main room intact, then added spacious new rooms where a back patio and kitchen sat, the better to service the convention trade that dominates that district …
Heather Hart Potts, Anne Dilworth and Pamela Miller
Hsu also added signature slatting of recycled wood and ziz-zag vaulting inside and out — a seamless blend of Austin, Old and New …
Steve Potts, Stephanie Hughes and Michael Hsu
A buoyant crowd of in-the-know Austinites wandered through the space, snacking on tacos and brownies, while drinking the institution’s emblematic Mexican martinis …
Elizabeth Wiewall and Matt Hall
It was a warm crowd, conversationally, and various media fields were heavily represented …
Leila Rahimi, Elizabeth Hufnagel
I had the pleasure of escorting my sister, Kathleen Klingshirn, to the party, and she was immediately drawn into a dozen different discussions …
Courtney Irving, Ben Brown and Courtney Spence
Kathleen has lived in the Woodlands, lo these many years, but is scouting land out in the Hill Country to take advantage of its raw natural beauty, as well as its proximity to Austin’s allurements.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Open Source Bar Guide: Middle Fifth Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!)
Apple Bar. 120 W. Fifth St. 322-9291
Canvas Bar & Gallery. 105 E. Fifth St. 391-9181
Grüv Nightclub. 101 W. Fifth St. 467-4556
Lanai Rooftop Lounge. 422 Congress Ave. 479-6600
Light Bar. 408 Congress Ave. 473-8544
The Marq. 422 Congress Ave. 322-5180
One 2 One. 121 E. Fifth St. 473-0121
Prague. 422 Congress Ave. 477-2483
Shiner’s Saloon. 422 Congress Ave. 448-4600
Sky Lounge. 416 Congress Ave. 542-0029
Speakeasy. 412 Congress Ave. 476-8017
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
December 2, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place for Cheap Date
Best place for a first date. Best place for a blind date. Best place for a cheap date.
Alamo Drafthouse, which has won countless A-List contests, came in first for Best Place for a Cheap Date. After all, you get dinner and a show! It maneuvered 29 percent off the vote.
For an inanimate object, Mount Bonnell sure has maintained a loyal Austin following for just about any occasion. It took 13 percent.
Two South Congress Avenue institutions — Home Slice Pizza and First Thursday — perched at third and fourth with 13 and 9 percent of the vote.
Zilker Botanical Garden and Movies in the Park tied exactly at almost 7 percent.
The rest of the pack: Baby Acapulco, Crown and Anchor, Frank and Angie’s and Nasty’s.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
The Long Goodbye Party at Westlake Home
High-tech wiz Dennis Karbach and Long Center developer Robert Brown are leaving us …
Dennis Karbach and Robert Brown
Well, they quietly let friends know their Congress Avenue mega-loft was up for sale more than year ago …
Larry Connelly and Quincy Erickson
Now that it’s a done deal, they will commute between homes in San Francisco and San Antonio …
Carol Adams and Julia McCurley
That will be Austin’s loss, as recognized by an all-star gang of admirers gathered at the hilltop home of Richard Hartgrove and Gary Cooper to finish the “Long Goodbye” …
Sarah Andrews and Jay McCarty
As with all true Austinites, we’ll let them go, but only if they promise to return often …
Ethan and Elliot Stead
And who knows who will drop their double abodes in coming years …
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Media Holiday Party at the Long Center
The holiday rounds continued Tuesday at the Long Center …
Scott Morgan and Kate Ergenbright
Entering the performing arts center’s ground-level reception room, I realized that this particular holiday party was meant …
Michael Huereque, Victoria Valles and Val Hinojosa
To introduce the media to “Sister’s Christmas Catechism,” playing across the lobby on the Rollins Stage …
Melissa Olivas and Martha Steinle
Bright idea …
Katy Nail and Jim Swift
And I would have joined them in the theater, but, of course, I had other commitments, so couldn’t stay for the Catholic comedy …
Corinne Coons-Gallagher and Leslie Coons
Yet the pre-show gathering allowed me to catch up with media and theater types, all cheered by a holiday mood, and being inside on a cold night …
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Austin Shakespeare Holiday Party at Six Lounge
The holiday cheering has begun …
Jenny Gravensteins and Shelby Davenport
First out of the post-Thanksgiving gate is Austin Shakespeare …
Celeste Mendoza and Ann Ciccolella
They opened up Six Lounge for a classy early-evening party, even though most of Colorado Street was deserted because of the cold rain …
Janelle Buchanan and Babs George
Artists, backers and cultural leaders felt relaxed enough to converse at length about all sorts of associated topics …
Lauren Tuttle and Amber DuPuy
Gosh, I love hearing people talk frankly, although, sorry, readers, mostly off the record this time …
Collin Bjork and Christina Gutierrez
Still, those unreported tales always inform future reporting …
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
November 30, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: East Seventh Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!)
Beauty Bar. 617 E. Seventh St. 391-1943
Colors. 403 E. Seventh St. 482-9002
Creekside Lounge. 606 E. Seventh St. 480-5988
Driskill Bar & Grill. 604 Brazos St. 391-7162
Emerald City. 403 E. Seventh St. 482-9002
Firehouse Lounge. 605 Brazos St. 478-3473
Fuel. 607 Trinity St. 632-0568.
Lovejoy’s. 604 Neches St. 477-1268
Mike’s Pub. 108 E. Seventh St. 479-6424
MugShots. 407 E. Seventh St. 236-0008
Red 7. 611 E. Seventh St. 476-8100
Rusty Spurs. 405 E. Seventh St. 482-9002
Side Bar. 602 E. Seventh St. 322-0697
Stephen F’s Bar & Terrace. 701 Congress Ave. 457-8800
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
November 29, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: Red River Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!)
Beerland. 711 1/2 Red River St. 479-7625
Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub. 714 Red River St., 478-4022
Club De Ville. 900 Red River St. 457-0900
Elysium. 705 Red River St. 478-2979
Emo’s. 603 Red River St. 477-3667
Headhunters. 720 Red River St. 236-0188
Mohawk. 912 Red River St. 482-8404.
Plush. 617 Red River St. 478-0099
Red Eyed Fly. 715 Red River St. 474-1084
Stubb’s. 801 Red River St. 480-8341
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
November 28, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: West Sixth Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10.
Amsterdam. 121 West Eighth St. 236-1606
Annie’s West. 706 W. Sixth St. 294-6493.
Athenian Bar & Grill. 600 Congress Ave. 474-7775
The Belmont. 305 W. Sixth St. 457-0300
Bess Bistro on Pecan. 500 W. Sixth St. 477-2377
Betsy’s Bar. 301 W. Sixth St. 480-9433
Brown Bar. 201 W. Eighth St. 480-8330
Dirty Bills (DB’s). 511 Rio Grande St. 477-3789
District 301. 301 W. Sixth St., 480-9433
Hut’s. 807 W. Sixth St. 472-0693
J. Black’s. 710 W. Sixth St. 433-6954
Joe’s Bar & Grill. 506 West Ave. 473-0885
Karma Lounge. 119 W. Eighth St. 469-0504
Katz’s Deli & Bar. 618 W. Sixth St. 472-2037
Key Bar. 617 W. Sixth St. 236-9389
Little Woodrow’s. 520 W. Sixth St. 477-2337
Maiko Sushi Lounge. 311 W Sixth St. 236-9888
Mother Egan’s Irish Pub. 715 W. Sixth St. 478-7747
Molotov. 719 W. Sixth St. 499-0600
Momo’s. 618 W. Sixth St. 479-8848
Opal Divine’s Freehouse. 700 W. Sixth St. 477-3308
The Ranch. 710 W. Sixth St. 465-2016
Ranch 616. 616 Nueces St. 479-7616
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. 107 W. Sixth St. 477-7884
Star Bar. 600 W. Sixth St. 477-8550
Thistle Cafe. 300 W. Sixth St. 275-9777
Tiniest Bar in Texas. 817 W. Fifth St. 391-6222
Union Park. 612 W. Sixth St. 478-7275
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
November 27, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: Lower East Sixth Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10.
Aquarium. 403 E. Sixth St. 499-8003
Agave. 415 E. Sixth St. 469-7892
Bayou Lounge. 500 E. Sixth St. 499-0863
Casino El Camino. 517 E. Sixth St. 469-9330
Cheers Shot Bar. 416 E. Sixth St. 499-0093
Coyote Ugly Saloon. 501 E. Sixth St. 236-8459
Dirty Dog Bar. 505 E.Sixth St. 236-9800
Esther’s Follies. 525 E. Sixth St. 320-0553
Flamingo Cantina. 515 E. Sixth St. 494-9336
Habana Calle 6. 709 E. Sixth St. 443-4252
Chupacabra Cantina. 400 E. Sixth St.
The Jackalope. 404 E. Sixth St. 472-3663
The Library. 407 E. Sixth St. 236-0662
The Lodge. 409 E. 6th St. 473-2553
Mooseknuckle Pub. 406 E. Sixth St. 473-2553
Nina’s. 422 E. Sixth St., 833-5133
Nuno’s. 422 E. Sixth St., 833-5133
Paradise. 401 E. Sixth St. 476-5667
Peckerheads on Sixth: 402 E. Sixth St.473-2553
Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar. 421 E. Sixth St. 472-7383
Pure Ultra Lounge. 419 E. Sixth St. 477-7873
El Sol y La Luna. 600 East 6th St. 444-7770
Touche. 417 E. Sixth St. 472-9841
Toulouse. 409 E. 6th St. 473-2553
Treasure Island. 413 E. Sixth St. 476-4466
Troubadour Saloon. 503 E. Sixth St. 499-0350
The Velveeta Room. 521 E Sixth St. 469-9116
The Wave. 408 E. Sixth St. 391-9125
Go here for our current listings for Upper East Sixth Street.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
November 26, 2009
Open Source Bar Guide: Upper East Sixth Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10
Aces Lounge. 222 E. Sixth St. 391-0141
Barcelona. 209 E. Sixth St. 236-0900
B.D. Riley’s. 204 E. Sixth St. 494-1335
Bikinis. 214 E. Sixth St. 469-0001
Blind Pig. 317 E. Sixth St. 472-0809
Buffalo Billiards. 201 E. Sixth St. 479-7665
Chuggin’ Monkey. 219 E. Sixth St. 476-5015
Daddy’s Grill and Bar. 218 E. 6th St. 236-0778
Darwin’s Pub. 223 E. Sixth St. 474-7399
The Dizzy Rooster. 306 E. Sixth St. 236-1667
Friends Bar. 208 E. Sixth St. 320-8193
Iron Cactus. 606 Trinity St. 472-9240
Logan’s on Sixth. 200 E. Sixth St. 236-0300
Maggie Mae’s. 323 E. Sixth St. 478-8541
Malaia. 300 E. Sixth St. 482-8780
The Parish. 214 E. Sixth St. 479-0474
Parkside. 301 E. Sixth St. 474-9898
Shakespeare’s Pub. 314 E. Sixth St. 472-1666
Soho Lounge. 217 E. Sixth St. 236-1705
Spill. 212 E. Sixth St. 477-7455
311 Club. 311 E. Sixth St. 477-1630
The Thristy Nickel. 218 E. Sixth St. 236-0778
Vice. 302 E. Sixth St, 482-8053
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
November 25, 2009
Your A-List: Best Place for Blind Date
Judging from the A-List readers poll, many Austinites take a coltish view of blind dates.
Landing in first place, seriously playful Hula Hut with 21 percent of the tally. In second, retro Shady Grove with 17 percent. In third, a Texas Rollergirls match with 14 percent, just ahead of Peter Pan Mini-Golf with just under 14 percent.
Socializing meets high art at the B Scene at the Blanton Museum of Art, which earned 8 percent. Dave and Busters and Dart Bowl virtually tied at 7 percent. Closing out the list were Adult Skate Night at Playland and two coffee shops, Halcyon and Austin Java.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
November 21, 2009
Clive vs. Lustre Pearl
It was one of those nights. Dreary. Rainy. A bit cold. I had planned to walk to all four of my social events. But gave up after two …
What about Clive? The latest from Houston-based nightlife empire-builder Bridget Dunlap? It’s only a block to south from her Lustre Pearl. And who should greet me at the door but Adam Longley, former student and writer for the American-Statesman, and most recently, aide to gubernatorial candidate Tom Schieffer?
While Lustre Pearl could be anywhere — it reminds me of spots in the Montrose and Heights — Clive comes with a distinctive look. Horizontal slats wrap around the tiny structure and the west-facing terrace/patio. It’s slightly more put-together than Lustre Pearl and a welcome refuge on a nasty night.
Lustre Pearl has become so popular, as one guest put it, the place is like a frat party on weekend nights. Clive’s a little classier. I like both, but, after last night, I’m more likely end up at the latter.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
November 16, 2009
Sister's Edge 2 Grand Opening
Cue the Etta James. Now all together, a chorus of “At Last” …
Diosa Marquina, Lisa Staton, Thelma Sanchez
Austin finally boasts a lesbian bar again. How many years has it been? At least dating to the previous incarnation of the now-gone Rainbow Cattle Company. (Which itself switched from gay to straight in less than a week.) There was a great coffee shop, Gaby and Mo’s, on Manor Road that more recently offered music scene at night …
Lisa Collins, Sara Stapleton, Tammy Carter, Alex Zawieracz and Cheryl Mustschler
So now the former CP on San Jacinto Street — in that seemingly mothballed block north of the Four Seasons — comes alive as Sister’s Edge 2 …
Margie Carrisalez and Winnie Mack
OK, not the catchiest name, but better than the suggestive word that was, by custom, abbreviated into “CP.” (The numeral recognizes a previous, short-lived lesbian bar at the same location.) And what a relief to see the Edge — my own abbreviation — fill to the rafters with mostly women and their male allies …
Catherine Tiner and Terrie Tucker
Manager Margie Carrisalez is a treat. One of my favorite bartenders, Brenda Leahy, is stationed there. I talked to folks inside and out, and the only discouraging word was a wish for speakers on the patio …
Bean Tilton and Boggle Sabat
Boy, a big chunk of the gay nightclub scene has changed almost overnight. Larry Davis returned to Oilcan Harry’s, perhaps to breathe some life back into the storied institution. RCC closed completely. Rusty Spurs/Emerald City branded its patio as Colors. We learn that the 21C hotel/residence/museum project is still on for Waller Creek, meaning, yes, Chain Drive will eventually have to move or close. And the Edge now targets the largely ignored lesbian community.
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Spencers' Farewell at Lustre Pearl
Lustre Pearl, the funky and fantastically popular bar on Rainey Street, is so large, encompassing a stripped-down house and surrounding, beaten-earth yards, it can handle three parties simultaneously, along with regulars and drop-ins …
I was there to bid farewell Melanie and Mark Spencer , who are moving to midtown Houston so Melanie can edit a Catholic magazine there …
Mark and Melanie Spencer
Mark, a movie technician, can work anywhere, and he has, in fact, started on the “Predator” project here in Austin …
Eddy Harris and Dean Adams
I suspect we’ll continue to see this socially restless couple in Our Town quite often …
Carrie and Jason Burr
Oh, those other two parties? Both for birthdays. So we sang that birthday song twice, and I hummed “Happy Trails” for our friends …
Heather Havins and Allen Velasquez
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
November 1, 2009
Maria Groten's Surprise Party at Kiss & Fly
One does not need a reason to glorify Maria Groten …
Claudia and Maria Groten
She’s a leader in the Style and Charity fields, while her husband, Eric, bolsters those endeavors through the worlds of Law and Arts …
Jeff and Allison Swope (recently of New York City
Yet a 40th birthday does not go unheralded, even if Groten can look half that age, at least when spiraling across a dance floor …
Clinton Peña and Douglas Kennedy
Early in the evening, Eric took Maria to dinner, where they happened to “meet” Zach Theatre director Dave Steakley and his partner, real estate agent Tony Johnson …
Dave Steakley, Julia McCurley, Dave McCurley and Tony Johnson
After dinner, the three men escorted Maria into the vast and empty (at that comparatively early hour) Kiss & Fly club, then down the stairs to the dim basement bar, where scads of friends from all fields wished her well among hugs, backstories and more dancing ….
David Garza and Rachel Saldaña
Why a gay bar for the Grotens? Well, let’s see … Style, Charity, Arts, Law. Let’s just say they have a few gay friends …
Tim Crowley (in from Marfa) and Emily Keeton (Santa Monica)
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
October 28, 2009
The last three parties -- and cricket tacos
My goal was to attend 25 parties on one of the most packed party weekends of the year, outside of South by Southwest or major holidays.
Some I missed. Some I added. Some I improvised. Still got to 25. See the results below, and check out the Out & About Weekend Rewind Gallery.
The two I added: Stephen Moser’s 52nd Birthday Party at Oilcan Harry’s on West Fourth Street and Grand Opening of the Highball on South Lamar Boulevard.
Then I threw my own unplanned parties at convenient restaurants along the way — La Condesa, Annie’s, Cissi’s, Parkside — that serve light, pungent food to keep me and fellow revelers going.
The highlight: Oaxacan cricket tacos at La Condesa. Oh my. I thought they’d come wrapped in the masa to save me the sight of ‘em, but no. A big bowl of oily, black-brown crickets. Once I got past the visuals, adding salsa and guacamole to each small taco, I predictably found them crunchy, smoky, delicious.
What a week!
Yesterday, I got a peek at a potential online social calendar that could avoid train wrecks like this weekend. Look guys, not everybody can schedule a big event at the same time.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
Grand Opening Party at the Highball
Now this is a feast for all the senses — and a trip in the way-back machine …
Karrie and Tim League
The Highball is the latest virtuoso project from Tim and Karrie League from Alamo Drafthouse, along with designer to the stars, Joel Mozersky of One Eleven Design…
Henri Mazza and Sarah Pitre
You’ve probably read about it — bowling alley, cocktail lounge, music venue, private karaoke hideaway, game parlor — circa 1960 adult playground on South Lamar Boulevard in the same once-discarded shopping center as Alamo South …
My-Cherie Haley and Mary Sledd
This is the kind of creativity and energy and whimsy that defines the new Austin as well as old …
Jason Vines, Carrie McDonald and Amy Averett
Sunday’s grand party was really the third or fourth coming-out party for Highball, since it swung open during FantasticFest …
Robert Fernandez and Christie Coston
Luscious, inventive cocktails; savory nibbles; a room made for table hopping — you can bet that I’m returning often. After all, a city columnist whose inspiration is this whole postwar period …
[For those of you counting, this was Party No. 22 out of 25 on this Big October Weekend. I’ll probably summarize the rest in the next post. Too much of a good thing, you know.]
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
October 27, 2009
Stephen Moser's 52nd Birthday Party at Oilcan Harry's
We consummated another year with Stephen Moser …
The Moser clan
That complicated, guileless, erratic, predictable, generous, greedy, wicked, innocent, witty, senseless, candid, weird, cosmopolitan, local, proud, bellicose, sweet, maddening designer, writer and man about town.
Stephen Moser and Patricia Paredes
Is he our Oscar Wilde? Our Diana Vreeland? Our Perez Hilton? One thing’s for certain: He’s never boring …
John Salazar and Stephen Rice
And that was the case at Oilcan Harry’s for his 52nd birthday party on Sunday, two years after being diagnosed with high-potency prostate cancer, a few months after being arrested for arson, a few days after his name hit The New York Times’ The Haggler column, there he was, resplendent in a fringed jacket and studded with turquoise. It was a smaller party than his last two, but no less weighted …
Jane McCann and Neil Diaz
A recent post on this blog bloodied the water for his haters. They had their say. And some of them might be justified. After all, Stephen’s relationship with his public has always been, well, tangled …
Lauren Smith Ford and Amy Bodle
But I still think Stephen is among the rarest creatures this town has ever produced — someone whom each and every one of us can agree we will never in our lifetimes see again. Tennessee Williams dreamed him. [For those of you counting, this was Party No. 21 out of 25 on this Big October Weekend. Four more posts to go if I last.]
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife, Style
Record-setting Weekend Rewind Gallery
Go see which 250 people I chatted with at 25 parties this weekend.
That’s writer/director Ron Howard and astronaut Capt. Jim Levell at right.
Both were incredibly sweet.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
October 26, 2009
Extravagasm Fantasy Ball at Club Mixx
I don’t know what I expected from the Extravagasm Fantasy Ball …
Joe Rivera and Zezelia Olson
Probably something scary, along erotic lines, as per the invitation, at bare-bones, live-show oriented Club Mixx on East Sixth Street …
Lynn Raridon and Casey Kleam
The ball was more like an indoor version of a street fair with costumes, booths and services …
Droopy and Rebecca
No, not that kind of services, you scamp! Just playful stuff, meant to wander on the dark side, but, in fact, really sweet, plus an ongoing floor show featuring belly, burlesque and aerial dancers …
Arash Saberi and Tyler Groover
All courtesy of Lynn Raridon, who has maintained tastefully erotic Forbidden Fruit off-Sixth Street for 27 of its 28 years. Yeah. It, too, is an Austin institution, folks. Would qualify for one of those City of Austin loans.
Linda Farwell and Carol Kelsey
[For those of you counting, this was Party No. 15 out of 25 on this Big October Weekend. 10 more posts to go.]
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
October 24, 2009
Movers & Shakers Party at the Phoenix
We had to tip-toe around this one …
Jetté Moment and Allen Beuerhausen
On one hand, a party dedicated to the Fortunate 500, our list of Austin’s most social citizens, makes total sense …
Maliha Tabani and Sarah Malik
On the other hand, the event organized by the ever-fabulous Jetté Momant, Kristin Owen and Jen Shoemaker wasn’t officially endorsed by our publication (timing is the main reason) …
Brianna Bardhi and Courtney Reum (with Veev Spirits)
That didn’t stop nearly 700 people from confirming their reservations to the Movers & Shakers party at the Phoenix on Thursday …
Zion Francis and Nataliya Markova
Many, many, many showed up, including a couple dozen already on the Fortunate 500 list …
Matt Renard and Tuesday Wilson
It was a very mixed crowd, which I like.
Alex Winkelman and Caitlin Ryan
Contrary to some readers’ conclusions, I’m not into exclusive events — exclusively.
Rafe Beesone and Erica Rosenbaum
Bottom line: Flattered that the planners thought of our list.
Larissa Ness and Matt Williamson
[For those of you counting, this was Party No. 10 of 25 on this Big October Weekend. 15 more posts to go.]
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Nightlife
October 22, 2009
District 301 Grand Opening
District 301 is the right club for these economic times …
Nicku Sheladia and Steven Miller
Not quite as funky or ironic as recent nightlife addition Lustre Pearl, Liberty or Frank (profiled in 360 Weekly)…
Jen Shoemaker and Michelle Hughes
But not as plush as the ultra-lounges that opened before the crash …
Mike Sledge and Sounthaly Outhavong
It honors the building’s past (American pub called the District) and its location (301 W. Sixth Street) …
Dagan Martinez-Vargas and Deborah of Respect No Respect men’s and women’s clothing and fightwear
And the dark, simple, well-proportioned design kept the place friendly, lively and comfortable for its grand opening on Wednesday.
Armand Daniels and Nicole Ellison
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
October 20, 2009
Austin's Unbroken Social Scene
No excuses for feeling lonely in Austin this weekend. Here’s where you’ll find me.
Fall Party for Austin Children’s Museum at Paggi House on Riverside Drive
Austin Film Festival Film and Food Party at the Driskill Hotel on Brazos Street
District 301 Grand Opening on West Sixth Street
Alpha Rev at Antone’s on West Fifth Street
Thursday
Paggi House First Anniversary Party at Paggi House on Riverside Drive
Opening Night Party for Austin Film Festival at Mohawk on Red River Street
Look W3LL for the Cure at W3LL on South Lamar Boulevard
Lone Stars & Angels for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at GSD&M
Dress by Candlelight for Candlelight Ranch at Spazio on West Sixth Street
The Big Give for I Live Here, I Give Here at KLRU’s Austin City Limits Studio on Guadalupe Street
Fortunate & Fabulous Party at the Phoenix on Colorado Street
Friday
FuturoFund at Austin City Hall on West Second Street
Film Texas BBQ Supper at the French Legation Museum on San Marcos Street
Wish Upon a Smile for Austin Smiles at Gray Hawn Home
The House Is Rockin’ for SafePlace at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on University Avenue
Austin Planetarium Fundraiser at Richard Garriott’s Britannia Manor
Extravagasm Fantasy Ball VIII presents Erotic Renaissance at Club Mixx on East Sixth Street
Saturday
“Spring Awakening” matinee at Bass Concert Hall on the University of Texas campus
Oktoberfest at the German American Heritage Society on East 10th Street
Same Sky First Anniversary at Studio on Congress Avenue
Rob Moshein’s 50th Birthday Party at the Austin Wine Guy’s Home
Bernie Siben Cabaret at Emerald City on East Seventh Street
Austin Film Festival Conference Wrap Party at the Belmont on West Sixth Street
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Nightlife
October 7, 2009
Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon lands on 'Worst Bar' list
The place of pride went to Newport Bar & Laundry in Chicago, Ill.: “The servers are rude as hell, and the prices aren’t that cheap, but you can do laundry there! They actually have washers and dryers! Why didn’t anyone think of that sooner?”
At least Comedy.com admits to its subjectivity: “to some people this list will read as the Worst Bars In America, to others it may read as the Best Dive Bars In America, and yet to others it may read as We Don’t Give A Damn As Long As They Sell Booze.”
Permalink | Comments (15) | Categories: Nightlife
October 3, 2009
#ACL Live at Seaholm After-Party
Epic.
That’s the word for the Live at Seaholm After-Party.
The decommissioned smokestacks lit up like inter-planetary transportation devices.
The concrete ribs of the generating room outlined in blue, recalling urban clubs set up in old industrial sites.
Jason and Claudia Blanchette with Kristin Owen
Hundreds — perhaps thousands — gathered around the stage for the three musical acts, culminating in Broken Social Scene.
Katie Clark and Alan Case (Generationals)
Inside, the VIPs mingled over liquid refreshments.
Jonathan Saad, Roni Gendler and Matt Smith
We spent some time with the Generationals band members. They come from New Orleans, Jesuit-educated and, therefore, pretty worldly yet other-worldly. When we pointed out many musicians had settled here after Hurricane Katrina, one said: “Send them back. We need them.”
PJ Raval, Heidi Bollock and Megan Gilbride
Rare Magazine’s Taylor Perkins, his partner in production, Jason Hicks, and Voodoo Cowboy’s Mark Mueller beamed with pride. (Also expressing pride was Taylor’s father, an oilman down from Houston.)
Sonia Hargrave, Heather Nance and Margaret Potyrala
They should be pleased.
Juanca Lopez, Monica Monroy and Enrique Gonzalez
They built the most buzz-about event outside ACL this week. And, as far as I know, it went off without a hitch. We heard members of Phoenix, Kings of Leon and other ACL bands dropped by, but we were out by the witching hour.
Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer (Generationals)
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
September 28, 2009
What I missed at Arthouse Toga Party and the Jewell Ball
A full morning Saturday, then six hours at the Longhorns game, taking the Tour de Suites, left me without energy for a round of evening parties. Sweet readers, however, have filled me in on the Women’s Symphony League’s Jewel Ball and the Arthouse Toga Party.
King Brio XLIV (Joe Young) held court over those assembled as 2009’s group of young ladies made their first bows to society. The Texas dip continues to be a mystery to me, both fascinating and bewildering at the same time! Among those sighted; symphony maven Jane Sibley, resplendent in a crimson sari and ruby tiara … but without her signature feather; current and incoming WSL heads Diane Falkenberg and Sherri Davis, Joe (a former King Brio himself) and Teresa Lozano Long; Marla Bommartio Crouch, Joanie and Ben Bentzin; and innumerable symphony patrons … all celebrating and raising funds for the children’s programs made possible by the Women’s Symphony League. “
Thanks, Kevin, very thorough.
Megan Bentzin, a junior at St. Andrews, at the same event: “Helping to build a model of Rome was such a great experience. It’s one thing to simply learn about ancient Rome from a textbook, but entirely another to build the structures with my own two hands. The project was also a great way to bond with fellow Rome enthusiasts creating an incredible one-of-a-kind model. Nothing can match the sense of accomplishment that comes from building the Baths of Darius from ancient Rome out of recycled materials.”
Music supporter Dave Dart, there too: “Bacchanalia was the order of the evening! Tables were set with overflowing platters of sumptuous fruits, meats, cheeses, and breads. Mediterranean flavors were shared across the tables with courses and wine service fit for true Roman Emperors. That, of course, was the perfect segue to ‘Building Rome in a Day’ across the street in the Arthouse. A cross-section of Austinites were on-hand building models of ancient Rome with cardboard versions of the the city chronicling it’s existence from the foundation by the mythical twins Romulus and Remus through the end of the Roman age. The best part of the end of Rome was during the second song by our Visigoth stand-ins, the Waco Girls, when everyone assembled did their best Godzilla impression and razed the entire exhibit. Art, food, history, drink, and fun!”
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
September 22, 2009
Fortunate 500 Redux & Weekend Rewind Gallery
Also, a second set of Fortunate 500 lists and galleries is up on the austin360.com main page. Check it out.
Hundreds are honored (actually more than 500, since there are slots for 500 social units, but many of them are couples).
Have a great rainy day, you big, beautiful city!
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September 18, 2009
AU40 Happy Hour at Cissi's Wine Bar
The Austin Under 40 group is packed with high achievers …
Erin Geoffroy and Ryan Kelly
Bright, funny, sharply dressed, they perk up any establishment graced with their social gatherings. All that socializing leads up to the annual awards ceremony, this year at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, when young leaders are recognized for their civic contributions to the city …
Amy Stanley, Christopher Clary and Gail Papermaster
If that sounds a bit like the Fortunate 500, so be it. AU40 winners are prime candidates for our annual list of most social citizens …
Keith Yawn and Andi Kelly
Two social trends were analyzed in small circles at the group’s Cissi’s Wine Bar happy hour: Austin is a welcoming town in part because almost everyone is a relative newcomer, and here by choice …
Gemsong Perry and Bard Haag
Also, people are dressing up a bit more these days to go out after work, meaning work is actually less formal, socially, than socializing. Discuss.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
September 16, 2009
Your A-List: Best Icehouse
The icehouse concept comes and goes.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, icehouses made a comeback. Nostalgic, even ironic at times, these second-generation icehouses weren’t as authentically funky as the bait-shop-style joints of my youth. But they were fun and relaxed.
Waterloo, which spearheaded the ichouse revival in Austin, is still going strong, even as its Lamar-and-Sixth location evolves into a 24-hour diner. It won 34 percent of the vote in the A-List contest for Best Icehouse.
Doc’s Motorworks, which came in second place with 20 percent, represents a sort of third icehouse wave. Its founding incarnation, on South Congress Avenue, went so far as to keep the structural and stylistic elements of a former auto repair shop. It was, at once, more authentic, and yet more modern, since its clean, open service areas operate almost like a family sports bar.
Freddie’s Place and Phil’s virtually tied at 12 percent. They share casual atmospheres and firm Austin roots, the first coming from the owner of Hickory Street Cafe, the second from the owners of Amy’s Ice Cream.
Billy’s, which doubles as a micro-brewery, earned 8 percent, followed closely by C. Hunt’s. Taking 3 percent or less were Aussie’s, Junior’s, Chisholm Trail and Angel’s.
Would Posse East qualify as an icehouse? And what about Little Woodrow’s?
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, The 500
Dagan Martinez-Vargas at Lustre Pearl
Sometimes we encounter a potential source who seems too good to be true. That would be the case with Dagan Martinez-Vargas. The former market promoter for Capitol Beverage Distributor and Austin market manager for Hive Strategic Marketing now works for adfirmative.com.
The University of Texas graduate and lifelong Austinite knew the story behind almost every club, bar and TABC-licensed establishment that I had covered on this beat. We shared analyses of different night spots — and I’m glad to say he voiced many of the same impressions I’d taken from first-hand observation.
He’s pretty good at social reporting as well. Before I arrived at the distressed and hollowed-out former residence that houses the vastly popular Lustre Pearl, he had determined that Jessica Alba had dropped by four times and that the “Machete” wrap party would be held there. (From another source, we learn that Malverde and La Condesa over in the Second Street District were regular haunts for La Alba.)
Martinez-Vargas doesn’t mind going on the record when the case calls for it, so you’ll see his name bandied about in this column. A lot.
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September 14, 2009
2009 Fortunate 500: Nightlife
2009 FORTUNATE 500
NIGHTLIFE
For a previously posted micro-profile of Brad and Chad Womack, go here.
Paula and Paul Angerstein. Texacello Distillery, Paula’s Texas Orange and Lemon liquors
Mason and Mylie Arnold. Greenling.com, Go Dance
Conrad Bejarano. Spiderhouse, United States Art Authority, Ecoclean, I Luv Videos
Tito Beveridge. Fifth Generation Inc., Tito’s Handmade Vodka
C.K. Chin. Imperia
Margie Coyle. Cap City Comedy Club
Samantha and Ty Davidson. Uchi, Red Fez, Central Austin Management Group
DJ Chicken George. djchickengeorge.com, Move Something
Manuel ‘DJ Manny’ Muniz. DJ Dojo, RockIt
DJ Mel. Swoll, Rock the Casbah
Tre Dotson. Tre Dotson Productions & Talent, Maria Maria
Michael Girard. Speakeasy, Cuba Libre, Imperia
Thomas Gohring. Kick Butt Coffee
Becky and Damon Holditch. Marquee Tents
Donaji Lira. Wine & Food Foundation of Texas, Texas Heritage Songwriters Association
Gary Manley. Iron Cactus
Jette Momant. Manna Lifestyle Marketing, De’cor Jette’ Event Design, Cissi’s Wine Bar
Matt Luckie. Matt Luckie-Lucky Lounge, Lavaca St. Bar, Red Fez, District 301, Betsy¹s Bar & Star Bar
Kristin Owen. Do512.com
David Pantano. Rain, AIDS Services of Austin
Jen Shoemaker. The Phoenix
Denise Silverman. Clink
Kara and Matt Swinney. Launch 787, Austin Fashion Week
Danielle Thomas. Big Green House Presents, Red Bull
Kevin Williamson. Ranch 616, Star Bar
COMPLETE 2009 FORTUNATE 500 LISTS:
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Nightlife, The 500
September 13, 2009
Ballet Fête+ at the Austonian
Every year, anticipation builds …
Stephen Mills and Becky Beaver
To see how Ballet Austin will top its previous Fête …
Matt Duncan and Ena Sharma
Some pretty amazing folks have organized the annual fundraiser in the past …
Mary Margaret Farabee and Nancy Scanlan
But this year, celebrity lawyer Becky Beaver and her team outdid them all …
Ben and Joanie Bentzin
First, dinner guests were ferried by construction elevators to the 33rd floor of the unfinished Austonian condo tower …
Brent Hasty, Maria Groten and Eric Groten
Where the views were stupefying. I mean, I couldn’t recognize certain parts of downtown Austin, so high up were we. And there were another 20 unfinished floors above us …
Suzanne Winkelman and Carmen Tawil
Then there were the floral arrangements — always a Fête eye-opener — this year from new florists Mandarin Flower Co. The couple used black and white calla lilies to suggest tutus for “Swan Lake” …
Lee Walker and Michelle Westling
When guests stopped ogling the view and the flowers and greeting one another — it was the highest concentration of Fortunate 500 All-Stars anywhere — we found our tables …
Michael Pungello, Oliver Everette and Kevin Smothers
These were arranged in a doughnut shape around the central structural well, so everyone had splendid views of the city, but nobody could see two-thirds of the other guests. So we were linked up via video screens …
Shannon and Tony Casati
This didn’t work that well for the auction, with poor Evan Smith wandering among the guests with a microphone. Smith didn’t give up, and even pumped up bids for an Italian vacation to $23,000 …
Becky and Damon Holditch
We munched on tiny steaks and crab cakes provided by chef Elmar Prambs — who had another function over at the Four Seasons going simultaneously …
Doug Kaminski and Judy Wenum
I spent the most time with Melanie and Ben Barnes, also with Stephen Mills and Brent Hasty. I enjoyed priceless stories from Ben, who knows more about realpolitik than anyone else in Texas. (He says we are losing out on big projects because of red-state leadership.) He also introduced an idea for a presidential ballet that merits close attention.
Jim Smith, Jare Smith and Cliff Redd
Also met up with Jack and Carla McDonald, Amy and Kirk Rudy, Steven Tomlinson and Eugene Sepulveda, Karen Landa and Dale Dewey, Nancy Scanlan and John Watson, Dave Shaw, Mary Margaret and Ray Farabee, Cookie Ruiz, Nina and Frank Seely, Stephen Moser (looking fantabulous!), John Riedie, Linda Ball and Forrest Preece, Sarah and Ernest Butler, Kathy Panoff, Charles Duggan, Dr. John Hogg and David Garza, David Wyatt, Lauren Tuttle, Kristen Chen, Taylor Perkins, Lance Avery Morgan, Kevin Smothers and Michael Pungello, Oliver Everette, Cliff Redd and Rick Johnson, Larry Connelly and James Armstrong, Shannon and Tony Casati, Joanie and Ben Bentzin … And those just off the top of my head. For others, see Eugene’s Community Matters blog …
Sofia Avila and Victoria Avila (in charge of the amazing decor)
We all shuttled downstairs for the after-parties — one on the 10th floor with cabaret singer Mandy Lauderdale, and another, the Fête-ish, on the ground floor, which included hundreds of additional guests already progressing to a party climax as the two forces met …
Berry Crowley and Melanie Barnes
I saw some sexy dancing, ate a few sexy chocolates and consumed a sexy sazerac before making my departure …
Carla and Jack McDonald
One last note: By attending the Fête and the earlier Night of the Child (could do so because they were a block apart), I completely missed the the Bob “Daddy-O” Wade career celebration at the Museum of Popular Culture and the Horton Foote tribute at the Public Library Foundation gala …
Odette Perez and Nichole Wright (I’m supposed to mention Neiman Marcus)
I’m fond of artist Wade. And those of you who know my deep affection for the late playwright Foote realize this was heart-wrenching. (In fact, I spent my very first gala ever sitting next to Mr. Foote, starstruck but, luckily, not tongue-tied.) …
And look who was out, in top form!
Somebody has got to set up a master social calendar. We go weeks without a major event, then pack three or four biggies into one night? And these were just three of the invitations I received for Saturday. Please, somebody …
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Nightlife
September 9, 2009
Your A-List: Best Gay Bar
It has, however, loyal fans. Lots of them, judging by the margin of its win in the A-List vote for best gay bar. It served up an astounding 46 percent of the tally. Not bad for Austin’s lone suburban gay club.
Charlie’s, cheek-to-jowl by the State Capitol, powered 21 percent. Densely populated Rain lined up 13 percent. Long-ascendant Oilcan Harry’s managed 10 percent. Brand new Rusty Spurs lassoed 4 percent and equally country Rainbow Cattle Country trailed with 3 percent. Chain Drive and the CP took under 2 percent.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: 12
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
Kiss & Fly has flown somewhat below the mainstream radar. An immense, still-new gay bar with a potent straight following, it inherited one of the classic dance/performance arrangements from the high-tech 1980s. The only visible addition that I can determine under the new management is an upper-deck bar out back, which provides respite from the sometimes deafening music inside.
A pretty classy drag show — as those things go — hogged the stage and dance floor while I was there. Throngs pressed to the two-level borders of the central dance well, tossing out dollar bills to the performers. After 1 p.m., more than a few Last Splashers were pairing up, romantically, and the place took on an end-of-summer atmosphere. Gather ye rosebuds, while ye may, or something to that effect.
Pictured: Rush Kemp and Michael Stevenson
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: 11
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
For almost two decades, Oilcan Harry’s ruled as Austin’s dominant gay bar. It was showered with national recognition and landed on magazine lists of best gay establishments anywhere. Oilcan’s — as it is known — has engendered a lot of competition these days, primarily from Rain and Kiss & Fly. But gay troops, like straight ones, like to bop from one club to another, so all three can buzz at the same time.
Last Splash Weekend was one of those times. Although Oilcan’s was the only club on our crawl that charged a cover ($5), the assembly inside was sizeable and grew while I was there. Most of the time, I chatted with people I recognized on the quieter patio. True to form, though, I spotted some of the same clubbers previously noted (and visually tagged) at Rain, Qua and, later, at Kiss & Fly. So the little gay circuit works.
Pictured: Clayton Defoe, Maria Garcia and Simon Haas
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: 10
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
Qua tries harder.It must overcome a reluctance from the passerby to simply pass by. That’s because its bouncers tend what is reported to be the most intimidating velvet rope in town. Luckily, the highly decorated interior is completely open to sidewalk, so one can spy the tiers of partiers and decide if it’s worth rope test.
The choice wasn’t difficult on Last Splash Weekend, as gay and straight, older and younger tribes blended easily in the water-themed club. (It might have helped that two buff, shirtless men kept pulling people in off the sidewalk.) Anyway, my second stop at Qua was equally pleasing as the first, only populated with a lot more clubbers. And some of them seemed to be having an outstanding time.
Pictured: Abel Sanchez and Pedro Hernandez
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: 9
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
The line outside Rain looked familiar. This gay club is so popular, its velvet rope ensures the only path pedestrians can take along the southern tier of West Fourth Street late weekend nights. Manager Dave Pantano, noticing I was out reporting, waved me in.
Hello, Austin Modeling Agency? All your talent is squeezed into Rain.
I’ve always admired how many people will dance on Rain’s itsy bitsy floor. Yet people like to be around other people. And Rain was the busiest of the clubs on this crawl. I snaked my way through the patio, greeting a few people, but truth be told, I suspect it was mostly out-of-towners in for Last Splash. If so, they are now talking about that move to Austin.
Pictured: Willow Witten and Brett Wilson
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 8
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
You’d think that since Rusty Spurs was giving Rainbow Cattle Co. a run for its Country & Western money, that the older Rainbow would be a little short on gay cowboys and gals. Not so. Texas just keeps raising more of ‘em. And Rainbow on West Fifth Street thumpin’ on Sunday.
Inveterate entertainer and journalist Rob Faubion was one reason: He’d organized a short runway show of swimwear from Pistol Pete’s. Apt for Last Splash Weekend. Anyway, the women — straight or gay — may have outnumbered the men here, which, since Austin lacks a lesbian bar of its own, was heartening.
Pictured: Evelyn Martinez and Gracie Treviño
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: 7
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
Charlie’s was my spot. Twenty-five years ago. When I first moved to Austin. Knew every inch of it. Remember as much as I can about that second Summer of Love: 1984. Now, it’s just a tad north of my evening pedestrian ramblings. But at 12th and Lavaca streets, Charlie’s is not that far a stretch of the legs.
It’s always pleased me that there’s a gay bar in the direct shadow of the Texas State Capitol. The crowd on Sunday was varied, but I could tell some were ready to dance to the fantastic DJ’s tunes, if only someone would start the chain reaction. That’s never me. At least, not any more. So I sipped my club soda and talked with some pleasant, interesting folks.
Pictured: Davia Mejia, Leo and Jorge Reyes
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 6
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
You’re right. I’ve already rhapsodized about the Other Side/Emerald City to the point of exhausting the subject. But when you think about it, almost all of Austin’s downtown gay bars — Oilcan’s, Rain, Rainbow, Spurs, Charlie’s, CP, Kiss — are built around a dance floor. This place is built around a baby grand piano.
During our crawl, we encountered a double awareness-raiser at the Other Side on East Seventh Street. One table promoted the many wonders of the Austin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, now underway. I met new AGLIFF executive director Skot Tulk and caught up with outgoing ED David Sweeney. Be sure to see the festival’s centerpiece film, “Antique,” a totally charming and inventive South Korean comedy set in a pastry shop.
The other table backed the Octopus Club, whose OctoTea event is on the horizon. In fact, I hear they’ve tripled ticket sales for the dance at the Long Center Plaza. Save the date for Oct. 11.
Pictured: Scot Tulk and David Sweeney
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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September 8, 2009
Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 5
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
Not even I would have predicted that not one, not two, but three sizable new gay bars would open this year. And succeed. Swimmingly, at least by the additional evidence of Last Splash Weekend. Rusty Spurs, the first of these three to open, has perked up East Seventh Street. Sunday, a Bear Pool Party burbled out back on the patio, while loud country music enticed a mostly older gang onto the dance floor.
We’ll get to reporting on the Other Side, Rusty Spurs’ sister bar, in the next post. For those who complain that Austin’s gay club scene caters almost exclusively to the youngsters, they should tour the Chain Drive, Rusty Spurs, the Other Side and Rainbow Cattle Company, at the very least. Oldsters like myself are welcome at the other spots, but age goes before callowness at these five, and women are firmly part of the mix.
Pictured: Diana Arnold and Cyndi Eglinger
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 4
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
For this sort of nightlife madness, we invented the Out & About Club Soda Crawl. Visit 12 nightspots, on foot, in six hours, hydrated by club soda and limes.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
The economic logic of the CP escapes me. It’s a huge gay bar in an old building just north of the Four Seasons complex. Service is good, super-friendly. Dance floor capacious. Patio a bonus. Empty. Almost every time I visit. The bartender on Sunday said Saturdays are big nights, but I’ve never witnessed it. How does this decades-old bar hang on?
It feels like the whole city block is in a holding pattern, waiting for future development. Three restaurants and bars have closed. Another has changed hands, but sits empty. I’ve never seen anyone go in or out of the Christian Science Reading Room during my 25 years in Austin. The only spot with a steady trickle of business is the ancient Mongolian BBQ.
Pictured: David Merrell and Felipe Mendoza
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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September 7, 2009
Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 3
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
The Chain Drive is dark. So dark, even after half an hour, I could barely make out the gentlemen next to me. This is as close as Austin comes to having a leather bar. Though it’s never been one, more place where men — almost all men — of all shapes, sizes and ages can mingle in the shadows.
That said, during our Club Crawl, customers and staff were as friendly as ever. And you never know what scoops you’ll unearth in unlikely places. Like early reports of a certain modernist house architect Dick Clark is erecting on Stratford Drive, one of Austin’s most exclusive addresses. Can’t wait for an invitation to that housewarming.
Pictured: Ted Smith and Skip Hoagg
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 2
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
Tour A: Last Splash Weekend: Stop 2
Like the former Pangaea, Qua seemed to polarize when it opened two years ago. Here, a dress code is enforced. And, at least in the past, a higher age limit, too. Common practices in other cities. Not cool to many Austin clubbers.
For Last Splash Weekend, the “shark-tank” lounge, located between two enormously popular gay clubs, went gay. Or, rather, mixed. Which I find very Austin. House music blasted past the front-lounge water elements early in the evening, luring passersby. Staff welcomed the mixture. Excellent club soda, BTW. And a definite feeling that the club would crackle later this night. So I put it on the return list. Ten clubs to go.
Pictured: James Pancamo and Lance Posey
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
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Fortunate 500 Top Picks: Nightlife
The Top Picks for the 2009 Fortunate 500 list of socially active area citizens were published in Glossy on Friday. In Out & About, we’ll mete out those Top Picks over the next few days. Then, beginning Tuesday, we’ll release the full lists and galleries.
Top Picks: Brad and Chad Womack.
Natives of Georgia, identical twins Brad and Chad Womack — along with brother Wes and business partner Jason Carrier — worked a lot of tough jobs before launching their Austin nightlife empire. They kept the humility those jobs engendered. Their Sixth Street bars - now including Thirsty Nickel, Chuggin’ Monkey and Dizzy Rooster — first made headlines as “Real World Austin” haunts. Then Brad grabbed international fame with his appearance on “The Bachelor,” ending the series without proposing to any of the candidates.
The hard-working Womack-Carrier team branched out into the Warehouse District with The Marq, then West Sixth Street with Molotov. In 2010, they take over the lease at Mother Egan’s, which they will completely transform, as they have each previous watering hole. While applying their management wisdom to these clubs, they also made them available for fundraising events, such as the youth-oriented Charity Bash. “We had always envisioned a career in which we could socialize with people while using our business as a creative outlet,” Brad says. “Treat people like they are in our living room and they will come back; it’s not that hard to be nice.”
For more 2009 Fortunate 500 updates, follow the category link below.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Nightlife, The 500
Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl: Tour A: Last Splash: Stop No. 1
Don’t even think about touring 12 clubs in one evening while partaking of strong drink.
The year-long plan: Tour 12 Austin club districts, 12 watering holes at a time.
Tour A: Last Splash Weekend: Stop 1
One needs fuel for six hours of clubbing. Ideal for our gay-themed evening was convenient, cool Saba Blue Water Cafe. Located on West Fourth Street within in block of several dance bars, it attracts a substantial gay clientele. I tried — and loved — the spicy calamari. Caught up with owner (and actor) Joe Reynolds, who returned to Austin from Los Angeles after opening a buzzy nightspot out there.
Pictured: Dani Way and Joe Reynolds
For more Out & About Club Soda Club Crawl, follow category link below.
September 1, 2009
Confirmed: Rare to throw ACL after-parties at Seaholm Power Plant
The massive Seaholm Power Plant, with its art deco flourishes on West Cesar Chavez Street, has always invited big plans. Especially since the City of Austin decommissioned it in anticipation of an urban development project. Rare Magazine is the first, however, to stage Austin City Limits after-parties at the industrial site. “Acts to be named” will play late-night parties Oct. 2-3 and possibly Oct. 4.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Nightlife
August 27, 2009
Pangaea rises again as the Phoenix
When Pangaea opened almost two years ago, it attracted a full house of admirers. Yet it left simmering outside the cool, upstairs club a coterie of haters.
They objected to the ultra-lounge’s dress code (actually, nonexistent), velvet-rope entry (actually, quite porous) and bottle service (entirely optional). In their minds, all this East Coast falderal appeared elitist in egalitarian Austin. One reader actually wrote in: “I’m leaving! Austin is officially no longer weird.”
Sigh.
In fact, Pangaea and its expert DJs, dance-anywhere policy and wide-open attitude made a perfectly Austin institution. Just one where people dressed up a bit (and some, very little). Often packed with Austinites, it added another option to the city’s vast nightlife landscape.
After two years, Pangaea ran its course. It lasted much longer than the haters predicted. And experts will tell you, two years is a lifetime in the concept-club biz.
Now the space above Cuba Libre has re-opened as the Phoenix. The decor has changed from late British Empire safari to what I’d call French 19th-century pleasure palace, with quilted red velvet walls, chandeliers and a few ornate pieces of furniture. (The managers stress the “Renaissance” feel of the place, because of the large oil paintings that duplicate museum masterpieces. Art historically, that’s not accurate. I know: Who cares?)
Much of the staff has changed, but the service is top-notch. Two Austin nightlife stars were in evidence as employees — Jen Shoemaker and George Gutierrez — along with club imagineer Michael Ault.
The crowd at Wednesday’s opening was mixed in the extreme, and for my money, much more relaxed than the early Pangaea set. Maybe that’s because Austin has grown up a little in the past two years. No longer is a large, classy club a novelty. Or a threat to Austin’s precious funkiness.
For party pictures, go to the A-List gallery here.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Nightlife
August 24, 2009
Catalyst 8 Bash at the Long Center
Catalyst 8 is not a chemical agent used to contain aliens in “District 9” …
Azalea Saemi, Jordan Laroe and Nieku Manshadi
It is, instead, a social and fundraising arm of the Long Center for the Performing Arts …
Michael and Meredith Martin
The group was fashioned for the “under 40” crowd usually designated as “young professionals” …
Acia and Edward Moody
Almost all the major arts groups have them …
Matt Swinney, Kara Swinney, Katy Hackerman
They go along with niche guilds for women, gays and lesbians and ethnic minorities …
Karina Kalish, Patrick Kronfli
Historically, those without access to the decision-making boards of directors …
Tracy Walker, Dipti Dahal
The old thought was: Let them raise money, but they’re just not ready for power …
Heather Godin, Paula Kothmann
Well, I’m happy to say that the Long Center, along with other Austin arts groups, does not restrict Catalyst 8 to a segregated fundraising district …
Elizabeth Hufnagel, Christine Perrault Moline
In fact, Saturday, at the group’s fourth annual Bash, the second at the Long Center, I heard tell of multiple programs Catalyst 8 has put its considerable weight behind …
Wolfgang and Julie Niedert
It’s an actual agent of change, thus the aptness of its name …
Azalea Saemi, Sophia Koen, Jason Ballentine
But hey, Catalyst 8 can also create a social stir. The Black and White Years spread their musical innovation around the Kodosky Lounge, while patrons mingled through all the lobbies on the mezzanine level … It’s not the oldest “under 40” club in town, but it’s dynamic and effective beyond its years.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
August 23, 2009
Helping Austin Ice Ball at the Austin Music Hall
Mighty proud of the Helping Austin Ice Ball …
Amy Kelly and Chris Langan
Just a few years ago, Helping Austin was a clutch of friends who could fit around a table at happy hour …
Michelle and Paul Weigand
Last year, they moved up to the Monarch Events Center, a nice, but hardly high-profile former movie theater near Highland Mall …
Craig and Amanda Moore
Now, thanks to Amy Stanley and friends … Helping Austin’s Ice Ball roared into the Austin Music Hall …
Bill Hopkins and Julie Nowlin
In other words, the charity big time … A VIP area upstairs got the action rolling (hey, has anyone else notice that the Green Water Treatment Plant just to the south is being demolished quickly?)
Youssef Lahlou and Victoria Gutierrez
Then the mammoth hall filled up quickly … A dozen or so restaurants set up service booths …
Greg Williams, Matt Raines
A silent auction spread over the hall’s north quadrant … Goddess auctioneer Victoria Gutierrez handled the live action …
Taylor Perkins, Meredith Davis
Two things amazed: The amount of money (in the six-figure range) raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters (who can argue with that?) …
Bryan Baralt, Tiffany Williams
Also the fact that, out of hundreds of charity revelers, I recognized maybe three —
Megan Felker, Mark Harrington
Stanley, Rare publisher Taylor Perkins and former Mayor Will Wynn, looking so tanned and relaxed, he might as well have been wearing metaphorical flip-flops. Good for him!
Shay Bourgeois and David Alley
Permalink | | Categories: Charity, Nightlife
August 22, 2009
Deep Nasta Pub Crawl on East East Sixth Street
East East Sixth Street — meaning East Sixth Street east of Interstate 35 — finally fosters a street life …
Deep Nasta and Cassie Bishop
Most of the dozen or so Latino bars that clustered there remained dark, inward-turning for so long …
Kathy Sokolic, Deep No. 1 (Nasta’s friend from NYC with the same name), and Kara Winebright
The newer hipster joints — Shangri La, the Good Knight, Rio Rita, East Side Show Room, Buenos Aires, plus some arty food trailers and the nearby Scoot Inn — have promoted pedestrian club-hopping in a positive way …
Caitlin Stewart, Travis Jackson and Brittney Covey
That’s where I caught up with Austinite-turned-New Yorker Deep Nasta’s East Side Pub Crawl. Always a treat to spend time with this gregarious man and his friends …
Raj and Diane Chudgar
Walked home via regular East Sixth Street. All the clubs were hopping around 11 p.m. As were the Fifth Street, Warehouse District and nearby niteries …
Angie Ludolph, Craig Niedermeier, Bethany Sioux
Let’s grossly simplify: That’s 100 watering holes downtown with an average of 100 guests, making our simplified count 10,000 revelers on a hot night. They spend an average $25 on drinks. That’s a quarter million dollars easy.
Not on a holiday or a game night. And not counting food, parking, entertainment, lodging and other expenditures. So why don’t we pay more attention to this economic sector?
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife
August 21, 2009
Care Communities Gala at TDS Exotic Game Ranch
As one might guess, a social columnist attends quite a few charity events …
Michael and Rachel Feferman
I hear a lot of speeches from staff, volunteers, clients, board members …
Judge Wilford Flowers and Simone Flowers
I see a lot of inspirational videos, hear uplifting musical acts …
Jeremiah Padgett and Alex Underhill
I witness a lot of giving in various forms — live auctions, silent auctions, pledges, ceremonial gifts …
Jeanne and Lou Little
I nibble at mostly OK food and sip mostly OK wine …
Cindy Howard and Gary Bechtol
I meet new people; renew friendships with familiar figures …
Leora Visotsky, Melissa Frederick and Carol Johnson
So I think I know about charity events …
Lisa Jackson and Katie Sternberg
Then one sneaks up on me …
Steven Tomlinson and Eugene Sepulveda
Like the Care Communities Gala at the TDS Exotic Game Ranch …
Suzanne Deal Booth and Patricia Parinejad
As with most fundraisers staged at the ranch’s pavilion near Creedmoor, this one on Thursday was fairly informal and helped out a small-to-mid-sized charity that benefited from the free facility …
Stephanie Dodoo and Micah Barber
But when time came for the three speeches from the group’s awardees — Tarrytown United Methodist’s Rev. Ann Beaty, Entrepreneurs Foundation’s Eugene Sepulveda and singer/songwriter Sara Hickman — I was moved beyond words by their simple, yet articulate and often religious reasons for backing the Communities’ team strategy for caring for people with HIV-AIDS and cancer. Amazing stuff.
Permalink | | Categories: Charity, Nightlife
August 19, 2009
Your A-List: Best Pool Hall
Austin’s favorite pool hall hustles every night in Austin’s favorite entertainment district. Makes sense.
Clicks, a multi-state chain with Austin locations north and south, scored 27 percent of the vote. Slick Willie’s, which operates 12 Houston pool halls as well as two in Austin — and has absolutely nothing to do with Willie Nelson or President Bill Clinton — tallied 17 percent of the vote.
Warehouse Saloon and Billiards, a single-location sports and game bar, drew 12 percent. Following with 10 percent or less were The Grand, Dave & Busters, Stardust Club, Main Event and Side Pocket Billiards.
Permalink | | Categories: Nightlife, Your A-List
