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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Do you eavesdrop?

Hi everyone.

So, I had an idea today that I want your input on. Would any of you read a blog like this?


(Photo credit: Joni Karanka. Isn't that a great picture?!)

You see, I heart That Austin Girl very much. It's a little disorganized, it doesn't have a "theme" per "se" but that's sort of how my personality is. Endearingly chaotic.

Anyway, I'm hungering to do something that's a little more....focused. And I decided that the #1 thing that makes me happy* isn't movies (though movies are quite good), it isn't music (though I do dig music a lot), it isn't even DANCE PARTIES. Which I love. However, all these wonderful things just emphasize how much I very sincerely enjoy this next thing about to be announced:

interviews

A few years back, I remember picking up my first copy of Interview Magazine (founded by Andy Warhol in 1969, and no, thank you, Wikipedia), thinking, "??" and then..."!!!!" What was this startingly simple rag? You mean, it's just people, talking to each other? ("People" meaning "celebrities," but whatever). How extraordinarily genius.

Anyway, through Rare and a few other mags and even That Austin Girl, I've gotten to meet the neatest folks. A few have even become close friends, like eco-designer extraordinaire Rene Geneva or people I want to be my besties, like vintage stylist Sarah Dean. Just this afternoon, I got to sit down and chat with Lavanna Martin, guerilla painter at I Stare at People. And the thing is, everyone has the wackiest explanations for how they arrived at their current station in life. (For example, after collecting vintage clothing for years just because she loved it, Sarah Dean decided to throw some pics of her beauties on MySpace. Photographers started calling. Then, as an experiment, she labeled herself "Stylist," also on MySpace. Magazines started calling. Now, she's a full-time stylist. Inspired?? I know!!!

So then, there are all these other lovably odd individuals traipsing around Austin. Like James. James is probably the most talented grocery store sample-giver I have ever seen. He works at Hancock Center H-E-B, and when he has a sample to share, it comes with a soliloquy. And it is loud. "Woooo it's hot today! Aw man! You know what I want on a hot day?! Some LEMONADE! Aw man! I remember when my grandkids used to come over and 'ave lemonade at my house! We drank lemonade jus' 'bout every day!"

You, like, get to hear all about James' life, if you are standing anywhere at all inside the Hancock Center H-E-B during Sample Day. And maybe have lemonade.

But back to this post - I think I'm going to do this. Before I do, I thought I'd conduct some field research first:

who do you (or want to) eavesdrop on?

Only rule is they have to be in Austin, and passers-through are ok. I know a few I'd like to have a word with. The ladies at Craft Mafia. Drag queen Rebecca Havemeyer. Jess Williamson, who has a show called "Goblins for Breakfast" on Monday mornings at KVRX. (As well as an amazing photography blog). Also, whoever wrote "my bowels" after the word "STOP" on the stop sign at 35th and King St., because I think that is really funny.

The first people I'm eavesdropping on in is all of you guys, because revealing who one secretly (or not secretly) wants to eavesdrop on says a lot about a person.

So, let me know.


*Besides my husband and friends and parents and cat and Twilight and all that.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really want to know about Graham Reynolds and Peter Stopschinski of the Golden Hornet Project. If you get an in, I will paint them for your blog.

Another good one would be Lola, the Nubian Queen of the Cajun Soulfood Kitchen. I'll paint her for your blog, too!

Austin Eavesdropper said...

Oh I LOVE Lola!!! Good call, Lavanna!

Unknown said...

I actually would be interested in eavsdropping on some of the bartenders and doorguys downtown - what do these people do when they aren't checking IDs, purveying booze, and putting up with really drunk people to make ands meet...

Whoever owns End of an Ear and Progress Coffee. Those are both pretty damn cool places that occasionally host some really great events, and it'd be neat hearing how they got it all going.

Austin Eavesdropper said...

Mary, bartenders are another great eavesdropping idea. I'm sure they've got more than their fair share of nutty Austin stories.

Decider Austin actually does a regular "Bounce it off the Bouncer" that is pretty sweet; here's a link to a recent story:
http://austin.decider.com/articles/bounce-it-off-the-bouncer-the-us-economy,576/

frances said...

xoxo... that austin girl.

hahhaa. :)

Austin Eavesdropper said...

"You know you love me, xoxo!"