Ideas for Saturday: Le Garage Sale, Rock N' Roll Yogurt Party, and excuse me - Agent Ribbons?!

Do you know what is the most glorious thing?

Well, chocolate, naturally. But after that?

Having a 100%, completely free Saturday. No deadlines! No plans! No furniture moving tasks! (sorry UT students). Just an unfettered Saturday, available to use as you like, you're the boss of you.

I have a habit of procrastinating in general - can you relate? - and tend to pile up writing deadlines, errand-running, house cleaning (yawn), until the last possible second. Well this Saturday EVERYTHING IS (almost) DONE, so boo-ya, world. I'm playing. Are you?

There are actually three fun things happening today, all very different and all satisfying a distinct one of your five senses.

This is one of the only local shopping events that, to my knowledge, requires admission. Heh. Which tells you right there that it's probably worth it, no?

Anyway, we've talked about Le Garage Sale before, but for a better and much more in-depth description, check out Colours Marie's story on Austin Post. My favorite tip? "Wear pretty underwear." Why? No dressing rooms. You heard me.

There is also a Rock N' Roll Yogurt Party happening today at The Yogurt Spot, featuring several lady bands. It's a benefit for Girls Rock Camp.

I love that picture.

Anyway, I got to meet Melissa Bryan from Girls Rock Camp this Wednesday, and think she is just the cat's pajamas. Also, R. is a music teacher as many of you know, and one of his students goes to Girls Rock Camp. On top of that, one of my favorite people, Tiffanie Lanmon from Follow That Bird! is a drumming teacher for GRC, so any way you slice it, there's a ridiculous amount of karma pouring out. And yogurt, as it were.

Finally.....this is a surprise! I didn't know this, but Agent Ribbons is in town!!


Can I tell you guys something? I've never seen live music at Lambert's. Is it cool? I'm a little afraid of all the rich people. I know. Horrible. But I may suck it up just so I can hear Natalie Gordon wail.



That particular video was shot at Sophia's Thai Bar and Kitchen, one of my fave hangouts when I was in grad school. I didn't take this video, mind you - just found it on YouTube.

Anyway, I met Natalie during SXSW this year, and even her regular speaking voice was gorgeous. I wanted to have a one-sided conversation with her, but then thought that might get weird. If I just refused to talk.

TONIGHT: Thunderheist

God, there is so much going on tonight. Dueling Glamazons. A posh wine event I posted about on Austinist (with a free ticket giveaway happening right now). And - THUNDERHEIST.

I believe I will attend their show tonight at Emo's. Here's a taste.



What are you all doing tonight, on this ridiculously packed Thursday evening?

The Mansion of Terror: Casting call for zombie, psycho clown, and serial killer hopefuls

Every so often, someone contacts Austin Eavesdropper with an offer she simply cannot refuse. Like free tickets to Fun Fun Fun Fest. (Just kidding, that hasn't happened yet. Would DIE if that happened).

But when David Neff, a friend of my buddy Chris Trew, wrote to say he was holding open auditions for The Mansion of Terror, not only could I not resist the information - I had to pump him for more. Here's what he wrote:

"The Mansion of Terror Haunted House is looking for actors of all types to perform on weekends this Halloween season. Pay is from $7-$12 an hour and our season runs from Sept-Oct. Come be a part of the #1 Haunted House in the nation, as voted by Lionsgate Films, right here in Central Texas.

Auditions are 2pm or 7pm on Saturday, August 29th."

OH REALLY. Just how scary is this haunted house, I wondered? David sent me a clip:



Well, I believe we have our answer.

To be perfectly frank with you guys, most haunted houses are well beyond my personal fear threshold. This includes both professionally-produced outfits like The Mansion of Terror, all the way down to a 20-foot garbage bag tunnel set up in my elementary school gym, where we were prompted to "touch a caldron of eyeballs" (i.e. a plastic pumpkin filled with peeled grapes), crawl our way through "mists" (smoke machine) and fight off "monsters" (our teachers). I made it halfway through and started crying.

What's ironic is I can take any physical thrills out there - loopy roller coasters, bungee jumping, rusty roadside carnival rides, you name it - but when it comes to psychological thrills, I am pitiful and worthless. I hate horror movies. I hate haunted houses. I find Goosebumps mildly disturbing. But I'm intrigued by the whole haunted house business, and somewhat delighted that one can ease the pain of a recession by temporarily becoming a zombie. David Neff was kind enough to hang out on Austin Eavesdropper and answer my oddball questions about The Mansion of Terror.

1. Introduce yourself, David. How did you get involved with the Mansion of Terror?

My name is David J. Neff and I have been acting/running Haunted Attractions since I was 8 and dressing up as Dracula to run my friend's "Haunted House" in his farm house. :) Right now I am the "Director of Hype" for the The Mansion of Terror Haunted House.

2. What is the Mansion of Terror, exactly? Meaning what makes it special - award-winning, even! - as a haunted house?

The Mansion is central Texas' best and scariest haunted house. It's been rated #1 in the country by Lionsgate Films (Saw, Gamer, A Haunting), and Top 8 in America by The Travel Channel. The Mansion is among the "who's who" of scary destinations in the US.

3. How does one "audition" for a Haunted House?

One shows up and does their best! Actors will be asked for their best scream, their past acting experiences, put into a costume and makeup and then asked to improv a scary scene in our Haunted House. We are even looking for a manager or two if you really impress us!

4. What should ghost / mummy / chainsaw-wielding Mike Meyers hopefuls do to really stand out from the crowd, so to speak? Should they bring props?

No props needed. But that might be fun? I will leave that up to our Actor Manager Alexandria Parrish. I would say just get into your role. Your whole job is the psychology of fear, so don't just stand there - crawl on the ground, jump out at people, climb a wall and jump down behind someone. We are an interactive Haunted House and expect you to live up to that if you work for us.

5. Do you seriously get splattered with blood inside the Mansion of Terror?

Oh yeah Blood Frenzy is where that all happens, which is one of our two Haunted Houses for this year. You get to enter the twisted world of Jon Eric Springwood, Austin's own Serial Killer. You make choices along the way and those choices affect real people inside his world. People live or die based on your choices.

6. How would you ever convince a haunted house BABY like me (who hasn't entered one since 4th grade and ran out screaming from that one, mind you) to visit The Mansion of Terror?

Well I would/will personally invite you out and go through with you the whole time. Plus I would let you take photos as you go through.

Or better yet why don't you come out and act for a night this year? We can get you in a Hollywood style makeup and costume and get you a quick class on acting. Then you can do the scaring yourself for about 30 minutes? Deal?

(EDITOR'S NOTE: That, Reader, may very well be another offer I can't refuse.)

The Mansion of Terror is located on I-35 at exit 251 behind Walgreens in Sky Ridge Plaza. More at mansionofterror.com or by calling 512-670-8452.

GIVEAWAY at Dalena Vintage

Hello, beautiful.


The interwebs really have done wonders in making vintage clothing available to the masses. Dalena Vintage is one such retailer, and lo and behold, it is Austin-based.


The owner Leslie Torbett just launched the shop recently, and I can already tell I'll be dropping by often.



You're loving this photography, aren't you? So am I.

Anyway, from now until next Sunday, Dalena Vintage is hosting a giveaway. To enter, you must leave a comment at her blog here.

Clothes giveaways are SO fun - we even did one of those ChickDowntown contests here on Austin Eavesdropper a few months ago - and a boy won!

The winner of Dalena's Vintage will receive this pretty, demure thing:

So go leave a comment now to enter.

Here are a few more samples from Dalena Vintage's shop.









Hearts. Lots of 'em.

New discovery via Rio Rita jukebox: Mr. Lewis and the Funeral Five

I can't believe I'm just now discovering Mr. Lewis and the Funeral Five. I can't believe they're in Austin. I can't believe they're playing three shows next month.

Believe it, sister!

Their big, bassy style and Mr. Lewis's voice reminds me a little bit of the late great Morphine. But a lot more playful. Like if Mark Sandman went to the carnival. (And with a name like that I'm sort of shocked he didn't).

So we were chilling at Rio Rita last night, and for the first time in All Modernity R. agreed to hang inside for a little while so we could sit on the pretty couches. When friends stumble in we always end up outside, but once - just once - I wanted to sit inside underneath the Audrey Hepburn poster and sip my alcohol/coffee thing and listen to the jukebox. It's the little things.

Anyway, joy that we did, because when "Black Coffee Night" came on we both looked at each other and said WHAT THE HELL IS THIS (in a good way), so I investigated. Hence, me telling you about Mr. Lewis at this precise moment.

Here are listings for their upcoming local shows:

September 4 - The Scoot Inn with Brothers and Sisters and The Low Lows

September 9 - Hole in the Wall with Reverend Glasseye, Wino Vino and Wax Museum Pandemonium

September 25 - Beauty Bar for BrianBenBen's Birthday with The Lemurs

Count me in.

Lazy Saturday, fare thee well Summer.

So last night's Cherrypeel party was, to put it mildly, a raging success.

It was so fun in fact, that I forgot to take any pictures! Despite having camera in-hand and fully batteried, for once! But that is what "being in the moment" (and a handful of vodka-Pop Rock cocktails) will get you.

Anyway, among all the lovely faces both new and old, I had the sincere pleasure of meeting Vanessa Gonzales of SailorLegs. Um, that's a genius site. I was so sad when The Famousish went away, because as much as I heart dance party bands I really am clueless most of time as to the biggest, baddest, buzziest ones. But now, Vanessa is my hook-up! Whether she knows it or not!

Here are a couple of videos she posted about last Monday. It made me nostalgic for this summer (since both are pretty newish), as it's almost gone.


Now ScarJo haters - I hear you. Actors-turned-musicians are, for some reason, so much more obnoxious that musicians-turned-actors. But I want to kiss ScarJo, so leave us in peace and take your bashing elsewhere.

Next, Calvin Harris.


Here are a couple I like.

This song has been out for ages, but now it serves as a promo video for 500 Days of Summer. I love their little dance number. (And Zooey Deschanel's outfit).



And I can't find an embeddable version (damn you "embedding disabled by request!"), but I am also really enjoying this tribute to David Lee Roth, via The Bird and The Bee. When cueing, go DIRECTLY to minute 2:34. You're welcome.

No Lily Allen at ACL!

I just heard the news on Ultra8201: Lily Allen has bowed out of this year's ACL Fest!

Lily Allen - 22 (High Quality)
by wonderful-life1989

That's right, Lily Allen: sad face.

Above is the new(ish) video for Allen's single "22," off It's Not Me, It's You. The cinematography is a little unforgiving, but I rather like the gritty low-light throughout.

May I submit a humble wish list of replacements, C3 Presents?

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
by UniversalMusicGroup

But that one's been rumored for a while.

How about an ever-so-slightly less known gal, like Amanda Blank! (a little nsfw)



Or - THE TWELVES. Played at Canvas Bar for SXSW 2009, and I just caught a minute. A minute of pure rapture, that is.



What about Walter Meego? I can't decide if I detest this video or not, but I do likey his sound.



Your thoughts, dear Reader?

Quick! Project Runway fans, head to Opals!

Tonight from 9pm - 10pm, Opal Divine's on South Congress will be airing the season premiere.

It takes five people to reserve a room, so round up four of your friends and MAKE IT WORK, as our beloved Tim Gunn would say.



I'm "auf" to eat, then heading to Opals!

Thanks to Rene for the tip.

The Austin Cocktail Throwdown

Listen up, local alcohol czars.

There is a SUPER FUN contest happening right now for ATX mixologists, The 6th Annual Austin Cocktail Throwdown. Bar establishments classy and divey are invited to submit the ultimate vodka-spiked drink -- and specifically, a Tito's Vodka-spiked drink.

(Pause. How funny is it that Tito's last name is "Beveridge??" Yes! Not making that up!)

Anyway, on September 24 at the Gibson Guitar Showroom, local drinkmasters will compete for the honor of "official drink of Austin." Each finalist will have their own tasting table, and attendees will be able to sample each drink and vote on their favorite. How do you enter? Why, I'm glad you asked.

First, invent your drink - martini, shot, beer vodka fusion kamikaze - and name it something clever. The KinkyTini, The MARGAretMoseRITA (<--could be tough with vodka), The BatHattan...you get the idea. Next, submit your recipe by 5pm on September 3rd to Beth Krauss (bkrauss@austintexas.org). Please also send a compilmentary sample to Austin Eavesdropper. (Just kidding! Not really)

A few more ground rules from the chiefs:

-Contest is open to any establishment in the Austin metro area that serves Tito's Handmade Vodka. Tito's must be included in the recipe.

-Entry must be a new, original drink - not something already on your menu (der)

-Potentially offensive submissions will be disqualified in the first round.

-Recipes submitted after the deadline will not be submitted to judges. First round is blind judging - judges will not know whose recipe is whose.

-No changes can me made to recipes once they're submitted.

-By submitting a recipe, you confirm that your establishment has at least two staff members available to serve the cocktail on Sept. 24.

-If you are named a finalist, you will be responsible for bringing all ingredients except vodka, and any special glasses/garnishes needed to present the drink to the finals on Sept. 24. Tito's will provide vodka and basic plastic cups.

-If you win, you agree that Austin CVB can recreate your recipe at various events throughout 2009-2010. You will always be given credit, even if you're not present to serve.

THE BIG WINNA receives:

-National news release announcing your VICTORY! And, exclusive rights to serving the "Official Drink of Austin"

-Two 1-day passes/wristbands to ACL (for Sunday, Oct. 4) where you'll serve your drink in the press lounge (and, presumably, rock out)

-Local media coverage from the Austin-American Statesman, Edible Austin, KGSR-FM and more. If you're not too busy being a cocktail celebrity ol' Austin Eavesdropper will probably want to interview you too.

-Your drink served and establishment represented at Austin CVB events throughout the year: "Austin Music, Vol. 9" CD Release Party, Media reception with the Mayor at City Hall during SXSW, Austin Film Commission party during the Austin Film Festival, National Music Bloggers panel during Fun Fun Fun Fest, and more.

Last year, Ranch 616 won with their drink The Ring of Fire. Can you beat them?

Only one way to find out. Get mixing, y'all.

**Photos at the top provided by the lovely Leah Alisa Moss, who shot "The Informed Drinker" pictures for East Side Show Room. The Informed Drinker is my new cocktail on Austinist, and you can check it out here.

I'm not a nurse but I play one on TV: The Lennings' new music video

So my friends The Lennings have their first Do512 featured show this Friday at Mixx (w00t!), that new music venue east of 6th and Red River. (I say "new," but I think it's actually been a nightclub in the same space...perhaps under a different name.)

Now Reader, I have not been inside Mixx yet, but I am approving of the local musical selections on their calendar. For example, Many Birthdays plays at Mixx in October, and if you've been following Austin Eavesdropper for a little while you know we are big fans of Many Birthdays' whole electro / experimental / Japanese-speaking thing.

Anyway, you know what else just happened as far as The Lennings are concerned? We made a music video!!! (Meaning, our friends made a video with them.) We play crazy people inside a mental institution, which is a real former mental institution way out on east MLK, not too far from the state penitentiary. Being among the only sane ones myself, I play a nurse.

"Section C" has been featured on The Deli and Two Groove, and now you can catch it right here. It just released this week.



You likey?

Blondie and Pat Benatar make everything better

Austin Eavesdropper has been in upstate New York for a wedding these past few days, and apologizes for her paltry posting between Friday and today. Did you miss me, Reader?

I had one of those days yesterday that left me feeling a little ragged. As such, I've been self-medicating with YouTube videos of BLONDIE and PAT BENATAR, who will be performing at Austin Music Hall this Thursday. (Shockingly enough, there are still tickets left, so get them here).


Let's go with Bob Giraldi's masterpiece first, the music video for "Love is a Battlefield." How many outfit changes does Pat B. go through, exactly? Because I count three before we've even hit a minute.



Don't you LOVE how serious it all is, until the girls break out with a dance number around 3:23? Beginning with a closed-mouth shimmy, no less??

Here is a stunning display of '80s cinematography, via Blondie's big hit "Call Me:"



And while personally, I've always preferred Blondie's weird, wonderful music video for "The Tide is High" (go watch it right now), surely the viewer classic is "Heart of Glass:"

Blondie - Heart Of Glass

It kills me every time to hear Blondie's breathy, seductive voice utter the relatively crude phrase "pain in the ass" to describe what she soon found out love was. Not "fleeting," not "cruel" - a pain in the ass.

But you're never a pain in the ass to me, Blondie.

Rawsome: Borboleta Gourmet Living Cuisine

Austin Eavesdropper is being boring tonight due to a sure-to-be-painful 6:00 AM flight the next morning.

Otherwise, I'd be at the Ume / Sunset / Balmorhea show going on right now at The Parish. (Which reminds me. Public service announcement, y'all. Balmorhea = "bal-more-ray," and not "bal-moria." I know. I had always wondered too, until Laurie Gallardo pronounced it on KUT a few mornings ago. Doesn't it look like an entirely different, utterly wrong word we shouldn't associate with such an ambient, gentle band.......?? But I digress).

So instead of going out, R. and I took ourselves to newly-opened Borboleta - the raw food place on west 6th - for an early dinner.


Are you wondering why these pics look like a sleepy person has just woken up and is blinking their eye? That was actually an accident on my camera! The lens didn't open entirely, but it looked so cool that I decided to leave it and snap shots of the interior.


Drool, chandelier.


The above desserts are a chocolate torte and pear tart. I didn't catch it on camera before we devoured it, but R. and I split an AMAZING slice of "cheesecake," which was really a very thick, rich combination of coconut meat, figs, coconut milk, pecans, and orgasm. I mean agave nectar.

I wanted to show you a few more shots of Borboleta's actual food, so here are some from their modest little website:



The above looks quite similar to the "lasagna" (haha, all raw foods the the "just kidding" quotes around them) R. and I split for dinner, which was comprised of thinly sliced cucumber, a macadamia nut, hummus-like spread that served as the "mozzarella," olive tampenade, meaty marinated mushrooms, and insanely fresh basil.

Another cute pic from their site:


Right now, Borboleta closes early on weekend nights - 8:00 PM on Fridays and 5:00 PM on Saturdays - but chef Virginia Morgan told me they will soon be expanding hours to 10:00 PM both nights. Also, they are currently BYOB, but are in the midst of getting their beer/wine license. Which you know will = organic, wonderful vino.

One more thing about Borboleta, Reader: I do have to be honest with you. The portions here are petite indeed, but the great thing about places like this, Daily Juice, East Side Show Room etc. is that the ingredients are so obscenely fresh and flavorful, you really don't need a big portion. You can also do a fun "tasting menu" at Borboleta, where for $20, a sample of all the entrees (usually 6-8) on that day's menu is brought out to you. For $30, you get dessert samples too.

Now if you'll pardon the drastic change of topic, am attending wedding tomorrow so must go apply weed whacker to man-hairy legs. Ladies, it's a sad state indeed when the best thing you can think of for addressing the situation is a power tool.

Bloggers, Twitterers, socializing. And possibly dancing.

Man, we Austin social media types can't get enough of each other in person, eh? As it turns out, we are JUST as socially capable in-person as we are online!

First, I want to talk about this event happening tonight, which has an exceedingly well-designed poster:

Isn't that pretty? Good job, Software Advice.

Ok first of all I know what you're thinking - "Software Advice." Woooohoo. But I met Chris Thorman, one of the lovely young lads behind the company, at the Bleet-Up a few weeks ago, and I was intrigued by this item on their party's press release:

"The Software Advice office at 7th & Congress is paperless. Any documents that come into the office are scanned and stored digitally before being recycled. Each month, the company prints fewer than 20 sheets of paper."

Less than 20 sheets, for serious? I think I used that many yesterday printing out a juicy office email thread about whether we should reorder a stock of Avery labels, or consider the slightly less expensive kind from Staples? (Hawt. Gossip.)

Anyway you never know, bloggers, when you will need some software advice, and that is why I'm posting about this party tomorrow. Like for example, I would like to learn how to use Dreamweaver so as to figure out how to design an ACTUAL SITE. You know, the kind with "About" tabs and stuff. Also, there will be free beer.

Secondly, Lani Rosales - President of New Media Lab (and a downright Twitter Ninja) - has organized a Tweetup at the north Iron Cactus that all local Twitterati are invited to attend. (Oh Twitter. There is no end to the cute words you produce!) I will be there tomorrow, and would you believe this is only my second Tweetup? I believe Breanna of One Leg at a Time will be my lady-date.

What I love about Tweetups is how great the Twitterers are about updating in real time. "I'm sharing a margarita with @RachelSmith!" "@MikeR just gave me his card!" "Um, @BeerDan stepping on my foot."

Switching subjects dramatically. If you're more in the mood to dance tomorrow evening, Learning Secrets is holding it down at Lanai:


Free popsicles! Fuggedaboutit, I'm there.

Speaking of dancing, and bloggers. (Actually a party thrower). Knuckle Rumbler sent me something pretty delicious yesterday:

I can't stop watching / listening to it. Don't the animal masks remind you of Donnie Darko a little?

And no, Miike Snow is not coming to Austin anytime soon. But let's encourage Transmission / Emo's / C3 / The Parish / whoever wants to tackle this to woo him down to our city. DO IT!

Lastly, for no reason whatsoever: kittens.

Austin Eavesdropper live chat with the Statesman TODAY!

Hey everybody! Austin Eavesdropper is going to be interviewed by Michael Barnes at the Austin American-Statesman today at 3:00pm, and you can watch it live!

The interwebs are so amazing. I remember being a dorky high-schooler logging into AOL's chat rooms, the ones with hilarious titles like: "Cat Chat" and "N'Sync Lovrs ONLY." Oh, Web 1.0. We've come such a long way.

Anyway, today will be the culmination of chatting AND eavesdropping, because not only can you watch Michael and I exchange witty banter (his will definitely be witty, mine will consist of me trying not to make any typos), you can actually join in and ask questions / pose comments. "Hey Austin Eavesdropper, this is Austin Energy, you owe us $97.69 thanks." "Hey Austin Eavesdropper, this is your dad HI HONEY!!!!!!!" "Hey Austin Eavesdropper you mispelled our band's name please freaking correct it?" Truly, anything will do.

Also, as the blog title suggests, I like to talk about the city too. So if you would like to discuss nightlife / music venues / Bleet-Ups / vintage clothing stores / Adopt-a-Dog stands / places to watch crazy people or what have you, I will endeavor to answer those effectively as well. Just click here to join in.

See you there!!

Blogger grievances.

I'm not sure how to contact....Google? Who "owns" Blogger? But this blog has had some technical difficulties lately, and I want to see if any readers are experiencing this. So I'm going to air my grievances Rhonda Byrne-style and put it out into the universe that I would like these fixed.

Please leave a comment if this has occurred:

A) Austin Eavesdropper was deleted from your feed.

I know - what the F! But recently, a reader brought this to my attention. GOOGLE, seriously: how do I rectify this? The reader promptly re-added the blog to their feed but in an ideal, happy world I would like it if it just stuck around, please. It's like my blog is a flaky boyfriend who never calls and never calls and you're like "is it something I did? Why isn't he texting? Am I getting fat? I'm getting fat." and finally YOU call HIM and he's all, "whatever baby, I'm still here! Hey, come play Halo. Pick up some Funyuns and a Miller 6-pack on your way BUUUUURRRRP."

Also. Google/The Universe/Rhonda, these two things have happened to moi:

B) I usually get an email notification each time a post gets a new comment, but now, not so much.

Instead I get a notification every 5th comment or something. Like my blog is simply too exhausted to email.

C) I changed my blog template and tried to reinstall Google Analytics to monitor my traffic, but it no worky.

There's a strong possibility that I copied and pasted it wrong or something. But fellow bloggers, what site traffic monitor do you guys use? Is there a better one out there?

See, here's the thing about Google Analytics. I hate it when a site traffic monitor is trying to tell you how to install your tracker and begins saying things like,

"For more information on how to implement the tracking code for data-driven pages or pages with frames, please follow the instructions from the relevant section in the Google Analytics Installation Guide."

Um, what does this EVEN MEAN? Does my blog contain data-driven page? A page with frames?? Google Analytics, dumb me cannot understand your esoteric coder-speak. Please pretend you are explaining the interwebs to a toddler, or even a new terrier puppy, and then we can talk.

Help me, Rhonda.

Tonight: Second Sunday Sock Hop

Yay! Second Sunday Sock Hop ("SSSH" for short) is tonight at Shangri La.

If I could snap my fingers and make an outfit appear for the occasion, here is what it would look like:

Second Sunday Sock Hop by TollyM featuring Miss Selfridge

Cowboy saga

Any Texan who has ever traveled abroad can relate to this.

"Texas? You live in Texas?? Like show DALLAS? J.R.???"

When a foreigner knows you have traveled from Texas, maybe they'll ask you if you know George Bush. If you live in "Wild West." If you work a farm. If you ride a horse to work.

Or maybe, they'll ask you if you're a cowboy.

Below, is a series of emails that took place last year between our roomate Caleb's mom's friend's son, Stuart, and another individual - the President of the Hong Kong Cowboy Association. (Yes, you read that right. Hong Kong. Cowboy. Association).

What's the president's name, you ask? John Wayne.......Chang. John Wayne Chang!

I have read these emails so many times in the past 24 hours, laughing and crying all at once. I want to meet John Wayne Chang soooo badly.

Here's the first one:

Ok, just wait. That was the first email. Then Stuart very politely responds:




Apparently, Stuart had included a picture in his last email.


So after that last email, Stuart did not respond.

But after a few days, here is what John Wayne Chang wrote.....regarding the lack of response.


!!!!

Don't you just want to hug John Wayne Chang and never let go?? "There will be girls at meeting!!!" I want that on a t-shirt.

I love how the whole exchange takes you through all the emotions, as my friend Megan pointed out last night. Amusement....tenderness....disappointment....bottom sex.

To John Wayne Chang and the Hong Kong Cowboy Association (C.H.A.P.S!),

HATS OFF to you!

Love,

A Texan

Happy Birthday, Andy Warhol! Party at Birds

This is being SPONSORED BY Birds Barbershop, and actually HAPPENING at Mohawk (I had it wrong earlier until an astute reader caught it. Thank you, Tiffany!)

Party starts at 8:00pm, and you can find all the details here.

Speaking of Andy Warhol and his 81st birthday. For Halloween sometime, I've always wanted to get three friends together and all dress up (i.e. paint ourselves) as the four Marilyns:

Any takers on this idea?? I think I'd like to buy a blond wig and be the turquoise-faced Marilyn.

We made a music video!!! The Lennings

So many of you bloggers met the guy to my left at The Bleet-Up last week. He, R., and a bunch of other fine young gentlemen make up The Lennings.


Soon, The Lennings will be coming to a Moose Lodge near you. That's right: Moose Lodge. (Also a show space).

Why? Our friends and The Lennings made a MUSIC VIDEO, y'all! And now, we're going to share it with the mooses. Meese? (Oh God. Don't you hate it when people sheepishly joke about confusing plurals? Now I'm doing it). Anyway, we're sharing it with people too:


We filmed it in an abandoned mental institution with our friends playing crazy people - not as much of a stretch as you may think - a la One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I play a nurse! Above, that's our friend Dan, and also another friend named Dan. (Sorry, you can't be our friend unless your name is Dan.)

To get directions, click here. If you've never been there, it's kind of near Manor.

As a memory refresher, The Lennings are also the fine musicians / music video-makers behind You're The One That I Want. Even the YouTube commenters, the harshest critics around, went weak-kneed for that song. This video for "Section C" is a real music video, with multiple camera angles and a director and everything.

I'm so excited! Tell the world! And see you music people there.

Exercise fail.

My hair has received the Buffy Treatment. And you know how you're supposed to leave it on as long as possible without washing it? Well it's so red y'all, it looks like a head injury. Now hang onto that charming analogy, because we're going to come back to it at the end of the story.

So I'm running, right? Hot, windless day today. Up and down hills in Hyde Park. In fact, the only saving grace from this miserable fitness experience was "I Wanna Sex You Up" playing on my iPod. No, it wasn't on shuffle. I deliberately cued it up.

Anyway, it was getting to the point where my endurance had just crested over that 'I want to kill myself' portion of the workout. I was running down Duval, head held high. Sweating like a man, but feeling triumphant. I saw people staring at me from their cars, probably thinking: "oh, what a healthy person." Or (hopefully?) "wow, she's so fit!" Most likely: "well, she's a little slow bless her heart, but at least she is trying."

A few of the people stared slightly longer than what is appropriate for a passing glance. "Perverts," I thought.

One woman's mouth was slightly agape.

"Huh. What's her problem."

Finally, a man in a Hyundai slowed down to a stop, craned his head around and asked me, "are you OK?"

I stopped running, ready to give him a piece of my mind. "Look, I'm just running?! Why is it such a big deal??" But instead of blurting all that out, I paused, reached one hand up to my forehead to wipe off. Bright red streaks came off.

I looked down, saw crimson lines going down my neck and chest.

"ARE YOU OK?"

I waved him off and walked over to a parked car. This is what I saw:


Moral of the story: Never go running directly after dying hair.

The new foodie bait: East Side Show Room

"You have to eat there."

"Oh my God, it's gorgeous."

"I PLAN TO DELIVER MY FIRST-BORN CHILD THERE."

Our friends' breathless reviews of the East Side Show Room were getting to be a little much. So naturally, R. and I had to go.

Open exactly 11 days, East Side Show Room is a '20s/'30s-style bistro on east 6th, right next to Shangri La. We heard about it through our buddy Dan who works for Farm to Table, a service that delivers food from local farmers to area restaurants.

East Side Show Room is equal parts pre-Depression music hall, French cabaret, and Amélie. Every detail is impossibly quaint, right now to the small Mason jars you sip wine out of. (Note to gentlemen: Date Night solid gold.)

R. and I ate on the back patio, but my bathroom sleuthing skills and I sussed out the rest of the premises.



See those pics? That's the bathroom!

For dinner, we split a summer tarragon salad and a lamb / goat burger (forgot to snap pics of those), and since it was Pay Day, we celebrated our replenished bank accounts with a lavender-cayenne chocolate torte.

(You can't see it here, but R. is peering down at this torte like a wildebeest in heat. Quite unsettling, actually.)

When we arrived at East Side Show Room, it was already PACKED. With moody low lighting, a seasonal menu and a warm, neighborhood-eatery vibe, it's no surprise this place already has an evangelistic clientele in less than two weeks.

Before leaving I handed Mickie Danae, East Side Show Room's owner, my card and begged her to let me interview her. For Austinist, this blog, A.V. Austin, the nearest bathroom stall wall....whatever. The public needs to know.

Speaking of writing. On a COMPLETELY different topic entirely, my interview with Pink Nasty and Black Nasty will appear on The Deli early next week. I announce it because if you know anything, anything at all about the Nasty siblings, you know it will be.....how shall we put this, "entertaining?" (The NSFW kind of entertaining.) Possibly the best interviewees I've ever had.

Austin Eavesdropper gets a makeover!

If you are reading this blog right now, know that AE is ever-so-slightly under construction. I was tired of my huge-ass margins, so check back in a bit - we should be finished around here shortly.