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Thursday, October 21, 2010

La Dolce Vita Austin: Or, Attack of the Awesome Colored Suit People.

Last week, Ross and I went to the annual fundraiser for Austin Museum of Art, La Dolce Vita.  Perhaps you've heard of it.  La Dolce Vita is a food and wine event where all of Austin's fancy restaurants, regional vineyards, homespun bakeries, and close-to-home spirits line the perimeter of Laguna Gloria in booths, and bring their sampling A-game.

East Side Show Room

Cuatro's

At La Dolce Vita, it's never just, "here, try our tacos!"  It's, "here, try our pork belly tacos. Smothered in fresh avocado and tangy chimichurri sauce, wrapped in this flavorful corn tortilla."  Well ok, I guess I can do that.

Every year, La Dolce Vita plays on -- as one might expect -- an Italian theme. Last year, it was all very Federico Fellini. Sexy, 1950s Italy, with special parking for Vespas.

But this year? The theme was Italian Futurism.


Maybe this gives you a clue as to what Italian Futurism is?

Me neither. Friends, my art history background is patchy.

But the moment he stepped foot on the grounds, I was fascinated by this guy.

As soon as Ross and I got there, he made a break for the fountain.




Then, his friends joined him:


I said to Ross, "quick -- take a picture of me."


This clearly has 'Facebook profile pic' written all over it.

Ross eventually dragged me away from the color-suited men, and insisted we go try some food.

Sao Paulo's

Spicewood Vineyards

La Condesa

Word of Mouth Catering

All the little bites were, of course, impossibly delicious.

... But I kept getting distracted.




"Those people are scaring me," I heard several guests say.  Look at the guy above.  Manning the portable grill.  That is a face of concern.

But the more they kept running around, performing their colored suit people histrionics, the more I became OBSESSED them. I couldn't get enough! Who were they? Who hired them?

"Tolly, I think you're more into the colored people than the food," said Ross.

"You're right," I said. "Back to work."

Cake Ball


Cuvee Coffee (both)

Dusted chocolate truffle?  With salted caramel macchiato?  Don't mind if I do!

BUT THEN, out of the corner of my eye, I saw this little spectacle start to unfold.


It was like a dance, only the purple one was more sedate, and the blue one was more joyous.



Diva! The blue one is such a diva.


This is where things started to get weird. By which I mean, fantastic.




Don't you love how the guests are all, "what the f--?" They just don't know what to make of this!

I turned back around with my camera, just in time to capture his friend.


Stroke of genius, La Dolce Vita.

NOTE to Austin party planners of formal events: Please hire the colored suit people for your next affair. I highly recommend them.
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15 comments:

GARY! said...

My favorite part about this whole affair has to be this quote, which out of context is kind of hilarious: "Tolly, I think you're more into the colored people than the food." Amen sister Tolly. Amen. Sounds like it was lifted straight outta the pages of Fried Green Tomatoes. Quick! Someone cue Paul Young's "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy644J-9NpU

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@GARY! - LOL, silly. I can picture you giggling to yourself at your desk right now.

Barbara said...

Fav post yet!

Kay said...

Freakin' love these colored people!! Umm, and what is painted on that man's eyes, the nicely suited man carrying his empty plate and barely a sip of wine past Diva Blue rolling on the ground? Is that delicate, understated face paint or a highly intereting birth mark?

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@Barbara - Thanks woman! :D Glad you like it. How could we NOT be entertained by those guys?

@Kay - Right!!!! Me too! I'm so glad someone else is as enthusiastic about them as I am.

It IS face paint! There was a little crew there, in addition to the colored suit people, wearing metallicy, blue facepaint, and gelled hair. I'm not sure what they were suppose to represent. Besides more awesomeness.

Megan said...

There's such a poignancy to the last shot.

Especially with the "No Alcohol Beyond This Point" in the foreground.

Anonymous said...

That. Is. Awesome. How much were tickets? I'm definitely going next year.

One of my friends got paid this year to go to ACL in one of those suits with a company's logo on the front. He ended up getting called out by Matt & Kim in front of 20,000 people, and Kim requested that he crowdsurf to the front. These suits are really taking off!

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@Megan - That's one of my favorite ones, too.

@TheFirstKitchen - Tickets are a little over $100 each (WHOA). Ross and I lucked out, we got to attend as media! Praises.

Dude, was your friend in green? Because I think I stood next to him at the Silversun Pickups show.

Anonymous said...

thats bullshit...the fact that there is diallogue about those roaming characters still ....tells me those were the most interesting decoration/entertainment available

stupidity...its austin, you retards!

bs

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@Anonymous - Haha. Hi! I may be single-handedly continuing the dialogue about those roaming characters. I thought they were pretty radass, but hey, to each his own.

kristen said...

ooh, salted carmel macchiato? MMMMmmmm...okay, you got me to comment, first time!

Denise Prince said...

I'm so glad you enjoyed us, we're the uninvited guests and we had as much fun playing with you as you clearly did. Since it was such a large event we miss much of what the others are up to so it's fun to see your pics and hear your stories. Thanks to Nicole Sabo at AMOA for having us. I wish I'd have taken a break and eaten some of that fabulous looking food!

Anonymous said...

He was in green, and he was definitely at Silversun Pickups!

Austin Eavesdropper said...

@Kristen - Yay-yuh!!! Welcome. Ok, salt on anything - especially sweet things - I'm a sucker for. I can tell you that salted caramel macchiato was AMAZEBALLS.

@Denise Prince - Wow!!!! What an honor! Thank you for stopping by and commenting here! I loved your impromptu performances. Like whoa.

Nicole Sabo, are you the genius that hired these guys? If so...NICE WORK!

@TheFirstKitchen - Haha. I tried to take a picture of him! But my camera ran out of battery.

I think maybe I need to get it out of my system and be one of those colored suit people for Halloween.

Anonymous said...

I attend every year and loved dipping my uninvited guest in the VIP reception!