Meet me at the speakeasy, buy me some giggle water.

Sneaky kitty!

Last Sunday night, I went to a party hosted by our friends at Vintage Vivant.

As you can see, the night was '20s and '30s themed.

So three red-headed broads - Rene* (left), Amy (middle) and I (right) - recognized this as a perfect excuse to get dolled up, head on down to the juice joint, and have ourselves a keen time!  

Look how serious we are with the camera.

... but things got silly pretty quickly!

I wish I could transport every non-local person I know down to Austin for one time in their lives, and escort them personally to a Vintage Vivant party.  It's held each month at this luscious throwback bar called Swan Dive, and people go all out for it.  The gents wear suspenders.  The gals wear pearls.  There's usually a silent film projected onto the wall, and sometimes a live musical accompaniment.  They like to - as the VV girls say - party like it's 1929.

And you know something?  When I started this blog at 25 years old, I went out a lot.  I'd been cooped up in grad school for two years and was ready to get my mid-twenties kicks.  When it comes to nightlife now though ... I am much more selective.  And by 'selective,' I mean 'lazy.'  The main event for me on Sunday nights is typically a date with my book, in bed, and sometimes, Claudia (my cat) is invited too.  It's pretty exclusive.

So things have to sound pret-ty, pre-ty good (Larry David voice) for me to go OUT out.  Vintage Vivant more than does the trick.

*Rene made both her dress and mine!  She's a talented lady.

Capitol Om's.

Before Sunday, I did not know what a "meditation mob" was.

The term sounded oxymoronic.

But I had an inkling it might be something like a Flash Mob.  And when my friend Sarah invited me to join her on Sunday, at a meditation mob held at the Texas State Capitol, I was too intrigued not to go.

When I walked into the rotunda, the ground floor was packed with quiet meditators.  Smaller clusters huddled together on the floors above, while regular tourists to the Capitol grounds simply strolled around us.  Anxious mothers grabbed their toddlers' hands.  Whole families tried to non-awkwardly step over mediators' heads.  Two preteen boys in UT shirts whispered to each other: "whoa ... dude.  It's like a protest."

And it was.  Sort of.  When I sat down to join everyone, I had the distinct feeling of being part of a critical mass, and the immediate kinship you feel with strangers who are simultaneously performing the same delightfully unconventional act you are.

But that's not the coolest part.

The whole meditation lasted about an hour, but in the last 45 minutes, everybody started chanting.  I had no idea this was going to happen.  Another girl and I instantly made eye contact, with looks that said: "are you hearing what I'm hearing?"  Because it honestly sounded like a professional choir.  

(Note: If you're reading this on an RSS reader, I highly recommend coming over to the blog site where you can watch this video.  I promise you won't be sorry.)

Doesn't it take your breath away?

(To learn more about meditation mobs, which I've just discovered are a worldwide phenomenon, click here).

Friday Link Party + Rene Geneva.

Me post-party.

I went to an Austin Fashion Week trunk show last night for my best buddy Rene Geneva (whom you may remember her from our blue wall), at Bella Salon here in town.  But lo, I forgot Danger Kate!  

It was ok though, because I had my camera phone.  Crisis averted.

Let's take a moment to appreciate both A) those grid tights Rene is wearing, and B) that utterly delightful floor.  I now want both of those prints somewhere in my life.  Don't you?  

For Friday Link Party today, I thought I would link to three creative lifestyle bloggers who embrace life offline.  I talked about my new vision for Austin Eavesdropper on Wednesday, and life offline is a big part of it!  Powering down the phone ... shutting the computer ... and living.  It's a movement.  

*Moorea Seal*

Moorea is a jewelry designer, graphic designer, and all-around badass in Seattle.  I loved this guest post on baking spiked cakes.  

*Srsly Liz*

Liz is a cute nerd who lives in my old home: Sacaramento!  You will find much to enjoy here - such as Liz's outfit posts and her craft/beauty tutorials, like DIY: Leopard Print Nails - but I especially loved her recent post on biting off more than you can chew, and not letting the Internet rule your life.

*Eat Sleep Cuddle*

My friend Kelly Ann introduced this sweet blog to me.  I don't know the blogger Whitney personally, but I adore her washed-out photography and sweet snapshots of domesticity.  

_________________________________________________________________________________

Offline excitement: Date night with Ross tonight, finishing a DIY chandelier this weekend, going to a "meditation mob" (!) at the capitol and then a 1920s/30s themed party on Sunday.  I hope you have the most wonderful weekend!

Midnight Pancakes.

Aren't they just exactly what you want sometimes?

I made these last night when Ross got home late, and hadn't had any dinner yet.  So wifely!

Pancakes may be the one food item I'm good at, which says something about the caliber of cook we're dealing with here.  We use a printed out recipe from the Internet titled "Dot's Whole Wheat Pancakes," and Ross and I theorize that Dot may or may not have been anorexic, because the whole recipe makes three pancakes total.  Not per serving.  If four people are coming to Dot's house for breakfast, each person is getting roughly 3/4 of a pancake.

So, I typically quadruple it.  I also add a secret ingredient: 

This makes it feel like said pancakes are "my" pancakes.  But modest addition though it may be, the coconut milk creamer really does make each cake silky and smooth.  Which came out sounding far sexier than I originally intended.

DOT'S WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES:

1/3 c. whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 beaten egg

2/3 c. milk (any kind - I use coconut milk)

2 tbsp. melted butter

*Optional: 2 tbsp. vanilla coconut creamer

Stir ingredients in large mixing bowl, until slightly lumpy.  For each 4-inch pancake, pour 1/4 c. batter onto a warm, pre-greased skillet. 

TUESDAY: You, me, champagne + home decor!

The earliest childhood home I can remember - a second-floor, two-bedroom apartment in central San Antonio - had black and white cow spots painted on the cabinets, with loud splashes of turquoise, orange, and yellow painted on the trim.

This was courtesy of my mother.

The inside of our home looked NOTHING like my friends' houses, with heavy brick fireplaces, expensive beige furniture, and polished wooden floors.  I didn't know what to make of it.  I registered the same confusion each time I met a friend's dad, always outfitted in khaki pants and a pastel Lacoste shirt, and wondered: "Is my dad is the only dad who wears a t-shirt of the Pope playing electric guitar?"

He wore this t-shirt with black Hammer Pants.

I would eventually come to realize that as a family, we were just a bit ... different, and that the old money principles of our traditional community ended at our doorstep.  Which resulted in me begging my mother to take me shopping at Gap Kids and The Limited Too so I could fit in, but now?  My parents' eclectic taste and sense of humor inform my style in every way.  It's particularly true of home decor.

Me!  Photo shoot for Austin American-Statesman story, courtesy Deborah Cannon 

***

I can proudly say that I've never lived in a home with white walls when presented with the opportunity to paint them.  Six years ago my sweet boyfriend, now husband, helped me paint my first apartment in Austin red and (not even joking) lilac purple.  Not all of my creations have been attractive.  But they've never been boring, either.  

This is why I was downright thrilled when Furnish 123 here in town asked me to design a signature space for them a few weeks ago.   It's in their window now, and next Tuesday, we are partying inside of it!

Maureen Stevens of Inglenook Decor also designed a signature space, and if you're in Austin, we would LOVE for you to come.  (PS, Maureen is the hands-down cutest and if you aren't reading her home decor blog yet, you totally should).  

***

Please join us for champagne, desserts by Cornucopia and SugaPlump Catering on Tuesday, August 30 from 6-8pm at Furnish 123 (6601 Burnet Road, Ste 200).

***

Each guest will be entered to win a free couch, dinette set, and chest of drawers.  If you write on the store's "Wall of Shame" - a playful shrine to BAD furniture - at the party, you'll immediately walk away with a free throw blanket. 

rsvp here!  

For all my big talk on color, my own room is looking very Hemingway at the moment.  We're talking wood and leather in absolute abundance. But don't worry - I threw in a zebra rug to spice things up.

Also neat?  Furnish 123 hosts local Austin artists and features their prints all over the store.  I spotted this cool piece of artwork last time I was there:

Isn't it weird and wonderful?  I love it!  Should I put it in my room?  

can't wait to see you there!

Food + Contemplation.

I whipped up a little dinner for myself after last night's party, and then probably stayed up until 3:00am thinking.  That modest meal provided a lot of brain power.

Now don't be fooled -- there are beans under that kale and tomato mixture.  Ross is a veritable Bean Ninja, and makes legume creations about once a week.  I layered the veggies on top of it, because after a week of New York eating (pizza, bagels, huge salty street cart pretzels), I'm craving fresh plants in my system.  The drink is kombucha tea, which not everyone loves, but I DO.  We make it sometimes at our house.  This is a Pro Kombucha Household, and I like to feel fancy by drinking it out of a wine glass.

Anyway.  Last night after dinner, I got to thinking about the direction I want to steer Austin Eavesdropper.  

Actually, I've been contemplating this a lot lately.

I've had to make many little adjustments to my blog over the years, letting it grow and evolve, and honing in on my vision.  I didn't have one when I started this blog.  I just knew I had all these different ideas for creating content, and wanted to try them all: Nightlife posting, interviews, restaurant reviews, photography.  

But last night, I finally got a clear, future picture of Austin Eavesdropper, and I couldn't fall asleep until I typed out all of my ideas.  Isn't that the way creativity works sometimes?  You just have to quiet your mind, and let this external wave of insight descend on you.  

When you blog, or operate a small business / brand, you have to tweak your goals all the time.  At least I feel that way.  And part of tweaking your goals is being really, really honest about what you want to do with your life, which for me has always been enormously difficult to define.  I've been a yoga teacher, an English professor-in-training, a freelance writer, a book publicist, and once, I dressed up as a giant teddy bear in a sparkly Christmas dress at a local gift shop.  I think it's cute when people ask if blogging is my job.  But alas, it's just my hobby!  This hobby has led to professional opportunities though, opportunities that I'd like to keep pursuing.

Over the next few months, I will start rolling out this new, tightened-up Austin Eavesdropper, and get less "vague" about this mysterious vision.  I'm terribly excited!  Scared too ... but mostly excited.   

What personal goals or dreams are you working toward right now?  

Party Spotting: La Belle Vie.

Last night, I caught my first Austin Fashion Week event: La Belle Vie, a French Carnivale inspired soiree for my beautiful friend, Cory Ryan.  She is a fashion photographer who shot my wedding many years ago, and is up for Best Fashion Photographer in the Austin Fashion Awards.  (Vote!)

I loved all the fancy little touches at this party: Umbrellas in the trees, a black and white color palette.  A salon here in Austin, Mirror Mirror - which just so happens to be down the street from my house - hosted the event.

I mean really.  How darling are all these people?  

*Cory is in Colors.

*Joanna Wilkinson + Jeremiah Newton in High Contrast.

*An anonymous, nattily-dressed gentleman in Man in Black (and Gray).  

Who are you, Anonymous Sir?  I liked your style!

I've got you under my skin, New York.

There's something happening with me and New York.  After about five or six visits, we are - dare I say it - developing a relationship.

To be honest, New York is the one city where I've always felt this sense of: "Should I?"  Past tense.  "Should I have moved here instead of California in my early 20s?"  "Instead of two years in grad school, should I have devoted two years to this city?  Paid my dues?  Made contacts?  Moved back home to Austin after a shiny Manhattan internship?"

There's this teensy bit of longing I have to stifle every time I walk around that city.  

An office in the Flat Iron Building, from one of our book publisher clients.  Isn't it haunting?

I think: I could live here.  I totally could.

New York is a city paved by ambition, and that's the thing that makes it so exciting.

Paella at Sevilla in Greenwich Village. It has an organ quality in this picture, almost like a heart.

Terroir Wine Bar on E. 12th, with some of the most wonderful women.

Over wine a couple of nights ago, I talked to a friend who'd moved to New York from Austin a few years back.  We came to the conclusion that, for writers (which we fancy ourselves), New York seduces you with connections and access.  Filmmakers in the bars.  Magazine editors in the coffee shops.

Meanwhile, Austin seduces you with quality of life.  War-torn from bigger cities, people flee to Austin, and rest in the cradle of its easy warmth.  The most stressful job I've ever had here is nothing like that of my New York peers: Megan has a 23 year-old brother who works 16 hour days.

***

I remember being 24, and coming home at 3:30am one night during grad school.  This was in California.  I was student teaching, working at a magazine, and going to class myself.  I sleepily poured myself a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats, and stood in the fluorescent light of our kitchen to eat it.  I was so tired and numb.  I walked into the bathroom, still holding holding my bowl, and looked at myself in the mirror as I took a bite.  I laughed I looked so pathetic, like a baby, but an old baby, puffy-faced but hollow-eyed.  

I thought, "well, you asked for it."  Took on so many obligations and so much work that it had come to this: standing in my bathroom exhausted, watching myself eat cereal for kicks.

That little memory is the reason I think I ended up in Austin.  New York appeals to everything inside of me that is Type A and workaholic, but Austin corrects this internal imbalance I have.  Left to my own devices, you see, I get all Puritan work ethic.  I know it may not seem that way by the looks of my blog, but inside this smiling redhead is a clenched Miranda Priestly saying things like, ARE YOU BLOGGING ENOUGH?  ARE YOU MAKING ENOUGH MONEY?  WHY, YOU'RE ALMOST 30 AND YOU'VE HARDLY DONE A THING!

However, Austin reminds me to relax and play and close thy laptop.  I've got such a crush on you, New York!  But seriously.  Thank God for you, Austin.   

Speaking of which, I'm back this week.  Let's play, city.

Still alive!

Oh Internet.  I've just been shameful lately!

Not writing.  Not calling.  Hardly a Tweet from my end.

I've been having an affair, you see, with New York City.  My friend Megan and I are running around like maniacs this week, here on a work trip, but squeezing in some fun too.

Not going to lie, I felt pretty special having my picture taken in Bryant Park.  Even if it was Megan who was the one taking my picture, and she did it because I handed her my camera and said, "here, can you take my picture?"

I promise not to ignore you for long, Internet.  There is Austin Fashion Week to discuss, for one, and the fact that I can't seem to visit New York without flashing somebody.  But that's a story for next week.

Be back soon!

Fly me to the moon.

Last January, I decided to try something completely new: Aerial silks dancing.

Instead of New Year's resolutions, I choose New Year's "words" each year, and this year my word is "openness."  Aerial silks dancing is something I'd wanted to try for a long time, so I figured: what the heck?  I'm open to it.  Let's give it a shot.

Eight months later, I haven't stopped.

This is the studio where I go for classes 2 -3 times a week.  I am completely obsessed.  If I had the money, I might go every day.

Silks dancing requires your absolute, 100% full attention, because if you're distracted you could hurt yourself.  And in this way, it is incredibly therapeutic.  It is the one time of the day when you can't think about several things at once, when you can't multitask or play mental reels of past and present in your head.  You are JUST climbing the silk, or JUST suspended upside-down, or JUST hanging on. 

Which is why I've latched onto it so hard, I think.  Oh, I've been freaked out in silks.  I've taken several weeks (and once, a whole month-and-a-half session) to get a move.  But I keep coming back because I'm addicted to how great it feels to just focus on one thing.  Even if that focus involves temporary fear or frustration.

I also keep coming back because ... well, look how pretty!

These are my teachers (and a couple of fellow students), performing for Julie -- my very first aerial teacher.  She is moving, so we did a special "good-bye" performance for her on Friday.  I performed, too!

(In the video below, I am the one on the far left.  NOTE: The first 27 seconds of this video are not the best in terms of videography, but it evens out after that.) 

Julie is the super-graceful one in white, right next to me in that video. She was my teacher when I learned this dance, during my very first aerial class session.

If you are in Austin and are interested in aerial dance, I take it at Blue Lapis Light.  I really could not recommend it more.