Best Local Blog!!

Oh my God.

Oh my GOD!

This happened!!:

Austin Eavesdropper won the 2011 "Best Local Blog" Award in the Austin Chronicle!

You guys, I don't even know where to begin!  I can't believe it!

I am this close to pulling a Sally Field I'm so excited!  

I can't stop using exclamation points!

Ok ... reining it in now.  Thank you so, so much for voting for Austin Eavesdropper in the Chronicle's Reader Poll.  This blog is my baby, and it has grown and evolved so much since I started writing it in 2007.  I had ZERO idea what I was doing back then, and for a very long time it was just me, my mom, and my dad reading.  (Thank you, parents!)

But over the years, you all -- Austin Eavesdropper's readers! -- wrote funny, witty comments, a ton of you started blogs of your own, and my buddies have even contributed guest posts.  In short, you completely educated me on how to do this blogging thing.  Some of you -- and you know who you are -- taught me how to use my new camera (thank you) and more of you catch my typos and send me gentle, corrective emails (THANK YOU).  So in a lot of ways, I feel like Austin Eavesdropper is a team effort.  

My friend Amy's cat, Babette.

I'm a 29-year-old freelance writer and book publicist, although I think I may prefer the Austin Chronicle's term for me, "an ebullient pixie!"  I started this blog as a hobby, but now it's grown into a little more than that and I am very grateful.  

Austin Eavesdropper focuses on Austin's creative culture, peppered with stories from my personal life.  You can read the long "about me" version here!

We've got some exciting changes and additions coming to Austin Eavesdropper very soon.  I can hardly wait to show them to you!  Think video.  Video shot by someone other than myself (thank God).  It will seriously be here in just a few days, so c'mon back now.

Also, if you just so happen to pick up a copy of the Chronicle, um, check out the cover story!  That's my friend Angeliska donning it, whom you may remember from yesterday's post!  She and her Vintage Vivant partner-in-crime, Amelia, were the subject of an insightful feature story by Kate X. Messer on Austin's current cultural moment.  It starts on page 28, and is a worthy read.

Congratulations too to the other Chronicle winners that make this city so magical.  I'm so proud of my friends at Vintage Vivant, Tasty Touring (yay Jodi!), The ND at 501 Studios, Justine's, East Side Show Room, Péché, Birds Barbershop, Public School, The Statesman (Addie Broyles, Best Local Food Writer!), Coco Coquette, Esquina Tango!  And so much more!

You guys are inspiring! 

Guest blog at Free People

Well this is pretty fun!  I'm guest blogging over at Free People today.

It's a post about my 5 Favorite Things About Austin, since Free People just shot their July 2011 look book here.  Favorites include vintage, hippie style ... as well as bacon.

I got to hang out with some of the Free People girls while they were here in town last month for The Happen-Ins show, and we had a grand old time.  I told them about Austin, they told me about their hometown (Philly) ... which prompted immediate It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia gushing from my end.  Best show on television.

Now Reader, I'm going to go ahead and let you assume that I'm looking très Free People today, writing this post.  The truth is, I may or may not have attempted to dye my couch this weekend ... without wearing gloves.  My hands might be purple now.  In fact, they might look hands belonging to a mechanic or a Muppet.  "Startling" is the word my husband keeps using today to describe them.

Austin Chronicle: Best of Austin 2011 Poll

Well guess what everybody?  Today is the last day to vote in Austin Chronicle's Best of Austin 2011 Poll!

If you enjoy reading Austin Eavesdropper, would you consider voting for it under Best Local Blog?  You can vote whether you live outside of Austin or in, and I'd love it if you did!

(Man, I feel so strange soliciting your vote.  Just the height of awkwardness.  But Austin Eavesdropper is my little baby, and this baby and I have had a great year together.  Thank you so much for considering it!)

Now then, onto other categories in the "Best of" poll.  Let's talk about our picks, shall we?  While there are some categories that I must respectfully leave blank ("Best Golf," for example), others demand a serious narrowing down on my part.  I mean, Best Journalist?  Best Scenic View?  Best Sign?  These are big questions.

My selections for Chronicle's poll change year to year, and for many of these categories it was a toss-up.  This city and its creative inhabitants are just too darn delightful, and as my friend Lauren at Hipstercrite has pointed out several times, there's a reason that the city of Austin ITSELF ends up on so many national "Best of" lists.  So I hope you'll tell me who you're rooting for down in the comments section.

Architecture & Lodging

Public Art: "Play Me I'm Yours" street pianos (good call, Kathryn) or Knitta Please
Best Historic Site: O. Henry Museum
Best Sign: Austin Motel
Best Hotel/Motel Pool: Hotel Saint Cecilia

Arts & Entertainment 

Art Gallery: Gallery Black Lagoon
Place to See Local Art: East Austin Studio Tour
Performance Space: The new ACL Live
Actor: Ted Meredith
Actress: Erica Lies
New Club: Swan Dive
LGBTQ Hangout: Cheer Up Charlies

Food & Drink

Local Food Company: Kohana Coffee
Food Event: La Dolce Vita
24-Hour/Late: 24 Diner
Place to Take a First Date: Blue Dahlia Bistro
Cheap Date: Odd Duck 
Intimate Dining: Justine's 
New Bar: Bar Congress
Local Liquor: Tito's Handmade Vodka
Local Food Blog: Oh boy.  Can't decide between: Hilah Cooking, Austin Gastronomist, The First Kitchen, Relish Austin, Tasty Touring, Lonely Gourmet

Kids

Bookstore: BookPeople
Toys: Terra Toys
Restaurant: Central Market
Summer Camp: Dougherty Arts School
After school activity: Creative Club by Dougherty Arts Center

Media

Film Critic: Kimberley Jones
Food Writer: Addie Broyles
Event Photographer: Annie Ray or Cory Ryan
Local Author/Poet: Austin Kleon
Radio Station: KUT 90.5
Radio Deejay/Host: John Aeilli
Local Blog: Austin Eavesdropper! (Jazz hands.)  In all seriousness though, Republic of Austin has done, in my opinion, not only a great job at covering the local scene, but also an amazing job of community-building. Hipstercrite is high up for me too, because I am such a fan of Lauren Modery's writing.

Outdoor & Recreation

Annual Festival: Fun Fun Fun Fest
Secret Romantic Hideaway: West end of Auditorium Shores
Day Trip -- Dry: Enchanted Rock or Fredericksburg wineries
Swimming Hole: Barton Springs Pool
Fitness Classes: Dharma Yoga

Politics & Personalities

March or Rally: Queer Bomb
Nonprofit: Lights, Camera, Help or Art From the Streets
Austin Icon: Leslie Cochran

Services

Barbershop: Bird's
Salon: Paloma Beauty Parlor
Spa: Lake Austin Spa
Tailor: My Cleaners & Alterations (if you ever go to the one on Guadalupe, ask for Mai.  She will chat you up, call you "honey," and make your entire day.)

Shopping

Green Business: Yard Farm Austin
Clothing: Strut 
Jewelry/Accessories: Cherrywood Art Fair
Shoe Selection: Goodie Two Shoes
Thrift: Buffalo Exchange
Vintage: Feathers 
Antiques/Collectibles: Roadhouse Relics
Furnishings/Home: Uptown Modern

Wildcards

Best Graffiti: "I Love You So Much"
Best Use of Tofu: BBQ Tofu at Mother's
Best Cocktail Comeback: The Moscow Mule
MVP Women's Hair Accessory: The feather
Best Oprah-Endorsed Local Celebrity: Zach Anner
Best Show Hosted by a Local Celebrity: Rollin' Around the World with Zach Anner

So what do you think?  Which spots did I leave out?  Which people or places do you 100% agree with?

Today's the last day to vote, so remember to go do it!

SheKnows!

Yay!  SheKnows.com recently hired me to do some home decor writing for them.  Which is good for me, because -- as you may know -- Ross and I just bought a house, and I desperately need decor inspiration!

I'm going to have two columns at SheKnows, one called "The Inspiration Board" (somewhat like this post from a few weeks ago, only fancier), where I collect and discuss design theme ideas.  My first one, teased below, is on an affair I'm having.  An affair with the color turquoise.

To read the whole thing, click here.  

Note the Facebook like and Tweet options ... meaningful wink.

The other column will be called "The Unplugged Home."  That one will be about the adventures of my husband and I living in a low-tech way in our new place. For example, we no longer own a TV!  Which is both freeing, liberating, and admittedly, kind of awful.  I'm now the worst at water cooler talk, I'm hanging onto current events by a thread, I miss my Bravo.  

But on the flip side, I am reading more.  Three cheers for books.

On that note, here is a  question for you.  I've had a blog post idea marinating in my mind for a couple of days, called "How to Become a Freelance Writer."  I get this question from time to time from readers, and I've mentally outlined a 5-step process for it.  I have written for both magazines and websites, paid and unpaid, local and national, and thought it might be helpful to share some tips for establishing a freelance writer practice.

Would you all like a post on that topic?

A sexily aloof reporter I never will be. (Also, Saturday's Free SXSW Party Rec.)

I gotta say, I'm having fun with these Express Rocks interviews.

I've also come to the realization that, while some reporters can be cool and detached during interviews, I will never be that reporter.  I'll ALWAYS be all up in yo' face.  I'll ALWAYS shove an enormous, toothy smile at you.  I don't know how not to grin like an idiot when there's a camera right there, y'all.  Whenever I attempt Sexy Face, it is a disaster. 

Fortunately, the bands we've been interviewing like to play along.  Kaskade, above, was probably my favorite one yesterday.  How cute is it that he's a dad, too?  After he walked away I wanted to holler, "wait come back!   Let's be friends!  I love San Francisco!!"  But, his handler whisked him away and that was that.  Sigh.

So!  I'll be doing the Express Lounge stuff again today at Cedar Door as we wrap up SXSW, but if I weren't committed to that, I would march across the river to this day party.  It starts at noon.

I think this line-up pretty much speaks for itself:

The Black Angels
Dennis Coffey
Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears w/special guests The Relatives
Menomena
White Denim
Bombay Bicycle Club
Young Buffalo
Dan Dyer 

Did I ever tell you guys that Ross used to be Black Joe Lewis' drummer? Right after he left, Black Joe completely blew up and got famous. We cry laugh about it all time.

White Denim and Dan Dyer are probably my favorite acts on that list, but here is a delightful music video from Dennis Coffey.  The Bob Dylan Subterranean Homesick Blues card-holding trick never gets old.

Home is where the bird, I mean the heart, is: Q&A with Ingle Talk.

I'm telling you guys, Jessica Giesey (Bluelight Photography)'s photos are the gifts that keep on giving.

Ever since she came over here and did a shoot, the resulting post has piqued the interest of some home decor people!  Which is great because we are total decor amateurs over here!  The Statesman did a style story on the house, which was nice for Ross, because I vacuumed every single day leading up to the shoot.   And that's not out of character at all.

Now, sweet Maureen Stevens of Ingle Talk has done a little Q&A with me on the house!  She asked good questions too, like "Why are we both so obsessed with birds in decor?"  (I'm paraphrasing).   Because it's true, I can't stop putting birds all over the damn house.  Just like these people.

 

Click to enlarge, or better yet, go have a gander will ya? Maybe leave Maureen a comment for being so awesome! And congratulate her on just getting married ...

That's probably the best dance move of all time.

Major, major thank you to The Horn!

aewerwwerw

UT news website, The Horn, wrote a RADASS feature on me and little Austin Eavesdropper! 

The story was penned by none other than Horn editor-in-chief Tiffany Tso, who also happens to run one of my favorite local blogs: Austin Is Burning. She asked me some incredibly thoughtful questions, such as "What is the story behind the blog name 'Austin Eavesdropper'?"  "Do you actually eavesdrop on people?" and "Has blogging become a means of income for you?"

(The answers to those are: My husband; yes, particularly my stripper neighbor; and not really, although the ads you see in the right hand margin directly fund date night with my husband on Fridays, which makes them MUCH more than ads. They are also marriage strengtheners).

Tiffany also asked me if I have ever gotten extremely negative/positive feedback on this blog. I told her the most positive feedback comes from my parents, which is why I don't ever blog about sex, because I don't want to lose their readership.

But let's visit the comments section of this story, shall we?

Apparently, I stand corrected!

PHOTOS: A Hair Affair Fashion Show.

On Monday night, The Phoenix hosted A Hair Affair Fashion Show & Fundraiser, as part of Austin Fashion Week. 

With gloriously large, 18th c. French-inspired wigs, body painting, and lacy tights aplenty, A Hair Affair ties with Fashion Freakout for the best local fashion show I've ever seen.

We waited for the show to begin ...

Emcee Marcus Swagger, of LegitArt Entertainment, introduced the show in full French regalia.

I couldn't get enough of those tights and frothy skirts. Buffalo Exchange provided the clothing, while Brandy Joy Smith provided the luscious styling.

Backstage, I got to talk to a few of the models.

Lovely Cameron.

Austin Eavesdropper reader, Lauren! Her top is entirely painted on.

Are you wondering where this wild make-up and hair comes from? That would be Waterstone Aesthetics, and hair stylist Ana Castro.

Finally, I didn't get a decent shot of the grand finale model - the one with a SHIP ON HER HEAD. I was so busy staring slack-jawed that I forgot to to get my camera in position, and by the time I did, it was too late!

But it's ok, because guess what you guys? I got to interview that model, Teresa Cantu - who made it to the finals for America's Next Top Model - for News 8 Austin. Go laugh at my little tiny microphone! I had such a blast doing that, and was honored to be asked by the station to help out with reporting. Maybe I'll get to do more of it in the future!

TONIGHT: Pre-Revolutionary France in Austin, Texas

Wow, three posts in one day? It's like this is a real city blog!

So tonight, I'm headed to A Hair Affair, a fashion show fundraiser for Locks of Love at The Phoenix. I've been looking forward to this event ever since Austin Eavesdropper superstar commenter, Le Tigre, turned me onto it.  Also, I overheard Ana describing the event at As You Like it Agnes last weekend (see? Am real eavesdropper), so I knew the show was going to be avante garde, pre-revolutionary France style. Or in other words, bonkers.

Ana sought several images to give her some hair-spiration for the show tonight. Here is a small sample.

Question: Why did we ever get rid of ship-themed wigs? I see real potential there.

Ana was also kind enough to give us the pre-show scoop on A Hair Affair. After reading this, how could you not go?

"I chose to showcase the three pre-revolutionary French classes: proletariat, bourgeouise, aristocrat. Why? Because they:

1) Were fun to create hair and makeup concepts for, and

2) Provided an exaggerated, eccentric example of the current imbalance in socio-economic conditions here in the US.

France went broke fighting other people's wars. Its aristocracy got away with numerous tax exemptions, while its middle class was taxed heavily. The nation was near bankruptcy at the time of revolution.

On a purely stylistic note, hair styling saw its boom in this time period. Hair styling became a legitimate profession. Stylists were in high demand to create the most ornate wigs, often themed after whatever party one was attending that evening. Women in the pre-revolutionary French aristocracy would compete to see who could have the biggest hair ... quite hilarious, but this part of the 18th century spawned the most ornate, largest hairstyles in Western history.

So while their hair was getting bigger and bigger, their lower classes were getting hungrier and poorer. Interesting contrast."

I'll say, Ana. I can't wait to see how she translates all this history on the models' heads tonight.

Also exciting?  In honor of Austin Fashion Week, News 8 Austin put together a little fashion street team for reporting.  I get to join these lovely ladies in helping out!  I'm so excited!  

So tonight, I'll be interviewing Ana Castro, the hair stylist for A Hair Affair, as well as a couple of the models, for News 8. Fingers crossed that this opportunity somehow involves me wearing a ship wig.

My stunning eHow.com debut.

Ok...you guys. I am dying.

So a few months ago, my buddy Rene and I made a series of instructional videos for eHow.com. One of their videographers came over to her little design studio, when it used to be located above Spiderhouse, and we shot these segments together.

Now do any of you have one of those friends who laughs at nothing? Giggles at inopportune moments? This is me pretty much ALL of the time, but for some reason, Rene and I were cracking each other UP while filming these. I think because we were deliberately being a little bit cheesy.

"Rene, can you show me how to design a dress?"

"Absolutely! Let's go!"

And, oh, the end result does not fail. As I sit here typing this post, I am giggling like a LUNATIC.

This video I've posted below is pretty straightforward/educational. But this video, however, sends me into total hysterics. What's going on with the editing at the beginning? Am I dancing?