After a Fashion
By Stephen MacMillan Moser, Fri., April 18, 2003
THE BEST HAIR Damn, we have some fabulous hairdressers in this town. World-class, without a doubt. Frederic and Oribe ain't got nothin' on some of our finest. And it's so great that we have the Style Cup to show off their work. This show is on its way to becoming a venerable institution, and if you consider yourself stylish, and have missed this show the last two years, then you are simply missing the boat. Organizer David Schneider and his crew, the Dream Team (a group of industry professionals), have created one of the coolest charity events in town, doubling last year's take and raising approximately $6,000 for Project Transitions this year. A very happy Lonny Stern was present from PT, overseeing the silent auction and raffle. Eight salons (Avant, Bella, 505, Maximum FX, Catena's, Innu, Avalon, and Aziz) competed in four categories, with a fifth award going for overall Best of Show. With a panel of celebrity judges -- Mega 93's Miss Kitty (in a sassy little cocktail dress from Giada), News 8's Cheryl Bishop, Leigh-Ann Jackson of the Statesman, Matthew Meza from Wella/Sebastien ... and of course me -- the show was a riot. The always-wonderful Avant won for the Daytime Fun segment. Avant's presentation was spectacular, as usual, and their Fantasy Sequence was breathtaking (I was surprised it was only a runner-up). Bella was a new entry this year, and won the award for Spring Bride, with an ethereally lovely medieval look, and had a number of other stunning entries as well. The big surprise of the evening was Maximum FX (we'll be reporting from their salon next week). As another new entry in the show, they kicked ass, taking prizes for Warm Evening and Fantasy, as well as Best of Show. Salon 505, who swept the awards last year, sent out to-die-for work again, and was runner-up in three categories. Catena's, Aziz, Avalon, and Innu all did knockout work as well. The lighting was a problem, and the emcee desperately needed improvement, but fortunately the microphone failed a number of times, and we were spared his routine. Those minor glitches aside, it was a night of excellent showmanship. The hairdressing community in Austin has a great deal to be proud of, and their contributions on the runway, as well as by helping raise money, mark them as deeply talented professionals with hearts of gold.
KEEPING AUSTIN WEIRD For 27 years, the Uranium Savages have ruled Austin with their own peculiar brand of satire. That pretty well makes them an institution 'round here. And they have now provided me with what was, without a doubt, the most glamorous night of my life. I can now die happy. There I was, in the crowd at the newly expanded Continental Club, clutching my full-length lynx coat together and peering through my always-present Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses, as Kerry Awn stood on the stage announcing, "The award for the Civic Personality of the Year goes to ..." The tension in the room was palpable, and I bit my lower lip as my sister clung to my arm. I looked over at the handsome and stylishly dressed Don King (the only other nominee present) and his bevy of Yellow Rose beauties. Then I heard my name "... Stephen MacMillan Moser!" It was as if the world had stopped, as if I were underwater, swimming to the reality that I had just won this most prestigious Eddy Award. It was sublime. I staggered to the stage, but was too overcome to speak, and the tears rolled down my cheeks. I choked out my heartfelt thanks to the Savages and members of the Academy and left the stage sobbing. Previously, I had accepted the award for Best Newspaper on behalf of The Austin Chronicle. The real winner was the Thrifty Nickel, but there was no one present representing them, so the award went to us. I'll be presenting it to Louis and Nick in an untelevised ceremony at an undisclosed location. The award itself is quite stunning. It is an actual tile from the late, lamented Space Shuttle Columbia found in East Texas. Though they look like bathroom tiles with "Eddy/2003" stickers on them, Kerry Awn says they're real ... so real that he urged us not to display them in our homes or show them to our friends. It will have a special place on my Wall of Fame. I was not the only one in my family to receive an Eddy Award that night; my sister, the illustrious Margaret Moser, was given an Eddy Lifetime Achievement Award (as was Continental honcho Steve Wertheimer). Having forgotten that the presentation was at midnight, I'd had to rouse Margaret from her bed, and she attended in a nightgown and cold cream (continuing her downward spiral into complete casualness ... I'm tellin' ya now: Watch out for her Austin Music Awards show outfit next year). Other notable attendees included K-EYE's Mark Murray, KXAN's Jim Spencer, Micael Priest, Veronica Allbright, and veteran scenesters Bill and Linda Lodwick.
