After a Fashion
Stephen's lists of things to do, places he went, and people he dished
By Stephen MacMillan Moser, Fri., June 2, 2006
DRIVE-BY THOUGHTS I like the blogger who suggests that Aleister Crowley (aka the Great Beast 666) is Dubya's maternal grandfather: www.cannonfire.blogspot.com/2006/04/george-w-bush-barbara-bush-and.html. Read it and weep… From PopBitch.com: On a fashion shoot in a derelict house, Kate Moss wanted to take a pee. The assistant told her: "Well, there is a loo, but there's no door on it." Kate replied: "Well how the fuck do I get in there then?" An embarrassed silence ensued… Jennifer Lopez (J-Ho as she's affectionately known) admits, "There's a fine line between sexy and trashy." What she won't admit is that she has no idea where that line is… One of my favorite Web sites is www.uglydress.com, dedicated to exposing the ugliest bridesmaids' dresses of all time. And they do it splendidly and with great humor. As one of their sponsors points out, if the bride makes you wear an ugly dress, the least you can do is make her wear something ridiculous on her head at the bachelorette party. Go there and be appalled… From Marilyn Monroe's alleged diary, she speaks of Joan Crawford: "Next time I saw Crawford, she wanted another round. I told her straight-out I didn't much enjoy doing it with a woman. After I turned her down, she became spiteful."… Says the dreadful Mariah Carey: "Anyway, people always forget that Glitter came out on September 11, 2001."
SHOP CHOP My personal fashion goddess Gail Chovan and I shopped our little hearts out two weeks ago, starting at Octane on Second Street. Octane is a Dallas import and, well, looked like it too. But it has a cavernous space, a great men's and women's jeans selection (even though everything there is still riding very low on the hips), and the help was very knowledgeable, so we'll give it good marks. We'll be interested to see what they carry when they settle into the Austin market a little better. Continuing through the Second Street District, we revisited Mercury. With glorious goods and spiffy style, the store is a bit overwhelming to enter, but nothing some rearranging couldn't cure. Still, it gets an "A" for style and service. Cowboy Cool is another Dallas import – slick and lovely with high-style Western wear and accessories and high prices to boot. Good service and great merchandise should make it a hit. Shorelines Gallery has been there awhile; it's full of pretty things and many unusual items. Shiki is always terrific, with its beautiful interiors, excellent service, and stylish clothes; as is Eliza Page, with wonderful jewelry and accessories – both are already in my retail Hall of Fame. Gomi is a store for the young at heart: They left behind some of the high style of their old location, almost as if they were put there to tone down their elegant neighbors. We skipped Paciugo, another Dallas import (though they seem to be blanketing the country with a zillion stores as we speak), the caffé and gelato looked great, but again, we were focused on fashion. At the Home Retreat, they seem to still be figuring out exactly who they are. Among other things, they have gorgeous bedding and bath linens (and the exquisite L'Occitane bath and body products). And of course we dropped by Estilo, but by then we were tired and hungry and had a great lunch at Jo's Second Street location: best burgers on earth.
ALLEYCATTIN' Went to the ribbon-cutting ceremony last week at the P&K, where our Mayor showed up and spoke… Also emceed the Blue Lapis Light fashion fundraiser with Miss Kitty (she wore the first dress from my new collection using handpainted silks from Felton Knorra). The show featured great clothes from a dozen Austin stores – including Populuxe, Jezebel, Anna Maria, and Girl Next Door – and the Blue Lapis Light Dancers performed magnificently… Saturday, May 20: The Paramount's 90th Birthday Party (and the State Theatre's 70th) was wonderful, with air-conditioned tents running down Congress Avenue, good food, a fun auction, and great entertainment. Though the auction screamed for some professional assistance (paging Walt Roberts!), I was very pleased to have seen Clifford Antone there and gave him a big hug. That was the last time I saw him… The Jones Center Arthouse 5x7 Splurge & Exhibition was divine, of course – a glamorous crowd, gorgeous art, and everything done perfectly… Saw the closing of Anna Deavere Smith's show at Zach Scott with Eric and Maria Groten – hardly a barrel of laughs but deeply moving. Smith is an American treasure.
JUST GO Fri., June 2, 8pm-12mid at Saengerrunde Hall, 1607 San Jacinto (dance lessons 7-8pm), Project Transitions presents their 11th annual Texas Swing, starring Alvin Crow – a fundraiser as fun as it is famous. See www.projecttransitions.org/texasswing.shtml for more details.
