After A Fashion
Your Style Avatar careens dangerously close to requiring an intervention. A Wal-Mart intervention.
By Stephen MacMillan Moser, Fri., Feb. 5, 2010
WAL-LY WORLD In the continuing series of My Adventures at Wal-Mart, it's True Confessions time. A couple of weeks after I'd had my hair cut at Wal-Mart, I dropped by its salon to show the stylist how well she had done and how pleased I was with it. I asked for her by name at the front desk, but two stylists I'd never seen before were quick to inform me that my stylist no longer worked there. WTF? The part I was totally mystified by was how dismissive one of the girls was – like perhaps I was bothering them by asking. First off, the timing was very strange. I'd just written about her in this very column the week before. She had been employed there for some time and was suddenly gone, seemingly minutes after I wrote about her. I hope I didn't have anything to do with that. I returned to the salon one more time – but was actually discouraged from making an appointment by the newer (yet again) employee. I was discouraged, indeed. As I left, I gazed out across the parking lot and mentioned to my mother that there were an awful lot of RVs in the parking lot. My mother informed me that Wal-Mart's parking lots are RV-friendly and that Wal-Mart doesn't mind if people park their RVs there, since they will indeed have everything in the store that an RV-er could want. So, in addition to be able to live inside a Wal-Mart, you can also camp out in the parking lot! Why, I know many five-star hotels that don't provide that amenity! I now like to think of them as the Wal-Mart-Astoria Hotel. Apparently the folks at Wal-Mart do listen to what we say and are in touch with their customers. Recently (and incredulously) I received an e-mail from its PR agency asking if I would like to partner with Wal-Mart in a Valentine's Day giveaway for my readers. But I thought I'd ask you first, readers: Do you want me to be involved in a Valentine's Day giveaway? Do you want a diamond pendant created from a .10 carat diamond chip?
JUST DO IT Go to www.fashionallianceaustin.com and join the growing list of Austin's fashion-related personalities, served up forum-style, where you can chatter away about your idea of what Austin fashion is about. Should be interesting, yes?
FINE JEWELS As long as I'm telling you places to go, do go to www.anareign.com and see the stunning jewelry for men and women that Ms. Reign, an import from L.A., is making. Stunningly displayed and beautifully made, Ana Reign Designs looks like it has dug its heels in hard and will be around for a good long while. We'd like that, and so might your Valentine.
PERSONAL NOTES Our friend Daniel Bradford is running for justice of the peace in Precinct 1. Help him with his good fight by getting information and donating at www.bradfordforjustice.com... Congratulations to our dear friend Jim Butler, manager of creative industries development for the city of Austin and staff member on the Austin Music Commission, on being presented an Icon Award for his service to the city and the music community. Go Jim!... And a huge congratulations to my dear sister, Margaret, for her appointment to the Austin Music Commission.
THE AGENDA The Austin Children's Shelter is having its inaugural New Wave Ball, an '80s dance party, Friday, March 5, 8pm-12mid at the all new, completely redone Hyatt Regency on Lady Bird Lake. Speaking of going back in time, the New Wave Ball will feature Your Style Avatar and the delicious Miss Kitty as judges for the dance and costume contests. Tickets are $40 from now until Feb. 22. After that date or at the door, tickets are $50. For details, visit the website at www.newwaveball.org or www.austinchildrenshelter.org, or call ACS at 499-0090.
