After a Fashion

BACKSTORY While my sister Margaret wrote in this issue about Patti Quatro and the Pleasure Seekers (see "The Pleasure Seekers," Music), it was I who discovered that Patti lived here when she appeared at a place I was working. I recognized her name from many moons before. The Pleasure Seekers were a Sixties all-girl band featuring all the Quatro sisters, including the legendary Suzi Quatro (Joan Jett, anytime you want to thank Suzi for your image, I'm sure she'll be grateful). Once upon a time, after the Pleasure Seekers had morphed into Cradle and then broken up, 1971 brought another all-female rock & roll group called Fanny. Their big hit was a song called "Charity Ball" that my sister turned me on to. I loved that song. Then Fanny regrouped and put out an album with Patti Quatro in the lineup. Already well aware of who Suzi Quatro was, I was thrilled that Patti (who would later play Pinky Tuscadero on Happy Days) was with Fanny, and I immediately ran from my rooming house on Nueces over to Inner Sanctum Records to buy the album. Inner Sanctum was the be-all and end-all of independent record stores in Austin at the time, and I had spent plenty of money there. So I entered the store and breathlessly asked if they had the album Rock and Roll Survivors by Fanny. The hippie behind the counter snickered without looking up and told his co-worker what I was looking for. The co-worker actually guffawed, evidently thinking the store was far too cool to consider selling an album like that. I wanted to slap both of the guys for their insolent Beavis and Butt-head sneering, but I repeated the question instead. Did they have the record or not? Yes, it turned out that they did indeed have the record in stock. Way too cool to help me but not too cool to stock it. To make a long story short, which is so unlike me, years later, a woman handed me her credit card to ring up a transaction. The name on the card stopped me in my tracks. Patti Quatro Ericson. "You're not the Patti Quatro, are you?" I asked. The woman looked at me, smiled, and said, "Yes, I am." I gushed about how much I'd loved her and her sisters. She was genuinely touched that I knew so much about her. I couldn't wait to get home and tell my sister whom I'd met.

HOT HOT HOT The "Best of Austin"-winning Red Hot benefit for Project Transitions was at Oilcan Harry's last weekend, celebrating 20 years of fundraising. I can't even remember how many times I've been to this event anymore – it's been a decade, easily. Red Hot is one of those events that doesn't evolve too much; the format doesn't really change, and the performers are often the same from years past. But we always know what to expect and are never disappointed. Event producer Rob Faubion put together a terrific selection of silent auction items, gourmet treats, a Champagne bar and signature cocktails, and performances by Stuart Moulton, the cast of Zach's Hairspray, the cast of City Theatre's Hair, and many other acts. My favorite was the kickass performance of "Proud Mary" by the glamazon known as Simone Riviera, the newly crowned Miss Texas Unlimited (and previous Empress XIV of the United Court of Austin). Riviera is going on to compete for the Miss USA Unlimited title – do Austin proud, Simone!

STEALS & DEALS I love Estilo's e-Steal of the Day. If you're on its email list, every day you receive notice of some fabulous little $350 something or other for men or women marked down to $50 or $60 for that day only. And we're not talking about loss leaders. Sign up via email at info@estiloaustin.com or through Facebook at www.facebook.com/estiloaustin.

KICKSTART Austin clothing line 81 Poppies owner and designer Michelle Weisman has recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise money for her spring 2012 collection. Set to debut during Austin Fashion Week at the Austin Fashion Awards Show on Aug. 27, the collection will be made possible by donations through Kickstarter. Weisman also hopes to expand the brand to the West Coast.