Talked on the phone with Craig Minowa. He blew me away, first off, with just how simply Fargo his voice was. (Minne-so-ta.) I choked back giggles and totally had a chat with the Cloud Cult lead singer-songwriter, the decent, peaceful man behind this up-and-coming indie band (and Earthology Records, a nonprofit label recycling a shit-ton of jewel cases and greening all energy used during the recording process), these hippy-dippy kids with thick accents, coming to Austin for their South by Southwest "comin'-ups", with their new album, art on the stage, and a whole heap of love. Love, love, love.

Read the whole thing. This is just part one. We'll post part two this week. Craig kicks ass. Like, as a person, man. See him and the rest of the CC kids at the ol' South by, and dance like a happy hippie hippo with longnecks and all the damn pellets.

Both Kates dig on KY... errrr, Kentucky. Tattoo it on the wrist, cuz pride overrides in Thoroughbred country. Nay, neigh, bitches.

So props to the home state (proper) for keeping Fairness alive and well, even in the most toothless of territories. (Ya ever seen some of them hillbillies? Sum ain't got no teef.)

The Happs: Kentuck Legislators all ninny-flexxed and tight in the knickers wanted to put a ban on domestic partner benefits. Slowly but surely, the bill was defeated, albeit narrowly. The way we see it, neither institutionalized homophobia nor hillbilliphobia has a place in this world ... not even in Kentucky.

Read More Here for a KY POV.

The pedestrian-friendly Domain – like so many other pedestrian-friendly Austin destinations, a place people have to drive to get to – has spiffed their digs with the works of local artists/craftfolk. So far, we've seen butterfly benches by Bill Twitchel, some frenetic kinetic art sculpture by Wimberley artist LaPaso, and "container installations" at the new Polo store by Big Red Sun.

Tonight is the official Grand Opening.

John Inman aka Mr Humpries in the Seventies Brit sitcom Are You Being Served?, passed away yesterday.

Let us take a moment and hum along with the cash register in the show's theme song that all but launched collage electronica …

"Are You Being Served?"

Ground floor: perfumery
stationery and leather goods
wigs and haberdashery
kitchenware and food. Going up!

First floor: telephones
gents ready-made suits
shirts, socks, ties, hats
underwear and shoes. Going up!

Second floor: carpets
travel goods and bedding
material, soft furnishings,
restaurant and teas. Going down!

First floor: telephones
gents ready-made suits
shirts, socks, ties, hats
underwear and shoes. Going down!

Listen! to the original theme song here!

Study finds Gay Divide on Age Marriage: Two political scientists analyzing two decades' worth of data found that gay people are twice as likely to support marriage between two people born before 1940 … Wait … That ain't right.

Read the article in the Guardian Unlimited to set things … straight.

It's like Where's Waldo, but this time it's two dykes, one sporting government-issue black-rimmed specs, the other, a floppy rat tail tipped in blond. Find us. Tap us on the shoulder, shake a hand, buy a drink (or three), and toast to all the good times to be had. We're here. We're queer. We're going to a festival.

At least that's the plan. Things change. Lines suck, showcases shock and surprise. Boy, will those pedi-cabs make a killing, back and forth, all around Downtown we go. Here's the dish, where we think we're going, which acts tickle our fancy … and other parts.

Here's where one of us (and maybe the other of us) might just be for the Music Festival part. Come join the fun.

Click below to get to the sched.

Oh, sweet chickeebabies, don't you wish you were me, getting to wander around the new Neiman Marcus at the brand-spangly, well-designed new enclave for your (hell, not my) disposable income, The Domain?!

What ho, faithful G.P.ers, or "Gay Placers," or "Gee-Pee'ers," whichever you prefer. 'Tis us … We. Kate & K8. Your faithful Gay Place servants here live. On the IntarTubes. One luv. For your plizzle. We are launching this thing (Das Gay Place Blog) for SXSW because the per-queer capital skyrockets in Austin this time of year, and we hear tell that our li'l column in the back of The Austin Chronicle actually gets used. We gots bank, baby. Huh.

What a week to launch. Whew. This week will be (ph)fatter than a big fat happy tick as we wallow in all sorts of scene (seen) reports, interviews with outta-towners, reviews of happenings, personality pokings, gossip, eye on design, etc. And please, feel free to send us your naughty gossipy bits. Ooh, yes.

So, hit that upload button, RSS us, or whatever gets us to ya faster and get ready to comment.

We are going for a ride.