austin Archives

In Austin, Texan Stars & Lips Abound

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When Angel and I flew to Austin, Texas for Ken and Joey’s wedding, we also took the opportunity to take a short vacation of sorts. We flew to Austin a day before the wedding festivities and celebrations commenced. While in Austin, we took the time to explore, peruse the city, and as self-professed “foodies” are wont to do—try restaurants and Texan delicacies.

(As a disclaimer: while on the trip, we didn’t live recklessly. Necessary precautions were taken and mask mandates were followed. We conscientiously adhered to any and all rules regulated by the CDC in restaurants, public places, and of course at the wedding. Upon arrival, we took a rapid COVID-19 test and continued to receive negative results throughout the entire week.)

After checking in, Angel and I explored the Austin Motel. A gay-friendly hotel, its signage took the shape of a penis set in bright neon lights. (I can’t say that we didn’t immediately buy a matching magnet of its likeness to put on our refrigerator.) The Austin Motel had an old-school motel feeling—a throwback modernized for its 21st-century guests. Full of novel architectural details, it followed the practice of pairing old historical bones with new modern minutiae. To speak to this, I slept in a room replete with lip print-patterned wallpaper, a big leather-bound bed, and a rotary phone.

Now, for food. While in Texas, it was almost an obligation to eat breakfast tacos at least once! Not too far from our hotel was a little roadside taco stand, where we bought and consumed our breakfast tacos on a couple of mornings. And when not eating tacos, we also went to a few restaurants with James Beard award-winning chefs. The first, called the Odd Duck, served several cocktails that were distilled in barrels on tap. With our drinks, we enjoyed a plate of seared scallops and a Wagyu beef burger in addition to some vegetarian turkey bacon. A couple of restaurants were also recommended to us—one being La Condesa Austin, which served huitlacoche quesadillas from fermented corn. A delicacy I couldn’t pass up!

While perusing the town, being New Yorkers, Angel and I wanted to walk everywhere. Turns out, Austin isn’t a “walking” city. There were periods where we walked amongst other pedestrians and other times when we felt like the last two people on earth. While walking around, we visited the state capitol, an interesting yet imposing building in and of itself. We noticed then, as we had been noticing for days—the Texas star is never far from sight. On our way to and from the Capitol, I took the opportunity to snap a few pictures of the various stars around town.

All in all, it was a great trip—a chance to celebrate close friends and travel!

Ken & Joey, Welcome to Married Life

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My good friends Joey and Ken got married this year around the same time vaccinations rolled out. It was a scary time to be flying, but after doing our part to stay safe, Angel and I flew to Austin, Texas to celebrate our friends’ union.

We had planned out the trip months ago, and while traveling, we made sure to exercise caution and be fastidious with our hand sanitizer. At the airport and on the plane, we wore our face shields, masks, and gloves. In Texas, we rented our own car to keep and maintain that all-important six feet of social distancing.

Though wary, I ended up really liking Austin. During our stay, the weather was perfect each day. We spent a lot of our time dining outside or choosing restaurants still in accordance with mass mandates and six-foot-apart safety measures, though at that time Texas had dropped their restrictions. We still felt pretty safe.

Joey and Ken’s wedding was held at the Austin Motel, a gay-friendly hotel decked out in neon lights. Each room was themed; ours was decorated with lip-print motifs and a bright red leather headboard on the bed. We had rented a red Mustang for the trip, so we definitely fit in at the hotel!

There was a courtyard next to the main building. On our first day, we gathered there for a meet-and-greet cocktail hour. That’s also where the on-site clinic was, where all wedding guests were required to receive a COVID-19 test. The entire wedding party was vaccinated, but since the vaccines had just been rolled out, not everyone in attendance had been able to receive their second or even first dose. Everyone was then required to participate in an on-site test. Without the test results, you weren’t allowed to remove your mask.

Everything was very well thought-out. No surprise for Ken and Joey! The courtyard during that first happy hour was beautiful; cocktails and finger foods were served

The next day, a brunch was held for all wedding guests. Later that afternoon was the wedding. The event was entirely outdoors, at The Contemporary Austin. The ceremony took place under a tree-covered amphitheater overlooking a lake. At the end of the wedding, Ken and Joey ran through a sparkler runway to where a pickup truck driven by a drag queen was waiting. As they stood on the bed of the truck, giant fireworks shot up into the air while monster trucks drove by in a cloud of billowing red smoke.

At the after-party, the Austin Motel lit up their swimming pool with neon lights for a late dip. There was fast food to eat, and time for Ken and Joey’s close family and friends to wind down after the excitement of the day.

It was a great wedding, full of great people. I’m so happy for Ken and Joey and wish them lots of luck and love. Welcome to married life!

Blue Is a State of Mind, all day – every day

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Having a job in fashion myself, I suppose clothes do make the man. It is my job for fashion to be top-of-mind and for my closet to demonstrate this accordingly, after all. There is, however, a lot to consider in fashion. Styles, cuts, and colors are just a few examples that don’t even begin to delineate the many options one must choose between. In an effort to simplify my life and lessen my own daily decision fatigue, I decided long ago to strip down my closet to just one shade: blues.

Here you’ll see a photo of me at Ken and Joey’s wedding reception in Austin, Texas almost eight years ago. My outfit that day was no exception to my uniform blue color. A beautiful day and an even more beautiful wedding, it was held on the campus of a small art college and sculpture garden. I was at the reception, in an Italian-style villa, when I noticed that at the back of the home there was this profuse, lush greenery. Everything was so striking, I felt compelled to, using the greenery as a backdrop, take a moment and pose for a photo to commemorate the happy day, my chosen wedding outfit, and my blue state of mind.