As Christmas and New Year celebrations are upon us, I decided to do some research into Champagne. Though I really like the stuff, there are dozens and dozens of French Champagnes to choose from in anything from a reasonable thirty dollars to hundreds of dollars for the non-vintage brands alone. Styles vary from crisp light wines to complex yeasty “serious Champagne”. (I prefer the former.) And then there is the issue of sugar; though Champagne has been the drink of celebration for … [Read more...]
Los Angeles’ Nocturnal Festival makes its way to Texas.
I have traditionally associated Labor Day weekend with pool parties, boating on the lake, or tubing on the river. However, this year I executed a slightly different holiday weekend game plan and ventured out to the beautiful outdoor camp grounds of Rockdale, Texas, to check out the first annual Texas installment of Insomniac Events’ Nocturnal Festival. Established in 1993, Insomniac, is the biggest promoter of nightlife culture in North America, producing more than 250 music events in … [Read more...]
The flavor of soul: “Suite 709”
Suite 709, Austin’s newest band, has been compared to “John Legend meets The Jackson 5;” a fresh flavor with just a hint of vintage to round off a sound that stretches across several musical genres. Infectious rhythms, hooks that stick to your brain, and soulful vocals combine to produce a sound that moves through your body and makes you want to dance. The sound of Suite 709 is “a nod to several genres of musical influence, but definitely a fresh sound intended to make music lovers dance. Suite … [Read more...]
The Art of the Man Bag
Manly men, listen up! A bag has become an essential item for getting around Austin. Why do men need a bag? Bags are for women, right? Hear me out—bags can serve a purpose for men. The average Austinite either works North and lives South, or vice-versa; therefore, he usually needs to schlep around items to use at work and to workout or go out to happy hour after. How do you manage to keep all of your stuff together without looking out of place? The man bag is the answer. It can be … [Read more...]
A sharp-dressed man: Fashion Advice
By Josh Garza Everyday, men across the Austin metro area are asking themselves, “Can I wear this outside without fear of looking lame?” A Sharp Dressed Man has heard the call from his brothers across Travis County and is here to provide an answer to all men’s fashion questions! Dear Sharp Dressed Man: For businessmen, how do you match colored blazers to pants? - Chris R. Greetings Chris! Great question! As I mentioned in a previous column, colors tend to go by season … [Read more...]
Single in Austin: B.O.B.
It had been a long time since me and the girls have hung out all together. It was long overdue, so I decided to stay in for a night of fun and host a sex toy party at my place for my lovely friends. The party was a success! We all had so much fun, probably because we got to see everyone else’s naughty side. And, above all, it was very educational. I think every single one of my girlfriends really enjoyed it...maybe a little too much. I don't remember ever laughing this hard. As compensation … [Read more...]
Single in Austin: Coming up short
Valentine’s weekend did not turn out as I had planned. I was not able to go to Miami due a last minute change in my moving schedule. Instead, I spent Friday moving all my stuff into my new apartment and mourning the loss of my life partner, my great dane. He did not pass away; he went to a better home. Our breakup was as close to mutual as I have ever gotten with the opposite sex. Needless to say, no men have brought on such tears as my Manolo did. It was true love. Enough of … [Read more...]
Single in Austin: V-Day
Saint Valentine's Day is just a couple of days away and, of course, I feel the pressure to write about love or, rather, the lack thereof... What is Valentine's anyway? Should it be exclusive to couples, or can we single souls also partake? I don't know exactly why, but I always manage to keep myself single during this holiday. I can seriously say that I have been 'taken' twice for V-Day in the last thirteen years that I've been romantically active. My first Valentine's gift, at 14 years old, … [Read more...]
Single in Austin: Pro Athlete
Remember when I DID NOT cheat on my boyfriend with that professional athlete? It was last summer. I was in a relationship with what turned out to be a complete TOOL! One of my best girlfriends and I had decided to go out for a much needed girls night at Cielo Club for some salsa, merengue, and bachata. You can take Boricuas out of Puerto Rico but you can't take their music out of them. Now, I don't particularly love Cielo. The men there are usually 5'3 and sleazy. But, I was in a … [Read more...]
