I'm a rocket man

You guys, I really was that close. This was not a bum rush to take an iPhone pic.
I was invited by some friends to the 4th Annual Andy Roddick Gala Foundation in Austin. It was at the Hilton which is the equivalent of Sir Elton playing Choctaw, but whatever, it was fine. It was more than fine. It was amazing. I got to hear Crocodile Rock, Your Song, Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer. Elton was super cute and had a fabulous dangly diamond cross earring swaying from his right ear. A few times some drunk ladies came up to the table and had to be escorted away from him. That was kind of sad. But you know what was more sad? That Roddster and Brooklyn didn't want to be BFF with me. What is up with that?

Monday night in Austin

I went to the Andy Roddick Foundation Gala and all I got was this stupid bracelet.

No, I'm kidding. I got more than that. I got an intimate concert with Sir Elton John, a hip shake alongside John Legend, and weird looks from Andy.

Kandle Kidswear

Walking on 2nd, stepped inside Wee, and saw these by Kandle Kidswear, an Austin company. Cute Texas-centric kids gifts.

Texas Longhorn
Texas Guitar
Lone Star Armadillo
Austin bats

Stag

After I grabbed my latte at Jo's, Bobby Johns called me to come over and see his new store on South Congress, Stag, right next to Home Slice. He, along with his partner Steve Shuck, Don Weir, Joel Mozersky, and Ted Allen have come together to open the ultimate one-stop shop for men. Think sexy, rugged Steve McQueen + American dry goods + dash of chic. They open this Saturday and Stag will carry everything from clothing, sunglasses, an exclusive on shoes from an Austin-based cobbler, and gift-y items. If you've ever met Steve or Bobby - we did a story on them in FASHION from the Publishers of Texas Monthly - you know that they both have a little something called cool. I wish I had more of it.

Here are some behind the scenes shots of the store as they work away on finishing construction. Vintage Americana counter found at Round Top. Beautiful.
A simple found object turned chandelier. Bobby thinks it may have been a plant covering in a former life.
Faceted tin light pendants. They have 2 more that are for sale. Everything in the store down to the furniture will be for sale, actually. They're working non-stop this week for the Saturday opening. If anyone can get it done, it's these guys.

Jo's coffee

In Dallas, it's Pearl Cup; in Austin, it's Jo's. Short latte, one sugar in the raw, please.
The quiet scene on a cold Monday.
An old San Jose Motor Court hotel sign in the back of Jo's Coffee on S. Congress. I apologize, but a lot of what I'm posting today is Liz Lambert-related. Can you blame me? I love her. Don't you?

St. Cecilia

Welcome to the St. Cecilia.
Pleasingly chewy macaroons.
A warm dose of color on a gray chilly day.
Terry cloth is so Four Seasons. Only heavy linen robes from Society will do.
French wool Aladdin slippers.
Slumber on a Haastens bed.
A perfectly edited mix of high-low bath goodies.

Road trip

A bag filled with kolaches from Czech Stop means one thing to me: road trip down 35. In Austin for freelance work today and tomorrow. Stay tuned for info on Steve Shuck and Bobby Johns's new store, cute baby clothes from Kandle, and Native American jewelry at Mercury Design.

I've got Yellow Fever

My friend David Ninh (above middle. so cute, right?), a former fashion writer for the Dallas Morning News, recently moved to NYC to worked for BNC PR. BNC has clients like Kid Robot, Amazon Beauty, Molly Sims, Rocio Ildemare, Julie Haus. Oh, the list goes on. He's been in the city for a couple of months and I'm following his every move on his blog Yellow Fever. He is hysterically funny in person and his writing manages to have the same voice - if you write, you know how hard it is to be funny in print.

This picture was taken during Fashion Week in September after many a champagne. That's me, messing up what could have been a perfectly good picture - kind of my signature - D, and Stephanie Quadri, the fashion editor at D Magazine.

xx, kr

Happy Anniversary VOD & Archive

Happy, Happy to VOD and Archive Vintage. Both celebrate their 2 year anniversary today. If you're in Dallas, stop in at 4 pm for a champagne toast to the girls!

Apiece Apart - Spring 2010

Laura Cramer - who lives in Austin - and her design partner Starr Hout create beautifully simple mix and match pieces that can work in any wardrobe. Perfect, stylishly blank backdrops for a woman to show off her personality through accessories, this line is pure heaven for those of us who steer clear of prints. The tank dress, above, worn with flat sandals and a strand of a gold Indian-inspired necklace will be one of my outfits for next spring.
Apiece Apart is available at KickPleat in Austin, but I think that will change soon. With all the love the girls are getting from Vogue, WWD, and NYT, it would be unfathomable for boutiques not to take notice.

Death and Texas

I just saw these bags by Death and Texas over at Ruby Press. The gal who creates these is from Dallas, now lives in Brooklyn, and sells them through Brookfarm General Store. The hip pouch above, $38, is a modern day version of a fanny pack.
This is the Weekender Tote. Love the navy ticking. $195.
This one, the handlebag bar, $95, is perfect for all the boho cyclers in Austin. Attached to the front of your bike as you buzz around town, then strap it over your shoulder when you're ready to walk.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm grateful for every single person who passes upon this blog, takes something away, and comes back for more. I don't calculate a return and that's what makes it even better.

xx, kr

Want this so badly...

Joan Schenkar's biography of Patricia Highsmith comes out December 8. Highsmith, born outside of Fort Worth, was notoriously dry - what many considered plain mean - reclusive, alcoholic, and a wildly brilliant writer. She wrote The Talented Mr. Ripley, Strangers on a Train - Hitchcock turned that into a movie - and many other short thrillers and novel.

San Antonio: Lee Lee Shoes

Something that's pretty fabulous about working for a magazine that covers the entire state is that, well, I cover the entire state. A few years ago while researching San Antonio for FASHION from the Publishers of Texas Monthly, I came across Lee Lee Shoes. It's in Alamo Heights in the same shopping strip as the impossibly posh gift store sloan/hall. When I stepped in there for the first time, my heart skipped a beat. The selection of shoes that owners Leigh and Sherry put together is the best I've ever seen in Texas. And over the course of five years I've seen a lot of places. So good that I've said so a number of times and my quote is on their home page. I wish I was there on Friday because every fall item in store will be 20 percent off. Botkier's Logan Shopper, above, was $565, on Friday will be $452.
Loeffler Randall's Cale. Was $675, on Friday will be $540.

xx, kr

Black Friday: Joe's Jeans

12 am the fourth Friday of November is the day that crazies line up outside of Wal-Marts and shopping malls across the U.S. hoping to get the best deal possible. Is it worth it? I hardly think so, but now Prime Outlets in San Marcos is giving us yet one more reason to succumb to the insanity: Joe's Jeans. Yes, Joe's Jeans is now added to their already fantabtastic line-up of boutiques - think Barneys, Catherine Maladrino, La Perla, Fendi, Loro Piana. I can't help but wonder who all these people are that trek there in their pajamas - it is called the Midnight Madness Pajama Jam, after all - who gets in their car and drives somewhere at 11:30 pm after stuffing themselves silly with family and friends? Are the savings really that great? Would you do it to save a buck?

xx,

kr

Dec 5: The Dallas Flea

I have a great idea for everyone in Dallas when it comes to holiday gifts. Mark your calendar now for Saturday, December 5 for The Dallas Flea, a killer, all-under-one-roof shopping experience at South Side on Lamar intelligently put together by Daily Candy Dallas editor Brittany Edwards. Edwards has also written for Dallas Morning News' F!DLuxe so you know the gal's crazy connected. About 50 Texas-based vendors will be in-house selling their wares and everyone from Archive Vintage and Baby Bean to StellaDallas and Arteriors will be there. I know, right?

The first 100 guests get a goodie bag and can register to win a bike from Fleetwood's Kit Kat. Admission is $5 and kids under 13 are free; major credit cards accepted.

Thank me later.

xx, kr

Sara Beltran's Deszo

I recently discovered Sara Beltran's gorgeous line of jewelry, Deszo. The Texas-born, Juarez-bred artist now calls Jaipur and Mumbai home (we're meeting in February when I'm in India) and she offered me some insight into her creative process and inspiration.
TSS: Why is your line called Deszo.

SB: It's Latin for desire. Every woman desires something!

TSS: How did you decide to move halfway across the world?

SB: I used to live in New York for the last 12 years and I was kind of over it! I started designing and producing in New York. Then my friend Maximiliano Modesti who lives in Mumbai invited me last October to come to India and produce there. He is a big mentor in my life and he told me "you have no idea what you would make once you come to India" and he was right, my line made a huge jump.
TSS: What inspires you?

SB: The ocean! I love the ocean. A lot of the pieces are shells I pick from the ocean and then I make a mold and then I cast them in gold. Now I'm discovering the stone world in Jaipurand I'm doing my own carved stones. Colors are always inspired by the ocean.

TSS: What do you miss about Mexico?

SB: I've been away for so long that I got used to being everywhere. I travel a lot! And what I miss the most is my family but I do go a lot to visit them.

TSS: What are you favorite pieces from Deszo?

SB: All, everytime I make a new piece I want to keep them all. Sometimes poeple want to buy things right off me but I can't ever let go of my first pieces! Its hard. I fall in love which each single one since I put all into every piece.

TSS: Where can we buy Deszo?

SB: Seaside Luxe in Hawaii. 808.325.4702

xx, kr

Houston: Brown

I was in Houston today to work on the February issue of TM and when I walked out of the terminal I noticed that Hobby had put rocking chairs outside baggage claim. In Texas even the airports have a dose of southern hospitality.
After working, I went to Brown on Ferndale. I heard of this shop from Cote de Texas and when I was in Houston a few weeks ago I missed the chance to stop in. Brown specializes in lighting - gorgeous, handcrafted chandeliers and sconces - and small gift-y things like soaps - lots of soaps - and lotions and candles.
I adore these nubby candles above. They must be embedded with bits of herbs, cinnamon, and cloves because they smelled like a Thanksgiving pie. There were bundles of them tied with pretty plaid ribbon.
So much to look at.
I do think they have every fancy soap imaginable. And the area Brown is in is my favorite area to shop in Houston. It's sandwiched between West Alabama and Westheimer where all my must-stops are. Thompson + Hanson on W. Alabama is hands down one of the best gardening stores (along with Gardens in Austin and Dallas) in the state - and each time I visit I can't help but have lunch at Tiny Boxwoods, its in-house cafe. It's simple clean lines and tonal palette are utterly chic and the menu is filled with yummy salads with champagne vinaigrette and simple, but artful sandwiches like grilled cheese smeared with herb-y pesto. I like to sit outside overlooking the pristinely landscaped green space or at the lunch counter. Of course, after that I always head to across the parking lot to Indulge, which is filled with all things French-tinged. And no visit to Houston is complete without losing yourself and the contents of your pocket book at A Bientot, an accessory fiend's ultimate fantasy. More details on all those next...

xx,

kr

On Target

I was in Super Target recently - who am I kidding? I'm in ST all the time to feed a never ending need for diapers, juice boxes, and Topo Chico - and I was pretty impressed with their private label line of jewelry. This is the stuff that's kept under lock and key and after seeing it up close I can see why.

It's all 14 karat matte gold over silver so it has heft and feels much more expensive than it is. The earrings are $29.99. Some of the necklaces have carnelian pendants, but my favorite was a black onyx raw geode ring. For $49.99 it's a super budget-friendly version of Jacquie Aiche's piece that sells for $1,825. xx

Let's do this

Before I begin, here's a quick thank you to everyone who is coming along for the ride. I wish I could send all of you some Sprinkles Thanksgiving cupcakes with a personal note of gratitude. Since I can't, I encourage those of you in Dallas to stop in sometime this week and pick some up of their mind-blowingly delicious holiday-tinged morsels. Cranberry is my personal favorite - big chunks of bittersweet cranberries are baked into the moist, sweet cake. Pair with a hot cup of Earl Grey with half and half and you've got breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

xx,

kr

Onward

I now begin my journey as a contributing editor for Texas Monthly (i.e., I'm freelance again, baby). Another casualty of the economy, my full-time position has been eliminated and along with that my blog on texasmonthly.com, Closet Case. You can now follow me here at Texas Style and Substance where I'll continue to fill you in on everything going on with FASHION from the Publishers of Texas Monthly, my television and radio appearances, and the work I'm about to begin for other publications.Thanks for coming along with me for the ride.

xx,

kr