the Austinist and TX Freedom Network
Sammy A invited me to an Austinist BBQ on Wilson Street yesterday held at a funky-cute house with a huge tin-roof porch, and I knew I was at the right party when I saw the cake in the box on the yellow kitchen table. Care bears. I had 3 slices; actually one slice and two of the cupcakes which ringed the cake like kids around a maypole. Some bear Hottie offered me a slice of his pumpkin cheesecake, so after 4 pieces of cake I was done, fork and all.
Ashleé came to get me and we went to the Texas Freedom Network party where Gretchen had secured a table. I got to see Quincy Erickson, who I just love and Sammy and I had just been talking about earlier in the evening. Ruthie Foster was performing and I was excited about bidding on more art during the silent auction, but I didn’t like anything this year. As Gretchen put it, ‘Who is going to bid on a basket of T-shirts?’ Who, indeed?
I ran into old friends of mine, Rick&Jack and there were in rare form. They had just gotten back from San Francisco and seen the Folsom Street fair, which is like a leather and S&M street fair that is clothing optional. During a speech by two important donors, Jack was describing some big leather dyke getting whipped when someone shushed us. I was mortified, but Ashleé just threw a dirty look and she and Jack kept on talking. The night went pretty much downhill from there; just one shocking conversation after another. You know talking about shaved labia has gone too far when the wait-staff get offended; b/c all those restaurant-industry types are hookers, alcoholics and drug-addicts and they will do ANYthing.
I only saw Gretchen like 3 times, but she looked great in a cute blue dress. Arayln Hughes, realtor to the Austin Stars, looked good and told us all a story about helping herself at the buffet and inadvertently filling her plate with some sand and shells from the candle ‘displays’ on all the tables. She told us that some lemony-faced rich lady looked at her plate and remarked, “I think you might have to start over.” Glass houses, honey.