Katie Kime’s Grand Tour of the Coolest Spots in Austin
The North Carolina native takes over the Live Music Capital of the World. That is, Austin, Texas.
The sweet-as-pie furniture and accessories designer Katie Kime lists “doing Austin” as one of her main interests. Here she gives us a run-down of the city’s six best spots. —olivia seely
“The Austin City Limits music festival has always done tapings of artists and bands in Austin at a place called ACL Live. Recently, when the W Hotel was built in downtown Austin, they built an extension, which is the ACL Live Moody Theater. So literally, where I’m sitting in this photo next to the Willie Nelson statue is where they hold unbelievable tapings and performances.”
“Clark’s is an oyster bar. Down to the smallest details, they’ve done the most amazing job of giving it this Southern, prepster flair. Everything from the busboys in rugby shirts to the waiters in boat shoes with handkerchiefs coming out of their back pockets is an ode to where I grew up in North Carolina.”
“Hijo is there newest venture from the people behind a really cool store in Austin is called JM Dry Goods. It’s built in a greenhouse, and the owners are a married couple with amazing taste. The guy makes hand-made leather bags stamped with anchors—an icon I love so much I have one tattooed on my wrist—that are to die for. They curate amazing collections, and I’m always inspired in any of their spaces.”
“So basically every cool thing in Austin has hotelier Liz Lambert’s signature on it. Jo’s is where I go to do work about three days a week just to get out of my office.”
“Hotel San Jose is my go-to place for drinks and my first recommendation for where to stay if you’re an out-of-towner. This is also one of Liz Lambert’s many gifts to Austin. There’s nothing she does that I’m not crazy about. She’s a bit of a legend in my mind, and I have more than a bit of a crush on her.”
“I love Moscow Mules, and the best one in Austin is at Contigo. It’s also the best outdoor-eating space you can find!”
Photographs by Kelsey Shaw.
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How Leeann Molinari and Alyson Fox Work Together—Long-Distance
These lockets have their roots in Portland and Austin.
Leeann Molinari and Alyson Fox have been designing and making intricately patterned lockets together for more than two years now—despite the fact that Leeann lives in Portland, Oregon, and Alyson in Austin, Texas. So, how do the long-distance collaborators get stuff done? “We e-mail a lot,” says Alyson. Here’s a look at their 2,000-miles-apart process. —raquel laneri
Alyson:“I start by drawing with markers, and then I’ll use watercolors. Whatever I’m liking, I’ll scan on the computer and start to play with, repeating patterns, to see if it works for me. Leeann kind of gets the best of what I’m working on—like if I’m working on a wallpaper pattern or maybe thinking about something for a scarf, she’ll get some of that. If I’m working on a drawing, she’ll get some of that. [Ed: More on some of Alyson’s other work here.]”
Alyson: “I then e-mail Leeann a variety of designs to choose from: something that’s a little pared-down, almost symbol-like, and then an all-over pattern. It’s great because she never says, ‘I want a pattern that has yellow in it.’ She just says, ‘Let’s get some new stuff.’”
Leeann: “It’s absolutely a gut feeling—I usually go by what I love. Now I’ve kind of honed in on what people really respond to: a lot of colors, a lot of shapes and patterns, and a geometric theme. But it’s all kind of a gut thing.”
Leeann: “I then do the image-transfer onto the lockets. It’s a multi-step process, really intricate, and I use colored resins that can be really tricky and temperamental. It was a lot of trial and error. I get people e-mailing me, trying to get me to explain the process. I’m pretty protective of that part of it—it’s top-secret!”
Leeann: “This is going to make it sound like it’s really easy, but it takes me probably 10 minutes to finish a locket. I mean, I’ve made so many of these—I’m so fast by now.”
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Verabel + Fox
Verabel + Fox designers Leeann Molinari (left) and Alyson Fox have been collaborating since 2007. But they’ve only hung out in-person once. Like, ever. It all started when Leeann, an art-school dropout who had just opened her own clothing store in Portland, Oregon, emailed Alyson and asked the Austin, Texas-based illustrator and graphic and textile designer if she would draw a logo for her new shop. “Leeann was just so sweet and so gracious and so understanding of the process,” says Alyson. “And ever since, we talked about what other collaborations we could do.”
A few years later, the ideal second undertaking came along: Leann stumbled upon a trove of thousands of old lockets online, and she scooped up the whole lot, embellishing them with patterns and illustrations—and selling them like hotcakes from an Etsy shop that became so popular she closed her brick-and-mortar storefront. After about a year, she brought Alyson into the necklace mix, forging an easy partnership where Alyson designs the patterns and Leeann crafts the jewelry—you know, whenever they feel like it. “It’s totally like, ‘Hey, I’m kind of tired of looking at the ones that are up there, let’s do new ones,’” says Alyson. As far as other collaborations go, the duo is looking to move into T-shirts next. “But I’m hoping that people love the lockets for a long time to come,” says Leeann. “Because I have a lot of them.” —raquel laneri
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Weather Vain: Austin, Texas - 91 and Partly Cloudy
Last Monday, we were in Austin. This Monday, we’re not. Instead of getting bummed about it, we’re taking a vacation in our minds. And here’s what we’re packing. —erica
Clockwise from top left:
+ An Apiece Apart top that’s anything but clingy—essential in this heat.
+ A Shashi bracelet as thoughtfully composed as the dishes as Uchi.
+ The sort of Sophie Monet necklace that’s just asking for some sunset sangria at Hotel San Jose.
+ A Jerome Dreyfuss bag—scored at Kick Pleat, perhaps?
+ A light-as-air Etoile Isabel Marant skirt that vibes with the global flyness at JM Drygoods.
+ Leather-trimmed aviators—Linda Farrow for The Row—ideal for exploring East Austin.
+ The sort of Marais USA sandals itching to be broken in anticipation of the steamy months ahead.
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A Rough-and-Tumble Canoe Playlist
Bring on the Waylon Jennings and the Merle Haggard.
Willie! And friends!
Is there a musical genre that sounds more badass (and pure awesome) than “outlaw country?” Because that’s what inspires Natalie Davis and her line of handcrafted leather goods, Canoe. Below, a dozen songs—many by artists who live around her neck-of-the-woods, Austin, Texas—that get Natalie going. Listen to the whole shebang on Spotify! —meghana gandhi
“Mother Blues” by Ray Wiley Hubbard
“‘The days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, those are really good days’—this is my mantra for 2013.”
“Just Breathe” by Willie Nelson
“Cover of a Pearl Jam song—and a beautiful rendition. Willie is the patron saint of Austin and a living legend. Last year, I saw him perform for the first time in Canyon Lake with my mom and my husband, and it was truly amazing.”
“Born to Be Loved” by Lucinda Williams
“Lucinda’s songwriting is really poignant and raw, and her voice is slightly rough and beautiful.”
“If I Needed You” by Townes Van Zandt
“My husband and his mom danced to this at our wedding, and it was really touching.”
“Bowspirit” by Balmorhea
“I listen to the Austin-based band Balmorhea when I am writing or thinking through tough problems.”
“Waltz” by Mother Falcon
“Another Austin-based group—an ensemble orchestral band with amazing energy that’s so fun to see live.”
“Dancing Barefoot” by Patti Smith
“Thanks to my roommate from freshman year of college, I was indoctrinated with Patti Smith daily. I am so thankful for that. She is always in the back of my mind while I am designing—what would Patti Smith do?”
“Good Hearted Woman” by Waylon Jennings
“This song embodies the classic country theme of sacrificing for love. I love the live version with Willie Nelson singing with Waylon.”
“My First Gun” by Crooks
“This is an Austin-based band that I’ve gotten to see perform in some classic honky-tonks around town. The first time I met the frontman was at the farmers’ market, and I thought, ‘This guy must be in a country band.’”
“Clementine” by Sarah Jaffe
“I listen to this on repeat and find myself humming this song while tooling leather.”
“Emmylou” by First Aid Kit
“These girls have my heart. They’re Swedish folk singers who really capture the spirit of the Southwest. Their songs get stuck in my head for days at a time.”
“I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink” by Merle Haggard
“When I’m having one of those days where nothing is going right, I put this song on. You can’t help but tap your foot and sing along.”
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Inside Natalie Davis’s Studio…and Butcher Shop
Yes, for reals.
Recently, the Austin-based designer Natalie Davis moved into a new 300-square-foot studio space—HQ for her unfussy leather-good line Canoe—and she and her husband Ben opened a butcher shop, Salt and Time. But wait, there’s more: Jay Colombo, the architect who designed the meat haven, works for the same firm that did the studio complex, and the spaces have common elements (like polished concrete floors and expansive white walls). Not surprisingly, Natalie’s channeling similar vibes for both spaces: clean, natural, and vintage-inspired. —meghana gandhi
The Inspo: Georgia O’Keeffe and Ghost Ranch
Georgia O’Keeffe’s studio at Ghost Ranch.
Sleek, minimalist stools at the butcher shop.
“Georgia O’Keeffe is a total idol of mine. The way she lived her life and set up Ghost Ranch and her studio are so inspiring because they were so pared down; only the things she needed were there. I still joke with Ben that in my head the butcher shop is Georgia O’Keeffe’s butcher shop—I think she really celebrated where she was living. Part of the butcher shop is this nod to Texas—this idea of it as the West, the range, the cattle. I’m on the prowl for skull heads (lamb, goat, and chicken) to fill up some of the shop’s big white walls—an utterly bizarro mission—and I’m going out with a photographer friend to photograph some cattle on a ranch outside of Austin.”
The Inspo: Tools and Techniques
A damn cool tool wall, for inspiration!
Natalie’s collection of tools.
“One of the overall things for the studio is creating a utilitarian space, where the tools are really the décor in a way. My blog is called Tool and Tack, and I’m obsessed with getting the right tool for the job and building this collection of tools. As for the shop, there are three giant windows straight into the cutting room so that customers can watch the butchers work. There’s total transparency to build trust with our customers.”
The Inspo: Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose
A super-slick idea for the studio! 
Vintage meat case at the butcher shop.
“I’m waiting for the antique event Round Top to look for the kinds of pieces that have a lot of history to them—the older pieces that have been through multiple lives, like vintage leather tools, old barn wood—that I can re-purpose to make a showroom wall and inspiration board. In the butcher shop, we have a lot of older equipment that we’re waiting to install—equipment that has a story to it. When you’re in this business, you’re standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Score Natalie’s amazing edition: an envelope-style wallet made-by-hand in Austin!
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Canoe
In graduate school, Natalie Davis wrote her thesis on the storytelling power of patterns. “When you look at patterns, you focus on shape, color, etc.,” she explains. “But all of those choices have meaning.”
These considerations have always been significant to Natalie’s work: She is a graphic designer by training and launched her first venture, a home goods line called Miss Natalie, in 2007, inspired by handkerchiefs that her grandfather and father carried. After moving to Austin with her husband in 2009, Natalie began experimenting with leather, working from the couple’s new digs overlooking a lake. The outcome: a new brand suited to her new environment. “Canoe had this rustic quality to it, but it also had this timelessness,” she says. “When I think about canoes, I think about the time I spent on the water, the calm and peace.”
Natalie’s handmade leather pieces—bags, jewelry, wallets, and keychains—evoke this sense of serenity. They’re simple and straightforward, but they still make the most of her pattern-obsessed background, working in elements drawn from the mosaics she saw during her Catholic school days, Arabic textiles, and, no surprise, the Western boots that speak to her new surroundings. —meghana gandhi
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Alyson Fox’s Book of Portraiture
The jewelry designer-slash-photographer makes a case for seeing red.
It could have been a cheesy idea: The Austin-based jewelry designer and overall creative powerhouse wanted to shoot a series of portraits of women wearing red lipstick. But the first 20 thoughtful, subtle, and intimate photographs quickly sold her (and her husband, who told her she was onto something) and eventually led to a book deal from Chronicle Books—the results of which, A Shade of Red, came out last September. Here, a look at the process and some of the images that have made the biggest impression on Alyson.
“I photographed three of my friends [including Amanda, pictured above] just to see what it was going to be like. From there, it spread like wildfire. My friends would get me in touch with their friends, or their grandmas or aunts, and they would lead me to more people. I started this project to become a better photographer. I hadn’t done portraits that much, and most of these women never had their portraits taken. I had a little rule that I didn’t spend longer than an hour and fifteen minutes with every woman.”
“I photographed a hundred and thirty women, and a hundred are in the book. My very favorite is Joy. I think I’m mostly drawn to older women’s portraits in general because there are so many stories to them. You can make an older woman look interesting without even having to try, because they just look so awesome.”
“After the first dozen or so, I really got to thinking about the connotations of lipstick—the way we view identity. That’s where the book took shape. I got a little worried that maybe the book wouldn’t be that interesting. I really wanted just the women’s first names. I wanted it to be pretty mysterious for people. This is Ruby. You can’t tell if she’s about to squeeze that fake bird or not. And that look of hers—it’s silly.”
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Palomarie
As a sixth grader in Austin, Texas, Katia Davidson received a necklace as a gift, and she didn’t like it. So, she dug out her dad’s pliers and rearranged the bead and the chain. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making things for myself to wear because I used to be so picky,” says the designer, a self-described tomboy. “I had a very specific style of what I wanted in my head, and I couldn’t find anything that really fit.”
Katia’s penchant for tinkering and her aesthetics inclinations led her to study architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. There, she honed her metalworking skills and spent time on construction sites, familiarizing herself with basic welding techniques. But working on building projects was frustrating for her. “You spend years on a single project. Most of that time is drafting,” she explains. So, once more, she reached for the pliers: After her workday was through, she began hammering, soldering, and casting brass into simple necklaces and rings, adorned with pyrite and resin. Last February, she officially unveiled her work as a line, Palomarie—the name comes from her mother’s and her own middle names, Paloma and Marie.
Though her path from architecture to jewelry seems natural, Katia admits that there once was a time when the idea of her making necklaces would have been laughable. “It was hard enough to get me to wear the girls’ uniform to school,” she jokes. “I think I just wanted to dress like my brothers —their friends in school would always say hi to me because I had the same pair of black Jordans that all the older boys wore—at least in my head I thought that was the reason!” —blythe sheldon
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Alumni News: Alyson Fox Does the Dishes
Sure, Alyson Fox makes some of the most fun necklaces out there (see!), but the Austin, Texas, creative is also a photographer, an interior designer, and an illustrator. Hell, she has her own line of dishes, the product of a two-year-long collaboration with the rad housewares brand Ink Dish. The Tug set (second pic) is for sale now, but you’ll have to wait ‘til August to land the stunning geometric White Noise motif (up top). Alyson claims those plates and serving bowls are not meant to “compete with the food.” Whether they’ll outshine everything else on your table is another story. —jiayi
