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With her newly opened boutique, Found, Stacey Smith brings designer labels to downtown Austin.

Retail theRapyPSYCHOTHERAPIST-TURNED-ENTREPRENEUR STACEY SMITH FINDS HER TRUE CALLING WITH HER NEW BOUTIQUE, FOUND. by jane kellogg murray

Behind a bright magenta door, beyond racks

of contemporary designer labels, past a wine

fridge full of Champagne, and up a f light of

wild leopard-print stairs lies Stacey Smith’s

overf lowing stockroom. Surveying it, she

says, “Y’all, I may have overdone it!”

Overbuying was one of the few self-

proclaimed “rookie mistakes” this Southern-

belle entrepreneur made in the excitement

of opening her new boutique, Found—housed

in a renovated bungalow in downtown

Austin. But based on the success the newly

opened shop has had in its first few months of

operation, the miscalculations end there.

continued on page 28

AUSTINWAY.com  27

STYLE Arbiter of Taste

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) “HeatHer Scott Home & deSign completely underStood me— lucite, molding,

cHandelierS, Zebra Hide!”—stacey smith

However, Smith’s life has

not always been this rosy.

Only a few years ago, she

made her living as a mental

health counselor. “I wanted to

make a huge difference in the

world,” she says. “I [worked

with] women who were

exiting the sex industry, and I

did grief counseling and

incest recovery—real intense

work, ” she says. But Smith

soon found that being a

counselor was more stressful

than she originally thought it

would be. After only a year

and a half, the side effects of

such a career became too

much. “I didn’t have strong

boundaries,” she says. “To be

a counselor, you need to be

able to turn off your light at

the end of the day and not

think about the job anymore.

But instead, [other people’s

problems were] overtaking

me. I became depressed. I

had too much empathy for the

women I worked with.”

After giving up her dream

of being a therapist, Smith, 31,

decided to return to her

previous career in retail,

opening an Austin outpost of

the Dallas-based shop The

Impeccable Pig, a company

for which she’d worked for

more than a decade. It was

then that Smith fell in love

with Austin and the idea of

one day opening her own

shop here. “It’s just such an

accepting and supportive

city,” she says. “This was the

perfect place for me.”

She set the wheels in

motion for her own boutique

in the summer of 2012, when

she purchased an abandoned

home on the corner of Fifth

Street and Oakland Avenue.

She enlisted architects

Clayton & Little (whose past

projects include Jeffrey’s,

Josephine House, and Clark’s

Oyster Bar) to redo the

exterior, and tapped Heather

Scott Home & Design to

create the store’s décor, which

Smith describes as “Marie

Antoinette gets tired of

Versailles, finds herself in the

Serengeti, and then ends up at

Studio 54.” She says,

“Heather Scott Home &

Design completely under-

stood me—Lucite, molding,

chandeliers, zebra hide!”

The interior design and

location proved strong lures

for customers, but it is the

coveted labels—Milly, Nanette

Lepore, Zac Posen, which are

hard to find in Austin—that

really bring in the crowds.

“You’re going to think I’m

crazy,” Smith says, “but I don’t

like shopping. It was definitely

a source of anxiety for me—as

it is for a lot of women.” Then,

with a glint in her eye, she

adds, “Trying to find

something that works for

every woman who walks in

here, something they can go

out in the world and feel

confident in—that is my

favorite part.” 501 oakland

ave., 512-322-9494; found

austin.com AW

Found was designed to reflect owner Stacey Smith’s style. right, from top:

By ringing a doorbell, shoppers may have Champagne delivered to them in the fitting room; the downtown boutique

offers a host of high-end brands.

28  AUSTINWAY.com

STYLE Arbiter of Taste

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Incubation Artthe biennial Cohen new works festival returns to ut this spring.

Launched in 2001 to cultivate student art, the Cohen New Works

Festival will take place at the University of Texas for five days this

April, showcasing 38 works across all artistic genres. Named for

David Mark Cohen, former head of playwriting at UT and a

staunch promoter of student work before passing away in 1997, the

“New Play Festival”—as it was originally called—was devised to cel-

ebrate young artists’ work in architecture, design, dance, film,

music, theater, and visual arts. Presented by Broadway Bank and

run by UT students and graduates, this largest collegiate festival of

its kind features projects that include a collaborative live radio per-

formance, an installation of artifacts illustrating North Korean

propaganda, an interactive photo installation called “I Am My

Selfie,” and a coming-of-age opera, among many other works.

April 13–17, F. Loren Winship Drama Building, corner of E. 23rd St.

and San Jacinto Blvd. on UT campus; newworksfestival.org

must see

for charity

around town

Austin’s beloved Fuse-

box Festival, which

marks its 11th anniver-

sary this year, explores

unique contemporary art

across all mediums, with

events at multiple

locations around the city.

With Fusebox as a

platform for diverse

work that pushes the

boundaries of traditional

art, its annual multitrack

festival aims to spark

discussion among

artists, advance the

contemporary art

movement, educate

through panel

discussions and

workshops, support

artists, and foster

creative partnerships.

April 1–12, various

locations, 512-800-3066;

fuseboxfestival.com

The “Action Hero Act” at Fusebox in 2014.

Just a few weeks after his late-night talk show moves to the Long Center for SXSW, Jimmy Kimmel returns to Austin

for Mack, Jack, & McConaughey.

The Cohen New Works Festival is

run and organized by students. Set

designer Lisa Laratta’s Ashes,

Ashes (shown here)was featured at the

2007 festival.

Jimmy Kimmel Joins the macK, JacK & mcconaughey trio for its third annual benefit.

Good things come in threes for Mack, Jack &

McConaughey. The third annual fundraiser—a

collaboration between actor Matthew McConaughey,

country singer Jack Ingram, and ESPN analyst and

former UT football coach Mack Brown—has invited

late-night talk show comedian Jimmy Kimmel to the

stage before a Jack & Friends concert on Friday,

April 17, at ACL Live. The concert will cap a two-

day event that starts with a gala and live auction on

Thursday evening. On Friday morning the trio heads

out on a celebrity golf tournament, while spouses

Camila Alves, Amy Ingram, and Sally Brown host de-

signer Michelle Smith for a Milly fashion show at the

W Austin in conjunction with Neiman Marcus.

“Sally and I are looking forward to another stellar

event,” Brown says. “It’s great that we can shine the

light on these worthy children’s organizations.”

Benefciaries include The Rise School of Austin,

McConaughey’s Just Keep Livin Foundation, Heart-

Gift, CureDuchenne, and Dell Children’s Hospital.

mackjackmcconaughey.org

Here’s JimmyMixed

Media

a tony-winning play comes to the Zach.// from broadway // ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENTA pivotal year—November 1963 to

November 1964—is covered in three

hours in Robert Schenkkan’s political

drama, All the Way, about President

Lyndon B. Johnson’s efforts to pass

the 1964 Civil Rights Act in the wake

of JFK’s assassination. A UT graduate

who won the Pulitzer Prize for The

Kentucky Cycle, Schenkkan writes a

brilliant account of “the accidental

president.” The drama earned a Tony

Award last year for Best Play when it

debuted on Broadway with Bryan

Cranston. Dave Steakley is directing

the Austin production. April 8–May

10, Topfer Theatre at the Zach Theatre,

202 South Lamar Blvd., 512-476-

0541; zachtheatre.org

44 AUSTINWAY.COM

CULTURE Spotlight

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Paul Qui and Deana Saukam are accustomed to life in the fast lane. Including East Side King, Qui’s chain of Asian street food-inspired trucks, and his eponymous fine-dining establishment, the two Austinites have opened five eateries in just three years, and their popular Austin empire is still growing. Upcoming plans include a brick-and-mortar East Side King Thai Kun at The Domain, a new restaurant con-cept at South Congress Hotel, and pop-up restaurants around the world, including an East Side King in Singapore opening this April.

As they continue to expand, the media devour their every move. Qui—who is a Top Chef champion, James Beard Award winner, and Esquire’s 2014 Chef of the Year —has done much to put Austin on the culinary map. But if there is a single person who has helped him do so, it’s Saukam. Currently serving as the restaurant group’s PR, media, and events director, she has been with Qui since his days in the kitchen at Uchi, and has provided a delicate balance of love and professional support for the better part of a decade.

We followed the duo through a typical frenzied day on the town, the results of which were a gastronomic marathon—26 courses in all—spanning three food trucks.

[First stop: the modest Las Trancas food truck, where tacos start at $1.50 each.]Paul Qui: This whole part of East Austin is blowing up. We started coming here because it was on the way home from Qui and still open at midnight. No one used to come here, and now look at this lunch rush.[The window attendant calls Qui over to the truck to pick up their order: eight kinds of tacos—carne asada to lengua—the Hawaiiana torta, and a quesadilla trepas cooked extra crispy.]Deana Saukam: What are you doing this afternoon?PQ: I’m doing this thing for Matt Duckor at Epicurious. It’s a story about what chefs will spend their $50 on at a restau-rant-supply place, so I’m going to Ace Mart to buy $50 worth of stuff. DS: Sounds good; just don’t forget to do your Austin Food & Wine Festival thing for me. I need to know by today which two recipes you want to demo. I’m going to head to Qui for a meeting and then jump on a couple of calls to figure things out for our trips to Dallas this weekend and New York next week.[A few hours later, Saukam and Qui merge at East Side King Thai Kun. The food truck—a collaboration between Qui, Thai Changthong, and Motoyasu Utsunomiya–relocated in early 2015 to East Austin cocktail haven Whisler’s. The duo orders one of everything on the menu.]

from above: Paul Qui and Deana Saukam meet for lunch at Las Trancas, a

humble East Austin food truck they’ve been going to regularly since they opened Qui; for dinner the two head to Patrizi’s, a food truck that

displays the work of local artists and where nearly every dish is made from

scratch daily.

Qui to the CityFoodies PAUL QUI ANd DEANA SAUKAM tAke A

whirlwiNd tour oF their selectioNs oF

the best Food trucks iN towN.

By JANE KELLOGG MURRAy

74  AUSTINWAY.com

taste On the town

INSIGHT

East sidE King thai

Kun: 1816 E. Sixth St.,

512-480-0781; esk

austin.com; whislersatx.com

Las trancas:

1210 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Patrizi’s: 2307 Manor

Road, 512-522-4834;

patrizis.com

Qui: 1600 E. Sixth St.,

512-436-9626;

quiaustin.com

clockwise from left: Qui is set to demo a recipe at the Austin Food & Wine

Festival in April; Saukam is currently filming a pitch reel for a reality TV

series with director Christian Remde; they pair their East Side King orders

with shots of mezcal from Whisler’s and its Eastside Queen cocktail, which the

bar named in Saukam’s honor.

“ThiS wholE paRT of EaST auSTin iS blowing up.... no onE uSEd To CoME hERE,

and now look aT ThiS lunCh RuSh.”—paul qui

ds: People don’t think I can eat as much as I say I do, but

I’m not making it up!

PQ: Usually if I order from Thai Kun to go, I get two orders

of khao man gai and two orders of chicken fat rice for

myself. But I really need five orders of rice to get through

it—it’s hot, even for me.

[Saukam picks up a tray of some of their orders including the beef panang curry and the day’s special, issan sausage—grilled, fermented pork sausage served with cold raw cabbage, mixed herbs, fresh ginger, and raw fresh Thai chile.]ds: It burns! This one is my favorite—I like the back burn.

PQ: Eat the sausage with a raw piece of basil and cabbage,

and then a bite of chile. The reason why we started putting a

fried egg on things like the panang is, one, because it’s

traditional, but two, it cools down the curry.

[after an informal meeting with the staff, they head to patrizi’s for dinner. Co-owner nic patrizi greets them outside his namesake food truck, which opened last year in homage to his family’s 50-year-old legendary italian restaurant of the same name in beaumont.]ds: I’m so excited to try your food—we’ve never been here,

but we’re already big fans. I signed up for your monthly

dinners, but I had to cancel because our schedule changed.

What you guys are doing here is so awesome.

[a waiter brings out the dishes. fresh homemade pasta is cooked to order; the carbonara alexandra is made with coddled egg, bacon, onions, and grana.] nic Patrizi: We cook the pasta for about 20 seconds. We do

almost everything from scratch—we make the ricotta in-house

daily; we infuse our own oils with garden herbs from the back.

How are the salt levels in the carbonara?

PQ: Perfect.

ds: It’s so good—it’s my favorite dish tonight, actually. It’s hard

to find good homemade pasta in Texas.

[Satiated, the two return to Qui, a $2 million project nearing its two-year anniversary in June. The chef repairs a broken ice machine while Saukam unwinds at the bar with friends over a bottle of Jansz sparkling brut rosé.]ds: I feel like we’re babies, trying to learn from everyone

we meet, because it happened so fast for us. But I’ve always

felt like Paul is a culinary genius. He’s got a gift. If there’s

anything I can do to help him use it, then I’ll do it. AW

AUSTINWAY.com  75

2

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// BUZZWORTHY //

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NEW MICRO-RESTAURANT COUNTER 3 FIVE VII opens this month. The intimate eatery offers 26 seats, all at a counter

around the kitchen area, with an upscale selection of three-, fi ve-, and seven-course meals. “We max out at [around]

72 covers per night—that’s nice as a chef,” says partner Lawrence Kocurek, formerly executive chef of Trace at the

W Austin. “We don’t have service staff in the traditional sense; we spend time with the guests to explain the food.” The

daily-rotating menu also incorporates microgreens grown in-house. 315 Congress Ave., Ste. 100; counter3fi vevii.com

Power PlayersTHE TEAM THAT RESTORED THE DRISKILL AND

BROUGHT CONGRESS TO DOWNTOWN PREPARES

TO OPEN BOILER NINE BAR + GRILL IN THE

SEAHOLM POWER PLANT.

Long a magnet for the majority of the city’s tower cranes, the

historic Seaholm Power Plant’s restoration and redevelop-

ment is nearing the finish line for its Boiler Nine Bar + Grill.

On track to open in May, the 11,000-square-foot space will

comprise three parts: the basement-level Boiler Room bar,

ground-level Boiler Nine restaurant, and rooftop “cocktail

garden” Deck Nine, which “has the feel of a beer garden but

with a more developed cocktail program,” says Jeff Trigger,

president of La Corsha Hospitality Group, the organization set

to run the new establishment.

Executive Chef Jason Stude has been developing all three

menus with mentor and partner David Bull. “We’re incorpo-

rating concepts from the power plant into our menu items,”

Stude says. The kitchen will focus on wood-fired grilling—a

tribute to the Power Plant’s long-dormant smokestacks.

La Corsha is also working on opening a second location of

Second Bar + Kitchen at The Archer, a 171-room luxury hotel

projected to open across from Whole Foods at The Domain in

late Summer 2016. Once that project is complete, Trigger says

the company will begin developing a new boutique hotel on

East Sixth Street. 800 Cesar Chavez St., 512-827-2764;

boilernine.com

EATING WITH THE CHEF

sneak peek

drink up

Pleasant Storage Room is

gone, but fans of its rum

drinks and island menu

can take heart: The

group behind Péché has

taken over the space and

is going with a similar

concept with Isla, which

opens in March. “The

drinks are meant to

capture the lively spirit of

rum,” says Trey Jenkins,

general manager, who is

curating the bar program

to complement the island

menu by Executive Chef

John Lichtenberger. The

bar puts a personalized

spin on classic tiki

recipes, incorporating

house-made ingredients

such as spiced rum and

blue curaçao. “We’re firm

believers that if you have

a rum drink in your hand,

it should be both fresh

and fun.” 208 W. Fourth

St., Unit C; islaaustin.com

Isla’s aged-rum Ankle Roller and Captain Kidd cocktails,

and the light-rum Blue Hawaii.

RUM

DIARIES

Executive Chef Jason Stude sought inspiration

from the power plant’s smokestacks for his menu at Boiler Nine.

GRAPE EXPECTATIONSThis spring The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas

toasts to 30 years of its black-tie Rare & Fine Wine

Auction, which has raised nearly $2 million for local

charities. Benefi ciaries include the Dell Children’s

Medical Center and scholarships and funding for

vineyard research. Winemaker Anne Moller-Racke

will host the weekend’s kick-off party on April 10

at Franklin BBQ. Saturday’s gala features table

service and a spirited live auction as bidders fi ght

over exceptionally rare vintages to add to their

collections. April 11, 5:30 PM, Four Seasons Austin,

98 San Jacinto Blvd.; winefoodfoundation.org

SHOW ME THE HONEYSet on the Pedernales River, the newly opened

Apis Restaurant and Apiary has the Hill Country

buzzing over its world-class comfort food, such as

its hamachi (SHOWN ABOVE). Chef-owner Taylor Hall

culls honey for many of his dishes from the six-acre

property’s 20 beehives. 23526 Hwy. 71 West,

Spicewood, 512-436-8918; apisrestaurant.com

76 AUSTINWAY.COM

TASTE Spotlight

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Time and PlaceA pAnel of reAl estAte experts discusses the city’s skyrocketing Assets, Austin nostAlgiA, And the expAnsion And evolution of centrAl Austin neighborhoods. Produced by jane kellogg murray

The Panel (shown below, from left)

GARY DOLCH, founder and CEO, Austin Luxury

Group, 512-656-5627; garyandmichelle.com

EMILY MORELAND, owner/broker, Moreland

Properties, 512-480-0848; moreland.com

WILL STEAKLEY, cofounder, DEN Property

Group, 512-222-3364; denpg.com

LAURA GOTTESMAN, owner/broker, Gottesman

Residential Real Estate, 512-451-2422;

gottesmanresidential.com

PAT TATE, owner/broker, Tate Property, 512-633-

0151; tateproperty.com

MODERATOR: MARK SPRAGUE, state director

of information capital, Independence Title, 512-

454-4500; independencetitle.com

Mark Sprague: How has Austin

changed since you moved here and have

been in the real estate business?

Emily Moreland: I have seen a fantastic

change in our downtown. It was dirty, it was

vacant, and there were storefronts boarded

up. You felt a sense of despair back in the ’80s

and ’90s. And then we had two mayors who

decided we were going to have a wonderful

downtown, starting with Kirk Watson [now a

state senator]. Developers got on board and

stepped out of their comfort zones to build

these condos, because it had never been done

in Austin. To have a real neighborhood

downtown is exciting.

Pat Tate: I came [to Austin] in 1969, and

Anderson Lane was the end of the world at that

time; Burnet Road was one sign after another,

and Northwest Hills was the new development.

Will Steakley: I find we are having more

diversity in more pockets. We’re creating more

clusters and communities, so you don’t have to

make the drive to downtown. Austin has been

so location-centric, and around downtown was

where the energy was. Now you’re seeing these

little offshoots. Whether it’s The Domain or

the Hill Country Galleria or some parts of the

east side, we’re starting to find these areas that

are coveted. Some [businesses] that were

very successful downtown are now venturing

off to those new markets because there’s

opportunity there.

Where do you see Austin moving—

where are the new places your clients

want to look?

Laura Gottesman: Obviously east. And once we

have the medical school here and Waller Creek is

redone, that’s going to be huge. There’s also a lot

of opportunity north—not super far out, but if you

look at it, there are opportunities to buy that

haven’t hit the stride that the very close-in

neighborhoods have. And areas north of 45th

Street into Northwest Hills, Allandale, near the

Triangle, north Burnet Road—have just become so

vibrant. That has become the new hot place for

restaurants, and it’s very family-oriented. There’s

Economist Mark Sprague (far right) discusses real estate with local experts at the W Austin. above: A unit in the Four Seasons Residences,

one of a handful of luxury condominiums in the highly coveted 78701 zip code downtown. right: The boat dock at this residence on Scenic Drive

offers quick access to the river that runs through downtown Austin.

106  AUSTINWAY.com

haute property Brokers’ roundtable

tremendous opportunity there for the people who want to be close to downtown, who work downtown, and who don’t see Tarrytown, Pemberton, or Old Enfield as options. WS: They have these commercial corridors that run through these neighborhoods that pull the vibrancy from downtown out there—you see it in South Austin, where I live, and now you see it in East Austin. What I see when people come to Austin is they want to buy into that [vibrancy because] it’s convenient to them. And especially the people who are migrating between the West Coast, the East Coast, and Austin—Austin is their in-between path. When they’re here, they want to experience everything Austin has to offer, and that’s why our core has done so well. As Austin grows and we continue to see

appreciation, one concern is that it will

lose its character. Do you think Austin

has changed?

PT: Values are going up so quickly; it would be very hard for a normal young person to buy into this market.LG: [Austin is] growing up, but I believe people in Austin have and will work to preserve it. Things change, and things become more sophisticated, but they’re also very much embraced. WS: There’s an old soul to [Austin], and there’s an old guard who protects it. You see a lot of that in my generation, where we feel like we’re stewards of what Austin was, and we want to protect that. I have a lot of friends who are taking old venues

[like Antone’s] and repurposing them…. Sometimes it’s not financially based; it’s more philanthropic—“Let’s go save this piece of Austin that we don’t want to let go of”—because it is changing rapidly. A lot of people coming to Austin never got to experience what that was before.Gary Dolch: The people here all have to take a vested interest in remembering what old Austin was and push that forward. It takes business and city leaders to smartly plan where we’re going to grow, not restricting it too much, but allowing it to grow at a pace that Austin needs. We’re still a young city. Our city is so much smaller than most in Texas, so we’ve got a unique opportunity to grow it as efficiently as we can and still keep our vibrancy and culture. EM: We’ve had some great leaders [who are] going out and beating the bushes to find new businesses to bring in or to help enhance the businesses that are here, and that shows tremendous belief in what we have. I have to guard myself or else I’ll sound like some sort of rabble-rouser about Austin—and Texas in general—because I feel like so many people don’t understand how great it really is. But that’s what we all feel.PT: Our attitude for Austin, our feeling for Austin, and our love of Austin are contagious. I see that with my real estate clients. They come here and, by the time they leave, they are as in love with this city as I have always been. Watch more from the roundtable discussion at

austinway.com/videos. AW

Austin by

the numbersSprague sums up how downtown’s

economy has appreciated in the

past decade.

• Property values in downtown’s highly coveted 78701 zip code have more than doubled since 2005, from $240 per square foot to $509 in 2014—a 23 percent increase in the past year alone. On average, the entire city has seen an increase in price per square foot, but at a much steadier rate: from $109 in 2005 to $148 in 2014.

• Planning and construction are already underway for more than 50 condominium, apartment, hotel, and office projects downtown. In the next two years, nearly 1,400 condos are expected to be added to the district from just five of those emerg-ing towers—The Bowie (311 Bowie

St., 512-650-2626; liveatbowie.com), Fifth & West (501 West Ave.,

512-872-6616; 5thandwest.com), The Independent (301 West Ave.;

independentaustin.com), Seaholm Residences (801 W. Fifth St., 512-

200-7440; seaholmresidences.com), and an as-yet-unnamed multiuse tower proposed for 70 Rainey Street, site of the Rainey Street Food Court.

• The City of Austin demographics office estimates the population of the 78701 zip code will reach 13,369 this year—making it the fastest growing zip code in Austin, with more than double its population of 6,851 in 2010. The city forecasts the area’s population to hit 29,722 by 2040.

• To offset downtown Austin’s rising housing prices for the city’s young and creative community, nonprofit Foundation Communities is constructing Capital Studios (309 E. 11th St., 512-610-7977;

foundcom.org): a modern building with 135 furnished efficiency studio apartments that will be rented for $400 to $665 per month—utilities included—to single adults earning less than $26,400. At least 5 percent of the units are earmarked for artists and musicians.

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