In Bloom

Austin partygoers in full bloom during Umlauf's colorful garden party

Jason Rogers, Danielle Harkness, Carly Castillo, Taylor Bowman.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Bites by Julie Myrtille.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Alison Edwards, Ali Reyna, Ragan Melton, Frances Thompson.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Bites by Elm Restaurant Group.Photo by Shelley Neuman
JoAnn Sciarrino and Dr. Fredrick Schmid.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Mila Sarahjane Dailey performs.Photo by Shelley Neuman
The Umlauf Sculpture Garden.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Meringue bites by Fluff Meringues and More.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Lamar Sanchez and Jed Sanchez.Photo by Shelley Neuman
BBQ Shrimp & Grits by Moonshine.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Patrick Johnson and Cortney Johnson.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Katy Gelhausen, Allie Wester, Liz Novak, Kristen Hubby.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Desserts by Julie Myrtille.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Ryan Ambrose, Katherine Bible, Lauren Schuyler.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Karin Richmond and Mila Sarahjane Dailey.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Eighteen different local restaurants provided bites for guests.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Sarah Story and Laura Coaxun.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Elicia Michaud and Courtney Bishop.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Megan Bedford and Lisa Munoz.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Whitney Zennadi and Brooke Hester.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Rachel Holtin and Ashley Jennings.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Felicia Pena, Audrey Garcia, Margarita Sevilla, Tamara Jones, Cat Duong.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Panoramic Voices performs for guests.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Gordon Moore and A.J. Bingham.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Isaiah Quiroz and Samantha Quiroz.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Joel Nolan and Martha Gonzalez.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Jerome Long, Janeen Long, William Jackson, Sarah Saxon.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Ally Smith, Carter Sackman, Laura Arnold, Hayley Cole.Photo by Shelley Neuman

What: 21st Annual Garden Party

Where: UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum

The lowdown: Amidst a backdrop of lush greenery and beautiful art, Austinites decked out in their spring best celebrated the season during the 21st annual Garden Party.

Guests enjoyed bites and drinks from 18 local eateries, and performances from a variety of Austin-based entertainers, including Mila Sarahjane Dailey and Panoramic Voices.

VIPs were treated to an extra hour of delectable dishes, including those from Moonshine Grill, Juliet Italian Kitchen, El Alma, Truluck's, Intero, and Darcy's Donkey. Once the doors officially opened, hundreds of guests ambled from station to station, all while sipping cocktails and wine pairings from Twin Liquors and mingling with fellow garden partygoers.

Like in past years, the outfits were as dazzling as the gardens themselves, with some guests donning hats worthy of the Kentucky Derby, while still others dressed in steampunk-inspired garb.

As the night played on, so did the the music, and attendees to the Umlauf's beloved Garden Party toasted to another fabulous year.

Who: Jason Rogers, Danielle Harkness, Carly Castillo, Taylor Bowman, Alison Edwards, Isaiah Quiroz and Samantha Quiroz, Ali Reyna, Ragan Melton, Frances Thompson, Lamar Sanchez and Jed Sanchez, Patrick Johnson and Cortney Johnson, Katy Gelhausen, Allie Wester, Liz Novak, and Kristen Hubby.

Gabby Thomas and Spencer McManes are now engaged. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Five-time Olympic medalist and social media powerhouse Gabby Thomas is sporting some new metal — an engagement ring from luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co.

Vogue magazine reported March 25 that Gabby's longtime boyfriend, Spencer McManes, 29, recently popped the question on the rooftop of a staycation rental in Travis Heights. The 28-year-old Thomas accepted the proposal. Thomas and McManes live together in Austin with their dog, Rico Thee Pug.

See on Instagram

The couple started dating in 2022, one year after she stumbled upon his pizza reviews on Instragram. “I’m a huge fan of pizza myself,” she tells Vogue. “I was like, ‘This looks like really good quality content.’”

Impressed by his pizza prowess, Thomas followed McManes on Instagram.

“I got the notification that I had a new follower. I was like, ‘That’s crazy! Gabby Thomas?’” he tells Vogue. “I immediately DM’d her and asked, ‘What did I do to earn a follow?’”

It wasn’t long before that Instagram follow led to love.

Four years after that initial Instagram encounter, Thomas’s best friend and a photographer witnessed the surprise proposal in a setting that overflowed with fresh flowers. “Oh my gosh, this is happening,” Thomas recalls thinking.

“Normally he’s very bad with surprises — and this was the one surprise I think I’ve ever witnessed him keep,” she tells Vogue.

Thomas, a world-class sprinter, earned three gold medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and one bronze medal and one silver medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Thomas has spun her golden success on the track into sponsorship deals with footwear and apparel brand New Balance, Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava, and smartwatch brand Amazfit.

Thomas earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology and global health from Harvard University and a master’s degree in epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Thomas and McManes get along despite the fact that he’s an alumnus of Yale University, an Ivy League archrival of Harvard.

McManes founded an Austin-based non-alcoholic seltzer brand called Kaviva. A former Yale football player, McManes competes for the Austin Huns Rugby Football Club, according to TMZ.

Right now, the newly engaged Thomas has little time to celebrate or plan her impending marriage. She kicks off her 2025 track-and-field season this weekend at the Texas Relays in Austin — where she may or may not be flashing her new bling.

celebrities olympics engagement

In Bloom

Austin partygoers in full bloom during Umlauf's colorful garden party

In Bloom

Austin partygoers in full bloom during Umlauf's colorful garden party

The Long Run

Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas gets engaged on Austin staycation

The Long Run

Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas gets engaged on Austin staycation