T&A Town

Say hello to Bikinis, Texas: Proud "breastaurant" empire expanding into citygovernance

She works hard for the money, so you better treat her right.
Look, a perfect triangle.
CEO Doug Guller (center) gets his Bikinis area covered by his Director ofOperations Chris George and Franchise Sales Operator Kevin Pearson.

Y'all. I don't even know how to write this. My brain and eyes are literally melting right now.

Doug Guller, CEO of ATX Brands, LLC — the company that owns The Parish, Pelóns and Beale Street Tavern — announced Tuesday that he has purchased an abandoned Hill Country town and named it after the company that made him his first million: Bikinis.

Bikinis, Texas, is a real thing. That you will soon be able to visit.

“Bikinis, Texas will be a world-class destination, and I am thrilled to expand the Bikinis brand to include town ownership,” says Guller. “There could not be a better way to put Bikinis on the map…literally.”

The town, an abandoned railroad stop once known as Bankersmith, Texas, is located 10 miles south of Fredericksburg and six miles southwest of Luckenbach, forming an amazingly perfect (bikini) triangle south of Austin. There are currently a lot of trees and hills and that's about it.

Bankersmith went on sale on Craigslist, and the entrepreneurial Guller seized this unique opportunity to become the proud owner of his very own municipality. Which he will promptly turn into a Hill Country party destination. (Where else have the good people of Luckenbach been going for their Tuesday Night Wings-and-Boobs?)

Whatever your moral objections to the Bikinis franchise and its unapologetic perpetuation of the objectification of women as consumable body parts, there is no denying that the rest of the Great State of Texas has embraced Guller's "breastaurant" concept with hungry eyes and bellies.

In five years, the franchise has added nine additional locations throughout Texas, as well as Oklahoma City, OK and Charlotte, NC. And by 2017, Guller expects to have over 50 locations throughout the United States.

Now, the unincorporated City of Bikinis — a literal city of bikinis, y'all — is intended to become a destination spot for annual parties, festivals and events. “Bikinis, Texas will be a world-class destination, and I am thrilled to expand the Bikinis brand to include town ownership,” says Guller. “There could not be a better way to put Bikinis on the map…literally.”

No word yet on who will become the mayor of this proud swimsuit-themed city. Perhaps it will be determined by a wet t-shirt contest? I, for one, cannot contain my excitement to learn of the mayor's political stances and measurements.

All jokes aside, it will be fascinating to see how quickly the straight men of Texas flock to Bikinis once Guller opens the doors. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the bikini-clad women who will be working for amazing tips in this literal land of objectification.

I still can't wrap my mind around it, y'all. This is real life in Texas.

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SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts