CultureMap Social

Hip Austin crowd soaks up sun and local sounds at CultureMap Social

CultureMap Social

Hip Austin crowd soaks up sun and local sounds at CultureMap Social

Camille Hodgins, Claire Levo.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Lindsey Allen, Kaylee Edgecombe.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Guests were given the opportunity to vote for their favorite local music non-profit. Nominees were Austin Music Foundation, Austin Music People, Black Fret, Dub Academy, and Kids in a New Groove.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Cheyanne Doerr, Brooke Ballew, Heather Wagner.Photo by Shelley Neuman
The first stop of the evening? Swag.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Julian Costa, Jackie Nelson.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Guests take a photo with a selfie stick in The W Hotel pool.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Fine and Folded owners, Suzanne McGinnis and Carmen Sutherland.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Guests could also enjoy complimentary massages, courtesy of AWAY Spa.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Nancy Rodill, Adrienne Blau.Photo by Shelley Neuman
Cadillac presents the quarterly happy hour series.Photo by Shelley Neuman

More than 200 hip Austinites kicked off summer in style at the second CultureMap Social of the year. Guests mixed and mingled on the WET Deck at W Austin during an evening that was all about the music.

Attendees were greeted with swag bags stuffed with CultureMap-approved goodies perfect for the long summer months ahead. Bags included Criquet Shirts, Fine & Folded fans, Kendra Scott jewels, gift cards from beGlammed and Birds Barbershop, and pants from Lounge County.

Fab activities kept attendees busy while they grooved tomusic from Keeper and a party playlist curated by DJ BoomBaptist.

Guests belted it out in the Smilebooth Recording Studio presented by Cadillac — a hot spot for karaoke fans throughout the night. BeGlammed offered summer makeovers with a rock star twist, and giant games (think Connect Four, Jenga) added some friendly competition to the evening.

There was plenty of relaxing, too. AWAY Spa offered mini massages to help beat the Monday blues, and guests reclined in plush cabana seats with summer drinks in hand. Sips included handcrafted Tito’s Vodka Mojitos, Austin Beerworks brews and Tiamo Prosseco. Light bites were provided by TRACE.

At the heart of CultureMap Social were five local organizations that are keeping Austin's music tradition alive: Austin Music Foundation, Austin Music People, Black Fret, Dub Academy and Kids in a New Groove. In between beats, attendees voted for their favorite group; youth music mentorship organization, Kids in a New Groove, walked away with a $5,000 CultureMap advertising package.

As the sun set on the outdoor fun, social attendees moved the party to TRACE for discounted dinner.

Spotted at CultureMap Social: Lindsey Allen, Kaylee Edgecombe, Camille Hodgins, Claire Levo, Lorenzo Villarreal, Avi Minkoff, Austin Cashell, Kym Good, Shaady Ghadessy, Mariam Parker, Erin Jantzen, Yadira Brown and Lani Thompson.

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The Long Run

Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas gets engaged on Austin staycation

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.

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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.

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