Ho! Ho! What the..?

Shopping season is in full bloom and I am behind as usual.  I also made a vital discovery this past weekend.  Evidently, the ENTIRE city of Houston and all of the surrounding communities merged onto Westheimer Road where I live.  Starting at 8am on Saturday, the street was backed up and stalled until around 8pm on Sunday.  I can honestly say that I had not seen that kind of traffic in a very long time.

But..(and this is important) I still met some of the nicest shop clerks.  Folks that knew what they had to do and did it with a smile and good disposition.  I hit a number of different retailers and they all made the traffic stress just go away.  Thanks folks.  By the way, there are some absolutely outstanding antique shops and curio shops here.  I had a ball perusing them.  I even walked out with a picture frame the was made from an old cold house (gardening reference).

So have a great holiday folks.  I will be making the 14 hour drive to the plains of Illinois this year and spend Christmas with my two rugrats.  I get to make pralines, snickerdoodles, and flavored chocolates this year.  It is going to be a ball.

There just comes a time...

Here we come a' marchin' towards the holidays.  There are beautiful lights up at the Houston Zoo (I am going again... and again), there are magical elves putting up decorations in the office building, the students are sweating out finals...

Life is just good this time of year.

I am going to make the 14 hour drive up to see my folks and kids in Springfield, IL for the Christmas break.  I plan on making some chocolates for everyone to try and gather a handful of hot sauces for everyone to taste.  I know that I have been writing about all of the wonderful places to go and visit here in the Bayou City, but for me it always comes back to the food.  Always has...

You see, I am definitely NOT a hot sauce person.  Anyone who knows me can attest to that, but my son likes the stuff.  Anyway, in the Galleria shopping mall there is a place called the Pepper Palace that we always have to stop in and try.  So, I bought a pack of samplers for him to try and share with his cousins.  For his sister, I am making some different flavored chocolates. Everything from strawberry, to pomegranate to cayenne pepper.  Once again...food stuffs.

Now... let's just hope it doesn't blizzard during the drive.

New Orleans...

Preservation Hall before the show

Okay, I got to take a little trip last weekend and had the time of my life...

Remember when I told ya'll about one of the biggest benefits of living here in Houston is that there are lots of places to visit within a short drive.  Well, I discovered New Orleans... and boy, did I ever discover it.  It was my first visit and I walked through Bourbon Street for drinks and oysters, Frenchman's Street for some great jazz, Magazine Street for the shops and dining...

Dining in New Orleans is an event onto itself.  I went there with oysters and gumbo on my mind and it did not disappoint.  I could go on and on describing the eats.

More importantly (to me) is the fact that NOLA is a music city.  Much like Nashville (which attracts anyone who wants to be a country/western star), NOLA attracts blues and jazz musicians.  I have to admit that it was a thrill to hear the music coming from everywhere.

Gonna go back...

Outside the bubble...

A long time ago in a far away portion of my memory, I lived in "The North".  In fact, I still have family and friends in "The North".  Now that I live in Houston, I have come to appreciate the those hearty souls that occupy the nether regions north of Dallas.  You may be a bit confused at this attitude of mine but there is one simple reason for it...

...it is cold up there in "The North".

I have recently returned from a trip up there.  A trip where I was being enticed to move back up there.  Sure, the leaves were turning colors and on the surface, it looked wonderful.  The wind was blowing and there was the smell of fall in the air.  Folks were serving wonderfully hearty soups and stews (as is the tradition), a cup of hot apple cider or a hot toddy in my hand.  I pulled out the jackets that were gathering mothballs at my apartment in Houston.  I was sporting a fashionable sweater... it was all looking and feeling good.  I will admit that I went to bed that evening feeling really good about a return.

Then it happened...

I awoke the next morning and went for my walk.  It was 25 degrees and the wind was blowing.  I think my nose and right ear froze and fell off...

So I returned back to the comforts (68 degrees) of Houston and immediately drove to Galveston for a day at the beach.  Mid-November and I am walking on the beach with the sand in my toes and dipping my feet into the warm Gulf of Mexico.  Yeah...

So while I will have to travel back up there for the Christmas holidays, I think that it will be a good thing.  It will simply remind me that I really like Houston.

Coming up on a year...

It is hard to believe, but I have been in Houston almost a year now.  I moved south the weekend before Christmas and have been having an absolute ball here in the Bayou City.  I know that I still have two months to go before I hit the year mark, but I had some time to sit and reflect on what a wonderful year it has been.  The fantastic places I have visited here in Houston, the absolutely wonderful friends I have made.

I about fell out of my chair laugh at a post I read last week from a Houstonian that said "FINALLY, it is camping weather".  Um... it is November, but I completely understood the point.  Today, it will reach 70 degrees and some natives are chilly.  But I do understand...(...I think)

With the holidays approaching, I can't help but get excited over the possibilities.  There is a wonderful opportunity out there just waiting to break.  Let's see what happens...

The Fall Festival...

Tis the season of falling leaves (although here in the south, that doesn't happen for a while...), the smell of warm apple cider, pies in the oven, football on the tele, Jack o' Lanterns all about...  If I had to pick a favorite season, fall may be it (as long as it does not get cold).

Another thing that is in the air are the annual festivals.  Most of the ones I have seen about town are ethnic in nature (Italian, Turkish, Greek, Irish, Korean...) and they highlight their culture, music, (and more to my liking) their food and drink.  Lord knows I love a good festival.  Not to mention the Texas Renaissance Festival which runs to the beginning of December.

Also, Miller is winding down their fantastic season.  I simply cannot believe how lucky this city is to have a venue such as Miller Outdoor Auditorium.

Now, if you will excuse me...my bowl of candy corn is empty.

Experimental theater with puppets

I am excited.  Tonight, a group of us will be attending a show at the Catastrophic Theater.  It will be my first visit to this theater and I am really looking forward to it.

The little ones visit went very well and I am still dealing with an over stimulated cat.  The furry grey boarder was constantly played with by my kids and now that they are gone, he is going through some type of withdrawal.  I am getting this psychotic "play with me now" stare right before he jumps onto my thigh with his claws bared.

During their visit we had a marvelous time going to the Bayou City Arts Festival.  This is an amazing display that happens twice a year and if you have not gone out to see it then you are REALLY missing out on something.

Once again, the Houston Zoo, The Houston Museum of Natural Science and Miller Outdoor Theater came through magnificently.  The outdoor performance was a celebration of the hispanic culture here in Houston and featured a Columbian Salsa band that really had everyone dancing.

Now I just have to find my way to the Renaissance Festival before it leaves in December...

In a week...

In seven days, my two sidekicks come back to Houston...and boy, what a weekend is on store.  As usual, there is just so much going on here.

Of course we will have to start off the weekend with a trip to Galveston.  Since there are no oceans or gulfs in Indiana, they love to hit the beach.  Next is where the mayhem will ensue.

The weekend of October 12th and 13th has the following wonderful events.  The Bayou City Arts Festival, The Texas Contemporary Arts Fair, The Texas Renaissance Festival (opening weekend) The Houston Food Truck Fest (Haute Wheels Houston), the Houston Italian Festival, and a couple of other things...

On top of that is the usual fantastic fare at Miller Outdoor Auditorium and the Houston Zoo.

On Monday I was hoping to take the kids on a tour of the Johnson Space Center (NASA), but with the government shutdown we may not be able to do that.  Oh well, it would not be hard to talk them into going back to the beach...

Posting around...

Buckling down is never an easy thing... well, for me anyway.  I am a person that can get easily distracted and pulled off into many directions.  This is probably why I enjoy the city of Houston as much as I do...

...there is just so much to do here.

Fall has arrived here in the Bayou City.  It only gets up to 90 nowadays, so before long we will all be breaking out the long sleeve shirts for the winter.  Miller Outdoor Auditorium just keeps on bringing the hits and once again, 14 Pews has a great lineup of movies.  It is funny that I am the FourSquare mayor of Miller.  I didn't realize that I went there that often.

The kids will be visiting again in ten days and things will be done on the cheap this time (which is not a difficult thing to do here).

Miss my girl...

Who is wearing the steel toed boots..?

There is a reason that I am not keen to go see any Tennessee Williams plays.  While he is a wonderful wordsmith and his dialog is absolutely riveting, the plays are depressing as all get out.  Whenever I go to see one, it just feels like I am being kicked in the head with steel toed boots for two hours.  So while I appreciate the artistry, I am not a big fan.

Last night at Miller Outdoor, there was a production of the Vietnamese epic poem "The Tale of Kieu."  The production was simply mesmerizing.  What the producer did was to make a "Broadway musical" show out the the tale, complete with both Vietnamese and English dialog/translations.  The costumes, minimalist set design, and choreography were all very nicely done.  The visuals were quite frankly, simply beautiful.

However... remember what I said about being kicked in the head for two hours?  Here is a summation of the plot:
Beautiful girl falls in love with handsome boy.  Boy gets called away for a year and a half.  Father of girl falls into debt and girl sells herself to brothel to save family.  Forced into prostitution, beautiful girl attracts many men.  One man buys her freedom, but he is married to the daughter of Prime Minister who does not take kindly to having another woman in the house.  Girl steals two candlesticks and flees for her life to a Buddist temple.   Priest accept her until he finds out she carries stolen property... back to the brothel.

You get the idea.  She eventually ends up with her original love but refuses to have sex with him because of her past.  Oy!  My head hurts.

But man... the pictures sure were pretty.

All the world is a stage...

I know that I have rambled on and on about the Miller Outdoor Auditorium and this will be another one.  This time was to see "As You Like It" and "Antony & Cleopatra" which was part of the Houston Shakespeare Festival.  Before each show I would gather up some cheese, fruit, bread and a bottle of wine as part of my picnic.  Spread out my blanket, relax and enjoy.

Both shows were outstanding in their own right.  "As You Like It" was pseudo modernized in it's setting by placing it in Louisiana which was a master stroke on the director's part.  The story of a Duke who banishes family members to the woods worked very well using the swamp lands as a backdrop.  The ole' Kingfish himself would have been proud.

Antony & Cleopatra was with minimal set and terrific acting.  The story is the centerpiece and the actors carried the day.

Life is good with some culture...

Boots on The Bard

I would fit right in for "Antony & Cleopatra"

William Shakespeare is alive and well in Houston, Texas believe it or not.  Over the next week at Miller Outdoor Theater is the annual Shakespeare festival in conjunction with the University of Houston (I am now legally bound to say "Go Coogs!").  The repertory is presenting "Antony and Cleopatra" and "As You Like It" starting on the 2nd through the 11th of August.

I have heard people say that they are not going because of the heat, but I am here to tell you (and them if they are reading this...) that at 8:30 at night, when the show starts, it is quite pleasant.  There is a wonderful breeze that blows across Hermann Park at that time.   Plus, if you sit in the seated area there are a number of HUGE ceiling fans going that make for a nice, relaxing evening.

It is one of the most wonderful things about this city.  In the midst of one of the rather more (ahem) conservative states in the union is the fourth largest city in the United States that hosts events such as this.  There are a plethora of artistic events that range from the rather bizarre to hosting The Bard in cowboy boots.  Gotta love it...

If you want fresh eggs...

I am absolutely tickled about an event this weekend.  On Saturday afternoon there is a lecture at the Wabash Antiques and Feed entitled "Introduction to Chickens by John Berry".  Admission is free.  How marvelous is that?

Living in the fourth largest city in the United States and there is a lecture on how to raise chickens.  I am definitely going to it.  I just have this image in my head of sitting on the stoop of my apartment complex with 7 or eight chickens clucking about my feet.

But it is essentially this type of thing that makes this a wonderful place to be.  In the midst of 100 degree temperatures, the wonderful Houstonia Magazine tweets out a recipe for cool shrimp ravigote (a cold shrimp salad) and Houston Culture map posts about a chicken lecture.

...wonder if I should wear my boots and overalls..?

The ocean at 5am

Wow!  Did I need this past weekend...

The past two weeks at the office have not been a picnic and the cracks from the stress were beginning to show.  So, how do you remedy this?  Take a Friday off and enjoy a three day weekend, of course.

Now... just because I am who I am, I had to do something constructive so I became a legal resident of Texas.  Yup pilgrim, I got myself one of them there driver's licenses... so now it is all official-like (although when I tried to "mosey", I almost got beat up).

I spent a wonderful Friday evening cooking a pizza (from a box), having a great conversation and watching a movie with a wonderful friend.  Life is good.

Then I got up at three thirty in the morning.  Now there was a purpose for this.  I went with another friend to take pictures of the sun coming up in Galveston.  Being the sailor man that I am, the ocean has always held this draw for me.  But philosophical BS aside, it was simply a wonderful adventure.  I got to take a lot of pictures (see my Flickr site), FINALLY got to ride the Galveston ferry, and visited the Kemah Boardwalk.  Relaxing with a friend and a camera.

Sunday was simply a PJ day.  I made some bread and vegged out in my t-shirt and shorts.  Listening to music, playing games on the computer, did laundry, and watched NetFlix.

Mental recovery at it's best.

Look at the faces...

People are wonderful things.  People have viewpoints that drive you crazy, make you think and some will just make you stop dead in your tracks and wonder.  People have styles and habits ranging from the hilarious to the awe inspiring.  Here in Houston, we have some of the widest variety there is in the United States.

Diversity is woven into the fabric of this city from the variety of places to dine to all of the ethnic festivals.   You can just walk down the street and see it.  You can hear the languages spoken and the garbs being worn.  All of this coming together into one city and it is magnificent.

My apartment complex is a great example.  Just in my little section there are three hispanic families, four Indian families, a Pakistani couple, a group of (I believe) Nigerian taxi drivers, and an Arabic family.  All of these wonderful people all living together in one (what would be) small, city block of apartments.  The folks are all polite and happy.  All of the kids are rambunctious and fun to watch.

Life is really good.

A familiar itch...

Wanted.  One traveling companion to visit San Antonio for a day (or weekend)... or it could be Austin... or the wine country... maybe even Dallas... Nah, never mind... not Dallas.

The point is, I have that ever-so-familiar itch to hit the road and do a little exploring.  Which brings us to another wonderful point about living in Houston.  There are some wonderful places to travel to that are not that far out of reach.  San Antonio and Austin are about three hours away.  Add an hour from Austin to be in the "Hill Country" (although that is really a misnomer - the land is "wavy" not "hilly").  There are so many places to gravitate to that it can be wonderful.  For that matter New Orleans is only six hours.

So I have the itch.  Not sure if it will be this weekend or the next, but the road calls out to me.  It would really be nice to have someone tag along.

But hey, you have to buy your own drinks...

With a little bit of this...

First off, the ExxonMobile symphony series continues at Miller Outdoor tonight.  For any of you that have never seen a live symphony performance, you really should.  A live performance is so much better than listening to the radio or a recording.  I don't know why, but it really does...

Staying in the listening mode, I just have to reiterate that there are concerts and happenings going on all the time.  Discovered that the burb north of Houston called The Woodlands has a pavilion with an outstanding line up this summer.  They have everything from Big Time Rush to the Jonas Brothers to Black Sabbath playing this summer.  This is something to definitely check out.

I will also try to do another photo walk somewhere.  Not sure where yet, but I know I can find somewhere.  Also starting to get the itch for a new city.  Maybe Austin, maybe San Antonio...

What a weekend

There is something to be said about laying out in the grass watching a performance.  I have always enjoyed this type of venue, whether it be the Springfield Muni Opera, or the Muny in St. Louis or (especially) the wonderful Miller Outdoor Theater here in Houston.

It was especially appealing this weekend because the Houston Symphony was playing there this weekend.  It was their 100th birthday concert and the music was just simply beautiful.  Add on top of that the fact that the "large moon" thing is happening and it really made for a great evening.

My two rugrats have flown back to Indiana, so this old man is a bit down at the moment.  So this evening I will be heading over to 14 Pews for a movie entitled "Hey Bartender".  I think I know what the subject of the film is...

When the munchkins arrive...

Two of my favorite people showed up over the past weekend and will be here for a couple of weeks.  Since I have not stockpiled enough vacation time yet, these two will be heading off to camp during the day.

Note to parents:  there are more camps and daily activities to do in this city than you can shake a stick at...

My two are enrolled in the Main Street Theater summer camp.  This wonderful camp has the kids creating their own play complete with dialog and choreography.  And we are not talking a live improv at show time.  No, they will have lines to memorize, marks to hit, and scenes to fill.  Of course, the folks who run the camp are smart because the first day the kids learned stage fighting.  My ten year old daughter came running to the car and yelled "I learned how to fake slap someone in the face and kick them in the head!" That is my little princess...

Aside from the camp, we will be visiting the zoo (one of my favorite places), the Natural Science Museum and heading down to the beach in Galveston.  Since my kids live in Indiana, which to my surprise does not have an ocean or gulf to it's name, they will love to frolic in the salt water.

There are a number of other things that we will be doing such as enjoying a couple of performances at the Miller Outdoor Auditorium and listening to zydeco at the Juneteenth celebration.

Fun is to be had as always...

Dancing the night away...

...and then tipping back a few.

Houston Metropolitan Dance Company - Photo by Simon Gentry

The Houston Metropolitan Dance Company is performing tonight at the Miller Outdoor Theater.  I will admit that it took me a while to warm up to modern dance.  I credit the television show "So you think you can dance" with educating me in this realm.  Now, I have come to appreciate a lot of modern dance for the beauty that it displays.  The stories that can be told through dance are as wonderfully pleasing to watch as the sheer elegance of a Viennese waltz.

As I have stated on this blog repeatedly, this is one of the benefits of living in the fourth largest city in the United States.  I have seen the Houston Ballet, the Houston Grand Opera, and tonight, the Houston Met.  Life is really good.

Tomorrow is the Houston Beer Fest.  It is basically a showcase of different beers from around the world with musical acts playing near Hermann Park.  Where I grew up in Springfield, IL (hometown of Abraham Lincoln) we had a yearly festival called "Lincoln Fest", it was a street festival that became known as "Drinkin' Fest".  Wonder if this will be similar?

Almost forgot to mention that I went to Jones Hall to see the Blue Man Group on Tuesday night.  If you have not been to Jones Hall, I would really recommend attending an event there.  It is a beautiful theater.  From what I understand, Jones Hall is home to the Grand Opera and the Symphony.

Scheduling madness...

After a number of years wanting to go see them, I am finally pulling the trigger.  Tomorrow night, I am going to see Blue Man Group.  I am very excited.  But, there was a dilemma in choosing to attend this event.

There is just so much going on here...

For example, the same night as the Blue Man Group (which... keep in mind, is on a Tuesday night) is a professional production of "FlashDance, the Musical" at the Theater Under the Stars, an interview/discussion with Dr. Ruth Westheimer at the Museum of Fine Arts (which strangely seems appropriate), a "Last Chef Standing" tasting event, a Sherlock Holmes play at the Alley Theater... and more.

...on a Tuesday night!

Point being, there is always something going on and happening in this wonderful city.  To be perfectly frank, the major reason I pulled the trigger on going to see BMG is because I got a notice of half price tickets from Goldstar.  Now to see if they were worth the wait.

The age of everything

There is something to be said about history.  I lived in Williamsburg, Virginia and the place is just dripping with 300 year old places and buildings.  The Jamestown settlement, Yorktown, and Colonial Williamsburg are all wonderfully fascinating places to live and visit.  Throughout Virginia there are living museums and architectural examples of the colonial era.

Having grown up in Springfield, Illinois, and having the last name of Herndon brought about a wealth of history from the mid-19th century.  Growing up in Abraham Lincoln's "home town" and having my great (x4) grand pappy who was Lincoln's longest serving law partner (and biographer) immeshed me in that era.  Growing up with the history of the Chicago fire, and the Gateway to the West (St. Louis) instilled a sense of place.  For that matter, I grew up in a house that was about 100 years old.

Houston is not that at all.  It is still a
young city.  Granted, it was founded in 1836 but the stories tell that it really did not take off until oil was discovered in 1901 and after the Galveston hurricane of 1900.  Evidently, after the hurricane wiped out most of Galveston people figured it might be better to move inland a bit.

But being in a young city is not a bad thing.  There is a wonderful vibrancy about the place.  There is not the worry of removing a building that is 200 years old.  The folks of this city are still exploring their sense of place and that can give a wonderful sense of energy to the area.

Now do not get me wrong, there is history all around Houston and the folks are rightfully proud of it.  There are also a lot of wonderful areas to visit in the vicinity to learn about Texas.  But, I want to applaud the vibrancy of a major metropolitan city that is still discovering itself and not stuck in the past.

...and a conversation about bats...

Okay... Where to begin... Or for that matter, where to end.

This weekend I witnessed garbage trucks being choreographed, sat on a lawn and watched an outstanding Houston Grand Opera performance, checked out a Greek festival, went to the zoo and even had a wonderful conversation about bats in a central american country (if memory serves, it was Costa Rica)...

Trash Dance at 14 Pews

Started Friday night with a movie called "Trash Dance" at 14 Pews.  This was an absolutely charming and funny movie about a choreographer in Austin that spent time with the city solid waste management folks and then created a performance using the trucks and the employees as the dancers.  After the film, the director of the film and one of the cast members of the film held a fun Q&A session and then there was a reception outside.  I, went off to the Down House for a bite and a drink.  Great evening.  This would have made my weekend, but...

Then on Saturday I spent a good part of the day looking for (now, get this...) a lawn chair so I could see the Houston Grand Opera.  Yeah, I know... I was thinking the same thing.  I texted a friend to say "I just feel weird shopping for a lawn chair to go see the opera".  But that I did even though I never could pull the trigger on the purchase.

As I have discussed before, the Houston arts community really embraces everyone.  The Ballet, the Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony, and the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company all have free performances for the public at the Miller Outdoor Theater.  I am not sure you will find that in every city.  Bravo Houston art folks!

Anyway, the performance of La Boheme was phenomenal.  For folks that are new to the opera, La Boheme is a good one to start out watching.  The story line is wonderful (if you have ever seen Rent, that was based on the opera),  Puccini's music is easy to listen to, and my goodness, can these folks sing.

Miller is a wonderful venue.  You can sit on the lawn and there are ticketed seats.  They do not charge for the tickets, but you do have to get tickets for the seated area.  Then they make two announcements before the show.  At ten minutes before, they warn all of the ticketed patrons that they have to take their seats and then at five minutes they release the empty seats to everyone.  So while I did not make it to get a ticket, I did get a seat once they released the tickets.  A great night.

Then on Sunday was a wonderful trip to the Houston Zoo to visit some family members that live in the primate area...  :-)  What a fantastic weekend.  I do love this city.

The Banana car is a four seater...

Now, before I start down the story of this post you have to understand a few geographical items regarding the Art Car Parade (put on by the wonderfully interesting Orange Show Center for the Visual Arts) on Saturday...


First off, the parade route covers a strip of land about a mile and a half in length.  It runs along side Buffalo Bayou Park on a street called Allen Parkway right next to the downtown/theater district.  The parade starts at one end and then loops around and comes back again.  Got that...?

Okay, so I get my directions and was told that the booth was at the beginning of the parade route.  I park my car at one end on Montrose and start to hoof it to the booth.  On the way, I see a police officer and ask him where the parade route is; I explain that I am going to be volunteering at one of the beer tents.  He laughs and says "Oh, you are on the wrong end of the route" and highly recommends that I park my car on the other end because that is where all of the vendors are going to be.  Well, you can see where all of this is going...

I park on the other end, walk the half-mile to the parade route because that end is touching downtown and parking is at a premium.  Once I get to the parade route, I find out that the 14 Pews booth is located right by where I originally parked ( a mile and a half away)... Oh well.  It was good exercise.

The other half of this story is that after my shift was over (still before the parade started), I had to make the trek back to the car.  Now you may think that I would have been a bit perturbed at having to make the hike, but it gave me a wonderful opportunity.  You see, by walking back through the parade route I got to review up close all of the wonderful cars that took part in the parade and talk to some very interesting people.

These folks are absolutely wonderfully nuts and were having a ball!  Around 250 cars participated in the parade.  There were zombie cars, a car that was covered completely in marshmallow peeps, a pole dancing zebra on top of a car, a car that looked like a cockroach, and so many more.

I think that the two mile walk back to my car may have been the best part of the day (although I met a very interesting poet that I enjoyed talking to at the tent).  I will also admit that I was a bit tired and sore the next day, but it was really worth it.

Here is a link to the 2013 line-up.  Can't wait till next year...

Wow! What a weekend ahead...

This weekend is the Houston Art Car Parade.  As you can tell by the image, local artists turn cars into works of art and they have a parade.  I have been told that this event is one of the best parties in Houston.  I will be working a beer truck (#8) starting at 8:30 in the morning on Saturday.  14 Pews get a portion of the proceeds. Evidently the truck is at the beginning of the parade, so I will get a chance to enjoy the cars as they drive by.

I have also been told (and is verified by the website) that the folks that show up for the event are many times just as decorated.  Gotta love it, but that is just one of the things going on.

I know that i have written before about the Miller Outdoor Auditorium.  Well this Friday night, my butt will be planted in the grass to enjoy the Houston Ballet performing Madam Butterfly.  It is simply amazing and wonderful to me that a major ballet company like the Houston Ballet would do a free performance for the community.  Not only that but next weekend I will be there because the Houston Grand Opera will be performing La Boheme at the auditorium.  I am genuinely excited.

That is one thing that does set Houston apart.  The Houston community embraces the arts here and the arts community embraces right back.

Okay, now in my excitement I forgot to mention that I want to go to a free Drive-in movie on Saturday night and on Sunday there are two competing events - the Galveston Historic Home tour with some really outstanding late 19th Century homes on display.  There is also the Pop Shop Houston which is described as a "twice-a-year indie craft fair, art and music Festival."

This is going to be great!  Come by the beer truck and help raise some funds for 14 Pews.

Flowers, Trees and a show...

Houston, you do have some absolutely wonderful weather.  Yesterday was a day of exploring one of a number of arboretums in the area (camera in hand) and then spending the evening watching a couple of good plays.

Went out shooting at the Mercer Arboretum to start the day.  Kudos to my friend Monique for suggesting the drive.  Now, I am definitely NOT an outdoor type of guy.  I have never been confused with Grizzly Adams (even when I did have a beard), but I do enjoy a walk through the woods.  There is something about the peaceful nature of a walk that has always been soothing.

It did take a long while to find the Botanical Gardens but then again, I am "directionally challenged".  I have absolutely no sense of where I am at any time.  I am hoping to receive some state and federal funds to do research to combat this terrible affliction.  Now ordinarily, this affliction would be a hindrance but when you are just out a wandering it only becomes a problem after dark and when the wolves start closing in...

Anyway, later that evening I went back to 14 Pews to see a couple of new one act plays by the artist in residence.   They were a couple of nice, light stories and I enjoyed the evening.  One of the best parts of the evening was a rather heated discussion with the wonderful 14 Pews founder Cressandra Thibodeaux over the film merits of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show".  It turns out that my argument was based solely on sentimentality rather than any real sense of artistic merit so I crumbled almost immediately.  C'est la vie...

Out there on the cheap...

I was always warned about the expense of big city living.  Houston, Chicago, New York, LA... all of these magical lands where you are supposed to have a salary in the millions in order to enjoy the amenities.

Yeah... not so much...

You see, this month is a very, very tight budget month for the web guy.  Some unforeseen expenses reared their evil head and things got a bit... well, tight.  So, I just have to stay inside and hibernate?  Nope.  This weekend I will be taking pictures at the arboretum, seeing a show (or two) at 14 Pews, and there are two outdoor shows at the Miller Outdoor Amphitheater.

Total to see all of these things - $0.  Yup, nothing out of pocket.

Now that does not include food but that is fine.  I can cook and (if necessary) get a quick bite on the cheap.  The point being is that there is simply SO much to do.  There are events like the Houston Grand Opera, The Houston Symphony, some plays at the Alley Theater and much much more.  So even though right now I have to screw down my spending, that does not mean I have to screw down a bit of my entertainment.

Enjoy!

The friendly skies...

I have flown a lot in my lifetime.  As a man with "wanderlust",  I have visited a number of different airports.  I have seen the small town airport with one security line and two gates, all the way up to the airport in Haifa, Isreal where the airport security folks were wearing flack jackets and carrying machine guns.  Scary...but hey, I felt safe.

Anyway, flying out of Bush International or Hobby Airport is a very nice experience.  The economy parking is very cheap (about $5-$6 a day) and not very far away from the terminal.  There are plenty of security lines to roam through and both airports do a fairly good job of moving folks along.

Now for the rather bad news...

Houston, for some reason is not a major hub.  It is the fourth largest city in the United States but flying from these two airports usually require another hop.

Group heaven

Last night, I was invited to a gathering of folks at a place called Simone's on Sunset for dinner and drinks.  I was invited by the wonderful proprietor of 14 Pews, Cressandra Thibodeaux.  She introduced me to a number of folks that were more than willing to educate me on the happenings/groups in the Houston area.

That is one of the best things about the Houston area... the friendliness.  I have frequented most of the major metropolitan cities in the US and the folks here in Houston have been some of the friendliest people to us "transplants" (ranking right up there with St. Louis in my mind).  The people I met last night were very enthusiastic about all of the happenings going on in Houston and were anxious to share.

It was also just wonderful to be sitting outside on an April evening.  I just keep telling myself "I'll never be cold again" with a big ole' smile on my face.  Having said that the drinks were a bit pricey ($5 a glass for the Happy Hour merlot) and $10 a piece for a smallish pizza that were really pedestrian in taste and had a rather chewy crust.  But aside from those nit-picky things, the evening was rather enjoyable.  The company you keep can make up for a whole lot... Salut!

Galveston

The sun was shining and the temperature was wonderful on Saturday.  I had planned to attend a wonderful International Festival highlighting Brazil in the downtown area but headed to Galveston instead.

I spent about five years in the Navy during the mid-eighties and I guess I have never gotten the sea out of my blood. The smell of the salt air and the waves coming ashore really relaxes me.  Always has...

So, it was a real treat to head back down to the water.  There is really something to be said for walking on the beach or along a pier and just looking out onto the water.  I loved driving along Seawall Boulevard and looking at all of the wonderful houses that are along the seaboard.  The pastel colors and the fact that they are up on stilts has always appealed to me.  I know that when I retire, my goal is to own a small place along the ocean/gulf.

Also found a great burger joint called Brick House Tavern and Tap (which is where the second photo was taken).  Had a delicious blue cheese burger and some wonderful tots.  They have a huge beer selection to choose from.  They are a bit pricey, but the food was good.

Tonight, is an Earth Day event at 14 Pews and I will be manning the table telling everyone how wonderful this place is to be a member.

Bouncing about...

Last weekend was the JAGA Reggae Festival in Galveston (on the beach, of course).  Loving the music... It was only $10 for admission.

On Thursday evening, I attended a wonderful performance of Thoroughly Modern Mille at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park.  The best part was that the performance was free AND I got to spread a blanket out on the grass.  Life is really good when you can lay down on a blanket and watch a live performance...

I worked another 14 Pews event on Friday.  Sat at a table outside the venue and touted the upcoming shows and programs.  Happy Birthday to 14 Pews maestro Cressandra, by the way.


Speaking of music, I have fallen in with a group of musicians that played at a house party in The Woodlands (that name STILL cracks me up...) on Saturday night.  My problem is that if I know the words to a song, I tend to sing along and (unfortunately for everyone around) I can get a bit loud.  But, I usually simmer down when I start getting the dirty looks.

Boy, life is good.

Fredericksburg

Who doesn't like a life-size human planter?

Spent a magnificent weekend in a place called the Texas Hill Country.  Actually, the place where I stayed was an absolute German (heritage) town called Fredericksburg, TX.  Stayed in a wonderful B&B called "A Place in Time" and both "B"s were just lovely.

The town itself is just a wonderful place to wander around with a number of artisan shops, a winery (Fredericksburg Winery), a brewery (Fredericksburg Brewing Company - has a great lunch there) and a wonderful chocolatier that implants liquor into some of their chocolates (I highly recommend the Kentucky Bourbon).  You can literally spend the day roaming main street, but I had other places to be on that Saturday.

There are wineries all over the area offering some pleasantly surprising offerings.  I do so love to visit wineries and go to the tasting rooms.  On this weekend at a winery called Beckers Vineyards which was about fifteen minutes from Fredericksburg.  The weather could not have been better for this trip.  Now, I list just a few of the places.  There are SO many more wineries, breweries, and even a bourbon distillery in Hye, TX that could have made this list.

The evening was spent listening to a fantastically tight country band called "Drugstore Cowboys" at a place called Hondo's (highly recommended).  Also, please remember that if someone says to you "just go to the German restaurant on Main Street", give them a quizzical look - there are about 5 German restaurants on Main Street.

Movin' right along...

My boy Zazzles and I

There are periods of time where (just like everyone else) I just do not have a lot going on... I drive to and from work, make dinner and sit my butt down on the couch and watch something on Netflix or play a computer game while listening to Pandora.  My cat, Zazzles (yes... my son named him after one of the cats from the Big Bang Theory episode) usually enjoys these down periods because it gives him ample opportunity to make me crazy.

So while I may lament the possible boredom of sitting in my apartment watching/listening to a ballgame, these times also serve an important purpose... it gives me a chance to organize my schedule.

There is SO much to do in this city.  So many sights to see, groups to join, events to attend.  There is a wonderful web site called meetups.com that has a group for almost any interest (or you can create one). The point being, that one should take a couple of days off to plan... and plan you must.  There will always be times when you decide on something on the spur of the moment, but it helps to populate your Google calendar if for no other reason than to list out all of things going on.

P.S., not everything costs money... Miller Outdoor Theater events are free and fantastic.  Book 'em..

That time of year...

It is a sport that we all grew up playing.  A sport that we all fantasize about playing at a professional level because we know how to do it.  We watch the game and tell ourselves "I could do that" because we have done it in our youth.  It is for that reason that I believe that baseball is the greatest game.  Unlike football where the players are all behemoths and anyone under six feet four inches tall is an oddity in basketball, baseball is a sport that we all watch and say to ourselves "I can do that".

Yesterday was opening day for my new home team, the Houston Astros.  They won, 8-2 over the Texas Rangers.  I have always been a baseball fan (short for fanatic or fancier).  I grew up close to St. Louis so the Cardinals are in my blood but I will root for my new home team.  They play at Minute Maid Park near downtown and I cannot wait to go to my first game.  I do love this game.

Play Ball...

Um...yeah... more about food.

A lof of cinnamon bread and a loaf of white sandwich bread.

Okay, if you have been reading these posts you know that I am a bit hung up on food.  I do love to discover new tastes and places.  But there is also another facet of my food fascination ..I also love to make the dishes.  This leads me to another benefit of living in a major metropolitan area.

My apartment is situated on Westheimer street.  A couple of blocks from where I live I have my standard Kroger grocery store, but if I travel one block further down Voss street, I run into Trader Joes and then a block (or two) further down I have a Whole Foods market.  So... on one grocery run, I can hit all three and pick and choose my items.

But the best part is the specialty markets all over the city.  Simply put, darn near every nationality has their own market.  There is the Chinese market, Mexican market, the Bolivian market by my apartment  I think I even saw a Greek market for specialty items and many more.  There is also (as there are everywhere else) farmer's markets for fresh local produce.  I am loving this...

So, when I have a recipe that I want to try I do not have to worry about finding the ingredients ..  I am sure there is a market that carries it somewhere in this city.  The only issue that can arise is that there is also a restaurant right next to the market... c'est la vie.

P.S., Yes, I made the bread in the photo (puffed up chest).  There is simply nothing better than the smell of bread baking in the house.

Giant circle of art...and food

What a great weekend!

On Saturday, I attended the Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park.  It took me over four hours to peruse the booths.  The artists were from all over the country and there was something there for everyone.  Paintings, sculpture, photography, photography paintings... you get the idea.  A plethora of mediums and styles to suit everyone.

I knew that this would be wonderful right from the start when the first exhibit at the entrance was a display of brightly colored, outdoor, wind-powered, mobiles.  I am probably mistaken in their description, but man were they just a joy to look at as they moved in the breeze.  It just got better from there... the overwhelming number of artists were very friendly and loved to talk about how they created their work.  I did take my camera, but I just have a thing about taking pictures of an artists pieces.

After wandering around for over four hours, I was famished so I headed over to one of my favorite burger joints - 5 Guys Burgers and Fries.  Cheeseburger with grilled onions and grilled mushrooms... oh yeah!

Headed back to 14 Pews on Sunday to see a showing of Don Hertzfeldt's animated short film "It's Such a Beautiful Day".  I love going to this place because the company is wonderful.  The film was not my cup of tea, but there were a couple of patrons there that LOVED the film and the after show discussion was very entertaining.  Then it hit me...

DAMN!!!  I missed the Houston Food Truck Festival (Haute Wheels Houston)!  Next year...

Tapas in Rice

Asparagus spears and a fantastic Artichoke heart salad
 with a great vinaigrette.

I do loves me some Tapas...

Had a wonderful treat last night and visited Mi Luna (thank you, Groupon).  I have always been a fan of Tapas because of its nature.  It is a share-able notion.  You order a plate and a group of you share the food. That way... the offerings that you can sample expand according to the number of folks in attendance.  When I was in Spain (Bilbao), you could actually roam to other folks tables/bars and sample the offerings they had and vice versa (have fork, will travel).  It is actually a lot of fun.

The other lovely thing about the evening is that Mi Luna is situated in the Rice Village.  This neighborhood (adjacent to Rice University) is a real treat to wander around and contains a real plethora of shops and restaurants.  From a chocolate bar, used book shop, a couple of wonderful furniture shops and even a Sherwin Williams paint store thrown in for good measure.  After dinner, just walking around the residential area is wonderful with all of the Live Oak trees lining the streets.

Wonderful way to spend an evening...

The Sugar Man

Here is yet another benefit of big city life... the Art House.  These are places that will show independent films, host art showings and usually have discussions before and/or after the events.  These venues have eclectic displays that are there to challenge and be anything other than the sterile modern movie house or art gallery.  The people attending are fascinating and as eclectic as well.  These are the places to go to open up and activate the "little grey cells" as Hercule Poirot was fond of saying (...look it up).

If you get a chance, go see "Searching for Sugar Man".  The story is really magnificent.  The 14 Pews venue (http://www.14pews.com) was really interesting (yes, there are 14 pews for seating).  I signed up for a membership to the art house and the membership card that I recieved was totally handwritten along with a hand written thank you card.  The hostess/owner of 14 Pews is an absolutely elegant and very gracious artist that has owned this venue for just two years.  She greeted everyone at the door and would rather awkwardly ask for the ten dollar admission fee (a fantastic bargain).  When one person had a credit card, she would write down all of the information and say that she would process it later  (reminder to tell her about Square).  She also passed around a sign in sheet for all of us to sign.  In today's high tech world, the paper process has a lovely charm.  She also visited all 14 of us in attendance and her wonderful mother manned the refreshment stand.  Thanks to local St. Arnold's Brewing for supplying a free beverage for everyone.

Now all of this non-technical administration was then belied by a very nice technical production.  Please keep in mind that the physical space is what I am guessing used to be a small church.  The interior is shaped like an old WWII quanset hut.  Rounded with wooded planks and six ceiling fans.  It did start to get a little stuffy and hot towards the end of the evening, but I know I will go back regularly.

My membership also includes a guest admission...

How to be miserable...

It is March 18th and it will be close to 90 degrees today.  All I can say is... "I will never be cold again" (cue Happy Dance music).

Yes, it is true that it will be hot and humid from May through September.  Okay, I am good with that.  I can tolerate heat much, much better than cold.  I am simply a cold wimp.  I accept that about myself.

What I do find funny is the lengths that people will go to describe how horrid it is to live in their city.  I am not just talking about Houston ("Oh, just wait till the summer.  You will be miserable"), I am talking about Chicago ("There is nothing colder than when the wind - which never stops -  blows off of the lake") or Kansas City ("It is over one hundred degrees in the summer and zero degrees in the winter") or anywhere else that I have lived.

We all have our trying times during the year.  I know myself and I know that I am just tickled pink to be here.  I will be hot this summer and I will sweat a lot.  But by the same token, I will be walking around in shorts in February when my brother (who lives in Ohio) will be bundled up and complaining about the 17 inches of snow and ice.

...yeah, I got it pretty good.

Getting all liquored up...

My first foray into the bar scene happened last night.  I got a text from my boss saying that there was a group going out to partake in an "adult beverage" and asked if I would like to join them.  I agreed whole-heartily and was told to meet them at "The Tasting Room" off of South Alabama street.

The Tasting Room is an impressive wine bar.  The folks there were very helpful and knowledgeable about their product.  Although a bit pricey, it is a very nice place to meet.  One side note... they give you a set of shot glasses and water in a clear bottle.  What immediately popped in my mind was Zorba the Greek and doing shots of ouzo.  Been there, done that...sent chills...

After a glass of a very good Chardonnay, it was suggested that we mosey on over to the South Alabama Ice House for a beer.  Now evidently this place is a Houston icon.  It is basically an outdoor beer garden that does not have air conditioning.  It is called an ice house because they used to put blocks of ice in front of the fans to cool down the patrons in the summer.  Fun place.  Had a bottle of a local brew and headed out.

So I head home and remember that I have not eaten supper.  For some ungodly reason, a burger sounded good to me and there is a 5 Guys Burger place right by my home.  I love their burgers.  Unfortunately, I am not 25 and eating one of their burgers with a large fries fifteen minutes before going to bed is not the wisest of decisions.  But man... it tasted good.

Breakfast in the Bayou...

First off... yes I know that when you say the Bayou, you think of New Orleans and the Louisiana coast.  But, did you know that Houston is known as the Bayou city?  Neither did I...

One of the joys of life is sleeping in on Sunday mornings and heading out for breakfast.  I mean it is wonderful to sleep in and cook a breakfast for service in bed, but really... nothing beats heading out.  So I went out in search of a breakfast and the recommendation was for a place called the Breakfast Klub.  Rave reviews... not too expensive... traditional farm food... sounded right up my alley.  So headed out about 9:30 in the morning.

One of the great regrets I will always have is that I did not have my camera at the ready that morning.  I wanted a picture so badly.  What I saw when I approached the Breakfast Klub was just freaking amazing.  There was a line at the Breakfast Klub.  No... not just a line like you see at a dining establishment during the evening hours.  This line literally was out the door and wrapped around the parking lot.  THE PARKING LOT!!  There were awnings set up for the folks standing outside.  The people were perusing copies of the menu... amazing.  Now, I love a good leisurely breakfast... but c'mon.  I would have waited an hour to get in and then felt rushed to eat and get out because I would see all those people in line...

Anyway, headed off to find another place and stumbled upon Cafe Brasil in the Montrose section of town.  Wonderful coffee and pastries.  Also thoroughly enjoyed eating pork tamales with my eggs.  I cannot say enough good things about my breakfast.  Life is good.

The Online French Fry...

You know you live in a great city when one of the online magazines does an article on which establishment has the best french fries (Culturemap.com article).  Now this could possibly mean one of two things in my mind...

- Culturemap.com is REALLY hurting for articles and are accepting damn near anything to put online.

- There is a foodie crowd out there in the city that believe in this sort of information.

I am of the belief that the latter is more prevalent.  I love this type of information.  I now have a list of places to visit in order to test this list.  I also love the fact that there is an online magazine for this and other information.

There are plenty of outlets for information about the city that is now my home.  houston.culturemap.com, socialnhouston.com, goldstar.com (for discounts on events in the city), the list goes on and on... Ooops, almost forgot the Houston Chronicle... I know that there are more, but this list is what I am working with at the present time.

...right now, I just want some fries.

A Hanoi sandwich..?

It is with a deeply held shame that I write this post...  I allowed my euro-centric mindset to keep me from allowing the possibility of something different.  I was so convinced that the Earl of Sandwich's concoction could ONLY be applied to American and European cuisine that when I saw the sign for b10 Vietnamese Cafe (on Westheimer) which advertised soups AND sandwiches, I admit to have been taken aback.  A Vietnamese sandwich?

Now, I will readily admit that I consider myself to be quite the sandwich connoisseur.   To my rather simplistic way, there are few things that can satisfy my appetite like a sandwich.  So I happily charged into the b10 Cafe to make a discovery.  What I found there was absolutely wonderful.  The b10 does have the more readily associated Vietnamese soups and rice spring rolls (I got a shrimp roll with a wonderful peanut sauce), but I was tickled to find that they offered beef, chicken and pork sandwiches.

I thoroughly enjoyed my beef sandwich.  The beef strips were prepared with what I always considered more traditional Vietnamese garnish and seasonings and it was delightful.  I will be going back.  I picked up the "to-go menu".

To battle the ogre windmills...

Last Saturday I went to see a wonderful production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" in the Woodlands.  This show is (in my mind) a masterpiece that combines very witty, quick dialog that would make today's viewers think of Aaron Sorkin along with Bob Fosse's choreography (none better).  This amateur production would have made Robert Morse proud.

Last night I had the pleasure to attend the Theater Under the Stars (www.tuts.com) and a production of "Man of La Mancha".  First off, the the venue is magnificent.  'Nuff said... and after some initial sound issues (the background/supporting stomps, claps, noises tended to drown out the dialog) I settled into a wonderful performance of a wonderful musical.

One of the best things about the Theatre (to me) is the magical way a good production can make you forget what is rumbling around in your mind (and I had a LOT of things rumbling around there last night) and transport you into a story.  Now, 'Man of La Mancha' is a special one to me just because I have had a special affinity with Senor Don Quixote and that special kind of "madness".  But more to the point, it is wonderful to have the number of venues and the breadth of productions available to this version of Cervantes' hero.

Get out there and enjoy.  Tilt at a few windmills.  Dream a dream.  Go lose yourself in a story... you just might find yourself in a whole new light.  Experience the power of the story teller, we all could use a little madness in our dreams.

To dream ... the impossible dream ...
To fight ... the unbeatable foe ...
To bear ... with unbearable sorrow ...
To run ... where the brave dare not go ...
To right ... the unrightable wrong ...
To love ... pure and chaste from afar ...
To try ... when your arms are too weary ...
To reach ... the unreachable star ... 

This is my quest, to follow that star ... 
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far ... 
To fight for the right, without question or pause ... 
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause ... 

And I know if I'll only be true, to this glorious quest, 
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm, 
when I'm laid to my rest ... 
And the world will be better for this: 
That one man, scorned and covered with scars, 
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage, 
To reach ... the unreachable star ...

Well...it IS Texas, after all...

It is Rodeo Time!  Or should I say Rodeo Up or Cowboy Up... I have no idea.  I am after all, a rather simple Illinois boy.

Evidently the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (www.rodeohouston.com) is a yearly event and is the largest rodeo in the country.  It is a three week event with some rather major country/western stars performing.  There is a national BBQ cook off (invitation only - no, I didn't get one), livestock show, horse show and, of course, the rodeo.  I am going to try to visit Reliant stadium (where the NFL Houston Texans play) to check it out.

Now, I have to admit that my father rode the rodeo circuit for a time in the mid-fifties and from the time I was a little widget I was on horseback.  My dad had a job as a ranch hand setting up the rodeos, handling the animals and such.  The way it worked was a lot like the circus, they entered a town and the locals would sign up to compete in the various events for cash prizes.  If there were not enough participants, the ranch hands would be allowed to compete.  My father rode bulls.  I asked him why in god's name he would ride the bulls instead of the horses and his answer was very simple.  Bulls go round and round, horses go round and round AND up and down.  Made sense to me...

My father regaled us with stories of some of the stars that used to travel with them and perform at the events.  Harpo Marx was as funny as advertised and when he wasn't performing, he was playing cards with the ranch hands.  There were a number of movie stars and old vaudevillians that he got to meet and talk to... I am still jealous.

I also still love horses.  I just love to ride...been too long since I have.