New (old) watch has arrived!

It took me awhile but I finally found a cool vintage watch to go with the nifty Preppy Striped 80's nylon watch strap I bought months ago.  The watch is a stainless steel Caravelle 17 Jewel manual wind made by Bulova in the late 60's or early 70's.  After much searching in the malls, eBay was the supplier for a cool $15.00!

I have to say that I am very pleased with my purchase, assuming of course that it still works next week.  I figured that for a watch that cheap it was worth rolling the dice.  I did a whole post on the strap acquisition many months ago if you want to dig for some background.  I see a lot of these straps in the blogs I frequent, but not so much around Houston.  Maybe I'll re-start a trend!

Star Wars! Nothing but Star Wars...

Last Saturday Yours Truly and son took off for a Man Day starting with a stop at McDonald's followed by a trip to the Houston Health Museum's Star Wars Exhibit!  Very Cool!  They had the actual costumes and models used in the movies.  Daniel had a wonderful time, stating afterwards that the Jawa was his favorite.  I recall my Brother Drew liked the Jawa best as well, even dressing like a Jawa for Halloween one year.  It was amazing how simple and somewhat crude the costumes were, but then you have to realize the first movie came out in 1977!  Han Solo's and Darth Vader's leather boots look like something from a Civil War re-enactment costume.

Jawa

Yoda & Obi Wan Kenobi

Darth Vader

Han Solo & Chewbacca

R2D2 & C3PO

The exhibit runs through September 18th.  Don't do the Millennium Falcon ride...clearly not worth the $5/person price tag they've added to the already expensive entry fee.  If you haven't been, they've got lots of cool other exhibits centering mostly around the human body.

May the Force be with you!

Random Post with Odds and Ends...

I realized the other day that I have several "partial" posts with pictures waiting to be projected to the bloggersphere.  So I've decided to do a dump of random stuff all in one post to clear out the file.  So here goes...

MyKala's First day of High School - 9th Grade

Daniel's first day of School - 1st Grade

MyKala - 2nd from left - High School Band Parent's Night

MyKala - Middle/Back standing

A perfect Martini - Gin, straight up w/ 3 Olives!

If I were a bug on the floor, this is what I would see! Scary!

Daniel's Room after a sleepover with a friend - Disaster Area!

New Red Socks...with a suit?  Absolutely!!!

Dinner with Dad at the Lexington?  Hell yes I wore them!

Daniel's Fun Camp Presentation - top right in Camo Hat

Daniel in Camo Hat - super cool dude!

A shot of a squirrel sunbathing at Dad's House

Renaissance Slippers...oh no!  Here's the rule..NEVER!

One of my new Birthday Bow Ties!

I hope you enjoyed my randomnicity!  And yes, I know, I need a new camera.  An I-Phone is on the list of "get very soon"!

Heights Cigar Lounge is Open!

A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of visiting a new local Heights establishment for an afternoon of conversation, debate, friendship renewal and a cigar.  The Heights Cigar Lounge on 19th St. in the Heights offers all that...and more!  Paul Carroll, the owner and concept creator, opened this little lounge a few months ago and everything is right on track for a business he says is quite relaxing.  Now why would hanging out in a Cigar Lounge 8 to 10 hours a day not be relaxing?  Here's the real funny deal, after I'd been sitting there for a bit, Paul said, "I know you."  And in fact we did know each other.  I did some cabling work for his Alloy company many years ago and we had actually had lunch on one occasion.  As soon as we exchanged names, it all came back clear as day.  For those of you who don't know me well, a few careers ago in the mid-1990's I owned a voice/data cabling contractor.

Nestled nicely in between a bohemian type coffee/sandwich shop and a bare walkway, this business is set up to allow folks to just drop in, hang out, watch a little TV, play some dominoes and yes, partake in a fine hand rolled cigar.  He has a very nice inventory of fine cigars and the shop is set up like a large comfortable living room complete with a big screen TV and several areas for lounging. Now let me give you a little heads up...if you don't like cigars, this is not the place for you.  For it is definitely a cigar lounge and everybody in the place has fired up a nice stogie.  Paul makes sure to visit with his customers and play movies on the big screen during the day.  He was warning everyone that the afternoon held a really nice Disney movie and nobody was talking him out of it.  I would assume when football is on, he'll have to divert from his Disney fascination.

The Owner - Paul Carroll

The Manager - Jenny

At the moment, there is no alcohol or drinks, so you'll have to supply your own non-alcoholic beverages.  As of now, there is some odd old law about not allowing consumption of alcoholic beverages on the site where tobacco is sold.  Equate it to purchasing beer at the 7-11 and not being allowed to drink it in the store.  Same deal applies here.  Paul says they are working on getting an exemption but nothing is coming soon.

So after smoking a very nice cigar, renewing an old acquaintance with Paul, enjoying a dynamic conversation with the manager Jenny and several patrons, I took my leave.  I was headed home for a shower and change of clothes.  This won't be an every weekend jaunt, but every once in awhile, I'm going to fall into one of the big beautiful club chairs, fire up a nice cigar and settle in for Paul's Disney choice de jour.  Paul's success depends on folks showing up and enjoying his offering, so please go by and check out the place.  And make sure to tell him or Jenny that Britt sent you!

Bats! Bats! We've got Bats!!!

No...not in the house!  We (Houstonians) have a Bat Colony on Allen Parkway at Waugh Drive.  Many of you have probably seen the signs but never have caught the full experience of watching these creatures release themselves into the night sky to assist us in eliminating dreadful mosquitoes and other nuisance creating bugs.  After dinner on Sunday night at the new Tony Mandola's, we happened upon the intersection at just the right time and decided to take in the view.

Every night at dusk, approximately 250,000 bats wake up, stretch their wings and collectively take off from under the bridge.  It's quite a site!  Some private group raised enough funds to build a nice balcony/deck to watch from.  There's also a nice hillside spot where folks brought blankets for lounging.  A few years ago, I even used the bat experience as a start to a Wedding Anniversary evening, bringing along a nice bottle of champagne.  I know, a bit unusual but an oddly romantic idea!  Jen sure thought it was creative and I believed she enjoyed it!

So the next time you're looking for something to do right before it gets dark outside, grab a blanket or some champagne and head on down for the bat show.  The kids will get a real kick out of it!  And your loved one might even think it to be quirky romantic!

P.S. - Sorry for the poor pics!  I think the I-Phone acquisition is just around the corner!

Dinner party weekend...

So, as usual, Jen and I are a glutton for social punishment as we began the weekend looking straight into a whirlwind of dinner parties on Friday and Saturday night, both at our house.  I know, you ask why?  Well because, the maids came on Friday so the house was already really clean.  And we still have the redneck pool up and running nicely so it gives the kids something to do while the grown ups discuss important worldly manners whilst consuming a nice wine selection...that's why!

Friday Night:

Friday night started with a rather impromptu supper invitation.  My dear friend Christian, we'll call her Ish...well because that's what we call her...sent an email dinner invitation requesting the Sudduth's and Jones' join her and superhusband Todd.  We both said yes and then came the "punt" from Ish, asking whether we'd like to go out, have it at her kid unfriendly house or drive to Sugar Land to the Casa de Jones.  I spoke up, mentioned the kid friendly pool situation and suddenly the party was as Casa de Sudduth.  Bingo Bango Boingo, we've got us a dinner party!

Appetizer Selection!

Mr. Lars doing the cooking...nice!

The problems of the World being solved!

The Main Dish...and plenty of it!

The Great Carson...hip hopping with Heavy D

Mr. Todd always has something interesting to show curious young lads

Here's the great part...Lars did the cooking!  He and his lovely wife Becky are starting a food prep company and are trying out recipes, so he brought the food and cooked it all - a very nice stuffed chicken breast, creamy roasted potatoes with asparagus parts and macaroni & cheese.  Jen and I filled in the appetizer section with salmon/cream cheese crackers and prosciutto/white cheddar cheese on garlic toast...so easy and so good!  Ish brought the dessert, a chocolate bunt cake to die for! 

What's left of dessert

Heavy D and his Sidekick

The Friday Dinner Gang

So at the end of the evening, the kids had a great time, the adults solved all the world's problems and I didn't have to cook anything.  A very odd but comforting feeling nonetheless!  It's been fun kidding around with Ish and the "punt" as well.  Lars and I have known her for about 25 years and she really can do no wrong in our eyes!

Saturday Night:

We kept our weekend of dinners going on Saturday by hosting our good friends the Sakson's and their beautiful 7 year old girl Zoe, one of Daniel's favorite friends.  These are our friends that own the Kid to Kid Resale Shop in the Galleria.  If you haven't stopped in, please do so and tell them I sent you!

The Lovely Jen doing some prep work

Roquefort Sauce coming up!

We got started with appetizers of easy brushetta - a piece of toast left from Friday evening, some nice white cheddar cheese topped with a Roma tomato slice, Italian Seasoning and a nice fresh sprig of Basil...beautiful and good!  We also munched on some Central Market stuffed red sweet peppers Will procured that afternoon.  Then yes, by request, I made the scrumptious Fillet Mignon with Roquefort Sauce...again!  Sherri has read about this recipe several times here on the blog and chastises me regularly for not getting to try it.  So I gave in and made it for her.  It's not exactly trouble and eating this dish again is certainly not too tough on my palette!  We served a side salad and used some macaroni & cheese from the previous night which actually got better in day 2...I think all the stuff melds together a little nicer once it's been in the fridge overnight.  We finished everything off with a chocolate pudding pie I whipped up Saturday afternoon.  You just can't go wrong with chocolate pudding, cool whip and a chocolate pie crust!

The Last Appetizer...when we remembered to take a picture!

Zoe & Daniel dining Al Fresco...

Thanks to the Sakson's for joining us. These feisty entrepreneurs are doing great with their Kid to Kid shop located next the Luby's on Post Oak.  If you've got kids, this is the place to shop.  Lot's of brand names for less than $10!!!  Click HERE to see their website.  And No!  I'm not taking any commission for this advertising section!

So that's it!  The whirlwind dinner party weekend!  We finished off the festivities Sunday by having a Date Day.  Jen and I dropped off Daniel at my Dad's, then took in a nice lunch at D'Amico's in the Village, did some business clothes shopping for Jen and then saw "The Help"...fantastic and yes I cried so shut up!  I think it should win the Academy Award easily.  We then met my Dad for supper at Tony Mandola's new restaurant on Waugh Drive/West Gray.  Excellent!

Dinner Club Strikes Again...

So the infamous Dinner Club met once again, this time turning the Biggs' Heights Bungalow into a virtual cornucopia of laughs, giggles and good food.  Our dear friends Jennie and Gardner Biggs hosted this rendition and performed beautifully...as expected.  All the usual suspects were in attendance except our good friend Scott who was attending some kind of Woodstock flashback concert up East.

The Beautiful Table

Jennie & JG

Tara...at least she didn't try to dance again!

Ish & Todd...ain't they just crazy!

Ruthie's Mom joined us for the festivities...we're thinking of replacing Scott permanently!

Yours Truly & That Lovely Woman I live with

Hangin' with Ruthie & The 'Dre

The evening started with Lemon Drop Martini's, cocktails and some type of hot goat cheese appetizer that was all kinds of delicious.   Dinner followed with a serving of grilled pork tenderloin, asparagus, rice pilaf and some really nice artisan breads.  And finally, the piece de resistance was a dessert of chocolate fudge pie with a raspberry topping...I don't think that was the name of it, but it sure did eat good!  Jennie even pulled out the fine china!

The Starter Salad

The Main Course

The Dessert...oh my!

By 11:30 the festivities found their close and we headed home to relieve the babysitters.  Another great chapter in Dinner Club folklore concluded.  Thanks to the Biggs' for hosting and continuing the memorable tradition.  What's that?  Was their a chant?  Yes...I LOVE DINNER CLUB, I LOVE DINNER CLUB!