Monthly Archives: February 2009

(Community Matters) I couldn’t stay long enough but bet they eventually broke out the ukuleles. Fun celebration of Milinda Mitchell’s birthday last night at her cool Brentwood abode.

Guests included Michael Mitchell, Robert Torian, Oliver, Annie & Jason Milshew, Melissa Henderson, Drew Valcourt, Tana & Joe Christie and several other friends (gosh does this happen more and more as we get older) including a woman who makes the best cakes in the galaxy! good gosh, we want another!

(Community Matters) Joe & Andra Liemandt gathered several of us yesterday, introducing us to the Lemonade Day Project.

It’s an entrepreneurial & philanthropy training program for children. Last year, kids in Houston ran over 11,000 lemonade stands in a single day, raising over $1,300,000 and donating over $220,000 to charity. 75% of the kids fully paid back their investors, and lots of other impressive statistics.

Well, how can you say no to that? The guests were equally impressed. So, the Entrepreneurs Foundation will be taking on this project for this year – May 3 – with Joe & Andra as major sponsors, our dear friend Jack McDonald is equally impressed and maybe we’ll be able to engage PeopleFund as well as lots of other Austin sponsors & partners. now, umm, 3 months . . . . Marion?

(Community Matters) don’t we become addicted

(Community Matters) Was afraid my blackberry but hearing a system wide problem.

(Community Matters) The Beatles Classically with the Eggmen at the Paramount on Feb 21st . . . . and raises money for the McCallum orchestra to perform at Carnegie Hall in June.

(Community Matters) Risking their charitable tax status? here

(Community Matters) Great pic and interview of Michael Barnes & Kip Keller in Rare.

(Community Matters) Maybe it is because he’s a blatant liar. Does he think we don’t remember watching him claim to “not remember” while testifying on the DOJ hijinks? One gallery visitor counted 74 “I can’t recall” s.

Ruben Navarrett, Jr’s (column) either 1) being played by Alberto, 2) is a hold over from Rummy’s office of disinformation or 3) Darth Vader has kidnapped his family and is blackmailing him.

Alberto is NOW worried about his success relative to the Hispanic community’s reputation?

“I’ve realized that my success in rehabilitating my service is going to be critical, I think, somewhere down the road, to the Hispanic community.” “If the notion is that, if you put a Hispanic in a critical position, the Hispanic will fail, then that’s not a message that I think we can tolerate, particularly if it happens to be false on its face.”

(Community Matters) pics from the weekend

Saturday afternoon’s party for Zella Mae Walls-Biggs (in Austin):

7 week old Zella with her proud daddies, Stephen Walls & Denny Biggs

LAF’s Andy Miller, AHFH’s Brian Stephens and their son, Clark

Jason, Chris & their son Gavin

Friday’s 31st celebration of Susan’s 29th

hosts Jim Lammori & Lew Aldridge

Steven & birthday girl, Susan Ghertner

Not sure how I missed getting any pics at Ingrid Johansen’s and UT law prof. Mitch Berman’s where we snuck away to and back from during Susan’s party/dinner. Loved meeting Larry Helfer and David Boyd, both professors at Vanderbilt who are being recruited by UT, as well as Prof. Russ Muirhead & former Middle East foreign service officer, Antonia Barry.

In Houston Saturday evening:

Our youngest niece, Paulina with Uncle Steven. She turns 6 next week

hmm, occurs to me that Paulina likely to be the last niece or nephew. What’s up with that? Need more new children in this family. Next up, we’re relying on our god children. hmm, our “adopted godchild”, Cameron Lockley, on his way to Austin now to spend a couple of days with us. Not very reliable source of progeny there. Gotta get him married off to a nice man first, then adopt!

Elizabeth Heflin as Mrs. Warren and Brandon Hearnsberger as
Frank Gardner in Mrs. Warren’s Profession at the Alley Theatre (photo by Michal Daniel)

The play was outstanding. Oh yeah, think I already blogged about this. and, so was dinner at Cadillac Bar where I hadn’t been for over 25 years.

@ the farm – Sealy/Columbus/Cats Springs (Sunday morning):

Steven actually collected the eggs this morning – while practically attacked by one of the roosters. We drove there after the play last night. Breakfast of fresh pork pozole, corn tortillas and fresh eggs with my parents, an aunt, uncle and a couple of their friends, Rosemary & Ernest. Wow, could do more of that.

lots & lots of hundred year old oaks

dad pointing out an ailing tree to Steven in the background

(Community Matters)
Gotta let this one go. Negatively impacting who we are and what we stand for. Posted from my blackberry

(Community Matters)
Saw George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession at Houston’s Alley Theatre tonight. Excellent play and certainly see why it was banned for nearly 50 years. Brilliant exploration of a pressing social topic in Mr Shaw’s time – hmm, maybe even our own. Houston’s directing just fine, though I really disliked the choreographed scene sets going for industrial alternatives for women.

Headed to my parent’s farm in Sealy now. Looking forward to breakfast with them in the am and introducing ST to dad’s 40 chickens.

Zella Walls-Biggs – met the 7 week old earlier today. She, the daughter of two great men, Stephen Walls and Denny Biggs. She is totally precious and should grow up a princess. Is there such a term as a GFAP? There should be.

Posted from my blackberry

(Community Matters)
Good gosh. Wouldn’t it be so cool if Michelle Obama was pregnant. I don’t believe the rumors, nevertheless, great fantasy and is certainly exciting the internet. Posted from my blackberry on the way to Houston