Monthly Archives: April 2009

(Community Matters) While leading in the polls the Austin American Statesman endorsement represents an undeniable win for Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken in the close race for mayor

. . . . we believe McCracken, 43, has the vision and leadership to move Austin forward and urge voters to elect him the next mayor.

McCracken has a plan for the future that calls for investment in clean energy and biotech and digital businesses. He has helped lead the Pecan Street Project, which is working to attract clean-energy business to Austin. He is vigorously pursuing the next step in Austin’s future.

McCracken has a broad view of what Austin needs and how City Hall should manage in a budget crunch.

(Community Matters) The spiritual voice of the civil rights movement and one time Bob Dylan fiance, Mavis Staples rocked the St. James’ sanctuary last night in a benefit concert for St. James Episcopal School.

Rock n Roll Hall of Famer, Mavis Staples

St. James’ Episcopal School is a pre-K and kindergarten, Montessori-based program predominantly serving children in East Austin. They seek to inspire thinking that leads to academic achievement and prepare children for life as leaders, problem solvers, and self-reliant individuals with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. ABPorter.org was a sponsor of last night’s event.

Father Bill introducing the band, Yvonne Staples far left

Thinkwell CEO Carl Tyson, Margaret Keys & Steven

Prior to the concert, Margaret Keys hosted Carl Tyson, Steven and me for dinner – they were our guests to the concert. Meg Schwartz of Spoon & Co cooked a fantastic dinner, including vegan offerings for ST’s new diet as well as exquisitely marinated filet for me and Carl. Margaret’s and Meg’s attention to detail and planning of every little detail for a dinner is inspiring. oh yeah, and those chocolate ganache, cream pastry tartlets . . .

(Community Matters) I lived on Mt. Bonnell most of my first 16 years in Austin. Often helped Sarah serve beers during rush. Even after helping, I still had to pay. She’d sometimes yell at me, though always with a crooked smile

(Community Matters) Much fun attending the Townlake YMCA’s Healthy Kids Fair and signing up kids for our Lemonade Day. Marion Cimbala, Leigh Christie, Peter Frey & plenty of other volunteers simultaneously attending fairs at other locations, signing up kids to learn about business while earning money.

In Houston last year (their second), kids ran 11,600 lemonade stands earning $1,300,000 and donating $220,000 to charity. May 3rd in Austin. More information here.

volunteers, Chi Nguyen & Misty Harrison

The GAP encourages its employees to volunteer. They’ve been super helpers. Today, two from the GAP came and helped me at the Y.

Austin Ventures’ Chris Earthman & his youngest son

dads, lots of dads with kids today

and moms. Connected with Lydia Ortiz and her two children.

Jason Daniel, YMCA Youth & Family Program Director

Jason Daniel was one of my undergraduate students. A former gymnast, he’s long been engaged in youth development. Worked on a class consulting project for Leadership Austin. Loved reconnecting.

(Community Matters) Laid back Friday night, making rounds to a few friends, closing out with a movie in the pool house.

Jan & David Hughes hosted a book signing for Rip Esselstyn. And lots of food from the recipes – delicous! Catching up a bit with Rip, no plans to leave the station. He’s looking forward to being on ABC this week, and he was thrilled to make the NYTimes bestselling self help list.

You just look at the guy, his near 2yo, Jill (expecting) and know this is a happy, healthy family. Of course, helps that Rip was always a world class athlete. Steven’s on his diet and loving it. Obviously Kirk & Amy Rudy are looking fantastic too. hmmm, plant strong . . . .

Rip Esselstyn

Linda Fields, Steven, Jan Hughes

Brewster McCracken & Tom Terkel

Tom & Colleen Terkel joined by Kirk & Amy Rudy and Brenda Thompson hosted an intimate gathering of friends at Tom & Colleen’s new Tarrytown home designed by Ryan Street. Brewster spoke about the campaign and his positions, visions. Ok, I know I’m partisan here, but I’m not partisan because Brewster is my friend. I’m partisan because Brewster so viscerally gets it – way more than I do or than 99% of Austinites do. He sees Austin now and in the future as a great city, with a robust economy, creative & working class jobs, a protected environment and strong social & health services. He’s studied – more than anyone I know – what contributed to our successes in the 80s and 90s and he’s building on that, engaging Sun, IBM, GE, Dell, Sematech, UT, the governor’s office and Austinites. Brewster’s the real deal – he just gets it; it’s instinctive to him.

others attending included: Joe & Teresa Long, Anne Wynn, Ann & Charles Coleman, and Carolyn & Tom Gallagher

Stella Lucio

Afterwards, dinner at Julio’s where Stella makes you part of her family.  Dined with Kevin Keim and Linda Moore. Since I wasn’t fair in taking their pic and it isn’t especially flattering, I better not post 🙂

Finally, back to one of my favorite spots in the world, my poolhouse where I love to read, smoke cigars, drink wine, have long conversations with friends, watch movies and read the NYTimes floating in the water.

(Community Matters) Attended a Leadership Austin past chairs luncheon hosted by its current chair, Steve Benesh. In attendance Neal Spelce, Don Martin, Barry Curly, Dan Bullock, David Escamilla, Joene Grissom, Jerry Hare, Rick Whitley, Gerry Tucker and Gary Valdez. In addition, Pres/CEO Heather McKissick and Hannah Nokes were with us.

Impressive report on progress with three year strategic plan focused on 1) Deepening skills, 2) Exploring issues and 3) Building relationships.

Plus, I’m excited about the Best Party Ever being held on June 2 at the Long Center – honors Lee Thomson and Mayor Will Wynn.

(Community Matters) I woke up mindful of why some folks might value demographics at least as worthy as competence or experience. In the race for Austin City Council Place 1, I now realize that some women and some Hispanics might consider those two attributes of greater importance than other qualifications for the job.

I have to spend more time with this. It isn’t how I work.

Ever since graduating from A&M University and being asked to participate in the recruiting and hiring process, I have held my own “identity groups” to even higher standards of competency in order to support, imagining this would serve our “identity group” even better. I’d never previously connected with identity politics since, while I was growing up, my parents and family worked very hard to mainstream us and for us not to identify as Hispanic, Mexican or Spanish. Identity politics hit me hard when I self-admitted my sexual orientation; nevertheless, I still have, perhaps not always fair, even higher standards for my LGBT brothers & sisters when interviewing or hiring. All things equal, yes, diversity should help decide. However, I’ve always believed there are plenty of minorities, women, gays, lesbians and other minority group members who are exceptionally qualified for any job – it doesn’t serve us to settle for one iota less qualified in order to accomplish diversity. It’s actually counterproductive and seen as unfair.

(Community Matters) I don’t see the triangle line or an Austin to SAT line, but there is discussion of two including Texas. here

(Community Matters) Many of Brewster McCracken’s high tech supporters are weighing in on the Ideas for Austin website. Top votes so far for: 1) Create a startup district, 2) Keep the City website project in Austin, 3) fix the serious traffic problem at 5th/6th and Lamar, and more. Vote at the site

(Community Matters) Big excitement for all cooks: Diana Kennedy’s newest cookbook has just been released in Mexico. It is extraordinarily beautiful and full of Oaxacan recipes. Diana is currently entertaining offers for publishing in the USA. I couldn’t help but weigh in on this one and recommended to our mutual friends (also dining at Fonda last night) that they engage Stud Muffin in the pitch to Diana. I love that Alice Waters and Diana are both releasing such definitive cook books. If you don’t have Waters’ The Art of Simple Food, you should – right up on the shelf with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, with Diana’s other books: The Art of Mexican Cooking, My Mexico and The Essentials, with the New York Times Cookbook, The Joy of Cooking, back issues of Cooks Illustrated, Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts, Giuliano Bugialli’s Italian cookbooks, Richard Olney’s Lulu’s Provencal Table & Simple French Food, Sally Schneider’s A New Way to Cook and Edna Lewis’ The Gift of Southern Cooking.

(Community Matters) Much fun celebrating Amy Rudy’s birthday last night over drinks and dinner at Fonda San Miguel.

Kirk & Amy at FuseBox Festival Preview Party last week

Steven and I joined Amy, Kirk, Julie & John Thornton, Jen & John Hamlin, Laura & Andy Pastor and Kelly Cooper to celebrate Amy last night. Much excitement about upcoming FuseBox. In an earlier post, think I said Erection was risque. Correction, it’s Geisha that’s R rated.

By the way, Andy, Kirk & Amy completely dispelled my perspective of Jeff Newberg’s innocence with their ski story.

(Community Matters)  It would be hard to find a more qualified new council member than Chris Riley.  Austin born and raised, congressional page for Jake Pickle, economics grad from Harvard University, UT law degree, attorney with Tx Supreme Court and private practice since.

He’s chaired the Downtown Commission, the Planning Commission, co-founded the Alliance for Public Transportation and Austin CarShare.  Founded the Downtown Neighborhood Association and is a member of the Parks Foundation Board.  He’s a lifelong progressive with a proven track record in Austin.

Perla – beautiful, committed and a compelling life story.  Obviously, would represent an addition to the council’s diversity (woman and Hispanic).  Though, there is NOT a single mutual friend with whom I’ve spoken who doesn’t agree there is NO comparison between the intellectual fire power of the two.  Chris is very, very smart, experienced and knows the city’s intricacies.  

We need Chris Riley on the Austin City Council.  He’s shovel ready.