Monthly Archives: September 2009

(Community Matters) hmm, I don’t consider any microwaved tortillas worthy of breakfast taco ranking, but I do like Wheatsville’s fixin’s. So this am, solved the problem by just ordering the insides, purchasing Margaritas uncooked flour tortillas, then finishing everything off at home. not to mention the opportunity to add Timpone’s salsa – the best salsa available commercially today (HEB & Central Market)!

(Community Matters) Ballet Austin’s Fete 09. Julie & John Thornton really launched the Fete as one of Austin’s preeminent social events. The second year, Amy Rudy & I chaired. This year’s event (the 8th or 9th I believe) was chaired by the lawyer who makes husbands cry, Becky Beaver.

3rd st entrance to the unfinished but tricked-out-for-the-night 54 story Austonian

I didn’t see my friend, Terry Mitchell, the building’s developer, but I’m sure he was there.

Fete guests were escorted to the 33rd floor for the dinner/gala using the construction elevator

Steven and Michael Barnes

Stephen Mills (Ballet Austin artistic director), Kristi & Scott Eckert and Brent Hasty

I’m pleased to hear rumors of Kristi & Scott’s relocation to Seattle are unfounded. Though, it’s true their extraordinary home (probably the city’s best view from the west shore of Town Lake overlooking the city) is going on the market – one of the highest listing prices recorded in Austin. I’m not surprised given the house, location & views. Loved hearing a wee bit about Scott’s Seattle project – quite exciting.

Charles Duggan, Lynn Meredith & Larry Connelly

Joanie Benson & Jenn Hamlin

Nina & Frank Seely

Trisa Thompson, Michael Guerra & Bettye Nowlin

I know Bettye was there with Carmen Tawil, Sharon Watkins & Jolynn Free. Saw Jolynn but not the rest.

JR Ruiz & Tim McCabe

Tim’s permanently endeared himself & Trammel Crow to a board of Austin influencers. They’ve agreed to pro bono help manage the construction of PeopleFund’s new headquarters on the Featherlite tract in East Austin

Steve Marley & Tom Meredith

Four Seasons events & catering manager, Steve Marley, how long has he been in Austin? – and lucky us. There’s never been an event I’ve called Steve for when he hasn’t bent over backwards to help us make it work at the best property in town. The Four Seasons catered last night’s dinner.

the women at our table

Amy Rudy, Jenn Hamlin, Stephanie Beard & Carla McDonald

the men at our table

Steven Tomlinson, Jack McDonald, John Hamlin, Brian Beard & Kirk Rudy (& moi)

a roving Cabaret singer & John

a Ballet Austin dancer a la Trocadero Ballet

update: spoke with Charles Duggan on Mon. It really was Trocadero

our favorite local artistic agent, John Riedie

I think John arranged the entertainment for the Fete*ish

and, after dinner, descended to the 10th floor, Cabaret

then, down to the first floor Fete*ish:

Rick Johnson, Cliff Redd, ST, ES

a little pole dancing on 1

martinis, food & desserts

Fete ’09 chair, Becky Beaver. Dick Clark (lft), John Duncan behind Becky

It was an outstanding night. rats, no pics of some favorites: Cookie Ruiz, Christi Cueller, Julia & Evan Smith (he raised $50k+ at the live auction), Alex Winkelman (who helped throw the Fete*ish), Suzanne & Marc Winkelman, Wyeth & Evelyn Wiedeman, Melanie & Ben Barnes, Charles Gentry, Oliver Everette, Linda Ball & Forrest Preece, James Armstrong, Ken Gladish, David Wyatt, Dave Shaw, John Hogg & David Garza, Lance Avery Morgan, Mary Margaret & Sen Ray Farabee, Karen Landa, Nancy Scanlan & John Watson, Jon & Elizabeth Ivester and Marshall Jones (chair Fete*ish)

Michael Barnes’ Out & About on the Fete

(Community Matters) I guess the good thing (in addition to his Democratic opponent raising $1mm since Wed night) is that the wingnuts might now concentrate their dollars in this guy

(Community Matters) A new Israeli lobby group which is said to better represent the progressive interests of Israel – j street.

(Community Matters) We’re looking forward to tonight’s Ballet Austin Fete on the 33rd floor of the Austonian. Will be fun to celebrate with so many friends, including sharing a table with the Beards, Hamlins, McDonalds and Rudys.

Congrats to Becky Beaver, this year’s chair as well as Marshall Jones, chair of the Fete*ish


Looking forward to connecting with tons of friends already know will be there including the Ivesters, Eckerts, Merediths, Landa/Dewey, Armstrong/Connelly, Marla, the Ernsts, Preece/Ball, the Bentzins, Oliver & Charles, the Barnes, Butlers, Hogg/Garza, Nancy Scanlan and lots of others.

(Community Matters) interesting . . . Glenn Beck was predicting “millions” would march on Washington today, it’s now thousands.

(Community Matters) Several hours of political briefings today from a group of exceptional DNC and White House staffers.

Rufus Gifford (DNC Finance Director), Jane Stetson (Finance Chair) & Daniel Dozier

national OFA director, Mitch Stewart

Luke Hayes joined Mitch and talked about Texas

Patrick Dillon, Special Ass’t to the President
Deputy Political Director

Jeffrey Lerner, Southwest Region WH Political Director joined Patrick.

All these folks and the others very impressive, extraordinarily committed. I’m sure there were plenty equally so during the last administration. These share my values and priorities and I believe will help make our country stronger, more compassionate and help us dig out of our economic and political quagmire.

I popped into the DNC’s LGBT caucus. Quick greeting with Terry Bean in from Portland and earlier quick greeting with Andy Tobias who I didn’t realize was going to be able to make Austin – evidently for only about 24 hours.

(Community Matters) The DNC is hosting its quarterly board meeting in Austin this week. As Gov. Tim Kaine (chair, DNC) notes, this should further reinforce their commitment to Texas. It’s not a matter of IF Texas will go blue, just a matter of when.

Last night, Tommy & Lynn Meredith hosted a dinner for Gov Tim Kaine & his wife Anne Holton and our national finance chair, Jane Stetson.

Tom & Charles Duggan

Suzanne Deal Booth, Jane Stetson & Steven

an august room of supporters & friends

Gov Kaine speaking

I didn’t know Anne’s father was a Republican governor of Virginia – wow, the daughter of a Republican governor and the wife of a Democratic governor – same state. Her dad integrated the state’s schools.

Amy Rudy & Alexa Wessner

Surprised Alexa was even able to make it for the cocktails since she entertained 200+ guests just an hour later at her home for the Blue Texas thank you (she raised $1mm for Texas races earlier this year)

Kirk Rudy & Naomi Aberly

Naomi is one of our national finance committee colleagues from Dallas. And, she’s just gone on the board of the CPPP.

Alexa on the stage with Ray Benson

After the dinner, we all moved over to Alexa & Blaine’s for the Blue Texas thank you party and Asleep at the Wheel concert

(Community Matters) Wow, just received a note from my friend Tana to remember today. I’d forgotten. Was sitting in Las Manitas with Margo Weisz, John Dirvin and Kirk Rudy when we learned about the attack on the towers. Tana called, and I rushed over to her house. We waited together, watched the towers collapse, while we waited for news on our very dear friend Charles Santos who worked in the WTC. So unbelievably happy he made it. He ran from the site as the towers collapsed, arriving mid town covered in soot and finally found a land line. So sad so many others didn’t make it. Remembering today

(Community Matters) I find the assigned neighborhood patrols comforting, proactive and refreshing. The note below received by email this morning.

I would like to inform the residents within the Baker 3 district neighborhoods that I have been researching the crime trends in district 3. I was recently assigned to the Central West District Representatives unit on June 22nd, 2009. Since this time I have taken a close look at the various crime trends in district 3. One in particular I have found is the burglary of residences, which have been occurring at an alarming rate. There is no particular time or day on which the burglaries have been occurring. They are sporadic, ranging from early morning, days and nights. Many of these burglaries involve either a rear door being kicked in or a rear window being smashed out. On some incidents the residents have been home during the burglary but, were sleeping. I also noticed, from reading the incident reports, that an alarming number of these burglaries occurred simply because the resident left a window or a door unlocked into their home. In some cases there were neighbors who actually observed the burglary suspect/suspects at the scene of the victim residence but, only thought of the situation as being suspicious at the time and never called police to check it out. Only after the homeowner reported that their residence had been burglarized did a neighbor come forward and explain that they had seen suspicious activity at the victim residence prior to it being reported. The police should have been called at the time the suspicious activity was observed.

I’m am sending this information out in order for the neighborhood residents to begin taking more precautions in securing their homes and to tell you that if you observe any activity which seems to be suspicious, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, call 911 immediately so that officers can investigate. Better to be safe and report it rather than ignore it and have it be something that probably could have been prevented. Don’t leave curtains and windows open where prying eyes can easily look into your home and see what valuable belongings you have ready to be stolen. When you leave your home lock everything…..doors, windows, garage overhead doors and those doors which lead from the garage into your home. If you have home alarm systems please use them both when not at home and even when you are home, especially at night when you go to bed. Use your home alarm systems always! Don’t open the door to solicitors. You can simply tell them, through the door, you’re not interested and that you want them to leave your property. The first line of defense to preventing or lowering your odds of becoming a victim of a crime begins with you. Be aware of your surroundings, take security precautions and report ALL suspicious activity to the police by calling 911.

Senior Police Officer

(Community Matters) Arnold S. Relman, M.D. is Professor Emeritus of Medicine and of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and is former Editor-in-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine.

(Community Matters) Congrats to Capital Factory founders Josh Baer, Bryan Menell and Sam Decker as well as all the mentors: Brian Beard, Jeremy Bencken, Andrew Busey, Ian Clarke, Jason Cohen, Pat Condon, Russell Hinds, Ryan Koonce, Kip McClanahan, Adam Moore, Marc Nathan, John Price, Mellie Price, Chris Sherman, Yvonne Tocquigny, Michael Trafton and Marc Yagjian – good gosh, any surprise expectations for this group are so high?

Hate that I had to miss Mike Maples, Jr keynote yesterday – a discussion about ThunderLizards, “aspire to capture huge markets with wildly disruptive ideas and with teams that execute brilliantly. “

Congrats to the graduates: Cubit Planning, FamiGo, Hourville, PetsMD and SpareFoot

photo: AAS