Monthly Archives: November 2011

Moon Party

(Community Matters) Jodi & Fred Zipp hosted an eclectic and elite crowd tonight during the full moon – one of the best views in town and certainly one of the most beautiful homes. Enjoyed seeing tons of friends including Graham Reynolds, Jill McRae & Stephen Yelenosky, Nancy Scanlon, Mike Levy, Tony Plohetski, Scott & Jill Stevens and tons others

Center 61

(Community Matters) Center 61 opening tonight – the Entrepreneurs Foundation and Steven Tomlinson move in tomorrow.

 

James Turrell Skyspace

(Community Matters) Last night celebrated Suzanne Deal Booth and Rice University’s dedication of the James Turrell Skyspace. Suzanne & David Booth generously underwrote the Skyspace.

Hoping the rendering posts here as well (sending from my blackberry). This installation will be the third sacred space in Houston, joining the Rothoko & Byzzantine Fresco chapels. Appropriate that Suzanne is presenting this gift to Houston since her mentor & patron, Dominique de Menil gifted the Rothko & Byzzantine.

Fun & quick trip w/ Suzanne & David, Lindsey & Ford Smith and Aide Dieck. Steven & I are constantly inspired by our friends’ generosity – yesterday a double dose. Posted from my blackberry

Meredith Learning Center @ M Station

(Community Matters) Foundation Communities dedicated it’s M Station learning center (in transit-oriented development at MLK Commuter Station) yesterday. They named it the Meredith Learning Center in recognition of Tom & Lynn Meredith’s vision for the former Featherlite site, in recognition of the entire Meredith family’s largess – a half million dollar grant & another half million dollar unsecured & subordinated loan helped finance M Station’s development. Will Meredith spoke on behalf of his family, noting the importance of place and FC & Open Door Preschool’s success helping families climb out of poverty and low income. Posted from my blackberry

Austin Woman: Lynn Meredith

(Community Matters) Love the article on Lynn in this month Austin Woman Magazine

L Style G Style Profile

(Community Matters) link to the profile L Style G Style did on me & Steven – way too flattering (airbrushes my many flaws) and also much appreciated.

Republican Views on Sexual Harassment

(Community Matters) What some Republican thought leaders have to say about sexual harassment:

Road John Derbyshire, National Review: “Is there anyone who thinks sexual harassment is a real thing? Is there anyone who doesn’t know it’s all a lawyers’ ramp, like ‘racial discrimination’? You pay a girl a compliment nowadays, she runs off and gets lawyered up.”

Road Laura Ingraham, The Laura Ingraham Show: “We have seen this movie before and we know how it ends. It always ends up being an employee who can’t perform or who under-performs and is looking for a little green.”

Road Kurt Schlichter, New York Post: ” … the only things you need to file a lawsuit are the filing fee and a printer. Facts are optional. … Where sexual-harassment law once protected women from being forced to be the playthings of crude lechers, it’s been transformed to enforcing a prim puritanism that drains the humor and humanity from the workplace.”

Road Sen. Rand Paul, quoted at Politico: “There are people now who hesitate to tell a joke to a woman in the workplace, any kind of joke, because it could be interpreted incorrectly.”

Road Rep. Steve King, quoted at Slate: “It’s a terrible concept to define an action by the perception of the perceived victim.”

Road Ex-Sen. Fred Thompson, National Review: “These alleged victims and their lawyers — no matter what they may say publicly — are champing at the bit to come forward for their day in the limelight and the inevitable book deal.”

wow, wonder what this group had to say about Clinton/Lewinsky

Save Buddy & Pedro

(Community Matters) Buddy & Pedro are gay – now the zoo wants to separate them

Rolling Stone on Rick Perry

(Community Matters) Rick Perry: The Best Little Whore In Texas

Breaking Bread

(Community Matters) and twice over one weekend. Amy Donohue-Adams & Bill (Wm Seth) Adams are two of our dearest, closest friends. Unfortunately, when they both finally retired, they decided Wigbey Island would be their home – Bill taught at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest and Amy was the director of chaplin care at St David’s Round Rock. Friday evening I made bouillabaisse for a late dinner just the four of us; last night, Meg (Spoon & Co) whipped up glazed pork loin and roasted chicken for 13 of us.

starting at bottom left, clockwise: Kent Burress, Ora Houston, Eric Kennedy, Bill Adams, Gina Houston, Lora Livingston, Steven, Tim Kruse, Sharon Coleman, Amy Donohue-Adams, David Henton, Mary Lou Adams

L Style G Style 5th Anniversary

(Community Matters) lots of fun last night at L Style G Style’s 5th Anniversary Bash at the W Hotel. Alisa Weldon & Lynn Yedell pulled out all the stops. Heat Bootcamp’s Cody Butler produced the evening, enlisting Ballet Austin, Judy Arnold and God-Des and She, who brought down the house (Steven affectionately calls them the Lesbian Rap Rave). Trey Alford, Britanny Wiggins, Eric Copper (who turns 40 this week), Tyler Sieswerda, Chris Long, Council menmber Mike Martinez & Lara Wendler, Forrest & Linda, Todd Canon, Stan Young, Mary & Rusty Talley, Armando Zambrano, John Hogg & David Garza, Ruth Gardner-Loew and lots of others celebrating

Editor Christopher Carbone wrote a very flattering profile of us. We’re honored to share the cover with Audrey Alexander & Lacey Fuell. There’s also a nice profile of our dear friend Karen Gross (Austin ADL community director) in this issue.
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.Photographer Michael Thad Carter flatters us.

. Continue reading

Pious Racial Indignation

(Community Matters) Leonard Pitts: This would be the same right wing that is conspicuous by its silence, its hostility or its complicity when the injustice system imposes mass incarceration on young black men, when the number of hate groups in this country spikes to over a thousand, when the black unemployment rate stands at twice the national average, when the president is called “uppity” and “boy.”

The candidate has spoken of how he left the Democratic “plantation,” the implication being that more blacks should vote Republican. It would seem on the surface to make sense. . . .  This would be the same Cain who not so long ago said racism was no longer a significant obstacle for African Americans . . . . [but now] “I believe the answer is yes,” said Cain himself when asked on Fox if race was the cause of his woes, adding honestly, if hilariously, that he has no evidence whatsoever to back that up [as he tries to avoid accountability for, at best, boorish behavior – at worst, illegal]