Creative Weekend

One of the ladies I worked with at the MS camp last month is super cool and very creative. We decided before leaving camp we would get together to create sometime--lucky for me she lives in LaPorte. The stars seemed to have aligned just right and we managed to get together Saturday to create. I arriveed early evening on Saturday and we began to brainstorm. Plenty of creative toys around to play with...we stayed up late playng with paints and alcohol inks and other assorted items. It was relaxing to just hang out and let the supplies dictate where you went. Looking forward to our next creative time.....

Farewell By Design.....

By Design Scrapbook Boutique....a favorite source of scrappin goodness for the past four years is shutting their doors. By Design has been the place to go for the newest, cutting edge products. I've been fortunate to take some wonderful classes from people like Tim Holtz, Heidi Swapp, Janet Hopkins and Debby Schuh thanks to Tracy. I'll miss her and the store and all the goodness.

My Jewish Mother....

I have a dear friend who I refer to as my Jewish mother...always giving me an extra push when I need it, not sugar coating things. She's creative, snarky and funny and I love her dearly. She's having a bit of a time with some health issues and has recently been sentenced to massive doses of steroids. If you have a chance, pop over to her blog and leave her a word of two of encouragement.

Beer Fest revisited.....

So apparently it was all over channel 11 what a mess the event was.....people being overcome by heat waiting to get in (no surprise there), people waiting in line over two hours to get in--and still not getting in, running out of beer.....seems we weren't the only ones who thought it was poorly planned. At least we had a nice night in a nice hotel and fun at Pete's!

Beer Fest and other stuff....

The Houston Beer Festival was held Saturday downtown. I bought tickets weeks ago through Groupon for the honey as an early birthday gift and added a hotel room at the Doubletree (they were offering a special and this way we could both enjoy ourselves without the worry of getting home after). After a yummy homemade breakfast we headed downtown and checked in....and being the Doubletree we were greeted with warm chocolate chip cookies.....

We lounged a bit (since the festivities didn't begin till 2p) before heading over to city hall....and were greeted with....long lines.....no sinage......and we waited....and waited....and waited....

After nearly an hour and a half in line we were in the gates. We had a fistfull of tickets that could be used for tastes or full 12 ounce servings.....

As time passed the crowd began to grow which meant the lines for the beers began to grow.....we had been there a few hours....they honey was able to enjoy a few beers and had a couple that weren't so good. I sipped on iced tea and finally tried some Jeremiah Weed spiked cola. It was good but the combination of that, only my earlier breakfast in my stomack and the heat I felt it immediately. The lines were insane, the placed was packed to the point that moving was growing difficult and we decided to call it done. I don't think it's something we'll try again---unless they change the venue (at the very least....they had too much packed into too small of a space).

We wandered back to the hotel and after cooling down a bit and resting we walked over to the Houston Pavillions for dinner. There are a handfull of restuarants-most somewhat up-scale, but we settled for Guadalajara. We knew there would be a wait but the wait to be seated was minimal. It was the wait for our food that seemed to go on forever......the honey was NOT impressed.....I can't really say that I was either....

After dinner I was able to talk the honey into a vist to Pete's (Dueling) Piano Bar. I've been to Pete's in Austin on numerous occassions and always had a wonderful time and I hoped this adventure would prove to be fun as well. The honey had no idea what he was walking into but being a good sport he went. We grabbed a beer and then found a place to sit in the back. It wasn't quite 9p, but it was already rocking. It took a song or two but once he knew what was going on, the honey seemed to relax and enjoy himself. We sang....we danced....we had a good time. I think maybe Pete's redeemed me after the disappointment of the beer fest and dinner.....

Time Off.....

I recentlly took a day off from work. No real planning....other than asking late in the day if I could take off the next day (gotta take my vacation time before the end of August of I lose it). So Tuesday near 5p the boss said yes to Wednesday off. So I took it!

No real plans, just burning a day. I thought I might go in.....maybe even just half a day. My body knew that morning when the alarm went off that I didn't really have to go in--so I slept a bit longer. I took my time waking up...getting up and getting started. I piddled......watched a little morning television (it was Meredith's last day on the Today show--not something I normally watch)....thought about catching a movie (a chick flick) then decided against it. Finally up and going I headed out for a little shopping.....a new outfit for the beer fest this weekend (finding that was luck!).....picked up essentials at Target (ya know, toilet paper, etc).....a run through Specs (why not!)...a quick (yummy) lunch at a place I'd never been (Chinese place in Rosenberg near Kroger)...then grocery shopping and home.

This is the fortune which accompanied my meal...