Downtown Houston- Preston @ Main St

sunday was a perfect day for brunch and a walk around downtown.

Projekt

Today will be my day 1:

[ chicago ]

[ Philadelphia ]

[ Williamsburg, Brooklyn ]

Its just too easy! If you work in an office, get some 1" X 2 5/8" mailing label stickers. Print the muti language one here. Print the English one here. Keep them in your bag/planner and get to stickin'. ( i really hope its not considered graffiti or vandalism :/) I like thinking that someone may be having a crappy day, see the sticker, smile and say "damn right".

"You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture...

The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. We're just attempting to make the world a little better.... We work extremely hard that this message is received as a simple act of kindness, and nothing more...

Projects like these make a difference in the world by catching us in the midst of daily life and creating moments of positive self realization"

- Mission statement from the project website .

Go Team! Fight! Win! Win the Match! Sports, yeah! Teamwork!

Thanks to Jennifer, got to see the 'stros beat the diamondbacks 4-2 for free! Had a good St. Arnold's beer and a hotdog, ballpark style ( free chick-fil-a as we were leaving the game, too! Bonus! The chick-fil-a was promptly inhaled as soon as we returned home from the bar later that night).

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--> debuted blonde hair for the first time in over 4 years- we'll see if it sticks.

Baby, it's cold outside... ( no... no it's not..)

Sometimes you just gotta put the AC on 68, make a big pot of veggie soup, and pretend its the end of October. [mmm over brown rice!]

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During weekend activities, managed to snap a few shots of city things. Unfortunately the establishments were either closed or I was on a time crunch, but will definately pass by again to get a better look.

[ Annunciation Catholic Church is the Second oldest Catholic Church in Houston: Outgrowth of St. Vincent's Parish, Established in 1839. ] We were on our way to an Astros game so I didn't get to go in, but would love to go to mass here one Sunday.

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Found this little bakery down Fairview [1841 Fairview St Houston, TX 77006]. I liked that the name was "Royal Bakery". The outside didn't look very regal, but quaint enough. It wasn't open when I passed, but will try again later!

weekend in retro

This weekend brought good thunderstorms (although it rained out my little jazz concert i planned on attending, we desperately needed it..), a quick visit/dinner with mom and dad, a good friday night in, Michelle's birthday in her new home, an astros game, a new hair color, and some relaxing in the sun. a few photos to come tomorrow!

Had good talks about plans for the future (specifically a discussion about co-owning a Christmas tree with a certain boy this winter..) and it makes me happy for change.

...and speaking of change, have i mentioned how ready i am for the leaves to?

[photos by Fran Braud circa 2008- Lost Maples ]

Happy 34th Anniversary! Cheers!

do you remember.. the 21st night of september?

since i wasn't born until 1981, there is absolutely no way to tell what i would have looked like circa 1976, but because of silly games like this, i dont have to wonder.

Here are a few summer songs that remind me of riding in the car with mom and dad

Chicago - Saturday In The Park - Unknown

In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry

and just to mix it up a bit....

Summer Breeze (Philip Steir Remix) - Seals and Crofts

Please may i have?

Shawn Lovell Metalworks

A TREE BED! Its like waking up in a magical forest every morning! How could anyone not have a good day waking up like that? Ok so it's $15K...but its a treeee beeedddddd

I reminds me of something they might sleep in... you know, once they made it honest and all.

Austin's "Sunflowers, An Electric Garden"

Dear Austin,

Thanks for being so neat. Also I miss you and I think a visit is in order.

Love, Ginny.

Photos by David Newsom

A retail lot in Austin, Texas recently sprouted a stunning field of solar sunflowers that soak up the sun’s rays to provide shade while generating a steady stream of renewable energy. Designed by public art team Harries/Heder, the installation consists of 15 flower-like solar photovoltaic panels located on a pedestrian and bike path between the village of Mueller and Austin’s highway I-35.”

...Sunflowers, An Electric Garden — Austin’s largest public art installation...
In addition to providing shade for walkers and bikers, the solar flowers collect energy during the day to power the installation’s blue LED lights at night.

read full article here!

Breaking news today- FACT: Zombies would most likely wipe out humanity if they really existed, claim scientists

[ This is still funny: From Jan 09 in Austin: Pranksters in Austin, Texas, hacked computerized road signs to warn drivers of an unusual hazard on Monday. The signs appeared on Lamar Boulevard, a major city thoroughfare.]

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from Irish Independent.ie

By Richard Alleyne
Wednesday August 19 2009

Civilisation would most likely be finished in the event of a zombie outbreak, claim Canadian mathematicians who have calculated the possible devastation caused by an attack by the fictional monsters.

Using models developed to calculate the effects of more plausible pandemics, the team from the University of Ottowa have discovered that unless man struck back quickly and aggressively then they would be doomed.

The scientific paper, which is published in a book 'Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress', looks at an attack by the undead creatures, who infect the living with a bite.
In their study, titled 'When Zombies Attack!', the researchers picked “classic” slow-moving zombies such as those in Dawn of the Dead as models and divided humanity into three: the living, zombies and the “removed” – zombies who had been killed by decapitation.
They concluded there was no point trying to cure those infected or live with them - the best thing was to destroy them as quickly as possible.

“A zombie outbreak is likely to lead to the collapse of civilisation, unless it is dealt with quickly,” they write in the book “While aggressive quarantine may contain the epidemic, or a cure may lead to coexistence of humans and zombies, the most effective way to contain the rise of the undead is to hit hard and hit often. “As seen in the movies, it is imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly, or else we are all in a great deal of trouble.”

Joe Imad, the study's co-author, said: “If you look at it in a more realistic way, zombies are about the same as any other major infectious disease, they get out and we try to eliminate them.
“Modelling zombies would be the same as modelling swine flu, with some differences for sure, but it is much more interesting to read.”

© Telegraph.co.uk
- Richard Alleyne

best things..

I used to work in a small coffee shop owned by a Czech woman named Jana. She was a very friendly, outgoing and..I can't think of a better way to explain it... "free spirit". [She left the Czech Republic in the late 60s to escape the unrest caused by polital upheval. Russian tanks rolled into Prague on August 21st, 1968; this Friday marks the 41st anniversary.]

She moved to the US, got a library card and read books on starting your own business, the history of coffee, recipes, accounting...

Jana had an amazing work ethic. She was very meticulous and thorough and I like to think that now, in my own work, I exhibit some of her ethic... maybe it rubbed off on me so many years ago.

~ Clean as you go so you're not stuck with a mess at the end of the day.
~ Make every drink like its your masterpiece; people depend on you to begin their days.
~ Don't be afraid to get creative.
~ Be careful with people. You don't know what they're going through.
~ Work quickly, but don't rush.
~ Pay attention to details.

I loved working during Christmastime, when its so cold outside a hot coffee or chocolate is perfection. I loved when people asked for gingerbread and peppermint lattes, and i'd top them with whipped cream & nutmeg while Bing Crosby told me about white Christmases in parts of the country other than Texas.

Sometimes I miss the coffee shop, especially the way it smelled. I go in every now and then to buy tea and it still makes me happy.

Oktapodi! (2007)

Came upon this sweet little award winning French short today, about two octopi-in-love who try desperately to stay together despite all obstacles. Just something small and cute for your Wednesday morning!

Tag: "Two octopi fight for their lives with a stubborn restaurant cook in a comical escape through the streets of a small Greek village."

See the film! 2 mins 27 sec

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” - Mother Teresa

Ryan was in town this weekend! Although we had no real agenda, we managed to do so much including but not limited to:

- tasty cold drinks and lunch with friends
- exploring on westheimer
- lots of window and vintage shopping
- library exploring
- amazing Italian @ Patrenella's
- walks around the block with freeze pops ( goal was Tx junk co, but its closed til Sept 18th!)
- farmer's market
- sunny day on the lake with the family
- vampire movie from 1922
- po-boy induced naps
- photoboothing

Snapped a few photos from our neighborhood expeditions:

[ wall art/ sticker, Richmond ave, Movies! The Store ]

[rules to live by: cedar creek, west 19th street, the heights ]

[ fancy couple/country: cedar creek, west 19th street, the heights ]

[ bombshell tattoo studio on westheimer ]

[ shop sign on westhimer. do what it says ]

[ antique shop on westheimer ]

[ chair meeting, Agora on westheimer ]

[ enjoying a lambic on a Saturday afternoon, Agora on westheimer ]

[ window drawing: Agora on westheimer ]

[ roses painted on table: Kraftsmen bakery on Montrose @ Richmond ]

[ HPL, Montrose branch: "The complex that now houses the Freed-Montrose branch of the Houston Public Library used to be the Central Church of Christ. Though they appear to be separate institutions, The Campanile encompasses the library, several restaurants and pubs, and the occasional confectionery. All are unified by a gloriously thick carpet of ivy clinging to the exterior, lending history to the library and character to the eateries. Inside the library, the structure's namesake campanile no longer chimes. It has been transformed into a staircase leading to the mezzanine level. This has been designed not to block the light beaming through the tall church windows which give the reader a sense of warmth and friendliness..."

[ if you look closely, you can see the stained glass window with a dove in the center ]

[ former bell tower ]

[ above and below: Thursday night @ McElroy's Irish Pub ]