homeward bound

howdy pardners!

we hit the trails at sunrise. our annual trek to texas for the holidays. have so much to do before the morning. this year i will make a list of things i want to do in austin. somehow we always have so many things we want to do, and then the vacation goes by in a blur.

#1 on my list this year, go to 37th Street to see the most awesome lights and display of neighborhood unity in the universe. this little hippy neighborhood pulls out all the stops, from junk vehicles filled to the brim with lights, to a guy who has so many lights, he has a path of lights leading to his electric meter which is surrounded, of course, with lights where you can see the needle spinning out of control. this is truly a spectacle to behold. neighbors come out and serve hot chocolate and cider as people stroll down the street.

#2- the ZILKER PARK TREE. also a thing to behold, and a tradition from the time i was born. didn't make it the last two years, but the kid will get a kick out of spinning under it. it stands 155 feet tall, and is composed of 39 streamers made up of 3,309 lights!

#3- SHADY GROVE for the hipie sandwich and a margarita.

#4- Out to hear a band. My childhood friend Paul LeMond's band will be playing at THREADGILL's on January 3rd.

this is it for now. probably will think of more later.

Our new friend Jamie from Manchester

We had our annual Solscice party this past Saturday (not on the solstice this year, so I suppose it was really just a Holiday Soirée). Unfortunately, we didn't take many pictures, but Ludek snapped this one of me and Jamie Draven (he was Billy Elliot's big brother in the film... BILLY ELLIOT and is in the upcoming film BADLAND which my talented husband scored). Isn't he a cutie pie? An AMAZING actor, and just a really nice guy.

Each year we ask guests to share a song, story, poem, an interpretive dance to ring in the season. Ludek started the evening with Randy Newman's "Great Nations of Europe" which was a big hit. Then several of our other brave and talented friends joined in, including our friend Jonathan and his cheery rendition of "Killing Pidgeons in the Park." David P. did his annual ode to Texas (since our living room is filled with Texas kitsch, and Jenn and I joined in. Quite embarassing that the two Texans in the room (Jen and me) only knew the refrain "deep in the heart of Texas". I'll have to learn the lyrics before next year. I was so ashamed. Of course the kids were adorable and sang several Christmas songs, and our dear little one did her Hanukah song she learned in school for the one Jewish friend there. Thanks to everyone who participated. It was a fun evening!

Anonymous said...

I think I know you from somewhere. I have seen you and your husband crazy drunk...before you were married...and before your baby...as a matter of fact, we've been in a hot tub together before...all of us...drinking...in Austin...at least, i THINK its you...I could be wrong...but i doubt it...HA!

Ok. Who IS this? I'm trying to think who we sat in a hot tub with, drunk. There were so many. Willie? Yakov Smirnoff? (not joking, but i was with a different gray haired guy then) Identify yourself!

Bringing new meaning to ‘firing blind’

ok. only in texas would the blind be allowed to hunt. i am from texas, and this frightens me.

a strange day in north hollywood

so, ludek and i were leaving a screening yesterday, and stopped to get a sandwich. an indian man (turban, not feather) came up and grabbed L's hand, and began telling him his fortune. it was all good, he will have a long life and lots of good fortune in the next few years. the weird thing was that he said a lot of things that were dead on accurate. he pretty much pegged ludek's personality, and what is going on in his life right now. he wrote a number on a piece of paper and put it in ludek's hand crumpled up. he asked L. a bunch of questions, then asked him to pick a number, and it was 7. then he told him to look at the paper. it said 7. he said this is his lucky number, and that in 2007 he will have much luck and success. of course, he then got to the part where he wanted us to give him some money. we only had 7 dollars in cash! weird.

he said "in two years time you will see me again, and will remember me, yogi. and all that i have told you today will have come to pass." but wait. this is the kicker. he then looked at me, took my hand, and said, "you, my lady, have a kind heart, but an angry mouth."

of course, i will never hear the end of that one.