I'm In A Mood

It must be that time of the month or the year or something. I'm in an odd mood.

Maybe it is the upcoming lunar eclipse? Maybe it the upcoming anniversary of the death of Princess Diana? Or maybe I'm rethinking everything that happened two years ago later this week in New Orleans?

Not really sure.

OK. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts.

I went on a bit of an excursion this afternoon. I went to the main post office downtown (just for kicks...not really) and then drove around a part of downtown that I'm sorta but not sorta familiar with.

I had seen a building off in the distance one day and wondered, "What is that?" So today I found the building. It is the new Business Building for Univ. of Houston-Downtown. Looks like they're still trying to finish up some exterior work but it is a nice looking building.

Then I wondered if I could find Irma's. I knew it was somewhere on N. Chenevert but it had been eons since I've eaten their. It took a couple of wrong turns but I found it.

So then I thought, can you find The Last Concert Cafe? This one is a bit more tricky if it has been eons since you've been there and after dredging through the bowels of the I-10 overpass, I found it.

I was going to head over to Ninfa's on Navigation because I heard they have recently done some work on the place. I figured I'll save that for another day...maybe when I stop in for a bite at Yolanda Black Navarro's Villa Arcos Restaurant.

Irma's, The Last Concert Cafe and Ninfa's on Navigation are three unique Mexican restaurants here in The Bayou City. I think I'm most intrigued with Last Concert.

If I remember the story correctly, the lady who opened the restaurant in 1949 said this was going to be her last venture. So you see how she came up with the name? She has since passed away but the restaurant is still open.

A couple of former clients introduced me to the restaurant. It is a bit difficult to find because there isn't a big sign. In fact, I was surprised today when I saw a small sign because in the past they didn't have one. The "red door" is kept locked and you have to knock to gain admittance. You have to look for the building with the red door.

I was "told" that the building was previously a brothel and I sorta believe it because one time that I ate there we were sitting in what could have been an itty-bitty bedroom. I was given two explanations about the locked door: 1) It pays tribute to the days of it being a brothel and the "clients" had to knock to gain admittance; or 2) It used to be a rough neighborhood and this kept out the riff-raff.

One of the ladies who introduced me to the restaurant said that if I came back that weekend I could find her on the stage playing the tambourine. You see, in addition to being a restaurant it is also a venue for musicians. It really is something different.

So if you're ever in Houston and you're looking for something that is VERY unique, check out The Last Concert Cafe.

In Other News:

Birthday greetings go out to Realtor Ben! I ran into Ben yesterday and I couldn't remember the exact date of his birthday. I said, "I know it is in the late 20's." He said, "It's been years since I have seen the late 20's." And then we both laughed hard. :-)

I understand that Calvin gotta hold of my computer last night and did a posting. I don't know how he can type with those paws of his? And yes, he is correct, I did go to a fundraiser for Jane Weiner's Hope Stone.

Jane has a ton of energy stored in that petite body of hers! And watch out. If you drink her Kool-Aid, you can't run from her enthusiasm. I met Dancer Jane through Realtor Alan. At some point in the future I'll do a posting about an upcoming event that a group of us is working on. The timing of me drinking the Kool-Aid was a bit odd...everything happens for a reason.

I'm running with RunnerOne this afternoon/evening. It is going to be hot. I'm a morning-humidity runner as opposed to an evening/afternoon-heat runner. (Sorta like, "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" kinda thing. Seems like you're one or the other but not both.) :-) Wish me luck.

HA! I got the laptop and he doesn't know it.

Hey everybody...it's Calvin. You might know me as The Calvinator. Str8 Up With A Twist is in the other room watching Big Brother 8. (Him and his reality shows. If I hear him say one more time, "I could win Amazing Race" I'll probably maul him while he sleeps!) He thinks I'm in here chewing a rawhide. I make some noise every now and then just so he won't come in and check on me; distraction you know.

I'm worn out! He got me up really early yesterday just because HE was wide awake. Can you believe he had me out there around 445A?!?! At least he slept in this morning until about 615A or so.

I really shouldn't complain. I took a nap while he was at the office reading the paper. He then went to that place he calls LeFittes. So by the time he got back I was all rested up and treat of treats he took me to Memorial Park. It was getting a bit hot but I didn't mind.

We didn't do our normal 1+ mile walk. I cut it short because I wanted to sit in the Jungle Gym area and watch people huff and puff. I know I drive him crazy with all of my sniffing and marking but he just doesn't understand that if I went more often I wouldn't get so excited.

He left me alone for most of the afternoon. I heard him say something about going to a fundraiser for Hope Stone. He came back for awhile and then he went to 500P Mass at St. Anne's. It must of have been a quickie because he came back and caught me napping. I wasn't expecting him home so soon.

After a walk that was interrupted by AttyHou, we came back and he gave me a Frosty Paw. He must have been in a really good mood because earlier he gave me some peanut butter with my heart worm medicine and then after he finished his dinner he gave me his left over pei wei (he calls it rice).

Well, I better get this posted before he finds out that I logged into "his blog". When he asks me what I know about this posting I'll just act nonchalant and ignore him; I'm good at that.

"Make woof not war." -Calvin

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 3.6

Attack of the Killer Tsetse Flies

I'm not sure what happened last night. I was sitting on the couch watching The George Lopez Show and sometime after 800P I fell asleep. I woke up around 1100P or so and The Calvinator was sitting there staring at me. So we went to bed. (It had to have been tsetse flies that caused the early slumber.)

As with all things, there is yin and yang. I woke up at 400A this morning! UGH.

I putzed around for a little while and The Calvinator finally woke up. So here we are at 445A out for our morning stroll.

We came back and I putzed around some more and then made my way to Memorial Park.

Running

I wasn't sure if I was going to do 6 or 7 miles this morning so I thought I'd give it a whirl and just take it one step at a time.

After the first 4 miles I was thinking maybe I should do 8. I had just about convinced myself to do 8 but then my stomach started feeling a bit odd. Wasn't sure if it was Runners' Runs or what so I opted to do 7. Just as I finished 7 the stomach was fine. Hmmm.

There were a gazillion people at the park this morning. Large gangs...I mean packs of people running. One group was running 4 abreast and almost knocked me into Memorial Drive. So much for courtesy.

I cleaned up there at the park and then joined the festivities for Party In The Park. HARRA was sponsoring the event. I belong to the group so I figured why not check it out.





Lots of people were enjoying the food (I had a biscuit stuffed with egg and bacon), ice cream, music, camaraderie and beer. In keeping with "It's 500P somewhere" I enjoyed a beverage from Saint Arnold's Brewery. Who cares if it was only 815A?

That is my thumb.

I chatted a bit with Triathlete Lee. He wasn't having a good run this morning. Which just goes to prove that some days it is your day for a good run and some days it isn't your day.

This what my shoes look like after 7 miles.

The Office

After I left the park, I headed over to the office. There were 1/2 a gazillion people there! I had no place to sit and enjoy my Iced Grande Sugar-free Vanilla Non-fat Latte and read the paper.

I'm sure there is some correlation between the number of people at the park on the weekends and the sales figures at the office, Kolache Factory and Smoothie King. All of them were busy this morning. I had to sit at a closed outdoor cafe and get my daily dose of the news.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

Birthday greetings go out to Romeo. Happy Birthday Romeo!

Romeo, Stuart and Randall

Romeo is a long time resident of Houston. He has been very active within the community and has many friends and admirers. I met Romeo through Sugar Land Stuart. Romeo is the only person that I know who went to high school with Janis Joplin.

I called Romeo today rather than yesterday because I've never been quite clear about the true date of his birth. His birth certificate says August 24, 19___ but his mother said he was born on August 25, 19___. Guess I should have called him at 1159P yesterday and conversed with him until 1201A today? :-) (PS There's no way I'll reveal his age 'cause paybacks are h#ll.)

Something to read

I bought this book because the description made me laugh!


Emma Brockes didn't always love musicals. In fact, she hated them. One of her earliest (and most painful) memories is of her mother singing "The Hills Are Alive" while young Emma crossed the street to go to her babysitting gig. According to her mother, the music would keep muggers at bay. According to Emma, it warded off friends, a social life, and any chance of being normal. As she grew older, however, these same songs continued to resonate in her head, first like a broken record and then as a fond reminder of her mother's love.

Some people would slice off their arm with a plastic knife before they'd sit through Fiddler on the Roof or The Sound of Music. But musicals are everywhere, and it's about time someone asked why. From An American in Paris to Oklahoma!, Brockes explores the history, art, and politics of musicals, and how they have become an indelible part of our popular culture. Smartly written and incredibly witty, this is a book for people who understand that there are few situations in which the question "What would Barbra do?" doesn't have relevance, in a world much better lived to a soundtrack of show tunes. At the heart of What Would Barbra Do? is a touching story about a daughter, a mother, and how musicals kept them together. Part memoir, part musical history tour, it will keep you laughing and singing all at once.

I get in these moods sometimes where I have a song for everything and typically it is a showtune. This should make for some good reading!

International Beefcake

Remember when French President Nicolas Sarkozy went Whitney Houston on the paparazzi because they were taking pictures of him on his vacation? Well…the latest is that he was shirtless and he didn’t want his poignees d’amour showing up in print…and they did.

Sarkozy showing his love handles.

However, in the most recent publication of the photos the poignees d’amour have disappeared. Paris-Match said it retouched the photos because “the position of the boat exaggerated this protuberance…In lightening the shadows, the correction was exaggerated.”

So what is it with Heads of State doing the whole beefcake thing? First Sarkozy and then Putin? W…if you’re reading this…keep your shirt on, OK?

Putin showing his pecs while fishing.

And speaking of poignees d’amour, I’m not helping my cause any. Yesterday at the office, there was a new item in the snack machine: Triple Berry Cobbler Muffins. Prior to going to the office, I did a 4 mile run at Memorial Park so I figure I already had a credit balance on my calorie intake for the day. However, despite the pressure from Chris to purchase a muffin I only ordered my Iced Grande Sugar-free Vanilla Non-fat Latte, got my newspaper and sat on the terrace. It’s funny. I was sitting outside and I could hear those muffins calling my name.

I went back inside and ordered one (remember I have a credit balance on calorie intake) and I must tell you that is one helluva muffin! So much so, that this morning I ordered another one. I figure I need to eat up today because I’ll do six or seven miles of running tomorrow morning and you can’t run on an empty tank. (Do you understand my logic?)

Plus, I know I burned more calories yesterday walking The Calvinator AND I went to LeFittes and did weights. And just in case you’re wondering, here’s the breakdown on the Triple Berry Cobbler Muffin: 420 calories; 160 calories from fat; total fat 18g; saturated fat 8g; trans fat 0g; cholesterol 70mg; sodium 310mg; total carbohydrates 60g; dietary fiber 2g; sugar 31g; protein 6g; Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 4%; Iron 10%.

This is a picture of the Triple Berry Cobbler Muffin and Iced Grande Sugar-free Vanilla Non-fat Latte on my desk at the office.

And speaking of Heads of State (well sort of), Danny in the SFO was rubbing elbows the other night with Gavin Newsom. OK…Gavin could take his shirt off and no one would probably raise a ruckus.

Gavin & Danny (photo: Bill Wilson)

Have You Ever....

...done something but really don't remember doing it?

I went running this morning. Did a three mile jaunt around Memorial Park this morning but I really don't remember much about the run. I do remember that my knees were really bothering me. I actually started feeling some knee pain during yesterday's spin class at LeFittes.






It's been a roll of the dice as to who is going to be teaching. Connie was on the schedule but the past few times I've been expecting her there has been a substitute. I know she will be leaving soon for America's Finest City so that is prolly why the schedule has been a bit cattywampus.

Anywho...it was a typical Connie spin class. Sweat. Swearing. Grunting.

...really wanted a specific type of food?

I had a meeting tonight at Legacy. It was short and productive meeting. When we finished I ran an errand and even though I wasn't hungry at the time I kept thinking about green beans from Pronto Cucina on Montrose Blvd.

Ran the errand, chatted on the phone with Joe & Helen and by then I had worked up a hunger for green beans. Now it was not only green beans but I wanted the roasted chicken breast and garlic mashed potatoes. So my happy @ss trotted over to Pronto Cucina. BTW...it was good food.

...just felt really irritated?

I don't know what my problem was today. I don't have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) but I couldn't finish anything I started. (Well I did read the paper.) And the thought of having to deal with a couple of people today was really working my nerves. And then I found out some really odd news about someone that I thought could be trusted.

Don't worry. I'm fine. Maybe it is the alignment of the planets and the stars and the moon and Hurricane Dean being in our hemisphere. Speaking of Dean, here is a satellite image.

That's it bois & gurrls. I need to get ready for Top Chef.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 3.5

I thought I'd give you some updates before I do my normal ramblings.

1. Headache - I passed out on the couch last night holding my head. Woke up and went to bed and had a restless night. (see below for my odd dream last night) This morning when I woke up I could feel some drainage going down my throat. I never thought this could be sinus related. Feel a bit better today.

2. Hurricane Dean - Hurricane Dean came in south of Cancun with 160m.p.h. winds. It is heading into the Bay of Campeche and will then make landfall between Tampico and Veracruz. I really feel for those folks in Mexico that are bearing the brunt of the storm. I heard a talking head say that this will be the third strongest storm on record.

3. Running - I met RunnerOne this morning at Memorial Park. He asked how I was doing and I told him about my headache and he immediately diagnosed it as sinus problems. I told him about my odd dream last night (see below) and that is why I was feeling tired.

We didn't run around the park. He surprised me and took me to the track. We did an 800m warm-up and then did 6x400m sprints. Based on the sprints I was running an 8:00 minute mile or less. HA! Now if I could do that for 26.2 miles I'd feel really good about myself.

4. Jimmy Martin - I'm really disturbed about this. (See my post: Missing Person). Like I stated, you never expect to see someone that you know on one of those fliers.

So those are my updates. Here's what else is on my mind.

America's Finest City

This past Sunday was the running of America's Finest City 1/2 Marathon. I have done this run three times and I absolutely love it.

San Diego is one of my favorite cities even if I didn't have good runs doing the Rock 'n Roll Marathon. The weather is great. The scenery is wonderful. And the people are beautiful. I remember the first time I ran Rock 'n Roll I made the observation that the spectators looked better and were in better shape than the participants! Here is proof of the pretty people.

Brad is a catcher for the Houston Astros. During the off-season he lives in San Diego which is where his kids and wife live.
According the Health insert in yesterday's Houston Chronicle, in the off-season Brad lifts weights three times a week and does aerobic exercise (running, biking, Stairmaster or elliptical machines) five or six times a week. He also likes to hit the waves up to five to six times a week.

OK...with the exception of surfing I do all that and I don't LOOK LIKE THAT. :-(

Dream

Oh boy. I had a doozy of a dream last night. Here goes.

I was doing a triathlon at Benbrook Lake in Ft. Worth. For the swim portion of it we had to swim through a sewage pipe. However, when we exited the pipe there wasn't enough water for us to continue our swim so we were in a holding pattern waiting for more water. Everybody is just kinda standin' around and I have to pee. So I go to the restroom and pee and come back to the group and they're still waiting for water to be released from the damn (and I still have to pee).

The water is finally released from the damn and we have to swim upstream (like salmon). I'm holding my own with the group.

Once we finish the swim it is time to start the run (and for those of you who know about triathlons this is outta order 'cause you're supposed to bike after the swim). However, before we could actually start the run, we had to play a game of Dodge Ball followed by a game of Kick Ball.

I was so p!ssed off because as a kid I hated both of those games. So I suck it in and start heading toward the games (and I still have to pee). That is when I finally awakened and REALLY had to pee.

Have a good day everybody.

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 3.4

The Headache Continues

OK. It hasn't been a constant headache since Saturday but this afternoon it started coming back. Barometric pressure? Need to have my eyes checked? The heat? I don't know.

All I know is that a swarm of tsetse flies must have attacked me because I took a 1.5 hour nap today and I'm getting sleepy and I have a tinge of a headache. UGH!

I had every intention of getting to Memorial Park early this morning. I went to bed last night at 900P but didn't wake up until 645A this morning. I never sleep this much!

Tsetse flies I tell ya!

Hurricane Update

OK. Hurricane Dean will strike south of the U.S. border. This was a good drill. As mentioned in a previous post, we are approaching the peak of the season. And to prove it here is a graph of when things peak. As you can see, we won't be out of the woods until some time in October.

Here is a satellite image of Hurricane Dean taken earlier today:

OK bois and gurrls...The Calvinator needs to go for a quick pee and then I need to get to bed. I'm meeting RunnerOne in the morning at the park. Let's hope I wake up!