Slept in late (ya I know what's new) and started my way back to Houston to take Jennifer back home. On our way we ate at BJ's. She had never experienced BJ's pizzas. She really liked the pizza like everyone else who I have taken there. It is nice to have a piece of California in Texas.
I got up late and took Jennifer to lunch at Mario's. We then went downtown to the galleries to see the new art that was put up during the last art walk. There was some good mixed media pieces. Then back to my apartment and got the ice cream for my party and Jennifer put on a cute dress.
I had everyone meet at the Mosquito Cafe at 6:30p. My friends who came were: Steven, Beth, Ron, George, Melanie and her guy Mark, Elly and her guy, Andy with his girl Brittany. Had a good dinner and great conversation. We then walked across the street to Ron's for ice cream, cake and champagne. The cake was very good with homemade icing made by George's mom. We even got Ron to play the organ for everyone showing his great pedal work. It was great that I had that many of my friends come. It was a great party.
Now that my place is officially clean and I now have a couch, my apartment is ready for some company. I went up to Houston to pick up Jennifer who is "taking a weekend vacation from her busy world in Houston for some Island pleasure." She is the really cute and sweet girl I am currently dating and is the cute girl I met at the Melody Ballroom a month ago. (Click here to see that entry). We ate at Pancake House and gave her a tour of my new cleaned apartment.
When I had ordered the couch and recliner a few weeks ago, my friend Melanie said she would bring guys over to help pick it up and carry it into my apartment. Well this morning they showed up. It was Andy (a good friend of hers that she as known for years), Andy's friend Dave, Melanie's brother John and my friend George. We went to Big Lots to pick up the couch and recliner, came home and carried them upstairs. They then helped me put together the coffee table and the end tables. It all looks really cool and the couch and recliner are so comfortable.
They left and George and I went to eat at Salsa's. While there, we ran into George's former student that "plays on the other team." She sat and talked to us for a bit then left. Then Melanie, Andy and Dave showed up at Salsa's. We all then left and I saw a group of teenagers washing cars. I have not had my car washed in awhile to it was an excuse to get it washed. It was a drill team from Weis Middle School. It was so cute watching them get so excited and have so much energy when washing the car. Did I have that much energy when I was that age? Of course all my friends would probably say that I still have that much energy.
George and I went back to my place and my friend Ron called and came by. We then went to the grocery store and got ice cream and champagne for my B-Day party on Saturday. Then Ron left and I picked up Melanie from work. George left at midnight and Melanie stayed until 2a helping me go though my papers that have been scattered on the floor since the car accident. It was a day packed full of friends. It was also nice to know people who are willing take time out of their day to help me.
Here are this week's Tonight Show Headlines.
Headlines
These are just really funny.
We started on our way back home and said bye to the green rolling hills of Austin. We ate at Mak's Roadhouse on the way home. A really good barbecue place.
Today we drove around the outside of Austin on the hills and down to the lakes.
I even got to see a rainbow.
We then went to 6th street and walked around listening to the local bands. There were a lot of people walking around including a lot of really cute girls.
Today we had lunch at Z' Tejas Grill. We then went to see the Texas Capitol building built in 1888 and has been restored. It was incredible to see and walk through.
The House Chamber
The Senate Chamber
There was the word Texas and that star all over the place. Even on the Chandelier.
A view of downtown Austin from the Capital window.
Here is a building with a unique top. It is the Frost Bank Tower.
To preserve the grounds around the capital, the new offices are underground.
We then went to the Texas State History Museum. 3 floors of Texas history. After all that I need a shower to wash off all this Texas off of me.
We stopped by the University of Austin to see The Tower
On the way back to the hotel I we stopped to see Town Lake. What an incredible view.
For dinner we ate at Uchi, a really good Japanese Restaurant.
So Ron and I started out drive to check out Austin, TX for the weekend continuing my adventures of the Texas cities. I had been to Houston many times for dancing and the symphony, San Antonio was in March and now Austin. After going though the "parking lot" of Houston traffic (which is still nothing like LA) we finally see rolling hills. We stopped in Columbus which is an old German community. We had lunch at a Garnett's which was pretty good. There is an Opera House built in 1886.
We saw also stopped to see a nice view on an outlook.
We finally got to our Hotel in Austin and took a nap. We then went to Jeffrey's for dinner. A really nice restaurant and the food was really good. I had tuna and a creme brulee for dessert.
We then walked down the famous 6th street where there are clubs lined up and down the street and the street is blocked from traffic. It will be packed on Saturday.
Here are this week's Tonight Show Headlines.
Headlines
These are just really funny.
Here are some unique pictures taken from the Oregon trip.
Traffic Jam
Hanging out on a wing.
Deer on a Hill at Salt Creek Falls.
A close up.
Sunset in Phoenix.
I left back home to Galveston today. It was a great trip. I had great conversations with David, saw mountains, trees and waterfalls, and rediscovered my passion for composing. What a great trip.
Today we went to see the two waterfalls on the McKenzie River. Even though I have visited Oregon many times, I somehow had not seen these waterfalls in 9 years. The 1st waterfall is the Sahalie Falls. What a great looking waterfall.
We then walked on along the McKenzie River on a trail to the other waterfall.
We then arrived at the 2nd waterfall, the Koosah Falls.
Just passed the Koosah falls we could see the rest of the river going down through the valley.
What a great view.
Today David and I went to the incredible Oregon Coast. We went to see the Heceta Head Lighthouse. I had seen it when I had visited Oregon before but I wanted to see it again.
It sits on a really pretty part of the hill overlooking the ocean.
We then went to the Cape Perpetua overlook were we could see the entire Cape Perpetua from above.
We then drove down to Spouting Horn. There is a cave under the rocks and when enough waves hit, the water gets trapped and spouts out from a hole on top of the cave. It looks like a whale spout. It is so cool.
We then went to Florence and saw this sign coming into the old town.
We ate at Mo's. Really good seafood. Then home.
Today David and I had lunch at Quiznos and then set out to see my favorite waterfall, Salt Creek Falls. It is a big and very pretty waterfall falling into a valley. Driving up the mountains and seeing walls of nice green trees. It was so cool. We get there and it is just as I remember it. We walked down to the bottom of the valley to really see it. We stayed and visited my waterfall for about 2 hours. It was so nice.
On our way back to Eugene we stopped to see a really nice covered bridge called Wild Cat Bridge.
Then headed back to Eugene and ate at Steelhead. I ate some pizza and had some real home made root beer. It is so good. We the came back to David and Julia's (his wife) place and listened to each others music. It was great to listen and talk about each other's music and give each other suggestions and ideas. It was something we had not done in person in awhile and it was nice to experience that again.
Ok. So in theory the plan is to fly to Eugene, OR at 6:57p making one stop in Phoenix, AZ. I really need to get off the Island, out of Texas and actually see mountains, trees and waterfalls. But in reality, it is a whole new scenario. So I am on my way to IAH Airport and I hit a lot of rain plus lightning and thunder (why do people say 'thunder then lightning' when you really see the lightning first then you hear the thunder?). I finally get to IAH and find out that my flight to Phoenix is delayed for about an hour. So I relax, eat something and finally get on the plane.
When I arrive in Phoenix I book from concord A to concord B to catch my flight to Eugene. I get to the gate and the plane had just departed. AAAAAAH!!!!!! (It probably what not just as I got there it left but at least within 5-10 minutes. It was still close.) Since that was the last flight to Eugene, I have to fly to Las Vegas to then fly to Eugene. So I have about 2 hours to before the flight to Las Vegas. So I got a personal pizza and talked on the phone. I am so glad for cell phones. I ended up talking on it the whole time talking to my Mom, Kimberly, and then my friends Alison and Jules called. I did see a couple of really funny things. I saw a guy standing on the wing of an airplane and saw a bird flying in the terminal. I then get on the plane for Las Vegas.
I get there and see slot machines in the terminal. Only in Vegas. I played a couple of dollars on the quarter slots. Won a few quarters and lasted for a little bit and of course were put back into the machine. I then get on the plane for Eugene. I did get to see a great sky view of the strip. I landed in Eugene about 1:55a. From getting to IAH around 1p to landing in Eugene 13 hours later, I was in La La Land. So on my way outside to be picked up by my friend David, this song popped into my head and started singing it.
"Old McDonnell had a farm
E I E I O
and on this farm he had some crap
E I E I O
with a spat, spat here
and a spat, spat there
here a spat, there a spat, everywhere a spat, spat
Old McDonnell had a farm
E I E I O."
Goodnite!
Here are this week's Tonight Show Headlines.
This weeks are really funny.
Headlines
These are just really funny.
Ron and I took Kimberly to Yamoto. A really good Japanieze restaurant. It was her last evening here. It was fun having her here and it was also fun showing one of my friends from So Cal "The Island in the Sun."
George and I took Kimberly to Queens for some real southern barbecue. I usually get chopped beef on a po-boy bun.
Click here to see the menu.
We then sat on the beach and watched the 25 minute fireworks show over the ocean. It was a really cool experience. Since this is not the Pacific Ocean is was not so cold. It was quite nice.
HAPPY FIREWORKS DAY!!!!!!
Click here to create your own fireworks show.
We ate the Olympia Grill. A really good Greek Restaurant.
Virtual Tour Olympia Grill
We then went to the college do to more music. Working with her musically has added to my desire to start composing more.
This morning I made Kimberly a cheese omelet with Tillamook Cheese. Now it is important to have Tillamook Cheese in the omelet because the cheese is incredible tasting. When I visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory a few years ago with my Mom they also made ice cream. It was incredible. We then took a trip off the island to the Bay Brook area and went to Borders. I got a new songwriters market book to motivate myself to start sending out my pieces. When we came back to the island I took her to Mario's. A really good Italian Restaurant.
Here are this week's Tonight Show Headlines.
Headlines
These are just really funny.
I took Kimberly to The Original Mexican Restaurant or as the locals call it "The Original." I then picked up my friend Ron to show her around the incredible church he works at which is the Trinity Episcopal Church. A church built before the 1900's. He also demonstrated the power and diverse colors of the organ. He had asked me to write him a couple of melodies to improvise a piece for her. I had written the melodies the day before. It was amazing what he made out of my melodies. We then went back to his house where he had made dinner for us. It was salmon with green beans and wine followed by ice cream topped with some fruit. It was all very good. After dinner I played the piece on Ron's home organ that I always play when I come over. I am getting better playing the pedals. It was a nice evening.