Tila's is Open!

We just got an email from Tila and they are up and running. Head on over for lunch or dinner! We are going for lunch today.
TILA'S RESTAURANTE & BAR
1111 S. SHEPHERD DR.
HOUSTON, TX 77019
www.tilas.com
713.522.7654

Yee Haw we have cable!

That is it. Just reporting cable. I am not much of a TV person but after nothing but news (and it has been informative, don't get me wrong) I am ready for something to take my mind off it. But as of 8:25 Tuesday night we have multiple mindless cable channels.

The Pinter Personal Report: Post Ike

(or: What it is like to camp inside my house)

I hope all out there are safe and well. We have gotten by well, weathering the actual storm in the home of our fabulous Austin hosts Everybody Loves Jill and Dylan. Dylan can air guitar every song on the Tom Petty live concert DVD and is the coolest 4 year old you will ever meet.

We returned about 4 p.m. Sunday. Our fence was down, but not out, and a tree dented our a/c, but we are optimistic that that is cosmetic to the caging and it will still work once power flops on. Our neighborhood (Mangum Manor - near oak Forest) had trees down but it looked like we were fortunate as a whole and I did not see any through houses. Most of our neighbors had cleaned their yards already (show-offs) so we went from "those tacky people who never mow their lawn" to "those slacker people who still have not cleaned up their lawn." Hank Hill my husband is not. However, when we rolled up with a cooler of beer iced down by magical good karma Austin ice, all was forgiven.

We have no electricity yet, but being blessed with a husband in the construction field with an awesome company (Hurray Native services!) we were commissioned to pick up generators before we left Austin, and given one so he could work at home. So until it gets hot we are really not suffering at all. Last night we even actually turned the TV away from the news and watched Family Guy for a while (seen it *sigh* my suffering never ends.) After bagging leaves most of the day Monday (myself - Skittles went off to work), I actually sat on the back porch and did my toe nails (the need was dire) and only drank half a bottle of wine before I was too tired to hold my head up. Raking and bagging leaves kinds stinks. I am saving the back yard for Skittles.

Her are the things I have learned so far:

• You can run a hairdryer off a generator
• Emergency ice can be used to keep beer cold
• When a hurricane is rolling in, leave it to my brother to text me from the roof of his downtown apartments parking garage that he can throw a Dixie cup 200 yards
• Reading is Fun, God bless my itty bitty book light
• If your refrigerator is out, so is Kroger's. Here is to being vegetarian in September.
• I will always have a gas heater and stove!
• I would rather live without electricity than water
• you can fiddle with your fuse box, splice a power cord, and plug a generator into your wall so it gives you power - AMAZING.
• If your neighbor across the street (BILL) has electricity, you will hate them (BILL)
• If you have a generator, your neighbors without electricity will hate you
• If you give said neighbors a cold beer iced down by emergency ice, they will forgive you
• I have 8 bottles of wine left, so this better not last more than 8 days

In all seriousness:
We feel really lucky to be in the position we are in. We think the Pinter family beach house is still standing, and out hearts go out our friends in Crystal Beach, Boliver, Beaumont, League City, Galveston and all the other wonderful coastal cities so devastated by this.

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. We are fine, just a bit inconvenienced. There are many others out there that are in real need of help and support.

Where to eat OUT during the power outage

Taken from Houston Tidbits:
Tiny Boxwood’s is serving lunch until 2 p.m. and the espresso bar is open after that. (Located inside Thomspon + Hanson nursery).
Crave Cupcakes is serving their super-fresh treats during normal business hours.
Enjoy Hugo’s for lunch and dinner this week.
Brasil Cafe is serving their entire scrumptous menu.
Armando’s is open for dinner this week.
Gravitas is offering their full menu at 50% off for rescue responders, and hosting their normal happy hour from 4 – 7 p.m. each day.

Donate Blood

The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center isin need of donations because of a drop-off in supply due to Ike. Please stop by this week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at their headquarters at 1400 La Concha Lane (near Reliant Stadium) to do your part. For more information, call 713.790.1200.

Five Dollars from all my friends to help fight Leukemia and Lymphoma - think of it as buying me a drink ...

... or tipping the valet, or cover for a so-so band, or as I am learning the hard way - a bicycle inner tube! I have decided to join LLS Team in Training to get my rear in gear and run the half marathon, and help fight Leukemia and Lymphoma in the process.

I am lucky to have so may fabulous friends, and if everyone I know donates $5, I will actually achieve and exceed my goal. I think this is the first time I have ever had an event where I asked for funds, so I hope you will think of this as a reasonable request. I know how many great causes are out there, and if I everyone participates with a small amount, it won't take much. There is great strength in numbers, and I appreciate all of you.

If the half marathon does not demolish me, I plan to sign up for the Lone Star Quarter Iron Man training in December, so I may ask for $5 again, but I hope you look at it like buying me a margarita to fight Leukemia.

There may be some Happy Hours and I am anticipating a date auction or some other fun event in the future. You know me! I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and your support is greatly appreciated.

The below link will take you to my donation site. Thank you again so much for your support.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/txg/houston09/lpinter

Does this qualify me as Paparazzi?

I am feeling really cool because Clare and I were in Austin this past weekend and had a GREAT trip (BTW the la Quinta on 11th is clean, cute and reasonable - highly recommend it.) We had great luck at the outlet mall. got to see friends Sarah, Jill V. and our new friend Lynn, and on Sunday we actually ... wait for it ... saw Drew Barrymore and justin Long on South Congress outside Unnecessary Objects. And she is the cutest little thing.

St. Agnes Class of '88 20-Year Reunion, June 13-15, 2008

FRIDAY, June 13:
7 p.m. - Happy Hour at Lucky’s Pub (VIP Room) with Strake jesuit and St. Thomas. Let me know if you did not receive the Evite for this (saaclassof88@gmail.com).
SATURDAY June 14th:
11 a.m. - The School Reunion Luncheon at SAA. If you have not received an invitation it can be downloaded at the school web site: http://www.st-agnes.org/index.cfm/MenuItemID/1288/MenuSubID/345.htm
7 p.m. - Treebeards on Market Square!We have a DJ (80’S), favors, Food and your Reunion Bbooklets if you order one (info on mailed invitation) Cash bar, and dinner will include Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp Etouffee and Jalapeno Cornbread.
We will also give out some awards. Who knows maybe you could win one of the following Awards!:
Adventures in Babysitting (Can anyone top 5 children?)
Magellan (who traveled farthest)
Demi Moore & Anna Nicole Awards And a few more …
SUNDAY June 15th:
11 a.m. - Meet at George Bush Park to enjoy your high school friends children and Families!
In MEMORANDUM:
We are asking each class member to give at least $5 in honor of Lisa and Nereida. We hope to raise enough to buy a brick in their names to go in the new building. We ask for a small amount because it is not how much we give, it is that we honor their memory as a united class.
Contact me if you need more information: hautechakalaka@gmail.com