When my friend Jen mentioned “the coffee guy” in Hyde Park who delivers coffee that he has roasted in his garage by scooter, I knew I had to try it. I love how this guy does his marketing. He showed up in Jen’s backyard offering freshly brewed coffee one day and she’s been ordering ever since.
The Coffee Guy is Robby Jones and his company is Pilot House Coffee. He delivers coffee for free with beans roasted that day to the following Austin zip codes in Central, South, North and East …

I don’t think of myself as a food reviewer and I’m definitely not a book reviewer. When I visit a restaurant or read a book, I just know what I like. Sure, I guess I could break down (with the help of friends) the elements that worked for me and those that didn’t. But for me, the pleasure is in the enjoyment of the thing, not the dissection of the sum of it’s parts.

While not a book review, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite parts of …

I’m sitting in our hotel bar drinking wine with my mom and our friend Jane. We are surrounded by the din of happy patrons, guests, and lots of dogs!
It’s so funny to me because when my mom made reservations for the night at Cypress Inn for tonight, she didn’t know that it was:
a) Co-owned by Doris Day (yes, she is still alive)
b) One of the most pet friendly hotels in the state (if not the world)

We realized there was something different about this place at check-in this afternoon when we …

CASSIE BART
Dec. 1, 1994 – Jan. 28, 2010
We lost a special dog this week
the kind you can’t replace
and looking at her favorite spots
We still can see her face.

After a bath she had boundless energy
as she ran from room to room,
Launching over couches
Around the house she’d zoom.
I remember how she’d tug on my sheets
to play her favorite game,
Bouncing forward like a bunny rabbit
When she heard us call her name.
She did her guard dog duty
Each time the doorbell rang,
rolling over on her back
for a belly rub whomever came.
Our Cassie knew what she …

Adam’s Bubbe, Bessie Holzband, is ninety eight and a half years old. We love to spend time with her when we visit Houston for holidays like Passover and most recently, Thanksgiving.
I’ve known Bubbe for less than a year but she introduces me as one of her grandchildren to the staff and residents in her retirement community. It’s very sweet. I call her Bubbe which isn’t a conflict of interest for me because: a) all of my grandparents have passed away and b) my grandmothers were known as “Mama” and “Nagymama” …