SANTI and SANTA

Some lighter news...

We named our Bum Steer of the year. Here is why we chose ole Rick.

Don't know what the Bum Steer Award is? I didn't before moving here.

Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011

VF In Memoriam.

His last VF column.

Slate.com, full of Hitch stuff today.

TM after after party

Texas Monthly had Xmas party last night. This is what I found by the coffee this morning. Rough morning I guess for some.

Euro Beer #26: Continental

In the fall of 2007 my wife and I traveled through Europe for 10 weeks. We ate a lot of food and drank of a lot of beer (and wine). Not enough food, not enough beer. In Paris:



We were frustrated and a bit tired (too much touristing). We did not want to go back to our host’s apartment yet. We decided to get a drink before heading back. Easier said than done. I hate looking for a bar in an unfamiliar country . . . it’s the worst. We settled at the Continental and in the end it was ok, I guess. I have no idea where it is, but don’t worry, there are better places in Paris to get a beer. I had a Kronenburg, which was refreshing. Sofia had a red wine, not a good choice. Always get bottled beer in weird bars.

We left happier.

For more euro foodage and drinkage, go here.



Sightseeing, look at that bird. What a capture!

We Got our Tree

And Santi is quite proud of it.

Some of our old trees:

2003 (our first tree)
2004 (wish I still had that Shorty's shirt)
I guess we did not get one for awhile....
2008
2009 (first tree with Santi)
2010

Otro Santi 3rd bday

This is so amazing

I love FVGAZI!

In 2002, I drove to New Orleans from MS to see them. Then, I did not know it would be their last (maybe) tour. I was by myself, but it was my fault. I bought two tickets. One was for Bill, but I dumbly offered it to another friend because he was a big fan of Fugazi, where Bill was just a casual listener. Bill took this surprisingly well (I think). Well, my other friend ditched me. Whatever, I was able to sell the ticket in line. But, I did have to drive by myself. I remember I had turned in a paper that day and the night before I stayed up late finishing it. I was dead beat, falling asleep on the drive. I had to pull over and take a nap half way through the drive. The ride back to MS was no problem, fully amped from the amazing show. That performance is available for download.

PJ20

Been watching the Pearl Jam 20 Documentary. It is good.

Fruit

Santi picked some grapefruit today. He was lovin it. He looks about 10 in this photo.

TM DAILY POST

A little bit of logrolling: Tomorrow (tonight at midnight) TM Daily Post is launching. When people as me what it is, I usually say it's like Huffington Post for Texas. But maybe I should let my boss tell you what it is:

. . . if our readers have ever felt like they didn’t have time to stay on top of the daily paper, the six o’clock news, the fifteen websites they have bookmarked, their RSS feed, their Twitter stream, their text and email alerts, and the podcasts piling up on their smartphones, then they know why we started the TM Daily Post.

Bookmark it!

Santi the Crocodile Hunter

Santi and Sofi are still down in Brownsville. They wrestled some wild animals today.

Euro Beer #25: Random Parisian Cafe and a German Beer

In the fall of 2007 my wife and I traveled through Europe for 10 weeks. We ate a lot of food and drank of a lot of beer (and wine). Not enough food, not enough beer. Finally out of Brussels and in Paris:



We loved Brussels. We loved Paris. Right off the train we met a friend (Greg), who was working in Paris, for a coffee and a chat. Our meeting spot was some random cafe. It did the trick.



I had a beer. A Warsteiner pilsner I guess. Whatever. Sofia and Greg had coffee. Sofia stole some of my beer. Greg entertained us with stories of his struggles to order a double espresso in French at his local cafe.

For more euro foodage and drinkage, go here.



Notre Dame later that night. Our host took us for a night driving tour of Paris after feeding us. Too nice.



ND Rose Window (this was actually a few days later).



The next day — spot checkin' at the Louvre. Where is Rowley?

Go Texas!

It's a sickness. Luckily it's only infected this woman so far, in Mesquite, TX anyway.

Euro Beer #24 - Brasserie Cantillon Brouwerij

In the fall of 2007 my wife and I traveled through Europe for 10 weeks. We ate a lot of food and drank of a lot of beer (and wine). Not enough food, not enough beer. One more in Brussels:



Ok, I lied. I forgot about Cantillon. This was where we had our last beer in Brussels. We stopped by on the way to the train station for a tour and some tastings. Love this place.



Empty coolship.





Funkin.





Brasserie Cantillon Brouwerij
Rue Gheude 56
Brussels

Now off to Paris.

TEXAS!

Oops.

Beefday

My birthday. See Sofia.



I was craving a bacon cheeseburger. I got one. It was so good.



Later, cake. Santi was buggin'.

Bike pub crawling photos

Some recent photos

Euro Beer #22 & 23: Cafe Rosasse and Host's Home

In the fall of 2007 my wife and I traveled through Europe for 10 weeks. We ate a lot of food and drank of a lot of beer (and wine). Not enough food, not enough beer. Let's just wrap up Brussels now:



But we did not want to be disappointed by some dumb tourist trap. Brussels has many of those. So the entire time we were there we searched and searched for a suitable spot. Our last night we in town we threw up our hands and decided we would stop into the next decent joint we saw. Cafe Rosasse was were we ended up. Not bad. Those are my frites.



We both had beers from Charles Quint (Blonde and Rouge). Nice enough.

Cafe Rosasse
Rue haute 1
Brussels



Later we had a Westmalle Dubbel (so good, a constant favorite) and Grimberden Dubbel (ok) at our host’s home. He had left for Argentina (I think) and was kind enough to let us stay on another night without him there. His hospitality was one our most favorite things about Brussels.

For more euro foodage and drinkage, go here.

Yo Ho Ho

Halloween time. Santi is a pirate this year, thanks to Tere. We dressed up a week early for a kid costume party.




Day of party costume. Pumpkin patch, duh.




Cat.