Coach Ginger

I was attending to my backstage duties at Ballet Austin's Nutcracker performance yesterday. Since 1997 when we started the program, I've recruited the celebrity Mother Gingers. These good sports (who have included Michael Dell, Lance Armstrong, Ann Richards, Kay Bailey Hutchison, E.D. Hill from Fox News, Augie Garrido, Ray Benson, Marcia Ball, Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, John Paul DeJoria, and Kinky Friedman, among many others) get made up and are rolled onstage atop a huge red and white dress.

Yesterday's VIP Mother Ginger was UT women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors. She was very gracious and friendly backstage and she got a lot of laughs out of the whole experience. Here's a shot I took of her in the costume before she went out in the second act.

Hook 'em!

By the way-- if you'd like to see The Nutcracker, performances are happening until Dec. 23rd. For more information, click the Ballet Austin link.

Jazz at Ruth's Chris

Linda and I took a much needed-break last night and had some wine and food with good friends at Ruth's Chris Steak House on West Sixth. Our friend Jeff Lofton with his trio was playing some terrific jazz. We were entertained all night by a constant parade of Santas-- male and female -- who were striding by the windows behind Jeff. Perhaps there was a party somewhere that required the guests to be dressed up like Santa Claus, but we never got a straight story about it. I shot this photo with my iPhone from my comfy front row chair.

When the cat's away. . .

Linda and I got a backstage look at Ballet Austin's "The Nutcracker" last night. Here are some of the mice who visited us in the Green Room before their big foray onto the stage at the Long Center. Sarah and Ernest Butler are in the background, center. They made the naming donation for the Ballet's new home (The Butler Dance Education Center). It's a great time of the year.

Front of the Mean-Eyed Cat

Seems we'd danced all around it but not really ever shown the front of the Mean-Eyed Cat. And this view seems important to represent its 'landmark look' status amidst the apartments and office buildings.

Adaptive Reuse

At the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture what was once a car serves admirably as a planter.

Party Favors

We went to a cool party last week. Milk & Honey, a fine local salon and spa, was dishing out free chair massages and manicures. Now that's what I call treating your guests right!

I'll be good! I promise!

I did some South Congress (SoCo) shopping a couple of weekends ago and walked past the cages where an animal rescue outfit keeps dogs who need a home. This one was so cute--he was making eyes at people, tyring to find someone who would take him home.