Just heard from a friend that the award-winning restaurant, Kitty’s Purple Cow, is for sale. $599,000. You know there’s also a 728-square-foot apartment upstairs. It’s considered to be a double-corner lot and you should see it on the drone picture. It’s quite a piece of property. She bought the property in 1983 when it was painted beige and named Evelyn’s. I have some really good memories of Kitty. I moved here when she was probably in her early 50’s and I was appalled that she still wore hot pants…looking back (and being older and wiser), I think she looked pretty dang good in those shorts and I now believe you should be able to wear anything you want for as long as you can get away with it. She cooked a mean cheeseburger and a wonderful breakfast. Kitty died in December 2017 at 87. Spread the word. The “cow” is for sale.
I have OCD and ADD, so everything has to be perfect…but not for very long.
Harris County announced they’re suing Watson Grinding and Manufacturing on behalf of the residents of Harris County, claiming the company “failed to exercise its duty of care to protect the public” with its use of the chemical propylene. An employee in the parking lot at the time of the blast said it threw his truck about 50 feet, so hard, he thought he had been hit by another vehicle. During his 6 years of employment with the company, he saw many leaks in pipes that were just patched with sealer so they could keep running instead of shutting down the system to replace the whole pipe. He believes that he survived the impact because his truck shielded him. One eye is swollen shut with shrapnel and he may lose hearing and vision. Two friends that went into the building right before him, lost their lives.Residents living nearby were asked to search their homes and neighborhoods for debris, including body parts. Just another chemical explosion where we live, breath and raise our children.
Papyrus, the chain of art-inspired greeting cards and fancy paper products that are so unique…almost like a gift in themselves, will shut down after failing to find a buyer to rescue the company. Send someone a card today. Not an email, not a text, a real live card that requires a stamp and post office delivery. You will be loved for it and VALENTINE’S DAY is soon.
On Valentine’s Day we publish valentine classifieds. For several weeks, we encourage customers and readers to say a little something to the one/s they love. Well, I’ll tell you, sometimes it’s hard to get this littlelove note out of people…for whatever reason, I won’t pretend to know. This year I had a solution. If someone in my office encourages you to put in a greeting and you won’t or don’t, then we are going to put you on “the list” and then publish that list of everyone that told us no. That way, when your special person starts looking for their valentine, they will see the ‘naughty’ list of those that just didn’t have the time, the want, the patience, goodness or smarts to spend less than a minute of their time to tell someone how they feel. (OK. We are not really doing this, but isn’t it a great idea?) You have until Tuesday night (the 11th) to call us for your FREE 15-word valentine. 979-285-9200. Call now. Or come by. Or drop it in our mail slot. What’s your excuse?
Carnival Cruise Lines was fined $40 million for violating environmental laws and is halfway through five years’ probation for burning unfiltered heavy fuel oil, dumping sewage, chemicals, food waste, gray water, oil and garbage into the ocean. A court-appointed monitor found repeated environmental violations indicating that little progress has been made toward compliance. Just days ago, the Carnival Elation cruise ship illegally dumped 5,900 gallons of untreated gray water from showers, sinks and laundry into the ocean. Now executives are saying, “We’re totally committed.” Wow. I say, think really hard before you book your cruise. You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Actress Katherine Ross is 80. Actor Tom Selleck is 75. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey is 66. Actor Jamie Foxx is 52. Dancer, actress, singer Rita Moreno is 88. Actress, singer Vanessa Hudgens is 31. American Olympic diver, LGBT activist, authorGreg Louganis is 60. He has been called both “the greatest American diver” and “probably the greatest diver in history”.Actress, TV host Ellen DeGeneres is 62. Former Vice President Walter Mondale is 92. Actor Robert Duvall is 89. Rock singer Marilyn Manson is 51.
‘The Bad Boys from Boston’ Aerosmith, is turning 50. The rock band formed in Boston in 1970& consists of Steven Tyler (71), Joe Perry (69), Tom Hamilton (68), Joey Kramer (69), and Brad Whitford (67). Tyler says, “A farewell tour? I don’t feel that in my heart. We’re looking good, feeling good. The stage is my mistress; she keeps me strong. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. There are a lot of reasons band don’t stay together for 50 years…whether it’s personalities, God’s will or whatever or…luck.”
Do you remember what you were doing in February 1970? If you’re old enough, I bet you’ll remember when I tell you this. Fifty years ago, James Taylor released Sweet Baby James. The album included “Fire and Rain” which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself reached #3 on the Billboard Album Charts. Also, included was Steamroller, Country Road and Sweet Baby James. His simple lyrics have touched us all in so many ways. If you’re young and you don’t understand, then listen to this album.
Actor Edd Byrnes, who played Vince Fontaine in Grease and Kookie in 77 Sunset Strip, died at 87.
“I think it (the deadly Coronavirus) will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America.” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Hmmm. Really? Like coffin makers, funeral homes, gravediggers, hazmat manufacturers, flower shops…OK, it may be true but that was rather insensitive. The World Health Organization has now declared the outbreak a global emergency. Then the U.S. rubbed the sleep out of their eyes and declared a public health emergency, announcing they will temporarily bar entry to the U.S. of foreign nationals believed to be a risk of transmitting the virus. Stocks are declining as fears intensify. When it was announced that there is now a second U.S. patient diagnosed with the new virus, I tried to order a package of the N95 respirator masks thinking that my daughter can use them for industrial design if they’re not needed for our health…well, there were none available to order. The 2019 novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, is considered a brand-new virus to the global scientific community. ‘Novel’ meaning it’s never been seen before,which means there’s no vaccine for it.
Texas Monthly, the national magazine of Texas, now has the nation’s first taco editor. I’m so jealous. His name is Jose Ralat and his dogs are named Beans and Cheese.The ex-Katy football coach, David Temple, convicted in the ‘99 murder of his 8-month pregnant wife is asking for a third trial to determine his guilt or innocence. Jurors have already found him guilty twice in her shooting death. Good grief.Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have put their Bel-Air estate on the market for $28.6 million. Maybe they’re thinking ahead to their prospective new digs. Hey, that could be a reality show. ‘Tiny Jail Digs.’
Bill Balleza, anchor for Channel 2 since 1980, has retired from television and plans to enjoy woodworking, something he learned from his grandfather as a child. He’s such a nice man. I watched them break open a bottle of champagne his last night on air and might have had a tear in my eye.
We know what people want to hear because when we play a Beatles song, all the cell phones come on and it looks like a galaxy of stars, and when we do a new song, it looks like a black hole. Paul McCartney. I remember the cigarette lighter days at concerts. Isn’t it nice that we can have the same fun now without holding fire in our hands! Now we just hold a phone. How times have changed.
William Shatner – Live on Stage, will be at Arena Theatre on February 16th. He will follow a screening of Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan. He is very funny. According to Playbill.com, the original Broadway cast of Hamilton will hit the big screen in 2021, when the filmed presentation of the Tony, Pulitzer, and Olivier-winning musical arrives in movie theatres October 15. Harlem Globetrotters are coming to the Fertitta Center at UH on February 15-16. They’re great! And what an opportunity to see the new Fertitta Center. It’s nice. I saw that TravelZoo had discounted tickets.
Advertisers were betting millions that having a super bowl commercial would help them promote their products. $5.6 million was required this year for a 30-second spot. Many celebrities along with political ‘hits and misses’ happened.Considering the recent death of Kobe Bryant and others in a helicopter crash, Planters delayed a previously planned campaign in which Mr. Peanut, the company’s longtime legume cartoon symbol, plunges to his death in an auto accident. Mr. Peanut, and two friends are on an adventure in the NUT mobile when MR. P is forced to swerve, causing the vehicle to spin out of control.The trio leaps out, clinging to a tree branch as the vehicle crashes down into a deep canyon below. They momentarily find safety until their combined weight begins to break the branch. In the ultimate act of friendship, Mr. Peanut lets go and sacrifices himself to save his friends from impending doom. The celebration of life for the 104-year-old hero was supposed to be held during the 3rd quarter of the game. Super Bowl 1995, halftime was Snakes and Indiana Jones themed. Things sure have changed in 25 years. I didn’t see it, but I have heard from several responsible people that there was way too much bumping, grinding, stripper poles, silver-sparkle underwear and crotch flashing for family audiences. We have really anesthetized ourselves to what is acceptable in the world.
Thank you to Hector Renteria, LJ Assistant Utilities Superintendent, for checking the manhole in my front yard. Thank you, Mr. Charry,for reading this column. I enjoy writing it as much as you enjoy reading it.In December, a friend asked Anne-Elisabeth if she wanted two tickets to see Andrea Bocelli. AE called me from work to ask what I thought. Well, Y-E-S. That evening we enjoyed box seats with wrist bands, drinks, dessert and dinner of salad, prime rib and sautéed asparagus. Let’s just say that we felt very pampered and pleased. Andrea Bocelli was a pleasure, of course. Thank you, Gaye for a perfect evening with my daughter. Thank you to Bill Pace at Home Depot for loading the garden dirt in the car for me because I still have a puny leg. He told me an interesting story that one of his relatives was a soldier in the American Revolution and worked under General George Washington. My few minutes spent with Mr. Pace was a true pleasure. Today in line at the Post Office I met a lady from Cleburne. I’m sorry that I didn’t get your name. Our conversation made the wait seem so fast. I was mailing Sweetie cookies to my niece in Dallas. Happy Birthday Lauren. Thanks to Mrs. Weeks and Mrs. Kolthammer for their volunteer work at the library. Because of them, it is a great spot to learn and relax.
We have all heard about the meatless burgers that almost every restaurant is serving now. When Taco Cabana was still open in LJ, I even tried the meatless tacos which were delicious. You may want to sit down for the next bit of information that I’m going to share with you. During February, in certain locations, Kentucky Fried Chicken is going to ‘test drive’ a Beyond Fried Chicken and if it sells, a nationwide release will follow. From what I have been able to find, they actually taste like KFC with their all those 11 herbs and spices.They look like squarish lumpy chicken pucks and will be sold in packs of up to 12. KFC is not just interested in feeding vegans or vegetarians, but ‘flexitarians’ – people who might eat meat but would like to cut back on how much they consume. A recent Kroger study found 93% of people who bought Beyond Burger had other animal proteins in their cart. So, KFC is going to serve chicken that’s not really chicken, but tastes really good? The Times They are a-Changing.
The Source Weekly is now 21 years old. Come by our office and mention this, and your classified is free. Thank you for reading and supporting us for all these years.
Lisa
