This Is Not the PLANET OF THE APES

We saw this latest planet of the apes movie and it was pretty awful.  Josh warned us and headed back to D.C. before we headed to Westgate.  Liz and Abe liked the computerized apes and some of the "monkey scenes."  I longed for the compassion I felt at the 1968 original, particularly for the women apes.  You can pass this one up.

The end to a good family few days together.  Life goes on.   Fingers crossed that soon this drought will end.  My garden is stressed and spent.  I'd like to make these flowers/plants  happy...like a family, my family.

Karaoke at Ego's With Liz and Friends

Today Josh and Liz hit Barton Springs for a few hours.  We then started the night at Polvo's my kids' favorite restaurant hands down.  No matter where we take them Polvo's remains this family's favorite.  Then we headed over to Ego's where we watched the amazing Lindsey perform two karaoke songs (one a rap!) and Liz perform as well  (absolutely adorable!)  Then Liz and I sang YOUR SO VAIN that great Carly Simon song  while Josh took pictures as did Abe.  What a hoot!  What a fun night!  We left Josh with Liz and her friends at Ego's and today my boy told me  "I love this town, maybe I'll go to grad school here."  Another Park Slope transplant in the making I hope.

La Fonda de San Miguel/LaLa's

Tonight a great meal at this gorgeous restaurant with delicious Interior Mexican food.  Liz, Josh, Abe and Reed...good company, good laughs.  Then we went to LaLa's a dive bar with great juke box and Christmas decorations.  During the day Josh and I saw A Tribe Called Quest...#2 for me!  Had to see that hip hop film with Josh....he used to go to bed with their CD playing in his ears.  Good NY back in the day film.  Night y'all.

My Kid Bicycles Austin

Josh begins bicycling this a.m. with Reed and Abe.  Their one hour ride in 78704.  He takes off this afternoon for the bike path on the East Side all the way to the airport and passes the railroad tracks, abandoned auto parts stores and plenty of shacks.  He loves the ride and ends up at Iron Cactus and then meets Liz at Freddies for cheap drinks and games.  They're off to Tex Mex and Social Biking this evening.  It's 105 and no one's complaining.  I'm not the only one who loves Austin!

A Son Returns Home

It's been 9 months since Josh was home...in Austin.  He loves it here and hasn't complained once about not having parents in Park Slope.  He does go back to Brooklyn to see friends but "home" now for the Moskowitz clan is Austin, Texas.  We'll all 4 be together for the first time in a year.  The day was spent baking deep dish brownies, shopping at Central Market for all of his favorites, making up the futon, Abe clearing his papers off of the futon, and driving Liz to a job interview and a meeting.  While Austin is hot neither of the kids complain.  They grew up without a.c. and NY summers were hot!  They bike all over (he's coming in time for Social Biking) and he and Abe will hit the tennis courts early in the a.m.  I guess we're lucky.  These kids grew up in a city without privilege and  behave that way...without privilege.  The plane lands at midnight.  We'll be there.

Happy Birthday Judith

It's hot here in Austin but you adjust.  First the gym for cycling and yoga.  Then Bouldin Creek Coffee Shop to celebrate Judith's birthday.  Not easy making new friends when you relocate to a brand new place well after the years of school and work.  Judith has been a great find and helps to interpret Texas for me.

Get to see more of Liz these days and that makes me lucky as well.  I love her latest posts on her photo blog. Check them out.

Liz Moskowitz Photography 

SARAH'S KEY/Matzoh Ball soup

It's 100+ degrees in Austin but the house is cool and comfortable and so Abe and Liz got matzoh ball soup.  And Mom got compliments.  Nice to be able to make people you love happy by cooking a favorite dish.

Started SARAH'S KEY, a historic novel about the French behavior toward Jews during WWII.  As always when reading books about the holocaust I am reminded of Abe's adventure to this country at the age of 3 from Berlin.  Crossed the ocean on a big boat with his mom and twin sister to a new world, not a very comfortable one.  His Mom survived the camps and his Dad was in Siberia.    A one room apt, a Mom who worked morning and night as a housekeeper with bare bone comfort.  But she loved him immensely and he emerged with the kindest of hearts and the ability to flawlessly reach out to others who otherwise would go unnoticed.  His compassion is unparalleled.  Now if I could only get him to like doing pots!