A Visit to the Yellow Rose Distillery

This past weekend some friends and I went on a tour of Houston's first, and only, legal whiskey distillery.  The tour is a bargain ($7) includes free tastes of everything they make (bourbon, rye, blended whiskey and vodka) and they even have a bar so you can take a drink with you on the tour.



Bourbon, developing flavor and character

I don't actually drink hard liquor that much. I'm more of a wine drinker. However, I did try the un-aged, un-diluted corn whisky (aka moonshine), and the coffee-flavored vodka. I will not be switching over any time soon.



  

raw ingredients

This is not to dissuade you from the brand.  I'm not a good judge of whisky.  I was told, by other people on the tour, (people who like whisky and coffee) that Yellow Rose puts out a good product. They have also won several awards, including a double gold medal at the World Wine & Spirit Competition, so they must know what they're doing.

Barrels full of aging liquor

I even made a purchase. Maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels, which is a wonderful (and expensive) thing. It's definitely something for a special breakfast.



The original still.

 They give a good tour. They give a brief history of the brand, the distilling method is explained clearly, the atmosphere is light, and since it's all in one room, it doesn't take that long. And did I mention, free samples?




The current version - I guess they're doing okay.

If you like to drink, have out of town visitors and can't take another trip to NASA, or you just want to do something different. I'd recommend it.

Yellow Rose Distilling

1224 N. Post Oak R.

Houston TX, 77005

Birthday Doings

I turned another year older this week. I don't like making a fuss about my birthday, but I know from experience that trying to ignore it just makes me depressed. So I took a couple of days off, had wine with lunch, took myself to a show (Born Yesterday) and went to the latest installation at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Kusama: At the End of the Universe is fabulous, though the wait is long. (It is the first week of the exhibit - it should calm down in about a month. I hope, because I want to go again.) The exhibit is two mirrored rooms, which they let you into a few people at a time. It would be even better if they'd give you 10 minutes by yourself (particularly the second room - which is all golden lights) but it's still worth the price of the ticket.

The first room is all whimsical forms, and the colors change as you look at them.

I know. It's blurry. Unfortunately, they don't give you much time in here, and I couldn't set up another shot before they kicked me out.

Afterwards, head over to the gift shop to see the flamingos. They're fun. And for sale!

Have a good weekend!

One of Tom Hanks more under-rated roles. A sweet movie with a fabulous soundtrack.

Symbiotic relationship

This cute little guy lives in the peace lily (spathiphyllum)  next to my door. He eats the bugs on my patio, and I keep my cats from eating him.


I think he's prettier when he's green, but he was in a brown mood.

End of Spring Update





It's been a pretty quiet and boring few months. Partly because torrential rain kept me indoors more than usual, and partly because my house noticed all the attention I had been lavishing on the garden, and threw a fit. My garage door opener and in-sink garbage disposal broke, beyond repair. So I spent a couple of weekends handing my father tools and getting to know the local hardware stores much better than I ever wanted to. It's been expensive.

 **************

But at least my house hasn't flooded. I've been sent home from work early because they were worried rising waters would trap us on site, but that's been about it.  On the bright side, it does mean that all the sod and plants I put in earlier this year are doing really well.

 **************

I did manage to get out of the house a few times:

I saw Duran Duran in concert, and it was fabulous. I'm not a big concert goer, but this was a really good show. Chic was the opening act, and they could have been the whole concert. I actually felt sorry for Duran Duran, I wouldn't have wanted to follow them.  But they came out and did their thing and it was like back-to-back concerts. Not really related, but both shows were so good, who cared?

I saw "Sculpted in Steel" at the Museum of Fine Arts. The show was about Art Deco as applied to cars and motorcycles. I've never been a big car buff, but these were the most magnificent automobiles I've ever seen. The level of detail and the quality of the materials, was inspiring. I felt like I should go home and change because I was not dressed for the occasion. And if you wanted to feel like a real schlub, you could cross the street and see "Deco Nights: Evenings in the Jazz Age" where they had designer clothing of the era, including a bronze Fortuny gown that has to be one of the most subtly sexy garments I've ever seen.

Finally, I went to the Japan Festival in Hermann Park. As usual, there was terrific people-watching. I listened to J-pop and taiko drums, was wowed by the bonsai exhibit and I got to try takoyaki. I liked it, but not everyone is into octopus.

Of course I took pictures.

Portable shrine - it's mostly plastic and looks like the most expensive Lego kit in the world.

Tiny lanterns!

Bridge in the Japanese garden - I never time it right to get there when the irises are in bloom.

Shoes outside the tea tent. Only the orange flip flops are positioned correctly- together and facing out.

Doggy bag

 

Wabi-sabi

I found Waldo!

Turtle soup - though pizza would have been more thematically consistent

Can you have a Japanese festival without totoro?

I'll be more active this Summer. I promise.