I Love Houston—Rum and Pirates!

So today’s payday, and my routine is cast in stone.

Leave work.  Drive to Shell station.  $65

Shell station to Petco for dog food:  $55

Petco to H-E-B for me food:  $100

H-E-B to Spec’s for “sustenance”:  $35

 

Today’s trip to Spec’s was great!  For those not from Houston, Spec’s is this gigantic liquor store with an amazing selection.  They have a tasting bar set up as you walk in, and they always have nice folks there with samples of whatever they’re pushing that week.

I always stop by….

Today, there was a beautiful blonde, a gorgeous African American princess…and a my-age white dude.

The white dude turned out to be Mike Jakle, one of the partners who actually distills the rum he was demo’ing.  White Hat Rum, made of South Texas sugar cane, distilled in Manor, Texas (just outside Austin) (pronounced “May-nor”, not “Maaanor”).

I had a great conversation with Mike, and his rum is really excellent (I bought a bottle).  So if you get a chance, hop over to Spec’s and buy some.  Mike told me all about starting the company, searching south Texas for the “right” sugar cane, learning the distilling process, practicing, getting it perfect, designing the graphics for the bottle and the website—it was a really neat visit.  I think he did a great job with the graphics—the label has a tactile sense to it, and it’s very distinctive.  And, of course, I had some White Hat to go with it!  Very smooth. He signed my bottle for me.

So Mike, here’s to you (raises glass of White Hat on the rocks)!  Good luck in your business venture!

Having been to Spec’s and finished my rounds, I headed home.  I know one guy who bought a house in my neighborhood so he could be within walking distance of the Bull and Bear (next door to Spec’s).  I prefer to come home BEFORE having my cocktail…

On the way home, I passed this lady on a bicycle.  Probably 30’s-ish?  Had her hair piled up on top of her head—it’s already summer here, 85 degrees today, so no wonder she didn’t want that hair sticking to her as she rode.

Of course, when one goes out bike riding, one always brings one’s LARGE GREEN PARROT with one!  I mean, what self-respecting girl goes out for a bike ride without having a LARGE GREEN PARROT perched in her hair!?  A real parrot, because he/she was moving around while his/her owner pedaled.

So, Rum and a Parrot.  Where’s Johnny Depp when you need him?  And remember, Dead Men Tell No Tales!  (Pirates of the Caribbean, Disneyland). 

…and Austin thinks THEY’RE the weird ones!