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Monday, February 24, 2025

The Houston Wine Fest: The Goodman Village Towers in West Houston, TX

Eric and I don't know our way around Houston.  I was concerned about a long walk with Wine Purchases from The Houston Wine Fest at The Goodman Village Towers.  Parking was amazing!



We are parked in front of
The Goodman.













Music by Chris Lively




Our Host, Vernon, & Eric













Eric and I purchased our tickets early at the discounted price.




Eric at the Blue Mule
Winery Table

Today's wines are
Petite Voigner, 
Sangiovese,
Blanc du Bois,
& Merlot










Blueberry, Raspberry, Fire,
Sauvignon Blanc, &
Jalapeno Wines today.









Rusty Nail features Watermelon,
Pear, Sangria, Merlot Wines.











Belstar Bubbly Rose,
'Kandi' Brachetto, &
'Bocca' Moscatto





WINO Wines books the Venues.  Wineries do not pay a fee for their spaces.  They are pouring for free today.





M3 Cellars is pouring
Moscato Giallo, Rose,
Cowboy Blend Red Wine,
& Cabernet Sauvignon






 Handcrafted Paper Jewelry
at the www.31and13.com
table.









has a very nice assortment
of Sauces & Marmelades.











Their Award Winning Products











FlorVino Wines are made with
Wildflower Nectar, Rosehips,
 Herbs, Dandelion Petals...






Raspberry Pomegranate, Port,
Cabernet Sauvignon, &
Gewurztraminer Wines.






Nibiru Chocolates are 
Boozy Treats. 








Frascone Winery is pouring
 Rose, Port, Cranberry,
 Peach Wines, & Mead.







a great Menu.








Eric's choice is BBQ with
Cheese & Jalapeno Peppers
on a HUGE Baked Potato.

It's great & so filling!





My BBQ Sandwich 
is delicious!







Our purchases...





Dande from Flor Vino
'Boca' Moscato from Vinovium
Mead from Frascone Winery
Summer Days Dry Voigner
Zia Bella Dry Sangiovase





Old Bones Buffalo Sauce
Smoked & Spicey Pepper
Marmalade









I was so happy to find
'more books' earrings at
Table.

They are part of the
Small Talk Collection.




Eric and I had a great time at WINOFEST.  Thank you to Vernon and all the Vendors who made our day fun and interesting!

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Valentine's Day Dinner @ Mastro's Ocean Club in The Woodlands, Texas





Eric & I returned to
 for our Valentine's Day
Dinner.











Love is in the Air...









Mastro's Ocean Club is a
popular choice for
Valentine's Day Dinner.









The Bar








The Patio is enclosed for
tonight's diners.




Inside, most of the
tables are occupied.











Our Server, Alec, is assisted by Lydia and Abby this evening.  Lydia warmly greets us.  She has an excellent memory and remembers Eric and me from Christmastime.

We start our Dinner with Dirty Martinis.





One of our two Bread Baskets

Mastro's Bread is sooo good.











Tonight, Eric and I focus on Appetizers and one Side Dish. 





The Lockhart Texas Quail Knots
with the Sweet & Hot Sauce are
amazing!











Jada comes to our table to wish us Happy Valentine's Day.  She makes Eric and me feel like two of her regular diners.  I am so impressed by Mastro's Ocean Club Staff.  





The Shrimp Cocktail with
Cocktail Sauce, Horseradish
Sauce, & Lemon is an
amazing show.









This half of the Scalloped
Potatoes will go home
with us.




The Chocolate Sin Cake topped with
 Chocolate Sticks & Raspberries,
with Pinot Noir from the Argyle
Winery is the perfect ending
for our Valentine's Dinner.







While waiting for our car
to be brought to the front
of the restaurant, I took
pictures of this Rolls Royce...



... & a Ferrari.








Mastro's Ocean Club is the place to go to admire expensive cars after a delicious dinner.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

The National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas

Eric & I at the National Museum of Funeral History

This is a huge space with many displays and takes hours to tour.






Casket Making








Most Caskets in this country are made of wood.  Taking care of the dead was done by family for hundreds of years.  The body was washed, clothed, and displayed in the Parlor of the grieving family's home. 






This Cruciform Casket is from the 
early 1900s.

It is a work of art.





By the time adult-sized
Caskets were manufactured,
the demand had dried up.





This Casket for Three has 
a tragic story.







The death of a child is devastating.  Following the death of their young child, the parents created this plan...  They went to another state to have the Coffin for Three custom-built.  The husband would murder the wife, the wife would commit suicide,  and they would be put into the Casket together. It would then be shipped to the town where their child died.  The disinterred child would lie between the parents forever.  The couple didn't follow through with their gruesome plan and the Casket eventually made its way to this Museum. 

Hand-drawn Carts were used to transport the dead until the development of the Hearse in the 1800s.






A Horse-Drawn Hearse
was built in 1832.











This white Children's Hearse 
was built in 1900.




Its small Casket




This ornate late 1800s Hearse
is an "all-weather vehicle."

In the winter the sled beneath
can be attached.










The 1916 Packard Funeral Bus




The Driver's Seat

Casket with flowers





Seating for the Mourners











Eric's favorite is the 1921
Rock Falls Hearse.

The carved drapery is
exquisite.









This 1850s Casket & the 
Hand-Caned "Board"
are quite rare.




The Casket is designed to hold 
ice to keep the body from
decomposing & the Caned
Board keeps the body from 
getting wet during the viewing.





in this country started in
the early 1800s.






The Duel Purpose Hearse...






1929 Studebaker-Superior
Hearse






There's a Stretcher inside.





This Hearse did double duty
as an Ambulance.







1938 Henney Packard
Flower Car














Remembering famous people who have died...























Crematoriums & Cremations
started in the US in 1876.











Modern Cremation

















Anubis, God of Embalming






The Embalming Room

















has many traditions.





People in Ghana are buried in
hand-crafted Fantasy Coffins.





The Swiss Guard guard a
 deceased Pope's body.



















This Hearse was used for Former
Presidents Ronald Reagan &







This Blog Post is an overview of the many displays at this Museum dedicated to the history of America's  Funeral Industry