These Boots Were Made For Ridin’ - outposthouston.comoutposthouston.com/pdf/08_Q1.pdfThese Boots Were Made For Ridin’In this Issue Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is back in town

QUARTER 1 2008, Issue #24 Outpost Houston Newsletter, Page 1

QUARTER 1 2008 Issue #24

In this IssueThese Boots Were Made For Ridin’Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is back in town (March 3rd -22nd)for the 76th time! It is a family friendly event held at Reliant Park with bullriding, parades, carnivals, BBQ, wine tasting competitions, star entertainers

and loads of shopping. This is definitely the time when history, heritage,

traditions and culture are shown off with pride.

Did you ever wonder about the history of theCowboy Boot?

The boots were originally made for riding. Some

are made of cowhide leather, while others are

made of more exotic skins like alligator, snake,

ostrich, lizard, eel, elephant, sting ray, elk, buffalo,

just to mention some. It is a boot with a unique

style; with a tall shaft, an angled heel, and with a

round or narrow pointed toe. They are known for

being worn by the Cowboys, but historically they

came from England. In the 17th-18th-century England,

riders used boots which had high shaft and stacked

heels. They were brought to the New World by

European cavalry in the 18th century. Soldiers during

the U.S Civil War were wearing similar boots and when the war ended in 1865,

soldiers took their boots home with them to their ranches.

So why is the boot made as it is? Just imagine that you were a working cowboy/

-girl, sitting in the saddle, riding through difficult terrain, on a quick-movinghorse. The tall heel minimizes the risk of the foot sliding forward through thestirrup. The tall leather shaft helps to hold the boot in place without having to

use laces. It also kept the leg and ankle from rubbing on the stirrup, as well as

protecting the leg from rocks, brush and thorns. In bad weather or when crossingrivers the high shaft help to keep the riders feet dry. The rounded or pointed toemakes it easy to insert the foot into a stirrup and the slick sole allows the boot to

slip free quickly.

Today, cowboy boots are a fashion statement (President George W. Bush hasprobably more than one pair. The boot maker, Tony Lama gave an earlierpresident, Harry Truman a pair of boots called “El Presidente”), that can be

considered a masterpiece of art; decorated with stitching, colors, sparkles, silver,

gold, feathers, beads, stones, Swarovski crystals - there is almost no limit. Theboots are meant to be seen, to set a statement and are a show of the owner’spersonality. A pair of boots can cost anything from $100 to $600 for a good

mass-produced pair. It is also known that a pair of boots has been sold for asmuch as $60,000. Popular maker of Cowboy Boots are: Ariat, Justin, Frye and

Tony Lama.

See you at the Rodeo! [Mette Willoughby]

Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_boot; http://shoes.about.com; www.cowboyvintage.com

These Boots Were MadeFor Ridin’

Editor’s Note

Volunteer Opportunitiesin Houston

Estate PlanningPresentation

A Career In Your Suitcase

Monthly Open HouseSchedule

Photography Galore!Fotofest 2008

The Gardens of BayouBend

New Arrivals

Houston-How Do I Fit In?

Holiday Brunch Pics

The Hill Country

Houston Happenings

Calendar of Events

QUARTER 1 2008, Issue #24Outpost Houston Newsletter, Page 2

OUTPOST HOUSTON NEWS

Editor’sNote

FEBRUARY ‘COFFEE WITH A TWIST’

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN HOUSTONfeaturing The Women’s Home, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center and

The Children’s Museum

Please join us on Wednesday, February 27th when 3 prominent Houstonorganizations talk about their volunteer programs. The organizations include:

• The Women’s Home: The Women’s Home is a multi-ethnic, non-

denominational, non-profit United Way agency founded in Houston in 1957. Themission of The Women’s Home is to help women in crisis regain their self-esteemand dignity, empowering them to return to society as productive, self-sufficientindividuals.

• Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (HANC): The Houston

Arboretum & Nature Center is a 155-acre non-profit urban nature sanctuarylocated on the western edge of Memorial Park. The mission of the HoustonArboretum & Nature Center is to provide education about the natural environmentto people of all ages and to protect and enhance the Arboretum as a haven and

as a sanctuary for native plants and animals.

• The Children’s Museum: Rated as the No. 1 children’s museum in the

country by a MSN.com survey of youth museums and serving more than 750,000

people annually, the Children’s Museum of Houston is the highest-attended youth

museum in the country for its size and is dedicated to transforming communities

through innovative, child-centered learning. The Museum offers 14 galleries of

hands-on exhibits and innovative outreach programming for kids ages birth to

12 years.

Date: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Time: 9:30 am - Noon (Refreshments will be served at 9:30am -

the presentation will begin promptly at 10:00am)

Location: Outpost Office, rm 6115 Shell Woodcreek (200 N. Dairy Ashford)

RSVP is REQUIRED as space is limited!

Please RSVP to [email protected] by Tuesday, February 26.

Greetings from the OutpostHouston Staff! We hope that theholiday season was a safe and joyfulone for all of you. 2008 is looking goodfor Outpost Houston and the expatriatecommunity.

We’ve got a great line-up ofpresentations coming your waythis year! Our Monthly Open House –Coffee with a Twist series is still goingstrong and our 2008 lineup is lookingto be the best yet. What does that

mean? It means that besides great

coffee and scrumptious pastries, we’ll

also have a short presentation on

interesting subjects that all expats

would enjoy. Upcoming presentations

include Volunteer Opportunities in

Houston, Portable Careers (Spouses),

Estate Planning and Texas Laws 101.

Look for more information in our

Announcements sent via email every

2 weeks.

Due to recent changes inExpatriate Services, the Outpost

Houston staff currently does not have

the opportunity to greet new arrivals

personally as done in the past. To help

remedy this situation (& because we

want to personally welcome every new

arrival!), Outpost Houston wil l be

holding quarterly New Arrival Coffee

Mornings. The next New Arrival Coffee

Morning will be held in April – look for

your invitation via email.

The Holiday Family Brunch, held onDecember 8, was sponsored by Mr. andMrs. John Hofmeister at the Houston

Zoo. Once again, the Shell expat

community came together for a funfamily day with over 400 in attendance!This year was bigger and better than

ever with the event held under a

massive tent complete with DJ, funface painters, caricature artist and acouple of close encounters with the

animals! Outpost Houston would like to

thank Mr. John Hofmeister and Mrs.Karen Hofmeister for their immensesupport and generosity. Check out

photos of the Holiday Family Brunch onpage 7.

There’s much, much more insideso we wish you happy reading!

[Traci Lennon]

APRIL ‘COFFEE WITH A TWIST’

UNDERSTANDING EXPATRIATE ESTATE PLANNINGfeaturing Gus Vlahadamis, Attorney at Law

Please join us on Thursday, April 17 when Gus Vlahadamis, Attorney at Law,will present UNDERSTANDING EXPATRIATE ESTATE PLANNING. Gus will discussthe following subjects:

• The importance of planning your estate in the US (even though you are

only here for a short time)

• The importance of maintaining a current US-based Will (foreign wills

are not generally valid in the US or Texas)

• US Estate Tax Structure including Residency Determination, Assets &

Gifting

• Methods for reducing US Estate Tax and important documents

Date: Thursday, April 17, 2008

Time: 10:00am – NoonLocation: Outpost Houston office, rm 6115, Shell Woodcreek, 200 N.

Dairy Ashford

RSVP is REQUIRED as space is limited!Please RSVP to [email protected] no later than Tuesday, April 15th.



I N V I T A T I O NYou’re Invited! You will have theopportunity to meet with newand recent arrivals, settledspouses, our Meet & Greet Teamas well as Outpost Staff. Wehave a lovely children’s play-room, so feel free to bring thekids along.

Coffee with a Twist! Each OpenHouse hosts a special guest whowill speak about issues relativeto expatriate life in Houston. Thenext ‘Coffee with a Twist’ will beheld in February. Look out fordetails in upcoming email an-nouncements.

The next Open House will beWednesday, February 27 whenThe Women’s Home, HoustonArboretum & The Children’sMuseum will speak on theirvolunteer opportunties inHouston.

Time: 10:00 am - NoonPlace: Outpost office, ShellWoodcreek (next to Java Stop)

2008 Open House Schedule

February 27

March 5

April 17

May 15

MONTHLYOPEN HOUSE

‘Coffee with a Twist’ - Monthly Open House

SPECIAL WORKSHOP EVENT!Wednesday, March 5, 2008

A CAREER IN YOUR SUITCASEpresented by Jo Parfitt

Discover the secrets of the portable career from someone who has createdand maintained a professional identity despite moves to five countries.Shell partner, Jo Parfitt, author of ‘Career in Your Suitcase’, ‘ExpatEntrepreneur’ and ‘Find Your Passion’ comes to Outpost to hold a lively,interactive workshop in conjunction with the Archive Centre in The Hague.A digital recording will be made of the session for deposit in the archive.The workshop will cover:

• How to find your passion

• How to recycle your skills and talents

• What is a portable career, anyway?

• How you too can make it happen

RSVP is REQUIRED as space is limited. In order to reserve yourspot, please RSVP to [email protected] no later than

Monday, March 3.

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Time: 10:00am – Noon (refreshments will be served at 9:30am,the workshop will begin promptly at 10am)

Location: Outpost Office, Shell Woodcreek (200 N. Dairy Ashford)

WANTED

Globetrotter Ball Committee Members

Be a part of an Outpost Houston Tradition! The Globetrotter Ballis the highlight of the year with dinner, dancing and fun had by all.Several opportunities are available within the Committee includingCommittee Co-Chair, Venue & Entertainment Coordination, TicketSales and Decoration.

The Committee will start meeting in March so if interested,please contact Traci Lennon on [email protected] asap.



Photography Galore! Fotofest 2008by Suzanne Banning

If you love photography, start lookingforward to Fotofest 2008; The

Twelfth International Biennial ofPhotography and Photo-Related Art,which takes place throughout HoustonMarch 7 - April 20, 2008. This timethe Biennial focuses on two interrelatedthemes: “China” and“Transformations”. Art galleries,museums, not-for-profit spaces as wellas vacant buildings will be showingphotography or work that incorporates

photography, and some video as well.

The event attracts numerous

photography-lovers from all over the

world. There are many photography

festivals worldwide, but Fotofest is the

biggest one of its kind. When visiting

any of the Fotofest exhibitions you will

find maps and a list of all Fotofest

shows. For more information and a

list of exhibits you can also visit:

www.fotofest.org. A full-color

catalogue will also be published andwill be for sale at a reasonable price.

EXHIBITIONS February/March/April 2008

“Viewpoints”, Fotofest Group Show (Yun Bai, Suzanne Banning, Cheryl Kelley, David Levinthal,Ruta Perzynska, Jay Rusovich and Susanne York), New Gallery - Thom Andriola, Houston, Texas.Address: 2627 Colquitt Street, Houston, TX 77098. 713-520-7053 http://www.newgallery.net.

Opening Friday, February 22 2008; 6 pm - 8 pm.Exhibition dates: February 23 - March 22 2008.

Curated by Suzanne Banning. “Subject to Change”, Fotofest Group Show (Suzanne Banning, ElinorCarucci and Allison Hunter), TCA (Texas Collaborative Arts) Naü-haus Gallery, Houston, Texas.

Address: 223 E. 11th Street, Houston Texas, 77008. 281-618-1845. http://www.texascollaborative.com/

Nauhaus.html. Opening March 8th 2008; 6 pm - 9 pm.Exhibition dates: March 8 - April 3 2008.

“Bands and Fans”, Fotofest Group Show (Brian Anderson, Barry Ayres, Suzanne Banning, LaurenCohen, Jim Olive, Ariel Pena, Caryn Rock, Chris “Satyr” White), The Meridian, Houston, Texas.

Address: 1503 Chartres Street, Houston, TX 77003. 713-225-1717. http://www.meridianhouston.comOpening March 15 2008; 6:00 pm -8:30 pm.

An important and extremely popularpart of the festival is “The MeetingPlace”: a portfolio review opportunitythat is booked solid months in advance.In this event, photographers have thechance to introduce their work tomuseum curators, gallery owners, artcritics, magazine editors, publishers andthe like from around the world. It is anexhilarating experience, as I know first-hand, since I participated myself in2006 and will again this year.

I am a visual artist whose medium is

photography and I have lived in Houston

since 2000. I have been participating

in exhibits during Fotofest, starting in

2002 and becoming more involved

every subsequent year. This time I will

be participating in three group exhibits:

one at “New Gallery – Thom Andriola”

(the gallery that represents me

throughout the year), one at “The

Meridian” and one at the recently

opened “Naü-haus Gallery” in the

Heights. The latter show, “Subject to

Change”, I curated myself and I am very

pleased and honored that Allison Hunter

(Houston) and Elinor Carucci (New York)

were wil l ing to contribute. Both

photographers are very well

established, Carucci is in fact world-

renowned.

“Subject to Change” shows the work of

three photographers who explore

“reality” in three very different ways.

Elinor Carucci captures slices of timewhere one can almost taste the

atmosphere and feel the silence. A

simple gesture could change the scene

and make you wonder what would

happen next. All ison Hunter’s

butterflies are caught behind glass,

living their short life in damp captivity.

From hatching hanging cocoons to

adults, their beautiful wings never to

take them far, before they fade away

into a pair of paper wings. Suzanne

Banning uses these ethereal creatures

symbolically in her Lolita series.

Banning brings butterflies into play as

sexual metaphors and to announce

lurking danger, which results in a play

of stunning colors and mysterious

shadows.

Anyone interested is of course

welcome to visit my shows throughout

the year. If you have any questions

or if you would l ike to receive a

reminder of my upcoming events,

simply drop me a l ine at

[email protected] and I

will add you to my emailing-list.

[email protected]

www.suzannebanning.com

Lolita 3 (staring silently)by Suzanne Banning

Untitled Butterfly 2007by Allison Hunter



Spring is just around the corner. It istime to go out exploring and enjoy

the colors of the season. One place inHouston that stands out and is worth avisit is Bayou Bend. On a sunny daywith clear blue sky, head for the River

Oaks, one of Houston’s most elegant

residential areas and here you find the

gardens. Go and visit the beautiful

home of Miss Ima Hogg, a leading

philanthropist in the state of Texas,

who donated her house with its

surrounding gardens to the Museum of

Fine Arts. Miss Hogg spent many years

creating gracious and beautiful gardens

in harmony with the area’s natural

environment. The gardens have

become a tribute to Texas and to

America’s nationhood.

Walk into the Bayou Woodlands. The

first garden you come to is called the

Clio Garden. It has rectangular beds

planted with white Indicia azaleas,

which only bloom in spring. Bluepansies decorate the garden in Januarythrough April, and the wisteria

blossoms in March and April. Roses

have been planted in the circular beds,to bring color during the summer andfall. The boxwood hedges emphasize

the geometry of the beds with dome-

shaped yaupon bushes. In the centerof the garden is a statue of Clio (theGreek Mythology) who presided over

the arts and sciences.

Follow the Woodland Trails, and admirethe beauty of native trees like: pines,elms and oaks, and also scrubs which

form a spectacular backdrop to theformal gardens surrounding the house.

Several times the gardens have beenhit by flooding and hurricanes, but thenative plants are protected, cared for,

supplemented, and replaced when

necessary by the garden staff that caresfor them.

Continue walking towards the north tothe terrace of the house, here you cometo an outdoor “room” with walls ofevergreen yaupon hedges that separatethe garden from the natural woodlandsbeyond. The garden is called DianaGarden and is a model of classicalsimplicity. The hedges are highlightedby seasonal flowering plants; azaleasin March and April, magnolias in May

and June, and crepe myrtles in June and

July. Behind the statue of Diana, the

goddess of hunt, you see some trees,

Japanese Yews.

Continuing on the winding trail towards

east you come to the Euterpe Garden,

where you find the statue of the muse

of music. Surrounded by a loblolly pine

and an American sycamore, the tree is

much older than the house which was

built between 1927 and 1928. The

statue, Euterpe sits in front of columns

of Japanese Yews, shaded by pine and

oak. At the base of the statue you find;

maidenhair fern, azaleas and Formosa.

While redbuds, magnolias and Mexican

plum trees are planted nearby.

After a hurricane hit the gardens in1961, Carla Garden was created in a

clearing designed as a carnival theme.

The circular brick terrace with itsboxwood borders looks like the shapeof a carousel with circles of azaleas. In

spring, the azaleas bloom in colors from

pale pink to deep red. A camelliablossoms on the south side in Decemberand January, and some winged silver

bell tree blooms in March. The urns arefilled with angel-wing begonias.

The East Garden extends the east

façade of the house into the landscape.

A long hedge shields the garden fromthe entry drive and the woodlandsbeyond. The focal point of the gardenis the raised terrace with a small pool,framed by a semicircular hedge and awrought iron fence. The fence showsa lyre motif which symbolizing MissHogg’s love of music. Azaleas arearranged in rows in front of the hedgewalls. Pink camellias and a rare varietyacquired from Avery Island inLouisiana, are planted on the outsideof the hedges.

In a forested area of the property is

the Butterfly Garden. Bands of

graduated red and pink flowers are put

together of four varieties of Kurume

hybrids: Christmas Cheer, Coral Bell,

Hexe, and Hino-de-giri, all very rare

in the country. Two urns stands on each

side of this garden and a matching pair

of winter-blooming camellias frame two

garden benches. Towards the south,

you find the most quiet and private

area, the White Garden. Located deep

within the woods, surrounded by

ravines and almost always shows white

blooming plants. Depending on season,

look for spireas, camellias, tulips,

narcissus, iris, dogwood, mock orange,

gardenias, roses, lilies, viburnums, and

other blooming flowers. The garden

was dedicated in memory to Miss Hogg’

gardener: with a plaque, two bronze

deer and a bench. The White Garden

is an ideal place to sit down, rezone,

and enjoy the beauty, its smell and the

colors.

The last garden established at BayouBend is the Topiary Garden. The

garden has metal wired statues of

turkey, squirrel, rabbit, and deer whichare planted with fig vine. The animalsrepresent the Texas wildlife in 1776.

The eagle symbolizes the United

States. The figures are arranged in acircle around a central star of clippedyaupon, which represents Texas as the

“Lone Star State”.

You can not leave Houston withoutexperience this beauty. Remember tobring a camera.

www.mfah.org/bayoubend

The Gardens of Bayou Bendby Mette Willoughby



NEW ARRIVALS

Saturday, October 14th 2006

It’s that time again…

Time to dust off the dinnerjacket, find the missing shirt

studs and book the babysitter…

Time to enjoy an elegantevening with your Shell

expatriate friends, dining anddancing on the 49th floor of the

downtown Plaza Club…

Time to re-unite with friends oldand new…

Time to kick back and enjoyHouston….

JANUARY ‘COFFEE WITH A TWIST’

HOUSTON - HOW DO I FIT IN?presented by Flavia Schroeder, FS Language Services

On Tuesday, January 22nd Outpost was very pleased to have FlaviaSchroeder of FS Language Services present on Houston – How Do I Fit In?

Flavia held a lively, open discussion with group on issues such as:

� Cultural Characteristics of USA & Houston� The American Culture: Myths & Realities� Houston is a “Melting Pot”� The New Face of Houston

Flavia Shroeder, a native Argentinean,earned her master’s degree in Spanish,Latin and Literature from the Universityof Buenos Aires, and was revalidated atthe University of Houston; she boasts over20-years teaching experience at

prestigious learning centers such as Awty

International, U of H, Rice, HCC, and

several corporations including Shell,

Marathon Oil, ConocoPhil l ips,

ChevronTexaco, Hall iburton and

Schlumberger.

If you were unable to attend, the handouts are availabe on our website,

www.outposthouston.com.

Leonora Costa Valente & Luis

Henrique Guimaraes

Erik Mora

Austral Chang

Rafael Rebello

Esther Buquet & Chris Streng

Janet Leung

Camille Yousfi

Mary John & Bartholomew Jukui

Mikhail Pokutny & spouse

Nadia Carrasco & Hiran Parra

Chemary Esis & spouse

Andrea Torroba & Claudio Ruiz

Ken-Hoe Lee

Stefan Vos de Wael & spouse

Beatriz Tosta

Denis Kiyashchenko

Chaitanya Kaza

Helen & Robert van der Zalm

Andy Dimaya & spouse

Stefanie & Joerg Bialek

Martinus Wilhelmus Vos & spouse

Laura Cragwell Meyer

Ellen Koppendraaier

Lubka & Stephan Elser

Esther Acosta & Hermann Krohn

Manuel Chavez & spouse

Kate & Chris Langley

Stuart Dickson & spouse

Daniel Perez & spouse

Margreeth & Jos Terken

Sarah Papineau & Jean-Christophe

Noirot

Win-Sim Chan

WelcomersDo you like meeting new people? ThenOutpost Houston Welcomer is just foryou! Responsibilities include callinga new expatriate spouse andarranging a ‘meet & greet’ either inthe temporary accommodation or anagreed meeting place. TheWelcomer presents the newcomerwith an OH Welcome Booklet, a bookabout Houston and an invitation tothe next Open House. All books andtraining will be provided by OH. Ifinterested, please contact Nicole onm r e b o s @ s w b e l l . n e t .

Singles WelcomerAre you single who likes to meet newand interesting people? Then OutpostHouston needs you! Responsibilitiesinclude calling a new singleexpatriate and arranging a ‘meet &greet’. The Welcomer presents thenewcomer with an OH WelcomeBooklet and a book about Houston.All books and training will beprovided by OH. If interested, pleasecontact Nicole on

m r e b o s @ s w b e l l . n e t .

Got a great idea foran article?

Have you mets o m e o n einteresting, ordone somethingfun and want tolet everyone inon ‘the secret’?

Contributions arewelcome!

Don’t worry, youdon’t have to bea professionalwriter. If you

need help putting yourthoughts into words, we canbe of help.

For more information, pleasecontact Traci or Mette at:[email protected].

OUTPOST HOUSTON VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES



Portrait of a Young Woman byRembrandt van Rijn

The Holiday Family Brunch, heldon December 8, was sponsored

by Mr. and Mrs. John Hofmeister atthe Houston Zoo. This was thesecond year this event was opento the whole family and it was ahuge success with over 400people attending! It was abeautiful, sunny warm Decemberday – perfect for a BBQ under themassive tent. Both children andadults were entertained by fun facepainters, caricature artists andclose encounters with the more‘pettable’ animals. We even had aDJ spinning tunes from around theworld that got the whole crowddancing – there was even a hulahoop contest! There was much tosee and do at the zoo – and therewere smiles all around.

Outpost Houston would like tothank Mr. John Hofmeister and Mrs.Karen Hofmeister for their immensesupport and generosity.

[Traci Lennon]

Outpost Houston Holiday Brunchat the Houston Zoo

All Photographs courtesy of Gary Craggs.

For more Holiday Brunch photos see www.outposthouston.com



It is an area of rolling hills, crystalclear streams, lakes, caves, wildlife,

breathtaking botanical beauty,sightseeing panoramas, outdoorrecreational opportunities, a relaxingatmosphere, all spiced up with the oldhistory of “the wild west”.

It is very different from Houston’s bigmodern city life; here you met thedown to earth pioneering people. Thebest parts of the Hill Country are theparts between the big towns; numerousof small peaceful towns with a lot ofhistory, hospitality and charm. The

area is dominated by ancestors of

European settlers. The Hill Country is

formed by the Balcones escarpment,

the limestone ledges and hills of the

Edwards Plateau upon which the area

sits.

Before setting out, explorers should

obtain a free copy of the Texas State

Travel Guide, which provides details

about public points of interest in many

of the cities and towns along the route.

An Official Highway Travel Map can be

obtained at any Texas Travel

Information Center.

Some remote areas of the Hill Country

lack any fuel stops so it is recommened

topping up the tank often. It is not rare

to ride 50 miles or more and not see

any gas stations along the way.

Head from Houston to San Antonioyou will find the city at the foot of theHill Country. With its abundance ofvisitor sites and attractions, San

Antonio is one of Texas’ premier

tourist cities, with its Riverwalk, TheAlamo, Zoo, La Villita, Sea World SixFlags Fiesta Texas and much much

more.

To see some of the most spectacularscenery, take the two-lane road (TexasState Highway 16) that twists its way

to Bandera. Bandera is known for

being the “Cowboy Capital of theWorld”, with working ranches, trailrides, square dances, and rodeos.

Bandera is a scenic doorway to theEdwards Plateau which the Hill Country

is sited at. While visiting Bandera, seeif you can get inside the Old SpanishTrail Restaurant, it is worth a visit. With

its western interior; wild life trophies,

spur collection dated back to the 1800s,film pictures of the legendary JohnWayne (“The Duke”) covering the walls,horse saddle as barstools, roomycypress booths and tables. It is verypopular at the weekends, and fills upquickly.

Magnificent Hill Country scenery unfoldsbetween Bandera and Utopia,prominent hills and narrow valleys.Drive it at a leisurely pace and enjoythe panoramas. Look out for sinkholeswhere the landscapes are more flat. Ifyou are lucky you can find dinosaur

footprints in the solid limestone bed of

Hondo Creek at the west edge of the

highway two miles south of the

crossroads community of Tarpley, on

FM 462 (off the Trail).

Drive on to Leakey, also known as the

“The Swiss Alps of Texas”, because of

the areas natural beauty with

spectacular hill country views. Leakyhas a lot to offer visitors; fishing,boating, bird and wild life watching,

camping, horseback riding, cycling,

hiking, biking, swimming and tubingdown the Frio River. Leakey is themotorcycling mecca of Texas with its #

1 scenic road. The famous “Three

Sisters” Texas Highway 335, 336 and337 with its winding roads andbreathtaking scenery.

Our journey continues to the centre of

the hill country, to Fredericksburg, apicturesque old town rich with Germantraditions and with nineteenth century

building styles. German is still spoken;the shops are called “Der” and “Das”,

and many restaurant server traditionalGerman dishes. It is a most to take atrip to the Enchanted Rock State

Natural Area, 16710 Ranch Road 965,

about 15 miles north of Fredericksburgoff RR 965 south of Llano. TheEnchanted Rock is a massive dome ofpink granite that covers approximately640 acres and rises 425 feet above thesurrounding terrain. Hiking trails circlethe rock, one leads to the crest for agrand view of the countryside. NativeAmericans believed that ghost firesflickered on its crest on moonlit nights.The park is open daily, but you canonly get into the park if you’ve madea reservation.

Drive north to Llano, which is found

at the heart of the Central Mineral

Region of Texas. Rock and mineral

collectors comb the area for specimens

of barite, azurite, malachite, dolomite,

galena, garnet, magnetite, opalized

wood, milky quartz, amethyst,

serpentine, tourmaline, and even

traces of gold. A prime collector’s item

is Llanite, a unique type of dark-pink

granite like rock with inclusions of

sky-blue quartz crystals. It is found

nowhere else in the world. East from

Llano at the intersection of Park Road

4 and FM 2342 is Longhorn Cavern

State Park. Besides the subterranean

labyrinth, the park offers marked

nature trails.

Lake Travis region attracts

naturalists and fossil collectors. The

Lake’s shoreline rewards fossil

collectors with abundant specimens

from some hundred million years ago.

Weathering out at the shore’s edge arefossils of oysters, clams, snails,whelks, scallops, and tusk shells.

Among favorite finds are internal

molds of heart cockles, often perfectlyshaped an about the size of a largeapricot.

Austin is known as the “live-music

capital of the USA”. The annual musicconcerts are held in the middle ofMarch and according to the New York

Times is “the pop and rock industry’s

most important annual gathering”. Inthe center of Austin you can see theimpressive Texas State Capitol

Building, topped with the statue of theGoddess of Liberty. Austin’s natural

attractions: such as the magnificentnatural pool at Barton Springs,Hamilton Pool and Hippie Hallow. After

dark go to the Congress Ave Bridge,

THE HILL COUNTRY: ‘Deep In The Heart Of Texas’by Mette Willoughby

Enchanted Rock

Continued on page 9



the bridge is the home to 1-2 millionbats and watch their nightly flight.Austin is a university city (TheUniversity of Texas) where you getoutside and get busy. The E 6th Streetbetween Congress and Sabine Streetsis the Strip, with its many clubs, pubsand nightspots is a tourist attraction.If you’re not into parting, then head tothe Warehouse District, west ofCongress Ave and south of W 6 th

Street. Austin is a medium-sized city,so be aware of possible danger, so usecommon sense.

Caves: Sometimes on warm days you

want to escape the burning sun and

extreme heat outdoors, have a break

and visit one of the many caves that

the Hill Country got. At Longhorn

Caverns State Park (6211 Park Rd., 4

miles off TX 29, near Burnet),

Longhorn Caverns is just one of

seven commercial caves in Texas,

each offering well-lighted, easy-to-

follow trails. Here you’ll view a quiet

world where progress takes place one

drop of water at a time, in a unique

atmosphere cooled by nature’s air-

conditioning. The small town of Boerne,

northwest of San Antonio on I-10, is

home to Cave Without a Name (325

Kreutzberg Rd. for 5 miles). This 50-

mill ion-year-old cave is privately

owned and, while not as well known

as the other caverns, boasts many

beautiful formations. A 45-minute tour

takes you through a series of rooms,

including one with Texas-sized

stalagmites. Gravel walkways windthrough the cavern.

Cascade Caverns (I-10, exit 543)was named for its 90-foot waterfall.Cascade Caverns has welcomed the

public since 1932, but evidence isfound that both man and animals have

been using the cave much longer. Oneof the first visitors over 50,000 yearsago was a mastodon whose bonesremain here today. Later, ancient NativeAmerican tribes held ceremonies withinthe cave’s first room, fearing to venturebeyond the reassuring sunlight.

The largest cave in the area is NaturalBridge Caverns (RR 3009 SW of NewBraunfels), reminiscent of New Mexico’sCarlsbad Caverns. Tours take visitorsthrough enormous rooms that look likethe playing fields of prehistoricdinosaurs. Natural Bridge Caverns takes

its name from a rock bridge between

two sinkholes, the original entrance to

the mouth of the cave. Modern man has

known of the sinkholes since the 19th

century, but there is evidence of much

earlier visitors. Bones of a grizzly bear

at least 8,000 years old have been

discovered, as well as human bones,

stone weapons, and other American

Indian artifacts.

North of San Antonio on I-35 is WonderCave (Wonder World Dr. exit off I-35

S., admission fee) a cavern where you

won’t see sparkling formations,

waterfalls, or auditorium-sized rooms.

What you will see is a very unique

attraction: a view of the Balcones Fault

from inside the fault. The cave was

produced during an earthquake 30

million years ago, the same one that

formed the Balcones Fault, and 1,800-

mile line separating the western Hill

Last year the Texas wineries produced 1,500,000 gallons of wine.

Some well known names are: Stetson, Llano, Haak, Paulo, Val Verde

Winery, Messin Hof, Becker Vineyards, Peregrin Hill, Sister Creek

Vineyards.

Texas has 22 wineries; many wineries arrange tours of the surrounding

area and its facilities, presentation of newly released wines, wine and

food pairings, seminars and demonstrations.

All the trails are self-guided driving tours to be enjoyed at your leisure.

Some wineries charge to taste during non-ticketed events.

Upcoming Event: April 4-6 and 11-13 “Wine and Wildflower

Trail”, enjoy the beautiful landscape covered with bluebonnets. There

is no charge for this trail event and no tickets are required.

Country from the flat easternfarmland. Within the cave, you’ll seeboulders lodged in the fissure. WonderCave is open from March untilNovember.

North on I-35 to Georgetown home ofInner Space (I-35 exit 259). Thecave was discovered in 1963 whenroad crews building the highway drilledinto one of the large rooms.Consequent drilling and explorationrevealed that a major cavern woundbelow the proposed highway. Remainsof Ice Age mastodons, wolves, sabre-

toothed tigers, and glyptodont (a kind

of prehistoric armadillo) have been

discovered here, and an 80-foot

cavern wall has been decorated with a

modern artist’s renderings of these

ancient creatures.

Finally, the Caverns of Sonora (I-10

west of Junction to RM 1989) have been

described by some cave experts as the

most beautiful in the world. This scenic

spot offers three tours: a 45-minute,

a 75-minute version, and a 2 1/2 hour

version, presenting visitors with

spectacular stalactites and stalagmites

as well as unusual butterfly-shaped

formations.

Sources:http://www.localhikes.com/http://www.txhillcountrytrail.com/http://www.texaswinetrail.com/

http://www.texaswines.org/

Continued from page 8

THE HILL COUNTRY:‘Deep In The Heart Of Texas’

Cascade Caverns

TEXAS WINE STATS


HOUSTON HAPPENINGS

What’s On in Houston

FESTIVALS

SPRINGFEST -Wine, Art, and FoodFestival - Texas StyleMarch 8-9Located just 20 miles north of Houston,

Old Town Spring invites you to its 10th

Annual two-day celebration of Texas

wineries and artists. A pleasant stroll

around the town will acquaint you with

Texas wineries offering tastings of some

of their finest wines, talented Texas

artists showing their original art and

150 unique shops in the historic railroad

town. Cost: Parking - $3. Wine tasting- $20. Location: 403 Main Street,

Spring, TX 77373.www.oldtownspringtx.com

TRAILHEADMarch 27-30Relive the Old West with the TexasHistorical Shootists’ Society. This

annual cowboy gathering draws

competitors and spectators from acrossthe country for cowboy shootin’, ridin’and shoppin’ at this 4 day event.

Located in “Gunsmoke, Texas” just a

few miles north of Columbus in an oldstyle Western town complete with jail,fort, mine, hotels and a mayor’s office.

Location: 12 miles north of Columbus.www.columbustexas.org

BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVALMemorial ParkMarch 28-30This fine juried art festival transforms

the meandering 1.1-mile trail of thepark into a magical art colony with 300

artists representing 19 media formats,in Enjoy interactive art Creative Zonefor children, the Broadway Across

America Houston’s Broadway Cafe,

and colorfully costumed international

dancers, musicians and performing

artist for multi-cultural entertainment

plus food and drink refreshments.

Time: 10am-6pm. Cost: $10 for

adults; children 12 and under free.

Location: Memorial Park.www.bayoucityartfestival.com

FEATHERFEST NATURE FESTIVALApril 3-6A 4-day celebration of nature, art and

history in the exciting and charming cityof Galveston, Texas, featuring Spring

migration birding and other natureexperiences on the Upper Texas Coast.

Visitors will enjoy van based field trips,birding by kayak and boat, seminars/

workshops and social activities that tieinto to Galveston’s historic heritage.Cost: General $25, then priced by

event. Location: Old Galveston SquareBuilding, The Strand Galveston, TX

77550.www.galvestonfeatherfest.com

TOTALLY TEXASApril 11-12Festival includes a Parade, Live

Musical Entertainment, Classic Car

Cruise, Anvil and Skillet Throw, Hot

Dog Eating Contest, Carnival, Indoor

Booths, Outdoor and indoor eating,

Kids Go Country Contest, Beauty

Pageant, Dog Show, Wagon Rides,

Petting Zoo and much more. Time:Friday 6-10pm Saturday 10am-10pm.

Cost: Admission to event and parking

FREE. Location: 500 W. 13th Street.www.ci.deer-park.tx.us

TEXAS HOT AND SPICY FESTIVALApril 12-13Tasting Texas presents this festival,

featuring salsa, BBQ sauce, hot sauce,

cooking demos and a Fresh Farmers

Market. Kids playland and non-stop

music. Time: 11am-7pm. Cost: $3Adults / $2 Kids. Location: Reliant.www.texashotandspicy.com

WATERWAY ARTS FESTIVALApril 12 -13As a juried, fine art festival, thenewly-created The WoodlandsWaterway Arts Festival will feature 200

national and regional artists selling

their original creations along a 1.25mile waterway park. Time: Saturday10am-8pm; Sunday 10am-6pm. Cost:$8 for adults, free for children 12 and

under. Location: The Woodlands TownCenter, from The Marriott WaterwayHotel and Convention Center,

alongside The Cynthia Woods MitchellPavilion culminating at the new four

acre Town Green Park.www.woodlandsartfestival.com

ANNUAL HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEOMarch 3 – 22

BIG CITY, BIG RODEO. World’s largest stock show; livecountry music performances by the genre’s biggest starsand top-notch PRCA rodeo action in comfort of the newReliant stadium. Features seven PRCA and WPRA events:bareback bronc riding, barrel racing, bull riding, calf roping,saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling and team roping. Parade, carnival, andbarbecue cook-off. Cost: Tickets start at $14, and are available at allTicketmaster outlets and at the Reliant box office. Free shuttle available.

Location: Reliant Park. www.hlsr.com


HOUSTON HAPPENINGS

ANNUAL HOUSTONINTERNATIONAL FESTIVALApril 19-20 & 26-27iFest transforms downtown into OUTOF AFRICA The Festival continues itstradition as one of the largestpresenters of world music on theplanet. iFest features food, artwork &performances from around the world.Time: Sat. 1pm-10pm, Sun. 1pm-8pm. Cost: $13, Kids (ages 4-11) $3,kids under 3 free. Location:Downtown Houston. www.ifest.org

THE GRAND WINE & FOOD AFFAIRApril 23-27Join the world’s greatest chefs andnoted wine authorities for this premierculinary extravaganza for five inspiringdays of reserve wine tastings, cookingclasses, vintner dinners and wine

seminars. Do not miss this opportunity

to taste, swirl, and discover. Location:Sugar Land Marriott Town Square,

16090 City Walk, Sugar Land, Texas

77478.

www.TheGrandWineAndFoodAffair.com

EARTH DAY & OLEANDER FESTIVALApril 26Moody Gardens; The Oleander Festival

is an annual event dating back to 1921

that honors the beautiful flower and

educates guests about the history of

the oleander on Galveston Island and

throughout the world. Area plant

societies, clubs, and vendors are

invited to set up booth space to display

and sell their plants. There will be a

floral design competition where

professional, amateur and child

participants can display their work to

be judged. Earth Day celebration

activities by Moody Gardens® and its

community partners will include arts

and crafts, entertainment andpresentations great for the wholefamily. www.moodygardens.com

EXHIBITIONS

CSI: THE EXPERIENCEFebruary 1 - April 30You’ve seen the hit television crimedrama, CSI: Crime SceneInvestigation on CBS. Now, there’s a

forensic science exhibition related to

the TV show that lets YOU be theexpert. On February 1, the HoustonMuseum of Natural Science wil l

proudly unveil CSI: The Experience,an immersive, interactive forensic

science exhibition that invites peopleto use real science to solvehypothetical crimes in an exciting

multimedia environment. Find out atthe Houston Museum of Natural

Science. www.hmns.org

POMPEII: TALES FROM ANERUPTIONMarch 2 - June 22Museum of Fine Art Houston. Pompeii:Tales from an Eruption reveals theancient world through painting,sculpture, and craft. It helps us connectwith the victims whose hopes and fearswere not so unlike ours today. Theseworks of art will give viewers insight andappreciation into the worlds of theartists who made them and the ownerswho cherished them. www.mfah.org

LEONARDO DA VINCI: Man,Inventor, GeniusMarch 7 – September 1Leonardo da Vinci was one of thegreatest geniuses the world has everknown. More than 500 years ago, DaVinci designed flying machines, robots,

submarines, underwater breathing gear

and solar powered industries. This

remarkable internationally acclaimed

exhibition displays over 60 models of

Da Vinci’s famous machines, inventions

and designs based on ancient codices.

www.hmns.org

THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS™March 8 – 11Children’s Museum Houston. The Magic

School Bus™ sweeps into town onSaturday, March 8 with the debut of the

exhibit The Magic School Bus™ KicksUp A Storm…just in time for SpringBreak! Join Ms. Frizzle™—the

irrepressible teacher with a taste foradventure, her sidekick, Liz—the lizard,

and a school bus that changes into justabout anything, in an exploration about

weather phenomena!www.cmhouston.org

THEATER & DANCE

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – THELIVE EXPERIENCEApril 2 – 6Toyota Center is proud to welcomeWalking With Dinosaurs – The LiveExperience, locally presented by

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital,to Houston. Based on the BBCtelevision series, this tour will feature15 life-sized dinosaurs interacting in arealistic prehistoric setting created onthe arena floor of Toyota Center.Audiences will marvel at the story ofthe creatures who dominated the Earthfor 200-million-years. Walking WithDinosaurs – The Live Experience is a$15 million-dollar production whichfeatures life size dinosaurs walking,roaring and clashing right before youreyes.

www.houstontoyotacenter.com

CINDERELLAMarch 6 –16The story has been a favorite for

generations, but make no mistake, this

is not your childhood Cinderella. More

tomboy than princess, Stanton Welch’s

title character is a striking woman of

substance, determination and spunk.

She fights the oppression and will of

her evil stepmother with wit and vigor.

And when she finds true love, she grabs

it – and wisely holds on with both

hands. www.houstonballet.org

CONCERTS

MATCHBOX TWENTYwith Alanis Morissette

February 28www.houstontoyotacenter.com

MICHAEL BUBLÉMarch 1www.houstontoyotacenter.com

BOBBY MCFERRINMarch 10www.houstonsymphony.org

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and theE Street BandApril 14www.houstontoyotacenter.com

ARETHA FRANKLINApril 26www.houstonsymphony.org


REFERENCE

Emergency?

Dial 911 & give

� your name � your street, number & zip � your phone number

� police, fire or ambulance

Editor: Traci LennonAssistant Editor: MetteWilloughby

Outpost Input:Mette Willoughby; SuzanneBanning

Outpost Team:Traci LennonNicole BosPauline RudgeMiranda MuldersVania Amado

Opening Hours:Monday - Thursday10am - 2pm

Shell Woodcreek, rm 6115200 N. Dairy AshfordHouston, TX 77079ph. 281 544 4600fax. 281 544 [email protected]

The information given by Outpost-Houston isbased upon the gathered personalexperiences of expatriate families. Therefore,you will appreciate that Outpost Houstoncannot accept any liability for damagesdirectly or indirectly resulting from theservices rendered or information given.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Police, Fire Department, Ambulance 911City of Houston Services Helpline 311Houston Police Department 713 222 3131Harris County Sheriff’s Office 713 221 6000Reliant Energy (power outage) 1 800 332 7143

Telephone Directory Assistance 1 411Bush Int. Airport Information 281 230 3100Postal Service 1 800 275 8777

AAA 713 284 6523Stranded Motorists 1 800 525 5555Toll Road Assistance (working hrs) 713 222 7328Toll Road Assistance (24 hrs) 281 376 3472

GEMS Benefits (BUPA) [email protected] HealthCare 1 800 554 9299

Expatriate Services 713 245 4800

Watch for specific dates andtimes in our ‘Classifieds’ emailannouncements and also inour websitewww.outposthouston.com

February 27 Volunteer Opportunities in Houstonfeaturing The Women’s Home, Houston Arboretum

& The Children’s Museum

Time: 10:00am – NoonRefreshments will be served at 9:30, the presentation will begin

promptly at 10:00.

Location: Outpost Houston Office, rm 6115 Shell

Woodcreek

March 5 A Career In Your Suitcase (PortableCareers) featuring Jo Parfitt

Time: 10:00am – NoonRefreshments will be served at 9:30, the presentation will begin

promptly at 10:00.

Location: Outpost Houston Office, rm 6115

Shell Woodcreek

April 17 Estate Planning in the USfeaturing Gus Vlahadamis, Attorney at Law

Time: 10:00am – NoonLocation: Outpost Houston Office, rm 6115

Shell Woodcreek

Documents

These Boots Were Made For Ridin’ - outposthouston.comoutposthouston.com/pdf/08_Q1.pdfThese Boots Were Made For Ridin’In this Issue Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is back in town