Initially the tentative plan was to go to the iFest: Out of Africa, then see the Lucy exhibit at the HMNS, then go to Hermann Park, then eat dinner at Star Pizza (because David’s in town).  Well, since Lucy was extended, and no one really said anything about wanting to go to iFest (it was reported to not be that spectacular, so didn’t want to spend the money), we ended up checking out the new Discovery Green Park downtown right outside the George R. Brown Convention Center.  Phoebe, Hannah, David and I met at Linton’s house, where we carpooled from.  We got some ice cream from the ice cream truck.  Jacky and Chris came later.  We strolled through the park: chatting, looking around, casually throwing a football, taking pictures, checking out the colorful parking garage, and finally stopping at the Listening Vessels.  Using the structure, David and I sort of caught up, but of course his unique comments always make me laugh (I don’t remember what we talked about).  Chris was quite surprised that it worked, but Jacky didn’t seem to hear anything LOL.

Next stop: the famous Star Pizza.  On the way there, we passed the Urban League!  So that’s where it is.  In the car, they were talking about their favorite instruments.  The cello is apparently on the top three (besides the piano and drums, for David).  Laurie joined us at the restaurant.  The Boston/Atlanta game on TV was right in front of us.  They ordered a (large?) Margherita - Chicago style on wheat, Chicken Alfredo - New York style on wheat, and Starburst - New York style on white.  David took a slice back, for Elliot.  We played musical chairs (or rather, we took turns going to the restroom and people switched seats to talk with others).

Then we headed toward the “Austin part of Houston” because of its “eclectic feel”–Montrose.  We got slightly lost because there were two “Hollywood Food and Cigars” and a “Hollywood Vietnamese Restaurant” near where Inversion Coffee was.   Laurie drove Hannah and me; she has a new two-door car that looked pretty different from what I’ve seen.  The mileage meter is absolutely huge, and then it has a lot of other technological gadgets, such as saying how much gas efficiency it currently has.  Laurie says another reason she bought this was that the re-sell value was quite high as well.  Unfortunately, not knowing a lick about cars, I can’t tell you/don’t remember what car she had.  Inside, they offered a lot of brochures and such to pick up, so I found out about some free film classes - that had already passed.  Oh well, I’ll still pass them along, Elliot might want to check up on them regularly to see if there are any in the future.  The place also had art from the Children’s Prison Arts Project (CPAP). 

Most got coffee; Linton got chocolate milk, which he gave to rest to me.  There wasn’t enough room so the guys sat on the curvy couch while the rest of us and David sat on the chairs along the wall leading to the restrooms (which had some plumbing problems - the girl behind the counter who just started a couple of weeks ago helped me out with a plunger, saying “This is not in my job description” haha).  Linton asked David to play chess, then Hannah, Phoebe, Chris, and I played Chinese Checkers - the Cantonese way (you can jump equal spaces before and after another piece).  Hannah won, Chris got second place (wow!), Phoebe got third, and of course I got dead last (I still had like five moves left after Phoebe finished).  Phoebe and I played Mancala afterwards (after I used Chris’s phone to look up the rules).  I was on the fringe and couldn’t hear everything before we started the board games, but I do recall two stories.  Linton asked about embarrassing moments:

• David shared about being in a car with a girl, and during a turn or rough patch the girl placed her hand on his leg briefly then said “Sorry.”  He replied something to the extent of, “That’s okay, you can leave it there as long as you want.”  She paused and then turned and looked straight at him.  Awkward silence on the rest of the journey…..Linton asked David if he was aroused.  The rest of us were like, “Linton!” haha like his dad.  David answered no.
• Linton egged Chris on to share his story where he ended up “stroking” a girl.  “What?!” exclaimed Chris, “that’s totally not what happened.”  In elementary or middle school, he was at his desk behind a girl.  He was just shaking his leg as some of us do at times, but then he realized he was shaking his leg against the girl’s leg.  Oops.  He stopped and apologized.  The end.
• They asked me for one, but I couldn’t think of one at the top of my head.  “Preferably one involving hormones.”  Hm….