Off to old La Tapitia...

The weather has been so hot here in Austin…101 degrees and more! Summertime, summertime…

I am waiting to go out to dinner tonight. John and Jeff are going to come by in a minute or two. We will go to a good Mexican food restaurant here in Austin. I first went to that restaurant when I was a Jr at the University, in 1956. That summer was probably the most fun I had had in a long time. My parents had moved from Midland 2 years before, and I was going to school in Colorado Springs. I missed Texas so much. After my parents said they were moving to NYC, I decided that the time was right for me to try getting into UT. I had wanted to go to school in Texas to begin with, but my grades weren’t the best, and I was surely not the best student..so when Colorado College accepted me, I went there. I had gone to Cheley Camps for many summers growing up, and loved Colorado, too.

The summer of 1956, I drove to Austin, and got into my room at the Kappa House. I was fortunate enough to start there, as I met a few of the “sisters” and had a great location to walk to classes.. When the tower turns orange, the Kappa House is right there..you can throw a rock and hit the tower! Too neat!

Well, a bunch of us from Midland would go to La Tapitia Mexican restaurant ..oh, maybe 4 times a week. We loved the food, and it was always nice to be with a lot of Midlanders. Later, when I was older, and had my children, we would go there a lot for dinners and good food!!!!! Even later than that, after Jay and I were married, we went there a lot too.

The owner has since died. Oh my, she was such a wonderful lady. Carmen was her name, We lovingly called her Mamasita. Nearly 2 years passed after her death, before the family closed the restaurant for good. We watched the building sit there for years..then another restaurant came in…and we have reunited with a couple of the old waiters there. Now, how much fun is that? Neto is our favorite. He is such a wonderful person, and such a reminder of Carmen and all the wonderful hours spent in that building. It actually started in a small house, that was next door until recently, and after lo these many years, it is gone. That was a long long time ago…I was very young, and found a wonderful place that summer of '56.

We will have a Mexican Martini..not really a martini…more like a margarita with sweet and sour. It is good, and they serve it in a nice individual carafe…Lots of ice and salt on one side of the martini glass! (wonder why they don't put it all the way around????)

I am sure I will eat too much. But hey, you only live once..Live it to the FULL!

God Bless America
God Bless Texas

Back now. It is 8:39 and I DID eat too much. I eat chips like they were popcorn. It is hard to stop once you taste that great yummy flavor. Well, off to bed. I know tomorrow is a lazy day, but I am anxious to watch some TV, and read Neal Boortz book about the Flat Tax. VERY interesting, even if he is an aggie!!!!! I sure am not! Hook 'em Horns! 1