HometownGeorgetown.com

On Wednesday, July 15th, residents and visitors can meet Georgetown artist Nick Ramos at the Georgetown Public Library, where he’ll sell limited edition, signed and numbered prints of his “At the Library” series, created to draw children into the library’s summer programs. 20% of the proceeds will be donated to the library.

The five vibrantly colored banners celebrate the joy of reading with whimsical scenes. In one, a boy is dressed as a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder. “Walk the plank at the library,” it says. In another, a girl examines mysterious footprints with a magnifying glass, under the caption “Get a clue at the library.” The banners will be on display outside the library throughout the summer.

“I was thrilled to create pieces that would attract attention to all the wonderful programs the library offers for free to the community,” Ramos said. “They give so much to everyone in Georgetown, especially to the children.”

The Georgetown Public Library offers summer programs for children of all ages. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in June and July, the library offers storytime, performances, and crafts for young ones. Teens will make their own video games, take an animation workshop, create a zine (a short magazine), and more. All age groups will enjoy summer reading programs with prizes.

The staff and volunteers designed the summer programs to show kids that adventures can be found inside the pages of a book. Nick Ramos captured this idea with the illustrations he created for the library. He hopes that Georgetown children will take pleasure in having his artwork decorating their bedrooms at home, as well.

Prints will be sold for $35 each. As a special promotion, the price will be lowered to $25 each on July 15th only. Ramos will be available from 10 am to 2 pm. After that date, prints can be purchased online at graphismo.etsy.com.

I’m a member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce here in Georgetown, Texas, and a big fan. Our Chamber may be the most active in Central Texas, second in size only to Austin, and is probably in the running for most active in the state. When I first moved to town and started my business as a real estate agent, I joined the Chamber at the recommendation of my office manager. I had never owned my own business before, so it was a whole new world for me. The staff at the Chamber made me feel immediately welcome, and the Chamber membership proved to be enthusiastic and welcoming. We all work to lift each other up. There’s a true spirit of camaraderie at Chamber events.

The best money I’ve spent on my businesses - first real estate, then freelance writing - has been my Chamber membership. I love attending the monthly Business Network Lunch. My experience in Leadership Georgetown was beyond fabulous. Heck, I even joined the Chamber’s summer bowling league at Mel’s Lone Star Lanes! (Team Eat, Drink, and Be Looney.) Whatever I’ve given to the Chamber has come back a hundredfold in connections, education, and honest to goodness money in my pocket.

Now I can make my status as a Chamber fan official. The Chamber has launched a Facebook page. I’m a fan, and I’d encourage all other Chamber members to become fans, as well.

The Palace Theatre in Historic Georgetown opens the powerful musical Big River:  The Adventures of Huck Finn on July 17 for a 5-weekend run.  With book by William Hauptman, music by the multi-talented Roger Miller, and direction by David Sray, Mark Twain’s timeless classic sweeps us down the mighty Mississippi as the irrepressible Huck Finn helps his friend Jim, a slave, escape to freedom at the mouth of the Ohio River. Their adventures along the way are funny, suspenseful, and heartwarming, bringing to life favorite characters from the novel, such as the Widow Douglas and her stern sister, Miss Watson; the uproarious King and Duke, who may or may not be as harmless as they seem; Huck’s partner in crime, Tom Sawyer, and their rowdy gang of pals; Huck’s drunken father, the sinister Pap Finn; and the lovely Mary Jane Wilkes and her trusting family. Propelled by an award-winning score from Roger Miller, the ‘King of Country Music,’ this jaunty journey with music to warm the heart and soul provides a theatrical celebration of pure Americana.

Production dates for Big River are July 17-19, 24-26, 31-August 2, August 7-9, and 14-16, 2009.  Friday & Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday shows are at 2:00 p.m.

Ticket prices for this final production of the 2008-09 Season are $22 General Admission; $20 Seniors (55+); $12 Active Military with ID & Students (16 to 22); and $8 Students & Children (15 & younger). The Palace seats about 295, with reserved seating paid for in your ticket price.  The Palace office in the lobby of the theatre is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. for your convenience.  Purchase tickets and select seating on-line at www.thegeorgetownpalace.org or by calling (512) 869-7469 or (512) 869-5081.  Visa and Master Card are accepted.  Season tickets for the Palace’s exciting 2009-2010 Season are now on sale by phone or in person at the Palace office.

The Palace Theatre is located at 810 South Austin Avenue in Historic Georgetown, just a half-block off the Square. 

The City of Georgetown Texas has created a page on Facebook, and I’m a fan. (I really am a fan! We’re so lucky to live in this town.) 533 fans so far. It’s a great way to stay up to date on what’s happening in the city. I’ve asked the city if they can give me a direct link to their Facebook page. If they do, I’ll post it here. Otherwise, just go on Facebook and search for Georgetown Texas.

This afternoon, the city posted a message about the many fire hydrants that have been opened in the middle of the night around town, wasting hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. Horrible! Another hydrant was apparently opened in Katy Crossing last night. The city would like all of us to be on the alert, to help catch the water wasters. Here’s their most recent comment in its entirety:

Our hydrants do come with specialized nuts that require a special wrench to open. This is part of the mystery. They are not, however, tamper-proof though the option for a tamper proof nut is available.

In reference to the Katy Crossing incident, unfortunately yes, more hydrants have been opened and more of our water has been lost, and possibly… Read More damage has been done to the roads below the hydrants because of this water flow. Police, Fire and Georgetown Utility Systems are working together in an effort to detect and respond to any future incidents.

If you notice anything suspicious, such as a sudden unexplained, significant drop in your water pressure late at night, please call GUS dispatch at (512) 930-3555.

So if you’re taking a middle-of-the-night shower and suddenly the water slows to a trickle, wipe that soap out of your eyes and rush to the phone. Just remember: Call GUS!

The Geography of Jobs - TIP Strategies

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The real estate market is picking up, folks, in a big way. Every agent I’ve talked to is seeing the same thing. They’re all busy, busy, busy. One agent told me that a house he’s had listed for a year has suddenly received four offers. Lots of activity at the closing table these days. Most of the activity seems to be in the under $200,000 range so far, but that’s typical. Sort of the trickle-up theory of economic recovery.

Now is a fantastic time to buy a home, if you’re in a position to do so. If you’re looking for real estate in the Georgetown, TX area, and you don’t have an agent already, please contact me at 512-876-6544 or jenel@hometowngeorgetown.com. I can put you in touch with an honest local lender, as well. (Local is important when it comes to home loans, if you want the sale to go smoothly.)

My brother and his wife are visiting this week. They live in Germany, and my sister-in-law is German, so my husband and I took them for lunch at the Monument Cafe for some good made-from-scratch American cooking. (The Monument has the best biscuits on the planet.) We ate too much and decided to walk off a little of the overeating by strolling around the square. We noticed that three people were inside the Masonic Lodge at 7th and Main, where Romeo’s used to be. The people had tools and notebooks and looks of determination. Exciting!

A few steps later, we bumped into Chris Damon, who owns that building as well as local marketing powerhouse, GX Creative. Chris spoke fluent German, much to my sister-in-law’s delight, who has been in the States for a few weeks visiting a family who drifted away from our German heritage generations ago. Then, in English, he shared a few details of the restaurant with me.

The restaurant will feature northern Italian cuisine, with cream sauces, rice dishes. (I’ll take this opportunity to put in a plug for gnocchi.)

The family who is starting the new restaurant made a name for themselves in Connecticut as restaurateurs. I’m afraid I didn’t have a notebook with me on our stroll, so I’ve forgotten some of the details. Such as the name. I’m drawing a complete blank on the name. (Anyone who knows, please feel free to post a comment.) When I heard about the northern Italian cuisine, my mind was buzzing with thoughts of food. Even though I had just eaten too much at the Monument. What can I say, I’m a foodie. I do remember that Chris said the restaurant will open as soon as the TABC gives them their liquor license or in September, whichever comes first. They will be a wonderful addition to Downtown Georgetown.

By the way, if you’re looking for a job, I found their ad on Craigslist, looking for restaurant help.

Chris is still looking for tenants for the second floor space at this location. He mentioned that he would love to get a quiet lounge-type tapa bar in that location. If you’re interested, you can contact Chris through GX Creative.

Open auditions for You Can’t Do That, Dan Moody! will be held June 15, 16, 17, and 18 from 7 to 9 pm in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, 410 East University Avenue, Georgetown. Roles are available for men and women of all ages and for some children.

You Can’t Do That, Dan Moody!, written by Tom Swift and Ken Anderson and directed by Tom Swift, is based on Ken Anderson’s popular book of the same title. Performed in the Williamson County Courthouse in the very courtroom in which the famous trial took place in 1923, You Can’t Do That, Dan Moody! will take you back in time.

The Georgetown Palace Theatre and the Williamson County Museum will present the historic play in the Williamson County Courthouse on weekends from September 4 through October 11, 2009. (Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm)

Contact Tom Swift at (512) 863-1245 or (512) 818-3999 for more information.

Genghis Grill, The Mongolian Stir Fry, opens today at Wolf Ranch Mall. It’s located near the water fountain around the corner from Sephora and across the parking lot from Vino 100. As a member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, I got a sneak peek yesterday. My husband and I went for lunch. It was delicious!

(So you all know, my policy here at HometownGeorgetown is that I’m always sincere, and I’m always positive. That means if I didn’t like a local restaurant or get good service from a local business, I simply don’t write about it. It’s the whole “If you can’t say something nice…” philosophy I learned at my mother’s knee.)

The Genghis Grill concept is an interesting one. You “build your own bowl,” as they put it, meaning you choose what goes into your own ultra-customized stir-fry. The lunch bowl is a fixed price of $8.99 no matter which meat, spices, vegetables, sauce, and starch you choose. The dinner bowl is $9.99. Which is interesting because the size of the bowl doesn’t change.

When you choose the starch - more options than just rice or noodles - the gentleman who takes your order will holler out your option, and all the other men in the grill area holler it right back at him. They just opened, so they don’t have it down pat yet, but it should be a fun little moment once they get into it. The food is cooked on a round grill about six feet in diameter, with each order separated by long wooden poles. You can stand there and watch your food being prepared, or go to your table and let the wait staff bring the food to you.

The food was delicious. How could it not be, when I created it myself? They even give you a chance to taste the sauces before you choose. It can be as mild or as spicy as you want. And if you’re not in the mood for Asian, you can even use their ingredients to create your own fajitas. One of the starch options is tortillas. (Are tortillas?)