Louisiana Heron

John James Audubon (1785-1851)

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

-Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

SEE OUR PHOTOS SECTION FOR PHOTOS OF SOME OF OUR EVENTS

December 13, 2008

On Saturday, December 13th, the Fillies had their Annual Christmas Party at Barbara K.'s house. We had our usual abundance of delicious foods, Bella-Catherine's and her mother, Betty's, scrumptious desserts and a wonderfully fun "dirty Santa" gift exchange. The gifts were blazing hot this year - actually flaming with excitement at times. What a great party - we're already looking forward to next year's Annual Fillies Christmas Party!!

December 08, 2008

On Monday, December 8th, the Multi-Chapter Group went by bus to nearby Sugar Land, TX for a fun outing where we visited the Circle S Vineyards and had lunch at Serenitea Tea Room. Many of the ladies sampled wine at the winery and enjoyed a brief tour of the facilities and had a chance to shop and peruse the winery wares. Several of us had a chance to enjoy the upstairs lounge area and each other's company. The tea room had a special tea tasting for us and we were able to discover some new teas while we had a leisurely lunch. Several ladies found some items to purchase at the tea room as well. All in all a nice day with 34 ladies in attendance. Gifts for our drawings were supplied by Arlene R. who had a wonderful array of interesting and unique gifts. I overheard many complimentary remarks about the gifts.

November 06, 2008

On Thursday, November 6th, the Fillies met at Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen for our First Thursday of the Month meeting. We celebrated Kathy E.'s and Barbara K.'s birthdays. The ladies enjoyed opening their gifts and having a complimentary dessert from the restaurant. They had "Happy Birthday" sang to them twice. We missed Co-Queen Sandra W. who was away recovering from knee replacement surgery. Sandra is doing very well now and we will see her at the Christmas Party at Barbara's.

November 01, 2008

On Saturday, November 1st, 2008, the Multi-Chapter Group went via our Precinct 3 bus to Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson and to the Brazosport Museum of Natural Science in Clute. We enjoyed a guided tour of the Sea Center where we learned some new information about fish maintenance and reproduction and how the Center helps keep the Gulf area supplied with fish for fishermen to enjoy. They have a huge 14 ft. aquarium and a "touch tank" which was fun for some of us. The volunteers at the Center were very helpful and informative. It is a great place to visit. Plan to visit soon - take the grandkids - they'll love it. We had a delicious lunch at On the River Restaurant in Freeport. They have an interesting way of serving unlimited amounts of cornbread and coleslaw to accompany the meal. I hear that they also have famous "fried pickles." Some of us enjoyed their fruit cobblers - blackberry and peach. We then went to the Brazosport Museum of Natural Science where we enjoyed their collections of seashells, art works and jewelry along with wildlife and dinosaur displays. Their butterfly collection is especially lovely and interesting with specimens from all over the world. They have the largest seashell collection in the South.

October 30, 2008

On Thursday, October 30th, twenty of our Multi-Chapter members went shopping at Houston's new Premium Outlet Malls in Cypress, TX. We had a great time and found some really neat bargains. Ask the ladies about Cold Water Creek and the fantastic buys to be had there. They just couldn't say enough about their "finds." We'll probably be going back for more Christmas shopping. The mall stores can be accessed with a minimum of walking and it's very easy to find where you're going using their handy map and store listing. Check it out if you haven't been.

October 18, 2008

On Saturday October 18th, ladies from several Chapters met at the Pine Forest Country Club for a fabulous Saturday at the Southern Ladies Luncheon. Many ladies were dressed in period Southern dress with many beautiful examples of Southern finery. Lovely bonnets and other head dresses abounded. Actually, we all looked lovely! We enjoyed an unusually delicious lunch, followed by a serenade from "Grandma's Boyfriends," a barbershop quarter from the Fort Bend area. These guys are really good singers and they are personable showmen as well. Included in the fun were prizes and a game of "Teago." There were silent auctions and a chance to buy some very nice Red Hat merchandise. If you weren't there, you missed a very nice event. Plan to go next year. I would vote for having it again at the Pine Forest Country Club. They know how to take care of us. Hopefully, there will be some photos to follow.

October 02, 2008

On Thursday, October 2nd, the Fillies met at Rudi Lechner's German-Austrian Restaurant for a fun-filled evening of music, food and dancing. There was the usual festive music and songs for which the restaurant is famous. Some of us did the Chicken Dance which is becoming a tradition for the Fillies! Our birthday gals were Bernice B. and Shirley M. Happy Birthday Month ladies! We were joined by Jean W., Queen of the Garnet Gals, and Dana P., Queen of the Bodacious Butterflies. Both ladies added to the fun and we appreciate their visiting us.

September 24, 2008

On Wednesday, September 24th, Fillies and invited guests toured the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston. We had a total of 12 in our tour and had an enjoyable time visiting the Cathedral. I think most of us were surprised at how truly beautiful it is. The statues of the saints were magnificent and the stained glass windows were spectacular. We were impressed with the Cathedral's natural lighting which displayed the statues in a particularly effective way. Our guide gave us good descriptions of how various stones and woods were used in the construction and design of the church and how these materials add to the appearance of the Cathedral. We were impressed with how quiet it is inside. The overall effect is one of tasteful elegance and beauty.

September 20, 2008

On Saturday, September 20th, Fillies and invited guests met for a fun evening at Fillies Member Linda H.'s shoe store for an evening of shopping, games playing, food and fun. Much laughter and frivolity prevailed. The shoes are really pretty and the handbags are stylish and original. Our meetings just keep getting better and better! We're now looking forward to our Annual Christmas Party at Barbara K.'s.

September 04, 2008

On Thursday, September 4th, the Fillies met for their monthly gathering at the Amazon Grill on Westheimer/Gessner. Their food was quite good and we were able to have a meeting of sorts because it was quiet enough. We welcomed our new members, Catherine, Tracy and Dorothy. Bella-Catherine had interesting news about a different type of wedding that she had attended recently. We talked about future possible trips, both Multi-Chapter and "Just for Fillies and Friends."

August 07, 2008

On Thursday, August 7th, 2008, the Fillies met at Bistro Le Cep for our First Thursday of the Month meeting. We had a very good turn out, especially for a mid-summer month. We were especially pleased to have three guests - Dorothy N., Catherine D., and Tracy F. In addition to Le Cep's good food, we were able to discuss the upcoming Co-Cathedral tour, Linda H.'s new store opening and her September 20th party along with information from Trish D. on a possible picnic at Stephen F. Austin Park in early November. So much to look forward to in addition to our usual bus trips coming up for October, November and December.

July 03, 2008

On Thursday, July 3rd, 2008, the Multi-chapter group met at Nancy K.'s house in Richmond for a really fine time by the pool and on the patio. We played fun games of pool Bingo for prizes. Patti P., of the Garnet Gals, seemed to win everything in sight! A good time was had by all as we enjoyed lunch, ice cream treats, and drawings for more prizes. Nancy is a great hostess who treated us to a wonderful afternoon. She even said something about doing it again next year!

July 01, 2008

On Tuesday, July 1st, 2008, the Fillies met at P.F. Chang's Restaurant for a fun evening of our favorite Chinese food. We had a short business meeting concerning our upcoming Tea at Ashland's and some input on Multi-chapter bus trips. Co-Queen Sandra brought us up to date on Bella-Catherine's and Bernice's newborn grandchildren. Bella-Catherine traveled all the way to Paris, France to see her new one. Congratulations ladies.

June 28, 2008

On Saturday, June 28th, 2008, several of the Red Hat Fillies met at Sheila J.'s house for an evening of fun. We played Bunco and had a nice dinner. The Fillies are such good cooks and there was a wide variety of foods. I'm not sure we know the meaning of "lite meals." But that's OK, we did fine and had a wonderful time. We were able to play Bunco because we had 12 people - Gena W., Queen of the BEARables, Marcie S., Queen of the Katy Red Hatters and Catherine D. of the Garnet Gals helped us out with our numbers. Gena gave us a brief instruction on how to play LCR and we played that game for awhile. It was fun and we will probably add this game to our list of games to play at our revolving fun evenings. We may also try Pokeno. Thanks to all for coming. It was a memorable evening.

June 06, 2008

On Friday, June 6th, 2008, the Multi-Chapter group enjoyed a trip to the Houston Ship Channel and the San Jacinto Monument for a tour of the Channel on the Sam Houston Tour Boat and a visit to the San Jacinto Texas State History Museum with a view from atop the Monument as an extra special touch. We enjoyed lunch at the Monument Inn and had a truly good time at the restaurant. We enjoyed the day and the events. Please have a look at the photos memorializing our day.

June 05, 2008

On Thursday, June 5th, 2008, the Fillies had our First Thursday of the Month gathering at Ashiana's Indian Restaurant on Westheimer. We had a good business meeting and dinner in a truly perfect private room. It was quiet, well lighted and attractive with wine bottles all around the room. We wish all restaurants were so well equipped for our dinners and business meetings.

May 17, 2008

On Saturday, May 17th, 2008, some of the Fillies enjoyed a day at Brookwood. We welcomed two of the Garnet Gals, Queen Jean and Patti P., to enjoy lunch and shopping with us. Brookwood never disappoints and it was a good time of year to go there. Lots of beautiful plants and many new items in the store. The food, of course, is always top rate.

May 03, 2008

On Saturday, May 3rd, 2008, our Multi-Chapter group went to nearby Galveston, TX to participate in their 23rd Annual Home Tour. This is a fun activity, especially if you've not had the privilege of seeing the homes before. We saw about 9 homes - some large Victorian, some cottage style - with the tour being topped off by a visit to some of the new lofts going in down on the water front. We enjoyed lunch at Shrimp N' Stuff on Galveston's seawall and we had the driver take us along the beach for a short ride. It was a fun and interesting day. I think all of us enjoyed the home decor and the equally striking yards for which Galveston is so famous.

May 01, 2008

On Thursday, May 1st, 2008, we had a really pleasant outing, planned by Linda H., at Kobe's Japanese Restaurant on North Fry. We had an unusually skilled chef who made the cooking very entertaining. The food was exceptional and we had a nice time chatting and catching up on each others lives and activities.

April 12, 2008

On Saturday, April 12th, 2008, the Fillies met at Barbara K.'s house for a fun evening out on the patio. We had grilled burgers and hot dogs and other delicious items provided by Barbara. Barbara is a really good hostess whether she is inside in the kitchen or outside under her huge trees presiding over a cook-out. Bella-Catherine brought her signature apple pie for dessert. Thanks Bella - perfect ending to the meal followed by good conversation after the sun went down and the cool air drove us inside.

April 09, 2008

On Wednesday, April 9th, 2008, the Multi-Chapter Group again motored to Austin, TX to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the popular LBJ Library. This truly was one of our best trips and everyone seemed to enjoy both the Wildflower Center and the Library. We had lunch at the Center outside under large trees in the cool air. I think we learned a lot at both places. Although the distance is considerable and we had to leave early, this was a truly memorable trip. I hope you enjoyed the photos. Susie B. of the Red Snappers helped with her very good photography. Thanks Susie.

April 03, 2008

On April 3rd, 2008, the Fillies met at Cafe Red Onion for our Monthly Gathering. This is one of our favorite restaurants, but I understand that the service was unusually slow. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend. We'll probably go back because of the good food, but restaurants should realize that the Red Hatters have a lot of restaurant options available to us that are both delicious AND efficient.

March 06, 2008

On Thursday, March 6th, 2008, our Multi-chapter Group motored to Gruene, TX for a day of shopping and lunch at the well known Gristmill Restaurant. The day was rainy and somewhat cold, but we were troopers and found some things to buy and really enjoyed our delicious lunch at the Gristmill. Several chapters were included and those of us who had not been there before were in for a special treat.

March 04, 2008

On Tuesday, March 4th, 2008, the Fillies met at Rockfish Seafood Restaurant for a fun evening. We had a short business meeting in this casual laid-back seafood restaurant. Ruth B. was our guest. Some of us can heartily recommend their shrimp dishes.

February 23, 2008

On Saturday, February 23, 2008, the Multi-chapter Group had a bus trip to My Dee Dee's Pie Shoppe for a really fabulous day of lunch and Bunco for 50 people! You wouldn't think that many people could play Bunco, but we did. Much laughter, good food and prizes filled the day with several Red Hat Chapter's included. Our Hat Exchange, moderated by Dana P., Queen of the Bodacious Butterflies, added a lot to the fun. I believe we're going to do something similar in 2009 - so keep an eye out for your invitation!

February 07, 2008

On Thursday, February 7th, 2008, the Fillies met at Tommy's Seafood and Steakhouse Restaurant on Westheimer. We met in their private room for a very enjoyable dinner. Sue S. and I had our birthday's commemorated in a very fun way. I loved my sparking red cap from the Fillies and wear it often. Their food is utterly delicious and the service is good. They sometimes have live Jazz music - New Orleans style which is a nice touch.

January 19, 2008

On Saturday, January 19th, 2008, the Fillies met for our Annual Planning Session at Taydo's Restaurant. We got a lot accomplished thanks to our dedicated group who came to the session. We decided on our Monthly Meeting locations for the year including our Christmas Party. Once again, thanks to Barbara K. for stepping up as hostess. We know Barbara enjoys the Christmas Party and she always does such a good job. We also discussed other events to fill in the year. More to follow on these!

January 11, 2008

On Friday, January 11, 2008 the Multi-chapter Bus Trip was made to Old Town Spring, one of our favorite places. I did not get to go on this trip, but heard it went well with good shopping, good food for lunch and an interesting guided tour of OTS. Thanks to Jean W. of the Garnet Gals who stepped in as bus hostess.

December 08, 2007

On Saturday, December 8th, the Fillies met in Marietta H.'s house for our Annual Christmas Party. Marietta was a wonderful hostess, providing us the traditional Christmas ham which was complemented by the usual Fillies good cooking. We had our gift exchange which became especially brutal this year - but I think everyone enjoyed it and came away with something nice. The important thing was the camaraderie that we all shared and the tradition which we are building for our Annual Christmas Parties.

December 01, 2007

On Saturday, December 1st, 2007, twelve of us met at Los Tios Restaurant for lunch and a fun and interesting card making session. We made four very pretty and unique cards with Jean W., Queen of the Garnet Gals, as our instructor. Everyone had a good time and left with four cards that we could give to someone or just keep for ourselves. We may have another card making session in the future. Stay tuned. This time we had ladies from the Garnet Gals, the Red Hat Fillies, the Bodacious Butterflies, and the Katy Red Hatters.

November 16, 2007

On November 16th, 2007, our Multi-chapter Red Hat Group went to Austin, TX to enjoy a day visiting the Capitol building, it's Visitor's Center and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum ("TSHM"). We had beautiful sunny crisp weather (just a day carved out for us) to enhance the day for our 27 attendees. We were represented by The Red Snappers, The Red Haute Divas, The Garnet Gals, The Bodacious Butterflies and The Red Hat Fillies. On the way, we stopped for cinnamon rolls and kolaches at Weikel's Bakery in LaGrange and spent a few minutes enjoying their pastries. On the way back we stopped at Hruska's Bakery in Ellinger for more rolls and kolaches. I recommend both places! In Ellinger some of the ladies even found some Red Hat items. They also had scrapbooking items. You just never know! We enjoyed our day. Please take a look at our photos showing some of the people and happenings on our trip to our Capital in Austin and the TSHM. We may do this trip again sometime and allow more time for the Museum which is quite large with a lot of interesting displays. The Capitol Tour was very good. It's a truly magnificent building worth visiting and their Visitor's Center is certainly worth spending some time in preceding the Capitol visit.

November 01, 2007

The Fillies met at PF Chang's China Bistro on Thursday, November 1st for a delicious meal and discussion of future plans. We ordered several dishes and shared them amongst our group of seven. Although we had less members present, we had a wonderful and fun-filled time. As usual, we drew attention from others in the restaurant wanting to know about our Society and what the Red Hats are about. Most of this attention came from men. We've still got it Ladies!! We knew that of course.

October 24, 2007

On Wednesday, October 24, 2007, our Multi-Chapter Red Hat Group visited both a Hindu and a Buddhist Temple. The Hindu Temple, the Meenakshi Temple in Pearland, TX, was very interesting and pretty inside. The priests talked to us at length regarding the ceremonies that we saw and described the meanings of various deities and objects in the temple. So much there was new and different for us to learn about and enjoy. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gracious and made the tour complete with her in depth description of Hinduism and its practices. After a delicious lunch at the Madras Pavilion Indian Restaurant in Sugar Land, our group went to Stafford, TX for a visit to the Chung Mei Buddhist Temple. We were informed and entertained by a delightful Buddhist Nun who answered questions and gave a very worthwhile talk. We had tea and a small snack afterwards. The teas that we sampled can only be gotten there and they were excellent. It was a very enjoyable day for our group of 27 attendees. Rahat K. of the Garnet Gals organized the trip and did a wonderful job.

October 20, 2007

On Saturday, October 20th, 16 Fillies and Gadabouts met at Barbara K's house for an absolutely delightful evening of fun, good food, and Bunco. Some of our ladies needed a quick lesson in Bunco - and quickly they learned - and went on to enjoy the game. The sounds of laughter and fun filled Barbara's house throughout the evening. Our next game will be at Trish and JoAnn's apartment complex in February. Maybe we'll have five tables there!!

October 04, 2007

On Thursday, October 4th, the Fillies met at the Magnolia Bar and Grill Restaurant on Richmond. The food was really something special and we had a very good time this evening. We welcomed Sandra R. into our group and gave Shirley and Bernice their birthday gifts. We discussed upcoming events, including the Christmas party to be held at Marietta's this year, and we continued making plans for our Oct. 20th party at Barbara's.

September 06, 2007

On Thursday, September 6th, 2007, the Fillies met at Cafe Red Onion on Eldridge for some delicious Latin American food. We love this restaurant. We had two guests join us, Sandra R. and Jann J., to add to the evening. We did not have cameras, unfortunately, but featured above are file pictures of those Fillies members attending.

August 02, 2007

On Thursday, August 2nd, 2007, the Fillies met at Cantina Laredo for gourmet Mexican food and fun in the summer. The Fillies got a lot of attention from fellow diners who were interested in our Red Hats and all the fun we were having. We Red Hatters always get the attention that we deserve!

July 05, 2007

On Thursday, July 5th, the Fillies met at Atami's Restaurant for an evening of good fun and Japanese food in Katy, TX. Bernice brought a Pink Hat guest to add to the fun.

June 07, 2007

On Thursday, June 7th, the Fillies met at Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen for our regular First Thursday of the Month meeting. We had good food, lots of laughs, and did some planning for the future. These meetings are getting to be more and more fun!

June 02, 2007

On Saturday, June 2nd, the Multi-chapter group took the Precinct 3 bus to a charming little theater in Kemah, TX to see its production of "Murder by Chocolate," which is also the name of the theater. This event was sponsored by the Bodacious Butterflies and was a real hit! Dana Parrish, Queen of the Bodacious Butterflies, is inclined to do this one again some time in the future. See our pictures and write-up in the photos section and plan to come next time if you missed it.

May 03, 2007

On Thursday, May 3rd, the Red Hat Fillies enjoyed our monthly meeting at Yao's Chinese Restaurant on Westheimer. It was a rainy evening with flooding on Westheimer and nearby streets, but ten of us braved the elements and enjoyed the evening and very good food. We shared our dishes and were able to sample several different menu items. Co-queen Sandra's husband was ill and she had to miss the meeting. Fortunately, he is much better now and we hope he continues to improve.

May 02, 2007

On Wednesday, May 2nd, the Multi-chapter Group took the Precinct 3 bus to the Texas/Louisiana border for a tour of the Sabine River Outback. Our tour guide was biologist, Eli Tate, owner of Adventures 2000 Plus. His knowledge of the river, flora and fauna, and history of the area made it an interesting and educational tour. The river was beautiful with lush vegetation and colorful flowers. We visited the Stark Museum of Art and enjoyed their extensive western art collection. Lunch was at Roberts Steak House where we dined from their steak and seafood menu. Everyone seemed to really enjoy this relaxed and interesting day. We are having a similar tour on Saturday, September 29, 2007, for which we need one more person.

April 11, 2007

On Wednesday, April 11th, the Multi-chapter Group of 43 individuals headed for Round Top, TX to visit the International Festival Institute at Round Top. The Institute's main goal is the training of talented classical music students for professional careers in music and we toured the Concert Hall with its two interesting museums, along with the Chapel building and the Menke House where we had lunch. Our group's main interest on the day of our visit was the Susan Clayton McAshan Herb Gardens curated by Madalene Hill, internationally known herbalist and garden expert. Ms. Hill surprised us with her presence as one of the tour guides. We loved the gardens which were much larger and more diverse than any of us expected who had not been there before. It was a pleasant educational experience and one that we will probably repeat. We may also make a separate visit to the Institute to enjoy a musical concert at the Concert Hall.

April 05, 2007

On April 5th, 2007 the Fillies had their First Thursday of the Month Meeting at Tommy's Seafood Steakhouse on Westheimer near Kirkwood. We had a nice meeting in Tommy's private meeting room with all the space and quietness we could ask for. We had a chance to catch up with what is going on with everyone. Elaine, our newest member, told us some things about herself and her family. Sue shared some humorous stories about her life as a cruise organizer. We're almost there for our cruise - April 22nd. Thanks to Sue for all the hard work. I'm sure it will all pay off when we're out there on board the Carnival Conquest. We're thankful that Barbara walked away relatively unscathed from a recent auto accident and that Marietta is back with us after surgery looking and acting wonderfully well. Check out the beautiful picture of Kendra and Sandra!! And no, I'm not recommending that members wear their name tag backwards as I did in one of my photos. If you missed this outing, you really missed out. The food was truly exceptional. Hope to see all of you at Yao's next month!

March 26, 2007

On March 26, 2007 the Multi-chapter Group went to San Marcos for a day of shopping. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this Fillies sponsored event, but I understand that many good purchases were made and a fun time was had by all - despite persistent drizzly rain. Thanks to Pat and Joyce of the Garnet Gals for being the bus hostesses. They did a great job!!

March 17, 2007

On March 17th, 2007 our Multi-chapter Group enjoyed a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) to view 139 French Paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This was a special viewing offered only to the MFAH. It was very enjoyable and educational. I was privileged to attend with two of the Garnet Gals, Patti and Joyce. This was a Bodacious Butterflies sponsored event. We were pleased to meet Shirley J., Queen of the Ruby Jewels, and Adele B., Queen of the Brazos Valley Redbonnets. I asked Dana P., Queen of the Bodacious Butterflies, to invite us to future events of this nature. Prior to the viewing, we had lunch at Cafe Express in the Museum.

March 16, 2007

On March 16, 2007 several of the Fillies met at Kendra's home to enjoy an evening of laughs and very good food. We all know that the Fillies are unusually good cooks and this fact was in evidence by all the good recipes which were brought in. We hope to do more of this sort of thing in the future. It's a nice change to occasionally have from our usual restaurant outings. Thank you Kendra for inviting us into your home and sharing with us some of your lovely pieces of art from Africa.

March 10, 2007

On March 10, 2007, our Multi-chapter Red Hat Group went to nearby Galveston to enjoy a hilarious musical - "Menopause, the Musical." The play was one of the most enjoyable that we have seen so far and I believe everyone enjoyed it based on the thunderous applause and laughter. We really must get out and do this sort of thing more often.

March 01, 2007

On March 1, 2007, the Fillies had their March First Thursday of the Month meeting at Fadi's Mediterranean Grill. We had a good turn-out of 14 Fillies members and enjoyed an evening of good food and conversation along with a short business meeting. Name tags were handed out and everyone reviewed the Roster for accuracy.

February 19, 2007

On February 19th, 2007 the Multi-chapter Group enjoyed an outing to the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX., brewers of Shiner Bock Beer. I was not able to attend this outing sponsored by the Garnet Gals, but I understand that it was a good trip in which our ladies and one husband learned all about beer brewing. Attendees enjoyed generous samplings of the beer. Thanks to Kathy K, of the Garnet Gals, for being our bus hostess. Kathy is very efficient and organized and I'm sure she did an excellent job. For photos of this event, please see the Garnet Gals Web site under Photo Galleries.

February 09, 2007

Our Multi-chapter group had a great time at Escalante's Restaurant and the Country Playhouse on Friday, February 9th. We enjoyed the dinner and the play, "You Go Girl," was a delight with lots of seasoned as well as new talent. The musical had great energy, humorous and serious moments, and good singing and dancing.

February 01, 2007

The Fillies Meeting had eight in attendance on Thursday, February 1st. We had a good time and the food at Piatto Ristaurante was excellent. Everyone seemed pleased with their selections. We did a little business catch-up and talked about events in the future. We celebrated Sue's and Sheila's February birthdays. We had a guest, Elaine B., who added to our fun.

January 13, 2007

On Saturday, January 13th, 21 individuals representing our Multi-chapter group, friends and family, motored out to Columbus, TX in the rain, lightening, thunder, and rapidly falling temperatures to the Stafford Opera House for an evening of dinner and theater. Thunder rolled and lightening flashed throughout the evening as the storm was stalled right over Columbus. We had a lovely time during the social hour and the food was quite good. We plan to do more theater outings in the future - one upcoming one may be a Mystery Dinner Theater which should be fun.

December 13, 2006

On Wednesday, December 13th, our Red Hat Multi-chapter Group had the pleasure of viewing, with the benefit of a tour guide, a Hindu Mandir or Temple in Stafford, TX. We were in for a surprise at the sheer beauty of the Temple's construction and art work. The limestone carvings and deity representations were truly outstanding. We were able to view a Hindu prayer service, saw a very interesting and informative film on the Temple's history and current happenings, and were treated to a delicious lunch of selected Indian foods. Following the Temple tour, we went to the Harwin shopping area where we were given a special viewing of Indian gold jewelry by the store owner at 5821 Hillcroft. Other stores in the area rounded out our trip. It was a very informative and enjoyable day.

December 08, 2006

The Red Hat Fillies had their annual Christmas Party at Barbara K's house. We had a huge turn-out for this event and enjoyed our potluck meal. The Fillies have so many good cooks - it's amazing! We had our gift exchange after the meal and had an opportunity to "steal" gifts if we were so inclined. This part of the party led to some serious laughter and fun. We welcomed new members and enjoyed hearing about their lives up to the point of becoming Fillies members. We look forward to many more evenings and outings with Fillies and Friends.

December 07, 2006

The Garnet Gals visited Moody Gardens for the Festival of Lights on Thursday, December 7th. They were joined by several of The Blazing Paddles, Bodacious Butterflies and our own Linda Haney. Please check out the photos and you will see Linda with the Garnet Gals having a good time all bundled up against the cold. They enjoyed a musical entitled, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Wish I and more Fillies could have been there! Hey, maybe next year.

November 17, 2006

A few multi-chapter members joined the Gadabouts for a day of shopping at the Woodland's Jr. League Holiday Market. We found some nice Christmas items to help with upcoming parties, Christmas gifts, and home decorating. The Jr. League does a nice job with their Market.

November 13, 2006

A Multi-chapter group of 42 members visited Brenham, TX to tour the Bluebell Creamery and the Franciscan Poor Clare Nun's Monastery. The group lunched at the 1950's themed restaurant, The Southern Flyer. At the creamery we were treated to our favorite Bluebell ice cream and at the monastery we enjoyed viewing and petting their adorable miniature horses. We also received informative information from our tour guide on the history and present status of the monastery. It was a successful outing enjoyed by the participants.

November 03, 2006

The Red Hat Fillies had their monthly meeting on Friday, instead of Thursday, this month. What a wise decision that was. We dined at Mykonos Island Restaurant at Richmond and Greenbriar and had exceptionally well prepared Greek food (the moussaka was wonderful) and enjoyed belly dancing performed by an unusually skilled dancer. The musicians were very enjoyable as well. We had three guests to help us enjoy the evening - Trish, Florence, and Gena. Those of you who couldn't make it missed one of our better evenings.

October 28, 2006

A Multi-chapter group of eighteen took a bus trip to the Texas Renaissance Festival on Saturday, October 28th. The trip was a real pleasure for those attending and for those who couldn't make it - please consider for another time. It was a relaxed day blessed by unusually good weather. We enjoyed bright costume colors, beautiful music, good food enjoyed outdoors and smiles and laughter all around.

October 25, 2006

The Garnet Gals Halloween Party was absolutely a delight. There were many hilarious costumes (Garnet Gals Queen Jean came as Elvis)and the laughter just couldn't be stopped. The usual good potluck food provided by the Gals was in abundance. Please see the Garnet Gals website for pictures of the party and see for yourself. I strongly suggest you come to any parties thrown by The Garnet Gals in the future.

October 07, 2006

A Multi-chapter group met at Brookwood Community Center on October 7th for a delicious luncheon and good company. The event was hosted by the Gadabouts of Alvin, TX. Joining the Gadabouts were some Fillies members and Garnet Gals. The Center has its wonderful Fall and Christmas decorations on display and the store was a true feast for the eyes. An inside tip - try their Bananas Foster Pie if you get the chance!

October 05, 2006

The Red Hat Fillies held their regular first Thursday of the month meeting at Rudi Lechner's restaurant. A fine time was had listening to the music and enjoying Rudi's great Bavarian/Austrian food. New members Lynn B. and Shirley M. were present to add to the fun.

September 30, 2006

We had a multi-chapter outing to The Great Caruso Dinner Theatre on Saturday evening, September 30th. Three chapters were represented - The Red Hat Fillies, The Garnet Gals, and The Red Haute Divas. We enjoyed the show, "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." The food was also good and the companionship, I thought, was especially gratifying.

September 15, 2006

We had a fun day at the dog races at Gulf Greyhound Park on Friday, September 15th. The time flew while we watched the races and betting on the dogs turned out to be an exciting activity. We had a nice buffet luncheon and a chance to play some Bingo between races. The Red Hat Fillies and the Garnet Gals were joined by a another group called The Red Snappers. We enjoyed their company and hope to see them again in the future for other multi-chapter events. We will be returning again for another day at the races.

September 07, 2006

The Fillies met at Karl's at the Riverbend Restaurant and enjoyed a nice dinner. We discussed upcoming multi-chapter events as well as planned chapter activities.

August 26, 2006

Approximately 30 of us met at Ashiana Indian Restaurant for a lovely multi-chapter Indian luncheon hosted by Rahat K. of the Garnet Gals. We were introduced to a variety of Indian foods which we enjoyed very much. The camaraderie was wonderful and we left with happy memories.

August 03, 2006

Nine of us met at the Amazon Grill for our monthly meeting on August 3rd. We enjoyed an exceptional South American style dinner and discussed some of our upcoming events. Our Fillies meetings are always fun and a good chance to get together as a group on a monthly basis and learn what each of us has been doing, as well as keeping up to date on future Fillies plans.

July 15, 2006

We met at the Jordan Center in Manvel, TX for a fun-filled Bunco Party hosted by the Gadabouts of Alvin, TX. We had a delightful lunch followed by an afternoon of Bunco. We had over 30 ladies in attendance. Several won cash prizes and everyone received a prize. It was a memorable Saturday for all of us. Thanks to the Gadabouts, Queen Bobbie Anna and Ann, and Sandra of the Red Hat Fillies for putting this event together for us.

July 08, 2006

We met at My Dee Dee's Pie Shoppe to plan our upcoming events for the remainder of the year 2006. Sandra and Sheila were taken by surprise with a lovely Co-Queens Coronation Ceremony in which they were crowned as new Queens.(See the photos in the photos section) They were admonished not to take themselves too seriously and to always have fun. They agreed to these terms. We discussed our first Thursday of each month restaurant outings and talked about possible upcoming senior citizen's bus trips and other possible events. Check the Upcoming Events section frequently for information on what is going to happen. The remainder of the year is chock-full of fun in typical Fillies fashion!

June 24, 2006

We enjoyed our trip on the Sam Houston tour boat down the Houston Ship Channel for our guided presentation of information on the channel and port area. To read more about the port, visit www.portofhouston.com. The port is first in foreign waterborne commerce in the U.S., second in total tonnage in the U.S. and rated sixth largest in total tonnage in the world. The port is home to a $15 billion petrochemical complex. We had approximately 45 on the tour including around 17 members from the Alvin Gadabouts. After the tour, we had lunch at the Monument Inn where we enjoyed delicious seafood and their legendary cinnamon rolls. I believe this was one of our best outings. Everyone seemed to enjoy both the boat tour and the restaurant where we had a chance to catch up with some ladies whom we had not seen for a while. We were glad to have both Bobbie Anna and Ann R. from the Gadabouts (and also Fillies) with us. In addition we had members from the Garnet Gals, Hats in the Heights, the BEARables, Material Mama's, and at least three guests, Lynn B., Madge D. and Clara B. Thanks to all for making it a fun outing.


June 07, 2006

There was a multi-chapter bus tour to the Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Groups represented were: The Red Hat Fillies, The Garnet Gals, The Blazing Paddles, Hats in the Heights, The Gadabouts and The Material Mama's. We had lunch in Bryan at Madden's Casual Gourmet Restaurant prior to visiting the Library. The food was quite good and shopping in the restaurant area was interesting and productive for some of our group. The various groups enjoyed the Library and a lot of us learned some new things about the former Bush administration, as well as some interesting personal information about the Bush family. Please have a look at some random photos of the day's events in our Photos section.



June 01, 2006

We had our regular monthly dinner meeting on June 1st at Karl's at the River Bend Restaurant in Richmond, TX. It was a very pleasant dinner, with excellent service. We felt well taken of and enjoyed the evening immensely. As an extra treat, we watched several young colts with their mothers outside our windows off the back porch. We were also treated to a complimentary glass of wine.


May 20, 2006

We went to see an Alley Theatre production of the Agatha Christie play, "Witness for the Prosecution." This event was the monthly outing for Hats in the Heights. The group, consisting of about 30 ladies, was made up of members from the Garnet Gals, the Red Hat Fillies, the Blazing Paddles, and the BEARables along with the Hats in the Heights. Prior to the performance, we had lunch at the Longhorn Cafe in the Theatre District. The food was well received and we had a drawing for jewelry which can be worn to future theatre events. Three lucky Garnet Gals were the winners of our prizes. Sandra and I were also pleased to have our daughters, Kendra and Heather, join us in this event. Everyone seemed to enjoy the play which has a rather surprise ending! Overall a nice Saturday outing.

May 10, 2006

There was a Red Hat multi-chapter group trip to Galveston for shopping on the Strand followed by High Tea at the Tremont Hotel. Approximately 40 ladies attended the event. The High Tea was very enjoyable with good food and a chance to enjoy each others company and meet new Red Hatters from the various groups represented. Jo Anna from Hats in the Heights won our prize - a teapot to help remember the event. The group met initially at Peggy's Victorian Corner where several ladies found new hats and beautiful shawls to purchase. Our thanks to Dana P., Queen of Hats in the Heights, for bringing this interesting place to shop to our attention.


May 04, 2006

We had our regular monthly dinner meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Ugo's Italian Grill. We celebrated JoAnn's birthday and had an enjoyable evening.

April 25, 2006

We carpooled to Alvin, TX on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, to celebrate Red Hat Society Day at the Alvin Senior Citizen's Center. Many thanks to Ann Ryan of the Gadabouts for inviting us and helping to coordinate the arrangements. The event started at 6:00 p.m. and lasted until around 8:30 p.m. It featured dinner catered by Johnny Carino's and a fashion show featuring some of our own Red Hatters as models! This multi-chapter event was enjoyable and we were entertained by a surprise Barber Shop Quartet. Our models, Marie, Bobbi, Patti and Rahat were all fabulous and added a great deal to the evening's enjoyment!

April 22, 2006

A few of us motored out to Cat Spring, TX for a fun day of lunch and shopping. A highlight was our visit to the Cat Spring Candle Shop where we found many of our old favorites along with some unusual scents such as leather, campfire smoke, and rain. We found several interesting and useful items to purchase in our visits to the antique shops and had a relaxing lunch at Carol's Restaurant. We also had fun viewing antique cars, trucks and motorcycles on display at the Community Hall. We ended our visit with a trip to the Cat Spring Country Club for cooling refreshments. It was a nice day in the country.

April 08, 2006

There was a Red Hat multi-chapter bus trip to San Marcos for discount mall shopping. We had wonderful weather, we found some terrific bargains and enjoyed meeting new people. There were 19 Red Hatters on the trip. A number of us had lunch at the Cracker Barrel. Patti, from the Garnet Gals, was our lucky winner for the Gift Certificate drawing.

April 06, 2006

We had our regular monthly dinner meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen on Westheimer at Dairy Ashford. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and celebrated Jay's birthday. We discussed upcoming events and started making plans for our Fall Luncheon.

March 24, 2006

We had a wonderful trip to Schulenburg, TX to visit four Painted Churches. The churches were beautiful and our catered lunch was delicious. Although the temperature was a bit brisk, it was sunny and the trip through rural Schulenburg was delightful. The spring flowers were in bloom. Several ladies said that they would be making a return trip to view the churches again.

March 15, 2006

Our trip to Brookwood was a fun gathering in which several other Red Hat groups were represented. In addition to the Fillies, we had members from the Garnet Gals, the BEARables and the Katy Red Hatters. The food was delicious as usual and the plants and grounds were outstanding. Brookwood is a place where we will probably be returning at frequent intervals.

March 02, 2006

Our regular monthly dinner was held in Bellaire, TX, where we dined in an authentic Spanish restaurant called Tio Pepe's. We enjoyed the food and, as a special treat, we were entertained by a Flaminco dancer and Spanish guitar player. The entertainment was truly delightful.