ThisKindredSpirit

Hi all - cant help but jump in on this convo - I was born in Houston but grew up in the Richmond/Rosenberg area for much of my life...in fact, I still live here (I tried getting away, but with the business my hubby is in - engineering - Houston is the only lucrative place). But I was a teen/young adult in her 20s in the '80s and we frequently came into Houston. These are the things I remember loving about Houston in the 80s (I have more than ten) 1. THE RESTAURANTS. Im not kidding - when I graduated high school and left the area to go to school in San Marcos, I felt as if Id gone into a foodie desert - I hadnt realized just how DIVERSE Houston was in regards to restaurants and entertainment venues until I went else where. San Marcos had maybe 2 or 3 restaurants that catered to the college crowd. I didnt get familiar with Austin too much but I think they were slightly better...but nowhere NEAR as good as Houston in choices and quality. Although I still have yet to find a Chinese restaurant in Houston that will equal or beat the hot & sour soup served at the Chinese place in San Marcos. But that was the 80s...doubt its still there. 2. Cody's - In college, came to an appreciation of Jazz. (Sidebar - Houston produced one of the more famous 80s jazz artists, Kirk Whalum) Cody's was on top of a 10 story building overlooking the city and it became a FAV place for me and my fiance to hang out. There was also an African art gallery on the first floor that I eventually ended up working for a few months (long story). I was really sad when they changed over to that other place now. Jazz died an ignominious death because of commercialism, elitism, and rap. Which is really sad. Houston Jazz was such a neat thing. Made me feel like the city had a more complex identity after the Urban Cowboy thing (not that theres anything wrong with the Urban Cowboy thing. I liked it too) 3. Astroworld - didnt get to go as often as I would have liked, but I liked it and remember going when people were still civilized. Toward the end it got filled with rude and ugly people and somehow I always ended up feeling like I got cheated out of something that used to be so simple and fun. 4. The malls Sharpstown (Dream Merchants), Westwood (with its pretty little fountains and Olga's restaurant), and Meyerland, which is more a childhood nostalgia trip than any place that I liked being. It was looking pretty shabby and worn by the 80s. I was definitely a mall rat from the suburbs. 5. The Strawberry Patch - my parents loved that place! I wasnt keen on omelets at the time, but I wish it was still around now. Too many franchises around now.) 6. Cactus Music - my then fiance loved that place!! 7. Rockefellers - more jazz related - hubby and I had our first date there (Kirk Whalum was playing). I know its still open and giving shows but it seems to have lost a lot of its flair. 8. I remember going to the San Jacinto Inn more in the 70s when I was a child, but I also remember the restaurant. Monument Inn is *ok* but man what a loss. 9. Someone mentioned the Old Christmas Store - I remember that place too!! Mom would take us in there when she felt creative. 10. Anyone else remember Westbury Square? I know by the 80s it wasnt quite as popular as it had been and was getting quite run down, but I was good friends with some of the people who used to be a part of Company Onstage, and Mom loved going to Tuesday Morning there. I would go sit out by the fountain while she shopped. I thought the place was magical and it holds a very special place in my memory. Imagine my horror when I came across pictures of the Home Depot in its place and that lovely fountain now a broken pile of rubble. 11. I know some on here expressed disdain about the Astrodome, but I have a lot of childhood memories attached to that place. I dont think anyone can understand just how AWESOME the place looked to a kid. Going to see a game was a lot cheaper and more fun. 12. Dickens on the Strand - I can't remember exactly at this moment, but I think the festival started in the early 80s. Going to that festival is when I fell in love with Galveston. My one high school memory was taking an exchange student from Sweden to that festival. I think she rather enjoyed it! 13. Hubby will remember KLOL Stevens & Pruitt in the morning more than I will. I remember KIKK. We Houstonians weren't redneck C&W fans, we were KIKKers!! 14. Anyone remember the Eyes of Texas programs? After Marvin Zindler, Ray Miller and Ron Stone were two of my favorite Houstonians. 15. And I too remember visiting NASA before it became a Disney Theme Park. I recently took some visitors there and told them about my memories of growing up going on school field trips where they would park the buses in the parking lot where all the other employees parked and just turn us loose to wander around the NASA campus. I remember sitting in Mission Control whenever there was a mission going on and marveling at what the people were doing. Well I know thats more than what was asked for, but I couldnt help sharing my memories!!

Actually I believe there is a Las Alamedas in La Centerra in Katy off the Grand Parkway.

I remember that place too!! It was called Cattle Rustlers Steakhouse and it was BIG when "Urban Cowboy" and Willie Nelson's "Red Headed Stranger" came out. I remember being really impressed because they served their tea in Mason jars!! That was a good place to eat...it was right next to that hotel that was built to look like a castle (the one near Sharpstown Mall).

Oh visiting this site and this thread has brought back so many memories!! I was born in Houston, but grew up in Richmond, but like any Houstonian family, going out to eat every week in Houston was part of the culture here in the 60s/70s/80s. It was such a part of my life to go to one Houston restaurant or another that when I moved away from home to go to school (San Marcos) I was suddenly astonished and dismayed that the rest of the world didnt have the variety and "foodie" culture that Houston had! I was so disappointed. Going through everyone's lists reminded me of so much! I remember The Boston Sea Party and Nantucket Inn, where I celebrated my birthday because I love seafood, but I remember eating my first raw oysters with my Dad at the Blue Oyster Club. We also went to the Mason Jar and the Strawberry Patch quite a lot - Mom and Dad liked the omelets at the latter place. They would also spend their anniversaries at places like The Great Caruso and Vargos. I remember when Good Times Charlie opened up at Sharpstown and hearing the music there. I also remember Piper Pizza, Atchafalaya (that came out in the 90s, I remember as well as Ralph & Kacoos). There used to be a restaurant where the Town & Country Mall used to be - I'd never been in it but my husband had and he loved it, saying it had a big tree in the middle. It reminded him of some of the fantasy books he used to read. Anyway, all that's long gone now, including the Mall. Someone else mentioned Westwood Mall - I trolled that place a lot myself in my teenage years! I remember there used to be a little restaurant in the food court there called "Olga's" and it served gyros. Does anyone remember a seafood restaurant called "Christie's"? It used to be in the Braeswood area I think - its where i had my first taste of broiled flouder and it was for the longest while considered to be one of the best seafood restaurants in the area...