riverrat

Holy cow!! Those instructions sound like they are right out of "Brokeback Mountain"!!! Especially that FIXTURE part. Well, back to flippin' PATTIES.

It might have been the Top of the Mark Club which was located on the top floor of a multi-story bank building (Montrose Bank?) in that area. If that is the place, I was there for a private Christmas party in 1963 given by the family that owned the newspaper that became the Houston Community Newspaper chain and again in 1966 for New Years. It was definately no gay club then. The Charlie Prouse Trio used to play there a lot.

Hebert's was still in operation thru the mid 70's. I used to take clients there for lunch. There was a private dining room in the basement with a well-stocked wine cellar. Loved their corned beef & cabbage or red beans & rice. The Hebert family is still in the food business. They have Hebert's Speciality Meats on Richmond and another on 45 N in the Pavillion Mall in the Woodlands area. Another not-so-well known restaruant that operated from an old house was Mama Galli's (sp) located near Gulfgate. I guess nobody ever heard of or knows where Tomek's is/was. (see Post #70).

I think TV had more to do with their demise, BUT, If I was 18 again and had the same car and the same sweet thang, I'd still prefer the Drive-In on Fri/Sat night...the drive-in wasn't about movies, it was about making out...remember? Like I said in another post, if you can date the daughter of the manager and get in free...could life get any better??

Except for the lion part, that's pretty much how I remember COOKS SKATING RINK.

I'm a good deal older than 47 and I don't remember live organ music either, but the rink I used to go to was in Greens Bayou (close to the Armco Steel Plant) and not very fancy. I also suffered from the Butt-to-Wood syndrome...in fact as I get older I think I'm having a relapse!

There was a skating rink in Greens Bayou (near Galena Park) called COOKS SKATING RINK that closed several years ago although the metal building is still there. Does anyone remember the traveling skating rinks that used to come to the outlying areas, like Channelview, once or twice a year. They set up a portable wooden rink coverd by a huge circus-like tent...like the ones they used to use for tent revivals. In fact I think sometimes they were one in the same. The skating got the kids in during the day, then they set up chairs on the rink for the nightly revival and offeing.

You are right...Superslide was NOT a water ride...it was a carpet ride. I had forgotten. That one on Telephone was it.

In about 1973 a company called SUPERSLIDE built the first waterslide I remember on Telephone Rd at Almeda Genoa. A friend of mine who is a Nasa Engineer was involved because they needed a P.E. to sign off on the design to get a city permit. I think they built others around town. They weren't in business too long because one of the promoters ran off with all the money. The one on Telephone stood for years in the middle of a junkyard.

If you like seafood AND are old enough, you might remember: 1. Jimmy Walkers (now Landry's in Kemah) 2. The San Jacinto Inn (near Battleship Texas) 3. Tomek's (we'll make the location a trivia question).

I remember 3 great seafood restaurants; TWO you have probably heard of but never visited and ONE that I bet not one person on the board ever heard of: 1. Jimmy Walkers (now Landry's in Kemah) 2. The San Jacinto Inn (near the Battleship Texas) 3. Tomek's (if you remember, you tell me).

In the late 40's and early 50's there was a dirt track located in Channelview near the intersection of Sheldon Rd and Bear Bayou. It was active until about 1955 at the latest because I learned to drive on the old abandoned track in about 1958. Anyhow, it was only open on weedends and mostly stock cars built by local junkyard operators raced there but occassionally midget races and modifieds ran. These were mostly drivers from out of town (Houston was considered a long way off from Channelview in the 50's before I-10 was built.) I cannot remember any drivers who raced there but am sure some of the ones you have mentioned made the circuit.

Having grown up in Channelview, I well remember the Brunson in Baytown. Did you know there was also a theater in Channelview called the SANJA? It opened in the late 40's and closed in the early 60's. During the segregated 50's, black patrons were only allowed into the balcony, which had its own entrance up a flight of stairs on the outside of the building. The SANJA was owned by the same theater company that owned the BRUNSON in old Goose Creek and also the BAYWAY in old Baytown. There was also a theater in Pelly. During the early 60's, I dated the daughter of the manager of the DECKER DRIVE-IN. Her name was Charm Bengtson. I think she finally got tired of me...all I ever wanted to do was go to the movies...I guess because we got in free!!