Firebird65

I remember my dad telling me that after I was born he got a night part time job at Globe on N Shepherd for some extra money. One evening, either a customer or a supervisor (I forget which) said something to him he didn't like and he walked off the job. Since it wasn't his main job, just extra money, he said it was a wonderful feeling to just walk away. Years later, I had the same situation and as I walked away leaving my supervisor speechless, I remembered my dad's story and yeah, it did feel pretty darn good. I could almost hear Johnny Paycheck singing in the distance...

Since I replied to you, I did myself respond to a 3-year-old post. However, I did on purpose knowing it was an old post and that the person I responded to might not ever see it. Normally I wouldn't do that, but he had asked an important question I had the answer to, so I made an exception, just in case he came back or anyone else was interested. Also, by sheer coincidence, I came across another post of mine yesterday in a thread similar to this one, where someone had replied earlier this year to a very old post. In this case, it was a 10-year-old post - in fact, 521 weeks (10 years and 1 week) had passed since the previous post in early 2007. So I replied to the 2017 person and asked if that was some kind of record for longest time for a reply. If it was, it's not anymore. You beat it! I will be on the lookout for your pix.

Hey, uh, I'm not trying to be a downer or bust your bubble, but I have noticed you've been replying to a lot of very old posts in the past few hours. In this particular case, were you aware the post to which you are replying is to 11 years old? A kid born on the day that post was made would be in fifth, maybe sixth grade now. It's not like I haven't done it myself, so please don't think I'm trying to ridicule you. I'm not. But you have been replying to quite a few hoary posts today, so just in case you're not aware of it (and maybe you aren't), a lot of those people have moved on from this board. It's unlikely they're going to be reading it or replying. Again, not criticizing you or ridiculing you, just giving you what I hope is a helpful FYI.

Never heard of that. But I do know I once took a helicopter ride offshore and I was picked up at Westpark and 610, where the Loop Central buildings are now. This was October 1989. Actually, we had to sit on the ground waiting for quite awhile before we could take off because President Bush was nearby (probably at the Pin Oak Stables, if they were still around) and we couldn't take off until he had left the area. It was a big, empty field with one of those circular concrete helipads. There are some big power lines right there too, running east/west down Westpark. I don't remember if they were there in 1989, but if they were, that area sure doesn't sound like a good place to land aircraft.

I went to Las Ventanas a few years back. It had one - ONE - waiter for the entire restaurant. And you know what, that was the GREATEST waiter I'd ever seen in my life. Even with a full house in a fair sized restaurant, we never had to wait on drink refills, our food came out quickly and correctly, the waiter even chatted for a bit. I've never seen anything like it. Totally amazing. And I don't think he ever broke a sweat or appeared rushed or harried in any way. LOL! So I left a 25 percent tip (I'm sure other people here have left bigger tips, but I'm not rich, so for me, it meant something to leave a tip like that).

Christie's is still there. Not a bad place. Sort of stuck in a time warp, but I don't mind. The food was more than good enough both times I've gone. I will say that someone earlier mentioned having broiled flounder once at another Christie's location. I do not remember seeing that at the one on Westheimer. That could be simply because both times I've gone were for lunch and it just wasn't on the lunch menu. Every place under the sun has fried seafood, and if they offer alternatives, the only ones are blackened (which I like) or grilled (which I hate). So very few have broiled, (outside of shrimp scampi). I love broiled fish. The best seafood meal was the broiled seafood platter at a place called the Sea Ranch in South Padre Island. But that was 20 years ago and I don't think they have it any more.

Or "hating" them. God, I am so sick of "haters gonna hate."

I had a nice reply on the history of the building, but the site locked up, and I ain't retyping it unless I know someone is going to read it. Nevertheless, to briefly answer your hope above, yes, the cornerstone and several bricks have been saved. They will be part of the AISD Heritage Museum. I am attaching a picture I took of the cornerstone a few years ago.

Wow, that's awesome. Thanks for posting that! Speaking of memories I came across this thread and thought, "What a cool thread. I remember those restaurants." Then I saw that I was the one who created it. Huh? I don't remember that. When did I do that? NINE YEARS AGO! That makes me feel a little better. I'd have been really worried if it was last month and I didn't remember.

Thank you!

Thank you!

In a 1964 story in my high school's student newspaper, it mentions that two weathermen from a Houston TV station are using data from a weather station installed by the math and science club atop the school. Unfortunately, the story fails to mention which station it is. I guess because everyone in 1964 knows these guys, so it was a little unnecessary at the time, but puts me in a bind as I wasn't around then. The weathermen are named Tom Evans and Chris Chandler. Anyone know which station or stations they worked for?

Wow, 521 weeks between replies. Is that a record? Anyone know?

No real action on this thread in quite awhile. But in case anyone does happen to wander in here, I can give an update for anyone interested. Aldine ISD is in the process of building what it calls the Aldine Heritage Museum, dedicated to the history of AISD schools and of the Aldine area. I was a small part of this project as items were being collected. I have seen pretty much everything related to Aldine High School that has been assembled. As a result, I have a pretty thorough history of the school which has enabled me to answer pretty much all of the questions posed in this thread starting a decade ago. I have donated copies of my finished books on the history of Aldine High and the Mustang football team to the museum. There's far too much to post here, but if anyone who used to post or comes across the thread now that it has been bumped up has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. I've no idea when or if this museum will ever actually get off the ground. I'm no longer involved. But I do now quite a bit of really good stuff was donated. I hope they do ultimately build it. If I learn any more, I'll be sure to post it here.

No real action on this thread in quite awhile. But in case anyone does happen to wander in here, I can give an update for anyone interested. Aldine ISD is in the process of building what it calls the Aldine Heritage Museum, dedicated to the history of AISD schools and of the Aldine area. I was a small part of this project as items were being collected. I have seen pretty much everything related to Aldine High School that has been assembled. As a result, I have a pretty thorough history of the school which has enabled me to answer pretty much all of the questions posed in this thread starting a decade ago. I have donated copies of my finished books on the history of Aldine High and the Mustang football team to the museum. There's far too much to post here, but if anyone who used to post or comes across the thread now that it has been bumped up has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. I've no idea when or if this museum will ever actually get off the ground. I'm no longer involved. But I do now quite a bit of really good stuff was donated. I hope they do ultimately build it. If I learn any more, I'll be sure to post it here.

Hard to believe it's been FIVE YEARS since there's been a post in this thread. How time flies. Welcome... better late than never, I suppose. I am the one who did the research. I no longer send out the report for various reasons we won't get into here. If you are interested in the history of Aldine High School, I did put at least some of it on Wikipedia. Here is the Aldine High School Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldine_High_School Not sure when or if you'll be reading this, but if you are anyone else coming across this, I'm posting on Sep. 9. Tomorrow (Sep. 10) is the 60th anniversary of the opening of Aldine High's current campus on Airline at West Rd. The reason you can't see any of the maps or pictures is because the website that hosted them put an expiration date on them. Kinda stupid, if you ask me. Now, fortunately, you can attach things directly to a post. Back when this thread was created, 10 years ago, that was not possible. Yes, there was/is another thread about Aldine on here. That one is specifically about the schools whereas this one tended to be more about the area. I doubt there's been a post there in five years either.

Not sure why they want a retractable roof. Might as well build a regular, fixed dome. It's a lot cheaper. After the novelty wears off, the Rangers will very likely be like the Astros and open it maybe 5 times a year, or worse, like the Texans and never open the thing. The Astros claim they like the noise that reverberates when the roof is closed (remember the 2005 World Series?). Huh? Then why did you insist on a retractable roof? Just cheer louder. Plus no fan anywhere ever had any measurable legal effect on a game. As for the Texans, who knows why they absolutely refuse to pop the top on several gorgeous fall afternoons. But it also brings up the obvious question of why they had to have a retractable roof as well. At least we weren't suckered on a retractable roof for the Toyota Center. If Arlington is smart, they'll force the team to pay for the retractable roof. But hey, it's the Metroplex, so why do I really care if they get hosed or not?

Houston Post or Houston Chronicle microfilm, I forget which. August 1976 was when the mall opened and when that special advertising section ran. It might have been in both papers, but one was clearer than the other. As I said, I forget which. DON'T go to the Houston Public Library... they'll charge you for paper copies, plus you have to fight off the homeless. Go instead to the University of Houston Library. You can save the files onto a flash drive or you can print them for free (you don't have to be a student or an alumni to use the facilities). If I still had them, I'd attach them here for you, but I didn't bother to scan them. I found them for hydeaway (an old high school friend) while doing another project several years ago. I'm interested in the history of Greenspoint Mall, but only to a degree. So I didn't keep a copy. It's his passion.

No way you could have known. No problem. But as I know him personally and as I'm the one who gave him those, I just found the episode amusing. But there's no way you could have checked. You didn't do anything wrong nor do you have anything to apologize for.

Victor, funny thing... that's hydeaway's Facebook group you found those on. So in trying to help him, you're only giving him back his own stuff. I know, because I originally provided him those documents to put on Facebook. LOL! Obviously you didn't know that. How could you? But it's pretty funny, nonetheless. Still, I'm sure I speak for him in saying thanks for the effort. That's what really counts.

Used to be one by UH I would to when I attended there. It was on the corner of Elgin and Cullen. An empty field is there now, and a McDonald's was built in the next lot. I live down the street from the one that was at Fondren and Westheimer. I was very disappointed. Nothing like the one I remembered. Not surprised or upset it closed. To think, I used miss Del Taco. Not sure why anymore.

What the #### is a "chef-driven" hot dog? Man, some folks just want to make things more complicated (and probably more expensive, as well) than it needs to be.

Wow, that's very striking! So it will go behind the Hooks' stadium. I hadn't been able to figure out where it was going to be. Guess they'll lose the backdrop of the old bridge?

I lived directly across Rogerdale from the TinselTown 24 movie theatre when it closed down in January 2008. I had been there dozens of times. There was nothing physically wrong with that theatre. It still looked as good as the day they opened it just 11 years before. The problem was never the building or the neighborhood. I still live in the neighborhood and have for 25 years, since I left the Aldine area in 1990. I'd sure rather live here in Westchase than my old Aldine stomping grounds. The problem with the theatre was the clientele, or should I more accurately put it, the "clientele" as most seemed to be there for something other than the movie. As with most movie theatres, if you went in early, during the matinee, you could enjoy a cheap show in peace with few people around. But if you went after 6 p.m., forget about it cause that's when the hoodrats showed up. People can complain about the Westchase TinselTown all they want. I won't deny there was an unsavory and ghetto element that hung around the place in the evening. There surely was. But that wasn't the fault of the Westchase TinselTown or the neighborhood. Now that movie theatres are giant regional multiplexes rather than neighborhood cinemas with one or two screens, you can (and will) find the hoodrat element at most movie theatres. And I'm talking about the Edwards one in West Oaks, the one in Memorial City and the AMC one on Dunvale. Go there during the day before the hoodrats wake up, and you can have a good time. Go there after 6 p.m. and it's anything goes. But again, that's not the fault of the theatre. They have to sell the hoodrats a ticket. They don't have a choice. If they don't, Reverends Al or Jesse or Q-Tip will come calling because these dearhearts are being discriminated against. And yes, they can kick them out, but again, if they do that Channel 13 will come out and paint the theatre as the bad guy, not to mention the Discrimination Police will be out in full force looking for free air time. Westchase TinselTown was in the same boat as AstroWorld. They were getting overrun by people who had no business being there, customers were being scared off, someone came along with an offer for the land, and they took it. I can't say I blame them, although I sure missed having a theatre across the street.

The Wind Swept Inn is older than most people think. I can't give you an exact date of its opening, but I have found evidence that it was in business as far back as at least 1948, albeit at a different location. In 1948, the Coles Directory listed the Wind Swept Inn's address as 9010 Airline. That's at Airline and Gulf Bank. Sometime in the 1950s the restaurant moved to then U.S. 75 and about Rankin Road. I do not have a date for this because I only fully researched the area that corresponds with today's Aldine High attendance zone and Rankin Road is out side of that. In 1963, the Wind Swept Inn moved to its final location at 10719 Airline. Judging from the date, I can guess the move had something to do with the construction of the North Freeway. Perhaps the land the restaurant was on had to be taken for the construction of the freeway and that forced the move? I don't know, but that's my guess.