Porchman

TY jfre81 (and Sevfiv).

I'm glad you caught the sparkly shoes hanging over Shep/Gray. I saw those recently. I was worried about what kind of gang I might I might encounter there!

Yep, I think that's where the inspiration for this thread came from.

That is hilarious. I didn't look at the article earlier (obviously!). The Chron had it posted on their page yesterday, so it looked like something new. I guess it was just a slow news day.

Well, lookie here, Alison Cook has her own opinions about this.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/dining/cook/6917049.html

this isn't a "heights restaurant" issue. this is many, many (probably most) new restaurants. there is always a period of working out the kinks, testing the new kitchen, etc... a place at the price point of Pie or Lola will not go through the process of a soft opening because it's not worth it. i've opened several restaurants (in dallas, on staff). i was a great waiter but you never would have known it on a couple of nights in a new restaurant. and that was even after a soft opening...

I totally understand soft openings, HY. However Lola seemed to take forever to get it right (have they yet?), and some of the Creeks never seem to...well, get hard. As I said about PitS in a previous post, "Glad for their coming to the 'hood. We'll give it time to settle out."

It's unique to the Heights, because we are victims of the joyful lack of chains. When you open an Applebee's, you've done it 2,000 times. We enjoy the uniqueness and freshness of the food. However, service is key.

I've always been rather fond of "The Hickory Hollow" on Heights @ Center, but I've always wanted to Try "Beavers" though.

What I look for is the rub and the smoke. For this, I like Hickory Hollow. I also really like Pizzitola's on Shepherd.

I like Beavers, but the BBQ is generally more mid-south (saucy/vinegar oriented), which I like, but it's not what I look for. Their rib rub is good. The sense of smoke-and-rub is not quite there, perhaps because she like to feature some of the special ingredients of the rub more (being known for her use of fresh herb and spice). Their bloody marys and some of their other dishes are really what take me there.

One place that I tried recently..Dave's Rib Shack on 1960. You know you're in the right place the second you open the car door and catch that first whiff of smoke. The rub is fantastic. The sides are a bit limited, but, hell, if you can find a place that make ribs right, you can make your own potatoes, beans and collards.

Having "stalked" this place for a couple of months, finally decided to try it with my son today for lunch. I wish I could report the food was good, but I never got that far. After waiting 40 minutes for a burger and chicken tenders, I went to ask. The guy at the counter said they were having a problem with something. Looking around, I was certainly not the only one having this problem. I stressed needing to be out of there in another 25 minutes. A few minutes later he came to my table to tell me that it would be longer so he would refund me my money, but I had not paid yet. He then indicated that it would be another 20-30 minutes! I took that as my cue to split. I really, really want this place to work out. I know they are still working out the kinks, and I will try again. I would just tell the owner that whom ever is in charge really needs to manage problems a bit better. Letting the customers know there is a delay before 40 minutes passes would be a good start.

Heights restaurant with huge delay and awkward service when it's just opening. Why does this sound familiar?

right, but will it be renovated and used as a residence or will it be left to rot from neglect or will they use it for commercial? after all, the original plan had them jacking it up and using underneath for additional parking according to posts on here.

I'm not sure. I didn't see those posts, but it appears there may be another parrallel thread. Either way the listing does not include an improvement. It specifically denotes "cleared". The house was moved one lot north. The question might be who wants to buy a cute house next to a strip center?

not surprising. i wonder what's going to happen to the original house now?

I think the house is safe. That's why they moved it.

The house has been mover and now the corner lot is for sale.

Recently cleared, important commercial ''once in a lifetime'' Heights corner. Property was replatted to commercial, unrestricted reserve. Perfect for retail or office use. Beautiful frontage on 11th as well as Heights. Approved curb cut on Heights Blvd. Owner can provide plans for a 4,000 S.F. retail center.[/

quote]

It appears that plans for commercial development at that corner are not completely off the table.

I was looking for a particular porn site, and I typed in the wrong URL and got this place by mistake. So, I thought that as long as I was here, . . . . . .

Oh, you used to live in that apartment complex on W 16, huh?

I came here to look at all the users names, and try to figure out what made them choose that name, and why they came here, and why they post what they post....well,

not really. I came here to find a girl to go out with.... oh well....

Then you went to Pie in the Sky...

Golden,

You should have read my earlier post. After 4 bottles of Old Vine Red Zinfandel, 90 minutes seems to not be important. Nor does the obvious Heights restaurant dilemma of bad service, from heavily pierced, and tattoed space cadets. The place is quaint, and a very nice place to go chill & eat. We will continue to frequent until I can get a date with one of the lesbian servers.... she is HOT! Says she doesn't like guys, but I know she is giving in. Still working on her!!

Hanuman, the lesbians are not into you. Get over it! That Zin is not doing you any good!

We had the Buffalo Chicken Wraps. Delicious! Heights Yankee is right...Blue is the only way to go.

I thought I'd might have to go back to the kitchen and prep them myself. 20 minutes for a wrap seemed a bit much.

The fill-out-your-ticket thing is weird. (Quaint is not always a good thing). Oh, and tip when you pay your check at the back. I left cash on the table (diner-style), then, got the evil eye when I didn't add tip to my bill at the cashier station.

Glad for their coming to the 'hood. We'll give it time to settle out.

It's being opened by Jamie Zelko, the former Executive Chef of Bistro Lancaster.

http://www.zelkobistro.com/

The rail line is a joke, its Houston's attempt to look green and fancy because professionals do not want to ride a bus because it still has a stigma of being low class.

That's the crux of the transportation problem. Most of our congestion isn't caused by the poor driving to and from their jobs. They tend to use the bus much more. The problem is getting mostly white, mostly middle-class, mostly suburban drivers to use public transport rather than driving. To do that you have to have modes of transportation that are appealing to that demographic and you have to run to the places they live and to the places they want to go. That's why the University and Uptown lines are so important as well as getting rail solutions pushed out beyond the loop.

Except that they won't. When you make a permanent investment in a transportation corridor, businesses will make corresponding investments along the route because they know it won't change. That leads to greater, not lesser demand. When new high volume areas arise, you just extend the rail line to those areas. Frankly, though, we've got enough high volume areas around Houston that we could extend rail to right now that we won't even be able to deal with new developments for quite some time.

In short, it's not just about transportation dollars. (1) It's about readapting the middle class to mass transit and (2) It's taking that synergy and creating development. So, bus-to-rail is not apples-to-apples.

I have some qualms about MetroRail.

• We paid a chuck-a-change to build a 7-mile rail line in a 600-square-mile city. Shouldn't we be focusing on hub-to-hub, commuter rail (Cypress-Galleria-Downtown or Sugarland-TMC-Downtown...not to mention IAH-Dowtown-Galleria)?
• Argument: Rail is supposed to support growth in more densely (and efficiently) populated areas like the Inner Loop .

• It runs down the middle of the street (and hits cars)
• On previous argument: If you are to serve Downtown, Midtown, Museum, TMC, and Reliant, where are you going to put it? (Also, white men in SUV's need to get off their phones).

• LRT is cheaper than BRT
• Argument: ??? I hear "fuel" and "pavement" as issues. I would like to see long-term studies for similar corridors.

I support Metro. Their mission to get car-centric, sprawl Houston off its current mojo is admirable. However, they need to better quantify the value of LRT. The bond issue barely passed. The University Line has been mired in AWP meetings. Clearly, there is more than bond and construction work to do.

And [back on topic] the financial costs of this should be seriously weighed. If Mayor Parker has concerns about this, we need to be concerned, too. Whomever she appoints to the Metro Board has to assume reponsibility for the current strategies, so she has some serious ownership.

Sounds like he went to the same law school as the judge who sued his dry cleaners for millions.

This same case came to my mind. There is a distinct difference. Ogletree does not show where he specifically charged any of the parties with responsibility for his coat and they accepted. So beyond his own culpability for the loss, he fails to support his legal claim.

From the GHPA:

"Immanuel Lutheran congregation votes to renovate historic church"

Good for them! We rejoice, Immanuel!

This was a tough decision. Neighborhood church's are not rolling money. They exist because people want to commune in a more intimate environment (not with several thousand of their best friends). Efficiency and spiritual pursuit do not always follow hand-in-hand.

Certainly, they had a lot community pressure to preserve this special asset. However, they also voted to make their community more connected with its neighborhood. They voted to keep something that makes their campus something really great. I applaud them.

They will need help to make this happen. We should support the cause. I am sure restricted gifts would be welcome. [Everything counts in small amounts].

Anyone know when we'll start to see numbers come in?

Shortly after the polls close, they'll start to post early voting results. The rest will come in as the County Clerk's staff gets tally cards from the voting machines.

Update...

From the HBJ: Jake's Finer Foods unveils new distribution center

The firm's former space on 939 West 18th Street housed its corporate headquarters and a 70,000-square foot distribution center. The 125-person company had been at that location since the early 1970s...

Something amazing about mental illness is the selfishness. He killed two people. He deprived his family of their home. He thought he was righteous.

HTX, I am unclear as to what your primary objective is. Financing? Operations? Both?

I agree with sticking to the local base. Two of the large, independent interests are Sterling and Prosperity. Prosperity has a couple branches in the area of town in which you're looking to set up shop. You also might consider reginally based IBC which has a SE Houston branch.

Amegy is okay. In my experience, good service...lackluster business partner. Also the Zions connection should not be ignored. They have exposure to weaker markets like Las Vegas, Phoenix, and California. My sense is there is some cost enhancement because of this.

From Channel 13: Historic sanctuary in the Heights to become museum

The City of Houston Historical Preservation Committee says the congregation of the Immanuel Lutheran Church...voted to preserve its historic sanctuary and turn it into a museum of Lutheran history.

HBJ: Brennan's of Houston to reopen on Fat Tuesday

It's that time of year again. A colleague just showed up with a praline king cake from Whole Foods. It's really good. I'm probably passing on dinner tonight.

Yes, none of which was played tonight. The Who Sold Out.

...

( -- Nobody's going to get that but you and I, probably.)

Lots of people like baked beans.

Show respect for the Saints. The odds were against them. (The odds have been against NOLA for a while).

Show respect for The Who. People used to die (literally) to see them. Townshend created great music.

The fact that they played the Supebowl tonight?...I am reminded of BNL's "My Box Set" and John Wesley Harding's "When the Beatle's Hit America". So... how much are "final concert" tickets worth these days?

Not defending it but I would think the reason has something to do with the ground being saturated ever since they put it on skids. If you think back, we really haven't had a spell long enough to dry the ground to support that type of weight.

Good point...the rainy season did start about the same time as this thread.