travelguy_73

Unless there were other circumstances (like an expiring lease or major capital improvement required that there was no money for), I would think that other gyms siphoning off members due to superior facilities would certainly play a part in Bally's decision on which locations to shutter.

I believe it has already closed...no notice...at least that is from friends who go there.

I have always enjoyed Mandola's Deli, but it's an institution that everyone knows about. So here is something y'all may not know: The Mandola's purchased the yellow house-turned-day-labor property next door to the deli on Leeland, and are mulling over what to do with it. So if all goes as planned, we may have another place to try.

Just got this from HBJ: Expo Motorcars to begin selling Spyker http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...mp;ana=e_du_pub

Oh this brings back memories. I vividly recall my parents bringing home a shiny new 86 Audi 5000S from the dealer in San Antonio just one day before the 60 Minutes episode ran. The car depreciated like a rock after that. Loved that car too!

Below 20mph, it will bring the XC60 to a full stop if necessary to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of it (whether that vehicle is stopped or moving at a slower speed, but in the same direction).

Ooh, thanks for the link. I am always looking for new car sites for my Bloglines feed.

I dropped our XC70 off at Star for a checkup yesterday and had a chance to drive the new XC60. It's a very nice crossover, and I hope it does well. Fast, luxurious interior (though the materials still aren't as nice as what VW and Audi use), and I love the City Safety option, though I don't know when I would use it. The City Safety camera is actually in the windshield, so here's hoping it doesn't have to be replaced! This, the Passat CC, and the MB C350 are on my short list for next year.

The elementary and junior high schools in the area are good. Bellaire HS is great, but Westbury HS is not, and perhaps that is what that coworker referred to. As far as topping out of resale at some point, in theory this applies to all areas. Willow Meadow's limit is Meyerland; Meyerland's limit is Bellaire; Bellaire's limit is perhaps West U and Memorial. It goes on and on. There is always a better area for "just a little more," but at some point the rule of diminishing returns applies. If your friend can afford $500k, then Meyerland might be a better bet, but in the $300-450k price point, in the city, there aren't a ton of other options (Woodside/Woodshire is nearby and worth considering as well).

I had a house on O'Meara near Nenana for a while, and I cannot think of anything bad to say about Willow Meadows. Strong civic association, well-priced compared to Meyerland, and the railroad nearby is a quiet zone (it wasn't when I lived there). The Randall's shopping center has been regularly vacant for a long time, but it hasn't hampered resale from what I have seen. One note: the side of the neighborhood closest to the loop is zoned to Bellaire, and the other side is zoned to Westbury HS. Funny enough, the homes in the Westbury HS side are actually nicer, IMO. There is an inner loop section of WM that got hit pretty hard during Alison, as evidenced by the crazy quilt of new (raised) homes and original ranchers. Willow Meadows is still one of my favorite old neighborhoods.

Don't you have to dispose of used coolant like used oil, only at certain recycling locations? Do you have to pay to dispose of it? Seems like this negates some of the benefit of DIY.

At this point, I assume they have begun to enjoy the "auction" process and might start a side business. Seriously, how much furniture could they have left to auction, and who buys nightstands at auction thinking they are gonig to get a deal?

We got a quote from Harvard Heights and a shell was around 60k with fully fitted around 80k. It wasn't cheap, basically you are building a small house.

Definitely not as tasty as the CC or CLS. The front- and rear end are too upright. IMO, it isn't worth the compromise in backseat comfort...I'll stick with the 5-series (though it does give some clue as to the look of the next 5-series--upright grills are back, baby!)

You aren't kidding! Now I love the whole coupe-as-sedan thing as much as anyone (the Volkswagen CC does it best), but wow that is ugly. I admit that the Cayenne's ugliness has grown on me (like a wart), but the only nice thing about the Panamera is the name. It even makes the gap-tooth TL look like a supermodel.

It is not part of the utility system of Williams. It was only built there after plans for the second tower were scrapped.

I like Stewart in that location, because I guarantee that if they move, they are moving to the suburbs. There are far too few car dealerships left inside the loop. Besides, that dealership is clean and employs a lot of people from nearby communities (many of whom might just take the rail). And I guess it goes without saying that they were here long before most of the residents .

My Parkwest house had about 20 piers, but amazingly my Willow Meadows house didn't have a single one and every door closed and every window opened.

Having owned a home in Parkwest for a few years, I can attest to the quality of the neighborhood. Many of the benefits of Meyerland, but without the Meyerland price.

My dad has an 08 Accord EXV6, which he proudly calls his "old man car" (got it after his company-leased Range Rover expired in more ways than one). It has a very nice interior, but is as floaty as a Japanese car can be.

You are correct. Our TSX is everyone else's Accord. No one (except perhaps some random Asian or Latin countries) gets our Accord, and no one else outside NA gets the TL. The TSX is now the least offensive of the Acura passenger cars.

So we went to the LA Auto Show this past weekend. Used to go to Detroit, but LA has proven to be formidable competition, and the weather is so much nicer than DTW. Anyway, just because things are a bit slow today, I thought I would share my personal hit and miss list from the show. I kept the list short...there were many more! Hit: (1) Volkswagen CC: An MB CLS for half the price. Visually stunning and, if the crappy VW dealer network doesn't ruin it, then VW has a niche hit on their hands (2) Nissan 370Z: The freshened styling looks very nice, IMO. What doesn't work on the new Maxima works well here. (3) Infiniti G37 convertible: Another hit for Nissan. This thing is drop dead gorgeous in person. (4) Honda Insight concept: So very Prius-looking, but lovely nonetheless. (5) Hyundai Genesis coupe: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Koreans have certainly learned this trade. Hyundai has made incredible strides in a short amount of time, and the Genesis sedan and coupe show what this automaker is capable of. I hate to say it, but the Big 3 could learn a thing or two. (6) Kia Soul: I love the direction that small cars are going: funky, efficient, and customizeable. R.I.P. Cobalt! Miss: (1) BMW 7-series: The current one is atrocious, and this one is only marginally better. (2) Nissan Cube: While I like the overall idea, this one is sort of cartoonish. A Scion for teenage girls? (3) Lexus RX350: A terrible redo. I don't like the direction Toyota styling is taking. (4) BMW X6: I still don't get it. Got to have some fun with it at a ride-and-drive and, while it drives very well, it is horribly impractical and overpriced. (5) Acura TL: Ugly from every single angle. They took a wildly successful near-luxury car and ruined it. Being a former TL owner, I am deeply sadened by this new generation. The TL, TSX, and RL are so ugly that they make the 7-series look good.

Is there where Minute Maid Park is now? Perhaps taken from downtown looking past what is now the 59 elevated and toward Navigation? Bus Station

There is a huge model on display in the depths of the Galleria (near the elevators for the Galleria Financial Center) that might make a nice Christmas gift.

Might be a good opportunity for Hines to repurchase the land and incorporate it into Williams Tower, perhaps a smaller office tower, which seems to be much more appropriate to the space than residential ever was.