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Parrothead

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Everything posted by Parrothead

  1. I'm not even sure why sprawl is an issue. This is Memorial City reinventing what's already there. There IS no sprawl!
  2. I don't know why anyone would be surprised about this news or, further, be that upset about it. Houston has a pattern of doing this, it's kinda what makes us so "atypical" from any other major city. Memorial City and the Town & Country area have been establishing/re-inventing themselves for a long time in order to be ready for this kind of growth. I don't think Houston is ever going to have the "City Center" that most metropolitan areas do, for the simple reason that it never has before; and people here, for the most part, have been okay with that. Granted, it would be nice to see Downtown and Midtown get the credit they deserve and really begin to hop. I think it is happening but it is just really super slow. A recent Urban Land Institute study indicated a resurgence in higher-density urban living provided certain amenities are addressed for the consumer. These include: Growing popularity of an urban lifestyle for both the empty nester AND the young professional. A saturation of no-personality, homogenous retail in the suburbs. The growing appeal of pedestrian-friendly, street-front retail among consumers. A decline in city crime. A desire to have varied amenities clustered in a tight, architecturally controlled project that answer consumers
  3. Amen! I am so excited about this. Ooooh. Any takers on which one?
  4. Yay Lowbrow!! I am seriously considering asking hubby to take me on a date to Berryhill's tonight
  5. Hunter, there are two wonderful places for you--the archives at University of Houston and Rice University. They are veritable treasure troves of photos, original documents, etc...I was in UH's about 6 years ago and thought it was the coolest thing ever!!
  6. All I can tell you guys is Berryhill's pork tamales are the best I have ever had. I have never had sauce put on them, but I think they give it to you on the side. Lord, I never had anything quite that tasty and savory. Very addictive. Just because there are no Mexicans eating there doesn't mean much. The history of Berryhill will be enough to tell you the recipes are authentic. A lot of their food (like the baja fish tacos, omg! so good) is not Tex-Mex but more Cal-Mex/Pacifica kind of stuff. It's darned good, and I highly recommend it. I believe their tamales have been rated the best in Houston at one time or another by the Press. Their fish tacos were rated "The Best EVER" by Zagat, so I guess they can't be too bad... A brief history: Since 1928, Walter Berryhill made and sold tamales from a recipe he borrowed from a neighbor. For 40 years he sold them on his bicycle right here in Houston. He retired in 1960. In 1993 a friend bought the recipe, cart, and press, and opened the original taqueria on Revere Street in Walter's honor.
  7. You can't find a chimichanga in Houston? I see them everywhere. I love 'em but they are soooo bad for ya. But then...what isn't? Just do a google search for "Chimichanga Houston" and you'll see tons of stuff. Even Berryhill, which I forgot to add to my original list for best tamales anywhere, serves them. YUM!!
  8. To me, the best fajitas are from Ninfa's (original or Mama Ninfa's). They are about the only place I can get fresh corn tortillas. Most every other restaurant are pre-made, pre-packaged. But as far as overall quality for Tex-Mex, I absolutely LOVE La Mexicana on Fairview and Montrose. I've been eating their Chicken Taco de Fajitas for years. It's like comfort food to me now. On the cheap, I love Los Tios, the one on Kirkwood and Memorial. The crispy beef tacos are really awesome. When I was three, I lost my pet pillbug Freddie there. I never did get over that. My mother never did either. Always wondering why in the he*l I brought a bug with me to a restaurant. I also really love Escalante's and Guadalajara. They both have delicious queso, and sometimes that's all I really want, just chips and queso and a big fat margarita. I know I am leaving a restaurant out....durn it all.......well, I'll think of it later I am sure!!
  9. Trophy, that's what they are doing with the Katy Freeway. They are putting two toll lanes in the center. I tend to think you are right with this!
  10. I saw that too! It should be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks...
  11. Trophy, thanks for the useful info!! Wow, that is really incredible. Anything substantially under what poor Matt has to deal with now is fabulous. The only thing keeping him sane is that he isn't driving. At least the Park-n-Ride buses are comfy and he can relax for that hour/hour and a half We are staying put ourselves until at least the majority of I-10 by us is complete or at the very least, mess-free ('cause it is SURE messy by our place right now LOL) and we estimate that to be another two years. Our first baby is due in June and she'll be two by that time so hopefully we can make some decisions before she will be off to preschool. It is really going to depend on how strong our property values become as a result of the construction. So hey, ya never know, we may be neighbors someday!
  12. In my opinion, with the growth of that area in just the past two years alone, it will most definitely be as successful. I think it's just a matter of how soon. Either way, they have something a lot of the West Belt doesn't have: land to grow on both sides! It really must be very cool to see the results of your own hard work on something like that.
  13. Well, I ended up taking Matt into work the other day, so I dropped him off at the hospital and headed down Main/90 toward the SH Toll Road. Sometimes I go home that way and take it all the way to Memorial but today I was on a mission. I wanted to see how far they've come on the Fort Bend Toll Road and I have to say I was impressed but left with a few questions. They have completed it to Beltway 8, pretty much. I entered the Toll Road and there was no one on it save for an SBC truck that ended up passing me because I was too busy looking all around at the development and just the road itself. The road is well done and attractive, but only two lanes on either side. My initial concern was the rapid growth of the area and the fact that the Toll Road has no official "off-ramp" to Highway 6. It just ends, period, and you go left or right. I can see how that might be a problem in a few short years. I hope they have a solution for that. The toll booths are interesting. There are two EZ Tag lanes, one exact change lane, and one "change for bills" lane. It is an unmanned change machine that will change out your $1 or $5. Interesting, like I said. I am anxious to see how well that does. The biggest issue I can see happening is that there is no signage that there are no manned toll booths. If there is a problem I do not know how that will be handled. What if you only have a $20? What if the gate arm doesn't open? ...that kind of thing. Other than those two things everything seems to be on the right track. What is so amazing to me is that this toll road plows right through the middle of the crop of gigantic antennae that stick out of the landscape. These towers from afar are amazing enough but to see them in person up close gives you a sense of just how HUGE they are and what exactly has to hold them to the ground so they don't blow over. It is truly incredible and gave me a whole new appreciation for them. If you are interested in a quick commute to the med center, your best bet will be to live in Lake Olympia. There is an on and off-ramp just for Lake Olympia Parkway, which is scheduled to be completed to the toll road by summer. I like the trees found in Sienna Plantation or else I'd be lined up in front of the builders' models at Lake Olympia most definitely. That will be a huge feature for that master-planned community, and also will serve Quail Valley residents as well since they can cut right through to Lake Olympia Parkway easily. It took me 6 minutes to get from Beltway 8 to Highway 6. Of course we are talking about no traffic, but it took me 14 minutes to get from MD Anderson to the Beltway on Main. That's not bad--and considering HCTRA is working on the toll road from the Beltway/County line to pretty much where Main expands to a large freeway near 610, I can see that drive becoming even shorter as time goes on. I can also see how the Fannin/South park-n-ride for Metro might become a lot more popular once this all gets in sync. I also timed my drive from the FBTR/Hwy 6 interchange to the heart of Sienna Plantation at Steep Bank Drive. It took less than 6 minutes and that was with plenty of cars on the road. That was nice. It made Sienna Plantation all the more appealing to me. The thought of my husband being home from work in traffic in less than an hour makes me absolutely GIDDY! Right now we are near Town & Country but Matt has to go 6 miles out to Highway 6's Park-n-Ride and take the bus in. It takes him about 45 minutes in the morning, but at night it can take him over an hour and a half to get home. If he leaves at 5 then I don't see him until after 6, and if he leaves at 6 I definitely won't see him until 7:30. It sucks. I would like to take the route again and time it from one end to the other, start to finish, and take some photos along the way. I wish that I had my camera but it's a lesson to me to always bring it because you never know what you might find!
  14. I get the frozen ones when I am craving them but they aren't nearly as good as fresh, IMHO. Steak-n-Shake would be wonderful here! I love it.
  15. OMG are you insane?! White Castle ROCKS! I can't wait to try Krystal, though my Yankee sources tell me they can't possibly be as good as sliders
  16. Okay, well, I got the 411 from Metro National. Here is what they said to me: Polly-- I don't have any info for you right now other than it will be a mixed-use development-- healthcare, retail, hospitality... Look for more info on future Memorial City developments in the near future in the press. We will also be lauching a website memorialcity.com in the next 2-3 weeks that will contain updates. Thanks! angie sallee Well all that tells me is that they haven't come to an agreement yet on anything LOL! Let's see, doctors, stores, and.....hospitality? Hotel? Motel? Restaurant? Sounds like all of the Memorial City area. How vague can you get?!
  17. I'm all for anything that will make my property value go up! We will most likely be moving within the next few years and I'd like to make a tasty little profit off of our condo which is right across the street!
  18. Well, according to the owners/developers, Yazd, Inc, they are going to make it a mixed-use thing. There is talk of a new grocery store, condos, etc...and apparently it is going to be very ped-friendly. We'll see!!
  19. Here are my photos so far. I have some more I have to take of this really cool wall they have left standing all by itself. I keep wondering how it stays up because there is nothing to brace it. I guess they are waiting for it to fall on its own. I will head over there this afternoon and add to these. I took these two weeks ago: http://www.tropicaltexans.com/images/Houston/tcfeb05.jpg From the TGI Friday's lot perpendicular to the Tollway. http://www.tropicaltexans.com/images/Houston/tcfeb05-2.jpg Same angle. http://www.tropicaltexans.com/images/Houston/tcfeb05-3.jpg Dillard's goin' bye-bye. http://www.tropicaltexans.com/images/Houston/tcfeb05-4.jpg The backside of the mall--JC Penney is gone already.
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