IronTiger's July 2015 Trip

[IronTiger]

Like in previous installments of this list dating back to last fall, here are 10 more things about my latest trip.

 

1. I probably shouldn't have expected much, but I finally confirmed that Sparkle Sign Company off of 290 does not do tours because of liability reasons. The receptionist told me that I'm the only one to ask, they had to turn down a Girl Scout troop once.

 

2. Did they seriously just repave Hempstead Road from start to finish instead of just patching it where necessary? That's awesome, but I feel like something has been lost from that. Additionally, they also built a small access road from the 290 frontage road directly to 290 so you don't have to make that right turn then hard left again.

 

3. Holy low clearances, Batman! There's one reason why they're redoing the 290/610 intersection, under 18th Street, there's signs that had little more than a 14' clearance, which will decapitate at least of the taller trucks.

 

4. I'm a bit disappointed that Replay Games at 722 West 19th Street is closed, but what I'm sad about is that the sign was a recreation of the old Nintendo Power logo (first-gen, check issues before 1995) and I lost my picture of it...

 

5. Driving Westheimer Road from Montrose to Westchase District is an incredible experience. That sort of thing is worth a post in itself. There were many things that had to be something else back in the day (including a small fast food outlet, a white building. Two intriguing things I spotted that I already found out what they were was "Tennis Express" (Syms) and the colorful, tacky facade of the H-E-B.

 

6. On the subject of above, I like the old Joske's (Dillard's) building, I really do, but it seems, and I'm sure that many agree, but it looks a bit worse for the wear. In particular, some of the wide windows are painted over.

 

7. So I got stuck at a stoplight under the Pierce Elevated! It didn't feel like a scar on the urban landscape, nor even that bad. It was rather poorly lit in the daytime, though, and I feel that may be a contributing factor. It also had a lot higher clearances than I imagined it would.

 

8. Main Street used to be six lanes, huh, with three in each direction? That must have been really narrow, like "Westheimer east of Stanford" narrow. How did the buses even only take up one lane?

 

9. I can't believe the contractor stopped work on 290. Entrance lanes with no acceleration lane, banks leading up to overpasses that have weeds that grow five feet tall...what a joke! This is awful.

 

10. Well, I finally tried El Pollo Loco, gotta say, it was kind of disappointing. I know I could make a better tasting marinade, and I didn't even taste the citrus they supposedly added. It was alright though admittedly. 

 

Of course, that wasn't the last of my trip, I got a bunch of addresses for old restaurants AND a map of the old Auchan.

[Highway6]

Like in previous installments of this list dating back to last fall, here are 10 more things about my latest trip.

 

1. I probably shouldn't have expected much, but I finally confirmed that Sparkle Sign Company off of 290 does not do tours because of liability reasons. The receptionist told me that I'm the only one to ask, they had to turn down a Girl Scout troop once.

 

5. Driving Westheimer Road from Montrose to Westchase District is an incredible experience. That sort of thing is worth a post in itself. There were many things that had to be something else back in the day (including a small fast food outlet, a white building. Two intriguing things I spotted that I already found out what they were was "Tennis Express" (Syms) and the colorful, tacky facade of the H-E-B.

 

Man.. you have the strangest desires and curiosities...  I hope your vacation filled the holes in your life where these burning questions once were.

 

My only specific comment is to #1.

Yes, Yes they do offer tours because I have been on one. It's really cool, by the way.

They give tours to architects and others that would be interested in specifying their products, or clients interested in buying their products... ... not to just anyone who comes in off the street.

 

And to #5.

Come try walking it one day.

Couple years back a guy spent his Saturday walking from Westchase district to a bar in Midtown..  think there's video of part of it.     Can't currently find the associated article.

 

[samagon]

I've often wondered what it would be like to do the westheimer run, hwy6 to Elgin. but do it only every 5 years.

 

I ride on so many parts of it so often, and see so many small changes here/there, or huge features being built so it's a gradual and expected kind of thing you don't realize how much it's changed till you reflect on it. From the perspective of someone who only sees it every few years though, it must be like seeing a cousin every year for Christmas, you know it's your cousin cause the nose and eyes are the same, but at the same time they've changed so much over that time.

 

Yes, I am an absolute BLAST at parties.

[mkultra25]

 

Couple years back a guy spent his Saturday walking from Westchase district to a bar in Midtown..  think there's video of part of it.     Can't currently find the associated article.

 

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/23232-westheimer-walk/

[august948]

 

4. I'm a bit disappointed that Replay Games at 722 West 19th Street is closed, but what I'm sad about is that the sign was a recreation of the old Nintendo Power logo (first-gen, check issues before 1995) and I lost my picture of it...

 

5. Driving Westheimer Road from Montrose to Westchase District is an incredible experience. That sort of thing is worth a post in itself. There were many things that had to be something else back in the day (including a small fast food outlet, a white building. Two intriguing things I spotted that I already found out what they were was "Tennis Express" (Syms) and the colorful, tacky facade of the H-E-B.

 

 

4.  You may want to check out Game Over, 3281 Southwest Fwy.  I've never been to Replay Games but you can find just about any old home video game there, in playable condition with many cartridges.  They also have a little museum in the back.

 

5.  If you continue down Westheimer past Westchase you'll get to the original Phoenicia market.  That's worth the trip alone.  There are some good restaurants west of there as well plus a fair size half-price books.