native_Houstonian

I drove by yesterday and saw that the building was almost completely demolished. Do we know what's going in there yet?

I think she was commenting on the name of the restaurant.

OHHHHH. Wipe the stupid off of my face.

In the words of Gilda Radner, "Nevermind".

Vietnam Restaurant. Appropriate, no?

Did you want me to say Vietnamese restaurant instead of Vietnamese place? It's a restaurant that serves Vietnamese food, therefore it's a Vietnamese restaurant. I don't go to a China restaurant, I go to a Chinese restaurant.

Let's not forget about Tampico on Airline, Teutactlan (sp) on Airline, that good Vietnamese place on 19th next to Chase bank. All are very good, not chains, AND you can bring your own wine to the Vietnamese place!

Let's give the school a small break. It's not like Incarnate Word is rolling in the cash like St. Agnes or Duchesne. Incarnate Word serves a totally different population.

Also, if you are really disgusted by the design, why not use the school's website to DONATE CASH to the building campaign? They're only halfway to their $8 million goal...

Thank you, KinkaidAlum, for coming to IWA's defense. Historically, the students that attend IWA are not as, for lack of a better term, well off as those that attend the other Catholic high schools in Houston. However, with the area around the school having been improved greatly in the last 10 years (Minute Maid, Inn at the Ball Park, etc), and more people becoming aware that IWA even exists, there is renewed interest from the general community in the school. In order for IWA to be able to compete with the other Catholic schools in Houston, it has become necessary for them to expand their facilites to be able to offer the classes and activites that students now require.

gonna have to agree with you here sevfiv...but it would probably look right at home next to the George R. Brown

Well, I'm sure that they were somewhat restricted by construction costs. The new building and renovations to the old one are going to run around $8 million. So far, they have raised about 1/2 of that.

I do have to admit that I am dissappointed that the couryard will be significantly reduced. But, in the end, they will have a new facility, with a lot of new amenities to educate Catholic girls on Houston. In case y'all didn't know, Incarnate Word is the oldest Catholic school in Houston, founded in 1873.

The new building will be built on the exisiting courtyard area of the school property. I've been trying to figure out how to paste a rendition of the building, but it's in a pdf format, and this site won't take it!

The new building will mirror the existing "new" construction that was builit in '79-80. The original convent that faces Capitol St. will remain. Included in the new building will be a fine arts center, new auditorium, new science and computer labs, etc.

If you would like to see a rendition, go to www.incarnateword.org and click on the "Groundbreaking Ceremony" .

I don't mean to break the thread by talking about pharmacies but is the old Yale Drugs still around? I think that used to be in the Village

There is a Yale Pharmacy on Yale, just north of 20th st. However, I don't think they sell any kind of pharmaceuticals in there anymore. But, they do serve a good breakfast!

any more info on this project?

If you can grab a copy of the Leader, there was a front page article about the new center.

That shopping center has been there as long as I can remember-I'm 53.

It looks like there might be a restaurant or two in the new center.

My wishfull thinking would be for them to build it out to the street with parking in the back-for a change!

It would also be a good fit in case Palais Royal wanted more space.

Yes. The original grocery store was Weingartens which was about the size of Kroger's produce dept.

Any new news on this? Does anyone know what is going in here or across the street where they tore down the old bank?

Has anyone driven in the parking lot of the new Target yet? I drove in last night to a rather weird sight. There are 2 old houses that are smack-dab in the middle of the parking lot! It is the oddest thing! Does anyone know the story here? Were the owners holding out for more money? Were they waiting for someone's lease to be up?

By the way, it looked like they were starting to put up shelving in the store last night.

And my jellies

What about your YoYo's?

Ill be sitting in Club Level. Anyone else going?

I'll be there - but up in the cheap seats. I don't care - I'll be there!!!!

Go 'Stros!

great!

Finally they are going to tear down the strip shopping center on W. 43rd at Ella and re-build. This center has been mostly vacant and an eyesore for many years.

Word is tenants just found out last week that they have to be out by March. Owner says it will be a year before new center is ready for move in. This leaves the few tenants there in a fix.

Radio Shack is moving inventory to their W 34th St. location. The 99 cent store has reduced prices to 89 cents (hurry in for your big savings). Hallmark is probably getting the hardest hit. They have been in this center for at least 20 years and had the nicest spot. They are hoping to relocate in N. Shephard.

I feel bad for the business owners but I am thrilled that they are finally doing something. Maybe we can get some good retail to come into the hood.

This is the part of the center just East of Kroger, right? Any idea what they hope to put in there?

Gotta plug Vietnam Restaurant on 19th.... outstanding food... family owned... family recipes... Marissa and Victor are the best out on the floor and Danny will prepare your food... got questions about things or want to make some slight changes and he'll do it for you.... he has even whipped up some family recipes not on the menu for my wife before..

Tried Thai Spice on Saturday night. BYOB policy is great. Ginger Beef was excellent. Chicken coconut soup (Tom Kai Gai?) was very good.

Vietnam Restaurant is very good. Have only been a couple of times, but tried to go again 2 weekends ago and the place was packed!! Gotta go back!

I wonder if this would be feasable for McCain's Market. Make a Caninos run in the AM and set up a produce and flower section in the front, like those markets in NYC. That is assuming they aren't planning on tables out front.

Couple of things -

1. Has anyone been to Thai Spice on 19th yet? Is it good? Can you really bring your own bottle of wine?

2. Stopped by McCain's Market about 2 weeks ago just to try out their coffee (big addict). Coffee was good, nothing spectacular. Nice place, but I think they will have to make some dramatic changes to get enough business to stay. For example, if I want to cook dinner tonight, I could stop by there for the main course (chicken, fish, etc), but then I'd still have to go to a conventional grocery store to get the rest of the meal (veggies, salad, wine, etc). I think they may do better to get into more deli/specialty items, sort of like the original Antone's on Taft used to do. Try to get more lunch business, then they wouldn't have to expand their ours.

3. For the best coffee in town, try El Rey on Washington and Shepherd or Ella and 34th. Their lattes are totally addicting.

Does anyone know when the new HISD building by Northwest mall will be completed and when HISD is due to move?

I was a student at the Hallie Pritchard School of Dance in the 70's. Her dancers had many opportunities to perform on the Don Mahoney and Jeana Claire show. It was taped on Friday nights at channel 39 on Westpark. I remember how scratchy the bales of hay were to sit on with our costumes on. I ripped many a pair of hose on those! Don Mahoney was always kind and would call us over after the performance to ask our names and how long we had been dancing and such. Poor thing, though, he was losing his eyesight and really couldn't even make out where you were standing and had to feel around for the cowbell.

I do remember that after we taped the show, we would go to I think Antonio's Flying Pizza on Fondren for dinner.

If anyone has access to any of these old shows or would know if anyone had copies of them, I would love to get a memory from my youth!

Just ate at Candelari's on Washington this week. It was very good, very pleased. Also a fan of Star and Fuzzy's and Barry's.