lilyheights

I don't know, but I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the crack in the steps means a problem with the other footings necessarily. Steps could move independently depending on how they're constructed. In most houses around the area, the steps are a semi-separate structure.

Westcreek was my first and only apartment in town. I'm sad for that. They were nice and affordable for the area. Loads of people have lived there at one time or another. Now, I assume, they'll be really expensive and outside the price range for people with their first jobs and the older people who live there on a fixed income. That was the two typical Westcreek residents when I lived there. Kinda sad for me.

The signs are up. It is next to the Philly Connection on I-10 and Durham. (My husband just called to inform me that he saw this yesterday.)

Woohoo! I love Chick-fil-a!

Check out the Taste of the Heights this w/e...it features most of the Heights restaurants: All Saints Church offering local fare and fair Celebration of area eateries cornerstone of eventful weekend By MARTIN HAJOVSKY THOSE who think there are no great restaurants in the Heights will have their assumptions trumped this weekend at All Saints Catholic Church. The church, 215 East 10th at Harvard, will host its inaugural Great Taste of the Heights event from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday. The chef's invitational, a fundraiser for All Saints, will feature tastings and signature dishes and sample menus from 19 Heights-area restaurants, along with cocktails and live entertainment. Also on tap will be an art sale featuring the work of mostly Heights-area artists. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the event. "This is the best deal in town," All Saints special events coordinator Michelle Britton said. "We've had a huge response to this and have asked the restaurants to expand how much food to bring. For $15 you get all of these samples, plus cocktails, access to an arts show, access to the live entertainment. "We're definitely going to set this up to happen every year. It's a great celebration of the Heights." Featured restaurants include Berryhill's, Carter and Cooley, Chatters, Collina's, Cricket's Creamery and Cafe, DaCapo's, 11th Street Cafe, King Biscuit, Heights Camphouse BBQ, Hickory Hollow, Java Java Cafe, McCain's Market, Onion Creek/Dry Creek, Shade, Spanish Flowers, Thai Spice, The Vietnam Restaurant, the Glass Wall and Yale Street Grill. The event is the tip of an eventful weekend at the church. A trash and treasure sale will kick off the festivities from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. "Bargains, bargains and more bargains," Britton said. "It'll be fun." All Saints also will hold its annual Family Day Bazaar from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. The event will have barbecue dinners, live entertainment, arts and crafts, and what Britton calls "the usual bazaar suspects." "This is our big, boffo bazaar," she said. "There's live entertainment, cocktails, frozen margaritas, beer garden, something for everyone. "We've also added a trackless train that will take people for rides around different blocks of the Heights." Just as with last year, the church is planning another edition of its Video Memories oral history project. Volunteers are lined up to film the memories of anyone with a story to tell about the church and school and growing up in the Heights. Church officials hope to create an archive of these memories to document the history of the church and the surrounding neighborhood. Running throughout all of the events will be the aforementioned art sale. Among the artists featured will be All Saints' own Brother Robert Lentz, a Franciscan Friar, a world-renowned religious iconographer who is putting together an icon wall at the church. "He's such a wonderful artist and a humble guy. You'd never know he has such a large international reputation. We are going to be selling some of his designs and religious objects," Britton said, noting that openings remain for artists who want to sell their work. Tickets for the Great Tastes of the Heights event can be purchased at participating restaurants, online at www.allsaints.ws, or by calling the All Saints Special Events line at 713-864-2653, Ext. 217.

Teotihuacan. Mmmm.

****Here is what my husband's research found: Nextalarm supports broadband but it is considered unreliable at BEST. I would never use it. I now know the intimate details about how they do it, it it should be avoided altogether. There are some other solutions for broadband that are somewhat better, but wireless is best. There are many systems that use the cellular network. They are cheap but apparently the response time can be several minutes. Also, the cellular (AMPS) network is going away in March 2008, so it doesn't make sense to buy such a system anymore. The vendors will not tell you this...which is quite annoying. The cheapest unit is about $125. There are some newer units that use the GSM network. The equipment cost is around $200. One is called the Uplink DigiCell AnyNET. I don't know about the response time. In theory it should be OK. With any of the wireless systems it will cost about an extra $10/month for monitoring, above what normal phone-based monitoring costs. The other downside to these wireless alarm transmitters is that they only transmit burglary or fire events, whereas a phone line based system can send "user xxx disarmed" or "burglary at kitchen window" or even "replace battery" ... a wireless sytem will only get you "burglary!!!" and that is why they are generally recommended for use as backups, not primary ... There are some very expensive units that can transmit the full monty wirelessly by emulating the modem at the central station, capturing the data, and then retransmitting it over the network. I'm not sure if anyone makes a model that does that, that will work past March 2008.

We did not choose the bait systems, but the spray. It is the same pesticide that is used in the flea treatment placed on the back of your pet's neck...obviously stronger. Our research showed this works better. I've seen plenty dead little guys since treatment. They'll be inspecting again in June. Good luck.

The whole city was dry when my dad moved here. So, for history, that was the only way. West U., Bellaire, etc. didn't actively do anything. The Heights, when it became part of Houston, made sure that the area in the boundries referenced above remained dry and they wanted it that way forever and ever amen. I think the dry aspect has influenced the fact that there aren't a lot of cantinas or houses turned bar in what was a depressed area of town. That's probably a good thing for the neighborhood overall. What Shade does seems like a good solution, only it seems hard to come by. The boundries aren't that big. There are plenty of spaces available where alcohol can be served. I think it is just as someone stated above: people think that all the Heights is dry. It isn't. I will add that people think that the Heights is a lot of places it isn't. That doesn't help business owners figure out that they can sell alcohol in the area. I think as word gets out, we'll see more changes.

I don't eat burgers at Dry Creek, I order other items. I sympathize with your overall assessment, but I see signs of change. I think things are expanding with the additions of Shade and Glass Wall. We recently found a place called Jazzy Cafe that serves NO style poboys...the owners are here thanks to Katrina. For Chinese we eat at Bamboo House across the bayou on Waugh. Indian food still hasn't made its mark, but we're close enough to our old favs that it isn't an issue. We actually travel to Sharpstown for Indian. We also travel for Korean to the Longpoint area. We love Korean food and it wasn't until this year that we found a place outside of the Longpoint area -- that place is in Sharpstown, too. We also found a really good Thai place on 610 and 18th. Not technically the Heights, but close enough. I think that Berry Hill was a good addition. I agree with your assessment. I also wonder if I would eat at any new place that didn't satisfy my cravings for my old favs that are in pretty close proximity...in other words, anything in the Heights will compete at some level with the places you already know and love. That may make a difference to someone breaking into the ultra-competitive restaurant business in our now high rent area.

Good points.

I'm really glad about this part. I love to get paper at Xpedx. They have a great selection and I've never gotten over a need to play with scissors.

Shepherd is not dry; thus, the Kroger sells alcohol. I'm not sure about the other boundries, but I bet the map is weird looking compared to the present day configuration of the neighborhood. Obviously, White Oak is not dry.

I knew one of the investors in that project. I never thought he was crazy...I just didn't have any money at that time.

Welcome to Houston. I enjoyed my time at UH and hope you do too. Staying in the dorms won't cramp your style. Not having a car might. Hope you have one. Drive around. Check out all the city's museums, big and small. Grab a Houston Press and see what looks like a fun activity. Just become familiar with what's around town inside the loop and then work your way out. You'll soon learn what you like and find a neighborhood to match. We all lived in houses turned apartments around West Grey when we went to school. Now, it is a bit too pricey for your average college student. I'm sure that there will be plenty of people on campus to show you the places to live off campus. Just ask around.

I still have my parents' original Sakowitz card. It is made of actual metal, not plastic. I remember the store fondly. They cut the sandwiches into the shapes of animals for the kids eating in their cafeteria. I had my mom buy an animal shaped cookie cutter so I could have these at home. I remember a man rolling cigars in the men's department during Christmas one year. I think it had something to do with Cuban cigars.

The Heights Sharpstown Alief is diverse Downtown Midtown ?? I don't know what's best, but I see all kinds of people in all these places.

I remember all that same stuff. All my brothers went to Strake...what year did you graduate? I went to school at SFDS. It was flight to the "safety" of the 'burbs that got Sharpstown...I am waiting for the redev. The area is too convenient to 59 to remain in decline forever. And, Strake and St. Agnes offer incredible educations.

Come on, Coog. We've been to the subway. We eat at chains as long as it is within the distance of our chains.

I'm relatively new to the area (since 2003). I was wondering if the public pool at Love Park is operated during the summer. If so, is it all free swim for kids, or would I be able to do some laps? Where do other Heights swimmers go? Any input is appreciated...

I was just looking around at what is for sale in the area and saw that the Yale Coffee House is up for sale.

My parents moved into their house in Sharpstown in the mid 1960s. I grew up there and my dad still lives there. Rice (the grocery store) used to occupy the space on Bellaire between Fondren and Gessner that is now a restaurant supply, I think. I remember shopping there with my mother when she drove her new Carmen Gia. My dad's hardware store, Texas Hardware Center, occupied the space in the mid 1980s. The pool and golf course were a country club. The city took them over years later after the whole Sharp fiasco. I hope this area makes a come back. It is an important place in the history of Houston and it is close to 59... The neighborhood has a bad rep, but I think that's a little undeserved for some of the areas. I mean, the apartments behind the mall are pretty bad, but some of the enclaves of homes are still peaceful. Although popular wisdom would indicate that my dad should have been plagued by crime, his house was burgaled only once and that was a couple of years ago...we never really had any problems. My garage in the Heights was burgled after living there for three years. He's been there for forty...go figure. I'm sure that there are others who can give you the scoop on what used to be. I'd be happy to answer those questions too...from memory.

Teas is good and will do a professional job. My problem is that they don't always actively listen. This is the second project I'm trying out with them. It is a different designer, so I was hoping for more. For example, I said that I wanted specific plants and didn't want other plants, ones that I'm tired of seeing everywhere. The plans drawn up include, you guessed it, none of the plants I specifically wanted and many of the ones I am tired of. Also, they have my small lot line path to my backyard blocked with plants in one drawing...do they not see clearly on the plans that the area is used as a walkway? I think it is pretty apparent. I worked with them before and they're good and very professional, but I sometimes feel tht they push the plants they have a ton of and, like I said, don't actively listen. I also feel like they could bring more imagination to the project. They do a lot of nice projects, but there seems a cookie-cutter approach to aspects of their plans. I will go back to them and have them address my concerns. I'm sure that they will be professional and change what I have issues with. However, I'm open to working with someone else who will pay attention to the details. I don't really have time to play phone tag in order to repeat myself. Teas is a professional company and you can find them if you have any problems. So, I'm torn by what I feel is a lack of attention and the knowledge that they'll do a good job...

Very good point. I have not joined or gone to the meetings in large part b/c I feel that a person living in new construction doesn't fit their mold. I will take your comment into consideration and may just come to the next meeting... (No we did not tear anything down...not even a rickety old warehouse -- even if we did, we're here now).

New is going to happen. I am just thankful that people at least "try" in the Heights. After seeing a decade of brick boxes go up in West U., I'm usually much happier with what goes up around here. Not always perfect, not always good, but at least it isn't the ubiquitous W.U. box.