callisthenes

No opinions on the Yucatan thing as I have never been, but there is plenty of demand for more restaurants in the Heights. You cannot get in the door at Teotihuacan on Friday or Saturday night. Yucatan is more upscale and might find a niche in the Heights.

I can wait in line for good Tex/Mex or Mexican, but this is Tacos Yucatan del norte: "now open in OKC, Ft worth and the Woodlands".

Kind of reminds me of the Tamale Factory on Studewood/11^th that had the “best tamales south of the border”.

We'll see, their website description suggests a mishmash of Latin American culinary stereotype-branding that could appeal to the late night White Oak crowd, but The El will have them locked up.

For people who think that parking is not a legitimate complaint for the houses who are near bars are just flat out stupid...nobody tolerates non-residents continually inconveniencing residents...nobody...its not a realistic expectation.  If bars can do it, why not just let Tommie Vaughn park all their super duty inventory up and down neighborhood streets until they sell or get stolen? 

People can complain about on street parking if they want.  It just doesn’t seem to be brought up when the “right” businesses are opening up around here, and dealing with it is a minor part of living in a city.

In my case, I am betting if a restaurant or gym opens up in the building at 11 ½ and Studewood it will impact parking on the street around my house.  And I am sure that people not wanting to go to River Oaks, City Center or Sugar Land (suburbs, ew!) will park there too when Ruggles Green opens up and brings the suburbs to the Heights. But whatever, I don’t have an issue with people legally parking on the public streets.  But if problems do ensue from it, I’ll pursue remedies to get the COH to manage the city street better. 

BTW the mechanics at Tommy Vaughn park on the street along 12^th, blocking two full lanes and forcing my bike into traffic.  Maybe you can stop by and tell them to stop making bikes get in your way?

I don't think a neighborhood should have to be inconvenienced with a bunch of cars parked on their street all the time so that some bar owner does not have to pay to buy sufficient parking.

Not sure what the Historical District’s restrictions are on those parking lots.  I suppose if Victorian homes are razed to make way for the lots, they would have to be paved with cobblestones and have Victorian-era hitching posts along the perimeter.  If it’s Craftsman style homes removed to make way, maybe Prairie style fencing and concrete or tarmac paving with era-appropriate gravel.  No painted lines designating spaces on either one, unless it’s era appropriate lead based.

I live nearby, there's been work going on there.  SilverJK's observations of worker comings and goings is accurate.

Not sure why they're having trouble getting a business to commit to the location, but I've always wondered about the business model of selling $400,000 + condos in a sea of $300,000 homes.  Remains to be seen if that works out.

There's an interesting practical effect of the construction that I've noticed.  Initial worries were expressed about the building blocking sunlight from surrounding homes.  That may be happening, but what definitely happens on the east side is that in the morning, the highly reflective windows cast beams of light onto the street below.  Walking through them is sort of like being an ant under a magnifying glass!

Right, the staff recommended denial last week after reviewing the application, but it was still on the agenda for 24Jan. The hahc could have concurred and denied, concurred and deferred final action with recommendations or gone against staff and approved. I don't know the outcome.

Well OK. All the fulmination against HAHC wrt the petition made me think the committee had ruled previously, and the owners were in some sort of appeals process after that. But I couldn't get info on that from the petition, other than an appeal for the Mayor to exercise some authority in the matter. In the interest of understanding the process, I wonder if planning staff based the recommendation of rejection on general standing city codes/restrictions or restrictions specific to the Heights district/HAHC. I think the ambiguity of some of the Heights historic restrictions was one of the worries dicussed on here, could this be an example of capricious application of the rules.

I got interested in the 1207 Harvard part of the thread this morning. Anybody know if it got approved at the Jan 24 meeting? The minutes are not yet posted.

Also, in regards to the petition, it's not clear to me when HAHC first denied the 1207 Harvard plans, because the property is not listed on minutes from previous meetings, at least I couldn't find it. If it wasn't brought to the HAHC prior to Jan 24, were the owners responding to hearsay from their developer rather than HAHC action in posting the petition?

certainly a stretch to believe

http://blog.chron.co...roups-in-study/

From the article:

<The number of big-box retailers in a community can have social and economic effects that lead to the formation of hate groups, a recent study found…

“We’re not trying to pick on Wal-Mart,” said Goetz. “In this study, Wal-Mart is really serving as a proxy for any type of large retailer.”>

Walmart hate-groups only appeared in the Heights after the Target opened. Hypothesis confirmed!

Still waiting for some substantiation of that 45,000 sq ft super trader joes in California. I am sure you will be able to verify that since you are so quick to require anyone opposing you to verify every factual statement they make.

Their business model has changed.

<But Flickinger, who has followed the chain for decades, said the company is seeking to expand the size of its shops by building new stores and also renting bigger retail spaces in new markets. A 13,000-square-foot Trader Joe's opened in Hollywood last year. Some stores, such as a location in Silver Lake and another in Eagle Rock, have already expanded.

The average Trader Joe's store probably will increase from between 10,000 square feet and 15,000 square feet now to 15,000 square feet and bigger, Flickinger predicts. "Trader Joe's can make double or triple the sales volume per week at a bigger store than at a small store, while checkmating competitors," he said.>

http://articles.lati...r-joes-20111027

However, I think those of you without kids only see the obnoxious kids at restaurants because they're being... well... obnoxious. You may barely realize my kids are with me if I am 2 booths away from you at Liberty Kitchen. You know why- because we've been bringing them to restaurants since they were born. They eat at the table at home, too. They know what "meal time" means.

A job well done.

I can only speak for myself, but as a child-free adult, I have no real problems with children, at restaurants or out about town. Obnoxious children do get noticed, but I can tell you that one of the most salient memories I have of child behavior at a restaurant is that of a lovely, less than two year old girl, who behaved angelically sitting at a table at Glass Wall with her parents.

One point of the most recent posts in this thread is that it is parents who want to take their children to these restaurants. I find it implausible that children are crying out for Gulf seafood with local brews, for example. Young children are at the mercy of their parents’ culinary preferences, but given the right coaching can probably be convinced that anything from the simplest box of mac-and-cheese to the $25 crab legs entree is the best thing ever. Another point is that children’s behavior in restaurants is the direct responsibility of their parents. Children only tear through Berryhill and swim in the fountain because their parents allow them to do it.

Parents who are reaching for “child-friendly” signs, such as a Berryhill management resigned to rambunctious children, cocktails named after schools, kid’s-sized beer glasses, or who view themselves as an aggrieved minority ignored for too long by the restaurant industry are taking things a bit too far. They don’t need to organize and picket local restaurants, or require that I be either for or against their children. Managing your children’s behavior in restaurants, and in other public places for that matter, is just one of the job requirements of parenthood. Most parents do that, and if you do it in my presence, you will at least get a gold star on my mental checklist for doing your job.

Of the mini-baby boom I described, all but one live in houses that would probably go on the market from $400k up to $700k. These are not typically the homes you buy when your intention is to bolt for the burbs when the kids hit grade school. Thus, I suspect that the population of families in the Heights is growing as families are staying and more families are moving in.

They might be the typical homes young couples buy when their parents sport the down payment. After kid(s) make the scene, making a quick switch to a $150,000-250,000 mortgage in the Burbs isn't so hard with the equity the Heights market has been producing.

And Down House doesn't serve beer in children's sizes just to make a buck.

I thought I cleared up the kid's drinks/school cocktails thing earlier. Now I'll have to go to Down House to police their menu.

The report of the Liberty Kitchen cool/funky bar with “kid-friendly” menu and cocktails named after schools was dissonant to me, especially understanding that the layout of BRC (the group’s last venture) is bar-centric. I am probably a bit paranoid about the “Berryhillification” of local joints; if you really want to expose your children to alcohol early in life, cut to the chase and go hang out at Shiloh Club .

So I reconnoitered the place last night, since it’s only a block away from my lair. As the name implies, Liberty Kitchen is kitchen-centric. The bar is actually more of a diner counter, or their upscale take on it, with the kitchen immediately behind it. With a fair number of booths, the layout and vibe are more conducive than BRC is to the tastes of Heights parents and their kids. So is the menu, as others have observed. If your kids are screaming for an upscale dining experience to salve the proletarian sting of another night of mac and cheese, chicken fingers or Whataburger, then by all means make reservations now.

Drinks are good, and they are named after local personalities (i.e. Hogg, Reagan) or schools if you prefer. Wine selection is extensive enough for fickle palettes. Karbach beers are on tap. The food is also good, the dishes on offer are reminiscent of BRC. It will take me some time to get a fair and broad sampling, but I had a shrimp remoulade sandwich that hit the right notes. And the menu says they are open for breakfast from 8am on weekends. Service is also good, and that’s a sign of good staff and management, considering they are still in the first week. They are still working through some things, but the place is sure to settle into a groove soon.

Went to LIberty Kitchen last night for a drink. Great bar area. Cool, funky interior. HUGE menu and definitely set up to be kid friendly. Kids' menu items come served on old cafeteria trays. Menu also says something like "almost all of our items can be sized down for kids' meals." Nothing childish about it, though- especially the drink menu. Great cocktails mostly named after Heights streets/schools.

My fifth-of-bourbon sense is kicking in. I prefer partaking in cocktails without children, and am wary of the company of parents that bring their children to adult/bar settings. We’ll see how it pans out, if the bar's vibe is too cool to pass up I may just have to recon when to sneak in a drink in between the play date times.

I heard on another forum that the owner of the new building is negotiating to buy out Someburger and just make additional parking. Anyone else heard this? I wonder what the rules would be to put Someburger in my front yard? LOL! Just kidding, but I'd hate to lose this place. I suppose it was inevitable when the new construction started.

I'm not buying that rumor. The corner lot has more value than just a parking lot. If they wanted more parking, I think they would negotiate a contract with the real estate office with the large parking lot next door to Someburger.

I got more information. It is a nation-wide campaign. Walmart is sending out gift cards to people living near new or remodeled stores. The idea is to get people to go to THAT STORE so they will shop at THAT STORE.

Largesse is how they got where they are. And it looks like they are going to bank on largesse in urban areas to get them out of their current rut.

Damn pushers. Is the CIA somehow involved in distributing this "gift card largesse" drug in urban areas?

I live about 1/2 a block away from the development, my neighbor (who is three houses closer) said he talked to the foremen on site the other day. The foreman described it as an 8 story project, we surmise two stories for the ground floor retail and six stories for whatever else. Have to monitor site to see how big the excavation for the piers are. It seems pretty big from my vantage point, but I'd like to see drawings; wonder if they'll match colors with Someburger?

Another thought about the "new developer", wondering if it could be a front/spinoff for an established company, since I imagine a start up design firm might have a hard time getting the financial backing for a project this size right off the bat.

Interesting piece in the Chron from the point of view of some of the proposed Walmart's neighbors who actually want the Walmart.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/falkenberg/7199516.html

I've been through that neightborhood many times, and shopped for rocks at SJS a few times too. Finally somebody else went over there, because Walmart protestors certainly haven't.

Esta cita es muy buena: "Los blancos," he said, shaking his head. "I don't know what their problem is."

I am not disagreeing with your other points, but the Heights could really benefit from a left turn signal at Yale and 11th st, that was on a timer. In the afternoon, its very common to wait 2, maybe 3 light cycles...its a yield on left and the traffic coming down Yale is timed so that as soon as the cars approaching from the North reach the intersection it turns green...those folks on Yale turning West onto 11th end up waiting 2 or more cycles unless they just get out in the intersection and run the red after its turned.

That signal is just one of many which COH traffic planners seem to neglect. And with the city’s insistence to set yellow lights to switch too fast for posted speed limits (but put up red light cameras), as well as Houston drivers’ propensity not to signal their intention to turn left while sitting at a red light, I don’t get the impression the issue will be resolved soon.

With that said - I hate Walmart, I support their rights to build wherever they feel like it.

I’ve seen that sentiment phrased that way before. I’m not sure why a “Hail Walmart, Full of Hate” must be said before any statement of the rights of the property owner and WalMart to come to a legal and proper agreement?

I love the traffic arguments though. Any store that gets built is going to create more traffic. You live inner city, in one of the largest cities in the world. Traffic is a reality, get used to it. If your too high strung to sit through it, you need to move to the country where there is no traffic.

True dat, but those living nearby are justified to want more concrete studies regarding the potential traffic issues.

It's all so Holier-Than-Thou to think the arguments against Walmart are all about "appearing affluent" or that anyone against it is being disingenuous. Perhaps it's even more plausible that people who support it are doing so only to be contrarian.

Many people in the Heights just plain ARE affluent. Apparently this is some grave sin in the forum. The guy who started the Facebook page lives on one of the streets where the Walmart may be built. Surely it's more for him than the appearance of affluence; than trying to impress others. Frankly, if people were really only in it for the looks they would welcome the Walmart purely so they could snub it.

Sure, some people have legitimate grievances or concerns over a WalMart in that particular location. Somebody replied to my earlier post with numbers regarding traffic that seem like a reasonable concern.

My thing is that I view Target and WalMart as the same type of business, and on the first page of this thread there was a lot of immediate reaction to WalMart that can be summed up as “Ew, icky-poo!” So I’m trying to understand the differences people see between the two.

What bothered me most was on this forum and others, I’ve seen people in an effort to “fight” the WalMart go so far as to site demographics saying that “those people” will be shopping there (North of Main types? Third Warders? Mexicans? Working class?). And apparently there are “ironic” websites mocking WalMart workers and shoppers. I’ve seen similar statements on threads regarding the Fiesta on Studewood. Too many wierdos, Latinos, “others”. What is it about WalMart that motivates some people to be so derisive and divisive?

What a coincidence. That's exactly what Walmart does. That's why they are building 3 stores within 10 miles of each other. How interesting that it is good business when Trader Joes does it, but some think it evil when Walmart does it.

Yeah, there’s a lot of WalMart “hate” out there.

Some object to WalMart on “moral grounds”, which I gather is in part a result of being in the habit of using WalMart as a proxy to relieve personal angst over consumerism, affluence, evolution of small town life or urban development.

Just as likely the reaction is a result of something as simple as branding. Target is the good “big box” store that sells cheap Chinese made products (brought to you by chic “designers”!) to whoever will buy them. Walmart is the bad “big box” store that destroys neighborhoods in order to sell cheap Chinese made products to whoever will buy them.

I don’t recall the same reaction with the Sawyer Heights project as is seen for this one. Based on my interactions, there was much joy in the Heights that Target was targeting our neighborhood. Maybe I’m misremembering?

Funny thing is the same employee pool Target uses would be used by WalMart, because jobs at both places require similar skill sets, with just about the same pay scales and benefits. The same customer base shopping at Target now would be shopping at WalMart. The current expansion of the frontage road would relieve traffic pressures on Yale. All opponents are left with is the moral affront, or maybe there’s some endangered species currently occupying that open lot.

This might sound silly, but I emailed Trader's Joe and asked them to come to Houston, TX. I think they would do well near the Heights as opposed to Wal-Mart. You never know, it might work

If you want to suggest a location for Trader's Joe, go here: http://www.traderjoes.com/about/location-requests-form.asp

If you have never heard of Trader's Joe, it's kind of like a Whole Foods, but will more reasonable prices. They have locatoins in about 20 states, but none in Texas. People rave about it.

My current hypothesis is that Trader Joe's has thus far avoided Texas because of our liquor laws (they sell hard stuff in their stores) and/or the alcohol beverage lobby. Or it could have to do with their Wst coast-based distribution system. I'm not sure why they just opened a store in Omaha, NE rather than say, San Angelo or Pflugerville.

The Tamale Factory has good tamales, and they seem to be doing enough business, since they're still around. And it looks like they are farming some profits into improvements (like the paint job) so I think they'll be there a while. The CVS/Walgreen's thing is probably just a rumor without much basis. At least, I hope so.

Concerning their geography, the "South of the Border" thing is disconcerting, but not a good reason to pass up their food IMO.

As for their linguistics, I think thier use of "tamale" is essentially correct. Tamale as it is rendered in Nahuatl is the singular, and my understanding is that inanimate objects did not necessarily receive plural treatment in Nahuatl grammar. And if it did, it would not have been an "s" on the end. Perhaps after the Conquest, the Spanish used the word with the "s" to make the plural?

Don't forget Thai Spice and Collina's on 19th. Both serve good food.

Thanks all for the heads up on Jazzy Cafe, I will definitely swing by for a NOLA fix.

A minor warning about the Mardi Gras Cafe, however. They put spices on their berled crawfish after their done rather than just berling them with the crab boil. I also encountered this at a crawfish boil at Onion Creek. Maybe that's a "Texas thang", but it is definitely wrong if you want New Orleans style boiled crawfish.

I'd like to know if the city is going to require the developer to widen or improve the Taylor/Sawyer access to the Target site. If you drive or ride a bike (as I do) on this section of road, it is a wreck. Too many big trucks from the Mahatma plant and not enough road maintenance.