soifan

Wow, I can't believe this thread is still going.  I haven't been on here in a long time.  I saw the Chronicle story about the Savoy being rehabbed and decided to come back here to catch up. Anyway, I was curious about pics too.  I found a few pics/ videos online and I thought I'd share the links.

http://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/2010/05/foley-brothers-dry-goods-co-houston.html

A TV commercial for MCM from 1993

Another TV commercial.  This one from 1989 with Fame City highlighted. 

thanks to all that liked the info...I wondered if I was not boring with too much info, but it seemed to all piece together

Very interesting to me - thanks!

I remember the Harold Farb apartments all over west Houston and the sign that went with them.....I don't believe I ever met him, but several of my friends would party some with Harold Farbs son (I believe his name was Kenyon) and he was a pretty cool and down to earth guy from what they all said...I was probably at several of the same parties, but just never met him

My dad is a landscape architect and did MANY jobs for Farb over the years. I still remember that sign well too. Do any still exist? I remember one along Westheimer near Gessner (Woodlake Square area?) not too long ago. I think Farb died not too long ago b/c I remember my dad going to the funeral.

it looks like the skating rink just south of Westella on Dairy Ashford is still there and that was a big hangout in middle school back when parents could just drop kids off and then pick them back up later

Lots of fun memories! It's still there, but I haven't been inside in years.

I am sure some others will remember this, but for a while they had widened Westheimer (greatest stretch of road on earth) to 3 lanes from west 610 all the way to 6.......then when it became too crowded Houston came up with the brilliant plan to save money instead of going in and buying up right of way especially from 610 to about Gessner they went in and re-striped the roads from three 12 foot wide lanes down to 4 10 foot wide lanes and cut out chunks of the median in the middle to get the extra few feet they needed......the damn buses in Houston at that time were something like 10 feet or 10'2" wide so when you drove down the street and came up on a bus stopped or to pass everyone had to squeeze over a bit more towards the center so the person in the lane next to the bus could pass.....I think that lasted 3 or 4 years before they figured out that too many crappy drivers were not passing the buses out of fear and instead "pacing" them and then slowing down really slow to pass when the bus stopped........plus it was super crowded as hell like that and they finally went in and got the right of way and widened them back out to 4 lanes of the proper size......also just after Gessner heading west there was an area where the lanes had crazy striping and everyone would try and race to not be the car cut off in the 4th lane as they went to three and heading east everyone would race to be the one that got into the open new 4th lane......they did not even just end one lane as a right turn only or start the 4th from three after an intersection (I am 99% sure that is how it was if anyone else remembers better I would love to hear)......but that was driving in Houston back in the day......get in, start it up, get out of the way or haul ass......there was NO middle ground haha

I remember!! I wasn't driving age, but we/ our parents (carpool) drove Westheimer everyday from Walnut Bend to Voss to go to Second Baptist. It was scary after having those nice wide roads. You felt like you were always waiting for someone to hit you.

OK a few more things looking at Google earth

across Lakeside in the strip that had the Schwinn place the free standing building to the east was a chicken place that was a local chain, but I can't remember the name.....I think the building to the west was also a bank

I remember that chicken place well and I think it was called Ron's. Does that sound correct? My dad loved their chicken.

Westchase Mall also had the Palais Royal the whole time, but it used to be in the mall I am 99% sure and the Black Eye Pea was also always there....out front on the southeast corner of Westheimer and Wilcrest in the mall parking lot was the Rusty Pelican and the Taco Cabana was a Two Pesos

I don't remember Palais Royal being in there, but I do remember The Gap just as you came out of Target after the 45 degree angle on the right. I remember always going to the Palais Royal on westheimer near I believe Hayes. I think it is now the location of a Spec's liquor. Also, the Pea has been there as long as I can remember too.

The Pizza Hut at the front of Lakeside was where the Walgreens is now

back down Wilcreat right near the McDonalds used to be the Rotisserie For Beef and Bird or "the beef and bird" as we called it....it was really good and pretty nice and I know in the recent past before they closed down they also started to have a nice selection of Texas wines which was another reason I was sad to read about 4 years ago to read the owners were retiring and closing it

on the southwest corner of Westheimer and Wilcrest when that strip center was new they had a Houstons for a long time

We ate at that Pizza Hut often - remember getting ET glasses there. I remember the Container Store behind it in the strip center. I also ate at that Houston's as a kid and in my early 20's when I lived near Dairy Ashford/ Westheimer. We went to Beef and Bird for my husband's college grad dinner and it was great.

the pipeline over Buffalo Bayou at Wilcrest between the two bridges was not there and that is why the corvette with the body could fit through

Is this where they have the stairs/ tunnel to cross Wilcrest to get to the pool?

Rosewood Hospital and a bunch of one story Dr offices use to be on the north side of Westheimer just east of Gessner

I believe the doctor's offices were 2 story as we had an ENT in there. It was a very pretty setting and was sad when they tore it all down about 10 years ago.

Vargos.....always been beautiful......food has always SUCKED!

Benihana has been there FOREVER

We moved to Katy in 84 so I went to High school out there, but we often went into town for special occassions. We ate at both before dances. Only been to Vargo's once, but it was beautiful. I remember the swans, peacocks, and gazebo. I don't really remember the food as they were running long/behind with the food so we had to eat really fast to make it to prom before they shut off entrance. I've been to that Bennihana many times over the years - once sat next to a whole table of Astros players(1991).

I am pretty sure Sherlocks pub has been in Carillon and it was a place that was pretty popular for the 18-23yo crowd and was pretty good about serving minors most of the time back then

That's correct - my sister went there alot in late 90's.

I changed to blue as I see the red is hard to read -sorry.

Do you also remember the huge fireworks show they would put on every year on Flag Day? They shot them off from those office buildings between Blue Willow and the current Beltway. People would park all over that section of Westheimer to watch the amazing show. We always parked near the church with all those bells.

I lived in Lakeside from 1974 until 1985 and spend a good deal of time there even after that

We lived in the area during the same time frame, but you were older. I lived there from birth until age 10 when we moved to Katy. I lived on Wickersham in Walnut Bend.

Soifan I can only think of one girl that went to Second Baptist and she is now married and lives in Walnut Bend in the VanEniman's (spelling) old house now...I lived on Olympia

I went to 2nd Baptist from fall of 81 until spring of 84 - 2nd-4th grade. We had a carpool with people from walnut Bend, Briargrove Park, and in 4th grade - the Hilton hotel.

the small strip type thing on Walnut Bend was always a day care (the day care almost looked like a house) and I think an insurance office......the small strip center on Blue Willow was Dr. Zinner the vet that had a funny nose where a dog bit him and again some insurance office or something similar

The day care was actually a private preschool/ lower grade school called Meriweather. I went there from age 4 through 1st grade. It did always look like a house. It had a big L- shaped playground out back where my little sister busted her head open when she fell off a tire swing onto the pebbles below and then the swing came back and hit her again in the head as she was getting up. I also remember taking Spanish class during the day there. Next to Meriweather in the late 70's was a ballet studio that later became a dentist office. On Blue Willow was the vet you mentioned as well as a dentist - we went to both of those offices.

there used to be a UtoteM right down the street from Walnut Bend Ele. on the small stretch of Walnut Bend that went from the front to the back of the subdivision and there was also a place there called Sinnet (Tennis spelled backwards) that made high end womens tennis apparel and a frined of mine's mom worked there as a seamstress for a while

I remember that tennis store and UtoteM. I was just talking to my mom and she said one of our neighbors was a seamstress for the shop (she didn't know about your post). She thinks it was our nieghbor named Carol Holt - although it could have been a different neighbor. Was that you mom's friend?

the area between Blue Willow and Walnut Bend on Westheimer had a wendys (right across from the day care place mentioned above) and a handy dans which was before home depo and Lowes and builders square......closer to Blue Willow was a cheap strip center or nothing at first then it was cleared and the big 2 story strip center was built some friends not much older than my group of friends (used to be the swim team coaches for Walnut Bend Swim Team) had a pool cleaning and contracting company in there for a while, but it closed down and I can't remember most of the rest of what was in there, but there was a cheesy sorry sucky ninfas franchise, and a Chilis knockoff called Spoons where a friend of mine worked for a while and they watched a bum bath naked in the fountain of the big curved building across Westheimer by Target (further down Westheimer there was another Chilis knock off called Fry's right at Fry road)

I had forgotten about Spoons until I read it. I remember all of those places quite well. I remember when they built that 2 story silver colored strip center as we lived on Wickersham so we watched it go up from our house. (We backed up to Overbrook? - Is that correct? Is Overbrook the 2nd street? I used to know them all in order. ) I have a funny memory of that Wendy's and getting stuck there for a long time. My mom was coming out of the drive-thru and was going to turn on walnut Bend to go back to our house, but she cut it too tight and went up over the curb and got stuck in a low place in the grass before you turn onto Walnut Bend. She wasn't able to reverse out or go forward and we had to wait for help. We were blocking the drive thru line. This had happened to others before so after that incident they finally concreted that spot in and you can still see it there today.

Fry's was down Westheimer near eldridge - don't remember the side street name, but I'm fairly sure it's not Fry. The only Fry Rd I know is the one in Katy. It was open until about 3 or 4 years ago.

the shopping center at the front of Briargrove Park has a Dairy Queen (that was actually nice and clean for an urban DQ), Rice food Store (back when it was just Rice), a Jaspers BBQ that had a kickass beer can collection, and the assorted other strip center stuff and a full service Shell Station with a garage.....the DQ went down hill when some Greeks bought it and in addition to the DQ menu they had wooden shingles on the wall with various Greek foods listed on it (about the same time all urban DQs in Texas went downhill)

Do you also remember the Jumbo grocery store and the Kay Floyd pharmacy? We frequented both of those stores often. Kay Floyd was also called Kay Lewis at one point and was owned by two men who I believe also owned Piney Point Pharmacy. I remember they had nice gifts in there too and also had home delivery service.

I posted in Red under his quotes.

Just found these links when I googled it. I didn't remember that many fatalities- so sad.

http://www.hfrrf.org/admin_History_WestchaseHiltonFire.asp

http://books.google.com/books?id=4BWyBELDQIwC&pg=PA125&lpg=PA125&dq=westchase+hilton+fire&source=bl&ots=GajxIzaFOc&sig=nmGKlqHF8o591d2clzMf2_faSuw&hl=en&ei=nKqFTPLkEoWClAeE_Ni6Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&sqi=2&ved=0CDQQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=westchase%20hilton%20fire&f=false

What about the Carillion shopping center. Does anyone remember some of the original stores?

I also remember something about the Westchase Hilton burning down in the early 80's...not sure though!

I lived in Walnut Bend from 74 to 84 as a young girl. I also attended Second Baptist School during this time so I have lots of memories of that area of town. When I went to Second Baptist, we had a carpool one year with a girl whose dad was the manager of that Hilton. I remember seeing their "apartment" that they lived in in the hotel (on the 10th floor I believe) and thinking how cool it was. I do remember the fire a little bit b/c it was during that time. I know for a fact that the hotel didn't burn to the ground, but they did have a decent sized fire that gutted several rooms and did substantial damage. I was just talking to my parents and they remember that several people also died in that fire. This was probably 83 or 84.

As far as Carillon, I remember every year that Second Baptist Church would do their human singing Christmas tree outside there at Carillion. There were many neat angles and cut out areas and one was a big circular area that the human Christmas tree fit into perfectly. Does anyone else remember this? As far as shops, my mom said she remembered The Great Caruso and a place called the Hobbit Hole or Hobbit Cafe. My memories are a little later of the Chili's that is still there and when this ice cream store called Cones and Cream opened. It was like a current day Marble Slab and I remember people waiting for what seemed like hours to get ice cream w/ the mix-ins.

As for Westchase Mall, I remember that well too. I do remember the Gap as the first store on your right as you left Target.

I also remember a beauty salon, eye doctor (still see him today by Whole Foods now), Hallmark type shop, and maybe a pizza place.

Thanks for your help everyone. Unfortuantely, we just found out that family member that was to stay with our kids has an unavoidable conflict so we aren't going. We'll just have to catch them again.

I'm curious though - how is it as a concert venue? I've read some very mixed reviews online - esp. about sound quality. Do you enjoy shows there? It will be good to know for future reference. Thanks!

Hello everyone - I need some info from you guys. Jackopierce http://www.jackopierce.com/ is playing in Houston this Thursday night at the Studio at Warehouse LIve. Dh and I enjoyed them back in our college days and saw them a few times in the mid 90's in College Station. Anyway, I've been checking for a stop in Houston for quite awhile. They are coming this Thursday and we'd like to go. My question is about the venue. I am 4 months pregnant so I don't want to be in a smoky enclosed bar type place. What is this place like? Is there smoking allowed inside? We usually go to 1-2 concerts a year, but typically at the Woodlands for big draw shows. Anyway, we would be going to the early show if this makes any difference.. Opinions and any info you can share is greatly appreciated!

On Preston Street behind Wortham Center, the bridge over the bayou has 4 towers. Inside the tower closest to Wortham is a button. Press the button and you will hear a giant flushing sound coming from Wortham, then look down at the bayou to the right and you'll see a big bunch of bubbles and water come shooting out of the middle of the bayou. Try and hit a kayaker. http://www.houstonpr...-secret-198218/

The Button is on a 60 second timeout, so you'll have to wait the full minute before the button will work again.

THANKS so much for that info/ link. My dh and I spent a weekend downtown in March and walked down there after a play at the Alley. My dh kept seeing this "bubbling" happen and was very curious about it. He even made me take some pictures. We never would have known the answer if it wasn't for this post. I learn so many cool things about my hometown from this board! I've lived here all my life (except college) and I love reading here about all this obscure stuff.

Great memory Bryan Guy! Is was inded Campus Theater, and the sign is still there under the wood paneling. I'm pretty sure I still lived on Northside while they did that remodel.

Wasn't Shulman 6 a dollar cinema after Cinemark opened but before the renovations? Then after remodel they were first run again? I know Bryan and C.S. were in different zones, so College Park 6 could have the same movies as the C.S. theaters. I sat in the front row there for Jurassic Park, ouch...

Could Parkway Theater have been named something like Park Place III?

Updated list:

Queen Theatre: 1946-1964, vacant/under renovation

Dixie Theatre: ?-?, near the Queen on Main St.

Palace Theater: 1928-1985, 1987-present as an open air venue

Campus Theater: ?-?; vacant until Shadow Canyon then Midnight Rodeo, on side was The Cue and Club Ozone before Hole-In-The Wall Saloon, now O'Bannion's and Paddock Lane

Circle Drive-In:?-?, NW corner of University and College Ave.

Skyway Drive-In: 1952-1967, site of current Tejas Center

Skyway Twin Drive-In: 1967-mid 1985, was located behind the future Shulman 6

Manor East III: 197?-1994, large theater still in use by Stage Center, back of Tejas Center

Shulman 6: 197?-mid 90's, 1997-2002(as College Park 6), now Blinn College classrooms.

Cineplex III: 1980(?)-1996, where Harry's is now; was a Lazer Tag after theater closed

Parkway Theater, Park Place III(?): 1984(?)-1995, became a few clubs/pool halls, then bought and remodeled by church

Post Oak 3: 1984-2000, now a club

Hollywood USA/Cinemark: 1993-present, opened as a 16 screen theater, converted to stadium seating and added two theaters 2003-2004

Premeire Cinema: 2006-present, opened as a 16 screen

Bryan, College Station

Some update info from Schulman Theaters' company history page.

I was a student at A&M from 92-96 and saw alot of movies during my time there. After I met my dh in 1994, I even kept all my movie stubs in a scrapbook and I still have it today. Most of what you have above is correct( stuff that I would know about) except the Park Place III dates. If that is the one on SW Pkwy behind Wendy's, it had to close before Fall of 1992 as I don't remember it open while I was there. I also know FOR certain it was a club by fall 1994. I went dancing in a night club that was in that building in Sept. 1994 (remember date b/c of bad breakup that happened right before and friends drug me there to cheer me up) and remember thinking you could tell it was an old theater. It was dance/ club music -not country.

Other memories that may help your dates:

- The theater by Harry's was definitely open in 1993 as I remember seeing "My Life" w/ Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman there in 1993 (possibly fall semester). I don't remember seeing any other movies there and think it closed shortly after this.

- Shulman 6 - I believe I'm thinking of the correct theater- it was an older style one w/ 6 screens and you could see an old drive in screen right by this theater. My now dh and I saw several movies here in 1995. I have my ticket stub from seeing "Mad Love" there from June 1995.

-Cinemark either opened in second half of 1993 or in 1994. I remember the difficulty of seeing a movie my freshman year in BCS. It seemed like the movie theaters were always sold out so we rented a lot of movies my Fish Year . One time we drove to every movie place that we knew of to try to see "The Bodyguard" when it came out, but every one was sold out. I remember trying the Shulman, one at Manor East, the mall, and the one at the current Harry's location. I belive that was it in Fall of 1992. I remember thinking they seriously needed a modern big theater and soon Cinemark appeared.

- Post Oak Theaters - I still have ticket stubs from seeing Braveheart, Waterworld, Seven, Father of Bride 2, and Beautiful Girls in 1995 and 1996 w/ now dh. All my stubs say "Carmike cinemas" on them so this must be who was managing it at the time.

- Sidenote: I also remember going to see Wayne's World on campus my freshman year. I don't believe it was first run b/c I remember seeing this in high school at home at the end of my senior year (spring 1992). Anyone remember where this would be? It wasn't in the big auditorium, but I believe it was elsewhere in the MSC/ Rudder area. All I remember is everyone singing along to the Bohemian Rhapsody and quoting lines from the movie -lol.

Hope this helps some. I enjoyed this thread!

I lived in Walnut Bend from birth until age 10 and we went to Westchase Mall often. Since I was young and it's been more than 25 years, I don't remember everything that was in there, but many of the descriptions given are correct - a long air conditioned hallway w/ stores on both sides and a few entrances/ sitting areas. What I do remember is a hallway near the front right side of Target that led in to the mall. I do remember it being at an angle too as someone posted. The I remember The Gap being the on the right side of the mall just outside the Target entrance. I don't remember too many other particulars about exact stores, but I know there was a pizza place, a haircut place, my eye doctor (who is still in the area by Whole Foods now), a Hallmark type store, etc... I know there were other places, but these were the ones we went to often and the ones I remember. I'll have to ask my mom next time I talk to her as she would remember more.

RR had some tables and such outside... and that was on the outside corner. The RC (?) was on the INSIDE corner. Right across the walkway from Cafe Adobe. There was a waterfall, animatronic birds, and alligators or whatever. Even had the jungle flora and background noise... if it wasn't that then what was it?

I know exactly what you are talking about b/c we ate in the restaurant you are describing w/ friends probably 7-9 years ago. It was surfer/ tropical themed, but it was NOT a Rainforest Cafe. We also didn't ever go back and it's been gone now for at least 3-4 years if not more.

Dh and I first discovered RC in Vegas in 1999 as we were walking through the MGM Grand. We ate there and thought it was pretty good for a theme restaurant - comparing to Hard Rock, Planet Hollywood, etc type places. We have small kids now and live in Katy, so yes we do go to RC. We usually go once a year for ds's birthday as he loves it. The food is decent and the kids have fun - a fun place for a birthday dinner for our kids. We've been to the Galveston one once on a RAINY day to kill time since our plans changed due to the weather. It's about the same except for the ride addition.

We are moving to Houston and are looking at the NOTTINGHAM COUNTRY area at Fry & I10. I'll be driving to Woodway and 610 and would like to be in the office at 7:30 and will leave about 5:30. With the construction finished on the 10 what are the approximate commute times I could expect?

I hope you get your commute answer.

- Some confusing aerial photography suggests that the mall never did a major expansion. It looks like Foley's was razed for Dillard's, and that was it.

- Was the original Foley's one story or two?

- When did the food court open?

- An upstairs area near Sears was once a Loews 6, and at another time it was an amusement park area. When were they these things, and what is it now? Please note that in looking in an aerial that shows the sides, it does NOT connect to the current cinema. So what is there now? A possible suggestion is that the escalators once led up to it is in the space reserved for that new sports grill. Do they occupy it now?

- I'm preparing a replacement to the Wikipedia article for the mall, which you can see here. Please edit and tell me what I did wrong/need to add.

Okay, I'm not remembering a Loews 6 upstairs at all. I don't think that is correct. There was the original balcony theater w/ red plush carpeting and a grand staircase near the current Forever 21. I'm not sure when that closed as my memories of that are few (see previous post). Then they opened the multiscreen theatre on the ground floor down in the Sears wing -across from the access to today's theater. As you were walking in the mall towards Sears, it was on the right hand side just before a hallway that lead to the parking lot (I believe this hall is still there w/ a restaurant - maybe Beck's Prime?) and then past the hall was Sears. I can't remember what is in that space now, but there were doors from that side hallway and the main corridor to access the theater. I think this theater closed in the late 90's.

As far as the upstairs amusement park, I've read alot about this over the years and it perplexes me as I have no memory of it at all. It might just be the timing is off for me to remember it as I think some dates put it around 93-94 and I was away at college then. I do remember hearing of a play place upstairs that existed when I was really little near the old original theatre (current Forever 21 area), but have no memory of accessing such a place later on in that location. I do remember a place I think that was called Exhilarama that actually had rides and I believe was 2 stories in the mid 90's. It started where the little arcade in the food court is today and went way back for a long ways (probably into what is currently some of Penney's space). There was a staircase to a 2nd floor w/ more stuff if memory serves me correctly. I only went there once or twice w/ my nephew when he was little. I remember a 2nd floor there, but all these things I read about a 2nd floor play area near Sears confuses me. CAn anyone help me w/ this? I've always wondered about this inconsistent memory.

I'll try:

1. Foley's was one story...it was not where Macy's is today. It was on the east side of the mall...but the mall stretches out further east now than it did then, i believe.

2. The newly remodled food court opened in the last 4-5 years or so...before then it was just an expanse of space to the west if you entered from the south/central entrance. Before that...I'd really have to go back in memory...I don't remember a food court...I remember a York Steak House that was in the same general vicinity, though, within the mall.

3. There have been 3 movie theaters in MCM. The first was centrally located...my grandfather ran the projection there when that used to be a union job. It was near where Forever 21 is now. It was a Lowe's. It was an upstairs facility but I believe it only had 3 screens. It closed down and for a while there was no theater there in the mall...but about 89 or so they opened up the second Lowe's theater which was near Sears. It was all on the first floor, however. It had 6 screens, I think. And then it closed down and we didn't have a theater there again until the new Cinemark opened up about 2 years back.

Madmax - We are the same age (also born in 74) and have many of the same memories. I've been going to this mall as long as I can remember and will try to help out.

Point #1 - He is correct. It was on the east side, but the mall is MUCH longer now. It used to end about where the Starbucks rotunda is. It was a straight shot with the Foley's (one story) ending the mall there. As you were walking towards Foley's, I do remember a Palais Royal (or something similar) on the left hand side. I'm not sure how long it was there, but I know it was there in my high school years until they started rehabing the mall. (We did a school choir fundraiser there by helping w/ inventory one year. )

Point #2 - I don't personally remember the steakhouse, but have heard about it. I do remember the food court from the 80's and 90's. It was in the same area - just much smaller than today. If you take away that part that juts out by McDonald's and goes to more eateries, the bathrooms, and carousel, etc, and make it a straight wall down to the exit by Berryhill/ arcade, that was the food court back then. The whole side where Taco Bell and all those restaurants are and the part of the other side with storefronts near Chickfila were there then too. I also remember one of those recording studios that were everywhere in the 80's. You know the kind where you wore headphones and the gave you sheet music and they recorded you singing a famous song and gave you the tape. This one had a TV moitor where you could watch the people recording in the food court. It was located near the present day Marble Slab counter I think.

Point#3 -Our memories match up well except I was thinking the second theater (late 80's-2000ish) was a few more screens -maybe 8-10. My only memory of the first theater is a large curving staircase covered in red velvety like carpeting. My dad saw the Excorist there and the popcorm machine caught on fire during the movie and everyone had to be evacuated. He took this as a sign to never watch movies like that again -lol. (He said half-joking.)

Really? It feels a lot older...it has some room for improvement...it kind of smells in their...

but the food's pretty good and its a nice experience overall.

Maybe it feels older b/c it was a regular pre-stadium seating theater in its former life. (I think it was a Cinemark.) When I was growing up in Katy from the mid 80's to early 90's, this was the only theater out here. It was 8 screens w/ a snack bar. I believed it closed about 7-9 years ago (once Katy Mills and the big Cinemark came in) and sat empty for a few years before being converted and opened by Alamo.

Hello all - My dh and I have an anniversary coming up and want to go out for a nice dinner. With 2 small children and a tight budget, it's a real treat to do so. We have decided to convert some of our AMEX rewards point for a dining voucher so we can enjoy ourselves w/o worry of cost. We'd like a nice dinner out at a place that has a great steak, nice atmosphere, and where we can hear each other talk. My favorite steak place is Pappa Bros Steakhouse for a great, romantic dinner (we were in a back room, quiet both), but it's not a choice. I have not eaten at any of the following places, so I'm not sure which to pick. If you read reviews, it's a mixed bag at most paces - some LOVE it, some don't.

Here are my choices from AMEX:

Smith & Wollensky

Capital Grille

Morton's

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse - do we even have one of these?

Ruth Chris

So, which would you pick and why? If there are multiple locations, is one better than the other? I really appreciate your help!

the one in Hockley didnt last long...seems after the initial excitement, it died. I was super excited...but just not motivated to drive that far.

I'm confused by your statement as The Showboat is still very much up and running. In fact they added a 2nd screen last year. I have friends who went recently and it was full. We've been before and loved it and hope to get back this fall. With 2 small kids, we don't get to many movies at all these days. Here's a link to this weekend's features: http://www.theshowboatdrivein.com/

I remember many of those places. I also remember:

Units - Remember this fad?! It was basic knit pieces that you mixed and matched -most outfits were finished off with a fabric "belt" ( a tube of fabric). I remember the stores having walls of cubbies w/ the pieces in there.

Contempo - didn't shop there much, but some friends did

579 -I think these might still exist

I remember Outback Red clothes, but can't remember who sold them.

I also shopped sometimes at Gap, Express, Lerners (now NY&Co) and Banana Republic - all stores that still exist.

BTW these would be mid -late 80's stores.

Wait, 1989-1990? The ice rink I thought didn't open until 2002 or so and I thought the second-level theater was all new construction. You're confusing me!

His post confused me some too, but he is right about there being a movie theatre back then down by Sears (across the way from the new theatre). It was 8-10 screens and was the old style (pre stadium seating). The current theatre is the 3rd one in this mall as far as I know. When I was a very little girl, I remember one that had a "grand" staircase carpeted in a plush red near the middle of the mall. My parents confirmed this theatre and said it was there most of the 70's (if not before) and maybe some of the early 80's -not sure. I also remember something about a fire there.

I don't remember a rink there in the late 80's- those were my high school years and we went there often. There were seasonal rinks set up from time to time, but I don't remember a permanent rink at that time. There may have been a rink many years before, but not at that time.

Wow - Thank you so much! I don't know how I missed that one. I was looking in my controls and everywhere else.

Thanks again!

Hello all - I've been coming here to HAIF for several years and love this site. For the last few weeks, everytime I check the boards I can only see the first post normally and then the rest are listed below in a drop down menu where I have to click each individual post to read it. I hope that makes sense. I want to be able to see all replies one after the other without clicking each one. I looked in MY CONTROLS but can't figure it out. If you know what I'm talking about and can help, please tell me what to do to fix it. Thanks in advance!

So the SW corner is a CVS. The SE corner is empty. The NE Corner is Westgreen Gardens. Dirt is being moved on the NW corner now. Any idea what is going in there? I would guess a gas station (I haven't driven by in a while...maybe it is clearly not a gas station based on where they are with the construction now...). Anybody know??

I think this may be the spot where I saw a sign for Main Event Entertainment. I didn't know what that was so I did a search and the logos match up w/ the sign I saw. http://www.maineventusa.net/

Sorry to repeat info. Something is messed up w/ my settings on here and I didn't see the other replies at first. All the replies are in a drop down menu format -how do I fix that?

Check out the Showboat in Hockley.

http://www.theshowboatdrivein.com/index.html

I agree! Love the showboat - great place to see a double feature for $5! It's very clean, safe, and family friendly. Drive-ins seem to be coming back as they are opening one in Brookshire soon as well. Here's that link. http://www.starsatnightdrivein.com/

There was a place on a sloping patch of land at 610 and 59 that was like a homemade amusement park with crafts, mabe that was it? I used to take my son there in the early 80ies. There were pitch black tunnel mazes that you could crawl through -kinda scary - ball pits, dress-up areas. It was really informal and uncommercial. I hardly ever remember any staff being around. It was fun. Later there was a plant nursery on this patch of land and now it is just more freeway.

You are describing what I think was called Mountain Park. I remember going there as a child. I also remember a large hill that you could go down in/on giant bags/ mats (or something like that) -like a giant slide.