WestUNative

Actually, Ship Ahoy probably came first. My parents were divorced and that was my Daddy's favorite place to take me out to eat when he visited. This would have been in late 1940's through early 1950's. Wonderful place with the little balconies, ship deck railings, high ceilings and windows. Always felt special to me and the seafood was super as well.

Thank you for the pictures! Where do you get these things? As my visits were in my pre-driving years, I don't know which location, but the Dining Room on your postcard is the one!

Oh! Sue O, I attended Camp Tejas in about 1947 and somewhere here in a much earlier post I described exactly what you just did! We loved tramping over and peering into the depths of the mansion. I guess we were all enamored. Rowing on the lake, the separate wood cabins throughout the woods, making way through the "wilderness" to get to bathroom building in middle of night. I was only 6 at the time but loved it. Do you recall the pool decorations? Mosaic tile colors, perhaps of acquatic creatures? I cannot remember, just know it had some embellishment, not just plain vanilla. Anyway the interior of the house looked like the occupants just up and left without moving their things and never came back, which I now understand is what the widow did.

Sev, I will take one of each and like, right now! Also downtown in this era was The Normandie, elegant, cool and dark with gorgeous food and the best Eclairs in the world, before or since.

Okay, I have been around a long time. On our 9th grade, Sr. Skip Day from Pershing, in 1956, a group of us hung out at Howard Johnson's there on Bellaire. During that era they had an all you could eat seafood fry every Friday night, good stuff.

Perhaps you are thinking of Mueller's Bakery in The Village? It was wonderful and only about a block south from Rice grocery store. Great to hear from a neighbor, I lived on University Blvd. in West University Place from 1941-1981, so I know it throughout at long history. Moved back in 1993, stayed til 1996 and my daughter still lives there. Any questions, will be glad to help. By the way, loved Timmy Chan's in Greenway, such elegant presentation of food. How about the tall, footed, pierced silver rice servers? Miss so many of the the great restaurants.

Really good stuff! Right by Joske's. My young daughter and I haunted the place after our Galleria shopping.

Yes, indeed! W. Howard Lee was married to Hedy Lamarr from 1953-1960. Shortly after their divorce, he married Gene Tierney in 1960. Guess he really liked the beautiful stars of the Big Screen.

Actually that is what I meant to add. After reading of her sad mental history and of the electro-shock treatments, it is very possible to likely she was unable to remember the combination lock numbers, among so many things of that ilk we are tasked to carry around in our heads. I always liked her as an actress and her beauty was undeniable.

I just noticed this thread, small antecdote to add. When she lived in River Oaks, married to Howard Lee, they rented a box for their mail at the Highland Village Post Office Station. My husband at the time was in charge of the Box Section. Gene could either never remember the combination or didn't bother to learn it, so it became a frequent occasion for her to knock on the door and have my husband retrieve and hand her the mail. I always thought it was just the pampered life of a Hollywood Star, used to folks doing everything for her.

Marmer, thanks a bunch for saving and sharing your booklet. I would dearly love scans of menus for Hobbit Hole and Ouisie's as keepsakes and to share with my family. We were recently dining at the "new" Hobbit and I was trying to explain how different the menu was way back at the original place. We did Ouisie's not just for the food, but for the great name, "Ouisie's Table and Brown Bag Traveling Company." As for the cafeteria in question, Apollopride, I remember it spelled as Jetton's.

Stop the presses, hold everything, we segued to Bryan/College Station here? We've been invaded by Aggies? Well, okay, but shame, shame, no one mentioned Rebel's? I mean, wow, I lived in a small rural area for a while and the nearest decent shopping was Bryan, so we'd always do the necessaries, then head for Rebel's for a grand steak dinner, even in middle of afternoon. Great stuff. Equal time now for Longhorns. In Austin, a place named "The Mars Bar", which was actually a restaurant in an old house a bit removed from campus. Really good food, again great steak and some divine garlic mashed potatoes.

Oh, Alpha, thanks, no one believes me now, but not one girl ever saw me in my underwear, much less nude! We used the multiple, flouncy petticoat shield for changing into our gym suits as well. I attended Pershiing Jr. High from 1953-1956 and never took swimming. I do recall those girls who did swim were required to take nude communal showers and the rest of us twittered they must be lesbians to flaunt their nudity like that. But in the pool, they always wore bathing suits. There was a rumor that the boys swam nude and one day, a girl decided to check it out. She stealthily sidled up to the pool door only to find it locked tight, leaving our questions unanswered, but suspicions running higher. As for the controversy about silly modesty, that came into play, but seriously, most kids of that age simply were not that proud of their bodies and feared negative comparisons. I would think the guys would suffer from that especially, worried about size of equipment in front of the "big" boys.

Vertigo, you are not going to believe this, but tis true. Around 1993, my daughter, who grew up at Houston Zoological Gardens, of course, and I stopped by a flea market type old store in Leonia, Texas. That is a tiny spot south of Centerville. Incredibly there stood the little lion drinking fountain from the Houston Children's Zoo, all chipped and worn. The shop owner confirmed it had indeed come from there. My grown up girl towered over it at 5'1" and couldn't believe how little she had been when drinking from it not so long before. Remember when the Vampire Bats were the latest thing? Wow, really amazing and highly touted. Then the surprise to learn they'd been caught in Mexico and raised in a guy's garage in Bellaire, just down the street. Those tiny little devil faces lapping up the blood, which originally was outdated goods from the human blood bank, not from cow processors. And did you know, while we are trivalling, the adults never touch water? Only the newborns and they must have some. I too am sorry to see the little train go as well as the big steam engine. Three generations of us loved riding through the park with the trees almost scraping the sides - keep your arms inside and close! One last note and I'm sorry, but having spent a lifetime of enjoyment at the old zoo, I was very unhappy with my last visit a couple of years ago. Since being taken over by private sector ownership, I found surly employees, highly restrictive policies and an overall unpleasant experience resulting. There were disturbing things like teenagers on bicycles policing and yelling at patrons and once I had left and found my ride had not come, no one would allow me back in to make a phone call, even with proof I'd paid for admission. I know, but I'm a dinosaur, I have no cell phone.

Fantastic, isuredid! I have never known exactly where it was before, just grew up with the ditch. I am amazed the location was so close to us and right where Montclair Center, now Weslayan Plaza resides. Funny to think that Randall's Flagship high end store in on land where the literally dirt poor used to toil. Thanks for the welcome back, Vertigo58 and Filio, I've been busy with stuff and sadly neglected this site. Ta-da, there is my house on the map. University Blvd at Community Drive. We were the third house down from Community on the north side of University Blvd, 4226! Oh, and thank Filio for the full history of Burnett-Bayland, I find it fascinating. Went there once in the 1950's with my Aunt, a real do-gooder (57Tbird, if you read this I'm speaking of Mac's mother, Helen Lou Childers, legendary teacher), she had sponsored an orphan living at the home. We took her Christmas presents that day and sometimes she went on excursions around town with us.

57Tbird, weren't we all so envious of those great shoe skates, so glamorous? At home we struggled mightily with our clamp-on, metal clumsies, which frequently fell loose from our shoes and twisted an ankle or plopped you down on the sidewalk. My fam didn't take us much to Gateway Skate, but lots of kids had their birthday parties there, always a treat. The rink seems so huge and usually so crowded, a bit daunting. Big, noisy place, but fun. Knew about the pool, but never went there. We had West U., Southside and the Shamrock, didn't need to go far afield.

Here goes! I worked via the DECA program at Bellaire High School (school in AM, job after lunch) at Meyer Bros., second floor, Children's Shoe Department. This was from Fall of 1957 through May 1958. Now that pre-dates just about all of you. During school vacations, like at Christmas, I worked 12 hour days, no overtime at 50 cents per hour. Anyway, used to nip out the back door to courtyard and scoot over to Mading's for lunch/dinner. They had great deals and very good cooked to order sandwiches. There were no other stores between Meyer Bros. and Mading's. Since I was working whenever I was there, hard to reconstruct exactly what stores were original. Woolwoth's certainly, Walter Pye's I believe. I recall Lew's and some of the others, but then I continued to shop there through the 1970's, especially at Penny's and Hancock Fabrics, so timelines are a little hard to establish. Now for a tad of trivia. One day, right up the escalator which topped out directly in front of my department, came riding up all the bigwigs (the Meyer Bros. themselves and their sister) accompanyed by Miss Jane Russell. She was in a very conservative suit, but still a true knock-out. If you don't know who Jane Russell was, get over to Google now or rent a copy of "Outlaw" is there are any.

Poohbear! Always great to hear of someone from the neigborhood. Although the time factors are way off, I am sure, I grew up at 4226 University and my cousins lived at 3724 Jardin in Southside. Stayed around, my daughter went to St. Mark's and West U. Elementary. After some years away, she is grown and lives on Community. Nothing quite like it. On topic, I only went to The Black Angus once, was very nice, but I didn't find the steak tasted different than any other breed served elsewhere. You are Greek? How about that incredible shish-ka-bob they served at the Greek Festival every year at the church? Now, that was superior.

No but my father would take me to Sonny looks ...for his afternoon stop before going home...How funny...I have not thought o that place in years...Anyone remember The black angus or the cellar door? Ah, The Cellar Door! The best BBQ, ever, on Bellaire Blvd. between Academy and Weslayan. I worked for 4 years in the SWBT building a literal stone's throw from the restaurant and spent as many lunchtimes as possible lapping up the excellent food. 15 years after that, I'd run by for the take-out for the family when I didn't want to cook. Their Boston Cream Pie was literally to die for, if you missed that, you missed tasting heaven. By the way, the owner had one of the largest homes in West University on Buffalo Spdwy. I was heartbroken when they closed up shop.

Don and Betty were a married couple. Technically, he owned the Record Shop and she owned the Laundromat. They were good friends of my boyfriend and fam when I was 18. Lovely people all around. Much, oh, so much later in my 50's, my husband I were searching for some old 1950's jazz recordings and went to Don's newer shop around 1997. Lo and behold there Don was, still in charge and had or could order every single thing I wanted to replace my long, lost 33 1/3's These excellent "Mom & Pop" businesses will never be matched. Mading's in the Village became Eckerd's, which now is CVS, if that location is still in existence. Yes, I recognized all the shops you mentioned and frequented most of them!

Oh, thank you for the name! I have often thought about the place, but couldn't recall what it was called. I swear the best sandwiches I still have ever eaten. And being a small person, loved being able to buy the half. One thing I found so special was their homemade bread, but the variety and quality of fillings was superb as well. Living in the area and shopping at Meyerland a lot, we made good use of Zappo's while it lasted.

silverartfox wrote: A small concrete-lined bayou or drainage ditch that runs from Bissonnet through West U - and possibly Southside Place - is referred to as Poor Farm Ditch on older maps. It connects somewhere near Bellaire to a similar ditch, which drains storm water runoff into Braes Bayou. No doubt someone here will have more information on its history and location. As some may know and note from my moniker, I was born and bred in West University Place on University Blvd. "Poor Farm Ditch" runs north/south through the city and Southside Place just east of Edloe Street. We grew up knowing about the actual Poor Farm that was no longer in existence. Our take on the farm was a sad place to end up, but not a brutal one. The ditch mostly had no water in it unless we'd had heavy rains, its function as a drainage ditch only. We were admonished severely to never climb down into it, but everyone did at least once. It was concrete lined to avoid erosion. One can only drive over it at University, Sunset, Bissonnet and Bellaire Blvd. There are foot bridges at other streets. If you check mapquest for University and Edloe, you will note that the east/west streets do not go through except as noted, this because of the ditch. I have no idea of its age, but I was born in 1941 with it in place and I am sure it has existed since the actual Poor Farm was set up. In the 1876 Texas Constitution, a provision was made for each county to set up "a manual labor poor house and farm." Most subsequently did this. While we are in the old, old neighborhood, is everyone aware that the Burnett-Bayland Orphans Home on Bissonnett was originally established as a home for Confederate War orphans?

Silverartfox you are correct. In fact, you may have passed by me hard at work. From late fall of 1957 to summer of 1958, I worked at Meyer Bros. Terrible job, I was suffering the kicks and tantrums in the Children's Shoe Department, just at the top of the up escalator on the 2nd floor. The one compensation, besides the 50 cents an hour with no overtime paid, was the record deprtment next to us always playing music. I was in 10th grade, working after school every day and Saturdays, plus 10 hour shifts on holidays. Joske's Post Oak was a very nice store, shopped there until 1981, when we moved out of town. When I returned in 1993, everything had changed. Historical note: Meyer Bros. started out in The Village, corner of University Blvd. and Kirby as The White House. Currently Half-Price Books occupies that spot. They changed the name to reflect the owners' when Meyerland opened.

I have run out of superlatives! On a mere whim I blithely asked for the solution to a lapse in memory from over 50 years ago and you came up with the answer. Then a photo, though not the exact look of the guy as I knew him. Now, outta nowhere, the spittin' image arrives. Mr. Barnes, I cannot thank you enough. These early pix of Phil Cronin are exactly the way he looked in those teenage years, see how slender he was? If you go back to my original post and description of him, you'll see these are dead on. Thank you so much for the head's up email to let me know you found these. Besides the wild, fast ride out South Main I described, Phil and I spent one whole Saturday cruising around with frequent stops by AJ's house trying to catch him in. Phil needed to talk to him about something. Sadly we never did manage to find him that day and I never got to meet AJ, but the local WestU gang cheered him on for years and were so thrilled with his first Indy 500 win - ecstatic is more like it.

As has oft been said around these parts, you guys are phenominal. As soon as I read the name Phil Cronin, I knew it was right. I never expected y'all to dredge up such a good photo. Yes, this picture of 1977 was around 22 years after I knew him and startled me to see how much weight he'd gained. But that was probably just the maturity gained with filled out adult face, etc. However, in observing the individual features, I'm sure that is he. I am so sorry to hear that he is no longer with us. Funny how you remember so well some people who briefly touch your life and move on. jakdad and Mark Barnes, you know if I were in town, I'd buy you both a tall, cold one! Many, many thanks. Sandy