Disastro

I think the Pasadena that people of my generation remember is already gone. Just a few weeks ago, I took a drive through the old part of Pasadena to see what my old neighborhoods look like now. I grew up there in the 50s and 60s, and lived at several addresses till I graduated from PHS in 1961.

Our first Pasadena address was on Park Lane in the Gardens. Later on, we lived on Lawrence Street, also in the Gardens, on Pomeroy St. on the north side, just a few doors down from the Pomeroy family, and on Camille, two doors off Harris in the old Revlon Terrace neighborhood. All those areas were nice places to live -- back then.

It was depressing to see what is now happening in those areas. Everything north of 225, especially that little area around Pomeroy Street looks like "Little Nuevo Laredo". The Gardens were on the way down when I lived there in the 50s and it's just awful to see them now. Some of the people there have some pride and are taking care of their homes, but most of the houses are slums. There's no other way to say it. Most of Revlon Terrrace appears to be holding up better than the Gardens. In fact, it wouldn't bother me to live there now.

I didn't go through Red Bluff Terrace, or any area south of Southmore, so I don't know what those parts of town look like now.

The old "original" Pasadena, the area bounded on the north by 225, on the west by Shaver, by Southmore on the south, and on the east by Tatar, excuse me, Pasadena Blvd, used to be one of the nicest areas in the whole east part of the county. It was built in the years before WWII, and it was noted for its lovely tree-lined streets, well maintained cottage style houses and green lawns. Not any more. Anyone who remembers what it looked like 30 and 40 years ago would weep at what's happening to it now.

It seems clear that the people who once lived there and took pride in their lovely neighborhood don't live there anymore. I won't be making any more trips back to Pasadena. It's just too depressing.

It is depressing...and the term "barrio" is very applicable.

Fever Tree keyboardist, R Landis, still lives and makes a living playing in Houston...but now it's lounge music.

Interesting...I'll bet he's as old as my Dad now. LOL

Hey, anybody remember a Houston band called The Judy's? Whatever became of those guys?

They were kind of like the forerunners of Weird Al...except all their music was original.

I think that I might have been both right and wrong. I just read that Corrl was indeed called the Candyman because he would give young boys candy which he got from his family's candy-making business. But I also remember that the guy in Pasadena who poisoned his son with Pixy-Stix candy was called the Candyman by his fellow inmates in prison.

I remember the Pixie-Stix dude...seems like after that is when people really started checking their candy and it seems trick or treating was quite the same after that for years...

There is still a Panjo's in Corpus Christi and it tastes just the same. They even have an old geezer band on weekends.

Wow! Next time I am in Corpus I am going to have to check that out!

Speaking of old geezer bands...if you are ever near Fuqua St. and I-45, pay a visit to the Luby's there. You can get some comedic value with your meal by watching the old coots dance to the oldies band that plays there.

Priceless. Except, some food almost went down the wrong way a couple of times...

That's the REAL question!

Of course after this amnesty bill goes (GRRRR!!!!) through you can kiss Pasadena goodbye. I wouldn't be surprised if they start flying flags of Mexico over it.

I moved to Pasadena in 1991. Strawberry Park, for example, was mostly non-hispanic at that time. By the time I moved from there in 2003, gangs were rampant (graffitti everywhere) and there were only two non-hispanic families living on my street. And you couldn't walk or run the track at Strawberry Park because of the vatos walking their fighting pitbulls.

And not a one of them vatos were English speaking. It's nuts.

Anybody remember Panjo's? Man, that pizza ROCKED!!!!

That's the probable explanation. The annexed areas were wet when they were annexed, but there must be a "grandfather" clause in the law that allowed them to stay wet. It makes sense.

KK's pub? Compares to Kay's? Sounds like a place I would enjoy a cold one or three. I might drive over to my old stomping grounds and check it out some time.

There's definitely a wet side and a dry side to Pasadena. I used to live there...but I don't recall how things were divvied up...

The Gilley's sign now resides at the Cowboy Ranch (or whatever it is called now) on Spencer and Red Bluff in Pasadena.

moo, I think it's an entertaining film...if only to laugh at...

I highly recommend getting Fever Tree's CD Another Time/Another Place. The only good song it's missing is Hey Mister, which was originally only released as a single. Fever Tree

Bought a lot of LP's at Evolution Records. Can't quite remember World Records.

Actually it was April 1969.

Visit My Website

Thanks man! I have GOT to get the Fever Tree CD...I just assumed that stuff was long out of print...

They may have filmed some of the shots, or substituted some shots, but I saw them filming at the trailer park and at an empty lot a little farther down the street where they had placed another trailer.

I double checked with my wife. She remembers the trailer park scene was in Deer Park, I got that one wrong. Some of the other trailer scenes were on Garner near Lafferty. She even sneaked onto the set and looked into the trailer as John Travolta was changing clothes setting up for a scene. They may have reshot some the ones they didn't like and tried to sneak them in on us.

joe

I actually knew and went to high school with the guy who played Buds brother in the film...the same year he was in the film.

Disastro

Would you please ask your aunt if she was the singer of the original Thunderbolt Motor and Transmission Company theme from the 1970s? THIS is how I imagine she sounded. I love that song. I often sing it to myself. Singing it with proper accent should be one of the ways to prove someone is a native Houstonian.

Heheheheheh...yeah, I remember my mother hauling my young butt up to the KHTV studios when my sister was on Don Mahoney and Jeanna Clair. Her dance class was on there...lol

This show was great. When we were kids all of us would start going in circles pretending to be riding imaginary horses. The living room became the studio. To this day we still call each other Kiddie Troopers.

We must have wore out that carpet quick.

Watching this couple on TV was like having an aunt & uncle visit.

Wonder if anyone has done a topic on Romper Room or Cadet Don? These were 2 other very popular kid shows and Kitty's Corner too! Kitirik was her name, for KTRK right?

and she lives up in Conroe somewhere.

I dunno, I was REAL young when Kitirik was on, but I remember having a crush on her. LOL!! I also remember Cadet Don and the Casper cartoons Ch 13 used to show early mornings -- did not have a crush on him. LOL!!!! Anybody remember Captain Harold?

A few assorted flashbacks.

Yes Fever Tree had a couple quasi-hits with San Fransisco Girls and 99-1/2.

I hung out at Upstairs on the Square (in the Old Market Square), visited The Cellar, Supermarket and the underground pub. (name escapes me)

Saw Jimi Hendrix & the Experience live Houston Colosseum, Aug. '69.

Was at the Milby Park bust. Had free concerts on Sundays (I believe) with lots drug activity (buy,sell, and trade). Boones Farm Wine..Joesephus (sic) usually played.

Danced on Larry Kane show and had after show concerts at the Catacombs. Also danced on the lesser know IT with Joe Ford.

Ahhh yes the Good 'Ole dayz

San Francisco Girls! That's the one I remember...

I'm new here, but I remember my parents taking me to Westbury Square during the mid to late 60's. I remember they had a candy store there that was like wall to wall candy...someone may have talked about it already, but I am too lazy to dig through. Does anyone remember the name of that place?

Anybody remember a Houston band called Fever Tree that got a bit of radio play back in the late 60's?

Oh...and if we are talking record stores: Remember Evolution Records and Tapes? Or World Records over in the Montrose? World had EVERYTHING...that place was amazing! I remember the owners used to keep their cats in there though...so it smelled a bit like cat piss. Still, if you held your nose, the place was incredible...just a huge, huge selection....

First up, I am new and just found this forum yesterday...what an awesome forum!!! Bringing back a lot of memories. I am thoroughly diggin' it!

Here's my list of defunct Houston restaurants that I liked:

1. Panjo's Pizza (surprised no one has mentioned this place as it was a small chain at the time) -- Next to Valian's this was my favorite pizza in Houston. I used to frequent the one on 1960 next to the old Champions theater. Many a high school Friday night was spent going to see a movie and then to Panjos for pizza and beer. Anyway, really good crust on this one! Kind of crispy...

2. Valian's -- somebody SERIOUSLY needs to bring back this restaurant...get the recipes and just do it...LOL I was REAL young (probably around 5 or so) when my parents used to bring this home...I still remember how good it was.

3. Yamin's Pizza -- I remember it being on Wesleyan...DAMN good pizza. Can you tell I am a Pizza Connoiseur (sp?)?

4. Burger Chef -- Again, probably 5 when I had this last...remember one over near Wesleyan I believe...and one over in Bellaire on Chimney Rock. Liked it at the time, but I have a feeling it was probably McDonald's competitor...same quality.

5. Hamburgers by Gourmet -- They don't make em like this anymore. Parents used to take me to one over on Kirby near the Village. Later on, we had one on 1960 near North Oaks Mall. The chili cheeseburger was excellent...but you paid for it after you ate one..at least I did.

6. Del Taco -- Yeah, I liked it! :-) Heck of a lot better than Taco Bell. Had one across from Klein High School and we all used to frequent the place pretty regularly. Went to sunny California a few years ago and to my shock and awe discovered it was "Del Taco heaven". Ate there a few times just for "old times sake". Tasted exactly the way I remembered it.

7. Farrells, Northwest Mall -- I too, would go there for birthdays, etc. Awesome place!

8. 11th Street Barbecue -- I spent a LOT of time in the heights as my grandmother lived there. Ate a lot of 11th Street Barbecue! I miss that place!

9. J&J Barbecue, Herkimer St. -- My maternal grandmother used to take me there when I was, again -- 5 or so...lol. You can tell food made a big impression on me, right? Bwhahahaha!!! Anyway, used to like to go there cos I could watch the choo-choo train come down the train tracks that used to run across 11th street near there. Plus the barbecue ruled. I remember the sliced beef sandwiches were served on slices of regular white bread.

10. Heap O' Cream -- little ice cream parlor on Yale next to the park (can't remember the name of the park). My grandmother used to take me to the park and to get an ice cream cone at the parlor. I remember they had a soda/malt fountain with those chrome and red cushion bar stool thingys and ceiling fans in there.

11. Borden Ice Cream parlor at Main and Studewood...PURE MAGIC. Loved their malts!!! Same old time, soda fountain with ceiling fans look that Heap o' Cream had...

12. Akin Pharmacy's Soda Fountain Studewood/18th (?) -- Another fine malt...for the malt connoseurs out there...same classic soda fountain setup inside. I remember the Eckerd Drug on Holcombe near Stella Link (used to live near there when I was in Elementary School) used to have the same setup during the 60s.

14. Bellaire Broiler Burger -- Excellent food. I remember the carrousel they had in there for kids who were my age at the time.

15. Roy Roger's Roast Beef -- On the 610 feeder near the Galleria. Loved that place! I guess Arby's killed Roy. :-(