OSWisHome

So, no discussion regarding the candidates who are in the run off? My vote goes to Ed Gonzales. Great candidate, and I like that he runs an above board campaign. I don't dislike Maverick, but being in a historic district, I pay attention to preservation issues, and Maverick has allowed one of the most anti-preservation people to be one of his vocal campaign operatives: the same Maria Isabel who tried mightily (and failed) to derail the protected historic district status for the Old Sixth Ward. HP is a main plank in his platform, so why does he allow this person to play a public role? He also received Yolanda's endorsement this week, and to me, that is not a plus. Listening to her comments at the candidate forum, she is not an advocate for preservation, and she alluded to an almost disdain for some historic areas of District H. So, now Maverick has her on board too? I have a concern that opportunism may trump staying true to his values. I have no such concerns about Ed, who was helpful and on board when the OSW was working toward it's protected historic district status. He's a stand up guy, follows through on what he promises, is a longtime police officer and highly educated. I will proudly vote for him.

There is already an event on facebook...... Please feel free to invite anyone and everyone !! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/ical/eve...eid=67010115549

I'm glad you brought this up, as SuperNeighborhood 22 (which is the SuperNeighborhood that encompasses all the neighborhoods along the Washington Ave (ergo WAve) corridor between I-45 and Memorial Park), who is hosting it with the Mayor's Office of Special Events, is trying to get the word out far and wide. There is complete information at www.sn22.org Basically, participating organizations and businesses up and down Washington Ave will have specials and incentives all day Saturday March 7, 2009. There will be free (please tip though) go-rev-go cabs available to take you from business to business. Additionally, between 1-5p that day is an Eco-Fair and also a special children's area in Spotts Park (at the Corner of Memorial Drive and South Heights...address is 401 S. Heights Blvd), where there will be reps from many city departments and non-profit organizations. Please see the flyers available on www.sn22.org for complete information, and tell all your friends. This is the 3rd annual event by SuperNeighborhood22. They offered WOW the Parade the first year, WOW Day last year, and now the special "Catch the WAve".....

Oh, my. It continues. She was interviewed... http://www.myfoxhouston.com:80/myfox/pages...14.1&sflg=1 And 2 among many blog posts http://lonestartimes.com:80/ : <H3 id=post-9256>Che-flag-waving moonbat runs for cover by Matt Bramanti | 02/13/2008 4:39 pm | <H3 id=post-9243>LST identifies Obama's Che Moonbat by David Benzion | 02/13/2008 6:00 am | </H3></H3>

Yes, we are very excited about the very generous gift from Mary Kay. Here is a copy and paste from a post to the OSW neighborhood yahoogroup (old6wardhouston@yahoogroups.com ), from earlier today, written by the immediate past president of the OSWNA: The 2100 block of Kane was a sea of pink Cadillac's this morning as the Mary Kay Foundation, of Mary Kay Cosmetics fame presented the Old Sixth Ward Neighborhood Association a $20,000 check! They handed over the check to new OSWNA President Phil Neisel on the porch of Mary Kay's childhood home on Kane. A slew of dignitaries, Mary Kay executives and OSW friends and neighbors were on hand to cheer them on. Mary Kay Cosmetics is holding their Annual Leadership Conference in Houston this week, and filmed a video about the presentation and the neighborhood to be shown at their meetings this week. Expect alot of drive throughs of the neighborhood over the next week as attendees want to see the streets where she walked to Dow Elementary, and played with her friends. Watch for media coverage as well. Today was designated Mary Kay day in Houston, and in Harris County. The foundation was also given a key to the city. The donation is designated for signage for the OSW, marking her house, and the boundaries of the Protected Historic District. The Mary Kay execs and family members present were all very proud of everyone's work to preserve the house (thanks Emily and Vlad), and the neighborhood. Larissa

FYI---- The Old Sixth Ward is now Houston's first and only Protected Historic District (and the oldest intact neighborhood in Houston). It was a years-long, very labor intensive battle that took great persistence, some savvy, lots of networking with like-minded people and groups, and a whole lot of man hours and trips to City Council from a lot of people who love this neighborhood and were committed enough to "never say die" and never give up. And it took a supermajority of support, which this neighborhood has, and has had to prove to the city again and again across many years. We got our Protected Historic District designation August 1, 2007- nearly 10 years after becoming a municipally designated historic district, and almost 30 years after being listed as a National Register Historic District. Here is a link to the Certificate of Appropriateness & design guidelines (pattern book) for the Old Sixth Ward on the City's website. http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/historic.../sixth_ward.htm

Near downtown without paying for parking....any number of places along Washington Avenue would work. Consider the Corkscrew at 1919 Washington if you like wine. They really know their stuff. They also carry a number of bottled beers, and they have a number of cheese and meat plates available if you aren't looking for full meal. Dharma Cafe recently opened a larger outlet than their downtown location, which is on Houston Avenue above Washington Avenue, but before you reach the I-10 overpass, and they have a full bar and great food. They are directly across from the old Hynes Bakery building. Both places have free ample parking nearby, and both places are near downtown, but without the traffic headaches of the Galleria area. Both are located in great old buildings with lots of character and atmosphere.

The Old Sixth Ward's Annual Victorian Houston Home Tour is THIS SUNDAY, Oct 21, from 12:30 - 5:30 pm. Tickets are available the day of the tour, in front of Dow School (MECA) at 1900 Kane Street, $15 each. Come back in time with us, as you enjoy 'life in the late 19th century', in Houston's first and only protected Historic District. There will be 6 lovely homes to tour, plus a "bonus" workshop full of antique/vintage working tools and machines, used daily by its owner to craft lovelies for family and friends. Also, enjoy ice cream & lemonade in a backyard garden, ride in a horse drawn carriage, enjoy the antics of "The Wheelman" on their antique bicycles, and enjoy live period piano music (part of each hour) from the resident of one of the homes on the tour! Come to the Old Sixth Ward, truly "Home to Houston's History"-- the oldest intact neighborhood in the City of Houston, and the largest concentration of Victorian structures in the region, outside of Galveston. We look forward to seeing you ! www.old6ward.org

Oooops, I forgot to give you the website for the Old Sixth Ward..... it's www.old6ward.org Lots of great information and tons of pictures of the neighborhood's historic houses on the website.

Want a great home tour? The Old Sixth Ward is holding it's 16th annual 'Victorian Houston Home Tour', this year called Home to Houston's History. When: Sunday afternoon, October 21, 2007 , from 12:30- 5:30 Where: The Old Sixth Ward Historic District (immediately west of downtown, and bounded by Houston Ave, Sawyer St, Memorial Drive & Washington Ave) Tickets: $15 each, and available the day of the tour in front of the historic Dow School (aka MECA), 1900 Kane St in the heart of the neighborhood. Features: horse drawn carriages, 6 homes on tour, plus 2 additional homes partly open for visitors to enjoy lemonade & ice cream in a shady back garden, and view historic (and used daily!) tools in a 2nd story workshop at the rear of the owner's historic commercial building. Come enjoy visiting Houston's oldest intact neighborhood and the city's first and only protected historic district !

If you'd like to see Maria Isabel in action, she was interviewed last night (on the eve of the City Council vote to create Houston's first/only Protected Historic District) by Fox News, standing next to her rental apartment outside the neighborhood. http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Ne...mp;pageId=3.2.1

BTW, this is a couple from outside the neighborhood who think they are "doing us a favor", but in fact are just being destructive. They (especially the wife) have devoted a lot of energy in the last couple years to publicly bashing other neighbors and the neighborhood in general and then trying to act like do-gooders. Hope they aren't counting on being warmly embraced for their contributions.