CleaningLadyinCleveland

Just for correction:

Funny how I was reading this post and people were talking about me.

Actually I don't work for the City of Houston. I am just a Shady Acres resident who was part of the Shady Acres Civic Club executive board. I have never been to a Super Neighborhood meeting and I am not a fan of SJL.

Heights West will be a welcome addition to Shady Acres. One less bar, I am happy with it.

LMOA!!! Funny how you post Greater Heights Super Neighborhood Council (SNC) reformation process Summary notes the same day the pdf is created....but just after working hours.

You did get all technical. Shady Acres is generally considered Heights. This forum has accepted that, celebrating/defining Cedar Creek and receiving Samiamj's open invitations to be involved in Shady Acres activities.

Red, you just don't get the nuvo-Cajun scene. It's about compartmenalizing (and small plates, of course!). It's woohoo-merveilleux!

Shady Acres is NOT the Heights. Samiamj works for the City of Houston and has been pushing the "Super Neighborhood" concept with SLJ since their first meeting that I attended- basically they don't want to deal with all of the sub groups (the Heights, Woodland Heights, Shady Acres, Norhill etc concerns that they find trivial) and want one point of contact for the entire area. SJL picked a leader out of the attendees that basically vomited what she was trying to push.

Has anyone seen a stray Blue Merle Border Collie lately...? Last Sunday 4/11 it ran down E 19th and I tried to catch it for over an hour and a half around the Heights & Norhill area- by car and another person also tried to help by bike. I am pretty sure she is female, with brown eyes and full blue merle on her face - no white on her face -but had some white around her shoulders and chest. Beautiful dog - but too scared to be caught and cared for. Posting to see if she found a safe place to hide or stay. I would take her in if I could find her. I'm also posting here since the link on the Heights Association http://garynuke.homestead.com/lostpets.html hasn't had any new listings nor updates since July of 2009.

Does anyone know if any of the confirmed arson fires have been started where the new constable program in the Heights has been patrolling?

But the first 25, even 30 years of that change (if you use the 70s as a jump off point) were so-called "urban pioneers" and, by and large, artists and "alternative lifestyle" people who lived in bungalows. there was an affordability, a proximity to downtown and... wait for it... wait for it... an appreciation of the existing architecture and history of the neighborhood.

How many of these large, new constructions were built before 2000? In fact, how many were even built before 2004 (which is when I moved to The Heights)? A very small percentage and many of them (a few on the north side of Harvard come to mind) were such good reproductions it was hard to tell they were new.

I live in a historic deed restricted neighborhood where it is almost 100% bungalows. there are 3 or 4 new homes out of 1200 in the neighborhood, yet my property value has increased by 5 figures every year i have lived here. And during that time only 2 of 16 homes on my block have undergone any extensive renovation. The majority of the homes around mine, my block and others, are still on their original foot print. This is important because new construction is not the primary driving force of the gentrification of this neighborhood. Even without new homes, which again are mostly less than 5-8 years old, this neighborhood (i.e the heights as a whole) would still be highly desirable. There are many large cities where people are living, and even raising families, in homes/spaces smaller than a normal Heights bungalow for a lot more money. Proximity, the backlash against white flight, the homogeneity of the suburbs... There are a lot of reasons people live in the heights and live in less house for more $ than they can get in other parts of Houston, not even the 'burbs per se.

This is not an argument against new construction. There are many beautiful new homes in the Heights. I have friends that live in several. However, I think it's wrong to say this neighborhood only has increased value because of new homes. This area would have increased value without them as well, just as it did for the 2 decades before all the new homes were built.

On a lighter note - if we can all laugh at ourselves a bit...

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/22/73-gentrification/

Unless everyone including the cooks are included in tip sharing. Which raises the question of do you tip standard or better if the service is lousy but the food is outstanding?

My opinion is counter service gets $1 per person ordering if paying with credit or debit. I only feel this way because putting a goose egg on the tip line of a receipt makes me feel crappy, even though I rationally know it's optional. But, if I pay with cash, all tips are off the table. I keep all my change. I tip for convenience, and I don't like the idea of tipping people who perform essentially the same task as a McDonald's order taker. I don't feel bad about not tipping those guys, so why should I feel anything about not tipping someone who does essentially the same thing in a fancier place? With that said, at a sit-down, full-service joint, my low tip for less-than-average service is 15%. Excellent service gets 25%. If someone wants to supplement their income with tips, they need to find employment that is more conducive to that, like bartending or taxi driving. Giving someone an extra buck for being capable of saying "number one with cheese" into a microphone is just plain retarded, and I'm starting to resent the encroaching implication that my altruism is now required to ensure they can afford their electricity payment.

I guess it's the way you were raised. White trash usually can be lousy tippers and stiff on occasions where they were "taught". Waitstaff at restaurants should be treated just like bartenders or taxi drivers - they are both low skilled service jobs that depend on tips. Stiffing waitstaff (when someone comes to the counter or your table and takes your order and then delivers the food/bev to you) will get spit in your food or worse - I've seen it (not done that). In fact I even know someone who stiffed on a credit card tab - the waiter used the credit card number to buy a couch and sent the couch to the house of the guy that stiffed him. Next time you go into a place where you stiffed someone and you get a really really really friendly welcome back...

That's not exactly true, but I do agree with your point that you shouldn't punish waitstaff for bad food if the waitstaff is doing a good job.

it is true - for waitstaff at restaurants table and counter/bar food and beverage service - all sales rung up by the waiter are taxed at 8% and if a tip is left on a credit card they are taxed the credit card tip amount.

I love the Creek (Dry, Onion)concepts but have never liked the food or the service. And 11th Street Cafe has been bad for a long time. What gives me hope is that the quality at Pink's and Dragon Bowl is good, so I am going to give them another month to work out the kinks and try again. After that, I'm done.

I love the original floors, love the location, and yes, the servers are friendly. I too don't tip when I have to order at the counter but at least they don't seem to have an expectation as say at a Pappas Burger or now LUby's .

I really really want this place to get in gear. Please guys? We're pulling for you.

you should be tipping at least 8% -even if it is counter service. The waitstaff are taxed 8% (of their food sales) no matter if you leave a tip or not-so they are LOSING $$ when you don't tip. besides it's very bad manners not to tip waitstaff for good service.

....or they could just move the house to another area/sell it and then build something new.

Sorry to get off topic, but this reply is important to Heights residence.

From another site:

in the general area west of Oxford, between 11th and 13th, and east of Studewood.

My poor neighbor was attacked around 6:15 this morning in her house. While she was outside putting her trash can out by the street, and a man slipped in her door and attacked her when she went back inside. She was able to run to the back door and scream for our other neighbor, who called the police. The guy hit her in the face a few times, telling her to be quiet, and then ran off with her purse. The police found her purse a couple of houses away, and all that was missing was her wallet. She's extremely shaken up, but aside from some tenderness on her face where he hit her, physically okay. She lives alone and thinks the guy has been snooping around her house for at least the last couple of nights - she's been hearing some strange things that have had her on edge and she even thought she heard someone on her back porch last night or the night before around 9:30. When she went to look, she thought she saw the foot of someone ducking around the corner.

So, this is the 3rd major incident this year on our block - we had our home invasion/attempted MURDER in January, the burglary across the street last month, and now this home invasion/aggravated robbery. I am just SO FED UP I don't know what to do! I guess we all just have to keep our eyes and ears open and listen to our instincts. I am still shaking to think of what might have happened if my other neighbor hadn't heard my neighbor's screams through the rain...

She described her attacker as being around 5'7", heavy-set, Latino, close-shaved hair, wearing shorts, dark high-tops, and a plain dark-gray short-sleeved t-shirt. She didn't notice any tattoos, jewelry, or any peculiar scent.

She thought he was between 30-37 years old.

Thanks for posting. That type of attack is very close up and personal-scary. I do have a question about the date of the attack as in the area between Studewood and Oxford - the garbage collection is on Thursday -not Friday- as you mention she was bringing her can to the curb. Perhaps you could clarify the area and/or date. Thanks.

Also, does anyone know what I need to do if I want to 'black top' the Alleyway. Ours in a bad condition too and I think we would just prefer to invest in a more long term solution than just adding gravel every few months. Do I need to get a permit from the city ?

Check to make sure no one has their City of Houston water meter in the alley. There are random water meters still in alleys. Our alley has at least two that the city (or resident) did not move to the front.

Oh I would be sooooo happy if they built and HEB in the Heights - and they would own the Heights. (Not sure why they got rid of the store on 14th years back...?) I could consoildate my shopping and end up saving money on gas and time if they had an HEB/Central Market hybrid of some sort, because as of right now I weekly go to the following for food items:Kroger on West Gray(Hate going to the one on 11th-icky even if they do remodel), Randall's on Westhemier at Shepherd, Costco, Central Market and once a month Whole Foods. I guess in the meantime I should just check out the HEB on Buffalo Speedway UNTIL the Heights store is open ;-D

Alternate location suggestions..where Fiesta is on 14th or the Kroger on 20th/Yale...? (Although may not serve 77019.)

from the chronicle:

Two suspects in the string of Houston Heights arsons were taken into custody overnight.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6661588.html

I shop entirely at the Kroger on 11th and have been doing so for 3+ years, and I guess Im not going at the right times, because I am yet to ever see a single angry white person there....I would also say that that white people who do shop there still dont make up more than 50% of the business.

I personally do not care for this Kroger, but its only 5 blocks from the house, and usually all I need is coffee and cereal anyways, so its not a big deal.

I guess I am either blind to it, or everyone here complaining about angry white people, are WAY to thin skinned and need to get over themselves and find something else to complain about...

I have lots of complaints about this particular Kroger, but angry patrons is not one of them.

I guess you've never had your heels run over by a grocery cart only to turn around and find some witch smirking at you. AWPs posts are an observation about just how rude people can get lately- but for some unknown reason they feel justified in doing it. (Such at the post about people demanding a coffee at Starbucks just before a hurricane). My favorite grocery store used to be the Fiesta on Dunlavy until they (somewhat) spruced up the one on 14th a few years back. If I just want to grocery shop quickly and w/o the crowds - I'll go to the Randall's on Westhemier/Shepherd - there's hardly anyone there.

http://search.har.co...4631564&class=2

This is a listing that piqued my interest. Its seems like a very nice opportunity to escape renting, but I wonder if any others might have some other insight or issues.

Some potential drawbacks

1) Its pretty close to the bayou although it seems to built up high enough to avoid a significant flooding event

2) Adjacent to an older apartment community

Thanks

You should definitley check out efloodmap.com - panel 0670. Looks like it is in a floodzone. You may have to buy flood insurance at a higher rate and it's due upfront every year. During Allison, I knew someone that lived there and most of those condos flooded into the first floor-even some on the "higher" south side. Also, if in a flood zone you may have a harder time sellling it in the future. Check the information out yourself - don't listen to what the seller or realtor says.

If I want to see Angry White People, I go to the Bunker Hill HEB or Central Market. Those places are full of Angry, Impatient, Entitled, Self Absorbed White People. Every time I go to one of them I get cart bumped, ran over, or scoweled at by women with perfect hair and nails.

Soooo true in quite a few of the Houston grocery stores. When I first moved to Houston from ___, I went to the Randalls on Voss and I just couldn't believe how many times AWPs would literally run over my heels with their grocery carts. In time though, I have found myself a bit annoyed trying to shop at central markup or whole paycheck trying to get through the aisle when a family/group of 8 people are blocking the entire cheese aisle learning about pecorino from the clerk (who doesn't even know that it has to be called pecorino romano to be the real deal.)

Are the dogs still running around?

Personally, I haven't heard of any sightings as of late. I do know that from the Woodland Heights forum, the person spearheading the project wrote that BARC is now coming in to do general sweeps of the area with animal control officers . They are writing out large quantities of citations for pet code violations.

CSI would have had this solved 8 fires ago... this is getting ridiculous.

This guy has balls... setting a 2nd fire a few blocks away from where the cops and firemen are still convened at the first fire ?! I bet this guy lives in the immediate area.. perhaps he's even the first arson victim.. there's always a twist in stories like this.

I agree that it is a person or persons that live in the area - perhaps in one of the dated apartment buildings, is in their late teens/20's and may still live with their parents.

<H3 class=first>

fyi...from the Woodland Heights crime forum...</H3>To all Woodland Heights Residents,

As of late we have been experiencing a pack of wild dogs that has chosen to make our neighborhood part of its nightly scavenging and hunting excursions. The pack has already been responsible for the deaths of numerous neighborhood cats and at least one dog. There is a group of residents that is in the process of getting these dogs humanely trapped/removed, and a notice will be placed on the bulletin board and info line when the trapping begins. Any trapped animals will most likely be sent to BARC so please be sure to keep a collar with identification on you pets if you let them roam freely.

This being said, I would like to ask everyone to please help us out by doing the following:

1. Outdoor feeding of animals provides the food that the pack is looking for, if everyone could please cease this practice, especially at night it would be extremely helpful.

2. Please do not allow your pets to roam free at night, this is for their safety as well as removing possible prey for the dogs.

3. If you are one that likes to run in the early hours of the morning please be careful, and aware that they are around, they have not attacked people, but vigilance is key.

More information will follow as it becomes available.

Last night a pack of six large dogs where in the E19th/Oxford area entering the Heights. I didn't get a clear look as I saw them at midnight, but I did notice that one was black and white and the others mostly tan and dark brown. They looked like strays that had banded together. Watch out for your cats if you let them out at night!

...apparently the pack of dogs (not the total loser of a human that has been mutilating cats) has been in the Woodland Heights area for sometime attacking cats and trying to get to people too (in the Heights - Arlington and 8th)...it is on the Woodland Heights forum (registration required):

http://www.woodland-...&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

There was also a post on the Woodland Heights board last week regarding a pack of dogs that was out at 3 in the morning. They killed a cat a 7th and Norhill, and apparently disappeared into a yard somewhere around Bayland/Norhill. Definitely a good idea to keep the kitties inside at night, I think.

I guess I have a cat in this fight as well.... Our cats are collared and chipped. They go outside during the day. One of them did indeed get hit by a car - no, I did not blame the car driver. I am very grateful that said car driver actually stopped and picked up the cat and then called us at the phone number listed on the tag. We also had a neighbor who objected to our cats visiting her yard, and believe it or not, we are attempting to resolve the issue. It is possible to train a cat, to a point....

Have you (or your neighbors) tried using a water gun or sprayer when your cat enters their yard...? You have to get a long distance one (and you have to be sneaky) don't let them see it right away and catch them in the act right as they are doing it to modify their behavior. Also, if it's a problem with your cats using your neighbor's yard as a kitty box - cats don't like marigolds, bright colors, oh......and...lion dung.

delete

My post was to warn people if they see the roving dogs to be careful for themselves and their pets. (Although it's pretty interesting and amusing how the threads wander so much nowadays...it's happening on all types of web sites.)

The pack looked well fed so if they aren't all one person's dogs that got loose, then they are probably living on cats, opposums, small dogs, etc. I am the owner of a cat that goes out during the day and not at night. He was a stray we rescued that was living in the streets for some time and we are trying to get him stay inside more and more. He goes bezerk if inside too much and even the vet said it's hard to get a former stray to stay in all of the time. My neighbors are cool with him and the cat has a collar and is chipped. Many pets on my street have been rescued and everyone on the block looks out for each other and their pets. I have lived in the Heights over 6 years and that is the first time I have seen a large roving pack. If I see the pack again I will report it to animal control.

Yes, this is the famous Alpo Gang.

The six large dogs confronted my neighbors by barking and snarling, so much that they said that they feared being attacked by the pack...and my neighbors aren't wusses at all.

Last night a pack of six large dogs where in the E19th/Oxford area entering the Heights. I didn't get a clear look as I saw them at midnight, but I did notice that one was black and white and the others mostly tan and dark brown. They looked like strays that had banded together. Watch out for your cats if you let them out at night!