marmer

Thanks for the heads up on the update to HG's site, Ben. As always, you rock. Waaah, I want the Villa Blanca and Lyne house photos to expand!

According the the Guide, when Uniroyal was a tenant the brick decoration was painted black (to read as tire treads) It's rather less noticeable that way, and was still like that last time I was in the hood.

Metropolitan is not merely the best body shop in the Heights. Metropolitan is the best body shop in the Greater Houston metropolitan area. I've seen them work repeated miracles on high-end cars, and their customer service is great. Many of the high-end European dealerships sub out their body work to Metropolitan.

Having said that, it would not surprise me at all if they would tell you a cheaper shop could take care of your bumper cover on your Corolla. Expect it to take longer than you might think. Auto paint takes a long time to cure.

Yeah, some people have criticized the choice of houses, in particular the lack of the more spectacular Staubs. Of course those are already well documented in print, and as far as I know the Menil, Durst-Gee, and Staub stable are not.

What an awesome reason to never own a pet. Yeah, how fun it would be to have to follow an animal around and pick up its crap! No thank you, I'll stick with babies, who will eventually grow out of crapping themselves and will even take care of me when I start crapping myself again.

I never remember this as an issue when I was a kid. All I remember was that in distant ultra-urban metropoli like New York, where all there was to walk on is sidewalk, people were expected to pick up their dog poop. I thought that was gross and laughably exotic, sort of like the French eating snails or the Japanese eating raw fish. Everyone thought that dog poop was the ultimate in biodegradable, a little free fertilizer for the yard. And if it dried for a coupla days, well, the lawnmower would vaporize it. There was certainly not the poop-scooping industry with its little long handled scoopers and custom-made plastic bags. And if, like most active kids, one spent most of one's free time outdoors and barefoot, one took the occasional smelly brown mess as a gentle reminder to watch where we were stepping. It just meant you hosed your foot off with the water hose before going inside. Complaining about dog poop in your yard was kind of like being the neighborhood grouch.

There's also a big gated compound on Old Chocolate Bayou Road just south of Southfork that is owned by a former NFL player.

The donut place is where we stop when it's our Sunday to bring food to our Sunday School class. Glad it wasn't damaged so I don't have to go to Shipleys.

Yes, it looks to be still in business, though it wasn't open on Sunday afternoon.

The ones on Hastings Cannon are interesting and I am not sure about those two specifically but I know that several of those homes have been built by hispanics that work in the construction field. Specifically several of the houses there were built over a number of year alledgedly with materials taken from jobs they were working on. Slow but cheap way to build your dream home. I'm not sure but the maroon one looks like one I know of on Fite Road, just west of 1128. If it's the one I am thinking of its right next to the condo's along the lake that wound up housing numerous Katrina refugee's. The owner was in construction and stored a lot of stuff there. I think it has been abandoned as a home.

I'll go check it out. The maroon one in my picture is on Old Chocolate Bayou Road, just south of Bailey. It's next door to the big gray one.

The last on actually has a couple of neighbors around it with very nice homes as well. From what I understand all three of the houses are owned by the owners of Joesphs Nursery located on FM 1128. They built those homes there close to their business. Obviously the nursery business has been pretty good.

I had heard that, too. I don't think the others are as big or as dramatic.

Well, I see lots of um... interesting McMansions in my area. Usually on county roads, mixed in with the cow pastures, storage sheds, and rundown trailer houses. We've discussed Dr. Watkins' giant compounds south of Pearland Town Center before. Here are a few more. Before we start, I thought I'd show this cute little Googie survivor on 35 just south of 518, which even made it through Ike mostly unscathed:

A couple of beauties on Hastings Cannon Road, next door to each other, sorta.

On that last, perhaps the contractor heard the exhortation "Go, man, go!" as "Go Mango!" That's the only reason I can think of for that color.

Here's a couple, also next door to each other, on Old Chocolate Bayou Road. The gray one rivals that gray crib over on Memorial. The maroon one looks like it could use some yard work and junk removal.

Sorry about the lens flare. I was taking the pictures in late afternoon, the exact worst time of the day for that.

This one is actually kinda nice. A picturesque-style English cottage blown up to massive multi-gabled scale. The three-car garage is made to look like part of the house on the front right corner. It's on Bailey Road.

There you go. West U and Memorial got nothin' on us down here in Brazoria County!

Agree with Sheeats on all counts. I would be more hung up on the 'disorder' part than the 'unfaithful' part.

And yes, physical greetings and flirting are different things. You can make a greeting flirtatious, but the hug/kiss isn't necessarily so. It all serves the same basic purpose though: greasing the wheels of polite society.

Beyond that, there are all kinds of flirting. Sexual flirting to attract the attention of someone you desire is one, but social/recreational flirting takes all forms (from a female perspective): office flirting, and its distinct subset, boss flirting; old man flirting (the kind you do with your father- in-law, for example, or someone's gramps), repairman flirting, fireman/cop/military flirting, gay boyfriend flirting, bartender/waiter flirting....the list goes on and on.

Oh, and internet-boyfriend flirting, of course!

And I agree with crunch. It's pretty obvious to me the difference between a peck on the cheek and a romantic kiss. Same difference between an above-the-waist-hands-on-the-shoulder-blades hug and a romantic embrace.

And we guys have all those kinds of flirting, too.

Seems to me like there's an obvious definition of infidelity: when one partner has either sexual or romantic involvements without their partner's knowledge and consent. Pretty much anything else, while potentially problematic for the relationship, is not cheating. Especially differences in sex drive, which are common, though not universal, in heterosexual couples. If one partner is feeling neglected for whatever reason, they need to open their mouths and say something and work it out.

But give guys a break about porn. Almost every guy's early sexual experiences center on porn and it's several years before they do anything with a partner. Not to mention it's a way to indulge your kinks without endangering your real life. So, unless it's illegal, like child porn or some kinds of extremely violent stuff, don't label your happy porn consumer a sicko. Dan Savage recommends: guys: hide it and be discreet, don't rub her face in it; girls: look the other way and don't snoop. Everyone then buys into the white lie that there's no porn.

Me too. It was up earlier today. I actually got an e-mail reply from Gus about something I sent him Gus, what's happening?

I saw way too many dangerous staircases and visibly un-marked level transitions. Almost every one of the modern houses had at least one. Also the sharp edged glass tabletop in the daughter's room of the Rutland house. I find concrete floors, cinderblock walls and huge tall glass expanses to be a little cold and stark after a while, so I wonder if the occupants will come to feel the same way.

On the other hand, the Hunters Creek house was almost funny in its attempts to cram every possible "traditional" element into a very large new house.

about the San Francisco locations for the Hitchcock movie?

Reliving Vertigo

Oh yeah, the Mexican restaurant, La Hacienda, I think. It was at Main and N. Braeswood. It was still open until the late 90's or early 00's.

It changed names a few times. I believe it was Dos Gringos at one time. I went there fairly often in college -- it was pretty good and not too expensive.

There was also a great Chinese place on Main. I'm guessing it was about where Radio Shack, in the Target parking lot is now.

Lee's Den, I believe.

It did sound like a dated topic title, but I assume she was being nostalgic as in keeping with the theme.

Thanks for the sex change, but I am a guy. And I will be taping it on a VCR, not having bothered to go digital. This is the first TV program I've wanted to record in about a year.

Looks interesting.

In Search of Houston History

Thought it'd be fun to come up with a list of places where a significant structure or business was demolished, and now it's just a vacant lot -- development didn't work out for some reason.

Astroworld

Carousel House

1Waverly (Glassman Shoemake Maldonado house)

State Grille/Confederate House/Black Angus

Any more?

Now you've got me curious. I'll have to do some checking. 1980 Texas Monthly Guide to Houston is a good source, most of the restaurants listed are gone now.

I ate at a place that I was thinking was the Confederate House ca. 1978-9 that was located on San Felipe just west of Wesleyan. What was that???, anyone know? This could not possibly have been later than 1981.

Could that have been the CH in its earlier incarnation as a private club? Or maybe you're thinking of the Highland Village location, which I'm pretty sure was at Westheimer and Weslayan. It was sort of on the edge (no pun intended) of Highland Village.

I don't remember the location on Westheimer but do the one that was on Alabama at Weslayan, not Richmond, later the Black Angus.

It was the Black Angus first, originally owned by the Vargo family. In 1993 Betty and Gordon Edge bought the property and moved Confederate House there. In 1999 Frankie Mandola and his partner bought out the Edges and soon after changed the name of the restaurant to The State Grille. Last year, I believe, the landowner refused to renew the SG's lease and demolished the restaurant building, planning, I believe, a 27 story tower. Swamplot says that nothing happened with that but I haven't been by lately to see.

I don't remember if all the waiters at the place on San Felipe were Black or not but I do remember thinking the place was an anachronism.

Here's the menu, as promised, from my 1982 copy of Houston Epicure.

I ate there once for a special evening out with my girlfriend, circa 1982. This was at the original Highland Village location on Westheimer. Let's see what I can remember: there was a brass plate on the door stating "Coat and Tie Required." There was an antebellum plantation mural, white tablecloths, and crystal chandeliers. All of the waitstaff were old and thoroughly professional black gentlemen. If one ordered a baked potato, they would "fix" it for you at table. I don't remember what we had, steak probably, and the pecan ball with ice cream was a very good dessert. I have the menu in Houston Epicure, maybe I'll scan it. As I recall it was a great meal and, while expensive, was not the most expensive in town by a long shot.

I'll be darned. I don't get out enough.

Fire Truck Park in Southside Place

When I was in college I used to dress as various faculty members for Halloween. We had some who were individualistic enough to be quite easily parodied. Either that or full western gear with boots, hat, a fancy western shirt, and a string tie. Among my crowd that was quite exotic, even in Houston.

Welcome home, aj and j. You'll definitely find friends here.

I remember the red-lighted nocturnal animals room and the vampire bats. I think they still have the injection mold machines there. If not, I've certainly seen them in other zoos recently (Dallas and San Antonio)

Those rocket ship climbing things used to be really common in playgrounds. There was one in Jasmine Park in Lake Jackson.

I don't remember the fire truck (wish I did but we didn't get to Houston all that much when I was little) but I certainly remember the train engine. Of course that only moved when Minute Maid Park opened. Jasmine Park had a couple of strange things -- a jet airplane from the Korean War era and a wooden sailboat. Both deteriorated so much that they were gone by the mid-70s. Wonder what other old junk used to be "donated" to parks for kids to play on in the "pre-liablilty" era?

I remember the first time I went to HMNS, about 1970 or so. They had so much cool stuff I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I think the coolest thing was a bunch of really detailed ship models, including a sailing ship and an aircraft carrier.

I remember reading about this once years ago. It was proven that some enemy submarine had been either spotted or aprehended near here once.

See topics on Air Raids/Black-outs and Drill's in downtown Houston in the 40's. Mom said she recalls them darkening the buildings on ocassion around these times.

I hope others here can be more helpful. Good luck!

There's already a study on German U-boat activity in the Gulf (there was a lot)

Torpedoes in the Gulf

There are unsubstantiated but persistent rumors that the Germans got one of their big multi-engined bomber prototypes close enough to New York City to take aerial photos. But without a nuke, it wasn't worth the Reichmarks to pursue the effort.

Most of my co-workers who have freeway commutes have seen them nearly double in length these past two weeks. Mine certainly has.