EMME

It was not a kickerish place. It was a kind of cooler disco type. Dance music but not necessarily disco music. Popular top 40. Most dance clubs back then didn't allow athletic shoes. They weren't yet "cool". Cooters was kind of a casual, unpretentious dance club in a time of flashy/trashy dance clubs. The people that worked there were like family, the owners took care of their employees. I'm betting that if you find one long time bartender to contact, they are still in contact with alot of the other employees. Long time friendships were forged there. When Randy's opened in west HOuston, alot of the Cooters people jumped over there. I don't remember if Cooter's had had a change in management or not, but Randy had been I think a long time GM of Cooters and was much loved.

Heights proper is not corporate/big box friendly, so this is where they go. I am glad, I don't want them in the Heights, but I do want them. I think it is a great use of the space. I would be a regular if there was a LaMadeliene or Cafe Express. I frequent, the Target, PetSmart and Washington Heights Veterinary Clinic, and often run by the TacoBell/KFC there (which I never ever do other times or other places). I have been to the Chili's and the Freebird.

I am so glad Bryan has opened his Southwell's there. His food is fabulous. He grew up as a Houston Country Club manager's son, so he learned the need for quality ingredients early. I stopped in on Friday last to do an adoption contract for a dog, and they were very kind to let us non-purchasing people use a table. When I bought a coke to "pay" for the table use, he was very nice and said I didn't have to do that. They will do well there. And they have alot more than burgers, although the burgers are fab.

And as an aside, the PetSmart would do well to replace its general manager. With as many dog lovers as there are in the area, he is the one and only reason that store is not packed. The only reason they get my business is its proximity to the veterinary clinic next door.

Any comments or opinions on Dessert Shoppe on 19th street ? What about Whats up Cupcake ? located corner of 14th street and Sheperd street empty lot ?

It would be nice if the Heights had a great selection of ice cream,pies,cakes ,or homemade sweet desserts.

I have heard good reports on Dessert Shoppe which is in its soft opening. There is a dessert shop of some sort opening on White Oak but that may be a ways off. Pie in the Sky on 19th has a help wanted sign out, so they should be pretty close to opening.

Wasn't there a similar chain named Copper Kettle???? Toddle House was definately ther best though.

Dobb's House

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/10/22/west_university_examiner/news/wu_coming_going.txt

"It turns out River Oaks area post offices at 1900 W. Gray St. and 2802 Timmons Lane will not be sold — at least, not any time soon."

Totally agree about the demise of Luby's I can get just as good hot meal at Avalon and other places around town. When they stopped using the steam tables and brought prices up they lost me as a customer.

THey lost me in all those same ways, plus the pressure to tip the waiter in a cafeteria. If I am going to feel obligated to tip a waiter, I will sit at my table, have somebody "take my order and deliver it".

My family used to love Joe Matranga's on Irvington. An intimate Italian restaurant with dim lights and tremendous homemade food. Joe was the kind of guy that would come by the table, ask about your family, and genuinely cared about his patrons. He retired in the late 80's, and closed down. The last time I could recognize the building it was a cantina.

We drove from west Houston to eat at Matranga's. I saw Joe a few years back dishing out spaghetti at the Sacred Hearts Spaghetti lunch held every Thursday at the Sacred Hearts hall off of AIrline and I-45. Their spaghetti is almost as good as Joe's.

Our postal worker will stop delivering mail if your dogs, secured inside your fence, bark aggressively at her.

Lizzard's on Fountainview

Comedy Workshop and the Comics Annex

Rosco's Jazz Bar (tended bar there)

Remington's Jazz (cocktailed there)

Birdwatchers

Kawliga's

Caribana (PJ)

Rivoli

Houlihan's (tended bar there)

Sam's (when it was still good)

Cooter's

Randy's

Judge's

Eddie's Pizza

Can we take some animals from the Boston Zoo? They are going to euthanize as many as 20% of their animals due to budget cuts.

Do you remember any other details about the interior?

I was never inside. My sister was friends with the young lady whose father owned the house. It was quite the neighborhood gossip that he loved the color purple to the point of insanity.

Mr. Cook was mad for purple. Everything inside was purple.

Nah, its been Don Patron longer than that. I've been at my current job for a year and a half and it was Don Patron when I was working at Chevron before that.

THat's what the "or so ago" covers.

Several from long ago in my childhood when we used to come to Houston to see my grandparents:

-Kapan's on South Main at Kirby (where the Eckerd's is now), our usual Sunday after church lunch place - good steaks and seafood, and those excellent crab ball appetizers that the guy in the white suit used to bring around to all the tables

-Angelo's, another long gone seafood restuarant

-The Strawberry Patch on Westheimer, the Pappas family's country/home cooking concept (Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is there now)

-Tokyo Gardens, the first place I ever had Japanese

I loved the Strawberry Patch!

I was on the F.U.N. drill team for the Shamrocks. I'll have to dig up an old photo. For some reason, my mother always lost my S for my uniform, so she would cut out a cardboard one and pin it on.

dagnabbit, now I'm hungry for pizza.

Does anyone remember the Bavarian Gardens at Waugh and Feagan?

Yep, and it became Garden in the Heights.

I hate to say it, but I think fcarter photographed death on the Chronicle's door.

On the upside, I don't think anybody ever caught the messenger of death in a still photo before.

Not that I ever heard. It sounds like we're talking about the same guy. This guy was the drummer for Paul English, and later went on to play with the New Toys.

One of us should be embarrassed for calling him the wrong name. I hope it's not me.

Actually his name was Herb Edwards and he was a great guy. We were pretty good friends back then.

Did he go by Herman, because this guy was definitely Herman. Young (then) black (still) guy (assume still).

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.

Ahhh, Maxim's. My father took me there for my birthday lunch from age 6 - 14. They had the best chocolate mousse. Camille Berman had quite a checkered reputation.

i am very touched by the support of this forum...won't get too gushy or i might start to cry & lord knows i've done enough of that lately...but i did want to let y'all know that your appreciation of the house & its future means a lot to me.

robyn

Looks like a perfect house for lots of loving dogs.

I love this house.

Yikes - this is the only "active incident" downtown:

RUSK

BLK SMITH

493L

06/11/2009

14:02

Highrise on Fire

1

A008, D008, D019, E008, E009, E508, L007, L019, SF015, SQ009, SF027

Hey Sevfiv, where did you get that info?

Pardon if I'm wrong but what is so special about YMCA housing? Does it cater towards... homeless? Mentally ill? I believe the YMCA serves a good purpose but I'm unsure what it is...

Also, at the very least whoever printed that blurb but at least they could go over and proof their work...

"Proejct" ?

UGH.

Actually, some of HOuston's top businessmen stayed at the Downtown Y when they first arrived in Houston way back in the day (I can't remember who, but you would recognize the names). It is low cost, safe housing for many that are coming to Houston looking for work. They have pretty strict rules to stay there.