trymahjong

so what happened to Texas Highway beautification--is there a program that still plants wildfowers? That might be a start. . . . . . . . .

Yes, you're right-----This is the Hostelling International brand -- they gave a slide show of some of the other locations-- many were historic building like the Lovett Inn-- about polling location one of the Hostel board members spoken to Avondale and said they would try to continue but weren't sure----

Got this email today. The only other hostel in Texas is in Austin. --- On Tue, 6/28/11wrote: Subject: Fwd: Houston, We Have a Hostel To: hihouston@aol.com Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 3:57 PM We appreciate the turnout for our booth at the Pride Festival last weekend, and will keep the neighborhood informed of the plans for the Grand Opening later this summer or early fall. We look forward to being an active part of the neighborhood. -----Original Message----- Sent: Mon, Jun 27, 2011 3:43 pm Subject: Houston, We Have a Hostel Houston, we have a hostel! HI-USA is counting down to the opening of the newest hostel in the network, in Houston. On June 15th, the sale of the historic Lovett Inn to Hostelling International was finalized. Keys were turned over to HI-USA representatives after a final walk through and transfer of funds. Renovation began the following day and this first class international hostel is expected to open in August. The HI Houston Hostel will be named for Morty Rich, native Houstonian, world traveler, and volunteer leader who was active at all levels of HI-USA. Morty was a "true believer" in the values and goals of hostelling to make a difference in the world.Unfortunately, Morty died prematurely in a private plane crash. As a legacy to the organization he loved, Morty left a generous bequest to support the development of a hostel in Houston. The initial bequest from Morty has been added to by the generous support of HI members and donors, and family and friends of Morty. We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of ALL our donors, who are helping HI-USA to realize Morty's dream of a hostel in Houston . Learn more about this fun new hostel and how to become a valued partner of the HI-Houston Morty Rich Hostel. We hope to hear from you soon,

You'd be surprised. My part of Montrose is the EMCA/ Avondale lots of cars parked on streets for bars and restauants. Car burlgarly is #1. People walk down the streets checking to see if doors are locked and looking in car windows. They will break windows for anything left inside. Computer bags--sure but also backgammon sets, fancy flashlights, a hanging suiter and one guy had a garage door opener stolen---but it was for his mother garage door in another city. I wonder how long that guy went up and down the streets clicking at various garages?

lots of frogs and toads in avondale and east montrose civic areas---- there are a few backyard ponds that help them out--You don't see many flattened on roadway either--maybe it's the odd watering a few residents seem to skirt the city mandate water conservation by watering early early mornings.

Our neighborhood yahoo group has been blogging about traffic in parking lot---here's the latest

HPD gives 2 opportunities for citizens to get stats on crime and discuss that info with HPD brass => City wide PIP (1600 state street-- 7pm 2nd tues-meets every other month) local PIP (district 1 & 2 meets 4th tues 7pm 1600 state street) Did Midtown's Executive director comment? Neartown's boundaries only cover a slice of Midtown. Also did the the Midtown Management district comment? Isn't there additional HPD patrols paid for by that organization? I would think that organization would have some insight to those crime stats.

apparently houston chronicle connected the same dots. . . . . . . . . . . http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7603989.html

I have walked by the house featured in KHOU news and also the old El Felix "mom" house on Grant. I wouldn't say these are just 2 or 3 dozen stray or lost cats. The smell is horrible. The sounds at night are horrible. The opened cans of cat food draw huge numbers of flies. The heat putrifies what ever is left over. The trays of dry food also draw flies and worse. Many of the cats have crusted eyes maybe from an illness? A few look like they were injured, but not healing, open sores and flies crawling all over them. Most of them forage into the occupied yards homes that are close--many of us have 10 foot stockade fences. It doesn't stop them. They bring fleas. They fight with the domesticated cats. They leave fecal deposits on patios. You find where they have killed birds. They ravage your garden. I don't want them in my back yard. I don't want them in my front yard. The person that feeds them----doesn't live in the house he feeds them at--he doesn't even live on that street. Houston Animal control says the solution is trap and neuter. The neighborhood does attempt to do that. My next door neighbor and I do that. It's a difficult process.

http://www.khou.com/...-123273543.html the person feeding the feral cats (apparently breaking the law by doing so) isn't named. . . . . . . . . .

at Baba Yega's this afternoon, there was quite a bit of talk about feral cats-- apparently it's really smelly to walk down Grant towards the restaurant. One of the questions raised . . . . . . . where will all of those armstrong cats go when their abode ( Mrs. Felix's old house as well as the 2 houses behind on Crocker) are torn down for parking (for Uchi's) . . . . . . . . . ?

The Houstonpress article wasn't complimentary, going back and forth about SouthBeach et al and FBAR but the quote in 002 magazine from the VUE/Lava lamp manager towards Fbar seemed snarky

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/05/31/136821133/cellphones-may-be-a-cancer-risk-after-all?sc=emaf Big WHO study indicates "not much" evidence to link cancer and cell phones 31 scientist study the "not much" and agree the evidence indicates a link. . . . . . . . I'm confused

maybe others got this in email or saw it in NYTimes--it must have cost a kazillion--maybe it works but. . . . . . . . . the cyber skeptic in me asks--how much should i believe? <http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/04/bach_wooden_staircase.html >

American Institute of Architects (AIA Houston)/Architecture Center Houston presents the 25 Years of Sandcastle Competition Exhibition. Exhibition Dates May 19 – June 24, 2011. AIA Houston looks back on 25 years of architects on the beach. The exhibit features images and memorabilia from the last 25 years of the annual sandcastle building competition held on Galveston Island. The exhibit will also include ground-breaking 3D high definition laser scanning technology used to produce holograms, point clouds, and elevations of past winners. The 25th Annual Sandcastle Competition will be held Saturday, June 4, 10am – 5:30pm on Galveston’s East Beach. Architecture Center Houston (ArCH) is a collaboration of AIA Houston and the Architecture Center Houston Foundation. ArCH is located downtown at 315 Capitol, Suite 120 on the corner of Bagby and Capitol. Parking is available in the Hobby Center parking garage located across the street with entrances on Rusk and Walker. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Fridays from 9am to 3pm. Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. www.aiasandcastle.com

I talked to the manager at Aladin's about Mexico's Deli going in--he said that fell through because of high rent.

forgot to ask if the roof terrace of Prive will be reopened?

What will happen to the whimsical El Felix sign out front by the bus stop?

I've been watching the tear down of the old El Felix, noticed today that the plate glass window from Louis XIV was taken out--- The windows of Cafe Den were smashed earlier in the year and covered in plywood--- maybe that's what happened-- but everything was so "tidy"--is something new going in?

A sit down Chinese would be great! But a great BBQ place might be better. . . . . . . . . .

Lots of talk about the TABC-- thought a view of their newsletter would be interesting http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/publications/tabc_today/TodaySp11.pdf

I read this months Houston Press Cover story http://www.houstonpress.com/2011-05-19/news/the-mayor-of-montrose/ and the blog http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2011/05/cover_story_in_the_gay_nightli.php the part about the feral cats bothered me---

Maybe change is coming http://www.texaswatc...ompromise-plan/

From Councilwoman Adams enewsletter This upcoming Saturday District D has 16 dangerous buildings that will finally rid the community of the vagrants, animals, and other quality of life threatening characteristics common with dangerous structures . Beginning at 9am this Saturday May 21, Mayor Annise Parker will open 2011 Demolition Day at 4223 Charleston in the heart of the Macgregor/3 Ward Community. Please take note of these properties in your community below: 5101 Airport Blvd 77048 5151 Airport Blvd 77048 5155 Airport Blvd 77048 5189 Airport Blvd 77048 10401 Cathedral 77051 4223 Charleston 7021 5527 Flamigo 77033 5530 Greylog 77048 3605 Live Oak 77004 3805 Lydia 77021 3433 Seabrook 77021 5010 Wilmington 77033

This Don Julio's? http://www.donjulios.com/