COMMENT OF THE DAY: GOOD ENOUGH FOR VISITORS “. . . I’m always befuddled when my husband’s family comes in from Boston or New York and is eager to go to the Galleria. Apparently, that’s enough of a tourist destination for some people . . .” [Adrianne, commenting on City Playing Musical Blocks with Downtown Houses]
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DRIVING THIS STRETCH OF SHEPHERD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME 
Not for a couple more shrink-swell cycles, at least. A reader heralds the coming cataclysm: “Shepherd between Memorial and I-10 has begun to experience a transfiguration ranking with the most sublime heavenly experiences in the history of mankind: Milling trucks have been scraping the ragged, churned old asphalt in preparation for a new road, a new land, a new Jerusalem! Yes — fresh, smooth, new pavement on Shepherd Drive! Hallelujah!” Photo: Rachel Dvoretzky
THE HOUSEWRAP RED CARPET TREATMENT 
“Tina McPherson, whose day job is as the supervisor of the William R. Jenkins Art and Architecture Library at U.H., . . . conducted interviews of arriving guests (pretty much anyone who came through) similar to those red-carpet interviews one might see on awards shows or celebrity-oriented shows. I’ve always thought it was weird how the backdrop to these interviews would be wallpaper printed with copies of corporate and/or product logos. iPageant parodied this tendency by putting up Tyvek, the super-strong water-proof paper that home builders use to cover the wooden balloon framing of modern houses. Tyvek has its logo printed in a regular pattern, making Tyvek paper perfect for a red-carpet backdrop. McPherson treated everyone who came in as if they were a celebrity, whose answers to her repetitious questions were actually worth hearing. This went out live on the closed-circuit feed.” — Robert Boyd, describing artist Dennis Harper‘s homey one-night performance last month at The Joanna, across the street from the Menil Collection’s Byzantine Fresco Chapel. [The Great God Pan Is Dead] Photo: The Joanna
HOUSTON, THE PROTOTYPICAL CITY 
With its new “more interactive” 1,600-sq.-ft. prototype store now open in The Woodlands Mall, high-end beanbag and furniture retailer LoveSac “can add its name to the long list of retailers and restaurants that have chosen Houston as the market in which to debut a new store design or concept,” writes Allison Wollam. Her recent tally: “Last month, Pollo Campero unveiled its new prototype restaurant and expanded menu in Houston, and in September, Beef O Brady’s sports bar and restaurant debuted its new store design in nearby Lake Jackson. In May, popular sandwich shop Spicy Pickle Sandwich Co. also chose Houston as the first location for its new prototype, featuring a revamped menu, upscale decor and open kitchen.” [Houston Business Journal; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Pollo Campero
COMMENT OF THE DAY: EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH? “In front of this building, to the right of the staircase, there used to be a sign that said ‘witch parking.’ Not sure why . . .” [Bill, commenting on The Feds Go After Houston’s Allied Home Mortgage]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: COMES WITH THE LAND “If you take the Houston blinders off for a minute, you’ll realize that ‘deed restrictions protect property values’ and ‘zoning distorts property values’ are the same statement. Other things that ‘distort’ property values are: having a functioning police force so you have a reasonable certainty that a band of pirates won’t come steal everything you own; having roads to connect your property to other things; being located in a country with a functioning economy; public support of decent schools; a public health system that prevents outbreaks of Ebola; lack of a brutal murderous dictatorial regime; and not living downwind of a sewage treatment plant. Which of these are ‘evil planning’ vs ‘sensible government’ is, of course, determined by the political views of the speaker.” [John (another one), commenting on Comment of the Day: Keep Houston Cheap]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: KEEP HOUSTON CHEAP “. . . low property values are a positive for the people of Houston and the city. Inflating property values with use restrictions just accrues big profits to established landowners, drives up rent, limits competitive experimentation to find the best use of property, and enriches politically connected individuals savvy enough to navigate the various agencies charged with approving exceptions. Ask any average person living in or thinking of moving to London to list things that are bad about the city, and the inflated property prices will be high on their list 9 times out of 10.” [Kevin, commenting on Did Weingarten Realty Just Bury the 1939 Art Deco Interior of the Alabama Theater in Concrete?]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: NAMING THE HEIGHTS’ GREAT STUDEWOOD “The 1200 block of Omar isn’t in Norhill; it’s west of the Studivide.” [mollusk, commenting on Daily Demolition Report: A Crush on Omar]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: EACH INGREDIENT IS IMPORTANT “. . . it IS the bayou odor, the bat guano smells, the methane sewer gas & auto exhaust fumes that combine to make the ‘Houston smell’!” [Patrick, commenting on More Pedestrian Bridges and Other Twists and Turns in the Plans for Buffalo Bayou Park]
MOSQUITO COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHAT DOES NOT KILL THEM MAKES THEM LARGER “UH sprayed on Monday. Now they are just bigger.” [awp, commenting on Comment of the Day: Getting Serious, Now That Our Air Conditioned Defenses Have Been Breached]
FEEDER FARMERS MARKET 
Houston’s first freeway-side farmers market debuts this Friday at 3 pm in the parking lot of the HCC Southwest College’s West Loop campus. Appropriately enough, the market’s organizers at Urban Harvest are telling visitors this new market at 5601 West Loop Fwy. South “will have more of a ‘street food’ component with more food trucks” as well as locally prepared foods. The HCC campus was created out of what was originally a store for Incredible Universe, Tandy Corp.’s short-lived mid-nineties venture into big-box electronics retailing. Also beginning soon: another Urban Harvest farmers market on Thursdays, in Sugar Land Town Square. [Fort Bend Sun] Photo: WhisperToMe
STUDEMONT KROGER 380 AGREEMENT PASSES By a 10-5 vote this morning, city council approved the mayor’s plan for a so-called “380” development agreement between the city and Kroger. Under the agreement, the grocery company would receive up to $2.5 million in sales and property tax reimbursements from the city in return for job-creation guarantees connected to a new store and gas station at 1400 Studemont St., just south of I-10. Also in the deal: a land exchange with the city to allow Summer St. to connect to Studemont through the company’s property. [Previously on Swamplot]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: GETTING SERIOUS, NOW THAT OUR AIR CONDITIONED DEFENSES HAVE BEEN BREACHED “A mosquito just bit me on the face. IN MY OFFICE ON THE 6TH FLOOR.” [Susan, commenting on Comment of the Day: Attack of the Giant Vampire Mosquitoes]
COMMENT OF THE DAY RUNNER-UP: SOWING SPRAWL “Then the birds fly over the empty dirt and drop seeds for nail salons, cell phone accessory stores and quickie loan dives. The city would have to plant chinaberry trees to protect it.” [Hellsing, commenting on Mayor Parker Wants To Buy Unused Eastwood Elementary School on Credit]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: ATTACK OF THE GIANT VAMPIRE MOSQUITOES “My dog was carried off while we were walking at Memorial Park. I lost 6 lbs – not from walking, but from blood loss . . .” [Ellie Mae, commenting on Mosquitoes Reclaim Houston]