10/15/09 3:13pm

Updates on a few restaurants Swamplot has been following:

  • Reopened: Azzarelli’s, an Italian-American restaurant that began the year in Cinco Ranch’s Tuscan-themed Villagio Town Center, then (after a notable exit) camped for a while (as Azzarelli’s Corner Café) in another center at 6455 South Fry Road, opened last week in its 4th location within just a couple of years: 17754 Katy Freeway, Suite B, I-10 at Barker Cypress. “With this great location, I will be open 365 days a year,” owner Frank Triola tells his press-release copywriter.
  • Opening Soon: The restaurant going into the former Cue & Cushion pool hall at 510 Shepherd that Swamplot reported on earlier this fall now has a name: Branch Water Tavern — and a more palatable label than “gastropub.” Try “Modern American Tavern.” Chef David Grossman says it’ll open later this month, but the Houston Press‘s Robb Walsh, who’s toured the construction site, thinks Christmas is more likely.

More eats:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

09/17/09 3:24pm

HEIGHTS HOME FIRES STILL BURNING Early this morning: the 10th and 11th in a series of set blazes in the Heights, all targeting vacant homes. The latest were on 9th St. and 12th St.: “Before today, all the other fires had occurred along Ashland between 10th and 11th streets. Today’s fires were within three blocks of the previous blazes. District Chief Arthur Broussard said both fires appeared suspicious, and the second one appeared to start near an exterior staircase. Firefighters put it out within 15 minutes. ‘It’s pretty brazen, pretty brazen,’ he said of the second fire starting such a short distance from where firefighters and police were still on the scene of the first one.” [Houston Chronicle]

09/17/09 11:00am

Yes, the Alabama Bookstop carved out of the former Alabama Theater on South Shepherd closed down for good earlier this week. But a few miles to the north, another new business has opened in a reformed movie house. Tonight’s open house at the Heights Theater celebrates its latest incarnation: as a 7,000-sq.-ft. event space.

A quick tour of how the interior looked a year ago, before the latest round of renovations:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

09/11/09 2:44pm

STUDEWOOD GETS ITS SPAGHETTI WESTERN Former chef Robert Gadsby had named his new Heights restaurant after his hometown, in England. But that was so late-last-year. Here’s the latest: Partners Bryan Caswell and Bill Floyd announced Friday afternoon they signed papers to take over the Heights restaurant Bedford and will turn it into a modern Italian restaurant. Think Texas toast meets Tuscan steak, Caswell said. ‘We’re trying to draw the similarities between the rustic-oriented qualities of the Tuscan region with the rustic qualities of the Texas region,’ Caswell said.” Caswell and Floyd own Reef and Little Big’s. [Cook’s Tour; previously on Swamplot]

09/11/09 12:40pm

A reader from the Heights sends in photos documenting only the latest scene in Houston’s long and theatrical history of commingled real estate and political ambition. If you like, say, the pricing on the homes Karen Derr’s former company sells — like this one at 946 Arlington St. — you’ll certainly want to see Derr join city council!

But what’s with that part in red letters? Maybe just to let voters know she’s a little less favorably disposed toward freeform demolition than, say, former candidate/broker Michael Berry was. Writes our reader and snapshooter:

I am guessing that Karen Derr’s office rec’d so many calls as to the future of this house- one the few remaining 19th century homes in the Heights, that she had the “Remodel” sign made and stuck atop her broker sign. . . . Karen used to be on the board of the Houston Heights Association and she is locally active and running for office, so she does not want to piss off too much of her long time neighbors.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

09/04/09 11:24am

What’s new to eat?

  • Opening Soon: Lola, a diner-ish spot serving “American comfort foods” — in the restored and refashioned former Eckerd Drug across from the Heights Post Office on Yale and 11th. This’ll be the third Heights restaurant venture from Ken Bridge, who also runs Dragon Bowl and Pink’s Pizza.
  • Opened This Week: From famed New York, Las Vegas, and Dallas chef John Tesar, Tesar’s Modern Steak and Seafood, directly across from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. You’ll certainly want to eat everything on your plate when you visit: “Tesar’s entire menu will be one hundred percent sustainable created with a zero-waste food ethics in mind,” declares the restaurant website. Whole fish will be a specialty. Outside: a burger bar.
  • Closed: The Texadelphia in the fast-food-friendly strip center on Memorial Dr. and Asbury, across from Otto’s — reportedly on account of the parking lot being too darn clogged. No worries: You can still get your cheesesteak fix at 3 other Houston locations, and it’s now a bit easier to find a spot in front of the Kolache Factory.

More food fun:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

08/20/09 11:28am

And now, an entirely unverified rumor concerning Heights watering hole the Shiloh Club, at 1321 Studewood. A tipster writes in:

Stopped in for a cold one yesterday and the word is the lease to Joe (the owner since the late 80’s?) is not being renewed.

Heard- two daytime locals are taking over the lease on September 1. No word what will become of the current bar.

Observed- Friday nights about 10:30 the bar is inundated with young hipsters grabbing cheap drinks on their way out to go clubbing.

Thanks for noticing!

Photo of Shiloh Club, 1321 Studewood St.: Heights Blog

08/07/09 3:00pm

COMMENT OF THE DAY: NORTH SHEPHERD AUTOMOTIVE DISTRICT EXPANSION PROGRAM “Forget Ross and Kroger….I’m excited about the new Auto Parts store that just put up a contruction sign up on 11th and Dorothy (across from Dragon Bowl). How exciting to have a third auto parts store within the 1/10th mile!!!” [biggerintexas, commenting on Opening Day: H-E-B Buffalo Market Stampede Begins]

08/07/09 2:38pm

It’s tagger war! Always on the lookout for dramatic artistic expression, blogger Sean Carroll snaps photos of the custom balcony paint jobs on this set of unfinished townhomes not far from his home. The site: Eichwurzel Ln., just west of Lindale Park and steps from the I-45 feeder. Reports Carroll:

they’ve been tagged for about two or three months, the parking lot in front of the townhomes is a messy half-finished lot, and it looks like they never finished the buildings. no occupants. kids are sneaking in and tagging the hell out of the inside probably too…

More views:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

08/06/09 11:46pm

We know what you’re wondering: Which Swamplot reader is gonna walk slide away with that gift basket of personal lubricant products?

Yes, this week’s prize — you’ll remember — is sponsored by Wet International. Shall we recap what’s in it? There’s the bottle of Wet Original, the Wet Kiwi Strawberry flavored lubricant, the Wet Together couples lubricant, and the Inttimo by Wet Total Body Shave Cream for Men.

First though, your guesses: There were 5 each for the Heights and Midtown, 4 for Rice Military and the Baldwin Park area, and 2 each for Montrose, Montrose near Nino’s and Vincent’s, “West Alabama/Bammel Lane,” Sugar Land, the West End, Bellaire, Memorial Heights, and Royal Oaks. The rest: The First Ward, Lakes of Stonehenge, Missouri City, Southdale Addition, “just outside of the West U chimney,” St. George’s Place, Southside Place, Bissonnet east of Weslayan, “somewhere over there in West Southside University Place,” on Fountainview or Augusta between San Felipe and Westheimer, “around the Augusta, Bering area between Westheimer and Woodway,” Greatwood, First Colony, Cottage Grove, the Astrodome area, Shady Acres, Pearland, Silverlake, Katy, “near the Toyota Center,” Lazy Brook, Timbergrove, Timbergrove Court, Clear Lake, Bay Pointe, “north of Beltway 8, near Ella,” “11th at Hempstead,” “the area adjacent to Audubon Place in the neighborhood bordering the sunken section North of 59,” “off Pin Oak, behind the middle school and HCC on 610,” “between the rail tracks and the West Loop east of the Galleria,” “somewhere in the Galleria/Woodway area,” and “Gillette-Sutton” in Midtown.

Happily for all of us, the winner is significantly tickled by the prize:

omg, lube! it’s my lucky day!! not even kidding!!

so sad when a family wants to make the compromise between the suburbs and the city and just doesn’t quite get there, as can be seen by the little ikea kid table at the end of a tiny kitchen that wishes to be like the ones in kingwood. sniff. story of my life

here goes: inside the loop, but just barely. timbergrove and lazybrook were too old and icky so these guys bought in the new developments in the area. maybe across from sterling elementary school so they can pretend they are providing a yard to their kid, even if it is owned by hisd. timbergrove court, maybe it’s called? if not right there, then further down 11th at hempstead in those new suburbia wannabe neighborhoods that back up directly to the railroad. still thinking it’s across from sinclair though.

my guess is that they hate this place, are sucking it up and moving out to the burbs for the schools.

Congratulations, brandy c! Yes, this is your lucky day. Enjoy!

A somewhat drier congratulations to all of you who came real close in one way or another: those of you who spotted the telltale signs of Perry Homes; of a freestanding structure; those of you who called the early aughts.

We had two entries worthy of special recognition: Carolyn — who happens to be the listing agent — sent readers not-too-far away with this fake guess:

I think it is definitely a Perry Home but possibly in Shady Acres or maybe Baldwin Park.

Then there was this second faker-outer, hoping to encourage more of you to guess farther afield:

Having lived in the burbs for 12 years this one is a no brainer. In fact I think I’ve been in this house in Clear Lake somewhere in my younger days for a house party. I’m guessing Clear Lake – the neighborhood has ‘Bay’ or ‘Brook’ in the name, which is every neighborhood in Clear Lake. I’ll go anything off Clear Lake City Blvd – Bay Pointe.

That came from Jessica, the reader who suggested this home in the first place. Great job!

Now how about a closer look?

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

07/16/09 1:20pm

The reader who first brought that humongously discounted house in Timbergrove Manor to our attention earlier this spring writes in to report that the tall courtyard home’s asking price has been further reduced. The 6,000-sq.-ft. home at 6204 Queenswood Ln. was originally listed for $1.8 million, but was cut to $1 million in April.

As of last week, the home has been relisted with an even-further-reduced price: $749,999. Why the continuing freefall? Writing in May, a commenter on our earlier story offered some details:

. . . the listing agent indicated that the home had sustained water damage during Ike due to broken windows. She also let me know that the home would soon be going into a short sale, which is now listed on the Agent side of the MLS Listing. . . . Unfortunately, the home did suffer major damage, which in reality looked like the roof leaked throughout the house. The sheetrock has been removed from all ceilings and top ¾ of the walls on the entire second floor. All the molding has also been removed throughout the house. The floorplan is amazing with large rooms, wide hallways and high ceilings. It is really an amazing place!

The photos in the new listing are considerably different from those in the first, and reveal some of the extent of the damage. Here’s the latest view of the central courtyard, scene of that dramatic waterfall:

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

07/02/09 4:26pm

COMMENT OF THE DAY: THE SUPERMARKET STANDSTILL IN TIMBERGROVE “Outside of internal remodels, they can’t do anything with the [H-E-B] Pantry location [at T.C. Jester and 18th St.] except leave it. The Shopping center along with the one located across the bayou (old K-Mart) are located in the Floodway (not just floodplain). There isn’t much they can do [to] those [sites.] HEB would need an entirely new location.” [kjb434, commenting on Buffalo Modern: The New H-E-B in West U]

06/12/09 5:24pm

COMMENT OF THE DAY: DRUG STORE LOCATOR “The Young & Restless children’s consignment shop moved from the red wooden house to the blue metal warehouse, a year or two ago. A CVS won’t go in there because there is no Walgreen’s across the street. Must have a Walgreen’s in place in order to plant a CVS.” [Miz Brooke Smith, commenting on Daily Demolition Report: Larsten Space]

06/12/09 11:25am

The Heights Life draws attention to the 1,781-sq.-ft. 1915-vintage bungalow at 1620 Cortlandt St.:

When the property next door went on the market for lot value, a Heights family of five couldn’t resist the potential of a nice big yard for their own well-lived in bungalow. They bought the land, which happens to come with an adorable Craftsman home that currently sits on it.

So . . . it’s for sale. How much?

Because they essentially bough the land and the house is uninhabitable, they aren’t certain of the value. They are willing to consider different offers and work something out that benefits everyone. A very rough estimate would be $50-75k, based on some input they received from Historic Houston.

Photo of 1620 Cortlandt St.: The Heights Life

06/08/09 2:08pm

Bloodhound steward and low-cost-wedding expert Sara E. Cotner discovers that the snoballs at the new MAM’s House of Ice in the Fiesta parking lot at 14th and Studewood reside in the upper echelons of the highly stratified frozen-water market:

The New Orleans-sytle snowball shop has been up and running since Friday, May 29, although it has been “a year in the making.” The co-owner that I chatted with is from England but has lived in The Heights for the past 2.5 years. He quit his job as an architect and decided to “jump on a whim” and “have a go at it” by opening a “cottagey, cutesy, cutesy” snoball shop on a piece of parking lot leased from Fiesta. One of the other owners is in the process of quitting her job as a receptionist, and the third owner works in banking as an accountant.

During their year of research, they uncovered a hierarchy of ice. Apparently, snow cones are on the bottom, shaved ice is the next highest level, and snoballs are at the very top, since they are like “eating snow.”

Photos: Sara E. Cotner (top) and MAM’s House of Ice