Houston Ladies - let's chat!!

[DiscoDiva]

edited

[mrs_pell]

I was JUST thinking earlier tonight about starting a thread for us Houston gals! So...thanks! :)

I'm Cori, and I'm in Kingwood. Just moved here last December and LOVE it! I work downtown, so the commute's a bit of a hastle, but I love my job, and I love where I live, so it makes it all okay. :)

I'd be up for a get together sometime!

[Tanya]

Hey, a Houston thread! I'm Tanya and I'm in the southeast side of Houston (Clear Lake/NASA). I'd be up for a get-together.

[Txfish]

Hey girls! I'm Rebecca & I'm in Spring. (Tanya, we just moved from Clear Lake about a year ago!) I'd love to do a get-together. Egad, I wish Houston was a smaller city though... :eek:

Look forward to hearing from the rest of us -- there must be many, right?

[Tanya]

Txfish, my BIL and SIL are in Spring, so we're up there a lot! There's got to be more of us...

[jules1025]

Hello! Another Houstonian here. :) I'm Julie and I live in a small house in the city (about 10 mins from downtown). I was JulesWed1025 on the other site.

DD - We've met IRL... I hope you remember me. ;)

Tanya - Did you ever get your wedding video?? :confused:

[mrs_pell]

I'd be up for a get together! :D Also, just wanted to drop this off, in case anyone liked country and hasn't heard about this...

http://www.onecountryconcert.org/images/one_country_title_2.gif

FEATURING:

* Kenny Chesney
* Alan Jackson
* Martina McBride
* Willie Nelson
* George Strait
* ZZ Top (JUST ADDED!)
* MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

This show is being produced entirely by donated and underwritten equipment and services - ticket revenue generated will truly benefit the survivors of this tragedy.

Artists have donated their time, sound and lighting production services were contributed, everything from staffing, food and beverage sales revenues, parking revenues, Ticketmaster service charges will be contributed to Katrina survivors.

Tickets go on sale FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th at 10am

Tickets $125, $100, $85, $65, $39.50

[mrs_pell]

Doh! Sorry! It's at Reliant Stadium.

Friday nights or Sunday afternoon/evening would be okay with me. :)

[jules1025]

DD - Awww! Thanks! (I'm blushing.) :o :D DH is really well. Thanks for asking! We are not 100% sure of the sex - the baby was being too modest in the u/s. But, we go back in 2 weeks for another u/s to check the gender. He/she better open those legs! ;)

GTG... I'm booked on the weekends through the rest of September. I think waiting for the Katrina evacuation relief effort to slow down is a good idea.

Anyone else sick and tired of this heat?!?! Man I hope we get a cold front soon!!

[PookiePrincess]

Hello Houston ladies!

I'm Kristi and I also live in Kingwood. I grew up in Humble/Atascocita and have lived in Kingwood a little over a year. I teach in Dayton.

I'd like to do a get together, but the Saturdays are booked basically until November (wedding in 44 days!)

Ugh...I'm so tired of the heat. I can't even sit outside at school for recess for more than 10 minutes. It's unbearable!

[Cricket4]

Hey ladies! I'm Courtney and we just bought a house due north of the Rice Stadium.

I'm free to get together...if its a Friday night I might have to make it an early night, though, b/c I work Saturdays. And October is busy for me, but if I miss the first get-together, PLEEEEEEASE don't count me out for the next one.

I'm looking forward to meeting an awesome group of gals - I haven't lived here very long.

[Tanya]

Tanya - Did you ever get your wedding video?? :confused:
Ug, don't remind me. He had promised it to me end of June and here we are...but it's looking like there's progress. I know I'm a pushover, but getting mad didn't work and it's not worth it to get a lawyer, though I did threaten one. I'm waiting on another update. He at least responds quickly. :rolleyes:
DH didn't care if we had a video, anyway, so he's not concerned. It's my mom that's kinda unhappy.

[Tanya]

Yup. There was a thread on problems with videographers on WC a few months ago, I believe? Yeah, we've been married since 11/03. It will be almost 2 years. He apparently declared bankruptcy so there was no money to be gotten back. I do have the raw footage on 5 DVDs and his editor is working on ours "now". Ah well, it's better than our photographer running off or the DJ not showing up:D.

[karlatta]

Hi gals! I'm Karla, and I'm in Sugar Land, though DH and I are planning to move this fall to the Spring/Cypress/Klein area. Tanya - I might have to get your insight as we're looking for a house. We want to be near-ish Champions Forest and 1960.

I'm always up for get togethers - I just can't do Sundays. Any other day of the week is usually okay with me. I'm doubtful that DH would ever be able to come to something. He is a busy, busy man!

[jules1025]

Tanya - Sorry you're still having to deal with him. :mad: I can't believe he actually filed bankruptcy! He was threatening to do it when we were in contact with him, but hadn't by the time we got our video. Threatening legal action was the only way we could get him to speed it up. I hope you get it soon!

[jules1025]

DD - I thought you might have the answer to this since you've been volunteering. Do you know if there's any way to donate furniture to evacuees staying in Houston? We have some older furniture in good shape and some kitchen supplies (dishes, pots/pans, etc) that we would sell in a garage sale, but I would rather donate it to those starting over in Houston. Know of any way to do that?? TIA!

[jules1025]

Thank you! Just what I was looking for! :)

[PookiePrincess]

Hey, since we are all Houston ladies, if Rita comes this way, what will it take for you to evacuate?
I know we've got several days, but we've been talking about it. However, we are in Kingwood, so it might take a category 3 or stronger for us to hightail it out of here.

[karlatta]

I've been thinking about Rita today too. I might just evacuate for the heck of it, since I have a three day weekend. It might be a good time to take a road trip to my mom's.

DH probably won't be able to evacuate. He works for an emergency response company and will probably need to stay around. :( But he'll be taken care of by his company, and we have plenty of some friends on the north side of town if he needs a place to go.

I am packing up our emergency bags tonight. Flashlights, matches, toiletries, etc. Super fun!

[allison]

Another Houston gal here!
I'm up in Kingwood and would be up for a get together (after hurricane season? :p ).

[allison]

Oh, so that means we are all staying at your house when we evacuate, right? ;)

Hee! Party in Kingwood!!

I'm hoping that Rita stays away cause we're supposed to go to the Coldplay concert this weekend!!!

[jules1025]

I'm hoping that Rita stays away cause we're supposed to go to the Coldplay concert this weekend!!! Allison - We're supposed to go to that concert too! I'm so mad about possibly wasting money on a concert that I might not be able to go to b/c of a hurricane. Do you think they'd reschedule or offer a refund if the hurricane does come?

So, this might be the first hurricane I've had to deal with in my own home... What do I need to make it through (IF we decide to stay)?? Water, batteries, candles, ??? I'm clueless. :confused:

[allison]

Allison - We're supposed to go to that concert too! I'm so mad about possibly wasting money on a concert that I might not be able to go to b/c of a hurricane. Do you think they'd reschedule or offer a refund if the hurricane does come?

So, this might be the first hurricane I've had to deal with in my own home... What do I need to make it through (IF we decide to stay)?? Water, batteries, candles, ??? I'm clueless.

I soooo hope that if Rita comes that they reschedule. Our tickets say rain or shine, but it's a hurricane! Our first dance was to a Coldplay song and DH was going to surprise me with the tickets but told me about it last night since Rita might be here this weekend.

Water, candles, flashlights, batteris, small battery operated radio, non-perishable food, manual canned food, medicine (perscriptions, first aid kit...), if you have pets make sure you have plenty of food (and litter for cats), personal hygine products, toilet paper, towels, bug spray, if you plane on using a propane grill (if need be) you'll need a propane tank, fire extinguisher...

We don't have an extinguisher but have most everything else. I'm guessing we'll more than likely lose power.

[katmg]

I missed the fact that we had a Houston thread!

I'm Katherine and I live in west Houston (Spring Branch). I'd be up for a get-together! (After Rita, et al ;) )

DH and I are supposed to go to Austin anyway this weekend. We'll have to see what happens with the storm though. I may decide to stay home and make sure our house is okay...

[polkadot]

guys just wanted to say....if they ask you to leave please do so...we are still thinking about leaving and we are 25 min from New Orleans...I would hate to have so much devestation in both places here and houston/galveston. I hope that ya'll and the residents elsewhere have a better grasp of this size of a storm and what it can do even if its not a direct hit....please everyone stay safe and stay with your families....

You will all be in my thoughts and prayers...

:o

[katmg]

DD - I made it through okay. There's a full update in my journal. Long story short, I evacuated to Katy and got back to my house yesterday. My house was fine. Limbs and leaves down in the yards, but luckily nothing serious!

Glad you made it through okay!

[katmg]

I'm in Spring Branch - north of I-10. Apparently some of the people south of the freeway near me, were without power. I'm so glad we had A/C in our house!

[tgray99]

Howdy all, I'm another Houston girl, I'm down in the Clear Lake/NASA area. We went to Kingwood to stay with my parents on Wednesday. I left that afternoon and it took me 4 hours, Ryan left that night and it took him 7 hours.

I'm totally up for a get together!! I have class on Tuesday and Wednesday nights but any other night is fine with me!

[jules1025]

Hi all! We're fine. Weathered the storm at my Dad's (near downtown). Amazingly, his power never went out during the storm. We have no damage to our house, but our power was out for 2 days. We borrowed a generator, gas, and a window a/c unit from my Dad to get through the weekend. Thank goodness we were able to do this b/c Sunday was miserable with the heat!

[Cricket4]

Hey ladies, just checking in to say we're fine, just about no damage (and very little damage at the animal shelter, too!) We really lucked out here in Houston, and I wish our neighbors had been so lucky.

Hope you are all doing well.

[jules1025]

I am in major need of a haircut! But, I want to switch stylists to someone closer to me. My old stylist is located in Rice Village, but I'm looking for someone near downtown, the Heights, River Oaks, etc. Even willing to go towards the galleria area. Anyone have any recommendations??

[katmg]

I am in major need of a haircut! But, I want to switch stylists to someone closer to me. My old stylist is located in Rice Village, but I'm looking for someone near downtown, the Heights, River Oaks, etc. Even willing to go towards the galleria area. Anyone have any recommendations??

I currently see Jonas at Adytum salon in the Greenway Plaza area. He's good. Their number is 713.523.9886

I used up an old gift certificate at Salon E. (I went there before my colorist moved to Adytum) Stephen does an absolutely amazing job. I went to him when I CHOPPED my hair post-wedding. He's expensive and I wouldn't recommend him for every-day type hair cuts, but for a major change, he is well worth it. Jonas even commented on how good the hair cut was when he trimmed my hair 6-8 weeks later.

ETA: Salon E is on Westheimer right past the railroad tracks by Central Market, before you get to 610.

[tgray99]

Hi DD! It was pretty neat to finally put a face with a name I've seen for so long on WC then here! Good to meetcha, girl!

[Tanya]

Hey, we're fine too. I recapped in the Rita thread. We made it as far as Spring and camped out there for a few days. Came home Sat morning and we had power, no problems! In case anyone doesn't know about TV replays, most have already happened, but Numbers and another show is being replayed tonight at 2:07 am on CBS. You can see the schedule at local channels CBS (http://www.KHOU.com) or NBC (http://www.click2houston.com).

[Txfish]

Gack! Completely forgot to subscribe to this thread. Glad to see that everyone made it through Rita ok and that I haven't missed the first GTG :)

Karla, we're very close to the area you are looking for -- ask me any questions you've got. We're in Spring, Memorial Northwest/Champion Springs. Glad you'll be joining us! Are you already looking/ have a potential move date?

So, looks like Friday nights for a GTG, as long as it doesn't go into the wee hours ;) Somewhere central, north, south? Doesn't look like we have a concentration in any one area.

[allison]

I am in major need of a haircut! But, I want to switch stylists to someone closer to me. My old stylist is located in Rice Village, but I'm looking for someone near downtown, the Heights, River Oaks, etc. Even willing to go towards the galleria area. Anyone have any recommendations??


I have a great one! The Blu/e salon/spa on Washington next to Star Pizza. Either Juan or Stephan (pronounced Stef-ahn...and Stephan is a she ;) ). Stephan does great color work and cuts hair and Juan (who is just precious and an old HS friend of my girlfriends) cuts hair. They're at the corner of Washington and Waugh (you park in the Star Pizza parking lot...it's actually where the Satellite Lounge used to be).

[tgray99]

So, looks like Friday nights for a GTG, as long as it doesn't go into the wee hours ;) Somewhere central, north, south? Doesn't look like we have a concentration in any one area.
Friday nights are good for me. My preferences are south (Kemah's a great place to hang!!) or central (I love Bossa and Slainte downtown). But, I'm pretty flexible. Can't wait to meet y'all (or see ya again in the case of Kat, Allison and DD).

[katmg]

Fridays would work for me - I think central would probably be best. I'm in West Houston, I know there are several up north and several south so I'm thinking downtown area might work? Ibiza in midtown is always a nice place, I've never been to Slainte but I have been to Bossa - it's good too!

[tgray99]

Fridays would work for me - I think central would probably be best. I'm in West Houston, I know there are several up north and several south so I'm thinking downtown area might work? Ibiza in midtown is always a nice place, I've never been to Slainte but I have been to Bossa - it's good too!
Slainte is an Irish Pub on Main downtown.

[jules1025]

katmg & allison - Thank you for the recs! I think I'm going to try to make an appt with the salon allison recommended since it's so close to my house.

Allison - I'm sending you a PM! :)

[tgray99]

That's a really good idea, DD! Maybe we could pool our resources/monies? I don't have much to give right now but I can give a little bit. Could we Paypal money to you and you could send her one big check from all of us? Just a thought. Let me know.

[Rico'sAlice]

I don't really have anything to say, just helping you revive the thread. I am reeally more a of a part time resident. I'm there for 6-8 months and then in Western Massachusetts for the rest of the year. My husband and I run an energy efficiency company that relies on funding from the electric delivery companies and we never know how long it will stretch. We've only been doing it the past two years, and the arrangement is quite a hassel, but the money is excellent. When we are in Mass DH is a carpenter and I work with special needs adults part time and work on getting TX contracts for the next year.

We are not sure yet if/when we will come down. We don't really find out until December. Also, last year we were renting my mom's extra house (long story)but she sold it when we left, so if we do come down we'll have to find someplace to live. We have three large dogs, so it is very difficult to find a palce to rent.
Either way, I know I will be down for atleast a few months b/c my father is having an adult stem cell transfusion (like a bone marrow transplant) and since he and my mom are in the process of getting a divorce I will be going down to be his care giver.

Anyway, will be down for Christmas to be with family. Last year we went to Germany, so I haven't spent Christmas in Houston before. Any suggestions of special holiday festivities?

[Rico'sAlice]

I have no idea where we'll be if we come down for the season. Previously we were in Clear Lake off of El Dorado. We're actually considering going a little further into the country so that the dogs have more room and hopefully we pay less. Maybe even out in Alvin or something.
For Christmas we'll be with my family in the Scarsdale/Beamer area.

[tgray99]

DD, my mom and I went to the Nutcracker Market today. So, being there with a woman on crutches and me carrying a 20 pound kid in a front carrier did not make for that fun of a trip. That and not having any money to spend. :rolleyes: Everything seemed really expensive. I almost want to say it was a big waste of money but we did get a really good picture of DD with Santa Claus (that was $15!!!) If I go back it'll be if I have no kids to bring with me, everyone in my group is on 2 able legs and I have unlimited funds to spend and a big new house to decorate.

[tgray99]

Maybe next year I'll go back by myself. Maybe next year I'll have money to spend, too!! :D

[katmg]

I've never been to the Nutcracker Market. :o Somehow I've always missed it. I was gone this weekend. How long does it run? Is it a one weekend only kinda deal?

[mrs_pell]

I've missed the action in here the last few days!

I went to the Nutcracker Market on Saturday with a few girls who used to be on the WC. We were lucky though, since one of the girls i went with works for the opera and got free tickets, plus a parking pass, from work. :)

I had a blast, though I felt like I'd been run over by a truck by the end of the day! :eek: I didn't spend too much...got an ornament for an ornament party I'm going to (no lack of those there! :D ), some bakeware (from that vendor in the very last row), a skirt for $15, and some black block letters that say "Merry Christmas" for the mantle. I think I spent $70 or so. Not too bad.

Here's a little bit of craziness for you. I just heard today that in order for a vendor to be "eligible" to come back, they have to sell at least $10,000 in merchandise!! :eek: Also, there are very few openings each year, and this year there were some 400 vendors on a waiting list for what ended up being 6 open slots! Apparently, last year the opera raised over TWO MILLION DOLLARS!!! :eek: Those are some insane numbers there!

[mrs_pell]

I've never been to the Nutcracker Market. :o Somehow I've always missed it. I was gone this weekend. How long does it run? Is it a one weekend only kinda deal?

Yeah...today was the last day. I *think* that Friday through Sunday are the only days it's open to the public, with Wednesday and Thursday being "screening" days, and tickets to that are something like $75 or something.

[tgray99]

Apparently, last year the opera raised over TWO MILLION DOLLARS!!! :eek: Those are some insane numbers there![/B]
Opera=ballet

[mrs_pell]

Opera=ballet

DOH! Oops! Sorry! :o

[tgray99]

DOH! Oops! Sorry! :o

No prob, I just used to work in development at the MFAH and I know how aggravating it is for someone else to get credit for your hard work. :)

[allison]

DH and I just got back from Mexico so I missed this years NM. I was so sad because it's always the weekend of my birthday and I love to go on Sunday's by myself. I love going so much that last year we got back from Vegas on the last day of the market (early in the morning) and when we got home, I dropped my bags, grabbed my keys and drove off to Reliant! I was so tired but it's one of my fav things to do every year. Even if I don't buy anything, I still love it. I'm so sad I missed it.

I also missed the Kingwood Women's Assoc. Christmas Market that's held in Humble. It's the same idea as NM but considerably smaller. Still fun though!

[Tanya]

Well, I learned something new! I have never been to the Nutcracker Market, and I've lived here for almost 20 years! I'll have to ask my mom if she's ever been--will try to catch it next year.

[CurlyT]

I was just out in Houston and I loved it! I have never been to texas and Houston is such a pleasant surprise:D I am a New Yorker looking to relocate to a more affordable area for my son, hubby, and I.

My DH has a ton of family in the Houston area, mainly the suburbs like Katy and surrounding towns. I loved how quiet the suburbs were and just 30 min you can be in the heart of Houston. We are seriously considering moving to Texas and coming from NY would be *such* a big change for us, but welcomed.

Now my question to you ladies are do you live in a new development or a more established area? We are thinking about building a home but saw that there are a lot of already established homes and areas that are cheaper and look very nice in the Katy area. What are your taxes like? How are the Katy schools? Is there a huge difference b/w new and old Katy? I would love suggestions and advice on relocating to the Houston area if you have any!

Thanks ladies!

[mrs_pell]

I don't know anything about the taxes out in Katy, or about the housing situation (lots of help I am, I know! ;) ), but there was one major reason we avoided that area...TRAFFIC! If either you or your hubby were to work in the downtown area, I would seriously REALLY consider how much you want to live out in that area. The traffic on I-10 is horrendous, every single day! If you don't work downtown, I think it seems like a great place to live (and you'd be close to Ikea and Katy Mills Mall! :D ).

You should definitely move here. It's wonderful here! Oh, and it's currently 73 degrees (at 9:25)!! Definitely one of the major selling points for this mid-western girl!

[CurlyT]

Thanks so much for your reply!

Hubby will most likely relocate to Sugarland which I hear is a great place to live as well. I was told about the traffic and I saw so much construction being done out in the suburbs which should improve the traffic situation in the coming years I would hope. There is traffic in every major city which I don't mind too much.

And I do miss the warmer weather already! I am soooo dreading another NYC winter. I hope I never to have live through another one after this year again!:D

Oh, and the Galleria is sooo nice! I love the blend b/w high end retail and average stores like Gap:D And do you know of anyone who lives in the River Oaks area???? I LOVE those houses! Reminds me of the houses in my area and cost just as much which sucks!

[mrs_pell]

I agree with the traffic issue, especially I-10 between Katy and Downtown. Traffic getting from any suburb to downtown is bad, but I-10 is worse. Now, if you will be working closer to home, then it's not a big deal. For master planned communities, there is Clear Lake/Friendswood (I-45 south near NASA), The Woodlands (I-45 N), Katy (you know where that is), Sugar Land (59 S) around Highway 6, Copperfield (290 W near Highway 6). There are plenty more areas besides those. Inside the loop you can look at The Heights, Meyerland, and a variety of other places. If you like the outside of the loop areas, look at places outside of Beltway 8.


Don't forget about Kingwood! :D I love, love, love it up here! Lots and lots of trees, reasonable prices on homes, close enough to everything we need but *NOT* majorly over developed like the woodlands, and traffic on 59 isn't that bad at all. Takes me pretty much 45 minutes to get from my house to the med center...30 minutes to get downtown. There are some days that are worse than others, but 59 is by far (IMO) the best as far as traffic goes.

(I really can't sing the praises of Kingwood enough...sorry! :o )

[CurlyT]

I have to look into that area! I can't wait to head back down there in the spring:D I need a change of pace and Houston feels like it will fit that bill very nicely.

I was originally gonna move to Tampa, FL, but the housing prices are going up sooo much sooo fast it's scary. I will be a SAHM for a couple of years so it's important we are able to afford everything on my hubby's transfer salary which will still be his NY salary. We also want to get a couple of investment condos by the medical center to suppliment his income as well for an added cushion.;)

I will hanging around these boards for a while. I should lose my New Yawk accent after a few posts;)

Thanks ladies!

[mrs_pell]

Oh...one more thing. When you get serious about looking for homes, there's a GREAT (very addictive, I might add) website... www.har.com. It's fabulous! Sometimes I just go on there to look at what's out there! :)

[CurlyT]

Thanks for the crash course in Texas lingo! Fixin' to....Please use that in a sentence!

Har.com is already on our favorites webpage:D Hubby is sooo addicted to it! There are some AWESOME homes down by the Galleria that look sooo expensive! I love the brickwork in Texas homes. Reminds me of the Northeast.

Where do you girls go for clubs/parties and bars? Not that I don't go out much especially with a 14 months old, but once in a while I do head out to a bar in Manhattan and I am just making sure that nightlife in Houston kicks a little bit of ass too;)

[allison]

I only know of people who live in River Oaks, like ex pres George Bush

Nope, he lives in Tanglewood ;) I only know that cause I used to live over there.

I love Kingwood. It's the trees for me (among other things). There are tons of bars and plenty of new one's downtown (that I haven't been too ;)). We usually go out in the Village or Midtown. There the bars are smaller and are indoors/outdoors.

But my FAV bar is the Chocolate Bar!!!!! Going there tomorrow night!!!!:p

[mrs_pell]

Thanks for the crash course in Texas lingo! Fixin' to....Please use that in a sentence!

Har.com is already on our favorites webpage:D Hubby is sooo addicted to it! There are some AWESOME homes down by the Galleria that look sooo expensive! I love the brickwork in Texas homes. Reminds me of the Northeast.

Where do you girls go for clubs/parties and bars? Not that I don't go out much especially with a 14 months old, but once in a while I do head out to a bar in Manhattan and I am just making sure that nightlife in Houston kicks a little bit of ass too;)

You are fixin' to hear a lot of people say "y'all!" There...how's that? ;)

As for the bars/nightlife...no clue! Ask me about Atlanta and I could tell you, but that was pretty much the end of my partying days! ;) Now that we live so far out of the city, I never really feel like going out. It's too far to cab it, and too far to have hubby come pick me up. But, I'm *SURE* if you move down here, I can get that info for you (if no one else can!). My BIL definitely knows the hot spots.

[karlatta]

CurlyT - DH and I live in Sugar Land. Well, actually, we're almost in Missouri City, which is on the south side of Sugar Land. I think it's fabulous. It's easy access to 59, which was recently widened down here (it was a bear when we first moved into our house and there was construction). The schools are good, it's only about 20-25 minutes to downtown, the medical center, the museum district, etc. We're actually moving from here soon (DH got a new job an hour away), and I'll miss it!

River Oaks - DH and I have some friends who live there. They're surprisingly normal, though it is crazy to be in a house where the value of the furnishings in the living room is more than what my entire house is worth.

[katmg]

Okay, okay I feel like I gotta stick up for Katy now. ;) I grew up in Katy and my parents and in-laws still live out that way. Katy schools are some of the best in the city - although most of the "suburb" schools are very good as well. Yes - the traffic on I-10 is bad, but I don't think it's as bad as driving I-45 N toward the Woodlands or Spring. Plus, they've got commuter buses that run into downtown and Greenway Plaza if you happen to work there. But it sounds like if your hubby will be working in Sugarland that won't be too big of a deal. They're also currently finishing up the West Park Tollway which is apparently making the commute from Katy to the Med. Center, etc. quite quick and easy.

Enough about traffic. You asked about the difference between old Katy and new Katy. Old Katy was once a little town unto itself. Old downtown Katy is rather quaint and has some lovely older homes that have nice, larger lots. Katy has grown and grown and grown so much though, that's just a tiny portion of what is considered "Katy" now. New Katy has a mix of homes that were built in the late '70s/early '80s and brand new subdivisions that are only a few years old. There are also new developments popping up every day where you can build your own home from the ground up. You can find everything from homes costing around $90K to those that cost over a million. Since I grew up there, it has really boomed. Now they have every type of shopping and restaurant imaginable!

Places to go out - downtown/midtown probably has the 'coolest' bars/clubs. Much more trendy than some of the other bars around town. I happen to like the Rice Village bars a little better - they seem to be more laid back. But it's just a matter of taste. Oh - Rice Village also has some great shopping - stores that are one-of-a-kind and not just the same stuff that's at every mall. (Although it does have an Ann Taylor and a White House/Black Market. :)

Oh and fixin' to...I'm fixin' to go to bed. Or in other words, I'm about to go to bed. You get bonus points if you can use 'y'all' and 'fixin' to' in the same sentence. :D

[katmg]

But my FAV bar is the Chocolate Bar!!!!! Going there tomorrow night!!!!:p

Mmmm... Chocolate Bar...why'd ya' have to go and say that!? Now I need some of their ice cream!

[tgray99]

I'll jump on the Kingwood bandwagon and sing about how great it is. I love it up there and CANNOT wait to buy a house up there!

But, I can't forget about the Clear Lake area, where we live now. It's fantastic, great shopping, excellent restaurants, right on the water, little traffic (unless you're trying to get down Bay Area or NASA Rd. 1 at 5pm) and most of the residents (or a big chunk at least) work in the Space Industry which is our major economic contributor down here. Ya know, "Houston, we have a problem"? Well, I live next door to "Houston", as in Mission Control. Yep, that's down here, the Johnson Space Center. They train the astronauts, they all live down here and all shuttle and space station missions are controlled from here. Getting into Houston isn't bad at all. 45North goes straight into downtown. Only about 20-25 minutes with moderate traffic.

[CurlyT]

You ladies are so knowledgeable about Houston:D I know where to come if I have any questions!

I was looking on Har.com and saw some older homes with a lot of charm that were much cheaper than the new home models we have seen. I have noticed that the newer homes don't have as much land abut you can purchase a bigger lot for a premium. My DH wants something he can he can do "projects" on so we may just go with an older home in Katy if anything.

I am fixin' to come back in April!:D (did I say that right?)

Thanks again ladies! Ya'll kick ass!

[tgray99]

I am fixin' to come back in April!:D (did I say that right?)

You got it! I'm fixin' to means I will or I'm about to.

[karlatta]

DiscoDiva - We're planning to move to the Champion's Forest area. 249 and 1960, up in there. DH's job is up there and the commute is really getting old.

[CurlyT]

Hope you guys enjoyed your Thanksgiving this year!:) Check ya'll later!

:D

[allison]

Checking in and seeing how all of you lovely ladies are doing!

[Sweet_Thang]

Howdy ya'll!! I just found this board and wanted to say hello. My name is Lexie and I just got married in October.

I look forward to posting and making new friends!!

Ya'll have a Happy Holiday Season!!

[KristieB]

I came to CC for the TTC threads and have just now ventured out into the wide world of CC! :p

Nice to see that there are other Houston ladies here. We're in Baytown, but I work in Houston.

Hi Lexie! It's FinallyKrisB here. :-)

[tgray99]

Hi! I grew up in Baytown! :D

[Nanner]

Hi, ladies! I'm Dana, and I am new to this thread. I usually only come to CC to post in the July 2005 babies thread, but I do lurk other threads every now and then. Found this one and decided to post!

We live just outside the loop near 290, in Oak Forest. We are living in the house that I bought when I was still single, when it was just me and the cat. Now there's me, the cat, DH, two dogs, and a 6 month old son! It's a tiny little house (1100 sf), so we're hoping to move in the next couple of years.

Anyway, just wanted to drop in and say hello to all of the other Houston CC'ers out there!

[tgray99]

We live just outside the loop near 290, in Oak Forest. We are living in the house that I bought when I was still single, when it was just me and the cat. Now there's me, the cat, DH, two dogs, and a 6 month old son! It's a tiny little house (1100 sf), so we're hoping to move in the next couple of years.

Welcome Nanner! DH grew up in Oak Forest and his grandmother still lives there. His entire (not small) family does holidays in that house...talk about family togetherness!!!!

Welcome!

[Nanner]

Welcome Nanner! DH grew up in Oak Forest and his grandmother still lives there. His entire (not small) family does holidays in that house...talk about family togetherness!!!!

Yikes! No kidding! Of course, not all homes in Oak Forest are as small as mine, but unless they're remodeled, they're all your typical 50s ranch houses with a closed-room floor plan. I can imagine how hard that would be to have family gatherings there!

We've pretty much given up trying to host anything at our house. Everyone ends up sitting in one little room staring at each other, because there's nowhere else to go. :)

[KristieB]

Originally posted by tgray99
Hi! I grew up in Baytown!

DH has lived in Baytown his entire life and most of his family is there as well. I've been there only a few years now.

Hi Nanner.

[jules1025]

Nanner - We're neighbors! :) We live in Garden Oaks... not too far from you. I hear ya on the small house. Ours is just 1,000 sq ft and we never host family get-togethers - unless we're only having 4 people over (which is only DH's small family). We're hoping to move in the next year or two, since I'm sure it's going to get really cramped with a new baby!

Hi KristieB & Sweet_Thang!

[Nanner]

Nanner - We're neighbors! :) We live in Garden Oaks... not too far from you.

*in my best Fred Rogers voice* Hi, neighbor! :)

I love Garden Oaks. I'm glad that, so far, all of the new homes I've seen built there are blending in nicely with the existing homes, with the exception of size. But at least the lots are nice and big, so they don't completely overpower the smaller homes, like in Bellaire.

Looks like you'll be welcoming your little girl very soon! How exciting! We'll have to get a playgroup together when she's old enough. I don't know any mothers in this area at all!

Hi, KristieB and Sweet_Thang! Good to see you guys!

[jules1025]

Looks like you'll be welcoming your little girl very soon! How exciting! We'll have to get a playgroup together when she's old enough. I don't know any mothers in this area at all! I would be all for that! I hardly know any mothers - period. The one mom friend I have lives in Meyerland. Are you a SAHM? I will be staying home for her first 6 months at least - then I'll go back to grad school part-time.

[Nanner]

I would be all for that! I hardly know any mothers - period. The one mom friend I have lives in Meyerland. Are you a SAHM? I will be staying home for her first 6 months at least - then I'll go back to grad school part-time.

Well, I am now! I went back to work in mid-August and got laid off in September. :rolleyes: I was so angry, because I had a sweet setup. I was able to switch to part-time and still keep my full benefits package. Then I got caught in the midst of (to put it lewdly) a pissing contest and lost my job. I tried for a while to find a new job (I was totally prepared to go back full-time), but then DH and I made the decision that I'd stay home. It'll be a financial sacrifice, but we think it's best, and what we both want. Sam (DS) will stay in his montessori school through next week, and then he'll be home with me.

Yeah, I hardly know any mothers at all, either, at least with children somewhere close to Sam's age. I have two friends that have young children, but they both live way north in Jersey Village and the 290/1960 area. Then there are my cousins' wives, who all live in Richmond, in Pecan Grove.

Geez, Houston is so freakin' big.

What are you getting your graduate degree in?

[jules1025]

Nanner - Sorry about the lay off. :( But it sounds like everything turned out ok! I'm getting a Masters in Psychology, with the end goal of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). I'm halfway done with my program. I wonder if your DS is going to the same montessori I was looking at for my DD next summer (to go to part-time while I was in class). I won't post the location (for privacy), but I bet it probably is! How do you like it?

[Nanner]

jules1025: Actually, the school he's going to is in Spring Branch, so it's probably not the place you were looking at. But I really love the school he's at, and so does he. I have mixed emotions about him leaving because of it. If there were some way we could afford to still send him to school part-time while I stay home, I totally would, just so he could have that learning experience and interaction with other kids.

Very cool about the degree. My DH is really wanting to be a therapist, but seeing as though it takes an advanced degree, and he already has one in a completely different subject, he's not quite ready to pay for and put in the time for another degree.

[tgray99]

:D

I love hearing other people brag on my baby girl! It was great seeing you again too, DD! Thanks for all you did! You're an angel!

[Nanner]

tgray99: Okay, I had to go to your journal to check out pictures of your daughter: SUCH a cutie! I love those big squishy cheeks!

[Sweet_Thang]

Hi Lexie! It's FinallyKrisB here. :-)


::: waving from across the room :::::

Woohoo someone I know!!! ::: grin ::::::

Lexie

[Sweet_Thang]

Hi, KristieB and Sweet_Thang! Good to see you guys![/B]


Wow.... another person I know.. :-)


Way cool!!

Hiya Nanner!!!

[KristieB]

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!! Have a great holiday!

[sarahh]

Hey ladies...my DH and I are thinking about relocating to Houston. We are becoming more and more frustrated with the area we live in now (New England) and feel like if we stay here we will never be able to get ahead.

The cost of living here is INSANE. I have been looking at homes in the Houston area that cost what we paid for our home and it almost makes me cry! We can get a 4 bed/2.5 bath three-story BRAND NEW home in Houston for what we paid for our tiny 3 bed/1 bath 60 year old home.

We have family that live in Houston and eventually my mother-in-law will be moving there to be closer to her sisters. So we would have family in the area.

Sorry to ramble...what I really want to know is what is Houston like? Are the people nice? Are there lots of things to do? My husband and I like parks and museums and all that fun stuff.

I know the housing market is fairly inexpensive but what about the cost of living? What areas do you suggest we look for a home? How are the schools?

Is there a good job market? Is there a certain area where all the jobs seem to be?

Sorry for all the questions. DH and I are planning a trip in April to take a look around and just get a feel for the area. Any info you can provide would be great. Thanks so much!

[CurlyT]

Hello Sarahh! I am also from the northeast living in Westchester, NY (20 min from NYC) and I agree about the cost of living! We visited Houston back in November and decided this is the place we are moving to fall of 2006! We can't wait. Just this morning, we looked at each other and said that this was the last X-mas in NY! :D Texas affordable living, here we come!

It's insane. Especially how much oil is this year. We live in a tiny 550 sqf and it's now worth about $110K. We can't wait to sell and move to Houston. DH has sooo much family there, I want to be a SAHM for a while, and we are planning for baby #2 in a few months, so we *must* move!

I am also planning another trip out there in March/April. It depends but we are def. going again to become more familiar.

Quick question Houston gals, when's that big rodeo event in 2006 that I keed hearing about? Is it march or april? Do you know who will be throwing a concert yet or is it too early. That may sway our decision on when to go back:p

[PookiePrincess]

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is scheduled from February 28 - March 19, 2006. I don't think they've released the names of the performers yet, but check it out here (http://www.hlsr.com/) for more info!

[Nanner]

For sarahh & CurlyT: Two websites I also find helpful for people looking to relocate (either to Houston, or within Houston) are:

"Super Neighborhood" website. (http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/nbhd_svces/TechCntrInfo/sn_map_w_links.html) Click on an area and it'll give you a quick write-up on what each area is like, a quick history on some of them, and links to demographics and land use maps

and

Houston Police Department's Crime Statistics pages. (http://www.houstontx.gov/police/cs/beatpages/beat_stats.htm)

To everybody: Happy belated Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah! We had a really nice day on Sunday. Spent the whole day at my sister's house in Jersey Village with my family, and then with her husband's family (with whom we are good friends). Then we came home and lit the menorah (DH is Jewish, and we are also raising DS Jewish), and DS opened his first Hanukkah gift--some new shoes! :)

[CurlyT]

Thanks for the Rodeo info Pookie:p

Disco, we are leaning toward Katy due to the close proximity to DH's family. Sugarland is a runner up....We will do another once over when we go back in the Spring. Where do you live? I am always open to suggestions!

Nanner, thanks for the info. I have to break out my Houston map so I can research on the neighborhoods.

[tgray99]

I live in the Clear Lake area which encompasses Webster, Friendswood, Clear Lake City, Seabrook, Kemah and League City. It's down here by NASA (ya know, Houston the Eagle has landed?) and has a fabulous boating/water recreation area.

My parents live in Kingwood which is where I want to buy a house (we're renting in Clear Lake). It's a fabulous area NE of town.

[allison]

I've missed so much!

Hi Dana! So glad to see you over here!
Sarah and Curly, welcome to Houston! (an early one;)) I vote for Kingwood, but I'm biased. It's about 25 minutes from downtown with no construction and very little traffic. I love all of the trees too.

We should see if we can have a get together when Sarah and Curly come to visit.

[Nanner]

Hi, Allison! I got your card in the mail, and I love it! You're so crafty. Thanks so much for sending it to us.

I have to say that, in the picture you have as your avatar, you look JUST like my SIL (the nice one, not the evil one)!

That would be really fun to have a GTG when our Houstonians-to-be are here. Count me in!

[sarahh]

If you work on one side of town, you don't want to live on the other side. It can mean a commute of an hour or more. So, if you're looking to move here, the best thing to do would be to know where your job would be first, then search the surrounding area for a home.Is there any place in the area that we could concentrate on without knowing where we would work? What I mean is...is there any area of Houston that is considered the buisness district? I would be looking for a job in Marketing and would like to work for a fairly large corporation. Do any companies have their headquarters in Houston?

I guess what I really want to know is there any area Houston or otherwise that wouldn't be too much a commute regardless of where we ended up working? What are the really bad highways?

[sarahh]

We should see if we can have a get together when Sarah and Curly come to visit.What a great idea. We are thinking of heading down there sometime in May.:)

[Nanner]

I guess what I really want to know is there any area Houston or otherwise that wouldn't be too much a commute regardless of where we ended up working? What are the really bad highways?

Honestly, if you don't know where you'll be working, somewhere central will be your best bet as far as commute is concerned. But of course, housing is generally more expensive closer into town, and good schools are harder to come by.

The main business districts in Houston are Downtown (central) and the Galleria area (west), and then there are all of the oil & gas plants out east.

Good suburbs to live in that have a better commute are Kingwood and Sugar Land. Hwy 59 has been updated/expanded all the way through town (with a few exceptions), so whether you're coming from Kingwood (north) or Sugar Land (southwest), the ride isn't bad at all. Also not too bad are Pearland and the Clear Lake area (45 south). Your worst commutes are going to be from Spring and The Woodlands (45 north), Jersey Village/Copperfield area (290 west) and Katy (i-10 west), although the Westpark Tollway coming from Katy has improved the commute a bit (but it's an expensive trip).

Hope this helps a little.

[sarahh]

That helps a TON!! Education is really important to DH and I so I think suburbs are the way to go. I'm going to start looking at...
Kingwood
Sugar Land
Pearland
Clear Lake
Thanks again!!:D

[sarahh]

Mental note....stay away from Katy! ;) I'm sure it's a lovely area but a long, nightmar-ish commute is a BIG disqualifier for me.

[sarahh]

Another question...can anyone recommend a reputable home builder in the area. There are soooo many new homes in the area (which we love) and I want to be sure the communities we look at are built by a quality company. I've heard of KB, Ryland, Pulte, Centex, David Weekly and some others.

Anyone have some personal experiences?

[sarahh]

Here's a good reason why we need to move...

Pearland, Texas
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/shancock/00884307_239.jpg
Price: $181,995
Stories: 2
Square Footage: 3,109
Bedrooms: 5+fam+gmrm
Baths: 2.5
Garage: 2

Rhode Island
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/shancock/552173a.jpg
Price: $189,900
Stories: 1
Square Footage: 720
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 1
Garage: 0

The Rhode Island home has 3 less bedrooms, one less bathroom, almost 2400 less square feet and NO garage. Yet it is nearly $8,000 more!:eek: :confused:

Oh and one more reason...I hate winters in Rhode Island!!!

http://images.snapfish.com/34589%3C3%3B3%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E2327%3D524%3D397%3DXRO QDF%3E232375973%3C387ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/34589%3C3%3B3%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E2327%3D524%3D397%3DXRO QDF%3E2323759743374ot1lsi

[Nanner]

Whoa! That Pearland house is only $182K???? I mean, I'd never in my life need that much space, but wow. That's dirt cheap.

Almost makes me want to move to the 'burbs...almost. :)

[sarahh]

A house like that would easily go for $500,000 or more in my area!

[tgray99]

Lemme fill ya in on the names of these school districts. You think they'd be named after the cities or areas but they're not. :rolleyes:

Kingwood is Humble ISD (http://www.humble.k12.tx.us/)
Sugar Land is Fort Bend ISD (http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/)
Pearland is Pearland ISD (http://www.pearlandisd.org/pisd/default.htm)
Clear Lake is Clear Creek ISD (http://www.ccisd.net/)

A note, there are parts of Pearland, particularly the newer parts like Silverlake, that are in Alvin ISD (http://www.alvinisd.net/). There are also parts of Clear Creek that are in Dickinson ISD (www.dickinsonisd.org/) and in Friendswood ISD (www.friendswood.isd.tenet.edu/). A few parts of Kingwood are in New Caney ISD (www.newcaneyisd.org/) and some of Humble falls into Aldine (which you should avoid at all costs...no offense to anyone living there.)

Schools in Texas are rated by the Texas Education Agency (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/) by taking the TAKS test. Ratings are Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable and Not Recognized. These tests are also used as exit exams for certain grades. You can go here (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2005/districtlist.srch.html) to find ratings for Houston-area districts.

A note on the way Houston is. It is EXTREMELY spread out (like over 500 square miles). There is a downtown but it's not the only central business area in the city. They're very spread out, it all depends on the job. A very, very nice centrally located area that you might want to look into is the West University area. It's right next to the Museum District and Rice University and borders the Texas Medical Center. Its an extremely nice area with a great shopping area nearby too (Rice Village). I think that houses there are a little pricey but I've never lived outside of Houston before and have no basis for comparison (like with the NE).

Good luck! You definitely won't be cold here. It was nearly 80 degrees here yesterday!! Let me know if you need any other school info. I'm getting my teacher certification so I tend to keep up with these things.

[sarahh]

WOW! Thanks for all the great info tgray99!

Another quick question for ya'll...it's kind of a broad-based question though. What's Houston like? How are the people and the way of life? What would you say are the distinguishing characteristics of Houston and what kind of like could I expect living there?

My husband and I are looking for the following:

* Good school system
* Friendly people who treat others fairly and take pride in their home and work lives
* Lots of museums, parks and attractions
* Laid back pace of life
* People who value home life over their professional life

[Nanner]

* Good school system: Plenty of great school districts here. Houston ISD, as a whole, is not so great, but they have a handful of really good schools.
* Friendly people who treat others fairly and take pride in their home and work lives: I would say that the majority of people here are very friendly and fair. But there are inconsiderate tools everywhere.
* Lots of museums, parks and attractions: Lots of museums, for sure. Parks are aplenty, if you know where to find them. Attractions--well, we've got our fair share. Not like LA or Florida or NYC or Chicago, but we have plenty. There's NASA/Space Center Houston, Battleship Texas and the San Jacinto Monument, Galveston, pro sports, etc. I find, though, that tourist attractions don't affect my everyday life, though. But it's nice to have when people come to visit.
* Laid back pace of life: Well, it is a big city, so it's not as laid back as other Texas towns. But for a big city, I'd say we're pretty laid-back. We're still in the South, after all.
* People who value home life over their professional life: This is just going to be dependent on peoples' personal values. Again, this is a big city, and you have people from all over the world moving here (mostly for the oil industry), so you're going to have a melting pot of values and personalites.

This is just my take, though. I was born and raised here, though, so the only comparisons I can make are to places I've visited.

[tgray99]

WOW! Thanks for all the great info tgray99!
You're welcome! If you need any additional info on specific schools or districts, let me know.

* Good school system
* Friendly people who treat others fairly and take pride in their home and work lives
* Lots of museums, parks and attractions
* Laid back pace of life
* People who value home life over their professional life
Houston is filled with friendly people, it's Texas! Southerners are known for their hospitality and Texans especially are sweet people (Texas means friend). I think people down here do tend to take care of their houses, particularly in the newer neighborhoods. Of course you'll have the exceptions but that's true anywhere.

There are a large number of museums and cultural activities. We have a resident symphony, opera and ballet (most cities in the southwest don't have all three, even Dallas doesn't), the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum of Natural History, Children's Museum, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Houston Zoo, Holocaust Museum, Battleship Texas, the San Jacinto Monument (a monument to the battle for Texas Independence in 1836), NASA/Johnson Space Center, Moody Gardens, Brazos Bend Park, Armand Bayou Nature Center, and we're very close to the George Bush Presidential Library (in College Station) and the LBJ Presidential Library (in Austin). This is in no way an exhaustive list, there's so much to do here. We also have TONS of restaurants, you could eat at a new place everyday and not repeat for over a year. We have the largest Vietnamese population in the world outside of Vietnam so we have a thriving Asian culture here in addition to the Hispanic culture. We're lacking an amusement park at the moment, Astroworld/Waterworld closed in October but you're not really missing anything there anyway, it was a big teenager hangout and not a good place to go anymore, unfortunately.

Things in Houston are pretty laid back. Traffic downtown and in the heavily populated areas is nothing like it is in NYC or Chicago. People do have a tendency to run redlights here :rolleyes: so Houstonians tend to wait at the green for a second to make sure they're not plowed into. We don't have mass transit to speak of. We have Metro, a bus system, but it's not that great, and one whole train that goes from downtown to the Medical Center. They say they'll build more, we shall see. So, everyone, EVERYONE has cars here and everyone drives. Houstonians love their big cars, we're like the SUV capital of the world, I swear! I guess it's Houstonians doing their part to keep the oil companies in business! ;)

Even though it's Texas and we have a rodeo, it's rare to see people in boots and cowboy hats here. You will see it during rodeo season (February-March) though. Our rodeo (the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo) is HUGE and definitely one of the biggest events of the year (if not THE biggest!) It's at Reliant Stadium and there are vendors (my favorite part), people showing animals, a petting zoo, info on agriculture for grownups and kids, and a rodeo with a concert afterwards (which is what most people come for). Most of the concerts are country but they usually have 3-4 noncountry performers in the mix. At around the same time there's a large Mardi Gras event in Galveston. I've heard that it's going to be even bigger this year because of Katrina and they won't be able to do Mardi Gras in NOLA. I personally am not fond of the Galveston Mardi Gras, mostly because I've been to the one in NOLA so often and know what it's supposed to be like. But, if you're jonesin' for some Mardi Gras action, Galveston can give it to ya.

[allison]

The good thing about Houston is that you can have a laid back life if you choose to have it, or you can drive into the main city area and make life a constant party. It's how and where you choose to live. If you prefer a more laid back pace, I imagine you would be happier living in the suburbs rather than closer in to downtown.

I agree with this, but not wholeheartedly ;) Dh and I lived in a loft downtown for 3 years and led an extremely laid back life. We lost the urge for late nights and partying some years ago, but loved being close to the city (we also had a kick ass view) so we stayed there as long as we could before moving out to Kingwood. We still miss the city so much that we often talk of moving back at some point in our lives.


Old Town Spring can be a nice way to pass a day shopping and enjoying the outdoors. They have tons of events that go on every year including the yummy Crawfish Fest!
The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center located in Memorial Park
Annual FotoFest
Gulf Greyhound Park
Sam Houston Horseracing Park
Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park (the entire park is transformed into an open air gallery)
Woodland Heights Home Tour
HEB Childrens Festival (downtown)
Texas Sand Festival in Port Aransas
Japan Festival in Hermann Park (Medical Center)
Shell Houston Open Golf Tourney (PGA-in Fall Creek area, Redstone Golf Club)
Houston International Film Festival
Rock the Dock at the Kemah Boardwalk
July 4th at Eleanor Tinsley Park Downtown Houston
Grand Prix of Houston returns in 2006 (Reliant Park)
Art Car Parade (Downtown Houston)
Strawberry Festival (Pasadena)
Miller Outdoor Theater is great for evening picnics (Hermann Park)
Art Houston -An evening art walk with about 30+ galleries
Great Texas Mosquito Fest (Clute)
Houston International Jazz Fest (Downtown Theater District I believe)
Fiestas Patrias
The Nutcracker Market in November (which I missed this year :() is great for holiday shopping!
There's also Dickens on the Strand in Galveston which is nice to visit during the holidays.

I could list more!!! :p

[tgray99]

Who needs the Convention and Visitor's Bureau when we have us?? :D

[sarahh]

Seriously...you guys are the best!!

Is there a website that gives a good description of each area of Houston and the outlying suburbs and the major highways? Sorry if this has already been posted!

[Nanner]

Seriously...you guys are the best!!

Is there a website that gives a good description of each area of Houston and the outlying suburbs and the major highways? Sorry if this has already been posted!

Sarah, Wikipedia has a great entry on Houston. It doesn't have a very thorough description of suburbs, but it gives a great overview of the city and its layout.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston,_Texas

To get a good description of each suburb, you might want to google each one separately. But I'll keep looking around to see what I can find for you, if no one else posts anything.

[mrs_pell]

I don't have a lot of time, and you seem to have gotten a lot of really good info, but just wanted to throw this out there. Kingwood does have a website with lots of info on it. www.kingwood.com. I love Kingwood (and think that the commute into downtown is definitely better than a lot of the other suburbs). :)

[Nanner]

Just a quick drive-by to say

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

[sarahh]

Happy New Year ladies! Could this be the year my husband and I move to the Houston area? :)

I think we have settled on either Kingwood or Sugarland. Leaning towards Kingwood. We plan to check out both during our visit this spring.

[tgray99]

Happy New Year ladies! Could this be the year my husband and I move to the Houston area? :)

I think we have settled on either Kingwood or Sugarland. Leaning towards Kingwood. We plan to check out both during our visit this spring.
Sugarland has an ever-increasing number of gangs (particularly Asian gangs). It's really odd because it's such a nice area but I just thought I'd pass that along.

[CurlyT]

Haven't been here in a while. Sorry! I am gonna catch up and read previous posts after I post this really quick :p

As DH and I kissed at midnight on new year's, we both looked at each other and said, "We are moving to Texas this year!" We are soooo looking forward to moving later on this year and we are even happier to say we are moving *this* year!;)

Need opinions ladies! So hubby and I have been doing a lot of planning on how to make the move and which is the best route for us. We have real estate obligations here in NY and in FL. The ideal situation would be to sell off everything and use the money towards a house in Houston and pay off debts and such. But of course, the real estate boom in FL may go bust once people wise up that it's just too darn expensive there now and we won't be able to unload our properties as soon as we like to. :( But since the real estate here in NY is nice and steady, we will most likely sell our apartment and conclude NY obligations.

Now, onto the job situation. Hubby is in retail management. He should be able to get a job easily, I hope! We will be in Houston in March just need to go over dates, but we plan on testing waters to see about job prospects and contacts. What are the major malls in the suburbs so we get a feel of what we are looking for. Though the Gallaria may be the best bet, we just want to make sure we aren't missing anything. I will a SAHM when we move.

Now my question to ya'll is, where are some really nice rental apts in the suburbs? We think it's best if we rent an apt. for a good 6 months so that we get more of an everyday feel of where we would like to plant roots and buy a house. Hubby's uncle will be sending us some rental info, but would like to here from you guys too. Do any of you rent? Did you ever rent and where? I want to stick to the suburbs for now:D

Ugh, this year is gonna be a pain trying to get down there under favorable conditions.

Sarahh,personal question for you....What is your plan on moving? Will your DH's or your job be a transfer or do you anticipate finding a new one. Do you have a timeline on how to move down this year? We are both in the same boat so it would be nice to bounce some ideas off each other if possible!

Thanks and happy new year!!!

[tgray99]

Do any of you rent? Did you ever rent and where? I want to stick to the suburbs for now:D

DH and I rent in the 'Burbs, we live in Clear Lake. We're currently renting a 3br/2.5ba townhome and I know there are others available around here. Clear Lake has a lot of rentals (houses/apartments/townhomes/condos) because of the nature of the economy here. We have NASA down here so we get a lot of COOPs, contract employees, etc, so there are a lot of nice places to rent. 45 North will take you straight to downtown.

HTH!

[CurlyT]

Thanks for the replies!

tgray99, wow there are townhouses to rent??!! Is is a community of rentals or did a realtor help you find that listing. If you don't mind me asking or if you prefer that I can email ya about this stuff, but how much can I expect to pay in rent for a 2 bedroom apt in the 'burbs or a townhouse like what you are renting right now? I have to look up ClearLake area. From what I hear, it's very nice!

Disco, I agree with you which is why renting for a bit looks like the best way to get to know the areas we would like to live in. I have always been a suburb girl at heart;)

Keep the info coming! You girls are the best!

[sarahh]

Sugarland has an ever-increasing number of gangs (particularly Asian gangs). It's really odd because it's such a nice area but I just thought I'd pass that along.Kingwood it is!!:eek: :o

[tgray99]

tgray99, wow there are townhouses to rent??!! Is is a community of rentals or did a realtor help you find that listing. If you don't mind me asking or if you prefer that I can email ya about this stuff, but how much can I expect to pay in rent for a 2 bedroom apt in the 'burbs or a townhouse like what you are renting right now? I have to look up ClearLake area. From what I hear, it's very nice!

Check out http://www.har.com/cs_forlease.htm to find residential leases. You can put in all sorts of search parameters to find what you're looking for. We're actually renting our TH from my mom (sorry, not much help) but realtors down here can help you find rentals. The neighborhood we live in (is that the right name for it? not sure) has several up for rent right now. I'm not sure of the price, I just see the signs when I drive around. I can PM you info on some if ya want me to. I do agree with Discodiva about renting where you think you would want to buy. I have a friend that moved down here and they bought a house without having lived in the town that the house was in. The schools aren't that great where they bought and now they're kinda stuck. Eh, ya live and learn. ;)

There are gangs everywhere, in all the suburbs, all over the U.S., some just come from richer families. I wouldn't let that scare you away from Sugarland.
True. I just know about the increasing Asian gang presence in Sugarland (and Pasadena, actually) from some teachers that I go to school with that teach over there. They were telling me stories about students (anonymously of course) who have gotten mixed up with them. Have you heard of MS13? Now that's a seriously scary gang and it's all over the nation! Thanks a lot, L.A. for sending us that one!

[CurlyT]

Hubby just pulled out a recent November 2005 Apartment Finder booklet. It's so awesome with all sorts of complexes to look into for leases. I also love how you can lease for half a year vs. a mandatory full year for most places in NY. I gotta say, I see some luxurious apartments with gyms, pools, and more! Very nice. It even gives us a map of places and color codes the areas to make it easy to zero in on an area.

Hubby's family is in Richmond which is Southwest. So we are looking to rent in the Southwest/West area.:p I think I am getting more knowledgeable about how Houston is laid out:D

[karlatta]

There are gangs everywhere, in all the suburbs, all over the U.S., some just come from richer families. I wouldn't let that scare you away from Sugarland.

I live in Sugar Land, and I'm a high school teacher, so I'm somewhat privy to the gang influence here. Yes, it's here, but I wouldn't avoid the area because of it. The biggest gang problems we run into at school are graffiti on the bathroom walls.

The southern parts of Missouri City are nice - but I don't know what kind of rentals are available. I do a lot of my shopping in the "new" part of Missouri City. (I actually live right on the Sugar Land/Missouri City border.)

[Tanya]

Hubby's family is in Richmond which is Southwest. So we are looking to rent in the Southwest/West area.:p I think I am getting more knowledgeable about how Houston is laid out:D

Are they in Pecan Grove? That's where I lived from 8 yrs old 'til college. Sugar Land is right next door, and it's completely changed from when I lived there. It's so built up, and really nice. I haven't heard any issues with the gangs, either, as we still have a lot of friends there. I went to high school in the Fort Bend school district (Kempner), and it was a good district then.

I live in the Clear Lake area, Friendswood to be exact. I really like this area, apart from the fact that it takes an hour longer to get anywhere west or north (SA, Austin, Dallas). BIL and SIL live in Spring, which is a nice area, too. So if you have any questions about those areas, I can try to help!

[KristieB]

DD If Saturday wasn't DH's birthday I would SO be there! I hope you have luck finding someone..... Maybe try a local community college job posting board?

[katmg]

DD - I'm sorry, I'm going out to visit my parents that day. Bummer - sounds like a fun day!

[allison]

Aw man! I LOVE going to the BE (who says you have to be getting married to go?!). DH and I are leaving for Lake Charles today and will come back tomorrow so I can't, but I can possibly be reserved for the one in July if you need help then.

[CurlyT]

Aw Disco, if I were down there, I would have helped ya out!:o

Hope all went well!

Tanya, DH's family is in Pecan Grove! LOL! :) What was it like growing up there?

Happy Monday Ladies!

[tgray99]

I had a wonderful time at the BE helping DD out. I saw some gorgeous dresses, met a cute photographer across the way from our booth who my husband was in the Corps with, and saw the girl that custom designed my best friend's wedding invitations when she was just starting out (she had a big expensive double endcap booth this year). It was lots of fun and I'm game to do it again any time ya need me even if I have to be by myself!

[Nanner]

Tanya, DH's family is in Pecan Grove! LOL!

I have a ton of family in Pecan Grove, and a friend who lives there, too. They all love it there. My uncle has a place right outside of Pecan Grove (in an area still very undeveloped, in the "country." They've lived there since the 70s (their house was one of the first ones built out there). His kids liked it so much, they both bought in Pecan Grove when they got married. Then my godmother and her husband also live there.

If I were to live in the suburbs, that is one place I'd definitely consider, if it were a better commute for DH.

DiscoDiva: Glad everything turned out great at the BE! Man, I loved going to that when I was engaged (and when all my friends were engaged!).

[CurlyT]

Nanner, glad to hear that Pecan Grove is a great place to grow up in;) Very popular I see:D

It's so funny b/c when DH and I were down there in Nov, you can tell how established a neighborhood was by the age of the trees:D In some areas the trees were nice and big but in most, they were little saplings:p

Can't wait to head back out there in March! We will be visiting my brother in Dallas as well.

Question ladies, how far is Austin from Houston? Jetblue FINALLY heads over to TX, but Austin is the only place it goes to for now. I love Jetblue b/c they had TVs in the headrests and are super cheap. A one way ticket to TX from NYC is $79:D :D Much better than Continental's $125!!!!! If anything, we would take Jetblue to Austin and drive over in a rental if the drive is not that long.

[Nanner]

Question ladies, how far is Austin from Houston?

It's about 150 miles (2 1/2 to 3 hours) away. It's a pretty easy drive, except for when you're traveling the Katy Freeway (I-10 on the west side of town). Try to avoid it during rush hour.

[allison]

Question ladies, how far is Austin from Houston? I can make that drive in 2 hours 10 minutes! But I'm a nut :p I would stay away from I-10 and come in 290.

It's so funny b/c when DH and I were down there in Nov, you can tell how established a neighborhood was by the age of the trees In some areas the trees were nice and big but in most, they were little saplings

There's a reason for that! :) Many areas of Houston are low-lying areas so when a new neighborhood is being built, they unfortunately go in and take out all of the trees. This is because they bring in dirt to build the land up and drainage purposes. You can't cover up a trees roots or the tree will die, so goodbye trees. We built a new home in an older neighborhood and had to deal with this. We have an acre lot and had to bring in about 45+ truckloads of dirt to build the lot up for drainage purposes. We live in a heavily wooded area and we ended up losing quite a few trees.

[Nanner]

This is because they bring in dirt to build the land up and drainage purposes.

Now this I didn't know! I always wondered why, in new developments, they go and rip out all of the old trees, only to plant new little ones. ????? Makes sense!

QUESTION: Does anyone know a good place near the Galleria or the Heights that sells good fish (either a grocery or a fish market)? My grocery store has a crappy selection--catfish and tilapia, and that's about it. Also, I would like to avoid Central Market if at all possible, just because it's so freaking crowded there.

[Tanya]

This is because they bring in dirt to build the land up and drainage purposes. You can't cover up a trees roots or the tree will die, so goodbye trees. We built a new home in an older neighborhood and had to deal with this. We have an acre lot and had to bring in about 45+ truckloads of dirt to build the lot up for drainage purposes. We live in a heavily wooded area and we ended up losing quite a few trees.
That's nothin', we brought in 150 loads of dirt:D! Our land was previously rice fields, and the original owners did nothing but build tracks for his 4-wheeler:rolleyes:, so we had a lot of work (1.7 acres). We did unfortunately kill 5 trees that we just recently cut down (right after the hurricane, should have done that before!), but they weren't that big and they were hackberries, so not very nice.
Tanya, DH's family is in Pecan Grove! LOL! What was it like growing up there?

It was fun! It's a really huge neighborhood with many different "levels"--patio homes to builder homes to custom homes, etc. That said, my parents had a hella time selling their house last year--though, it had just had a biatch of a renter who destroyed it and they ended up suing her, so that was part of it. Where we lived (right by the back over the levee off Harlem) it was so nice and peaceful, we would ride our bikes all over the place and it wasn't at all busy. At the time, PG was known for their Christmas lights and everyone went all out--it was acutally a "requirement" from the HOA to put up lights on posts with the red bulb on the top, etc. Not sure if it is anymore. And the clubhouse/pool/tennis courts are great, I spent my summers on those courts. I even watched the original Country Club burn to the ground around '93--rumor has it it was done purposefully;). It has a great golf course as well.

[katmg]

Question ladies, how far is Austin from Houston?

Like everyone else has said, about 2 1/2 hours. I really like to take I-10 to 71 instead of 290. Especially now that they have improved the HWY 71/I-35 interchange in Austin it is SUPER easy and SUPER fast. They've also finished the bridge in Bastrop so you don't have all the lights anymore. Fabulous! Over Christmas we made it from Austin to Houston in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. :D

I suppose which route you take is contigent on where you want to end up once you get to Houston. North side - 290. West side - I-10.

[sarahh]

I agree with this, but not wholeheartedly ;) Dh and I lived in a loft downtown for 3 years and led an extremely laid back life. We lost the urge for late nights and partying some years ago, but loved being close to the city (we also had a kick ass view) so we stayed there as long as we could before moving out to Kingwood.Allison...can you tell me more about living in Kingwood? It's a front-runner for places to move in the Houston-area and I would love to get an opinion from someone who lives there.

mrs_pell...do you live in Kingwood as well? If yuo do, I would love to hear your thoughts as well.

tgray99...can you tell me more about the Clear Lake area? I am still trying to learn more about it. But from the little I know it seems to be another community we might look into.

Are there any areas of Houston I should stay away from?

BTW- my Aunt and Uncle (in law) live in the River Oaks section of Houston. Is that a nice area? Is it centrally located? We will be staying with them when we come to visit this spring.

[allison]

OMG I totaly typed out this HUGE reply to you Sarah and it's gone!!!!!!!! I'll get back to you soon!!!!!!!!!

[katmg]

River Oaks is one of the nicest areas in Houston...like multi-million dollar home nice. It is centrally located - between downtown and the Galleria. You could probably go on HAR.com and search by subdivision to give you some idea of the homes in River Oaks.

[sarahh]

River Oaks is one of the nicest areas in Houston...like multi-million dollar home nice. It is centrally located - between downtown and the Galleria. You could probably go on HAR.com and search by subdivision to give you some idea of the homes in River Oaks.HOLY COW...I knew they were doing well for themselves...but not THAT well. Sounds like we'll be staying in a nice area!:eek: ;)

[sarahh]

OMG I totaly typed out this HUGE reply to you Sarah and it's gone!!!!!!!! I'll get back to you soon!!!!!!!!!Ohhhh...don't you hate that! Can't wait to see what you wrote! :D

[CurlyT]

Sarahh, River Oaks is awesome! We drove through the neighborhood down by the gallaria and was in awe of the houses. They looked like houses up by me in NY and had so much charm and character:) Very manicured and very expensive.

Your aunt and uncle are doing something right to live in that neighborhood! :p

[tgray99]

tgray99...can you tell me more about the Clear Lake area? I am still trying to learn more about it. But from the little I know it seems to be another community we might look into.

Are there any areas of Houston I should stay away from?

From http://www.visitbayareahouston.com/aboutarea/

Located midway between Houston and the beaches of Galveston, Texas, the Bay Area Houston is an ideal vacation spot. Big city excitement and island beaches are each just 30 minutes away from the area. Boating activities and water recreation provide hours of fun and relaxation in the presence of the water's natural beauty. Surrounded by water, the land is fertile and offers lush foliage including many evergreen trees and plants.

In addition to the natural beauty of the Bay Area Houston, technology and history are woven together at the Johnson Space Center. The facility where our nation's astronauts are trained and each U.S. manned space flight is monitored, offers an Official Visitors Center, better known as Space Center Houston. Part space science theme park, part U.S. space travel museum, Space Center Houston offers adventure for all ages.

The Bay Area Houston is comprised of several independent cities, including the most southeastern portion of Houston. Clear Lake City, the residential development surrounding Johnson Space Center, was annexed by the City of Houston in 1978. Five additional communities are clustered around Clear Lake and Galveston Bay: Webster, Nassau Bay, League City, Kemah and Seabrook.

Webster

The City of Webster offers distinctive shopping, dining and entertainment experiences while visiting the Bay Area Houston. With over 100 restaurants, endless shopping possibilities, and entertainment to suit every taste, Webster truly defines hospitality. Speaking of taste, Webster will take you around the globe with restaurants featuring American, Mexican, Italian, Japanese, German, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, and Brazilian fare!

The history of Webster predates Stephen F. Austin's 1823 settlement of the area. The Karankawa Indians survived here as primitive hunter-gatherers, but the tribe was driven out by industrious settlers, who established Garden Town, later called Websterville. By the 1890s, Webster was officially the name of the town. Japanese farmer Kiyoaki Saibara helped area residents learn to grow rice, starting in the early 1900s. Saibara and his father Seito Saibara influenced the Texas rice industry for several decades.

Nassau Bay

Nassau Bay, one of the first communities developed specifically because of the space programs, rests along the shore of Clear Lake and provides opportunities for boating and water-sport activities from the Nassau Bay Marina located directly across from the Johnson Space Center. The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake offers free art exhibits, performances, refreshments and a bookstore/gift shop. Nearby, the Clear Creek Country Theatre offers a full season of productions ranging from comedies to dramas to musicals. The theater group has entertained the area for more than 35 years. For more information, visit www.nassaubay.com.

League City

League City offers everything from the luxurious South Shore Harbour Resort area with its yacht-filled marina, to antique and gift shopping in the historic district. Beautiful huge oak trees line Main St. where many historic homes, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, have been converted into charming shops and eateries. Parks and gardens dot the Main Street district with ponds, bandstands and delightful landscaping.

Go back in history at the West Bay Common School Children's Museum, an enchanting one-room schoolhouse where a typical school day from the 1890s is brought to life.

The League City lighthouse landmark, located in the resort area, will show you the way to this wonderful city, and is clearly visible from many outlooks along Clear Lake.

Kemah

Kemah, on Galveston Bay, is named for the Karankawa Indian word for "wind in the face." The constant gulf breeze greets visitors to Kemah, who can browse the unique shops in the Kemah Shopping District and restaurant-filled Kemah Boardwalk. Be sure to take a relaxing stroll along the winding boardwalk on the bay. In addition to the plentiful shops, the Kemah Boardwalk is a destination in itself, with a Ferris wheel and train, interactive fountain, sailboat watching, and, of course, lots of great seafood.

Seabrook

The seaside village of Seabrook appeals to birds as well as a relaxing retreat for people. McHale Park, Hester Garden Park, Pine Gully and Robinson Park are designated birding locations along Todville Road. These sites on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail allow birders to witness many of the 291 species that have been identified in the area. Shoppers will delight in the well-kept secret of Old Seabrook. Art, gifts, jewelry, antiques, herbs, spices and more can be found at the dozens of charming and unique merchants. Stop by Seabrook's seafood markets for shrimp, crab and fish fresh off the boat.

As far as where to stay away from, I'd stay way from the ship channel area as a whole...the rest are hard to say because with Houston you can have a gorgeous up and coming area right next to junk. It's also hard to tell what area is going to have a revival. 10 years ago downtown was dead and the Richmond/Westheimer area was the place to be, now downtown is hot. The Heights is a hot area now too whereas a few years back it wasn't. Your best bet is to use a realtor, check out the school district (or in HISD, the specific school). One of the best indicators on an area is to find out how many kids are on free/reduced lunch at the school. Sad but true. I usually look at that before I look at TAKS scores.

[katmg]

These are the days when I'm so thankful for the tunnels downtown. Way too windy down here!

[tgray99]

I am hating this wind. We tried taking Aidan to the park today and it was so windy we could only stay for a few minutes. Now her cheeks are all pink.

[karlatta]

Today was Garbage Pick-Up Day, so driving home, I had to slolom it through the millions of trash cans that have been strewn all over the road by the wind. Crazy!

[tgray99]

Shoot if it were me I'd totally do printed invites (especially since you get them for cheap!)

I wanna come, send me an invite! :D

[allison]

That's awesome Disco! Sounds like so much fun!

and they even own chafers!

LOL My family owns them too! :p

[katmg]

Disco - You must have all the good connections here in houston! What fun!

[sarahh]

OK ladies...I think we got the wind you were talking about the other day!!

Anyways...DH and I are thinking we should rent an apartment that is more in the central Houston area. That way we'll really be able to explore the city and get to know what areas we may want to buy a house in.

What parts of Houston do you suggest we look into? I am thinking something within the 610 circle?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/shancock/f35edfe1.jpg

What do you suggest...upper left, upper right, lower left or lower right on the map? I am not familiar with the neighborhoods so I think those descriptions will make sense to me.

[tgray99]

I suggest the Kirby/West University area or Galleria area. The Memorial area is good too. I'd stay away from south of downtown/UH/TSU area.

Ok, now I've reread your request, hmm...

Kirby/West U = Lower left hand quadrant (Around pin #6)
Memorial = Upper left hand quadrant (Around pin #5)
Galleria = North of 59, South of I-10 (In the West)
Downtown/UH/TSU = South of downtown around 45

[katmg]

Sarah - I would personally stick with upper and lower left - West of I-45. (ETA: this is inside the loop only, since that's what was asked for.)

And if it were me, I would probably look in the area marked #5 on that map. I would also include the mid-town area along with the #5 area. (Midtown would be the tiny inner loop of downtown.) I used to live in an apt. in midtown and l loved it. Close to work, close to great restaurants, close to shopping, etc.

The area above that (North of I-10 and West of I-45) would be the Heights. I personally love that area, but they seem to have more houses and less apartments (unless you count garage apts.). The area with the #6 (South of Hwy 59 and West of I-45) would be the West University/Bellaire area.

I don't really even know what to call the areas on the upper and lower right. I don't know anyone that really lives that way.

Correct me if I'm wrong on my area designations, ladies. I can never be sure where one area begins and another one ends. :D

[sarahh]

Would anyone be willing to pick up an Apartment Guide (http://www.apartmentguide.com) for me? I would pay for shipping! :)

Thank you soooo much tgray99 and katmg! Your suggestions really help!!

[sarahh]

What about this area? Where it has the arrow pointing to Monte Lago.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/shancock/72754557.jpg

[tgray99]

Sarahh, I PMed you.

[sarahh]

Won't the Apartment Guide send you one?I went to the website but can't figure out how to request one?:o

[allison]

You can also try www.apartments.com!

[sarahh]

Thanks Disco...I just ordered one! ;) Don't know how I missed that link!

And thanks for the other link allison...I'm off to check that one out.

[allison]

I sent you a PM Sarah. :D

[allison]

I'm feeling left out - I want a PM too! :D

katmg: did you see what I wrote to you in the Are Women Judged By Their Looks thread? Check it out!

Disco!!!! I sent you a PM!!!:p

[tgray99]

I'm feeling left out - I want a PM too! :D

katmg: did you see what I wrote to you in the Are Women Judged By Their Looks thread? Check it out!
I sent you one too.

[Tanya]

Your party sounds swingin', Disco! How many years will it be for you two?

[katmg]

I'm feeling left out - I want a PM too! :D

katmg: did you see what I wrote to you in the Are Women Judged By Their Looks thread? Check it out!

I just sent you one - I have to apologize for it being so long...I got all riled up again! :o

[allison]

Disco, this might be too personal, but what retreat are you going to? HAve you been before? I love to scrapbook and have seen these things before, but haven't really looked into them.

[tgray99]

I am so stinkin' jealous! Scrapbooking in gorgeous Round Top???!?! I wanna go!! You simply must eat at Royer's. So stinkin' good. Check it out here (http://www.royersroundtopcafe.com/).

I would totally be up for that one you described...Club Scrap I think. I wanted to go to CKU-Houston but it's in September and I have no idea if we'll even still be in Houston then (home is where the Army sends ya!) and it's over $300 to attend! Send me some info about it so I can make kid-sitting plans.

What's up in the "Looks" thread? I might need to go check it out. If people are being mean to my girl, Kat, I might need to go kick some booty. H-Town girls look out for one another!

[tgray99]

Healthy-shmealthy...when Ryan and I go to Round Top, all of that stuff goes out the window! ;) Good for you for being good. You're stronger than I am.

Yeah, I think I'd like to go to that retreat. I'm gonna do some research on it and see what's up and find out if my mom will be in town to keep the chica and let you know.

I could totally be game for a CC Houston girls crop. I so need to scrapbook...I have a ton of pics I haven't even had developed yet. Ugg...so easy to get behind.

I'll have to go check in on the anniversary gifts thread and see what they were saying.

[tgray99]

Houston ladies - let's have a crop! Do any of you scrapbook besides me and tgray? I'm willing to do it at my house, let you use my cutter and Sizzix (and the few dies I have) and we'll have fun! ....and gossip about the Houston ladies who didn't attend... just kidding! :)
Even if ya don't, bring a few pictures...we'll getcha addicted! :D

[PookiePrincess]

I'd love to get into scrapbooking but know nothing about it! I'd be game if you don't mind a newbie!

[karlatta]

....and gossip about the Houston ladies who didn't attend

Well, in that case, count me in! :D Kidding, but really, I'd love to come. I still need to scrapbook the pictures from our vacation a year and a half ago. It would be great motivation!

[katmg]

I'm another newbie to the scraping but if you haven't counted me yet Disco - I'd be game!

[allison]

I'm game too. I have a sizzix die cutter too and a few dies I could bring, plus a huge collection of accessories, stickers and such.

[karlatta]

I can only do Friday nights and Saturday nights. My Saturday days for the next several weeks are booked - I'm the sponsor of the math team at school (nerdy, I know!) and we have competitions during the day.

I also should mention that I'm a very simple scrapbooker. All of my pages look the same, and that's the way I like it. I use photo corners to put pages on solid-colored paper. I add a few stickers or some memoribilia from the vacation or something, and always use the same style of letters on the page. But I build all of mine into one scrapbook, so I want continuity, if that makes sense.

I might try to bust into the more creative scrapbooking when we have kids, but for now I'm sticking with my boring style. (I'm not the math team sponsor for no reason, you know!)

[Nanner]

I would love to join! I'm also a scrapbooking virgin, so I'll need the class. Thanks for setting this up, DiscoDiva!

I'm looking forward to this! I have so many pictures, but they're all digital, and I'm horrible about printing them out. I don't even have one framed photo of my 7 month old! This will give me a good excuse to finally do it.

I'm pretty open as far as availability. So whenever is best for you other ladies will most likely be fine for me!

[tgray99]

I would love to join! I'm also a scrapbooking virgin, so I'll need the class. Thanks for setting this up, DiscoDiva!

I'm looking forward to this! I have so many pictures, but they're all digital, and I'm horrible about printing them out. I don't even have one framed photo of my 7 month old! This will give me a good excuse to finally do it.

I'm pretty open as far as availability. So whenever is best for you other ladies will most likely be fine for me!
You can upload them to Walgreens.com and then go pick them up there so you don't have to worry about using a lot of your own ink or waiting on a site like Shutterfly to mail them. That's what I'm doing because I have a buttload I need to get developed and it's so much easier this way!

Kat: I can imagine that once you get going your pages would be gorgeous because you're artistic already. I have a friend that is a trained interior designer that just started scrapping in September and her pages are phenomenal because she already has that artistic thing working for her. Me, I'm so not artistic. I "scraplift" a lot. Meaning, I see pages I like and then adapt them for my own use (perfectly legal in the scrapbooking world).

I'm game for Friday nights too. Preferably before the 16th (so I have Ryan to take care of Aidan) but I have family and friends that can take care of her if it's after the 16th. I'm easy, y'all decide and I'll be there.

[PookiePrincess]

I would probably be livlier on a Saturday than a Friday night. I could still do a Friday night, but would prefer Saturday.

[Sweet_Thang]

And, we could have DiscoDude here spinning the tunes and taking requests!

I don't scrapbook (I tried, I just don't have the talent for it), but heck, I would attend just for the tunes!! I would be sitting there, just a singing, badly I might add, and I could be the "water girl". Heehee

Lexie

[Sweet_Thang]

If we're looking at the next month, I can do:
Friday, February 10th - (6:00 - 11:00?)
Saturday, February 11th - (12:00 - 5:00? 2:00 - 7:00? 4:00 - 9:00?)
Friday, February 24th - (6:00 - 11:00?)
Saturday, February 25 - (12:00 - 5:00? 2:00 - 7:00? 4:00 - 9:00?)



I would love to attend, but the first two dates you have, I won't be able to attend, since I will be recovering from surgery from that week. :(

Out of curiosity, what part of town Diva? Again, I don't scrapbook, but I am all for having a good time.... :)

Lexie

[Sweet_Thang]

Hey ladies! It's been a while since I posted. Alot has been going on.

I had to have some tests run earlier this month and just found out that I am going to have to have my gallbladder removed. Oh fun, oh joy.. :: dripping with sarcasm ::: So I have been kinda out of it the past few days as I really can't stand having surgery.

I hope everyone is doing well. I started taking knitting classes about two weeks ago and I am loving it. Of course, all I know how to do is cast on and the knit stitch, but I love it so far... (well except when I can't figure out how in the heck I added a stitch in the middle of my work!!)

I will try to post a little more often... now that things have settled down for a bit...

Have a super day

Lexie

[Smittenk]

I hope you Houston gals don't mind me crashing your thread to ask this question...I posted this in the pregnancy thread but then thought about the fact that not everyone in houston goes into that area.

I am looking for a phtographer for my friend who is heading back home to Houston. She would like belly/pregnancy pictures taken and would like any recommendations for a reputable, professional photographer in Houston. I have gotten a reply from one CC member and was hoping for a few more.

If you can help me out I would really appreciate it..thanks so much!

[Nanner]

I hope you Houston gals don't mind me crashing your thread to ask this question...I posted this in the pregnancy thread but then thought about the fact that not everyone in houston goes into that area.

I am looking for a phtographer for my friend who is heading back home to Houston. She would like belly/pregnancy pictures taken and would like any recommendations for a reputable, professional photographer in Houston. I have gotten a reply from one CC member and was hoping for a few more.

If you can help me out I would really appreciate it..thanks so much!

Smittenk: No problem! There is a woman who posts on The Nest on the Houston board who has just started her photography business. She is a newcomer to the biz, but her work looks beautiful.

Her name is Kasey Marsh, and the company is Monkey Tree Photography. Website is www.monkey-tree.com.

eta: Just want to say that I've never worked with Kasey before...I've never even met her IRL. So I cannot vouch for her professionalism or service. I just like the quality of the work on her website, esp. her work with children. Even though the only children in your friend's photos would be in utero...

[Nanner]

I had to have some tests run earlier this month and just found out that I am going to have to have my gallbladder removed. Oh fun, oh joy.. :: dripping with sarcasm ::: So I have been kinda out of it the past few days as I really can't stand having surgery.

Lexie

Okay, this is bizarre. I have to have my gallbladder removed, too! I have gallstones. My surgery is Feb. 2nd.

I guess we're...gallbladder buddies. *lol*