West University

H-E-B Plans New Galleria-Area Store; More Apartments Torn Down to Make Way

In 2010, Montrose residents were upset to find out that the languishing Wilshire Village apartment complex, built in the 1940s, were scheduled for demolition after Texas grocery giant H-E-B purchased the large parcel of land at Dunlavy and West Alabama. Later that year, West University residents we ... More >>

Top 10 Restaurants in Garden Oaks/Oak Forest

It wasn't too long ago that the Houston Chronicle called Oak Forest "the new West University." The neighborhood just north of Loop 610 and to the east of Highway 290 has been attracting young families in spades -- families who are helping to reinvigorate the subdivisions that make up Garden Oaks and ... More >>

"Man-gina" Lawsuit

Swamplot v. Condo head gets ugly.

Swamplot vs. Condo Head Mark Thuesen: Inside the World of Jewish Conspiracy, Bitten Penises, and Man-Ginas

Every once in a while, a lawsuit is filed in Harris County that makes us jump for joy over its allegations of pure, unadulterated cray-cray. And this latest, filed Monday afternoon by the founders of Houston real-estate blog Swamplot against a condo owners association head named Mark Thuesen, doesn' ... More >>

Erika Perdue: Feds Bust Dallas "Socialite" for Huge Hoard of Child Porn

In a story so stunning and disturbing it's taken the Hair Balls Crime Bureau four days to summon the gumption to write up, a wealthy 41-year-old Dallas woman has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. According to investigators, at least some of it consisted of extremely gra ... More >>

Mary Gonzalez: The Lege Gets Its First Out Lesbian

Texas voters, even in the midst of a so-called "conservative uprising," managed to elect the first openly gay woman to the Texas House on Tuesday night. Mary Gonzalez, to be more specific, will be both the first woman to win House District 75 in El Paso and the second openly gay candidate to secure ... More >>

West University Warns Residents: Hawks May Kill Your Beloved Pets

West University has issued an ominous warning to residents: Your beloved small pets might get carted off by a hawk. "There has recently been a resident report of hawks or other large birds of prey nesting in the central portion of West University Place, seen near the intersection of Auden and Plumb ... More >>

JerryBuilt Burgers Are Anything But

I didn't learn the phrase "jerry-built" until I married [and later divorced] an Englishman. In America, we use the phrase "jerry-rigged" instead, but they mean the same thing: something that's poorly planned, hastily built or just generally thrown together. It's curious that JerryBuilt Homegrown Bur ... More >>

The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Neighborhood Bars

For the next 20 weeks, we'll be rounding up the runners-up to our 2011 Best of Houston® winners. In many categories, picking each year's winner is no easy task. We'll be spotlighting 20 of those categories, in which the winner had hefty competition from other Houston bars and restaurants. Here it ... More >>

H-E-B's New Montrose Market Opens Today; Take a Sneak Peek and Avoid the Crowds

An outdoor eating area off the Cafe on the Run is shaded by one of the remaining oak trees.​I stood inside the vestibule to the new H-E-B Montrose Market (1701 W. Alabama) yesterday afternoon, awaiting the beginning of a media tour through the San Antonio grocer's latest Houston store -- all 7 ... More >>

Tea Time at the New Marquis II

Photo by Paul KnightThe unchanged Long Island, sitting on the pre-renovation bar​Seeing people smoking outside of the newly renovated Marquis II is strange enough to distract you from the other changes, like the exterior coat of dark paint and the windows that make the place seem less like the ... More >>

FBI Releases Photo of Bank Robbers Leaving Kroger

It takes a lot of chutzpah to rob a bank. Doing it in the middle of Thursday afternoon near a well-to-do neighborhood is even more bold. But choosing a bank that is inside a Kroger is damn brazen. Of course, the disadvantage of such a move is that you are likely to have your picture taken by a secu ... More >>

Trader Joe's Has Its Eye on Alabama: Alabama Theater to Be Reborn as Grocery Store

​The Chronicle's real estate reporter Nancy Sarnoff got the scoop today that grocery chain Trader Joe's -- after much speculation -- has its sights set on redeveloping the old Alabama Theater on West Alabama near Shepherd. The currently vacant building would be the first Trader Joe's in Housto ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Penis Envy

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

Sherwood Oaks Eyesore: Owners Aren't Talking

Welcome to Sherwood Oaks​We were intrigued by reporter Emily Akin's story on a long-vacant Sherwood Oaks strip mall that residents say is an unwelcome hangout for vandals and crackheads -- intrigued mostly because her story stated that "it's unclear who owns the property since the owner on rec ... More >>

Eating Out on Easter Sunday

​Ahhh Easter, a pastel-colored day filled with stale marshmallow candy, uncomfortable clothing, hard-boiled eggs and magical hares. And when the Easter Bunny comes to town, many of us go out to eat. So many, in fact, that Easter Sunday is currently the second most popular day for dining out (M ... More >>

Comment of the Day: West U Tuba Player Edition

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

Corner Bakery Coming Back Home to Texas

Photo by Amanda Yepiz​Oddly, the only two times I've ever eaten at a Corner Bakery in my life have been on the two trips I took to Chicago. The place was close to the hotel on both visits, good for early morning breakfast runs before heading back to O'Hare. I say "oddly" because Corner Bakery ... More >>

Sleek Chic

West U's Hudson Lounge is a down-home sort of ­upscale club.

Sick of Turkey? Order a Pizza: Our Top 5 Pizza Places

Photo courtesy of luna715Look at you, eating your Star Pizza off a real dinner plate. Oh, you fancy, huh?​Not all of us are like the Old Man in A Christmas Story; we aren't all turkey fiends. Some of us are happy to have it once a year and then forget the bland white meat even exists. So while ... More >>

Gallant Knight Closing, Or Switching Hands, In Landlord Dispute

Marc Brubaker​Citing a landlord dispute, management of the Gallant Knight announced this morning that the club will be closing Dec. 31. However, according to a report circulating on Culturemap.com this afternoon, it appears that Vintage Lounge owner Amir Ansari will be taking over the premises ... More >>

Crave Cupcakes Debuts New Flavors, New Store

Photos by Margaret DowningThe new flavors: Dulce de Leche, Italian Cream and German Chocolate.​Crave Cupcakes had three new flavors and a new store to promote (at 5600 Kirby in West University), so they dropped off a six-pack at our office today around lunchtime. A group of employees was scie ... More >>

Buffalo Grille Migrating; Has H-E-B Become The New Bad Guy?

​As reported earlier this week by the West University Examiner and Swamplot, the Buffalo Grille will be leaving its longtime location at 3116 Bissonnet. The popular restaurant has been a staple in the West University community for more than 26 years, serving simple American fare and excellent ... More >>

You Won't Be Waiting Long If You Vote Today

​This item is by Chris Vogel, Craig Malisow and Blake Whitaker.It's 11 a.m. at the Third Ward Multi-Service Center. The expansive, modern facility is spotless, the voting computers are shiny new, and poll workers are lined up behind a rectangular table, organized and ready for action.Only thing is ... More >>

Coyotes And Bobcats Invade Area Yuppie Enclaves

​Back in 2004, we covered the battle of man vs. coyote in League City. Now it appears the wily canines have moved the battlefront closer to town.WestUInstantNews picks up the, um, tail: Coyotes and bobcats have recently been spotted prowling the border of Bellaire and West University Place, prom ... More >>

Houston 101: The End Of Gaslight Video Spells The Final Demise Of The West U. Tenderloin

​With the recent verdict against Eugene Etheridge and the permanent closure of his infamous Gaslight Video on Bellaire Boulevard in the West University area, an era has drawn to a close. No longer can the 3500 block of Bellaire be accurately described as the Red Light District of West University P ... More >>

OMG 4 Rlz, No Texting While Driving In Bellaire Or West U

​Feel free to re-tweet while you're running over slow grandmas crossing the Bellaire Triangle, because next month you won't be able to do so -- the cities of Bellaire and West U have banned texting and web browsing while driving.In a double-header of government activity unmatched since Germany and ... More >>

Warfare in Early China and the Pottery Army of the Qin

Web exclusive

New Smashburger to Make Food Bank Donations

​The burger import from Denver, Smashburger, opened its new location in West University this week. The 2,150 square foot restaurant at 5520 Buffalo Speedway seats a maximum of 96 diners. To celebrate this latest bit of good fortune for the company that cooks its 100 percent fresh not fr ... More >>

Smashburger Expands

Smashburger, the self-proclaimed "fast casual" burger import from Denver, has done well enough since its debut in Houston last December that three more restaurants are opening here. Smashburgers are "one hundred percent Angus." They're "smashed on the grill to sear the meat and seal in the flavor." ... More >>

A Delicious Recipe for Success

Photos by Katharine ShilcuttGracie Cavnar and Monica PopeIt was a gorgeous summer night in the gardens of a stately West University mansion, and Monica Pope was serving a most unlikely dish to the well-to-do types at the table: scrapple. A dozen enraptured guests had their first taste of the dish - ... More >>

5th Annual Guaranty Bank Tour de Houston

Web deck: See the city from the seat of your bike

HISD Actually Gets Some Good Grades On A Statewide Report

Some good news for the Houston school district -- it is kicking the asses of other urban districts in the state when it comes to meeting the high standards of the National Center for Educational Accountability.NCEA, though its Just For Kids organization, has released its annual study of schools who ... More >>

West U Doesn't Want Its Rec Center To Attract Outsiders, Maybe

West University is building a new recreation center on Bellaire Boulevard. And according to this West U Examiner article, the crappy economy sure is working out for those can't-catch-a-break West U residents, bringing in plenty of low construction bids. Turns out, though, that the new rec center won ... More >>

No Smoking Ban In West U Bar (Note Single, Not Plural)

TEA Releases Ratings, Houston ISD Has Some Hits, Some Misses

Bevin Bering

The photographer’s “Houston Series” sheds new light on familiar places

Report Card for All HISD Schools

Liquid Lunch

A weekday afternoon in Westbury's Cozy Corner

Risky Business

Changes in Attitude

When voters elected Martha Wong, they thought they were sending a moderate Republican to Austin. Critics say once there, she took a right turn. Now her district is rethinking its representation.

Best Community Newspaper

The End Game

A widow just wanted her home. But that was asking too much.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Best Republican

Political consultant Allen Blakemore

The Buzz

Chic, minimal decor. Healthy food. An urban attitude. And it's where?

Stolen and Forged

The check is in the mail takes on a whole new meaning in West University Place

Letters

What Went Wrong at the Rice School?

The Rice School/La Escuela Rice was a much-touted experiment by HISDand Rice University. So far, the results haven't been encouraging.

Marital Bliss, Monkish Miss