El Tiempo Cantina's new location

 

El Tiempo Cantina's  New Location


When El Tiempo 1308 Cantina announced in late October it would be closing shop at 1308 Montrose to make way for a multi-story apartment, the Laurenzo family vowed to find a spot in Montrose to move the beloved Tex-Mex restaurant known simply as “1308.”

They’ve found it.

Roland Laurenzo, patriarch of the family that operates six El Tiempo Cantina restaurants throughout Houston, confirmed to The Chronicle Sunday night that El Tiempo will move into the current home of La Casa Del Caballo at 322 Westheimer.

La Casa Del Caballo, the fine dining Mexican steakhouse that opened in February 2013 (in the space that formerly was Don Julio’s, Café Bello, and La Strada), will close on Dec. 31 and El Tiempo will take possession of the property on Jan. 1, Laurenzo said.

“We will remodel it during January, February and March, more or less,” he said. “We expect to move there on April 1 at the latest at which time 1308 will close.”

This is good news for fans of 1308 who now have both a closing date for the restaurant (get those fajitas while you can) and the promise that the operation will have a new home.

It’s bad news, however, for the ambitious steakhouse from proprietor Carlos Abedrop who created an upscale version of same-name restaurant he opened in 2002 in his hometown of Saltillo, Meixco. Casa Del Caballo was known for its Prime-grade steaks, chops and seafood grilled over mesquite, including a four-pound behemoth steak called the Tapa de Lomo.

It’s not known if Abedrop will move his steakhouse concept elsewhere.

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Chipotle rolls up new Texas locations

Chipotle rolls up new Texas locations


Getting your burrito fix is getting a little bit easier.

Chipotle signed leases for five new locations in Texas, including three in Houston.

Jason Baker of Baker Katz represented Chipotle in the leases, which range from about 2,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet.

“Chipotle has been a long-time client of Baker Katz, and we are thrilled to help drive their growth in the Houston market,” Baker said in an announcement. “Chipotle was at the forefront of the health-focused fast casual trend, and the quality food and convenience they offer will ensure they remain a leading restaurant concept both in Houston and around the country for many years to come.”

The new locations consist of: Memorial City Mall at the Katy Freeway and Gessner; U.S. 290 at Spring Cypress in Cypress;  Interstate 45 North at Louetta in Spring; South Padre Island Drive at Staples in Corpus Christi; and Interstate 45 North at Ravenwood in Huntsville.

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Landry's Christmas Feast To Go

Landry's Christmas Feast To Go

December 04, 2014 - December 22, 2014 Landry's is extending their holiday feast to go to include a grand Christmas Dinner! Spend more time with your family this year & order our Christmas Feast To Go! Each order provides enough for 4-6 guests and includes the following: Roasted Turkey & Ham Giblet Gravy Cornbread Stuffing Whipped Mashed Potatoes Sweet Potatoes Fresh Baked Rolls Cranberry Sauce Roasted Garden Vegetable Medley Pecan Pie Pumkpin Pie Feasts are $150.00, plus tax and must be picked up between 9:00-11:00am, December 24th, Christmas Eve. All orders must be placed not later than 10:00am, December 22nd. Reservations are required. 281-363-9750 or woodbanquet@ldry.com

Contact Details

Email Us For More Info

Phone: 2813639750

Visit Our Business Directory Listing: Landry's Seafood Restaurant

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Christmas Day Getaways

We all know how stressful Christmas day can be (family, friends etc) well here are a few places that you can escape to for a few drinks.

La Carafe
Address: 813 Congress St.
Phone: (713) 229-9399
Christmas Day hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m.

 

Little Woodrow's
Address: 2306 Brazos St.
Phone: (713) 522-1041
Christmas Day hours: 7 p.m.-2 a.m.

 

West Alabama Ice House
Address: 1919 W Alabama St.
Phone: (713) 528-6874Christmas Day hours: TBD-midnight

 

Rudyard's
Address: 2010 Waugh Dr.
Phone: (713) 521-0521
Christmas Day hours: 5 p.m.-2 a.m., kitchen closes at 11 p.m.

Warren's Inn
Address: 307 Travis St.
Phone: (713) 247-9207
Christmas Day hours: 2 p.m.-2 a.m.

Continental Club
Address: 3700 Main St.
Phone: (713) 529-9899
Christmas Day hours: 7 p.m.-2 a.m.
Bonus: Beetle is playing from 7-10 p.m., followed by Grand Old Grizzly from 10 p.m.-2 a.m.

Firehouse Saloon
Address: 5930 Southwest Freeway
Phone: (713) 977-1962
Christmas Day hours: Rich O'Toole takes the stage at 9 p.m.

The Maple Leaf Pub
Address: 514 Elgin
Phone: (713) 520-6464
Christmas Day hours: 6 p.m.-2 a.m.

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Advice for Cyber Monday

Advice for Cyber Monday (Better late then never)

I despise Black Friday. I absolutely detest the weird retail culture it perpetuates and every time I see a day-after-Thanksgiving news story explaining how a pregnant mother or small child was trampled during a store opening I hate it a little bit more. I do, however, love to save cash, which makes Cyber Monday much more agreeable to me.

I’ve spent the Monday following Black Friday scrounging for sales since 2008 or so, and in that time I’ve learned a lot, so have a seat and I’ll explain everything you need to know about scoring great deals without tackling the retail mob.

It’s not all about Amazon
Listen, Amazon is amazing for Cyber Monday deals, but if you’re spending your entire day waiting for the next Lightning Deal to hit you’re going to miss out on a lot. These days a store refusing to participate in Cyber Monday is the exception rather than the rule, so any retailer you trust is fair game. That includes brick-and-mortar stores that you wouldn’t normally order from online, like Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Here are some places to be sure to check depending on what you’re looking for:

Clothing: Younkers, REI, Gander Mountain, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger
Electronics: Newegg, Crutchfield, B&H
Toys: Toys R Us, eToys, BigBadToyStore
Tools: Home Depot, Menards, Lowes
Everything else: Amazon, Overstock, Walmart, Target, Shopko, Kmart

Start early
Everyone associates Black Friday with early mornings, but then slack off when they’re trying to score some Cyber Monday deals -- don’t be that person! All-day sale prices and short-lived flash deals start going live on many sites before the sun rises, so set your alarm early and get a pot of coffee going because it’s going to be a long day.
If you roll out of bed whenever you feel like it, there’s a great chance you not only missed some temporary sale prices earlier in the day, but some of the all-day sales will probably already be completely sold out.

Know what you want ahead of time
Going into Cyber Monday with a blank slate is bad news. If you don’t have an idea of what you want before you start your digital shopping trip, you’re bound to jump for something that looks good in pictures but will thoroughly underwhelm you -- and the person you’re buying it for -- when it arrives. That $7 chrome-plated toaster isn’t a good gift, even if it’s super shiny and you’re saving a bunch of cash on it.

Your first step should be to make a list of things you’re specifically looking for: A bargain-priced Blu-ray player, a quality pair of boots, a set of power tools, or whatever else you have in mind. Hit up Amazon, search for whatever items are on your list, and learn which brands are associated with five-star reviews and which ones have consistently disappointed buyers in the past. You don’t need to pick out a specific model of TV or style of coat -- chances are that exact item won’t end up going on sale anyway -- but knowing which manufacturers to steer clear of will help you make quick decisions when it matters.

Don’t panic
I know how disappointing it is to realize you just missed a temporary sale price or flash deal, trust me. What these sites don’t often tell you is that when that short-lived bargain price comes to an end, that might not be the last time you see it.

Sales are often recycled throughout the day -- or several days, as some stores hold online sales over several days surrounding Cyber Monday -- and you’re likely to see an item go on sale multiple times. Amazon is particularly notorious for pulling this little trick, along with putting products up during an all-day sale at a moderate discount and then holding a flash sale for the same items the next day for a massive discount. In short, don’t let a missed sale get you down, because it’ll probably pop up again.

Don’t get burned by shipping
Almost all of the places I’ve listed above have either free or very low-cost shipping, but not all retailers are created equal. Don’t assume shipping costs will be reasonable without seeing the final figure. Speed is everything on Cyber Monday, but this is one instance where you need to slow down and be sure to read everything on the checkout screen before tapping that “Buy” button.

Snag your receipts
Every order you place online will come with some type of confirmation, be it an e-mail or a number that appears on your screen after you complete the purchase. I know it’s tempting to just skip right over them, but you need to keep these handy in case your purchase doesn’t arrive as intended. Getting a speedy resolution to any problems you might have with your order depends on you keeping all of the documentation in order, so jot down those confirmation numbers and print the e-mails so you don’t accidentally purge them from your safekeeping.

Price check, and check again
If you follow a basic Cyber Monday plan of attack, you should have no problem finding the lowest prices possible, but if you want to double-check there are a couple of ways to go about it.

PriceBlink: This browser add-on is a great Cyber Monday ally, and it will bring up the current prices around the web for whatever products you happen to highlight. It’s a nice reality check tool, and you can delete it after your holiday shopping spree with just a couple of clicks.

Amazon: If you’re not already shopping on Amazon, you can use either the website or the Amazon app to price check against a number of different third party sellers. If you found a price lower than Amazon is offering, you have officially won the shopping war.
Push notifications are your friend
Usually, they aren't, but in the prep for Cyber Monday, they absolutely are. There are a helping of IFTTT recipes that will make sure you stay up to date on all the upcoming Monday savings. These alerts can come from virtually any corner of the Internet you want, and you can have them sent to your e-mail, tweeted at you, or sent via SMS. If you want IFTTT recipes for online shopping in general, well that also exists.

There's always next year
Cyber Monday becomes a bigger and bigger event every year, so if you don't feel like you were on top of your game this time around, you'll definitely get another shot. If you want to feel like a deal-snagging master of the universe, compare the prices you paid during your Cyber Monday spree with the price for the same products in January, and you'll likely realize that you did better than you imagined. Chin up, Cyber Monday warrior. It's only the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

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Awesome video

a truly inspiring video

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Stores that will be closed on Thanksgiving Day

Not all retailers are following a recent trend of opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day.

A number of retailers are saying they are staying closed so their employees can enjoy the holiday.

Here is list of retailers that will be closed:

•  TJ Maxx
• Marshall's
• Walmart
• Costco
• Home depot
• Ace Hardware
• Barnes & Noble
• Patagonia
• Dillards
• Crate an Barrel
• Neiman Marcus
• GameStop
• Nordstrom
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Burlington Coat Factory

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Thanksgiving Day Shopping

I will not be part of the minions that feel the need to go out shopping on Turkey Day or "Black" Friday. but for those of you who will be visiting the Houston area and  plan on being part of the madness here is a bit of info:

Galleria will be open for business on Thanksgiving

HOUSTON - While thousands of shoppers across the Houston area are gearing up for Black Friday deals, the Galleria is trying to target people with new holiday hours.

For the first time, the Galleria will open on Thanksgiving day at 6 .p.m and close at 1 a.m., then open again on Black Friday at 6 a.m.

Some shoppers say they will take advantage of the hours but others say it's just not needed.

"I think we really just need to draw the line," Mary Barnidge said. "To me, Thanksgiving is one of the very special American holidays and I really wish people would observe it and enjoy it and then start like crazy the next morning, whatever time they want to start."

Meanwhile, Galleria managers say it is opening on Thanksgiving night because of customer demand.

"We are offering extra holiday hours to meet our customers' needs," officials with the Galleria said.

Even though the Galleria will be open, every store may not be. We are told individual store managers will decided its store will be open or not.

(Original Article form click2houston.com)



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Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet

All i can say is that right now Marvel is hitting all home runs

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Avengers: Infinity Wars Teaser Trailer

Marvel held a huge press event in Los Angeles yesterday where they finally revealed their official movie line up for Phase 3. You can see all the logos and release dates for those film here, and you can watch Studio president Kevin Feige discuss the films here. One of the big events that will be coming is the two part film Avengers: Infinity Wars. Marvel showed a teaser trailer for that movie that has found its way online. In it, we get a glimpse of Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet, and it's a pretty badass and exciting visual. There has been a lot of fan speculation about the identity of the Infinity Stones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but this teaser points out which artifacts are going to be part of Thanos' gauntlet. Avengers: Infinity Wars - Part 1 will be released in May 2018 and Part 2 will be released in May of 2019.

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Marvel Movie Updates

Marvel released a slew of movie news today with title cards. Really stoked bout them, the only down side is they currently dont show anything for 2015

 

 Marvel Movie News

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Avengers Age of Ultron Update

From the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. facebook page:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

2 mins · 

During this Tuesday's new Marvel's ‪#‎AgentsofSHIELD‬, you'll see an EXCLUSIVE SCENE from Marvel’s "Avengers: Age of Ultron” at 9|8c on ABC!

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Cabela's is slated to open in League City

Cabela's is slated to open in League City

Outdoor gear store and archery range Cabela's announced Thursday that it will be breaking ground on a League City location later this year.

Cabela's will boast wildlife displays, an aquarium and a large scale mountain replica. The fishing, camping and outdoor products purveyor will also be outfitted with an indoor archery range and archery tech room, gun library, Bargain Cave, deli and fudge shop.

Once open, the store is expected to be a boon to the area's economy, employing 170 full-time and part-time employees, most of whom will come from League City and the surrounding area.
"This new development is the result of very diligent teamwork by the League City City Council, City staff, and the developers. But the work isn't over for League City. Council and staff are already working in partnership on other projects in the City's continued efforts to attract new retail developments to the area in order to diversify League City's tax base and provide more retail options for League City residents," City Manager Mark Rohr said. "We are very excited to welcome a destination retailer to our community."

The 72,000-square-foot store store will be located in the Pinnacle Park Development at I-45 near Big League Dreams Parkway and is expected to open sometime next fall.


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Houston Haunted Houses

Now through Saturday, Nov. 1
Haunted Houses

 

Get the most out of the most frightening time of the year at one of Houston's many haunted houses. Most are open on Friday and Saturday nights, for now. Check individual websites for hours, prices and age restrictions. Here are a few of the top ones in town:

Scream World
Where: 2225 N. Sam Houston Parkway
Information: screamworld.com

Phobia
Where: 18777 U.S. Hwy. 290 @ West. Rd.
Information: darke.com
Nightmare on the Bayou
Where: 1515 Studemont St.
Information: nightmareonthebayou.com
Houston Terror Dome
Where: 16020 East Freeway in Channelview
Information: houstonterrordome.com
Creepy Hollow
Where: 12872 Valley Vista, Rosharon
Information: creepyhollowhauntedhouse.com

Dungeon of Doom
Where: 215 Kipp in Kemah 
Information: kemahboardwalk.com

Haunted House at the National Museum of Funeral History
Where: 415 Barren Springs
Information: nmfh.org

Haunted Mayfield Manor
Where: 2313 Harborside in Galveston
Information: hauntedmayfieldmanor.com

Haunted Trails
Where: 11500 Antoine
Information: thehauntedtrails.com

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Top events going on around Houston

Top events going on around Houston


 1. All Hallow's Eve at RenFestSaturday-Sunday, Oct. 25-26
The Texas Renaissance Festival continues its eight-week run. This weekend's theme is All Hallow's Eve, and it will celebrate all things creepy. Don't miss the Queen of Halloween. New this year is a Saturday-evening masked ball that requires advance tickets ($75).

When: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 30
Where: 21778 FM 1774, Todd Mission
Tickets: $27, $13 for children
Information: texrenfest.com, 900-458-3435

2. Margarita Festival
Saturday, Oct. 25

Celebrate the beautiful weather with tequila at this 21-and-older-only event at Discovery Green. Festival-goers can sample margaritas in 17 flavors. The event also will feature salsa and limbo competitions and two stages of musical entertainment.

When: 2-10 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $25 at the gate (includes one drink); drink tickets are $2 for tasters, $6 for margaritas and $8 for premium margaritas. Designated-driver tickets are available for $15. VIP tickets - good for lounge seating, free food and access to a $1 bar - are available for $150 at the gate.
Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney
Information: houstonmargaritafest.com 

3. Big Brew
Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 23-25

This inaugural three-day celebration of beer opens Thursday with the big-ticket ($100) Great Match at the George R. Brown Convention Center. That event enlists Houston's top chefs to pair their food with craft brews. Texas Brewed shines a spotlight on 40 Lone Star breweries, and the Big Brew Grand Tasting session offer tastings and educational seminars.

When: Thursday-Saturday
Where: 1001 Avenida De Las Americas
Tickets: $45-$100 per event
Information: bigbrewhouston.com

4. Car show
Saturday, Oct. 25

The grounds of the National Museum of Funeral History will be filled with remarkable vehicles this weekend when it hosts its seventh annual Halloween Car Show. The charity event - benefiting Star of Hope, DePelchin Children's Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Houston Food Bank and the USO - includes barbecue, musical entertainment, a silent auction and car costume contest.

When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
Where: 415 Barren Springs
Tickets: $3, $5 per couple or family
Information: nmfh.org 



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Marvel Announces 'Official Trailer' for Avengers Age of Ultron

Didn't take Marvel long to release the 'Official Trailer' for Avengers Age of Ultron, just wanted and has really good audio and video quality.

Also here is the Official Teaser Poster, hope everyone is as excited as I am.

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Avengers Age of Ultron Trailer

Totally Awesome

Avengers 2 Trailer

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9 no-carve (and very chic) pumpkin ideas

Sick of carving, scooping and lighting? Searching for nontraditional pumpkin decorating ideas? We rounded up nine pretty ways to decorate your pumpkin this Halloween without picking up a knife.

Read Full Article

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12 best meat cities in America

With the possible exception of smartphone technology, nothing's seen more practical advances this millennium than food.

While it's true that much of that progress involves vegan, vegetarian and low-meat consumption, carnivory has also seen an impressive evolution.

Bacon-wrapped sausage, sausage-stuffed tenderloin, tenderloin burger on a fried-chicken bun -- eating in the United States is becoming less a matter of sustenance than a game of meat Tetris.

Perhaps in response to years of demonization by health experts, the whole nation has gone meat crazy.

Of course, some parts of the country are more flesh-obsessed than others.

To determine the hierarchy of meat cities, we convened a caucus of nine experts in beef, burgers and barbecue for their top 10s, and made that half of our final score.

Read Full Article

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Texas ski resort planned for Grand Prairie

Why should a subtropical climate and pancake-flat expanse get in the way of Texas having snow-covered ski slopes to call its own? This is a place, after all, whose scorching summers helped build the world’s first domed sports stadium.

Yesterday the City of Grand Prairie announced that Grand Alps Resort and Hard Rock International are planning to construct a new $140 million, 350,000-square-foot ski facility and a $75 million Hard Rock Hotel on Belt Line Road north of I-30 in Grand Prairie.

According to the release:

“Plans include a hotel containing 300 rooms, 28,000 square feet of open meeting space, 20,000 square feet of divisible meeting space, at least two restaurants, an exercise facility, luxury spa facilities, resort style rooftop pool complex, and structured parking. The developer plans to build a second hotel of comparable quality or expand the existing hotel by 300 rooms within two years of initial opening of first hotel.

The indoor ski resort will be a year-round, world-class fourth generation indoor facility with restaurants and specialty retail, and will be integrated with the Hard Rock hotel. The snow dome will offer indoor ski slope measuring nearly 300 feet tall and 1200 feet long, an indoor ice climbing wall, luge track and winter wonderland play area.

The city’s investment includes the land, three-year Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds for infrastructure, 100% real estate tax abatement for seven years, and a 75% rebate of hotel motel tax for 10 years after opening.

The developer anticipates ground breaking in first quarter 2015, contingent upon full financing. The project will take 34 months to construct and is scheduled to open in early 2018. The resort will create over 1,900 jobs upon full operation. The total multi-phase project is estimated to be $400 million at completion.”

The project will be Hard Rock International’s first hotel in Texas, according to the Orlando Business Journal.

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Food truck fest coming to Stereo Live in November

Food trucks have now solidified themselves as a part of the dining culture in Houston. Last month's announcement by the City of Houston that propane-fueled food trucks would officially be allowed to operate in downtown Houston only elevated the status of the trucks higher. You can now see them around downtown at lunch hour competing with the other noon-time options.

At least 20 Houston-area food trucks will converge on the Stereo Live parking lot at noon Saturday, Nov. 8 for the fourth Houston Food Truck Fest. The fest began last year and has both spring and fall editions.

April Cardwell with Stereo Live is still putting the finishing touches on the roster of trucks that will set up shop outside the venue in the 6400 block of Richmond.

Cardwell says that of the trucks scheduled, she's also booking at least two that are from Richmond, Texas, including Raging Bull Curbside Cookery.

Read Full Article

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Houston firefighters pose for smokin' hot calendar

 

Houston firefighters pose for smokin' hot calendar

Houston's hottest firefighters have unveiled the 25th Anniversary Silver Edition of the Houston Firefighters Calendar. All proceeds from the calendar sales will go toward the Burned Children's Fund as well as fire safety and prevention programs. The calendars sell for $20 ($5 more for a signed copy) at houstonburnedchildrensfund.com. Last year's calendar raised $100,000.


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Ghost towns to visit in Texas

Ghost towns to visit in Texas 

 

Lobo
Considered a modern ghost town, Lobo was mostly abandoned in the late 1960s. Cotton farming was the principle crop, but when the cost of agriculture became too expensive, the town went into a rapid decline after World War 2. in 1991, the city east of El Paso, was completely abandoned.  

 Terlingua
Located near Big Bend, Terlingua is one of Texas' most famous ghost towns. The town was home to Indians first, then Spanish and Americans followed. Howard Perry from Portland, Maine, began his Chisos Mining Company and the town boomed in the early 1900s. Though, when the mineral price fell after World War 2, the city seized.

Terlingua
Located near Big Bend, Terlingua is one of Texas' most famous ghost towns. The town was home to Indians first, then Spanish and Americans followed. Howard Perry from Portland, Maine, began his Chisos Mining Company and the town boomed in the early 1900s. Though, when the mineral price fell after World War 2, the city seized.

Indianola
Once envisioned as a competitor to Galveston and New Orleans, Indianola now is more of a ghost town. The town was founded in 1844 and was known as a port city. Population grew to over 2,000 by 1860. Though, two devastating hurricanes hit in 1875 and 1886, leaving the town in ruins.  

Barstow
Near Pecos, George E. Barstow founded the town under his namesake in the 1890s. In 1900, the city had a population of over 1000, and boomed with its successful farming industry. Though, in 1904, the Pecos Dam broke, damaging all fruit and vegetable crops. With severe droughts following, the population dwindled. By 1930, the town's population was cut in half. 

Hasell
In this July 25, 2014 photo, Bud Gossett looks for artifacts near a washing machine, foreground, a remain from the town of Hasell. The town was submerged under Lake Arrowhead for nearly 60 years, but was exposed due to the drought. Halsell was established in 1900 and oil was discovered in the 1930s and 1940s. Though, the town was inundated when Lake Arrowhead was built.

The Grove
A place called The Grove which is just outside of Temple, Texas. The Grove was established in the early 1870s and was economically based on farming and stock raising. In the 1940s, population began to decline due to agriculture consolidation and a bypassing highway. Now, visitors can see new commercial buildings and a restored Main street

Independence
Four columns are all that remain at the former Baylor College in the ghost town of Independence. Also referred to as Coles Settlement, the town once housed Sam Houston and established Baylor University. When the city began to decline, Baylor then moved to its current location in Waco. Railroad tracks built bypassing the town led to the town's demise.



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Houston energy-efficient house

 

Houston energy-efficient house


The Braes Heights home looks like a typical  house for a family of four in the well-to-do neighborhood. It has three stories, six-bedrooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen, arching doorways and a sweeping staircase.

But what owner Ker Thomson, a Houston anesthesiologist, and his wife Rachel, a retired ballerina for the Houston Ballet, wanted was more than a typical house when they set out to build roughly three years ago. And now, the house at 3730 Drummond is possibly the first  in Houston to earn a LEED Platinum certification, a “Fortified Rated” designation from the Institute for Building and Home Safety and the Zero Energy Ready Home certification from the Department of Energy.

“It represents a fundamentally different way to build a home and was designed for the U.S. Gulf Coast,” Ker Thomson said. ”It still has all the amenities and appearances of an elegant custom home, but we have changed the game behind the sheet rock.  The short and long term benefits from this type of construction become obvious, especially when viewed as a complete package, or a system.”


 Thomson partnered with Texas A&M University during the design and construction process.  The highlights include an attic that is sealed and part of the conditioned space, walls that are insulated concrete form with 6.5 inches of reinforced concrete in the center, true triple laminated hurricane windows, LED lighting and a a roof that is made from screwed down metal shingles. The house also includes solar panels, rainwater harvesting and solar hot water.

The Houston doctor, who now also builds and retrofits homes like his own in the region, said his energy bills run between $150 and $300. He said similarly sized homes to his 6400-square-foot home would run over $1,000. He said he hopes people who decide to build their own homes will consider paying 15 to 20 percent more so that they have have more energy-efficient, healthy and well-built homes.

The U.S. Green Building Council is sponsoring a ceremony to recognize the house on Friday, Oct. 10 and a  public open house on Saturday, Oct. 11.


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