The most expensive homes in Houston

i knew there were expensivie homes in houston but i had no idea. so have a look and see what they are:

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Season’s first real cool front

Can i be true what they say? after not having a summer where the temps are in triple digits now they say in the next 2 weeks we may be getting a cool front. well for one i am crossing my fingers and toes.

Season’s first real cool front may be 10 days away

Houston had its warmest day of August yesterday, when the temperature hit 99 degrees
.
It’s pretty amazing that we’re likely to go the entire month of August this year without a 100-degree day this year after 30 of them last August, but I’m not complaining.

Although there are some slight rain chances during the next few days, rising to 40 percent on Saturday, temperatures should remain in the mid- to upper-90s for the Labor Day weekend.

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Texas magician convention opens downtown

It's just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill, Uncle Sam-certified dollar bill. Or is it?

Gene Protas manipulates the greenback and, suddenly, there are two. Next comes a little fancy folding, a dash of razzmatazz and then, astoundingly, his hand holds two fives. After more faster-than-the-eye-can-fathom folding, Protas is right back where he began, holding a solitary, wrinkled buck.

Anybody can turn $10 into $1, you may think. Or, you may conclude the financial hocus-pocus is something Protas picked up during his 20-plus years as a banker. In both cases you would be wrong.

This is magic.

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Facebook Post

this morning i was greeted to a facebook post that i couldn't help but laugh to and honestly its something i have done myself many times. so i decide i just had to share it with everyone. so i hope my audience enjoys it as much as i did.

Labor Day Drinks

in the spirit of the Labor Day weekend, here is a list of 12 end of summer cocktails worth trying, so drink responsibly and enjoy the long weekend.

Labor Day Cocktails

Weekend Weather

Little Known Facts about Houston

The tallest building downtown is the 75-story Chase tower (corner of Milam and Capitol). The only taller building in Houston is Williams Tower, which is located near the Galleria.

Houston’s oldest commercial building (still in use) houses the wine bar La Carafe, which fronts Market Square (corner of Congress and Travis).

One of the most unique features of downtown is its six-plus miles of air-conditioned, underground tunnels that link more than 90 blocks. The tunnels are home to an underground city of restaurants, dry cleaners and other everyday services. On rainy days or scorchers, you could walk for blocks without seeing a person on the sidewalks. They’re all underground. The tunnels (and the its businesses) are open weekdays and accessible through via most larger buildings. If you’d like to explore, two buildings that provide easy, escalator access are the aforementioned Chase tower and gothic-inspired three-spire RepublicBank Center (corner of Louisiana and Capitol).

 4th Largest City in the US with population of 2.1+ million with an area of 579 square miles and 6.1+ million in the metropolitan area

 Houston has the 3rd tallest skyline in North America adn 1 of the top 10 in the world

Of the 10 most populouse US citeies, Housotn hs the most total area of parks and green space

Dinner Bites

so if your running around downtown Houston one of the places to visit is the Aquarium Restaurant, not only can you get good seafood but you are surrounded by over 200 species of aquatic life while you dine. its a 6 acre entertainment and dining complex with a 500,000 gallon tank.


Downtown Aquarium Houston

Calendar of Events:

August 2012

• Two For Tuesdays – Buy One Get One Free Adventure Pass on Tuesdays! Must print coupon (on website) and present at ticket booth.
• 3rd Latin Beats Friday Night from 7pm – 11pm! Join us for Music and Salsa Dancing!
• 4th Marine Biologist for a Day
• 6th - 10th Explor-Oceans Camp
• 10th Latin Beats Friday Night from 7pm – 11pm! Join us for Music and Salsa Dancing!
• 17th Latin Beats Friday Night from 7pm – 11pm! Join us for Music and Salsa Dancing!
• 18th Zoologist for a Day

September 2012

• Super Saturdays – Buy One Get One Free Adventure Pass on Saturdays! Must print coupon (on website) and present at ticket booth.
• 1st Marine Biologist for a Day
• 15th Zoologist for a Day

*Time and dates subject to change.
Some outside events may be cancelled or rescheduled due to weather.
Education programs must be reserved in advance.
Please call to RSVP at 713-315-5112.

Humming Birds

well i guess its true that you learn something new everyday....

From now until November, millions of jewel-colored hummingbirds will pass through Texas to points south of the border. Some will even stay here for the winter.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds present a dramatic show as practically all of the approximately 7 million birds in the United States pass through the state, moving mostly along coastal areas but also inland through the Hill Country and even through West Texas.

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Dunkin' Donuts unveils plans for 16 new Houston locations

If you've got a sweet tooth, some franchise groups are aiming to satisfy your cravings by bringing 25 new Dunkin' Donuts to Texas, including 16 in the Houston area.

One of the groups, 521 Interests, announced plans last week to open its first Houston Dunkin' Donuts restaurant next year, and another 14 by 2018.

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Amazing Artwork

i noticed a few facebook posting about this but didnt give it much thought. after running across a article online i am totally amazed by this artwork which is done totally with a ballpoint pin.


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Things to do in houston

JP Morgan Chase Tower
 Office workers toiling on the upper floors of Houston’s tallest building, the JP Morgan Chase Tower, report that when winds are stiff, you can feel the building sway. It might have been worse.
Architect I.M. Pei designed an 80-floor building, but the FAA insisted the plan be scaled back to 75 because there was concern the building’s height could pose a danger for planes landing at Hobby Airport. If the lobby is open, take the express elevator to the 60th floor observation deck for breathtaking views.
Location:     600 Travis

JPMorgan Chase Tower-Houston (wiki)


Observation Deck Photo from Wiki

Photos from Houston's Space City Con

a few post back i mentioned the Space City Con for Houston lovers of all things sci-fi, fantasy and comic books. now that the even has passed here is a link to some of the people that attended in costume

Houston's Space City Con

Dinner Bite

Cafe Adobe is a very good Mexican restaurant here in Houston. have been there several time with friends and family. the atmosphere has a Mexican flare to it and the staff are very nice. just be advised that on Friday and Saturday nights tend to be very busy, so expect a wait for a table. they have 5 locations here in Houston and each have varying hours. they also have in house and patio dinning. so if your happen to be near one stop in and have dinner you will be pleasantly surprised



Restaurants: Mexican, Tex-Mex

5 locations, including River Oaks, The Woodlands, Memorial/Spring Branch, Sugar Land and Clear Lake

River Oaks
2111 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77098 United States
713-528-1468

The Woodlands
18310 I-45 South
Shenandoah, TX 77381 United States
936-321-1701

Memorial/Spring Branch
7620 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77024 United States
713-862-2020

Sugar Land
2329 Highway 6 S.
Sugar Land, TX 77478 United States
281-277-1700

Clear Lake
1330 W. Bay Area Blvd.
Friendswood, TX 77546 United States
281-461-1468

Website

Website

Website

Facebook

Money Savings

ran across the following article on CNN where they interview with a couple of women on saving money on a day to day basis:

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One Fabulous Mama
The Frugal Girl

Weather (Tropical Storm Isaac)

Track models coming into better alignment for Isaac

The track models have finally come into better agreement for where Tropical Storm Isaac will make landfall, and the likely destination is southeastern Louisiana.

Microsoft Office Offer

Ran across the following offer on the Facebook page for Microsoft Office:

Microsoft Office On Facebook

Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias heat up Toyota

Concert Photo Slideshow

Weather

Telephone museum is being disconnected

Hello, Central, here's a story of way-back times. Long ago, in the days of wire-based communication, before the cellphone or even the rotary dial, there was the operator. With granite composure and nimble fingers, the switchboard queen calmed emergencies and reunited the long-separated.

For almost 50 years, the operator and her analog world have been celebrated at Houston's telephone museum, a quirky collection of granny-era technology surprising in its ingenuity.

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Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, dies at 82

Neil Alden Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon and a giant of space exploration, died Saturday. He was 82.
According to his family, Armstrong died of complications following bypass surgery
Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon July 20, 1969, and was the first astronaut to step outside. He was followed to the lunar surface by Buzz Aldrin.

Read Full Article - chron.com

Read Full Article - cnn.com

Neil Armstrong 1930-2012 (slideshow)

Tech Tip

we all know that windows 7 has loads of cook features so here is a few extra that come with it that is hidden away in the OS itself:

Windows 7 has a pack of hidden and locked themes. To unlock the hidden themes:


1. Go to C:\Windows\winsxs

2. Enter “*.theme” in the search feld. You will get the Click me prompt

3. Double-click the themes ZA, US, GB, CA, AU to install them.

So enjoy the new themes

Blue Crabs

i ran across a article on "Blue Crabs" which was called '5@5 - Blue Crab 101' which gave the following:

Blue Crab 101: Joshua Morgan

1. A traditional crab feast starts with picking the best and biggest crabs from the Chesapeake Bay.
Try to find a reputable vendor who can provide quality Maryland crabs. Male crabs are ideal for crab feasts. They are also called Jimmies. You're looking for "Number One Jimmies" - "Number One" means the biggest of the catch.

2. Crabs are most popular during the middle of the summer - June/July - but that's also when crabs are most expensive.
If you have the patience, wait until the end of summer, when demand for crabs falls. Not only do the prices drop, but the crabs are much bigger and heavier. Eating crabs at the end of the season means they have molted multiple times and are nice and fat.

3. Making crabs is much easier than you think...
...As long as you follows some simple, but essential instructions. When you bring your live crabs home, make sure to keep your crabs alive (the ideal temperature for crabs is 50 degrees Fahrenheit). They must be alive when you cook them, so be sure to discard all dead crabs.

4. Crabs should always be steamed, never boiled.
And as I said earlier, it's a super simple process. First, get a large pot and fill it with water. You can add a little malt vinegar and beer for some additional flavor. Add a steam rack so the crabs do not touch the water. Place the live crabs in the pot, and coat them with a considerable amount of Old Bay spice. Layer them on top of each other, making sure that all crabs are covered in Old Bay.
Steam the crabs for approximately 20 minutes or until the blue crabs are bright red. The crabs have a pigment in their shells that turn bright red when cooked. Be sure to check the joints of the legs and claws to make sure there is no blue left.

NOTE: steamed crabs is a Northern Thing, here in the south we say just the opposite "CRABS SHOULD ALWAYS BE BOILED, NEVER STEAMED' but thats another one of those North vs South things. myself i have had both and i prefer my crabs boiled being i find that it gives the meat flavor where as with steaming you put all the seasoning on the outside of the crab after cooking.

5. To eat your steamed crabs, you will need the following:
A table covered in newspaper, crab mallets, a sharp knife (only for the experts who want to get all the meat possible) and plenty of Old Bay. Some people like to dip crab meat in butter while others like malt vinegar. And of course you need lots of beer.

Weather

‘True Blood’ cookbook

Ran across this while reading the news, for all you True Blood fans, there is now a cookbook with recipes from Fangtasia and Merlotte's Bar and Grill. Granted at first you would think that it would have stuff that only a vampire would love but looks like it for all us normal foke. it has 85 authentic bayou recipes and over 150 photos.

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True Blood: Eats, Drinks, and Bites from Bon Temps at Amazon.com

Paula Deen checks in with MetroCooking Houston preview party

just a little update on the MetroCooking that will be going on in Houston so take a peek:

"Hi, y'all!"
The greeting was loud. The voice was unmistakable (so was the hearty cackle that followed).
Paula Deen, headliner for the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Houston, surprised guests with a phone-in shout-out at a media preview party hosted by the Houston Chronicle at Haven.

Read Full Article w/ Pictures

Lunch at Zoe's

Having lunch at Zoe' Kitchen on Washington will see how it goes

the food was really good and price was reasonable. had the steak rolls with Swiss, mushrooms and onions with roasted veggies. will defiantly go back.

Fair Trade Chocolate Tasting/ Fundraiser

now here is a fundraiser i can really get into:

Fair Trade Chocolate Tasting/ Fundraiser

Sep 12, 2012 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (Wednesday)

The Chocolate Bar
2521 University Boulevard in the Rice Village
Houston, TX 77005

 

 

Houston Then and Now

after running across the article on the chron website that showed Montrose from 1910 to now, it got me to looking for more pictures that show how much houston has changed over the years. what i found was a section of the chron website that had more of the then and now for different locations in Houston. so have a look an see jsut how much sections of houston has changed over the years.

Then and Now Houston

A muddy Montrose-area road

OH my, these pictures really show how the Montrose area has change from 1910 to now. i guess we take for granted the streets, stop signs and such we have now comparted to how things were a little over 100 years ags...


A muddy Montrose-area road

Court case not the way Whataburger likes it

Everyone hates harassing calls from unrelenting debt collectors, even the folks at Whataburger Restaurants.

Exasperated officials at the San Antonio-based burger chain have gone to court in an attempt to stop persistent collections calls made to its corporate headquarters to get an unidentified employee to pay up on a debt allegedly owed.

Whataburger last week sued NCO Financial Systems, saying the collection efforts of one of the nation's largest debt collectors "amount to a campaign of harassment against Whataburger that is unreasonable ... and reckless."

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just a reminder that Cirque du Soleil is in houston till Sept 9th at the Sam Houston Parkway. so if your going to be in houston between now and Sept 9th get your tickets for the show:

KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil

When:

Thursday, July 26, 2012 8:00 pm -
Sunday, September 9, 2012 11:00 pm
Add to Calendar

Where:Sam Houston Race Park

7575 N Sam Houston Pkwy W
Houston, TX 77064
(281) 807-8700

How:

Official Website
Tickets

Cost:

$23.00 - $144.00

Weather

Fire up the grill for shrimp tacos

here is a recepie that i have used several times for grilled shrimp tacos:

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

1 pound extra-large shrimp
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 medium red onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 taco shells or 6-inch tortillas

Instructions:
Heat the grill to high. Place the shrimp in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper and cumin, then toss to coat evenly.

Divide the shrimp among 6 skewers, threading them evenly without crowding them on the skewers. Do the same for the onions. Now lightly oil the grill grates.

Grill the shrimp for 2 minutes per side and the onions for 5 minutes per side.

Chop the grilled red onions and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the celery, tomatoes, chipotle pepper and garlic.

Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, toss the avocado with the lime juice.
In another small bowl, stir together the sour cream and cilantro.

To serve, set the shrimp, red onion salsa, avocado and sour cream on the table with the taco shells or tortillas.

talk bout yummy and a quick dinner/lunch if your pressed for time or like me dont have the time once you get home from work and dont feel like spending a lot of time cooking dinner

Family Trips

Granted we all know how much fun a family trip can be, but it is also very stressful. so here are a few tips that will make it a bit less stressful on everyone:

No. 5: Get a bigger vehicle

If you have one or more kids and two adults in a vehicle for more than a few hours, you need something bigger than a sedan. You will simply have too much stuff for a trunk.

Teens crave their own space, and while babies travel great because they generally like to sleep, they don't travel light. Your adorable baby needs 12 outfit changes (in case of spit up, diaper explosion, food spills, dirt), not to mention baby gear is big and bulky.

No. 4: Bring videos along for the ride

This is essential. Kids will ask a billion times "are we there yet?" but if you plug them in to a video, they're blissfully quiet for hours.

It's really just sick how genius this is. You can rent a DVD player if your big-ol SUV doesn't have a built-in one. Or portable DVD players can be had for as little as $35. It's worth every single penny.

You could even use a laptop with movies or kids' shows on it. Or an iPod or iPad -- basically anything that plays videos and can use headphones.

No. 3: Make frequent stops

It is strictly forbidden by the international law of car trips to go to the bathroom in a small container inside your vehicle. Do not turn your ride into a restroom on wheels. Too gross.

Get to the nearest rest stop or gas station, where you can fill up the gas tank and bend your body out of its sitting shape.

Road-tripping is a good time to indulge in some snacks you might otherwise avoid. If you never take the kids for fast food, maybe let them have a burger and fries on the road or grab a candy bar.

No. 2: Bring barf bags and Band-Aids

All the bumps on the road and the curves and the hills. And did you eat chicken nuggets then go on the swirly slide?

Kids and throwing up go hand in hand. It's natural, just like how kids eat paste and like to twirl in circles endlessly.

So when you're confined in a car, be prepared. Bring barf bags. And not just one either.

No. 1: Drive by night

All kids get bored sitting in the car for hours. It's like a law of nature; look it up.

No matter how many videos they watch or how many stops you make, there is nothing like a big nap to occupy your kids for a long time.

Traveling at night means they will be sleepy and it'll be dark. Bring a pillow. Even bring some of their favorite bedtime gear, a stuffed animal or favorite blankie.

If you can manage to stay awake yourself, it's a great time to drive.

if you know of a some other tips that will make your trip less stressfull, post a comment and share with everyone

Glenwood Cemetery

Glenwood Cemetery is just like any other cemetery but what many don't know is who is buried there. Glenwood is open to the public to visit from 7a to 5p when the gates are open. if you plan on visiting with a large group they request that you contact them to make arrangements due to the nature of the cemetery and they don't want to interfere with any services that may be happening. here are a list of just a few of the famous people that are buried there:

William P. Hobby, Governor of Texas 1917-1921

Roy Hofheinz, Father of the Astrodome

Roy M. Huffington, "U.S. Ambassador to Austria 1990-1993"

Howard R. Hughes, Jr, Aviator, Industrialist^[1]

Howard R. Hughes, Sr., Co-founder, Sharp-Hughes Tool Company

Glenwood Cemetery (Wikipedia)

Glenwood Cemetery

Happy hour restaurant-style

ran across this on 29-95.com about 8 hot spots to consider for happy hour dinner deals


Happy Hour Dinner Hot Spots

W8 Upgrade

here is a article i ran across on the NBC News website which lets you register to get your 15$ copy of windows 8, i have registered mine so now all i do is wait for email from MS in October and then pay my 15$ and download W8. so i would register now and not worry about site access issues which i am sure will happen in October around release date:

W8 upgrade for 15$

Footbal Fans

looks like its football season again, so if your visiting Houston take in a Texans Football game, so take a look at their schedule to see if they are playing a home game when you visit.

Houston Texans Season Schedule

Dinner Bites

there is a great little dinner here in Houston which has 6 locations. i have eaten there for lunch, dinner and of course done the "After Bar-Closing' breakfast. they have a really good menu and the food is always server hot. the decor is 1960's soda shop. so depending on how old your are it can very well bring back memory's. i have treated several friends from Dallas, San Antonio and the Valley to this diner. needless to say everyone one was in agreement, the food is very good and the price is reasonable. so have a look and if your in town visit any one of the six locations.


59 Diner

Texas Astros

for all you baseball fans that are going to visit Houston, you should try to book their visit when the Astros have a home game, so here is a link to the Astros Game Schedule:

Astros Game Schedule

5 Texas counties rank among the top for job opportunities

if your looking to relocate to Texas and are looking for work. you may just be in luck, CNN states that 5 county's in the state of Texas ranked in the top 10 for job markets. so take a look and see what CNN & the Chron website has to say:

Where the jobs are (CNN.com)

5 Texas Counties (Chron.com)

Places to visit outside of Texas

granted the following information is not related to Houston or the surrounding area but Austin does make the list. so here is a list of the 10 best historic restaurants to visit in the US:

From the CNN website:

(CNN) -- Eating well while traveling doesn't always mean hitting up the newest, hottest and trendiest locales. Besides, given the notoriously high failure rate in the restaurant industry, chances are the memorable new restaurant you try this year won't be around in the years to come.

Those who want a side of history with their dinners -- and a higher probability for a return visit -- should seek out some of America's wonderful, still-thriving historic restaurants, from the centuries-old steakhouses in Manhattan to San Francisco's 100-year-old seafood counter, Seattle's midcentury four-star, and the Tex-Mex breakfast spot that Austin, Texas, politicos, from Lyndon B. Johnson onward, have called home for decades.

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Comedian Phyllis Diller has died

Comedian Phyllis Diller, known for her self-deprecating humor, died "peacefully in her sleep" at her Los Angeles home Monday morning, her manager told CNN. Diller was 95.

"Her son, Perry, found her with a smile on her face," Milt Suchin said.

Diller , who paved the way for female comedians, began her legendary stand-up comedy career at the age of 37.

Read Full Article (CNN)

Read Article on NBC Website

Houston Store to visit

with only 30+ stores in the US, Ikea is something we are used to having in houston. if you have never been to one then its a must see for any visitor to houston. they offer almost anything that you could want for a home, from furniture to dishers and all at a really good price. granted most of the furniture has to be assimble by you once you get it home but for the price it cant be beat. to be honest they provided me with my first dinning room set. they also offer online shopping as well as local pickup if you happen to have a Ikea in your area.

Ikea US

Weekend Fun

if your looking for something to do with the entire family then Kemah Boardwalk is the place to be. they have food, ride's and shopping. its roughly 20 miles south of houston heading toword Galveston. i have been several time with fiends and family and we have always had a great time. also while in Kemah if you want you can pickup fresh seafood right from the boats, now this part i have not done but i have several co-workers that make a run to Kemah several times a month to get fresh seafood.

below is a list of the events at Kemah thru the Month of August:

Rock the Dock Concert Series Every Thursday Night!

1 – 4     Shark Week - Celebrate National Shark Week with us! Shark activities all week.

4           Salsa Beats - Sizzling Salsa and Latin Jazz in the Plaza all day long.

6, 13     Kid Krazy Mondays - Discounts on kids meals, All Day Ride Passes & the Boardwalk Beast. (coupon required)

30         Rock the Dock Concert Finale

Kemah Boardwalk

Kemah

Weather

My Audience

here is a view of my audience from Day 1 to now, i want to thank everyone who has visited my blog and will continue in the future.

Weather

The skys are black and a cool breee is blowing, now its starting to looking like it may rain this time.....

Looks like rain

Looks like i may get some rain today but we shall see what happens cuz its looked worser then this and didnt rain

Battleship Texas

another great thing to do when in the Houston area is to visit the Battleship Texas and Texas Monument just out side Houston.

Battleship Texas

Dinos at the Houston Zoo

ran across this information about the Dinosaurs at the Houston Zoo, i know that this was at the Houston Zoo previously but when i was getting information about the first white-faced saki that was born at the Houston Zoo i saw this in the banner page. i for one have always love Dinos and i am sure that i am not the only one. so if you happen to be in Houston stop by and see the Dinos, the last date to see them is September 3rd.

Dinos at the Houston Zoo

Meet Houston Zoo's new babies

The first white-faced saki ever born at the Houston Zoo is part of a summer population explosion. Named Toumi, the tropical rainforest monkey was born June 17. Among other recent additions:

Ghubari, a male Masai giraffe born July 14;
Cashew, a nyala born July 14;
a ring-tailed lemur born July 20; and
Hazel, a greater kudu born July 24.

Read Full Article

Houston Zoo

Finally Home

nothing like a hour and 45 minute drive home to put things in to prespective, more so when there is no reason for traffic to be that backed up. no accident, no broke down car, no traffic light issue so what was the cause for the backlog....i guess we will never know.......

well its a start

have you ever wished that when your out at a resturant that people would not use or even bring their cell phone with them. well there is a restaurant in New York that is offering a 5% discount if you do just that.

Read Full Article

Back to School

just a reminder to all the parents that this is tax free weekend for all your school supplies, accessories and clothing needs for the new school season. so plan on all the stores being a bit crazier then normal. here are a few status from the National Retail Federations in regard to back to school shopping:

$30.3 billion: That’s the record back-to-school spending for kindergarten through 12th grade is expected to reach this year.

$688: That’s what the average family with K-12 students will spend on back-to-school supplies. But shoppers buying online spend $874 on back-to-school, 27 percent more than the average shopper.

$246: Parents with kids in kindergarten through 12th grade estimate they will spend this much on clothes.

$218: That’s the amount parents expect to spend on electronics. Nearly six in 10 will invest in some sort of electronic device, a sharp increase from the nearly 52 percent who planned to do so last year.

$129: The average person with children in K-12 will spend this amount on shoes.

Also here are just a few of the items that are covered by tax-free back to school shopping:
Backpacks, clothes, most footwear, school supplies, coats, uniforms

Ran across the following website that list items based on Taxable and Exempt so take a look to see if the items you need for the new school year are listed:

Tax Free Weekend (Texas)- Clothing

Tax Free Weekend (Texas) - School Supplies

Windows 8 Update

Windows 8 final ready for download, and there’s a 90-day trial

When Windows 7 and Vista were released, Microsoft made it easy to try out those operating systems with a 30-day trial period. In fact, you could install them without entering a product key, and some folks figured out that – with a little hackery – you could extend the trial period to 120 days.

But Windows 8 changes that. On Wednesday, Microsoft posted the final build of the new version of its operating system to its MSDN and TechNet sites so subscribers can download it well ahead of the formal Oct. 26 launch. Those versions now require that you enter a product key as part of the install process, says Windows guru Ed Bott.

Read Full Article

James Coney Island Turns 89

Opened in 1923, James Coney Island has been a staple in the houston area for 89 years. here is a breif history from the James Coney island website :

The year was 1923

The two brothers - Tom and James Papadakis sons of a carpenter, were born in Kastelli Gavias, Greece. Both immigrated to New Your in the early 1900's, eventually making their way to Houston. With just $75 in his pocket and a third grade education, Tom convinced his brother James to build their version of the American Dream ... and thus it began.



James Coney Island

Chron.com Article

Houston Weekend Weather

Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian visits Houston this week

It’s not easy to find a full, satisfying dinner for $10 for one person, let alone four. But that promise of dinner for a family for a ten spot has made Melissa d’Arabian one of the go-to Food Network personalities for the budget minded. Her show, “Ten Dollar Dinners” doesn’t just appeal to home cooks looking to stretch a dollar. D’Arabian offers a wealth of ideas for eating well and bringing some excitement to the family dinner.

Read Full Article

Tech Tip Thursday

Create System Repair Disc

As simple as this might seem for the geeks who are reading this, it always amazes me that people either don’t have a System Repair disc or copies of the DVDs that should have been created when they purchased their new computer. When problems rear their ugly heads, it is at that time that the sad truth surfaces and in which the lack of foresight will come back to haunt them and hurt their wallets. To create a System Repair disc, follow these simple instructions:

• Go to Start, Maintenance, and click on Create a System Repair Disc.

New dine-in movie theater to open in League City

LEAGUE CITY, Texas—The City of League City’s plan to establish an entertainment district, a place where families can eat, shop and play, is beginning to take shape.

The plan is one step closer to reality as Dallas- based Studio Movie Grill announced plans to build its twelfth location near League City’s Victory Lakes Town Center at the northeast corner of I-45 and Victory Lakes Drive.

Read Full Article

Julia Child

Julia Child's would have been 100 today, i have to say even though i never watched any of her cooking shows that much mainly due to most of the food she cood i wasnt really interesed in but i did catch her as a guest on a few show over the years and she was always fun to watch. so even though she is no longer with us i still want to wish her a happy birthday. after all she is the one that created the TV cooking show that lead to us now having the Food Network and Cooking Channel.


Julia Child's (Chron.com)

High-rise kicks off major urban development

years ago i lived off Allen parkway and Waugh in a apartment complex for about a year. i wasn't very happy there being it was over priced for the small one bed room apartment. a few years after i moved out they bull dozed it down and for a few years now its been a fenced off vacant lot. well looks like they will be building a new upscale apartments and condos. i could never understand why people would pay so much money just to be closer to down town, but if you got the money to blow then i guess it done really matter then does it.


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Patch Tuesday from Microsoft and Adobe

It's the second Tuesday of the month, which means it's time for the monthly round of Microsoft Windows patches to be pushed out to the world.
   
In addition, Adobe is pushing out updates to its Acrobat, Flash Player, Reader and Shockwave Player for both Windows and Mac OS X machines. (The Flash Player update is for Linux as well.)

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Dont forget to run Windows Update to get all the patches and fixes from Microsoft. also most Adobe software has the update option off the help menu.

Krispy Kreme

i am sure that i am not the only one that loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts, i remember my parents used to take me to Krispy Kreme after church on Sunday. i also loved how ice cold their milk was and it went so well with the doughnuts that just came out the fryer. they were so fluffy and light i would make my self sick from eating so many. now they have something new that will be showing up in their stores on August 30th.

i am sure that you will read this with Joy just as much as i did,

Krispy Kreme introduces fair-inspired doughnuts

Sparrow Bar & Cookshop

The tabletops haven’t been fixed to their bases. One of the service bars hasn’t been installed. Lighting fixtures are waiting to be dropped and connected. The new signage hasn’t been put up. And there’s painting to be done.

But none of that stopped Monica Pope Tuesday from opening Sparrow Bar & Cookshop on Tuesday. It's a new chapter being written by a chef who is a pioneer in bringing fresh, local food to Houston. Housed in the former t’afia, which closed about two weeks ago for a quick turnaround, Sparrow is Pope’s thoughtful retooling of her dialogue with food and community.

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The Pass and Provisions: A first look at this year's most anticipated restaurant

The building at 807 Taft doesn’t just have good bones. Its walls have borne witness to happy memories of serving good food to Houston.

“The entire building’s history revolves around food,” said chef Terrence Gallivan.

And now that building, most recently the former Gravitas, is being readied to once again usher in a new era of food service. Although this time in a bold new dining concept called The Pass and Provisions.

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Bon Appetit names Oxheart one of nation's top ten new restaurants

A critic can grow jaded about the jillion lists of Top This and Best That floating around the internet, but here's one I'm genuinely excited about: Bon Appetit magazine just named Houston's Oxheart restaurant to its annual list of the Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America.

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Texas State Fair

Get ready everyone because the 'Texas State Fair' is almost upon us. from Sept 28 thru Oct 21 is the Texas State Fair. The state fair is located in Fair Park in Dallas.

here is a brief history of the Texas State fair:

The Dallas State Fair & Exposition, to which the present State Fair of Texas traces its origin, was chartered as a private corporation on Jan. 30, 1886, by a group of Dallas businessmen including W.H. Gaston, John S. Armstrong and Thomas L. Marsalis. James B. Simpson was elected president of the association, and Sidney Smith was appointed as the first secretary.

The former Main Exposition Hall.

 

Differences arose among the directors over where to build the new fairgrounds. Gaston proposed property in East Dallas, an 80-acre tract located within the modern boundaries of Fair Park. Strong opposition was voiced by C.A. Keating, speaking for the farm implement dealers. When no compromise could be reached, Keating and his supporters secured a charter for a separate event, the Texas State Fair & Exposition, which they announced would open just north of town on Oct. 25 - one day ahead of the Dallas State Fair.

For addition information you can visit their website:

Texas State Fair

Escape the Texas Heat

i remember as a kid my parents would take me and my brother rafting in Louisiana. well i am not in Louisiana anymore but there are several locations in Texas that you can do the same thing. most places will let you rent the equipment that you need to float down the river with family and friends. i have several co-workers that do this every year. so grab your ice chest and a towel then hop in the car and spend the day on the water


Texas Tubing, Rafting, Kayaking, & Canoeing

New Blog Coming

well after having more then a few of my friends tell me that i need to not only blog about things that are going on in Houston. they have also advised that i should have a blog for all the cooking i do. i have even had several friends tell me that i should open a restaurant to which i replied "that is just way to much work".

But a blog is another story.....

to be honest i do enjoy cooking for family and Friends so i will be posting a link to my new cooking blog with money saving tips, step by step instructions of some of the food that i have learned to cook from my family and friends.

once again i would like to thank all the people that have been visiting my current blog from all around the world.

Everything old is new again

i am sure that the follwoing article will be back lots of memorys, i know when i read it i had major flashbacks when i was 20 and runing around back home in louisiana:

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Weather

all week long the news has been telling the Houston population they can expect rain. So what do i see this morning when i look to the Houston Chronicle........"Hot, dry week and maybe wet weekend"...if i had a dime for every time the weather man said we are going to be getting rain then i would be able to stay home.

a perfect example was my drive home on Friday, it turned black, thunder and lighting then all it did was sprinkle for like 5 minutes. my yard sprinkler is able to put out more water then what the "Severe Thunder Storms" dropped in water. then after that all they kept saying was "will be moving into the area during the night". sounds to me like the weather man needs to move into politics.....

So lets see what happends with the weather this week.


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Olympics Closing Ceremony Photos

2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony (Chron.com)

2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony (khou.com)

2012 London Olympic's

here is a great article i ran across on the Click 2 Houston website about how the British got it right when it comes to the 2012 Olympic games. I didn't watch the games myself but i had several co-workers that were keeping up with the events on a daily basis and losing sleep due to the time difference. below is part of the article along with a link to the full article:

LONDON (CNN) -

Trust the British to get it right -- in the end. When it comes to taking stock on London 2012, I believe the London Games will be regarded as having brought the Olympics concept home.

Britain has brought the Olympics back to what they have been and should always be. And we did it with that unique common sense for which my country is known.

To be sure, the London Games were not as spectacular as, say Beijing. Nor did they have the exotic "new world" quality of Sydney so wonderfully laced with Australian freshness. They haven't been the biggest, the brightest, the tallest, the largest, the (you add your own superlative here).

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Weather Advisory

Heat advisory in effect with temperatures reaching nearly 100 degrees

Might want to hold off on the yard work and put your afternoon run on hold Sunday. With temperatures expected to reach almost 100 degrees, staying indoors with the AC blasting may be your best bet.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory, in effect from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday for Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend and Chambers counties. The temperature will start creeping up around 11 a.m., and is expected to feel like 110 degrees along the coast with combined heat and humidity. That high heat index should spread inland by 1 p.m.

The high readings aren't expected to subside until 7 p.m.

The heat indices are expected to average at 108 degree in the Houston/Galveston areas, said NWS meteorologist Tim Garner. There is a very small chance of isolated showers.
The heat advisory is expected to continue through the beginning of the week, with temperatures expected to stay in the mid- to upper-90s across the area.

With a relatively cool July, the heat is picking up again after a record high of 105 degrees at the end of June. The high Sunday will reach between 98 and 99 degrees.

If you go outside, remember to drink water, avoid direct sunlight and wear light and loose-fitting clothes.

From Article on Chron.com

2012 Olympics

here are the Medal cout results from the Olympics:

Olympic 2012 Medals

Houston Weather

Review of chuy's

The food was very good, the waiter was very attentive. Didnt take long for the food to arrive and still hot. Will be coming back again, was very impressed with the food and the atmosphere of the reaturant.

So if your in the area deffinately give chuy's a try you will not be disappointed

Combi delux

Oh my this is a lot of food.

Chuy's for lunch

Lunch with my friend roland to see how good the food is, will add my and rolands opinions of the food.

Galleria Area

If you happen to be in the Galleria Area then you must stop by the Williams Tower and Water Wall which is one of the local attractrions in the Galleria Area. The good thing about it is that it don't cost anything to visit.

Here is just a bit of info about the 2 structures:

Williams Tower:
Erected in 1983
Houston Most Visible Building
Named 'Skyscraper of the Century" in 12/1999
Designed by Pritzker Prizer architect Philip Johnson
102nd tallest Building in the World
22nd tallest in the US
4th tallest in Texas

Water Wall:
Designed by Pritzker Prizer architect Philip Johnson
46500 square feet of water cover the interior
35000 square feet of water cover the exterior
78500 gallons of water is recycled every 3 hours and 2 minutes


Williams Tower - Wiki
Williams Water Wall - Wiki
Map

Mars Rover - Curiosity

Ran across this article on building Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover with LEGO's while reading the morning news. its took a few clicks of the mouse before i finally got to the instructions. So here are the links to the article and the instructions, if i had the Lego's i would build it myself so good luck and enjoy.

For all you LEGO fans out there i included a linke to the LEGO Cussoo site

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PDF Instructions

LEGO Cuusoo

(LEGO^® CUUSOO invites you to submit your ideas to be considered as future LEGO products, and lets you to vote on and discuss ideas to help the LEGO Group decide what to release next. We're looking for new, original, and creative ideas, so send us your best!)

Great Hair Cut

if your looking for a good place to get your hair cut at a decent price then you need to visit Four Star Hair Productions, i have been going there for over 5 years. not once have i gotten a bad hair cut and i have been to many places and they are the best. the staff is very friendly and if you go during the week your more then likely able to get cut as soon as you walk in.

the weekends tend to be pretty busy and you may need a appointment. i tend to get Frank most of the time but Natasha is really good also. when i first starting going to Four Star it was Natasha who was my stylist but before long she was one of the most requested stylist at Four Star.

Then on one of my monthly trips she was not free so i had Frank cut my hair and he was just as good as Natasha. They both tend to remember what you had done on your previous visit which makes it nice.

So if you out and need a trim stop by and visit Four Star Hair Productions you wont be disappointed.

Four Star Hair Productions

(713) 524-7785

1201 Westheimer Rd Ste D,Houston,TX

Perseid meteor shower

The annual Perseid meteor will be visible this weekend, so look up if you are up -- it should be a good show.

On Saturday night, you can see 25 to 50 meteors per hour. You won't see the meteors evenly spread out over time. You may see nothing for five minutes and then four or more in a row a minute later. The moon is a thin crescent that rises about three hours before the sun, so it won't be much of a problem to viewing. And the forecast for Saturday night looks good too -- mostly clear skies with temperatures in the mid to lower 80s.

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Weather Update

we have some heavy thunder storms passing thru the Houston area which will cool us down for a bit but not thru the entire weekend. it will be back up in the 90s again.

Current Radar

Current Weather Forecast for the weekend

Doctors solve itch: Find spider in woman's ear

this is going to make me thing twice the next time i have a itch in my ear......


It may be the stuff of horrors, but for a woman in China her nightmare became a reality after doctors determined that a strange itch on the side of her head turned out to be a spider burrowing through her ear canal.

Doctors at China's Changsha Central Hospital told local news sources that the spider may have been living in her ear canal for up to five days, and that it may have crawled in there while she was sleeping.

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Midtown Ghost Story

O'Connor: Ghost haunts Midtown

Gather round, children, and I'll tell you a ghost story.

But first, I want to put you in the setting, which is the least ghostly place you can imagine. In Midtown, on the 3000 block of Louisiana, sits a low-slung, crisp-white building, the home of the 30-year-old Adcetera design and communications agency.

Owned by John and Kristy Sexton, it's one of those workspaces that beckons workers to be creative. Inside, in the open-plan rooms, there's art on easels. A foosball table and mini-bleachers are in the basement work area. The walls are bright white, with pops of lime green. (I'm writing this in my office, which is gray with pops of more gray.)

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after ready the article i decided to look at the web to see if there was any info on haunted locations in houston or the surronding area and i found a few links:

Haunted Texas

Haunted Texas 2

Sometime's

sometime the best dinner that you can have is breakfast. so on the drive home i got the craving for breakfast, so once i got home cracked open a can of biscuit's , a few eggs and some sausage. total cook time was about 15 minutes. so here is what i did:

• popped biscuit's in the oven and set timer for 15 minutes
• at minutes left on biscuits i cooked up my sausage
• then whipped up 4 eggs and scrambled
• at a touch of kosher salt and fresh black pepper

plate everything up and put on some blackberry preserves on biscuit's and there ya good, a breakfast for dinner in just over 15 minutes

Texas Festivals: August

here is a link to different festivals happening in the Houston area for the month of august:

Read Full Article Chronicle

Arts Hound Web Site

Houston's Charity Saloon

At The Original OKRA Charity Saloon, every drink will be to health.

From the folks behind the Organized Kollaboration on Restaurant Affairs (OKRA), Houston’s latest in-the-works-bar will donate 100 percent of its profits to a different, local non-profit each month.

OKRA was officially established in 2011 by president Bobby Heugel, co-owner of Anvil Bar and Refuge. He is joined by Paul Petronella, owner of Paulie’s Restaurant on Westheimer, Brad Moore of Grand Prize and Big Star Bar as well as Miriam Carillo and Scott Repass of Poison Girl, Black Hole and Antidote. A parade of owners from other local independent bars and restaurants including Oxheart, Revival Market, Underbelly and more are also represented.

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Lunch Bites

if you happen to be in the mood for Itialian then here is a great place stop by for lunch or dinner. its Star Pizza which has a realy good lunch buffett and full menu. the food is realy out of this world, all pizza's are made to order and the sause for the pizza is to die for. i tend to visit them about once a month for the lunch buffett and have to be rolled out after. its just that good.

they have 2 locataions in houston i then to eat at the one on Heights and Washington. so if your in the area stop by and give them a try you will be glad you did

from their website:

All of our pizzas are made to order, using only the finest, freshest ingredients:
The pizza sauce is made from scratch with our own special blend of herbs and spices.

The dough is made fresh every day, using only unbleached, untreated flour.

Our pizzas take a little longer to prepare properly, so please be patient and you will
be rewarded with the best pizza you have ever eaten.

Star Pizza

Tech Tip Thursday

tips and tricks to work more securely Part 2

 

1.    Use password protection on your screensaver

Sometimes you're away from your desk for longer than you expected. Be prepared for such situations by password protecting your screensaver with this helpful tips and trick. Your PC will lock itself after a specified amount of time.

This is how you establish screensaver password protection in Windows 7:

o    Right click anywhere on your desktop

o    Click Personalize, and then click the Screen Saver section.

o    Change wait time to 10 minutes or less.

o    Select On resume, display logon screen.

o    Click Apply.

2.    Encrypt files containing confidential or business critical information

You keep valuable and sensitive data on your computer. You might have sensitive information about your company or clients, or your personal bank statements on a laptop you use at home and at work. Encrypting your data keeps this information as secure as possible. To help prevent unauthorized users from accessing your data—even if your computer is lost or stolen—you should encrypt all sensitive data. In the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista, you can use BitLocker™ Drive Encryption to encrypt the entire hard disk. In Windows XP and all other editions of Windows Vista, you can use the Encrypting File System (EFS) to protect important files. We highly recommend that you learn how to encrypt a file or folder to keep it safe by reading the following tips and tricks.

Learn how to encrypt a file in Windows 7.

3.    Don't open questionable emails

This is a tips and tricks classic: If an email message just doesn't look right, it probably isn't. Forward the email message to your IT administrator to verify that it is virus and malware free before you open it.

4.    Encrypt email messages when appropriate

If you're sending confidential or business-critical information, encrypt the email and any files attached to it. Only recipients who have the private key that matches the public key you used to encrypt the message can read it.

Learn how to encrypt your messages using Outlook 2010.

5.    Use the Junk Email Filter in Outlook

Receiving spam or junk email messages is annoying and the viruses potentially associated with them can cause damage to your computer and your company's network. The Junk Email Filter reduces the amount of junk email messages or spam you receive in your Inbox. As a default setting your Junk Email Filter is already active, but only to catch the most obvious spam. Change your Junk Email Filter settings with the tip below and increase your computer’s security.

Houston Weather

The Monkees announce reunion tour

OMG

this is something i am totally exicted about, granted they were the very first business created boy band but the music was really good,:

The Monkees announce reunion tour

The Monkees are back! Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith are going on tour this fall. The group reunited after the passing of Davy Jones and fans can expect to hear all of their favorite songs. MonkeeMania is still going strong with our Gillian Pensavalle.

The Monkees announce reunion tour

Randy Travis in Trouble in Texas

Singer Randy Travis arrested, accused of DWI

(CNN) -

Country music star Randy Travis, who pleaded no contest to public intoxication following the Super Bowl in February, was arrested again Tuesday after being found naked, smelling apparently of alcohol and lying on a remote stretch of roadway in northern Texas just before midnight, authorities said.

He was arrested for driving while intoxicated and felony retaliation, after allegedly threatening to fatally shoot highway patrol troopers who responded to a concerned caller who notified authorities of "a man lying in the roadway" Tuesday. The DWI offense is a misdemeanor, authorities said.

Full Article

Houston Food Events

Ran across this Foodie Event while reading the regular news:

IKEA, the Swedish furniture store, is proud of its restaurant, which serves a 99-cent breakfast and daily specials such as pork tacos and fish and chips starting at $5.99.
Several times each year, it hosts a foodie blowout event. In August, it’s a traditional crawfish, or crayfish as the Swedes say, party known as Kräftskiva. This year’s event is 6-8 p.m. Aug. 17.
On the menu: lemon-and-dill marinated crawfish (served cold), marinated salmon and shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, salad and assorted cheeses and desserts. Cost is $12.99 ($2.49 for ages 11 and younger).
7810 Katy Freeway, 713-688-7867

the full article has additional events that are going on thru the month of August

Full Article

Lunch Bites

here is a great little chinese place that me and my co-workers visit a couple of times a month. the food and service are great. being we tend to go on a regular basis the waitstaff remembers us and know what we order or drink. once again the food is really good and at a good price also, a single person can eat for under 10$. they have great lunch specials along with a full menu.

Chef Hunan Bo

3237 Houston Ave
Houston, TX 77009
Neighborhood: The Heights
(713) 863-8234

 

 

they dont have a website but if you google them you can get variouse website's with reviews from customers. so if your in the area stop by and enjoy a meal at Chef Hunan Bo

Mcdonalds

was doing my regular review of the different houston area website and i ran across this dandy of a jewel:

McDonald's serves 'Twister Fries' in Philippines

McDonald’s is doing the twist.

For three weeks only, it’s serving up “Twister Fries” at its restaurants in the Philippines.

Fans of the fries have been posting pictures of themselves gobbling up the curled potatoes on the chain’s McDo Facebook page. McDonald’s is locally known as McDo in the Philippines.

The Twister Fries can be ordered a la carte for P60 or $1.43 USD.

now why is it that we cant get goodies like this cuz i am sure with as much as we like french frys we would fall over backwards for theses

Dreams

well this is he 2nd time that i have dreamed that i was on a cruise ship out in the middle of the ocean. so does that mean this is something i need to do or have some other meaning. the one thing i do remember from it was the ship had tons of slot machines and the cruise director made it a point to let me know that nick name for a drunk passenger is a 'sloshie'.

other then the crazy dream it was a good nights sleep

Space City Con 2012 - Comics, Costumes, Sci-Fi, Games, Media Guests

The Westin Houston Galleria Hotel 5060 West Alabama
Houston, TX 77056

Description
Children 9 and under get in Free with a Paid Adult!



Space City Con was established to share fan culture in every facet. Perhaps the most significant means is by the medium of books and comics. Because of our vision, we have invited Kids Need to Read to Houston, as our charity-of-choice. Come out and meet them, bring your children, and discover how we can all help literacy and reading comprehension in kids of every age and every generation!


Space City Con is an all-ages festival of comics, sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, literature, and art, in the spirit of Houston, Texas! Envisioned as a "geek festival with free parking," SCC is conveniently located at the Westin Galleria convention center & hotel, August 10 – 12, 2012. Our goal is to put on the best convention possible for current generations of fans, and instill a love of , comics, Sci-fi and fantasy in the next generation


Space City Con 2012