House of Blues Houston sign going up at corner of Caroline and Dallas

House of Blues is finally a reality in Houston.  I got shivers watching the sign go up on the corner of Caroline and Dallas.  The first show happens this Saturday with Cowboy Mouth and then hosts so many great artists from Willie Nelson to B.B. King to Ghostland Observatory to Sara Bareilles to a really spectacular charity show with Jay-Z.

Today we checked out a dry run for the restaurant (where you can order anything off the menu and not feel bad about it while the staff gets accustomed with table locations, menus, registers, being a waiter, etc.)…and it was absolutely great!  Our waitress was super upbeat and helpful with knowledge of the dishes that were on the menu despite the fact that they only received the physical menus today!

Definitely try to have the cornbread and bread pudding.  I wish I had the pulled pork sandwich but went a safe route with filet mignon, which was also very good!

And since this isn’t a food review and I am by no means a food reviewer, I encourage you to go check it out for yourself…even if it means just a go-see to the gift shop to see what they have in store for Houston.

Find out more at www.hob.com.

Free popcorn with every ticket sold today thru Friday, September 19.  They are open 11 am to 8 pm Tuesday thru Friday (including some additional matinee showtimes).  They will resume their regular schedule beginning Saturday, September 20.

Call ahead (713-224-1470) and make sure but Showtimes include:

Although the HDA office is closed until tomorrow (Wednesday), it looks like some of the eateries at the Shops at Houston Center are open for business, so for those of you that have returned and face that question of what’s for lunch, run by here and enjoy!  I’m looking forward to walking back into that place, listening to heartbreak fm muzack and getting my Doozo dumplings for $3!  Ah, normalcy.

Here is a list of places that are open today:

Chick-fil-a
Longhorn
Massa’s
Murphy’s Deli
Ninfa’s Express
Otto’s
Planet Smoothie
Potbelly’s
Sarku Japan
Subway
Wok’n'Roll

The Houston Symphony has announced that two concerts, Thursday, September 18 at 8 pm at Jones Hall, and Friday, September 19 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion at the Woodlands, have been cancelled.

The Saturday evening September 20 at 8:00 p.m. concert at Jones Hall with the orchestra, under the baton of music director Hans Graf and featuring violinist Gil Shaham as soloist, will be moved to Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in observance of the city-wide curfew. The Sunday afternoon September 21^st 2:30 p.m. concert at Jones Hall will proceed as scheduled.

Patrons holding tickets to the Thursday evening concert will be contacted by the Symphony Customer Service Center to arrange changing them to either the Saturday or Sunday afternoon performance.

Patrons holding tickets to the Thursday evening concert will be contacted by the Symphony Customer Service Center to arrange changing them to either the Saturday or Sunday afternoon performance. 

In addition, the Symphony announced that it will make available several hundred free tickets for both the Saturday and Sunday afternoon performances.  The tickets will only be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Jones Hall box office an hour before the 2:30 pm performances.

The Symphony Customer Service Center will re-open tomorrow morning September 16 at 10:00 a.m. The Centers telephone number is (713) 224-7575.   www.houstonsymphony.org

George R. Brown Convention Center

Several functions scheduled for last weekend and early this week were postponed and have been rescheduled. Events scheduled for this weekend, September 18-22, including Theta Antiques Charity Show and Houston Antique Dealers, have been rescheduled.

For more information call 800-427-4697 or www.houstonconventionctr.com.

Downtown restaurants open

We’ll get a full report tomorrow; however, The Grove (1611 Lamar, 713-337-7321) will resume regular hours starting with lunch tomorrow.

The Lake House (1611 Lamar, 713-337-7321) will resume with regular hours starting tomorrow.

Stay safe and be careful coming into the city!

Several reports have mentioned that windows were damaged at Houston’s tallest building, the Chase building, and judging from news helicopter fly-bys, it’s not the only one that got whacked. 

The Mayor has issued a citywide curfew from 9 pm to 6 am through next Saturday morning and as of right now, Downtown Houston is closed and looks like it will be on Monday too.

Here are some pictures that I have found and other articles to explain what all is going on.  I wish I could go and see but judging from my own experiences of leaving my home, I am best staying put.

Photos:

Here - photos of Chase building.

Here – a search via Flickr of Downtown Houston preparing for and post-Ike.

Other good resources

City of Houston website. 

Houston Chronicle.

Many events are being postponed or cancelled, so please call the producing company of the event (or visit their website…) before venturing out.  We can confirm the following in the Houston Theater District:

Free puppet shows every hour on the hour starting at 12 noon!

A spectacular kite demonstration by S.H.A.R.K. with fun activities for the kids

A visit from the Houston Fire Department

A bocce demonstration by the North Houston Bocce Club

Yoga classes throughout the day

-and-

a performance by Houston’s own IDOL HAND at 7 pm on the Anheuser Busch Stage.

Discovery Green Park, 1500 McKinney.  www.discoverygreen.com

It’s Play Time!

Other events going on include:

·         Saturday, August 30, 10am-2pm

Downtown Aquarium (www.aquariumrestaurants.com)

 “Happy Birthday Houston Family Day”

The Downtown Aquarium is offering major discounts on exhibits (only $5/each) and day passes (only $10/each) for families in honor of Houston’s founding on August 30, 1836.  Kids can learn about Houston’s history while enjoying activities provided by the Weather Museum, the Maritime Museum and other organizations.  Sandra Lord of Discover Houston will be offering $5 historic tours of Market Square Park and will have “Discover Houston:  A Self- Guided Tour of Allen’s Landing and Buffalo Bayou” available for purchase.   CONTACT:  Sarah Gish, sarah@gishcreative.com, 713.492.1173

·         Saturday, August 30, 1pm

St. Arnold’s Brewing Company (http://saintarnold.com)

Brewery Tour

Houston‘s first microbrewery offers a tour of the brewery with beer tasting afterward. No reservations required.  All paid attendees receive a souvenir tasting glass.

Admission:  $5.00.

CONTACT:  Lennie Ambrose, lennie@saintarnold.com, 713.686.9494

·         Sunday, August 31, 10am

Wreath laying honoring Houston’s founding mothers, including Charlotte Allen (wife of Augustus Allen and funder of his travels) at Founders’ Memorial Park Cemetery, W. Dallas @ Valentine Street, hosted by area DAR and DRT chapters. Followed by food heritage brunch at Gravitas.

CONTACT:  Jill Brooks, jill.s.brooks@gmail.com, 713.501.3500

·         Through August 31, 2008, Tuesdays-Sundays, 10:00am and 2:30pm

Port of Houston Authority (http://boattours.poha.com)

Sam Houston Boat Tours

Unforgettable spectacular waterborne tour of one of the busiest ports in the world aboard the Port of Houston Authority‘s public charter tour boat. 

Admission:  Free.  Advance reservations required.

CONTACT:   phaquestions@poha.com, 713-670-2400

·         Throughout August, Friday and Saturday nights at 7pm and 10pm

Discover Houston Tours (www.discoverhoustontours.com)

Historical Broomstick Adventures

There will be a daytime tour for families where they can do rubbings and one at night and the emphasis will be on John Kirby Allen and his family and heroes of the Battle of San Jacinto.

Admission:  $35/person (children and adults)

CONTACT:  Sandra Lord, tourhouston@aol.com, 713.222.9255

• Through September 3, 2008

The Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC), Houston Public Library (http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/)

“Harris County Court Documents” from the 1840s, including a former slave’s fight to regain her freedom in 1847 and a property dispute between Republic of Texas Presidents Sam Houston and Mirabeau B. Lamar will be on display on the second floor of the Julia Ideson Building.  On loan from the Harris County District Clerk’s office.  Admission:  Free.

The City of Houston and Downtown District have teamed up to launch a pilot program aimed at Downtown workers, residents and visitors.  If successful, free WiFi will become a permanent amenity.  All you need is a WiFi-enabled computer or hand-held device and you’ll be surfing (certain locations are currently better than others, see below!)

Visit here to see how you can connect downtown:  http://www.houstontx.gov/houstonwifi/

Currently there are 19 access locations:  http://www.houstontx.gov/houstonwifi/locations.html

Other stories about Downtown Houston’s WiFi:  http://www.click2houston.com/news/17252145/detail.html

So, while you are downtown checking out the WiFi (go sit around Discovery Green Park), head over to wind down this weekend at Quattro (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and enjoy 50% off all bottles of wine : )

Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel, 1300 Lamar, 713.275.4700.  For more information, http://www.opentable.com/restaurant_profile.asp?ID=5818&restref=5818

Nothing is harrowing for me; however, it is the summer and things are supposed to be slow and people are supposed to be on vacation (except for me, of course), why is it that things are absolutely crazy?  I can barely keep up with my own life/job and I definitely cannot keep up with my blogging schedule.  I was reading the blog of Patricia Martin, with whom I participated in a conference through the Houston Arts Alliance, on “The Renaissance Generation,” and she blogs every day!  Meanwhile, Fresh Arts Coalition asked me to speak on behalf of blogging at Caroline Collective coming up very soon (must make a mad dash for my calendar — aside:  see nothing really is happening unless you open the calendar — I sometimes have this problem — if I don’t look at my calendar then that must mean it isn’t really happening, right?.)  Wrong.

Any way, I do realize the importance of all of this viral marketing and blogging, etc., and really have been doing it for 12 years now (must be an expert, not!), but if I run a little behind schedule, it’s not because I’m not wanting to, just things have come up that need a bit more attention.  I also want to be able to have the time to attend some of these HIMA conferences going on, too.  In time, in time.

I realize this is not a blog about me, so let’s cut the chatter and get on with it!

If there was one person that I knew that knows how to wind down it is Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg.  Combine hanging out with him and some Landy Cognac and…I would say you are in for a chill ride. 

10 pairs of tickets to the invite-only VIP party will also be drawn.  And you best be wearing your finest because if you do win the VIP concert ticket package, they are going to take you right then and there.

What you need to know:

Today, Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 5:30 pm at the Specs Superstore Downtown, 2410 Smith — will be drawing for 2 pairs of a VIP tickets package for the show tonight AND 10 pairs of VIP tickets to the invite-only after party.  Snoop Dogg may even draw YOUR name ; )  Must be 21 or older to enter, no purchase necessary.  You must be present at the drawing because your limo will be awaiting you.

And one other quick note,  the concert is at Sam Houston Race Park…but if you win, you won’t have to worry about driving to-and-from…just have to get home from Specs : )  Or be a real rock star and take a cab for $6 anywhere downtown, get a hotel room, and take tomorrow off.

Ohhhh those tunnels that reach 7 miles in all that require a day of stepping into the map to figure out where to go…I have yet to master them.  They do provide a nice respite from the hot, summer sun and when a new eatery arrives, you can hear the faint applause of downtown workers ready to try something new.  Here’s a helpful map should you want to try to venture down below:  http://www.houstondowntown.com/Home/GeneralInfo/GettingAround/Maps/AboveBelow/ [PDF]

Chicken breast pita, chocolate chip cookie, Miss Vicki's jalapeno chips & a Diet Coke = $8.95

Here’s What’s For Lunch (let us know what you are having for lunch downtown to Heather[at]downtownhouston.org and we’ll post them.)  Just a simple camera phone shot will do.  Nothing gross please : )  This is about promoting eating! 

Pita Pit employees infectious energy and enthusiasm combined with upbeat music pumping through the speakers made us even more excited about What's For Lunch!

Today we stepped out for The Pita Pit!  It opened last Wednesday and I have been hearing raves about this place from my co-worker as she used to eat there when she lived in Austin.  People were standing outside the storefront (and by outside, I still mean inside the tunnel!) rubbing their fingers on their chin just pondering how many combinations you can make with a pita.  This place has tons!  And the staff is eager and happy to help you.  Plus the Spice Girls “Wannabe” playing in the background made me want to bop as I ordered.

Also, we are on a quest for the best chocolate chip cookie — so — stay tuned!!  If you know of the best chocolate chip cookie place downtown, e-mail melissa[at]downtownhouston.org. 

We will alternate What’s For Lunch and Wind Down Downtown each week so we keep everything in moderation….including our stomachs and livers! : )

Pita Pit, tunnels of 1001 McKinney Street, 713.659.7200, pitapitusa.com

Open daily Monday-Friday, 6:30 am (yes, pita breakfast!) to 3:30 pm, delivery too!

Menu [PDF]