Well, we're all going to get to find out!
This from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ entry by Priya Rao)
http://online.wsj.com/home-page
Who says the winner of a football game is only determined in the stadium?
According to Joe Cahn, the commissioner of tailgating at the Tailgating Institute of America, which has six employees and is based in Manhattan, the real champions are found in the parking lot. "Fans don't lose there," Mr. Cahn explained. "They may not be able to redo a kick, but they can make an awesome hot dog."
Just announced: the Bing National Tailgating Championship, sponsored by Mr. Cahn and the search engine. The competition consists of six regional challenges in Houston, Denver, New York/New Jersey, Phoenix, New Orleans and Seattle, where entrants will be judged on cooking, tailgate spirit, parking lot agility and sports knowledge. The winners from those areas will have a chance to duke it out on a national level in Dallas before the Super Bowl. (The East Coast portion will occur before the Jets and Texans game on Nov. 21 at the Meadowlands.)
"We're in an era of competitiveness," said Mr. Cahn, who founded the organization in 1996 because he was interested in the sociology of tailgating.
Conspicuously absent from his contest is drinking. "I like to remind people that water is an adult beverage, too, and the brewery is not going out of business tomorrow," Mr. Cahn explained.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Houston Makes Forbes Most Affordable Cities List
Houston was ranked No. 7 on a list, compiled by Forbes, of the U.S. cities where dollars will stretch the farthest.
Oklahoma City took the top spot followed by Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y., Nashville and San Antonio.
Oklahoma City took the top spot followed by Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y., Nashville and San Antonio.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Houston Doctor Appointments Going High Tech?
This from CenterNetworks.com:
NY-based appointment planning and physician review service ZocDoc has announced a new Series B round of funding today. The round of $15 million, was led by Founders Fund and previous investors Khosla Ventures also participated in the round. The company notes that the new funding will be used to, “help ZocDoc expand its network of practitioners and accelerate its nationwide growth.”
ZocDoc is one of those services that doesn’t receive press on a daily basis like some mobile services are currently receiving however ZocDoc provides real world value and time savings. You select your insurance provider, location and specialty (dentist, psychiatrist, derm, etc.) and ZocDoc spits back a list of available appointment times. It is promoted as saving a ton of time calling around to find available appointments that match both insurance provider and availability.
You can also view the ratings for a doctor – similar to ratings on Healthgrades, television, or Amazon. It’s great to read reviews of a potential practitioner versus only receiving the recommendation from another doctor or friend. ZocDoc currently serves NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, DC. They allow their potential users to vote on which city should be next for expansion. Upcoming cities might include Miami, Houston, Boston, Philly and Seattle. ZocDoc generates revenue by charging fees to the doctor and provides the service free to users.
NY-based appointment planning and physician review service ZocDoc has announced a new Series B round of funding today. The round of $15 million, was led by Founders Fund and previous investors Khosla Ventures also participated in the round. The company notes that the new funding will be used to, “help ZocDoc expand its network of practitioners and accelerate its nationwide growth.”
ZocDoc is one of those services that doesn’t receive press on a daily basis like some mobile services are currently receiving however ZocDoc provides real world value and time savings. You select your insurance provider, location and specialty (dentist, psychiatrist, derm, etc.) and ZocDoc spits back a list of available appointment times. It is promoted as saving a ton of time calling around to find available appointments that match both insurance provider and availability.
You can also view the ratings for a doctor – similar to ratings on Healthgrades, television, or Amazon. It’s great to read reviews of a potential practitioner versus only receiving the recommendation from another doctor or friend. ZocDoc currently serves NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, DC. They allow their potential users to vote on which city should be next for expansion. Upcoming cities might include Miami, Houston, Boston, Philly and Seattle. ZocDoc generates revenue by charging fees to the doctor and provides the service free to users.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Houston Tops Forbes Ranking for Young Professionals Relocation
From Forbes.com via the Houston Business Journal:
Houston topped this year’s Forbes list of best cities where a recent college graduate can get a strong start on a high-powered career. The magazine placed the Bayou City at No. 1 for its “business-friendly environment and abundance of oil money,” considering it is home to 14 of the country’s largest companies. Only New York City, fourth on the list, had more big employers, according to Forbes.
Houston also had high average incomes and a concentration of graduates from elite colleges — and not just from local Rice University — but from across the country. Texas fared very well in the studdy, both Austin and Dallas also securing a spot in the Top 10 — Dallas at No. 6 and Austin rounding out the list at No. 10.
To come up with the list, Forbes looked at all of the Metropolitan Statistical Areas across the U.S., and then eliminated cities with fewer than 1 million people, and cities where Moody’s Economy.com predicts job growth will be negative over the next year. Next, each city was ranked based on its current unemployment rate, then criteria was factored in such as what people earn, the ability to stretch a dollar in the city and how many public companies called that city home. Then Forbes counted how many members of the Class of 2000 at Princeton University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Duke University, Rice University and Northwestern University were currently living in each city.
Cities rounding out the list included Washington D.C. at No. 2 followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul, Boston, Seattle, Denver and Atlanta.
Houston topped this year’s Forbes list of best cities where a recent college graduate can get a strong start on a high-powered career. The magazine placed the Bayou City at No. 1 for its “business-friendly environment and abundance of oil money,” considering it is home to 14 of the country’s largest companies. Only New York City, fourth on the list, had more big employers, according to Forbes.
Houston also had high average incomes and a concentration of graduates from elite colleges — and not just from local Rice University — but from across the country. Texas fared very well in the studdy, both Austin and Dallas also securing a spot in the Top 10 — Dallas at No. 6 and Austin rounding out the list at No. 10.
To come up with the list, Forbes looked at all of the Metropolitan Statistical Areas across the U.S., and then eliminated cities with fewer than 1 million people, and cities where Moody’s Economy.com predicts job growth will be negative over the next year. Next, each city was ranked based on its current unemployment rate, then criteria was factored in such as what people earn, the ability to stretch a dollar in the city and how many public companies called that city home. Then Forbes counted how many members of the Class of 2000 at Princeton University, Harvard University, Stanford University, Duke University, Rice University and Northwestern University were currently living in each city.
Cities rounding out the list included Washington D.C. at No. 2 followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul, Boston, Seattle, Denver and Atlanta.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Carnival Cruise Line Selects Galveston Port for Carnival Magic
this from CruiseCritic.com:
It was big news when Carnival Cruise Lines first announced that the 130,000-ton, 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic -- the second in its brand-new Dream class -- would debut in May 2011 with a series of Mediterranean sailings. But cruisers wondered: When and where would the ship arrive Stateside?
All signs today point to Galveston, a move that would provide a massive boost to the mid-size Texas port, best known for homeporting "mature" hardware with a minimum of 10 years service at sea.
Word first came via the Cruise Critic's message boards, with readers posting actual booking confirmations -- minus personal details, of course -- for a 16-night transatlantic cruise departing Barcelona on October 28, 2011, and arriving in Galveston on November 13. Travel agents have confirmed to Cruise Critic that the ship will indeed arrive in Galveston on November 13, and, further, that space is being held for a Caribbean cruise departing out of Galveston on that date. Cruise Critic was unable to confirm additional details beyond the November 13 departure.
The port of Galveston's Web site cruise calendar has yet to include the dates, and a representative from the port was unavailable for comment. A spokesperson for Carnival told Cruise Critic, "We expect to announce her North American homeport and her itineraries in the next couple of weeks."
John Heald, Carnival's Senior Cruise Director and mischievous blogger, also teased at a forthcoming announcement from the line. "I have been promising that PA 007 our super spy would be breaking the news on where your Carnival Magic will make her home port. Well...I think this week....may well be the week..." It was Heald who first revealed Magic's European itineraries when he posted a video of himself in January reading aloud a copy of a press release said to be obtained "from a spy."
Interestingly, a Carnival cruise vacation specialist told Cruise Critic that the transatlantic cruise was initially opened up in error -- they intended to serve only a group booking, but briefly opened the channel to public traffic. As of now, the mistake has been "corrected," and the line has nothing in the system (for booking) beyond October 16, 2011, when the ship sails into Barcelona to conclude a Mediterranean cruise.
It was big news when Carnival Cruise Lines first announced that the 130,000-ton, 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic -- the second in its brand-new Dream class -- would debut in May 2011 with a series of Mediterranean sailings. But cruisers wondered: When and where would the ship arrive Stateside?
All signs today point to Galveston, a move that would provide a massive boost to the mid-size Texas port, best known for homeporting "mature" hardware with a minimum of 10 years service at sea.
Word first came via the Cruise Critic's message boards, with readers posting actual booking confirmations -- minus personal details, of course -- for a 16-night transatlantic cruise departing Barcelona on October 28, 2011, and arriving in Galveston on November 13. Travel agents have confirmed to Cruise Critic that the ship will indeed arrive in Galveston on November 13, and, further, that space is being held for a Caribbean cruise departing out of Galveston on that date. Cruise Critic was unable to confirm additional details beyond the November 13 departure.
The port of Galveston's Web site cruise calendar has yet to include the dates, and a representative from the port was unavailable for comment. A spokesperson for Carnival told Cruise Critic, "We expect to announce her North American homeport and her itineraries in the next couple of weeks."
John Heald, Carnival's Senior Cruise Director and mischievous blogger, also teased at a forthcoming announcement from the line. "I have been promising that PA 007 our super spy would be breaking the news on where your Carnival Magic will make her home port. Well...I think this week....may well be the week..." It was Heald who first revealed Magic's European itineraries when he posted a video of himself in January reading aloud a copy of a press release said to be obtained "from a spy."
Interestingly, a Carnival cruise vacation specialist told Cruise Critic that the transatlantic cruise was initially opened up in error -- they intended to serve only a group booking, but briefly opened the channel to public traffic. As of now, the mistake has been "corrected," and the line has nothing in the system (for booking) beyond October 16, 2011, when the ship sails into Barcelona to conclude a Mediterranean cruise.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Texas Wealth on the Move...But to Where?
This from Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/)
Where America's Money Is Moving
Written by Jon Bruner (edited here for length)
Low taxes, warm sunshine and deep discounts on real estate. No wonder IRS data shows the wealthiest among us are headed south. Surprise: America's wealthy like warm weather and low taxes. That's the takeaway from IRS data, analyzed by Forbes, on moves between counties. We looked for counties that the rich are moving to in big numbers.
The dominance of the list by Florida and Texas--the former has eight of the top 20 counties, the latter four-- makes sense to Robert Shrum, manager of state affairs at the Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C., since neither state has an income tax. "If you're a high-income earner, then that, from a tax perspective, is going to be a driving decider if you're going to move to one of those two states," Shrum says.
After accounting for property taxes, Shrum's analysis shows that Texas has the fourth-lowest personal tax burden in the country, and Florida has the eighth lowest. Shrum also points to eight states that have targeted wealthy households with extra-high tax brackets: California, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Hawaii, Oregon, Connecticut and Wisconsin. Six of the top 10 counties the rich are fleeing are located in those states.
Here are Texas' entries in the Top 20, which all happen to be in the San Antonio region:
No. 4: Llano County, Texas, North of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $44,324
Departing average income per capita: $22,541
Stationary household average income per capita: $26,201
Total arriving people: 1,192
Total departing people: 1,018
Top origin: Burnet County, Texas (312 people)
No. 6: Bandera County, Texas, West of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $37,849
Departing average income per capita: $18,092
Stationary household average income per capita: $24,536
Total arriving people: 1,396
Total departing people: 1,192
Top origin: Bexar County, Texas (458 people)
No. 8: Kendall County, Texas, Northwest of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $51,713
Departing average income per capita: $29,013
Stationary household average income per capita: $41,590
Total arriving people: 2,987
Total departing people: 1,711
Top origin: Bexar County, Texas (1,131 people)
No. 20: Gillespie County, Texas, Northwest of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $35,890
Departing average income per capita: $22,572
Stationary household average income per capita: $30,350
Total arriving people: 1,232
Total departing people: 893
Top origin: Kerr County, Texas (170 people)
Where America's Money Is Moving
Written by Jon Bruner (edited here for length)
Low taxes, warm sunshine and deep discounts on real estate. No wonder IRS data shows the wealthiest among us are headed south. Surprise: America's wealthy like warm weather and low taxes. That's the takeaway from IRS data, analyzed by Forbes, on moves between counties. We looked for counties that the rich are moving to in big numbers.
The dominance of the list by Florida and Texas--the former has eight of the top 20 counties, the latter four-- makes sense to Robert Shrum, manager of state affairs at the Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C., since neither state has an income tax. "If you're a high-income earner, then that, from a tax perspective, is going to be a driving decider if you're going to move to one of those two states," Shrum says.
After accounting for property taxes, Shrum's analysis shows that Texas has the fourth-lowest personal tax burden in the country, and Florida has the eighth lowest. Shrum also points to eight states that have targeted wealthy households with extra-high tax brackets: California, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Hawaii, Oregon, Connecticut and Wisconsin. Six of the top 10 counties the rich are fleeing are located in those states.
Here are Texas' entries in the Top 20, which all happen to be in the San Antonio region:
No. 4: Llano County, Texas, North of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $44,324
Departing average income per capita: $22,541
Stationary household average income per capita: $26,201
Total arriving people: 1,192
Total departing people: 1,018
Top origin: Burnet County, Texas (312 people)
No. 6: Bandera County, Texas, West of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $37,849
Departing average income per capita: $18,092
Stationary household average income per capita: $24,536
Total arriving people: 1,396
Total departing people: 1,192
Top origin: Bexar County, Texas (458 people)
No. 8: Kendall County, Texas, Northwest of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $51,713
Departing average income per capita: $29,013
Stationary household average income per capita: $41,590
Total arriving people: 2,987
Total departing people: 1,711
Top origin: Bexar County, Texas (1,131 people)
No. 20: Gillespie County, Texas, Northwest of San Antonio
Arriving average income per capita: $35,890
Departing average income per capita: $22,572
Stationary household average income per capita: $30,350
Total arriving people: 1,232
Total departing people: 893
Top origin: Kerr County, Texas (170 people)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Astrodome to Learn Future Shortly
as reported by the Houston Chronicle (www.chron.com)
Harris County officials plan next week to unveil three scenarios for the Astrodome — ranging from demolition to a multi-purpose redesign that could accommodate a planetarium, a movie soundstage and other attractions — and a revised master plan for Reliant Park that could include a new arena and hotel.
Willie Loston, executive director of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which operates the county-owned Reliant Park complex, said price tags for the Astrodome could range from $100 million to demolish the Dome and replace it with green space to $500 million for a full-fledged, bells-and-whistles revamped Dome, financed in part with non-public money, that could offer entertainment and technology options for tenants.
“We're not making recommendations, we're not making proposals,” Loston said. “We're saying that one of these three things could happen to the (Astrodome) building.”
The master plan for Reliant Park will include demolition of Reliant Arena, which would be replaced by a new arena attached to Reliant Center on the north end of the Reliant Park and augmented, if development partners can be lined up, with a hotel and parking garage attached to Reliant Center.
The master plan, and the three options for the Astrodome, would be in keeping with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett's charge that the county should adopt a plan for the Astrodome's future by the end of the year. How that plan would be put into action, however, is still undetermined.
“What I can tell you is that it is an almost unanimous feeling among the commissioners' court that this need to be a public decision,” Loston said.
If the Dome is demolished, it would be replaced by a park-like setting rather than parking spaces, Loston said. And demolition, he said, would be more complicated than it was for Texas Stadium in Irving, the Dallas Cowboys' former stadium, which was ringed by three freeways with no other buildings nearby.
“This (the Astrodome) is in the middle of an operating complex,” Loston said. “I've got football games I'm getting ready for (at Reliant Stadium) in two months.”
The other options start with the same premise: The Dome's outer shell would remain standing, but the interior would be gutted, removing seats, concourses and skyboxes, and a 300,000- to 400,000-square-foot floor would be installed at street level above the current Dome floor, which is 32 feet below street level.
“When you walked into the Dome, you would walk right onto this new floor surface,” Loston said. “We would be getting rid of the hole in the ground and rehabbing the building.”
Potential uses in a basic reconfiguration could include a planetarium and a institute for science, technology, education and mathematics, established through non-public funding. With portable seats, the Dome also could accommodate sports events, indoor festivals or events in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The third option — “the second option on steroids,” as Loston described it — would include space for meeting rooms, conference rooms and laboratories, built on what are now the Dome's fifth and seventh levels, plus a collection of museums and a movie soundstage.
Loston said the Sport and Convention Corporation will not recommend to county commissioners which plan, if any, to approve.
“We don't prefer anything,” he said. “We are stewards who are trying to give decision-makers a range of options.”
The proposal to demolish the dilapidated Reliant Arena, which in recent years has housed rodeo events, the last season of the Houston Comets WNBA team and the USA Gymnastics national championships, came as county officials discussed the master plan for the entire park area, not just the Dome.
“The master plan will include a plan to add space to Reliant Center to replace what was lost (with the arena's demolition),” Loston said.
That could include a new arena attached to Reliant Center along with a parking garage and a hotel tower, located on the Fannin Street side of the complex, to accommodate conventions and other events at the center.
Harris County officials plan next week to unveil three scenarios for the Astrodome — ranging from demolition to a multi-purpose redesign that could accommodate a planetarium, a movie soundstage and other attractions — and a revised master plan for Reliant Park that could include a new arena and hotel.
Willie Loston, executive director of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which operates the county-owned Reliant Park complex, said price tags for the Astrodome could range from $100 million to demolish the Dome and replace it with green space to $500 million for a full-fledged, bells-and-whistles revamped Dome, financed in part with non-public money, that could offer entertainment and technology options for tenants.
“We're not making recommendations, we're not making proposals,” Loston said. “We're saying that one of these three things could happen to the (Astrodome) building.”
The master plan for Reliant Park will include demolition of Reliant Arena, which would be replaced by a new arena attached to Reliant Center on the north end of the Reliant Park and augmented, if development partners can be lined up, with a hotel and parking garage attached to Reliant Center.
The master plan, and the three options for the Astrodome, would be in keeping with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett's charge that the county should adopt a plan for the Astrodome's future by the end of the year. How that plan would be put into action, however, is still undetermined.
“What I can tell you is that it is an almost unanimous feeling among the commissioners' court that this need to be a public decision,” Loston said.
If the Dome is demolished, it would be replaced by a park-like setting rather than parking spaces, Loston said. And demolition, he said, would be more complicated than it was for Texas Stadium in Irving, the Dallas Cowboys' former stadium, which was ringed by three freeways with no other buildings nearby.
“This (the Astrodome) is in the middle of an operating complex,” Loston said. “I've got football games I'm getting ready for (at Reliant Stadium) in two months.”
The other options start with the same premise: The Dome's outer shell would remain standing, but the interior would be gutted, removing seats, concourses and skyboxes, and a 300,000- to 400,000-square-foot floor would be installed at street level above the current Dome floor, which is 32 feet below street level.
“When you walked into the Dome, you would walk right onto this new floor surface,” Loston said. “We would be getting rid of the hole in the ground and rehabbing the building.”
Potential uses in a basic reconfiguration could include a planetarium and a institute for science, technology, education and mathematics, established through non-public funding. With portable seats, the Dome also could accommodate sports events, indoor festivals or events in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The third option — “the second option on steroids,” as Loston described it — would include space for meeting rooms, conference rooms and laboratories, built on what are now the Dome's fifth and seventh levels, plus a collection of museums and a movie soundstage.
Loston said the Sport and Convention Corporation will not recommend to county commissioners which plan, if any, to approve.
“We don't prefer anything,” he said. “We are stewards who are trying to give decision-makers a range of options.”
The proposal to demolish the dilapidated Reliant Arena, which in recent years has housed rodeo events, the last season of the Houston Comets WNBA team and the USA Gymnastics national championships, came as county officials discussed the master plan for the entire park area, not just the Dome.
“The master plan will include a plan to add space to Reliant Center to replace what was lost (with the arena's demolition),” Loston said.
That could include a new arena attached to Reliant Center along with a parking garage and a hotel tower, located on the Fannin Street side of the complex, to accommodate conventions and other events at the center.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
AstroWorld Site Sold to Developer
AstroWorld, the old Six Flags amusement park site on the South Loop, sold to The Mallick Group of Fort Worth, TX. The site had been vacant since Six Flags Inc. shuttered AstroWorld in October 2005. The new owner bought the 104-acre tract across the freeway from Reliant Stadium in May for an undisclosed amount. The local seller was Angel/McIver Interests LP, of Conroe, TX, which paid $77 million for the dirt in 2006. Mike McIver and David Angel gained quite a bit of local notoriety for themselves when they acquired the "prime" property.
However, they local consortium never unveiled plans for the property, which is linked by light rail to the Texas Medical Center. Speculation was rampant that a mixed-use development that included retail stores, medical space, commercial offices, a hotel and apartments would be a good fit. Access to restaurants and stores for Texans home games was thought to generate a large amount of interest from regional retailers and commercial developments along the South Loop have had good success.
Michael Mallick, the new owner, says he would be just fine if no one knew his group owned the old AstroWorld site. But the cat got out of the bag. His phone has been ringing for the past two weeks since the deal was completed. “We have a few groups that have come to us that have proposals that want portions of it,” says Mallick. The Mallick Group acquired the site as an investment because, as Mallick says, Houston is a great place to invest. He’s not sure what will become of the land, but he says a decision will probably be made around the end of the year.
The group might hold the property for three to five years; sell it in its entirety once the market turns around; or sell it off in pieces. “We’re just going to sit back and see what happens,” says Mallick.
The Mallick Group invests in all commercial property types except industrial. It also develops real estate, such as the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel northwest of Austin. The group has also developed single-family homes in Fort Worth in public/private partnership with the City of Fort Worth.
However, they local consortium never unveiled plans for the property, which is linked by light rail to the Texas Medical Center. Speculation was rampant that a mixed-use development that included retail stores, medical space, commercial offices, a hotel and apartments would be a good fit. Access to restaurants and stores for Texans home games was thought to generate a large amount of interest from regional retailers and commercial developments along the South Loop have had good success.
Michael Mallick, the new owner, says he would be just fine if no one knew his group owned the old AstroWorld site. But the cat got out of the bag. His phone has been ringing for the past two weeks since the deal was completed. “We have a few groups that have come to us that have proposals that want portions of it,” says Mallick. The Mallick Group acquired the site as an investment because, as Mallick says, Houston is a great place to invest. He’s not sure what will become of the land, but he says a decision will probably be made around the end of the year.
The group might hold the property for three to five years; sell it in its entirety once the market turns around; or sell it off in pieces. “We’re just going to sit back and see what happens,” says Mallick.
The Mallick Group invests in all commercial property types except industrial. It also develops real estate, such as the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel northwest of Austin. The group has also developed single-family homes in Fort Worth in public/private partnership with the City of Fort Worth.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Houstonians Spend Far Less on Designer Coffee
From notes and quotes in the Houston Business Journal and the Denver Business Journal:
It seems that Houstonians are fooled by all the hype surrounding designer coffee beverages from Starbucks and other national coffee retailers. Mint.com, an online personal finance website, has posted it's lists of cities that spend the most and the least on designer coffee. Houston made the Top 10 list for Least Amount spent yearly on coffee, coming in at an average of $310/year per person in 2009 and around $27/month thus far in 2010. San Antonio made the spend the most list at an expenditure of $377/year per average person.
"Now, this will come as no great surprise, but Seattle -- Starbucks world headquarters -- tops the list, at $674 spent per person per year. In Seattle in the wintertime, you drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark, so you need something to keep you from running off the road into Puget Sound. Also not surprisingly, Las Vegas comes in at No. 2, with $391 spent on java in a year. After a long night of dissipation, it's a safe bet you'll need a strong slug of coffee."
Rounding out the Top 10 in yearly expenditure(s) comes :Portland, Ore. ($388); San Antonio, Texas ($377); St. Louis ($376); San Jose, Calif. ($366); Tucson, Ariz. ($362; must be iced coffee); San Francisco ($358), tied with New York; Denver; and Phoenix ($352)."
It seems that Houstonians are fooled by all the hype surrounding designer coffee beverages from Starbucks and other national coffee retailers. Mint.com, an online personal finance website, has posted it's lists of cities that spend the most and the least on designer coffee. Houston made the Top 10 list for Least Amount spent yearly on coffee, coming in at an average of $310/year per person in 2009 and around $27/month thus far in 2010. San Antonio made the spend the most list at an expenditure of $377/year per average person.
"Now, this will come as no great surprise, but Seattle -- Starbucks world headquarters -- tops the list, at $674 spent per person per year. In Seattle in the wintertime, you drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark, so you need something to keep you from running off the road into Puget Sound. Also not surprisingly, Las Vegas comes in at No. 2, with $391 spent on java in a year. After a long night of dissipation, it's a safe bet you'll need a strong slug of coffee."
Rounding out the Top 10 in yearly expenditure(s) comes :Portland, Ore. ($388); San Antonio, Texas ($377); St. Louis ($376); San Jose, Calif. ($366); Tucson, Ariz. ($362; must be iced coffee); San Francisco ($358), tied with New York; Denver; and Phoenix ($352)."
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Cypress, TX Cinemark Gets XD Theater
Reported by the Houston Business Journal via Cinemark:
As part of its ongoing strategy to revamp theaters and equip them with next-generation technology, Cinemark Holdings Inc. said Friday it's opened two new XD auditoriums - one in Lakewood, Colo., and one in Cypress. The auditoriums allow the Plano-based movie theater company to bring 2D and D-3D movies to audiences through high-tech JBL sound systems and digital projectors. The theaters feature wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor screens, plush seats and a surround sound system with 30 speakers. The company already has two XD auditoriums in Texas, including one in Plano.
The new Cinemark 12 XD auditorium in Cypress opened May 28 at 25720 Northwest Freeway. Lakewood’s auditorium has been open for about two weeks. The new auditoriums are surfacing at a time when moviegoers and concession sales are buoying Cinemark’s revenue. Cinemark saw its first-quarter revenue jump 21.3 percent due to stronger attendance and higher ticket prices and concession revenue per patron.
For the first three-month period ending March 31, admission sales jumped 22.5 percent to $343 million. That was due to an 8.1 percent jump in moviegoer attendance and a 13.3 percent increase in average ticket prices.
As part of its ongoing strategy to revamp theaters and equip them with next-generation technology, Cinemark Holdings Inc. said Friday it's opened two new XD auditoriums - one in Lakewood, Colo., and one in Cypress. The auditoriums allow the Plano-based movie theater company to bring 2D and D-3D movies to audiences through high-tech JBL sound systems and digital projectors. The theaters feature wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor screens, plush seats and a surround sound system with 30 speakers. The company already has two XD auditoriums in Texas, including one in Plano.
The new Cinemark 12 XD auditorium in Cypress opened May 28 at 25720 Northwest Freeway. Lakewood’s auditorium has been open for about two weeks. The new auditoriums are surfacing at a time when moviegoers and concession sales are buoying Cinemark’s revenue. Cinemark saw its first-quarter revenue jump 21.3 percent due to stronger attendance and higher ticket prices and concession revenue per patron.
For the first three-month period ending March 31, admission sales jumped 22.5 percent to $343 million. That was due to an 8.1 percent jump in moviegoer attendance and a 13.3 percent increase in average ticket prices.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Houston Jobs More Secure in 2010
This piece of good news from a report in the Houston Business Journal:
Houston companies have been doing 93 percent less downsizing so far in 2010 than the same period last year, according to new figures released this week by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.
Through April 2010, there were just 1,430 announced job cuts in Houston, down from the 19,423 job cuts from January to April 2009. The biggest cuts during that time period came from Schlumberger Ltd. and LyondellBasell, according to Challenger. In 2009, Houston-based employers announced 31,029 job cuts.
In January 2009, Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) announced it would lay off 5 percent of its work force, then two months later said it would have to make even more cuts. Meanwhile, LyondellBasell subsidiary Equistar Chemicals LP also performed a couple rounds of layoffs.
Job cuts in Texas overall fell nearly 64 percent between 2009 and 2010. There were 3,373 job cuts in April 2010, down from 9,322 cuts during the same month last year.
Layoffs during the first four months of this year were also down by 84 percent from the same four-month period in 2009.
Houston and Texas are both mimicking the nation, which saw the number of planned job cuts announced by employers drop sharply in April to 38,326, 43 percent fewer than the 67,611 in March, according to Challenger.
The consultancy said May marks the beginning of what is typically the slowest job-cutting period of the year. However, with the pace of downsizing already below pre-recession levels, the summer slowdown may not be as significant this year, it said.
Houston companies have been doing 93 percent less downsizing so far in 2010 than the same period last year, according to new figures released this week by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.
Through April 2010, there were just 1,430 announced job cuts in Houston, down from the 19,423 job cuts from January to April 2009. The biggest cuts during that time period came from Schlumberger Ltd. and LyondellBasell, according to Challenger. In 2009, Houston-based employers announced 31,029 job cuts.
In January 2009, Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) announced it would lay off 5 percent of its work force, then two months later said it would have to make even more cuts. Meanwhile, LyondellBasell subsidiary Equistar Chemicals LP also performed a couple rounds of layoffs.
Job cuts in Texas overall fell nearly 64 percent between 2009 and 2010. There were 3,373 job cuts in April 2010, down from 9,322 cuts during the same month last year.
Layoffs during the first four months of this year were also down by 84 percent from the same four-month period in 2009.
Houston and Texas are both mimicking the nation, which saw the number of planned job cuts announced by employers drop sharply in April to 38,326, 43 percent fewer than the 67,611 in March, according to Challenger.
The consultancy said May marks the beginning of what is typically the slowest job-cutting period of the year. However, with the pace of downsizing already below pre-recession levels, the summer slowdown may not be as significant this year, it said.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Texas Ranks High for Relocation
This from MSN Real Estate:
Texas was the ninth most popular destination for interstate relocation in 2009, with an inbound rate of 55.4%. Census estimates show the state actually brought in the largest influx of people. In terms of the total number of inbound and outbound moves, Texas ranked second only to California. These facts all came together to make Texas the #9 relocation spot for last year.
Texas was the ninth most popular destination for interstate relocation in 2009, with an inbound rate of 55.4%. Census estimates show the state actually brought in the largest influx of people. In terms of the total number of inbound and outbound moves, Texas ranked second only to California. These facts all came together to make Texas the #9 relocation spot for last year.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Taco Cabana Introduces Brisket Soft Tacos & Happy Hour Pricing
Local Tex-Mex favorite Taco Cabana is now offering brisket-filled fresh tortillas at its restaurants, officials announced this week with other changes. The San Antonio-based restaurant chain, which operates about 41 Houston area stores, will invest in a series of enhancements to its restaurants, adding new menu items and unveiling an advertising campaign.
Starting April 26, Taco Cabana put its first new item on the menu: a hickory-smoked, shredded brisket taco, either in barbecue or salsa flavor. Taco Cabana is also adding a daily Happy Hour and new packaging, streamlined menus and counter displays. Taco Cabana will launch its new ad campaign on May 3.
Starting April 26, Taco Cabana put its first new item on the menu: a hickory-smoked, shredded brisket taco, either in barbecue or salsa flavor. Taco Cabana is also adding a daily Happy Hour and new packaging, streamlined menus and counter displays. Taco Cabana will launch its new ad campaign on May 3.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Looking to Buy a New Home? Houston's Master Planned Developments Top the List
A report from the HBJ (http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/)
Cinco Ranch was the top-selling master-planned community in the United States last year. And The Woodlands was No. 2. In fact, four Houston area communities ranked in the top 10 on an annual survey by RCLCO, an independent real estate advisory firm. Newland Communities’ Cinco Ranch had net sales of 887 homes during 2009 — a 14 percent increase over the 775 net sales in 2008. The Woodlands Development Co.’s master-planned community had net sales of 633 homes last year. That represented a 16 percent decrease from the 750 sales in 2008.
Newland Communities also grabbed No. 4 on the list with Telfair. The local community had 450 net sales in 2009 —up 9 percent from the 412 net sales in 2008. The Johnson Development Corp.’s Sienna Plantation rounded out the top tier at No. 10. The community sold a net 280 homes last year, down 24 percent from the 369 sales in 2008.
Year-over-year net sales declined for most of the top 20 best-selling communities, reports RCLCO, with volumes declining by 8 percent to as much as 84 percent. Telfair and Cinco Ranch bucked the trend of dropping sales by posting increased sales for the third year in a row. RCLCO, which stands for Robert Charles Lesser & Co., is based in Washington, D.C.. The firm surveys more than 400 master-planned communities each year for its sales survey.
Cinco Ranch was the top-selling master-planned community in the United States last year. And The Woodlands was No. 2. In fact, four Houston area communities ranked in the top 10 on an annual survey by RCLCO, an independent real estate advisory firm. Newland Communities’ Cinco Ranch had net sales of 887 homes during 2009 — a 14 percent increase over the 775 net sales in 2008. The Woodlands Development Co.’s master-planned community had net sales of 633 homes last year. That represented a 16 percent decrease from the 750 sales in 2008.
Newland Communities also grabbed No. 4 on the list with Telfair. The local community had 450 net sales in 2009 —up 9 percent from the 412 net sales in 2008. The Johnson Development Corp.’s Sienna Plantation rounded out the top tier at No. 10. The community sold a net 280 homes last year, down 24 percent from the 369 sales in 2008.
Year-over-year net sales declined for most of the top 20 best-selling communities, reports RCLCO, with volumes declining by 8 percent to as much as 84 percent. Telfair and Cinco Ranch bucked the trend of dropping sales by posting increased sales for the third year in a row. RCLCO, which stands for Robert Charles Lesser & Co., is based in Washington, D.C.. The firm surveys more than 400 master-planned communities each year for its sales survey.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Attendance Numbers Go Through the Roof
Who says the economy is suffering? Houston once again proves that the economy is alive and kicking in the Bayou City!
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which concluded on March 21, reached the 2 million mark in general attendance for the first time in its history. The final attendance mark of 2.14 million visitors broke the previous general attendance record of 1.89 million in 2009, according to a statement by the organization.
A single-day general attendance record was also set on March 14 — Go Tejano Day — with 141,273 visitors. The previous record was set in 2009 with 135,548 visitors.
Records were also shattered at the Pesado and El Trono De Mexico evening concerts on March 14 at Reliant Stadium when 74,222 people caught the rodeo action and the musical performances. The previous record of 74,147 was set during the 2009 Go Tejano Day concerts with performances by Ramon Ayala and Alacranes Musical.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which concluded on March 21, reached the 2 million mark in general attendance for the first time in its history. The final attendance mark of 2.14 million visitors broke the previous general attendance record of 1.89 million in 2009, according to a statement by the organization.
A single-day general attendance record was also set on March 14 — Go Tejano Day — with 141,273 visitors. The previous record was set in 2009 with 135,548 visitors.
Records were also shattered at the Pesado and El Trono De Mexico evening concerts on March 14 at Reliant Stadium when 74,222 people caught the rodeo action and the musical performances. The previous record of 74,147 was set during the 2009 Go Tejano Day concerts with performances by Ramon Ayala and Alacranes Musical.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Houston High on List for Young Workers
Portfolio.com, an online publication owned by American City Business Journals, put out this survey, as reported by the Houston Business Journal:
Opportunities abound for young workers and therefore ranks Houston as one of the top cities in America for that demographic, according to a ranking by Portfolio.com. Houston ranked No. 5 of 67 metropolitan markets in the United States for cities with the best opportunities for people in the 18 to 34 age group. Austin, Texas ranked #1 in the country, followed by Washington, D.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Boston.
Portfolio.com (http://www.portfolio.com/)analyzed the 67 U.S. metros with populations above 750,000, searching for qualities that would appeal to workers in their 20s and early 30s. The study’s 10-part formula gave the highest marks to places with strong growth rates, moderate costs of living and substantial pools of young adults who are college-educated and employed.
Houston’s estimated population stood at 5.7 million as of 2008. Of that total, about 24.3 percent of the city’s population was in the 18-to-34 year old demographic. In 2008, the latest year figures were available for the study, the jobless rate for the young working adult was 7.8 percent. However, the Bayou City did not fare well in terms of educational attainment. Only 18.8 percent of young adults in Houston had a bachelor’s degree, compared to Boston, which led the nation at 37.6 percent.
Opportunities abound for young workers and therefore ranks Houston as one of the top cities in America for that demographic, according to a ranking by Portfolio.com. Houston ranked No. 5 of 67 metropolitan markets in the United States for cities with the best opportunities for people in the 18 to 34 age group. Austin, Texas ranked #1 in the country, followed by Washington, D.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Boston.
Portfolio.com (http://www.portfolio.com/)analyzed the 67 U.S. metros with populations above 750,000, searching for qualities that would appeal to workers in their 20s and early 30s. The study’s 10-part formula gave the highest marks to places with strong growth rates, moderate costs of living and substantial pools of young adults who are college-educated and employed.
Houston’s estimated population stood at 5.7 million as of 2008. Of that total, about 24.3 percent of the city’s population was in the 18-to-34 year old demographic. In 2008, the latest year figures were available for the study, the jobless rate for the young working adult was 7.8 percent. However, the Bayou City did not fare well in terms of educational attainment. Only 18.8 percent of young adults in Houston had a bachelor’s degree, compared to Boston, which led the nation at 37.6 percent.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Houston CityCentre Adding Restaurants & Retail
This blurb, via an announcement from the Houston, TX firm Midway Companies, from the Houston Business Journal (http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/)
CityCentre, a Midway Co. development located at the southeast corner of Interstate 10 and Beltway 8, is adding three new restaurants to its popular collection of eateries and boutiques. Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen, Brio Tuscan Grille and Ruggles Green will soon be the newest tenants at the West Houston development. Cyclone Anaya’s is slated to open its fourth location in the area in May, Brio Tuscan Grille is slated to open its second location in the area in April and Ruggles Green is expected to open the doors to its second location the area in June.
CityCentre’s retail roster is also ramping up with LMD Boutique scheduled to open the doors to its fourth area location later this month. Kitchenware retailer Sur La Table and fashion depot Republic of Couture are also scheduled to open later this year.
The 37-acre CityCentre project is a true mixed use development, consisting of office space, retail stores, restaurants, a hotel, townhomes and apartments.
CityCentre, a Midway Co. development located at the southeast corner of Interstate 10 and Beltway 8, is adding three new restaurants to its popular collection of eateries and boutiques. Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen, Brio Tuscan Grille and Ruggles Green will soon be the newest tenants at the West Houston development. Cyclone Anaya’s is slated to open its fourth location in the area in May, Brio Tuscan Grille is slated to open its second location in the area in April and Ruggles Green is expected to open the doors to its second location the area in June.
CityCentre’s retail roster is also ramping up with LMD Boutique scheduled to open the doors to its fourth area location later this month. Kitchenware retailer Sur La Table and fashion depot Republic of Couture are also scheduled to open later this year.
The 37-acre CityCentre project is a true mixed use development, consisting of office space, retail stores, restaurants, a hotel, townhomes and apartments.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Forbes Reports Houston Coming Out of Recession
Forbes magazine (http://www.forbes.com)Houston is 4th on the list of top US cities where the recession seems to be easing. Houston, along with nine other metropolitan areas, are best surviving the downturn in part because they specialize in industries that are relatively insulated from economic volatility, Forbes said.
If one state is a poster child for economic recovery, said Forbes, it’s Texas, which is home to four of the 10 cities on the list. Houston was tied with Minneapolis for fourth place. Meanwhile, Austin was tied for first place with Washington, D.C. while Dallas came in third and San Antonio ranked No. 7.
“There’s more to why Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston are faring well than just the state’s energy industry. The tech, government and education industries supplement the oil state’s riches,” Forbes said. “As for housing, cities in Texas didn’t see the same run-up in home prices and rampant speculation that led to the spectacular bubble burst elsewhere in the country.”
James P. Gaines, research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, said, “We didn’t have excessive overbuilding, so we don’t have a big overhang of unsold new homes, and because Texas has among most affordable housing in the country, the demand sustained.” Like Austin and Dallas, Houston is expected to experience a three-year, 7.03 percent rise in jobs. But nowhere are jobs projected to grow more than in San Antonio, where four military bases should help drive its expected 8.32 percent increase.
If one state is a poster child for economic recovery, said Forbes, it’s Texas, which is home to four of the 10 cities on the list. Houston was tied with Minneapolis for fourth place. Meanwhile, Austin was tied for first place with Washington, D.C. while Dallas came in third and San Antonio ranked No. 7.
“There’s more to why Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston are faring well than just the state’s energy industry. The tech, government and education industries supplement the oil state’s riches,” Forbes said. “As for housing, cities in Texas didn’t see the same run-up in home prices and rampant speculation that led to the spectacular bubble burst elsewhere in the country.”
James P. Gaines, research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, said, “We didn’t have excessive overbuilding, so we don’t have a big overhang of unsold new homes, and because Texas has among most affordable housing in the country, the demand sustained.” Like Austin and Dallas, Houston is expected to experience a three-year, 7.03 percent rise in jobs. But nowhere are jobs projected to grow more than in San Antonio, where four military bases should help drive its expected 8.32 percent increase.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Is Luby's New Venture Going To Challenge Starbucks?
Luby’s Culinary Services, a contract food service division of Houston-based Luby’s (NYSE: LUB), is operating the brand new What's Brewing business in downtown Houston. The first location opened up at 1301 Fannin. What’s Brewing offers Seattle’s Best Coffee products including freshly brewed coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, Tazo tea and blended beverages. In addition to coffee, the coffeehouse serves pastries and desserts baked fresh each morning.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Danica Patrick Lands Houston Sponsorship
NASCAR newcomer Danica Patrick and Academy Sports & Outdoors has reached a sponsorship agreement to for the next two years. Patrick, a member of the JR Motorsports team headed by Dale Earnhart Jr., is in her first year driving in the NASCAR series. As part of the sponsorship agreement, Academy will get billing on Patrick’s racing helmet and placement on her driving suit during the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series.
The Houston-based sporting goods retailer will also feature Patrick in an upcoming television ad campaign. She will also be featured in a multi-media campaign that will incorporate the retailer’s Web site, social media networks, Academy stores and customer events. Academy operates 120 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
The Houston-based sporting goods retailer will also feature Patrick in an upcoming television ad campaign. She will also be featured in a multi-media campaign that will incorporate the retailer’s Web site, social media networks, Academy stores and customer events. Academy operates 120 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Need a Doctor? Just Head to 77030!
Since I'm in the Healthcare Real Estate business at Transwestern (http://www.transwestern.net), I thought this was of big interest. I hope you do too... I knew that the Texas Medical Center was a massive concentration of docs but this just confirms that it's tops!
This from the Houston Business Journal: (http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/)
A zip code in the Texas Medical Center is home to the highest concentration of physicians in the nation, according to a report by research firm SK&A. The 77030 zip code -- which ranked first in the Top 50 Zip Codes with Most Physicians report -- is home to 2,170 physicians at 385 medical offices.The region includes a cluster of healthcare sites in close proximity, such as the Texas Medical Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, The Methodist Hospital System and Shriners Hospital for Children.
Irvine, Calif.-based SK&A is part of the France-based Cegedim S.A. Group, a global technology company specializing in the healthcare field. SK & A researches and maintains contact and profiling information for over two million healthcare practitioners, including 800,000-plus prescribers.
This from the Houston Business Journal: (http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/)
A zip code in the Texas Medical Center is home to the highest concentration of physicians in the nation, according to a report by research firm SK&A. The 77030 zip code -- which ranked first in the Top 50 Zip Codes with Most Physicians report -- is home to 2,170 physicians at 385 medical offices.The region includes a cluster of healthcare sites in close proximity, such as the Texas Medical Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, The Methodist Hospital System and Shriners Hospital for Children.
Irvine, Calif.-based SK&A is part of the France-based Cegedim S.A. Group, a global technology company specializing in the healthcare field. SK & A researches and maintains contact and profiling information for over two million healthcare practitioners, including 800,000-plus prescribers.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Houston Astros In-Game Entertainment Wins National Award for 5th Year
The Houston Astros’ ballpark entertainment department at Minute Maid Park won the group's highest honor, dubbed the “Best in Show” award, last week for the fifth consecutive year. This award is given to the professional sports team with the best overall video display. The Best Overall Video Display Award, as it is officially known, has never been won by one franchise in any of the four major sports for more than two straight seasons, much less five. The awards were handed out by the Information Display Entertainment Association (IDEA) at their annual Golden Matrix Awards Ceremony in Tampa.
Since 2005, the Astros’ entertainment staff has collected 13 Golden Matrix Awards, the most of any team in baseball and the second-most in any sport during that span. This year they also picked up the Best Interactive In-game Feature for the Guess the Flick! segments.
Since 2005, the Astros’ entertainment staff has collected 13 Golden Matrix Awards, the most of any team in baseball and the second-most in any sport during that span. This year they also picked up the Best Interactive In-game Feature for the Guess the Flick! segments.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Shell Houston Open Champion True to His Word
This from ESPN (www.espn.go.com)
HOUSTON -- Paul Casey of England promised to help a local charity after winning the Houston Open last year for his first PGA Tour victory. Tournament officials discovered Monday how serious he was.
Casey and his wife, Jocelyn, are giving $100,000 to a charity through the Houston Golf Association, which runs the event. He will work with tournament director Steve Timms to figure out which charity gets the money.
Casey, a runner-up at the Match Play Championship on Sunday in Arizona, flew to Houston to make the announcement and meet with the media about his title defense. He won last year in a playoff over J.B. Holmes.
The Shell Houston Open is April 1-4, 2010 at Redstone Golf Club. Their website for information and tickets:
http://www.shellhoustonopen.com/
HOUSTON -- Paul Casey of England promised to help a local charity after winning the Houston Open last year for his first PGA Tour victory. Tournament officials discovered Monday how serious he was.
Casey and his wife, Jocelyn, are giving $100,000 to a charity through the Houston Golf Association, which runs the event. He will work with tournament director Steve Timms to figure out which charity gets the money.
Casey, a runner-up at the Match Play Championship on Sunday in Arizona, flew to Houston to make the announcement and meet with the media about his title defense. He won last year in a playoff over J.B. Holmes.
The Shell Houston Open is April 1-4, 2010 at Redstone Golf Club. Their website for information and tickets:
http://www.shellhoustonopen.com/
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Andy Warhol Exhibit in Fort Worth, Texas
Thinking about a weekend getaway to shake off the cold? This might be just the ticket...
This from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (http://www.themodern.org)
Andy Warhol:
The Last Decade
February 14-May 16, 2010
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade is the first U.S. museum survey exhibition to explore the work that this seminal American artist produced during the final eight years of his life. Warhol entered a period of renewed vigor and enthusiasm in the 1980s that resulted in what was arguably the most productive period of his career.
The exhibition includes approximately 55 works lent by private collections and institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, and Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. Along with an introduction to Warhol, it is divided into thematic sections based on significant Warhol series: abstract works; collaborations (featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat); black-and-white ads; works surrounding death and religion; self-portraits; camouflage patterns; and a concluding section of the artist’s Last Supper series.
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade is organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum.
This from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (http://www.themodern.org)
Andy Warhol:
The Last Decade
February 14-May 16, 2010
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade is the first U.S. museum survey exhibition to explore the work that this seminal American artist produced during the final eight years of his life. Warhol entered a period of renewed vigor and enthusiasm in the 1980s that resulted in what was arguably the most productive period of his career.
The exhibition includes approximately 55 works lent by private collections and institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, and Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. Along with an introduction to Warhol, it is divided into thematic sections based on significant Warhol series: abstract works; collaborations (featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat); black-and-white ads; works surrounding death and religion; self-portraits; camouflage patterns; and a concluding section of the artist’s Last Supper series.
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade is organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Houstonians Enjoy Free Denny's Grand Slam Today
Don't forget to stop at your local Denny's around town today for the Super Bowl free Grand Slam deal.
Here's a link that reminds you of the offer:
http://www.dennys.com/LiveImages/Users/SuperBowl%20PressRelease.pdf
Here's a link that reminds you of the offer:
http://www.dennys.com/LiveImages/Users/SuperBowl%20PressRelease.pdf
Friday, February 5, 2010
Fort Bend County Makes Forbes List
New jobs and rising incomes put Fort Bend County at the top of a Forbes list of "Best Places to Get Ahead in 2010." (www.forbes.com)
Forbes looked at counties where the number of jobs had grown the most between the second quarter of 2007 and the second quarter of 2009. It also factored in the counties with the highest income growth. Fort Bend county income levels grew 10 percent between 2007 and 2008, including the addition of 5,913 new jobs since the second quarter of 2007. The county's median income was $84,782 in 2008, up from $77,082 in 2007.
Like the rest of Texas, Fort Bend gets a healthy chunk of its revenue from the energy sector, but it also benefits from a diversity of industries - including education and hospitality - that has fueled several decades of rapid population growth. Several companies on Forbes' 400 Best Big Companies list are headquartered there, including Texas Instruments, Baker Hughes and Thermo Fisher
Forbes limited its search to counties where the median household income was $75,000 per year or higher. Here are the rest of Forbes' picks:
Delaware County, Ohio
Kendall County, Ill.
Williamson County, Tenn.
Arlington County, Va.
Will County, Ill.
Douglas County, Colo.
Alexandria City, Va.
Loudoun County, Va.
Hanover County, Va.
Carver County, Minn.
Forbes looked at counties where the number of jobs had grown the most between the second quarter of 2007 and the second quarter of 2009. It also factored in the counties with the highest income growth. Fort Bend county income levels grew 10 percent between 2007 and 2008, including the addition of 5,913 new jobs since the second quarter of 2007. The county's median income was $84,782 in 2008, up from $77,082 in 2007.
Like the rest of Texas, Fort Bend gets a healthy chunk of its revenue from the energy sector, but it also benefits from a diversity of industries - including education and hospitality - that has fueled several decades of rapid population growth. Several companies on Forbes' 400 Best Big Companies list are headquartered there, including Texas Instruments, Baker Hughes and Thermo Fisher
Forbes limited its search to counties where the median household income was $75,000 per year or higher. Here are the rest of Forbes' picks:
Delaware County, Ohio
Kendall County, Ill.
Williamson County, Tenn.
Arlington County, Va.
Will County, Ill.
Douglas County, Colo.
Alexandria City, Va.
Loudoun County, Va.
Hanover County, Va.
Carver County, Minn.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Houston Dynamo Start Pre-Season Training... 1st Scrimmage Match This Weekend
Our beloved Houston Dynamo kicked off their pre-season training on Monday. The weather has been a bit of bad luck to the players but I understand that everyone is anxious to get the season underway. All the rumors about stadium locations have kept debate spirited around town and kept the Dynamo on folk's mind. The Dynamo, led by coach Dominic Kinnear, forwards Brian Ching & Louis Angel Landin, and All-Star goalkeeper Pat Onstad, are once again predicted to be a top club in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Here is the link for the Dynamo's pre-season schedule. Most, if not all, pre-season events are open to the public and free of charge.
http://web.mlsnet.com/t200/schedule/2010/preseason.jsp
Here is the link for the Dynamo's pre-season schedule. Most, if not all, pre-season events are open to the public and free of charge.
http://web.mlsnet.com/t200/schedule/2010/preseason.jsp
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Houston Grand Opera Getting Rave Reviews for Henry James Short Story
If you haven't been to the opera in Houston, it appears that now is the time to start going. The Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is garnering rave reviews for its interpretation of THE TURN OF THE SCREW A classic of Victorian gothic literature, Henry James’s chilling short-story is given new life—and death—as an opera. Feb 6 at 7:30. $36–$276. houstongrandopera.org Brown Theater, Wortham Theater Center, 500 Texas (713-228-6737).
This description from the HGO website (http://www.houstongrandopera.org/turnofthescrew)
In this operatic thriller two children are pulled toward the world of the dead by the ghosts of their prior governess Miss Jessel and her lover Peter Quint. Internationally acclaimed soprano Amanda Roocroft plays the governess whose obsessive efforts to protect the children may prove more of a threat than the spirits themselves. Powerhouse mezzo-soprano Judith Forst is housekeeper Mrs. Grose, the governess’s only ally. Haunting Victorian sets depict the world of the Henry James novel on which the opera is based. Directed by Neil Armfield, this is the third opera in HGO’s ongoing Benjamin Britten series.
This description from the HGO website (http://www.houstongrandopera.org/turnofthescrew)
In this operatic thriller two children are pulled toward the world of the dead by the ghosts of their prior governess Miss Jessel and her lover Peter Quint. Internationally acclaimed soprano Amanda Roocroft plays the governess whose obsessive efforts to protect the children may prove more of a threat than the spirits themselves. Powerhouse mezzo-soprano Judith Forst is housekeeper Mrs. Grose, the governess’s only ally. Haunting Victorian sets depict the world of the Henry James novel on which the opera is based. Directed by Neil Armfield, this is the third opera in HGO’s ongoing Benjamin Britten series.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Houston Dynamo Soccer Considering New Site
Midway Companies has proposed a SW Houston site just south of The Galleria for a mixed-use development to contain a stadium for the Houston Dynamo. There will be retail, residential, transit, and a stadium all encompassed in the new development.
This story from the Houston Chronicle (www.chron.com)lays out this alternative plan that would see the Dynamo locate outside of the originally planned downtown area. Views are mixed on the subject but soccer fans around Houston are simply looking for any resolution.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/6837680.html
This story from the Houston Chronicle (www.chron.com)lays out this alternative plan that would see the Dynamo locate outside of the originally planned downtown area. Views are mixed on the subject but soccer fans around Houston are simply looking for any resolution.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/6837680.html
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Local Jazz Festival Kicks Off Tomorrow
The 9th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival opens Friday, January 29 at Trinity Episcopal Church and runs through Sunday, January 31. The Trinity Jazz Festival began in 2002. The festival's founder, Father William B. Miller sees jazz as a vehicle for emphasizing both the Midtown church's urban setting, and its commitment to artistic expression. Rev. Miller believes, "Though jazz in the sacred context may be rare, it is a pairing that makes much sense - theologically, historically, and liturgically. Sharing some of the same roots as indigenous gospel music, this art form is rightly at home in the sacred context".
TJF website: http://www.trinityjazzfest.net/
This year's festival will feature:
Friday, January 29
Opening: TSU Jazz Singers - Bert Cross, Director
Headliner: Kirk Whalum (pictured above) w/ Jason Marsalis, Matt Lemmler, Kim Prevost and Roland Guerin
Saturday,January 30
Opening: Gary Weldon, Jazz harmonica artist - accompanied by Bob Henschen, Anthony Caceres and Clyde Adams
Headliner: Brad Leali, Alto saxophonist, professor of saxophone at the University of North Texas and former member of the Count Basie Orchestra - accompanied by Bob Henschen, Anthony Caceres and Clyde Adams
Saturday Master Class:
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Parish Hall w/Jason Marsalis, Roland Guerin, Kim Prevost
Sunday, January 31
10:30 am & 12:30 pm
Trinity Jazz Mass
Featuring:
Matt Lemmler, Jason Marsalis, Roland Guerin, Kim Prevost, Kellye Gray, Herlin Riley, and the Trinity Choir
TJF website: http://www.trinityjazzfest.net/
This year's festival will feature:
Friday, January 29
Opening: TSU Jazz Singers - Bert Cross, Director
Headliner: Kirk Whalum (pictured above) w/ Jason Marsalis, Matt Lemmler, Kim Prevost and Roland Guerin
Saturday,January 30
Opening: Gary Weldon, Jazz harmonica artist - accompanied by Bob Henschen, Anthony Caceres and Clyde Adams
Headliner: Brad Leali, Alto saxophonist, professor of saxophone at the University of North Texas and former member of the Count Basie Orchestra - accompanied by Bob Henschen, Anthony Caceres and Clyde Adams
Saturday Master Class:
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Parish Hall w/Jason Marsalis, Roland Guerin, Kim Prevost
Sunday, January 31
10:30 am & 12:30 pm
Trinity Jazz Mass
Featuring:
Matt Lemmler, Jason Marsalis, Roland Guerin, Kim Prevost, Kellye Gray, Herlin Riley, and the Trinity Choir
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Houstonian Hotel Makes Top Hotels List
This from TripAdvisor's:
The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa came in at No. 9 on TripAdvisor.com (www.TripAdvisor.com) list of the top 25 hotels in the United States. TripAdvisor.com uses online public entries for feedback and grading purposes for all things related to travel. The ranking is sort of a "People’s Choice Award" for the travel industry. TripAdvisor’s list is based on reviews and opinions of more than 30 million travelers who use the free site.
The Houstonian is located at 111 N. Post Oak Lane near the Galleria area. Property features include a great room lobby with a 30-foot-tall, hand-carved stone fireplace; a 125,000-square-foot private health club; and Trellis, a spa offering a range of services and therapies. Their website is www.houstonian.com
FYI... the only other Texas property to make the list was the #5 rated Grand Hyatt DFW, in Dallas. The website for that property is granddfw.hyatt.com
The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa came in at No. 9 on TripAdvisor.com (www.TripAdvisor.com) list of the top 25 hotels in the United States. TripAdvisor.com uses online public entries for feedback and grading purposes for all things related to travel. The ranking is sort of a "People’s Choice Award" for the travel industry. TripAdvisor’s list is based on reviews and opinions of more than 30 million travelers who use the free site.
The Houstonian is located at 111 N. Post Oak Lane near the Galleria area. Property features include a great room lobby with a 30-foot-tall, hand-carved stone fireplace; a 125,000-square-foot private health club; and Trellis, a spa offering a range of services and therapies. Their website is www.houstonian.com
FYI... the only other Texas property to make the list was the #5 rated Grand Hyatt DFW, in Dallas. The website for that property is granddfw.hyatt.com
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