No More Snowflakes!

The snowflakes are now off of CityCentre One! I have a clear view of the main road once again at work. I hope they keep the lights on the trees because they make the place look really classy. I actually saw them sitting on the side of one of the buildings unguarded and wondered why they would put it there. Some of the decisions that people make are so silly. I walked past really quickly and didn't care enough to see if they secured, but I sure hope they did.

In other news, a walk around the grounds show good progress at Brio's but no movement at Ruggles Green. Cafe Rose is open and is on the other side of Yard House. They're located on the "unpopular" side of CityCentre, but go give it a try. I haven't eaten there, but it looks like a nice little cafe.

Lastly, Straits Happy Hour, umm, hours...Mon-Fri 4-7pm. The real party starts when DJ Steve shows up though. Drink, dance, be merry. Shoutout to Kai, the GM.

New Lofts Banner

I spy something green and white; flying high, flying high.
Hung between two walls of brick; looking slick, looking slick.
No more flapping in the wind; securely pinned, securely pinned.
Come and give The Lofts a visit; you'll be glad you did it, you'll be glad you did it.

Umm, I should go pro.

Upcoming Events

The Monnalisa Bar will have live music on Wednesday, January 27 from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. I can see a theme here with the bands that they book. This time it will be Luxury Trio. Click the link to see who they are. They're going for a classy sip and sway theme.

More to come in February!

Latin Fusion

I saw lots of people shaking their booty today in the Plaza. It was cute to see kida in the back jumping around to the music. Again, that speaks volumes for the family atmosphere at CityCentre. There is a lot of repetition so everything is easy to learn. I enjoyed my usual workout and then stopped by for a few minutes of dancing around. It was dark enough outside for me to work up the courage to wedge in between a few ladies. I was in and out before anyone noticed, I'm sure. I think the whole idea of outdoor classes is going to be great with Spring coming. I'm not sure how many types of classes they'll be able to get out there. The more equipment necessary, the tougher it will be to hold an outdoor class. I don't even care about the grass anymore, it grows back.

I haven't seen any future workouts planned yet and I think they're going to look at how successful today was and make a decision on whether to continue or not. I'll post information as soon as I get it. Remember, these events are no cost and open to the public.

Getting Warmer in January

I don't keep up with the weather, but I've felt that it has been warmer this past week. I wonder when the powder snow (lights) will melt off the trees in CityCentre and when the snowflakes will melt off the side of CityCentre One.

So I had this great idea to write about the local restaurants to get the news out about what to try and, more importantly, what not to try (unless you're feeling adventurous). What I didn't think about was how expensive that proposition would be. I don't think I will completely throw that idea away, I just won't be doing it as much as I want to. I guess one positive will be that I will be able to spend more time to think over the experience and provide a very in depth post.

On another note, I think the local restaurants now know the power of an organized event. The restaurants were packed after The Ride of a Lifetime and I bet they made their numbers that day! Actually, a lot of people didn't even know CityCentre existed until they came to this event. I personally think one of the downfalls of CityCentre is that people just don't know much about this place. When I tell people I live here and work here, they have no clue what I'm talking about.

As a little bonus, check out these BEHIND THE SCENES pictures of The Ride of a Lifetime from a few weeks ago. There are a few pictures from near the top of the hotel, so cool!

Squeezing on Through

The other day I was walking to my car to warm it up (since I rarely drive it), and I noticed a peculiar scene unfolding in front of me. Click on the photo to open up a bigger picture. Remember, you can actually do that with any picture and a full sized version will pop up. If it doesn't pop up then tell me because it means I screwed up the code structure.


Hello new neighbor, welcome to the land of garages that will confuse you and perhaps eat you alive. I see that the overhanging pipes have taken a liking to the top of your U-Haul! Don't worry, they never check the top of the truck when you take it back, pull on through! Oh, you already knew that I guess since you just pulled through. Yes, thank you for going slowly because the sound that you made was SO delightful.

SSSSSSCCCRAAAAAAAAAAAAPEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

Hey it is all good. I don't see any major damage to the pipes. No one will ever know.

Cha Cha Cha Chia!

So the landscapers at CityCentre have been working so hard to keep the plaza looking green and healthy and what do we do to thank them? We hold a 600 person outdoor spin class and trample the grass with heavy bikes and people's feet.


You may have to squint some, but there is definitely a visible "V" shape where the main walking aisles were. You can even see lines where the different rows of bikes were. Personally, I'm cheering for the grass to grow back greener and healthier than before. I can't help but wonder what the landscapers were thinking though because I saw them working on the grass the week before the event. I also saw them working on the grass yesterday and I hope they don't have to re-sod any patches!

2010 Ride of a Lifetime

Aside from being extremely cold when the wind picked up, this ride was a great experience to be a part of. There were lines and lines of box trucks lined up filled with bikes and portable heaters. They even managed to set everything up without being overly noisy and waking me up. I would say that the ride was better organized than I initially expected. Then again, I've seen the magic that Cathy worked on the gym as a whole. The Founder and CEO of Lifetime, Bahram, was a top notch spin class instructor. He didn't do the usual "stand up, sit down" routine, but made us lean in different directions. My legs feel fine right now, but they didn't feel very good right after the ride. The final 15 minute set ended with an ultra-high resistance level and the last few minutes I could not even pedal without standing up. The resistance was so high that I could not overcome it sitting down! Needless to say, the 2 hours were worth it physically. If you went and weren't entirely drained after the ride, then you need to dial up that resistance more next time!


There were 600 bikes and the previous record for the largest cycling class, which was 450 people in Ireland. You should see what the grass looks like now in the plaza, more on that later. Bring on the MS 150!

CityCentre Update

I just received an update of what is now open and what is coming soon. I don't see The Wine Loft on either list so we'll just have to be patient. The best place for wine right now would probably be the Monnalisa Bar.

Now Open

Amegy Bank
Anthropologie
Bistro Alex
Cafe Rose
Eddie V's Prime Seafood
Eye Couture
Hotel Sorella
Houston Motor Club
Life Time Athletic
Monnalisa Bar
Norris Conference Center
RA Sushi
Straits Restaurant
Studio Movie Grill
Yard House
The Mayor's Office (Just Kidding!)

Coming Soon

Brio Tuscan Grille
Chipotle (Hell Yeah!)
Cyclone Anaya's Mexican Kitchen
Jamba Juice
LMD Boutique
Potbelly Sandwich Works (Double Hell Yeah!)
Republic of Couture
Ruggles Green

My Coo Neighbors

I was walking to my car the other day and heard some weird noises in the parking garage. At first I thought there was an owl somewhere and my curious side took over. It was like playing a game of Marco Polo on the first floor of the parking garage. I finally found the source of the noise perched on the roof supports.


I have no idea what kind of bird that is, but it sure looks like some kind of pigeon. If you've been receiving unwelcomed gifts on the hood of your vehicle, then I have a good idea who your 'secret santa' was.

Happy New Year

Another year is upon us and another list of resolutions has been made. First off, Happy New Year everyone. I have no doubt in my mind that this year will be better than the last! I'm extremely excited about what CityCentre has to offer in 2010. I am looking forward to Chipotle, Potbelly, and Cyclone Anayas opening. I'll be frequenting these restaurants for sure.

If you didn't have a chance to make it to CityCentre for their New Years Party, don't worry. I'll be posting pictures of the fireworks once I process them. For now, check out the guys setting up the show.


I was cracking jokes about how they looked like they raided a roadside fireworks stand, but once I saw the show, I felt bad for judging so quickly. The guys put on quite a show and I know next year is going to be bigger and better because that's how we do it in Texas!