I don't know about all that, but I could be wrong. I'll tell you that the worst I've seen driving through midtown and montrose area is a couple of homeless guys here and there. But real estate is very expensive in those areas, and it's mostly people with money living there. Stuff might have changed in the last 5 years though, I dont know. I would personally not be afraid to walk from downtown, through midtown, down westheimer to the slick willies. Elgin is on the other side of HWY 288, and that's been a black neighborhood for at least 30-40 years. It's poor, but I doubt you'll have any trouble...plus it's out of the way if you're walking from downtown to Slicks Montrose (which is on Westheimer). I grew up next door in 3rd ward, which is supposed to be worse, and have never had any trouble.
How is the local pool scene in Houston TX, and are the pool halls there open yet?
- Thread starter 9ballscorpion
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That's the Fountainview location I was telling you Gabby plays at. That would be my first choice between the two for pool, but you won't really be walking distance to downtown. Maybe the Galleria will be within walking distance, which is cool if you like shopping malls...it's a nice one...and maybe you can still go ice skating inside.
Haven't hung out in the area in a while. Lower Montrose, around the Slick Willie's area, had several restaurants, some pretty good and one top five but it closed. There were a couple bars around, too. Head a mile or two West (away from downtown), and the Gay District has a number of bars, if you are into that sort of thing. Probably 3-4 miles West of Slick Willies you get to Montrose. Cross that and go up about 1/4 mile and you get Hugo's, an outstanding Mexican restaurant (not Tex-Mex). Just up from there is Anvil, a nationally known craft cocktail bar. I went a lot when they first opened but have not been in 3-4 years. There were some other pretty good craft cocktail bars around Anvil, and it's fine to walk to those. Who knows what's going on with the Pandemic. I haven't been anywhere other than the grocery store since March.
Just Google some stuff and you'll get a feel. There are several tattoo parlors mixed in with the bars in that area.
9ballscorpion
Active member
Wow, Elgin looks very scary, just from my point of view, going through there on Virtual Google Maps. Looks like a lot of abandoned buildings, and run down houses. I would be too scared to walk through there, lol.
Sorry for going off the topic of Pool.
It is run down, but I would walk through there in the daytime...maybe not at night. I can tell you that I've been out in that neighborhood drinking and playing chess. Houston people are good people.
9ballscorpion
Active member
Thanks. So, Gabby is a good pool player, I assume? I can get the bus from over there. Just takes around an hour to get downtown. I just hope it is not too dangerous over there. Thanks for the mention of The Galleria. Looks nice.
9ballscorpion
Active member
I have heard that people from Houston are very nice. Love Chess. Thanks for all the info.
Oh, and there's no poolhalls out there. You don't have to go.
Gabby is a Houston legend. There's a bunch of stories about him on this forum, and I heard countless stories in Houston. I left before he got out of prison, so I've never met him...but in my opinion he paid his debt to society, and I'd be hella curious to try him some one pocket.
9ballscorpion
Active member
That sounds really cool. Is his full name well known, or everyone just knows him as Gabby? I love to read interesting pool stories, and road stories. Thanks.
The person who said you have to have a car in Houston was correct. It does not have excellent public transportation like the larger Northeast Cities, Chicago, Denver or even Atlanta. All major Oil & Gas companies are either headquartered here or have a large Division office. The City/State is not going to do anything to have people burn less product.
Downtown to Slick Willie's Montrose is about 9 minutes by car with no traffic. To go to the Slick Willies near Fountainview, it's another 15 minutes from Montrose by car without traffic. It's outside the Inner Loop, so it's nowhere close to Downtown.
If you have business Downtown, just get something convenient to that. Either rent a car or Uber everywhere you need to go. That way, you can hit some of the major real pool halls like Bogie's West or Legends.
Downtown to Slick Willie's Montrose is about 9 minutes by car with no traffic. To go to the Slick Willies near Fountainview, it's another 15 minutes from Montrose by car without traffic. It's outside the Inner Loop, so it's nowhere close to Downtown.
If you have business Downtown, just get something convenient to that. Either rent a car or Uber everywhere you need to go. That way, you can hit some of the major real pool halls like Bogie's West or Legends.
Also don't rule out using Air BnB maybe to find a place, and not just sticking to hotels.
9ballscorpion
Active member
I see that Public Transit seems to run 24/7 in Houston. I can't imagine that it could be much worse then New Orleans, because public transit really sucks in New Orleans, in my opinion. I will be there with my mother, and she really just wants to experience the downtown as much as possible while we are there. I just want to be near a nice pool hall, lol. I miss shooting so much. Thanks for all of the info, and for your time.
9ballscorpion
Active member
Oh yeah, I forgot about Airbnb. I like to look for the Superhosts, because they have the highest user experience reviews, and seem to be the most professional, and trusting. Thanks.
Westheimer runs for miles in Houston!!
theres an incredible brazilian steakhouse called chama gaucha on westheimer, i go every yr
It's nice to know he's still alive. Would be late 60's or 70 by now. He was locked up for a long time. When did he get out?
I'm told he got out sometime in the last year. I don't know exactly when.
In case you don't know the story: https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/...icted-in-string-of-area-robberies-9745545.php Brutally robbed older women and then sold their jewelry. Chopped off finger of one lady 'cause they couldn't get her ring off. IMO he should keep rotting away in Huntsville.
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I was aware of all this and did not feel bad for him in the least. I had heard he got killed in jail, that's why I was asking about him. He must have done close to thirty years (or more).