It seemed like 20 years ago when I was doing margarita math at 12:30 last night. I can remember the clown faces they had in the center of the tables where you had your party. I can see them very vividly. I'm going to stop by my grandmas today and find those old photos.
Right on. With the birds and all. I remember they gave you a type kelidascope (sp?) at partys there which was really a marble at the end of a plastic tube you looked thru.
I think I know what you are talking about, but I don't know what it was. It has kind of bugged me too. There was a Hanna Barbara Land and a Bush Gardens in Houston? If so, I'm going to call my parents and b**** them out for never taking me there!!!
How did I forget about this place? The faux, crappy castle with putt-putt and video games. The batting cages. It's all coming back to me now. I remember first playing that really cool hologram video game with the cowboy (played by real actors) at "The Castle." I was awestruck by that game. Plus, they had their own bigger version of "Duck Hunt" with a projector screen and big gun (that shot light) in the back. Man, I also remember when Memorial City Mall used to be crappy and Town & Country Mall was the s***. I remember when those two small movie theaters were next to the mall (and when they were still open!). Is the putt-putt place off of I-10 near Dairy Ashford (on the feeder) still there?
I don't think so, I think they were actually rival companies. I remember back in the day laughing at all the kids that went to Showbiz instead of Chuck E Cheese's because clearly Chuck E Cheese's was where all the cool kids went. One time the subdivision I lived in had a "free game night" there. This was right when gamerooms were switching from quarters to tokens. We got all the free tokens we wanted all night long. I got the high score on Dig Dug AND Defender. Greatest night of my life. I feel like George Costanza and his Frogger game. Excaliber, man I loved that ride. It was my first roller coaster. My Dad took me on it and I was so scared that I was trying to get out of it. We went to breakfast before Astroworld and my sister started crying because she was scared. She got out of it, but ruined it for me. He wouldn't have it. I lost my favorite Earl Campbell hat going around that corkscrew at the bottom. I still kid him about that to this day. Why did he let me wear a hat on a roller coaster?!?!? I wonder if my hat is still there... This thread rocks.
I remember going to Malibu as a kid and seeing the older kids on the go karts and thinking, those are the coolest go-karts in the world...and then the day came when I was old enough to drive, and you don't even get to race in those damn go-karts-- you just go around the track for time. I wanna knock somebody's go kart outta commision!!! (that was the thing to do at Putt-Putt. )
1.) The Skatepark of Houston. near 59 N. and E. Mt. Houston (kinda tha hood.) the absolute bomb for skateboarding in Texas from 84-ca.98. i skated there daily from when it opened until i shattered my femur there in 86. 2.) Tradewinds Skate Center. near TC Jester/Ella/34th. totally cool skating rink in the 70's and 80's. around 85 they actually built a half-pipe inside in the back of the place for skateboarding. also, they had "skateboarding night" (wed?) for skateboarding only (on the actual wooden floor.) 3.) Physical Whimsical. what a blast from the past! Sharpstown mall--when it was safe, even... 4.) Kiddie Wonderland. 5.) the Alpine Sleigh Ride @ Astroworld. i remember going on that ride in the middle of the summer just so we could ride through that really cold section to cool off... 6.) the minigolf course @ Astroworld. when we were kids and had season passes (93Q Pass!) we'd actually take the time to play. when they built Waterworld there was a break in the fence at the back of the course and we'd just go on through to "cool off." that's all i can think of for now. nice thread, though...
It also sucks that Astroworld got rid of The River of No Return to make way for XLR8 Anyone here go to Sea-Arama in Galveston?
SeArama was SeaWorld before SeaWorld was cool. JungleSurf was built right behind it before it closed down. JungleSurf was the first waterslide i ever rode without a "mat." speaking of "mats, " remember The WaterCoaster in Galveston?
Hey, you know Fun Time is still open, right? I had a friend who had a birthday party there in May. Must say, its exactly as I remember it.
I remember lots of these places! These threads make me so nostalgic, but then so bummed cuz those places aren't there anymore. Games People Play Physical Whimsical Showbiz Pizza/Chuck E Cheese Malibu Grand Prix TRADEWINDS! I loved that place to no end when i was little. I learned to skate on quads there when I was 5. aaanh the memories. What about the go cart racing place on hempstead hwy, around mangum? It's still there, I believe, or it was 2 years ago.... haven't been in a while. I loved that place too man.... Kicked much ass on that track - I remember purposely starting in the last cart available and I would still end up passing everyone and shutting a few trash talkin mouths. If only my parents embraced that aspect of my childhood.... And I know this place closed, but are me and DT the only people who remember the lil pony riding place they had on S. Main? My mom used to take me there on days I went to the doctor's office, cuz it was all nearby, and I was gonna miss school anyway. Those were great days.
Really? My wife went there a few years ago for her nephew's bday party and said it had Tweety bird and crap on the walls. That sucks. But it was the place to be when I was in fith grade. It had Pacman and Stargate video games, the DJ would play Styx, Queen, Rush, and Journey, etc., all night. Then me with my comb in back pocket and velour shirt would hook up with a cute girl with her winged hair, satin jacket, and Gloria Vanderbilt's for couple skate, and maybe later a kiss in the parking lot. GOOD TIMES.
i've always wondered this...what was the galleria like back in the day??...were the stores that claim to be "since 1892", like abercrombie, there back then...i remember saks used to be marshall fields...but that change was kinda recent...anyone have old pictures to post?
OMG, I'm having flashbacks! What about some of the old school clubs? Bayou Mama's Red Square Sharkdance - aka The Meat Market
