HEIGHTSTONIAN

A few blocks away from my place, what used to be the old Rollin Salloon, is back open, with new ownership. The Railyard had a busy soft opening this weekend with no signage whatsoever. Later today, they will be integrating their new visual entertainment elements for a polished & updated version of sports bar atmosphere the Rollin once offered. This week, they expect to be on the ball with sports line ups. I met Dana, a local resident, among the low key area high rollers from River Oaks, Westheimer Oaks, Galleria and "Uptowneers." We are both pleased with the outcome and expressed our approval to the men in charge. Word has it, a mexican restaurant is expected to open in the same renovated shopping strip, from which Railyard will market selected tasty bites. Stop in and say hello to the new men in charge, Trey, Clinton and their bartender Tony. I also stopped by Avant Garden to see yet another (quite consistent, hence, intriguing) Shina Rae fashion show production an

Summer Fest 2010 Houston has embarked on something new thanks to the talent of Houston and people who stand behind it. Summer Fest means hope for those who miss the spirit of the original Westheimer Arts Festival. It’s a stretch to compare it to Woodstock, but the parallels of painted people and mud dancing around getting high, WITH permission still stand. This along local budding talent tells me, as a native Heightstonian, that Summer Fest has the potential to be better each year. Supporters like Wayne Coyne, lead singer of headliner, The Flaming Lips and the thousands in attendance applauded his hope for the future of Summer Fest. “I hope Summer Fest goes on for 100 years,” Coyne said during their set. The Flaming Lips were nothing short of spectacular. They brought all their toys including the slide, bubble for Wayne to surf the crowd, the gong, the hands, his strobe necklace, the camera mic, and of course the bear (who’s also half man), who didn’t mind giving Wayne a piggy