Deli Sandwiches

Deli sandwiches are healthy and tasty ways to fill up. They can range from simple sandwiches to your half-foot and foot-long sandwiches. My inspiration for this post is on sub sandwiches from Subway or Quiznos. However, you know I have to cover multiple bases. There are some deli sandwiches that aren't like the long sandwiches that inspired this post. Some deli sandwiches can just be some basic loaf of bread sandwiches or even sandwich wraps. Whatever the case, this blog post is a look at deli sandwiches of many kinds from various delicatessens.

--- Deli Sandwiches ---

You don't have to be Jared Fogle to know how healthy and filling deli sandwiches can be. Jared Fogle has become an icon for going on Subway sandwiches and exercise to go from big to slim. The appeal of deli sandwiches is that they are healthy and filling sandwiches to eat. Going beyond what a plain sandwich is like, most deli sandwiches are made on a number of different breads and with a variety of different ingredients. Different styles of bread and certain items added to deli sandwiches can help make for a tasty experience once a proper deli sandwich is complete.

Sub Sandwiches.

^ from: blogchef.net - Feel free to dig into a sub sandwich! Restaurants may allow you full control over what you want on your sub sandwich.

Submarine sandwiches, or better known as sub sandwiches, are among the most popular deli sandwiches. They are also called hoagies or grinders (according to Wikipedia). When going to a deli or deli restaurant (such as Subway), you usually have control over what kind of sandwich you want made for you. A sandwich usually begins with whatever kind of bread you want. Certain breads can be pretty good for your health. I found wheat bread to be good for you. At some deli restaurants, you have some options like white bread, wheat bread, jalepeño bread, Italian herb bread, and other options depending on what the deli offers. Many delis give you control over what kind of ingredients you want on it. Personally, I usually don't have deli sandwiches with tomatoes or onions- just my own preference. For those who are not lactose intolerant, there are many different cheese choices including American cheese, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, and other cheeses like that. Dressing is also offered. I tend to prefer my sandwiches to have mayonnaise and mustard- especially honey mustard. But sometimes, I even like deli mustard. Some mustard can be a bit strong, so I usually avoid these.

For myself, personally, I like a combination of Subway and Quiznos. I usually would get a Cold Cut Combo from Subway. Some of the sandwiches I usually have from Subway these days is usually something with chicken. So I would nowadays have a Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt. The combination of chicken and bacon is a delicious combination. To keep the sandwich fresh, I even prefer a toasted Subway sandwich. From Quiznos, I become enamored with the Mesquite Chicken. It is a delicious and tasty sandwich to have with chicken and bacon along with some tasty mayo and mustard. I think Quiznos offered (or do they?) a Honey Mustard Chicken sandwich that was also good. I usually prefer not to have tomatoes or onions on my sub sandwiches. I certainly want mayo and mustard. I usually like honey mustard. How do you like your sub sandwich?

The sub sandwich has multiple origins but is otherwise American to the core. If you want to learn more about sub sandwiches, visit this Wikipedia page: "Submarine Sandwich" - Wikipedia.

Other Deli Sandwiches.

^ from: www.jhdeli.com - Short deli sandwiches can be just as tasty and as enjoyable as any sub sandwich.

What if you want a deli sandwich that isn't long? No problem! Some restaurants (and even some grocery stores) offer short deli sandwiches that are still much more delicious than your average homemade sandwich. Many of these sandwiches are made with basic loaves of bread and dressed up with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, any variety of meats, any variety of cheeses, various dressings, and more. Some simple deli sandwiches even are made on toasted bread, Ciabatta bread, and other breads.

Two different deli-style sandwiches I've had before are panini sandwiches and muffulettas. Back in my community college days, the deli across the street of Houston Community College - Southeast (represent! :D) once offered a Grilled Chicken Romano Panini. It was delicious! My parents have even made some panini sandwiches before for us and our family.

Some grocery stores offer deli sandwiches if you don't fancy going to any proper delicatessens. They are all ready-made and available for you to enjoy at home. Some grocery stores even offer party packs complete with many small sandwiches and other party favors. For my own American audience, you can visit places like a Kroger, the grocery sections of Wal-Mart and Target stores, and places like that to enjoy deli sandwiches from grocery stores and grocery sections of major retailers.

Other Items to Go Along With Deli Sandwiches.

While you're enjoying a deli sandwich, what else is there to enjoy with a deli sandwich? The most common other food item is usually potato chips. Some people even have themselves a cookie or maybe some iced tea to go with a deli sandwich. I usually have chips and sometimes a pickle.

--- Deli Sandwiches Online ---

So do you want your own deli sandwiches? Maybe you want to make your own deli sandwiches? Allow me to help by providing these links. Most of these links are mostly meant for my American audience, but some may have international sites. So please have a look around!

Delis and Deli Sandwiches.

• SUBWAY Restaurants
• Quiznos Sandwich Restaurants
• Jason's Deli « mostly Texas-based chain of deli restaurants, but other locations around America
• Schlotzsky's « Texas-based deli chain.
• Panera Bread
• McAlister's Deli

Deli Sandwich Recipes.

• How to Make a GREAT Deli Sandwich - Squidoo
• Deli Sandwiches - Delicious Sandwich Recipes from AlansKitchen.com
• Top 20 Deli Sandwiches - Delicious Sandwich Recipes from Alanskitchen.com
• Cold Sandwich Recipes - about.com

Jared Fogle's SUBWAY Diet (Honorable Mention!).

Here is something you can read since I mentioned Jared Fogle earlier. Learn more about his radical diet routine... on SUBWAY sandwiches!

• Jared's Journey


If you want to recommend me any more non-suspicious, non-spam links to service my readers, please contact me via E-Mail or post on my Facebook fan page. You may contact me using the information towards the end of this post.





I hope you enjoyed this blog post as much as I enjoyed researching and putting it all together. I really hope you have enjoyed my work. How do you like deli sandwiches? Do you have any favorites? Don't spam me or send me any suspicious comments- just comment properly. Thank you for reading!

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Bicycles

Bicycles are enjoyed by many walks of life ranging from children to adults for reasons ranging from recreation to sport. This is two-wheeled fun for many reasons and applications. Push those pedals and be on your way to a fun ride. Or if you're the more adventurous or rebellious kind, you're into mountain biking or even BMX stunts. Whatever the case, bicycles may well be worth your time. This blog post is all about bicycles.

I haven't been on a bicycle since childhood. Do not think that this is any information based on personal experience or anything like that. I am simply providing all of this for entertainment and educational purposes.

WARNING: This post includes a number of YouTube videos. Your viewing performance may be slow depending on your connection. You may view the individual videos in links if you are unable to view any of the videos.

--- Bicycles at a Glance ---

^ from: bicycletouringpro.com - Two-wheeled fun awaits you when you ride a bicycle.

A lot of us may have started out riding tricycles. I certainly remember riding tricycles before moving up to a bicycle. My memories even include riding a bicycle with training wheels. Bicycles have been around since the 19th Century. As with most inventions, the bicycle has been enhanced and innovated over time to become and remain a fun form of both transportation and recreation. Some cities and nations have bicycles as the most effective mode of transportation.

I remember when I was younger and had a bicycle. I previously had a scooter that I enjoyed riding. My first bicycle had training wheels since I was not comfortable going on two wheels yet. Over time, I would learn to properly ride a bicycle and be able to ride it properly. I sometimes challenged a little girl to a race when at my grandmother's house. I would be on my scooter while she was on her bicycle. We had to go to this one intersection in our neighborhood back to my grandmother's house. Fun times. One time, I even once had a dirt bicycle. I think it was too big for it and didn't get to ride it too much, though.

--- Kinds of Bicycles ---

A bicycle from a retailer can cost anywhere between $100 US Dollars (or less) to even four-figure US Dollar amounts! Some of the more expensive bicycles (namely racing bicycles) have carbon fiber construction and can be quite expensive. Bicycles are usually sold based on the wheel width. Some bikes even have gears to them. So not every bike is created equal. Here are a few different kinds of bicycles (thanks: about.com):

Road Bicycles.

^ from: amazon.com - A men's road bicycle from Schwinn.

These bikes were meant to take on concrete and asphalt. Bikes like these were meant to be ridden around the neighborhood or in the park. They can even be performance-ridden as you could compete in bicycle racing events with road bikes. A number of manufacturers make road bicycles... even including Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot!

Mountain Bikes.

^ from: amazon.com - A Men's Mongoose mountain bike.

Mountain bikes are rugged and durable bicycles. They are best made for taking on natural terrain, yet many others do have them around town or on tarmac. Mountain bikes have wide and rugged tires. These are performance bicycles meant to take on undulating terrain.

Hybrid Bikes.

^ from: amazon.com - A women's hybrid bicycle from Schwinn.

The hybrid bicycle is best suited as a happy medium between road bikes and mountain bikes. You get the ruggedness of a mountain bike coupled with the city-happy nature of a road bike.

Cruiser Bicycle.

^ from: amazon.com - Women's Pacific cruiser bike.

Just like cruiser motorcycles are meant more towards style than outright performance (as opposed to sporty motorcycles), cruiser bikes are meant more towards style than being some kind of performance-oriented bicycle. Only difference is that nobody will look at you as a poser/poseur on a cruiser bike compared to a cruiser motorcycle. :)

BMX Bikes.

^ from: amazon.com - A Mongoose BMX bicycle.

BMX stands for "bicycle motocross" ("X" instead of cross). Think of these like non-motorized dirt motorcycles. They are best known for pulling off stunts like most motocross and supercross riders do. BMX bicycles are meant for those action sports types who ride while doing tricks. Everything from bunny hops to rail riding is what the BMX rider is all about. They are the rebellious riders who are all about pulling cool tricks and being real cool while riding.


These are the basic kinds of bicycles. Have you a favorite kind of bicycle?

--- Bicycles for Recreation and Sport ---

Before I begin the next section, I would like to thank the people who allowed their videos to be embedded. It's great to know my readers could view these videos without having to leave my blog (not to say that my readers/visitors would rather be any place besides "John's Blog Space").

Bicycles for Recreation.

A bicycle can be a fun way to go around the block or through the park. Think of kids who enjoy going around on bicycles as they ride. There are older bike riders who may enjoy bike riding at a park- whether a city park or a dedicated skate park. Whatever the case, a bicycle can be fun to ride around on. Some people even have their own custom bicycles. Bicycles are as much a casual expression of who we are as any other thing. Basic bicycles to creative bicycles are out there for riding enjoyment.

Want to make a scene and have fun? Try a tandem bicycle! Tandem bicycles are meant to have more than one person ride along with others. When coming up with this blog post, one person's YouTube channel shows that there is an actual science to tandem riding. While it may seem cute to have more than one person riding one bike, check this video out for more insight on tandem riding:

^ "Tandem Bike Riding"

Some people make custom bicycles; some even turned into tricycles. Look no further than with Lowrider bicycles. These bikes may have custom-made frames and accessories while also being fully tricked out. Talk about riding in style! Check out the lowrider bikes in this video:

^ "Lowrider Bike Commercial"

Bicycles for Sport.

In the sporting realm, bicycles have been great for working out. There are stationary bicycles

Bicycles can also be great sporting equipment for those doing outdoors sports. There are a number of people who'll ride their bicycles in outdoor settings. Mountain bikers ride their bikes on some undulating and hilly trails. Here is an example of mountain bike riders going all-out:

^ "GoPro HD HERO camera: Mountain Bike Clip"

Those into action sports have seen bicycles being used at skate parks and at half pipes. Dave Mirra is one of the finest in performing amazing stunts and tricks on a bicycle. He is a multiple-time champion of BMX competition. A lot of these stunt bikes have bars on the wheels so they can pull off tricks riding on rails. This video below is an example of BMX stunts. This is Morgan Wade and his gold medal run in the Action Sports World Championships round in 2007 in Dallas, TX, USA:

^ "BMX: Morgan Wade's Gold Medal Run in Dallas, 2007"

And of course... let's not forget those who take part in bicycle tours and rallies. Here in the Houston area, we have a famous event called the MS 150, a 150-mile bicycle rally from Houston to Austin benefiting the fight against Multiple Sclerosis (or MS for short). There are many cycling events worldwide. The most of famous of which, is of course... the Tour de France. This is a look at how brutal bike rallies and tours can be:

^ "Tour de France 2011 Highlights"


You now know about cycling both for recreation and for sport.

--- Bicycle Safety and Gear ---

When riding a bicycle, are you geared? Do you know about being safe while riding? A few pieces of advice are mentioned here in this section.

Bicycle Gear and Parts.

Here is a brief look at bike parts and accessories.

• Training Wheels - if you're starting out trying to ride a bicycle, training wheels are a great way to start. I remember I had training wheels on my bicycle once I went from a tricycle to a bicycle.

• Custom Saddles - bicycles may have custom seats designed for various applications, ranging from racing to just average bike riding. Some seats are even recommended by doctors and physicians.

• Baskets and Carts - some bikes can be equipped with carts for carrying around things safely.

• Water Bottle Cage - if you have a water bottle, equip one to your bicycle to be able to take water with you on the go as you ride.


These are among many other different items and accessories for bicycles.

Bicycle Apparel.

Most casual bike riders usually wear street clothes. Serious cyclists usually wear specialized cycling apparel. Some of these items include bicycle jerseys as well as bike shorts. There are also bib shorts worn by cyclists, which are kind of like overalls for cyclists. There are also shoes and socks specially designed for cycling. Here is an example of someone wearing dedicated cycling apparel:


^ from: redkiteprayer.com (best I could find) - This men's cycling outfit is an example of what cyclists wear as part of their outfit.

I am not any kind of cycling expert, but my best guess is that wearing such bicycle apparel helps you better perform as you're cycling. Those who compete in bicycle races will probably find wearing dedicated cycling apparel to better help you aerodynamically as you ride. Those bicycle racers often tuck down (just like motorcycle racers do) as they ride to get as little wind resistance as possible while at speed. Some cyclists wear bicycle gloves for protection and better grip.

For female bicyclists, there are special active skorts designed for those who want to wear a skirt while still being covered. These cycling skorts have attached shorts or bloomers to keep a cycling girl covered while also looking cute. There are even cycling dresses from one site I saw in preparing this blog post.

Bicycle Safety.

A riding helmet is the best method of protection. It is also a good idea to invest in knee pads. These (especially a riding helmet) can be very helpful to have if in the event of a head-on crash. I thankfully have never experienced an incident where I was thrusted off of my bicycle for all the times I've ridden a bicycle.

It helps to wear light-colored clothing, especially if riding at night. Speaking of night bicycle riding, have reflectors at the front and the back so you can be better spotted in darkness. Don't also forget to let people behind and in front of you know when you're turning. Links to much more detailed bicycle safety measures will be showcased later in this blog post.

Equally important in all of this is making sure your bike is secure and protected. Be sure the bike is properly secure to a bike rack with a lock and a cable.


I hope you all are able to dress nicely and ride carefully while riding your bicycle.

--- Bicycle Manufacturers ---

Click on the hypertext link in each heading to visit the official websites of these bike manufacturers. The majority of these are mostly suited towards my American audience. I am not sure if any of these can ship overseas or are also available in other nations. These are only a few of so many different bicycle manufacturers and retailers:

Bicycles: From Dedicated Bicycle Makers.

They are known for their bicycles. Visit any or all of these links to learn more about their products.

• Schwinn - Well-known for producing great bicycles. In addition to riding bicycles, they also offer stationary exercising bikes.

• Mongoose - a very popular bicycle maker with a vast variety of bicycles to choose from for various applications.

• Huffy - Maker of many bicycles as well as scooters and other sporting equipment.

• Kent - With over 100 years of cycling, they offer a variety of bicycles for many age groups and in various styles.

• Trek Bicycle - Bicycle maker with loads of experience, having been around since 1976.

• Brodie - They offer many bikes mostly for adults. They go by the slogan of, "Real bikes for real people."

• Surly Bikes - Surly sells complete bicycles as well as bicycle frames.

• MIRRACO Bikes - a bicycle company founded by multiple-time BMX World Champion, Dave Mirra. Frames and parts are offered in addition to the many different bicycles offered.

• Terry Bicycles - a feminine-exclusive brand that offers bicycles for women as well as bicycle apparel and parts.

• Renovo Bicycles - a bicycle manufacturer featuring wooden frame bicycles.

• Chubby's Cruisers - A maker of cruiser bicycles offering various styles for adults and children. Accessories for ordered bicycles can be added to each bike upon ordering.

• Specialized Bicycle Components - A maker of sophisticated bicycles. Their bikes are made for many applications, for both adults and children. It even includes a bicycle made in conjunction with the McLaren Formula 1 racing team.

• Waldmeister Bikes - a German maker of wooden-frame bicycles.

• Prestigio Bikes - a bicycle manufacturer based in the Republic of San Marino. Site is in Italian, but is also available in Spanish and English.

• Shimano (North American link) - Japanese company that sells bicycles, and they also make various parts and apparel for bicycles. The Osaka-based company was established in 1921 and incorporated in 1940. They also offer products for rowing and fishing.

• Sexy Bicycles - Yes, this Australian bicycle maker is actually called Sexy Bicycles. They make stylish bicycles designed with an exciting array of colors.

Bicycles: From Auto Makers.

Did you know that auto makers have provided their own bicycles? Only links to legitimate, commercially-available bicycles are featured here.

• Peugeot - Having made bicycles in the past, world-renowned automaker Peugeot offers a line of bicycles thanks to a new partnership with a well-respected bicycle maker. Peugeot bicycles are only offered in select European nations (including its native France) as well as Japan.

• Ferrari Bikes - Anyone even remotely educated about cars knows what kind of exotic ecstasy Ferrari provides. While they may not go as fast as their gasoline/petrol counterparts, Ferrari does provide some bicycles for your enjoyment. These bikes don't come cheap, though. Their cheapest-priced bike sells for about

• BMW - BMW makes both automobiles and motorcycles. They also make bicycles. Are these bicycles, then... the ultimate bicycle riding machines? I don't think they are sold outside of Germany or Europe because prices are only offered in Euros.

• Volkswagen (of Ireland) - Volkswagen and its long heritage of making automobiles also makes a number of bicycles. The bikes offered from this link are featured only for Volkswagen of Ireland.

• Mini Cooper Bicycle - The Mini Cooper is one of the finest automobiles of all time. Its heritage is prevalent on these bicycles. There are bikes offered for both adults and kids bearing the Mini Cooper namesake.

• Maserati - Better known as the luxury arm of Ferrari, Maserati made a bicycle called the Montante for Maserati 8CTF. It is an elegant bicycle from the Italian company.

• Land Rover - Land Rover is best known as a maker of rugged vehicles for off-roading. They also make bicycles for adults and children for multiple applications.

• Porsche - Pure pedal-pushing Porsche power. Porsche provides some bicycles that are as elegant and as capable as their cars. It isn't likely you'll draw stares on a Porsche bicycle as you would in a Porsche automobile. Of course, you could always fly the Porsche flag by attaching a Porsche bicycle to your Porsche Cayenne. :)

• McLaren (links to more info on the bicycle) - In a joint effort between the McLaren Formula 1 team and Specialized, the world's fastest bicycle was born- the S-Works + McLaren Venge. Visit the Specialized link to see the Venge Aero Road Bike co-developed by Specialized and McLaren. Or as an added bonus, let me share with you a video on this bicycle. Enjoy!


^ "Specialized S-works+McLaren Venge"


I may include more links in the future if I find more bicycle makers to feature.

--- Bicycle Resources ---

Resources for bicyclists and those into bicycles. Have a look around, this being my way of thanking you for reading this blog post:

Individual Links on Bicycles and Cycling.

• People for Bikes
• Bikes Belong
• International Mountain Biking Association
• Cyclingnews.com
• PedalHouston (Houston/Galveston area)

Bicycle Safety.

• Bike Safety - KidsHealth by Nemours « advice for children on riding bicycles
• Bicycle Safety - How Not to Get Hit By Cars
• Kids and Bicycle Safety « provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Kids Bike Quiz « test your knowledge of bike riding for kids.

Bicycle Dealers, Parts, and Accessories.

• Shop for bicycles and bicycle parts on Amazon
• Performance Bike
• Cambria Bike
• Wheel World Bike Shop
• Just Bicycles
• PV Bicycle Center - Palos Verdes, CA, USA


More links may be included in any future edits.





I have never really been too fond of cycling to say I am any sort of bicycle person. I do hope you cycling fans have enjoyed my blog post. Remember to Subscribe and Follow if you love my work. If you're indulged in social media, GET SOCIAL WITH ME! Thank you for reading!

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Bring Back AstroWorld?

Six Flags AstroWorld used to be Houston's premier theme park for over 37 years. There was Six Flags Astroworld and the adjacent Waterworld amusement park for those who wanted to enjoy some watery fun. It was permanently closed down in 2005, much to the dismay of those who loved Six Flags Astroworld here in Houston. These days, the nearest Six Flags in the Houston/Galveston where you can go to is Six Flags Fiesta Texas in Arlington, TX, USA. You can go to Schlitterbahn or Splashtown here in the area if you prefer going to a local watery theme park. While AstroWorld is perhaps best known for the Texas Cyclone, you can nowadays enjoy a roller coaster experience in Kemah by riding the Boardwalk Bullet.

You see where I'm going with this? I am basically sharing that as AstroWorld is no longer with us, you can enjoy the theme park experience in the Houston/Galveston area today... only that you have to go to multiple sites. This blog post is somewhat a look at AstroWorld as well as thoughts on if you would want to see Six Flags AstroWorld return. Or, I'll ask if you think maybe some other theme park should return to the Houston area, or if you think it should be called something besides AstroWorld.

--- AstroWorld Today ---

So what does the area look like now? Well... what used to be Six Flags Astroworld is now this:


^ from: (my Facebook profile) - Uploaded September 1, 2010; this grassy lot used to be Houston's premier theme park.

Would you want Six Flags Astroworld back? Even if under a new name? Even if you have to pay taxes or something for it to return? Or, maybe... is Houston better off without Six Flags Astroworld or some other theme park?

--- Thoughts on AstroWorld ---

I have never been on any rides or anything at Six Flags AstroWorld. Honestly- my ONLY experience at AstroWorld was simply being in a parking lot with my mom waiting to pick up my brother. I have never been inside Six Flags AstroWorld for anything.

While I haven't been to AstroWorld, I have known a handful of people whom HAVE enjoyed the Six Flags AstroWorld between its lifespan (opened June 1, 1968; closed October 30, 2005). One thing about Houston is so much about being a world-class city while not being overly glamourous. AstroWorld was one representation of that. You could enjoy a theme park experience in a great location in a vastly underrated city. You don't have to go to Orlando to Disneyland- you can come down to Houston in the shadow of the great Astrodome and enjoy the rides at AstroWorld. Or if you want to beat the Texas heat, try visiting the WaterWorld part of AstroWorld. AstroWorld's biggest attraction was the Texas Cyclone. There were also fun attractions such as Fright Fest at AstroWorld during Halloween time.

AstroWorld's Demise.

This is according to a YouTube comment I read: AstroWorld closed down because the CEO of Six Flags AstroWorld noted AstroWorld wasn't performing very well- costing more to maintain rather than gaining sufficient revenue. The plan to demolish the land to help make some good money off of it ultimately didn't work. So in the end, AstroWorld got the deathblow, and many Houstonians and those looking to visit Houston could no longer can enjoy going to AstroWorld.

It's a great shame to be honest. Here used to be a great theme park to enjoy getting on rides and going to shows at. Really sad this great theme park is no longer with us.

Facts and Figures on AstroWorld.

When Six Flags AstroWorld closed down, here are a few figures on this old theme park:

• 1968 opening, 2005 closing
• 57 acres
• 119 permanent jobs lost
• attracted 1500 seasonal workers per year

So it's [still] sad to see this institution no longer with us and the impact its demolition has left.

The Area Today.

That big heap of grass is what used to be Six Flags AstroWorld and the adjacent WaterWorld. The only remaining element of AstroWorld still standing is the pedestrian bridge linking from what is now Reliant Park to AstroWorld. The only really active part of the area is Reliant Stadium. Reliant Stadium is, of course, home of the Houston Texans of the National Football League as well as home to various sporting events, such as Monster Jam, AMA Supercross, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It even plays host to the Texas Bowl in college football.

Besides this, Reliant Center hosts many conventions. I've been to Reliant Center a number of times to attend the Houston Auto Show. I've even been to my first Houston Boat Show at Reliant Center, and I even been to Reliant Center in 2003 to attend Hot Import Nights. Reliant Arena was home to the defunct Houston Comets of the WNBA. And what about the Astrodome- which has been the home of the Houston Astros and the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans)? Many people have thought of things such as demolishing the Astrodome and replacing it with something else, or some other things to do with the Astrodome.

--- Should/Could AstroWorld Return? ---

I have a number of thoughts on if this theme park should return. There are still a lot of people who wonder what should be done with the Astrodome, let alone bringing back AstroWorld. The big heap of grass that used to be Six Flags AstroWorld would be better off... as Six Flags AstroWorld. Even if people had to pay more taxes or whatever just to pump money into the city and to that specific part of Houston just to bring back AstroWorld, so be it.

There are still more ways to enjoy some fun around Houston besides AstroWorld. For example, you can go to Discovery Green in downtown Houston for some fun on a warm Houston day. I don't think that Six Flags AstroWorld's absence makes Houston a less entertaining city. There is plenty to do here to enjoy Houston. While AstroWorld's demise hurts, it wouldn't hurt to bring back such an institution. The only reasons why I think AstroWorld may no longer return is either if there is no real interest bringing it back or any sort of economic issues.

I still think Houston is a world-class city with lots of culture and character even if it lacks the appeal of other world-class American cities. One of the many things to show Houston IS a world-class city is with Houston's own theme park- AstroWorld. Maybe the quality to show that the area can still generate some great money is how the Texans are doing, especially with their 2011 AFC South-winning campaign along with their first playoff win. I would think seeing a theme park return to the area would be great to make the area interesting and fun outside of Reliant Park. I don't even care if you call it Reliant AstroWorld- it would be great to see a high-quality theme park return to that heap of grass that used to be AstroWorld. I read there was supposed to be a theme park north of Houston called EarthQuest (or something). That did NOT materialize due to EarthQuest facing bankruptcy. Anything to help make Houston any more attractive and worth visiting is fine with me- including bringing back AstroWorld (or some other high-quality theme park).

At least... these are MY thoughts. How about yours?

--- Video Memories of AstroWorld ---

Here are some YouTube videos to help showcase what AstroWorld has meant to Houston, Houstonians, and visitors. If you can't view the videos, then text links will be supplemented below each video so you can view the videos privately.


^ "Six Flags Astroworld Timeline"


^ "Six Flags AstroWorld - Texas Tornado"


^ "This used to be Astroworld."


^ "Six Flags Astroworld Fright Fest Front gate"


Astroworld/Waterworld Commercial, 1983


And finally (sadly)...

^ "AstroWorld Closing - KHOU"


Sad memories... eh, fellow Houstonians?

--- AstroWorld Resources ---

A few resources on AstroWorld can be visited at these links:

• AstroWorld Facebook Fan Page « fan page?
• (a Facebook petition to bring back AstroWorld)
• Six Flags AstroWorld Wikipedia page
• SixFlagsHouston.com - an AstroWorld Tribute Site
• SixflagsHouston on YouTube « a fan site
• Astroworld Employee's Tribute Site

(More links may be added in future edits.)

--- Cross-Promotion/Other Reading ---

I hope you enjoyed my blog post. Here are some more readings in case you want to look at some more material of mine:

Houston: Underrated and Underappreciated
^ Houston is one of the most underrated and least-appreciated cities in the United States. I show my reasons why this city is better than what most people make it out to be by looking at this blog post.

(all Houston/Galveston posts)
^ Click on this link to see all of the latest posts in the "Houston/Galveston" category. These are posts dedicated to people from and living in the Houston/Galveston area. I can't leave behind my fellow Houstonians in my blog. This is an international blog, but I can NOT forget my fellow hometown people.


I do these cross-promotion sections because I love that you visited my blog. I want to interest you in other posts of mine. I want you to see more of my work if you've enjoyed your time here. So please, look around. There's MUCH more I've posted here that's worth your time! :)





So do you think AstroWorld (or some other theme park) should return to the Houston area? Are there certain deterrents and obstacles that could prevent such a theme park returning to Houston? Can today's Houston sustain a new theme park? Feel free to comment away. Thank you for reading!

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Online Dish With Maggie

(UPDATED: April 20, 2012)

"Online Dish With Maggie" is an online program where Maggie Flecknoe dishes out her opinions on various issues ranging from news topics to various entertainment topics. Maggie's got an opinion she wants to share, and you're invited to hear her out. You're also invited to react to her opinions. Get social with this program and offer your opinions featured in each installment of "Online Dish with Maggie!" This blog post is my own sort of review of this program.

BEFORE I BEGIN: This is my own personal review of the show. All content and opinions expressed are of my own. All material presented are for entertainment and educational purposes.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

APR 20 2012 - added another video, added another link

--- Online Dish at a Glance ---

How about we take a look at this show at a glance?

Online Dish.

The Online Dish program began as a cool little feature during back in the CW 39 News days. A brief promo during the 5:00 PM news featured Maggie Flecknoe sharing a certain issue and inviting viewers to post their responses via Email and Twitter. Facebook would be an option for people to interact as Online Dish with Maggie got a Facebook fan page. As the show became more popular, "Online Dish With Maggie" became national, airing on a number of different CW networks nationwide. The entire look and feel would later change with a new logo, but with the same beautiful blonde-haired host. "Online Dish With Maggie" now is part of CW's Eye Opener.

As for the topics expressed on the show, these can range from news issues to certain entertainment topics. Saucy sex-related topics are featured as well. Needless to say... this show's popularity is justified. Don't believe me? Check out this old promo for Online Dish With Maggie:


Now more about the host...

Maggie Flecknoe.

If you have read some of my older blog posts, Marguerite (better known as "Maggie" or nicknamed "Blondie") Flecknoe is someone whom I've featured before here on John's Blog Space. This name shouldn't be too foreign because I've featured her as one of my favorite on-air Houston news personalities. Maggie is the sassy and savvy host of Online Dish. Hailing from the state of Colorado, many people know Maggie for her anime voiceovers in a number of different anime. Among some of her work includes "Pani Poni Dash," "Highschool of the DEAD," and a number of films for Houston's own former ADV Films. Besides vocal work, she has also participated in a number of theater acts.

Maggie has a very nice voice. Her speech happens to be both silky and sweet at the same time with no compromise either way. Want to hear a vocal sample of Maggie Flecknoe? Check this out:


To learn more about Maggie Flecknoe, visit www.maggieflecknoe.com. You now know of the show and the host. Now how about some opinions? Let's go.

--- Basic Thoughts on "Online Dish with Maggie" ---

I guess it's time I dish on Online Dish. So let's do it.

"Online Dish" Review.

If you want to treat each installment of Online Dish as meals at a restaurant, then you can say that Maggie is one amazing chef at preparing such delicious helpings of Online Dish to the masses. Remorseless and real, she delivers her opinions on topics in her own unique way. It doesn't mean you have to agree with her all the time, but this is one lady who speaks her mind with almost no fear of backlash from viewers. The amount of effort put into her opinion-sharing is immense. On top of that, she shares her thoughts much like I do my videos and blog posts- casually professional- professionally discussed, but in a casual manner. Opinions are clear and concise. Again, you don't have to agree with what Maggie says, but her opinion(s) on the topics she covers are worthy of respect.

"Online Dish with Maggie" Samples.

Now that I've reviewed this show, here is a sample video I'd like to share with you all. Open this link in another tab or window to see this installment of Online Dish: Online Dish: No Hoochies Allowed! Schools Ban Scandalous Prom Dresses.

(ADDED: April 20, 2012)
And here is a video showcasing Maggie dishing on a topic:



So did you enjoy this review? If so, you're invited to get in on "Online Dish With Maggie." Visit www.39online.com/entertainment/onlinedish to get in on Maggie's Online Dish.

--- What I Would Tell Maggie Flecknoe (if she were to read this) ---

I greatly appreciate your work. Maybe I don't watch too much anime, but I greatly appreciate all of your work in all of your many different on-air and voiceover work. Your voice is as beautiful as your looks. Your personality is incredible. All I can ask for is that you keep up the amazing work with all that you do.

I kind of did this as a birthday salute since I tried to post this for your birthday. So, uh... happy birthday! Make a wish and blow out the candles on the birthday cake, birthday girl! :)

Would I Want to Meet Maggie (if given the chance)?

Absolutely! Why not?

--- Cross-Promotion/Other Material ---

Other material for you to check out, if interested are offered in this section.

Favorite On-Air Personalities in Houston News
^ I noted Maggie Flecknoe as one of my favorite on-air Houston personalities. Who else do I have as favorite on-air Houston personalities? Find out in this post!

"Eye Opener" - John's Blog Space
^ You can see "Online Dish" on Eye Opener. My thoughts on "Eye Opener" are expressed in this blog post. And for the record- I have NOT seen "Eye Opener" since that one morning I watched to review it. It really needs to be updated. Still- my thoughts on the program are expressed in that blog post.

"NewsFix Review" - John's Blog Space
^ Besides Eye Opener, Maggie is also a producer for NewsFix. This is my old review of NewsFix here. Keep in mind that this review was from back with March 2011... when it debuted. WARNING: it is a VERY long blog post!

"Proms and Prom Style" - John's Blog Space
^ The sample Online Dish I provided concerned prom dresses. As one of my more popular blog posts here on John's Blog Space, "Proms and Prom Style" is a look at fashion for prom as well as proms in general.


That concludes the cross-promotional material.





For more information about anything you've just read, please visit the following links:

• Online Dish With Maggie
• The Online Dish With Maggie Facebook Fan Page
• Online Dish on Tumblr (ADDED: April 20, 2012)
• Follow Maggie on Twitter!
• www.maggieflecknoe.com - more info on Maggie Flecknoe, including samples of her vocal work.
• Maggie Flecknoe on Wikipedia
• Maggie Flecknoe on IMDb



Thank you for reading!

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Selena

(UPDATED: April 1, 2012)

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was a Tejano superstar who was killed on Friday March 31, 1995 by Yolanda Saldívar, the ex-president of her fan club and her boutiques. Selena was a 23-year old star on the rise before her life was taken away at such a young age. A possible lifelong career of success and fame was taken away so soon thanks to one's jealousy. No one knows how far her star would have shone if she were still with us today. In preparing this blog post, I had no idea that the dark anniversary of her death is approaching. I knew it was around this time, but not THIS close. This blog post highlights on her and some of her music.

Before I begin, here's a fun fact... did you know that Selena Gomez was named after Selena Quintanilla-Pérez?

Most information (excluding personal commentary) provided by the Wikipedia entry on Selena as well as SelenaForever.com.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

APR 1 2012 - edited information on Selena

--- A (Brief) Look at Selena ---

I obviously do not know much of anything about her. However, I've heard some of her songs to have a general idea of who she is and what she brought to music.


I'll begin with a picture. THIS is Selena:


^ from: fold3.com (best I could find) - The late Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was one of the brightest stars in Tejano music before her murder in 1995.

Basics.

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was born on April 16, 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas, USA. This Mexican-American singing star began singing starting in 1980. It was 1984 when she released her first album, Selena y Los Dinos. She would go on to create a handful of other albums through her career, all receiving vast amounts of fame and honor. What would be her final concert was in late February 1995 in Houston at the Astrodome.

Selena's Dark Fate and Reaction.

Now... for Selena's dark fate. Money was getting embezzled (or taking something from someone as a means of betrayal or anti-trust) from Selena's fan club from Yolanda Saldívar, who was the president of Selena's fan club as well as her boutiques. This obviously led to Selena and her family wanting to part ways with Yolanda. A secret meeting was arranged and agreed upon between Selena and Yolanda at a Days Inn Motel in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. An argument between the two eventually led to Yolanda brandishing a gun and shooting Selena as she was trying to walk out the door of the motel room. She tried to escape but later collapsed in the lobby of the motel and was killed. Before being killed, she noted to people in the lobby that Yolanda was the assailant.

Outrage poured out from the Hispanic community as they called the day of Selena's murder as "Black Friday." Many have thought that Yolanda was jealous of Selena's success and killed her as Selena's fame was rising. It was said that Yolanda tried to take her own life but "accidentally" took Selena's life instead. Nobody was buying this, and neither were the ones who eventually sentenced Yolanda to life in prison for first-degree murder. Over 60K people attended her funeral including various celebrities, even including Madonna. I even remember in my middle school days the outpouring of support of Selena and her music. There were students at my school who wore Selena shirts in loving memory of Selena as news broke of Selena's murder. It was no doubt a horrible experience for such a heroine in music to have her life taken away so young.

Immortalizing and Remembering Selena.

The slain Tejano star's life would be portrayed in a 1997 movie called "Selena," with Jennifer Lopez playing as Selena. A movie or film in 2003 would highlight on Selena's final-ever concert in February 1995 at the Houston Astrodome. The motel in Corpus Christi where Selena was killed has a statue outside of the motel called the Mirador del Flor. For fans of Selena, this is a surreal place. It gets a great deal of traffic from tourists.

There are people to this day who still love Selena and what she brought to music. They even still listen to songs from Selena, remembering just what she brought to music before being killed. Some people even think Tejano still isn't the same without her. Then again, I know very little (if anything) about Tejano music past or present, so I can't say that with any sort of professionalism. All I know is that Selena and her music still resonate with many people even years since her death.

Most of what I've read about Selena and her untimely passing in preparing this blog post was mostly along the lines of jealousy of one's stardom. Selena was becoming a major deal while someone else just got jealous and decided to prevent Selena's star from rising any further. Who knows how far Selena's star would have risen if she were still with us to this day? Shame.

--- The Music of Selena ---

The majority of this post is just a look back at Selena's music. All of the following have been provided for educational and entertainment purposes. Thanks to all YouTube channels that allowed their videos to be embedded. Any songs I can't embed will be shown with a link to the content.


The first two songs I'll feature are two of her English-language songs. If you've never heard these before, this is your first chance to hear her sing.

If I Could Fall in Love.

The first one I've heard from Selena was this one called "If I Could Fall in Love." It is an English-language song from Selena. Feel free to enjoy this one:

Dreaming of You.

Of the two English-language songs I've heard, I like this one better. It is both the music and the instrumentals that are just sweet together.




I had learned from another website that the two English songs you just listened to were only two of four English-language songs Selena had planned to be in an album. Part of my thoughts was that Selena was hoping to emerge from the Latin music scene to perhaps cross over into the American music scene. "If I Could Fall in Love" and "Dreaming of You" are the only two English-language songs I've heard. Selena probably could have been an amazing transitional music star had her life not been taken away so soon.





I have more songs to feature. More of her non-English songs will be featured next. So make sure you're reading the full blog post if you've enjoyed what you've read so far. Read on after this Jump Break to listen to her other songs that I've chosen for this post. Also, don't forget to subscribe and follow my blog if you love it.

Love John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!





It is now time to move on and showcase some more songs of hers.

Como La Flor.

This is regarded as one of Selena's most popular songs. Here is your chance to experience Selena and one of her most famous songs. This Tejano star shone her brightest with this song:

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.

While not a fan of this song, I am sure a lot of my readers would appreciate it if I post this song among the many different songs Selena did. So here is another popular song of Selena's for you all... "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is ready for your listening pleasure:

La Carcacha.

Here is one more track for you from Selena. This video is a collection of Selena's performances with "La Carcacha" playing. Check out some of Selena's moves here with this nice song playing:



I only included so many songs to entertain my audience. I also included so many so that I don't run the risk of you having a slow connection to this blog. It can be a tough task to try to offer videos while also keep this blog and its posts viewable and efficient. If there are any other songs you all may like from Selena that I should feature here, feel free to Contact Me via E-Mail.

--- In Closing... ---

As I had mentioned previously, "Selena" was released in 1997 with Jennifer Lopez playing as Selena. If you're interested in seeing the movie to Selena, have a look at these (and feel free to buy them if you are interested in doing so. I would appreciate your support):



THIS LINE (from left to right):
• "Selena" the movie on DVD. Rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America
(here is a trailer on YouTube for this movie: "Selena" the Movie Trailer - YouTube)

• "Selena," the 10th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition.


More Selena for you on Amazon:



Thanks for supporting my work!





I'll be honest with you- I had no idea in preparing this initial blog post that it is coming up on 17 years since Selena was killed. I created the post mostly to highlight on the music career of Selena. Hope you enjoyed this blog post of mine. I will edit this post if need be to make sure it remains useful and accurate.

--- Cross-Promotion/Other Reading ---

Only one blog post of mine and several other links for your reading pleasure:

"Selena Gomez" - John's Blog Space
^ Selena Gomez was named after Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. In a VERY old blog post here on JBS, this was my look at Selena Gomez.

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez Tribute - Selena Forever.com
^ This site is devoted to Selena and features many different facts and figures about the Tejano superstar. Some of the information from the first section was taken from Wikipedia as well as from selenaforever.com.

"Selena Remembered" - Music Terra (in English)
^ A look at Selena and her music. At the time of this article, it was 15 years since Selena's murder.


Depending on traffic (or other factors), I may add more resources to keep my fans and readers interested in future edits.




This is all. Thank you for reading!

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My 2012 Houston Auto Show Experience

(UPDATED: February 12, 2012)

My 2012 Houston Auto Show experience will be expressed in this massive blog post. This year's show marks the tenth or eleventh time I've been to the Houston Auto Show. There's a lot of reading here as I share a lot of my 2012 experience here. A vast array of vehicles and manufacturers shown up on the showroom floor at Reliant Center. To keep this simple, I will break up the 2012 experience into a few parts.

Hello to all of my Houston/Galveston area readers and visitors! To see my other Houston Auto Show posts, please click on the following link to see my latest posts under the "Houston Auto Show" category. And one last time...

Welcome to John's Blog Space and my 2012 Houston Auto Show experience blog post!

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

FEB 12 2012 - added note (read below)

NOTE: Because of repeated spam comments posted to this blog post, comments have been disabled. Any would-be spam comments that still somehow make it to this post will be shot down immediately. I apologize for the inconvenience.

--- Houston Auto Show at a Glance ---

(NOTE: The first three sentences were provided from a Wikipedia entry)

The 2012 Houston Auto Show marks the 29th Annual edition of this show. The very first Houston Auto Show was held in 1984 at the Astrohall, but has been held at Reliant Center since 2002. Wikipedia says that the Houston Auto Show attracts over 450K visitors each year. Houston is not any kind of glamourous city. Likewise, the Houston Auto Show is not much glamourous auto show. It may not be the New York International Auto Show, the Los Angeles International Auto Show, the Chicago Auto Show, the North American International Auto Show, or even the Dallas Auto Show (as far as Texas is concerned); but the Houston Auto Show is our link to the automobile world. This year's show brought about a great variety of automobiles and automobile makers. Everything from FIAT to Ferrari was featured this year with a multitude of sections and exhibits.

In addition to being a great auto show, it is also a marketplace for smaller businesses as well as a chance for people to actually conduct car shopping. This is where you can learn more about automobiles and even get something arranged so you can shop for cars. For most visitors, though, it is a chance to get up close and personal with many of the world's automobiles featured on the floor. Many of the cars can have doors opened, hoods/bonnets opened, trunks/boots opened, and things like that. Some machines are completely closed off from the public, leaving one to just look from afar and take pictures. Everything from low-priced economy cars, to six-figure supercars, to priceless concepts, and even some race cars all occupy the same show floor at Reliant Center. Exhibitions are held outside in the parking lot of Reliant Center for more ways to enjoy the Houston Auto Show experience.

The 2012 Houston Auto Show has left me with a number of experiences that I'd like to share. While this may be a seriously long blog post featuring many experiences with cars, it is a comprehensive post regarding what all I experienced and thought about the year's Houston Auto Show.


FOR MORE INFORMATION...
Learn more about the Houston Auto Show by visiting www.houstonautoshow.com. You may also visit the Houston Auto Show's Facebook Fan Page and Follow the Houston Auto Show on Twitter.

--- About This Series ---

What you are reading is Part 1- a look at my 2012 Houston Auto Show experience. It combines some of the many cars I saw at this year's Houston Auto Show and even includes some random nonsense.

Part 2 is a special regarding who were some of the best-dressed ladies on the floor at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. It is my chance to highlight some of the nicest-dressed from the show floor. It is also my gift to my fashion-loving types. Of course, I try to protect privacy because I do this for fun. It may be possible that I may or may not do a post this year talking about the models and hostesses that walked the show floor. Be sure to keep tuned to John's Blog Space to see if I do indeed make a post on these ladies.


I broke this up into a few different fields. Here is the order of my travels around the Reliant Center show floor. Use this makeshift Table of Contents to find whatever section you are most interested in reading about. Just do a Search/Find in my blog to specifically access a certain part of my post that interests you most (unless you want to read this entire post):

• Ford and Lincoln
• Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lotus
• Aftermarket (I did NOT go to the DUB show area)
• Classic Cars, Mazda
• Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, SRT
• Toyota, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick
• Hyundai, Honda, Volkswagen
• Scion, Mini, Nissan, Kia, Infiniti, Subaru
• Audi, Land Rover, Jaguar, BMW
• Lexus, Acura, Volvo

This blog post will be broken up with a Jump Break so that you will be able to enjoy the first half of this blog post if you are reading the main page of this blog. I, of course, want you to read the full post. If you don't mind doing a lot of reading online, and if you love cars; this one will not be any waste of your time.

Cross-Promotion...

"Like" my Facebook Fan Page if you love my work! I honestly want to meet more Facebook people who enjoy my online work. "Like" now!


"Like" my Facebook Fan Page


Want to see some pictures I've taken from the Houston Auto Show? Check out my 2012 Houston Auto Show album on Facebook! Friend me on Facebook (spammers and suspicious people WILL be blocked) if you want to comment on my images.


Now on to my massive blog post.

--- Houston Auto Show 2012: Experiences ---

Allow me to set up the experience. Remember- there is a LOT of reading, so if you want to skip ahead to a certain manufacturer, feel free to do a Search/Find function in this post!

Prologue...

I arrived at the Houston Auto Show with my family some time around 5:30 PM. It was a beautifully clear Saturday evening with high temperatures around 62°F. The show would last until about 9:30 PM. Whatever I wanted to check out would have to be done in about three hours. So with this, I had to make my work mostly diligent and efficient.

Before even laying eyes on any car inside Reliant Center, the first thing I took a picture of was a Ferrari transporter truck. I quickly took a picture of that transporter, thinking that something VERY cool was probably going to be inside the Reliant Center from Ferrari. I would try to find out what could be from Ferrari from the show. I would quickly try to snap a picture of the Ferrari transporter before eventually heading into Reliant Center.

Finally stepping inside Reliant Center, I knew I was ready for a Saturday evening unlike any other. I felt like I had to work quickly since the show would shut down heading into 9:30 PM. In past Houston Auto Shows, I would spend a good deal of time looking at cars and stepping inside of them. I would even interact with the crowd on the floor as well as various representatives of each manufacturer and each section. This is the reason why I love the Houston Auto Show for reasons other than cars. While I label myself a "Public Figure" on my Facebook fan page, this is the only real occasion where I actually feel like a public figure. All I can do really is promote myself casually and occasionally mention "John's Blog Space."

There was a point where I didn't think I'd make it out to the Houston Auto Show on Saturday night. However, I was there. I had my Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5 charged up and ready for action. I had ported over previous pictures and videos stored on my 2GB SD card so make room for more space on my SD card. I was ready to go.


And so it begins...

Chapter 1: Ford and Lincoln.

The usual starting point for me is Ford, since it's directly in front of me from the entrance I came into Reliant Center at.

• Ford
As usual, the starting point was around the Ford section. I first observed the same pool table shaped like a Ford Mustang. The first actual car on the show floor I noted were Mustangs. Not just any Mustangs, though- modern Boss 302 Mustangs. One was in orange while another was in a nice sky blue color. The very nice current Taurus was met up with the 2013 Taurus. The 2013 Taurus boasted a more aggressive-looking, yet still stylish front end. I saw the Flex there as well. My brother's favorite was in the Ford section- the Transit Connect. I then saw the newer Ford Fusion... or should I call it the Jaguar Fusion or the Aston Martin Fusion. The front grill looks mostly like an Aston Martin grill affixed to a Ford Fusion.

I would return much later in my experience to take a few pictures of the radical Ford Raptor SVT and a few more Ford trucks.


• Lincoln
It used to be that you'd feel older than you are if you drive a Lincoln. Well, the sharper-styled Lincolns of late were pleasing to the eyes. It began with the Lincoln MKX followed by seeing the lovely Navigator.

Chapter 2: Rolls-Royce Through Lotus.

My excitement was about to peak as I seen some of the cars in this section.

• Rolls-Royce and Maserati
I first laid eyes on a white Rolls-Royce that looked very beautiful. That was followed up by a black Rolls-Royce I saw later. Sharing the same area was Bentley, and they came in force with a Continental GT convertible and the Bentley Mulsanne. The Mulsanne could have been styled much better up front. Big reason why was the headlight arrangement.

• Maserati
To be honest, I'm not really into Maserati. They are still a classic marque in automobiles and in racing. I felt like a giddy schoolgirl when I saw the Maserati MC12 raced by Risi Competizione in 2005. The MC12 fell into a lot of controversy in the American Le Mans Series. It could race in the series, but not for any points towards a championship. Still, there was nothing like seeing this beautiful beast in the flesh. I never really liked the Quattroporte, but it was in the Maserati area. What I DO love from Maserati was the GranTurismo, and there were two of them. One was a hot momma called the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale. The other one was a GranTurismo convertible.

• Ferrari
Ferrari at the Houston Auto Show can be fairly rare at times. This may be the best Ferrari showing in my 10+ appearances at the Houston Auto Show. Part of that was in seeing the Ferrari F430 GT2 campaigned by Houston-based Risi Competizione. Some of the road-going Ferraris were present at the show as well. For one, the Ferrari FF was there. The FF is Ferrari's practical 4WD machine; but man- it's (and defend it all you want- I don't care) it's ugly. The 458 Italia was also present among the cars in the Ferrari section. Now on to road-going Ferraris I REALLY like... starting with the California. The Ferrari California is a lovely machine to me with a lovelier engine roar. Also showing up was the VERY hot Ferrari 599 GTO. That engine sounds outstanding! Good as that is, something even more outstanding caught my eye at the Ferrari section- a recent Ferrari Formula 1 race car! It was the closest I have EVER gotten towards an actual Formula 1 race car in my life. I knew I was going to be popular among Facebook friends to snap pictures of an F1 car. I was extremely jacked to be right in front of an F1 car.

• Porsche and Lamborghini
Behind me was the Porsche and Lamborghini section. A sky blue Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 was behind me as I was trying to snap the Ferrari F430 GT2. I came around the Lamborghini Aventador in all of its lustful appeal. That car is absolutely beautiful. It is a mean and rugged Italian beast with Reventon DNA, but this car is just lovely to me. While I never really liked the Gallardo, I saw a Gallardo spyder in a nice blue color.

• Aston Martin and Lotus
Up next was the Aston Martin and Lotus section. Aston Martin's usual suspects were there- a few DB9s as well as the lovely four-door Aston Martin Rapide. This section would have been even more cool if the One-77 was in the house. Lotus mostly had the Evora models featured. It was great to see this British beauty in the flesh again.

• Mercedes-Benz
Even though the program guide I had said Saleen, Mercedes-Benz was featured in that section. Nothing too special to chat about from Mercedes-Benz. Sad thing is that I failed to properly name any of the specific Mercedes-Benz models as I was putting my pictures on Facebook.

Chapter 3: Aftermarket and Others.

There was the DUB Show Live section at the Houston Auto Show, but I did not go inside that area, so nothing to report there.

The aftermarket area showcases some of the finest custom automobiles. The one thing that interests me the most is in seeing the handicapped-access vehicles. Very great to see how vehicles are customized to meet the needs of handicapped or disabled folk. I'm always fascinated to see this section. I hope I never get into any situation which would render me towards using a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

The coolest vehicle I saw in this area was anything but handicapped access- a HUGE red Freightliner truck was there. I took a picture up front, but I would later take a picture from the rear. That Freightliner was MASSIVE! Only other cool car I saw was a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix drag racing car. It looked like a Pro Stock machine.

Chapter 4: Classic Cars and Mazda.

"Why would John discuss classic cars, then put Mazda in the same chapter?" Hey! I have to divide up my stuff some kind of way!

• Classic Cars
"Feeling like a kid again" is a great way to describe seeing the old-style cars. Of course, all of the cars in this section were around in my time. As much as modern cars can be stylish, sometimes, you're like "man... f*** these modern cars! Give me some old cars!" There were plenty of cars featured in the classic cars area. All of which were before my time. I LOVED seeing a white 1960 Chevrolet Corvette as well as a 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang. A very hot 1967 Corvette also shown up in the classic car area. It was a beautiful Corvette. I also saw a lovely 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria in coral and white.

• Mazda
Time to go from old school cool to new school hip. Mazda believes in zoom-zoom. They don't build what they don't think is worth driving. The first two Mazdas I laid eyes on were the CX-7 and the CX-9. Both of them are very sporty and stylish crossover SUVs. I've always loved these two machines. The Mazdaspeed 3 was in the house at Mazda as well with its gaping wide smile. While the MX-5/Miata has a cute smiling face up front, I was starting to see the MX-5 as being cute. This car has ALWAYS gotten such a bad rap from some people for its cutesy looks. Still, name me any affordable sports cars within the price range of the MX-5. It's a RWD roadster for Christ's sake!


The one sad thing about this was that I didn't get to see the beautiful lady whom I call the world's most beautiful pin-up girl: Heidi Van Horne. Would have made the classic cars experience better. Oh, well... have to move on.

Chapter 5: Chrysler Through Jeep.

This block features Chrysler products.

• Chrysler
Time to give some love to the Chrysler boys and girls. My journey began with Chrysler and the Sebring-replacing 200. It took me a little bit to connect with the newer design of Chrysler. I was so used to the design of cars like the previous model 300 as well as the Sebring. However, these newer Chryslers are beautiful with a great deal of character.

• Dodge
The Dodge area featured a good deal of cars and trucks.
One of the hostesses at Dodge featured the Dodge Dart on a turntable. It was a very nicely-designed car, but many Dodge purists hated to see the Dart namesake revived for a peppy front-wheel drive compact as opposed to a modern interpretation of the classic Dodge Dart.

• FIAT
I didn't spend too much time at FIAT. Don't hate FIAT; just didn't spend too much time. I snapped a picture of the FIAT 500 Abarth. Don't get your hopes up if you're an old-schooler, though... the newer Abarth is NOT the 1966 FIAT Abarth that had rear-wheel drive with a huge engine mounted in the rear. I just wonder how much longer FIAT will last since I've heard of how poor sales have been for FIAT here in the States. Haven't heard of any reliability issues of recent FIAT models either. Then too, some people think FIAT stands for "Fix it Again, Tony."

• SRT
I noted quite a few SRT Dodges. Oh, wait... SRT has recently become it's own brand. So there were a good number of SRT machines featured. The ones that really caught my eye were the SRT8 300 and the Charger SRT models. These were sweet to see.

• RAM
Finally, I noted the hot RAM trucks. I've never hated the RAM trucks even while RAM trucks were still under the Dodge name. Today's RAM trucks remain every bit as imposing as when the lovely style of the 2003-type Dodge Ram was unveiled.

• Jeep (visited later)
I didn't really pay attention to Jeep until I was done with the rest of the show. When I did eventually make it to the Jeep section, I took a number of pictures of recent Jeep models. I felt very much like I had to take a picture of the Jeep Patriot. On its own stage was the lovely new Grand Cherokee. The stage was also shared by a beautiful model lady whom I usually see talk about Jeep models at the show. I got to meet her and show some respect to the well-dressed lady, immaculate in her brown dress and some hot-looking brown wedge sandals. Another hostess at the Jeep section was mostly decked out in caramel brown- caramel brown jacket, white top, and caramel brown boots tucked into caramel brown jeans. I complimented the woman's outfit and told her that I follow fashion. When she asked if I'm a fashionsta, I jokingly responded... "do I look like a fashionista?" A guy in a dark gray Starter jacket, some jeans, and some no-name brand sneakers doesn't really qualify as a fashionista.


That concludes my tour of duty among the Chrysler group.





You are halfway through my Experience post of the 2012 Houston Auto Show! This Jump Break is provided to improve the performance of this blog post. You may continue on if you are reading the full post. If not, click on "Read More" to continue reading if you love this post.

Once again... if you'd like to see my Photo Album of the 2012 Houston Auto Show, visit my 2012 Houston Auto Show album on Facebook!

Chapter 6: Toyota Through GMC.

One Japanese manufacturer followed by a trip through General Motors occupy this chapter of my experience.

• Toyota
Toyota was up next in my fantastic voyage around Reliant Center. The first machine I laid eyes on was a bluish silver 4Runner. I like its aggressive and clean appearance. I saw a white Toyota Tundra all chromed out and looking sweet. Later on, I would encounter a Toyota Rav4 in a red color. While I didn't really care about the FJ Cruiser, I sort of didn't want to take a picture but did anyways. I was trying to really take a quick picture of how the Toyota ladies dressed. Speaking of ladies... I chatted with the Toyota hostesses. I joked around about how I picked Toyota's ladies as the most beautiful hostesses at the 2011 Houston Auto Show. Their ruffled dresses along with tall boots from last year's show made them stand out beautifully among many of the show's other hostesses and models. I probably gave a huge giveaway when I asked who I picked as the loveliest models at last year's show... standing in the Toyota section! Afterwards, it was time for me to shut up and move on. :)

Two of Toyota's top-of-the-line SUVs would come into view later in my Toyota tour. It began with the Toyota Sequoia, which starts at just over $40K US Dollars. $68K US Dollars gets you Toyota's premier SUV for decades- the Land Cruiser. I do feel an air of importance being around the Land Cruiser. If I ever reach some sort of executive status and have a family of my own, I wouldn't mind a Land Cruiser to show my status and to comfortably go around Houston in.

The attention at Toyota went from trucks to cars as I saw a couple of Prii (plural of Prius), including one on a turntable. I saw a more aggressive Yaris on the floor as well. It didn't look as cute (and handsome) as the current model. Still, this newer Yaris hit puberty and looks mean without overdoing it. The Camry was in full effect as a regular model, as a Pace Car for the 2012 Daytona 500, and as the Camry S on a turntable.


• Chevrolet
It was now time to visit GM. I began by seeing three versions of the Chevrolet Sonic. The Sonic is the Aveo's replacement. Key for Chevrolet was in having a solid American-made compact to take on other compacts both domestic and foreign. At first, I thought the Sonic looked a bit like a Mitsubishi up front. Thing is, it ain't no Mitsubishi (I know, don't use double negatives). A later Sonic I saw was the Sonic RS on a turntable. I was told the Sonic RS had things like a peppy turbo engine and a six-speed manual transmission. Meaning this is a man of a compact. The Chevrolet Cruze is nothing new to Europe. To us in the United States, it's fairly new. Here is a very nice car replacing the Cobalt (I think it's a Cobalt replacement). On a turntable was the 2013 Malibu. The Malibu looked a bit more aggressive than the beautiful current Malibu. FUN FACT- my very first "Car Style" blog post was on the Chevrolet Malibu. I saw the Chevrolet Volt in red and in silver. It was here where a beautiful lady noted me snapping pictures. This lady, who admittedly noted as not being photogenic, was a very pretty young lady who was also friendly. She was dressed nicely too- a classy (but not edgy) leather jacket, dark gray blouse, slate gray pants, and some nice boots or shoes. I later saw the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in a nice sunset orange color. It's one of the meanest Corvettes today. I felt pretty sad not to get pictures of the Camaro in my run.

The experience went from cars to trucks as I saw a handful of Silverado and Colorado models. I even noted a very nice Texas Edition Silverado all chromed out. Before I left for Cadillac, I saw the lovely Chevy Traverse and snapped a picture.

I later returned to the Chevy section and saw the same pretty lady from earlier. I noted that I was a blogger and a YouTube video maker. So I introduced "John's Blog Space" to her. And since she was so kind, I added my special signature. After all, cool people have special signatures and signs.

• Cadillac
Honestly, I've never cared for Cadillac. I have also never cared for the Escalade. So I still took a picture regardless. One Caddy I did have interest in was the all-new ATS. The ATS is to be Cadillac's new entry-level car. I'm hearing it has three different engine options giving horsepower numbers between 200 and 275. It also has rear-wheel drive along with an all-wheel drive option. Also on the floor were various CTS model Cadillacs including the CTS-V.

Buick was up next with some beautiful cars. It used to be that you would be laughed at if you drive a Buick. Not so much these days. Buicks were boringly-designed cars in the past. Today, however, Buick makes some absolutely gorgeous machines. I first laid eyes on the angelic Lacrosse followed by a seeing a Buick Verano on a turntable. Not to be outdone, I laid eyes on the nice-looking Enclave. The real stunners for me were both Regals- a regular Regal followed by a Regal GS on a turntable. My goodness- BEAUTIFUL cars!

• GMC (visited later)
The reason why I didn't mention GMC previously is because I didn't really pick up on any GMC models. I was able to snap a picture of the beautiful new Sierra models. I didn't really go through the GMC area much. I didn't really take note until after I was done visiting every other section.


I now was out to visit three different automakers from three different countries.

Chapter 7: Hyundai Through Volkswagen.

Three nationalities of car are represented in this chapter, and it began with Korea's Hyundai brand.

• Hyundai
My three picks for most gorgeous Korean cars ever made are all from Hyundai. One of those gorgeous Hyundais, however, wasn't at the 2012 Houston Auto Show- the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. One of the other three was definitely in the house- the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The Elantra was in red along with a blue Elantra Touring model. While the 2013 Genesis Coupe didn't show up, the current Genesis Coupe was there along with the Genesis Sedan. I saw the new Veloster both on a turntable and among the regular cars. I personally think the Veloster could have been styled more like the Elantra or Sonata. Still, it's not bad. A new experience came to me- I got to see the Hyundai Equus. The Equus is to be Hyundai's executive-level answer to offerings from the likes of BMW and Audi and other high-end luxury cars. I sometimes tend to confuse the Equus with the Genesis Sedan. I still do, in fact! I made sure to also snap a few pictures of a charity-driven Santa Fe as well as the lovely Hyundai Tuscon.

• Honda
It was on to Honda after playing around with the lovely Korean offerings from Hyundai. I was going from a Korean make to a Japanese make. The Honda CR-V of old was truly ugly to me. The newer CR-V model looks much better to my eyes than the previous model ever did. Not gorgeous, but a step in the right direction. The Odyssey looked very sharp with a bold grill and sharp headlights. I later saw a very plain-looking Civic that I snapped anyways. That was followed up by seeing Honda's Ridgeline pickup truck. Love it or loathe it, the Ridgeline is still going strong, thank you very much. About this time ten years ago, the Civic was hailed as a peppy tuner car that could take on some of the better offerings from other car companies. With tuner culture almost or near dead these days, I was somewhat reminded of the Civic's underdog status when I saw the i-Vtec Civic Si on a stand. The CR-Z came to my attention later in my Honda journey. I couldn't get a real good picture of it since it was in black. What is called the City and the Jazz in other countries is what we call the Fit. I saw this lovely compact on the show floor among the other Honda models. I think the Accord Crosstour is a rather ugly machine. I still took pictures of it, though. I left the Honda section after taking a picture of the latest Honda Pilot. The newer Pilot looks very nice. All I can do now is just move on.

• Volkswagen
This chapter concludes with a trip to the Volkswagen section. I started off seeing the lovely Touareg. To its right was the Tiguan. The Tiguan is the lower-level offering of the Touareg. In case you didn't know, Tiguan is a combination of "tiger" and "iguana." The Volkswagen Passat CC was the first car I laid eyes on at the VW section, and it was the usual gorgeous machine that it is. The Eos is a VW I rarely see. On the show floor, I saw the Eos Lux among the crowd of VW models. The latest Passat was also featured with its immensely appealing looks. Golf fans had to be pleased to see the über cool Volkswagen Golf GTI. I saw one in a slate gray color with the red outlining around the grill. In black, I saw the new New Beetle. The previous New Beetle got a bad rap for looking so girly and cute. This one is surely manly with its elongated wheelbase and tougher appearance. It is almost like a modern interpretation of the classic Beetle- even more so with this one compared to the previous New Beetle. I saw the newer Jetta as well, sort of thinking about the VW Jetta TDI Cup all the while. I didn't leave the VW area until I saw the lovely Routan van.


Another big block of cars awaits. Thanks for reading this chapter!

Chapter 8: Scion Through Subaru.

Six car companies of varying nationalities are included in this chapter. Feel the diversity... starting with Scion!


• Scion
What the hell happened to Scion (pardon my language)? Scion sucked HARD this year. They are usually the must-visit section at the Houston Auto Show with great music playing and lots of cool stuff to pick up. Hate to say it, but the usually hard Scion went soft this year. There were NO CDs to pick up. Instead, you can download songs from their 40-CD lineup from the Scion website. The Scion hosts were the most uniquely dressed last year, wearing military-inspired garb including dog tags. This time, it was mostly a lady in a nice dress and some furry boots. I saw the xD and snapped a picture of it. I was finally saw the Scion iQ. And man- that car is TINY! Good luck trying to fit inside this car if you're big and/or tall. Shorter people should have no problem with this car. The real saving grace for the Scion lot was in seeing the FR-S concept car. It was great seeing the concept up close and in person.

• Mini
Despite the disappointing Scion section, I had to move on. So I moved on to Mini. Ever since the revival of Mini, I've always loved their products. Two notable Minis I laid eyes on were both of the John Cooper Works variety. The first was a white J.C.W. Mini Cooper convertible with US Olympics livery on it. I later saw the very nice J.C.W. Mini Cooper coupe. I could actually see the Mini coupe do quite well in sales. Both are very cool machines, as one would expect.

• Nissan
Let's go to Nissan! The first car I laid eyes on was the amazingly affordable Nissan Versa. I then saw a car you don't hear mentioned much but still goes strong- the Nissan Sentra. I saw a cooler-looking Versa, but I then saw the Nissan Titan in its glory. The next car I noted is a machine that looks terrible to me- the Nissan Juke. Nissan probably even got bored and came up with the Juke R (which looks semi-decent but still ugly). The Juke R, though, was not at the show. I needed something more pleasing to my eyes to save me from the Juke. The answer was the 370Z. So I go from a horrid-looking SUV to a sweet sports car. The ever-fascinating Nissan Leaf was also available for viewing. I always wonder if the Leaf could inspire more vehicles of its kind to be out on the road. Did you know that there is even a Leaf race car? Some series in Europe (or just the United Kingdom) features a Leaf race car. It almost looks like a remote control car and sounds very quiet. Seeing the Armada and Murano completed my Nissan tour.

• Kia
Kia Motors has come a long way. While Blake Griffin wasn't at the Houston Auto Show to dunk a basketball while jumping over a Kia, I did see some of Kia's latest offerings. I first saw the Kia Rondo in my visit to the Kia section. On a turntable was the cleanly-styled Kia Sorento. LMFAO wasn't playing their "Party Rock Anthem," but I did see the Kia Soul as well.

My attention turned to joking around with the hostesses when I visited the Kia stand. Both were beautiful. One of them was in a black bolero with a nice white shirt, black pants, a lovely pair of slingback closed-toe pumps. The other was a lovely older woman in a dark gray dress with a chic pair of peep-toe ankle boots. I was thinking the one in the gray dress was from England or someplace as I noted a British accent in her speaking. Of course, I'm always cool with meeting people from around the world.

It was then back to cars. I saw the sporty Kia Forte Koup in a very nice blue color. That was followed up by seeing the Kia Optima. Kia makes some very nice automobiles. I hope Kia can keep pace and even challenge Hyundai as far as Korean cars sold in the USA is concerned.

• Infiniti
Nissan's luxury arm is Infiniti. I have never really liked (but don't hate) Infiniti to be honest. The first Infiniti I snapped a picture of is the QX56. My mother loves the QX56, but not the latest one. I snapped one anyways. :) I saw a JX-series Infiniti model on a turntable in the Infiniti area and thought it was pretty nice looking. Recently, I've loved the G37. I saw one and quickly snapped a few pictures. There wasn't much for me afterwards, so I moved on to the next section...

• Subaru
...which was Subaru. I saw the newer Impreza and Legacy models. The new Subaru Impreza looks more like the Legacy. Perhaps not going to sit well with those who prefer the fire-breathing Impreza on the rally scene, but modest can still look very charming. The newer Impreza doesn't look that bad to me. Only thing that would have been cool if the Subaru BRZ (the Subaru version of the Scion FR-S) was on the show floor. I actually kind of like the Subaru BRZ's looks a little more than I do the Toyota GT86 or Scion FR-S.

The hostesses walking the area were rocking sort of a motorcycle girl look- leather moto jackets, a top underneath, and dark blue jeans tucked into riding boots. I guess their look was more like rally girls.


I left this section, but not without taking a quick picture of another Infiniti.

Chapter 9: Audi Through BMW.

My next chapter features loads of luxury charm. Are you ready to enjoy some luxury?


• Audi
Audi makes some beautiful automobiles. Their vehicles are classy with a great deal of charm and style. I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed coming to the Audi section. The first Audi I laid eyes on was an Audi A5 Cabriolet. As lovely as the Audi A5 was, a lovelier Audi was in my eyesight- the Audi A4. The latest A4 just has the right amount of style and charm to make it stand out. It is a beautifully-designed car. I came across one of the Audi ladies working the floor as I was about to see the Audi Q7. I chatted with her a bit and even talking about the Q7 and the Q5. I even talked about the Q3 that the United States will get later this year or next year. No doubt the most alluring goddess in the Audi area (except the pretty Audi lady I chatted with previously) was the Audi R8 Spyder. It was the same red Audi R8 I saw last year, but this one had the Audi Sportscar Experience decals on the sides. I later saw the TT Coupe and took a beauty shot of its headlights with the LED daytime running lights on. Another gorgeous Audi had its LED daytime running lights on as well- the Audi A6. I wrapped up my Audi tour by looking at the S4, the mean A7, and the top-level Audi A8.

• Land Rover and Range Rover
Land/Range Rover was next on the grocery list. The first Land Rover I came across was the Range Rover HSE Sport. This is my most-used machine in "Test Drive Unlimited 2." It is a total beast of an SUV. The real show-stopper for me was to see the Range Rover Evoque again. I saw the beautiful machine in white last year. This year, there was a dark blue one in a 2-door layout on its own stand and a pale green one in a 4-door layout. I noted the difference between the two Evoque models when I was talking to the guy at the Land Rover stand. The last one I took a picture of was the Land Rover LR4. I honestly wouldn't see myself owning or shopping for a Land Rover or a Range Rover. However, I probably wouldn't be disappointed with the Evoque.

• Jaguar
In the past, it used to be that Jaguars would find themselves at the body shops quite often. The classy automobiles from Jaguar exude both class and charm. Today's lineup is no different. I first saw the latest Jaguar XKR in white. I don't really like the latest XKR looks-wise (I prefer the XK's of the late 1990s and early 2000s in looks), but she's a beauty. So is the XJ, which I saw in its glorious beauty. It was the Jaguar XKR-S that really caught my eye. Painted in a rich sky blue color, this car does not disappoint at making you want it.

• BMW
The final manufacturer in this chapter is BMW. I started off by seeing the BMW 328i convertible. It came in a very nice navy blue color. The picture I took had the headlights blazing in a silvery blue color. I then turned my attention to another blue BMW- a BMW X5 M. I have always seen the X5 as a handsome SUV, and I'd pick this over the smaller X3 or the X1. The M5 luxury sedan was also at the show in another lovely blue color. The 135i was featured at the Houston Auto Show as well with its deep red color. What followed were about four different varieties of the 3 Series. I had to take a picture of one of them, just to showcase the new headlight style for future BMWs. I don't like them too much. Not to be outdone in my BMW tour, I saw the Z4 roadster in white. I later came across a nice-looking X3 in a cherry red color. The gracious 640i came into view for me as well with a nice white color. Finally, I saw a 7-Series BMW to complete my BMW tour.


After some luxury from these makes, it was time to wrap up my tour with one last block of car companies.

Chapter 10: Lexus Through Volvo.

The final remaining sections I didn't visit up to this point will be discussed.

• Lexus
LFA. No three letters could entice me to visit the Lexus section like LFA. The Lexus LFA was at the Houston Auto Show in a bright red color. I've seen the LFA at the Houston Auto Show before, but that one was a concept. This year brought the real LFA to the showroom floor. And my goodness- I was stunned seeing this supercar in person! After being stunned seeing the LFA, I had to see some... I don't know, much more affordable Lexus models? So I did just that. Not too many of them were of any real consideration for this post. One of the lovely ones was the Lexus IS-C, the convertible version of the mean IS-F. I came face-to-face with the CT 200h as well. The GX-series SUV I saw in the Lexus section was one of the first Lexus SUVs I like besides the RX series.

• Acura
While the NSX concept was not at the show, Acura's many classy automobiles were on the show floor. Acura doesn't really interest me to be honest. I am just not really into Acura, but I don't hate Acura. The two Acura models I took pictures of were the TL and the handsome TSX. The guy at the Acura stand asked if I've seen the Acura NSX concept video before. I told him that I saw a Gran Turismo 5 video featuring the concept. After a few seconds, I noticed it was EXACTLY the Gran Turismo 5 video I saw of the NSX concept. There was not really much more for me to see at Acura, so I moved on.

• Volvo
Safe is sexy. Usually known for their boxy vehicles, the Swedish make has designed some beautiful cars. One of those beautiful cars is the compact Volvo C30 that I remember from last year's show. The S60R is one of the hottest recent cars from Volvo. What a lovely machine! Also lovely was the Volvo XC60 I saw. That one was a front-wheel drive model. I had snapped pictures of some other Volvos, but I am not mentioning them because the names of those other Volvos fail my memory.


Everything else after the Volvo stand was simply me trying to visit some of the other stands while I still had time.

Epilogue...

To say the least, the 2012 Houston Auto Show featured some of the most amazing and most diverse amount of cars I have ever seen in my more than ten visits to the Houston Auto Show. I've seen everything from peppy compacts to concepts to race cars. That even included a Formula 1 race car for crying out loud! I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. I don't believe in expectations, but if this year's show was any indication, I can only imagine what 2013's Houston Auto Show will bring! I hope to make it out to next year's show granted I'm alive and well and have the money and stuff to get admitted. What new cars will await at next year's Houston Auto Show? What experiences will await me at the 2013 show? I can only dream...


Thank you for reading my blog post!

--- The Ones That [Almost] Got Away! :) ---

But wait... there's more! Here are a few extra random things I want to share as part of my overall experience of HAS 2012.

Promoting my Blog; Chatting With Models.

• I mentioned my blog to a number of different stands. I gave some people the link to John's Blog Space at a few different stands. I usually say "you're not going to remember it" when mentioning my blog and YouTube channel. I was at the Mini section where I shown off the link to "John's Blog Space" on a piece of paper. I need to honestly make like Lil' Jon and step my game up and make some new "business cards" to promote my blog and YouTube channel. The pieces of paper I have show off my Myspace and Facebook pages. Myspace, for all intents and purposes, is dead unless you're talking Myspace Music. I'll need to make some to feature just my blog and my YouTube channel.

• My left arm took two friendly punches at the 2012 Houston Auto Show by two different ladies after complimenting on their looks. The first time was at the Audi area, and the other in the Chevrolet section. The girl at the Chevy stand was cool. She had a sweet voice and was friendly. I unfortunately didn't get to meet anyone who wasn't a host or a model at the show. Here's another sad fact- none of my friends have ever seen me at the Houston Auto Show. Then again, I am careful not to announce where I am at certain times. But back to the models and hostesses... it's always great to have models and representatives as beautiful as the cars they are representing. It pays to be sociable. Being a sweet talker has its advantages. :)

Fashionistas!

When it comes to females dressing up walking the floor (not models or hostesses), this was the most common look among most of the females at the Houston Auto Show:

• a fashionable top or coat/jacket
• denim jeans tucked into boots

Also, it seems like some of the women who were walking around are dressed in a very appealing way. I guess if you're going to check out some cars, it's best to look hot while doing it! One woman I saw sported a hot pair of white jeans with black platform pumps that had red soles (I doubt they were really Louboutins). One woman I saw was in a little black dress with some indigo high-heel pumps. My best guess is that some ladies are going to head to a party or something, so some ladies dress like hotties to prepare for a great night out.

I'm actually used to this because I once saw some lady at a previous Houston Auto Show wearing some clear high-heel sandals with maribou trim on them. Very exotic dancer like shoes one wore. So I often wonder if some of these ladies are actually dressing hot for the Houston Auto Show when they are really getting ready for a party or something.

A Feast Fit for a Blogger/YouTuber.

I didn't eat anything but breakfast that Saturday, so I needed something filling to prevent myself from continually wondering what to actually eat. I had planned on having me something to eat after I was done with my walking around the show floor. Leave it to the lovely folks in Reliant Center to offer a great product. I ordered a chicken tender basket. Afterwards, I thought about getting a bottle of soda. Since I didn't want to do any more walking (though I wasn't tired), I decided to get a fountain drink instead. I picked up two packs of barbeque sauce as well as a medium Coca-Cola Zero (never had a Coke Zero before). The whole thing (all $13.50 US Dollars) was filling. I had the chicken tender basket and some fries. I didn't eat too many of the fries. All I cared about was the chicken tenders.


Thank you for reading my extras segment! ^_^





I mentioned both cars and my experiences in this blog post. So my next post will involve a look at some of the ladies at the show. I am not sure if I'll be able to do any detailed pictures or not. I tried to do everything secretively. And of course, anyone I do feature in pictures will be blocked out to protect privacy.

(ADDED: January 31, 2012) Actually, I may or may not do one post on the Houston Auto Show's women this year. Stay tuned to John's Blog Space to see if I do indeed make a post regarding the ladies who walked the showroom floor and all.

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