As if you needed another reason to head down to Discovery Green this weekend, here's one more: Dock Dogs! Yes, the time-honored "dog performance sport" of leaping off docks and catching crazy air will be going on all weekend at the downtown park. If you thought the Lumberjack Games were the most ludicrous yet highly entertaining sport you've ever seen, then you haven't witnessed the majesty of Dock Jumping. In this sport, dogs of all......

If you're anything like Houstonist, you love Hermann Park (or, at the very least, you recognize that the little statue of Sam Houston which is prominently displayed on our logo actually resides in Hermann Park). Whether you have fond childhood memories of riding the train to the Zoo, rolling down the hill at the Miller Outdoor Theater, and spending hours in the Hall of Paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, or more recent......

Celebrate the opening of our new Downtown green space, Discovery Green , this weekend at the Discovery Green Family Day on Sunday, April 13th. It seems like just yesterday we were all in an uproar about the hideous name choice. And here we are now, able to frolick in her glory. Enjoy 12 acres of urban green space including a one-acre lake, children’s playground, interactive water features, amphitheater stage and slope, small and large dog......

Today’s Photo of the Day comes from flickr user and Houstonist photo contributor Adam Baker who captured this frog in the muck at Brazos Bend State Park. __________________________________________________________ If you have a passion for Houston and photography, consider joining over 444 of Houston's best photographers in the Houstonist Flickr Photo Group. If Houstonist uses your photo for Photo Of The Day, submit it here. For more great photography check out the Houston Photobloggers.......

Good morning, Houston. Speaking of problems you didn't know existed, we've got two words for you: Duck dumping. It means leaving domestic ducks in places where they shouldn't be — and it's happening at Hermann Park. People apparently decide their ducks would like to join their brethren at the park, particularly around Easter, but the domestic ducks don't mix with the wild ones that actually live in the park: The domestic ones roost on......

Good morning, Houston. Sure, we've had a lot of rain, but there haven't been any hurricane scares yet — so it's pretty easy to overlook the fact that we're headed into the peak of the 2007 hurricane season. Not that easy, though: The Chronicle's Eric Berger reminds us that there's still some storm activity in the Atlantic, including a system 650 miles east about 650 miles east of the southern Windward Islands that could......

Biggio and Infernal Bridegroom Productions announce they're leaving us on the same day? Say it ain't so, Tamarie. Unfortunately for us, it is: IBP announced in a press release that was also posted on their website yesterday that they have "ceased operations this month due to insurmountable financial difficulties." Is it too late to get the mayor's fundraising people on this? IBP produced 68 plays since their founding in 1993, and we're sure each......

We talked yesterday about the body parts that were found in northwest Harris County in the past few days — remember, homicide investigators initially thought the decomposed parts (two hands and a foot) belonged to a human, but later they discovered they were actually bear parts. So, case closed, right? Well, it still leaves the question of where the bear came from and what it was doing so close to Houston. And so far, no......

It looks like there's some Texas pride lacking over at 901 Bagby. Vending machines at City Hall will soon be taken over by Dr. Pepper, which originated in Waco, and some council members are not too pleased that their precious Coke and Pepsi will be difficult to come by. They did tactfully refrain from comparing Dr. Pepper to liquid manure though. But how can they complain at all? Two years ago, the council approved a......

Today’s Photo of the Day comes from flickr user and Houstonist photo contributor JMBower. This wonderful reflected nature shot was taken at Brazos Bend State Park just up the road in Needville. Houstonist loves nature but dang we hate running into alligators! If you go, please be sure to read all the warning signs, keep pets on a very short leash and pay attention to your surroundings. If you have a passion for Houston......

With all the rain last weekend, it was hard to get excited about the city pools opening up for the summer. However, this weekend is looking better (at least for now) and what better way to cool off (or get exercise if you so choose) than to take a dip in a pool…after all it is better than getting a fecal infection at the beach. The city of Houston operates 39 public pools and 13......

We know we don't have to tell you what a stone-cold amazing city you live in. But, apparently, we do need to tell the folks over at Kiplinger. The publication recently ranked their best cities and Houston didn't make the list. But, you have a chance to vote for your favorite city in a reader poll now, and guess who's in third? Houstonist was tipped off to this poll by Houston Strategies. Kiplinger, from their......

Now is a great time to get your Mary Poppins on and go kite-flying before it gets too unbearably hot. We suggest picking up a kite (or making your own) and heading out to your local park for some wholesome kite fun. Parks are great for families or for cheap dates, boys. Kite-flying is also fun on the beach, as an alternative to wading through seaweed and drinking beer. If you don't know the first......

Good morning, Houston. Can Texas gas prices get any higher? Well, sure — they increased for the 15th straight week last week, and now they're edging toward the previous record high. The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in Texas last week was $2.952, just 1.2 cents short of the previous record, $2.964, which we hit after Hurricane Rita in September 2005. Houston's average price is $2.92, still lower than most major......

We've been wondering why the Mecom Fountain hasn't been lighted at night lately, and this weekend, the Chronicle had the answer: It's because someone stole the fountain's lighting system, though no one's quite sure when or how they did it. Or, for that matter, when the lights might come on again. The theft was actually pretty amazing: Someone cut through the cables to the lighting system and carted off the fountain's 264 light bulbs and......

Good morning, Houston. So here's something cool to look forward to for the next two years: In mid-2009, 20 of the famed terra cotta warriors of Xi'an will be on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The exhibition will run from May 18 to Sept. 25; until then, you can visit the local knockoff, which is quite impressive in its own right. >> Early voting begins today: Harris County voters will be......

But good fences make good neighbors, right? That's what the city thinks, apparently. The city's parks department is considering building a 2000-foot sound-barrier wall along I-10 between Washington and 610 to keep the noise out of Memorial Park. The wall would be 16-feet high and cost somewhere in the $480,000 area. Officials say it would greatly reduce traffic noise from I-10 around the park's small, asphalt track and tennis center. The wall, which would be......

Spring is when we get busy here in the Ist-A-Verse. Very busy. But, after staying bundled-up indoors all winter, it's nice for us to be out, about, and collecting things to write about for you. Here's a glimpse at what's been keeping your favorite citybloggers busily away from home and out of bed. For LAist, strong winds attacked LA on the same day the Feds raided the Crips. Not to fear, though: the Japanese version......

Today’s Photo of the Day comes from flickr user and Houstonist photo contributor j-a-x who snaps this great shot during a recent performance at Miller Outdoor Theater. Opened in 1968 with over 1500 covered seats, Miller Outdoor Theater provides free entertainment through the sponsorship of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, The Miller Theater Advisory Board and various grants. The theater hosts many events including classical theater, ballet, opera and much more. For a......

Today’s Photo of the Day comes from flickr user and Houstonist photo contributor Cybastean. A small tributary of Buffalo Bayou meanders through the trees and brush on the far east end of Bush Park. A nice and brooding HDR image of Buffalo Bayou as it snakes through George Bush Park. The largest park in Harris County at over 13,000 acres, it was renamed in 1997, originally named Cullen-Barker Park. The park is part of......

Today’s Photo of the Day comes from flickr user and Houstonist photo contributor seven twenty-five and contains this description: Wildlife in the city. And this wildlife can be spotted at Eleanor Tinsley Park (also known as Buffalo Bayou Park) off of Allen Parkway and Sabine Street in the shadows of downtown Houston. This is a great park with over 124 acres that extends from near downtown Houston all the way to Shepherd. Wildlife abounds......

Architecture Center Houston Grand Opening For its inaugural exhibit, the Architecture Center Houston, affectionately referred to as the ArCH, offers a show of current plans for the future of Houston. The exhibit, titled Houston: Future Form, is divided into four areas: Architecture, Bayous, Parks, and Transportation. It includes plans for Discovery Green, the new downtown park, the realignment of I-10 and I-45, as well as the Asia House in the Museum District and continued landscaping......

Some good news for local park lovers today: City Council has unanimously agreed to designate Sam Houston Park a protected city landmark. The designation means that Sam Houston Park is protected — or at least as protected as anything gets in Houston — from obliteration by future development; any future action that would alter or threaten the park would have to be approved by the city. The city bought the first part of the park......

A month ago, we were excited that the city agreed to pitch in $9.2 million to help save 11th Street Park in Timbergrove Manor from destruction. The deal is far from over, though: if the 3.5 million-dollar loan from Amegy Bank to the Houston Parks Board isn’t paid off in the next 12 months, a fourth of the park will be available to developers. The portion of the park that is in jeopardy includes baseball......

Houston is having one hell of an Arbor Day and you too can be a part of it (you just have to get your hands a little on the dirty side). Arbor Day was established in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, Nebraska. It seems that the Nebraska Territory was not readily settled, due to the lack of trees on the tallgrass prairie (the better to build and heat cabins - log cabins,......

Good morning, Houston. After almost two weeks of clouds and rain, we were starting to wonder if we might be getting seasonal affective disorder — we stuck our head under our desk lamp for a while, but it didn't seem to help. Needless to say, we're really happy to see the sun this morning. But not, you know, this happy. >> Another DeLay?: The Travis County District Attorney's office is appealing a court decision......

Before you try to tackle President Bush and the state of the whole country tonight, you can read Mayor White's state of the city address, delivered yesterday afternoon at a Greater Houston Partnership luncheon. White, a popular and effective mayor, discussed the achievements of the city in the past year as well as goals and programs he sees for Houston's future. Among other things, Bill White mentioned the success of his Safe Clear program in......

Talk about an ambitious new year's resolution! This week, Houstonist is reeling with admiration for Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. In 2002, Parks set out to write one play every day for a year. And here we thought getting 7 more readers was steep. "I would sit down at my desk, raise my arms in the air, wiggle my fingers," recalls Parks, "and ask myself, `What is the play today?' And out something would come."......

Back in June, we heard that Six Flags was planning to sell or close several of its properties, including Houston's Splashtown. And sure enough, the company is selling Splashtown and six other parks in a $312 million deal. The parks' new owner, PARC 7F-Operations Corp. of Jacksonville, Fla., will immediately sell them to CNL Income Properties, then will lease them from CNL. Whatever. The good news for all you Splashtown lovers is that the park......

So here's something kinda interesting about the news earlier this week that most of the West 11th Street Park will be saved from development: The Chronicle reports that Bob Perry, who has spent the last few years trying to cover the inner Loop with townhomes, gave $100,000 Wednesday to try to preserve the rest of the property. On Monday, the city agreed to buy the site from HISD, which has owned the wooded land......