If you haven't looked down lately, check out our newest curbs in Idylwood. With the help of a matching grant from the City, the Civic Club put 18 new blue tiles over 6 different streets in our neighborhood in May. This represents Phase 1 of our Blue Tile Project which started last year. We are hopeful these new additions to reflect our history will encourage you to donate to the project. Phase 2 fundraising is already underway. It is our goal to raise $9,000 by the end of the year to secure the matching grant from the City for Phase 2 of the project. We would appreciate your help with this multi-year project to restore these historic accents to Idylwood in time for our 100th Anniversary.

Donations can be made to the Civic Club directly via Zelle, and please include in your memo that your donation is for the Blue Tile Project. More information is available on our website about this phased project, and we will be rolling out some special blue tile fundraising thank you gifts for donors and hosting some special fun events this fall. Stay tuned for more details coming in the next Curb Blurb! 

We wanted to take a moment to introduce some of our Citizen Patrol members in the neighborhood. They are regularly out patrolling the neighborhood, keeping an eye on things, and helping to liaison with the other patrol members or HPD/Constable if you have an incident.

Citizen Patrol members include: Steve Palmer (6600 block of Meadowlawn), Daniel Escobar on the same block, Charles Roessler (6600 block of Park), Patricia Hattenbach and Jim McCallum on N. MacGregor, and Amy Dinn and Jake Goldstein (6700 block of Sylvan). Reach out if you need anything. This is not a complete listing; some work undercover and keep a lower profile!

We had some reports of people jumping fences in backyards lately, so please keep an eye out, and keep your gates and garages and cars locked, as well as your houses. HPD and Constable both reiterated to keep calling in when you hear firearm discharges. Officers from our local HPD station arrested two juveniles with guns recently, based on tips from neighbors like us.

Stay safe,

Jake Goldstein and Steve Palmer, Citizen Patrol

In our updates with HPD and the Constable, we received several pieces of good news: overall crime, violent and non-violent, continues to go down year over year in our HPD district, Eastside, according to HPD year-on-year stats for July presented at our last Civic Club meeting.

Houston Police Department posts monthly Crime Data by Police Beat (our Beat is 11H10). There have been 8 incident reports for Idylwood in 2026 (thru end of June): 5 in January, 1 in March and 2 in May (4 related to theft, 1 weapon violation, 1 vandalism, 1 disorderly, 1 trespass).

The Centennial Book will include a story about the storms and floods that have shaped Idylwood and how neighbors have weathered them together. Has your house ever flooded? Or did you take in refugees of high water or flooded homes? Did you provide food or phone service? To tell Karen your storm story, call or text her at: 832-752-2894.

We still welcome other stories and recipes at: idylwoodcookbook@gmail.com.

We are thrilled to announce the Idylwood Centennial Home Tour: Gems of Idylwood, marking 100 years of our vibrant community in Houston’s East End. This March 2028 event will highlight the unique history, architecture, and stories that make Idylwood such a treasured neighborhood.

Share Your Home’s Story!

As part of the celebration, we invite you to consider opening your home for the tour. Whether your home features original architecture, has undergone meaningful renovations, or holds cherished memories, your story is an essential part of our community’s legacy.

Home Selection Criteria:

To ensure the tour reflects Idylwood’s rich heritage, homes will be selected based on:

• Age: Built in or before 1979
• Architectural Integrity: Preservation of historical design elements (original woodwork, flooring, windows, fixtures); renovations that maintain the home’s original character
• Historical Significance: Documented stories, photos, or records of the home’s past
• Unique Features: Distinctive design elements that contribute to the neighborhood’s character

Event Details:

Volunteers will serve as docents at each home, guiding visitors and sharing insights. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Hugo Banda and Rosie Pesina at hugobanda1@hotmail.com.

Let’s come together to celebrate Idylwood’s centennial and honor the homes and people that make our neighborhood extraordinary. Thank you for being part of this milestone!

What: Cat Video Fest 2026

Where: River Oaks Theater

When: August 7 & 8 - extended dates!

CatVideoFest is a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. A portion of ticket sales from these screenings will benefit Lear's Legacy Cat Rescue founded in 2024 by University of Houston alumni to honor the memory of Lear, a beloved cat who lived on campus with his partner, Momma. Together, they became a source of comfort and joy for students, offering a peaceful place to unwind after exams or enjoy each other’s peaceful presence.

“WATCHING SILLY CAT VIDEOS IS GOOD FOR YOU.”

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, OCT. 4, 2016

• Aug 01: MTV was born (1981)
• Aug 03: National Watermelon Day
• Aug 04: Heavy Trash / Yard Waste pickup (fingers crossed…)
• Aug 07: WALK30
• Aug 11: Dog Days of Summer end (began on July 3)
• Aug 13: International Left-Handers Day
• Aug 14: WALK30
• Aug 17: Recycling
• Aug 18: Civic Club Meeting @ 7pm, 6900 Lawndale St
• Aug 18: Cat. 3 Hurricane Alicia (1983) ... click here
• Aug 20: Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour
• Aug 21: WALK 30
• Aug 26: Super Neighborhood Meeting @ 6:30pm, 7037 Capitol St
• Aug 28: WALK30
• Aug 31: Recycling

Friendly Reminder From The Pets



For the health and safety of all neighborhood pets and people,

please keep us on a leash and scoop our poop -

even along the bayou trails !

Nature News

Nurdles... Pellets...What's happening to the bays and wildlife?

Plastic pellets, often called nurdles, are the raw material used to make nearly every plastic product in our lives. They are escaping by the billions into Texas waterways, where they spread toxic chemicals and harm wildlife! To learn more, click the link below:

Nurdles...Pellets...

Companies lining up to mine the deep blue sea!

The US government may give the green light for companies to mine the deep blue seas as they search for precious seabed minerals. This has never been done before. This new endeavor is multifaceted and has pros and cons as the seabed gets disrupted. To learn more, click the link below:

Companies lining up to mine the deep blue sea

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Nature In The Neighborhood



Catfish are jumpin' !

Submitted by Carolyn Rigdon

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Submitted by Patricia Hattenbach

Neighbors: If you have a photo(s) of nature in action in Idylwood (animal or plant),send it to me with a comment to: phattenbach@gmail.com.

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Going Native !!

Tips from Buchanan's Native Plants

Incorporate Texas Natives into Your Landscape!

Native plants. The term has different meanings for different gardeners. There are Texas natives, US natives and those plants that act like natives. All in all, what most of us want in our garden are low maintenance plants that are attractive and functional. Plants that are not invasive and are a benefit to wildlife.

Click here to learn more: Buchanan's Top Ten Native Plants.

Lee Vincent has been living in Idylwood for a while now and has contributed to its beauty each year. Her gardening spirit of trying a variety of plants and flowers to see what grows has been successful.

Two popsicle purple mid-sized Crepe Myrtles (planted in the mid-1980's) are just the right match to frame her quaint brick cottage.

The combination of vibrant colors and interesting shapes, textures, and sizes creates a wonderful array of plants to keep you looking to see what else is there! From large to small, it's a delight to see such variety. The stone borders also bring great definition to the entire setting.

Lee seems to have discovered just the right mix that will grow and thrive from spring into summer. The beds do need to be watered if the rain does not fall often enough.

As you walk about the neighborhood, be sure to pause here to enjoy these pops of color and joy that just glow in the sun!

Story submitted by Patricia Hattenbach

If going out of town, alert your neighbors and request a Vacation Watch from Precinct 6 Constables. Click HERE to access the form.

Please keep an eye out for unusual activity and report to HPD (713) 884-3131 and the Constable's office (713) 274-3400. Please keep your home and cars locked at all times. Report any incidents to ALL authorities; 

more reports = more patrols.

To view crimes reported to HPD from through Feb 2026, download the HPD Excel file here and sort by zip code or beat. Our beat is 11H10, which includes several zip codes. 

Click here to view the Community Crime Map. Enter 77023 in the search window and filter by date range.

Jake Goldstein and Steve Palmer co-chair our patrol group and report the group’s collective hours per month to HPD. Please contact Jake if you are interested in volunteering with our citizens patrol group.

Having a patrol presence in the neighborhood is a crime deterrent and a great way to give back to our community.

Please join us! More information on HPD's Volunteer Citizen Patrol is available here.

president@idylwood.org