Memorial - Houston, TX

Memorial was originally very sparsely populated and covered with farms and empty land. Once Interstate 10 was constructed through the area, it became very favorable for developers in the 1950s and 1960s. For the next four decades, the area continued to prosper and develop into Memorial as it stands today, a high-class suburban area of Houston.

Within the area, the Menil Collection has a popular spot for fans of the arts, as it features more than 16,000 pieces of artwork, ranging from the Paleolithic era all the way to present day. The Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston is popular as well, with countless exhibits of visual art, as well as many art education and appreciation programs. The area also plays host to “Freedom Over Texas,” which features prominent bands playing all day and a fireworks display every 4th of July at Tinsley Park.

Pizaro’s Pizza is a popular spot in town -- not only because of its pizza, but also because of the restaurant's BYOB policy and the overall relaxed atmosphere. Pizaro's serves Italian-style pizza baked in brick-fire ovens at over 900 degrees, cooking the pizzas in 90 seconds or less.

For some European food in the area, Cafe Benedicte serves Mediterranean food and has a very upscale feel, with its fine wines and live jazz music every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. It serves some very unique dishes all the way from authentic kebabs to a Mediterranean trio, which has some of the best prepared lamb in Houston.

For a night out in Memorial, Metropolis & Extravaganza has a great nightclub atmosphere, playing all kinds of Latin dance music with a huge two-story dance floor. Zanzibar Houston also serves as a great social spot, perfect for a date night. It is only open on Wednesday through Sunday, and features concerts with many well-known bands and even live stand-up comedy.

To travel within residential areas, both walking and biking can be utilized. However for travel outside of residential areas, both can be dangerous due to the high traffic volume of the highways and lack of bike lanes. However, the Parkway section of Memorial Highway does have bike lanes for a 2.3-mile stretch that runs by Memorial Park.

Several public buses serve the area, and a cab can always be called. Uber can also be used to travel anywhere in the area with the use of a convenient phone application. Highway 10 borders Memorial on the north end, making the commute to Houston and the I-610 loop around the city very quick and easy.

Parking in the neighborhood area can be done easily almost anywhere, but within the downtown Houston area, parking can get very difficult. Meters line most of the streets in the downtown area, and if unavailable, many parking garages sit within downtown as well, offering public parking at hourly and daily rates.

The two free parks that lie within the borders of Memorial are Memorial Park and the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. Memorial Park sits on almost 1,500 acres and has 18 holes of golf, as well as facilities for tennis, swimming, croquet, volleyball and biking. The three-mile crushed granite trail in the park makes for a very popular running and exercising destination. The park also has a very kid-friendly environment and allows dogs as well.

The Edith L. Moore Sanctuary in Memorial serves more as an educational spot than a recreational destination, but it does house some great scenery and wildlife. The sanctuary features 17.5 acres of wildlife preserves and offers many educational programs that reach an average of 10,000 participants each year.

The average one-bedroom rent in the area typically will cost $1,300 per month, well above the Houston average of $840 and the Texas state average of $830.

The cost of living and everyday items in the area will be somewhat expensive but still slightly lower than the cost of living in the downtown area of Houston. Gas prices are almost 8 percent lower than the national average. For a pub trip to grab a beer, it will typically cost around $4 for domestics and $6 for imports or craft brews.

To shop in Memorial, it doesn't take long to reach a mall and several other establishments located in the area. The Memorial City Mall boasts over 100 stores, including favorites Banana Republic, Vera Bradley, Michael Kors and many more.

The area also has several boutique and specialty clothing stores in Marlo Miller and Rouge Boutique. Marlo Miller sells many women's clothing items and is the place to go for designer denim, selling items from designer brands such as AG Jeans, Ivy Jane, Eva Franco and several others. Rouge Boutique specializes in high-end clothing items, including event dresses, tops and skirts. The owner also has a great sense for fashion trends and personally hand picks most of the items in the store.

To get groceries in the neighborhood, both Randall's and Leibman's have many specialty and organic items, as well as large prepared food sections for healthy shoppers. The area also is home to several chain grocery stores, including Whole Foods Market and Kroger. Residents have access to several different farmer's markets available in the Houston area throughout the year, such as the Urban Harvest Farmers Market. Visit this market year-round on Saturday mornings to shop for locally grown fruits and vegetables, dairy products, prepared foods, bakery goods, and fresh flowers.