"The Colors of Our Lives" 2007 Spring Historic Houston Heights Home & Garden Tour and Candlelight Dinner

Houston, TX - The beautiful tree-lined streets of the Houston Heights will be the scene of one of the most anticipated annual events in the area: The 2007 Spring Historic Houston Heights Home & Garden Tour, set for Saturday and Sunday, April 14 & 15.

Architectural styles of the homes on tour range from a 1906 Victorian-style home with Greek Revival influences, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a City of Houston Landmark structure, to a newly constructed home whose owners were committed to maintaining the architectural integrity and scale of the neighborhood.

"The Colors of Our Lives" is the theme of this year's event, which features six exceptional Houston Heights homes. The event celebrates the richly cultured and diverse community: the citizens from all walks of life - some of whom are multi-generational residents and others who have more recently discovered this extraordinary neighborhood - and the beautiful architecture, from the tiny cottages and cozy bungalows to the Heights mansions and historic public buildings.

"We are proud to present another event to remember," said Kelly Simmons, who serves on the Houston Heights Association Tour Committee. "The fabulous homes and gardens may be toured in two hours, but we recommend spending an entire fun-filled Spring day in our unique and historic neighborhood. There's much to see and do with the cozy coffee bars and restaurants, antique markets, art galleries and eclectic boutiques."

FEATURED HOMES:
1113 Rutland - Cottage Home
1233 Yale - Broman Home
614 East 5th - Newcaster Home
615 East 8th. - Conwell Home
622 East 8th - Spin Home
1130 Cortlandt - Stapp Home

The three-day celebration begins with the Candlelight Dinner and Auction on the evening of Friday, April 13 at Winter Street Studios. The evening includes music, martinis, wine and a seated gourmet dinner provided by Massoud's. Live and silent auctions are also part of the fun at this "color-licious" evening!

EVENT SCHEDULE:
Friday, April 13, 2007 - Candlelight Dinner & Auction, 8-11:00 p.m., Winter Street Studios, 2115 Winter Street in Houston, with private tour of homes from 6-8:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, April 14 & 15 - 2007 Historic Houston Heights Home & Garden Tour, noon to 6:00 p.m.

TICKETS
Advance tickets will be available for $15 beginning March 9 at these locations: Another Place in Time, Buchanan's Native Plants, Eclectic Home and Karen Derr & Associates. Day of the tour tickets are $17 at the Heights Fire Station and at each home. Ticket includes all six homes and luxury bus shuttles.

Seating for the Candlelight Dinner and Auction is limited. Individual tickets are $100 and $1,000 for a reserved table of ten. To purchase tickets, leave a message at the Houston Heights Association office at 713-861-4002, ext. 3.

Online ticket purchases are available at www.houstonheights.org.

SPONSORS
Platinum sponsors are San Jacinto Stone Co. and Allied Waste. Gold sponsors are Allegro Builders and Memorial Hermann Northwest. Silver sponsors are CenterPoint Energy, Inc., Coldwell Banker United and Eclectic Home. Bronze sponsors are Aztec Tents and Events; Sharie Beale, Greenwood King Realty; Karen Derr & Associates; Design and Inspiration; 1st Choice Bank; La Griglia; Rampart Builders and Sterling Bank.

Proceeds from the Home Tour and Candlelight Dinner & Auction benefit a number of Houston Heights Association properties and endeavors including maintenance of the Houston Heights City Hall & Fire Station, an historic building, meeting place, and events venue; reforestation and maintenance of the beautiful Heights Boulevard esplanade-from gazebos, benches, and jogging trails, to flowers, trees, and mulch; upkeep of Marmion Park-the original location of the Cooley mansion-one of the first houses built in Houston Heights-with the award-winning Kaiser Pavilion, designed to emulate the Cooley home's unique turret; upkeep of Donovan Park-aka "The Heights Playground"-designed and built by the community in 1996; the Education Committee-a group of community members seeking to enhance and enrich public education in the greater Heights area; the Urban Forestry Committee dedicated to protecting and preserving the ever-vanishing presence of trees and greenspace; and a wide variety of other community improvement projects. www.houstonheights.org.


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