I was twice riding my bicycle downtown in the past two weeks to experience several blocks of downtown closed to traffic. It was obvious it was a movie or TV shoot. I had an agenda, so I didn’t linger to find out.

I was almost right; it was a TV commercial shoot. For German cell phones.

There was an article about some of the reasons that Europeans and Asian like doing photo shoots in Houston. One of the reason was many reflective buildings that do a very good job of lighting automobiles.

So, apparently the Europeans like the “look” of Houston. They may not know it, but their marketeers do.

The whole story is worth reading:

Lights, Camera, Houston!

Producers of commercials say architecture is photogenic

By TINA MARIE MACIAS
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
June 4, 2007, 10:01AM

Around lunch hour, strolling down Travis Street, it’s fairly normal to see pedestrians slowing traffic as they cross the street, talk on their cell phones and move at a bovine pace.

But recently it was a little slower than usual at Travis and Rusk. Maybe it was the variation of He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands blasting on the corner. Or the screens covering the sidewalk, or the large video camera blocking pedestrians’ stride. Something strange was happening. Continue reading →

The TMi page of the Star section of the Chron printed a 10 picture and clue scavenger hunt on Wednesday, all of which is along the light rail line. Of course I helped host, with Andrea Greer and Allen Hill, a scavenger hunt in January. The ending location and the cover of the CD which accompanied the hunt is one of the photos in the Chron’s hunt.

I have the time, I may play this one for the fun of it. I think I know 4 of them already.