Gothic things to do in Houston? Sounds like quite a paradox in Space City, eh?

WASHINGTON CEMETERY Runs along the west side of Glenwood. Smaller, older, less well kept cemetery. Kind of cool, though.

FOREST PARK CEMETERY Go 45 (Gulf Frwy) south of downtown, exit Wayside to the left (east). Turn right on Lawndale, go about half a mile and the main entrance is on the right. Where most of my folks are buried. Huge, lavish cemetery. Fake lakes and everything.

AMERICAN FUNERAL SERVICE MUSEUM 415 Barren Springs Drive (281-876-3063) In north Houston, from I-45 exit to Airtex, take Airtex west to Ella Boulevard, turn right and proceed to Barren Springs. Turn right on Barren Springs and the musueum is on your right. Mon-Sat 10 am-4 pm, Sundays noon- 4 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, and $3 for children 3-12, and adults over 54. This is a truly awesome place. Lots of antique hearses, antique caskets, and other historic memorabilia. Funeral memorabilia, mini movies and displays on embalming, and the history of funerals. Even a gift shop (call for a catalogue)

CD WAREHOUSE, Montrose 2620-D South Shepard (713-521-7275) The Montrose location has a nice assortment of gothic/ambient music and it's all together on one fixture. Lots of Projekt, Cleopatra, etc.

SOUND EXCHANGE has moved to Hazard at 1846 Richmond in Montrose, (713-666-5555) Also has a good selection of gothic, experimental, industrial, and any other sort of "alternative" you could possibly want. New and used music, as well as lots of vinyl.

SOUNDWAVES 3509 Montrose (713-520-9283)

AZRAEL'S ACCOMPLICE Local and internet gothic design company with affordable cloaks, capes, shawls, corsets, veils, and even a cute little bat pillow! 422 Lovett Blvd, studio opening soon to the public. Check out Batty's personal site too for some Perkygoff fun!

SINched Custom Corsets & Fetish Wear - local Houston seamstress who does custom corsets for any body type and out of almost any material. Contact SINched: 832-646-3553. General Information: TheHMFIC@getSINched.com - Sales & Customer Support: GetSINched@yahoo.com www.myspace.com/sinched - www.myspace.com/TheHMFIC - www.myspace.com/thestitchwitch

Dare Ware 6363 Westheimer Road (713) 953-9393 Lots and lots of fetish wear

Erotic Cabaret 1222 Westheimer Road (713) 528-4565 Sexy lingerie central

Cindie's (all over Texas, Monstrose location at 3507 S. Shepherd, Phone: 713 522 9339. Clothing, adult novelties & toys, etc.

:: STORES :

THE BLUEBIRD CIRCLE RESALE SHOP 615 W. Alabama (713-528-0470) The cheapest of the cheap, come early in the morning, though. Call for hours, they are irregular.

The Way We Wore/Planet Vintage 2602 Waugh Drive, (713-526-8910, planetvintage@yahoo.com) mostly costumes, for rent and sale. A few nice finds mixed in.

NUMBERS 300 Westheimer (713-526-6551) is a local club that hosts many different bands, mostly of the alternative sort. Check out their Gothic Underworld for events schedule, they have a Gothic Saturday night at least once a month.

LA CARAFE 813 Congress in Market Square downtown (713-229-9399) Though not an actual Goth hangout per se, this is the oldest building in Houston (1860?), and it's kind of cool to go and have a drink in. Gets very busy on Friday and Saturday nights. If you go on a Friday night, though, eat dinner or get a dessert and coffee at Treebeards across the Square (incredible Cajun food, but they only serve dinner Friday nights till 9 pm).

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