I would suggest skipping Hoya patella, megalaster and the two Eriostemmas you listed. These are not easy plants to grow.
You do have great windows/porch so you will be able to grow just about any Hoya light wise.

Mike

Heuschkeliana is also an easy grower and bloomer.

Some favorites of mine from that list, although they have not bloomed yet for me, are rigida 1424, aff. parasitica 'Lao 2', sp. Ban Nong Ngoy, and acuta 0079. They all grow fast and easily. I don't grow schneei, but paziae (close relative) is one of my favorites.

I've done many trades and no one ever requests Lao 2, but I bet it's because they have no idea how pretty its growth habit is. ^_^ It's one of my favorites to gaze at. Mine grows its thick, heavily speckled, spade-shaped leaves in the most massive tight rosette before progressing up into a vine.

I do not find pusilla or walliniana easy to grow, although they are not monsters either - just more particular. I used to think dasyantha easy, but we are always in a fight these days. I think it's best grown somewhere it dries out fast, because it used to love being right up against the glass of some extremely bright east windows.

Megalantha does grow fast and easily, but I have always grown it in high humidity conditions, and I suspect it dislikes being meddled with, because whenever I do meddle with it, it drops leaves. If I just leave it strictly alone, though, it's one of my most aggressive plants. I'm really still in the process of understanding this one. Also, it looks pretty much just like paziae when not in bloom, except more delicate.

Finally, I just got limoniaca in a trade, and it was totally my favorite of the bunch. Just from looking at its leaves, I suspect it will be easy to grow, but I just wanted to advise you that it's prettier in person than it looks in photographs.

Good luck with your selections! Just get some fast bloomers to keep you company while you wait for the others to take their time. ^_~

Thanks GG,

I haven't dived into buying them yet but from the pictures and Joni's descriptions those are the ones I was interested it. Your collection sounds amazing, if you ever want to trade for a bella, compacta or carnosa (boring right?) let me know ;)

I do have some diversity, but the plants in my collection are still very young - it's nowhere near as impressive as that of the veterans around here. More like a forest of babies! ^_~

I have a feeling we'll line up a trade someday.

Banannas...Thai #3 is one of the rigida's...so, unless you have lots of space, limit yourself to either rigida 1424 or Thai #3. Patella is a tough one. H. limoniaca is a great hoya. I encourage you to try Nong Nooch, fungii is fabulous..and both are easy to care for. H. kanyakumariana likes low light and little water....it rots easily. In your climate, almost all of them would work well. H. shepherdii has the best fragrance of any hoya I've smelled so far...like hyacinths...but it requires low temperatures to bloom...below 60. Try the lacunosas for quick blooming. cv. Ruthie would be perfect for you...a very easy eriostemma, with fabulous blooms. It's the one eriostemma best for homes..and will even bloom indoors if given sufficient light. Fondly, Patrick

Wow, such an outpouring of advice. It's nice to have such an active forum to use as a tool and to build a network of fun and support individuals as you all have been! Thanks!!!