Visit Houston – The Renzi, Museum of Fine Arts Houston

June 21, 2019 No Comments

I was so excited to have the opportunity to visit the Renzi on my trip to Houston. The Renzi is a part of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston collection and is a house museum in the River Oaks neighborhood. The home was donated by Houston philanthropists Carroll and Harris Masterson and full of amazing 17th-19th art, furniture and dishes. It is an absolutely incredible home with incredible grounds as well. The home is kept very much as it was when the Masterson’s lived there, incorporating many items belonging to the Mastersons, with some items brought in that fit with the time periods. The entire house is just gorgeous and interesting, but some of my favorite parts were the library and the ballroom – yeah, you read that right…a ballroom. Complete with family crest inlaid into the floor. No big deal! The Mastersons also spent some time producing Broadway plays, because when you have a lot of money and time why not right?!

Visiting the Renzi is different than your typical museum. Due to the nature of the collection, it is done by reservation and docent-led tours only. There are six tours available Wednesday through Saturday, and four slots on Sundays. The gardens, however, are open for self-guided tours every day, and those are free. Renzi also provides a military discount and kids 12 and under are free! This puts it at a very affordable option in the Houston area.

But for locals, would really recommend looking for one of Renzi’s special events. There are several options throughout the year including Twilight Tours in May, Family Days, Opera and Symphony performances, sketching and art times and focused tours. After you check out the Renzi, make sure to look for the other house museum in Houston, Bayou Bend, which focuses on American Art.

Houston, travel

Visit Houston with CityPass

June 14, 2019 No Comments

There is so much to do and see in Houston. I’ve been twice and made quite a dent in all the attractions, but you should see my “Houston Bucket List” because it’s still quite long. I know, it’s crazy, right? I mean, its Houston. You might not think of Houston has some major tourist attraction, especially when you think of Texas. Austin has the music and the nightlife and San Antonio has the Alamo and the River Walk. But don’t count Houston out. As the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth in the US, Houston boasts a robust art scene, dining and more. Not to mention that the skyline is one of the most beautiful in my opinion. While planning your trip you might be overwhelmed with what to choose from the long list of attractions and sites. What you do when you visit depends on whether or not you are visiting with kids or family, but a great way to go is to purchase a CityPass. You get access to five of Space City’s Must-See Attractions AND you save a little bit of money along the way. The only problem you’ll have is when it comes to the dreaded “Or” categories where you have to choose between two!

What is CityPass?

CityPass is a booklet of admission tickets to a city’s top locations at a discounted rate! You get all the admission tickets in one place and you don’t have to wait in admission lines, which when its super crowded can save you a lot of time. For most CityPass booklets you have 9 days to use your pass, including the first day you redeem something. CityPass is available in 12 locations including San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California and they just released CityPass in Orlando! CityPass can be purchased at many of the attractions themselves or you can purchase by visiting their website. Adult passes are $62 and child passes are $52. If you were to visit each of the attractions without CityPass you are looking at over $100 for adults! Even if you don’t make it to all the attractions in your visit you may still be saving some money. If you are military check with your local MWR ticket sales location because they may sell CityPass at an even more discounted rate!

CityPass in Houston

In Houston, you can choose between seven attractions, with a total of five attractions that you can see. Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium and the Houston Museum of Natural Science are your attractions available to you. Then you have to choose between the Zoo or the Museum of Fine Arts and the Kemah Boardwalk (All Day Ride Pass) or the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Space Center Houston

Visiting Space Center Houston was at the TOP of my list of things to see this time. It is a bit of a drive out of the center of the city, and while it’s well worth it if you’ve never been, it wasn’t something I could fit into my plans last time. Living in Washinton DC I am spoiled when it comes to museums. We have TWO space museums, one of which houses the Space Shuttle Discovery, which we saw land at the airport here. But being able to visit NASA is a whole other level of cool. Not only do you get the opportunity to go inside a space shuttle, as well as the plane that carried it (you don’t get that here), you get to go on Johnson Space Center property and see Mission Control. Expect to spend a good chunk of your day here, especially if you had kids. They have amazing docents that offer talks and presentations throughout the day. The movies are also really awesome and shouldn’t be missed. Parents: do beware of all the rides and simulations that are, of course, stationed right inside the entrance doors. But, as a perfect distraction, the Space Center has put together an amazing children’s area based on the Angry Birds in Space! Its a really neat, hands-on, learning experience for kids.

Active and Retired Military receive a $5 discount

Downtown Aquarium

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I visited the Aquarium. Again, having been to Monterey many times as a child and living near the ginormous National Aquarium Baltimore, I realize that I’m spoiled. This attraction is geared towards kids, and it isn’t very big. There are rides and a really cool restaurant on-site. They have a white tiger and a sting-ray feeding and petting area which is really cool. The Houston Aquarium devotes a lot of their exhibit to presenting conservation in a way kids can understand. I was very impressed with their presentation and the actions they take as an Aquarium to contribute to ocean protection and conservation. The Aquarium also provides extensive programs for schools for field trips and offers some of these programs to families that visit throughout the year. Be a marine biologist or zoologist for the day, meet some of the Aquariums animals or have an aquarium sleepover!

If you are visiting Houston without a CityPass and have a military id, the Aquarium offers a $2 discount on all-day passes and a 10% discount in the shop and restaurant.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Come see a giant moon, dinosaurs and Houston’s own Cabinet of Curiosities at the Museum of Natural Science. One of the coolest exhibits was a room full of animals made from gemstones. I had never seen anything like this and it was incredible. The Museum also showcased the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit with amazing photographs from all over the world. That was honestly probably my favorite part of the museum. The museum also has several special exhibits which require additional tickets (that are not included in your CityPass). One of those is Death By Natural Causes, which showcases wildlife and vegetation that pose a danger to we humans – think crazy snakes and spiders! I was kind of bummed that an exhibit like this requires an extra ticket purchase. One of the main attractions is the giant room of Dinosaurs, which the kids in your party will love! You will also find the Burker Baker Planetarium here, which has a whole host of movies and special presentations. One of the coolest things you can check out is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Listen to one of Pink Floyd’s most well-known albums and be immersed in a light and sound experience. Check out the Burke Baker Planetarium website for a list of their movies and presentations.

There is no offered military discount, however on Thursdays from 6-9 the museum is open to everyone for FREE! All permanent exhibits are open, and you can even purchase tickets for their special exhibits (like the Death by Natural Causes) for a discounted rate!

Houston Zoo

Aside from the Space Center and the Art Museum, which I knew would be amazing, the Zoo was probably my favorite thing I saw and the attraction I was the most impressed with. The layout of the zoo is really easy to traverse, and a majority of the paths are in the shade, which in Texas summers is a blessing. You can’t escape the humidity, but shade helps. They also have an exhibit that just opened features Texas wildlife, including a Bald Eagle. There are over 15 areas within the zoo to explore, including a great play and adventure area for kids, giraffe feeding, a water/splash pad area and a sea lion exhibit. They have three longhorns as well, which I had never seen before in real life. They are huge! There are plenty of places to grab a snack and sit in the cool air conditioning, bathrooms and places to sit. The addition of the water park and play areas really make it a great place for the whole family and place to keep little ones excited and engaged.

Houston Zoo does not offer a military discount, but during the summer months if you visit after 4pm you can get $4 off your ticket price!

Museum of Fine Arts

When the Museum of Fine Arts announced that they would be hosting a special VanGogh exhibit I pushed my trip planning into high gear. I knew that I was going to be planning another trip anyway, but this really made me all the more excited. VanGogh is one of my favorite artists. If you’ve never seen the VanGogh Doctor Who episode, watch that… it’s all you need to know. You can read more about my visit and see pictures by visiting my post dedicated to the Museum. You Must “VanGogh” to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Kemah Boardwalk

Take a drive out to Kemah Boardwalk, a cute little coastal area not far from the Space Center Houston. Kemah is a collection of restaurants, retail shops, event spaces, and an amusement park. It is on the smaller size, with only a few larger rides. While it can be fun for older kids and adults, I would say that it is geared more towards younger kids. Be prepared for the wooden rollercoaster, which was my favorite ride of the day. It was pretty awesome and reminded me so much of my childhood and visiting Santa Cruz Boardwalk. I did, however, walk away with some bruises! It lives up to the wooden rollercoaster name for sure!

For military you can get $2 off and 10% off Boardwalk retail shops.

Houston, travel

You must “Van Gogh” to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

May 29, 2019 No Comments

As I was formulating my plan for my visit to Houston I knew that at the top of my list was visiting the Museum of Fine Arts. On display at the museum is Vincent Van Gogh: His Life in Art, currently a part of the collection through June 27th. Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, and I’m not even going to try to hide the fact that what really tipped it over the edge (I’m also a huge Degas fan) is the Doctor Who episode about him. What can I say, I’m an art lover and a super nerd.

Let me tell you a little bit about MFAH! The original MFAH museum was the first art museum to be built in the state, and has grown to a large complex of buildings and includes to house museums and an art school. The Museum is more about just displaying art, MFAH is also home to the International Center for the Arts of the Americas, specialized storage rooms and large research areas, including a leading research institute for 20th century Latin American and Latino Art. I live in Washington, DC where museums are a dime and dozen, with incredible art on display throughout the city, and I was extremely impressed with the buildings, the sculptures, the art available and the whole package of MFAH. In fact, I left MFAH on my “Houston Bucket List” because I barely scratched the surface of what there was to see. I also added Bayou Bend house because I didn’t even realize that that was something to see! MFAH has two house museums, Bayou Bend which I just mentioned, and the Renzi, which I was, in fact, able to visit during my time in Houston.

Aside from the actual museums and sculpture garden, the Museum puts on events every week in an effort to make art more accessible to everyone no matter what their life is like. Visit the museum during lunchtime during the week and you can get free admission to the museum with a receipt from one of the food trucks out front or the museum cafe! Get a break from the heat and humidity and visit the museum after you eat your lunch. Enjoy happy hour events where admission to the museum is free, test your photography and sketching skills with special access to the museums in the complex, enjoy specialized tours with curators and docents, family day activities through the year and special member events as well.

Now, to the Van Gogh Exhibit. MFAH is the only place to view an exhibit and collection like this. Get an in-depth and intimate look at the life of Van Gogh through more than fifty pieces of his work. The collection is set up so that it carefully takes you through not only his professional life (starting with his early sketches which I had never seen before) but also including pieces of his personal life. For Van Gogh, those two things were so closely tied and in my opinion, directly affected his works as an artist. I don’t want to give to much away about this amazing collection of pieces, but there were many things in it that I had never seen before. Getting to view the sketches and paintings that he did that was without color was incredible. It showed an interesting part of this man, and painter, where you can see that he took what he was doing very seriously. He wanted to master his techniques and improve his abilities before he added color, which was fascinating to me.

Also, a part of the Van Gogh exhibit is Van Gogh Up Close, which I highly recommend if you are bringing children to the museum. Bringing the arts to kids, and putting it on their level through physical activity and touch is such a brilliant idea. It is exactly perfect for little ones, but truthfully the adults in the room (including myself) were having just as much fun. Visiting the museum during this time is perfect because admission to the Van Gogh exhibit includes general admission to the Museum. For families, MFAH is perfect because child pricing (which is FREE!) is included for children all the way up to the age of 12, which is amazing.

You have through June 27 to visit MFAH and experience the Van Gogh collection. Purchase tickets here

Don’t miss out on this amazing exhibit all in one place!

Stay tuned for my close-up post about the Renzi house museum!

Looking for more Visit Houston Posts?

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10 Things to Do in Houston

travel, Uncategorized

10 Things You Must Do While Visiting Houston

February 11, 2019 No Comments

I’m still wistfully remembering my days in Houston ya’ll. It was just the best time and exactly what I needed. The flip side of that is that there is such a huge drawback to that City and it’s strongly connected to my soul. When something rescues you it becomes a huge part of your heart and you feel like you’ve literally left a piece of your heart back there. Texas has that effect on me. I’ve loved every time I’ve been there and I feel like I’m just a little bit Texas. So, if you’ve never been to Texas I would strongly suggest considering it for a vacation. Houston is such a great place with so much to do. You can catch up on my Visit Houston posts and get some great ideas for your visit –> here (or by clicking the Travel tab up top).

1.Yellow Rose Distillery

On my list was checking out one some of the local breweries and distilleries in the area. Since I happen to be a whiskey fan I decided on Yellow Rose Distillery. They offer a $10 tour, which includes tastings of their six different types of whiskey. They also have a great bar where they make some fabulous cocktails. Catch them the right time and you’ll get $5 drinks! You can catch tours Friday 4:30 and 5:30 pm and six tour options on Saturday on the 1/2 hr starting at 11:30. One really awesome thing about Yellow Rose is that they want you to come to hang out! Bring your kids, bring snacks and bring a board game and hang out with your friends. I would recommend their Old Fashioned AND their liquor chocolates. Those were so heavenly! You can also grab some of their special maple syrup and their Yellow Rose cocktail glasses. Supporting local businesses is so important, especially a business where they work so hard to make a quality local product.

2. Kaboom Books

A good used book store should always be on everyone’s list. This particular one in The Heights might need more than one visit because of its size. So many nooks and crannies, and I guarantee you will find something to tickle your fancy. There are 76 sections with over 100,000 books. You can find out of print books and current titles. Plus if you’re real lucky you might get to have good conversation with the owner who is often behind the counter…or get to pet the shop cat. Either way, put Kaboom Books on your list for things to check out while in Houston.

3. 19th Street

Welcome to the main drag of what is known as Houston Heights. The Heights, a planned community created in 1890 is a wonderful place to spend a good part of your afternoon if you are looking to get out of the downtown city part of Houston. Its everything you could ever want in an older part of town, a town within a town. The beauty of Houston Heights is in the tree-lined streets, the beautiful stately homes ( I might have scrolled a few pages worth on Zillow ), the fun art and 19th Street. The streets are lined with small business and locally owned shops, each with their own uniqueness. Visit the historic Heights Theater, built in 1929, and refurbished to be what it is now, keeping the Art Deco feel intact. 19th Street is also a bloggers dream, with adorable shops with quirky colors, and a few of those famous Houston Murals. Some of my favorite stores on the street include

By Cortney Martin from Houston, TX, USA – 19th Street, CC BY 2.0, Link

Vinal Edge Yes you did see the spelling and you wondered briefly if I had misspelled it. Nope, I didn’t. I heard about this shop from my friend and I came with room in my suitcase specifically for this shop. In business since the mid-80s, Vinal Edge has established themselves as a go-to record store in Houston. They have a great Jazz selection and a surprisingly decent classical selection. The classical selection is always a little iffy in many of record shops I’ve been in. The pricing is also very good as well. Most importantly they have a great listening area for you so you can check out your record stack before you purchase it. If you are into records give Vinal Edge and once over. Perhaps the coolest thing is that you can also place an order online and they will ship to you!!!
Dramatika – Dramatika is a locally owned frame shop, but step inside and find unique gifts that I’ve never seen anywhere and a solid collection of hysterical greeting cards. And yes, I realize that greetings card aren’t something that people usually care about anymore as snail mail is not as popular as it once was. You might change your mind after stepping into Dramatika.
Sweet Bribery – This yummy ice cream shop isn’t the only place to get some ice cream in The Heights, but man if it isn’t the cutest. The fluorescent Texas sign is probably my favorite thing, aside from the fun and unique ice cream flavors! The Bourbon Espresso was heavenly!! Sweet Bribery carries vegan and gluten-free options, which I know is appreciated, and you can have your ice cream served in handmade waffle cones! Each flavor is handcrafted and their ice cream is made from the simplest ingredients. Their master pastry chef was just nominated for Best Pastry Chef by Culture Map Houston, and it is well deserved.
Manready Mercantile – Looking for a manly shop full of leather, alcohol flavored toothpicks and candles? Yes, I said candles. Look no further than Manready Mercantile. Manready, opened in 2014, was opened to create a highly curated atmosphere of Houston-made, American-made and specifically chosen worldwide products that reflect the values of what it means to be a Texan. Many of the products are unisex, but a majority of products are products chosen by men, for men, which is something that was felt to be missing from the market in the way that Manready does it. The shop in and of itself is really cool to visit. Some of my favorite products are their candles that they make on site (my favorite is called John Wick), their alcohol flavored toothpicks and their hand-dipped bar glasses. Find cool Texas themed products like their recently launched vintage-inspired ball caps.
Retropolis – The coolest resale shop in Houston, full of Vintage clothing and accessories for sale. It also has an interesting collection of rentals as well. You pick out just about any color of polyester suit with matching ruffle shirt! Find your next themed night costume or that PanAm stewardess bag you’ve been looking for. Its an adventure every time and should definitely be on your list of things to check out when in The Heights.

4. Graffiti Building/ Houston Mural (Gelazzi building) – EADO and The Heights

If you’ve followed me on Instagram you know that aside from my love affair with the Houston skyline you know that I loved the Houston street art. I had in mind to see as much as I could and my awesome friend delivered. I would definitely say that Houston is known for its street art, and it is commonly the subject of Instagram accounts. Anyone can feel like a fashion blogger in front of one of these. I know I did! The main place to go to see a lot of street art in one place is the Graffiti Building in EADO (east downtown) Several buildings are covered in them, and you can find the angel wings there too! There is so much good stuff there so get your camera ready.

Another mural that was high on my list was the Welcome to Houston mural in The Heights. Stop in to Gelazzi and grab some gelato, then get a super cute “Welcome to Houston” snap before you leave.

5. Wells Fargo Building View (downtown architecture)

There aren’t many places to see the view of Houston from up high, especially since the restaurant in the Wedge Tower has been closed for renovation (don’t worry that’s coming back soon and its going to be awesome!). But you can take a few elevators and an escalator and check out the floor to ceiling view in the Wells Fargo Building. It was incredible and made me a little nervous. But I’m glad we didn’t give up the search. Seeing all of the amazing architecture from that view is worth getting up there, and the stroll to get there has a ton of sites to see.

6. Julia Ideson Library Reading Room and Ceiling

Another bucket list item should be the Julia Ideson Library Reading Room and the ceiling that is just outside of it. The Julia Ideson is a Houston Public Library in Downtown Houston. It was built in 1926, and for my fellow architecture lovers is modeled after the Spanish Renaissance. Everything about this place is gorgeous. In 1977 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

7. George Bush and Sesquicentennial Park

After George HW Bush passed away I learned that there was a park in Houston that was created to honor him. I knew that if I had some extra time that I needed to go visit. The whole Sesquicentennial Park and the green space that lines the Bayou Canal through the city is a great place to run while visiting Houston, eat a lunch, read or just take a walk in. Its close to the city, but I found it to be slightly removed the bustling and surprisingly peaceful. Come back and night and see the large silver art installations light up the night!

8. Beer Can House

In 1968 retired Southern Pacific Railroad worker began the project that would become The Beer Can House. Eighteen years later the house slowly began is disappear. Over 50,000 cans are estimated to have been used for the project. The walkway and driveway is even art, with embedded metal and marbles making it a colorful and unique site. You can go inside the beer can house for a small fee of $5. During the winter and spring months you can catch the Beer Can House open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5, but in the summertime you would have more opportunities to visit during the week (wed-sun 12-5pm).

9. Downtown Stroll and Bar Crawl

I happen to be an architecture lover. Looking at cool buildings makes me very happy. Houston is the perfect place for people like me, as their skyline is known for being awesome. Viewing it during the day is great, but come back at night and see how a lot of it is lit up, and how the different glass reflects the light. Its truly amazing. While you’re down there enjoy Houston’s nightlife and check out some of the coolest bars that I’ve ever been to. The downtown scene in the evening is one of the reasons I can’t wait to go back and one of the reasons Houston is being put on the travel map! Check out my post with 6 bars you must experience.

10. JP Morgan Chase Building

Probably one of my favorite buildings is the JP Morgan Chase building on Main Street in downtown Houston. The architecture is incredible as you can see from some of my pictures below, but the inside of this building is absolutely drool-worthy. Take a walk through and check out the old call boxes and mailboxes in the lobby, then go through and grab a bite to eat in Finn Hall.

There is so much to do in Houston that one list doesn’t even begin to cover it. Make sure to check out my other Houston posts linked here in this post, as well as up top in my travel drop down! You’ll find stuff to keep you busy for a whole weekend!

Houston, travel

Visit Houston Part 4 – Six Seriously Good Eats in Houston

February 3, 2019 No Comments

Continuing on with the Houston Love today I’m sharing six seriously good eats with ya’ll! Checking out good eats in Houston is a daunting task because there is just so much good food to be eaten. You could spend a whole trip checking off Burger joints. Then you’ve got BBQ, steakhouses, and Tex-Mex. There’s a never-ending supply of fabulous places to eat. Several places on the bucket list that I didn’t make it to were The 43rd Restaurant at Wedge Internation. I’m a bit of an architecture lover and eating here, with access to a balcony was going to be a fun treat. Unfortunately, it was closed for construction, but if you get a chance to check it out I would! {update: the 43rd is officially closed and will be reopening as Strato 550 this Spring! Y’all!! I am so excited, and it looks increidble. But it on your list} Add Niko Niko, Teotihuacan and Coltivare to your list. Those are on my Houston Bucket List! So, while the list is long you have to accept you just won’t be able to fit it all in. Between the amazing coffee shops with food, and bars (also with food) food can be the central point of your visit.

Ritual {602 Studewood Street}

Located in The Heights, is the rustic, home cooking, warm vibe Ritual. From the dark wood floors and walls, exposed brick, and the eclectic mix and match vintage plates – everything has been chosen to create the inviting atmosphere that you will find. Sit at the bar and enjoy the full menu which includes meat straight from the butcher room that you would have a great view of if you did sit at the bar. The Ritual Burger was amazing and I would add the Southern Street Corn and the Balsamic Brussel Sprouts w/Bacon to your list. The Old Fashioned was great. And just in case you were in the mood there’s a small collection of new vinyl you can purchase on your way out. Check the large board on the wall to check out the beers they have available because they do change. This isn’t the place to order your Budweiser or Coors. On Ritual’s bar list you’ll find local favorites like Lone Pint Yellow Rose, St Arnolds 5 o’clock Pils and Hoppy Witbier Real Ale White. After dinner head next door to The Ready Room for a drink and, depending on the night of the week, some good music.

Sit Lo in Finn Hall {712 Main Street}

Finn Hall is located in the JP Morgan Chase Building

Located in the newly opened Finn Hall, which I talked about in my coffee post, is Sit Lo – with its Vietnamese street food fare. Providing its customers with locally grown and fresh ingredients is an important part of the Sit Lo experience. If you’ve been downtown and seen a food truck called Bowl’D Up, those would be the same people that have now brought some of their best foods to Finn Hall as Sit Lo. Enjoy Southern Vietnamese fare from some of the most beloved family recipes. Their vermicelli bowls are worth giving a try, although the Imperial rolls were hit or miss. The choices at Finn Hall are many, so take a few visits and give each one a try. Let me know your favorite when you!

The Black Labrador {4100 Montrose Blvd #8}

If you’re looking for an authentic English Pub experience look no further than The Black Labrador in the Montrose area. I’ve been in several English pubs in different states and this one ranks near the top of experiences and food. The Black Lab is only second to Martin’s Tavern here in DC, which is one of my favorite places to eat. The Shepherd’s Pie was spectacular and is a must-try on the menu. The Black Lab is a large restaurant so even on a busy Friday Night seating wasn’t a huge issue. You can also choose to sit at their large bar area. When the weather is nicer they also offer outdoor patio seating. Grab a pint or a mixed drink, or choose one of their specialty UK libations like Pimm’s Cup or The Margaret Thatcher. When you’re done with dinner on a Friday or Saturday Night you can head upstairs for some music at Cezzane’s Jazz Club.

Surya {700 Durham Drive, Suite 200}

Chef-Owner Sheel Joshi brought his successful 10yr restaurant Surya from Beverly Hills to the Heights-area of Houston. You can see some remnants of Surya’s glitzy previous life with a Michelin guide recommendation as well as some famous faces with autographs on the wall. Bringing a little bit of glamour to Houston where home cooking and comfort food are well enjoyed. Sit back and enjoy this modern take on Northern Indian food, in a very modern atmosphere. I have maybe tried Indian food once in my life and didn’t consider myself to be a fan. This is one of the favorite restaurants of some of the people I spent time with in Houston, and there’s nothing better than having people who love something take you to try it and walk you through the process. Ordering here can a family-style event or you can order a personal serving. I favor the family style option for maximum testing of foods, and getting a little bit of everything you like. CSLblog recommended dishes – Aloo Gobi, Daal, Saag Paneer (this is the dish I was convinced I wouldn’t like but ended up being my favorite) and Chicken Tikka. I also can’t rave enough about their Naan bread! I’m a huge Naan fan and this was excellent and the portion size is huge!

Laredo Taqueria {915 Snover Street}

My one Mexican food outing this round was this local’s favorite. Located in the Memorial Park is the place where locals know its worth it to stand in line for 25+ minutes just to get inside. I wasn’t sure about that part but I assured that it would be and they weren’t wrong. Just make sure to prepare yourself for the ridiculousness that is the parking lot and side street of this place. Not that I was actually ever in fear for my life, everyone is just apparently excited about this food that parking can be a bit tricky to navigate. Be ready for the portion sizes on the platters because I was definitely not! I actually laughed out loud when I got my Tostadas. I couldn’t resist trying the Fideo bowl as well, so needless to say I did not finish my meal. One of my favorite things is that you can get yourself a nice cold glass bottle of soda. Nothing better than drinking soda from a glass bottle.

Laredo has three other locations so make sure to check their website to see if another location is closer to you!

Pho Saigon {2808 Milam Street}

On my “walking around Houston” day I found myself basically walking from one side of Houston to the other checking off things on my list that I didn’t get to see. It was my bonus “sketchy weather back home” day so I was bound and determined to get as much in as I could. I went to see the lanterns in front of the Toyota Center (which now seeing them at night and lit up in on my bucket list), a historical church that was burnt down and rebuilt, George Bush Park and whatever else I could find. The craving for Pho hit me so I looked up Pho in Houston. Pho Saigon is lauded as the best pho over and over again in my search and it was only another mile. I was working for my pho today! They did not disappoint. I’ve had a lot of pho here in the DC area and this pho was probably some of the best I have ever had. Service is quick and the pho inexpensive, two things I love about a good pho place. I will be honest and say the egg rolls were just okay, and I would pass on them next time. Also, weird note about the check. They leave it with you and you take it to the register, but I only realized that by watching people.