# Houstondad...



## EnjoliWoman

Hey - I just found out I'm going to be in Houston next month. Fly in Monday April 15, trade show all day 16/17 and fly out April 18 (my birthday - yay - what a way to spend it; at the airport).

So if you feel like meeting a TAMer face to face, let me know.

All other Texas welcome but I know it's a big state.


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## Houstondad

Sure! Houston is a pretty big city and there's a lot to do.


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## EnjoliWoman

Well I'll be at the show all day at Reliant Park - what should I see/do in the evenings? I forgot you were full-time Dad so if you can't meet for a quick drink or bite, no biggie, just always fun to put a face w/ a name. But some advice on a few things to see in the evenings would be great! 

ETA: no ulterior motive, LOL


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## Almostrecovered

Bown chicka bown bown


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## GTdad

I'll grab Arbitrator and we'll road trip it to Houston. We'll see how many cowboy bars we can thrown out of. 

Wild men, the both of us.


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## Houstondad

EW,
There is so much to see and do here. When the time comes, just send me what you're in the mood for (drink/food) and I can send you some ideas. I would recommend Tex-Mex for food because no one comes remotely close to how good we make it. Great craft beer, wine bars, and Mixology Lounges have made a name for themselves here.
And since I have extended family here, finding someone to watch my kiddos is not hard at all.
GTdad,
You should know better not to stereotype Houston as a ******* laden town! Haha. But y'all come on down ya hear! ;-P


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## EnjoliWoman

We can show those Oregon TAMers how a meet up is done!

Love TexMex but not too hot! My tender little tastebuds can't handle Jalepenos.


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## SpinDaddy

Well there is the Johnson Space Center and dehydrated astronaut ice cream. Right by Reliant Center there’s the Bass Pro Shop – and it does have a very good seafood restaurant.

But seriously, TexMex aside, Houston is a very culinary(illy) diverse city which did and continues to benefit from its proximity to New Orleans – I’d try to sample more than Tex Mex while in town.


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## EnjoliWoman

SpinDaddy - no I wouldn't want TexMEx every day - I'll have 3 nights there so I'll be able to try a couple different restaurants.

LOL @ Bass Pro... who knew they had a restaurant!


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## SpinDaddy

OK here’s a few, mostly in the Upper Kirby/Mid-Town area between the Skyline District and the Galleria. Montrose area more or less – I guess. Just up the road from you if you’re staying around Reliant. Another cool thing about Reliant is you can take the Metro into downtown’s Museum, Skyline or Theatre Districts and there are lots of great eateries along the way.

Anymore, I tend to judge places on what toys they have in the Happy Meal and whether the kids will eat their chicken nuggets!


Vincent's (Italian)
El Tiempo Cantina (Mexican)
Farrago World Cuisine (Contemporary)
Paulie's (Italian)
Backstreet Café (American)
Latina Café (Cuban)
Cyclone Anaya's (Mexican)
Khyber Restaurant (Indian)
Thai Spice Buffet II (Thai)
Tony Mandola's Gulf Coast (Cajun, Italian and Mexican influences)
Massa's Restaurant (Seafood)
Mia Bella (Italian)
Dacapo's "Heart of the Heights” (Pastry Café)
Post Oak Grill (American)
BAMBOO House (Asian)
Ouisie's Table (American)
Merida Mexican Restaurant (Mexican -- neighborhood may be sketchy for some)
Pizzitola's BBQ (BBQ)


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## GTdad

Too bad Pe-Te's, across from Ellington Field, is closed. Best cajun food (and music) this side of the Sabine.


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## EnjoliWoman

Do you think I should get a rental car or is the public transport pretty good and safe? I hate driving in strange places.


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## SpinDaddy

Car absolutely. And don’t worry about being in a strange place – nobody in Houston seems to know where they’re going. 

A little hint to blend in would be, if you do use your turn signal, turn in the opposite direction of what you’re indicating and/or if you’re on the inner-loop or the beltway, always begin to exit from the freeway about 90 ft. from the off-ramp and preferably in as far a left-hand lane as possible.

Actually, Houston is pretty easy, except for downtown which has a lot of one-ways, this city was pretty much designed for driving. 

Metro is safe but it’s really limited in where and when you get there.


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## EnjoliWoman

SpinDaddy said:


> Car absolutely. And don’t worry about being in a strange place – nobody in Houston seems to know where they’re going.
> 
> A little hint to blend in would be, if you do use your turn signal, turn in the opposite direction of what you’re indicating and/or if you’re on the inner-loop or the beltway, always begin to exit from the freeway about 90 ft. from the off-ramp and preferably in as far a left-hand lane as possible.
> 
> Actually, Houston is pretty easy, except for downtown which has a lot of one-ways, this city was pretty much designed for driving.
> 
> Metro is safe but it’s really limited in where and when you get there.


Yay, just like Charlotte; I'll feel right at home!


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## SingleInTx

Car for sure! Houston is so spread out once you leave the immediate downtown area. And in Texas, our public transportation S-U-C-K-S! 

Side note I'll be in Houston over Easter weekend... too bad I'll miss y'all by a couple weeks! :-(


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## SingleInTx

Side note- Texas meet up sometime?? Lol.


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## Freak On a Leash

Damn..I'm jealous. I love Tex Mex. The hotter the better. I dump jalapenos on my burger and in my eggs.  Have fun Enjoli and don't get into trouble with any of them hot "Urban Cowboys".  

If you ever come up to the Jersey Shore, give me a holler. I'll show you an awesome time! :smthumbup:


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## EnjoliWoman

Freak On a Leash said:


> Damn..I'm jealous. I love Tex Mex. The hotter the better. I dump jalapenos on my burger and in my eggs.  Have fun Enjoli and don't get into trouble with any of them hot "Urban Cowboys".
> 
> If you ever come up to the Jersey Shore, give me a holler. I'll show you an awesome time! :smthumbup:


Jalepenos are just painful. I don't understand how something can be considered 'good' if it is actually physically painful to eat!

Nah I won't get into trouble! I have to actually fit a lot of work in to those 3 days! I just figured it seemed like there were a lot of Texans on this message board but Houston was the only obviously Houstonian so thought I'd toss out being available to meet anyone who wanted to. 

I bet you WOULD show me a good time! Although I can hold my liquor I have a feeling I'm out of your league in the fun department!


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## Freak On a Leash

EnjoliWoman said:


> Jalepenos are just painful. I don't understand how something can be considered 'good' if it is actually physically painful to eat!


No no..muy delicioso! Yum! I seriously love jalapenos AND I'll put them on my burger and eggs with pepper jack cheese and salsa! I love spicy food. 

You live in the southeast and you people are into BLAND food. I lived in Virginia for 3 years and my taste buds were in such pain. Even your pizza is bland! No garlic or oregano and the mozzarella cheese was fake! The bagels were just plain rolls with a hole in them! :slap: I went though serious foodie withdrawal down south!

I do like grits though. And biscuits and gravy. :smthumbup: So it's not all bad!



> I bet you WOULD show me a good time! Although I can hold my liquor I have a feeling I'm out of your league in the fun department!


We'd be getting down and dirty Jersey-style girlfriend! :smthumbup: :toast:  So if you are ever in my part of the world shoot me a PM.  I think you could hold your own. You sound like a LOT of fun.


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## EnjoliWoman

LOL Will do! I'd try my best to hang! 


PS I'm originally from PA and agree on the food but that isn't the case in the cities - lots of interesting diversity in food now.


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## Freak On a Leash

Well, I did live in Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA in the mid 80s. Things have changed a LOT since then. They had a great greek restaurant I used to go there though. 

You mentioned Charlotte. I went to Charlotte a few times in the '90s to attend Mustang events and I ran at Charlotte Motor Speedway a few times. Nearly wrecked my car on the tire wall on Turn 3 once..but that's another story. We considered going to the Outback Steakhouse the best Charlotte had to offer but I'm sure thats changed as well.


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## EnjoliWoman

Freak On a Leash said:


> Well, I did live in Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA in the mid 80s. Things have changed a LOT since then. They had a great greek restaurant I used to go there though.
> 
> You mentioned Charlotte. I went to Charlotte a few times in the '90s to attend Mustang events and I ran at Charlotte Motor Speedway a few times. Nearly wrecked my car on the tire wall on Turn 3 once..but that's another story. We considered going to the Outback Steakhouse the best Charlotte had to offer but I'm sure thats changed as well.


Yup, it has. Plus the CHS is actually not located in Charlotte but in Concord. Downtown has a lot of cultural and entertainment options now. Lots of cool stuff to do. I've been here for 27 years and it has changed a LOT. And for the better. Much more metropolitan and diverse.


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## Freak On a Leash

Ok..If I go back down south this summer I'll drop in and you show me a great time and you come up here to the Shore and we'll rock out! :smthumbup: Sound good? 

You'd need like a week at least here though..Summer at the Jersey Shore is freakin' awesome.


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## Freak On a Leash

EnjoliWoman said:


> Yup, it has. Plus the CHS is actually not located in Charlotte but in Concord.


That is true but the hotel we stayed at was in Charlotte.  We car nuts went to lots of cool NASCAR museums and garages though. Fun. But my interests have changed (don't do much open track in a JEEP! :rofl so I'm into party/socializing mode now.


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## Thoreau

Pappadeaux's. Awesome restaurant.


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## EnjoliWoman

Freak On a Leash said:


> Ok..If I go back down south this summer I'll drop in and you show me a great time and you come up here to the Shore and we'll rock out! :smthumbup: Sound good?
> 
> You'd need like a week at least here though..Summer at the Jersey Shore is freakin' awesome.


Sounds good! If I can swing that long off - otherwise you might have to condense it  Next year I get four weeks of vaca plus 7 personal days so way more options then.

But I'll do my best down here and we can trade filming of riding o' the bull for NoWhere!


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## Freak On a Leash

Ok..we can do a weekend but we will have to forego sleep. 

When I get down there invite Nowhere and we'll go looking for some bull to ride. :rofl:


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## EnjoliWoman

NoWhere lives 3 states away. But who knows - with both of us together he may consider it worth his while!


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## arbitrator

GTdad said:


> I'll grab Arbitrator and we'll road trip it to Houston. We'll see how many cowboy bars we can thrown out of.
> 
> Wild men, the both of us.


Having led a somewhat sheltered childhood, I didn't really break free until college. That's why in my oilfield days back in the 80's, I seemed to always be designated by my company as their official designated driver at the Offshore Technology Conference. Was always running conference delegates out to Gilley's in Pasadena.

Wish I had a dollar for everyone of those buzzards that I ended up hauling out there! I really miss that place!

Let's drink a hearty toast to







and to the many wonderful memories of


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## Freak On a Leash

EnjoliWoman said:


> NoWhere lives 3 states away. But who knows - with both of us together he may consider it worth his while!


Oh..I'd think so...


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## arbitrator

Thoreau said:


> Pappadeaux's. Awesome restaurant.


No! That's second rate, prefabbed stuff!

I propose that when we have our Texas "TAM Meet-Up," that it's out on Galveston Island. And I'm going to absolutely force all of you to have to endure some rather low-class seafood, hurricanes, and cuba-libras, and super-rich chocolate/pecan pie at a this little ol' hole-in-the wall known as *Gaido's!* All with a stunning view of the Texas Gulf!


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## Deejo

Houston ... where a sparkling steel and glass sky scraper and high end fitness boutique can be right next door to a tattoo parlor and run down auto repair shop.

No zoning.

Try hitting Fogo de Chao on Westheimer. Bring your appetite.


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## EnjoliWoman

Wow I have quite the list! Thanks everyone! I'm going to copy it all down and tuck in my wallet so I can check some of them out while there.


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## arbitrator

Deejo said:


> Houston ... where a sparkling steel and glass sky scraper and high end fitness boutique can be right next door to a tattoo parlor and run down auto repair shop.
> 
> No zoning.
> 
> Try hitting Fogo de Chao on Westheimer. Bring your appetite.


No zoning in H Town? Not entirely! You just can't have bars, "hootchie-cootchie" houses, or adult bookstores within 1,000 feet of a church or a school. But everything else there seems to be fair game!

And I will heartily second your motion on Fogo de Chao!


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## Freak On a Leash

The BEST places to eat are the hole in the walls or at least the places where the locals frequent. I don't eat at "chain" restaurants unless my kids want to or I'm with someone else who wants to. One nice thing about the town I live in is that there are NO fast food restaurants at all. :smthumbup:

I enjoy restaurants that have atmosphere. Great food, a nice view is a BIG bonus! I lived in Virginia Beach for 3 years when my husband was in the Navy. Turns out several years later I went down there for a car show with my Mustang. We had a huge crew from Jersey down there and most of them went to one of the prefab, "tourist" places right on the waterfront with the expensive buffet. I told my friends "Don't go there, the food sucks, come with me and you'll get the BEST seafood in Hampton Roads." 

So we hopped in a car and I took them to the other side of Virginia Beach down these back roads. They kept saying "Where the hell are you taking us, back to NJ?" :rofl: Then we go to this small bar/restaurant and they were blown away by the food! They were talking about it for months. And everyone else paid twice as much for crappy, dried out food. So it's always great to be shown around by a local! :smthumbup:

I'd def be into going to Galveston Island. That looks like MY kind of place. Hang out, enjoy the view, eat some good food, conversation and drink either beer or wine or a delicious shake. Def my way to enjoy a sunny day! :smthumbup: I'm SO there!


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## arbitrator

Freak On a Leash said:


> I'd def be into going to Galveston Island. That looks like MY kind of place. Hang out, enjoy the view, eat some good food, conversation and drink either beer or wine or a delicious shake. Def my way to enjoy a sunny day! :smthumbup: I'm SO there!


Spring Break is over! The Galveston hotel/restaurant rates will have gone down and will largely remain that way up until the summer vacation season actually begins.

If staying on the Island, if for nothing more than the turn-of-the-century ambience, I'd heartily recommend staying at the *Hotel* *Galvez*!


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## Houstondad

Wow. I would have never thought there would be such a popular thread dedicated to me. Haha.
Tex-Mex is a must. And don't worry, it's not all spicy (like my No Label Jalapeno Beer).
Fogo is awesome if you're a carnivore.
Also, BBQ and if it's still in season Crawfish!!


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## EnjoliWoman

It sort of became a Texas thread but aren't you lucky it has your name! 

Uh, I'm leary of Crawfish. Those are things we played with in the creek as children. I don't want antennae and heads on my food. Now if they are served like shrimp I'm OK. LOL


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## arbitrator

EnjoliWoman said:


> It sort of became a Texas thread but aren't you lucky it has your name!
> 
> Uh, I'm leary of Crawfish. Those are things we played with in the creek as children. I don't want antennae and heads on my food. Now if they are served like shrimp I'm OK. LOL


Darlin': Bring your tired ol' bones down here to IAH, and we'll personally chauffer you over on a 3-1/2 hour journey on IH-10 to just outside of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana to a lil' ol' place called *Pat's of Henderson*.










Their boiled crawfish will absolutely put those crawdads from your childhood to shame! Eat a bucket of those babies and you will never want to go back home!


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## EnjoliWoman

LOL we didn't EAT them - we PLAYED with them! Do they remove the heads? Yeah, I know they are supposed to be great - whatever. I don't eat things with eyes and antennae.


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## Shooboomafoo

Been in Houston, or the surrounding area, since 1978.


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## moxy

Houston is fun! You'll have a great time, I think. Here are some things I think might be worth looking into -- 

The new paleo hall at the museum of natural science is amazing (!!!). 

Always great exhibits in the museum of fine arts or contemporary arts. 

Also, the Opera is doing Tristan and Isolde at that time and the Houston Grand Opera is surprisingly good. 

Lots of restaurants and bars, too. I like The Rainbow Lodge and Papasitos, personally.


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## Freak On a Leash

EnjoliWoman said:


> . I don't eat things with eyes and antennae.


You don't eat lobster? :scratchhead:

I'm not squeamish about such things. If it tastes good, I'll eat it.


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## EnjoliWoman

Freak On a Leash said:


> You don't eat lobster? :scratchhead:
> 
> I'm not squeamish about such things. If it tastes good, I'll eat it.


I do but they put the tail on the plate, not the antennae and head!

Crawfish are usually boiled whole, you snap the head off and suck the juices out. Blech.


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## arbitrator

*Take it from this native Texan who was proudly Louisiana raised and educated: * 

*Regarding these*:










*Just follow this sage Louisiana Cajun advice, to the letter: *


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## GTdad

Mmmmm, mud bugs.


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## Freak On a Leash

EnjoliWoman said:


> I do but they put the tail on the plate, not the antennae and head!
> 
> Crawfish are usually boiled whole, you snap the head off and suck the juices out. Blech.


:rofl: :lol: What do you think you do with boiled whole lobster? I got to the store and pick up a whole lobster and pop it in the pot of boiling water. Listen to it scream for awhile and when it's good and red, I pull it out, let it cool and eat it! I eat everything, including the green guts and it has the head, antennae, etc. Crawfish is just a miniature version of a lobster. 

Now I'm getting hungry...


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## ExisaWAW

Wow, I'm in the Houston-area too! I'm all for getting together in Galveston. It's just down the road.


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