When a good game's on, we suggest finding a seat at
PJ's Sports
Bar (614 West Gray, 713-520-1748), a cozy sports bar that was
once a two-story house in the Montrose area. If a good seat above
the city lights is more your speed, Scott Gertner's
Skybar &
Grille (3400 Montrose Boulevard, 713-520-9688) offers an
unparalleled vantage of
Houston's colorful sprawl.
Houston Day Three
Lace up your running shoes and trot out to
Rice University
(6100 Main Street) for a three-mile lap under a beautiful canopy of
trees. Or, if you've got kids in tow and have already done the
Houston Space Center, head to the 240-plus-acre
Moody
Gardens in Galveston (One Hope Boulevard, 800-582-4673,
www.moodygardens.com)
for a little bit of everything: an indoor rain forest with
bats and tree frogs, an ice rink, an IMAX theater, and Palm
Beach - a white-sand beach where you can slather on the
suntan lotion and bake in the rays throughout the summer.
If blues on Day One was inspirational and you're looking to feed
the inner musician in you (or just find it), check out
Rockin'
Robin (3619 South Shepherd, 713-529-5442,
www.rockinrobinguitars.com).
The place attracts a steady stream of big-name customers -
including
Stevie Ray Vaughan in the old days, and Cheap Trick's
Rick Nielsen, who recently picked up a sweet Les Paul guitar at
this six-string haven.
With so many good restaurants in Houston, it's difficult to narrow
your final night's choices, but
Aries (4315 Montrose
Boulevard, 713-526-4404,
www.ariesrestaurant.com) takes
top billing. Chef Scott Tycer was named by
Food & Wine
as one of the 10 best new chefs in the country. Everything is
freshly made each day - the restaurant has no freezer. And it
contracts with area farmers to grow its own produce. Tycer's bread
earned such accolades that he opened a bakery and now supplies
other Houston restaurants.
Rainbow Lodge (1 Birdsall Street,
713-861-8666), located on a once-private estate, is also a good
choice. After enjoying a cold one on the outside terrace, indulge
in a menu that includes wild game as well as
Gulf Coast seafood
specialties.