LOCAL Houston | The City Guide April 2018 | Page 64

FOOD | ARTS | COMMUNITY | STYLE+LEISURE
THINGS WE LIKE
This month, LOCAL Houston magazine asked our regular contributors where they would take
family visiting Houston from out of town. What are the places our writers love? Read on.
JANICE SCHINDELER, writer: First on my list is Killen‘s BBQ in
Pearland – from the hour-long line to the scrumptious brisket and
monster beef rib, out-of-staters need to witness this Texas craze! Also
the Houston Zoo, because gorilla land and the elephant space
are just so wonderful. We always drive through the dream land of
massive excess – River Oaks (as it has to be seen to be believed) -
same for Tent City, though the contrast can be unsettling. For dining,
Coltivare, StarFish, Underbelly, Potente, Xochi, Hugo‘s and Caracol
are my favorite restaurants, plus Brennan‘s from Sunday brunch -
because -– well, because it is Brennan‘s, the definition of excellence.
Oh, and we have to go to Kuhl-Linscomb – it’s just so damn cool.
SARAH GISH, writer: I love all the labyrinths in Houston. It’s surprising,
but we have over 20 sprinkled all over the city – so many that the Labyrinth
Society, an international organization, decided to hold their annual meeting
here two years ago! My three favorites are at the Hines Center for Spirituality
and Prayer, the University of St. Thomas and Faith Lutheran Church. You can
find a list of Houston’s labyrinths here: www.gishcreative.com/Houston_laby-
rinth_list.pdf. Walk a labyrinth and feel immediate peace!
CARLOS BRANDON, writer: I would take out-of-town family members to
see the Buffalo Bayou Cistern, to eat at Kata Robata, Cuchara and a
whole food tour of Koreatown and to see both the Museum of Fine Arts and
the EaDo street-art murals. I would finish this hypothetical weekend with some
cocktails downtown: a Mezcal Margarita at The Pastry War and a Velvet
Scotch at Honeymoon. This is my perfect Houston weekend, capturing the vast
diversity of the city‘s food, arts and cultural scenes.
MIKE COOK, writer: Whenever we have out-of-town
family visit, we always seem to end up at a Heights area
brewery. Whether it‘s walking to Town and City or driving
to one of the many other options (Eureka Heights,
Great Heights, Brash, Platypus), we always have a good
time. You may or may not even realize just how kid-friend-
ly these breweries are – aside from having great beer,
kids are welcome and dare we say, embraced. We'll also
hit Donovan Park and Heights Mercantile, both great for
families of all ages (lots of young kids in ours). We almost
always end up at Collina‘s, Theo‘s or El Tiempo if we go
out to dinner (always accommodating to large groups).
No, we don‘t have a drinking and/or eating problem; we
just enjoy a good time!
Photography by Katya Horner
VICTORIA BARTLETT, contributing editor: I would drive around Loop 610 with
commentary – it encompasses everything from skyscrapers built with oil and gas
money to refineries to ship channel to lots of concrete to San Jacinto Monument
to opening shot of “Urban Cowboy.” I’d also suggest a boat trip down the Ship
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Channel—just because it’s different, especially if visitors are from landlocked places. The Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center is
my home away from home, and if they’re friends and family, they’ve been hearing about it for ten years. For food, I’d take
them to Killen’s BBQ or Central TX BBQ (both in Pearland)—it’s Texas, they expect BBQ and these are my favorites. Also,
Hickory Hollow for chicken fried steak—because if they’re really interested in Texas food, it’s gonna be chicken fried steak.
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