Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Houston French Restaurants

Here are some of the very famous French restaurants in Houston where you'll love to go whenever you visit Houston:

La Madelain French Bakery & Cafe

The La Madelain French Bakery & Café offers good food, with a soothing and fairly accurate "French country" environment. Probably it's not considered among the excellent French food restaurants in the city, but the overall environment is good. The salads, desserts, and steaks are consistent and very traditional. Onion and tomato-basil are special dishes. The French roast coffee is very delicious. The roasted chicken is well served with dips and the desserts are the best serving, a cardiologist's dream. It is somewhat different and amazing place with a quick service, for a peaceful breakfast experience in early morning.

Le Mistral
Le Mistral is one of the nice restaurants in Houston with an obvious French ambience. Le Mistral serves French food coupled with tasty wines. A few standouts include the filet of red snapper that is seasoned and encased in an attractive pastry with a plain morel paste. Another hot picked dish is the rack of lamb that they serve hot, coupled with a gorgeous mixture of pesto-punched cauliflower along with haricots. You'll take pleasure in having a fine glass of wine with your meal; the wine list is fantastic and crammed with values.

Bistro Provence
All the wines served here are absolutely French and famous desserts include:
· Natural citrus sorbets
· Rice pudding served with crispy caramel plus baba au rhum
· Grainy sponge cake mixed with rhum syrup with a steamy apricot and fluffy cream
Get ready to be wowed. The service is sociable and superb. The food is tasty from the starters throughout the dessert.

Le Peep-Shepherd Plaza
Le Peep is Houston's most preferred place for breakfast as well as lunch. For starters, enjoy the aroma of Cinnamon rolls that they serve real hot with their homemade icings. You can select from the following super American classic breakfast items:
· Eggs
· Bacon
· Sausage
· Thomas' English muffins
· Ham
· Pancakes
· Eggs Benedict
· French toast
· Cookies along with gravy
All this will get your dawn started right.

Houston - Kemah Boardwalk

The Kemah Boardwalk is a fantastic destination in Kemah, Texas. The place holds plenty of hotels, restaurants, and a small selection of fun rides. The major attractions of the place are its countless restaurants and Galveston Bay, enjoyable sailing, and fun rides. The complex was built by Landry's which holds the ownership of all of the restaurants on the boardwalk. Activities consist of shopping and midway games, and a small train that passes through the whole location. More attractions are a 36-foot carousel in addition to a 65-foot Ferris wheel. Kemah Boardwalk is the nearest fun and amusement park in the Houston city.

Lots of visitors to Space Center Houston will later leave for seafood at Kemah, which is the most nearby location and one of the best amusement parks of America. The most famous of the Kemah restaurants is the Landry's Seafood House which first established itself as a family-owned restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana. Being popular as the family's home, it later turned out a hot pick for locals and ultimately developed into a flourishing restaurant business.

Kemah used to be a rural shrimp port on Galveston Bay where you could purchase a number of shrimp and a beer and take a seat by the waterfront on an afternoon to gaze at the shrimp boats crossing the line. The largest part of the dock was swept away in the year 1984 by a hurricane, and in the 1990s it was purchased by a construction engineer who constructed the boardwalk, a number of restaurants, a hotel, and a few touristy stores, rides, and attractions. The eateries overlook the water; if you walk along the boardwalk you'll go by every one. Choose the one that is the most attractive one for you. In the midst of the attractions is a 50,000-gallon, floor-to-ceiling aquarium accommodating over 100 types of tropical fish in the Aquarium Restaurant.

Houston Battleship Texas State Historic Site

In the year 1948, the Battleship Texas turned out to be the first battleship monument museum in America. In the same year, on the celebrations of Texas Independence, the Battleship was put on display for the State of Texas and custom-built as the flagship of the Texas Navy. In the year 1983, the Battleship was located under the ownership of the Texas Parks as well as Wildlife Department and is permanently fixed on the Buffalo Bayou along with the busy Houston Ship Channel. The Texas Parks near to Wildlife Department's 1,200-acre San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site contains the Battleground, Memorial as well as Battleship Texas. These sites are situated within minutes of city center Houston and a few steps away from the seaside of Galveston Island. Millions of visitors visit this area every year to get pleasure from the mild coastal atmosphere and to participate in artistic and sports activities. Students and visitors are the most privileged ones for being capable of experiencing history directly from the living history at the San Jacinto Battleground and Battleship Texas.

Throughout the first part of the 20th century, the main naval powers of the world assembled lots of Dreadnought-style battleships. But now there is only one. Once, the battleship Texas had been the most dominant weapon on earth. When it was custom-built in the year 1914, the 14-inch guns were the biggest around the world.

This hi-tech miracle of the time served with the British Grand Fleet in First World War and was the representative of the whole American Navy between the two World Wars. During the World War II, the ancient Texas sustained amphibious attacks in North Africa, Southern France, as well as Okinawa. No longer required to protect her country, the Battleship was set aside from the scrap yard to turn into the nation's first historic museum in the year 1948. Now lying serenely in her moor at the San Jacinto State Park close to Houston, the momentum is still serving its country—inspiring rather than fighting.

Houston Vietnamese Restaurant

Vietnamese cuisine seems easy to prepare, yet a lot of restaurateurs can't seem to get the right taste. There are plenty of Vietnamese restaurants in Houston, but the following three restaurants serve real Vietnamese taste and offer a number of traditional dishes on really affordable prices.

A Ly Oriental Restaurant: 11360 Bellaire Blvd

This Vietnamese restaurant is simply amazing. It is one of the most genuine Vietnamese restaurants in Houston. A Ly Oriental seems to be especially utilitarian - having simple and natural atmosphere. The shrimp spring rolls are the best among all the appetizers served. And wonton soup that is served with vegetables is the special dish. You can have walnut chicken, pan-fried vermicelli, and spicy scallops as part of the main menu. They only offer jasmine tea instead of oolong tea.

Anh Dao: 8244 Antoine Dr

At Anh Dao, the Bo Luc Lac is the hot pick of all the customers since no other restaurant makes their lime sauce as tasty and their beef is always tender and baked right! With the Vietnamese Egg Rolls is offered their remarkable Nuc Bam, just perfect combo of carrots, fish, and red pepper! The ambiance isn't so wonderful, it's the very last thing you're wondering about with all the passion they put in their cuisine!

BoBa Cafe Vietnamese Cuisine: 1113 Holman St

The most famous dish at BoBa café is their Vietnamese sandwich that is fresh, big in size, and of course, delicious. They serve you Pho which two of you can easily share. It's located in a small strip center with an amazingly huge number of parking spaces. Very economic prices and hot entrees that smell really good and the aroma is something which will keep you remember Boba café's dinner forever. Kim and her husband (both the owners) make the first-rate Pho in the town and they also serve it with a home-grown chili paste. The place is perfectly clean and the waiters are very sociable.

Houston - San Jacinto Monument and Museum

The San Jacinto Museum of History is located in the fantastic city of Houston. Located within the base of the San Jacinto Monument, the museum has one of the major collections of Texas sculpture, works of art including history. The museum was launched both to tribute those who struggled in the Battle of San Jacinto in the year 1836, and to re-envision the olden times of Texas and Southwest Spanish. It was built as a curator of history-to support alliance between Texas, Mexico, Spain, France as well as Latin America. The San Jacinto Monument is the tallest battle monument around the world, going 15 feet higher than the Washington Monument and tributes all those who fought for Texas' sovereignty.

On the San Jacinto Battleground in the year 1836, Texas won its freedom from Mexico with a devastating sudden attack by the Texan army, whose fight cry was "Remember the Alamo!" To honor that victory, community leaders in the year 1936 constructed a gigantic obelisk as tall as the Washington Memorial but crested with a Texas Lone Star. In the base of the memorial is a little museum of Texas history with a number of appealing exhibits, for example, one about rather unsung Texas leader "Deaf" Smith, and an anthology of watercolors of the Mexican Battle created by Sam Chamberlain. There is also a small audience hall where you can enjoy a half hour documentary of the war. If you would like to examine some of the Port of Houston and the rest of the area for miles around, you can take the elevator to the inspection room on the peak of the tower, which is over 500 feet above the ground.

You need at least an hour for the whole Texas tour, and as much for a second time to visit the monument.

Houston - Rice Village Shopping District

Rice Village is a shopping district situated in the city of Houston, Texas. Rice Village is a collection of shops, hotels, and saloons, located almost a half-mile west to the middle of Rice University's campus. The central part of the "Rice Village" goes more than 10 city blocks, distanced by the following:
· University Boulevard
· Kirby Drive
· Rice Boulevard
· Morningside Drive
Spillover has extended the retail shops part to sixteen blocks overall, counting northward expansion next to Kirby and into the nearby mixed-use blocks linking Morningside to Greenbriar. Rice Village has been among the city's oldest and most treasured shopping spots since the 1930s. The whole structure is unplanned, high density assortment of old and new retail shops.

The place is full of dozens of restaurants. Along with classical North American restaurants there are places focusing on food from all over the world. Rice Village has the following number of restaurants specializing in regional foods:

· Three French restaurants
· Two Japanese restaurants
· Two Chinese restaurants
· Two Italian restaurants
· Two Turkish restaurants
· One Mexican restaurant
· Two Spanish restaurants
· One Mediterranean restaurant
· One Vietnamese restaurant
· Two Indian restaurants
· Three Thai restaurants
Besides these restaurants, there are a number of sandwich shops, exemplary in sophistication and pleasing service along with specialty food and cocktail stores.

From its beginning in the year 1930s as an ad hoc cluster of retail shops, the place has turned in to one of city's more attractive and exotic shopping destinations. Host to more than 300 stores in a 16-block area, the Village has something amazing for everyone coming to the place and is acknowledged for its huge number of small and mixed shops as well as boutiques. Recent development in the area has also brought in most fashionable and chic garments stores and the countrywide retail venues.

Houston Thai Restaurants

If you like eating, then Houston is the best place for you! With eateries of every cuisine that you can think of lining all the city's streets, you can hit upon something that brings water in your mouth. If it's Thai food you want to have, then you're absolutely in luck because there are quite a lot of great Thai restaurants in Houston. Here are described the 4 top Thai restaurants in Houston:

Thai Gourmet:
On Richmond in the center of the city's big-time restaurant locality, Thai Gourmet is the place to choose spicy Thai food. Actually, when ordering food items you can select your preferred heat level from mild, medium, sizzling, or Thai hot if you want to have some adventure. Their Green Curry Chicken along with Drunken Noodles is the hot favorite dish of all foreigners.

Golden Room:
Situated on the ever chic Montrose Blvd., Golden Room has been a top pick for years. It is a mock-up of a Thai residence, providing the dining room an attractive passionate touch. The wait staff is responsive and the majority is fluent in Thai. Red curry shrimp plus all chicken dishes are hot favorites, with their stuffed fresh snapper and beef satay.

Patu:
This small snack bar is on Rice Blvd. in the exclusive Rice Village part of the city and it brings one of the finest buffets of any Thai restaurant around. The lunch buffet is realistically priced at almost $10 per person and includes a wide diversity of meat and vegetarian choices alike.

Thai Spice: Also situated in Rice Village, Thai Spice has a superb natural ambiance and great service. They offer an especially affordable lunch buffet all through the week that brings a diversity of curries and other Thai specialties. A number of dishes can be sizzling hot, so be careful. The cost at Thai Spice makes it among the best deal Thai restaurants around the city, with no entrees more than about $13.

Explore one of these wonderful Thai restaurants in Houston to enjoy the real Thai atmosphere in the city.

Houston Sushi Restaurants

Eating sushi in Houston's sushi restaurants is just an extension of the fantastic tasting seafood that one can get in Houston on the Texas beaches. Several of these places offer some of the most delicious sushi in South Texas.

Miyako - 3910 Kirby Drive, Suite A, Houston, TX 77098 - 713-520-9797

This restaurant is serving fresh sushi for many years. But, it just recently became recognized by its customers to have the freshest sushi in the city. This restaurant has more than forty different servings of sushi as well as sashimi, which includes the choice of soy paper or seaweed wrap. Among other servings are tempuras along with teriyaki entrées.

Uptown Sushi - 1131 Uptown Park Blvd., Suite 14, Houston, TX 77056 - 713-871-1200

This self-service restaurant oozes ambiance and sophistication. Though Uptown Sushi offers more of the blending style of sushi, sushi fans will be in love with this place. The price range for entrées is $15-$28, and contains the blackened lobster along with shrimp fettuccine.

Azuma Rice Village - 5600 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77005 - 713-432-9649

This restaurant is best acknowledged for its sizzling rock beef. If you are unsure exactly what sizzling beef is, well it is just as it sounds. It is pieces of beef grilled on a hot rock at the table. Azuma Rice Village offers a great variety of sake with a number of different Japanese beers.

Blue Fish House - 2241 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77098 - 713-529-3100

This restaurant is actually a Japanese teashop. However the interior is a bit old-fashioned, the foodstuff and service make up for the lack of room. The price range for menu items is $2-$14.95.

Although none of these paces features buffets, the originality and innovation of their meals says it all. Furthermore, because the sushi and sashimi is freshly cooked, it appeals more than a mere buffet.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Originally situated in the City Auditorium house in downtown, the Houston science museum was later shifted to another building inside Houston Zoo in the year 1929. The museum's major collection was obtained between 1914 and 1930. The existing flair in Hermann Park was constructed in the year 1969. In 1988, the science museum became the first partner site for the Challenger Center Association. The museum's high turnout levels have allowed the place to start plans to spread out and double its floor space in the coming years. The new displays are most likely to concentrate on dinosaurs and astronomy.

Burke Baker Planetarium displays a variety of science and astronomy illustrations. The planetarium is set with the SkySkan Digital Sky star field projector that can counterfeit stars, globes, comets, vague objects and other extraordinary effects. A digital stereo sound system also adds to planetarium's exceptional effects.

Cockrell Butterfly Center was opened in 1964, it's a butterfly zoo situated in museum complex. The center is accommodated in a triple story glass building full of tropical vegetation as well as butterflies. The center displays a huge range of live butterflies, and contains the wandering monarchs as well as their tropical cousins, show cases of some other live bugs. The center also features the Entomology lobby, demonstrating an extensive range of grown insects.

Isaac Arnold Hall of Space Science is full of artifacts and puts on display some of the manned and unmanned space tracks. The Challenger Learning Center offering a down-to-earth replication of Mission Control, is an adjoining part of this hall.

Evelyn and Herbert Frensley Hall of African Wildlife, showcases taxidermies, having one of only two jungle giraffes displayed in North America. It was opened in the year 1969; the hall allows visitors to walk around the 7 biomes of Africa. More than 120 samples counting forty two groups of birds and twenty eight groups of mammals are on display.

Houston Italian Restaurants

As said by the National Restaurant Association Italian food is among the top three cultural cuisines in America, and of course, there is nothing more American than the city Houston Texas. This city has 2.14 million people, the 4th largest city in the U.S., and there are literally more than one thousand Italian restaurants to provide room to all of them. Each one of these restaurants has some really good eats at incredible prices. Here are discussed a few famous Italian restaurants in Houston.

Damian's Cucina Italian

Let's start the list with Damian's that is considered by lots of people to be the top Italian restaurant found in Houston. As you go by under the green sunshade of Damian's midtown scene you feel like you're being swept into the ancient Tuscany. You're welcomed by wonderful wall paintings and the open dining area is broken up by tactically placed doorways to make sure every table is as private and dreamy as the next. They have a stunning granite bar operated by some most considerate bartenders.

Carmelo's Restaurant
In the year 1998, Carmelo's was awarded an International Illumination Design medal. The restaurant has a contemporary Mediterranean ambience, and it always feels like sitting in the twilight in Italy. Carmelo's is the just right place for a passionate dinner. They have an extraordinary range of wines and have got the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for four years consecutively. Service is always flawless for both a quick meals and the occasional comfortable dinner. The bone-in rib eye with grappa is a remarkable dish and is among the finest steaks in Texas and it comes from Carmelo's!

Spanky's

A staple established for more than twenty years in the downtown Houston in the southeast area. If you would like just great Italian cuisine then Spanky's has a table for you. Enter, take a fine wine glass, and have some basic Italian food with classic seasoning. Regardless of its sports bar like ambiance their cooking is just Italian and no one is questioning its genuineness. This is an awesome place for all occasions.

How Wine Helps Your Health

Before considering the good effects of wine on our health, let us first discuss what wine actually is. Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of grape juice. At the highest end rare, super-premium wines are the most expensive of all food items. The rich and sophisticated class considers buying the most expensive wines as their status symbol. The wine which is stored for the longest period of time is considered the best.

Now let us come to the point that what is the relationship of wine with our health problems. It is scientifically proven that the intake of wine, one or two glasses per day can actually be good for our health. (Moderate wine consumption and health: A scientific perspective).

Wine can play an important part in improving our health in various ways.
Wine has been recommended by doctors for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia.
It helps vegetarians to increase their mineral absorption.
It reduces the incidences of troublesome sleeping disorders.
Wines provide benefits such as aiding the digestive process.
It stimulates the intake of nutrients and helps in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing cholesterol.
It may help lower the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

These facts can be proven by the researches which show that the per capita alcohol consumption in form of wine is very high in France but levels of coronary heart diseases are relatively low. Chemical and food experts all around the world agrees to the fact that wine contain rich deposits of vitamins, minerals and natural sugars that are often beneficial for good health and living.

Wine is also very rich in potassium and low in sodium content. Red wine contains a larger percentage of these elements; it also contains Vitamin B which comes from the skin of the grapes. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin has very rightly said that “A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine” because most of the doctors say that wine aids in production and flow of gastric juices which helps in digestion by breaking down the food in a better and more effective manner.

Many studies conducted all around the world prove that wine lowers the risk of heart attack for middle aged people by 30 to 50 percent. But wine also has its disadvantages as it contains a lot of calories. Sweeter wines that contain residual sugar as well as alcohol has more calories. But ignoring this fact, we can say that wine is very beneficial because it has flavonoids and antioxidants which other juices does not have.

According to me a glass of wine can both be pleasurable and relaxing, it has all the ingredients of our well being. For better health and lifestyle we should indulge in a lot of green vegetables, fruits, low fat diet and regular exercise, but a glass of good wine will surely add on to these in improving our health to a much greater extent.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

610 Houston

Having lived in Houston area for so long, my lot of memories is associated with 610 loop in Houston. For the outsiders, 610 is the ring rode encircling Houston. If you want to roam around in Houston, just enter into 610, take any exit, drive around, come back on 610 and you will be back home.

During my teenage days, when we just got our license to drive, we used to have a competition whoever completes the circle first. Now I get scared even to think about how fast we used to drive. Well those are the teen days. Once cops caught us speeding (we were 20 miles above the limit). Despite our pleas, we were almost to get the ticket. However, luckily at the same time, cop’s wireless buzzed informing him a gun shooting on near-by. He has to rush away immediately. That was the luck.

If you are Rocket’s fan, Sports Radio 610 is home to Rockets.

The places inside the loop are called inner loop or inside the city. Places outside the loop are outer loop. Indeed I-610 being a circle, name gets changed from East to North to West to South in the same road.

So this is to long live 610 and long live Houston.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

What to do in Houston ? Top 10 things to do in Houston

1. Go outdoors: Come on you are in South and in Texas. Think big. Load your SUV with camping gear and go out for hunting, a trip to a nearby village, rent a cabin at a forest, do camping at national park, catch fishes overnight, live in a tent, grill and wine all night.

2. Visit local events and festivals: When was the last time you saw cowboys and horses. If it is time for the Rodeo, visit Rodeo. Also almost through out the year you will have some festival going on in Houston area.

3. Board on a spaceship: You are in Houston, the world’s capital of space journey. Visit NASA as often as you can.

4. Go local outdoors: Houston got plenty of parks and local outdoor places. Visit Houston Zoo, Hermann Park, Memorial Park, Sam Houston Park etc. List is endless.

5. Visit Galveston: Time to go to beach. Go to Galveston. Just 35 minutes drive from Houston. Galveston got some good beaches and excellent food. Galveston also has Moody Garden.

6. Visit Museums: Houston has got lot many museums. If you are looking for an intellectual time pass visit San Jacinto Museum, Holocaust Museum, Heritage Society Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Museum of Natural Science and lot many other museums.

7. Go Shopping: Enjoy shopping at Galleria, Rice Village, River Oaks center. Also visit Harwin Drive to see some excellent hand made carpets sold exclusive by small retailers.

8. Dining: Houston is a diner’s paradise. You can get food of all cuisines in all possible rates. I think Houston is the only place in whole country where you can get buffet for as low as $4.95 Enjoy grilled food. You are in south.

9. Live Shows: Visit The Houston Ballets. Go to Houston’s Theater District. You can catch live shows at The Miller Outdoor Theater as well.

10. Night Life: Houston got an excellent night life. A drive on Westheimer Drive or Richmond and you will come across lot many night clubs, pubs and bars.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Seawall Galveston

Where is Galveston?

Galveston is an island in Galveston County in Gulf Coast region in the state of Texas. Galveston is 30 minutes drive away from Houston. Galveston is a very popular tourist destination in Texas. Its Victorian houses are favorite retirement destinations for Texans. Galveston is a historic city and it is well famous for its history, buildings, culture, museum and music. Every year Galveston hosts an excellent Mardi Gras festival party.

What is Seawall Galveston?

Seawall Galveston is the most popular tourist destination in island of Galveston. The Galveston Seawall is a 10 mile wall stretch along the coast. It prevents the city and the Seawall Boulevard from high tide and storm. Galveston faced a major hurricane in 1900. The hurricane changed the geography of city of Galveston. It caused huge number of deaths along with heavy economic losses. The seawall was constructed in year 1902 to prevent further similar tragedies.

Places to visit

The best beach area along the Seawall is between 37th street and 61st street. There are various lifeguards on duty at different intersections. The water is not very clear still the scene is excellent for family and regular audience. You may also visit Galveston Island State Park nearby.

Things to do

It is the longest public beach stretch in city of Galveston. You can park free across the road, rent an umbrella and watch grey water while sipping margarita. If you are a sailor, you may sail from 29th Street launch. You may also rent personal watercraft. If you prefer, you can go for horse riding on the coast.

So if you want a beach vacation at very affordable cost, Galveston beaches are the place to be. If you are living in nearby area, you can drive to Seawall, enjoy the day and return by evening.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Houston, we got a problem

I am sure that all of you who have watched Apollo 13 will always remember this dialogue. Well all is well in Houston. I just can't love enough anything more than my city. This city got everything you can dream of. Most importantly it got American life at Chinese cost. You have Baazars, you have malls, you have clubs, you have pubs and you have $2 parkings. Everything is big here. You get a good home with pool for 250K. In here for a mere 2 K a month you can live like a queen.

Houston got warm weather round the year. So you can party 24 hours. Houston got lot many restaurants. Houston also has mixed ethnicity, so it is best place to raise your kids in a civilized society. I LOVE YOU HOUSTON.

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