Las Vegas, Nevada

Vegas, Baby
What happens there…

Welcome to the land of drive-through weddings, flying Elvises and million-dollar questions. Las Vegas: It’s not just for weddings anymore. There are many, many flights in and out of Vegas from Houston. In fact, one in four visitors here is from Texas. That means you’ll feel right at home. Heck, you might even run into some of your neighbors here.

Sleep
When you head to the airport for a 6 p.m. flight, you’ll actually get to Vegas by 7 p.m., Pacific Time. The green beaming lights of the Luxor greet you from the air and beckon you to the famous strip. The hotels are so overwhelming that it’s really hard to determine where to stay, they all look alluring.

As my dad says, “They wouldn’t all be so big if people didn’t lose a lot of money here.” That may be true, but it sure does make for some beautiful hotels.

Choose The Venetian, well, because of the shopping. Where else will you find Venice-style canals, Kenneth Cole and Cache? You are also only a couple of heeled steps from the Fashion Mall that includes Neiman-Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy’s and more.

If you’d like to be farther up the strip, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay is the hottest ticket. This swanky address uses the same casino as the Mandalay Bay, but has a separate resort pool and spa. You’ll feel like a rock star just standing in the lobby.

Hang
Walk the strip and see the sights In front of the Mirage, the waterfall explodes into a fire-brimming volcano at the top of each hour. This is a great photo op. You can also peek in and see the famous Siegfried and Roy royal white tigers – yes they are still on display.

At Caesars Palace, the statues of the Greek gods come to life and tell their story. The dancing fountains at the Bellagio spray to the beat of the music. “Proud to Be an American” will bring a tear to your eye every time. This is also the home of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil “O.” Stop in the bar and have a bellini, and then enjoy the flower gardens that are meticulously maintained for your enjoyment.

Try your luck downtown We love to go downtown because the stakes are lower. That’s right, you’ll find dollar black-jack tables and even penny slots. It’s great if you’re just getting the hang of gambling or if you’ve already squandered your savings away. The Fremont Street Experience offers a free light show every night.

It’s not all gambling
Make sure you are one of the first people in line at the Stratosphere, Las Vegas and you can take a one-of-a-kind ride. The needle at the top of the building has four seats on each side. Those strapped in to these lucky seats get to shoot upward using nearly four Gs of gravity. Like being in a fast-moving elevator, you definitely lose your stomach on this ride. From the lookout area, you get a great view of the Las Vegas Strip. (There is a roller coaster here, but if you have to choose one, choose the one in New York, New York.)

For a great poolside adventure, dive into the Mandalay Bay. The beach theme is executed with a circular wave pool that will take you away for hours. And yes, that’s real sand you feel between your toes.

Rita Rudner has found a permanent home at New York, New York. As you wait for her performance, you hear a strange sound. At first you don’t know what it is, until you realize it’s the roller coaster that goes through the lobby (the one you should ride). Rita’s show changes slightly with the season, but her constant theme of poking fun at the differences between men and women shines through.

Eat
Lately, any chef worth his weight in poker chips has landed in Vegas to make his mark. And most every hotel has a steakhouse. The Hard Rock Café, although off the strip, is no exception, and AJ’s Steakhouse does not disappoint with fine cuts of meat and a great lounge atmosphere.

For one of the finest dining experiences around, try Michael Mina at Bellagio. The seafood spectacular is all about presentation. It took three staff members to present and prepare our tuna tartar, mixing all ingredients at the table.

Or, dine right next to Bellagio’s dancing fountains at Olives. Chef Todd English does it again with his Mediterranean offerings. For a different view of the fountains, Olives offers a perfect respite from the hot Vegas sun – and the fountains entertain you every 30 minutes.

Le Café Île St. Louis in the Paris Hotel is open 24 hours and has a great selection of sandwiches and salads. For an upscale escape, the Four Seasons is an out-of-the-way culinary adventure.

One of the new additions to restaurant row at The Venetian is AquaKnox, global water cuisine. This high-energy location cools you down with flowing water on all sides and the freshest seafood flown in daily. The seafood plateau includes mussels, oysters, ceviche, lobster, stone crabs, prawns and clams.

Stop by the outdoor café Mon Ami Gabi. Reminiscent of an actual French café, here you can enjoy coffee and watch passersby. Don’t miss the wine cart that comes around. The Mon Ami Gabi Beausoleil is light and fruity – perfect for a hot day.

Cross the walkway and enter the lion’s den for a lion’s share of food. Years ago, when you entered the MGM Grand, you actually walked into the mouth of a lion. Apparently, this was considered bad luck by Japanese tourists, and the entrance was changed. Each casino has one, and this evening we chose the MGM Grand Buffet. You can select from pizza, pasta, fish, steak, salad fixings, fruit and dessert.

If you’re hungry for an upscale steak, Drai’s in the Barbary Coast is a mainstay on the strip for a reason. With prime Angus beef and a wine list to match, Drai’s is always a winner.

One of the most famous buffets in town is at the Rio. If this line is too long, we suggest the seafood buffet. It costs a little more, but the food is fresh and the options abound.

Dance
Dance all night at the MGM’s Studio 54. This two-level dance club greets you with three dance floors, swinging girls and red-leather-clad dancers on pillars. The music rotates and includes much more than just disco.

The swank Tabu ultra lounge features a bar lined with glass-enclosed bottles and three rooms of square tables and couches. Interesting note: The girls with the biggest hair always seem to dance on the tables.

Mandalay Bay offers some of the best nightlife around. Entering the ever-so-trendy Rum Jungle reveals just how far a bars’ décor can go. The inside wall has a waterfall, and girls in white bathing suits dance overhead in cages. The show really begins when the girls perform trapeze-like tricks swinging from the ceiling. And if you’ve made your move to the VIP list, the Foundation Room at the Mandalay Bay offers a great view of the strip as well as private rooms.

To get a complete view of the skyline, try VooDoo Lounge at the Rio. Live jazz music belts out nightly, and there is usually a line to enjoy the vantage point. Everyone dances till dawn at Cleopatra’s Barge in Caesar’s Palace. The V Bar at the Venetian is a one-room ultra-trendy bar with long rectangular couches, chairs and a swanky vibe.

Try Skin, the pool area turned hipster club at the Palms Hotel. Go-go dancers entertain behind lit colored walls and on platforms in the center of the pool.

Spa
There are many world-class spas in Las Vegas. The most famous is Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian. You can work out in the gym for $35 per day – so, you might as well just sign up for a facial and massage. That way, you can work out and enjoy a treatment. H

Vegas, Baby What happens there…

Welcome to the land of drive-through weddings, flying Elvises and million-dollar questions. Las Vegas: It’s not just for weddings anymore. There are many, many flights in and out of Vegas from Houston. In fact, one in four visitors here is from Texas. That means you’ll feel right at home. Heck, you might even run into some of your neighbors here.

Sleep
When you head to the airport for a 6 p.m. flight, you’ll actually get to Vegas by 7 p.m., Pacific Time. The green beaming lights of the Luxor greet you from the air and beckon you to the famous strip. The hotels are so overwhelming that it’s really hard to determine where to stay, they all look alluring.

As my dad says, “They wouldn’t all be so big if people didn’t lose a lot of money here.” That may be true, but it sure does make for some beautiful hotels.

Choose The Venetian, well, because of the shopping. Where else will you find Venice-style canals, Kenneth Cole and Cache? You are also only a couple of heeled steps from the Fashion Mall that includes Neiman-Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy’s and more.

If you’d like to be farther up the strip, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay is the hottest ticket. This swanky address uses the same casino as the Mandalay Bay, but has a separate resort pool and spa. You’ll feel like a rock star just standing in the lobby.

Hang
Walk the strip and see the sights In front of the Mirage, the waterfall explodes into a fire-brimming volcano at the top of each hour. This is a great photo op. You can also peek in and see the famous Siegfried and Roy royal white tigers – yes they are still on display.

At Caesars Palace, the statues of the Greek gods come to life and tell their story. The dancing fountains at the Bellagio spray to the beat of the music. “Proud to Be an American” will bring a tear to your eye every time. This is also the home of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil “O.” Stop in the bar and have a bellini, and then enjoy the flower gardens that are meticulously maintained for your enjoyment.

Try your luck downtown We love to go downtown because the stakes are lower. That’s right, you’ll find dollar black-jack tables and even penny slots. It’s great if you’re just getting the hang of gambling or if you’ve already squandered your savings away. The Fremont Street Experience offers a free light show every night.

It’s not all gambling
Make sure you are one of the first people in line at the Stratosphere, Las Vegas and you can take a one-of-a-kind ride. The needle at the top of the building has four seats on each side. Those strapped in to these lucky seats get to shoot upward using nearly four Gs of gravity. Like being in a fast-moving elevator, you definitely lose your stomach on this ride. From the lookout area, you get a great view of the Las Vegas Strip. (There is a roller coaster here, but if you have to choose one, choose the one in New York, New York.)

For a great poolside adventure, dive into the Mandalay Bay. The beach theme is executed with a circular wave pool that will take you away for hours. And yes, that’s real sand you feel between your toes.

Rita Rudner has found a permanent home at New York, New York. As you wait for her performance, you hear a strange sound. At first you don’t know what it is, until you realize it’s the roller coaster that goes through the lobby (the one you should ride). Rita’s show changes slightly with the season, but her constant theme of poking fun at the differences between men and women shines through.

Eat
Lately, any chef worth his weight in poker chips has landed in Vegas to make his mark. And most every hotel has a steakhouse. The Hard Rock Café, although off the strip, is no exception, and AJ’s Steakhouse does not disappoint with fine cuts of meat and a great lounge atmosphere.

For one of the finest dining experiences around, try Michael Mina at Bellagio. The seafood spectacular is all about presentation. It took three staff members to present and prepare our tuna tartar, mixing all ingredients at the table.

Or, dine right next to Bellagio’s dancing fountains at Olives. Chef Todd English does it again with his Mediterranean offerings. For a different view of the fountains, Olives offers a perfect respite from the hot Vegas sun – and the fountains entertain you every 30 minutes.

Le Café Île St. Louis in the Paris Hotel is open 24 hours and has a great selection of sandwiches and salads. For an upscale escape, the Four Seasons is an out-of-the-way culinary adventure.

One of the new additions to restaurant row at The Venetian is AquaKnox, global water cuisine. This high-energy location cools you down with flowing water on all sides and the freshest seafood flown in daily. The seafood plateau includes mussels, oysters, ceviche, lobster, stone crabs, prawns and clams.

Stop by the outdoor café Mon Ami Gabi. Reminiscent of an actual French café, here you can enjoy coffee and watch passersby. Don’t miss the wine cart that comes around. The Mon Ami Gabi Beausoleil is light and fruity – perfect for a hot day.

Cross the walkway and enter the lion’s den for a lion’s share of food. Years ago, when you entered the MGM Grand, you actually walked into the mouth of a lion. Apparently, this was considered bad luck by Japanese tourists, and the entrance was changed. Each casino has one, and this evening we chose the MGM Grand Buffet. You can select from pizza, pasta, fish, steak, salad fixings, fruit and dessert.

If you’re hungry for an upscale steak, Drai’s in the Barbary Coast is a mainstay on the strip for a reason. With prime Angus beef and a wine list to match, Drai’s is always a winner.

One of the most famous buffets in town is at the Rio. If this line is too long, we suggest the seafood buffet. It costs a little more, but the food is fresh and the options abound.

Dance
Dance all night at the MGM’s Studio 54. This two-level dance club greets you with three dance floors, swinging girls and red-leather-clad dancers on pillars. The music rotates and includes much more than just disco.

The swank Tabu ultra lounge features a bar lined with glass-enclosed bottles and three rooms of square tables and couches. Interesting note: The girls with the biggest hair always seem to dance on the tables.

Mandalay Bay offers some of the best nightlife around. Entering the ever-so-trendy Rum Jungle reveals just how far a bars’ décor can go. The inside wall has a waterfall, and girls in white bathing suits dance overhead in cages. The show really begins when the girls perform trapeze-like tricks swinging from the ceiling. And if you’ve made your move to the VIP list, the Foundation Room at the Mandalay Bay offers a great view of the strip as well as private rooms.

To get a complete view of the skyline, try VooDoo Lounge at the Rio. Live jazz music belts out nightly, and there is usually a line to enjoy the vantage point. Everyone dances till dawn at Cleopatra’s Barge in Caesar’s Palace. The V Bar at the Venetian is a one-room ultra-trendy bar with long rectangular couches, chairs and a swanky vibe.

Try Skin, the pool area turned hipster club at the Palms Hotel. Go-go dancers entertain behind lit colored walls and on platforms in the center of the pool.

Spa
There are many world-class spas in Las Vegas. The most famous is Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian. You can work out in the gym for $35 per day – so, you might as well just sign up for a facial and massage. That way, you can work out and enjoy a treatment. H

Identifying Houstonians

When you are traveling afar, if someone asks, “Where are you from?” how do you reply? “Houston.” “Texas.” “America.” “You shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition.”

This is a sticky question because our answers speak volumes about how we view ourselves. Where do our allegiances lie? Where is home? Exactly, what are we? If you are in Waco or Dallas (You do love missionary work, don’t you?), and someone springs that location question, it would not make much sense to answer, “America” or even “Texas.” So, replying that you are from Houston is the correct answer.

But what if you are in Chicago or Miami and get hit with that question? The proper reply is: “Ah’m frum Teck-siz.” To which the interrogator says, “Now what was my first clue, besides the big hat, boots, belt buckle the size of a hubcap and your lapel pin reading, “$100 a Barrel?'”

You may wish to narrow down the answer to two words, “Houston, Texas,” but that is a condescending term used mostly by network TV anchors, “In Houston, Texas, today, another BP plant exploded with ” – Why the extra and gratuitous explanation of the state in which we live? “Houston” as in “Texas.” Perhaps our happy home might be confused with a Houston in Ohio, Nevada or Burkina Faso. Maybe we are such a little-known sleepy fishing village on the bayou that the viewer needs to be told exactly where we are, probably with a map in the background pinpointing our location.

Would the TV anchor intone, “In Los Angeles, California, today the smog was so heavy it surpassed Houston, which is in Texas, a state located between Mexico and Oklahoma.”? How about, “Meanwhile, in Washington, the District of Columbia, Congress passed a …”? So the term, “Houston, Texas,” is sort of demeaning when used in any of the other 49 states (which are not in Texas). The farther we go from here, the more the explanation changes. In Mexico, saying you are from Texas is ample explanation, if not deportation. In Louisiana, when asked from whence you come, you reply, “I’m from Houston.” To which the inquirer says, “Hey, I got a brother in Houston.”

“Oh, really?”

“And three sisters, 14 cousins, both parents and grandparents, a dog and two pet ‘gators. But they are only there temporarily, after the hurricane damage is fixed. Until then, FEMA is putting them up.”

“Where?”

“Two suites in the Warwick.”

“When are they going back to Louisiana?”

“When room service stops replenishing the mini-bar.”

While traveling overseas, this location information takes a totally different meaning. Saudi Arabians love Texas and are thoroughly familiar with Houston. Between going to school at UH, UT or A&M, it seems half the Saudi petroleum engineers and geologists I met there spent some time in Houston, and a few had apartments here because of their constant business trips. They didn’t need any explanation as to the whereabouts of Houston, except maybe to inquire on what street my wives lived.

Elsewhere, the best way to describe our hometown is to simply say, “Texas.” The whole world knows about Texas. A friend of mine, Phillipe (fill-LEAP), was the executive director of a hotel in Paris called the Hotel de Crillon, and one time he asked me, “Lean, (that was about as close as he could get), why is it Americans say that they are from Boston or Los Angeles or Atlanta. But Texans always, and I mean always, say they are from Texas? Don’t you have any towns there?” What a kidder, that Phillipe, but he made a telling point.

Some Houstonians take this word form to task. In her recent obit in the Chronicle, former Houston Post columnist Marguerite Johnston Barnes was quoted as complaining, “I always felt Houston has never gotten acknowledgment for its leaders at a national or international level. You always hear that they’re from Texas, but never from Houston.” Then there was this observation by a Houstonian, Yao Ming: “Today is barbeque my feet. It’s pretty warm here. It’s soft turf, but it’s heat. But we’re from Texas.” Note, not, “We’re from Houston.”

When quizzed by a border guard while you are trying to smuggle into Tibet, do you reply, “I’m a Baytownian.”? Or, perhaps, “It says right here on the forged passport, “Piney Point, Republic of Texas.” As for the photograph, since then, I’ve had a sex change operation, gained 40 pounds and lost my mustache.”

Once I wrote a column about the most obscure place in the world, Ouagadougou, international capital of Upper Volta, in Central Africa, a nation now known as Burkina Faso. A few weeks later, I got a phone call from a Foreign Service officer on leave from ” where else? – Upper Volta.

“So what’s it like to tell people back home that you are living in Ouagadougou?” I asked.

“Nothing like when I tell people there that I am from Clute, Texas.”

Actually, I have been to Clute, and it is a very nice town filled with lovely people. The Ouagadougouians should be so lucky. But did he really have to add, “Texas?”

Legacy of Art

Amid a peaceful neighborhood in the museum district, there awaits the awe-inspiring Menil Collection. What began as a couple’s art collection has become a beloved gem of art in Houston. The collection, and the satellite galleries that surround it, have ensured the de Menil family legacy will continue.

Collection of dreams
The Menil Collection, which opened in 1987, began as the private art collection of John and Dominique de Menil. The collection, considered as one of the greatest privately obtained in the 20th century, consists of just less than 15,000 pieces, ranging from the Paleolithic era to present day.

The assortment of works includes everything from sculptures to prints, drawings to photographs, and also incorporates rare books. Four main areas largely define the collected pieces: Antiquity, Byzantine and Medieval, Tribal, and 20th Century Art. With its concentration on Surrealism, the 20th Century Art section has been labeled one of the best collections of its kind. The Menil Collection displays pieces from the permanent collection, as well as special exhibitions.

Not only is the art unique, but the gallery does not lend itself to the traditional museum space. The buildings infuse natural light from large windows, the creative roof and skylight system, and atrium gardens throughout the gallery. This light allows the changes in weather, seasons and time of day to be reflected in the art.

Literature in art
In 1995, the Menil Collection worked with artist Cy Twombly and the Dia Center for the Arts to open the Cy Twombly Gallery. The space, designed by Renzo Piano, consists of a permanent installation of Cy Twombly’s work, fusing the elements of “gestural abstraction, drawing and writing.” Visitors find literature references and Mediterranean and Near-Eastern influences included in the exhibit. More than 30 of Twombly’s pieces can be found at the gallery, including paintings, sculptures and works on paper. Amid these works, visitors can find his large-scale masterpieces, including “The Age of Alexander” and the “Triumph of Galatea.”

No boundaries
The last, and possibly most important, project the de Menils started was The Rothko Chapel. This intimate, nondenominational refuge, which includes 14 of Mark Rothko’s paintings, was designed by Howard Barnstone. Facing the chapel is the sculpture dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The Broken Obelisk,” which is recognized around the world as one of the greatest artistic achievements of the 20th century. The chapel’s “modern meditative environment” is open to people of all faiths and beliefs and is often the site of religious ceremonies. It is also a place where people can freely experience and understand different traditions and cultures. Visitors travel from across the globe to view the chapel as an artistic masterpiece and a gathering place of religious freedom.

It also serves as a rally site often used to promote peace, freedom and social justice. Such leaders as Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama have come to The Rothko Chapel to share their experiences, knowledge and talents with open-minded Houstonians.

Retrieved from thieves
Housing the only two 13th century Byzantine frescoes in the western hemisphere, the Byzantine Fresco Chapel opened in 1997 and was designed by Francois de Menil. The masterpieces were retrieved from thieves and then placed on display at the Menil. Stolen from a chapel in Cyprus in the 1980s, the thieves cut the works into pieces to smuggle them off the island. The Menil Foundation rescued the masterworks, with the knowledge and approval of the rightful owner, the Church of Cyprus. The foundation then undertook a two-year project to restore the pieces to their original grandeur. To show their gratitude, the Church of Cyprus allows the foundation to keep the pieces as part of a long-term loan. The Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum, which combines rough stone, opaque glass and rich woods, was specially constructed to house these beautiful works of art.

Simply light
Featuring one of only two permanent installations by Dan Flavin in the United States, Richmond Hall offers a one-of-a-kind art experience. A self-taught minimalist sculptor, Dan Flavin features fluorescent light as the medium. His pieces allow visitors to connect with this elemental component of life and capture the “indefinable dimension of light in space.” The installation in Richmond Hall features three site-specific pieces that were created in 1996. A blending of color, light and perspective is achieved through the simple arrangements. H

The Menil Collection, 1515 Sul Ross, (713) 525-9400, www.menil.org

Vegas, Baby

Welcome to the land of drive-through weddings, flying Elvises and million-dollar questions. Las Vegas: It’s not just for weddings anymore. There are many, many flights in and out of Vegas from Houston. In fact, one in four visitors here is from Texas. That means you’ll feel right at home. Heck, you might even run into some of your neighbors here.

Sleep
When you head to the airport for a 6 p.m. flight, you’ll actually get to Vegas by 7 p.m., Pacific Time. The green beaming lights of the Luxor greet you from the air and beckon you to the famous strip. The hotels are so overwhelming that it’s really hard to determine where to stay, they all look alluring.

As my dad says, “They wouldn’t all be so big if people didn’t lose a lot of money here.” That may be true, but it sure does make for some beautiful hotels.

Choose The Venetian, well, because of the shopping. Where else will you find Venice-style canals, Kenneth Cole and Cache? You are also only a couple of heeled steps from the Fashion Mall that includes Neiman-Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy’s and more.

If you’d like to be farther up the strip, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay is the hottest ticket. This swanky address uses the same casino as the Mandalay Bay, but has a separate resort pool and spa. You’ll feel like a rock star just standing in the lobby.

Hang
Walk the strip and see the sights In front of the Mirage, the waterfall explodes into a fire-brimming volcano at the top of each hour. This is a great photo op. You can also peek in and see the famous Siegfried and Roy royal white tigers – yes they are still on display.

At Caesars Palace, the statues of the Greek gods come to life and tell their story. The dancing fountains at the Bellagio spray to the beat of the music. “Proud to Be an American” will bring a tear to your eye every time. This is also the home of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil “O.” Stop in the bar and have a bellini, and then enjoy the flower gardens that are meticulously maintained for your enjoyment.

Try your luck downtown We love to go downtown because the stakes are lower. That’s right, you’ll find dollar black-jack tables and even penny slots. It’s great if you’re just getting the hang of gambling or if you’ve already squandered your savings away. The Fremont Street Experience offers a free light show every night.

It’s not all gambling
Make sure you are one of the first people in line at the Stratosphere, Las Vegas and you can take a one-of-a-kind ride. The needle at the top of the building has four seats on each side. Those strapped in to these lucky seats get to shoot upward using nearly four Gs of gravity. Like being in a fast-moving elevator, you definitely lose your stomach on this ride. From the lookout area, you get a great view of the Las Vegas Strip. (There is a roller coaster here, but if you have to choose one, choose the one in New York, New York.)

For a great poolside adventure, dive into the Mandalay Bay. The beach theme is executed with a circular wave pool that will take you away for hours. And yes, that’s real sand you feel between your toes.

Rita Rudner has found a permanent home at New York, New York. As you wait for her performance, you hear a strange sound. At first you don’t know what it is, until you realize it’s the roller coaster that goes through the lobby (the one you should ride). Rita’s show changes slightly with the season, but her constant theme of poking fun at the differences between men and women shines through.

Eat
Lately, any chef worth his weight in poker chips has landed in Vegas to make his mark. And most every hotel has a steakhouse. The Hard Rock Café, although off the strip, is no exception, and AJ’s Steakhouse does not disappoint with fine cuts of meat and a great lounge atmosphere.

For one of the finest dining experiences around, try Michael Mina at Bellagio. The seafood spectacular is all about presentation. It took three staff members to present and prepare our tuna tartar, mixing all ingredients at the table.

Or, dine right next to Bellagio’s dancing fountains at Olives. Chef Todd English does it again with his Mediterranean offerings. For a different view of the fountains, Olives offers a perfect respite from the hot Vegas sun – and the fountains entertain you every 30 minutes.

Le Café Île St. Louis in the Paris Hotel is open 24 hours and has a great selection of sandwiches and salads. For an upscale escape, the Four Seasons is an out-of-the-way culinary adventure.

One of the new additions to restaurant row at The Venetian is AquaKnox, global water cuisine. This high-energy location cools you down with flowing water on all sides and the freshest seafood flown in daily. The seafood plateau includes mussels, oysters, ceviche, lobster, stone crabs, prawns and clams.

Stop by the outdoor café Mon Ami Gabi. Reminiscent of an actual French café, here you can enjoy coffee and watch passersby. Don’t miss the wine cart that comes around. The Mon Ami Gabi Beausoleil is light and fruity – perfect for a hot day.

Cross the walkway and enter the lion’s den for a lion’s share of food. Years ago, when you entered the MGM Grand, you actually walked into the mouth of a lion. Apparently, this was considered bad luck by Japanese tourists, and the entrance was changed. Each casino has one, and this evening we chose the MGM Grand Buffet. You can select from pizza, pasta, fish, steak, salad fixings, fruit and dessert.

If you’re hungry for an upscale steak, Drai’s in the Barbary Coast is a mainstay on the strip for a reason. With prime Angus beef and a wine list to match, Drai’s is always a winner.

One of the most famous buffets in town is at the Rio. If this line is too long, we suggest the seafood buffet. It costs a little more, but the food is fresh and the options abound.

Dance
Dance all night at the MGM’s Studio 54. This two-level dance club greets you with three dance floors, swinging girls and red-leather-clad dancers on pillars. The music rotates and includes much more than just disco.

The swank Tabu ultra lounge features a bar lined with glass-enclosed bottles and three rooms of square tables and couches. Interesting note: The girls with the biggest hair always seem to dance on the tables.

Mandalay Bay offers some of the best nightlife around. Entering the ever-so-trendy Rum Jungle reveals just how far a bars’ décor can go. The inside wall has a waterfall, and girls in white bathing suits dance overhead in cages. The show really begins when the girls perform trapeze-like tricks swinging from the ceiling. And if you’ve made your move to the VIP list, the Foundation Room at the Mandalay Bay offers a great view of the strip as well as private rooms.

To get a complete view of the skyline, try VooDoo Lounge at the Rio. Live jazz music belts out nightly, and there is usually a line to enjoy the vantage point. Everyone dances till dawn at Cleopatra’s Barge in Caesar’s Palace. The V Bar at the Venetian is a one-room ultra-trendy bar with long rectangular couches, chairs and a swanky vibe.

Try Skin, the pool area turned hipster club at the Palms Hotel. Go-go dancers entertain behind lit colored walls and on platforms in the center of the pool.

Spa
There are many world-class spas in Las Vegas. The most famous is Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian. You can work out in the gym for $35 per day – so, you might as well just sign up for a facial and massage. That way, you can work out and enjoy a treatment. H

Run for a Reason

Now that the holidays are over and a new year has begun, join more than 15,000 participants, 200,000 spectators and 5,000 volunteers and take to the streets on Sunday, Jan. 16. On this day, Houstonians have the chance to raise money for more than 30 charities through what has been called Houston’s largest single-day sporting event – the HP Houston Marathon.

If you want to burn off some of those holiday calories, the HP Houston Marathon, the Aramco Houston Half Marathon and the Houston Press 5K can help you do just that. Participants are encouraged to “Run for a Reason” by raising money for local Houston charities. Sponsorships and other donations will go to nonprofit organization that help cancer, Alzheimer’s and AIDS patients; children; victims of abuse; senior citizens; injured peace officers; the homeless; and abused or neglected animals. Not interested in running? Helping with registration, setup or refreshments are just some of the ways to volunteer from Wednesday, Jan. 12, until the day of the race.

The marathon combines a competitive athletic event with a citywide festival of community spirit. Runners and spectators will enjoy miles of nonstop entertainment provided by the “Hoopla Brigade.” Professional and not-so-professional performers ranging from jump-rope squads to jazz bands to belly dancers encourage runners to keep their feet moving in the right direction.

For more information about the HP Houston Marathon and to register, visit www.hphoustonmarathon.com or call (713) 957-3453. H

Airport Neighborhood Watch

© Clifford Crouch, 2005.

Any lover of Western lore can recite the names of some of the great stomping grounds in Texas history: the old JA, run by legendary rancher Charles Goodnight; the 6666 (“Four Sixes”), supposedly named after a cattle baron’s winning poker hand; and of course, the famous XIT, up in the Panhandle. One big spread you won’t hear about, though, is the IAH. Despite its 11,000-acre expanse, the initials of this operation aren’t found on any cowboy’s branding iron – because IAH is short for Intercontinental Airport Houston, or Bush airport. But the IAH nonetheless has its own set of hands who saddle up and ride the spread in good weather and bad, checking for fence damage and scouting for potential predators and outlaws. They are the Airport Rangers, a volunteer force that serves as a mounted patrol monitoring the airport’s boundaries.

Despite the hectic pace of Intercontinental’s terminals and runways, much of the airport’s land is what real estate agents like to call “undeveloped” – beautiful, wild piney woods filled with soaring trees and brush undergrowth. The southeastern portion tends to be swampy. Airport Ranger coordinator David Poynor says that he’s either spotted or seen evidence of deer, coyotes and wild hogs on the land, along with smaller animals.

The airport’s outer perimeter (roughly 34 miles) is fenced in mostly by hog wire and barbed wire. Facilities, such as runways and buildings, inside the perimeter may be contained by chain-link fence. The coyotes dig constantly at the chain-link fences, and fence breaks need to be reported and repaired.

The Airport Rangers program was begun in December 2003 by Airport System Director Rick Vacar, himself a horseman. Volunteer applicants undergo a background check for criminal records and must sign a liability waiver. In return for serving as the airport security’s eyes and ears, Rangers enjoy the pleasures of rustic riding, an experience increasingly hard to come by in Houston’s urban environment.

To date, more than 600 people have joined. The volunteers come from all walks of life – from bus drivers to attorneys, from stay-at-home moms to retirees – and more than 70 percent are women. A small portion are regulars, riding the trails two to three times a week on a steady basis. The Rangers wear airport-issued ID badges, but have no uniforms. Each Ranger must carry a cell phone to report any suspicious activity. A security officer or an armed Houston police officer may then be dispatched (in a Jeep or four-wheeler) as deemed necessary. Rangers are also given numbered decals for their vehicles so they can park their horse trailers on airport property. The only Airport Rangers authorized to pack weapons, however, are off-duty law-enforcement officers.

He emphasizes: “Everything we do is security-related. We want people to have fun and enjoy their rides, but this is not a place for staging races. Rangers are expected to be observant and aware of the grounds, and they need to spot suspicious activity and any changes to the environment.”

To date, the Rangers’ anti-crime activities have been limited to scaring off trespassers and interrupting thefts at construction sites. They’ve also found and removed deer blinds from the woods. (Apparently, some interlopers have enjoyed bow hunting for game.)

The Airport Rangers are not merely a quaint nod to Texas’ Western heritage, but a genuine and appropriate security response, given the rustic environment of IAH. As members of the Houston Police Department might well agree, a mounted patrol constitutes a visible deterrent to crime along the roads skirting the airport’s fence line, while much of the interior is negotiable literally only on horseback or by foot.

It is even possible that HPD’s own mounted patrol may join the Airport Rangers at Bush Intercontinental in the not-too-distant future. Houston’s police horses have been stabled for decades near Loop 610 at Memorial Park. However, times and circumstances have changed, and the city is now expected to find a new home for the outfit by the end of 2005. The Houston Police Academy is already housed near IAH, at the intersection of Aldine Westfield and Rankin roads.

“I feel sure the [HPD] mounted patrol would be welcomed here, for the heightened security,” Poynor says. He pauses for a moment, then adds, thoughtfully: “And the horses would have bigger pastures for grazing.” H

Hobby at One Hundred

© Clifford Crouch, 2005

On the centenary of her birth, Oveta Culp Hobby is – or should be – remembered as one of the more extraordinary women this state has produced. Born on Jan. 19, 1905, in the small central Texas town of Killeen, her life would span the 20th century, and her legacy continues today.

Texas in 1905 was a mostly rural state in which cotton was king and the automobile a novelty. In northeastern Harris County, a gusher from the shallow caprock of Humble Field blew a stream of thousands of barrels of oil into the cold January air, as if flaunting the birth of the modern energy industry; but state government was still under the leadership of a former Confederate soldier, Gov. S.W.T. Lanham.

Oveta Culp, the second child of Ike and Emma Culp, established herself as a remarkable daughter from the start. A voracious reader, she won a Bible as the best speller in her sixth-grade class. Her father was a lawyer and state representative, and Oveta spent after-school hours in his office reading and listening. “I have been one of those fortunate women,” she later said, “whose father, husband and son have assumed I was a rational being – When I was about 14, [my father] would take me with him to sessions of the House. He assumed it would interest me as it did him.”

At the age of 20 – before she could vote – Oveta Culp was appointed parliamentarian of the Texas House of Representatives. Within a few years after that, she got her first taste of national politics. When Houston was chosen by the Democrats to host their national political convention in 1928, she came to this city to help with the planning.

It was in Houston where she met her future husband, William P. Hobby, president of what was then called the Houston Post-Dispatch. By 1930, Hobby, a lifelong newspaperman, was already a widower and had served from 1917 to 1921 as governor of Texas. When the pair married in February of 1931, she was 26 and he was 53. Throughout the 1930s, Oveta Culp Hobby worked her way up through the ranks of the Post, assuming ever-greater positions of editorial responsibility. She also had two children – William Jr. in 1932 and Jessica Oveta in 1937 – both born on her own birthday.

In 1941, with global war on the horizon, Oveta Culp Hobby (then executive vice president of the Post) was in Washington on business when she was asked by the U.S. Army to help organize a “women’s interest section,” recommending ways in which American women might serve their country. Under the personal sponsorship of Gen. George C. Marshall, Hobby’s position had evolved by 1942 into the office of director of what was ultimately known as the Women’s Army Corps, or WACs, and Mrs. Hobby had become Col. Hobby. She served through July of 1945, essentially overseeing the creation of an entire branch of the armed forces from scratch, commanding hundreds of thousands of women, traveling constantly and visiting theaters of war such as North Africa and Italy. Pleading exhaustion as World War II drew to a close, Col. Hobby resigned her post, returned to civilian life and became editor and publisher of the Post. But duty continued to call.

“General Eisenhower was one of her mentors,” her son William P. Hobby Jr. told H Texas magazine. When Dwight Eisenhower decided to run for the presidency on the Republican ticket in 1952, he sought the support of the Hobby family; and, despite their longstanding ties to the Democratic Party, they actively championed his campaign. After the election, Ike asked Oveta Culp Hobby to join his administration, and in April 1953, she again made history as the first secretary of the newly formed Department of Health, Education and Welfare – and the sole woman in the presidential cabinet.

As secretary of HEW, Oveta Hobby’s most significant role involved federal support for public distribution of the Salk polio vaccine. The program of elementary-school polio inoculation became, however, the subject of intense partisan dispute (eerily echoed, some 50 years later, in the 2004 political bickering over federal administration of the influenza-vaccine program), with Eisenhower’s defeated opponent, Sen. Adlai Stevenson, accusing the administration of poor planning. In July 1955, Secretary Hobby, citing the poor health of her aging husband, chose to resign, returning home to Houston and the Post.

She continued to lead the Post from the 1950s, through the death of Will Hobby in 1964 at the age of 86, well into the 1980s. Her life seemed, uncannily, to ebb with the existence of the Post itself. The cultural landscape was changing; across the country, locally- and family-owned newspapers were giving way to corporate media empires. In 1983, the Post was sold to the Toronto Sun Publishing Corporation, and Oveta Culp Hobby began to largely withdraw from public life. In April of 1995, the Hearst Corporation (owners of the competing Houston Chronicle) acquired the Post and immediately shut down the newspaper; and on Aug. 16, 1995, Oveta Culp Hobby died at the age of 90.

“She never regarded herself as a feminist,” Bill Hobby Jr. told us. “She didn’t talk a lot about her accomplishments.” Unlike many women of lesser achievement, Oveta Culp Hobby never wrote an autobiography; after her death, her son and daughter had a collection of personal reminiscences privately printed in a limited edition. In that volume, her contemporaries speak of her in terms such as “positively mythic” and “a legend.” She didn’t see herself in that light, however; and her son (who carried on the tradition of public service over 18 years as lieutenant governor of Texas) also says diffidently: “She was an extremely unassuming, highly competent woman.”

“I think I’ll like Houston if they ever get it finished,” Oveta Culp Hobby once said, dryly. As anyone perched atop the masthead of a daily newspaper could clearly see, Houston is in fact continually, and unceasingly, remaking itself. Take, for example, our downtown skyline: The historic but hastily built Sam Houston Hall, where Oveta Culp Hobby attended the 1928 Democratic National Convention, was razed in 1936. In its place was erected the Sam Houston Coliseum and Music Hall. Those landmark buildings were demolished, too, in 1998. Only a simple state historical marker now designates where “on this site, the 20,000-seat Sam Houston Hall was completed in 64 days” to house Houston’s first presidential convention. Next to that marker, however, stands an elegant new structure, whose construction was begun at the end of the 20th century and completed in the 21st: the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. H

Battle of the ‘Burbs

While nonlocals might dismiss Houston as a sprawling, unregulated city, area residents appreciate the excessive square mileage of the greater H-Town area for the remarkable diversity it encompasses. Even with an increasingly thriving downtown and affordable living options within minutes, some of Space City’s true gems are its suburban communities.

Located about 45 minutes north on I-45, The Woodlands
is one of America’s most recognized master-planned communities. In 2003, architects from around the country visited The Woodlands to study its model for success.

Education
The Woodlands is serviced by Conroe ISD, which received an academically acceptable rating from Texas Education Agency (TEA). However, 14 of the 17 schools within The Woodlands received an exemplary (highest) campus rating from TEA; among those 14 are two National Blue Ribbon schools. Four private schools are also within the area.

Health and Wellness
In addition to numerous small medical practices within the area, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands is a 168-bed acute care hospital and is part of the local Memorial Hermann string of hospitals. St. Luke’s Community Medical Center-The Woodlands, an 84-bed hospital, is a partner of the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The Woodlands is patrolled regularly by Montgomery County Sheriff’s officers, and Woodlands Town Center features Alpha and Omega mounted patrol, a presence to support pre-existing security and serve as goodwill ambassadors.

Outdoor Activities
The Woodlands is stunningly beautiful and contains more than 1,800 acres of open space, including 124 miles of hike-and-bike trails and 12 public swimming pools. Lake Conroe and several smaller lakes are within the area and become especially popular during the summer season.

The Woodlands is also known for golf. It is home to four championship golf courses, one being the PGA-approved Tournament Players Course, which hosted the Shell Houston Open for 17 years.

Shopping and Entertainment
The outdoor Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is commonly a stop of big-name touring musicians, especially during the summer. The Woodlands Mall features an extremely diverse array of shops and is adjacent to The Woodlands Waterway, a 1.25-mile stretch from Lake Woodlands to Lake Robbins that winds through the center of town. Planners are currently developing a Main Street-themed shopping center called “Market Street” to run adjacent to the Waterway.

Katy, situated along I-10 at the intersection
of U.S. 90, is roughly a 55-minute trip into Houston. Originally called Cane Island, Katy has long been known for its excellence in producing high-school football talent. It has also blossomed into a tremendous suburb to raise a family, across all aspects.

Education
Katy ISD is one of only three large (more than 25,000 students) school districts in Texas to be named recognized for four years running. The district features an Outdoor Learning Center and an Outdoor Education Program, both unique within the area, and several KISD schools have won exemplary performance awards.

Health and Wellness
Memorial Hermann Katy is the main hospital in the region; two other large centers also service the population.

Outdoor Activities
As would befit a community featuring an Outdoor Learning Center, Katy has six community parks, as well as Katy Prairie Conservancy, where residents enjoy hunting, bird watching and nature study.

Shopping and Entertainment
Katy Mills Mall is one of the largest and most recognized in the area. The Forbidden Gardens, which recreates the Forbidden City and the tomb of the first emperor of China, is another local attraction.

Sugar Land, the original home of Imperial Sugar,
is a 35-40 minute jaunt down U.S. 59 South. As the fastest-growing of Texas’ 45 largest cities, Sugar Land was recently named one of Money magazine’s Hot Towns to Live In, and was profiled by CNN/Money as one of the Best Places to Live.

Education
Sugar Land is a large school district often noted for its excellence. In addition to its two consecutive recognized ratings, it was named one of the top 100 school districts in the nation in which to obtain a fine arts education.

Health and Wellness
Four major hospitals, including Memorial Hermann Fort Bend, operate within the Sugar Land area. Several small practices exist within the Westchase area as well.

Outdoor Activities
As Sugar Land continues to grow, its current spread of eight local parks is bound to expand. The Chamber of Commerce website features numerous links to a Citizen Satisfaction Survey, where several locals have commented on a need for an increase in recreational areas.

Shopping and Entertainment
CNN/Money selected Sugar Land as a Best Place to Live due to its increasing role as a cultural and culinary suburban staple for America’s fourth-largest city. More than 2,300 restaurants are within a 30-mile radius of Sugar Land as well as nearly 80 theatrical troupes and 50 libraries. For those more inclined toward other pursuits, 221 bars are within that area as well, 20 above the national average for a suburb.

Clear Lake, a 35-45 minute commute down I-45 South,
is the entrance to the Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston areas. More notably, this community has been building a reputation for itself.

Education
Clear Lake is covered by the Clear Creek ISD, which has been deemed recognized for six consecutive years by the TEA; for a district with more than 25,000 students, this is the highest rating afforded by TEA in history.

Health and Wellness
Clear Lake Regional Medical Center and Christus St. John Hospital service the area. Other hospitals are a short drive away in Galveston and Kemah.

Outdoor Activities
Especially in the spring and summer months, Clear Lake is an outdoor lover’s delight. With close proximity to Kemah and Galveston Bay, as well as 10 local parks, there is no shortage of things to do.

Shopping and Entertainment
Kemah Boardwalk features an interesting array of shopping opportunities, as well as various cuisines, ranging from a Saltgrass Steakhouse to the romantic Flying Dutchman. Space Center Houston is in the vicinity, and Baybrook Mall joins the Factory Stores of America outlet mall as affordable shopping options in Clear Lake.

Kingwood is another master-planned community
located just east of U.S. 59 and north of Humble – “nestled among the pines” is the prose of locals. The commute into Houston averages 40-50 minutes.

Education
Kingwood students attend schools in Humble and New Caney school districts, both of which are TEA-recognized. All schools in the Kingwood area are denoted as either recognized or exemplary by TEA.

Health and Wellness
The two major hospitals serving the Kingwood area are Columbia Kingwood Medical Center and Northeast Medical Center hospital. Four smaller emergency clinics and health-care centers exist in the area alongside a variety of smaller private practices.

Outdoor Activities
Kingwood was masterminded by Friendswood master-planned communities. A signature feature of all Friendswood developments is greenbelts, providing not only places to participate in leisure activities, but a scenic, wooded way for residents to travel throughout the community and keep off busy streets. “Livable Forest” residents rave about the greenbelts.

Shopping and Entertainment
Town Center and Kingwood Commons are the primary entertainment areas in town. In recent years, notable national retailers have opened stores in Kingwood, signifying its growing population and Houston-area appeal.

Pearland is a growing suburb, experiencing changes
seemingly every day. Dubbed by residents as “where town and country meet,” Pearland is adjacent to State Hwy. 288 on the south side of Beltway 8. Since much of the land in this area is undeveloped, the commute to downtown Houston and the Medical Center becomes somewhat shorter than an average suburb; Pearland residents average about 15-20 minutes on the road.

Education
Pearland ISD features 12 schools. In 2004, six were noted as recognized and six as exemplary, the two highest ratings afforded by TEA.

Health and Wellness
In addition to the 15-minute drive to Texas Medical Center, 10 hospitals and numerous private practices are within a 20-minute drive in all directions of Pearland. Memorial Hermann Southeast covers the area primarily.

Outdoor Activities
There are seven local parks in Pearland. However, since much of the surrounding land is currently undeveloped, residents are pursuing plans to convert some of it into space for leisure activities. As Pearland grows, the amount of recreational activity available in the area will probably grow as well.

Shopping and Entertainment
Pearland residents do most of their shopping within Houston proper, but the Chamber of Commerce website maintains an active list of weekend events and garage sales for bargain hunting. H