Rich & Sarah
Things To Do
Eat: Giacomo's Cibo e Vino
Don't be put off by the 90s color palette and aesthetic; this is not your standard Italian-American red sauce joint. These folks take pride in their menu, which features colorful descriptions of items that may sound exotic to Texan diners and threatening italics urging the customer not to demand ingredient substitutions. Vibe: Pedro Almodovar designed an Italian eatery in the 90s, and one of his neurotic heroines created this menu as her only outlet for expression. Ample indoor/outdoor seating. Lots of windows make this perfect for lunch/happy hour/early dinner. Swarmed with locals for supper every night they're open. Price: you'll feel like it's 1996 again with these low prices
See: The Menil Collection
It's more than art and more than a collection of objects. Here the sun is as soft as dreams are sharp. Joy hides among the walls like an exuberant child waiting to be found.
Listen: The Big Easy
Worth your time any night of the week. Live blues venue with the world's tiniest dance floor, put to good use by daring locals and one persistent soloist on roller skates. Bring earplugs or grab 'em at the bar 'cause this baby's loud.
Eat: Nancy's Hustle
We love Nancy's Hustle! It's a small venue with a small menu and overall a fun night out. Excellent wine/spirits and good food that doesn't take itself too seriously. We like the pork dumplings (they are spicy!). Vibe: You want your hipster date to understand you are really into vinyl and know your way around a sherry selection. It's a good late night spot. Noise level: You are not meant to have conversations here. One is meant only to be young, only to hustle at Nancy's. Reservations: make them well in advance if you want to eat before 9pm.
See: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Well, technically this is where Rich and Sarah met. Or at least, the rooftop of the Glassell School of Art, part of the MFAH campus, is. Sarah has spent many an hour on the second floor of the Audrey Jones Beck building peering at the Impressionist gallery. Each building is worth checking out, as is the Rodin-studded sculpture garden, but especially note the new Kinder Building (contemporary art) and surrounds. The exit to the parking garage is memorable. Find the Jacob Lawrence if you can.
Eat: ECK Bakery
The King of egg tarts. Not the queen, not in this absolutely delicious patriarchy. You won't find better anywhere - not even in Queens or Hong Kong. You heard me.
Eat: Xinjiang BBQ
The site of Rich and Sarah's first date. If you're looking for true love, lamb skewers will seal the deal.
Browse: My Flaming Heart
Texas kitsch and folclórico if you're in the mood to shop for something recognizably Tex-Mex that isn't a shot glass shaped like a boot. Lots of handmade things here; most of good quality. But also: smudging sage, etc. Near the light rail if you need to wander.
Browse: Kaboom Books
Houston's least eponymous (used) bookstore! It's no Erasmus of South Bend fame, but it is Texas-sized and well cared-for by the owners. Appropriately kind of a shambles, in an enticing way. The owner will squirt your hands with sanitizer from a water gun from behind the counter when you walk in the door, and his cat will lazily patrol to make sure you're not causing trouble.
Eat: Truth BBQ
The best in Houston proper. Don't go anywhere else, unless you want to trek to Killen's, which is technically in Pearland.
Eat: Cloud 10 Creamery
The best ice cream anywhere. Sarah's favorite is toasted rice. Rich likes mint. This is like if your favorite fresh flavors took a milk bath and came out radiant like Esther before the king.
Browse: The Guild Shop
Countless dreams have come true in this magical and sometimes chaotic resale shop. Looking for the perfect golden turban to wear around the house? The Guild Shop's got it. Looking for an amulet of questionable origin for a remarkably reasonable price? Step inside, where curiosities abound. The average life span of any item found at the Guild Shop is approximately 10 years of regular use, in Sarah's experience.