A Different View of Houston

Random pictures from this past Memorial Day showcasing some of Houston's random, sometimes odd and sometimes beautiful fabric.

From A to Zihuatanejo

I recently posted a little entry on the resurgence of Acapulco. While only a few hours away and at the other end of the alphabet, Zihuatanejo is about as far as you can get from glitz and glamor. While not the sleepy fishing town some claim it to be - over 80,000 live in the area - Ixtapa's neighbor is a casual and low-key alternative for those wanting to relax and escape massive resorts and all-inclusives.

We had been looking at both Acapulco and Zihuatanejo and will head to Zihua sometime this year. Of course, Zihuatanejo has been in the news lately as several recent and very rare shark attacks have placed the Mexican resort area on the map. I'm not worried... either I'll surf in the bay if there is a big swell, possibly swing by Escolleras or just enjoy my time on the beach. Troncones won't be on the itinerary.

If you're looking for a place to stay in Zihua, a few places consistently come up as top-notch hotels. Unlike nearby Ixtapa, there are only about 400 hotel rooms in Zihuatanejo - probably as many as you might find at the Las Brisas or the Barcelo'. You won't find mega-resorts. You will find small, personalized, family-run hotels. La Casa Que Canta, while absurdly expensive in a town like Zihuatanejo, is consistently named one of the best hotels in Mexico. Some options to consider...

La Casa Que Canta - One of the highest-rated hotels in Mexico
Hotel Las Brisas Del Mar - Our choice
Villa Carolina Hotel
The Tides - Formerly Villa Del Sol

A Few New Tastes in Houston

Tried out a couple new restaurants over the past week or so...

Aga's - An Indian/Pakistani restaurant at 11842 Wilcrest. So, my colleague told me about a great Persian place near the office and I said, great, I love Persian. Persian turned out to be Pakistani and, you know what, I still liked it. The place itself is cavernous so they must host a lot of banquets. I was a bit blind going in but the owner steered me to some good choices. I had the Aga's Masala Chicken (tasty and the right amount of spice but very bony) and a great Dal Fry. It was actually too much. The Nan was giant but delicious.

Andrea's - 12513 Westheimer - I had heard a lot about this place from my parents and found that it was OK. It sounds like they're still dealing with some service issues but it wasn't bad although there were some hiccups. The food was good, not great - not what I had anticipated, particularly since the two owners are Italian. Next time, I would try some pasta (my wife's pesto dish was excellent).

Cru' - 9595 Six Pines Drive in The Woodlands - We were in The Woodlands for a variety of reasons and went to Market Street to do some shopping, etc. We stopped in Cru' for lunch - while more of a wine bar, the place has a good-sized menu for lunch and dinner. Prices were a bit high for both wine and food, particularly for what you get. My seared ahi tuna salad had the smallest portion of tuna I've ever seen. Service was average and it seemed like the restaurant (a chain) spent more on the atmosphere than anything else. Recommended? I don't know... probably not. I can think of much better wine bars/restaurants in Houston.

Fasting = Less Jet Lag?

At least that's Harvard's claim for mice who are heavy travelers...

Traveling to exotic places is great--except when you first get there and collapse from exhaustion and jet lag. But you may be able to beat jet lag; you just have to skip eating before you leave home.

A new Harvard University study suggests that fasting may fight drowsiness.

A Bright Future for Acapulco

Acapulco... once the hub of the international jetset eventually lost its luster and the magic that attracted visitors from all over the world. The past few years, though, have smiled kindly upon ACA. The city is bouncing back as classic hotels like Las Brisas are renovated, new, hip boutique hotels are built and spectacular restaurants teem with patrons. The prospects for Acapulco look much brighter as this March article from the New York Times attests.

The "Beauty" of The Wedge

There's an outside chance we may hit southern California this summer. As a bodyboarder (and I'm sure I'll bring my boards), I have this minor itch to go check out the Wedge. Part of me things I ought to at least catch a wave or two while there - the other part of me thinks I'll crap my pants if I see it on a heavy day.

If we do go, I may not hit the wedge but I definitely want to check out Del Mar or some other good spots. The only places I've hit in SoCal are Del Mar, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.

Here is some footage of the Wedge eating a few people and then spitting them out...

Three Houston Treats

This past weekend, we had a chance to eat at three restaurants we had never tried before - edit that, two for my wife as she had been to Andre'. Regardless, two of the three were restaurants we had been wanting to try for a long time - So Vino and 17*. Both were excellent.

Andre' - What I really like about this place is the outdoor patio at Uptown Park. Great location! Both of us had salads which were quite tasty and the desserts are delicious. A great place for a light lunch or early dinner. A second location is open at 2515 River Oaks Blvd.

So Vino - We've gotten to know the chef at So Vino and had talked to him many times about the restaurant. Well, we finally made it there for dinner on "date night". We started with a plate of mixed cheeses - the highlight was a truffle cheese, sottocenere al tartufo, that took me back to Italy. A delicious crab cake then paved the way duck for me and shrimp angel hair pasta for my wife. The star of the show was a sinfully delicious cranberry bread pudding. It's a must! The restaurant's main focus is wines from the southern hemisphere but all major producing countries are represented. Bottle prices were quite reasonable.

*17 - Much has been written up about *17 since it opened in the Alden Hotel - reviews have gushed about *17. We had tried on two other occasions to eat there but had to cancel our reservations. Not this time. We chose *17 as a nice place for a Mother's Day brunch. Mimosas were overpriced but not why we visited. We split a delicious flatbread as an appetizer and both ordered their frittata - a great brunch option. Service was crisp and attentive and the atmosphere is refined and elegant. They did a great job of accommodating our baby, as well. It would be a nice place to visit in the evening, sans baby.