ON THE ROAD

[Ace]

For those who like to look for rare or out of print books, there's a great place in Houston near Rice University called the Detering Book Gallery. It's in an old house at 2311 Bissonnet. As an extra added attraction, it's directly across the street from a neat old bar called Kay's, a hole-in-the-wall place that used to be a big sportswriter hangout although I'm not sure it is anymore. And if you're into walking, the area in and around Rice is great. Neat old homes and huge oak trees that form a canopy over some of the streets.

GuessWho: I guess that you are novelist Larry McCurtry -- former Rice student and rare book afficionado.

The Rice area is the prettiest area of Houston.

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Another book reference:

Brattle's Books in downtown Boston, on a sidestreet a few blocks from Boston Common.

 

[Sxysprtswrtr]

I suggest the Holocaust museum in DC. Might give you an upset stomach but it was well worth it.

Totally agree on this one, but you need about 3 hours to really "enjoy" it.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

If you're looking for a decent, reasonably cheap meal in Cincinnati and don't feel like dealing with the Skyline and the 3 cubic tons of mild shaved cheddar per ounce of chili, then go to the arty area, the name of which escapes me, to a little place called Habanero's. They do the darndest burrito I've ever had. It's about the size of my forearm (and for those few who know me here, you know that's saying something), and they (used to) make this wonderful green apple and green chile salsa for it. It also comes with THE best tortilla chips for which you could ever dare dream to hope. Then hit the Graeter's for their sublime black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream. Edy's can rot after that.

 

[There's A Gleam]

Seconding a few museum favorites, and additions as well, in no particular order:
1. Rock and Roll HOF, Cleveland. Great fun.
2. Dealey Plaza/Schoolbook Depository. Very well done. A lot of of the history of the era, and the moment, of course, and not a lot of judging on blame. You decide for yourself. Fascinating for journalists because it details the news coverage of the assasination, with the TV news broadcasts and the AP wire.
3. The Oklahoma City Memorial. Sadness is everywhere, but organizers have made such a poignant, moving tribute to the lost lives. The rows of empty chairs outside is understated drama at its best. And nothing speaks like the part citizens made on their own--the long fence still being covered with personal messages all these years later.
4. The Newseum was good. Anxiously awaiting the re-opening.
Any reviews of the NASA facility in Houston?

 

[kleeda]

If you're in Dallas, get over to Fort Worth (30 minutes away) for the best cultural endeavor available in that part of the world.

The Kimball Musem is in Fort Worth, and the building alone -- designed by Luis I. Kahn -- is considered one of the most important architectural works of the last half of the 20th century. The permanent collection is outstanding and many of the biggest traveling shows stop there. The former curator of the Louvre once called it the most important small museum in the world. Anyway, if you like art you shouldn't miss it.
www.kimbellart.org


Fort Worth just followed that up with a new museum of modern art, The Modern. The building itself is stunning. The collection is good, but likely fals short of great.
www.mamfw.org



There is also a museum of Western art called the Amon Carter. It is one of the finest collections of its type anywhere, and it has recently branched out to include early American works. Great museum.
www.cartermuseum.org


Dallas has some fine museums as well, but really pales in significance to what Fort Worth has put together.


So 21, no excuses next time you hit Big D.

 

[Ace]

Seconding a few museum favorites, and additions as well, in no particular order:
1. Rock and Roll HOF, Cleveland. Great fun.
2. Dealey Plaza/Schoolbook Depository. Very well done. A lot of of the history of the era, and the moment, of course, and not a lot of judging on blame. You decide for yourself. Fascinating for journalists because it details the news coverage of the assasination, with the TV news broadcasts and the AP wire.
3. The Oklahoma City Memorial. Sadness is everywhere, but organizers have made such a poignant, moving tribute to the lost lives. The rows of empty chairs outside is understated drama at its best. And nothing speaks like the part citizens made on their own--the long fence still being covered with personal messages all these years later.
4. The Newseum was good. Anxiously awaiting the re-opening.
Any reviews of the NASA facility in Houston?

The NASA facility is good. Well worth your time. It has been a while but with security and such, I am sure some of the tours have been scrapped or shortened.

The visitors center has a lot to see. Real good place for kids, too.

 

[Hustle]

kleeda's reply reminded me: If you're in Philly and you have any interest in art, there's obviously the Art Museum where you can run up the same steps as Rocky.

But if you're looking for more, head out to the suburbs - Merion to be exact - for the Barnes Foundation, and one of the best private art collections in the world. Masterpieces by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse and other works by Picasso, Monet, Manet and Degas.

They are trying to move the place into Philadelphia proper, but there's been a haggling over the guy's estate. But it looks like they will make the move.

 

[Ace]

If you are in Chicago, you really should check out The Art Institute.

Great collection. You can spend an hour or a day.

It's also right next to the new Millennium Park, which also is worth checking out. If it is a nice day, you can eat at the park and go back into the museum if you want.

Admission is good for all day.

 

[NUkid]

This art museum talk jogged my memory about one of my favorite D.C. museums, The Phillips Collection.

Located off of Embassy Row in DuPont Circle (and a short jot from the Brickskeller), the Phillips Collection is not your ordinary museum. The building was once a private home, so it is an intimate environment for art. In it hangs an impressive impressionist collection, including Renoir's famous Luncheon of the Boating Party (although I think it is on tour right now), and works by important American artists such as O'Keefe, Eakins and Jacob Lawrence.

It is a privately owned museum, so it does charge admission, but I can't recommend it more highly.

Here's the website: http://www.phillipscollection.org/

And whoever wrote about the Fort Worth museums, BRAVO (dallas museums pale in comparison).

 

[GuessWho]

The Rice area is the prettiest area of Houston.

You got that right.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

And what's with all the bolding of city names? Reading them can be a real pain in the ass.

 

[Starman]

I'm figuring on making a Texas road swing in a month or so, probably renting a car in Houston, swinging south through San Antone, then hitting the Gulf Coast and the Rio Grande Valley. Any suggestions?

Being an old space nut from the 1960s, I am sure NASA in Houston will be a must-see. Probably the Alamo too. Dunno about Dallas - that may extend the trip beyond how long I want to take it.

Luckily, I'm ahead of the chart on my weight-loss plans. I suspect I may lapse a bit on my smart-eating regimen. ::)

 

[Ace]

San Antonio is a great city. You'll have fun. Make sure you take the tour of the Alamo that includes the basement.

San Antone is more west than south, though.

 

[Huska]

I'm figuring on making a Texas road swing in a month or so, probably renting a car in Houston, swinging south through San Antone, then hitting the Gulf Coast and the Rio Grande Valley. Any suggestions?

Being an old space nut from the 1960s, I am sure NASA in Houston will be a must-see. Probably the Alamo too. Dunno about Dallas - that may extend the trip beyond how long I want to take it.

Not counting El Paso, I don't have any experience with southern Texas. But I hear Corpus Christi is a nice place to visit -- given it's not spring break.

Dallas is decent. I haven't been there often, but the West End is the place for mainstream dining, night clubs, retail, etc.

Maybe I'm a stooge, but I enjoyed the farmers market there. It's an interesting place, and there's nothing like quality, fresh fruit. Yeah, call me lame. It isn't far from downtown, either.

Oh, yeah. Almost forgot. Avoid South Padre Island. The motto, "what happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico" applies to this place, also. Forget borders.

 

[Jones]

I'm figuring on making a Texas road swing in a month or so, probably renting a car in Houston, swinging south through San Antone, then hitting the Gulf Coast and the Rio Grande Valley. Any suggestions?

Being an old space nut from the 1960s, I am sure NASA in Houston will be a must-see. Probably the Alamo too. Dunno about Dallas - that may extend the trip beyond how long I want to take it.

Luckily, I'm ahead of the chart on my weight-loss plans. I suspect I may lapse a bit on my smart-eating regimen. ::)

Well, here goes...

Houston, the city, is ass. NASA is worth the stop, though. Although there are better exhibits at the Air and Space Museum in D.C., in my humble opinion, it's still pretty neat. Them there rockets are huge.

Galveston, which is a pretty quick and straight shot from Houston has a cool feel to it. Good food. A little tacky by the beach, but still, I liked it. You should read Isaac's Storm, which is great book about the hurricane that hit down there a ways back (written by the guy who wrote Devil in the White City; I'm drawing a blank on his name... something Scandanavian sounding.) Anyway, you read it, and then you can look up the buildings that survived the storm, and picture the people who survived, too, bundled up above the surge. Kinda chilling, really, especially given the recent tsunami.

Oooo... Got a little heavy there. Sorry. Okay. San Antonio is a nice town by Texas standards. Walkable, unlike, say, Houston or Dallas. River runs through it. The Alamo is a little disappointing, because -- and I didn't really understand what was what -- but none of it is actually the Alamo. There's a big traffic circle where the joint used to be. (And yeah, jackasses, I know it had the unmerciful crap blown out of it, but I'd rather look at ruins than a reconstruction.) Again, though, San Antonio's a pleasant pitstop.

Just so you know, Starman, there is nothing between Houston and San Antonio, except a nearly four-hour drive over flats.

Austin, though, is where you should be heading. Cool, cool town. Eat and drink just about anywhere and be happy. (You can drive a nice little triangle-loop between Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Someone can correct me, because my memory's foggy, but I think it'd be maybe 10 hours to do all the driving.)

I have a hatred for Dallas that I have for no other city in the Union. I don't know why. Hate it.

El Paso, though, is the bigger pit. Walking over the bridge into Juarez is a trip all on its own and worth doing if you get there. I ate dinner in ol' Mexcio, and somehow didn't **** my pants from the food. Just out of fear.

And that, hombre, is Texas. Except for Amarillo, where I haven't been since I was a kid. All I remember is one of those place where you eat the 72-ounce steak and you get it for free. It had a shooting gallery in it, too.

My dad tried to do the steak thing and failed. If you do go to Amarillo, perhaps you might find his small bowel there.

 

[Huska]

El Paso, though, is the bigger pit. Walking over the bridge into Juarez is a trip all on its own, though, and worth doing if you get there. I ate dinner in ol' Mexcio, and somehow didn't **** my pants from the food. Just out of fear.

I crossed the border at about 11 p.m. local time. I have never been more nervous in my life.

That is, until I can back into America a couple days later. Massive amount of cars. One guy, who had no legs, "walked" up and down the line of vehicles begging for money as cars passed through the checkpoint. His knuckles were bleeding.

My group still managed to get a few butterfly and switchblade knives past U.S. border patrol. Both items are illegal.

The Juarez marketplace. Gotta love it.

 

[GuessWho]

OK, here we go.

In San Antonio, do a boat trip on the Riverwalk through town. You'll see the places you might want to check out later. Lots of good clubs, bars and restaurants. The Riverplace Mall on the river is nice, too. The Alamo is almost next to the mall. It'll be smaller than you thought.

Austin? Check out Sixth Street, of course. It's the main entertainment strip in town, sort of a cleaner and smaller Bourbon Street. Great live music up and down the street. Also go to the Continental Club. Very well-known joint on South Congress.

About an hour west of SA and Austin is the Texas hill country. Very picturesque. If you're near Fredericksburg, have someone tell you how to get to Luckenbach (remember the old Willie Nelson/Waylon Jennings song?) I don't believe there are any road signs pointing the way.

If you make it to Corpus, there's a fun little seafood/burger shack under the Kennedy Causeway called Snoopy's. It's several miles out of town on the way to Padre Island. The beaches around Corpus are kind if hit-and-miss. They're sandier and nicer the further south you go towards the Valley.

Sure this is more info than you needed. But I spent some time in Texas. 8)

 

[Starman]

Hmm, well I'm debating right now what my itinerary will be. I have a sister who lives down near Padre Island and my general plan is to take a week-plus two weekends to fly down there and spend a few days driving around the state with a couple digitals and video cameras in tow. (I have definitely timed it NOT to go during the normal 'spring break' time frame.)

Haven't decided exactly where I am going to fly into.
Right now I'm thinking mainly of the SE side of the state, the Gulf Coast side, which is going to leave El Paso and Dallas out of it. Probably Houston, Austin, San Antone, Corpus, then down to the Valley. We'll see.

For the more experienced travel vets here, the frequent flyer wizards -- what's the usual lead-time window to get the best airfare rates?? 30 days?? One way or another, I'm gonna have to get off the pot pretty soon.

 

[Bubbler]

If you're in Milwaukee and in the mood for Italian, check out Balistreri's. There's two locations, both near Miller Park. Get the fried eggplant, great stuff.

If you're in Madison and in the mood for some variety, check out the Kabul Restaurant on State Street. If you like Middle Eastern food, this place is choice. And you can get drunk afterwards at State Street Brats or any number of other watering holes.

I like Bazbeaux's Pizza in Indianapolis. Good stuff, nice atmosphere. There's one downtown and in the Broad Ripple bar district, though I don't think that one is a sit down place.

It's down homey, but I also like Mark's Feed Store in Louisville. And I second the vote for Jack Fry's.

Anyone have any suggestions for -- gulp -- Wichita? I'm headed there in the near future.