The gaucho lifestyle is depicted through large murals on the walls and with a grandiose table used as a salad buffet.
Goode Co. Barbecue’s pecan pie is from Jim Goode’s mother. Her secret? The clever gal spiked it with vinegar and slowly baked it in a convection oven.
Members will tell you that it’s not as stuffy and pretentious as the River Oaks Country Club and they prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of their grand-yet-low-key club.
The company has also developed quite a following as of late, and counts influental menswear bloggers and Hollywood celebrities, including Daniel Radcliffe, as part of their impressive client list.
Great news for frequent travelers: Aloft is from Starwood, which also owns the Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Meredian and W chains, so pile up those points.
The space is divided into three main rooms, each with its own ambience: the main room with its ottomans and dance floor, some hidden away spaces for quieter lounging and upstairs VIP.
For the full-body experience, try the hour-long Passion of the East, a combination of Spa Nordstrom's most requested treatments.
The costume jewelry is some of the best in the city. Faux diamonds and gemstones dazzle. The watch collection is immense.
Spilled something on your dress shirt in the lunch meeting and need something dashing for a dinner date? A. Taghi has a smaller shop located in the Four Seasons lobby downtown.
The Houston Ferragamo store contains the entire collection of women's and men's shoes, clothing and accessories. Before the expansion, shoppers could only buy limited pieces.
The Westin Oaks faces Westheimer; its sister hotel, the Westin Galleria, faces West Alabama.
Confused about which hotel is which? The Westin Galleria faces West Alabama; the Westin Oaks faces Westheimer.
New owners recently brought back Carlos Souza, to head up public relations in the United States and recapture some of that Valentino magic.
The Barbecue Inn opened in 1946. It’s still operated by the same family. Other than the prices, little has changed by the look of the original menu on the wall.
It was called Inn on the Park when Madonna stayed there for several days before kicking off her "Blonde Ambition" tour in 1990 at The Summit (now Lakewood Church). How times change!
The walls are lined with Houston Dynamo players, past presidents and other celebrity faces who shop at Lucho.
It's often impossible to find a parking spot, so valet at one of the trendy restaurants like RA Sushi, P.F. Chang’s or Smith and Wollensky.
Before larger venues were built in Houston, this arena hosted concerts by famous artists like The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Prince and Madonna.
Past projects have included the City-Soundscapes series when the Sabine-to-Bagby Promenade was transformed into an outdoor stage.
Tired of the everyday wine bar? Rainbow Lodge has half-priced glasses on Sunday nights.
The hardest choice is between the local 8th Wonder root beer on tap and Benjy's amazing mintade.
The staff includes Olympic athletes, motor skill professionals, and first-class sports trainers.
If you need a little reprieve from the skyscraper hospitals, head to the Houston Zoo and say "hello" to baby elephant Baylor.
Even when there’s not an event going on, we like to do a little Frisbee-throwing here and then grab a beer at the campus bar, Valhalla.
For something different, try Goode Company Seafood’s tender, handmade shrimp tamales with salsa. We haven’t found this tasty version anywhere else in town.
Blow Dry Bar sells monthly memberships, $120 for four monthly blowouts and $60 for two blowouts a month.
Avoid the back side alley unless you enjoy the sound of crashing dishes.
