Houston, Texas Recommendations

Houston is a large metropolitan city (4^th largest in the states) and like all large cities, you have to find the types of places that fit you. My below recommendations are of individual places I have been to and have found to be exceptional but some are better for locals to visit that have more time here. If you are visiting Houston for the first time, contact me and let me know the kind of "feel" you are looking for. We have it all: alternative, hipster, hippy, chic, preppy, sporty, nature lovin', foodies, dancers...

Tango and Malbec - I recently discovered this restaurant after being fitted for my first real cowboy hat. Tango and Malbec is the place that all restaurants should strive to be. You will get reasonable prices for exemplary service, shiny silverware, exquisite dishes, and an international atmosphere. http://tangomalbec.com/our-passion.html

The Hat Store – Looking for a REAL cowboy/cowgirl hat? This is the ONLY place you should go. They are professionals. You walk in the door and they immediately know the size of your head. You pick out the hat style and they hand shape the hat with steam and other cool contraptions. You pick out your own band and if your face is too small, they will cut the brim down. Your initials are put into the hat along with a funny little card. It is an experience you shouldn´t miss. Don’t order your hat online! It is quite pricey but all true cowboy hats are. Mine is made of wild hare and beaver. The hat store is right down the street from Tango and Malbec. You can’t beat their executive lunch special. I think it’s a great afternoon trip during the week – leaving you with a happy palette and stylish head. http://www.thehatstore.com/ For big shoppers, the Galleria (high end mall) is located right here as well.

The waterfall – If you are in a romantic mood, it might be nice to take a quick trip here. The part I like about the waterfall is that it is actually a cooling station. I like that an engineer thought to make something not just functional but also an enjoyable place to visit. It is located near the Galleria next to the TransCo Tower, which is apparently now called the Williams Tower. The address is 2800 Post Oak Blvd.

Hilton - Americas Hotel – the pictures in their website say it all. http://www.emarketing360.com/Hilton/TX/HOTA/

Plus it’s across the street from The Grove and Discovery Green.

The Grove - http://thegrovehouston.com/

Discovery Green – This park is in the middle of the big city but offers a bit of refreshing outdoor fun with free concerts, outdoor movies, yoga, etc. I had fun flying kites there just a few weeks ago! http://www.discoverygreen.com/

Buffalo Bayou – the city has really built up this area. It is a nice bike ride or long walk along the bayou with excellent places to take pictures with oak trees (great spot located at the entrance to the Aquarium amusement park with the Ferris wheel), unique statues (the Buddhas contain letters from all the languages of the world), or the skyline of Houston (best shot is on the bridge next to the Jamail Skate park). http://www.buffalobayou.org/

Ziggy´s - There is more than one Ziggy’s. I only recommend the one in the Montrose area because this place is more than just the food. It is the atmosphere. You feel like you are in Austin. When I’m in town, I go here once a week. It is located at 302 Fairview (at Taft near Montrose). I recommend going on a cool night when you can sit outside next to the little trees with white lights and eat your organic food (many options for vegetarians). The food is healthier than what you find at most places. Plus, it is across the street from Boheme, which I recommend you go to their back, back patio after dinner for a glass of wine and more great ambiance.

P.S. They serve eggs Benedict on the weekend – wowzers!

http://www.ziggysbarandgrill.com/about

The Beer Can House – I have not included the website because you should not look at the house in a picture. It will ruin the experience! Please, just go to 222 Malone Street, between Memorial Drive and Washington Avenue. You will love it! It’s just a quick stop but a unique thing to see.

Taco Milagro - I only recommend Taco Milagro on Thursday nights. Come early to be surrounded by young professionals and be ready to salsa, salsa, salsa dance with a live band. It is located at 2555 Kirby Drive. www.taco-milagro.com

Tiny Boxwood’s Cafe – I hear that brunch on the weekend here is fabulous. Dinner is quite nice as well – small, hidden away treasure within Houston. It is located next to a nursery/plant store which adds to the environment. It is located at 3614 West Alabama Street (River Oaks area) and their number is 713-622-4224. Thank you for showing me this fabulous spot Arnaud!

Cafe Brownstone - this place is new (2011) and has a great atmosphere for brunch on the weekend. It is probably quite nice in the evenings as well but I haven’t checked it out. It is a bit hard to find. So we shall see how it does in this competitive restaurant environment. www.cafebrownstone.com Another thank you to Arnaud – great spot!

Empire Cafe – This is one of my favorite places to go on a weekly basis. It is located at 1732 Westheimer Road between Shepherd and Montrose. You can do a little shopping for quirky yard decorations, clothing re-sale shops (good ones), or antiques. I just go for the good food and great ambiance. I never thought I’d recommend such a simple dish but I do love their oatmeal. I don’t know what they do to it but it is so gooood! http://www.empirecafe.com/

Agora – come on Wednesday to watch the free belly dancing show while having wine or coffee, very different environment. Check it out! Located at 1712 Westheimer http://www.agorahouston.com/pages/agorafirst.html

Memorial Park – If you’re looking for a place to run. This is the best spot in Houston. It is always filled with runners, bikers, walkers, etc. They make the atmosphere! You can find the park map here: http://www.memorialparkconservancy.org/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

For the out of towners, do not leave Texas without eating at Pappasitos, Pappadeaux, and Pappas Burgers! I cannot express this strongly enough! We also have some exceptional museums and it is impressive to drive through the medical district. Houston has a fabulous medical community and the museum district was really enhanced by the last Director of the Fine Arts Museum – may just make NYC a little jealous. J

I also recommend to the out of towners that are visiting Texas to not leave without spending some time in Austin.

Cusco, Peru Recomendaciones

Tierra Viva Hotel - I highly recommend TierraViva. The hotel is very clean with spacious rooms, hot showers, and the largest beds I´ve ever seen in a hotel. I was taken aback by the excellent service - attentive, personalized, and professional. The outdoor patios are so charming. The breakfast was delicious and I can´t stop thinking about the coffee....wow! They´re also coveniently located just off the main square in Cusco. http://tierravivahoteles.com/

La Valle Sagrada - my favorite spot - make sure to spend as much time as possible there and have a knowledgeable guide with you. You can learn about the condors spiritual powers that were determined later to simply be a matter of science. Interesante...

Inka Sol Travel - this is run by a man named Eduardo. He is very helpful, calm, and does not try to sell you on anything. He is very kind and simply there to help tourists enjoy his country. His prices are very reasonable and all you have to do is show up in the morning for your scheduled activity. Additionally, if you would like to hike the Inca Trail, which you must book about 8 months in advance, since he is a local and not one of the big agencies, the price is less than half what you will find online. So book with him! His email is inkasoltravel8@hotmail.com. His local cell number is (0051-84) 984 624710 and his home number is (0051-84) 437659. His office is just off the Plaza de Armas plaza on Avenida el Sol. It's a short walk down the street located on your left hand side. I unfortunatley do not have the address.

Travel Tips

This past year has been a bit tumultuous. While adjusting to all the changes in my life, I have tried to travel as much as possible...Europe, South America, the Carribbean, North America...

I will try to post as many recommendations from my personal adventures to help others in the future and to remind myself...I hope to return to each of these places someday.

Recomendaciones coming soon...

Recomendations in Salou, Spain

La Tagliatella - the best pasta I have eaten in all of Spain! The portions are quite large. I recommend splitting a meal. The prices are very reasonable and the pasta is homemade. If you go to Salou, DO NOT miss out on this amazing tastespud experience! Do not waste space in your stomach eating their pizza. They have two locations: Murillo, 6-10 Salou 977351999 and Av. Pau Casals, 55 La Pineda - Platja 977373018.

How to Recover from the Current Economic Crisis

I´m a fan of Richard C. Koo - very smart man.

I highly recommend spending some time watching his podcast and processing all the insightful information.

http://csis.org/events/all?filter0=Richard+Koo

Happy Watching!!

Wal-Mart, Healthcare, and the U.S. Government

I just read an article by Wayne F. Cascio of the University of Colorado “Decency Means More than “Always Low Prices”: A Comparison of Costco to Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club” and it is one of the most biased, poorly written articles with misinformation I have ever read. The two key problems are that the size of Wal-Mart and Costco are quite different and that the conclusions drawn are of little substantial basis. He is comparing Sam’s Club to Costco but uses data and incidents that have occurred at Wal-Mart which is a completely different kind of retail operation.

As a former Wal-Mart employee, I definitely hold some animosity towards them. As an Assistant Manager, you work hard, long hours for little pay or respect. It was definitely not the right work environment for me but let’s it least be objective with our judgments. And let’s try to see the whole picture. Is it even right to be outraged by the lack of healthcare and support Wal-Mart offers its employees? Let’s think for a moment and look at the big picture. Whose responsibility really is it?

Why should a company be responsible for healthcare and not the government? The article implies that Wal-Mart, the second largest employer in the United States (after the government), has a social responsibility to have healthcare for all of its employees. Let’s take a step back, why can we not make the link that maybe the government has a social responsibility to take care of its citizens? The key issue is not Wal-Mart. It’s society. It’s the United States government’s lack of responsibility, not Wal-Mart’s.

For example, many of the friendly door greeters that you see as you enter Wal-Mart are actually retired people that should be….RETIRED. They should be out enjoying life, spending time with their grandchildren, and relaxing after spending the majority of their lives working hard. Why do they go to Wal-Mart and start working again? Because Wal-Mart offers a healthcare plan and is willing to hire retirees. U.S. citizens that weren’t lucky enough to work for a company with retirement benefits are forced to find a job that can help them. The cost of medicine is so high and they cannot afford it without a private insurance plan. There is no other option for them. Whose fault is that? It’s the fault of the current healthcare system of the U.S. government and the people that aren’t trying to change it.

Now that healthcare reform is more than just a hot topic, I found it appropriate to actually write down my opinion and express it with others. I hope Obama’s team is able to make change happen! I would love to hear your thoughts – dissent and support- in order to address weak points and strengthen my viewpoint. I’m hoping to refine this document and add more facts and others perspectives in order to submit it to my local paper. Who knows? It just might get published.

I support Dr. Howard Dean!