There are so many destinations along Buffalo Bayou - parks, hillside views, bridges, art…read moreinstallations, flower gardens, monuments, little nooks and bends - that I love equally and truly enjoy. Points along the Bayou that beg anyone to stop, stretch, and take in the scenery. But Allen's Landing is probably one of my favorite spots - and the most historically significant. Allen's Landing is the officially recognized birthplace of the city of Houston, where brothers August Chapman and John Kirby Allen - the Allen Brothers - stepped off the murky bayou waters and claimed the land. "Houston's Plymouth Rock," some compare. It officially became the original Port of Houston, and present day, it's a city park and site of the Texas Dragon Boat Festival, Buffalo Bayou Regatta, and Buffalo Bayou Partnership Building (located in the historic Sunset Coffee Building). Anyone remember the awesome Yelp photo gallery event hosted in that building? Yeah, that was a special moment for me. :) For visitors, there are a few paid parking lots and metered parking along the way (free after 6pm). And with the sun setting around 8pm this season, we most recently took advantage of that with a small picnic along Allen's Landing - food, wine, candles, the view, the people watching. I heart Houston.

This is a water-access part of the Buffalo Bayou. I have come here for two different occasions: the…read moreTexas Dragon Boat Festival and a pontoon tour of the Bayou. The space itself is neat and well-kept. It is a pretty view of the bayou, though sometimes you can get a waft of that fishy bayou smell. I was there on Saturday, 5/4/19 for the Texas Dragon Boat Festival (see pictures attached). This is a unique and fun outdoor Houston experience, where company-sponsored teams compete against each other while racing in carved dragon boats. There is a stage set up for dancers and performances through the day, and there are several vendors around as well. This is an annual Houston event that I would recommend. Be sure to bring sunscreen! As far as the pontoon boat tour went, we had a lot of fun. It was a little chillier on the water, so bring a jacket depending on what time of year you go. We learned a lot about the city of Houston's history as a port city.

Looks like I've written one shell of a lot of review…read more So it's definitely one of the most beautiful buildings in Texas, and it might actually be my fave in Houston. It's a gargantuan building that would be at home in New York City. It's massive and a monolith and absolutely remarkable. One of the most beautiful buildings in town and in the state and in the country. The 2 most recent times I came here were to visit the Barber Shop here for trims. Not to be confused with the One Hell Barber, which is a barber who believes that there's only one hell and we're all going to it. It's known as a hell of a barbershop in the tunnels. Some people say it's the best one in the tunnels, and other people say it's the best one in the whole downtown area. You can draw your own conclusions if you're something of a sketch artist, but if you need a haircut around here, this is definitely near the top of my list. Especially if you go with the older gentleman - which as others have said, is usually near the window.

This historic landmark marker is in excellent condition and denotes this amazing part of the…read moreHouston skyline. Though it's no longer the tallest building around, it's still here and lovely. The marker reads: "Prominent real estate developer, publisher, statesman and banker Jesse H. Jones opened the Gulf Building in 1929 with Gulf Oil, National Bank of Commerce, and Sakowitz Brothers as primary tenants. Alfred C. Finn designed the 430-foot high art deco edifice with a six-story base topped by a tall tower that diminishes in size as it rises. The 37-floor, steel-frame structure remained Houston's tallest skyscraper for 24 years. In 1986, the building, then owned by a successor bank, underwent a $50 million restoration. It was renamed JPMorgan Chase Bank Building in 2000 and continues to be a monument to the city's growth, modernity and financial prosperity." - Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2007.

Be Someone! This sign is always changing, so it makes…read moreHouston traffic just a little bit more fun. I always love coming zooming under this bridge at high rates of speed, to glance up and see what new inspirational message it has. Usually, it says, "Be Someone" but not always. If you want to be the 'someone' who changes the message, then get up there and paint something for yourself! I've seen other messages, like "Vote or Die." I'm pretty sure it's illegal to go paint it, but that's what makes it so fun. Unfortunately, I've never had a message that I've needed to convey on a highway like this, so I've never gotten a chance to paint it. This overpass is so iconic, that people take photos of it, or even get it tattooed across their chests to show their Houston pride.

For years someone keeps painting the bridge close to downtown Houston to say "Be Someone." Due to…read morethe natural of our country it changes often. Messages about our President or world events. Due to the war in Ukraine someone painted "No War Know Peace." Let's all pray for no war, no hate, just kindness and harmony with EVERYONE no matter where you live. (3.4.22)

A neat little-known historical site in Pasadena. This is the location of a bridge that once…read morecrossed The Ship Channel (Buffalo Bayou), that was destroyed in 1836 by military and believed to have led to the capture of Santa Ana, later that day. All that is present now is a monument surrounded by bollards. The current bridge is concrete probably built in the 1960s.

absolutely beautiful! the marble has some hidden gems that you can only see in photosread more

It's got its quirks and challenges, like anywhere else. It's a city of its own!…read more This city has so much to offer, especially if you get involved and make a positive difference. Whether it's supporting small businesses, volunteering with charities you care about, or getting to know your community, there are plenty of ways to make an impact. Support local nonprofits, try out new restaurants, and don't let reviews make your decisions for you--go experience places for yourself! At the end of the day, this city is what you make of it. There's beauty in the little things--whether it's a favorite local spot, meeting new people, or just the hustle of life here. Get out there and explore and share your experiences!

8.27.24 I LOVE all the trees in The Woodlands but do not…read morelike all the traffic. It's so busy here. Tons of shopping and food choices. Just too many people driving fast everywhere.

The short version: It's a beautiful grand fountain lodged in the center of a traffic circle…read morebringing beauty to its own beastly traffic congestion and driver confusion. Did I mention it sits in the middle of Main Street and Montrose Boulevard? The long story: Ok, so let me start off by explaining that I moved from New Jersey to Texas. For those who do not know, New Jersey is the home of the traffic circle and the jug handle. Some time in the 1800s someone in NJ decided that the best form of traffic control was a traffic circle. So they made all the major roads cross at a traffic circles. Of course this was not a problem when you used horses and carts, but with high speed vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, trams, etc., it's a bit more problematic. Now they have lights at each entrance to the circle and overpasses to avoid them. So for me the only way to truly understand the Mecom Fountain and its traffic circle is to think of it as a part of Charles Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities". Read the following quote and I will explain. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way." The Best of Times =============== The Mecom Fountain is the jewel in the crown of Hermann Park. It stands in the middle of Main Street near the entrance to the park separating Montrose Boulevard from Hermann Loop Drive. The fountain's waters' roar triumphantly. It calls out to all those passing by, "Look here!". It announces with a proud Houstonian swagger, "Welcome to all that is refinement. Come in. Relax and enjoy the pleasures of Hermann Park, the culture of Miller Theater, and intellect of the Museum District. Welcome to the heart of culture, parks and recreation. We are Houston!" Those are certainly the best of times, aren't they? Now let's place this glorious fountain in the middle of a traffic circle at the intersection of 2 major commuting roads with 2 more commuter roads and the light rail less than 100 feet from the circle. Add a 5th road at an odd angle to insure the confusion is maximized and now you have... The Worst of Times ================ The fountain sits in the middle of a traffic circle that is transected by Main Street and Montrose Boulevard. These are two major commuter and commercial roads. The drivers in the circle travelling along Main Street do not yield to traffic or pedestrians. Main Street traffic is often comprised of exhausted commuters trying to get to and from downtown. Drivers in the circle turning across Main Street need to yield. This causes traffic back ups on Main Street. The side roads feeding the circle get backed up by everyone waiting to get a chance to enter the circle. Someone say traffic snarl please. That wasn't too bad was it? But wait there's more! Let's add a fifth road (Hermann Drive) to the circle. Hermann Drive leads to the Natural Science Museum, Childrens Museum, Health Museum, the Houston Garden Center, Miller Theater, and the newly constructed Centennial Gardens and parking lots for Hermann Park. Oh, and of course Highways. Now you have all sorts of various traffic injected on holidays, days off from school, work days and weekends. Ok, that might be bad ... But wait there's more!!! Right adjacent to the circle and parallel to Main Street is Fannin Street. Fannin Street is a normal unassuming multi-lane divided road with the light rail running down the middle adjacent to the park. Very picturesque and peaceful. But by the traffic circle, Fannin Street's alter ego appears as it splits like a DNA helix along with the light rail into 2 separate one way roads. Fannin now heads south, and San Jacinto heads north. The combination of Fannin, San Jacinto, 2 separate light rail tracks the grand merge onto the Mecom traffic circle tie the final knot in the glorious traffic snarl. If the Mecom Fountain is "beauty", then the circle in which it resides is "the beast". I love the Mecom Fountain. It's a cherished speed bump in the road of life. Have fun.

Mecom Fountain was gifted to the city of Houston by John and Mary Mecom in 1964, at the entrance of…read moreHermann Park near downtown Houston. Consisting of 3 fountains that continuously run with nighttime illumination and located inside a busy traffic circle, Mecom has provided many a backdrop for photos and quick glances from passing cars. That's what I did when riding a bus back to the Medical district. There are a lot of online articles and pictures about the fountain, including conflict about proposed renovations, stolen lights, and somebody pouring soap to create sudsy effect.