Chalk it up to experience

Saturday, I had tickets to Via Colori, which is a fundraiser for The Center for Hearing and Speech.  It's a two-day street painting festival, where various organizations (and a few invited artists) get together and do chalk murals on the streets around Hermann Square.

Doing this takes a lot of coffee

I'd heard about this festival a few years ago, but this was the first year I was able to go. The weather was absoloutely perfect and there was something to take a picture of around every corner. Heaven.  There was even an alley full of food trucks where I got to try kimchi fries, which I highly recommend. (However, it gives you the worst breath imaginable. Bring mints.)

There were a lot of Dia de las Muertos themes

It's a two day festival, and I only went on the first day, so the pictures I have are of largely unfinished works. For better pictures, click on the link above, and check out the photo gallery.

 

Sunset in Houston

 

 

 

This one was going to be 3-D when finished

 

A Visit to the Yellow Rose Distillery

This past weekend some friends and I went on a tour of Houston's first, and only, legal whiskey distillery.  The tour is a bargain ($7) includes free tastes of everything they make (bourbon, rye, blended whiskey and vodka) and they even have a bar so you can take a drink with you on the tour.



Bourbon, developing flavor and character

I don't actually drink hard liquor that much. I'm more of a wine drinker. However, I did try the un-aged, un-diluted corn whisky (aka moonshine), and the coffee-flavored vodka. I will not be switching over any time soon.



  

raw ingredients

This is not to dissuade you from the brand.  I'm not a good judge of whisky.  I was told, by other people on the tour, (people who like whisky and coffee) that Yellow Rose puts out a good product. They have also won several awards, including a double gold medal at the World Wine & Spirit Competition, so they must know what they're doing.

Barrels full of aging liquor

I even made a purchase. Maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels, which is a wonderful (and expensive) thing. It's definitely something for a special breakfast.



The original still.

 They give a good tour. They give a brief history of the brand, the distilling method is explained clearly, the atmosphere is light, and since it's all in one room, it doesn't take that long. And did I mention, free samples?




The current version - I guess they're doing okay.

If you like to drink, have out of town visitors and can't take another trip to NASA, or you just want to do something different. I'd recommend it.

Yellow Rose Distilling

1224 N. Post Oak R.

Houston TX, 77005

In Search of Lost Soup

If you lived in Houston in 2000-2013, you knew Taco Milagro on the corner of Kirby and Westheimer. It wasn't a restaurant known for its food; it was one of the city's "see and be seen" meet markets for single people. It had a huge patio, salsa dancing, good margaritas, and was completely packed in the evenings.  



Ancho chili

I was at Taco Milagro when someone told me her theory about deciding if men were datable depending on their shoes. Gucci tasseled-loafers were particularly favorable. I can't remember why. "Never date guys with cheap shoes" was what it boiled down to.   I've never followed this advice, because it seemed like one of the dumber ways of selecting a mate, but I'm still single, so what do I know?

white corn tortillas

Anyway, Taco Milagro served the usual tacos, burritos, chips, salsa and guacamole, which were passable, but my favorite was the tortilla soup, which was not a brothy chicken soup, but a thick and spicy tomato based soup (with chicken). I loved that soup. It had depth to it. I would go there just for the soup.
 

cilantro

But Taco Milagro closed in 2013, cutting off my supply. So I've been noodling around the interwebs looking for a recipe that might work. This is my first attempt. It's good but a little thin. The search continues. . .

Spicy Tortilla Soup 1
 

Soup

• 2 ancho chilis
• 1 onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 corn tortillas (torn into pieces)
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken

Garnish

• salt
• cilantro
• queso fresco 
• lime juice
• avocado

Instructions


Seed the ancho chilies and soak them in hot water for about an hour.

Puree the chilies with the onion, the tomatoes and the garlic.

Heat up your soup pot and put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in it.  Fry the pureed vegetables for about 5 minutes, until aromatic.

Add 6 cups chicken broth, the tortillas, the cilantro and the chicken and simmer until the tortillas have dissolved and thickened the soup.

Salt to taste. (I used about a teaspoon.)

Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, lime juice, and tortilla strips. You won't see any tortilla strips on mine because I'm a chicken about frying things. (Hot oil in large amounts scares me.)



My soup, you can tell my avocado was bit bruised, but it still tasted okay.

A visit to Phoenicia

The first time I went to Phoenicia Specialty Foods, I was with a friend looking for bulk jordan almonds (almonds encased in sugar) for a wedding.  My friend bought her almonds and left. I stuck around and browsed, because I love markets, and Phoenicia is a really cool market. Houston is not short of specialty grocery stores, but Phoenicia specializes in foods from Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so it’s always a journey of discovery.

Candy that I've only heard about in books

Phoenicia used to mean a trip to West Houston, a fascinating and worthwhile trip, but still a serious drive. But they have recently opened a downtown location, on the ground floor of a ritzy apartment building near Discovery Green. And since I was in the neighborhood, I thought I’d take a look.

The new one is prettier; they are definitely going for a more up market vibe.  The Westheimer location isn’t ugly, it’s just basic.  It is more about grocery shopping, the new location is more about eating. The deli is prominent, which is smart, since they are so close to Discovery Green. You can grab something to eat and head over to the park. There’s also a little seating area, if you want to eat on location.

Freshly baked pita bread

I love the bakery, because it has a conveyor belt, and I get a kick out of that. (Yes. I know. I’m twelve.) There is a good selection of international foods: jams, pickles, cookies and candies of all kinds. Don’t miss the upstairs, which has spices, oils, and wines, along with a selection of international kitchenware and for some reason inlaid chess sets and hookahs. If I was going to go shopping, I’d still make the drive out to Westheimer. The old store is bigger and the selection is better. But if you are downtown already, Phoenicia is a good place to stop for lunch and an impulse buy.

Anybody need a Polish cheese lady?

Of course I bought some stuff:

• Buffalo jerky - for my father’s birthday
• Zorab’s olive oil dipping mix – because it’s great
• Walnuts - because I haven’t been able to find any for months, and
• Rose petal jam – just because

Hermann Park - 2014

Saturday, I was at a loose end so I grabbed the camera and headed to Hermann Park. 

Hermann is my favorite of Houston's parks. It's close to the Museum District, it's home to the Miller Outdoor Theater, and unlike most of the other parks, it is not inundated with exercise fanatics. Hermann is a place to relax, people watch, sleep beneath the trees and enjoy the day. If you want to work out, go to Memorial. 

It's also a photographer's paradise, with gorgeous spreading oak trees, fountains, sculptures, reflecting ponds, a Japanese garden etc. Most weekends you will see people posing for cameras all over the park. I particularly love watching the quinceñeras, the dresses are so bright and fluffy.

2014 marks the centennial of Hermann Park, so there are a lot of things planned: performances, new art installations, and most importantly, the rose garden on the North side of the park has been bulldozed, along with the herb garden and garden center. The space is being completely re-done, but right now it just looks like a huge pile of dirt. 

This is supposed to become some kind of mount/water feature

stranded in the parking lot

 But even with the construction, Hermann does not lack charm. It also helped that the first flowers of spring were showing.

flowering pear branches

Japanese lantern and a redbud tree

Snowy egret

One of the new art installations, a house woven from twigs. 

So keep your eye on the park, who knows what's coming up next?

Building with Gingerbread

I know I didn't post on Friday. I'm sorry. As an apology, I'm bringing you gingerbread.

Saturday was the 5th Annual Gingerbread Build Off, held in downtown Houston in front of City Hall. 

I had never heard of it before, but it sounded too cool to pass up. The rules are very strict. Everything must be edible, so no toothpicks or straws or other means of support, and the structure must be built on site. Nothing can be pre-cut or pre-assembled. It's tough.

Plus, because it's outdoors, you have Houston's weather to contend with. Everyone was cold, but very happy because that meant the frosting would set up. A warm day would have been disastrous. As it was, the humidity made the cotton candy a little clumpy.

There were all sorts of Houston landmarks: the George R. Brown, the now demolished Foleys, the Astrodome.  There were the storybook buildings: Rapunzel's tower, Hogwarts, the Land of Oz, and because most of the contestants were either architects or architecture students, the Parthenon, Falling Water, and some very famous bridge that I can't remember the name of.  

I couldn't post them all, but here are some highlights. Have a happy Monday y'all!

Hard at work

Eiffel Tower with parsley flake trees

Dorothy and the Emerald City - most innovative use of cucumbers

 

Breaking Bad - see all the blue (candy) crystals?

 

Falling Water - for all you Frank Lloyd Wright fans out there

 

The Burj Khalifa - I had to look that one up

 

Hogwarts Castle - complete with dragon

 

My favorite - the 8 story pagoda

Places to Visit: Alexander Deussen Park



Going to visit the buffalo

This past Saturday was gorgeous; cool and sunny, it would have been criminal to stay indoors. So I grabbed my camera and headed out to Alexander Deussen Park.  

Alexander Deussen is mostly trees, fields and some playgrounds, but there's a boat launch (the park backs up on Lake Houston) a duck pond (if you need to get rid of stale bread) and a small herd of buffalo. Unfortunately, the buffalo were out Saturday, so I don't have any pictures of them. It was mostly a bird and people watching day.

   

Vultures!

I love the combination of signs. Anywhere else, they'd say "Danger! Alligators!" - here it's "Don't feed the animals"

 

 

 

Pelicans are like a line of chorus girls, always facing the same way.

Ducks are more chaotic, which makes them frustrating to

photograph, but more interesting.

 





A birthday party.

The best decorated crawfish hole I've ever seen.

Alexander Deussen is not a fancy park, with statues, fountains and formal gardens, like some I've seen in Europe (and they are lovely) but more in the American style of nature preserve. The trees are a bit sparse right now (the drought killed a lot) but it's a pleasant place to take the dog for a walk, go fishing, or have a family barbecue.





Houston - A Great Place to Visit

Houston was included in the New York Times list of Places to Go in 2013!

Finally, someone is recognizing what I've been saying for years. Houston rocks!

However, Houston is not a city that will wow you at first sight. You have to take some time to get to know it. It's a rewarding experience. Some tips:

Rent a car. Houston is spread out, and while there is some public transportation, it's not a good way to get around the city. Get a car, or stay with a friend who will drive you.

Don't come in the summer - Unless you are from the deep South, (in which case you know better) you won't be able to take the combination of heat and humidity. Even the locals try to spend August out-of state. If you insist on coming in the summer, bring a light jacket. Texans believe in heavy duty air-conditioning.

Eat adventurously - True, there are some great barbecue joints, but to truly get the feel of the town you'll want to get beyond that. Houston is a serious food town and the cuisine is international. Don't be put off by strip center locations. My favorite Vietnamese place is in a revamped Dairy Queen.

Go to the Art Car Parade (May 11th) Everyone should see this at least once. If you can't make it to the parade there is always the The Art Car Museum.

So come on down! The natives are friendly.

Playing with my camera: The Orange Show

If you live in Houston, you've heard of The Orange Show, one man's incredibly quirky, theme park tribute to his favorite fruit.

It's been about a decade since I last visited. It's basically the same. Brightly painted, full of odd remnents and self-taught welding.

He obviously never met a tile remment he didn't like, or a tractor seat.

It's oddly romantic, filled with hearts and even a wishing well. (No. I won't tell you what I wished for. It won't come true if I tell you.)

But the real news is that on the land next door, they are building Smither Park, which looks like it's going to be The Orange Show to the 3rd power. It is going to take a while to finish (mosaic is not a rapid process), but I had a blast looking around.

 

This is going to be unbelievably beautiful when they finish.



Love the cat at the angel's feet, and that the wings are covered with keys!



I'm not sure what this little creature is, but I love the way they used pool balls for eyes.

I was speaking with one of the volunteers/artists and they do accept donations, so if you want to help build the park, go to their website: http://orangeshow.org/about-smither-park/