36 hours in Houston

America's

city is on the front lines of

.

That endless friction can be tiring for residents and can hold back visitors—so much so, that the city's unofficial motto in recent years has been “Houston.

It's worth it".

But if you like dynamism and beautiful intricacies, this city is your buffet, and

.

Immerse yourself in the recent influx of

and, in the same evening, try Viet-Cajun cuisine, a pop-up fare.

Explore

overlooked

, step into Texas

By bike through one of the parks in Houston, Texas, United States.

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Friday

15.30 / An art exhibition

The

, which opened in late 2020, has become a must-stop for modern art and contemporary art for some visitors.

The Kinder Museum opened at the end of 2020.

Architect Steven Holl's curved white building is reminiscent of the Guggenheim, and inside, you'll find works by Pablo Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe, and Robert Rauschenberg, just to name a few.

Don't miss Yayoi Kusama's installation called Aftermath reflections of dangling lights, an “infinity room” with seemingly endless reflections of hanging lights.

The building bears the signature of architect Steven Holl.

The Kinder boasts an exceptional Latin American collection and a gallery dedicated to interesting work on borders and migration.

Admission is $19 for adults (free in some cases).

5:30 p.m. / Capture some of the essence of Texas

Don't be a newbie to the city of Houston and get your Uber stuck in traffic on a Friday afternoon.

Wait for him in one of Montrose's beloved areas, the nearly century-old

.

Founded before refrigeration as the place in town to go for cold stuff on hot days, today its indoor/outdoor, no-frills bar is a crowd-pleaser, with a game on TV and cornhole in its

. .

Cowboy boots and dogs are commonplace, and the menu includes a long list of offerings from local brewers like Karbach and 8va Maravilla.

Bonus: The best taco truck in town, Tacos Tierra Caliente, is parked outside, with $4 barbecue quesadillas (reserve a spot for dinner).

Houston skyscrapers.

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20.00 / Sample of Viet-Cajun cooking

The city is known for being sparse, which can be annoying.

That is, until you pull off the freeway and discover a whole new world as Chinatown, southwest of Houston.

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There, you can check out

, chef Trong Nguyen's hot spot specializing in Viet-Cajun cuisine, a cuisine that has become a local staple.

Houston has the

, many of whom migrated from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.

Here, unlike traditional Louisiana crawfish buns, they are seasoned after being pulled from the water;

lemongrass, ginger and fish sauce come together with paprika, paprika and black pepper in a bowl of garlic and butter.

are

 only available from around January to July (market price);

therefore, please call for availability.

Saturday

8.00 / Cheer up on the east side of town

Ask locals which part of Houston has changed the most in the last 5 years, and most likely they'll tell you it was the eastern point of a realtor area, now called EaDo,

.

It was the original AsiaTown or Asian neighborhood, but in recent decades, several residents have moved to the southwest, leaving the east side with empty warehouses and streets.

Spot the developers.

Today this neighborhood is packed with

, breweries, instagrammable graffiti walls, and high-end condos around the soccer stadium.

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Cambodian-American pastry chef Vanarin Kuch helped revive this look by opening

.

The coffee and pastry shop's menu captures the diversity of Houston, from tres leches croissants ($6.50) to salsa china tacos ($4.50).

Try the signature shot, Salty Cambodian ($6), a latte made with butter, salt, and condensed milk.

10.00 / Walk into the past

's reputation

is one of tearing down rather than preserving.

Park

, a collection of historic structures has been painstakingly restored.

Sam Houston Park near Downtown.

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The Heritage Society offers a

($15 for 45 minutes) in the area, which includes three sites recognized in 2022 by UNESCO's Slave Route Project.

Nearby is the

, known historically as Freedmen's Town, where local historian Charonda Johnson offers 1-3 hour walking tours ($25 per person).

Formerly enslaved people settled there when Texas finally declared its independence in 1865.

When the city seemed reluctant to provide services, the newly freed residents followed their own utilities and paths: those brick streets can still be seen today.

There is also a stop at the

.

Noon / Sausages and ribs

Identifying the best Texas barbecue in Houston is a fool's task.

Although Truth BBQ is a valid contender.

BBQ owner and pitmaster Leonardo Botello IV started his first location in Brenham, Texas, and opened on Houston's Washington Avenue in 2019. Brisket ($34 a pound) is a must,

and the brisket morcilla—Louisiana-style, rice-stuffed sausage ($8)—is a juicy side.

are

specifically fresh.

Slices of Triple Chocolate Caramel Banana Cakes ($8) are produced inside the bakery.

On

, so be prepared to wait.

14.00 / Shop at Westheimer

While the glitzy Galleria shopping center attracts lovers of Versace and Balmain, further east along Houston's iconic Westheimer Street, you can wander among boutiques offering local treasures

.

Head over to

for gifts from Houston, like watercolors of the city by local artist Jim Koehn.

Browse the recycled racks at Pavement, then circle over to Leopard Lounge for curated kitsch, like Britney Spears concert T-shirts and vintage western gear.

Walk across the street to see high-end bedding and housewares like monogrammed baby bibs at Biscuit.

If your battery starts to die, a Greek-style frappé ($4.50) at the library-like coffee house Agora will restore your energy.

16.00 / Enjoy the bayou

Buffalo

is one of the city's true gems.

The popular green space encompasses 400 acres along the banks of the Buffalo Swamp, the waterway, one of the reasons for being in Houston, which links the city to the coast via the Houston Ship Canal.

Buffalo Bayou Park, Houston.

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See the rainbow at the lovely Dandeliom Fountain on the South Bank between Shepherd and Montrose, and take a photo from the

Enjoy the

, all while taking in the amazing diversity of the city's inhabitants and the skyline.

You can rent bikes for $19 for two hours from Bayou Bike Rentals, or reserve a kayak or canoe later from Bayou City Adventures for around $30 an hour.

Rosemont Pedestrian Bridge.

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19.00 / Tex-Mex food banquet

An anchor holds the various citizens of Houston together, the Tex-Mex.

That means

, a bowl-sized serving of

cereal (a liquid cheese dip never to be confused with "nacho and cheese"), and a sizzling plate of

, escorted for

Every Houstonian has a reason to go: mine is the Lupe tortilla;

others go for El Tiempo, Pappasito's, Teotihuacan, or Irma's.

But most would agree that

, luring diners with fresh tortillas and margaritas ($22).

Founder “Mamá” Ninfa Laurenzo, claimed to have invented the modern fajita, and the typical cheese-fajita sequence described above that costs around $50 for two.

Leave the tight pants at home.

9:00 PM / Go bar hopping downtown

The downtown area of ​​the city may be where several of the largest energy companies have their headquarters, but there are also spaces that are great for bar hopping, especially along

Main Street, Houston.

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Start

, a soaring-beamed, brick-and-glass bar where your order contributes to donations for a change in the charities list.

Then walk around the corner to the

, where pinball and bourbon collide.

A little further down the block is

, a bar in a former department store, known for its vintage cocktail.

Save your physical stamina for Captain Foxheart's Bad News Bar

, where absinthe and speakeasy vibes give way to a coveted balcony patio overlooking the action on Main Street.

Sunday

9.00 / Explore the park

Start the day at

.

Snap classic Houston photos, then walk around the loop framed by majestic oak trees.

Herman Park, Houston.

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If you're lucky, a beautiful city scene will spawn around the Mecom fountain, where young teens take their quinceañera portraits in their best dresses.

If it's rainy or too hot, head over to the

, reopening in 2023, or the

 (both border the park).

Children's Museum of Houston.

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10.30 / Try a Jazz Brunch

Walk a couple of blocks to

, the city's African-American heart, which won hearts during the pandemic by providing more than half a million meals to border workers and Houstonians in distress. vulnerability.

Chef

continues to lead a philanthropic movement to restore black ways of eating in Texas, which he won the 2022 Houston Eater Restaurateur of the Year award.

She has a new cookbook documenting the process of Black Texan food, but you can try some of those recipes now at the Sunday brunch, which features mimosas ($7) and live jazz on the patio.

The sweet potato waffle and fried chicken is a savory/sweet standout ($23), and the oxtail omelet ($20) and the perfect braised kale ($6) are panaceas.

Book well in advance because this place is very crowded.

Noon/ Walk through the oaks

Sometimes Houston can be really beautiful, and one of those times is when you walk down the middle of

(particularly the east end).

Two of the most affluent residential streets in the city.

With

of the rich and famous, it's a dream for energetic walkers (stay in public spaces and be mindful of residents if taking pictures.) Look Up ( with its mouth closed) to see the

, which have their nests high up in the oaks.

key stops

• The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, the newest wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, features a remarkable heritage of modern and contemporary art.

• Crawfish and Noodles in Chinatown is one of the best places to try Viet-Cajun cuisine in the city.

• Buffalo Bayou Park, with its rolling hills and enchanting views of downtown, dispels the impression that Houston is all concrete.

Where to eat

• West Alabama Ice House is a low-key Texas bar with a cool truck that serves up tacos in the park lot.

• Koffeteria is a small coffee shop that captures the diversity of Houston with snacks like beef kolaches.

• Truth BBQ is a new contender for the best barbecue in town.

• Agora is a library-like cafe with a wonderful Greek frappe.

• The Original Ninfa's on Navigation is considered the mothership of Tex-Mex cuisine. Lucille's champions black Texas cuisine through charity and a popular jazz brunch.

where to stay

• In the heart of Montrose, La Colombe d'Or exudes luxury, from the glamorous hotel bar to the rooftop pool.

  Rates start around $500 per night.

• If you want a Texas-style “lazy river” swimming pool with jets, go for the Marriot Marquis Houston in downtown.

  Rates start at $234 per night.

• La Maison in Midtown, a cozy B&B, on a tree-lined block within walking distance of everything you could possibly need, feels like a visit to a relative's home.

  There is also an “urban tea” with wine and cheese every afternoon.

  Double rooms start at $169 with breakfast.

• If you're looking for a short-term rental, check out the Montrose neighborhoods, the heart of the LGBTQ community, or the Museum District, which includes the Hermann Park Zoo.

  Both have availability for both walking and biking.

Shannon Sims

Translation Patricia Sar

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