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Sep 19th, 2008
Playtime in the Bayou City
— Adult And Youth Leagues The Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s Adult Sports division has developed an array of recreational and competitive athletic opportunities that let grown-ups play like kids-at-heart. Each year, the office organizes more than 1,400 adult teams. Men’s, women’s and coed leagues are played during the winter, spring, summer and fall seasons, Monday through Friday, for a five-week doubleheader or 10-week single games at locations throughout the city. Additionally, sports and fitness programs are offered for mature adults, such as water fitness, golf, tennis and circuit training. (http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/adultsports.html) Basketball Basketball leagues are offered twice a year during the spring and winter seasons. Divisions offered are men’s open, men’s industrial, women’s open, and men 35 and over. Games are held on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings for a 10-week season. Flag Football Flag football leagues are offered during the winter, spring, and fall seasons and teams play a five-week double-header schedule. Divisions offered are men’s major, and men’s B, women's open and co-ed open with league games being held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Kickball Registration is underway for winter adult kickball leagues. Softball Slow pitch and fast pitch softball leagues are offered during the spring, summer, fall and winter seasons. Divisions offered are men’s, women’s and coed leagues. Games are held on Monday through Friday, from 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m., for a five-week doubleheader or 10-week single games. Volleyball Adult coed volleyball leagues are offered during the winter, summer and fall season. Leagues are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for an eight-week or five-week double-header season. Water Fitness Classes are offered for adults and seniors at various aquatic centers throughout Houston. Types of classes offered vary by aquatic center sites. It’s recommended to bring a bottle of water and aqua shoes to the class. Here are additional adult sports resources:
Plenty of Fun Outdoors With an ideal location and moderate temperatures, the region has a lot to offer the whole family in the way of outdoor activities, including boating, fishing, golfing, tennis, jogging, walking and skating. — City Parks Houston is green! According to the Trust for Public Lands, Houston rates first among the nation’s 10 most populous cities in total acreage of parkland and second behind only San Diego in park acreage per capital. Houston has 56,405 acres of total park space, with 27.2 acres per 1,000 residents. The national average is 18.8 acres per 1,000 residents. As part of the Parks and Recreation Department, Houston has 350 developed parks and more than 200 open spaces that are maintained. Bird migrations pass through Houston in the spring and fall, to the delight of avid birdwatchers. One of nature’s more unusual spectacles is visible from the Waugh Bridge Bat Observation Deck at Buffalo Bayou/Eleanor Tinsley Park. Every night at dusk, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats take off from their home beneath the bridge to hunt for mosquitoes. Many residents come out at the corner of Waugh Drive and Allen Parkway to watch this daily occurrence. Explore what the city has to offer. Here are some interesting green spaces to check out.
New Park Spotlight Discovery Green, a 12-acre park located in downtown Houston, opened in 2008. With its proximity to the George R. Brown Convention Center, Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center, Discovery Green is an ideal location for the city's newest attraction. Park features include a one-acre lake, children's playground, interactive water features, an amphitheater, dog runs, public art works, spacious green lawns and two destination restaurants. — Boating Houston residents are less than 50 miles away from Galveston Bay and there are several freshwater lakes throughout the area. Many in the area also enjoy boating, skiing and other water-related activities for many to enjoy. Clear Lake is recognized by the state as the “Boating Capital of Texas” with more than 7,000 slips and 19 marinas offering access to Clear Lake and the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to power boats and sailboats, Jet Skis, wind surfers, canoes and water ski and parasailing equipment are available. The Houston Yacht Club on upper Galveston Bay sponsors youth and adult sailing programs and has fostered Olympic-level sailors. To ensure you’re following boating rules and laws governing boating, visit the website at boat-ed.com/tx/handbook/pdf_index.htm to download a PDF version of the “Handbook of Texas State Boating Laws and Responsibilities.” Your boat must also be registered in the state of Texas. More on this information can be found online at boat-ed.com/tx/handbook/register.htm. More information about the Texas Park and Wildlife Department can be found online at tpwd.state.tx.us. — Fishing Along with boating, fishing is enjoyed by many in the area. There is saltwater fishing along the Gulf Coast for redfish, speckled trout and flounder, as well as inland lakes that provide some of the best bass fishing in the South. No wonder that the Houston/Galveston area is considered a fisherman’s paradise. Resident “all-water” fishing licenses can be purchased at most bait, tackle or sporting goods stores for $38. All licenses expire Aug. 31 of each year, no matter when the license was purchased. A lifetime fishing license can be purchased for $600. Call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at 281-931-6471 for a copy of laws pertaining to size and catch limit. — Golf Many in the Houston can take advantage of golfing all year round and the availability of courses is never a problem, in fact there are more than 135 golf courses with 18 or more holes. In addition to private, championship courses that are part of private clubs, there are also public courses. The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) recognizes the quality of Houston golf courses by scheduling the Shell Houston Open at Redstone Golf Club, 15 miles north of downtown Houston. Champions Golf Course also has served as host to the PGA THE TOUR Championship. — Gymnastics It’s thanks to Bela and Marta Karoyli’s arrival to Houston in the 80s that has made the city a world-class center for gymnastic training. The Karoylis have trained numerous Olympic contenders at their suburban Houston-based training facility, including Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton. At the 2008 Olympics, Raj Bhavsar and Jonathan Horton of Houston were part of the U.S. men’s gymnastic team that won a bronze medal in Beijing. Noted gymnastic centers in Houston include Brown’s Gymnastics in west Houston and Cypress Academy of Gymnastics. More listings can be found by searching the Web. — Hike and Bike Trails Houston offers more than 100 miles of trails within its 18,000 acres of green space. Memorial Park is home to one of Houston's most popular trails, the Seymour Lieberman Exer-Trail, which includes a 2.9-mile jogging trail and six miles of mountain and recreational bike trails. Also within Memorial Park are the Memorial Park Golf Course, rated among the top municipal golf courses in the nation, and the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. Hermann Park consists of a variety of Houston's best-loved gems, including the Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of Natural Science and Miller Outdoor Theatre. Joggers frequent the two-mile jogging trail, and bicyclists enjoy one of the longest bike trails in the city. For the more adventurous sports enthusiast, take a canoe trip along Buffalo Bayou. Tours are offered seasonally and are guided by National Parks outfitter Don Green, an award-winning outfitter with more than 28 years of experience working in Houston to preserve Buffalo Bayou. — Hiking And Biking The City of Houston Bikeway Network consists of 380 miles of off-road hike-and-bike trails, on-street bike lanes and routes. The City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department maintains a system of hike-and-bike trails covering more than 98 miles (713-845-1000). — Hunting A variety of species are available to hunters throughout the state, including alligator, deer, dove, duck, goose, pheasant, quail, rabbit and turkey. Hunters must purchase a resident hunting license for $23 or a combination hunting/fishing license for $47 to $64. All licenses expire Aug. 31 each year. A lifetime hunting license is $600, and lifetime hunting and fishing licenses are $1,000. Licenses may be purchased at approximately 1,700 locations throughout the state in addition to these Houston offices:
Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Web site at tpwd.state.tx.us for more information concerning seasons, bag limits and laws governing Texas hunting. — Ice Skating/Ice Hockey Olympic gold medal winner Tara Lipinski put the Houston area on the ice-skating map, while the 2003 American Hockey League Champion Houston Aeros continue to cultivate the region’s growing interest in hockey. Ice skating and amateur hockey leagues are available at:
— Live Racing Place your bets on horses and greyhounds. Houston's two race parks provide plenty of excitement for all sports fans. Gulf Greyhound Park, the world's largest greyhound racing operation, offers live greyhound racing, simulcast horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering year-round, rain or shine. The track's unique appeal includes Texas' largest full-service restaurant. Sam Houston Race Park celebrates the spirit and elegance of Thoroughbred and Quarter horse racing with live and simulcast racing in northwest Houston. The facility features season live racing on a 7/8-mile turf track and on a one-mile, oval dirt track-touted to be one of the best surfaces in the nation. Watch from a 200,000-square-foot grandstand, a 30,000-square-foot pavilion or one of several luxury suites with trackside views. The park also features three formal dining facilities and general concessions. — Polo The Houston Polo Club, established in 1928, is the top-ranked polo club in the Southwest. The club has earned international acclaim with its high-goal polo and special events that have raised thousands of dollars for local and international charities (713-622-7300). — Racquetball More than 25 private racquetball clubs exist in the Houston area. The largest public racquetball facility is the downtown Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), but racquetball courts also are available at many other locations. Call the YMCA at 713-659-8501 or consult your telephone directory. — Soccer Hundreds of youth and adult teams have the opportunity to play soccer in the Houston area, with 121 football/soccer/rugby fields provided by the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department (713-845-1000). The South Texas Youth Soccer Association (512-272-4553) oversees youth soccer programs for the eight-county Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area, including the activities of the Houston Youth Soccer Association (281-933-8995). — Swimming Swimming and diving competitions have become extremely popular in the Houston area, producing some world-class champions. Laura Wilkinson of The Woodlands captured the gold medal in 10-meter platform diving during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, 2004 World Cup and 2005 World Championship. She is the only woman in history to earn all three titles on the platform. The Houston City Parks and Recreation Department (713-845-1000) maintains 41 free municipal pools, and the YMCA (713-659-8501) and Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) (713-659-5566) facilities have pools available to members. Other municipalities also maintain swimming pools. Hundreds of Houston area subdivisions maintain neighborhood swimming pools and recreation centers as a homeowner amenity. Many organize swim teams for all age groups. Real estate agents are excellent sources to identify such areas. — Tennis With three major tennis centers and 156 neighborhood courts, the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department (713-845-1000) provides lots of opportunities for tennis buffs. The city’s main tennis centers are: Homer Ford in MacGregor Park (5225 Calhoun Road, 713-842-3460); Memorial (1500 Memorial Loop in Memorial Park, 713-867-0440); and Lee LeClear in southwest Houston (9506 S. Gessner, (713-272-3697). Numerous private tennis clubs and country clubs maintain high-quality indoor and outdoor courts. Consult your telephone directory. Houston’s Westside Tennis Club, 1200 Wilcrest Drive, one of the largest tennis centers in the country, is attracting professional tennis players to Houston. Home to the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, Westside’s 8,500-seat stadium served as host to the 2005 Tennis Masters Cup, the season’s final showdown in which the eight best players of the year compete. Houston earned the title of the 2003 International Tennis Hall of Fame’s “City of the Year” for its contributions to the sport of tennis. Houston also is home to the World Headquarters of the United States Professional Tennis Association. Historic Sites
Buffalo Bayou Original site of Houston’s birthplace and early port activity. There is a nice surprise as you drive into downtown from the north. Site of Allen’s Landing, the original center for early Houston’s port activity, you’ll see a restored and landscaped waterfront park that runs alongside downtown. It’s actively supported by the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, a nonprofit organization that oversees Buffalo Bayou improvements, preservation and restoration. The transformed urban oasis offers residents hike and bike trails, boat tours, canoe and kayak trips and stargazing evening activities along the waterfront. History hikes are also available that help people explore Houston’s birthplace and learn Buffalo Bayou’s role in the city’s development during a guided history hike. Serving as a regional and national role model, the Partnership has raised and leveraged more than $45 million for improvements along a 10-mile stretch of Buffalo Bayou from Shepherd Dr. to the Turning Basin. These improvements have included a 20-year master plan, Buffalo Bayou and Beyond, three miles of trails east of downtown, Sesquicentennial Park, the North Side Trail and the purchase of over 35 acres of land in the East End for park lands. The Buffalo Bayou Partnership coordinates the integration of major amenities and restoration projects into the Bayou greenbelt and seeks ways to increase community involvement through pedestrian, boating and biking amenities; educational, volunteer and recreational activities and tours; permanent and temporary art installations and other natural and built attractions. Underground City Tunnel system under Downtown Houston provides shortcuts and relief for many. Did you know that there are more than six miles of tunnels and skywalks that connect more than a hundred blocks of downtown Houston? Today the tunnels connect to dozens of office towers, hotels, banks, corporate and government offices, restaurants, retail stores and the Theater District. Entry to the tunnels is usually inside each of the buildings with signs guiding passengers to their point of destination. Along the way, there are retailers such as hair salons, spas, camera stores, eye doctors, clothing shops, health and fitness centers, cellular phone stores, photos and framing specialists, florists, gift shops, jewelers, copier stores and many sandwich shops and fast food restaurants to satisfy every appetite. To locate specific types of services and companies by name, visit houstontunnels.com. Here are additional facts from Discover Houston Tours (discoverhoustontours.com) about the Downtown Houston Tunnel System. Discover Houston tours offers guided tunnel walk and rail tours for individuals and groups on weekdays. Learn more by visiting the Web site.
Landscaping And Gardening Horticulturally, the Houston region is at the southern edge of plant-hardiness zone 9, where plants can withstand 20 to 30 degrees. Since the area is on the southern edge of zone 9, our winter lows generally do not dip below the freezing mark with any frequency. While winters can be unpredictable, summer temperatures are usually quite warm, making them potentially more devastating than other seasons. Cool weather-loving plants cannot survive our prolonged summer heat, so don’t waste any money buying these plants. Rainfall can vary considerably. Long-time residents know that rainfall can vary from year to year and even season to season. Although averages tell us little, in most years gardeners can anticipate about 36 inches of precipitation with the summer months having short dry spells. Supplemental watering, particularly during summer, is generally essential for the survival of most landscapes and gardens. A few words about soils in the region – they can be shallow, poor and challenging. Often referred to as “gumbo,” the soil here usually needs amending for optimal plant growth. Improvements to the soil include organic matter such as compost, peat moss and shredded bark. Fruit crops that can do well here include peaches, plums, pears, blackberries, figs, strawberries, persimmons, some varieties of apples and a wide variety of citrus. As for lawns, don't try to grow a bluegrass or fescue lawn. Area lawns are usually planted in either St. Augustine or Bermuda grass, which does very well here. Zoysia and the hybrid bermudas are very beautiful, but demand extra care and are recommended only if you enjoy yard work and don't mind very frequent mowing. For those who love to plant garden vegetables, this is a great region.Most vegetable crops do well here provided you prepare the soil carefully, plant in full sun and plant at the right time. The latter is especially important for spring crops. Both spring-planted and fall-planted gardens can be highly productive. Information from Texas A&M You can order free information from the Texas Agricultural Extension Service concerning all aspects of gardening and pest control in Texas. In Houston, call 281-855-5600. Horticultural Societies in the Houston Area African Violets Spring Branch African Violet Club 713-468-0844 Amaryllis Houston Amaryllis Society 713-433-4477 American Horticultural Society 703-768-5700 Email: Info@Ahs.Org Ahs.Org Begonias
Houston Bonsai Society Terry Dubois 281-486-4678 houstonbonsai.com Bromeliad Society/Houston 281-358-0364 Houston Cactus & Succulent Society E-mail: Sar@Neosoft.Com Houston Camellia Society 713-781-1996 Greater Houston Chrysanthemum Society 281-444-8066 Daylilies
Ferns – Gulf Coast Fern Society Email: dmcgraw39@hotmail.com Gulf Coast Fruit Study Group 281-855-5600 Gulf Coast Horticultural Society Lee Harmon 4267 S. Judson, Houston, TX 77005 Herbs
Hibiscus
Houston Audubon Society 281-932-1392 Japanese Garden Society 713-532-2345 Japanesegarden.org Native Plant Society of Texas Houston Chapter Glenn Olsen 281-495-8144 Oleanders International Oleander Society 409-762-8061 oleander.org Orchids Galveston Orchid Society 409-774-4878 Geocities.Com/Rainforest/Canopy/4883/ Plumeria Society of America theplumeriasociety.org Roses Houston Rose Society Phone Help-Line: 713-227-7673 houstonrose.org Urban Harvest 713-880-5540 urbanharvest.org As you can see from all the resources listed, there are many excursions and activities to match a wide variety of interests. The more you explore this rich region, the more you’ll discover and share with your family and friends. The Arts in Houston The expression “everything is bigger in Texas” certainly applies to the support of the arts in Houston. Since the city’s early days, philanthropy has been part of the culture and that spirit is maintained today. Private as well as public support of the arts in the Houston community continues to solidify the city’s position as an international arts center. All of this is enhanced by the tremendous support of Houstonians and visitors to the many city and regional venues. The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) reported 9.2 million visits per year for the area’s arts and cultural exhibitions. This is more than twice the number of people who attended Houston’s three professional sports teams in 2005 and almost half the number of total annual visitors to the city. Representing a perfect win-win situation, the nonprofit arts sector in Houston gives back to the community and is a significant industry. According to the most recent data from the Houston Arts Alliance, Houston’s nonprofit arts sector is a $623.3 million industry and one that supports 14,115 full-time jobs and generates $69.5 million in local and state government revenues. The total number of jobs created by the economic impact of Houston’s nonprofit arts sector, including professional artists, is 29,729. Here are other positive effects of a vibrant Houston arts community:
Visual Arts The heart of the art scene in Houston is its Museum District, which hoses 17 museums and a 50-acre zoological park. They’re all within walking distance of one another and accessible by METRORail to form one of the largest cultural districts in the country, with more than 500,000 square feet of exhibition space. It's also one of the most vital in the nation, drawing six million visitors annually. Here are the gems in the region’s collection to explore and discover. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is the oldest museum in Texas as well as the most prominent. With the opening of the $83 million Audrey Jones Beck Building in March 2000, the MFAH is now the largest museum in the Southwest. Its dramatic expansion has made possible an increasing number of blockbusters, including major exhibitions featuring works from both the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In terms of its permanent collection, the museum's photo holdings, thanks to a major 2002 acquisition, now exceed 20,000 images, propelling it to one of the top ten photographic departments in the world. In 2001, MFAH founded a Latin American department, one of a handful of U.S. museums to begin collecting in this field and produced the first large-scale exhibition devoted to the emergence and development of avant-garde Latin American art. In 2004, the museum acquired its first piece by Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of a Young Woman, one of two Rembrandt paintings in Texas. Also noteworthy: one of the most beguiling pieces of public art anywhere, James Turrell's ethereal light tunnel, The Light Inside, connects the Beck and Law Buildings. Also part of MFAH is Bayou Bend, the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg. It houses Houston's early American decorative arts and painting collection and is considered one of the premier collections in the country. The the rare and beautiful objects date from approximately 1620 to 1876 and are installed throughout the 1920s mansion in 28 period room settings. Another home, Rienzi, opened to the public in 1999. It is the center for European decorative arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Comprising a remarkable art collection, a house, and gardens, Rienzi was given to the museum by arts patrons Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), across from the MFAH, is housed in a gleaming metal structure. CAMH now celebrates more than 50 years of exhibiting cutting-edge contemporary art. Exhibitions of famous art world icons who've shown within its walls includehave included Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Gehry and Cindy Sherman. The Menil Collection is a five-minute drive from the MFAH and CAMH and is considered to be one of the most important private art collections in the world. The museum, which is placed at the heart of a 23-acre site in the Montrose area, was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Renzo Piano. In addition to the Menil Museum, the campus encompasses the Rothko Chapel, the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum, the Cy Twombly Gallery (also designed by Piano) and Richmond Hall, site of a candy-colored rainbow of light sculptures by the late Dan Flavin. The 15,000-piece collection was assembled by the late John and Dominique de Menil and offers an inspiring selection of art that spans the centuries. Tribal, ancient, Byzantine and modern, including superb Surrealist masterpieces, are brought together in a compelling mix that reveals that great art transcends the boundaries of time and space. Along the Main Street Corridor, the stunning Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) celebrates the red-hot medium of contemporary craft. HCCC opened to much fanfare in fall 2001 (with an inaugural show from New York's venerable American Craft Museum) and has been a significant stop on the Houston art circuit ever since. Its 11,000-square-foot space features lively programming mixing regional and national talents, including Dale Chihuly, Wendell Castle and William Morris. Expect lush original creations in wood, glass, metal, fiber and clay. Artists-in-residence are also on site to share a "hands-on" studio experience. Steps from the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, in a handsome 1930s Art Deco structure on Main Street, is one of the most dynamic nonprofit art spaces in Texas—Lawndale Art Center. Lawndale's mission is to discover and showcase emerging Texas talent. The center has monthly rotating exhibitions in its four galleries that present an avant-garde mix of visualists and a variety of media. The vitality of this art center testifies to Houston's national position as a nexus for contemporary artists. The city's celebrated duo, The Art Guys, debuted at Lawndale during the early 1980s before the pair (Michael Galbreth and Jack Massing) catapulted to international fame. The Holocaust Museum Houston (HMH) is one of the largest and most important institutions in the country dedicated to remembering the significance of the Holocaust. HMH features the poignant permanent exhibition Bearing Witness: A Community Remembers focusing on stories of Holocaust survivors living in the Houston area. Side by side changing exhibits cull art and photography, all reflecting upon aspects of this horrific 20th century event. The museum's newest addition to the permanent exhibit is a 1942 World War II railcar of the type used to carry millions of Jews to their deaths. The railcar was formally dedicated and opened to the public during HMH's 10th anniversary ceremony on March 5, 2006. Blocks from the Holocaust Museum Houston, the art of nature takes center stage at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, whose family friendly programming attracts all ages. Traveling exhibitions are insightful and intriguing, ranging from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies. Exciting permanent features such as the Wortham IMAX Theatre, Burke Baker Planetarium, Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals (the top gemological collection in the world) make this the third most attended museum in the U.S. More than 500,000 school children visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science annually. The Heritage Society is the city's only outdoor, interactive historic museum and park. Nestled in 19 acres of beautiful green parkland in the heart of downtown Houston, the Heritage Society boasts eight historic structures dating from 1823 to 1905. Each historic structure is authentically restored to reflect its original magnificence. Every year, The Heritage Society hosts countless school-aged children and visitors from around the world. Visitors come to learn about the families and the lifestyles that inhabited these historic homes and learn about what life was really like in frontier times for early settlers in Houston. Nearby are the campuses of Rice University, the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, each with its own galleries. Rice University Art Gallery, the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Gallery at the University of Houston and the Texas Southern University Museum feature local and touring shows. Within easy walking distance, the Children's Museum of Houston (CMH) is a hands-on educational and entertaining family-oriented destination. Adults and kids alike will go crazy about the playful building (designed by renowned architect Robert Venturi) and wondrous and ever changing exhibits of CMH. Ranked among the top two children's museums in the country by Child magazine and No. 1 by MSN.com, this joyous venue with its whimsical garden has been cited by Texas Monthly as the best cultural attraction for kids in Texas (December 2001). On the next block, the whole family can learn about health, wellness and the marvels of the human anatomy at The Health Museum, the most visited health museum in the country. Stroll through Jim Hickox Amazing Body Pavilion, a 7,400-square foot gargantuanly-scaled model of the human body that lets you discover the need-to-know inner workings of your insides. The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum preserves and promotes the history, tradition and outstanding contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers. During the 1860s, soldiers of the 10th U.S. Cavalry were nicknamed "Buffalo Soldiers" for their fierce fighting ability and bravery. The museum displays historical artifacts, documents, videos, prints and other historical memorabilia which detail the history of these brave men. The Jung Center of Houston, a nonprofit education institution, houses one of the Southwest's finest collections of work in psychology, spirituality and comparative mythology. Founded in 1958, the Jung Center offers more than 100 courses, programs and conferences every year that address the critical social and spiritual issues of our time, as well as the need for personal growth and development. Another educational organization, the Houston Center for Photography (HCP) deepens the understanding of the photographic arts. Through exhibitions, publications and educational programming, the center supports emerging and mid-career artists and their audiences. The center provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and promotes the study of photography, both as a medium of expression and as a tool of cultural investigation. A project of the Weather Research Center, The Weather Museum provides a facility for people of all ages to learn about the weather, its history and public safety. Exhibits include: Weather Wizards Corner; Touch a Tornado; Rain Rain Go Away and What Meteorologists Do. The museum also houses a computer classroom to allow visitors a chance to surf the Internet for past and current weather information, a video room for meetings and weather safety seminars, and the Clayton B. Crooker Library so visitors can research weather information from more than 100 years ago. The Czech Center Museum Houston celebrates the culture of Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Silesia with events and exhibitions. The center features language classes, a museum, archives, genealogy resources, event facilities, library and an ecumenical chapel. Exhibits include Czech crystal, glass, porcelain, pottery, antique furniture, jewelry, folk costumes and fine art. An exciting live animal adventure set in a 55-acre tropical landscape, the Houston Zoo adds adventure and animal magnetism to the Museum District. A popular feature, the Wildlife Carousel, has 64 hand-carved animals representing endangered species. Make sure to visit Natural Encounters, the highly anticipated $4 million renovation of the Zoo's small mammals building, which reopened in February 2005. Natural Encounters features meerkats, otters and until recently the long awaited return of the Zoo's vampire bats. Two other unique venues, the Art Car Museum and The Station are sited respectively near the Houston Heights and in the midtown corridor (between the Museum District and downtown). These lively, privately funded museums showcase the adventuresome and the avant-garde. The Art Car Museum is dedicated to the fun, funky and outrageously exuberant Art Car movement (Houston's spring parade is the oldest and largest in the country). It's also the only museum in the country where you'll find vehicular attractions such as Rex the Rabbit or Swamp Mutha. Art Car's sister space, The Station, highlights Texas, national and international artists whose art tackles tough political issues. A shining example of urban renewal, Project Row Houses is located in the heart of Houston's historic Third Ward, minutes from the Museum District. Its restored, turn-of-the century shotgun-style houses occupy a once blighted inner-city neighborhood. No more. Twice yearly they're transformed into art installations as internationally prominent artists join with Texas and Houston-based talents to create site-specific works that challenge traditional notions about art being confined to elite cultural institutions. The award-winning Project Row Houses has been profiled by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and CBS Radio and is now a model for similar programs around the nation. In addition, four Project Row Houses artists were featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial. The San Jacinto Museum of History offers a wealth of historical Texas artifacts and documents covering four centuries of Texas history. The museum is located within the San Jacinto Monument at San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park. The John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science is Houston’s only interactive medical science center. Visitors can take a voyage through a Texas-sized human body in the Jim Hickox Amazing Body Pavilion, which includes giant models of human organs and dozens of hands-on exhibits and science stations. The museum, in the Museum District, is a member institution of the nearby Texas Medical Center. Another fun stop is visiting the folk art environment called the Orange Show Monument, which is a Houston postman's creation that extols the virtues of his favorite fruit. The outdoor 3,000-square-foot monument is maze-like in design and includes an oasis, a wishing well, a pond, a stage, a museum, a gift shop and several upper decks. Out of This World – A Visit to Space Center Houston One of Houston’s most popular attractions is Disney-designed Space Center Houston, the official visitors center for NASA's Johnson Space Center. Located south of Houston in Clear Lake, it is the only place on earth where guests can embark on an out-of-this-world journey through human adventures in space. Space Center Houston features a multitude of permanent exhibits, attractions and theaters. In addition, the venue presents an array of traveling exhibits and events created exclusively by Space Center Houston's creative exhibit team. The permanent exhibits include: 1] Blast Off, an unparalleled multi-media sensory experience. Visitors encounter a dramatic high-definition audio/video extravaganza culminating in a dynamic space shuttle blast off. 2] Living in Space, a hands-on exhibit where guests can test their skills at landing the shuttle or retrieving a satellite through interactive computer simulators. A Mission Briefing Officer receives help from an audience participant in a live presentation showing how astronauts handle daily activities like showering, sleeping and preparing meals in space. 3] The NASA Tram Tour, which provides a behind-the-scenes journey through NASA's Johnson Space Center and where you’ll be able to visit the Historic Mission Control Center, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility or the current Mission Control Center. Before returning to Space Center Houston, you can visit the "all new" Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. Occasionally, the tour may visit other facilities, such as the Sonny Carter Training Facility or Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. You may even get to see astronauts training for upcoming missions. 4] The Astronaut Gallery is an unparalleled exhibit features spacesuits dating back to the first American trip to space and a wall that contains portraits and crew photos of every U.S. astronaut who has flown in space. 5] Mission Status provides an opportunity to hear mission briefing officers give live updates on current space flights and astronaut training activities. Guests can listen to communications between Mission Control and astronaut crews aboard the space shuttle. A live video shows a behind-the-scenes view of activities in the Johnson Space Center and a satellite link of a shuttle launch via Kennedy Space Center of Florida. 6] The Martian Matrix is four stories of out-of-this-world fun for kids, Pepsi's Martian Matrix is an action-packed play area with a space theme. Slides, swings and foam ball battles are just a few of the featured activities. 7] Kids Space Place provides interactive stations and themed areas that give children a chance to explore and investigate the different aspects of space exploration. Jumping on the Moon, manning the space shuttle, building a rocket and flying in space are all a part of the growing exhibit. 8] Starship Gallery is where On Human Destiny is shown, which highlights great moments in space exploration. The gallery contains artifacts and hardware from the Mercury program through Apollo-Soyuz, including a special Lunar Vault. The New Explorers video wall shares the visions of today's NASA engineers and scientists. Performing Arts In true, Houston style, there are a multitude of high-quality performing arts venues from which to select. Many of them are located in Houston's downtown Theater District, which spans 17 blocks and has 12,948 seats in a concentrated downtown area. Outside of the skyscrapers of downtown, a diverse array of smaller companies call Houston home, offering a unique blend of cutting-edge performing arts and well known classics in a variety of intimate settings. The latest figures show that more than 4 million people experience the magic of live theater in Houston annually. — Houston Theater District Houston is one of only a few U.S. cities with permanent professional resident companies in opera, ballet, music and theater. The longevity of Houston's performing arts organizations speaks volumes – Houston Ballet, at 38 years, is the city's youngest resident professional company. The Theater District, with its five major performing arts venues, is home to these companies, as well as four other internationally recognized performing arts presenters. The area also features numerous restaurants and clubs, where one can sip on a pre-theater cocktail while listening to live music, or enjoy a leisurely dinner after the show. — Alley Theatre Alley Theatre is a professional resident theater company and recipient of the 1996 Special Tony Award. Having forged alliances with such international luminaries as Edward Albee, Vanessa Redgrave and Frank Wildhorn, landmark theatrical events at the Alley have included the world premieres of Jekyll & Hyde, The Civil War and Not About Nightingales (an undiscovered Tennessee Williams play). — Houston Ballet Performing in the spectacular 2,500 seat Wortham Theater Center, Houston Ballet is America's fifth largest ballet company, producing numerous contemporary works and full-length world premiers such as Dracula, The Snow Maiden and Cleopatra. Australian choreographer Stanton Welch assumed the helm of Houston Ballet in 2003, which, since 1976, had been led by Englishman Ben Stevenson. — Houston Grand Opera Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has long been known for its innovative works and imaginative presentation of traditional masterpieces. HGO's numerous world premieres have included Florencia En El Amazonas (the first Spanish opera by a Mexican composer to be commissioned by a major U.S. opera company) and Nixon In China, which garnered an Emmy and a Grammy. — Houston Symphony as the oldest performing arts organization in the city, celebrating its 94th birthday. This season, the Houston Symphony performs In the largest (more than 2,900 seats) and arguably most impressive space in the theater district, Jones Hall. Currently under the leadership of Hans Graf, the Houston Symphony's impressive list of conductors has included Leopold Stokowski, Andre Previn and Christoph Eschenbach. From Brahms and Beethoven, to pop concerts with special guests such as Debbie Reynolds and Shirley Maclaine, the Houston Symphony offers something for every musical taste. Performing approximately some 170 concerts a year at Jones Hall, Miller Outdoor Theatre and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion, the Houston Symphony also tours internationally. The symphony also sponsors more than 300 separate educational and community service performances each season. Its concerts for schoolchildren, a 50-year-old tradition, have introduced more than 1 million students to live performances of symphonic music. — Da Camera Of Houston Da Camera brings to Houston performances by leading American and international musicians, ranging from intimate chamber quartets to jazz and contemporary ensembles. Under the artistic leadership of Sarah Rothenberg (herself an acclaimed pianist) since 1994, Da Camera's performances often connect music to other art forms in originally conceived multimedia productions. Da Camera presents performances in a variety of locations, including the Wortham Theater Center and the Menil Collection, a wonderfully serene and sophisticated art museum west of downtown. — Society For The Performing Arts Houston's Society For The Performing Arts (SPA) presents a dizzying variety of musical, dance and theatrical performances by artists from around the world. SPA has presented more than 600 artists and companies representing virtually all performing arts disciplines, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Martha Graham Dance Company. — Theatre Under The Stars Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) is Houston's acclaimed musical theater production company. With more than 275 musicals to its credit, TUTS makes its home in the beautiful 2,650-seat Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Over its 40 past seasons, TUTS’ founder and CEO Frank Young has produced many local, national and world premieres, including Disney's smash hit Beauty and the Beast. According to Young, “TUTS is recognized as one of a very small group of theaters who create and produce new musicals at a Broadway standard.” — Broadway In Houston Broadway In Houston, part of AT&T Wireless Broadway Across America, offers the biggest hits direct from the Big Apple and London's West End. Like TUTS, the Broadway series has also found the perfect venue in the Hobby Center. — Uniquely Houston Zilka Hall in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts is the home of this unique performance series dedicated to nurturing the professional development and long-term growth of Houston's finest small to mid-sized arts organizations. The series features local community programs in music, dance, theater and educational outreach alongside distinguished artists from around the world. Outside Downtown: Houston's "Off-Broadway" Not unlike New York's Off-Broadway, tickets to productions at Houston's numerous theaters outside of downtown often come at a considerably lower price than their Theater District counterparts, and the groups boast legions of loyal patrons from throughout the surrounding areas. Be sure to check out the Fresh Arts Coalition, a collective organization of Houston's many fascinating performing and visual arts companies outside of downtown. — Dominic Walsh Dance Theater Dominic Walsh Dance Theater (DWDT) was founded in 2002 by retired Houston Ballet principal dancer Dominic Walsh and filled a void in Houston for contemporary dance. As Dance magazine noted, “At last, Houston has a contemporary dance company on par with its symphony, opera and ballet companies.” The company is comprised of Houston ballet dancers as well as independent Houston-based dancers. DWDT performs at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. — Diverseworks Certainly among the most unique venues in Houston, Diverseworks is one of the few contemporary art centers in the U.S. which commissions cutting-edge contemporary performing, visual and literary arts. Located in a converted warehouse north of downtown, Diverseworks collaborates with local, national and international partners to present a unique vision of contemporary art and culture. — Main Street Theater Performing in both a converted comedy club in Montrose and a former dry cleaning store in "West U" (near Rice University), Main Street Theater offers a lively repertory of intriguing new plays, classic musicals and the city's most popular and successful youth theater. Youth programming is based on producing shows that have a direct tie-in to the curriculum being offered in schools, so if you've got a student in your family, Main Street is the place to be. — Stages Repertory Theatre Located only minutes from Downtown via Allen Parkway, Stages Repertory Theatre produces an edgy, contemporary brand of live theater that attracts both artists and audiences who demand more than passive entertainment. Having been born in the basement of a brewery 29 years ago, Stages has since grown to encompass two fully-equipped adjacent theater spaces. Other Houston area theater groups include:
In addition, regional theater groups include Theatre at Sam Houston, The Actors Workshop and Theater LaB Houston. The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts presents regular theatrical programs. Other music groups in the Houston area include:
The Houston Theater District is a 17-block concentration of world-class performing arts venues located in the northwest corner of downtown Houston. More than 2 million people each year attend performances within the district, which also encompasses plazas, parks, restaurants and movies. With 12,948 seats for live performances and 1,480 movie seats. Within the Houston Theater District are these world-class facilites:
Other notable facilities outside of downtown: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands is an outdoor amphitheater that holds summer concerts by the Houston Symphony and performances by the Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera and London City Opera. The Pavilion, which also provides an array of culturally diverse entertainment ranging from classic rock, jazz and folk music to children’s programming, can seat 3,000 in its reserved area and nearly 12,000 on its hillside lawn. According to the City of Houston, the first Miller Outdoor Theatre opened in 1923 as a “classic Doric proscenium structure.” Now, 83 years later, the city’s current theater, which opened in 1968, is an open-air venue located on nearly eight acres in the center of Hermann Park. The Houston Grand Opera, Houston Symphony and other multicultural and theater companies perform at the 1,582-seat facility, which also offers hillside seating on a grassy area. The San Jacinto Museum of History offers a wealth of historical Texas artifacts and documents covering four centuries of Texas history. The museum is located within the San Jacinto Monument at San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park. The John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science is Houston’s only interactive medical science center. Visitors can take a voyage through a Texas-sized human body in the Jim Hickox Amazing Body Pavilion, which includes giant models of human organs and dozens of hands-on exhibits and science stations. The museum, in the Museum District, is a member institution of the nearby Texas Medical Center. South of Houston in Clear Lake is Disney-designed Space Center Houston, a $70-million visitor’s center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The center features Texas’ largest IMAX theater; Kids Space Place; live demonstrations; rotating exhibits; Apollo, Mercury and Gemini space capsules; a space suit collection; and the world’s largest collection of moon rocks. A sampling of other museums and art galleries:
Multicultural Arts Thanks to the many diverse populations in the region, Houston has an abundance of culture-specific art organizations. The list includes:
Among other multicultural arts groups are Ancestral Films, Community Artists’ Collective, Community Music Center of Houston, Houston Caribbean Festival and Jazz Education, Inc. For more information on the arts, contact the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County at 713-527-9330. Uniquely Houston The region’s rich diversity includes folk artists with their unique perspectives. Here are a few regional treasures you should know about.
HOUSTON REGION PARK SYSTEM The splash of a pool. The swing of a golf club. The jog of a lifetime. The Houston region has more than 650 of the most beautiful and interesting parks in the nation, including the newest park in downtown Houston, Discovery Green, see page 59. From shooting ranges to equestrian trails to romantic picnic spots to spray water parks, Houston’s parks have something to offer every member of the family—even Fido. — City of Houston Parks Eager for some outdoor fun? Houston has 337 developed parks, of which 230 of those parks include playgrounds for leisure activities. An additional 200 open-space areas also are part of the system. Together developed parks and open-space areas encompass more than 18,000 acres of parkland. They include:
Major City of Houston parks:
— Harris County Parks Harris County maintains 144 parks containing almost 24,000 acres, with 108 miles of hike-and-bike trails. Since 1980, the county has spent more than $21 million to acquire and develop county parks and to make parks accessible to the handicapped. In 2001 the voters of Harris County approved a $60 million county park bond referendum to fund the continuing acquisition and development of the county park system. Included among the county’s parks:
In addition to traditional parks, the county is designing and building one of the first “extreme parks” in the nation. The new park will have BMX biking, mountain biking, rock and wall climbing, skateboarding and rollerblading. Counting all state, county and municipal parks, Harris County now offers 658 public parks containing 49,705 acres and 171 miles of greenway trails. All park agencies cooperate to reach the goal of providing 80,000 acres of parkland and 611 miles of greenway trails in the next 20 years. |
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