Countdown to Convention

Space City welcomes you to the 2002 Texas REALTORS® Convention, Sept. 19-23.

by Ward Lowe   Imagine buying property in downtown Houston for $1.42 per acre. While no one’s offering such a deal today, that’s what two brothers from New York paid in 1836 for 6,642 acres near the headwaters of the Buffalo Bayou. The Allen brothers couldn’t have dreamed their proposed settlement would experience 166 years of phenomenal growth and evolve into such a metropolis.

But the Allens lived in the 19th century, and it’s 2002. You know about Houston’s diversity and culture, so make the most of your visit. Step outside the Hyatt and take a break between your convention activities. The hotel sits in the midst of Houston’s resurgent downtown, putting you near fine dining, entertaining nightlife, world-class museums, and upscale shopping.

Enjoy some of what the fourth-largest city in America has to offer. Immerse yourself in art, splurge on a delicious dinner, or just grab an evening cocktail with old friends. And while you’re driving around the sprawling city, imagine if you had picked up some of that land for $1.42 an acre.

Don’t they have kitchens in their homes?

If you can’t find something to eat in Houston, you’re beyond picky. Houstonians love to eat out; it’s been proven. According to the Zagat Survey restaurant guides, Houston annually ranks near the top of their list of American cities where residents eat out the most. All those people–more than 3 million–need places to eat, and Houston has obliged with eateries to match any taste and budget.

Staring at Houston’s thousands of dinner options can be intimidating, so the few restaurants highlighted here will get you started. Most are located near the Hyatt; in fact, half a dozen blocks north of the hotel lie many fine choices like Zula (705 Main St.). This haven of New American cuisine strives for a flashy, dazzling atmosphere without sacrificing the quality of the inventive entrées.

Just around the corner, Hunan Downtown (812 Capitol St.) dishes out hip Asian cuisine in surroundings of bamboo and onyx. Check out the funky glowing Buddha Bar for a cocktail. Buca Di Bacco (700 Milam St.), also in the same neighborhood, features an extensive wine list to complement its Italian and Mediterranean selections.

A few miles west of downtown, the Nicaraguan restaurant Churrascos (2055 Westheimer Rd.) offers fabulous South American food served in a dramatic, bold atmosphere. Try to catch happy hour and don’t skip the appetizers.

Looking for a place to grab a pint? Black Labrador Pub (4100 Montrose Blvd.), southwest of downtown, brings a taste of Great Britain to the Colonies. While English favorites like shepherd’s pie and bangers ’n mash are found on the menu, the pub bows to its surroundings with good burgers and tasty Tex-Mex. Head upstairs after your meal to Cezanne (4100 Montrose Blvd.), which many regard as the best jazz club in the city. It’s a cozy place where you get up close and personal with the musicians.

If you want a special–and pricey–night out, the Rainbow Lodge (1 Birdsall St.) provides a unique experience. Lush gardens surround this former Buffalo Bayou hunting lodge, which is decorated with antiques and mounted trophies. The lodge offers seafood and game dishes prepared in a contemporary Gulf Coast style.

"Houston, we have a problem."

To really see how to "get away from it all," visit Space Center Houston. Located 25 miles south of downtown, it serves as the official visitors center for NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, which houses Mission Control as well as astronaut living quarters and training facilities.

The visitors center features glimpses at astronaut training and life, both on Earth and in space, as well as a full-size space shuttle mock-up that provides a close-up look at the innards of the craft. To see Johnson Space Center, which has been the heart of manned space flights since 1963, line up for the 90-minute NASA guided tram tour through Mission Control, the space shuttle training mock-up, zero-gravity labs, and more. See the visitors center at Spacecenter.org for more details.

Look, don’t touch

Houston’s arts scene draws rave reviews, and its museums garner their share of praise. Judge for yourself in the Museum District. This area, a few miles southwest of downtown, is filled with grand old homes as well as cafes, restaurants–and museums. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, (1001 Bissonnet St.) houses a large collection of French impressionists and American Modernists. It opened its doors in 1900 and is the oldest art museum in Texas.

The Contemporary Arts Museum (5216 Montrose Blvd.) presents several dynamic exhibitions of the finest regional, national, and international art of the past 40 years. It has to, because the museum has no permanent collection.

The Holocaust Museum Houston (5401 Caroline St.) offers a sobering memorial. Videos and photographs tell the stories of survivors and their struggles.

While not located in the Museum District, the funky Art Car Museum (140 Heights Blvd.)–a.k.a. the "Garage Mahal"–showcases contemporary art with an emphasis on cars and mobile contraptions of all types.

Get tunnel vision

Leave the Hyatt without venturing into the heat or rain by heading into Houston’s six-mile downtown tunnel system. This continually evolving underground pedestrian promenade began in the 1930s and has since spread to many parts of downtown Houston.

The tunnel today exists primarily for the benefit of downtown office workers, and the hours it’s open reflect that fact: weekdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Food courts and mini strip malls occupy much of the system, and the tunnel gets busy during lunch hours. Each underground section is owned by the building atop it, so amenities and above-ground access vary.

Music to your ears

Ballet, opera, a symphony orchestra, and thriving theater companies light up marquees around the city. Houston’s Theatre District, a 17-block area of downtown, houses several world-class performing-arts organizations: The Alley Theatre (615 Texas Ave.) is a resident theater company; Da Camera (1427 Branard) presents classical ensemble music; the Houston Symphony performs at several downtown venues; and the Theatre Under the Stars (Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby) is an acclaimed presenter of musicals.

Hot dogs and orange juice

Stick around after Monday’s Board of Directors Meeting and take yourself out to the ball game. Watch the Houston Astros play nine against division rival Milwaukee Brewers at Minute Maid Park (501 Crawford St.).

Call 877-9ASTROS or visit the stadium box office for tickets. The Astros’ spectacular retractable-roof stadium, which opened in 2000, is located at the northeast end of downtown.

Yeah, but what about shopping?

Like most big cities, Houston has about any type of shopping you could ask for. Fancy boutiques, outlet malls, and flea markets dot the metropolitan area. The Uptown area, west of downtown, offers scads of upscale shopping, including the Galleria (5075 Westheimer Rd.) where Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, and Lord & Taylor anchor the mall. Already the largest in Texas, the Galleria is currently undergoing an expansion and renovation that will boost it to the fifth-largest mall in the country. Ask the Hyatt staff about their shuttle to the complex.

More than 200 manufacturers’ and retail outlets await at the Katy Mills Mall (5000 Katy Mills Circle), located 25 miles west of downtown. The outlets, theme restaurants, specialty stores, and 20-screen movie theater fill the 1.3 million-square-foot shopping and entertainment destination.

The main attraction

Enjoy Houston, but remember to explore the Hyatt as well. The 2002 Texas REALTORS® Convention promises to be worth the trip; browse its booths, connect with other REALTORS®, and sample its educational offerings to further your real estate career.

Photos courtesy of NASA, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Houston Astros.

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