A couple of weeks ago I had to travel to Houston for a work conference. This was my first visit to Houston, aside from one overnight stay after a late flight made me miss my connection to Memphis from Las Vegas. Here's my recap, 10-on-Tuesday style:
1. This was my first time flying out of the Nashville airport in a long, long time. Usually, I go to Memphis and let the in-laws drop me off at the airport. But I got a really cheap round trip flight from Southwest this time around, so I was on the road by 6:00 to get to the airport -- and it flurried the whole time. The flight was uneventful -- we did have to be deiced before takeoff, but once we got above the cloud layer, it was smooth sailing flying -- and very uncrowded. I had a whole row to myself on both flights, in fact.
2. No offense to those of you who live in Houston or the surrounding area, but I am not impressed. It is not an attractive city, by any means.
3. This was the view from my window. At various times during the week, the sun glinting off that building's windows would shine in through the opened curtains and fall across the desk where I was working -- and it was beautiful.
4. I met up with this girl at the hotel and we hoofed it over to a great little Italian restaurant before coming back to the hotel and talking in the bar for hours. Lauren is one of the first digi-scrappers I got to know online, and one of the very first designers I CT'ed for when I first started digiscrapping. It was so great to finally meet her after what, 3 years? 4 years? She's so fun to be with -- very genuine, very honest, very down-to-earth, and she's one of the kindest and most generous souls I've ever met. (And she's not as bad a driver as she thinks she is...)
5. On Sunday, Lauren took me to the Museum of Fine Arts and, lucky us, we got in free because Target does this special promotion on the first Sunday of each month. Score! We spent a lot of time just wandering and figuring out whether or not we could take photos -- you could in some places but not in others, but there were never any signs that told you if you could or not.
I kept getting into trouble. Well, not trouble necessarily, but while I was leaned in, examining the tiny etched details in the gold leaf on one painting, I was told that I was standing way too close. Another time, I was told that I needed to remain on the walkway (this as we were walking through the huge blue neon tunnel shown below). I wasn't trying to be a rule-breaker, honest!
6. As part of the Target sponsorship, you could spend the afternoon with pencil and paper, drawing -- or being inspired by -- any of the paintings in the museum. It was really fun to see people of all ages setting up their little chairs, with clipboards under their arms.
7. By far, my favorite exhibit in the entire museum was part of a Korean-American exhibit called "Your Bright Future." In particular, Lauren and I both were completely entranced by Fallen Star, created by artist Do Ho Suh. Words can't even begin to describe how incredible the level of detail was, as well as the different concepts at work. The rest of the exhibits were really interesting as well. I think we spent as much time with this section of the museum as we did anywhere else.
8. If you ever get a chance to order the Macaroni and Cheese at House of Blues, do it. Seriously. The best mac-n-cheese I've ever eaten. Worth every penny of the $7.00 price tag.
9. We did some shopping -- mostly window-shopping -- at The Galleria; so many shoppes that I've only read about in magazines, but never had a chance to visit. Ended it with a huge slice of cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory.
10. The flight home was just as uneventful. More cancellations because of snow meant no crowding again. Arrived home to find six inches of snow on the ground.
That's the same Target program that sponsors the free concerts at Kennedy Center every week... makes me love Target even more!
Posted by: Elizabeth | February 23, 2010 at 09:08 AM
So glad you had such a wonderful trip! Head on over to my blog when you get a chance to collect your award :)
Posted by: Lee | February 23, 2010 at 11:56 AM
I was in Houston last week for a conference too. As a matter of fact, that view of the hot air balloon looks quite familiar. Too bad I didn't know you were there...we could have met up. LOL! I was there for Mom 2.0 and had a fantastic time. It was nice getting out of the snow.
Posted by: Scrappinmichele | February 27, 2010 at 01:04 AM