Kenneally's Irish Pub This authentic pub has a standard ol'-sod charm: Guinness pints and whiskey along the bar, dartists playing their game. And then there are the bright silver pizza trays atop their racks -- scores of them. Of course, many bars offer complete menus, but Kenneally's makes no pretensions: It's still a pub. It shuns tired bangers-and-mash plates in favor of a limited but mastered menu offering good sandwiches and some of the best homemade potato chips in Houston. But what the crowds really clamor for is the pizza. It has a crunchy, thin crust layered with thick, tantalizing cheese and fresh, tasty toppings that the most discriminating italiano would adore. With quality Irish drafts to wash it down, consider this the ultimate in fusion cuisine.

Chapel at Live Oaks Friends Meeting House If you think James Turrell's tunnel of colored light under the MFAH is cool, check out his chapel at Houston's local Quaker meeting house in the Heights. Every Friday night, if the weather obliges, folks gather to see the "celestial vaulting," as Turrell refers to it. It may look like just a hole, but the cut in the chapel roof frames the afternoon sky like a painting on the ceiling, and as the sun sets and the sky starts to darken, amazing things begin to happen. We suggest lying down on the floor for a better view; the piece plays on the eyes' synapses and perception of color, space and light. Some people cry at the sight of it, and some just can't stop smiling. The room is hushed for about an hour, and when night finally falls, you'll walk out completely changed. Friday evenings only.

Chapel at Live Oaks Friends Meeting House If you think James Turrell's tunnel of colored light under the MFAH is cool, check out his chapel at Houston's local Quaker meeting house in the Heights. Every Friday night, if the weather obliges, folks gather to see the "celestial vaulting," as Turrell refers to it. It may look like just a hole, but the cut in the chapel roof frames the afternoon sky like a painting on the ceiling, and as the sun sets and the sky starts to darken, amazing things begin to happen. We suggest lying down on the floor for a better view; the piece plays on the eyes' synapses and perception of color, space and light. Some people cry at the sight of it, and some just can't stop smiling. The room is hushed for about an hour, and when night finally falls, you'll walk out completely changed. Friday evenings only.

"Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America" In 1965, Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez constructed an amazing light-based installation -- pre-James Turrell and Dan Flavin. And in the late '60s, Brazilian Lygia Clark created interactive works that employed brightly colored hoods to control participants' senses: Vision was obscured, sachets of spices over the nose provided olfactory sensation, and shell-like earpieces created the roar of the ocean. In the United States our conceptions of Latin American art often involve some sort of vague stereotype (usually involving folk art or painters such as Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera). But Latin America has long been home to a diverse and thriving art scene - with artists that were often more avant-garde than their U.S. contemporaries. "Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston was the first United States exhibition to explore the subject. It presented an amazing collection of works that purposefully defied preconceptions, as it explored Latin American art from 1920 to 1970. It was a revelation to revel in.

"Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America" In 1965, Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez constructed an amazing light-based installation -- pre-James Turrell and Dan Flavin. And in the late '60s, Brazilian Lygia Clark created interactive works that employed brightly colored hoods to control participants' senses: Vision was obscured, sachets of spices over the nose provided olfactory sensation, and shell-like earpieces created the roar of the ocean. In the United States our conceptions of Latin American art often involve some sort of vague stereotype (usually involving folk art or painters such as Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera). But Latin America has long been home to a diverse and thriving art scene - with artists that were often more avant-garde than their U.S. contemporaries. "Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston was the first United States exhibition to explore the subject. It presented an amazing collection of works that purposefully defied preconceptions, as it explored Latin American art from 1920 to 1970. It was a revelation to revel in.

Órbita 100.7 FM Yeah, you can get jiggy with the Box or the Party, two-step till you drop with KILT or Q-Country, hold your burning Bic aloft to the classic rock on the Arrow, or bang your head to all that Audioslave on KLOL, but if you want to dance, there is no spot on the dial quite like Órbita, FM's home for cumbia, salsa and merengue. Even if you don't speak espaol, the beats on this tropical Spanish station are as intoxicating as a rum punch.

Órbita 100.7 FM Yeah, you can get jiggy with the Box or the Party, two-step till you drop with KILT or Q-Country, hold your burning Bic aloft to the classic rock on the Arrow, or bang your head to all that Audioslave on KLOL, but if you want to dance, there is no spot on the dial quite like Órbita, FM's home for cumbia, salsa and merengue. Even if you don't speak español, the beats on this tropical Spanish station are as intoxicating as a rum punch.

Susan O. Koozin It's tempting to say that the best part of Ted Swindley's Always...Patsy Cline was the music. The show was jammed with hits made famous by the unforgettable singer, one of Nashville's all-time greats. Julia Kay Laskowski played the down-home star in Stages Repertory Theatre's production, and she really sang it Patsy-style, smoky and dark. But as good as the tunes, voice and backup band were, they couldn't hold a candle to the firecracker energy flaming off Susan O. Koozin, who played Louise Seger, Patsy Cline's real-life fan extraordinaire. Koozin burned through her hysterical performance like a woman on fire, turning Swindley's simple musical-lite into a spicy romp of hand-clappin', foot-stompin', hootin', hollerin' and Texas-sized laughs. The show's a must-see for anyone who admires Lone Star ladies of the big-hair/big-heart variety.

Susan O. Koozin It's tempting to say that the best part of Ted Swindley's Always...Patsy Cline was the music. The show was jammed with hits made famous by the unforgettable singer, one of Nashville's all-time greats. Julia Kay Laskowski played the down-home star in Stages Repertory Theatre's production, and she really sang it Patsy-style, smoky and dark. But as good as the tunes, voice and backup band were, they couldn't hold a candle to the firecracker energy flaming off Susan O. Koozin, who played Louise Seger, Patsy Cline's real-life fan extraordinaire. Koozin burned through her hysterical performance like a woman on fire, turning Swindley's simple musical-lite into a spicy romp of hand-clappin', foot-stompin', hootin', hollerin' and Texas-sized laughs. The show's a must-see for anyone who admires Lone Star ladies of the big-hair/big-heart variety.

The Harp This Irish-tinged watering hole is a little different from the average Montrose hangout, but that's part of its appeal. Its dark walls, soft lighting and hardwood floors are charming. And there's something pleasantly laid-back about the atmosphere -- maybe it's the dart players tallying up their points or the comfy, wrap-around porch. Maybe it's the fact that denizens have been known to bring in a baby or two. Maybe it's just those cushiony barstools. Can we say heaven?