Porretto Park Everybody knows about East Beach, where Playboy models and other assorted hardbodies gather during the summer. Not as many folks know about No-Name Beach off Condominium Road, where the topless and queer crowds commingle behind the dunes. But our favorite place to drop the beach towel is also Galveston's best-kept secret. Despite the fact that the seawall has been declared alcohol-free by the city, there's an exempted zone along the beach between Sixth and Tenth streets at Porretto Park. The quirk in the ordinance was created because a local Italian family privately owns this stretch of beach, and that means you can unashamedly break out the malt liquor. Just don't chug it while you walk along the concrete part of the seawall, or the cold steel of a jail cell might be cooling your sunburned hide later.

Porretto Park Everybody knows about East Beach, where Playboy models and other assorted hardbodies gather during the summer. Not as many folks know about No-Name Beach off Condominium Road, where the topless and queer crowds commingle behind the dunes. But our favorite place to drop the beach towel is also Galveston's best-kept secret. Despite the fact that the seawall has been declared alcohol-free by the city, there's an exempted zone along the beach between Sixth and Tenth streets at Porretto Park. The quirk in the ordinance was created because a local Italian family privately owns this stretch of beach, and that means you can unashamedly break out the malt liquor. Just don't chug it while you walk along the concrete part of the seawall, or the cold steel of a jail cell might be cooling your sunburned hide later.

Tour 18 Tour 18 is the Epcot Center of golf courses. What they call the "cathedrals of golf" are exact re-creations of the 18 most heralded holes on famous courses worldwide. What club would you choose on the famed Amen Corner at Augusta National? Could you shoot par on Harbor Club's 18th hole? Tour 18 gives you the chance to step out from the role of armchair golfer and put your Titleist where your mouth is. With reasonable greens fees ranging from $39 to $95 (depending on day, time and season), your PGA dreams are only a 20-mile drive north of town. Now go get 'em, Tiger!

Tour 18 Tour 18 is the Epcot Center of golf courses. What they call the "cathedrals of golf" are exact re-creations of the 18 most heralded holes on famous courses worldwide. What club would you choose on the famed Amen Corner at Augusta National? Could you shoot par on Harbor Club's 18th hole? Tour 18 gives you the chance to step out from the role of armchair golfer and put your Titleist where your mouth is. With reasonable greens fees ranging from $39 to $95 (depending on day, time and season), your PGA dreams are only a 20-mile drive north of town. Now go get 'em, Tiger!

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Like riding horses? Hate terrorists? Well, now's your chance to trot ol' Trigger around the trail and keep a lookout for Osama at the same time. The Houston Airport System's Airport Rangers are volunteers who patrol the 34-mile perimeter of fencing around Intercontinental. You have to pass a background check, of course. "It's not just Joe Blow coming in," says airport spokesperson Ernest DeSoto. "You have to be badged." The airport system has set up 25 miles of trails with water stops and port-a-potties for volunteers, but those hankerin' for more rugged country are welcome to veer off the paths, DeSoto says. If a ranger sees anyone unusual (vagrant, poacher, dude with a rocket launcher), he or she must report it to airport authorities. Otherwise, Airport Rangers are free to ride from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Like riding horses? Hate terrorists? Well, now's your chance to trot ol' Trigger around the trail and keep a lookout for Osama at the same time. The Houston Airport System's Airport Rangers are volunteers who patrol the 34-mile perimeter of fencing around Intercontinental. You have to pass a background check, of course. "It's not just Joe Blow coming in," says airport spokesperson Ernest DeSoto. "You have to be badged." The airport system has set up 25 miles of trails with water stops and port-a-potties for volunteers, but those hankerin' for more rugged country are welcome to veer off the paths, DeSoto says. If a ranger sees anyone unusual (vagrant, poacher, dude with a rocket launcher), he or she must report it to airport authorities. Otherwise, Airport Rangers are free to ride from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Fit Holy biceps! Fit's got more hot bods than an I-10 traffic jam in July. And they've got state-of-the-art equipment and a really nice view of downtown, plus helpful trainers who aren't annoying. At Fit, there are fewer cheesy, too-tan bimbos and beefcake macho men than you'd find at other chain-type gyms in town. Here, there are just nice folks who work hard. But that's not the best part. Fit rules because they have so many lazy-people amenities: massages, steam rooms, Internet access, tanning booths, meditation classes, gigantic plasma screen TVs and Starbucks. Since working out is beginning to feel more like being a lazy slob, Houston could be on its way to skinniest-city status.

Fit Holy biceps! Fit's got more hot bods than an I-10 traffic jam in July. And they've got state-of-the-art equipment and a really nice view of downtown, plus helpful trainers who aren't annoying. At Fit, there are fewer cheesy, too-tan bimbos and beefcake macho men than you'd find at other chain-type gyms in town. Here, there are just nice folks who work hard. But that's not the best part. Fit rules because they have so many lazy-people amenities: massages, steam rooms, Internet access, tanning booths, meditation classes, gigantic plasma screen TVs and Starbucks. Since working out is beginning to feel more like being a lazy slob, Houston could be on its way to skinniest-city status.

Jonathan Feigen As streaky and uneven as the Rockets' 2003-2004 season was, Houston Chronicle readers could count on NBA beat writer Jonathan Feigen to get his touches and make it look sweet without fail. Sports writing is a province inherently booby-trapped with clichés. West Coast late games, repetitious seasons and predictable jock-talk quotes ensure that if you haven't heard it before, you're going to hear it repeated a thousand more times. Feigen cuts through that stale routine with graceful description, sharp analysis and the ability to be clever without being smug.

Jonathan Feigen As streaky and uneven as the Rockets' 2003-2004 season was, Houston Chronicle readers could count on NBA beat writer Jonathan Feigen to get his touches and make it look sweet without fail. Sports writing is a province inherently booby-trapped with clichés. West Coast late games, repetitious seasons and predictable jock-talk quotes ensure that if you haven't heard it before, you're going to hear it repeated a thousand more times. Feigen cuts through that stale routine with graceful description, sharp analysis and the ability to be clever without being smug.