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Best Bowling Alley

Palace Lanes

If there were a kingdom ruled by a bowler, Palace Lanes would be the castle. This massive 44-lane bowling alley just inside the Loop treats league players like royalty from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily, when they're allowed to occupy every lane. Casual bowlers, who are more familiar with gutter balls than strikes and spares, are advised not to come during this time, but don't fret, they open at 8 a.m. and close at midnight. On weekends, Palace hosts Midnight Madness, a black-lit bowling bonanza where for $40, six bowlers can play for two hours, and maybe even master their Ernie McCracken impersonations. It's best to arrive a little early and take a seat in Palace's cocktail lounge, where you'll learn why Gatorade doesn't endorse the PBA.
Readers' choice: Palace Lanes

Best Picnic Spot

The Menil Collection

Picnic Drive, in Memorial Park, is where the Man wants you to picnic. The Man will tempt you with postwar picnic benches and plenty of sweltering pavement, where you can fry eggs. But if your idea of a picnic leans more toward the version involving trees, grass, peace and quiet, try the small park surrounding the Menil Collection in Montrose. There's plenty of room to throw a Frisbee and lay out a spread of fried chicken, and instead of port-o-potties, the place is dotted with sculptures by famous modern artists. Smack in the middle is the museum, the best free art space in the city. Now that's a picnic for the people.

Best Texan

Andre Johnson

After just two seasons, Andre Johnson has established himself as the Texans' best receiver, a deep threat with Velcro hands who should get ready to make annual reservations for the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. He and quarterback David Carr may turn out to be Houston's version of Montana-to-Rice or Aikman-to-Irvin. Like Michael Irvin, Johnson is a former University of Miami standout; unlike the former Cowboy -- or 95 percent of the players from the trash-talking Hurricanes -- Johnson is a quiet guy who leaves the chest-thumping to others. He's also quickly established a reputation for being a big community guy. His Andre Johnson Charitable Foundation focuses on helping kids from single-parent homes, and earlier this year he hosted a celebrity weekend to benefit the "I Have a Dream" Foundation. Both on and off the field, this receiver has been a great catch for the Texans.
Readers' choice: David Carr

Best Coach

Jeff Van Gundy

Houston Rockets fans were understandably a bit doubtful in 2003. Out was fan fave Rudy T, in was the droopy-eyed, balding Jeff Van Gundy, a coach who was more famous for hanging off Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning's leg during a playoff-game melee than leading the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1999. And there were questions. Like how would the defensive-minded tactician handle All-Star guard Steve Francis's shoot-first, shoot-second mentality? Well, he didn't. Soon Francis was shipped off to Orlando in exchange for chronically selfish forward Tracy McGrady. Amazingly, Van Gundy taught McGrady the value of team defense and led the team to the playoffs that very year. Since then, the high school math teacher look-alike has been feisty (he faced suspension when he claimed an NBA conspiracy to unfairly officiate Yao Ming) and stable, the perfect combo to take the Rockets back to the promised land.
Readers' choice: Houston Rockets' Jeff Van Gundy

Best Gym

FIT Athletic Club

So few gyms have personality. Padded floors run for thousands of square feet with machine after machine and line after line of muscle heads and gym rats waiting for their chance at three sets of ten reps. It's a scene pulled from an Orwell novel. But FIT appears to have more character than clientele. There are few lines, and the view is spectacular. Get in your cardio on a Precor overlooking a postcard-perfect vista of the skyline. Work out Mondays to a live DJ. Speedwalk to the cafe, which has a similar breathtaking view, for a break or a carbo-charge; there's a Starbucks, Internet access, huge wide-screen TVs and sushi from Zake. Forgot your toiletry bag? Don't fret. FIT's locker rooms are stocked with everything you'll need, from self-locking lockers to mouthwash dispensers at the sink.

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