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Best Patio

Ernie's on Banks

Christopher Columbus stands at the south end of Bell Park pointing an index finger toward some trees as if he has made some big discovery. The six-foot sculpture ought to be rotated 90 degrees so Chris can point the way to a place that's really worth discovering, if you haven't already: Ernie's on Banks, which boasts the city's best patio. At first glance, the second-story space, which opens late in the day, isn't anything to crow about: just a few metal tables, plastic chairs and folding umbrellas. But the view of the park -- a quaint, well-shaded square of wooden bridges and running fountains -- imbues it with an irresistible charm and makes it the perfect place to catch a beer and a breeze.

Best Hotel Bar

Four Seasons Hotel

The bar located just off the lobby at the Four Seasons Hotel is a throwback to an earlier era, when love-struck couples donned their best duds for a night on the town. Spare in its details -- cushy chairs, a few framed artworks and lamp-lit tables that emit a hazy orange glow -- the room springs to life every evening as a jazz pianist plays standards from the corner. There are no televisions, no fluorescent beer signs, no patrons staring dumbly into the bottoms of their martini glasses. The joint has class. The bartenders are efficient, gracious and knowing, serving up tips on how to score Astros tickets at playoff time along with complimentary bowls of wasabi peas, cashews and almonds. Though the hotel sits in a prime spot adjacent to the ballpark, convention center and several concert venues, it's easy to while away an entire evening without ever leaving.

Best Mural

Sand Dollar Thrift Store

The "Sky's the Limit" mural on the side of the Sand Dollar Thrift Store isn't there just to beautify the shop's exterior -- it's also there to remind the hundreds of kids who walk past it every day on their way to school that there's no limit to their potential. Coordinated by Reginald Adams, co founder of ArtworkZ, and sponsored by Keep Houston Beautiful and DiverseWorks, the Dal-style mural shows a typical neighborhood street scene. Typical, that is, except for the four giant heads floating in the clouds. Thirteen students from nearby Jefferson Davis High School helped plan and paint the mural.

Best Art-Opening Cocktails

Art Car Museum

The Press conducted a lot of research for this category (see "Free Booze," December 1), and we've got to hand it to the freewheelin' spirits at the Art Car Museum for running away with the prize. Of course, they don't really serve up cocktails per se; rather, a couple of kegs are tapped and bottles of wine are just left out on the table. No gatekeeper. No drink tickets. No little plastic cups. Just tons of booze and plenty of good times. It's like you're at a house party, but the artwork on the walls (and in the driveway) is a lot more interesting than anything you'd ever find at your buddy's house.

Best Movie Theater

Angelika Film Center

Maybe it's because the Angelika seems to be the only Houston theater where there aren't any assholes answering cell-phone calls throughout the entire movie. Maybe it's the cinematic selection, a mixture of art-house indie and mainstream indulgence. Whatever the reason, the Angelika provides a downright pleasant moviegoing experience, while the megaplexes leave you wishing you'd stayed home, gotten a root canal -- done anything but pay $10 to watch someone get his head sawed off while an audience of impromptu movie critics tries to talk over the movie.

Best Radio Station

KTRU/91.7 FM

Somewhere on the dial, among the Blue October and Laura Ingraham, there's a little college radio station pumping out 50,000 watts of pure uncommercialized goodness. From the excellent MK Ultra DJ sets every Friday night to the generally upbeat morning drive, Rice University's KTRU gives Houston the very thing most other radio stations lack: quality. The kids cutting their teeth on indie rock, hip-hop and electro manage to pull off a better radio station than Clear Channel could ever dream up.

Best Radio News

KTRH/740 AM

There's really no competition in this category. While many other radio stations have "news departments" or an assortment of programs, KTRH remains the gold standard. With a mixture of original local reports, locally based talk show hosts (Sam Malone, Deborah Duncan, Chris Baker) and selected national programs, KTRH's coverage of Houston is deep and well rounded. KTRH is the first (and only) place on the dial to go for Astros coverage and weather emergencies, proving particularly valuable and informative during Hurricane Rita. Finally, its morning team of Lana Hughes and J.P. Pritchard has an amazing chemistry and vocal cadence, delivering a brisk summation of the day's top stories during the all-important morning commute hours.

Best Blues Club

Monroe's Gallant Knight Club

Whether Cynthia's dishing out some delicious Malibu punch or it's Big Bass serving up some funk-dafied bass thump, we're in love with the Gallant Knight. A gem in the middle of Medical Center dullness, the Gallant Knight has been helping kids and doctors get their blues on for more than 35 years. Go there on a Saturday night, and even if you're totally white-bread, you'll immediately forget all your honky troubles and start to feel a little rhythm in your feet. But don't get too carried away there, bud. Don't want to mess up the loafers.

Best Place for Cocktails

Houston Magnolia Hotel

If you work downtown, you should already know that the best place to unwind is the Magnolia Hotel. After a long, tedious day of playing office politics and staring out the window at the beautiful array of ozone and carbon monoxide that makes up Houston's daytime sky, you deserve a little piano jazz and some milk and cookies at a swanky hotel. Even if you don't work downtown, consider driving there after work. Screw the dog! Daddy needs a little $14 martini action to let off some steam!

Best Bar Games

The Tipsy Clover

The Tipsy Clover is the kind of beautifully schizophrenic neighborhood bar that serves a dual purpose: It can be the place to go to meet up with friends after work, grab a pizza and play a casual game of pool. Or it can be an all-out frenzy of Golden Tee competitiveness and dart-board mayhem, depending on your timing. The relaxed pub feel gives the place a comfortable vibe, but it's still clean and new enough to be worthy of a parking lot full of Midtown residents' BMWs.

Best Of Houston®

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