—————————————————— Best Sports Talk Host 2009 | Charlie Pallilo, 790 AM The Sports Animal | Best of Houston® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Houston | Houston Press
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Best Sports Talk Host

Charlie Pallilo, 790 AM The Sports Animal

We sometimes get some grief for our sports-radio picks: Our Best Show is one that features a lot of raucous humor; our Best Host leans more toward stat-heavy analysis. But Charlie Pallilo offers real insight along with his seeming ability to come up with every ERA since 1935 at the drop of a hat. He utterly respects the callers, and never insults the intelligence of his audience. In the land of sports-talk radio, where some hosts seem to think their job is to out-macho everybody, that's a welcome relief. Pallilo is also known for his ability to eat prodigious amounts of food without adding to his wiry frame, but we won't hold that against him.

Best Texan

Eric Winston

Eric Winston is the right tackle for your Houston Texans, which normally means you don't hear a lot about him. But the dude is funny, insightful and outspoken, so he has become a hit on sports-talk stations in town and on the Net. He tweets ("Do you think Best Buy puts something in the a/c vents that makes you buy something when you go there whether you need it or not?"), he blogs (a lucid analysis of whether the NFL should have a pay scale for rookies) and, best of all, he's dependable on the field. Even in the under-the-radar world of offensive linemen, right tackles are at the bottom of the pole (left tackle is the glamour spot), so you won't see his name in too many stories or highlight films. But if he's talking or writing, it's worth checking out.

Best Urban Nature Spot

Terry Hershey Park

Way out west amid the tract developments, strip malls and freeways of Houston's upper-middle-class suburbia is this hidden sliver of primordial bayou land, where you can wind back the geologic clock to the Cenozoic Era. On a typical hike or bike trip through the park's 12 miles of Buffalo Bayou-hugging trails, you'll see startled turtles sliding down sandy banks and water snakes lazing through slowly flowing, surprisingly pristine waters; you'll also hear the occasional splash as the bayou ripples when a hungry garfish surfaces to chomp an unlucky bug. The 500 acres of lush undergrowth are interspersed with occasional clearings; in one, you'll find a sundial where your own shadow will tell you the time. Even that primitive mode of timekeeping seems positively high-tech after an hour or two deep in the jungles of the park.

Best Weekend Getaway

Messina Hof Winery & Resort

Messina Hof Winery, just two hours away, makes for the perfect all-in-one weekend getaway. The Villa Bed and Breakfast has ten luxurious, antique-filled rooms. There are plenty of extras to make your stay special — champagne breakfasts, in-room massages, beds strewn with rose petals and, of course, all the wine you can drink. The Villa is just a short walk away from the Vintage House restaurant, which serves up European classics with a Texas twang, while the Wine Bar offers more than 50 wines, including the award-winning Paulo Collector series, by vineyard owner Paul Bonarrigo. Messina Hof has a full schedule of special events, from vintner dinners (as many as six courses served with a dozen wines) to cooking parties with the chef, moonlit harvests to concerts in the vineyard. If you'd rather just relax, there are plenty of low-key options: stroll the vineyard or sit on your balcony and watch the sun set over the pond.

Best Place for a Pickup Game

Fonde Recreation Center

"To play here," reads the plaque on the gym wall, "your game has got to be established, your desire must be proven, and your love for the game had better be pure." Anyone is welcome on the court during free play, but this is the place that serious ballers — including local NBA players during the off-season — flock for serious pickup. Next to the plaque on the wall, the gym even has its own, exclusive Hall of Fame, with tributes to some NBA journeymen who spent decades starring on the well-kept court. The place has a time-warp classic feel of the kind that might inspire a player to throw a bounce pass, or a mean, off-the-ball screen.

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