With all the buzz around downtown Houston lately, you may feel a little out of the loop if you haven't had a chance to check out the revitalized dining and entertainment district for yourself in the past year.

Line & Lariat -- one of downtown's best restaurants, housed in the historic Union National Bank building -- wants to change that, and is hosting a luncheon on Wednesday, May 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that will feature a line-up of guests speaking to all facets of downtown life. In addition to learning about the newly-installed B-Cycle program and upcoming SummerFest highlights, the afternoon will feature speakers discussing the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's short and long-term goals for revitalizing and transforming the bayou that winds through downtown and across the city.

In addition, you'll be able to meet area experts and get the scoop on upcoming events with presenters that include Jim Parsons, the Preservation Houston walking tours chairman and co-author of Houston Deco, who'll be hosting a chat and book signing at noon in Market Square Park.

Other presentations include:

• Book signing with Linda Gorski and Louis Aulbach, authors of Buffalo Bayou: An Echo of Houston's Wilderness Beginnings
• Activities along Buffalo Bayou with Kelly Howard from Bayou City Outdoors
• Buffalo Bayou wildlife with Margarita Padilla from Jesse H. Jones Nature Center
• Waugh Drive bridge bat colony with Diana Foss from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
• Seed collecting for Buffalo Bayou Prairie with Jaime Gonzalez from Katy Prairie Conservancy
• Buffalo Bayou running trails and safety with Lisa Foronda from Houston Area Road Runners Association
• Kayaking 101 with Rico Torres from Bayou Shuttle
• Buffalo Bayou boot camp and sample exercises with trainer Cari Shoemate
• Exploring downtown with Segway Tours of Houston
• Summer Fest highlights, lineup and ticket purchase opportunity with Shadi Jam

The community open house "lunch and learn" also features lunch, naturally, available from Line & Lariat for $15. The box lunch will include a blackened chip wrap or ranchero salad and a keepsake Hotel ICON rubber ducky. A portion of the box lunch proceeds will benefit the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Additionally, Line & Lariat has created a specialty cocktail -- the Hyacinth -- with a portion of proceeds being donated to BBP between May 16 and June 16.

Complimentary refreshments from Line & Lariat will also be available throughout the day, including its signature ice teas and spiced pecans. The open house celebrates the conclusion of the Union National Bank building's 100th anniversary as a Houston landmark - just blocks from the place where the city was founded at Allen's Landing.