Outdoor Recreation

Fall is Here and It's Time to Garden

Diary of a Pandemic Holiday

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The Definitive Pleasure Pier Ride Ranking

By Jef Rouner
Aug 23, 2021

After the Kid With One F shot up three inches over the course of sixth grade and finally cleared the 48 inches mark, we decided that over the summer we were going to ride every ride available at Pleasure Pier Galveston. In case you, too, have a special someone of...
Houston Gardening: After the Rain Has Gone

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Jun 11, 2021

Houston has had a tough year weather-wise. Though we didn't have a major flood or hurricane in 2020, we had an unprecedented hard freeze in mid-February 2021 that damaged a lot of our landscaping and numerous citrus trees. But our gardens bounced back and some plants actually flourished, renewed with...
Houston Arboretum Opens Slightly Feral Playscape

By Jef Rouner
May 13, 2021

The Houston Arboretum is by far my favorite place in the city since Wilde Collection burned down, so I’ve been watching with eager anticipation as they slowly finished the giant new playscape they have been working on for what seems like forever. It finally went public this week, and it’s...
A Houston Garden After the Winter Storm

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Mar 10, 2021

The unprecedented winter storm that hit Texas on Valentine's Day was not wholly unexpected. The forecast for unusually cold temperatures in Houston had many of us scrambling to wrap our pipes and stock up on comfort snacks. For Houston gardeners, however, it meant a last look at our budding fruit...
Blackwood Educational Land Institute: A Perfect Autumn Day

By Lorretta Ruggiero
Nov 13, 2018

The fall temperatures have finally arrived in Houston and it's time to savor the brief, but wonderful autumn days while we can. Early this month, we started to see a break in the humidity and heat, even if it continuously varies from day to day. I found myself on a...
Here's Why Galveston Bay Oysters Will Take Three Years to Recover From Harvey

By Gwendolyn Knapp
Sep 26, 2017

In the days after Harvey the world (well, the internet anyway) was getting to know Houston native Raz Halili. The 30-year-old oysterman was rescuing people from the flooded San Leon area in a boat with his cousin when a selfie he snapped went viral on social media. It was shared...
How Not to Singe Your Eyebrows Off While Cooking on July 4

By Gwendolyn Knapp
Jul 1, 2017

It's time to stock up on fireworks and dust off the grill. Yes, with July 4 right around the corner (Tuesday, actually, which is kind of a strange day to set fire to so many things, no?), here are cooking tips and suggestions for all you hardcore home cooks out...
The 10 Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant Patios in Houston

By Phaedra Cook
Jun 20, 2016

It was a long slog to get a Houston ordinance passed that allowed restaurants to decide for themselves whether or not to allow dogs on their patios, but the “Paws On Patios” allowance finally happened in 2011. That opened up a variety of venues for people to dine with Fido...
20 (More) of Houston’s Best Patios for 2016

By Phaedra Cook
Apr 4, 2016

Last year, we listed 20 of the best restaurant patios for dining, drinking and relaxing. It proved to be an extremely popular resource. Here's some excellent news: every single option from last year is still viable. None of those restaurants have closed. In the meantime, several new restaurants featuring patios...
The 20 Best Restaurant Patios in Houston

By Phaedra Cook
Apr 16, 2015

When the weather is blessedly mild, Houstonians go running, not for the hills but for the best restaurant patios in the city. We've gathered 20 of Houston's best and ranked them not just for their good looks but for the food and service as well. Take a look, and be...
The Five Best Spots in Houston for Take-Out and a Picnic

By Kaitlin Steinberg
May 26, 2014

What is up with this Spring? Usually by this time of year we're all cranking up the ACs as high as they can go and wishing we had oxygen masks when we go outside so we could breathe a little easier in the hot soup-like air. But something weird is...
10 Best Things to Christen Your Grill With on Memorial Day (or Whenever)

By Molly Dunn
May 14, 2014

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and you know what that means -- it's grilling time. You might have used your grill here and there throughout the spring season, but as the summer months approach, get ready for back-to-back weekends (and even weeknights) of grilling your food. Of course,...
Beekeeping 101: Put on the White Suit & Head For the Hive, Honey

By Molly Dunn
Jun 25, 2013

Sure, going to the beach or a water park is the typical and standard summer activity, but have you ever thought to sign up for a beekeeping class? Round Rock Honey Beekeeping Academy in Porter teaches you everything you need to know about beekeeping. Konrad Bouffard, founder and Master Beekeeper,...
How To: Throw a Summer Outdoor Dinner Party

By Molly Dunn
Jun 19, 2013

The unfortunate part about summer in Texas, more specifically in Houston, is that you want to go outside but it's just too dang hot to stay out there for more than five minutes without breaking into a sweat. My family loves to grill during the summertime, and we love taking...
The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Patios

By Katharine Shilcutt
May 29, 2012

For the next 20 weeks, we'll be rounding up the runners-up to our 2011 Best of Houston® winners. In many categories, picking each year's winner is no easy task. We'll be spotlighting 20 of those categories, in which the winner had hefty competition from other Houston bars and restaurants. Nope,...
Backyard Chickens and Fresh Eggs: Why You Should Have Both

By Patrise Shuttlesworth
Apr 9, 2012

The wizened cook of The Whistlestop Café, Sipsey, said about the local sheriff, "Oh it don't make no kind of sense. Big ol' ox like Grady won't sit next to a colored child. But he eats eggs- shoot right outta chicken's ass!" Grady, in Fried Green Tomatoes, may have been...
10 Tips for Eating MREs, from a Pro

By Jason Bargas
Sep 8, 2011

Six years ago, citizens of the Gulf Coast were starting to understand the immediate implications of their world post Hurricane Katrina. Power had been out since the storm made landfall, which meant that refrigeration systems were inoperable, food was spoiling, and people were hungry. Eventually federal, local and volunteer aid...
State Fair Fare: Checking Out the Competition in Minnesota

By Ginny Braud
Sep 7, 2011

As soon as you walk through the gates of a state fair, whatever "diet" you may be on becomes null and void. If you're watching your carbs, trying to stay away from fried foods or cutting back on sweets, you may as well just stay home. Golden-battered goodies and chocolate-covered...
The Drought War of 2011: 5 Tips for the Urban Garden

By Christine Ha
Aug 24, 2011

Every day so far in August, we've watched the mercury climb over 100 degrees. Combined with the lack of rain, this summer has been brutal not only to us but also to our botanicals. My husband and I had planted our first urban garden this spring with the hopes of...
Get Your Grill Face On: The Eating Our Words Memorial Day Contest

By Katharine Shilcutt
May 27, 2011

Many of you will no doubt be spending Memorial Day in a backyard somewhere -- maybe not even your own -- grilling and barbecuing the day away. And since you're already going to be doing both of these activities, we want you to snap a photo of your festivities and...

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Outdoor Recreation

Fall is Here and It's Time to Garden

Diary of a Pandemic Holiday

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Keep the Houston Press Free.