The Mountain Getaway Guide

Escape the Houston heat with a trip to some higher elevations. Escape the Houston heat with a trip to some higher elevations. Plus: Tasting our way through two Bayou City barbecue standouts, the history of street art in Houston, and Houston's pop culture handbook.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

Ice House

Dog Shows Offer a Chance to Rescue Pure-Bred Pups, Not Just Admire Them

The 40th annual Houston World Series of Dog Shows allows potential pup owners to get to know the breeds before adopting.

06/22/2017 By Marianella Orlando

The Drawl

What a Fast Food Chain

How much do we love Whataburger? Let us count the ways.

06/22/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

Pop Culture Handbook

Calling Hou: The Bayou City's Biggest and Best Pop Culture Moments

Our city has exerted more influence on the American mass media landscape than you may realize—and we're not just talking about Beyoncé (but also definitely Beyoncé).

06/21/2017 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen, Katharine Shilcutt, and Gwendolyn Zepeda

Pop Culture Handbook

How Chopped and Screwed Became Houston's Signature Sound

The laid-back style that's become ubiquitous in hip-hop originated here in the 1990s.

06/21/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

Pop Culture Handbook

So...What's the Deal with Drake?

And when did he become so obsessed with H-Town?

06/21/2017 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Pop Culture Handbook

These Are the 4 Must-Jam Houston Playlists for Fans of Every Genre

Make your own old-school mix-tape of these classic Houston tracks, or check out our curated Spotify playlists.

06/21/2017 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Pop Culture Handbook

The Great Houstonian Movie Has Yet to Be Made

The Bayou City is about more than cowboys, politicians drenched in oil money, and NASA. So when will the silver screen reflect that?

06/21/2017 By Gwendolyn Zepeda

Pop Culture Handbook

Ranking Houston's 6 Biggest Reality TV Moments

From our proudest points to our most painful, from Project Runway to personal astrologers.

06/21/2017 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Pop Culture Handbook

What The Big Bang Theory Gets Right About "East Texas"

... and what it doesn't.

06/21/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

Pop Culture Handbook

The 6 Buzziest Times Beyoncé Broke the Internet

We're all still crazy in love with Queen B.

06/21/2017 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Behind the Walls

How Street Art Took Over Houston

A tradition once considered the purview of criminals is now a major part of a citywide beautification project.

06/21/2017 By Paul DeBenedetto Photography by Marco Torres

Now Playing

The Heights Theater Is Back from the Dead

The landmark theater, built in the 1920s, is newly renovated and ready for action.

06/21/2017 By Jeanne Lyons Davis

Pop Culture Handbook

8 Iconic Houston-Filmed Movies, Mapped

Plus: The top 3 times we've seen Houston get blown up on the big screen.

06/19/2017 By Sarah Rufca Nielsen

Best of Houstonia

The High Life

This Summer's Guide to the Coolest Mountain Getaways

It’s hot, Houston. Head for the hills—no, make that mountains.

06/21/2017 By Catherine Matusow, Katharine Shilcutt, Cindy Hirschfeld, and Melissa Fields

Eat & Drink

The Best Places to Grab a Picnic in Houston

These three meals are already boxed up and ready to eat (in the shade).

06/21/2017 By Alice Levitt

10 Brand-New Downtown Restaurants to Dine at Right Now

There's never been a better time to brave the one-way streets and parking meters: Downtown has dressed up for dinner.

06/21/2017 By Katharine Shilcutt

The Bird's the Word

Get Your Fried Chicken Fix at These 11 International Eateries

In Houston, you can get fried chicken from across the world. And you absolutely should.

06/21/2017 By Alice Levitt

Pour

At Helen in the Heights, the Food Complements the Cocktails

Not the other way around.

06/21/2017 By Alice Levitt

Restaurant Review

Barbecue Takes a Big, Beefy Step Forward at The Pit Room and Pinkerton’s

The art of the smoker attains an all-new level in Houston's hottest barbecue spots.

06/21/2017 By Alice Levitt

Editor’s Note

Editor's Note

The Delicious Sensation of Trading Houston's Heat for Higher Altitudes

"I felt so far removed from the boiling cauldron that is the Bayou City in summertime, but I knew that the mountains were exactly where I wanted to be."

06/21/2017 By Catherine Matusow