Ready or not, Houston here I come!

For those who don’t know, I was born in Houston! My heart holds a special place for my second home. Both my mom and dad’s family live there too, so as you can imagine, I’ve hit I-45 South numerous times throughout my life!

My grandmother has always attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) as it typically falls during her bday week. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend a few with her! I attended my first Rodeo with my grams in 2016, and my initial thought was: Really Grams, you want to go to the rodeo to celebrate your birthday? Her response has and always will be: YES! Since I’ve turned 30, I honestly believe I’ve started to appreciate things in a different perspective, but that’s an entirely different post for another time!

This year I tagged along to the HLSR to celebrate my grandmother’s 76th birthday! We attend Black Heritage Day which is the first Friday of opening week. Black Heritage Day celebrates diversity, community, culture and allows you to learn how vital black cowboys were in shaping today’s western culture. We always have a blast when we go!

The odds were in our favor and thanks to the president of the HLSR, Joel Cowley, as he was generous enough to provide us some amazingly enjoyable seats due to an unfortunate incident which occurred last year! To say the very least, my granny had a phenomenal time! From the carnival (which is just outside), to the heart-warming Mutton Bustin’ (the little kiddos riding on sheep)! If you haven’t been to the HLSR, plan on being their next year! Just go ahead and mark those days on your calendar! Not to mention, there is a concert every night. This year, Leon Bridges performed. Never heard of him, but I surely did enjoy him. Leon has a soulful voice that will take you back to the 60‘s, make you tap your toes and snap your fingers! R&B, Soul, Country, and Tejano music, there is truly something for all to enjoy.

Now let’s get to the good stuff!

Saddle-Up Tastebuds!
OMGee! Albeit, there were so many choices, if I see corn on the cob, I’m going straight to it! Definitely had to grab one from the Corn Station. I was able to dress it with butter, mayo, and all sorts of seasoning. I went to town with a smile!

Mile High Curly Fries- No verbiage needed, look at this picture!

Brisket Nachos- Nachos are great anytime, but when you throw in brisket, it’s a game changer!

Well Rested!

When I’m in Houston, I often stay with family and friends. #imcheap. Since I was there for an extended stay and my husband came with me for a few days, we chose to stay in downtown Houston at the Whitehall Houston. The Whitehall is a boutique hotel adorned with a vintage flare and southern style.

The staff was super friendly. Check-in was smooth and effortless. Our room was a fairly nice size with an awesome view of the city! There were ample outlets to charge every technology device you own which I loved! The bathroom was very small, but there was a stand-up shower with an overhead shower head. That made up for its petite size! Valet parking only, and they offer a shuttle which takes you around within a 15-mile radius.

I would absolutely stay here again. Not only was it accommodating, but it’s centrally located so I can easily navigate to visit family scattered around town!

The Grub Was Real in The H!
The Pit Room
Soon as I touched down in Houston, I headed right over to the Pit Room. If you don’t know my love for BBQ by now, umm… well keep following my journey! The Pit Room’s staff was so friendly and even let me go to the back to check out their huge smoker!

I haven’t had a Frito chili pie in ages. Hence when I saw this on the menu, I knew I had to have it! To make it even more glorious, it’s topped with the fav: brisket! Takes me back to the good ole’ days and childhood memories. When’s the last time you had Frito chili pie?

Snooze AM Eatery
I always make it a #goal to eat at Snooze AM eatery when I’m in the streets of Houston. (Sidebar: I can’t wait until the Addison location opens up! I drove by the other day and the sign is up, so that’s tasty news!)

Pictured is the cinnamon roll pancake and it is D E L I S H! It’s also hefty enough to share or not to share! The choice is yours! I can eat breakfast any time. Any day. Just call me! Lol!

The Burger Joint
My sister and I spilt a chili cheese burger with a side of onion rings. My bestie had a side of the bacon parmesan fries which were awesome! I see why there is a line here every day if you don’t come at the right time. The Burger Joint also made the Texas Monthly 50 greatest burgers in Texas list!

Breakfast Klub
The Breakfast Club is a priority and Houston staple indeed! I get the same thing every time because either I’m basic or it’s just that good: the catfish and grits. Now, you might have to wait in line, but it’s beyond worth it. The line moves rather quickly. If you don’t want to wait in line, there is another section, Breakfast Klub’s Signature Cafe. The signature cafe is more for the grown and sexy. It’s an intimate space, with an eclectic vibe and old school music. However, the same great food is served! We literally visited twice while in Houston! OH! I’m a sugar and butter grits gal! No judgement! How do you like your grits?

Lee’s Fried Chicken and Donuts
Carbs are your best friend on the weekends, or in my case, every day! And I did it all for the gram! I threw on my stretchy pants and headed to Lee’s with my family and we ordered practically everything on the menu. I had the double donut fried chicken sandwich with bacon onion jalapeno marmalade. (Say that fast 5 times!) We all agreed that the chicken needed a little more seasoning, but I enjoyed the concept of having chicken with donuts. Who would’ve thought that this combination went so well together? I also prefer my donuts warm, yet reheating donuts often times alters the glaze, so I had to eat them as is.

Plan on visiting Houston if you haven’t been. If you’ve been down more times than you can count, go again and be a tourist! For the first time, it seemed like I was a tourist in my own city. A blast it was such a blast! I added a few more pictures of a few other places I visited. To say the least, I had a yeeh-haw wonderful time, ate tasty food, and can’t wait to go back in a few months!