Houston for Lunch and Tourist Stops!
by Makayla Mason
Azuma is a popular stop for LEAP, but several members had not eaten there before, so it was an ideal for lunch. It has a pleasant ambiance, the wait staff are knowledgeable, and the food is wonderful!
We started the meal with a couple of appetizer samplers, which include different meats such as yellow-tail fish, steak, pork belly, squid, chicken, mushrooms, and peppers. Our table’s favorite, however, was Alaskan Black Cod, which was full of flavor.
We then asked the waiter to select five sushi rolls for us, ranging from adventurous to not so adventurous. Seeing that Brittney had only tried cooked sushi rolls, we were excited to see if she would like the raw sushi.
We were treated to the Crazy Irishman. This selection was so good that we asked for a second platter! We also tried the Koi Tuna Roll, the Red Devil, the Shrimp Chili Roll, and the Skydiver.
For desert, we ordered vanilla, strawberry, mango, and green tea mochi.
Mochi is ice cream wrapped inside a gelatin like coating made of sticky rice. This was the perfect treat to aid us through the Texas heat.
After lunch, we decided to go site-seeing on a tour of some of LEAP’s favorite art pieces in Houston. Our first stop, James Surls’ sculpture titled “Tree and Three Flowers,” is located on the median on Kirby Drive.
We then opted to see David Adickes’ Beatles and We HEART Houston Statues at the 8th Wonder Brewery.
After taking pictures with the “Fab Four…”
we spent some time exploring all of the sculptures.
…which is a particular prompt to Maggie to explore…
…and we concluded by taking photos in front of David Adickes’ “We HEART Houston” sculpture.
After loading back into the car, we then drove to the Hyatt Regency to pay tribute to the late Charles Pebworth. This piece was Mr.Pebworth’s most notable work in Houston, and it takes up an entire wall inside the hotel! Charles Pebworth’s work is influenced by his Native American heritage. His medium includes Native American figures and natural elements such as metal, wood, and stone. Mr. Pebworth’s legacy continues through his art in both the Huntsville and Houston communities and in many other locations around the country.
Before heading back to Huntsville, we made a quick stop by Juiceland to get refreshing smoothies and juices for our ride home.
Our weekend excursion to Houston has sadly come to an end. However, the memories we have created, the knowledge that we continue to collect, and the inspiring individuals that we meet make our trips truly fulfilling. Until next time, see you later H-Town!
