<p>Totally agree, blackeyedsusan!</p>
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<p>So true. I’ve heard it said, “Houston - a lousy place to visit but a great place to live!”. As for the weather, the summer here deserves its reputation, and if you are coming in the next couple of weeks, you’ll think Hell would be preferable to this. But, as another poster said, the winter is very pleasant here. We have a few cold days, but seriously, it’s just a few. </p>
<p>I second the recommendation of a visit to NASA. The visitor’s center is called Space Center Houston - [Space</a> Center Houston](<a href=“http://www.spacecenter.org/]Space”>http://www.spacecenter.org/)</p>
<p>I was at the beach at Galveston last week, and it was honestly much nicer than before the hurricane. I can’t imagine how they put so much new sand in there, but they did. It was clean and pleasant. Yes, the water is brown, which as I remember is due to currents from the Mississippi river flowing into the Gulf…or maybe it’s from the Gulf Stream. In any case, it’s a geographic location thing, but it’s still very nice there. If you go to Galveston, be sure and take a walk along The Strand. From Rice, it’s probably a 1 hour drive to Galveston.</p>
<p>Here’s a restaurant suggestion for a great lunch or dinner near Rice - Ruggles Cafe. It’s in Rice Village. And you simply must have a dessert if you go there! [Ruggles</a> Cafe Bakery](<a href=“Ruggles Cafe Bakery”>http://www.rugglescafebakery.com/)</p>