Destination Guides - Southpoint.com Blog

Update from Chicago

Gus, a special retriever

Today, I'm venturing from the topic of travel to pay tribute to our mascot and friend, Gus. His pancreatic cancer in recent months made him eventually become too weak to eat or walk on his own and we had to finally put him to sleep.

Gus was born in the backwoods of Redwood, Ms. from pure bred Golden Retrievers. His parents had extensive obedience training and his Father was a drug dog for Warren County. Rhonda picked him from the litter because he was the only one that looked her in the eyes. He was a rambuncious pup, gnawing at baseboards and shirts, growing into a lanky teen that we took canoeing and tent camping. Gus went through 3 obedience training classes, and learned quickly. He was also the class clown, gaining the nickname "Goofy Gus."

He lived for adventure and going for a ride in our truck.

Gus explored and saw more of the country than most dogs, going with us on RV adventures through 40 states as our website mascot at Southpoint.com. He loved to catch tennis balls, chase squirrels, jack rabbits, run on the beach or in the desert, growl at strangers, or whimper at prairie dogs barking at him on the prairie during his travels. Gus was a special dog and best friend. He will be missed.

View more photos posted via Facebook.

Look for our new expanded segments on Corpus Christi and Chicago coming soon.

Galveston Restaurant Focus: Sonny's Place

Known by Galveston locals for ages, Sonny's Place has reopened on the island, offering signature burgers, sandwiches, and seafood favorites. "Pappa" Puccetti opened Sonny's for business in 1944 and "Junior" Puccetti has held the reins now for almost 60 years.

Yes, it's a bar and grill and the surroundings are nothing you would call fancy by any stretch, but Sonny's Place is family friendly and pleases the pallete with popular dishes like Grandma Theresa's spaghetti, muffuletta, fried shrimp, or cheeseburgers. The walls are lined with memorabilia of Galveston's history and is the place for delicious food and to mingle with local islanders to find out what's going on.

Sonny's Place is open Tuesday thru Thursday from 11am-2pm & 5pm-9:30pm and Friday & Saturday from 11am-2pm & 5pm-11pm.
Cash or check only.

Sonny's Place, 1206 19th St., Galveston, TX 77550

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Top 10 places to eat in Houston

The Houston area has a vibrant selection of restaurants to choose from. Given the large selection, it's a real test to come up with a short list of overall favorite Houston places to eat, ranging from fancy to very casual:

1. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, 5839 Westheimer, Houston - menu - Juicy Texas steaks and seafood.

2 . Cullen's, 11500 Space Center Blvd., Houston - menu - An upscale American grille. Read our recent blog post on Cullen's.

3. Potatoe Patch, 2020 FM 1960 East, Houston - menu - Home of the throw'd roll. Keep your head up or you may miss a hot roll coming your way.

4. Ristorante Cavour, 1080 Uptown Park Blvd., Houston,- menu - Housed in the Hotel Granduca featured here at Southpoint, with a rich Italian cuisine.

5. Droubi's, 7333 Hillcroft Street, Houston - menu - Great Meditterranean deli and bakery, with interesting grocery items. Enjoyed the chicken shawarma.

6. The Bistro, Housed in the Lancaster Hotel featured here at Southpoint, dining selections with a Gulf Coast flair.

7. Goode Co. Barbeque, four locations - menu - Great Texas BQ, with famous pecan pie.

8. Quattro, 1300 Lamar Street, Houston - menu - Housed in the Four Seasons Hotel, with contemporary Italian dishes.

9. Pesce, 3029 Kirby Drive, Houston - menu - Great seafood selections from the creators of Carrabba's (now part of Outback).

10. Central Texas Style BBQ, 4110 West Broadway, Pearland - menu - 10 mouthwatering BBQ meat selections.

Of Note:
The BANK is now Voice Restaurant and Lounge housed in the Hotel ICON featured here at Southpoint.

Brennan's, 3300 Smith Street, Houston - closed and undergoing reconstruction after fire damage from Hurricane Ike. The manager and his daughter were injured in the fire. Here's how to help.
A rich flavor of New Orleans with live jazz, glad to hear it will reopen fall 2009.

Have a Houston best restaurant recommendation? Add a comment here to let others know about.

Get Admission To Six Great Houston Attractions for Almost Half Off!
Includes NASA, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo

New Hotel Focus: The Element at Vintage Park - Houston

The Element Houston Vintage Park is the first Element hotel in Texas. Owned by Starwood, the sleekly designed 123-room extended stay hotel is located in the new Vintage Park center area in northwest Houston.
Among the unique features of the hotel is an eco-friendly design using natural lighting in the lobby area, and an outdoor fire pit and bq area. Each guest room is appointed with modular furniture and spacious design, including a fully equiped kitchen. Guests receive wireless Internet access, a fitness center, a complimentary breakfastand and a chlorine-free pool. We look forward to possibly featuring the hotel in the near future.

Reserve a stay at the Element Houston Vintage Park.

Houston Restaurant Focus: Cullen's Upscale American Grille

To say that the new Cullen's restaurant is massive is an understatement. At just under 40,000 square feet, Cullen's near Clear Lake offers an upscale American dining experience indoors or outdoors, with bar, billiards room, and live entertainment all under one roof. The cozy decor is tastefully appointed with dark wood and casino style surroundings.

Since opening in 2008, Cullen's has continued to expand their menu selections, ranging from steaks, chicken, seafood, subs or pizza. The menu includes a large wine list that includes over 100 Texas wines. For special events, there is a circular ballroom that can accomodate up to 200 guests.

Cullen's, 11500 Space Center Blvd., Houston, TX 77059
Cullen's is open 7 days a week.
cullenshouston.com

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Top 10 Interesting things to do in Houston

Now is a great time to head to Houston for business or a vacation getaway. Here are ten suggestions for some fun and unique things to see in and around our 4th largest U.S. city:

Get Admission To Six Great Houston Attractions for Almost Half Off! - Includes NASA, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo

1. Named after General Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas, visit the Sam Houston Park downtown where nine historic buildings reside that date from 1823 to 1905.
2. Stay in an historic hotel downtown and experience Houston like never before. Each of these downtown Houston hotels are housed in historic buildings that I have stayed in and highly recommend. Read about each one in our special Features, and for a limited time save big on stays:
   
   The Lancaster Hotel - Special Rate Available! - Thru June 9th
   Built in 1926 as a hotel, The Lancaster is the only small boutique hotel in Houston. Say hello to W.K. Hicks, the Head Doorman, who had a notable career with the Houston Oilers. Be sure to dine at The Bistro inside the Lancaster Hotel on the way to the theatre nearby. Read more on The Lancaster and watch our video.
   
   Magnolia Hotel - Stay 2 Nights & Save 20% or Stay 3 Nights & Save 30%! - Thru June 15th
   Also built in 1926 by the future Texas Governor Ross S. Sterling (of Humble Oil), the building has housed a newspaper, oil companies, and now a luxury hotel. From the unique rooftop pool and jacuzzi, view the Houston skyline like nowhere else. Read more on the Magnolia Hotel and watch our video.
   
   Hotel ICON - Save 35% on a Stay! -Thru June 15th
   Built in 1911, the building was one of the first steel and concrete skyscrapers in the United States. Reside at the Hotel ICON and have the unique experience of staying in a former bank (the Union National Bank). The highly acclaimed BANK Restauraunt is housed in the hotel lobby, with light rail service next to the hotel. Read more on the Hotel ICON and watch our video.
   
3. Tour NASA Space Center where astronauts are trained and Apollo astronauts transmitted the first message from the Moon to Mission Control - "Houston, Tranquility Base here.
   The Eagle has landed."
4. With a diverse ethnic community, there are many great places to eat. During our recent visit, within just a few miles we visited the New York Bagel & Coffee Shop, a Russian grocery, and Droubi's Bakery. Look for our Top 10 Restaurants in Houston coming soon.
   
5. There are numerous interesting museums around Houston, including a Natural Science Museum, Children's Museum, the Menil Collection, and a Fine Arts Museum.
6. Houston is home to the Gulf Greyhound Park, the largest parimutuel dog racing complex in the world.
7. Tour the impressive Battleship Texas docked near the San Jacinto Monument. Serving in WWI and II, the Texas has been extensively repaired.
8. Houston has lots of interesting shopping areas, including Rice Village (eat at Le Peep Restaurant), the Galleria, Old Town Spring, and over 4 miles of shops and restaurants in an underground tunnel in downtown Houston.
9. There are numerous great sporting events and shows around Houston. Plan before you go. Reserve tickets to an upcoming Houston event.
   
10. Nearby Galveston is a hub for many cruise lines, offering lots of island attractions (Moody Gardens, Schlitterbahn, the Strand, Bishop's Palace, Moody Mansion, Tall Ship Elissa, the Lone Star Flight Museum, just to name a few) and beach-side fun.
    

Top tips for finding Cheap Airline Tickets

Did you know that for early morning and late night flights you can get a cheaper airfare, or that early Wednesday morning is the best time to get the best new online airfare rates?

These and other tips are in the recent post Tips on Getting Cheap Airline Tickets which can be found at Frugal Hero. Frugal is the new in thing and Frugal Hero has the pulse on ways to save money (and has a sexy logo too..).

 

Thomas Jefferson's hideaway retreat open for tours

Looking for things to do around Independence Day? Head to Lynchburg, Virginia to pay a visit to the retreat of one of our greatest Presidents.

Monticello

Featured on the U.S. nickel and the $2 dollar bill, Monticello is of Palladian architecture, and was designed by Jefferson.
Just 70 miles from Monticello is his hideaway plantation retreat at Poplar Forest, which dates back to 1809. Designed by Thomas Jefferson, the house was built as he left office and was the first octagonal house in America (Longwood in Natchez is the most famous and largest octagonal house, but was never completed due to the Civil War). Recently restored and now open, the property also includes an old smokehouse, kitchen, and cold storage. Admission is charged. Hours are 10 am - 4 pm (closed on Tuesday). Visit the Poplar Forest website for more info.

Best Rated Lynchburg Hotels

As our nation's third President, Thomas Jefferson was also the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence and a strong believer in self reliance and individual rights. What a fitting way to pay tribute to the man who helped make America the great nation it has become (and can be again).

In light of the present financial "crisis", it's interesting to read what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered'.

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.

- Thomas Jefferson

Chicago and beyond: our summer schedule