SATURDAY
Morning: Café Antidote again. Work.
1 PM: Lindsey.
Afternoon: (a) Contemporary Arts Museum: Perspectives 178 and the exhibit on women artists (these are also open tomorrow), or (b) Asia Society festival (also open tomorrow), or (c) the Ménil — except that their festival and the Indie Book festival are only today.
Night: one thing appears clear: there isn’t a film in the whole town I really want to see. And I do not think I have clothes for the symphony, so we will have to find out what happens. I may be forced to work and will have to figure out where is the best place for that. I have never been to the Inversion Coffee House.
SUNDAY
Some work in the morning and then whatever I missed Saturday. Vertov’s Man with a movie camera is at the MFAH at 3 — it’s just an hour, so I could make it back to Maringouin by around 9 PM if I left right away.
*
All of these plans have to be worked upon. So far, I arrived late Thursday, much later than necessary. Had I been more organized and left home on time, I could have done marvelous things that afternoon and evening in Houston, but then I never leave Maringouin on time. I arrived, delighted, and stared at maps of different neighborhoods. This morning from about seven to noon I did work for this agency I came to work for.
Next I had lunch on Westheimer — duck and spinach salad at Brasil, to be precise, and it was excellent, and it cost $12. I had my nails done for $5, and strolled around the antique and junk shops and felt urban and very satisfied. I had coffee at the Agora.
Next I came up to Houston Heights and walked all along 19th Street, fascinating myself with chinoiserie. I had dinner at the Viet Nam which was stellar; two dishes costs me $17. Now I am in the Antidote on Studewood.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
You’ve done the impossible: made me a bit nostaligic for Houston.
Well, I’ve made it to the Contemporary Arts museum, and it was fun; ate at last at this food truck I’ve had my eye on forever; discovered a great new cafe on Dunlavy, the Bacchus, and been to the Black Hole, another newish coffee house on Graustark. Have still not been to the Inversion (1900 block of Montrose) but it is a goal … as is a day in Hermann Park.
I really like Houston because it feels so established — you can feel that there are cultured people here and that there have been for a long time. This is not true of most of Louisiana and it is only partly true of N.O., I find.
I think I will be spending Christmas time in Houston instead of Los Angeles, as I usually do (B. maternal side of the family still lives here, and my MIL loves to come and visit), So later this year, I will be hitting you with suggestions as to what to do and where to go. I’ve only been in the city for 2-3 days at the time, not enough to know it properly. But I’ve always liked it, more than I ever liked Austin.