Houston's own Statue of Liberty

Houston's own Statue of Liberty? Giant Astronaut to tower taller than Sam Houston — and include an elevator

Never one to pass up a chance to build a towering statue along the highway, legendary Houston artist David Adickes has signed on to design the largest project of his career — an 80-foot concrete astronaut at I-45 and NASA Parkway that would tower over the famous Sam Houston statue in size.

The impressive statue will stand above a newly-proposed education center dedicated to the Apollo space program and its historic moon landings. The City of Webster, which owns the land for the project, will partner with the Apollo and Beyond nonprofit to raise funds for this new space center.

The statue and Apollo center, neither of which have any direct affiliation with NASA, are expected to lure as many as 800,000 visitors a year to a community still hurting from the federal agency's cancellation of the space shuttle program in 2011.

"This would be an icon, for not only Webster but NASA and this whole south part of Texas."

"This would be an icon, for not only Webster but NASA and this whole south part of Texas," Adickes tells KTRK Channel 13 about his monumental art project. "The excitement comes when I actually start trying to figure out how to do it and where it's going to be done. All the details, that's the fun part."

The artist envisions a 1960s-era astronaut triumphantly planting an American flag onto a 50-foot pedestal that will feature a small museum.

Like the Statue of Liberty or the San Jacinto monument — and unlike Adickes' 67-foot Sam Houston statue in Huntsville — the astronaut would include an elevator to lift visitors atop its massive helmet for sweeping views of Houston and Galveston. The towering Apollo homage has an anticipated cost of $5 million, with an additional $25 million required for the education center.

Organizers say the 20,000-square-foot complex, currently dubbed the Apollo and Beyond Center, also will serve as a sort of business and technology incubator for a region with deep ties to the aerospace industry. Multi-purpose meeting areas will host conferences and talks aimed at bringing together area tech talent with international firms.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin donning the vintage space suit the artist will recreate in his monumental new statue.

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Turkey day travel tips

Houston airports predict big boost in Thanksgiving travel and share planning tips

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston

Photo courtesy of Visit Houston

Bush Intercontinental may see 1.7 million travelers.

In yet another reminder that society — and Houston — is indeed back, Houston Airports reports a big anticipated boost in holiday travelers this year.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport are expected to see some 2.3 million travelers this season. That's 3 percent increase from the same period in 2019 and 9 percent increase from 2021, per the system.

By the numbers, Bush Airport will see the bulk of travelers with more than 1.7 million anticipated passengers, with approximately 560,000 travelers going through Hobby.

As a refreshers, the Thanksgiving travel season began on Thursday, November 17 and ends Tuesday, November 29. The top three busiest days for air travel in Houston will be Sunday, November 27 followed by Sunday, November 20 and Wednesday, November 23, per Houston Airports.

Thankfully, CenterPoint Energy has completed the major utility roadway work on North Terminal Road that began in October. However, ongoing construction will no doubt impact travelers during peak travel times.

Houston Airports offers these reminders for those traveling through or picking up at Bush:

Build in an extra hour to airport arrival time for parking, airline check-in, TSA security screening, traveling to gate.
Anticipate high parking volumes at terminal garages and full lots.
Utilize the subway and Skyway tram systems, which connect all 5 terminals at Bush Airport.
American Airlines and Spirit Airlines passengers should be picked up at Terminal A on South Terminal Road. All other passengers landing at Terminal A can be picked up along North Terminal Road. Signs indicate the proper pickup locations.

Additionally, those traveling or heading to Bush or Hobby Airport for pickup should remember these Houston Airport trips:

Reserve airport parking online to save money and guarantee a parking spot in a garage or ecopark lot.
Wait in a free cellphone lot for passenger to help with flow.
Monitor TSA wait times in real-time at Hobby Airport and Bush Airport.
Prepare for a TSA screening by following the 3-1-1 rule and reviewing a list of prohibited items.

Travelers can also get airport updates by following the Houston Airports Twitter accounts @IAH and @HobbyAirport or on Facebook.

pizza zealots on the move

Piping-hot pizzeria slinging signature, flavorful pies heats up Memorial with seventh Houston location

Photo by Kathy Tran

Zalat continues to expand its presence in Houston.

Memorial-area diners have a fresh new option for pizza. Dallas-based Zalat Pizza opened its seventh Houston-area location in Memorial at 12351 Kingsride Ln. on November 15.

Founded by University of Houston alum Khanh Nguyen, Zalat puts its own spin on familiar pizzas with creatively topped pies like the Nashville hot chicken with pickles, Elote (Srirancha, corn, lemon pepper), or the Pepperoni Masterclass (all-beef pepperoni, oregano, cracked black pepper, chopped garlic).

In addition, the restaurant makes all of its own dough and sauces — including its trademarked Srirancha, a combination of Sriracha and ranch — and bakes them in a traditional deck oven.

Diners may use the Zalat website to order takeout or delivery. It is also available via third-party delivery apps.

The restaurant takes pride in taking care of its employees, which it calls Zealots. They receive full benefits, including participating in a 401k. After a year with the company, employees are eligible for a special Zalat tattoo.

"We are thankful to Houstonians for welcoming our merry band of Pizza Zealots with open arms," Nguyen said in a statement. "Memorial City is yet another great area we are looking forward to serving our award-winning pizzas to.”

The new location joins outposts in places such as Midtown, the Heights, and Washington Avenue. They've also partnered with Kroger to open outposts at two of their stores. It opens at 11 am daily.

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where to watch the world cup

Where to watch the World Cup in Houston

Pitch 25/Facebook

Soccer fans all over the world are turning their attention to Qatar where the World Cup will take place from November 20 through December 18. The 32-team field includes the world’s top squads, including the US’s first appearance since 2014.

For those whose knowledge of international soccer is limited to playing FIFA, check out this handy guide from The Verge that explains the controversies surrounding the event, lists a few teams to watch, and offers other tips for newbies.

A number of Houston bars and restaurants will be showing many of the matches, some of which kick off as early as 4 am. Look for plenty of opportunities to root for all the participating squads, with some establishments offering themed food and drink specials to champion individual countries.

Betelgeuse Betelgeuse
Washington Avenue’s cocktail bar and pizzeria will open at noon November 21-28 to show the 1 pm matches. Drink specials include $15 domestic buckets and happy hour pricing until 6 pm — $7 32-ounce drafts, $6 wines by-the-glass, and $8 World Cup-themed cocktails.

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
The whiskey-obsessed comfort food restaurant will serve special dishes for all matches by the USA, Mexico, England, and France. Look for dishes such as the All American Dog (chili cheese hot dogs), fish and chips, birria tacos, and steak frites. Each menu comes with drinks specials such as $10 Maker’s Mark bourbon, beer specials, and $25 glasses of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

CounterCommon Beerworks & Kitchen
Bellaire’s new brewpub rolls outs its brunch menu this week, which is just in time to show the opening match on Sunday. Look for food specials for the 1 pm matches in the first, such as fish and chips for Monday USA vs Wales tilt and a Sonora hot dog for Mexico vs Poland on Tuesday.

Drift
The popular sports bar will open at 10 am November 20-28 to show World Cup matches on 50 TVs. Expect daily drink specials to put fans in the proper rooting spirit.

The Flying Saucer Downtown
The craft beer destination will open at 10 am this Sunday, November 20 for the opening match and at 10 am on Tuesday for Mexico vs Poland. Look for drink specials such as $4 Houston drafts on Sunday, $4 drafts and $4 cocktails on Monday, and more.

Lyric Market
Downtown’s newest food hall will show all matches that take place during its operating hours of 7 am - 10 pm on both a projector screen and its TVs. Bar manager Andy Charlton has created a menu of $8 cocktails inspired by each of eight groups in the round of 32. For example, consider Group B’s Best of Enemies (Pimm’s, bourbon, lemon and mint syrup) or Group F’s Second Time’s a Charm (rye, cold brew coffee, Maraschino liqueur, and bitters).

Monkey’s Tail
The north Houston bar will open at noon for all of the Mexico and USA games that start at 1 pm. In addition, the kitchen will serve two-for-$12 birria taco during Mexico’s matches and $7 Frito pies during USA matches.

Patterson Park
The Heights-area bar will open at noon for the USA matches on November 21, 25, and 29. It will show the games on its 40 TVs with full sound.

Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House
San Leon’s waterside restaurant will show World Cup matches on the TVs at its bar and patio. Get $4 drafts during weekday matches, and fans sporting team gear will receive 10-percent off their bills.

Pitch 25 Beer Park
Naturally, Dynamo legend Brian Ching’s massive, soccer-themed bar in EaDo will open as early as 7 am for select matches. The indoor-outdoor bar’s World Cup parties will feature a 20-foot screen, more than 45 TVs, six pop-up bars, food trucks, and appearances by soccer players including former members of the Mexican National Team.

Those looking for a more premium experience may opt for VIP passes that come with a dedicated seating area, separate entrance, and a private bar.

The Richmond Arms
The beloved, Galleria-area pub will open at 7 am November 21-28 and at 9 am November-December 18. As everyone knows, watch soccer is more fun with English pub grub and properly poured pints.

The Upside Pub
Garden Oaks’ newest neighborhood bar will offer different drink specials during the 1 pm matches. Some days will feature discounts on specific breweries while other days will feature early happy hour pricing.

William Price Distilling
Head to Garden Oaks where this distillery will be showing all of the 7 am, 10 am, and 1 pm games on a 20-foot indoor screen on its production floor and on multiple TVs in its tasting room and lounge. Fans can catch all of the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina matches, including the one that starts at 4 am.

Attendees can sip coffee, beer, wine, or cocktails, and food will be available. Plus, the distillery offers fast wifi for anyone who needs to get a little work done. Reservations available via Eventbrite.

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