T'was the night before New Year's and all through the town

Revelers partied though oil prices were down.

The restaurants were crowded, the streets were too,

The potholes too many, the repairs too few.

Bill King, Steve Costello and Sylvester Turner

each promised to put streets on the city's front burner.

Yet our third-world road system with its bumps and grinds

did not thwart our desire for new restaurant finds.

The good chefs, they're so many, what's a foodie to do?

Chris Shepherd, Kate McLean and Jacques Fox too,

Danny Trace, Bryan Caswell they're all in the stew.

David Cordua, Ryan Pera, and that cutie Charles Clark,

They've cooked up a storm, each making his mark.

But none did it better than Tony Vallone,

50 years of fine dining with just the right tone.

Oldies but goodies have us in awe

We look back over the year and must give applause

To two lovely ladies who cause us to pause.

Margaret Williams and Lynn Wyatt hit a milestone birthday.

Turning 80, they drove us to declare "No way!"

Gerald Hines embraced 90 with a party so fine,

The sophisticates were swooning, calling it divine.

Who's out and about?

The party kids were out and about through the seasons

Celebrating for naught but sometimes with good reason.

Patti and Don Murphy, Lara Bell and Kim Padgett,

Joanna and Brad Marks, Roseann Rogers, Tiffany Halik,

Marcy de Luna, Yvonne Cormier and Cynthia Petrello

and what about Ceron? He's such a nice fellow.

Michelle Watson, Nick Espinosa, Allie Fields and hubby Jay,

Erin Florescu, Beth Muecke, Peter and Mary Faye Way.

Neal Hamil, Nixon Wheat, Shepard Ross and Erin Hicks

The Fertittas, the Connallys, Kristen and Lee Nix.

Good sports one and all

We've suffered our losses on the sports fields this year

but things are improving, sports fans never fear.

Our Craig Biggio landed in the Hall of Fame

For he's one who knows how to stay in the game.

James Harden, J.J. Watt, Carlos Correa and Dwight Howard

These sluggers, these big guys, their not ones to cower.

Arts are the smarts

And on to the arts scene we move with certain grace

To applaud the leaders in making this a great place.

Perryn Leech, Patrick Summers and Gregory Boyd,

In the Houston arts world, there is never a void.

Bill Arning, Mark Hanson, Dean Gladden, Stanton Welch,

Any cultural naysayers, they will certainly squelch.

Kenn McLaughlin, Jim Nelson and Gary Tinterow

They all add to the picture as our arts groups grow.

The finish line

And now for the finish where we race to the end game

In a flurry to include one and all and every name.

Marsha Braniff, Nick Stefanakis and his wife Jenee,

Randy Powers, Bill Caudell and Jonathan Day,

Gabe Canales, Carolyn Farb, Reggie Smith and Leigh

This is where I think they all want to be.

Bill Baldwin, Katy Brisco, Bobby Nau and John,

Hasti Taghi, Mauri Oliver and Nina Magnon

Mike Mahlstedt, Sarah Jawda and Saba too,

Mark Sullivan, Dancie Ware, Lester Smith and Sue.

Now I've come to the end of this silly rhyme,

If you didn't make it here, perhaps next time.

Out with the old and in with new,

Happy New Year from CultureMap to you!