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    Home and Deranged

    The Strangers: Jumping in a car with three could-be killers for love (or a longweekend)

    Caroline Gallay
    Jul 9, 2010 | 7:19 pm
    • My beer may have contributed to my impulsiveness.
    • This scene was no match for IAH Friday night.
    • We were a first for our Dallas narcotics officer
    • I had visions of "Deliverance" on the dark interstate.

    “I’m going to need you at the Mickey D’s on State Line Road at 11 a.m., and I’m going to need you to bring cash,” I told my boyfriend late Friday night.

    Anyone who so much as attempted to fly out of Bush Intercontinental airport for the long Fourth of July weekend — especially out of the dreaded Terminal B, “the middle child” of IAH — can attest to what a madhouse it was. People slept in the terminal hallways, stranded pregnant women sobbed, and the tiny kiosk at my doomed cul de sac of Express Jet gates stayed open well past close, selling off flats of beer and hard alcohol to soften the ire of homesick passengers.

    I had been scheduled to fly out at 7:15 to Kansas City for a weekend at the lake, but my flight got repeatedly delayed. By the time it was finally canceled because, though the plane had made it, its crew had not, there were 40 people on standby and no flights out until Monday morning.

    I had been trolling around IAH for three and a half hours. I’d shared several 20 oz. beers with a senior’s group headed back to Biloxi, Miss., from a Canadian tour and had a Red Bull Vodka in my hand at the ticket counter, prepared to fight for my refund when I heard it: “You don’t understand. I’ve got to get to KC for my niece’s baptism. I’m about ready to just rent a car and drive there.”

    I leapt forward to make an introduction that would lead to an adventure. “HI I’M CAROLINE I’LL SPLIT IT WITH YOU!”

    The woman I had ambushed was Mollie, one of nine children in an Irish Catholic family from Michigan who took their baptisms very seriously. She said she’d been talking to a middle-aged couple on their way back from Cozumel who were eager to get back to their dogs in Kansas City. We’d find them and see if they wanted in.

    They did, and within 45 minutes, Mollie, Jim & Vicky and I were in a rented Dodge Charger on the open interstate, laughing at our impulsiveness and counting on the abilities of TSA to adequately screen the other three of us for weapons.

    There has been some study of the depths people divulge to each other on airplanes. I’m here to witness; those researchers have got nothing on the stories that are swapped between three strangers on a 12-hour road trip.

    Torrid same-sex love affairs, prison, suicide, murder, vision quests in the Appalachians — it was all covered. You might not think so much material was buried in the lives of a writer, a chiropractor, a CO2 salesman and his common-law wife, but then you’d be sorely mistaken.

    No sooner had the jokes about which of the four of us was most likely to murder the other three subsided enough to allow nervous slumber than we were pulled over. The cop was no run-of-the-mill traffic cop, though — he was a Dallas narcotics officer, and as soon as the driver declared during her field sobriety test that she didn’t know her passengers, things began looking understandably suspicious.

    We were sequestered and questioned, and the car was searched. (Funny how sure we all were no one had anything, when we couldn’t be sure at all). Our answers, of course, matched up, and the policeman brought us together for a final word.

    “I have never, in my 10 plus years as an officer, heard a story so absurd that I have no choice but to believe it.”

    And with that, we were on our way. Eight hours later I was hugging my new friends goodbye (I’ve got a dinner date with Jim & Vicky when I’m back in November) as my boyfriend incredulously doled out cash for my share of the rental and gas and, presumably, my safe delivery.

    Moral of the story: I might not be the mushiest broad, but the next time the boyfriend questions my loyalty, seriousness or effort — he can read this and weep.

    unspecified
    news/travel

    2025 world's best awards

    6 Houston hotels ranked with the best in the world by Travel + Leisure

    Amber Heckler
    Jul 8, 2025 | 2:30 pm
    The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa
    Photo courtesy of The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa
    The Houstonian is back on top as the best resort in Texas.

    Several renowned Houston hotels and resorts were just declared the best in the world by Travel + Leisure readers, according to the publication's annual World's Best Awards.

    The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa was honored as the No. 1 best resort in Texas, while the prestigious Post Oak Hotel ranked as the No. 7 best hotel in the nation. Among T+L's list of the 15 best hotels in Texas, four more distinguished Houston properties made the cut.

    Every year, Travel + Leisure surveys its readers to determine the ultimate travel experiences around the world, which include the top hotels, resorts, travel destinations, and more. The 2025 survey had more than 180,000 responses from T+L readers with over 657,000 votes across 8,700 accommodations, cruise lines, and other properties.

    The Houstonian Hotel reclaimed the top spot for 2025 after previously slipping into No. 4 in 2024. The publication celebrated this "serene sanctuary" for its numerous sports and fitness activities, plus its rejuvenating 26,500-square-foot spa, pool, and jacuzzi. The resort's location next to Memorial Park also provides guests with the feeling that they've escaped the hustle and bustle of the city.

     The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa “The staff treats you like you are a long-awaited family member," said a T+L reader.Photo courtesy of The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa

    "Resort guests receive complimentary access to the fitness club, which has dedicated spaces for a myriad of sports, including nine tennis courts, a shaded jogging trail, an indoor track, and a lap pool," the report said. "On top of the unbeatable facilities and location, the Houstonian’s memorable hospitality had our voters eager for repeat visits."

    In a press release, general manager Steve Fronterhouse said the entire Houstonian team was honored to receive the worldwide recognition.

    "To be named the best resort in Texas by the discerning readers of Travel + Leisure is not just a reflection of our 27 acres and amenities; it’s recognition of the Southern hospitality and warmth our staff delivers every day," he said. "We are grateful to all of our guests who continue to make The Houstonian their home away from home.”

    The full list of best Texas resorts, in order, are:

    • The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, Houston
    • Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa, Frisco
    • JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio
    • Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin
    • Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine
    Best hotels in the U.S.
    In addition to being ranked among the top 10 best hotels in the U.S., The Post Oak Hotel was also hailed as the No. 1 best hotel in Houston. The hotel succeeds at providing guests with a flawless level of service and accommodations, while its on-site restaurants and bars add to the overall opulence of the property's amenities.

    "And naturally, there's a world-class spa on site and a Rolls‑Royce showroom in case you need to pick up a new ride," the report said.

     The Post Oak Hotel Stay in style at The Post Oak Hotel.  Photo courtesy of The Post Oak Hotel  

    A T+L reader said The Spa at The Post Oak Hotel is "a destination in itself" and noted that guests could still have a memorable experience in Houston even if they never step foot off the 700,000-square-foot premises. But if guests did choose to explore everything the city has to offer, the hotel provides an over-the-top travel method.

    "There is a rooftop helipad so that you don't even have to sit in Houston traffic if you don't want to," the reader said.

    The full list of Houston winning hotels, in order, are:

    • No. 1 – The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston
    • No. 2 – Hotel ZaZa
    • No. 3 – Four Seasons Hotel Houston
    • No. 4 – JW Marriott Houston Downtown
    • No. 5 – Hilton Americas-Housto

    Other Texas awards
    San Antonio's Hotel Emma and Fort Worth's Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection were the only two other Texas properties to earn acclaim in T+L's list of the "15 Best City Hotels in the U.S."

    San Antonio was also deemed one of the best U.S. travel destinations in 2025, ranking 12th out of 15 total cities.

    In a release, Travel + Leisure editor in chief Jacqui Gifford said the 2025 World's Best Awards "reflect a travel landscape in motion."

    "From a high-desert city in the American Southwest to a quiet Greek island, our readers are seeking depth, character, and a strong sense of place," Gifford said. "We're thrilled to honor the hotels, destinations, and travel companies that are delivering those transformative experiences."

    travel leisurehoustonhotelsresortstravelvacations
    news/travel
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