Today we remember those who have sacrificed their lives for our great country. We hope you have a great Memorial Day!

Spend a day of interactive fun and learning at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston’s Museum District. The museum focuses on on different eras of history and science, including a dinosaur exhibit, information on ancient Egyptian societies, an ancient gem collection, a display on African wildlife, and an exhibit on Texas ecology.

The museum also has a collection of rotating exhibitions, so there is always something new to see with every visit. As with many large museums, HMNS also has a big-screen movie theater playing 3D films for audiences of almost 400 people. The Cockrell Butterfly Center allows visitors to walk through an explore a living butterfly habitat.

Admission to the museum costs $25 for adults and $15 for seniors and children. If you have a membership to the museum, admission is free. The museum is open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park Drive
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 639-4629
www.hmns.org

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr drinkyclown

Grilled onions, steak, and Cheese Whiz. Those are all the ingredients necessary to craft a truly authentic Philly cheesesteak. At Pappa Geno's, an establishment more than a thousand miles away from the City of Brotherly Love, chefs closely observe this Philadelphia culinary tradition. The "Philly style steak and cheese" is just one of their creations, though.

They also recreate the classic Philly cheesesteak with a few fresh additions. Try the Smothered Philly, which includes a layer of zesty brown gravy on top, or the Freaky Philly, served with all the fixings: Cheese Whiz, American cheese, grilled onion, brown gravy, and Italian hot oil peppers. You can also go for another East Coast eat: the hoagie. The Hot Italian hoagie is stuffed with ham, Genoa salami, and provolone in addition to veggies, mayo, and Italian oil. The veggie hoagie, on the other hand, forgoes meat in favor of plant-based ingredients.

Pappa Geno's
1801 Ella Boulevard
Houston, TX 77008
(713) 863-1222
www.pappagenos.com
www.yelp.com/biz/pappa-genos-houston

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/stu_spivack