Luigi’s Pizzeria: Hand-Tossed Dough and Freshly Made Gelato

If you’re looking for an authentic taste of Italy without leaving Houston, regulars say you’ll find it at Luigi’s Pizzeria. This charming eatery is decorated in Italy’s colors both inside and out, and the spacious outdoor patio offers the best seats in the house.

The menu lists made-from-scratch pizzas that rely on hand-tossed dough and a wide selection of fresh toppings, including traditional Caprese and margherita pies. In addition to pizza, the eatery offers spicy hot wings, fresh salads, and authentic Italian gelato made fresh on-site. Luigi’s Pizzeria is BYOB, so you can bring your favorite wine or beer to enjoy while you eat, and there is also free delivery with a $20 minimum purchase if you prefer to enjoy your pie at home.

Luigi’s Pizzeria is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays.

Luigi’s Pizzeria
3700 Almeda Road
Houston, TX 77004
(281) 793-3333
www.luigipizzamidtown.com
www.yelp.com/biz/luigis-pizzeria-houston

These Recipes for Fresh Strawberries Are Berry Delicious

Strawberries taste delicious all on their own, so imagine how tasty they’ll be when expertly combined with other creative ingredients. If you want to make sweet and savory dishes that utilize your favorite fruit, these strawberry recipes are a great resource.

Berry “Pizza”
This dessert combines the rich, tangy taste of ricotta cheese with sweet and fragrant strawberries into individual pies. Flour tortillas create the crust, while the ricotta imitates the cheese of a more traditional pizza pie. If that’s not already enough, the small, individual sizes of these desserts are just simply adorable.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread
Make a sweet breakfast treat that the whole family will love with this recipe for Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread. The cream cheese adds a creamy texture, while the chunks of fresh strawberries create a lovely pop of pink color. The end result is dense and sweet, and it tastes perfect when paired with a steaming cup of hot coffee.

Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos with Strawberry Salsa
Fish tacos are a lunch or dinnertime favorite, but they’re only enhanced by the sweet and spicy taste of a homemade strawberry salsa. Add an avocado sour cream dipping sauce, and this dish will secure a place on your list of favorite recipes!

Southside Espresso: Sip Your Daily Perk-Me-Up

It's easy to miss tiny Southside Espresso–it's tucked behind other shops in a Montrose plaza–but regulars say this little coffee house is definitely worth seeking out. Southside Espresso offers everything you need to start your day off right. Order a double shot of espresso, either straight up or mixed with a bit of foamy, steamed milk, then grab a chocolate croissant or blueberry muffin for the road.

Southside Espresso is also a good place to linger if you've got the time. Free Wi-Fi makes it easy to catch up on email or get a bit of work done, while the shop's specialty drinks, like the sweet potato latte or cardamom and clove spiked latte, are ideal for slow, leisurely sipping. A variety of house-made syrups complete the shop's flavor possibilities, and a line-up of beers and wines rounds out the evening possibilities at this hotspot.

Southside Espresso
904 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 942-9990
www.southsideespresso.com
www.yelp.com/biz/southside-espresso-houston

Vinal Edge Records: Spin Your Favorites at This Local Record Store

Any old-school music lover will tell you that vinyl is the only real way to listen to your favorite records, and Houston’s Vinal Edge Records is one of the best places in town to pick up records both new and used.

This locally owned, independent record store has served the Houston area since the 1980s, and its extensive inventory spans all genres. Whether you’re into heavy metal, rap, country, or anything in between, you’re sure to find an affordably priced record in the stacks at Vinal Edge. (There’s even a 99-cent record bin filled with hidden treasures!) If you’re looking for a place to talk music with the locals while flipping through hundreds of vintage records, you should certainly plan a visit to Vinal Edge Records.

Vinal Edge Records is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Vinal Edge Records
239 W 19th St
Houston, TX 77008
(832) 618-1129]
www.vinaledge.com

Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack: Unique Houston Burgers

Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack prides itself on its Buffalo Burger. What’s so great about buffalo? For one thing, it’s leaner than beef, which means it’s lower in cholesterol and calories. It’s also higher in protein, is grass fed, and is free of hormones, antibiotics and other additives.

You can have either buffalo or beef in your burger, your choice, they’re both well-regarded by regular diners. They come with the usual add-ons, including cheese, bacon, chili, mushrooms, and salsa. Veggie Burgers, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, and a BLT are also on the menu. Sides include Baked Potato, Garden Salad, Buffalo Chili, Frito Pie, Jalapeno Potato Salad and Chips. You can also stop by from 2 until 7 on weekdays for Happy Hour specials.

Visit Bubba's website to learn more about this Houston burger spot!

Bubba's Texas Burger Shack
5350 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 783-7270
www.bubbastexasburgershack.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bubbas-texas-burger-shack-houston

Four Fascinating Facts About Humans in Space

Are you fascinated by space exploration? Do you dream of joining the 12 people in history who've walked on the moon? Before you don your space suit, check out these interesting facts about humans in space!

1) Before you can even think about becoming an astronaut, you must log at least 1,000 hours of flying in a jet aircraft. This will prepare you, at least somewhat, to go from zero to 17,000 miles per hour in less than nine minutes on the Space Shuttle.

2) Once you've been launched into space, astronauts receive 3.8 pounds of food a day. Most of the food is precooked and processed so that it doesn't require refrigeration. Some fresh fruits and vegetables are on board, but they must be consumed within the first couple days. Astronauts can season their meals with ketchup, mustard, and taco sauce, among other condiments provided on the Space Shuttle.

3) The food consumed during Apollo 11 included bacon squares, sugar cookie cubes, beef stew, and fruit cake. The astronauts quenched their thirst with coffee, fruit juice, and orange drink.

4) On Earth, space suits weigh a whopping 280 pounds. It takes the better part of an hour to put on a space suit, and each astronaut wears special undergarments.

For more interesting space facts, check out NASA's website.

Discovery Green: Jog, Canoe or Watch a Movie at This Scenic Green Space

Though Houston may be a sprawling metropolis, it provides ample opportunities for locals to get outdoors at parks like Discovery Green. This modern green space and community hub hosts beautiful gardens, playgrounds for the little ones, and an ever-changing array of inspirational outdoor art installations.

The park’s large pond is often used for canoeing around Houston’s beautiful cityscape, while in the winter, it doubles as an outdoor ice rink for visitors of all ages to enjoy. There are sprawling green spaces where people can play catch or enjoy a picnic, walking paths for those who want to get a bit of exercise, and even a dog park where you can take your furry friend. Discovery Green contains a few different restaurants on its grounds, and there are also areas where the park hosts live music performances, outdoor movies, and festivals during the summer months.

For a full list of happenings at Discovery Green, visit the park’s website!

Discovery Green
1500 McKinney
Houston, TX 77010
(713) 400-7336
www.discoverygreen.com
www.yelp.com/biz/discovery-green-houston

Computer Programming Puzzles for Amateur Programmers

Whether you’re teaching programming to students or learning a programming language yourself, it's always important to keep things fun. To prevent getting bogged down with codes and symbols, try these creative computer programming games instead of your next lesson.

The Puzzle Toad
Developed by Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science, The Puzzle Toad is packed full of word problems that require programming skills to solve. For example, a problem might include a fictional situation where you’re planning a large dinner party, and you need to rank 6,785 guests’ top 10 dinner choices. Theu can check your results (or get some help on a particularly diffic site also provides detailed solutions to every problem so that yoult question).

Project Euler
Project Euler’s goal is to provide continual learning for adults or students who desire more than what they learn in the classroom. While you don’t have to have a strong mathematics background to solve the problems, many of them build off of one another and teach you things as you go along. The problems are challenging mathematical and computer programming-based questions, and though math knowledge will certainly be used, the questions are focused more on computer science skills.

Happy Independence Day!

We hope everyone enjoys a fun and relaxing time with family and friends as we celebrate America's freedom.

Bite Into a Tasty Taco at Torchy’s Tacos

Torchy's Tacos originated in Austin, but the tales of these tacos have traveled across the state to Houston, where the franchise has debuted several locations. What started off as a somewhat far-fetched dream of chef Michael Rypka ended up becoming a wildly successful business.

Taco selections include the shrimp with coleslaw, jalapenos, and queso: the beef barbacoa with avocado, and cilantro; and fried mushroom with refried black beans, corn, and carrots. The meat is tender and juicy, the vegetables are fresh and well-seasoned, and there are plenty of vegetarian options.

Be sure to try Torchy's breakfasts, which feature crisp potatoes, scrambled eggs, tomatillo sauce, and expertly cooked bacon. Torchy's is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week and opens at 8 a.m. on the weekends.

Torchy's Tacos
2411 South Shepherd Drive
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 595-8226
www.torchystacos.com
www.yelp.com/biz/torchys-tacos-houston

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