Houston may be thousands of miles away from Asia, but it gets a little bit closer on Saturday, May 16 thanks to the Asia Society Texas Center. That's when the center will kick off AsiaFest, a two-day celebration in homage to Asian Pacific Heritage Month. Held at the Asia Society Texas Center, which is just a three-mile, or 10-minute drive from Siena at Memorial Heights, the event will highlight many facets of Asian culture.

Asian food will be served by food trucks from around the area, including a few that fuse Asian fare with other cuisines. Slurp some traditional pho from Pho-Jita or dig into one of the fusion tacos by Tila's Taco Truck. You can also enjoy shows put on by local dance troupes and bands, focused on genres such as South Asian folk dance or Japanese taiko drumming. Art exhibits, fitness classes, family-oriented crafts, and booths helmed by local vendors will round out the roster of activities at AsiaFest this year.

Asia Society Texas Center
AsiaFest
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16 and 17
1370 Southmore Boulevard
Houston, TX 77004
(713) 496-9901
asiasociety.org/texas/asiafest2015

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr BFS Man

A chocolate-pecan Scotch ale. A witbier brewed with basil. And a beer that’s inspired by bananas Foster. Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Brewery has all of these beers and more. You can find Buffalo Bayou beers at bars throughout Houston — including bars and restaurants close to Siena at Memorial Heights, like Porch Swing, J Black’s, Star Pizza, and Little J’s — as well as in Dallas and Austin.

But the best way to get a crash course on “Buff,” as fans call it, is by attending a brewery tour, offered noon to 3 p.m. every Saturday. Since the brewery is less than 10 minutes from Siena at Memorial Heights, it would make for a convenient outing — and a delicious one. Head to the brewery to learn about the brewing process and the inspirations of owner Rassul Zarinfar as you sample fresh beers right off the conveyor belt.

You’ll find that Houston itself serves as an inspiration for Zarinfar. His Heritage series consists of a few beers that are nods to local history. The 1836 Copper Ale is named for the year Davy Crockett arrived in Texas; and the Great White Buffalo speaks to the legend of this mythical Texas creature. Brewery tours are $10 per person and include a souvenir tasting glass.

Buffalo Bayou Brewing
Brewery tours, noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays
5301 Nolda St.
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 750-9795
buffbrew.com
www.yelp.com/biz/buffalo-bayou-brewing-houston

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr ThreeIfByBike

To residents of Houston, Hermann Park is a treasure. At more than 400 acres in size, it has a little something for everyone. It serves as an entertainment venue — a Student Performance Series is held every week in May, usually on a Friday morning, but some weeks performances are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, too. It has a choo-choo train, which takes kids and adults on a 1.8-mile route through the park. It has a huge playground, and most of the equipment is accessible for all kids regardless of ability. And the park has a gorgeous rose garden as well as a Japanese garden. All in all, Hermann Park is a destination for Houstonians every day of the week, but this wasn’t always the case.

In the early ‘90s, a group of residents formed Friends of Hermann Park as a nonprofit citizen organization aimed at preserving and improving the park. Now called the Hermann Park Conservancy, the group has turned a neglected parcel of land into a park that residents can be proud of. Since it’s less than four miles from Siena at Memorial Heights, you can enjoy the park as much as you want.

Hermann Park
6001 Fannin St.
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 524-5876
www.hermannpark.org
www.yelp.com/biz/hermann-park-conservancy-houston-2

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr 紫色餘分