Sudoku is a stimulating and addictive pastime that’s great for down time at work, relaxing at home, or even waiting in line at the doctor’s office. If you want to start learning Sudoku or you simply want to find more puzzles, these online Sudoku sites are some of the best.

Gamehouse Sudoku
For everyone from the beginner to the serious Sudoku player, this beautifully designed site offers an endless number of games at your choice of beginner, easy, medium, hard, or expert levels. It features a time clock to help you track how long you’ve been playing, as well as Sudoku tips to help you improve your game. If you start to feel frustrated, you can also check the solution and begin a new game.

Web Sudoku
If you just want the Sudoku game board with none of the extra features, this is the site for you. Web Sudoku offers a clean, black and white board with easy-to-read numbers, as well as games in your choice of easy, medium, hard, or evil (yikes!). This site also offers an offline version for times when you’re away from Wi-Fi.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Cirofono

Looking for an unusual activity for a few hours of fun? Head to Pinot’s Palette, where wine and paint combine to form a fun socializing experience.

Here’s the deal: you bring the wine and snacks, yourself, and your friends and/or family. Pinot's Palette provides everything else, including glasses and a corkscrew. The crew of local artists gets you set up with everything you need to make your own creation, including aprons, canvases, paint, and guidance. You'll find an assortment of paintings that you can use as models for your project.

At the end of your session, you get to take home your masterpiece to hang on your wall—or not, depending on how it turned out! After all, the object is to have fun, not to become the next Matisse. Classes are also available. Pinot's Palette is open every day.

Pinot's Palette
5539 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 975-7867
http://www.pinotspalette.com/Galleria
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pinots-palette-galleria-houston

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/cernaovec

Located in Houston's Uptown Park, Etoile Cuisine et Bar serves authentic French fare with a seasonal twist. With executive chef/owner Philippe Verpiand—a native of France—at the helm, French cuisine is presented sans pretense.

Regulars note that the rustic, bistro-like ambiance provides the perfect setting in which to savor Etoile's creamy lobster bisque and equally decadent foie gras or escargot. The coq au vin is elegantly presented with creamy potatoes and winter vegetables, while the Cassoulet Toulousain is a hearty dish of pork shoulder, duck confit, and beans topped with parsley bread crumbs. No meal of French fare would be complete without a glass of wine, and you can expect a lengthy list of French reds, whites, and champagne to complement your dish. Conclude your meal with the apple tart served with salted caramel and ice cream.

Etoile Cuisine et Bar serves lunch and dinner every day. The restaurant is open Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, then 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner. On Fridays and Saturdays, Etoile Cuisine et Bar serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., then dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Etoile Cuisine et Bar
1101-11 Uptown Park Boulevard
Houston, TX 77056
(832) 668-5808
http://etoilecuisine.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/etoile-cuisine-et-bar-houston

Public Domain/Public Domain