Say 'Houston' to just about anyone, and the images that come to mind are likely cowboys, live shots from the moon, and well-coiffed women.
While those images are all true to the Bayou City , dig a little deeper, and you can find some truly amazing -- and even creepy -- ways to spend some time in Texas ' largest city.
Dying to get in
If you're dying to know about embalming, want to scope out an unusual casket for Aunt Ethel, or are simply curious about the process that follows one's demise, then the National Museum of Funeral History is a must-see. Check out a 1900s casket factory, gawk at the Mercedes-shaped coffin, or simply ponder the Civil War-era delights of embalming, then head over to the gift shop to pick up a replica hearse for your roommate, or perhaps a pair of sterling silver coffin earrings for your sweetie.
Drink up
When you hear that John Milkovisch hated to throw anything away, that's kind of an understatement. After years and years of imbibing beer, John's garage and attic were full to bursting with beer cans. Being a clever guy, he decided the cans would make great siding, and probably never realizes his folk art known as the Beer Can House would become an international icon. But John didn't stop at the house. The lawn is covered in concrete blocks with sparkling bits of inlaid glass; he fashioned curtains out of the pop-tops left over from all those cans of beer. (If you have to ask what a pop-top is, you're probably not old enough to drink beer). And then, he went to town on yard art. The result of almost 40 years of his creativity? A folk art masterpiece that is a wonder to behold.
Va va va vroom
In Texas , one might expect to see a pair of longhorns gracing the grill of a Caddy. But that's so 1980s. How about the head of a water buffalo, or perhaps a giant rabbit? Welcome to the Art Car Museum , dedicated to the preservation of a truly American art form. The museum's annual Art Car Parade, held each May, is a feast of creativity, and may inspire you to do something with that Buick your uncle left you.
Wild about art
Anyone can have a Picasso or Monet. But it's the rare collector that can own a work by Rocky -- not the boxer -- but the cougar at the Houston Zoo . Rocky and his pals, including Raibo the parrot and Stella the raccoon, use their paws, beaks and other body parts to creat truly one-of-a-kind masterpieces; the 16" x20" unframed canvas will set you back just a few hundred dollars. And think of the sway you'll have in local art circles.
Fruity fun
The late Jeff McKissack, a Houston postman, was a bit, shall we say, smitten with the orange and all the nutritional benefits packed into that juicy fruit. So he paid homage to the orange through a funky concoction of architectural folk art called The Orange Show that celebrates the perfection of the orange. Wander through a maze and discover the wishing well and a pond, or merely contemplate why your fascination with, say, a kiwi, hasn't moved you to express your fruity fascination with a similar tribute in your hometown.
