Houston in December
At the beginning of December, I got to travel to Houston, Texas to photograph my friend Amy’s newborn baby. And of course, I made the most of my time while I was there! I stayed in this beautiful artists’ compound that I booked on airbnb, I had a rental car, and I explored all around town. See the brief trip below!
This home is so full of character. Plus, with the giant lofted ceilings and all the natural light pouring in, it’s simply beautiful.
Here was my first meal when I landed in Houston: dinner at Underbelly, a restaurant that takes on the unique blend of cultures and flavors that make up Houston.
Day two started off with Baby Colton’s shoot, and then I headed just across the way to the Galleria, which is a huge, very nice mall.
Near the Galleria is probably the most popular photo spot in Houston: the Waterwall, which is a giant fountain, as its name would suggest.
On Saturday, I met up with my friend Carol, whom I haven’t seen in a decade or so.
After brunch at Common Bond, I walked around the neighborhood a bit.
Tea at Té House of Tea.
Then I visited the Menil Collection, a beautiful art museum. No photos allowed in the galleries, but there was an interesting exhibit titled “Experiments with Truth: Gandhi and Images of Nonviolence” which spanned history and included images of the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr.; apartheid and Nelson Mandela; art from Ai Weiwei, and more. It reminded me of the themes of freedom and imprisonment that ran through Ai Weiwei’s At Large exhibit here in San Francisco.
In the lobby of the Menil, they had two women demonstrating cotton spinning and weaving, as related to the Ghandi exhibit because Ghandi promoted the idea that every person in India should spin his own cotton as a form of economic protest against the government.
Next door to the Menil Collection is the Rothko Chapel. Again, no photos of the inside, but it’s an interdenominational space lined with giant, dark panels painted by the eponymous painter.
After the arts and culture excursions, I visited Kuhl-Linscomb, the craziest home decor store I ever did see. It’s so large that it has a “campus” spanning five buildings. The main building has things like a children’s section; gifts; kitchenware; jewelry and accessories; etc.
Some of the other buildings have bedding, garden supplies…
I saw these patterned plates and dinnerware and became obsessed. I actually looked it up afterwards and ended up buying a couple sets, even though they are extremely pricey! And handmade in New York.
Winding down to the end of my trip, I made the second tea shop-stop of the day: The Path of Tea. My favorite part was picking a cup of choice from their teacup wall.
And finally, dinner at Kata Robata. Chawanmushi.
And a chirashi bowl.
Such a lovely time in Houston!
Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco but often jetsetting to New York City and around the world. Follow her on facebook for more photography and travel adventures.
