World Country Guide

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Food & Drink
Beef features widely in Dallas/Fort Worth – this being cattle country – but there is also a great variety of international cuisine including Chinese, French, Italian, Mexican and Spanish. Dallas has more AAA 5-diamond-rated restaurants than any other US city; they include The French Room at the Adolphus Hotel and The Mansion on Turtle Creek. In all, Dallas boasts more than 5000 restaurants. Country cooking is popular and includes such local specialities as chicken-fried steak and catfish fried in cornmeal batter. There are several dinner theatres where visitors can eat and see a show.
A great variety of restaurants serves many different types of food in Houston. Specialities include Mexican and Spanish cuisine and Gulf seafood. In Austin, approximately 1500 restaurants offer a variety of cuisine including Texan-style steaks and barbecues, typical American, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican and many others. Tex-Mex was practically invented in San Antonio, and this native cuisine can be found throughout the city, along with everything from down-home barbeque specialities to fine French cuisine.

Theatres & Concerts
The Dallas Music Hall in Fair Park stages concerts, musicals and operas. The Dallas Theater presents a wide range of drama. The downtown arts district houses the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas Museum of Art and the Arts District Theater. Avant-garde theatres can be found in Deep Ellum. In Fort Worth, the William Edrington Scott Theater presents plays, musicals and films. Casa Maana Theater stages Broadway musicals during the summer. The Nancy Lee and Perry R Bass Performance Hall is home to the city’s renowned symphony, opera and ballet companies, as well as the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and productions of Casa Maana.
The Jesse H Jones Hall for the Performing Arts is the home of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, while the Wortham Performing Arts Center houses the Houston Ballet and the Houston Grand Opera. Other Houston venues include the renowned Alley Theater, the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, the open-air Miller Theater in Herman Park and the Music Hall.
In Austin, the Paramount Theater presents top name entertainers in musicals, comedies, concerts and dramas. The Zachary Scott Theater presents musicals and plays, and the Zilker Hillside Theater has outdoor musicals and plays. The Frank Erwin Center is known for its major recording artist concerts. The University of Texas Bass Concert Hall is home to the Austin Lyric Opera, Austin Symphony, Austin Ballet and travelling Broadway productions.
The Majestic Theater hosts the San Antonio Symphony, as well as travelling Broadway shows and concerts. The unique Arneson Theater is an outdoor theatre on the banks of San Antonio’s Paseo del Rio, and the recently opened Verizon Amphitheater hosts national touring acts.

Nightlife
Dallas has clubs, cabarets, discos, singles bars and corner pubs, with music ranging from classical to jazz and from country to contemporary rock. Some clubs are listed as ‘private’ – they are located in a ‘dry’ area and membership (usually available for a nominal fee) is required to be served alcohol. There are also some comedy clubs sprinkled throughout the city and others offer comedy and drama while customers dine. Fort Worth also has a number of nightclubs, but the musical emphasis here is on country & western music. Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk nightclub, with a 6000-person capacity, plays host to some of the biggest names in country music in addition to having live bull riding. For an authentic Old West experience, the White Elephant Saloon offers live western entertainment.
Houston’s many nightspots range from big-name entertainment to supper club revues, pavement cafes, discos and singles bars. Bayou Place in downtown Houston is a popular night spot. Austin is noted for its nightly live music venues. Historic 6th Street takes on a lively atmosphere in the evenings as people go pub-crawling between venues catering for country & western, soul, R&B, rock ’n’ roll and jazz music. San Antonio offers all sorts of musical entertainment, including traditional ‘Tejano’ sounds, Dixieland jazz, symphony concerts, country & western and college music. The Paseo del Rio is the centre for much of the city’s nightlife.

Shopping
Dallas has more shopping centres per capita than any other US city and some of the largest shopping malls in the southwest. The elegant and original Neiman Marcus department store is now a popular tourist attraction. Dallas Market Center is one of the world’s largest wholesale trade shopping centres and also offers fine restaurants. Both Dallas and Fort Worth have fine speciality shops. Nearby Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall sells discounted merchandise. World-class shopping is available in more than 300 stores at the Galleria shopping centre in Houston. The best buys are Western-style clothes, hats, boots, saddles and riding equipment. Katy Mills Outlet Mall carries discount name-brand fashions. Authentic Mexican folk art can be found throughout San Antonio, especially at El Mercado, patterned after an authentic Mexican market. Between San Antonio and Austin lies San Marcos, where the Prime Outlet Mall and Tanger Outlet Mall offer plenty of bargains.

Sport
The Dallas Cowboys (American football) play at the Texas Stadium and the Houston Texans began their inaugural season in 2002 under the new, retractable-roofed Reliant Stadium. The Dallas Burn (soccer) play at the Frisco Soccer & Entertainment Center, opened in 2005 while the Dallas Sidekicks play indoor soccer at the Reunion Arena (although they aren't playing for the 2004/5 season). The Texas Rangers play baseball at Americquest Field in Arlington and the Houston Astros play baseball at Minute Maid Park. The Dallas Stars play hockey at Dr Pepper Star Centre. The Dallas Mavericks play professional basketball at the American Airlines Center. Other pro basketball teams are the Houston Rockets, who play in the new Houston Toyota Center, and the San Antonio Spurs, who play at SBC Center. Golf courses are available in and around Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, Irving and San Antonio. The major cities also have many facilities for tennis, softball, running, cycling and polo.

Special Events
Various livestock shows and rodeos take place throughout the year. The following is a selection of special events occurring in Texas in 2005:
Jan 29-Feb 20 Washington’s Birthday Celebration, Laredo. Feb 5 Carnaval Brasileiro, Austin. Feb 12-13 Eagle Fest, Emory. Mar 4-6 North Texas Irish Festival, Dallas. Mar Annual Dallas Morning News Golf Expo. Mar 12-14 Rattlesnake Roundup, Sweetwater. Mar 12-Apr 3 Excalibur Fantasy Faire, Smithville. Apr 1-3 Shanghai Days Cowboy Gathering, Wharton. Apr 1-3 North Texas Jazz Festival, Addison. Apr 9-May 30 Scarborough Faire (renaissance festival), Waxahachie. Apr 30-May 1 Cinco de Mayo, San Marcos. Apr 28-May 1 Mayfest, Fort Worth. May 27-30 Official Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair, Kerrville. Jun 3-5 Scottish Festival and Highland Games, Arlington. Jul 9 Parker County Peach Festival, Weatherford. Oct 2-Nov 20 Texas Renaissance Festival, Plantersville. Oct 7-9 Celtic Heritage Festival, Bedford.