When I was waiting tables, many out-of-towners asked me the same question: “What do you Houstonians do? It seems all you do is eat and drink.” I never took offense to this question because on many levels, it is true. But, I knew the thing that they didn’t understand was that Houston’s real tourism is our hospitality. That hospitality is provided by servers, bartenders, restaurant owners, small business owners, and whoever else I’m not mentioning. For a big city, our pace is a bit slower than New York, L.A. or Chicago…..because we are one of the friendliest large cities in the world. Let me tell you about this precious gem that I just met.
It was the fourth time I had been to the new brewery in Houston, True Anomaly. I pull up to the bar and hear a raspy, male voice ask, “What beer would you like?” I look up from the menu to see a bald “bartender” with an athletic build reaching to shake my hand. I oblige and we make our introductions. “I’m Ben, one of the owners.” “Awesome, I’m Jovan. I own Houston Tourism Gym. I’m meeting some tourists here in a bit and I’ll have the Spotts Park Pale Ale.”
