A few weeks ago I found out that The FotoFest Biennial 2016 was hosting Changing Circumstances: Looking at the Future of the Planet, an exhibition addressing the challenges presented by global change. And, I just had to go when I found out it was featuring work from Houston artists and photographers at the Williams Tower. With that in mind, I decided to visit the inside of the building, which amazingly in the 12 years living in Houston I had never done.

The Photographers Barbara Ciurej, Lindsay Lochman, Pedro David, Robert Harding Pittman and Brad Temkin have their pictures in exhibition all over the magnificent lobby. Entrance is free and they constantly offer this space to different exhibits. The lobby has huge windows that perfectly frame the pictures.

After viewing the work, I walked toward the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park. I loved walking around it and hearing the thousands of gallons spilling over the walls of the 64-foot-high fountain. I snapped plenty of pictures from different angles too, and that’s when I realized that the park is much bigger than I imagined.

Next, I had lunch at La Table, a modern, multi-level destination housing a French-American restaurant, a Bistro, a bakery and a bookstore, which immediately became my favorite go-to place. It’s four places in one so bravo!

As you enter Macarons, an in-house French bakery for La Table, you are greeted with a delicious selection of pastries, breads and of course macaroons among other French treats. Also on the first floor, you can find Marché, a bistro that offers breakfast and lunch in a casual environment with a Parisian feel.

Upstairs is where the formal restaurant Château is located. It’s beautifully decorated and offers an exquisite menu and superb service. It’s the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. My favorite must-have dishes were the tuna flatbread with crème fraîche, the roasted beet salad and the seared tuna; everything was delicious and delicately prepared.

For the perfect ending, you can’t miss Assouline, a renowned bookshop known for having the world’s most sophisticated book selection. La Table restaurant was selected by this prestigious editorial as their exclusive retailer in Houston. If you buy a book as a gift, don’t forget to have it wrapped, they look amazing with their characteristic Assouline red wax seal.

After having lunch at the Château, Yo Mariana would like to return but to have dinner or a coffee and a macaroon mid morning or have the perfect lunch with friends or simply to buy a book that I loved for my coffee table.

I really want to congratulate La Table on their remodeling job and for bringing a formal Parisian Restaurant to the people of Houston, and for also having additional creative options that make your visit a satisfying experience.

So now you know, the next time you are in the Galleria area, consider visiting the Williams Tower, the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park followed by lunch or a coffee at La Table.

If you want to recommend another place I should visit, write me at yomarianablog@yahoo.com I love hearing from you guys.

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