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It’s almost the weekend before Thanksgiving, and for some of us, that means the final days of denial before we’re forced to confront the financial, social, and emotional stresses of the holiday season. (Anyone else staring down a calendar chock-full of travel days, shopping outings and obligatory family gatherings?)

A few miles southwest of downtown Houston’s towering high-rises, University Place is a wonderland of art and architecture.

Here’s a guide to pumpkin picking, haunted houses, fall frolics and Halloween happenings to enjoy in the Houston area this week.

Want to scare up some fun? Try these adults-only events

Montrose is expensive, it’s true. But on any given day, you can explore one of the city’s most charming and storied neighborhoods without breaking the bank.

A not-so-scary haunted house, an Oktoberfest extravaganza and a food and wine festival featuring some of the city’s top chefs made our shortlist of the Houston-area’s cultural offerings this weekend.

Discovery Green released the fall season schedule for its annual Screen on the Green series. This season’s lineup included the family-friendly movies “Wizard of Oz,” “Selena,” “Monster House,” and “The Mitchells vs. The Machines.”

Want to purchase quality items from the person who made them? Here are several craft fairs, art markets and festivals where you can shop for unique goods while supporting local artists and businesses.

Of the city’s many fine coffee shops, these are the ones inviting enough to linger in.

Make the season special with these fall activities, experiences unique to Southeast Texas

Love art? Live in Houston? Congratulations! Consider yourself blessed by the art world gods, and geography.

Here’s a list of classic movies and cult favorites playing at Houston theaters this month.

There are many fine bookshops scattered throughout Texas and several are in the Houston area.

There are some pretty amazing places to see in Texas. Our ongoing series “Texas Trips,” helps you discover what to do, and where to eat and stay when visiting these places.

Prepare to take flight with this list of Houston’s best space and aviation museums, flight tours, attractions, and more.

A strenuous hike up Guadalupe Peak; A bowl of ice cream in Brenham; An unforgettable performance in Palo Duro; A bottle of Dr Pepper in Dublin; A hidden desk in Alpine; and 96 more delightful and awe-inspiring Texas experiences to satisfy your wanderlust.

If Mother Nature made a to-do list for Texas, we’d venture to guess that these hikes would be on it. They capture much of what the Lone Star State’s wild backyard has to offer. Breathtaking mountain vistas? Check. Splendid canyons? Check. Deep forests and swampy lowlands? Check and check.

Whenever the ice cream cravings kick in, consider venturing to one of Houston’s many delicious scoop shops.

Ready to get out of the house and have a proper Houston-area adventure? OK, so where to?

There are several animal experiences in the Houston area you can embark on to get your kids up close with extraordinary and adorable critters.

Trying to find something great to do or a gift for someone in your life who’s impossible to shop for?

Where we spend our money matters and when we buy local, our money does more good for our community than it does when we shop at big-box stores, so when you go shopping for surprises, whether they be for a birthday, holiday or major life milestone, consider supporting local entrepreneurs.

"111 Places in Houston That You Must Not Miss" (Emons:)“111 Places That You Must Not Miss” is the name of the popular series launched by Emons Verlag in 2008. The colorful attire and accessories at Roop Sari PalaceRoop Sari Palace (111 places in Houston that you must not miss)2. The gods and goddesses at Teo Chew TempleTeo Chew Temple (111 places in Houston that you must not miss)3. Listening to the Mariachi Mass at St. Joseph Catholic ChurchMariachi Mass (111 places in Houston that you must not miss)For the complete list, get 111 Places in Houston That You Must Not Miss, available now at book retailers. Dana DuTerroil and Joni Fincham (111 places in Houston that you must not miss)To connect with DuTerroil and Fincham, click here.

These places get it right - from milkshakes to ice cream sandwiches to churros, there's something sinfully sweet at each spot that will make your kiddo's jaw drop and fulfill their...

HOUSTON – If you are wondering what to do to keep the family busy and entertained during spring break, we’ve got you covered. There’s also a VR experience in which you can do 3D and do a day in the life of Van Gogh the artist. Keep in mind you’re going to have to be masked to go there,” said Sorena. You’ll start at George R. Brown and they’ll help guide you along Downtown as you solve the mystery of this art heist. To connect with Mommy Nearest, visit their website or download the free Mommy Nearest app for iPhone and Android.

For more information: click here. For more information: click here. For the St. Luke’s event, you will be in your car. For more information about St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, click here. For more information: click here.

HOUSTON – Who can resist a delicious cream-filled doughnut? Whether you enjoy chocolate cream, vanilla creme or even Bavarian creme, the possibilities with these doughnuts are endless. To find the best places, we asked our KPRC 2 social media followers for their recommendations on where to score the best of these sweet treats in the Houston area. Here’s where they said the best are made in our area:Classic Donuts (8409 Beechnut, Houston)Best Donuts (1730 Williams Trace Blvd, Sugar Land)Shipley Do-Nuts (multiple locations)Donut Licious (1535 Spring Cypress, Spring)Donut Hole (multiple locations)Dillon Donuts (10527 FM 1764, Santa Fe)Know any others that we should add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!

We had the fried ribs and the catfish, the food was amazing, and the service was even better! - Steven C.This place has great food! Where: 8027 Harborside Drive Rating: 5 stars Number of reviews: 49 What people are saying: Yes yes and more yes. Where: 1528 Avenue L Rating: 4.5 stars Number of reviews: 573 What people are saying: Our breakfast stop when visiting Galveston. Best place for sandwiches in Galveston Island. Its a great place to eat or just to pick up.

Everyone loves tacos, but adding shrimp takes the deliciousness factor up a few notches. Here is where our Facebook KPRC 2 audience said you could find the best shrimp tacos in Houston:Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp - All locationsGrab N Go Tacos - All locationsLiberty Taco - Both locations (4703 Richmond Ave and 333 Old Spanish Trail)Bodega’s Taco Shop - 1200 BinzFuzzy’s Tacos - All locationsUSA Wings - 54 E Crosstimbers St.Chavez Mexican Cafe - Both locations (2557 Gessner E and 5930 Hwy. 6 North)La Brisa Mexican Grill - 501 N Wesley Dr.El Tacozano - 4003 Fulton StTorchy’s Tacos - All locations

In the mood for a good hot dog? We’ve got a list on where you can find Houstonians favorites. Our KPRC 2 Facebook audience gave us these recommendations when we asked where to go:Good Dog Houston - All locationsCream Burger - 3481 Elgin StYoyo’s Hot Dog - 5555 Morningside DrJames Coney Island - All locationsSonny’s Place - 1206 19th St.Costco - All locationsThat’s My Dog - 22635 Morton Ranch Rd. AdCrave Hot Dogs and BBQ - All locationsSonic - All locationsBuldogies - 14543 Hwy 105 WestThe Burger Joint - Both locations (2703 Montrose Blvd. and 2002 N Shepherd Dr.)AdStomp’s Burger Joint - All locationsGood Dog - Both locations (903 Studewood St. and 1312 W. Alabama St.)Happy Endings - 3701 Travis St.Waddup Dog Houston - Check their social media for locationBubba’s Texas Burger Shack - 5230 Westpark Dr.

Good refried beans are hard to come by, but when you find what you love you are likely to come back over and over. We asked our KPRC 2 social media audience where the the best places were to get refried beans and here’s what you said:Casa OléMultiple locationsMonterey House1090 S 11th St in BeaumontHEBMultiple locationsMerida Mexican Restaurant2509 Navigation BlvdIguana Joe’sMultiple locationsLupe TortillaMultiple locationsTaqueria Allende903 Broadway StMayra Arreozola said “they have the best! !”Sylvia’s Enchilada KitchenBoth locations (6401 Woodway Dr and 1140 Eldridge Pkwy)Gloria’s Latin CuisineBoth locations (2616 Louisiana St and 700 Baybrook Mall)Las Mañanitas Mexican RestaurantMultiple locationsLa Maria Mexican RestaurantBoth locations (16860 Stuebner Airline Rd and 17445 Spring Cypress Rd)i_am_pho_real from instagram said “I’ve had Mexican food all over Houston; all the popular places. Their refried beans are the absolute best.”Mamacita’s Mexican Restaurant and CantinaMultiple locationsPappasito’s CantinaMultiple locationsCasa Vaqueros2140 FM 1092 Rd,Missouri City, TX, 77459Fajitas A Go Go5404 Kirby DriveFonda Santa Rosa9908 Beechnut StTaqueria Guadalajara703 S 75th St

Bars may be closed, but you can still put places on your to-do list for when they open back up. If you are looking for some good dive bars to go to after the pandemic, your fellow Houstonians have just the places for you. We asked KPRC 2s Facebook followers for suggestions and heres what they came up with:1. West Alabama Ice House1919 West Alabama St10. Warrens Inn307 Travis St

HOUSTON – Chocolate eclairs, a delectable sweet originated in France is popular among Houstonians. The oblong-shaped pastry was first invented in the 1860s and made their way to the U.S. and Canada soon after. In honor of National Chocolate Eclair Day, we asked our KPRC 2 Facebook and Instagram followers which places serve the best chocolate eclairs in Houston. Here’s what they recommended:Ooh La La Dessert Boutique (Multiple locations)Shipley’s Do-Nuts (Multiple locations)Three Brothers Bakery (Multiple locations)Kenny and Ziggy’s Delicatessen (2327 Post Oak, Houston)Moeller’s (4201 Bellaire, Houston)House of Pies (Multiple locations)La Madeleine French Cafe & Bakery (Multiple locations)Croissant-Brioche (2435 Rice, Houston)French Gourmet Bakery (2250 Westheimer, Houston)Phoenicia Greek Market (Multiple locations)H-E-B Central Market (3815 Westheimer, Houston)Did we miss any recommendations? Let us know in the comments below and we will add them to the list!

Who’s craving for some onion rings?

Houston brings out the best in diverse food, especially Mexican food.

HOUSTON From McDonalds to Five Guys and small Houston-area restaurants such as Dak and Bop and Oh My Gogi, KPRC 2 readers have shared which restaurant in the Houston-area serves the best french fries. Based on the comments, heres what they recommend: Weston Drounette, a Facebook follower visited The Catch in Conroe recently, and he said their french fries are the best. Best fries I have ever had on top of the amazing food. Instagram user @sweet_levijones says Phoenicias Zataan fries are best in-store. They taste the best when made fresh! @huddyham713, one of our Twitter followers recommended Dak and Bop on 18th Street in the Heights area. The Kimchi fries and the truffle oil fries with the Parmesan cheese are the best! Its gotta be Oh My Gogi, said Twitter user @joyousmonkey1997, who recommended the Korean food truck Oh My Gogi located in Rice Village, theyre called OMG!

Taco Tuesday calls for one of the greatest complements for Mexican food dinners and parties: guacamole.

When you’re ready to tackle an adventure beyond your own backyard, grab your headlamp, and get ready to head underground and explore these six showstopping Texas caves centuries in the making. 325 Kreutzberg Road, Boerne; cavewithoutaname.comAdInner Space CavernInner Space Cavern, located in Georgetown, is considered one of the best-preserved caves in Texas. 4200 S. I-35, Georgetown; innerspacecavern.comLonghorn Cavern State ParkAn hour and a half northwest of Austin in Burnet, Longhorn Cavern State Park’s namesake attraction is Longhorn Cavern, open daily for tours since 1938. 1711 Pvt Rd 4468, Sonora; cavernsofsonora.comKickapoo Cavern State ParkKickapoo Cavern State Park has 20 known caves. Park staff lead cave tours of Kickapoo Cavern each Saturday.

HOUSTON In honor of National Devils Food Cake Day on Tuesday, we asked our social media followers where they find the best devils food cake in Houston. Heres what they recommended:Fluff Bake BarAddress: 1701 15th Street, HoustonWebsite: fluffbakebar.comMany of our Instagram followers praised Fluff Bake Bars Veruca Salt cake, which is a devils food cake topped with salted caramel buttercream and pretzel pieces, named after one of the characters from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.***SOLD OUT. *** WE MADE A FEW CAKES... 6 Veruca salt available ONLINE for pick up tomorrow. AshleyCakesAddress: 2032 TC Jester, HoustonWebsite: ashleycakeshouston.comRecommended by KPRC 2 Instagram follower @smpiccolo, AshleyCakes is located in the Heights and serves several chocolatey versions of cakes, including Devils Food. Chef MandersInstagram: chef_perezamandaSeveral KPRC 2 Instagram followers praised Chef Manders for her cakes, including @jessicaleal1995, who gives her three thumbs up.

Published: May 19, 2020, 1:12 pm Updated: May 28, 2020, 8:26 amTexans sure do know a lot about their barbecue. We asked our audience which restaurants fire up the best brisket in the Houston area and received hundreds of recommendations. Places like FireCraft BQQ, Corkscrew, Pinkerton’s and Tejas Chocolate+Barbecue were notably popular among Houstonians. After digging through all the comments, we created a map featuring the most recommended barbecue joints. Popular catering recommendations that couldn’t be marked on the map include FireCraft BBQ, A-Que Lister’s Smokehouse BBQ & Catering, Daddy Duncan’s BBQ, and Lucky7cookers.

Address: 3600 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TX 77019Phone: 713-752-03142. Terry Hershey Park TrailsVisitors review: I love the Terry Hershey Park bike trails. Memorial Park TrailsVisitors review: Memorial park is part of my bike route for the last 25 years. From paved trails for the smooth riders to trails for mountain biking in the southwest section of the park. Address: 2300 Walker, Houston, TX 77003Phone: 832-395-7000

Here are the Top 12 romantic eating spots in Houston, according to Good Taste.

HOUSTON – We asked our audience for the best spots in Houston to order the flaky pastry and this is where KPRC viewers recommended:Angela’s Oven204 Aurora St, HoustonCheddar’s Scratch KitchenMultiple locationsCracker BarrelMultiple locationsDecadent Coffee and Dessert Bar350 Promenade Way #500, Sugar LandFrench Riviera Bakery and Cafe3100 Chimney Rock Rd, HoustonJulie’s French Pastries14522 Memorial Dr, HoustonLa MadeleineMultiple locations

It can be difficult for some Houstonians to handle winter temperatures, no matter how fleeting. In H-Town, many view anything below 70 as heavy jacket weather. Then there are the rare few that relish the cool air, enjoying the brief period when they can slurp soup or sip piping hot coffee without sweating bullets. Whether you’re in group A or B, here’s a list of 10 winter comfort food spots locals love to indulge in when the temps drop.

Hindu Mandir Houston (Jill B. Jarvis)Drive through an industrial area off the highway, and then through apartment complexes, and then out of no where are bright white pinnacles, topped with flags. Rice University Lovett Hall Columns (Jill B. Jarvis)Pack up your explorers and start uncovering secrets at Rice University! Sisters of Charity Park (Jill B. Jarvis)This park does not have a playground… but it’s the most surprising thing you’ll find in Downtown Houston. Helen's Park (Jill B. Jarvis)This might just be one of Houston’s best kept secrets. Sam Houston Park (Jill B. Jarvis)Sam Houston Park is Houston’s oldest park.