Luxor Las Vegas
I played in the nightly $25 Texas Hold 'Em Tourney. The blind structure goes up fast, but it's a fun, cheap tourney. The hotel seems cool, but I haven't stayed there. They also have the big Blue Man show. That's one of the best shows I've ever seen. Very fun and innovative!!!
Denim Revival
I heard about this place from a friend. Her favorite jeans had a huge hole in them. She told me they would repair the whole to look like new again. I was skeptical, but they did it! Up close you can see the repairs, but it doesn't look like a patch. It looked like a full pair of of jeans again. I was very impressed. They also do creative jean reuse like turning an old pair of jeans into a skirt. If you have an old pair of jeans that needs help, get to the Denim Doctors stat! (Sorry, couldn't resist that bad joke.)
Hi De Ho Comics & Books
I went in here to buy a gift for a friend who's huge into comics and novelty items. It was a pretty specific novelty title from the 70s. The know-it-all clerk treated ME like an idiot because HE had never heard of it. I chose to find what I was looking for elsewhere. Give some people a little knowledge and they can be scary! Still this place has some cool stuff. Hard core comic geeks might make it out of the place without a problem, but if you're not, watch out. Worst clerk ever!
PROS: Some cool stuff
CONS: Jerky clerks
Meltdown Comics
I really like shopping here. They have a great selection of collectibles and the store is slick and clean, as opposed to some of those more dust-ridden comic shops. Although I'm not comic book expert, they also seem to have a great selection of comics. It's fun just to cruise around even if you're not buying at the time.
Texas Aggieland Bookstore
This is the place to go for the hard core Aggie. They have everything you could imagine with an A&M logo on it. From bookbags and t-shirts to underware and luggage. It's also a great stop for all your school supply needs. Of course, it's all sold with that Aggie hospitality.
Puzzle Zoo
If you find yourself on the 3rd Street Promenade, this place is worth the stop. They have many of the typical toys, but cater most to the hard-core fans. I always make time to check out the amazing selection of figurines in the back from anime characters to a full-sized head of the Terminator. There are also figures from classic martian movies, horror flicks and even Reservoir Dogs. If you can't go in, stop by the window and see the full-sized Star Wars figures.
Cathedral-Our Lady-The Angels
When I first walked into Our Lady of Angels, I was surprised that the interior was so simple, but the longer I was there, the more I realized how complex it really was. The architecture is stark but overwhelming at the same time. The traditional stained glass windows are replaced by giant tapestries of the saints looking toward the altar, which tends to mute the walls but push focus forward. That and the slightly sloping of the marble floor almost give a swirling feeling of being drawn down to the front of the church. A great little touch is the angel trumpets that hang from the ceiling all have speakers that project the miced voices from the mass. There are small chapels, an underground mausoleum, outdoor gardens and a gift shop that can keep you there for hours after mass just touring around.
The Enchanted Forest
What an amazing store! Everything is unique from the giant stuffed lemurs that hang from the wood railing to the incredible kaleidoscope room in the back. I recommend a guided kaleidoscope room tour (sounds weird, but trust me). There are baskets and baskets of unique toys and gifts. It has such a unique feel that everyone from the youngest child to the stodgy old stiff can't help but leave with a grin of their face.
Ford Graphics
I've seen so much high profile print work done by Ford Graphics that honestly I expected more. The quality of my jobs had been good, but once they forgot to get to run my order till I called. They made up for it with free delivery, but I'm not sure what would have happened if I didn't follow up.
Vroman's Bookstore
I walked by this place over in over before I finally went in. I worked in the area, and just never had time to make a stop. When I did, I was truly impressed. There book selection is incredible, but not only that, they have great stationary and gifts as well. The play is huge, but you couldn't really tell from the street. There are 4 or 5 small gift shops within the store, and upstairs they have a great kids area and stationery section. I throughly recommend this spot!
PROS: So much great stuff
CONS: You may spend more than you bargained for