SEE
Houston, Texas
Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault new exhibit at Natural Science museum
Located in the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals, the Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault is a new permanent exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The centerpiece of the display is a 1,869-carat natural emerald crystal, the largest recovered in North America. The exhibit also offers examples of rare diamonds, rubies, sapphires, aquamarines and other gems, including what is considered to be the world’s finest aquamarine, mined in 1938 but thought lost, and a 144-carat green Tsavorite garnet. Admission to the museum is $9 for adults and $6 for children 3-11. Houston Museum of Natural Science, 1 Hermann Circle Drive, 713-639-4629 or hmns.org
VISIT
Wells, Maine
Lighthouse Depot Gifts maps and everything else lighthouse are in its rooms
Driving the coast of Maine looking at lighthouses is a leisurely endeavor. Stop in at the Lighthouse Depot Gifts in Wells to pick up a map of the lighthouses before you head up the coast, and while you’re here indulge by shopping in room after room for everything lighthouse: clothing, lamps, jewelry, wind chimes, yard ornaments, videos, books, fan pulls, collectibles, blankets, lollipops – even refrigerator magnets. View the continuous-loop PBS videos on the history of lighthouses, then pick out your favorite collectibles in crystal. There’s a second location in Rockland, Maine. Lighthouse Depot Gifts, 2178 Post Road, 207-646-0608 or lighthousedepot.com
STAY
Point Clear, Alabama
Grand Hotel Marriott makes yet another historic comeback; new ballrooms, chef
Since 1847, the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa, 23 miles from Mobile, has endured wars, fires and hurricanes. The latest devastation came from Hurricane Katrina, which forced closure until April, when half of the resort resumed operations. The rest, including renovated ballrooms and the Grand Dining Room, with a new executive chef, opened at the beginning of November. Just 22 miles from the beach, seated on 550 acres at the edge of Mobile Bay surrounded by 300-year-old oak trees and two 18-hole Robert Trent Jones golf courses, the Grand Hotel also offers a 20,000-square-foot spa and eight tennis courts. Rates start at $179. Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa, 1 Grand Blvd., 251-929-2793 or www.marriottgrand.com
– Denver Post staff and wire reports
