Never been to Houston? November 5-6 is perfect for your first trip. Make plans to see some of what the fourth-largest city in the US has to offer; there are some famous visitor destinations - and some not well-known.  

The South Central SAS Users group is holding its annual SAS Educational Forum in this famous town in just a little more than two weeks.  You can register on-site at the Hilton University of Houston, located right on the campus, and spend two days learning all about SAS.   Preview the terrific line-up of presentation abstracts now, from both the SAS community and from SAS staff.

There’s a very long list of things to do, but here are three that you may not know about:

The International Quilt Festival, (Nov. 1-4) features more than 1,000 antique and contemporary quilts, original cloth dolls and wearable art.  Located at the George R. Brown Convention Center, you can browse hundreds of booths to shop for quilts, supplies and crafts or even try out your own skills in classes tailored from beginner to expert levels.

Did you know that Texas has an official state bat?  In Houston, you can see Texas’ second-largest urban bat colony. A quarter-million Mexican free-tailed bats claim the area beneath Montrose’s Waugh Drive Bridge on the Buffalo bayou as home.  To see their amazing nightly exodus around sunset, grab a spot on the platform just southeast of the bridge or on the northeast bank of the bayou.

If you’re in search of the finest cowboy boots in Houston, stop by Westheimer’s Tejas Boots for a custom pair designed by Jose Gonzales. This local institution has been outfitting presidents, governors and athletes for more than 25 years. Just bring a lot of cash.

I'll be there. Will you? Register today!