Favorite restaurant in El Paso: L&J Cafe because every meal is a feast and I love, love, love their guacamole tacos and their steak tacos and their chicken tacos and there chile con queso steak and their.... Also, love ladies night on Thursdays because everyone in El Paso is there.

Favorite place for family outings: Music Under the Stars because everyone in El Paso is there and most of them are dancing.

Favorite place to go watch a movie: Plaza Classic Film Festival at the Plaza Theatre because everyone in El Paso is there, wrapped around the theatre, vying for a seat to see their favorite movies from growing up. Pure nostalgia, El Paso style.

Random favorite place in El Paso: The Tap on a hot Saturday afternoon with a cold michelada Tecate, a plate of chile rellenos and mariachis in powder blue suits with silver razz-a-ma-tazz running up their legs belting out Volver as if I were the only woman in the world.

Favorite museum: El Paso Museum of Art because of the timeless classics--the busty, sexy, patriotic Luis Jimenez sculpture in the foyer, the dreamy Sara Lea painting, the eggshell retablos telling stories of the baby Jesus and the saints--set in a gorgeous museum that used to be a dank and dark Greyhouse bus station. Also, love the gift shop (one of the best places in town to get really cool gifts for kids) and am always excited about the traveling exhibits. Oooh, also love Third Thursday events/parties/cultural affairs. My favorite Third Thursday so far was the Rock-a-billy night.