Houston is where frontier mentality meets urban culture. Forged by pure will from a swampy bayou into the nation’s fourth-largest city and centre of the energy industry, its modern skyline shouts “can do!” while historic preservation and a rich ethnic melting pot speak to the opening of the American West. As a result, Houston has a unique culinary style, mixing first-rate Tex-Mex with fresh Gulf of Mexico seafood, all influenced by a large Asian population. Oil fortunes have transformed Houston into an arts-and-culture capital, complete with the aptly named Museum District, a neighbourhood with 18 major institutions. Constantly evolving, Houston most recently reclaimed its downtown for more than office space. Today, the area is thriving, thanks to its theatre district, stadiums for baseball and basketball, and opera, ballet and symphony companies. Downtown also is home to many new eateries and the new Discovery Green Park, a site for concerts, festivals and farmers markets.