Samantha Brown's Places to Love

Houston, Texas

Samantha joins 3rd generation deli-man, Ziggy Gruber, in the kitchen to make matzoh ball soup then discusses Ziggy's storied family/deli history, and why his Houston-based Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen is tops in the nation. Freedmen's Town was originally a community located in the fourth ward of Houston that began in 1865 as the destination for former enslaved people from surrounding plantations in Texas and Louisiana after the Civil War. At the historic Bethel Baptist Church, Samantha talks with Zion Escobar at about this important history, how Juneteenth led to Freedmen's Town and the legendary Jack Yates. Samantha continues that conversation when she visits the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, with its current pastor and his wife, the great, great granddaughter of Jack Yates. Spanning over 33 acres, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Houston is a traditional Hindu temple that Samantha visits next, where she discusses Hinduism and the history of Mandir. At the supremely eco-friendly White Rhino, Samantha finds live music, "Ranch Water" cocktails and a machine that grinds empty booze bottles into sand for the expansive patio. Samantha then visits Magpies & Peacocks, the nation's only 501(c)3 non-profit design house dedicated to the collection and sustainable reuse of post-consumer clothing, scrap textiles and accessories diverted from landfill. At Blood Bros. BBQ, Texas Meets China Meets Vietnam and is put on full display when Samantha is welcomed by brothers Robin and Terry, and Pitmaster Quy, who have embraced Texas and Houston barbecue traditions while expanding and reinterpreting them. Samantha then takes orbit, when she visits Space Center Houston and speaks with Astronaut Dr. Anna Lee Fisher about her NASA experience and being a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle Discovery, as well as being the first mother in space. To finish off her visit, Samantha gets her sneakers converted into custom roller skates and is joined by The Suffers' Kam Franklin, where they roller skate and break out the moves at a pop-up skate and breakdance party.