Early April is art car season in Houston, and it’s a great time to do some sightseeing around town. Last week, our ESL students and teachers gathered at St. Arnold Brewery, just north of Downtown, for a tour and a delicious lunch.
St. Arnold Brewery is Houston’s oldest craft brewery. Founded in 1994, it has been a staple of the city ever since. With a number of unique brews and flavors, it’s often found in supermarkets and restaurants around town and is a very popular choice for Houstonians.
Once all the students had arrived, it was time to start the guided tour! The guide took the group through the brewery building itself, which is only accessible on guided tours like this one. Students got to see the brewing machinery up close and asked questions about each step in the process.
Walking through the building and getting this “behind the scenes” look was a memorable experience for many of the students. St. Arnold produces all of their brews in this one building, which includes the old serving hall, production facilities, storage, and the bottling and shipping room.
After the tour concluded, students walked outside to see the art cars on display. This weekend marked the 39th Annual Art Car Parade, which is a local tradition in Houston. Students got this rare chance to see several art cars up close, which is not possible at the parade itself. Each car had a unique look, and they’re all considered works of art in their own right.
For lunch, students sat down at the garden restaurant, which is an outdoor space featuring a fountain, projector screen TV, and a gift shop. As part of the St. Arnold Brewery complex, the restaurant served menu items and brews only found there.
“This is my first time trying American wings,” one student commented. “They’re very delicious, but the serving size is very big!”
Others enjoyed pizza, hamburgers, soft pretzels, root beer, ginger beer, and more. Everyone had a great time practicing their English and talking about their weekend plans.
As lunch came to an end, some students chose to take a look at the gift shop. For sale, they found t-shirts, glasses, mugs and even beanies. After picking out a few items, students started gathering their things to head home for the day. Some other students stayed at the restaurant for a while longer, enjoying the ambiance and taking in the view of the Houston skyline.
Thank you for reading this social activity recap. There is more planned for our ESL students next session, so stay tuned for our new blog posts coming next month.
By Hadrian Barbosa