A group of Houston parents founded the museum with the hope of making early childhood development into a community-wide priority; and it now offers a variety of learning and educational services to a wide range of families.

The museum houses 14 multi-disciplined and bilingual exhibits and an auditorium seating 166, as well as a resource library for parents to aid with early childhood learning and development and also maintains programs reaching into the local schools, social service agencies, day care centers libraries, and community centers. It boasts of serving more children than any other youth museum in the U.S. per square foot.

Admission is only $5 per person, with special Free Family Nights every Thursday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.

The John C. Freeman Weather Museum, founded and operated by meteorologists, opened in 1987 as part of the Weather Research Center; in April of 2006 the museum was relocated into a renovated 1930's mansion, its current location, in the Houston Museum District. This is the first and only museum of its kind in the United States. In 2007 the museum adopted “Radar The Weather Dog” from KPRC.

The museum has as its mission and goals to educate people about the weather, weather safety and to make people weather-wise. With this goal in mind, the museum maintains many interactive exhibits such as a local TV set up, WRC-TV, which allow visitors to experience the role of a weather reporter. Visitors can also find out of if there is a risk to their homes and communities from storm surge flooding which occurs during Category 5 hurricanes. The museum also conducts other educational programs such as Weather Camp and Weather Labs. To find out more about these programs, contact the museum for more information.

General admission to the museum is priced at a reasonable $5.00 for Adults, and $3.00 for Children and Seniors. Kids under the age of 3 are free. There is also free admission on Thursday from Noon until 4PM. There are guided tours available for a fee.

For starters you can grab an order of bread; with choices between French, Garlic, Garlic with Cheese or Pizza Bread. There's also Baby Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Bulbs with French Bread and goat cheese, or Baked Goat Cheese.

Next on the list would be the individual pizzas, or Focaccia, with six different versions all around $6. Then comes the pizza; with white or whole wheat crust. The menu carries eight specialty pizzas ranging from Veggie and Chicken pizzas to pizzas with various toppings of meats, sausages, mushrooms and vegetables. There is the Margherita with Olive Oil, fresh garlic, tomatoes, parmesan and basil. The entrees include a Meat Lasagna, Cannelloni and Fettucini Alfredo, all under $10.

If you're in the mood for pasta there is a variety. You can choose from Spaghetti, Angel Hair, Fettucini or Penne Pasta; which all come with garlic bread and salad. But, it's the sauce you have to think about; with choices such as Marinara and either homemade meatballs or Italian sausage, or a Pesto sauce, a Butter and Olive Oil or a Spicy Tomato Basil. Again all under $10.

Pick from ten different varieties of salad; from the basic Dinner Salad to the Greek, Antipasto, Chelsea, and Spinich Salad all for around $6. If you want Caesar salad, there are two sizes. You can also get a Pasta Salad for just under $4.

The Sandwiches, which number nine in total, come with a choice of wheat or French bread; along with choices of veggies, condiments, and either baby potatoes or Pasta Salad. The price range here is just above $6.

With so much to offer, it will probably take a few minutes to consider all of the options on the menu. While no reservations are needed, expect a crowd at this well known eatery.

I placed the order early in the afternoon and was told my order would be ready for pick up in 15 minutes. Having encountered this situation before with the Anaya's Restaurants I knew it would be more like 30 minutes. I decided to run a few errands in the area and then go to pick up my food. I arrived approximately one hour later and to my surprise I was told that my food was not quite ready and to have a drink at the bar (at my cost) while I wait...the food would right out.

In retrospect I see know that they were conniving enough to try to milk me for more money. I did not stay for the drink; instead I paid for my food in good faith that it was about ready, and left to run a quick errand. When I returned one-half hour later my food was still not ready! As a food professional, I can understand a considerable amount of wait time as a seated customer with an overly busy waiter. There is no excuse that could possible justify to any extent why it had been over 1.5 hours and my food was still not ready. I had only ordered 2 entrees for Christ sake.

So I asked the dimwitted hung-over hostess to speak with the Manager on Duty. She left and came back what felt like an eternity later, smiled, and ignored me. I said "well!" At which point she looked right at me and asked if I would still like to speak with a manager. At this point one can only imagine if the hostess' parents were related. I replied with a yes and she set off again for the manager.

Eventually, the ethnically appropriate Manager arrived with a disturbed tone. I spoke with her and said that I was not wanting to complain, but rather to inform her of the situation that was going on under her nose. I wanted her to be aware of what was going on so that no other customers would be subjected to such an injustice. She said she would go to check on my food (possibly spit in it I suspect) and see what was going on. Ten punishing minutes later (for a total of over 1 hour and 45 minutes since placing my to-go order) she returns with a bag containing my food in hand. She handed me the bag, and with an extremely insulting and sarcastic tone makes a half-assed attempt to apologize and shows me the door.

Cyclone's has typically been a great place to enjoy a relaxed brunch and mimosas, but under this management I can only suggest they get their act together before they drive away all their customers, bankrupt the company, and disgrace the Anaya family name. I have been it situations similar to this in restaurant of far less reputation and 99% of the time the manager is quick to make amends...offer comps from free drinks to free meals. My problem is not so much with the fact that nothing was offered for this terrible service, but the manner in which they continued. I am appalled at the service this past weekend from the Anaya's Mexican Restaurant and strongly recommend against eating there anytime soon.

I do believe in second chances and might give one after sufficient time has passed for this restaurant to get back to quality service.