YOU'RE GOING TO HOUSTON
You may land at the former Houston Intercontinental Airport, renamed in 1997 to honor this president & onetime resident
George H.W. Bush
In 1995 the Expos drafted this high school catcher in round 18 but he ended up getting chosen as a QB by the Patriots in 2000
Brady
A color is in this adjective for heavily seasoned food like salmon or chicken cooked over high heat
blackened
The Church of St. Dunstan is located next to this guy's (fictional) barbershop on London's Fleet Street
Sweeney Todd
Edifice planner:
TIRE CATCH
architect
The Toyota Center has played host to WWE wrestling & the Latin Grammy Awards & is the home court of this pro sports team
the Rockets
In 2023, he was FIFA's Men's Player of the Year, like he was in 2022 & six other times
Messi
Also known as parboiling, it's this cooking process that boils & shocks veggies
blanching
Although this poet lived in Harlem, the first public institution named for him was the Community Library in Queens in 1969
Hughes
Problem solver: THEMATIC MANIA
mathematician
The Natl. Museum of Funeral History has the exhibit "History of" this practice, from Ancient Egypt to Civil War battlefields
embalming
On June 12, 1970 Dock Ellis threw one of these, always a notable feat; even more notable? Dock was on LSD, hitting 1 batter & walking 8
a no-hitter
This word for applying a sugary coating to a donut or pastry is also Internet slang for cringey adoration
glaze (glazing)
This San Francisco bookstore home to the Beat generation is still going & you can support it by purchasing a "Howl" onesie
City Lights
Rock critic:
GIGOLO SET
geologist
Since the 1930s Houston has held a huge annual livestock show & this well-attended event; the next one's in March 2025
rodeo
Alex Sedrick's last-second sprint down the field for a try, then hitting a kick, won 2024 Olympic bronze for U.S. women in this sport
rugby
It's no wonder this crescent-shaped knife used for chopping herbs means "half moon" in Italian
a mezzaluna
In St. Petersburg a monument marks the site where this great poet was killed in an 1837 duel
Pushkin
Java Man:
AIR TABS
barista
If visiting this university in Houston, be sure & say hello to Sammy the Owl, its official mascot
Rice
No joke but all joker, he completed a career "Golden Slam" by winning Olympic tennis gold in men's singles in 2024
Djokovic
A season 3 episode of "The Bear" mentions a story behind this religious title for a bird's tail
a pope's nose
To this "H.H." 19th century poet, add "House" & you'll get a building that's an attraction in Düsseldorf
Heinrich Heine
Beast mounter:
TIMID EXTRAS
taxidermist