The sprawl means that you have 4-5 centers for major eating and drinking. If you like upscale yuppie eating, go northwest to the Compaq area. Southwest is so Oriental that the signs don't even bother with English. If you want some non-battle stuff, try the Bayou Bend mansion off Memorial. You might also find some references to the open air scupture museum on Monstrose.
Shopping is really a major pasttime in Houston.
The three major shopping areas are the Galleria, the Village on Kirby, and Highland Village just east of the Galleria area on Westheimer. Shop 'till you drop. For serious, grown-up refreshment, start at the Bank Draft on Dunstan near The Village in the Rice U. area. After painstaking analysis, I've decided that this is the best brewpub in Houston. There's no food here, just good beer.