Danny Ray and the Atlantic Street Band performs May 31 (photo from dannyrayatlanticstreetband.com)
"At Chapman & Kirby, we are dedicated to curating exceptional experiences for our guests beyond great food and drinks. The Spring Music Series is a testament to our commitment to hospitality from every angle, and we’re excited to show off incredible talent" said Mazen Baltagi, co-owner of Chapman & Kirby.
In partnership with Gulf Coast Entertainment, the Spring Music Series lineup will feature a diverse array of musical talents. Each Friday night will offer a unique, interactive experience for guests, via music, food & beverage and local vendor pop-ups. Doors will open at 6pm, with performances starting promptly at 7pm. Purchase tickets here. The schedule includes:
Sol 7 at Thompson Houston Hotel
Molihua
Houston’s newest culinary destination in the Blossom Hotel debuts tomorrow, April 23, but you can snag ressies now. Michelin-starred chef Hideki Hiwatashi and Ho Chee Boon and will offer traditional Japanese cuisine, elaborate dim sum, and artful desserts with a modern twist in the stunning second floor space. “Inspired by the beauty of the Jasmine flower and its delicate fragrance and beauty, Molihua encapsulates the essence of elegance and sophistication,” says chef Ho, who you may recall was with Houston’s Yauatchua in the Galleria. Japanese mains, raw fish tartares and crudos, and sharable plates like crispy truffle puffs — along with and sashimi, maki and nigiri, of course — headline the menu. Molihua is the third restaurant set to open under the Boon Group, following successful ventures in San Francisco, namely Empress by Boon and Blue Whale Restaurant & Lounge.
Vibrant Cafe at Memorial Park (photo courtesy of Leonid Furmansky)
Vibrant’s original location in Montrose was a little quiet during peak-pandemic, but it’s back in action, along with a new sister spot in Memorial Park. The Houston-based café known for its commitment to health and sustainability will provide all-day dining within the new Running Complex. Although the menu will evolve over time to fit the flow and vibe of the park, expect a similar menu as the original, along with an organic coffee program and natural wines. All dishes are free from gluten, dairy, refined sugars, peanuts, GMOs and gums. There’s a chocolate-chia-banana bowl, for example, and a watercress salad with shredded chicken and pickled apples. Also find a hearty sweet-potato-noodle stir fry, tacos, and sandwiches.
Designed by local Schaum Architects with a patio and interior elements curated by Vibrant’s founder, the café’s light-filled space reflects the natural aesthetic of its surroundings. “The café's opening and the broader expansion of dining and recreational options in the Park, reflect our ongoing commitment to meet the diverse needs of all Houstonians,” says Shellye Arnold, president and CEO of Memorial Park Conservancy.
Vibrant's Rainbow Salad (photo by Kirsten Gilliam)
This lively restaurant-bar on the seventh floor of the hotel overlooks a garden surrounded by the infinity pool. It embraces the outdoors with floor-to-ceiling windows, which are open during mild days. Irresistible breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar menus have something for everyone with lots of surprises. Its raw bar sports half-shell oysters, smoked salmon with crispy potato and horseradish crème fraiche, and ahi tuna tartare with macadamia nuts. Main plates include linguine with zucchini, burrata and walnut-basil pesto, grilled Ora king salmon and steaks, as well as burgers, salads and fun small plates. Located on prime real estate overlooking Buffalo Bayou Park and the Downtown skyline, the hotel also recently welcomed Maven Coffee Company, and will debut Chardon and Buck 40 restaurants soon. National concepts Toca Madera and Meduza Mediterrania are also in the works.
Holey Moley
Just in time for great spring weather, this new mini-golf club-bar-eatery from Australia-based company Funlab has bowed near Greenway Plaza. Pick up a club and take a swing at one of three nine-hole golf courses, which all have punny names and whimsical designs like the “Parber Shop.” Take a break at the 100-seat bar and restaurant named The Caddy Shack. Its menu offers a Texas spin on American comfort food such as nachos, sandwiches wings, pizzas and salads. Highlights include a chopped brisket sandwich, taco salad, and grilled elote corn ribs with cotija cheese, garlic aioli, Tajin and lime.
A scene from Quebrada's 'The Other Son'
Attending in person to present their films and answer questions from the audience are Chilean filmmaker Matías Bize (The Punishment); Paraguayan director, writer, and producer Sebastián Peña Escobar (The Last Ones); and Colombian filmmaker Juan Sebastián Quebrada (The Other Son). In Bize’s psychological drama The Punishment, a mother and father leave their seven-year-old son alone for just a few minutes in a spooky forest as punishment for misbehaving during a family drive. The boy vanishes, the parents begin a frantic search, and buried secrets emerge in the fecund landscape of the dark woods. Shot in one, single, excruciating take, The Punishment is a tour-de-force in experimental filmmaking.
Escobar's 'The Last Ones'
'The Practice'
Avilés' 'Tótem'
Escobar’s documentary The Last Onesis a road trip to what may be the end of humankind, as the director and two ecologists — one an internationally renowned butterfly specialist, the other Paraguay’s foremost bird expert — travel by car ahead of a massive wildfire to the border of Bolivia to film Paraguay’s endangered virgin forests.
And Quebrada’s The Other Son tells the story of teenage brothers Frederico and Simon, and Frederico’s emotional struggle after Simon dies from a balcony fall at a party. It’s a profound premise for a coming-of-age drama, and the young cast does an incredible job throughout, as their characters grapple with the irrationality of death and the challenge of finding hope amid grief.
Offering a bit of relief from these heavy themes are two comedic films: The Practice, in which a yoga instructor tries to not to lose his chi while navigating the stressors and chaos of his non-yoga life; and Puan, where two academics, one schlubby and bald, the other cartoonish and charismatic, vie to be named head of the philosophy department at the Public University of Buenos Aires. In a festival where every film is a must-see, one assured standout is writer and director Lila Avilés Tótem. The critically acclaimed family drama stars Naíma Sentíes as the seven-year-old Sol, who is initially carried away by the excitement of preparations for her father’s birthday party before discovering the gravity that underlies the celebration.
To download a full schedule and buy tickets, visit the Latin Wave 17 webpage.
