Oui Oui! French Fest Features Bubbly, Bites — and a Cool Crowd

Charlie Horse Photography
Oui Oui! French Fest Features Bubbly, Bites — and a Cool Crowd

Irene and Sako Tajion

WEST HOUSTON’S THE Cannon was the site of this year’s French Festival, hosted by the nonprofit French-American Chamber of Commerce Texas.


As could be expected, the fine wine and fab food did not disappoint. More than 20 restaurants — including French faves Le Meridien and Artisans, and celebrated spots such as MAD — provided beautiful bites such as caviar, foie gras and lobster bisque.

The crowd of 400-plus spread out within the sprawling space, admiring featured artists’ work and listening to French-inspired tunes while sipping the abundance of wines and Champagnes on offer. The “bubbles lounge” touted exclusive bottles for select VIPs. Cheers!

Valérie Baraban and John Eldridge

Tina and Tom Vu

Marina and Jacques-Antoine Dal

Marieme Keita, Lawson Gow, Martha Castex-Tatum and Michelle Hundley

LaTausha Miles, Jean-Francois Bonneté and Miya Shay

Dong Ki Kim, Sky Lee, Vanessa Giuseppe and Jean-Francois Rossi

Hailey Salyer and Vance Smith

Harmony and Joey Jurkash

Parties
Thrive & Inspire: Alchemy’s Arquella Hargrove ‘Inspired by People Making an Impact in the World’

Arquella Hargrove, Chief Culture Officer and Owner of the Alchemy Consulting Group

WHAT IS THE secret to running a successful business? The secret to a successful business is a rockstar team. With a rockstar team, clients experience the transformation within their culture. This also is connected to other success factors — a commitment to relentless change, communicating courageously, and collaborating to win. The ultimate goal is to be the change for our clients and to create a culture where team members thrive and grow exponentially.

Keep Reading Show less

Paella Valenciana at Mi Luna

THOUGH IT'S BEEN in Houston less than a decade, Sof Hospitality has made major inroads with foodies and critics alike. Its concepts include Doris Metropolitan, Hamsa and Badolina Bakery, all of which deliver the rich flavors of Israeli cuisine in complex, photogenic and delicious dishes. Its newest, Októ, opened earlier this year, one of several energetic restaurants to bow in the Montrose Collective, just in time for the holidays.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Bill Viola’s ‘Ascension,’ on display as part of ‘Living with the Gods’ at MFAH

THE ARTIST WHO ushered in the expressionist movement in the early 20th century was not, in fact, Picasso or Matisse. It was Paul Gauguin, whose career spanned the decades just preceding the turn of the century. The French painter is the subject of the Museum of Fine Arts’ latest exhibit, Gauguin in the World, which was organized by Henri Loyrette (formerly of the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, Paris). The show, just one of the museum’s diverse winter season shows, debuted in Australia in June and will be on display through Feb. 16, 2025, at the MFAH, the only U.S. venue for the survey.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment