parties

Retro-Savvy Heights House Hotel Celebrates Opening with Lavish Luau

Retro-Savvy Heights House Hotel Celebrates Opening with Lavish Luau

THE ONLY BOUTIQUE hotel in the Heights celebrated its grand opening with a lavish luau last night. The Heights House Hotel, previously the Astro Inn, underwent a $3.5 million renovation and has been reborn as the vibrant, vintage-savvy 133-room property, complete with a tropical-themed bar (helmed by popular chef Lyle Bento) and hip pool scene.

The party took place poolside, where hula dancers and fire performers greeted colorfully clad guests, who received lei necklaces upon arrival. The night's soundtrack was courtesy of Drums of the Pacific — who kept the crowd grooving and also put on performances of traditional Hawaiian, Polynesian and Tahitian dances — and DJ MarcG.

Owners Jivar Foty and George Giannukos, who purchased the property in 2019 and took a full year to transform the run-down inn into a "quirky" destination, spoke to the crowd. Meanwhile, Bento prepared a whole-roasted kalua pig as his Space Cowboy bar served up creative cocktails and boozy snow cones, and the hotel's GM Marrissa Selby gave tours of the hotel and its artful touches. IV Bars also provided vitamin D infusion shots.

Scene in the crowd: Former Rockets player and NBA All-Star Steve Francis; Super Bowl champ Owen Daniels; TV journalists Chita Craft, Ruben Dominguez, Miya Shay and Ron Trevino; chef Ryan Lachaine; and Manready Mercantile's Travis Weaver.

Chita Craft, Hathrine Whaley

Codi & Christian Fuller

Nick Scurfield, Owen Daniels

Ron Travino

Annesa Maggi, Emily Brockman

Avery & Mitchel Schwarts

Poolside Fire Dancing

Shelly Wiesenthal, Michael Garfield

Robbie Beck, Owen Daniels, April Edwards, Adam Ross

From Your Site Articles
Parties
promoted

Ex-Tomboy Jentry Kelley Has Become a Beauty-Biz Titan, Believes in Taking ‘Leaps of Faith’

Ex-Tomboy Jentry Kelley Has Become a Beauty-Biz Titan, Believes in Taking ‘Leaps of Faith’

For someone who has never heard of Jentry Kelley or Jentry Kelley Cosmetics, what is your elevator pitch? Simple, clean, no fuss skincare and makeup. If you want clean, yet easy to use, and you are not a self-proclaimed makeup artist, this brand is for you. We are education-focused. When you have the confidence to do it on your own and tools to make it look right, you can look and feel your best every day when you head out to take over the world.

Keep Reading Show less
parties

Chef’s Kiss! Hundreds Feast in Celebration of Urban Harvest’s 30th

Daniel Ortiz

Diana Madero, Thea Pheasey, Alejandra Peterman, Hillary Jebbitt

EIGHT CHEFS, THIRTY years — and one big dinner! Urban Harvest rang in its fourth decade of community gardens, farmers markets and food access at their annual farm-to-table dinner cooked up by some of the most notable chefs in town.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties
food

Amalfi Ristorante Invites Wine Lovers to Explore Campania with a Special Six-Course Dinner

The inspired menu at Amalfi emphasizes fresh seafood and, on right, Giancarlo Ferrara

THIS WEDNESDAY, AMALFI Ristorante will transport guests to the sun-soaked shores of Southern Italy’s Campania region, home to the glamorous island of Capri, with a six-course dinner. The menu, curated by Executive Chef Giancarlo Ferrara, will be paired with wines from Agricola Bellaria Winery, one of Campania’s most celebrated estates.

Keep Reading Show less
Food