The Six Best Ways to Celebrate July 4!

While getting the whole gang together in person may not be an option this year, the July 4 holiday still presents an opportunity to connect with loved ones and share a meal — across a picnic blanket, or even over a computer screen. Here are a handful of the most delicious ways to celebrate!

MaxsFriedChickenBucket-8

With a picnic.


It’s hot, sure. But being outdoors is largely considered to be one of the safest ways to spend time with others these days. Hit up a park or post up in the backyard with an all-American picnic this weekend! Montrose Cheese & Wine offers a $45 build-your-own cheese board with three American-made cheeses, nuts, cranberry-pistachio crisps and local honey, and the option of tacking on pimento cheese or charcuterie.

With barbecue.

Need barbecue in bulk? Feges BBQ has it covered, with all the standards plus holiday specials like smoked chicken wings with PB&J barbecue sauce, or a three-to-five pound half-brisket for $50. Order now for pickup July 1-3 in Greenway Plaza — or on the Fourth at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market! Meanwhile, superstar chefs Dominick Lee and Dawn Burrell have launched a three-part dinner series called The Sweet-Tea Supperclub, with the first event — a la carte barbecue for pickup at Broham Groceries — taking place on Saturday. Pre-orders are required!

With a pizza.

It’s hard to imagine anything more patriotic than a giant red, white and blue pizza. Southside Flying Pizza in EaDo is throwing its tomato-mozzarella-feta-sausage pies all weekend along. Grab and go for just $15!

With fried chicken.

Since National Fried Chicken Day hits on Monday, lots of hot spots are promoting the dish for the holiday weekend. The original fried-chicken-and-champagne destination, Max’s Wine Dive, has its own special: Snag an eight-piece jalapeno-buttermilk-marinated fried bird combo with two sides and a bottle of either Moet & Chandon or Dom Perignon, available for to-go or dine-in! Smaller appetite? Relish offers a similar deal beginning July 7 — a plate of chicken with a mini bottle of Moet bubbly for $30. Or hit up Cleburne Cafeteria on Monday for a classic three-piece plate with mashed potatoes, all for under $10.

With a bargain.

Flying Saucer’s grilling bundle, available for carryout or delivery Thursday through Saturday, is a steal: Score eight beer brats, eight hoagie rolls and all the fixins for just $45. Six-packs of American craft beer can be tacked on for $15.

With a top chef on Zoom.

Georgia James chef de cuisine Greg Peters is firing up the grill! Pick up a to-go kit — featuring beer-can chicken, a package of Chris Shepherd’s bacon sausage, slaw, baked beans and more — on Friday between 4pm-8pm, then tune in via Zoom at 1pm on the Fourth to see the master at work, and get the hottest tips for preparing your meal-for-four.

Food
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