Diary of a chill night out

Showing out-of-town friends a laid back night in H-town

Kathrina Maribao on giving visitors a low-key experience of Houston. We have our very first coffee giveaway! Scroll down for the July calendar and a curated list of weekend events.

This week’s coffee is on us! That means 10 readers will get a $10 gift card to this week's coffee shop, Honey Art Cafe. All you have to do is open today’s issue and you’ll be entered to win.

Winners will be randomly selected and emailed tomorrow morning.

Want to sponsor a future issue and treat readers to a local coffee spot on you? Hit reply.

Sometimes being a great host is reading a room that doesn’t exist yet.

Whether you're celebrating a friend’s birthday, throwing karaoke night Filipino style, or showing out-of-towners a taste of Texas BBQ for the first time, there are some things that you can do as a host to make sure your guests are having an amazing time. Sometimes that looks like getting prepared: organizing your space, stocking the kitchen with their favorite drinks (Diet Coke and Dr. Pepper) and HEB snacks, or having a light itinerary planned for activities. Other times it’s spending time on small details like arranging small flower bouquets for their rooms or writing personalized welcome notes for their arrival.

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting friends from out of state. While not their first time in Houston, it was their first time staying a couple of nights for leisure. As life happens, it was also their first time since they’ve become new parents (babies first flight), and another guest was in the middle of a cross country move. Since we had only one night to go out, I had to make this Thursday night count. 

Here’s what that night looked like:

9:30pm: R&B Night at ’93 Til

Now for me, my favorite thing about ’93 Til other than its near-perfect location is their mussel dish. When I heard they were doing an R&B night I knew we had to stop by. It’s a good feeling rolling up to a spot when the vibes feel good, “Can’t Help But Wait” by Trey Songz is spinning, and everyone is seated and singing, enjoying their evening. While we didn’t stay long, I would’ve ordered a Carabuena ranch water.

10pm: Turkish Funk at Echoes

I’ve never had a bad time at Echoes from the tequila tasting class, to jazz nights, to their lovely branzino. The live music programming here remains criminally underrated, though it definitely seems that the secret is clearly spreading. It doesn’t surprise me that Echoes is the place to introduce us to Turkish Funk, sounds courtesy of Aurum Son. The open windows and warm night was an invitation to another world. I couldn’t help but exclaim to the rest of the table, “This is the most Houston thing ever.” Complimentary, of course.

11:30pm: Refuge

Aiming for more relaxed settings, Refuge to me represents what Houston knows how to do best: upscale but not uptight. Excellent service, but not stuffy.  Summer means the Tropic Summer 2.0, a tiki-adjacent menu that includes: Halo Halo on the Rock, Coconut Old Fashioned, Isla Bonita, and Blended Sling made with a saffron-infused Vietnamese gin. Bartenders Julia Miles, April Biagas, and Lorenzo Shadoan are as charming and friendly as they come. I may remember Julia, but she’ll one up me by somehow remembering my order from my last visit. Great hosts, like the staff at Refuge, make you feel welcome and at home.

12:30am: Whattaburger

For In-N-Out fans, Whattaburger can be a risk but if you downplay it then sometimes it’s best to just let the branding do the talking. Luckily our guests are fans of Spicy Ketchup. The best hosting move sometimes? Stepping back and letting Houston be Houston.

💌 Open House #2

We have another community question for y’all. Reply back to this email with your response for a chance to be featured in the next newsletter.

Question: Your friends from out of town are visiting Houston for the first time. You can only take them to 3 spots for one night out. Where are you taking them? And why?

Hit reply and let us know!

POST is hosting a 4th of July celebration on the Skylawn.

JULY LOOKING AHEAD

WEEKEND EVENTS

All Weekend

Thursday, 7/3

7pm-11pm, Nightlife | Ice House Radio will be spinning at Echoes with a select group of DJs. 

8pm-2am, Nightlife | It’s In Too Deep R&B night at Prauper Studios. Reverse happy hour from 8-10pm. 

9pm-2am, Nightlife | Colors is hosting Open Dance Floors. “OPEN DANCE FLOORS - OPEN FORMAT - OPEN SEATING 🕺🏾” They’ll have a select group of DJs playing all night.

Friday, 7/4

10am-11am, Yoga | Black Swan Yoga at POST, 4th of July edition. Free.

4pm-1:30am, Food | Celebrate Independence Day at Jethro’s Cocktail Lounge with smash burgers, loaded hot dogs, and beers. All $4 each!

7pm-late, Nightlife | Ice House Radio will be spinning at Echoes with a select group of DJ’s. 

7pm or 9pm, Crafts | It’s Bad Girls Pottery Club night at Smashed Studio. Spend the night making a thicc girl planter, boob mugs, baddie pipe charms and more. $48.

7:30pm, Film Screening | Watch Independence Day at Rooftop Cinema Club. Tickets start at $21.

Saturday, 7/5

11am-5pm, Market | Boba & Blind Boxes Labubu event at Feng Cha! “A Free One-Day Collectibles Pop-Up Featuring Authentic Blind Box Sellers, Local Artists, a LABUBU GIVEAWAY, & More!” All are welcome. 

12pm-7pm, Concert | Celebrate DJ Screw Day, Car Show and Concert at George Brown Convention Center. “Get ready for a day filled with music, art, and culture honoring the legendary DJ. Join us for live performances, DJ sets, and special guest appearances.” GA $53+. 

2pm-4pm, Crafts | Make a mixed media potted plant holder at CAMH. “Decorate a small pot using machine-based mixed media materials (like screws, nails, and clock parts), then plant a small aloe vera to take home.” Free.

Sunday, 7/6

11am and 2pm, Crafts | Moxie Collective presents: Crochet & Chill at POST.  This class is designed for those who are new to crochet or want to refresh their basic skills. It’s a 2-hour event. $10.

12pm-5pm, Market |  Stop by Summer Girly Market by Heavenly by Nayeli where there’ll be 30+ vendors of girly finds. “VINTAGE, Y2K, & 2000s WOMENS WEAR, Handmade jewelry & accessories, Cute trinkets such as Calico critters, sonny angels, & Labubus and more!

3pm, Food | Be More Pacific is hosting their 5th annual Lumpia Eating Contest. Contestants must arrive at 1:45pm. “Join us this Sunday July 6 and watch our competitors take down some BMP lumpia! Back Pew Brewing & Tito’s Handmade Vodka will be bringing the flavor with samples all day.” Free.

6pm-9pm, Live Music and Poetry | Pop-Up Picnics and The Toast Club are bringing you Sunset Series at Axelrad. “The perfect way to spend your Sunday: live music and poetry, great eats and drinks, and the coolest vendors.” Free.

10pm-2am, Nightlife | The Healing dance party with DJ Mike O’Leary, Saynt Chris, and Danali at Bald Kitty. Tickets start at $10.

9pm-12am, Nightlife | TrashHaüs at Trash Panda featuring a debut set from DJ Drafton. “Drink specials, EDM set and one hell of a good time await Sunday night.” Free. 

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