When you get a personal invite to a honky tonk, you don’t say no. You strap on your best boots, give yourself (or your girl) a little whirl, and show up.

We were in NYC when Gemini Quintos and Chris Blodgett of Sam and Davy asked us to stop by their rodeo event Honky Tonk in the Jungle, but either by luck or instinct we had booked an early flight back to Houston. Riding on Go Texan Day and other rodeo activations warming up ahead of the first day of rodeo, Sam and Davy collaborated with Eden Plant Co. and took over POST Houston’s Z Atrium, a space so vertically vast and sweeping. Guests of all ages arrived in casual western wear—understated, self-assured, and nothing to prove (in a good way). Standouts included Chris’s mom in a cute, hot pink cowboy hat and knee-high white boots, and a gentleman in a brown letterman jacket, belt buckle, boots and a hat to match. DJ Hiram spun country tracks that kept the dance floor moving and groovin’, and so, people did.

The name Honky Tonk in the Jungle isn’t just for fun. Eden, a coffee and plant shop, softened the Z Atrium’s sharp edges with palms, ferns, and, almost shockingly, a palm tree so big it rests on a mini trailer, as if poised for its escape. Owner Irving Chavez says they recently made the move last year from their beloved East End location and while it’s been mostly positive, it still comes with its challenges. I’ve sat at the bar Return to Sender in POST’s food hall a few times and the feeling reminds me a lot of being in an airport. People are always coming and going, on their way to a different event or on their way out. It’s great for businesses to get in front of new faces, but intimacy? That’s a bit harder to come by.

Obviously, there’s no honky tonk without line dancing. Rattlesnake Renegades, a newly minted dance team based in Katy, took the floor. If I wasn’t dancing, then I sure couldn’t keep my eyes off of dancers Marcelo Cooper, Felicia Quiles, and Alexis Smallwood. Their movements were fluid, unforced, and all rhythm. (Also, who doesn’t love a good dress twirl?) Among the line dances: Outlaw, Shivers, Merry Go Round, Copperhead Stomp, and a personal favorite and first for me, the moves of I See Country to Post Malone’s, I Had Some Help, a song still clinging to last summer’s airwaves. Many folks walking by paused peeking through the fronds, but few crossed the threshold of plants from spectator to participant. Occasionally, someone hovered on the edge wanting in. Marcello, attuned to the moment, extended a hand and pulled them onto the floor as easily as one might ask to build a bouquet, an offering part of the event.

Having once attended Jazz in the Jungle at Eden’s previous location, I couldn’t help but feel a quiet satisfaction at seeing Eden, Taiba’s Floral, and Sam and Davy’s retail presence anchor a space this vast. As we know, Houston—a city defined by massive sprawl—sparsely offers pockets of natural, organic beauty, and here was one that’s manmade, deliberate yet effortless. And yet, in a venue this size the question lingers: how do we create coziness and a homey feel required for cultivating community? How do we carve out space for people not just to pass through, but to stay, to belong?

Maybe that’s the heart of it. You build it. You invite people in. And you dance.

WEEKEND EVENTS

Thursday, 3/6

7pm, Jazz | Watch Nicoya Polar and Robbin Madison bring their signature artistry to The List, Houston’s newest cafe. “This special concert celebrates the timeless elegance of jazz and R&B…” Drinks available at Room 808’s bar. $25. Buy tickets.

7pm-11pm, Exhibition | Check out Meowolf’s 21+ only nights: Adultiverse. “DJ Vinyl Ranch will be spinning country tunes and tarot readings will be offered as on hand to channel your cosmic destiny” $40 entry. Buy tickets.

Friday, 3/7

6pm-7:30pm, Vendor Showcase | The Juliana is opening up their space to visit and experience new vendors they’ll be offering at their venue. “Try free cocktails from @southernpours, @barchefshouston, @jmartinihospitality, and bites from @nomadacateringtx, @cottonculinary, and @trifleshtx!” See their announcement.

7pm, Singles Event | Match Your Mood, Singles event at The Mood Room with RadarQR. “Meet like-minded singles while enjoying exclusive drink specials—only at this special event. Find your perfect match by pairing your drink with your mood and dating style!”

7pm-10:30pm, Film | Watch 12 short films locally grown in Houston at Social Beer Garden. 21+. Free entry.

8pm, Open Mic | Open mic night at Neighbors HTX.

10pm-2am, Concert Event | Afterparty Texas presents APTWORLD. Sounds by Thrills, Frosty, Stretch and Rockstarb. 18+ and currently $15. Buy tickets. 

10pm-2am, EDM Show | Any techno heads in here? “Mike Beck and Genghis have plenty to celebrate with their debut release on Zafer Atabey's EXTIMA techno label.” Their social’s were pretty discrete which tells me this might be a really cool/underground event, or the complete opposite. RSVP here.

Saturday, 3/8

10am, Books | GRAND opening for Mossrose Bookshop, a latina-owned romance themed bookshop in Ironworks HTX! “The first 30 people to make a purchase on Saturday and Sunday receive a tote bag.” So exciting! See their IG for more info.

11am-6pm, Books | Huge Spring used book sale at Houston Book Warehouse running until Sunday March 16! Hardcover books $3, large paperbacks $2, small paperbacks $1, and children’s books $1. New books excluded.

12pm-5pm, Art | Visit Sawyer Yards for their Second Saturday event features six buildings of open art studios and exhibitions to explore. “Meet our artists and find a sdecial piece of art to take home.”

12pm-6pm, Market | Stop by Second Ward’s Second Saturday. Businesses include: Moontower Brouhaha, The Plant in 2nd Ward, Eight Row Flint East, Champburger, Zoomies pop-up dog park, and many neighborhood markets! See flyer.

9pm-4pm, EDM Show | Laidback Luke, the legendary Dutch DJ and producer, will be spinning a 3 hour set and debut at Bauhaus Houston! Tickets are currently $30 (started at $10) but go up the closer you buy them to the event. Buy tickets.

Sunday, 3/9

11am-5pm, Music Festival | Attend the Bayou Blues Festival presented by BKV Energy at the Houston Botanic Garden. “In addition to jamming to five hours of live music, attendees can snap photos in front of the Garden’s bluebonnet field; enjoy the Family Fun Zone, with bluebonnet-themed crafts, games, face painting, and more.” $20. Buy tickets.

11am-8pm, Festival | POST Houston is celebrating International Women’s Month all day on Sunday with a wide host of performances and activities! “Showcases Houston’s top women in music, highlighted by a performance from the Houston Women’s Chamber Orchestra alongside a diverse lineup of ensembles and groups. We'll also have a curated market featuring women-owned businesses, a walk-up floral arranging demo, an essential oil blending workshop, and a free pilates class. Admission is free with an RSVP.

2pm-6pm, Vintage | Record swap at Axel Rad Houston. “We can’t wait to buy/sell/swap vintage records/cds/tapes with you. Bring us your gently loved music & hang.” See flyer.

5pm, Jazz | Free Jazzy Sunday’s. Watch J. Paul Jr. and The Zydeco Numbreedz at Emancipations Park. See flyer.

Good reads in Houston

Selena’s purple jumpsuit made history at Houston Rodeo and continues to influence fashion today (Houston Chronicle)
“The jumpsuit. Purple. Sparkly. Forever Iconic.” Before Selena, female musicians in Tejano dressed conservatively and like their male counterparts. Writer Joey Guerra gets into the iconic fashion moment that’s still ingrained in our brains today.

The Rodeo’s Most Necessary, Unsung Hero? The Dirt. (Houstonia Magazine)
I was wondering this exact thing (rodeo dirt). How do they get all the dirt in NRG and where it is from? Turns out this particular is three years old and the rodeo is the only “gig” it has.

Cow spotted running away from NRG Stadium after getting loose at RodeoHouston (KHOU)
“A cow got loose at RodeoHouston and was spotted running away from the rodeo grounds at NRG Stadium.” I’ll be forever dying at the still image from this piece.

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