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weekend event planner

Here are the top 9 things to do in Houston this weekend

Craig D. Lindsey
Mar 21, 2018 | 5:24 pm
Houston Family Arts Center's Third Annual Golf Tournament
Work on your swing and potentially win some serious swag.
Courtesy photo

Spring is here, which means the days will be sunnier (read: longer). So if you’re looking for something fun to do with your weekend days — and nights — we have you covered, with some great of indoor and outdoor activities.

Thursday, March 22

Jonathan’s The Rub celebrates its 10th anniversary
Jonathan’s The Rub will be taking a trip down memory lane. The restaurant is hosting a 10th-anniversary dinner where guests can dig into a throwback feast filled with original, past-menu faves. The dinner starts at 5:30 pm. Jonathan’s The Rub has also launched a five-week, fundraising effort benefiting the Houston Area Women’s Center through April, which is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month.

Houston Latino Film Festival at Talento Bilingue de Houston

Mexican filmmakers Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Guillermo del Toro have been snatching up Oscars left and right for their movies. (Earlier this month, del Toro won a bunch of Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture for The Shape of Water.) So, if you’re looking for more cinematic work from promising Latino filmmakers, the Houston Latino Film Festival starts up its third-annual festivities this weekend. From Thursday to Sunday, features, shorts and documentaries will be shown by filmmakers from the U.S., Latin America, Spain, and Portugal.

Friday, March 23

Take a weekend art walk at Bayou City Art Festival
It’s spring, which means the Art Colony Association will be throwing its annual Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park. (The Association also has a Bayou City Art Festival during the fall, held downtown.) For 47 years now, the three-day fest has been about showcasing fine art from all over the globe. And, for this year, there will 300 artists whose works you’ll be able to view and even purchase. It starts Friday at 10 am, and runs through Sunday.

Doomsday Wrestling LIVE at Market Square Park
If the downright-ludicrous antics that happen on WWE’s Monday Night Raw and Smackdown Live shows don’t tickle you on a weekly basis (especially whenever wrestler-turned-movie star John Cena pops up and does his usual, smart-ass shtick), the comic wrestlers of Doomsday Wrestling LIVE are here to pile-drive some laughs out of you. This local crew of over-the-top bruisers have been making people of all ages get their chuckle on with their “comedy wrestling” since 2003, and they will be doing it with a free show at Market Square Park Friday, starting at 7 pm.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at Landmark River Oaks
Has there ever been a more suave-ass pair of gunslingers than Paul Newman and Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? In 1969, the iconic, matinee idols teamed up with director George Roy Hill (who would direct them again several years later in The Sting) and screenwriter William Goldman (who won a Best Screenplay Oscar for his script) and created a funny, exciting, all-around classic Western based on the rise and fall of two real-life outlaws. It’ll be playing at midnight on Friday and Saturday at Landmark River Oaks.

Saturday, March 24

Get swinging at Precision Golf Academy
Precision Golf Academy is a brand-new spot offering up state-of-the-art technology for those who want their golf game to be super-tight. Saturday, the Academy will have its grand opening where there will be tasty bites and adult beverages, and everyone who attends will receive special, Early Bird Lesson rates. There will also be raffle prizes given out later that day, including a Tag Heuer Connected Modular smartwatch, valued at $2300. So, to paraphrase Bill Murray in Caddyshack, it’s got that going for them — which is nice. The opening starts at 1 pm. For more info, go here.

A Super Comedy Tour hits Stafford
Don’t let it be said that Muslims can’t be hilarious. From Aziz Ansari to Kumail Nanjiani (who was recently nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for his semi-autobiographical comedy The Big Sick) to The Daily Show’s Hasan Minhaj, Muslim comics are out here getting laughs and making moves. Perfect timing for this tour that gives you a heavy collection of Muslim comedians: The Super Muslim Comedy Tour. Among the comics performing: Aman Ali, Feraz Ozel, Travina Springer and Moses the Comic. It starts at 6 at Sugarland Ballroom.
For more info, go here.

The Lawn at Memorial City's big lawn party
The Lawn at Memorial City is a new, 7,000-square-foot greenspace that’ll be used to host a variety of events and festivals, along with being an open space where you can play lawn games like cornholing. Saturday, there will be a grand opening showcase, featuring music from The Voice finalist Stephanie Rice, local surf-rock band Phantom Royals and funky Houston outfit SoulDig!, which includes members from La Mafia. There will also be Art Cars on display from The Orange Show, face painting, street performers, food stations, and – maybe – cornholing. It starts at noon.

Sunday, March 25

Kite Festival at Hermann Park
You know what you don’t see a lot in the skies these days? Kites. Surely there was a point in your childhood where you went to the park, climbed up a hill in order to send your kite in the air, and navigate it while you ran all the way down. If you'd like to relive that moment again before you die, check out the fifth-annual, Hermann Park Conservancy Kite Festival. Kites will be soaring over Miller Hill and around the Jones Reflecting Pool. There will also be kite making, face painting, food trucks, and more. This event is free, and starts at 10 am.

Work on your swing and potentially win some serious swag.

Houston Family Arts Center's Third Annual Golf Tournament
Courtesy photo
Work on your swing and potentially win some serious swag.
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Movie Review

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wears its emotions on its sleeve

Alex Bentley
Nov 10, 2022 | 4:05 pm
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wears its emotions on its sleeve
Photo by Annette Brown

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The Marvel Cinematic Universe and writer/director Ryan Coogler find themselves in almost an impossible position with the long-anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The death of star Chadwick Boseman in 2020 left a gaping hole in both the ongoing MCU and in Coogler’s story plans for this film, which likely had to be mostly scrapped in the absence of his character, King T’Challa.

And so, like much of the MCU’s Phase Four films, Wakanda Forever feels tenuously patched together. Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole address the elephant in the room right away, starting the film with T’Challa’s (off-screen) death, a sequence that is as elegantly handled as possible. It is the first of multiple times in the film that characters like his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) and mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) grapple with the loss, moments that never fail to bring big emotion into the film.

At first, it feels like the film’s main storyline will be successful, introducing a new group of beings, led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta), who live underwater in a country they call Talokan. Like Wakanda, they live in an area that’s rich with vibranium, which makes their deep-sea land a target for countries eager to be on a level playing field with Wakanda. Naturally, they defend their territory at all costs, with the mysterious nature of the Talokans leading to them being confused for Wakandans.

Early conflicts between the Talokans and Wakandans are suitably entertaining, with the Talokans – featuring blue skin, masks filled with water to be able to breathe at all times, and possible regenerative properties – seemingly indomitable. But as the film goes along, and especially in the final act, the battle scenes become repetitive and filled with subpar CGI that takes the viewer out of the necessary escapism mode.

The film works best when it returns to the personal aspects of the story. Without the presence of T’Challa, the film becomes mostly about the women of Wakanda, including Shuri, Ramonda, Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and warrior Okoye (Danai Gurira). The way each adapts to their new or adapted roles is much more interesting than any of the fights. Coogler also takes time to give the history of Namor and the Talokans, making them deeper than other nemeses in comic book films.

When it comes time for a particular character to finally take up the mantle of Black Panther again, the reveal is not much of a surprise. But whether it’s the reluctance of that character, the appearance of the character in the suit, or the incoherence of the scenes showing off that person’s skills, there’s little that’s exciting about the newly-minted superhero.

It’s also disappointing that – after the world-building and addressing of real-life racial issues in the first film – this film doesn’t push harder in that regard. Coogler and the production team, especially costume designer Ruth E. Carter, make Wakanda as real as ever, but the implicit promise T’Challa makes at the end of the first film - that Wakanda would be a beacon for Black people around the world - is only lightly addressed.

There is little the filmmakers could do about it, but the film misses Boseman’s larger-than-life aura. Much of the film centers on Shuri, but Wright is better as a supporting actor than a lead. A better choice would have been Bassett, who is as strong as ever, or Nyong’o or Gurira, who are each compelling in their roles. Winston Duke once again makes the most of his brief appearances as M’Baku.

For all its faults, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still the most watchable of the recent slate of MCU films. The central conflict doesn’t yield many rewards, but the film wears its emotions on its sleeve, giving fans permission to publicly grieve the generational talent gone too soon.

---

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on November 11.

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Photo by Annette Brown

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

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historic discovery

NASA confirms stunning discovery of Space Shuttle Challenger artifact

Steven Devadanam
Nov 10, 2022 | 3:20 pm
Space Shuttle Challenger liftoff 1986
Photo courtesy of NASA

A TV documentary crew has just made a startling discovery linked to one of the American space program's greatest tragedies, one that deeply resonated here in Space City. Divers off the east coast of Florida have found an artifact underwater that NASA confirms is debris from the space shuttle Challenger.

While searching for wreckage of a World War II-era aircraft, documentary divers noticed a large object covered partially by sand on the seafloor, one that was clearly crafted by humans. The team contacted NASA after analyzing the proximity to the Florida Space Coast, the item’s modern construction, and presence of 8-inch square tiles, according to the space agency.

Upon viewing the TV crew's footage, NASA leaders confirmed the object is indeed part of the Challenger, which exploded during launch on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members on board — all of whom trained in Houston.

A History Channel documentary depicting the discovery of the Challenger artifact is scheduled to air Tuesday, November 22. While the episode will screen as part of a series about the Bermuda Triangle, the artifact was found well northwest of the area popularly known as the Bermuda Triangle, researchers note.

NASA, meanwhile, is currently considering what additional actions it may take regarding the artifact that will properly honor the legacy of Challenger’s fallen astronauts and their families, the agency notes.

The Challenger disaster is now counted as one of American history's "where were you?" moments. The mission, dubbed STS-51L, was commanded by Francis R. “Dick” Scobee and piloted by Michael J. Smith. The other crew members on board were mission specialists Ronald E. McNair; Ellison S. Onizuka, and Judith A. Resnik; payload specialist Gregory B. Jarvis; and teacher S. Christa McAuliffe.

Space Shuttle Challenger crew 1986The Challenger crew poses ahead of the mission in January, 1986.Photo courtesy of NASA

McAuliffe, a charismatic civilian with a bright smile, became an international celebrity, bringing everyman accessibility to the space program. She was beloved by fans young and old, and quickly became the face of the doomed mission.

Celebrating NASA's 25th shuttle mission, the spacecraft waited overnight on Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A sudden coastal cold front brought freezing temperatures, causing ice to form on the shuttle. Launch managers cleared the mission for launch at 11:38 am on January 28, despite concerns raised by some shuttle program employees.

A mere 73 seconds after liftoff, major malfunction caused the explosion that killed the seven crew members, a moment captured on live TV and watched by millions.

Later, a NASA investigation revealed that the unexpectedly cold temperatures affected the integrity of O-ring seals in the solid rocket booster segment joints, sparking the explosion.

Challenger's loss, and later Columbia with its seven astronauts – which broke up on reentry in February 2003 over the western United States – greatly influenced NASA’s culture regarding safety. The agency went on to create an Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, developed new risk assessment procedures, and established an environment in which everyone can raise safety concerns.

NASA also created the Apollo Challenger Columbia Lessons Learned Program to share these lessons within the agency and with other government, public, commercial, and international audiences.

“While it has been nearly 37 years since seven daring and brave explorers lost their lives aboard Challenger, this tragedy will forever be seared in the collective memory of our country,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement. “For millions around the globe, myself included, January 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday. This discovery gives us an opportunity to pause once again, to uplift the legacies of the seven pioneers we lost, and to reflect on how this tragedy changed us. At NASA, the core value of safety is – and must forever remain – our top priority, especially as our missions explore more of the cosmos than ever before.”


By law, all space shuttle artifacts are the property of the U.S. government. Members of the public who believe they have encountered any space shuttle artifacts should contact NASA at ksc-public-inquiries@mail.nasa.gov to arrange for return of the items.

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a regal air about it

Celebrity and royal favorite fragrance house graces Galleria boutique with new must-have collection

Gabi De la Rosa
Nov 10, 2022 | 2:15 pm
Celebrity and royal favorite fragrance house graces Galleria boutique with new must-have collection
Photo credit House of Creed/Instagram

Creed fragrances are made with 15 to 20 percent natural oils.


Photo credit House of Creed/Instagram

Creed fragrances are made with 15 to 20 percent natural oils.

Finding the perfect holiday gift can be difficult, especially for someone with a penchant for luxury. Fragrances are a go-to present, as they are readily available in hundreds of iterations and are almost universally enjoyed. The ideal fragrance can evoke a sense of place and trigger memories, so finding a worthy elixir is essential.

TheHouse of Creed is on every best-of list, and a whiff of the long-lasting perfume with nearly 15 to 20 percent natural oils, a rarity in the gone-before-you-know-it perfume world, will make a great stand-alone gift or addition to any Christmas list.

Consistently named one of the best luxury perfume houses in the world, Creed got its venerable start in 1760 when it began supplying Queen Victoria's court with its perfumes. The House of Creed then moved to Paris and started providing fragrances to the French, Russian and Hungarian royal courts and aristocracy from around the world. Fast forward over two hundred years, and Creed has been worn by the likes of Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Michelle Obama and Beyonce's husband, rapper Jay Z.

The niche luxury brand, available at the Houston Galleria, is an opulent holiday gift with scents for both men and women. Their latest offering, Cabinet of Curiosities, is a new collection made from Italian leather in a French navy blue hue with beige suede interiors.

A continuation of the brands' 2021 Leather Explorer Collection and inspired by the traveling trunks James Henry Creed saw on board the Empress of Canada in 1934, the collection includes sleek monogrammed Creed leather perfume sleeves and trunks made with leather and polished brass hardware.

For those not ready for a simpler idea, the brand offers gift sets containing three or five of their most popular scents at price points of between $215 to $345.

Rounding out the Cabinet of Curiosities collection, the brand's leather candle holders, refillable leather-bound travel atomizers and leather wallets make luxurious stocking stuffers. Creed also offers gift wrapping services and bottle, adding a bespoke touch to the already impressive experience.

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Creed, Houston Galleria across from Zara on Level 1, Monday to Thursday 11am to 8pm; Friday to Saturday 10am to 9pm; Sunday 11am to 7pm. For more information, call 281-910-3289 or visit House of Creed.


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