Weekend events planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

The holiday weekend is upon us, which means sleeping in (hello, Sunday Funday without the Monday morning work alarm) and more free time for entertainment. From a champagne tasting and a summer concert series to Erykah Badu onstage and a couple's cooking class, here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this Memorial Day weekend.

For more options, check out the full CultureMap Events Calendar.

Champagne wishes
Thursday, May 25
Get your fill of bubbly at Bosta Kitchen’s champagne tasting, featuring sips of five vintage sparklers by Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon, and Veuve Clicquot, along with light bites and a group discussion led by an expert. (6-7:30 pm; tickets: $44 per person)
1801 Binz St #130; 713-533-9560

Meet and greet
Thursday, May 25
Creator of American city guide series, "Wildsam Field Guides," Taylor Bruce, and Joe Nick Patoski, who has written books about Stevie Ray Vaughan, Selena, and Willie Nelson, make an appearance at River Oaks boutique Sid Mashburn. Feast on tacos and imbibe brews by Buffalo Bayou while you mingle and shop. (6-8 pm; tickets: free)
2515 River Oaks Blvd; 713-936-9502

Familiar tunes
Friday, May 26-Monday, May 29
Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, ZZ Top, and Beach Boys cover bands each take to the stage, each on a different night, at CityCentre’s four-day Summer Tribute concert series. (Friday-Sunday from 7-9 pm; Monday from 4-7 pm; tickets: free)
800 Town & Country Blvd.; 713-629-5200

Cook up a storm
Friday, May 26
Get cooking tips at Brennan's Houston at this “The 70's”-themed cooking demo. Learn how to make dishes like oyster Rockefeller and Arevalo's Creole, a bouillabaisse seafood broth with roasted peppers, fennel). (6:30- 9 pm; tickets: $150 per couple)
3300 Smith St.; 713-522-9711

Dance the night away
Friday, May 26
Salsa your way over to the plaza at Downtown Aquarium and enjoy dance lessons taught by the Texas Salsa Congress’ professional dancers at the Latin Beats event. (7-11 pm; tickets: free)
410 Bagby St. at Memorial Dr.; 713-223-3474

Morning pastries
Saturday, May 27
Don’t miss Kolache Saturday at Revival Market, where you can score delicious pastry treats ($2.50 each) with fillings from peach-and-bourbon to brisket. (8 am until they run out; tickets: free entry).
550 Heights Blvd.; 713-880-8463

On and on
Saturday, May 27
Erykah Badu hits the stage at Arena Theatre as part of her Vs. Everything Tour. Hits by the R&B singer include “Bag Lady,” "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop),” and “Next Lifetime.” (8 pm; tickets: $69.50-$99.50 per person)
7326 Southwest Fwy.; 713-772-5900

Aloha
Sunday, May 28
Southern Goods restaurant in the Heights presents live music and a festive menu of luau grub, including two whole roasted pigs, Hawaiian cocktails, and poke. (12-8 pm; tickets: free entry)
632 W 19th St.; 346-980-8152

Block party
Sunday, May 28
Expect performances by Rakim, Frank D’Amato, and more at the Memorial Day music event at Alley Kat. (3 pm-2 am; tickets: free entry, but register before you go)
3718 Main St.

Wrestlemania
Sunday, May 28
The Midtown bar Mongoose versus Cobra celebrates its 5th anniversary with a face-off of Doomsday Wrestlers, live sword fighting, beer and cocktails, plus Indian street food prepared on the patio by Ara Malekian of Harlem Road BBQ. (2 pm-2 am; tickets: free entry, 100 percent of donations go to the Houston Zoo)
1011 McGowen St.

CityCentre’s hosts the Summer Tribute concert series.

Houston, the top things to do in Houston this weekend, May 24 2017, CityCentre

Courtesy photo

CityCentre’s hosts the Summer Tribute concert series.

event-planner

Movie Review

George Clooney shines in Jay Kelly, a sharp and heartfelt look at fame

Photo by Peter Mountain/Netflix

George Clooney in Jay Kelly.

The life of a celebrity is paradoxical in that your life is lived in the public eye, yet who you really are is almost unknowable. Movie history is littered with films that try to dig into the private lives of real and fictional actors, with varying results. The latest film to try to unearth what it means to be famous is Jay Kelly.

In a perfect bit of casting, George Clooney stars in the title role as an actor who’s still world famous even if he’s edging toward the downside of his career. His coterie of helpers, including manager Ron (Adam Sandler) and publicist Liz (Laura Dern), make sure he is taken care of at every turn, often anticipating his needs before he realizes it.

A run-in with an old friend, Timothy (Billy Crudup), sends Jay spiraling, questioning not just the meaning of his 35-plus year career, but also his relationships with his two daughters, Jessica (Riley Keough) and Daisy (Grace Edwards). Jay’s attempt to manage the crisis pits his identity as a celebrity and as a father and friend against each other.

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, and co-written by Emily Mortimer (who has a small role), the film has to walk the tightrope of making the audience like Jay even as he does and says things that might make him unlikable. There’s a very thin line between the character of Jay Kelly and the real life George Clooney; each is seemingly infinitely charming when dealing with the public, but they lead very different private lives.

Baumbach takes a light approach to the story, occasionally dipping into more serious territory but never going too deep. For some, this may seem like a copout, as if he’s merely pretending to want to explore what celebrity truly is. But as you see Jay navigate his way between his work, his family, and being out among the public, little details emerge that make him increasingly complex.

A lot of the film’s pleasure comes from the strong actors cast in relatively minor roles. There are not enough words to express what it means to have actors like Jim Broadbent as Jay’s mentor, or Greta Gerwig as Ron’s wife, or Stacy Keach as Jay’s father, or Patrick Wilson as a fellow longtime actor. Each of them and more lend an instant air of excellence to the film that elevates the story beyond its simple premise.

Clooney may be playing a version of himself, but as the film notes on multiple occasions, playing yourself is more difficult than it seems. He is deserving of an Oscar nomination, as is Sandler, who doesn’t give off even a whiff of insincerity as a man who has given perhaps a bit too much of himself in aid of another man’s career.

Jay Kelly is not a world-changing film, and some may accuse it of being another navel-gazing Hollywood story. But the forcefulness of Clooney’s performance, the long line of strong supporting actors, and the subtly effective storytelling by Baumbach and Mortimer (making her feature screenwriting debut) help it become much more than might be expected.

---

Jay Kelly is now playing in select theaters. It debuts on Netflix on December 5.

movies film

Weekend events planner

Here are the top 10 things to do in Houston this weekend

CityCentre’s hosts the Summer Tribute concert series.

Street food-inspired Houston restaurant swaps counter service for servers

Luxury commuter van startup connects Houston with Austin and San Antonio

World's largest cruise ship to set sail from Galveston in 2027

Movie Review

George Clooney shines in Jay Kelly, a sharp and heartfelt look at fame