Weekend Event Planner

Fun happenings: Here are the top 13 things to do in Houston this weekend

Another week and the start of a new month offer a new set of fun events to check out around Houston. Whether you want to dance the night away with Sia, "Harvest the Block" in the historic Third Ward, or bid on original artwork from local Houston artists, there's something for everyone to do this weekend (Thursday through Sunday),

I've rounded up 13 fun happenings around the city, but our CultureMap Events Calendar is your full resource for Houston events.

Thursday, November 3

2016 International Quilt Festival

The International Quilt Festival features more than 1,700 spectacular quilts and dazzling pieces of fabric art on display; over 1,000 vendors from all over the world; and more than 425 classes on the timeless art of quilting and sewing. It's at the George R. Brown Convention Center November 3-6.

Art on The Avenue

Houston's largest silent auction charity celebrates its 25th year of benefiting low-income Houston families and neighborhoods through the Avenue Community Development Corporation. This year, Jailyn Marcel of PaperCity magazine has helped to curate art-inspired bites from local chefs and restaurateurs like Javani King and Lee Ellis for partygoers to enjoy while browsing and bidding on original artwork and jewelry from over 300 local artists.

Houston artist Patrick Renner will also construct an original installation for the preview party on November 3. The main auction and party is on November 5.

Donna Karan & Russell James Host NTWF Inaugural Fundraiser

Fashion mogul Donna Karan and fashion photographer Russell James co-host the Nomadic Two Worlds Foundation Inaugural Fundraiser with Native American and Australian Aboriginal as honored guests and performers.

Friday, November 4

Houston Black Restaurant Week presents: Harvest the Block

Houston Black Restaurant Week (HBRW) kicks off its first annual fall series, Harvest The Block, this weekend. This inaugural affair aims to stimulate growth between Texas' black-owned farms and the local Houston economy. The weekend of events include "Kitchen Konversations: Cooking Experience" with Chef Shakti Baum, a fall street festival and farmers market with local vendors, as well as a community family-style dinner in the historic Third Ward.

Houstonians will also be able to use UberEats to have produce baskets delivered directly to their homes from the farmers market.

Murrays and Le Bonne Vie presents The Cheese Fest

The Cheese Festival gives guests the opportunity to meet cheese producers from around the world while sampling various types of cheese, sipping on craft brews and wine, and being entertained by live local music. This is the first time this event will be happening in Houston, and it's sure to be a haven for the most discerning turophile.

Sia in Concert with Miguel & AlunaGeorge

Sing along with Sia as she hits the stage at the Toyota Center. Her hit "Chandelier" still makes me sing at the top of my lungs each time it comes on. The crowd will also be treated to the smooth R&B vocals of Miguel as well as the fun dance tunes of electronic duo AlunaGeorge; a great lineup of musical talent!

Saturday, November 5

15th Annual Rockets Run

Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital benefits from a host of activities, including a kids walk, 2 mile walk, and a 5K run. As a bonus for joining in on the charity run, participants receive a ticket to a Rockets home game, T-shirt, and entry to the post-race party.

Sanrio presents Hello Kitty Cafe Truck

Hello Kitty lovers will be excited to know that the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is making its way back to Houston. Fans can purchase Hello Kitty treats such as a 3-piece Hello Kitty cookie set, a rainbow macaron box set, a 4-pack of mini cakes, and bow-shaped bottles of water while the truck is at The Woodlands Mall. Haven't decided who to vote for yet? Not to worry; you can vote "Hello Kitty for President" and purchase a limited edition frosted cookie. Shes's a part of the "Friendship Party," so cast your vote.

2016 Houston Margarita Festival

Taste over 27 different margarita flavors made from 100 percent agave tequila, sample food from local restaurants, and join in on a salsa and limbo competiton at the 2016 Margarita Festival. Chula's Diablo Loco, Lupe Tortilla, and Top Golf will compete to see who will take home the title of the "Best Margarita." Do you and your partner have the best dance moves? The duo that receives the loudest applause from the crowd will be determined the winners, a very Apollo-style way of choosing the best.

Market on the Avenue

Dine, indulge, and dwell at the 3rd Annual Market on the Avenue taking place at West Ave. Shop an open-air marketplace with great local vendors and pop-ups from your favorite West Ave stores and services. Sample tasty bites from Armandos, Crú Wine Bar, Del Frisco's Grille, and The Pit Room.Vote for the Best Bite to win People's Choice! You'll have the opportunity to win door prizes every hour, kids can get their face painted (or adults too), and donations will benefit the Houston Food Bank.

Sunday, November 6

Downtown District presents Bayou Bikers

Explore the Houston bayous from a different point of view as you join other bikers on a 25-to-40 mile ride with the Bayou Bikers. This informal group aims to show Houstonians and visitors the beauty of Houston's waterways, all while getting in a bit of exercise and meeting new people.

The Pass & Provisions presents Marcus Samuelsson: Rooster, The Cookbook

Marcus Samuelsson debuts his newest Red Rooster Cookbook at The Pass & Provisions. Samuelsson will serve up dishes inspired by his Harlem restaurant at the three-course brunch, signature cocktails and kolaches from The Pass & Provisions will be on the menu, and guests receive a signed copy of his book.

Southern Smoke

For the second year of his barbecue-themed MS fundraiser, Underbelly chef-owner Chris Shepherd has stepped things up considerably. In addition to returning pitmasters Aaron Franklin and Rodney Scott, Shepherd has recruited four of his fellow James Beard Award winners to serve food at the party — Ashley Christensen (seven acclaimed restaurants in Raleigh, North Carolina), Tandy Wilson (City House in Nashville), Ryan Prewitt (Peche in New Orleans), and Stephen Stryjewski (Cochon in New Orleans).

With Franklin, Shepherd, and Oxheart chef-owner Justin Yu, who appears as part of HOUBBQ Collective along with Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner (The Pass & Provisions) and Ryan Pera (Coltivare, Revival Market, Eight Row Flint), the lineup includes seven James Beard Award winners. It’s certainly the most out-of-town culinary talent to grace a Houston food event in recent memory.

This is a fun-filled weekend with so many great events to choose from. Planning to check out any of the events above? Share your experience with us on social media!

Who has the "Best Margarita" at the Houston Margarita Festival?

Photo courtesy of Houston Margarita Festival

Who has the "Best Margarita" at the Houston Margarita Festival?

event-planner

Movie Review

Dakota Fanning-led The Sun Never Sets needs more direction

Photo courtesy of Independent Film Company

Dakota Fanning in The Sun Never Sets.

The movies of writer/director Joe Swanberg have always been an acquired taste, as he prefers to give his actors a loose framework of a story and let them improvise most of their lines to give the films a more natural feel. Sometimes that approach can yield great results, and sometimes — as in The Sun Never Sets — it can result in addled and maddening storytelling.

Wendy (Dakota Fanning) is in her early 30s and at a crossroads in her life. When a friend announces she’s pregnant, she starts to re-evaluate what she wants, including her two-year relationship with the older Jack (Jake Johnson). Although they love each other, their disagreements on having more children and extracurricular activities call their long-term viability into question.

Jack, not wanting Wendy to settle, encourages her to explore her options where they live — Anchorage, Alaska — telling her he’ll be waiting should she strike out. What he doesn’t expect is that Wendy’s ex-boyfriend, Chuck (Cory Michael Smith), has returned to the city, giving her an attractive alternative. The three engage in a love triangle that proves frustrating and confusing for both the participants and the viewers.

What works best about the film is its location in Alaska, which rarely gets showcased in movies, and even more rarely in the way it is here. The story takes place in warmer months, and Swanberg gives his characters multiple opportunities to be outside, showing off Anchorage’s harbor, surrounding mountains, and seemingly vibrant city life. The subtle but effective way Swanberg frames various scenes makes the landscape enormously appealing.

It’s too bad, then, that the story never measures up to its surroundings. Too often Fanning, Johnson, Smith, and others seem to be grasping for their next line, unsure of what they want their character to do or say next. That lets their scenes mimic real conversations, but you might not realize how much you want scripted dialogue until you see actors trying to come up with their own in the moment.

The larger issue is that there’s no consistency from scene to scene about where the plot is heading. The characters of Wendy, Jack, and Chuck are extremely wishy-washy about their desires, with each of them vacillating back-and-forth in just how much they want to be with each other. Depending on your experience, this may or may not be true to life, but watching it is excruciating and not enjoyable or romantic in the slightest.

As actors, Fanning, Johnson, and Smith are talented and interesting, with each capable of connecting with viewers in different ways. But working in improvisation is a different beast, and only Johnson — who has worked with Swanberg multiple times — seems truly at home. A few others, like Debby Ryan and Anna Konkle, do well in the format and maybe deserved bigger parts.

Swanberg has proven in the past that his method of filmmaking can be insightful and entertaining, but that is not the case here. In The Sun Never Sets, his hands-off approach is a detriment to the flow of the film and the story as a whole, resulting in an experience that is far from what most viewers will want to go through.

---

The Sun Never Sets is now playing in select theaters.

movies film