Four nights of fun
The procrastinator's guide to Fourth of July weekend: From celeb chefs toanother Win Butler
Jul 1, 2011 | 5:34 pm
- Jack Ingram
- Freedom Over Texas will light up the Houston skyline.Photo by Richard Carson
- Rodney Atkins
- Chris Young
With the nation's Independence Day looming, patriots and partiers alike are scrambling to arrange an ace all-American agenda. Rely on this guide to get you through the maze of fireworks and fabulous feasts this Fourth of July weekend:
- Listen up: Hotel Sorella is sponsoring a four-day local act concert series, consecutively featuring Kyle Turner, Thunderboltz, Norma Zenteno Band and the Texas Unlimited Band. The series begins Friday and will be held 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. each night.
- The Tasting Room CityCentre is rolling out the red, white and blue carpet beginning Friday with Sunset Grillin' on the patio from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Guests can fill up on beef and chicken sliders, marinated shrimp and house-made chips. A tasting of U.S. wines takes place on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m., followed by a Sunset Grillin' encore. Beer and pizza discounts abound on Sunday and Monday.
- Revival Market is featuring Green Eyed Susan macarons in red, white and blue hues. Swing by the Heights enclave and pick up a batch of piña colada, strawberries and cream, blueberry and raspberry pink peppercorn delicacies. On Saturday, the macarons will be showcased at French Country Wines (2433 Bartlett St., two blocks east of Kirby and Goode Company Barbecue). You'll find "banilla" macarons, exclusive "popping" macarons and mini pies in curried mango, Dutch apple and mixed berry flavors.
- Can't take the heat? Find a seat at Shade and dig into the special Fourth of July menu. The cornmeal crusted oyster caesar salad and lamb dawg with house-cut fries are sure to get you into the swing of summer.
- Sister restaurant Canopy is packing an Independence Day picnic with such temptations as snapper beignets with jalapeño aioli and the Sabra Ranch longhorn burger on wheat challah. The cheddar crust apple pie and double chocolate chunk cookie mint ice cream sandwich also have us swinging from the treetops.
- Win Butler isn't the only Woodlands-raised musician. Get an earful of Jack Ingram's deliriously gorgeous voice at the Freedom Over Texas celebration. The recipient of the 2008 Academy of Country Music award for "Best New Male Vocalist," Ingram is sure to please fans of heartland tunes. Chris Young and Rodney Atkins will also be performing. The singers hit the mikes at 7 p.m.
- Craving some organic grub? On hand at Freedom Over Texas' Reliant Energy Red, White and Green Scene will be a trio of localebrity chefs: Haven's Randy Evans, Ruggles Green's German Mosquera and T'afia's Monica Pope. The sample and cooking demo dialogue will be held 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday.
- With a production company named Pyrotecnico, the Freedom Over Texas fireworks display is sure to expertly illuminate Houston's skyline. The best place to catch the show is Eleanor Tinsley Park. Admission is free with the donation of one canned item per person to the Houston Food Bank. Otherwise, admission is $8 per person. The sky lights up at 9:30 p.m. Monday.
- Don't get mired in traffic before and after the fireworks. An intricate system of street closures, tapered lanes and downtown parking lots will be implemented on Monday and Tuesday — log on to FreedomOverTexas.org for the driving deets.