He earned it

Texans legend Andre Johnson celebrates HOF election with star-studded, champagne-fueled bash

Andre Johnson and Kareem Jackson

Photo courtesy of Public Content

Houston Texans legend Andre Johnson celebrated his election to the Pro Football Hall of a Fame with a lavish party at nightclub and restaurant Ciel on Sunday, April 7. Johnson will be the first Texan enshrined in the hall at a ceremony that will be held on August 3.

The event was packed with 250 of Johnson’s closest and most famous friends. These included Texans chair and CEO Cal McNair, fellow Hall of Famer Edgerrin James, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, and Houston Astros owners Jim and Whitney Crane. Other celebs in attendance included Houston hip hop legend Bun B, former Texans coach Gary Kubiak, and a number of former NFL stars including Adrian Peterson, Vonta Leach, Clinton Portis, Jonathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, and Santana Dotson. Johnson’s mother Karen gave a speech about her son’s incredible career.

Ciel chef Will Ducante served a luxurious five-course meal that started with wagyu dumplings, wagyu tartare, tempura rock shrimp, and avocado salad. Guests dined on a surf and turf of lobster and Australian wagyu filets. For dessert, noted Houston bakery Who Made the Cake! prepared a towering six-layer red velvet construction designed by Nadine Moon. As an extra special touch, each layer was colored to coincide with the various teams Johnson has played with since high school.

The event was sponsored by Brown-Foreman, the illustrious distiller responsible for iconic brands like Tequila Herradura, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve, and produced by Lasting Empressions Event Design & Production. With the drinks flowing, the party was hosted by 97.9 The Box’s DJ Keisha Nicole, a close friend of Johnson’s.

Johnson also received a selection of gifts from his well-wishers. The Cranes presented him with a custom Astros Jersey featuring his name and the number 24 to mark his induction into the Class of 2024. Johnson’s friend Lynn Price gave him a vintage Chevrolet Corvette, painted with the Texans logo and a large 80 on the doors, his Houston Texans jersey number.

The party went deep into the early morning, according to a release, and featured a toast with premium Ace of Spades champagne.

Johnson was selected third by the Texans in the 2003 draft and played with the team for 12 seasons. In that time, he made his mark as one of the finest receivers in NFL history. He holds the Texans records for most career receptions, career receiving yards, career receiving touchdowns, receptions in a single season, receiving yards in a single season, seasons with 100+ receptions, and best receiving yards per game average.

The former wide receiver is also famous in the Houston area for his philanthropy. For Christmas 2012, he spent nearly $20,000 on presents for children in Child Protective Services, funded by his own Andre Johnson Foundation. Afterwards, he worked with the Houston Police Department as part of their Blue Santa program.

Other players who were announced as part of the Hall of Fame 2024 Class were Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar of the Denver Broncos, football player turned pro-wrestler Steve “Mongo” McMichael, return specialist Devin Hester, defensive end Julius Peppers, and San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis. The Houston Texans and Chicago Bears will begin the NFL pre-season by playing in the Hall of Fame Game on August 1.

Photo by Xavier Burke

Rockets star Jalen Green and Andre Johnson.

parties houston-texans celebrities

hey, joe

Trader Joe's sets Cypress opening date, confirms Bellaire plans

Photo courtesy of Towne Lake by Caldwell Communities Facebook page

Trader Joe's is expanding, and shoppers couldn't be happier.

Two new Houston-area communities announced that they would be opening Trader Joe's locations, bringing the total number of stores in the city to nine.

On Thursday, December 18, the Towne Lake by Caldwell Communities Facebook page posted that the new Trader Joe's at 9715 Towne Lake Parkway would open at 8 am on Friday, December 19. Unsold but still-good products left over at the ribbon cutting ceremony will be donated to local nonprofits.

"Not only does Trader Joe's have great prices on food, drinks, and treats, but as a hobby florist I always find the best selections for my floral arrangements," Copperfield resident Kelsey Zuchlewski tells CultureMap. "Now, with the convenience of having a location right here in our neighborhood, I'm in heaven."

Confirmation of the Cypress opening followed an announcement on the City of Bellaire's Facebook page that a Trader Joe's would take over the former Randall's at 5130 Bellaire Blvd. The post did not specify when construction will begin or when the location will open.

"This highly anticipated addition to our community will bring a unique grocery shopping experience and further enhance the vibrant retail landscape of Bellaire," the post said. "We look forward to welcoming Trader Joe’s and will share updates as the project progresses."

The California-based chain of stores entered Houston in 2012, first in the Woodlands and then, more famously, at the old Alabama Theater space on Shepherd, where it has become a beloved local institution. Since then, the chain has expanded throughout Houston, including a Kingwood location that opened earlier this month.

Over the year, Trader Joe's has built a loyal following that rivals even H-E-B. Staff at the stores (wearing Hawaiian shirts) are trained to be extremely friendly and helpful, as well as being encouraged to purchase ownership in the company. The selection is smaller and more curated than other larger grocery stores, leading to a boutique experience that many consider to be surprisingly affordable. At least one viral TikToker claims that Trader Joe's beats H-E-B's price, although the latter undoubtedly has a larger selection of goods.

openings trader joe's