Memorial Day

11 top things to do on Memorial Day in Houston

Memorial Day is often a solemn day when many in this great nation pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who served in our country’s armed forces. And while we all enjoy sleeping in and doing nothing on this four-day weekend, there are some worthwhile, Memorial Day-related events that’ll be happening on Monday to get you up and out.

For example, a local businessman is taking on the American cliché of Memorial Day being all about mattress sales — by closing his mattress store. Youval Meicler, owner of Texas Mattress Makers, wants Memorial Day to be about veterans and their family members. “Most people don’t even know what Memorial Day is,” Meicler says. So he and his crew at Texas Mattress Makers are supporting “Pull-Ups for a Purpose,” an event raising awareness about PTSD and how Camp Hope helps veterans and their families. The event takes place on Memorial Day (Monday, May 28) at 9724 Derrington Rd. Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen and Jimmy Changa’s are partnering on the event, which starts at 8 am.

Jonathan Kim, of Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen & Jimmy Changas will attempt 2,000 pull-ups in a 10 hour and 30 minute time-frame. Companies and individuals will have the opportunity to donate a flat donation amount, or pledge an amount per pull up in order to help meet the $100,000 goal. One hundred percent of all proceeds will go directly to the PTSD Foundation of America, Camp Hope.

Here are some other ways to spend Memorial Day.

Pay your respects
The American Undersea Warfare Center at Galveston's Seawolf Park will honor fallen servicemen and women in a ceremony at the park's Memorial Plaza. It starts at 12:30 pm.

The Memorial Day Ceremony, a ninth-annual event sponsored by the city of Sugar Land, will honor the men and women of U.S. Armed Forces at Sugar Land Memorial Park. It starts at 10 am.

The Boardwalk Towne Lakein Cypress will host a Memorial Day lantern lighting. Residents and guests will get a chance to write a note and light an appreciative lantern. It starts at 7:30 pm.

Stretch, shop, and splash
Freedom Flow on the Square lets you start off Memorial Day by getting in a limber state with a free, heart-opening yoga class that’ll happen over at Revolution Studio. It starts at 9:30 am.

Gallery Auctions, Inc. will have a Memorial Day auction, where antiques, bronzes, fountains, handmade rugs, and designer furniture will be up for bidding. It starts at 10 am.

Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Centerwill host a Memorial Day pool party, complete with prizes, music, food, etc. Cool down and get wet over at 10 am.

Brews and barbecue
Showtime Bar and Lounge will be serving up drinks, crawfish, and barbecue all during Memorial Day. You can even get free crawfish with a drink purchase. DJ Tune will be on the turntables. It starts at noon.

Conservatorywill be open during normal business hours, with an all-day happy hour at the Beer Garden (all 60 drafts & select whiskeys $4) and the $1 Firesale happening at 4 pm. It starts at 11 am.

El Gato Coffeehouse Cat Café lets you spend Memorial Day with some friendly felines while you sip coffee. There will also be a sale of their “meowchandise.” It starts at noon.

Heaven on Earth: The Biggest All White Party of Texas hosted by Capitol Bar, is looking for folks to get decked out in their finest white duds. It will be free all day (with RSVP). It starts at 2 pm.

---

SportsMap's Fred Faour contributed to this story.

This weekend's events range from poignant to party.

event-planner

Movie Review

New movie Friendship pairs Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in a bizarre bromance

Photo courtesy of A24

Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship.

Comedian Tim Robinson has gained a cult following thanks to series like Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, in which his brand of cringe comedy is on full display. The former Saturday Night Live writer/performer has had a few small movie roles over the years, but he’s now getting his first starring role in the off-kilter Friendship.

Robinson plays Craig, a mild-mannered suburbanite with a wife, Tami (Kate Mara), and son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig has a boring life that involves little more than going to his middle manager job while wearing the same clothes day after day, anticipating the next Marvel movie, and helping Tami out with her at-home floral business.

He gets a jolt of energy when Austin (Paul Rudd) moves into the neighborhood. The two men seem to hit it off, with Austin — a weatherman at a local TV channel — even taking Craig on a couple of impromptu adventures. But when Craig commits a couple of faux pas at a group gathering at Austin’s house, their bond starts to fracture.

Even though the film is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung, it’s clear that Robinson had a big influence on the style of comedy it features. There are no big set pieces with a slew of jokes coming one after another. Instead, the film forces the audience to try to vibe with the very particular type of wavelength it’s giving off, one that could almost be called anti-comedy for the way the laughs come out of left field.

The 100-minute film is full of random comedic moments, like Steven kissing Tami on the lips, Craig being obsessed with his plain brown clothes, a group sing-along, and more. More often than not, it’s the way Craig reacts to both normal and abnormal situations that gets the laughs. The character is needy and oblivious, two traits that combine to make many of his actions cringeworthy.

Perhaps most importantly for this type of movie, many things in the story go unexplained or don’t make sense. Seemingly crucial elements are brought up only to fade away just as quickly, while other parts that appeared to be throwaway sections get callbacks later in the film. DeYoung and Robinson are determined to keep the audience on their toes the entire time, never knowing what to expect next.

Robinson has the perfect face for a story like this, one that’s bland enough to blend into the background but memorable enough to sell the jokes. His demeanor is also excellent, never becoming too expressive, even when he gets angry. With long hair, a mustache, and a certain swagger, Rudd is a great complement to Robinson. Only in a film like this would an everyman like Rudd be considered the suave and cool one.

There will be some that will see Friendship and come away wondering what the hell they just watched. But anyone who goes in knowing that they’re about to witness a comedy that challenges their sensibilities will likely have a great time.

---

Friendship is now playing in select theaters.

movies film

Memorial Day

11 top things to do on Memorial Day in Houston

This weekend's events range from poignant to party.

Houstonians will get the royal treatment at this lively new steakhouse

Luxury bus service Vonlane adds new departure from The Woodlands

Houston's new Napa Valley-inspired restaurant sets opening date

Movie Review

New movie Friendship pairs Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in a bizarre bromance