weekend event planner

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

Valentina J’Adore hosts a night of boozy burlesque and sexy, sparkly fun on Saturday.

Saturday is National Rosé Day, which means that you gotta get your sip on somewhere in town. May we suggest B&B Butchers Restaurant, which will be hosting a festive, “Rosé All Day” brunch to unveil five new rosés that will be on the menu all summer long.

Kendra Scott & Market Street will also be hosting an afternoon of rosé tastings, Instagram-worthy photo ops, kid-friendly activities, live music and more.

Plenty of more activities are vying for your attention. Here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, June 10

Kin Dee One-Year Anniversary Party
Heights-based, Thai cuisine hotspot Kin Dee, which amazingly opened its doors during the pandemic, will celebrate its one-year anniversary with a good ol' party. Festivities will include an overdue ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially commemorate the restaurant’s opening, samplings of the restaurant's delicious dishes and cocktails, live entertainment such as traditional Thai dance performances & Muay Thai matches and live music from a Thai Classical Symphony. 6 pm.

The Proper Art Social Hosted by Phill Wade
It appears that musician/comedian/actor Phill Wade has been doing a weekly, social gathering over at House of Blues's Foundation Room, and he's been inviting local performers to come in and entertain the swanky crowd. This week's musical guests are hip-hop/soul trio The Hue, with DJ Donnie Houston providing grooves throughout the evening. The no-cover show is 21 and up and the Foundation Room lounge menu is available until 11 pm. 8 pm.

Friday, June 11

University of St. Thomas presents Two Saints and a Taco Tasting
This friendly, taco-tasting competition (celebrating its 10th anniversary) will have taco entries from a number of well-known, Houston restaurants, an online auction and entertainment. The main attraction of the event is a friendly, yet competitive, taco-tasting contest between local restaurants, which will support the University of St. Thomas by donating, preparing and serving a strategically selected, signature taco while vying for the coveted Judges’ Choice and People's Choice trophies. 6:30 pm.

The Secret Group presents Tin Foil Comedy Live with Sam Tripoli & Eddie Bravo
Sam Tripoli, host of the popular, conspiracy-themed podcast Tin Foil Hat, is bringing his provocative worldview to the stage in a special night of stand-up comedy and far-out theories. Joined for this two-night, limited engagement by fellow status quo provocateur and Joe Rogan Experience regular Eddie Bravo, Tripoli will turn conventional thinking and historically accepted accounts on its collective ear. 7 and 9 pm.

The Downtown District presents Movies at Market Square Park
Market Square Park kicks off its free, outdoor movie series with a screening of the 1953 film Roman Holiday, featuring Audrey Hepburn as a touring, European princess who takes off for a night in Rome and meets an American reporter (Gregory Peck). Lawn chairs and blankets are highly recommended. Food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome. Outside alcohol is not allowed to be brought into the park, but beer and wine are sold at Niko Niko's. 8:30 pm.

Saturday, June 12

Lost Restaurants of Galveston's African American Community Book Signing and Release
From Gus Allen’s business savvy to Eliza Gipson’s oxtail artistry, Galveston Historical Foundation’s African American Heritage Committee has gathered together the stories and recipes that preserve this culinary history in a new book, for the enjoyment and enrichment of generations -- and kitchens -- to come. Join the authors for this book signing, which will take place at the 1892 Bishop's Palace. 10 am.

East End Backyard First Annual Pride Gala
Brian Ching's East End Backyard will host this inaugural gala, which will be a drag show complete with lip-syncing and dancing from such divas as Shy Ann, Amanda Ann Houston, Angela Mercy, Ashleey Houston, and Marcia Mink. The event will benefit PWA Holiday Charities, which assists people living with HIV/AIDS. East End will feature a special beer on tap, Great Heights Brewing's “Haze not Hate," with $1 from every pint sold benefiting PWA. 8 pm.

The 8th Wonder Follies at 8th Wonder Distillery
Valentina J’Adore and 8th Wonder Distillery are hosting a night of boozy burlesque and sexy, sparkly fun. This 21-and-up show promises a thrilling evening of intimate, elegant performances and rowdy fun, featuring classic acts from Houston’s best burlesque artists. Hosts will guide you through the show with humor and wit. Attendees should prepare to be delighted by feather fans, old Hollywood glamour and delicious cocktails. 10 pm.

Sunday, June 13

Flea at Silver Street: Summer Flea 2021
On Saturday and Sunday, this Silver Street Studios-based flea market will feature local artists, designers and craftsmen. Summer Flea is a curated market of one-of-a-kind collectibles, jewelry, vintage, art, mid-century modern furniture, original designs and more artisan products. There will also be a full bar and food trucks on hand. General admission is $5. Kids 12 and under can get in free. Pets are welcome, but they must be well-behaved and put on a leash. 10 am.

Houston Best Friends Day Adoption Event
Best Friends Animal Society will be taking over a retail space at MKT Heights retail center (suite 100) and joining them for their Good Clean Fun Sunday Funday event, where they will have vendors and activities celebrating all things wellness. There will be adoptable cats and dogs on site, as well as adoptable dogs and cats from Fort Bend County Animal Services and City of Baytown Animal Services. Noon.

event-planner

Movie Review

Over-the-top thriller The Housemaid revels in camp, chaos, and excess

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Both Amanda Seyfried (the upcoming The Testament of Ann Lee) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) are starring in movies with Oscar ambitions this year. By sheer coincidence, the two actors are also co-starring in The Housemaid, a thriller coming out within weeks of their more ambitious works, one that is likely to be seen by many more people than those prestige plays.

Sweeney is given top billing as Millie, a down-on-her-luck ex-convict looking to land any type of job so as not to break her parole. She finds a too-good-to-be-true lifeboat with Nina (Seyfried), who hires her to be a housemaid for her large house on Long Island, where she lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle).

After a warm interview, Nina almost immediately becomes highly erratic, whipping back-and-forth between happy-go-lucky and rageful. It seems clear that Nina is suffering from mental health issues, as she’ll often accuse Millie of misplacing or stealing items that she didn’t take. Andrew, apparently used to Nina’s tirades, tries to protect Millie from the worst, something that grows increasingly difficult as Nina ups the ante.

Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor) and adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from the bestselling book by Freida McFadden, the film is likely the trashiest mainstream movie to come out in 2025. The first half of the movie relies not on story but on moments as Nina embodies the word “hysterical” to an unbelievable extent. The resigned acceptance of the abuse by Millie, as well as the saintly patience of Andrew, make almost every scene laughable, as nobody seems to be acting anywhere close to how a person would normally react to such extreme situations.

The scenes and the performance of Seyfried are so over-the-top, in fact, that it’s clear that the filmmakers are in on the joke. It’s next to impossible not to have a little bit of fun while watching the actors react to outrageous incidents as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The worse Nina acts, the more Millie and Andrew retreat into their chosen roles, and the funnier the film becomes.

Fans of the book will know that the story changes course, eventually turning into a more stereotypical thriller that also has some relatively gnarly visuals to offer. But the trashiness continues, with Sweeney’s, um, assets repeatedly on display in both clothed and unclothed ways. The sex appeal of the R-rated movie makes it an outlier, as recent studio films have shied away from asking their big stars to disrobe completely.

Both Seyfried and Sweeney are far from their Oscar hopeful roles here. Seyfried is given free rein to act as brazenly as she pleases, and she takes full advantage of that ability. Sweeney seems to have been told to be much more reserved, and unfortunately that results in too many wooden line readings. Sklenar continues his breakout streak (It Ends with Us, Drop) with a role that allows him to show more range than either Seyfried or Sweeney.

The Housemaid is an unusual type of movie to be released at a time of year when most films are either those aiming for awards or more family-friendly fare. Despite its many flaws, it’s still an enjoyable watch that features a variety of crazy scenarios not typically seen in movies nowadays.

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The Housemaid is now playing in theaters.

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