white linen night is back

13 hottest White Linen Night events in the Heights, from pub crawls to pup parties

White Linen Night is back and promises to be packed.

White Linen Nights/Facebook and Monica Kressman

One of Houston's most popular weekend events in arguably the city's buzziest 'hoods is back. White Linen Night returns to the Heights and promises to be white-hot. Taking over a small strip in the Heights, the party starts early and goes late, with folks donning their coolest white looks as they sip, shop, and shake it on Saturday, August 6.

Founded in 2006 (post-Katrina) by New Orleans transplants Chris and Kay Thayer, the night draws thousands of Heights locals and revelers from all over town. The smart play is to ride share in, as street and neighborhood parking on even a regular Saturday is a challenge — let alone White Linen Night.

With that in mind, we've rounded up a list of best White Linen Night events, listed by start time. Dress cool, drink responsibly (if applicable), and expect a jam-packed night.

Houston Young Professionals will host its official — and appropriately titled — White Linen Night Pub Crawl in The Heights. Open to the public, the event takes place in the pavilion between Tacos a Go-Go and Christian's Tailgate. Party band Mango Punch headlines, with a DJ spinning tunes. Participating watering holes include Bobcat Teddy's, Christian's Tailgate, Little Woodrow's, Onion Creek, Permission Whiskey and Public House. 11 am.

Heights Antiques on Yale, LLC will have a White Linen Night in the Heights sale and party. Shoppers can look for a 20-to-50-percent off sale on storewide items, as well as a sidewalk sale and a complimentary buffet. 10 am.

Moonshine Deck will throw a White Linen bash, complete with a selfie booth and backdrop, white linen-inspired cocktails and more. Bryan Rhymez, DJ Nonstopp and DJ Ebonix will be on hand providing the grooves. 11 am.

Benny Thunders, the self-pour wine/craft beer tavern, will have both a grand opening and a White Linen soiree. Artista Elisabet will be around to show off her murals, which celebrates the beauty and diversity of Houston. Noon.

Little Woodrow's Heights will get florescent with its shindig, also known as the White Linen Glow Party. Come light up the night at the biggest party in the Heights. They will have DJ sets all day and night, drink specials and more. Noon.

Tikila's White Linen jam will include a live set from Yacht Rock USA. That's right — listen to covers of Christopher Cross and Michael McDonald classics white rocking your white threads. There will also be a photo booth and drink specials all night. Noon.

Heights Bier Garten's White Linen gathering will include live performances from Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws and Mykawa. In the middle of those sets, there will be a best-dressed contest. 4 pm.

Railway Heights Market will have its first-annual Doggy White Linen Party, presented by dog park Sit Bar. Expect live music, doggie adoption, and drinks and shopping, while supporting your local Houston businesses. Fur babies and their white-clad parents are invited to come party. 4 pm.

BB's Tex-Orleans (Houston Heights) will be turning all the way up for its White Linen night. Amin Safari will be on the main stage providing live music, and you can get a Saint Arnold H-Town Pils with any full-size po' boy. 5 pm.

Casa Ramirez FOLKART Gallery will get hella artistic for its White Linen get-together. Jesus and Maria Lozano of BOSSA ll will provide the music, while Lizbeth Ortiz and other local artists will provide the artwork. 5 pm.

Cedar Creek Bar & Grill promises a rockin' White Linen party, complete with food and drink specials, swag, dancing, and more. DJ Dayta will get the party going and warm you up for The Moment HTX to rock all through the night. 6 pm.

Onion Creek Cafe will also be rocking hard for its White Linen festivities. We're talking about a parking-lot party, complete with an air-conditioned VIP tent. Shotgun Sally will be on the main stage and DJ Fredster will drop the all-night beats. 6 pm.

La Coqueta and dance school Two to Tango will host their first White Linen party. Celebrate art, culture, and community in the Heights — and, maybe, learn how to get your tango on. 7 pm.

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Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer visits Houston in new Christmas movie Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

movies film

white linen night is back

13 hottest White Linen Night events in the Heights, from pub crawls to pup parties

Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer visits Houston in new Christmas movie Oh. What. Fun.

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