More than tea time & tiaras

Royal-in-training: Kate Middleton goes to princess school (without JulieAndrews)

Anne Hathaway gets princess training from Julie Andrews The Princess Diaries
Kate Middleton

One might think a degree in art history from St. Andrews would qualify Kate Middleton for a rigorous schedule of waving to crowds and wearing interesting hats.

But after the last generation of royal princesses, Diana and Fergie, publicly struggled to adapt to royal life, Princess Catherine is getting lessons from senior advisors to help her adapt to her new role.

While princess school sounds like great fun, apparently it's more than just tea time and tiaras. Also it's reportedly not even run by Julie Andrews, which makes it 80 percent less awesome.

As a royal insider told The Telegraph,

The Duchess is being briefed on how the State works, getting to know our national institutions better and learning more about organisations such as the arts, the media and the government. It is a process that will carry on for several months but is being done privately. As well as meetings at St James’s Palace, the Duchess is spending time carrying out private research of her own."

Kate has also been meeting with assorted charities as she determines which she would like to support as royal patron — she's expected to announce her choices at the beginning of the year. (Strangely no one thought to make this process into a reality show called Britain's Next Top Royal Charity. Opportunity lost.)

What do you think Kate is learning at princess school? And would you want to attend?

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Time to Tailgate

Houston sports fans score great food and fun at CultureMap's Tailgate

Photo by Daniel Fernandez

Guests donned their favorite Houston jerseys

It's rare to get a Houston evening with low humidity, crisp air, and cool breezes, but the stars aligned for The Tailgate presented by Verizon, CultureMap's third annual signature event, on November 11. The weather was absolutely perfect.

Held at 8th Wonder Brewing, the (mostly) outdoor event offered about 500 guests plenty of space to mingle, eat, and enjoy the laid-back vibe of sports-themed fun. Houston pride shone brightly with attendees donning their best Astros, Texans, Rockets, and Dynamo gear.

Courtesy of presenting sponsor Verizon, VIP admission gave guests access to a special meet-and-greet with two of the Houston Texans' most popular alumni — defensive stars Brian Cushing and Travis Johnson. The players handed out their autographs and snapped photos with fans to kick off the evening. Guests were also able to register for an exciting chance to win a VIP trip for two to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. And if you missed your chance, don't worry. There's still time to enter now.

Of course, no tailgate is complete without delicious food. Guests gobbled up generous samples from some of Houston's favorite restaurants, including:

Adobo beef tacos from 1891 American Eatery & Bar
White wings, gold fever wings, crawdaddy and mango habanero wings, and signature onion rings from Big City Wings
Comfort Foodies' signature empanadas in four flavors: oxtail, beef and cheese, chicken and cheese, and spinach and cheese
Shrimp ceviche shooters and brisket on a croissant from The Halal Guys
St. Louis ribs with Comeback Sauce from Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition
Spicy and regular Layne's chicken fingers with dipping sauce
Smoked salmon handroll from Kokoro
Loro's smoked brisket tostadas with shishito salsa
Ramen Frito pie from Ramen Tatsu-Ya
Lobster rolls, corn and crab bisque, lobster bisque, and whoopie pies from Mainely Sandwiches
Smoked pulled pork bahn mi pizza from Pizarro's Pizza
House made bratwurst on a challah roll with sauerkraut and amber ale mustard from Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Jerk lamb chops from Southern Jerks
Spicy ranch wings from Taste Kitchen + Bar
Laab chicken sandwiches with tortilla chips from Thai Tail
The Waffle Bus' Hot Mess Fries: seasoned waffle fries topped with spicy buttermilk fried chicken bites, white cheddar mac and cheese, and Thunder Sauce
72-hour sous vide wagyu short rib from Uchi
Wagyu meatballs and edamame fritters from Uchiko Houston

With virtually no wait time for drinks, the bars served up signature cocktails by Jameson Irish Whiskey and Weber Ranch Vodka. Guests sipped memorable espresso martinis made with Shipley Do-Nuts cold brew at the Houston Powder Coaters lounge, along with THC seltzers from Howdy and 8th Wonder beers.

Big City Wings beat out 15 other competitors in a bracket-style tournament to take home the title as winner of the Ultimate Wing Showdown. And The Waffle Bus scored a repeat win as attendees' favorite dish of the night; they also took home the title in 2023.

Sponsor East River 9 offered more delicious food at their booth.

Local sports organizations were well represented, with the Texans raffling off a coveted CJ Stroud-signed White Panel Football. The Astros showed off their Shooting Stars dancers, plus the 2017 and 2022 World Series Trophies. And Houston soccer stars the Dynamo and Dash raffled off team-signed jerseys.

Julia Morales showcased with her custom apparel line, Shop Baseball, Y'all. Attendees could also shop the great apparel selection from Mizzen + Main.

No sports-themed event would be complete without some friendly competition and awards to take home. Guests could putt putt for prizes, courtesy of Holey Moley. And the night wound down with a spirited kolache-eating contest sponsored by Shipley Do-Nuts; the lucky winner received free doughnuts for a year.

At the end of the night, there was only one complaint to be made for The Tailgate: It had to come to an end for another season.

The Tailgate was presented by Verizon and sponsored by 8th Wonder, HOWDY, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Houston Powder Coaters, Holey Moley Golf Club, Mizzen + Main, Shipley Do-nuts, and East River 9.

Photo by Daniel Fernandez

Guests donned their favorite Houston jerseys