Meet Me at City Place

Discover the magic of fall at City Place in Spring, Texas

As autumn graces the Lone Star State, City Place transforms into a vibrant tapestry of seasonal delights.

Whether you're a local or visitor, the sustainable north Houston community in Spring — located immediately south of The Woodlands and a short drive from George Bush Intercontinental Airport — offers a perfect blend of entertainment, dining, and outdoor exploration that promises to make your fall getaway or staycation unforgettable.

Family-friendly fun
City Place is a fantastic destination for families looking to enjoy quality time together. A busy fall calendar of mostly complimentary events and activities caters to all ages, with offerings that span yoga and fitness classes to outdoor movie nights, wildlife education workshops, and puppet shows.

Spotlight programming for the season includes the Water Lantern Festival and the debut of interactive temporary artwork As Water Falls on Saturday, October 5. A festive Dia de los Muertos celebration is set for Saturday, November 1, and prepare for bustling holiday lighting starting on Sunday, December 1.

The Dia de los Muertos celebration is happening November 1.Photo courtesy of City Place

A seasonal wonderland
As the temperatures cool and winter starts to sneak in, City Place becomes a haven of seasonal festivities.

Stroll through the beautifully landscaped, waterfront City Place Park and gaze at the Plaza's holiday decorations, which include City Place’s signature, 35-foot, floating Christmas tree rising from the park’s main pond. The giant Gingerbread Village welcomes guests down a gumdrop, lollipop, and candy cane-lined path — guarded by two giant gingerbread men — to a raised clearing featuring cookie trees, a 16-foot-high gingerbread house, and a 12-foot windmill.

With its picturesque setting and welcoming ambience, City Place is the ideal spot for enjoying December’s charm.

Outdoor adventures
Pedestrian-oriented City Place provides a picturesque backdrop for outdoor enjoyment, regardless of the season.

Within the community, visitors can take advantage of easy access to 290 acres of parks and natural corridors via a network of smooth paths and natural trails. Utilizing RunGo, an ad-free placemaking app, users can select from nine verified and protected trail routes, ranging in distance from just over a half mile to 7.7 miles, with turn-by-turn voice navigation and location-based information.

Take a stroll around City Place Park.Photo courtesy of City Place

City Place also offers a direct connection to the Spring Creek Greenway, which connects and protects approximately 7,000 acres of forest, preserving this ecological gem as a mecca for ecotourism, education, and outdoor recreation. Users can explore more than 19 miles of natural forests and white sandy beaches brimming with local wildlife and plant species while enjoying activities including canoeing, kayaking. and archery, plus nature trails perfect for hiking and biking.

A taste of Texas
No matter your taste or budget, City Place serves up myriad dining options that showcase a variety of Texas-based, fast-casual concepts and independents. These include Sushi Rebel, Torchy’s Tacos, SwitcHouse Plates & Pours, Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, Jinya Ramen Bar, Island Grill, Noe’s Café, Tarka Indian Kitchen, Yi Cha Tea and Coffee, and Urban Bird Hot Chicken.

Also on the menu is dine-in movie indulgence at Star Cinema Grill, which also boasts a chic central lounge.

Explore your options at Sushi Rebel.Photo courtesy of City Place

Photo courtesy of City Place

The AAA Four Diamond Houston City Place Marriott is one hotel option.

Area attractions
While there’s lots to do inside City Place, the community also benefits from its prime location and proximity to an array of nearby excursions such as Market Street, Old Town Spring, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Splashtown (home of The Light Park during the holiday season), and Lake Conroe.

Plan your visit
This fall, make City Place in Spring your go-to destination. In addition to its unique blend of dining, shopping, and entertainment, there are three premier hotels — the AAA Four Diamond Houston City Place Marriott, Residence Inn Houston City Place, and Courtyard Houston City Place — where you can rest and relax while create lasting memories.

Visit www.cityplacenow.com to plan your trip and discover all of this fall's exciting activities.

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Movie review

Adam Scott explores creepy Irish hotel in moody horror movie Hokum

Photo courtesy of Neon

Adam Scott in Hokum.

There are relatively few actors who can switch back and forth between comedy and drama easily, but Adam Scott is the rare exception. He’s equally as well known for starring in comedy projects like Parks & Recreation, Party Down, and Step Brothers as he is for dramas like Big Little Lies and Severance. He’s going the latter route again in the new horror film, Hokum.

Scott plays author Ohm Bauman, who’s trying to finish his latest book. In an effort to avoid distractions and also pay tribute to his parents, he retreats to an Irish hotel where his mom and dad spent their honeymoon. Bauman, who is about as stand-offish as you can get, and the staff of the hotel are at odds almost right away, although Bauman finds a kind of kinship with Jerry (David Wilmot), a seemingly-homeless man he meets in a nearby forest.

Bauman becomes intrigued with the story of the hotel’s closed-off honeymoon suite, which is said to be haunted. His curiosity, though, seems to trigger a variety of strange things, one of which ends with him in an extended stay at the hospital. He returns to the hotel determined more than ever to discover what’s really happening in the honeymoon suite, with things both normal and supernatural blocking his way at every turn.

Written and directed by Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy, the film’s approach to horror is both subtle and overt. On the good side is Bauman’s story, which gradually gets deeper as more is revealed about his past, especially the premature death of his mother. Bauman’s trauma over her loss influences his thinking and actions, and a possible connection between his current situation and his personal history broadens the scope of the plot.

There is plenty of creepiness to be found in the film, starting with the dark and decrepit nature of the hotel itself. Any building where a particular room is off-limits naturally inspires intrigue, and McCarthy does a solid job of building tension. That’s why it’s strange and disappointing that he gives in to the lamest of horror tropes - a sudden appearance by an odd-looking person accompanied by a big screeching noise - on multiple occasions.

The film is at its best when it features weird moments that are never or only slightly explained. A dead body in a rabbit suit is echoed by the unexplained broadcast from Bauman’s youth featuring a terrifying TV host with bulging eyes and rabbit ears. Bauman’s explorations take him into the hotel’s basement via a dumbwaiter, where he encounters all manner of strange things, including what seem to be witches. Because most of these things are left to the audience’s imagination, they hit harder in the moment.

Scott is known to be understated in his acting, and that skill works well in this particular role. Although he clearly plays Bauman as freaked out, he never indicates panic, and that level-headedness makes his character someone you want to follow no matter how dark the path might be. The mostly-Irish supporting cast is not well-known, but Wilmot and Florence Ordesh make the most of their short time on screen.

Hokum — a title that is also not explained — is a horror film that earns its bona fides through mood more than action. Even though not much of consequence happens throughout the film, it still keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next.

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Hokum is now playing in theaters.

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