weekend event planner

Here are the top 14 things to do in Houston this weekend

2022 Tastemaker Awards Silver Street Studios

CultureMap hosts the biggest food event in Houston on Thursday.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Thursday night, more than a thousand food fans will pack Silver Street Studios in the Heights for the Tastemaker Awards. The biggest, hottest food event of the year sees the city's best in the restaurant and bar world vie for awards. Oh, and the bites and sips are amazing. Tickets are gone, but plan ahead for next year.

Meanwhile, a new hat store will be christened by People's Champ Paul Wall, folks will race for The Dome, and beer-based fun awaits around town.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, April 13

National Peach Cobbler Day at Any Mini Dessert Cakes

Any Mini Dessert Cakes, a family-owned, premium Houston dessert bar known for their cakes and cobblers, is celebrating National Peach Cobbler Day Thursday with a buy-one-get-one-free deal on their delicious, homemade mini peach cobblers. Peach cobbler lovers will be able to pick up a mini version of the popular Southern staple for just $5 per cup and get a second mini cobbler free. Their cobbler is made from a family recipe handed down and perfected through generations, with sweet, juicy peaches and creamy, fluffy, cakey deliciousness served in perfectly portioned “mini” individual cups. Noon.

CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards is the annual celebration of Houston's top restaurant and bar talent, as selected by their peers. The mission is to shine a spotlight on the people making the local restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy, and creativity. The Tastemaker Awards features a signature tasting event and awards ceremony. Guests can celebrate all of the nominees while sampling bites and sipping specialty drinks along the way. 7 pm.

Moores Opera Center presents Ainadamar (Fountain of Tears)

Through the memories of actress and muse Margarita Xirgu, Ainadamar (the Spanish pronunciation of the Arabic name “Ayn al-dam,” meaning “The Fountain of Tears”) explores the life and work of playwright and poet Federico García Lorca, whose anti-fascist stance and open homosexuality led to his death in 1936 at the hands of Franco’s Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. The new production combines classical singing with flamenco dance and song. 7:30 pm (2 pm Sunday).

Friday, April 14

Lids Hat Drop Houston Grand Opening

Starting this Friday, the Lids Hat Drop store will officially open to the public and release a limited quantity of new exclusive hats each Friday. Lids will be hosting a grand opening event to welcome the newly opened, retail store. Rapper and Houston native Paul Wall will also be in attendance. Located at the Galleria, the store is 1,318 sq. ft. and will feature digital screens showcasing Lids’ own content, including new hat drops, dedicated spaces for drops, and an area for apparel and merchandise. 11 am.

Caress Dreamland Pop Up at POST Houston

Caress, the leading brand of indulgent, affordable shower products, is launching an immersive experience in Houston this weekend. Packed with vibrant, playful stations that delight smell, taste and more, Houstonites can participate in the three-day, scent-sational soiree free of cost and explore the brand’s refreshed packaging and three newest fragrances: Rejuvenating Mango & Almond Oil, Soothing Aloe Vera & White Poppy Body Wash, and Refreshing Raspberry & Pink Pepper Body Wash. Noon.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership presents "Ripple Effect:" A Collective Exhibition

This collective exhibition is organized by local artist Anna Hazel and benefiting Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Works inspired by Buffalo Bayou from over 25 artists will be on display for one night only, and a percentage of sales from every piece sold will support BBP and their mission to create and steward welcoming parks, trails, and unique spaces along the city’s most significant natural waterway. BBP Members will receive 10 percent off food and beverage, and a special block print by Hazel. 4 pm.

Eureka Heights Brew Co. presents 713 Pils-a-Palooza Weekend

Eureka Heights Brew Co. is kicking off the release of 713 Pilsner, its newest year-round brew, with one heck of a weekend. It starts on Friday night with a free concert from country punk legends Holy Hell. Suplex yourself into Saturday with the hysterical, high-flying Doomsday Wrestling. And, finally, laugh away the Sunday scaries with Pils and Punchlines, featuring Houston comics Bob Biggerstaff, Andy Huggins, Andrew Youngblood, Neal Rosen, Keisha Hunt, and more. 8 pm (8:30 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday).

Saturday, April 15

The Astrodome Conservancy presents 3rd Annual Race for the Dome

The Astrodome Conservancy will host the 3rd annual Race for the Dome. Participants will race around the iconic Astrodome with hundreds of Dome-lovers and fans, in support of a bright future for the Eighth Wonder of the World. Participants can come dressed in vintage gear or their best Dome wear, and stay around to party after the race to celebrate the Astrodome’s 58th birthday. Awards are given for the top three male and female overall competitors, and the top three kids finishers. Proceeds benefit the Astrodome Conservancy. 8 am.

The Candlelighters’ Young Professional Group presents 15th Annual Margarita Taste-Off

Grab some friends to come sip, sample and vote on top-notch margs from some of Houston’s best restaurants. The event will feature a tequila tasting station, a DJ and a silent auction. Light bites and drink tickets for beer and wine are included with purchase of tickets. All proceeds benefit Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance, a local organization that provides emotional, educational and practical support to children with cancer and their families receiving treatment at the Texas Medical Center. 1 pm.

Karbach Brewing presents Love Street Music Fest

Love Street Music Fest is back! Spoon, Jukebox the Ghost, and Mind Shrine will rock the biergarten and it will be a show you won't want to miss. VIP tickets include a separate VIP entrance, a VIP area with optimal view, indoor restrooms, three beers of your choice, access to special beer tasting, and buffet by Karbach Restaurant + Patio. Tickets are not needed for children under age 12 when accompanied by a parent with a ticket. Please, no pets. 5 pm.

Sawyer Yards and Spring Street Studios presents "Art Tells a Story" opening reception

Sawyer Yards and Spring Street Studios present this group exhibition of select Spring Street artists. All art tells a story. Literature is the most obvious example of art that tells a story whether through a book, a short story or a poem. Music also tells a story through its lyrics or the music itself - like the invocation of nature in Beethoven’s Pastoral. Linger with each work in the exhibition. Does it pull you in? Why? What is the story (or stories) you can imagine here? Is it something that will still intrigue you next year and the years after? Through Saturday, July 8. 6 pm.

Sunday, April 16

No Kid Hungry presents Taste of the Nation

Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry returns to Houston this weekend. Join them for a must-attend afternoon featuring exceptional food, craft cocktails, and delectable desserts from the city’s top culinary talents and renowned No Kid Hungry chef supporters from across the country. Guests will enjoy bite-sized fare, entertainment, and more. 100 percent of event proceeds benefit the No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in Texas and across the U.S. 1 pm.

Citywide Yom HaShoah Observance

Join the Yom HaShoah Steering Committee and Holocaust Museum Houston in observance of Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for the six million Jewish people who lost their lives during the Holocaust. During this annual commemoration, they will mourn the loss of all who perished, honor those who survived and come together as a community to remember and reflect. You can also livestream the event. 3 pm.

Wooster's Garden presents 8 year Anniversary Celebration

Wooster’s will celebrate their 8-year anniversary with live music by Brittani Washington, DJ Brandon Airlines and various vendors showcasing their unique products. Local vendors will nclude Crescent Therapeutic Massage, Brazos Soap Supply, Enclave Jewelry, Bonbon Jewelry, Raises Plants & Home Decor, Nissa Crafts, Gold Plated Jewelry, Enchant Madison Candles, The Plant Project Boutique, and Bodhi Love plant-based skincare. There will be giveaways and more surprises throughout the night. 4 pm.

Movie Review

Bold drama Anora takes an unconventional look at romance and rebellion

Photo courtesy of Neon

Mikey Madison in Anora.

Writer/director Sean Baker’s filmography is full of films that aim to show stories not typically seen in mainstream movies, ones that often feel so true to life that they can be tough to watch. His latest film, Anora, is similar to his previous content in some ways, but much different in others.

Anora (Mikey Madison), aka Ani, is a stripper/sex worker who works at a club in Brooklyn. Because she can speak Russian, she is assigned to dance for Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), who she discovers is the son of a Russian oligarch. With an unlimited supply of money, he pays Ani for sex and, enjoying spending time with her, for her to pretend to be his girlfriend for a week.

That week sees them do a lot of wild stuff, most notably an impulsive trip to Las Vegas where they — almost as hastily — decide to get married. Their elopement doesn’t stay secret for long, though, with Ivan’s parents especially upset. A trio of henchmen track them down, enlisted by Ivan’s parents to force them to get the marriage annulled at all costs.

Baker is not your typical storyteller, and so even though the film has three distinct acts, they don’t play out in ways that will be familiar or comfortable for many filmgoers. Much of the first act involves Ani in states of undress, either dancing for customers or having sex with Ivan. Although the “rich guy paying for the company of a sex worker” echoes a film like Pretty Woman, the comparison doesn’t really fit, especially because the immature, video game-playing Ivan is about as far from romance as you can get.

Whatever appeal he might have had disappears in the second half of the film when he’s confronted with his parents’ displeasure. It’s here that Baker seems to play with moviegoer expectations the most. With three goons sent to get Ani and Ivan to take back what they’ve done, it feels like Baker is going to go down the typical mob movie road. Instead, what transpires can only be described as an intense farce, with Ani resisting the trio’s efforts with all her might, causing lots of comedic chaos.

What plays out throughout the film, and especially in the final act, is a disparity of wealth. While Ani being willing to have sex with a rich guy who comes into the club could be viewed in multiple ways, it does hint at her need to make money however she can. Conversely, Ivan spends money with abandon and acts accordingly, like someone who will never have a care in the world. After much frivolity, this imbalance hits like a ton of bricks in the film’s final minutes.

Madison, who’s had small but showy roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the reboot of Scream, proves herself to be a star in this role. She owns every part of the performance, from the New York accent to the pole dancing, and she is the fire that keeps the film humming. She is especially important because Russian actor Eydelshteyn is only intermittently effective. Special note goes to Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, and Yura Borisov, the three men who come for Ani and Ivan. Each walks the line between drama and comedy especially well.

Taken at face value, Anora could be viewed as a merely titillating and somewhat shallow film. But Baker doesn’t do anything without a purpose, which is why the subtext of the story gives the film its power, with a bravura performance by Madison to put it over the top.

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Anora is now playing in theaters.

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