save the date

9 last-minute date ideas for a fun-filled Valentine's Day in Houston

Take the plunge at iFly.

Photo by iFLY

Valentine's Day is here, which means romantic meals out, intimate evenings in, or, desperation — when realizing that Valentine's Day date hasn't yet been booked.

Not to worry: we're here to help, and have rounded up some fun activities around Houston that include glowing walks with dragons, posh pampering, and even indoor skydiving.

Book an experience, make it a spontaneous event, and see where the day and night ends. (And thank us later.)

Posh pampering at the largest luxury spa in Texas, Trellis Spa

Tell your date to get off work early, and book a few hours — or a day — of pampering at Trellis Spa. Guests are encouraged to experience the water circuit in the outdoor Soaking Pools & Garden, where they can rent a cabana to soak in Vitamin D while enjoying drinks and bites outdoors.

Behold the new Float Pool at the Trellis Spa. Photo courtesy The Houstonian Hotel & Spa

After a massage, facial, or mani/pedi, gather the glam squad to savor a delicious meal, a glass of bubbly, and beautiful wooded views from Trellis Spa's restaurant.

A glowing date at Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Gardens

A walk-and-talk moment is the foundation of any rom-com, and couples and dates will have plenty of opportunities at Radiant Nature now running at Houston Botanic Gardens. Book an evening stroll through the dazzling and stunning immersive exhibition, which takes inspiration from the Lunar New Year and showcases many Chinese-inspired works: 50 paper lanterns, a Chinese pagoda, and the enormous, 200-foot dragon.

Radiant Nature Houston Botanic Garden The dazzling Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden. Photo via Houston Botanic Garden

Pass through the 100-foot magnolia tunnel, a walk-in kaleidoscope, and a Texas prairie with 10-foot bluebonnets, along with lighted swings, and other interactive exhibitions for perfect IG — and romantic — moments.

Sultry fun and cabaret at Live at the Founders Club,

Be one of the first to enjoy Live at the Founders Club, a nightclub cabaret experience in downtown Houston. The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts recently announced the concept and its first performer Holland Vara. The Founders Club at the Hobby Center has been transformed into an intimate cabaret club with tables for four, light bites, and cocktails. A unique night out for friends, Holland Vera will put her own spin on classic love songs, making them into something entirely unexpected. Tickets are available here.

Be one of the first to enjoy the newly opened Founders Club for a night of cabaret. Photo courtesy of The Founders Club

Luxuriate in Texas' only Forbes Five-Star rated spa, The Spa at The Post Oak Hotel

The Spa Post Oak Hotel Tilman Fertitta Pause to enjoy the hydro-thermal experiences. Photo courtesy of The Spa at the Post Oak Hotel

Gift your date spa time to a whole new level at Texas' only Double Five-Star rated hotel and spa and the only Five-Star rated spa in the Lone Star State. In addition to a menu of top-of-the-line facials, massages, and self-care rituals, The Spa at The Post Oak Hotel offers several amenities, including an aroma steam room, tranquility pool, multi-sensory shower experience, and sauna.

The jeans come off at “Fiber in 3D: Indigo Houston” at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

This clever exhibit at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is an ideal talker, as it uses material from 67 pairs of donated denim jeans. Artists Baggs McKelvey disassembled, cut, tied, and spooled the fabric, turning it into nearly 6000 feet of handcrafted denim rope.

Fiber in 3D: Indigo Houston Houston Center for Contemporary Craft "Fiber in 3D: Indigo Houston" uses material from 67 pairs of donated denim jeans.Photo courtesy of Fiber Art Now and the artist

Officially, the installation serves as both commentary on the “fraught social history of denim in the United States” and as a reminder of the history of denim as a material of art and craft, says HCCC. But the idea of deconstructing jeans and what to do with them could lead to some blush-worthy comments and moments.

Unleash that inner 13-year-old at Sloomoo Institute

Designed not just for kids – but for the kids in each of us — Sloomoo Institute features over-the-top installations that engage the senses. Make your own slime at the world's largest DIY Slime Bar; the opportunity to get slimed at Sloomoo Falls, satisfying ASMR experiences with immersive video, sound, and scent, and all-new experiences like Slimey Fossils where guests explore slime imprints.

Total 13 going on 30 vibes at Sloomoo Institute. Photo courtesy of Sloomoo Institute

To celebrate the holiday, Sloomoo will have V-Day decorations throughout the experience, as well as Valentine's Day-themed photo booth, activity sheets, and other fun accessories. Some of the best dates are the messiest, no?

Get in it to win it at Activate

The newly opened Activate provides high-tech games that test your date's physical and mental agility across various real-life challenges. Participants can immerse themselves in realistic arcade games and compete alongside a team of at least two to five others.

Enjoy a bit of friendly competition at Activate this Galentine's Day. Photo by Activate

Activate features 11 activity rooms with over 500 games and difficulty levels, each lasting one to three minutes. Wristbands track participants' scores and progress, making them perfect for some coy smack talk as you two compete for bragging rights later.

Journey underground forHaha Real at the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern

Link hands and venture underground and view the new multi-media installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. Rachel Rossin's Haha Real is inspired by the classic children's story, The Velveteen Rabbit. This very dark installation at the Cistern blends AI animation techniques and video-game engine graphics with traditional art. Couples can enjoy a landscape of holographic figures and an immersive soundscape by Houston-born musician Frewuhn. Tickets are available here.

Haha Real Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern Enjoy the newest installation at Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. Photo by Zainob+Mathew Create

Take the plunge at iFLY

Everyone looks good in a flight suit and goggles, so why not take the plunge at iFLY. For the holiday, first-time flyers can get four flights and two videos shared by two people, making it twice the fun. The exclusive package will be available for purchase online and at iFLY tunnels from February 1 through February 19.

Take advantage of a great flying package at iFLY. Photo by iFLY

sushi classes in houston custom lipstick the founders club things to do in houston galentine's day ideas

Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad

Photo by David Cleary for Lionsgate

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd in Power Ballad.

Writer/director John Carney is one of the great purveyors of movies featuring music (as opposed to musicals) in the 21st century. Starting with Once in 2007 (which was turned into a Broadway musical several years later), he has made music-themed stories like Begin Again, Sing Street, Flora and Son, and now Power Ballad.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former wannabe rock star who is now the lead singer of “Ireland’s #1 Wedding Band,” The Bride & Grooves. While they mostly play smaller weddings, a gig at a country estate leads to an encounter with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy band member struggling to make it as a solo artist. Rick and Danny wind up bonding in a booze- and pot-filled jam session, sharing various song ideas.

After returning to Los Angeles and desperate for a hit, Danny steals one of Rick’s songs, which miraculously turns into the No. 1 “How to Write a Song (Without You).” Rick, initially overjoyed that something he wrote has become big, is crushed when he finds out Danny didn’t give him credit. His quest to find a way to prove his worth sends him into a spiral, upending the ordinary life he had built.

Co-written by Peter McDonald, the film is a nice exploration of two men trying to hold on to their music dreams. Their individual circumstances could not be more different, but each of them knows the ups and downs of the business as well as the other, as well as the ineffable magic of creating that one great song. While the music scenes are hit-and-miss because of a reliance on lip synching, the scene featuring Rick and Danny trading ideas is electric with creativity.

Oddly, though, the film could have used a bit less music and more of a focus on the two men’s personal lives. Rick wound up living in Ireland after falling in love with his future wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), while on tour with his former American band. He spends a decent amount of time with her and his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), but his story needed a few more family scenes to drive the point home. Danny’s personal life is all but nonexistent, giving his arc less impact than it could have had.

Instead of loved ones, Carney and McDonald try to give Rick and Danny more depth through friends and business associates. Rick’s bandmate Sandy (McDonald) is a ride-or-die kind of guy for him, but his presence is only good for a few humorous distractions. Danny’s manager Mac (Jack Reynor) is difficult to parse, as he goes to bat for Danny on multiple occasions, but also seems to keep him at arm’s length.

It’s long been joked that Rudd never ages, and that youthfulness serves him well in this role, in which his character is supposed to be much younger than his actual age of 57. His energy and enthusiasm make his character appealing throughout, even when Rick starts to go off the deep end. Jonas is decent in his role, selling the music side well, but there might be a reason his character doesn’t have many scenes requiring him to show emotions.

While Power Ballad has all the hallmarks of another great Carney music movie, it’s missing a few pieces that could have put it over the top. It’s still a fun film with an insanely catchy song at its center, but it’s not quite as memorable as most of the filmmaker’s previous efforts.

---

Power Ballad is now playing in theaters.

movies music film

save the date

9 last-minute date ideas for a fun-filled Valentine's Day in Houston

Movie review

Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd chase their dreams in music-heavy Power Ballad

Buzzy East Coast bagel bakery sets opening date for first Houston shop

Houston comfort food favorite closes flagship and more popular stories

Vibrant Mexican food stand opens new restaurant near downtown