BETTER WITH BESTIES

Ultimate Houston Galentine's Day Guide: 10 ways to celebrate friendship

Move over, Valentine's Day — there's a different holiday in town, and it's all about the gals. Thanks to Parks and Recreation's beloved Leslie Knope, Galentine's Day has become the ultimate excuse to ditch romance and celebrate besties everywhere. Since its debut just 14 years ago, this February 13 tradition has exploded, and the Bayou City is fully embracing it.

Whether it's floral workshops, heart dissections (yes, really), or belting out Taylor Swift lyrics, the city is serving up fun and unique ways to honor friendship. There's no shortage of entertaining and downright delicious ways to make this Galentine's Day one to remember. As for that other holiday, don't miss CultureMap's picks for quirky Valentine's Day dates and more than 20 Houston restaurants serving special Valentine's Day menus.

Eat, shop, and support small businesses at the Texas Bonita Market
On February 8, from 11 am to 4 pm, the Texas Bonita Market is bringing its seasonal shopping extravaganza to the one-of-a-kind Navigation Esplanade in Houston's East End. This must-shop seasonal market features small businesses, including local brands, handmade items, unique artisanal items, and delicious food.

Bloom with your besties at the Galentine's Day floral workshop at POST
Grab your best pals and celebrate Galentine's Day on February 8 from 2 pm to 4 pm with a Barbie-inspired floral arranging workshop led by one of the talented lead designers at Freedom Floral. All supplies and flowers are included, and guests get to take home a flower recipe card to recreate the look again and again. Everyone at this BYOB workshop will take home a beautiful arrangement and lots of memories.

Get totally fetch at Theater Under the Stars' Mean Girls
Now through February 9, catch a hilarious performance of Mean Girls at Houston Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Tina Fey's iconic teen comedy was transformed into a Broadway hit musical with high school drama and catchy tunes perfect for Galentine's Day.

Enjoy petals and pours at Monkey's Tail
Join Monkey's Tail for their third annual I Can Buy Myself Flowers event on Tuesday, February 11, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Monkey's Tail is teaming up with Mas Flora for an evening of flower arranging and cocktails made with Black Bar Spirits and Simple Vodka. Mas Flora will guide guests through creating a gorgeous bouquet. All supplies and one cocktail are included.

Galentine's Day glam at Léránt
Léránt is hosting a special Galentine's Day pop-up on Wednesday, February 12, from 4 pm to 7 pm. Treat yourself to fabulous home decor and gifts at this pop-up featuring permanent jewelry boutique Link x Lou and the ever-stylish Tutu Cute by Jacqueline Smooke.

Unleash your inner surgeon with a Galentine's Day heart dissection
Gal pals can join the fun at Galentine's Heartstrings on Thursday, February 13, from 5:30–8 pm at The Houston Health Museum. Enjoy an evening of light bites, charcuterie, unlimited beer and wine, a signature cocktail, and non-alcoholic drinks, followed by a guided interactive heart dissection led by Dr. Varsha Podduturi, Deputy Medical Examiner at the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner's Office. Guests can also access all The Health Museum exhibits and complimentary parking in the museum's surface lot.

Swifties unite for a "ValenTays" trivia night
Taylor Swift fans, this one's for the Mastermind. On February 13 at 7 pm, Little Woodrow's Bellaire will host a "ValenTays" Edition Taylor Swift Trivia Night, where knowledge of lyrics, albums, and iconic moments will be put to the test. Teams will compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes, making it the perfect opportunity to celebrate all things T-Swift with fellow fans. Expect an evening filled with friendly competition, themed questions, and plenty of Eras Tour-level excitement.

Bingo with besties at FM Kitchen & Bar
Join FM Kitchen & Bar for Galentine's Day Bingo on Thursday, February 13. The Galentine's Day Bingo starts at 7 pm and will have drink specials and prizes, including gift cards from Amazon, Pudgy's Fine Cookies, Tenfold Coffee, Starbucks, and goodie bags by Sudor Sauna or the grand prize, a Ninja Creamy.

Raise the roof at a sky-high karaoke and movie night
This Galentine's Day, at Rooftop Cinema Uptown, besties will be belting out tunes with the friends who've seen them through every bad date and questionable outfit choice. On February 13, start the night with Rooftop Karaoke, then head to the cinema for 13 Going on 30.

Relax and Rejuvenate at The Ozone Bar
Looking for a Galentine's Day to remember? Book a treatment at The Ozone Bar, then rest, relax, and enjoy the incredible health benefits of ozone and infrared therapies with a gal pal. Choose from Ozone Sauna, Infrared Sauna, DermaShape, and HOCATT treatments. Request the connecting Ozone Sauna room to spend time together and take turns in the infrared sauna or getting a HOCATT treatment.

Photo courtesy of The Healthy Museum

Enjoy an offbeat Galentine's Day experience at The Health Museum.

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WHERE TO SHOP IN FEBRUARY

Where to shop in Houston right now: 12 spots with fabulous February finds

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Anthony

High fashion meets high art as Elizabeth Anthony hosts runway collections, trunk shows, and jewelry moments all month long.

February in Houston is doing the absolute most, and honestly, we are here for it. Between Valentine's Day gifting, Super Bowl shopping, and Mardi Gras sparkles, this is the month to multitask with retail therapy. Whether you're hunting for something sweet, a statement maker, or shopping for the most important person on the list – yourself, these Houston boutiques and events make it easy to shop and have fun at the same time.

Biscuit
Snuggle up this Valentine's Day with the softest pajamas from Biscuit. Available in kids' and women's sizes, they are the perfect gift to give or receive. The Westheimer boutique offers sweet floral prints for spring, and of course, customized monogramming to finish off the look.

Elizabeth Anthony
February ushers in several exciting events at Elizabeth Anthony. Jason Wu will showcase his Spring 2026 Runway Collection, which aligns with the current Menil exhibit, Robert Rauschenberg: Fabric Works of the 1970s. Jewelry designer Anabela Chan will be in-store to showcase her vivid, lab-grown gemstones. There will also be several trunk shows, including Goshwara Fine Jewelry Collection, Naeem Khan Designer Evening Collection, Melissa Kaye Fine Jewelry Collection, and Judith Leiber Couture.

Cocoerow Fine Jewelry
On February 28, Cocoerow Fine Jewelry will host an evening with Jo Malone at their River Oaks boutique, where customers can explore Cocoerow jewelry alongside curated Jo Malone scents. The first three guests who purchase Cocoerow jewelry during the event will receive a complimentary custom Jo Malone gift set, created exclusively for the evening.

Consuela
Consuela just launched its Resort Collection, which takes its most-loved styles and evolves them into fresh silhouettes, textures, and colors with vacation-inspired details. The lineup includes new takes on the classic tote, crossbody, and on-the-go accessory pouches.

Garden & Gun Rodeo Smoke Show
Gear up for rodeo season in Houston with delicious barbecue and a Western-inspired makers market with vendors including Lucchese, Manready Mercantile, Laura Goodson Art, Christina Greene Jewelry, Topped Hats, Natalie Lindsey Vintage / NAN Collective, and more. The event will be held at Truth BBQ. Tickets and more information are available here.

Golden
In February, Golden added a new lineup of resort inventory, including Oliva by Livro, Perfect White Tee, and Sunny Somewhere. The boutique will also offer fresh deliveries from Pink City Prints and Mirth, as well as nautical inspiration from Frank & Eileen and Frame.

J. Landa Jewelry
J. Landa Jewelry is hosting a Galentine’s party on Saturday, February 7, from 11am to 5pm with ear piercings, Elaine Turner’s clutch collection, champagne, and cupcakes. Macy Siddiqi of Skin Pharm Houston will be on hand for ear piercings which begin at $30 per lobe and $50 per cartilage. Studs are purchased separately and will be included in the boutique's Valentine’s Day promotion.

Kate Spade
The Galleria Kate Spade location will host a Galentine's Day party on February 13, featuring cocktails, snacks, and personalized bag painting with every purchase. Customers can shop for gifts and enjoy complimentary gift wrapping.

Lerant
This Galleria-area boutique is the perfect place to find Valentine's Day treasures. From tableware and vases to picture frames, candles, handbags, and more, Lerant has an expansive inventory of gifts for that special person on your list.

Parker Joe
Houston's only boys' boutique is a one-stop shop for Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras outfits. Customers can find books, toys, stuffed animals, and exclusive clothing and accessories.

River Oaks District
On Tuesday, February 10, explore over 20 boutiques in River Oaks District that will be offering in-store activations from handcrafted cocktails to floral design and a mahjong salon, all in celebration of Style for a Cure. Customers can receive a complimentary twilly at the Style for a Cure Suite, and 20% of all purchases that day will be donated to Greater Houston Breakthrough T1D. A full list of participating stores and activities is available here.

Tecovas
Texas boot brand Tecovas is opening another Houston-area store at Baybrook Mall on February 12. To celebrate the store opening, Tecovas will host events with live music from Paige Lewis on Friday, February 20, and from Charlie McCabe on both Saturday, February 21, and Sunday, February 22. As with all other Tecovas locations, customers can expect personalized boot stamping, boot shines, leather and hat branding, and boot stretching.