Most Viewed Stories of the week
Blowout parties, Ramadan musings & restaurant choices are top CultureMap stories
A champagne pourer dangled from the ceiling of the Hobby Center at a blowoutbash for attendees at the National Business Travelers Association conference.Photo by Shelby Hodge
Tootsies' owner Mickey Rosmarin, center, and models are in the pink.Photo by Eric Hester
Ramadan is important even to fair-weather Muslims, says Fayza Elmostehi.
Catalan's restaurant week lunch menu includes a tomato theme.
Summer used to be a quiet time — socially speaking — in the Bayou City. But things were hopping last week, as two of the top five most viewed CultureMap stories involved over-the-top Houston parties.
CutureMap editor-at-large Shelby Hodge dubbed the "Let Us Entertain You" bash for 800 attendees at the National Business Travelers Association conference the "party of the year." It featured a living champagne chandelier, a buff martini bartender serving from a bathtub, a light-motion dance floor and pipette food walls. No wonder the blowout party at the Hobby Center was the top story of the week.
The "Party in the Pink" fete at the Hotel ZaZa benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure also drew a great turnout and a lot of CultureMap readers. Could all those models dressed in shades of pink for the Tootsies fashion show around the pool have something to do with such popularity?
Our cheat sheet to Restaurant Week also continued to be well-read. There's still time to enjoy bargain multi-course lunches or dinners at more than 120 restaurants, including Catalan, III Forks, and The Grove, through Aug. 21.
CultureMap social media editor Fayza Elmostehi gave readers a unique take on Ramadan from a personal perspective. "We fair-weather Muslims do all the self-restraint and selflessness stuff, and we do it pretty well. But only when summoned by the faith to which we loosely subscribe," she wrote.
Fayza also linked up with Gourmet Prep founder Gur Tsabar, who started on-demand delivery of fresh, ready-to-cook meal kits that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. The business also funds a social venture that helps foster kids become entrepreneurs. We tried the meals; they're delicious and healthy, too.
I also enjoyed reading contributor Joe Leydon's poignant tribute to actress Patricia Neal and Steven Thomson's profile of cancer researcher Larry Kwak. We will continue to keep an eye on the Texas Medical Center and the people there who are doing amazing things.
Most viewed stories, Aug. 8-14:
1. Hottie hunk in a tub serves martinis, girls go wild at travel biz confab blowout
2. Pop princess wars: Britney Spears snubs Lady Gaga at Staples Center
3. Your cheat sheet to Houston Restaurant Week
5. The thinking was pink for the pool party at Hotel ZaZat
Editor's Picks
1. During Ramadan, even good Muslim girls get the blues
2. The arts social scene: When the curtain goes up, the festive parties follow
4. A Good Cause that tastes great: Gourmet Prep lets you play chef the easy way & help foster kids
5. The Secret Life of a medical celebrity: Houston's Larry Kwak, cancer vaccine extraordinare
