Where to shop in Houston right now: 12 must-hit spots for March

WHERE TO SHOP NOW

Photo courtesy of Naeem Khan

With fashionistas excitedly shedding the extra layers in hopes of a good tan – it's an excellent time for savvy shoppers in Houston. Fashion mavens in the know will be the first to see spring and summer 2023 looks hitting the racks or browse the fabulous winter sales.

And, of course, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo adds extra fervor to the city as everyone is hunting for the perfect cowgirl chic gear.

From those always-popular rodeo pop-ups and Houston-only outposts, we've rounded up 12 best places to flex your spending power this March.

Abejas Boutique

The fashion-forward boutique is hosting two trunk shows at their West U outpost. Iconic Italian brand Forte Forte will be in-store from March 1 to 3 – look for a lot of metallics and shimmering fabrics. Argentinian brand Rocio G will also be on hand from March 7 to 11 with fine leather goods.

Bally

As we reported, Bally has opened a new store in the Galleria. What started with shoes has since become an entire collection of bags, accessories, and ready-to-wear pieces for both men and women. Shoppers can check out the latest collection of Bally jewelry and the debut of the brand's Spring/Summer 2023 collection by creative director Rhuigi Villasenor. Their Galleria location is on level 1 near the Galleria Financial Center.

City Boots

Just in time for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, City Boots, the Texas-based handmade, top-shelf boots, is opening its first store in Houston. The brand's posh River Oaks District pop-up will open through May 15. Six new styles, dubbed the Houston Collection, will launch at the pop-up and be exclusive to the Houston store for the first week before being available online.

The Conservatory

Blue Lagoon Iceland Skincare, the premier Nordic luxury beauty brand sustainably created from the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, recently launched in the luxury retailer The Conservatory. This launch brings the Blue Lagoon Iceland Skincare's luxury BL+ Skincare product line and the Spa Body Collection to The Conservatory to provide consumers with the most effective, science-driven, innovative products that align with The Conservatory's mission of sustainability and lasting value.

Elizabeth Anthony

The posh Uptown Park boutique is absolutely buzzing with big-name trunk shows and personal appearances this month. Shoppers can find Naeem Khan, Jason Wu, Anabela Chan, Fabiana Filippi, and Jenny Packham's designer collection trunk shows throughout the month. Katherine Jetter and Roberto Quaglia will make personal appearances with their designer trunk shows. A full calendar of events is available here.

Freebird

Freebird kicks up in Houston just in time for rodeo season. The new store on Level 1 between Macy's and Nordstrom is fully stocked with their spring and summer collections. Look for funky designs with distressed leather, exotic skins, and expandable back lacing panels — making many of their styles size-inclusive. For those seeking a unique western moment, highlights include peep-toe booties and multi-strap styles.

I W Marks

Celebrate National Jewel Day at I.W. Marks. Their Bellaire boutique is brimming with gems perfect for spring. Be mesmerized by a large selection of engagement rings, colored gemstones, and diamond jewelry.

M-K-T Heights

Spring forward at M-K-T Heights Plant Market. Enjoy an open-air market featuring Houston's finest growers, gardeners, artisans, crafters, and more. Head to the Houston Plant Market 'Heart of Hou' Community tent for a Springtime Scavenger Hunt adventure around M-K-T. Sunday, March 12, from noon to 6 pm.

Montrose Collective

In honor of International Women's Day on March 8, Montrose Collective celebrates their women-owned businesses with a guided meditation at Studio BE Montrose, followed by a Q&A with the women-owned business owners. Tyler Darling will be on hand doing self-love portraits.

Post Oak Hotel

It's Rodeo Season, y'all! The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston hosts a Pop-up Rodeo Lounge Experience from 4 pm – 8 pm throughout the Rodeo from February 25 to March 18. Anyone can get rodeo ready with the latest Western-wear styles from King Ranch and Lucchese pop-up shops. Shoppers can also receive a complimentary boot shine and hat steaming.

Rebecca Lankford Designs

The custom jewelry designer will host a rodeo market at her Yale street boutique. Shoppers can get rodeo ready with a custom hat bar and check out boots, jewelry, food, and more. Saturday, March 4, from noon to 5 pm.

Rice Village

Head to Rice Village on March 3, from 5 to 8 pm, as the shopping center kicks off the rodeo season in style with live music from Cooper Mohrmann, a mechanical bull, vendors, photo opportunities, and plenty of shopping favorites, including King Ranch Saddle Shop, Tecovas, and the Aspen-based luxury pop-up from Kemo Sabe.

Photo courtesy of Naeem Khan

Elizabeth Anthony will host several trunk shows including Naeem Khan, Jason Wu, and Jenny Packham.

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus navigates marriage pitfalls in You Hurt My Feelings

Movie Review

Anybody who’s been married or in a long-term relationship knows that it’s almost impossible to be completely honest with his or her partner. There are always going to be moments – whether for the sake of expediency, in a show of support, or other reasons – when one person withholds their true opinion so as not to hurt the other person’s feelings.

That idea is the central tension point of You Hurt My Feelings, which follows Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a writer/teacher, and her husband, Don (Tobias Menzies), a therapist. Beth is in the middle of trying to get her first fiction book published, a process that is causing her unceasing anxiety. Don sees a series of patients, including a constantly-bickering couple (played by real-life husband and wife David Cross and Amber Tamblyn), and a few lapses cause him to question his commitment to the profession.

When Beth and her sister, Sarah (Michaela Watkins), accidentally overhear Don telling his brother-in-law, Mark (Arian Moayed), that he doesn’t like Sarah’s new book and is exhausted having to tell her otherwise, it sends Beth into an emotional spiral. The aftermath winds up pulling in not just the two couples, but also Beth and Don’s son, Eliot (Owen Teague), dredging up feelings that all of them normally try to keep hidden.

Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, the film is a funny and genuine look at how even the best couples can run into pitfalls. By most measures, Beth and Don get along fantastically well, supporting each other unwaveringly and showing their love in a variety of ways. When the story puts them at odds with each other, there’s never a question that they belong together, as even their arguments are tinged with exasperation instead of anger.

Holofcener complements the story of Beth and Don with a nice variety of side plots, including Eliot trying to start his own writing career while working at a weed store; Beth and Sarah’s mom, Georgia (Jeannie Berlin), offering up support and criticism in equal measures; and more. Don’s patients and Beth’s students offer an opportunity to expand the two characters’ personalities outside of their marriage while also adding a few other funny roles.

While perhaps not the most insightful film about marriage that’s ever been made, it is still highly enjoyable thanks to Holofcener’s writing and the strong performances. Filmed in New York City, the particular feel of that urban landscape and the way it affects the lives of the characters also plays a big part in the success of the film.

Louis-Dreyfus, as always, is a delight to watch. A kind of spiritual sequel to her previous collaboration with Holofcener, 2013’s Enough Said, the film gives her plenty of room to show off both her comedic and dramatic skills. Menzies makes for a steady presence, showing good chemistry with Louis-Dreyfus and a preternatural calm in therapy sessions. Watkins, Moayed, Teague, and Berlin all fit in seamlessly.

You Hurt My Feelings is not a world-changing kind of movie, but rather a solidly told story about how relationships can be complicated. With actors who are easy to like and Holofcener’s reliably great filmmaking, it’s a movie for adults that’s nice counter-programming to the glut of summer blockbusters.

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You Hurt My Feelings is now playing in theaters.

Photo courtesy of A24

Tobias Menzies and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in You Hurt My Feelings.

Awe-inspiring new exhibit debuts at the Alamo with sneak peek

REFIGURE THE ALAMO

Ask first-time visitors about their experience at the Alamo, and you're likely to hear a frequent refrain. Guests accustomed to hearing about the mission's heroic history are surprised that the grounds are so small. But that's slowly changing with ambitious plans to bring the site's original footprint back to life.

Now, visitors will get a sneak peek at the complex's newest structure, the Mission Gate and Lunette exhibit, before it officially opens in 2024. Funded in part by a $3 million donation from the Joan and Herb Kelleher Charitable Foundation, the exhibition gives guests a broader understanding of the Alamo's scale.

The historical recreation was crafted by lauded San Antonio artist Carlos Cortés. A third-generation concrete faux bois artisan, his work is featured throughout the city, most notably on the River Walk, where his fantastical The Grotto greets thousands of Museum Reach visitors each year.

The life-size sculpture stands in for the original main gate of the fort at the southern boundary of the complex. Cannons and placards scattered throughout give crucial context to the structure. Though early renderings show the beams and spiked fence with more verisimilitude, the forms currently stand in ghostly concrete — inviting quiet contemplation.

When the exhibit is finished next year, guests will be more fully immersed in the hallowed grounds, which extend far beyond the walls of the iconic Church and Long Barrack. Coupled with the upcoming Alamo Visitor Center and Museum and the recently debuted Ralston Family Collections Center, it will turn the grounds into one of Texas' most awe-inspiring historical sites.

"We are deeply grateful to the Joan and Herb Kelleher Charitable Foundation for their support of the Alamo and our ongoing efforts to preserve this important piece of Texas history," said Dr. Kate Rogers, Executive Director of the Alamo Trust, Inc., via a release. "Their generosity will allow us to continue to educate and inspire visitors from around the world, ensuring that the legacy of the Alamo lives on for generations to come."

Photo courtesy of the Alamo.

The Mission Gate and Lunette exhibit gives visitors an understanding of the original ground's scale.

Houston Methodist injects $4.8 million into 50 area nonprofits to boost social equity

quite the boost

Acclaimed local hospital system Houston Methodist has awarded $4.8 million to 50 Houston-area nonprofits as part of its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Grant Program, the hospital announced this month.

The funds go toward "addressing the root causes of health inequities experienced by social, racial and ethnic minorities," according to the hospital. An estimated 51,000 Houstonians are expected to be impacted by these dollars.

Of the nonprofits selected, 24 are healthy neighborhood programs, 16 are educational empowerment programs and 14 are economic programs.

The grant program is broken up into two types of funding: The Social Equity Grant and the DEI Grant. Now in its third year, the program has for the first time selected recipients of the Social Equity Grant that all support economic empowerment.

"We know there is a direct correlation between economic stability and health outcomes," Ryane Jackson, vice president, community benefits at Houston Methodist said in a statement. "Without livable wages or employer backed insurance, access to health care can be limited. If we can help those in underserved communities obtain employment and increase their wages in a short amount of time, then we can provide immediate and meaningful change that can potentially be felt for years to come.”

Capital IDEA Houston is a local nonprofit that’s received the Social Equity Grant. The organization helps low-wage workers find living-wage careers. Capital IDEA plans to use the funds to support Black and Hispanic Women in health care professions and launch a pilot program that will assist women with an associate degree who are interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Another recipient, Compudopt, will focus on digital literacy training to low income African American and Hispanics, while Montrose Center will use the funds to support its Seniors Preparing for Rainbow Years program at the Law Harrington Senior Living Center. Other recipients include Avondale House, BakerRipley, Interfaith Caring Ministries, Kids Meals Inc., and the Tejano Center for Community Concerns. Click here to find a full list.

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