Clever new online guide tracks Houston's Latino art events and performances

latino proud

Photo by Marco Torres

With Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) now underway, a convenient new calendar courtesy of a local nonprofit dials Houstonians into a host of Latino arts and culture events to celebrate the occasion.

The calendar (find it here) is created and curated by Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County (ALMAAHH) and is meant to showcase the myriad cultural offerings of the the largest population in Harris County.

Special attention is paid to under-the-radar Latino creators and creations, according to the organization’s board chair, Geraldina Wise. “We want to use this online tool as an opportunity to showcase events with artists you might not otherwise meet,” said Wise.

Users can navigate the calendar via several options, including by type of artistic endeavor, region, date, and more. Those interested can submit requests to include events or activities here.

While the one-stop guide was created specifically for Hispanic Heritage Month, Wise notes that users can visit the guide going forward to support the community.

“We have started with events happening during Hispanic Heritage Month to kick off the calendar,” she said. “But we will continue to add new events and to turn this into the most comprehensive online Latino arts and culture resource for the Greater Houston area.”

Photo by Chris Dunn/Asia Society Texas

Globally renowned cultural festival returns to Houston with top stars of food, literature, politics, and more

jlf is back

A cutting-edge and star-studded arts and cultural festival is making a triumphant in-person comeback.

JLF Houston, the local iteration of the global Jaipur Literature Festival (held annually in Jaipur in India’s Rajasthan state) returns to Asia Society on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 with tasty events, provocative panel discussions, and even debates surrounding today’s most pressing issues.

This is the first in-person celebration — organized by Asia Society, literary nonprofit Inprint, and Indian arts nonprofit Teamwork Arts — after two years of virtual offerings due to the pandemic.

Standout guests include former ambassador Michael Pelletier, award-winning author and professor Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, FotoFest executive director Steven Evans, celebrated poet Arundhathi Subramaniam, New York Times bestselling author Varsha Bajaj, James Beard Award-nominated local chef/restaurateur Anita Jaisinghani, and a host of other American and Indian top talent.

Ticket options for the affair include a Weekend Pass ($50), Saturday Day Pass ($20), and general and student admission ($5) and are available online.

Attendees can look forward to fun events such as the opening day pane “Masala: Recipes From India, the Land of Spices,” hosted by Jaisinghani Pondicheri Bake Lab, which centers on food and culture.

Later that night, “Geopolitics: The Tipping Edge” offers thoughts as world teeters on the edge of economic and environmental collapse, geopolitical compulsions, and political hubris, featuring Pelletier, Zachary Zwald, and Seema Sirohi in conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy.

Other notable events include “Points of View: An Archival Gaze of Photography in India,” a showcase of photography in colonial and post-colonial India hosted by Gayatri Sinha and Evans in conversation.

Consider this not only a who’s-who of figures from India and the world, but as a Houston cultural festival with global reach.

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JLF Houston runs Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 at Asia Society (1370 Southmore Blvd.). For tickets and full schedule and roster of featured participants, visit the official site.

smArtbreaks.org

Cherished Houston arts group and theater company stage fun interactive event for kids

get smart

A beloved arts/dance nonprofit and local theater company are making sure young Houstonians get some screen time — the good kind.

Creative partners Hope Stone and Stages invite families and kids to “smART breaks,” a children’s interactive arts video series of music, theater, and dance classes. The free event takes place on the lawn at The Gordy, the dazzling, $35 million Stages venue (800 Rosine St. ), at 7 pm Saturday, September 10. Those interested can register online.

Here, guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs and spread out on the Brown Foundation lawn for screenings and for special guest appearances from Captain Hope and Mr. Zo, the stars of the program. More fun includes lawn games and creafting friendship bracelets. Guests can enjoy food trucks and bug juice mocktails and cocktails (for the big kids in the crowd).

Just in time for back to school, smART breaks features a digital arts library of 37 music, theater, and dance classes, all meant to motivate a child’s engagement and joy and for use by parents at home or by teachers in the classroom.

The program creator, Hope Stone (in partnership with Stages) notes in press materials that blending the arts and mindfulness helps inspire creative thinking and bolster academic success.

Photo courtesy of Harry Potter a Yule Ball Celebration

Houston lands only Harry Potter holiday Yule Ball celebration in U.S.

wintry wizard wonderland

Attention, all wizards — and their accompanying muggles: A captivating event has just leviosa-d (we’re making that a verb now) to the top of Housston Harry Potter fans’ holiday calendars.

Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration — Houston heads to town this fall, set to enchant attendees much like the grand — and somewhat drama-filled — gala in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The lavish affair kicks off on November 18 at Galleria-area venue Paraiso Maravilla (5714 Fairdale Ln.), with an elegant experience offering — to quote the esteemed Professor McGonagall — “well-mannered frivolity” for all.

Some major bragging rights: Houston is the sole U.S. city to host the new ball. Only three other cities around the globe have secured the chance to host the coveted event: Mexico City, Montreal, and Milan, according to co-producers Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and entertainment firm, Fever.

Tickets are limited and go on sale at 11 am Thursday, September 8, but fans are encouraged to join the waitlist (find it here), as these passes will no doubt fly away faster than Harry on a Firebolt broomstick.

At the soiree, fans enter a Potter-themed ballroom can take part in iconic and magical moments inspired by J.K. Rowling’s page-turning chapter and scenes from the film franchise. The festive experience boasts music, dancing, several Wizarding World elements (naturally), treats and sips, all in a veritable wintry wizard wonderland.

Much like the Yule Ball in the book and movie, the event encourages guests to don their best ball or Wizarding World attire (no ugly Ron Weasley sweaters here, please). True to any ball, the gala will offer endless chances for those IG stories and posts, so pose away, spell casters.

A few details: Though Harry Potter fans’ ages span young to, er, advanced, the minimum age requirement for the ball is 12 and older. And while guests will be tempted to stay all night, the ball operates in two-hour time slots.

Unlike some themed events that are sometimes publicized as “official” and turn out to be decidedly not so, discriminating fans and parents should note that this Potter Yule Ball is co-produced by Warner Bros., which produced the cherished films.

Those interested can track updates on @harrypotteryuleballcelebration on Facebook and Instagram and the official site for more information. Meantime, swoop in on tickets, start shopping for the perfect fit, and choose the ideal waltz partner. After all, as dear Professor McGonagall reminds, “... the Yule Ball is, first and foremost, a dance.”

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Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration — Houston kicks off on November 18 at Paraiso Maravilla (5714 Fairdale Ln.). For tickets (on sale September 8) and waitlist, visit the official website.

Houston is the only American city to land the ball.

Photo courtesy of Harry Potter a Yule Ball Celebration

Houston is the only American city to land the ball.

Photo by Ben Smegelsky/NASA via NASA Flickr

Houston readies for historic return to moon with new NASA launch date

go for launch

Houstonians who are eagerly anticipating America’s historic return to the moon now have a new date. Artemis I will now launch on Saturday, September 3, with a two-hour window beginning at 1:17 pm, NASA announced late Tuesday, August 30.

Viewers can tune into the livestream of the rocket and spacecraft at the launch pad on the NASA Kennedy YouTube channel. Additionally, live coverage of events can be found on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

This comes after the initial August 29 launch was scrubbed. At that time, teams were not able to chill down the four RS-25 engines to necessary temperatures. Teams also caught and quickly managed a hydrogen leak on one of the rocket’s components.

NASA reports that teams are currently addressing and testing both issues in advance of the Saturday launch. Another important component for flight windows — weather — is currently favorable. Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 forecast favorable weather conditions for Saturday. Though some rain showers are expected, they are predicted to be sporadic during the launch window, per NASA.

As space fans are aware, Artemis I is the first flight test of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System rocket (dubbed SLS), and the ground systems at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond,” NASA notes in a news release. “The mission will demonstrate the performance of the SLS rocket and test Orion’s capabilities over the course of about six weeks as it travels about 40,000 miles beyond the Moon and back to Earth.”

Given the gravity of the launch, NASA planned considerable fanfare for the broadcast, including celebrity appearances by Jack Black, Chris Evans, and Keke Palmer, as well as a special performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Josh Groban and Herbie Hancock. A planned musical performance featured “America the Beautiful” by The Philadelphia Orchestra and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Representatives from Johnson Space Center had not received an update on the Saturday broadcast program when contacted on Wednesday, August 31.

Houston and lunar missions have been inextricably tied since NASA’s first launches. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy boldly declared that America would go to the moon before the end of the decade in front of a packed Rice University football stadium.

On July 20, 1969 – a commitment to the late President Kennedy’s directive — Apollo 11 marked its arrival to the lunar surface with a statement heard around the globe from Commander Neil Armstrong, who would take mankind’s first steps on the surface: “Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed.”

And the Bayou City has (somewhat tiredly) been the source of a ubiquitous sentence — that is actually a paraphrasing — uttered by Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell: “Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” The adjusted “Houston, we have a problem” declaration was later immortalized by Tom Hanks (as Lovell) in the blockbuster Apollo 13.

What will be the next iconic phrase sent back to Houston when NASA’s manned mission readies to land on Earth’s sole satellite? The countdown is on.

Photo by Adam Graser

Legendary Houston-area historic battleship casts off for much-needed repair

Anchors Aweigh!

The most iconic water-borne symbol of World War I and World War II in Texas is set to cast off from its home San Jacinto Battleground Site for much-needed restoration.

Battleship Texas will depart its current home on Wednesday, August 31 and head to Galveston’s Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation facilities for repairs to its hull. Fans and history buffs can assemble as early as 5:30 am that day to watch the ship disconnect, swing, and attach to its tug craft.

Those interested can track hourly status and updates here. Anticipating national curiosity, the Battleship Texas Foundation has also set up livestreaming via the official Facebook page or YouTube channel.

For years, the legendary dreadnought, which was built in 1910, has been carefully addressed. Tackling the massive amount of water leaking into the ship, companies BTF, Resolve, and Valkor worked for six months to drastically reduce the leak rate from 2,000 gallons per minute to under 20 gallons per minute, making the ship significantly safer to tow.

Notably, the Battleship Texas Foundation hand-picked the Gulf Copper shipyard in Galveston specifically due to the company’s recent acquisition of a floating drydock that is capable of lifting the juggernaut battleship out of the water, according to foundation press materials.

Currently, the oldest battleship in existence that witnessed both WWI and WWII is owned by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In 2019, the state legislature appropriated $35 million to fund the ship’s hull repair.

A symbol of America's military might, Battleship Texas was commissioned in 1914 and at the time, was (somewhat fittingly, given the name) considered the most powerful weapon in the world. The warship is credited with introducing and innovating gunnery, aviation, and radar.

In 1948, Battleship Texas was decommissioned and made a permanent museum, appropriately on April 21, Texas Independence Day.

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Charming Houston town's top rank in nation for families leads week's hottest headlines

this week's hot headlines

Editor's note: It's time to recap the top stories on CultureMap from this past week.

1. Charming Houston community named No. 12 most family-friendly U.S. city. The "Family-Friendly Cities" list focuses on local communities that offer plenty of recreational outdoor activities.

2. Houston's favorite outdoor concert venue ranks No. 1 in the world in new list. The venue had more million-dollar box office grosses this year than ever.

3. Where to eat in Houston right now: 9 best new restaurants proving our pizza town cred. The new arrivals enhance Houston's dynamic pizza scene.

4.Beyoncé reigns supreme with Megan Thee Stallion cameo in jaw-dropping Houston Renaissance Tour opening night. Our review recaps Beyoncé's breathtaking homecoming celebration, from jaw-dropping visuals, to Megan's surprise appearance.

5.Countdown to Beyoncé: Parking, closures, rideshares, and more for NRG Stadium. We mapped all the ways to get to NRG Stadium for last weekend's epic shows.

Rock icon Bono's daughter makes her own sweet music in Flora and Son

in bloom

The new Apple TV+ film Flora and Son centers on a single mother and her teenage son, a situation that typically calls for an uplifting story about the mother’s struggles trying to support the two of them, and the bond that develops between them as go through the troubles together. While that element exists somewhat here, it goes down a much different path that’s both saltier and equally as rewarding.

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Eve Hewson and Oren Kinlan in Flora and Son.

Set in Dublin, Ireland, the film follows Flora (Eve Hewson), a single mom to Max (Oren Kinlan), who gets in a fair bit of trouble. She shares custody with her ex, Ian (Jack Reynor), and their antagonistic relationship, along with Max being a teenager, likely has an effect on how Flora and Max get along. A typical interchange between mother and son has them calling each other all sorts of bad names, although there rarely seems to be any true animosity behind their arguments.

When a guitar Flora refurbishes for Max goes unappreciated, she instead starts taking online lessons herself with an American named Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). She’s no less brash with him, but her sincere interest in learning how to play and in finding out more about Jeff’s music opens a new door for Flora. Soon, a discovery that Max is making music of his own on his laptop helps them communicate better than they have in a long time.

Flora & Son is the latest music-focused film from writer/director John Carney (Once, Sing Street), and he once again finds the sweet spot in telling a personal story enhanced by song. Flora has more than a few rough edges, making her a less-than-ideal protagonist, but the heart of the character shines through precisely because she has no filter. Once music is added to the equation, it become that much easier to see the type of person she is and why you should root for her.

Both Hewson and Gordon-Levitt are charming actors, so they establish a connection through a screen well. Fortunately, though, Carney chooses not to leave it at that, adding a slight fantasy element to some of their scenes by having Flora imagine Jeff in the room with her. A romantic element naturally arises, but it’s the unexpected way in which two lonely souls find each other from across the world that makes them the most interesting.

There are a couple of decent songs that come out of the process of all of the music-making, but nothing that you could truly call an earworm. Instead, it’s the feeling you get seeing the characters interact when they’re sharing music with each other that makes the film sing. Only one character could be classified as a professional musician, with the rest of them making music for the pure joy of it, an emotion Carney translates well in his storytelling.

Hewson (the daughter of U2’s Bono, in case you were unaware) is having a moment after 15 years in the business. She has a boldness that serves her as well in this role as it did in the recent Apple TV+ limited series, Bad Sisters. This is Kinlan’s first major part, and he acquits himself well. Both Gordon-Levitt and Reynor are seasoned actors who know how to make the most of their limited scenes.

The depiction of a mother/child relationship in Flora and Son is atypical, but it still winds up in a great spot thanks to the power of music and some fine performances. Carney’s love for both songs and filmmaking has yielded some memorable movies over the years, this one included.

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Flora and Son opens in select theaters and on Apple TV+ on September 29.

Spectacular SPI sandcastles, F1, ACL, and more Texas travel tidbits in October

where to travel right now

Fall is finally here, and with the (hopefully) cooler temps will come the chance to get outside and enjoy autumn activities all around Texas. Can't decide where to take a quick vacation, road trip, or staycation? Here are 11 events, special celebrations, and hotel happenings to help plan a getaway in October.

Along the Gulf Coast

What better way to celebrate the arrival of spooky season than by seeking out haunted ghost experiences in Corpus Christi? The Heritage Park Museum will showcase four reportedly haunted houses, and phantom chasers will delight in visiting the USS Lexington during the "Haunting on the Blue Ghost" event, October 6-31, to glimpse any ghostly crew members lurking about the vessel. The abandoned Nueces County Courthouse also has some ghouls of its own, with reports of voices, noises, and screams being heard following a hurricane that devastated the area more than a century ago.

Summer might be over, but a trip to the beach is always in the cards on South Padre Island. The annual Sandcastle Days falls on October 5-8, drawing the attention of sandcastle-building experts, food and craft vendors, and free family-friendly entertainment. Then, from October 19-21, classic cars and motorcycles rev up the brand new Chrome in the Sand Festival. The weekend will consist of live performances, car shows, a poker tournament, and more. Tickets for the Chrome in the Sand Festival begin at $20 for general admission, $55 for VIP, and $500 for VIP tables.

Around Austin

It's finally festival season down in the Texas Capital, beginning with the iconic Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park for two consecutive weekends from October 6-8 and 13-15. Luckily for Texas travelers, CultureMap's got the scoop on all things ACL – from can't-miss acts, to new eats, and more. One-day general admission tickets begin at $170. Weekend One tickets are waitlisted, but there are still one-day general admission tickets available for Weekend Two. Weekend passes for both weekends are waitlisted.

Following ACL, Austin will race to the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas from October 20-22. Red Bull Racing has already won the 2023 Constructors' Championship after its longstanding driver Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix, and Verstappen is well in the lead to win his third-consecutive World Drivers' Championship title. Three-day general admission wristbands are $475, two-day GA is $425, and three-day parking passes are $275.

F1 racecar Race to Austin for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. Photo courtesy of Circuit of The Americas

In the Hill Country

It's never too late for a day by the pool, and the luxurious Lantana Spa at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa has opened reservations for their renovated pool cabanas with a special VIP poolside service and deluxe amenities. The private, two-person Canyons, Preserve, and Oaks Spa Cabanas each include an unlimited mimosa service, shaded seating and chaise lounges, a dedicated server from 11 am-5 pm, and more. Cabana reservations can be made by resort guests or in addition to a spa service, and rates begin at $400.

Nonprofit trade association Texas Hill Country Wineries is bringing back its Texas Wine Month passport this month for a self-guided journey through 45 local wineries with special discounts scattered along the way. With participating estates scattered throughout popular weekend destinations like Fredericksburg, Johnson City, and New Braunfels, it’s a chance to explore the Hill Country and soak in those autumn vibes. Wine passport-holders can visit up to four wineries daily to get the most out of a weekend getaway. Individual passes are $85, and couples' passes are $120.

Speaking of wineries, one Marble Falls-based winery is hosting regular events throughout October, which is perfect for those holding a Texas Wine Month passport. Every Saturday and Sunday, folks can venture out to Flat Creek Estates & Vineyard for their effervescent Bubbles and Brunch from 11 am to 3 pm. And if the trip transforms from a brunch outing into an all-day affair, guests catch live music from local Texas bands during the winery's weekend music series from 2-6 pm. Ernie Vasquez and Evan Grubbs are scheduled the weekend of October 7-8, and Stephen Daly and Andrew Lopez will play on the weekend of October 14-15.

Throughout Texas

If searching for beautiful fall foliage around Texas is at the top of the priority list, cabin rental agency Smoky Mountains' prediction map is the perfect guide to help estimate when the leaves will begin changing throughout the state and the U.S. The map predicts most of Texas will have minimal-to-patchy changing leaves by the end of October, and most of the state's trees will be at their color-changing peak in November.

Dallas-based luxury bus operator Vonlane added 60 new weekly departures to meet anticipated high demand for the fall travel season. There are now more than 430 trips per week departing Vonlane hubs in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Travelers can book their trips online for both one-way or round-trips, with fares beginning at $119.

Two unmistakable cutesy pink trucks are going on tour throughout Texas this month, with stops in several major cities. That's right – the cult craze Hello Kitty Cafe Truck and Barbie Truck are bringing a horde of new branded clothing and accessories to adoring fans in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Houstonians can head to First Colony Mall to say hi to Hello Kitty on October 7, then head to Baybrook Mall in Friendswood to catch the Barbie Truck on October 21. Barbie will stick around to visit The Woodlands Mall on October 28.

In Waco

The annual Magnolia Silobration at The Silos will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Chip and Joanna Gaines' Waco-based home design and lifestyle empire from October 19-21. Fixer Upper fans can visit the Silos to enjoy a three-day adventure of local artisan and food vendors, live music performances, shopping, and more. The festival is free, but note that certain ticketed experiences like the 20th anniversary tour, weekend rooftop passes, and Evenings with Chip and Jo are sold out.

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