3 New Ideas for Entertaining in Houston

Here's a look at what's new for 2019 in the Houston area.

Amy Gordon
January 11, 2019

Get ready for 2019 with the latest ideas in group activities, catering, and more in and around Houston.

In October, Houston nonprofit C.H.A.T. (Culture of Health Advancing Together), with support from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Houston Arts Alliance, launched the Gulfton Story Trail. Gulfton, a community comprised in large part of refugees and immigrants, is now home to 12 murals that depict different aspects of the immigrant experience in Houston. Visitors can access an online map that directs them to each mural and shares details about the artist and the subject matter behind each work.
In October, Houston nonprofit C.H.A.T. (Culture of Health Advancing Together), with support from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Houston Arts Alliance, launched the Gulfton Story Trail. Gulfton, a community comprised in large part of refugees and immigrants, is now home to 12 murals that depict different aspects of the immigrant experience in Houston. Visitors can access an online map that directs them to each mural and shares details about the artist and the subject matter behind each work.
Photo: C.H.A.T.
Shake It Up, a food truck specializing in artistic milkshakes, launched in October. Available for private events, the truck serves up over-the-top desserts adorned with indulgent goodies like cotton candy, pop rocks, cookies, doughnuts, lollipops, and more. The shakes are just as Instagrammable as they are delicious.
Shake It Up, a food truck specializing in artistic milkshakes, launched in October. Available for private events, the truck serves up over-the-top desserts adorned with indulgent goodies like cotton candy, pop rocks, cookies, doughnuts, lollipops, and more. The shakes are just as Instagrammable as they are delicious.
Photo: Courtesy of Shake It Up
The George R. Brown Convention Center added a new guest amenity in November. The Briggo Robotic Coffee Haus enables guests to buy specialty coffee drinks on demand. Event attendees can order and pay for their cappuccinos, lattes, iced coffees, and more through an app or via a touchscreen at the Coffee Haus and then watch a robotic system make the drinks on site—no barista required.
The George R. Brown Convention Center added a new guest amenity in November. The Briggo Robotic Coffee Haus enables guests to buy specialty coffee drinks on demand. Event attendees can order and pay for their cappuccinos, lattes, iced coffees, and more through an app or via a touchscreen at the Coffee Haus and then watch a robotic system make the drinks on site—no barista required.
Photo: Adrian Samano
More in Texas: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston
Mediterranean restaurant and bar Safina opened at the new InterContinental Houston—Medical Center in March. The restaurant features a blue and green aesthetic inspired by the ocean, and serves a variety of health-focused dishes. The restaurant seats 155 guests in the main dining room and has a private dining area that seats 18 guests.
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Malibu Poke opened a second Dallas location in April. Set in Uptown in the mixed-use development McKinney & Olive, the elevated quick-serve restaurant specializes in traditional poke bowls made with freshly butchered sashimi-grade seafood and house-made sauces, as well as cooked dishes with chicken, fish, seafood, and vegetables. Measuring 2,100 square feet, the venue offers a modern and inviting atmosphere, with light wood tables, live plants, an exposed ceiling, and seating for 40. For larger groups, planners can reserve the shared McKinney & Olive courtyard, which can host as many as 1,000 people.
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Texas: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, HoustonJune 27, 2019
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“Color Me CORT” wowed V.I.P. guests in Dallas.
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The beer brand led a sunset meditation with more than 2,000 guests with mass meditation company the Big Quiet, produced with Mosaic. The meditation incorporated musical performances by Miguel, Bishop Briggs, and Cautious Clay.
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Texas: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, HoustonMarch 26, 2019
Collective Retreats Hill Country operates as a seasonal glamping retreat on the organic farm Montesino Ranch along the Blanco River in Wimberley, Texas. It debuted last fall and stays open from late September to early June. The retreat consists of 12 overnight luxury tents with high-end amenities (think 1,500 thread-count linens, French press coffee bar, in-tent bathrooms, and massages), all with a bohemian aesthetic with textiles, rugs, and blankets. Activities include swimming, kayaking, floating the river in tubes, cooking classes, and more. The kitchen, overseen by executive chef William Howell, focuses on farm-to-table produce and meats, like outdoor roasts, breakfast tacos, barbecue shrimp and grits, plus more. A 1,000-square-foot indoor event space, Three Peaks, accommodates about 70 guests and has a terrace, Wi-Fi, and audiovisual capabilities.
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Mobile florist Sand and Soil Flower Truck Co. launched in July. In addition to providing traditional floral decor, the 1960 vintage Volkswagen truck can be used as a D.I.Y. activity station at events. While on site, florists help guests create their own floral arrangements, which can double as party favors.
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Austin's the Balloon Bar recently added a garland collection to its array of festive balloons. The Organic Balloon Garland measures 15 feet long by two feet wide, and it is composed of various sizes of latex balloons in a rose-colored palette with shades of corals and pinks. This garland costs $125 plus tax.
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Family-friendly games included corn hole, bocce ball, ping pong, hopscotch, and a chalk-coloring area.
Austin
Texas: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, HoustonNovember 14, 2018
EggHaus Gourmet, a fast-casual breakfast restaurant that specializes in kolaches, tacos, and egg sandwiches, opened in Houston Heights in September. The restaurant, which is helmed by father-son duo Hans and Philipp Sitter, evolved from their kolache pop-ups at their first two Austrian-German concepts King’s Biergarten and King’s BierHaus. The 2,000-square-foot space was designed by Austin-based designer Kim Lewis and features floral wallpaper; yellow, white, and black pops of color; and a 10-foot steel egg at the ordering station. The venue seats 48 people inside and 20 outside and is available for private events.
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Palm Beach-inspired patio bar Present Company opened in Montrose in July. The expansive venue has 4,200 square feet of space inside and a 6,000-square-foot patio showcasing pink, orange, and yellow hues, as well as tropical accents and birdcage chandeliers. The bar specializes in tropical cocktails and bar snacks, including nachos and cheese fries. The venue can hold about 520 guests for receptions and is available for private events.
Houston Area
Texas: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, HoustonOctober 10, 2018
A staple in the Dallas hotel market for more than a century, the Adolphus completed a two-year renovation in May, which included additions like the French Room Bar, a pool and pool deck, Viennese coffee shop Otto’s, and a barber shop. The property features 11 meeting spaces, including the 1,305-square-foot Anson Jones room, which accommodates 150 theater style and 120 in rounds; the 989-square-foot David G. Burnet room, with space for 110 theater style and 50 classroom style; and the 263-square-foot George W. Bush room, with space for 10 for conferences. Elsewhere on the property, guests can enjoy a rooftop pool, a fully equipped fitness center, and a range of dining options.
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Greater Goods Coffee Roasting opened a bright and airy modern coffee shop in East Austin in March. Special to the café is its training lab, which offers space for coffee classes, tasting sessions, and private event space. Outdoor seating arrangements include tables and banquettes, while the interior features the coffee bar and library nook with comfortable couches. The 3,000-square-foot venue seats 50 in the main café, 24 in the lab, and 30 on the patio.
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