Valentine's And Romantic Getaways In Houston

Here’s the inside track on having a special Valentine Day or romantic getaway in Houston that is also ideal for a date, birthdays or anniversary celebrations. To make sure that your date is in a place that has an atmosphere that is highly conducive to establishing a sensual mood for an intimate evening with a loved one follow any of these handy tips.

For an all out funky good time many couples like to take advantage of the city’s abundance of downtown nightspots. If you are more at home in an upscale or suburban community where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the crowds we have suggestions for you too.

Hotel and dinning
Dinner cruises
Dancing and dinning
Dinning and a movie

Great Hotels With Dinning Facilities In Houston

Your evening can have the atmosphere of a secret rendezvous by checking into a local hotel especially if you manage to secure a reservation for a room near Midtown Houston where you will have a fantastic view of the skyline or close to a tranquil water feature.

Plenty of hotels in Houston have restaurants where you can get a scrumptious meal within walking distance of your room and keep the mood for the special night laid back.

You’ll find that you don’t have to always spend big bucks for a 5 star facility to have a classy and intimate evening. Just make you sure you go for nice unless seedy is what floats your partners boat.

Want to know more about planning a evening with good food and a comfy room try these places in Houston.

Hotel with dining in Houston
Hotel rooms with restaurants
Hotel rooms with food

Dinner Cruises In Houston

There’s is something about the moonlight glistening off the water that creates feelings strong enough to sooth even a strained relationship. For a couple, peace love and tranquility are some of the things that are essential to making an evening special during a romantic cruise in Houston.

The ideal getaway requires a big comfortable well staffed yacht. It will make it easier for any built up tension to escape and leave those hot buttons you want to push unguarded.
Houston is a city that has waterways everywhere. You can find out more about them by using these search terms.

Boats in Houston
Lunch cruises in Houston
Houston Yacht Cruises
Dinner cruises in Kemah,
Yacht cruise lines in Houston,

Dancing and Dinning

It doesn’t matter if on your night on the town you want to waltz, salsa or twist the night away. An evening of dancing followed by supper for two will easily woo any Valentine you have your sights set on winning.

Pick a club that has a great DJ and a restaurant in-house or nearby it is a good way to turn a romantic spark into a flame. Some of Houston’s favorite places for couples to dine and dance are located in downtown and Midtown Houston. If you are looking for a special place to get your groove on try these suggestions.

Dance clubs in Houston
Dancing and dinning in downtown Houston
Houston music and nightlife

Dinner And A Movie Date In Houston

If your date has a nostalgic bent you could very well put them into nirvana by planning a date that starts with a classy meal and winds down the evening with a little cuddling while watching a a newly released movie.

If you want to let a guy know that you are a highbrow or impress a sophisticated lady, forget about seeing a Hollywood movie and catch a foreign film, indie production or cult movie.
We have a list below of places where hip people go to dine and watch some of the avant-garde films and movies in Houston.

Star Cinema
Alamo Draft House Cinema
Rice Media Center
Domy Books
Houston MFA

If you’re planning a Valentine Day date or romantic getaway in Houston you’ll find that this city is definitely a place for lovers. Anything and everything you want to do on a romantic night on the town in is readily available.

We plan to put more things for couples to do in Houston into a guide soon and would love to have your input. Drop us a line or leave your thoughts in the comments section so others looking to enjoy the city’s nightlife can navigate around the potholes. It will make it possible for them to have an exciting evening that can be treasured and remembered a whole lot easier.

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Events in Houston This Weekend-January 2010

There are plenty of events in Houston this weekend-January 2010 where you can join the other Houstonians who are stepping up to the plate to help earthquake victims in Haiti. You can support them by attending and donating at a free concert or by getting a haircut, cupcake or pizza from a local businesses.

Local rapper Bun B was one of the first musicians in-town to announce a benefit concert for Haiti. Now Midtownlive has learned that Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie are planning a massive 25th anniversary re-recording of “We Are the World” that will provide support to the nation in peril.

The new release should feature lots and lots of new talent. Word on the street is some of the new voices will include Usher, Natalie Cole, and John Legend. But you can bet there will be plenty of folks attending the Grammy weekend who will stick around for an extra night and come out to the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles to support the new Haitian relief effort and the 25th anniversary of the original “We Are the World”.

In and Around Midtown Houston

After shocks are still causing havoc in the small Caribbean nation. Residents have an ongoing need for all kinds of support. For a limited time several Houston businesses are donating a portion of their sales to help the January 2010 earthquake victims in Haiti relief efforts. Here are few Heroes of Houston business in and around Midtown Houston that deserve mentioning.

Sugarbaby’s Cupcake Boutique on S. Shepherd
EJ’s Neighborhood Pizzeria 12312 Barker Cypress
Cutloose 1711 Westheimer
Houston Institute for Culture on Telephone Rd., Ste B

If getting a haircut is on your things to do list this weekend. Cutloose is sponsoring a hair care benefit this Sunday and the minimum donation is $25. All proceeds will be sent to Yele Haiti to help with their relief efforts. Some Houston organizations are collecting non-perishable items to send Haiti. The following items are just a few of the many on their wish list.

* Cash donations
* Water
* Hygiene products
* Nonperishable food
* Warm weather clothes
* Flashlights
* Batteries
* Medical supplies, including ace bandages, bandages, gloves, gauze, saline,
* Blankets
* Shoes
* Crates/boxes
* Tents
* Sleeping bags
* Generators

Texting YELE to 501501

If you want another safe and effective way to donate cash. You can donate $5 to Yele Haiti, the non-profit organization that was started by Wyclef Jean, who from Haiti. Just text YELE to 501501. The charge will appear on your cell phone bill the following month.

Finally, one of the best things to do this weekend for the music lover in you is to attend a free benefit concert in the Woodlands tonight. The Woodland’s benefit concert, “Give Hope to Haiti” happens tonight from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. The event will benefit I Am Change and Real Hope for Haiti. Their program Hydrate Hope Project, works to provide a clean water in Haiti.

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Entertainment In Houston-October 2009

There's lots of delightful entertainment in Houston this weekend where you can expect les bons temps rouler (the goodtimes to roll). The spotlight shines on three places. So whether you want to stay close to home in Cy Fair or hang-out in Sugarland in the Southern part of the city, you'll find it here.

Zilkha Hall in downtown Houston is the place to see an exciting dance performance. The stage at Lone Star College has the dramatically acclaimed stage play Crowns or if you crave fun and games you can watch or participate in Dragon Boat Racing.

Hobby Center

Uptown Dance Company presents Dance Infusion on Sunday, October 18th in Zilkha Hall, at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, it's a short train ride from Midtown Houston to the picturesque building on Bagby.

Guest artists Alexander Pandiscio and Lauren Ciobanu, are both members of the Houston Ballet and will be performing in the piece. Included in the performance is Gulledge-Brown's, Dancing Days, whcih showcases its contemporary influence by featuring the music of Led Zeppelin.

Crowns- Lone Star College

This weekend is your final chance to see why everyone is raving about Crowns by Regina Taylor, the stage play based on an acclaimed book of photography by
Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry.

The plot centers around six African American women of the South whose stories of love, loss, identity, and sisterhood are woven into the hats that crown their heads and the songs that speak their truth.

Through the hats they wear to church, we explore hat etiquette (no hat borrowing), style (you shouldn’t look lost in it), and attitude (you have to have one in order to wear a hat well). It's what Deirdre Guion calls "hattitude...there's a little more strut in your carriage when you wear a nice hat."

Take a look at this preview of the play, directed by Ron Jones and Lisa Garza on Midtownlive's Youtube channel "What's Happening In Houston".

Houston's Annual Dragon Boat Festival

The Annual Dragon Boat Festival and Regatta takes place at Brooks Lake in Sugar Land, Sugarland Saturday and Sunday instead of it's old course on Buffalo Bayou. You can see Houston's Dragon Boat team, the "Heat" in action at the event. They're a group of highly skilled competitors that travel across America to challenge other racing teams.

Their die hard team of paddlers have faced-off against some stiff competition from other members of the Texas Dragon Boat association and teams from Canada, the West Coast and the Midwest.

We consider the races entertainment in Houston, but dragon boat racing is called the world's fastest growing water sport. It's a combination of tradition, teamwork, enthusiasm, and strategy. The races are always fun for the participants and those who come out to watch and support their favorite boat team.
This festival and regatta is to promote the tradition, the sport and share dragon boat racing, a little known aspect of Asian culture, with the community.

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Houston Tours

Houston tours are always one of the fun things to do if you enjoy sightseeing. You can experience Art & Architecture Walks, Lifestyles of Houston's Rich & Famous, a Spiritual Journey and other interesting places through exciting tours in Houston. These guided tours are wonderful adventures that will reveal little known facets of the South's largest metroplex.

Downtown Houston's Tunnel & Rail Tour

Houston has a tour that takes you into the tunnel system downtown and on the Metrorail. It's an upclose look beneath the streets of Houston to acquaint you with the city's underground.




Houston homes generally don't have basements, but in downtown Houston there is an intricate system of tunnels that serve as a hub to interconnect the glass and steel skyscrapers.

The excursion starts out with a leisurely walk through the air-conditioned tunnels, where you can visit specialty shops and eatery's. Then you' ll get a chance to hitch a ride on the modern electric trains that shuttles Houstonians between downtown and the Texas Medical Center.

Museum Tours

The train takes you to the museum district in Midtown Houston, where you can see worldclass art and science exhibits on display all year long, before heading back downtown to end the tour.

You can check out some of the other unique local tours in Houston from previous editions,

Air and Water tours in Houston

Port of Houston Tours

Here is a list of other unique local tours in Houston:

African-American Heritage Tour
Blood & Money Tour
Broomstick Adventure
Cemetery Tours
City Tours for Groups of 10 or More
A Day in the Heights
East End Tour
Enron Tour
Ghost Walk '08
Houston's Historic Wards
Howard Hughes's Houston
Jingle Jaunt '08
Lifestyles of Houston's Rich & Famous
Philip Johnson's Houston

Discover Houston Tours
945 McKinney #104
Houston, TX 77002

If you're looking for fun things to do in Houston this week, contact Discover Houston to get more details about the trip to the tunnel and train or any of the the unique local tours in Houston.

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Free Events in Houston This Weekend

It a sure bet that with all of the free events in downtown Houston this weekend, it's the top place to have a good time. If you want to be entertained, enriched and enjoy yourself on the cheap at the same time? Then you want to head downtown this weekend.

Art Car Parade

The excitement starts with the zany Art Car Parade. Automobiles and other mechanical contraptions are decorated to look like everything from chickens to fire breathing dragons. It's an electrifying event that will amaze and awaken the kid in you. This year's parade has kicked the level of entertainment up a notch with kid zones, music and more.

Discovery Green

Before you leave, get an added boost of pleasure at Discovery Green and soak-up the energy created by the oodles of excited kids at the Children’s Discovery Series a free, weekly, family-oriented performance.

Midtown Art Festival

Once more stop on the weekend in Houston travel plans, has to be spent in the quaint settings of Baldwin Park, experiencing a familiar brand of art. The Midtown Houston Art in The Park Festival. It's an chic urban-fest where up and coming artist from around the sate hawk original works in just about every medium you can imagine. Originally the festivities were scheduled for a couple of weeks ago, but the rain hampered that plan.

The annual artfest may look small, but it's a big thing for the residents and artist who participate. It's well worth your time to visit this treasured jewel, plus it's on of the best free events in Houston this weekend.

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Things To Do In And Around Midtown Houston This Weekend

Are you looking for some cool things to do in Houston's Midtown to get into this weekend? Here's a few things you may want to check out.


3rd Annual Midtown Art in the Park


Elisabeth Baldwin Park
April 18, 2009 , 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Midtown Houston's Baldwin Park provides the setting from 12:00pm to 5:00pm, for this urban fine art festival. Local and regional artists will present works in a variety of mediums that need new homes to ad sparkle to. The original creations are shown in booths strung out along a quarter mile path.

If you've missed the previous art in the parks you'll love this small gathering of artniks that enables local artist to exhibit their works worthy of adding to your personal collection.

Many of the art studios and galleries in the area participating by allowing you to peek into their usually private creative spaces.

Baldwin Park located at 1701 Elgin @ Chenevert in Midtown Houston.

Wings & Wheels - HobbyFest!



The 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport
April 18, 2009 , 10:00am to 5:00pm

Wings & Wheels, is not a a new spin on wings and waffles but part of the Hobbyfest weekend celebrations at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum.

This month's open house features aircraft, ground vehicles, live music, vintage cars and for a nominal fee one of the coolest things that you can do this weekend is take a 25 minute passenger ride in a B 17 or a B-25.

If you've never been to the museum, now is a good time to view the aeronautical treasure at this unique museum in Houston. You won't find this gem in the Museum District, it's far too big, they had to set up shop on the outskirts of town, near Hobby airport.,

The small fee for admission to this value packed Houston event, includes lunch! Grab more info@1940airterminal.org 1940airterminal.org

Houston To Austin Ride

It's time again for the 2009 BP MS 150 Bike Ride . Registration for the MS (multiple sclerosis) 150 closed within an unprecedented one day timeframe, as thirteen thousand cyclists registered for the Houston event.

The bikers will take an exhilarating trek from Houston to Austin beginning with a kick off at the Omni Houston Hotel at Westside and wrap things up Sunday, April 19, at the Texas State History Museum and Texas Capitol in Austin.

Kudos to the Bayou City Outdoors' MS-150 team members. This annual ride helps to support multiple sclerosis (MS) research move closer to a world free of MS.

Dance Workshop This Weekend In Houston

Barnevelder in Downtown Houston
Preston @ Hutchins.

Sunday the Urban Souls Dance Company Presents Project Push: A Dance Workshop. "Because every dancer needs a little push."

Taking part in this weekends dance workshop is your opportunity to allow the sensational dancers of Urban Souls to inspire you, energize you, and enhance your dance performance and dance experience.

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Things to do In and Around Midtown Houston This Weekend

Every kid loves them and most dad's, if just for a day, envy the saddle-worn riders on horseback that end their trail ride with a final trot through the downtown streets.

Hands down. the best free event in Houston this weekend will be the Rodeo Houston 2009 parade. Be prepared in case the usual chilly blast accompanies the festivities.

If you're like me and avoid cold weather, rush hour traffic, honey do's and other domestic chores, I have the 411 on fun things to do indoors on the last few days of this month.


Houston's Black History Collection

The community is invited to participate in compiling photos documents and related items that celebrate and tell the stories of Houston's African American community.
Pictures from professional, political, schools, church and sporting events can be brought in for review to the Johnson Branch Library from 10 am to 1 pm Saturday.

Green Home and Garden Workshop

Help the world, Houston and your backyard become a greener place. If you can pull yourself to leave the comforts of your pad in Midtown Houston, take a short trip, to the local The Harris County Extension Office, for a Green Home and Garden Workshop.

Learn the best practices for composting, picking low maintenance plants and handling invasive varieties.

Experts on hand will discuss two hot topics that can help reduce your carbon footprint.

BUILDING HOMES FROM RECYCLABLE MATERIALS
Dan Phillips, Homebuilder, Phoenix Commotion

LOW COST ENERGY SAVING IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME
Jeff Kaplan, Owner, New Living Hardware.

Hanging Out In Downtown Houston

If your idea of an exciting fun weekend involves something more physical, there's the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run for willing participants.

There is no doubt about it, Toyota Center has the best nighttime action. It'll becomes the battleground for HBO's Wold Championship Boxing Event.

You can expect your adrenaline to get kicked up a couple of notches if you can land a ringside seat.

Hometown favorite's JUAN DIAZ and Olympic Silver Medalist, ROCKY JUAREZ are both after new belts during Saturday's title matches.

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Events In Houston This Weekend

There are lots of events in Houston each weekend, but we shine our light only on the ones that offer an entertaining, enhancing and enlightening experience.

Ensemble Theater

"The Man Who Saved New Orleans" is currently playing at Midtown Houston's favorite live playhouse, Ensemble Theatre. Acclaimed Houston playwright, Thomas Thomas Meloncon
loosely based this contemporary work upon many of the facts, misinformation and assumptions about one of the worst national disasters in the United States of America.

The drama reveals the dynamics and psyche of a family uprooted by Hurricane Katrina from the Creole soil that gave them strength, family loyalty and purpose.

They struggle to find happiness as they thirst for their former sense life, love and unity after the family finds itself 280 miles west of New Orleans in Houston, Texas.

Houston Auto Show 2009, Reliant Park ,January 24-February 1, 2009.




New cars, supercars and latest concept vehicles from all of the automakers are all under one roof. The Houston Auto Show is the largest auto show in the southwest, finishes it's week long stay in the city.

Automotive enthusiasts attending the 2009 Houston Auto Show will have a plenty to talk about this year, after getting a peak at the array of spectacular concept cars and the latest automotive products.


Festa Di Carnevale, Sunday, February 1 from 3:30-5:30pm at the Italian Cultural and Community Center at 1101 Milford Street near Midtown Houston in the Museum District. Festa di Carnevale" is an Italian festival for children that is full of costumes, parties, and celebrations before the time of "quaresima", a time of quiet introspection 40 days prior to Easter. Parents are encouraged to join in the fun by dressing up as well!

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Today's Houston Events-PhotoCamp

The Coolest Event in Houston

Photog's from the expert level to the most remedial point and shoot hobbyist, prepare yourself for an exciting event happening in Houston today. PhotoCamp Houston host an interactive forum for photography enthusiasts and professionals to share ideas.

Come out to the Houston Technology Center in Midtown Houston, and join-in this regional conference. Everyone is invited to engage in the informative discussions, and demos. That's why I picked this as the coolest event in Houston.

Doors open at 9:00am for coffee and registration. PhotoCamp gets started at 10:00 a.m. at the Houston Technology Center,

Houston Technology Center
410 Pierce St
location details

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What's Happening This Week In and Around Midtown Houston

The second Tuesday of December is almost here and the Midtown Civic Club invites everyone who resides in the hood to a "meet and greet" style Holiday Pot Luck.

It's a great way to stay abreast of who's who and what's what, in and around Midtown Houston. So, mark your calendar, because you're welcome to bring a covered dish to share or just drop by to share the dish, on whats happening in your corner of the world.


Visit Midtowncivicclub.org for more info.

Houston Artist and Entertainers

By the way... if you or anyone you know is handy with a camcorder and game for a little competition, check out the Houston Arts Alliance art contest heART of Houston.

All you need is a video show and tell capturing your favorite well-known, barely-known or unknown Houston artist or performer doing their thang.

They're offering prizes for the best works. Why not call your not ready for prime time videographer buddy and prove to the whole city, how well, he/she can hold a camera steady. First, you may want to check out memelab.org for the complete rules.

Houston Events This Week

The short film "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" makes it's local premiere at Texas Southern University this week. This tale of two hearts carries you through the love, hate, revenge and betrayal of a young couple. This dramatic film written and directed by Eboni Knight is a project of yellow Wood Productions.
The viewing is set for Thursday, December 11, 2008, 7:00PM, Mickey Leland - Barbara Jordan Public Affairs Building.

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