Results tagged “christmaseve”

French restaurants have been very kind to Houstonist. They reside in quaint little locales, offer crusty bread and real butter, and cook up delectable and delicate fares. We were delighted to learn that a new french restaurant opened on Colquitt just two weeks ago. The owners and chefs of Au Petit Paris, Eric Legros & Dominique Bocquier, have created a 'casual' neighborhood restaurant with a distinct Parisian feel. Though the restaurant lacks the pretentiousness of most upscale restaurants and the decor is charming and comforting, the food is decidedly upscale as are the prices. We arrived at Au Petit on a brisk Houston winter night (no, seriously - we had to wear a coat and everything) and were delighted to find a cozy cottage restaurant instead of a lackluster stripmall dive. Eric and Dominique took an old Montrose house and created an adorable dining venue that is intimate and comfortable. The only gripe we had with the ambiance was their choice in music - a bit too techno bistro for the setting. The menu options were enticing, but we experienced sticker shock at the prices - nothing casual about that! Appetizers start at $12 and go up to $19. Entrees range from $23-$33. Dessert was $9 a pop. A full three course meal would run you well over fifty bucks. Perhaps these prices are the Euro conversion rate?

Several more venues are celebrating the holidays this week with showcases. The Meridian is hosting the annual Holiday Babes Christmas Party tomorrow night with our favorite local musical babe, Katie Stuckey. Verizon Wireless will be a haven for country singer/songwriter lovers tomorrow night (includes Roger Creager and Bruce Robinson). Warehouse Live celebrates twice with the Jingle Balls Friday night, showcasing local favorites Paris Green and Glass Intrepid, and their annual Eve of Christmas Eve party Sunday night with The Machos.

Good morning, Houston. So you say you're a Dynamo fan, eh? Well, here's your chance to prove it: The back-to-back MLS champs are auctioning off a chance to get close to the team's two MLS cups — literally. If you win the auction, the cups will be dropped off at your house on Christmas Eve and picked up Dec. 26; in between, you can do whatever you want with 'em (within reason, of course). Best of all, the money raised will benefit Casa de Esperanza, an organization that helps kids in crisis. Break out your checkbooks and bid — the auction ends at 5 p.m. today.

::Monday Night Movie at Domy::

Tomorrow is the trade deadline for Major League Baseball, which is pretty much like shopping on Christmas Eve, but with Eric Gagne playing the part of Tickle Me Elmo. The much-maligned Astros have already made one head-scratching trade leading up to the deadline, picking up exactly what they needed in 3B/2B/1B/OF Ty Wigginton: another clean-cut white guy who plays no position in particular. But what is next for GM Tim Purpura? Mark Loretta (who has...

On Sundays, Houstonist runs opinion pieces relevant to life in Houston. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author. So it’s Christmas Eve, and you aren’t done with your shopping. Sure, you’ve carefully wrapped a present for your mother that is so amazing it will remove the memory of every bad gift she’s ever received, and your kids each have their own Play Station XVIII. But you still have to buy for your...

Happy Holidays! Chances are, you're reading this the day after Christmas, back at your day job after all-too-short a holiday, and the last thing you want from us is stuff about the holidays. But that's just too bad. Because, see, here in the Ist-A-Verse, we do things ahead of time. It might be December 26 for you, but that's what you get for not checking your Favorite Local Blog on Christmas Eve. Austinist is...

Know what is more fun than watching on TBS or TNT or wherever on Christmas Eve? Watching it with a room full to the brim with other Ralphie enthusiasts at Texas Repertory Theatre.

Houstonist always has a big pile of tamales, a cauldron of our venison chili and a pot of pintos (to bean or not to bean - that is the controversy question) with all the sides (cheese, onions, corn chips, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, etc) for Christmas Eve. Finding a mean tamale in Houston is actually fairly easy, here are some recommendations for you, in case you need some and are behind the proverbial 8-ball, or...

Houstonist contributor Monica suggested this video, which we didn't even know existed. Made in the middle of their short career, Wham! decided to go for scenery on "Last Christmas" that we haven't seen since two Christmas Eve's ago -- snow. The video just taked you to the ski lodge where George Michael and his (ahem) girlfriend go to meet their friends. All throughout the video, George is obsessing over his lost love, who now...

Here at Houstonist, we don't get all of our gift purchasing completed by Halloween. Sometimes, we are in the mad rush on Christmas Eve ( Aunt WHO is going to be there? RATS - now, I need another gift!). So, if you are anything at all like us, and are still cramming gifts and tissue paper into those cute little gift bags, wrapping boxes up with bows and realizing you forgot someone important - today and/or tomorrow are the last days to e-shop in time for a Chrismas delivery.

Still looking for the perfect gift for the person who has everything? Well, if that person happens to be a soccer lover and doesn't mind having a really cool present taken away from them, you're in luck: If you're willing to pay enough, you could have the Houston Dynamo's MLS Cup under your tree. No kidding. The Dynamo is auctioning off Christmas with the big silver trophy to benefit Covenant House Texas, an organization that...

Houstonist spends December either crazy busy or stupid tired, what with all of the parties, shopping, home decorating and general Christmas season ilk going on. We discovered these, "on accident" and even though we are pushing all of our limits, we simply cannot bring ourselves to endorse pre-cut, refrigerated cookies that come with their own icing. There is something so wrong with it, our sensibilities are offended. We may kill ourselves, figuratively, but the cookies...

Well, we shouldn't be surpised, but the kid in each one of us can be a little disappointed to hear that snow is not predicted to make another Christmas Eve or Christmas Day appearance this year. Houstonist was really looking forward to making a two-foot-tall snow man. (Would that be a snow little person? A snow dwarf?)

As we at Houstonist started our day, the Buzz's Brother Rod was playing a crowd favorite "Drive Thru Sing-a-Long" during which courageous contestants festively sang "Deck the Halls," hoping an unknowing drive-thru attendant would chime in with the chorus. (We'll sing with you … fa la la la la, lala la la!) To our dismay, it took over an hour and countless attempts for someone to win this reindeer game. So where's the holiday spirit?...

Houstonist hasn’t played in the snow since last Christmas Eve, so we’re thinking about putting on our OshKosh B’Gosh and trying to blend in with the other youngsters tomorrow and have snow fights at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Houstonist knows first-hand how hard it is to find that perfect gift for friends and family. We tend to wait until Christmas Eve, and then hit the malls for gift certificates. Not this year. We found some unique items for your wide range of gift receivers: