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| Houston's Entertaining Attractions |
Whether you’re looking for a laugh-filled night on the town or a place to enhance your group’s experience with learning though laughter and hands-on improv, check out these comedy clubs in the Houston area.
Craft and drink
An entertaining and team-building activity growing popular for corporate and social events is painting or crafting while drinking. Several businesses in Houston offer this option as a private function or for individuals looking for a good time, wine and artistic expression all rolled into one.
The Cork Soakers Wine Bar is always available for private parties, but on Wednesday nights visitors can come and explore their creative side with a fun combination of art, a warm friendly venue, conversation, great wine and guidance from one of Houston’s favorite artists. Each week a different local artist hosts a painting class focusing on a different masterpiece. Guests paint their own version while tantalizing their palates with wine. Cork Soakers provides all art supplies as well as a free glass of wine. Space is limited; to reserve a spot, call (713) 222-CORK, e-mail info@corksoakershouston.com or visit www.corksoakershouston.com/artful-sips.html.
Located in the Heights area, the Paint and Wine Studio offers private painting party packages for friends, businesses, charities, associations and other organizations. The 1,700-square-foot studio also can be rented out for seminars, workshops or other events. The three-hour painting events are available anytime for 10–32 people and include guests recreating one of the studio’s gallery paintings to take home. Custom designs also can be created for a party. The studio provides instruction and all art materials as well as aprons, cups and corkscrews. Guests bring beverages and snacks, or local catering and live music can be arranged through the studio at cost. The only mess guests clean up is the food. For more information, call (713) 409-3373, e-mail info@paintandwine.com or visit www.paintandwine.com.
With two Houston locations, Pinot’s Palette is a popular venue for private painting parties and corporate events where guests recreate masterpieces previously painted at the studio or developed specifically for your event. Located in the Galleria and Montrose neighborhoods, the two- or three-hour parties require a minimum of 15 people and are held anytime except Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights. Monday through Friday, parties before 3 p.m. can host as few as 10 painters. The Galleria location also offers the Picasso Room, a more exclusive and intimate setting including full-size easels, high-backed seating and individual wine tables. Pinot’s Palette provides canvases, easels, brushes, paints and aprons as well as wine glasses, corkscrews and ice buckets while painters bring any drinks or food desired. Pinot’s Palette also will bring a party to any location in the area. For more information, call (713) 77-PINOT or visit www.pinotspalette.com.
Beyond the canvas, the Mad Potter is a fun and creative place for any gathering where guests paint pottery mugs, plates or bowls while enjoying adult refreshments and camaraderie. With three locations and a “Studio on Wheels” that will set up anywhere in the area, Mad Potter hosts parties from 8 to 90 for team building, happy hour and more. Mad Potter sets up, instructs and cleans up and provides pottery, paint and assorted design tools as well as idea books, artistic consulting, balloons and invitations. Guests just bring painters, food and beverages; some Mad Potter locations also sell wine, beer and soda. To find out more or contact a Houston location, visit www.themadpotter.com.
Whether painting on canvas or pottery, crush a cup of wine and bring the artists out of colleagues and friends while having a good time.
Upscale happy hours
When the workday is done and your group wants to relax with colleagues with drinks or tasty appetizers, it’s important to know about happy-hour deals that get visitors the best bang for their buck. Following are a few of Houston’s more upscale happy-hour hotspots by neighborhood that will meet the social needs of your event attendees in the Bayou City.
In Downtown Houston, PrimeTime at the Palm Restaurant happens weekdays from 4:30–6:30 p.m. where delectable Prime Bites like Nova Scotia Lobster BLT Sliders are available in the bar area for only $5.50. The laidback but upscale QBar at the Four Seasons has a Tuesday-only happy hour from 4–8 p.m. featuring $1 bruschetta and $5 house wine. On weekdays from 4–7 p.m., Sambuca offers a selection of appetizers up to $5 and drink specials, such as $3 domestic and $4 import beers, $4 house wine and $5 house martinis. The bar at the famed steakhouse Smith & Wollensky offers a savory happy-hour menu under $8 as well as select beers and wines for only $3 from 4–8 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sundays.
Downtown Houston also is home to The State Bar & Lounge on the second floor of the Rice Lofts offers a weekday happy hour from 3–7 p.m. that features $3 domestic drafts and $4 house wine, margaritas and amaretto stone sours. Strip House steakhouse, famous for its prime cuts of meat and 24-layer chocolate cake, hosts happy hour specials starting at 4 p.m.
Craft and drink
An entertaining and team-building activity growing popular for corporate and social events is painting or crafting while drinking. Several businesses in Houston offer this option as a private function or for individuals looking for a good time, wine and artistic expression all rolled into one.
The Cork Soakers Wine Bar is always available for private parties, but on Wednesday nights visitors can come and explore their creative side with a fun combination of art, a warm friendly venue, conversation, great wine and guidance from one of Houston’s favorite artists. Each week a different local artist hosts a painting class focusing on a different masterpiece. Guests paint their own version while tantalizing their palates with wine. Cork Soakers provides all art supplies as well as a free glass of wine. Space is limited; to reserve a spot, call (713) 222-CORK, e-mail info@corksoakershouston.com or visit www.corksoakershouston.com/artful-sips.html.
Located in the Heights area, the Paint and Wine Studio offers private painting party packages for friends, businesses, charities, associations and other organizations. The 1,700-square-foot studio also can be rented out for seminars, workshops or other events. The three-hour painting events are available anytime for 10–32 people and include guests recreating one of the studio’s gallery paintings to take home. Custom designs also can be created for a party. The studio provides instruction and all art materials as well as aprons, cups and corkscrews. Guests bring beverages and snacks, or local catering and live music can be arranged through the studio at cost. The only mess guests clean up is the food. For more information, call (713) 409-3373, e-mail info@paintandwine.com or visit www.paintandwine.com.
With two Houston locations, Pinot’s Palette is a popular venue for private painting parties and corporate events where guests recreate masterpieces previously painted at the studio or developed specifically for your event. Located in the Galleria and Montrose neighborhoods, the two- or three-hour parties require a minimum of 15 people and are held anytime except Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights. Monday through Friday, parties before 3 p.m. can host as few as 10 painters. The Galleria location also offers the Picasso Room, a more exclusive and intimate setting including full-size easels, high-backed seating and individual wine tables. Pinot’s Palette provides canvases, easels, brushes, paints and aprons as well as wine glasses, corkscrews and ice buckets while painters bring any drinks or food desired. Pinot’s Palette also will bring a party to any location in the area. For more information, call (713) 77-PINOT or visit www.pinotspalette.com.
Beyond the canvas, the Mad Potter is a fun and creative place for any gathering where guests paint pottery mugs, plates or bowls while enjoying adult refreshments and camaraderie. With three locations and a “Studio on Wheels” that will set up anywhere in the area, Mad Potter hosts parties from 8 to 90 for team building, happy hour and more. Mad Potter sets up, instructs and cleans up and provides pottery, paint and assorted design tools as well as idea books, artistic consulting, balloons and invitations. Guests just bring painters, food and beverages; some Mad Potter locations also sell wine, beer and soda. To find out more or contact a Houston location, visit www.themadpotter.com.
Whether painting on canvas or pottery, crush a cup of wine and bring the artists out of colleagues and friends while having a good time.
Upscale happy hours
When the workday is done and your group wants to relax with colleagues with drinks or tasty appetizers, it’s important to know about happy-hour deals that get visitors the best bang for their buck. Following are a few of Houston’s more upscale happy-hour hotspots by neighborhood that will meet the social needs of your event attendees in the Bayou City.
In Downtown Houston, PrimeTime at the Palm Restaurant happens weekdays from 4:30–6:30 p.m. where delectable Prime Bites like Nova Scotia Lobster BLT Sliders are available in the bar area for only $5.50. The laidback but upscale QBar at the Four Seasons has a Tuesday-only happy hour from 4–8 p.m. featuring $1 bruschetta and $5 house wine. On weekdays from 4–7 p.m., Sambuca offers a selection of appetizers up to $5 and drink specials, such as $3 domestic and $4 import beers, $4 house wine and $5 house martinis. The bar at the famed steakhouse Smith & Wollensky offers a savory happy-hour menu under $8 as well as select beers and wines for only $3 from 4–8 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sundays.
Downtown Houston also is home to The State Bar & Lounge on the second floor of the Rice Lofts offers a weekday happy hour from 3–7 p.m. that features $3 domestic drafts and $4 house wine, margaritas and amaretto stone sours. Strip House steakhouse, famous for its prime cuts of meat and 24-layer chocolate cake, hosts happy hour specials starting at 4 p.m.
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If accepted, your submission will be edited for length and clarity. There is no monetary payment if your item is used; instead, you can publicize yourself through a five-line biography with your contact information that will appear at the end of the article.
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