Posh Houston Restaurants Score Big in 2022 Wine Spectator Awards

Robin Barr Sussman

IT’S HARD TO fathom 37,500 bottles of wine in one restaurant (hello, Mastro’s!) or even the 4,000-plus selections of wine stocked at the original Pappas Bros. Steakhouse on Westheimer. No surprise, both high-end steakhouses garnered the top honor awards by Wine Spectator this year.

MFAH Screens ‘A Beautiful Mind’ and More Math-Savvy Movies This Month

Chris Becker

HERE’S AN ARTFUL way to stay cool this month. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston rolls out a six-film mini-series The Mathematician Moviegoer on Saturday, July 9, beginning with Giant (1953), George Stevens’ epic if somewhat shambolic celebration of the transformative power of black gold, starring three of 1950s Hollywood’s sexiest actors: Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. (At one point Dean, a dedicated “method” actor, manages to pull off an Oscar-worthy scene with his body completely covered in crude oil.)

This Summer Gallery Show Includes a Cactus Party Favor

Chris Becker

THIS SCORCHING HEAT has done no favors for most plants and plant-lovers. But on Saturday, July 9, from 1-4pm, Jonathan Hopson Gallery hosts Oasis, a special “green sharing” event where visitors are invited to view some incredible art, enjoy a cool drink and purchase a specially priced cutting or potted plant from the home-based gallery’s extraordinary cactus garden.
travel

In Remote Costa Rica, Beautiful Boutique Property Touts Pristine Nature

Guests enjoy 360-degree views from the infinity pool

A PARADISE FOR nature lovers, surfers and adventure seekers, Costa Rica often sees repeat visitors. The seven provinces, though different in the way of microclimates and the presence of volcanoes, cloud forests or beaches, are all predictably friendly, green and breathtakingly beautiful. Travelers come to anticipate and appreciate the “pura vida” lifestyle, i.e. an appreciation for the here-and-now beauty and wonder that the country offers so abundantly.

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People + Places
food

Thompson Hotel’s Toca Madera Is Latest ‘Vibe Dining’ Destination to Bring the Heat

The patio at Toca Madera (photo by Connie Anderson)

EXPERIENTIAL, OR “VIBE,” dining has been trending for a few years now in Houston, from restaurateurs who assume that diners want more than just a meal. Well, they all just got some stiff competition with the opening of Toca Madera in the Pavilion at The Allen.

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Food