Italian cuisine is only part of the equation at Paulie's. Its namesake and owner cares as much about the quality of the eatery's coffee as he does about its fare. For that reason, Paulie sources all of the restaurant's beans from Houston's own Greenway Coffee Company. This ensures that they arrive freshly roasted, ready to be transformed into an espresso drink or pour-over cup of coffee for you to savor.

You might want to save coffee for dessert, and start your visit to Paulie's with a plate of house-crafted pasta or a personal thin-crust pizza. Paulie's also offers traditional Italian entrees, such as chicken piccata and shrimp scampi, and an array of paninis, salads, and sandwiches. Just make sure you save some room for one of Paulie's house-baked desserts, perhaps the signature shortbread cookies or a few scoops of ice cream from local Cloud 10 Creamery. Either makes the perfect complement to a piping-hot cup of java.

Visit Paulie's website to learn more about this Houston restaurant near Siena at Memorial Heights.

Paulie's
1834 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 807-7271
www.pauliesrestaurant.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/paulies-houston

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Pen Waggener

The Houston Ballet hasn't staged a production of Rome and Juliet for nearly three decades. So when they had to the opportunity to put on Stanton Welch's fresh version of the classic drama, they jumped at the chance. If you'd like to check out the results, head to Houston's Wortham Center. Romeo and Juliet will grace its stage February 26 and 28, as well as March 1.

Scored by highly regarded composer Prokofiev and costumed by illustrious Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno, the Houston Ballet's Romeo and Juliet sticks closely to the classic. However, the choreography is brand new. Yet somehow this production seamlessly blends the elements of old and new. Make the quick drive from Siena at Memorial Heights to the theater to experience the show for yourself, perhaps with a date or a group of friends in tow.

Romeo and Juliet by the Houston Ballet
Wortham Center
500 Texas Avenue
Houston, TX 77002
(832) 487-7000
www.houstonfirsttheaters.com/WorthamCenter/Calendar.aspx

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/zaimoku_woodpile

If you want to catch the sultry melodies of jazz musicians at Cezanne, you'll have to carve a specific window of time out of your schedule: 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Those are the hours when the jazz club takes over Black Labrador Pub in Houston.

Although you can't make reservations for the jazz sets, Houstonians seem to agree that it's worth heading to Cezanne to snag a spot for the night's performances (you might want to show up around 8:30). There are two sets: the first runs until 10:15 p.m. and the second from about 10:45 until closing. Grab a drink and enjoy the sweet sounds of the highly skilled artists who grace the club. According to Yelp reviewers, you'll be almost right in the middle of the action given how close Cezanne's seating area is to the stage.

Check out Cezanne's website to learn more about this jazz event near Siena at Memorial Heights.

Cezanne
Black Labrador Pub
4100 Montrose Boulevard
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 522-9621
www.cezannejazz.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/cezanne-houston

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/sjdunphy