Explore Handcrafted Items at the First Saturday Arts Market

If you've been struggling to find a unique gift for a friend or significant other, wait until Dec. 5. That's the day when the First Saturday Arts Market will bring giftable handcrafted items to Houston—just as it does every month. Only 10 minutes away from Siena at Memorial Heights, the outdoor market runs year-long from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month.

It's a good place to go treasure hunting because a slew of different artisans show off their masterpieces here. You'll find everything from bold, abstract paintings to subdued, black and white photographs. That's not to mention the jewelry, sculptures, and other handmade works on display at the First Saturday Arts Market. Head there this December to check off any last-minute holiday gifts on your list.

First Saturday Arts Market
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 5
540 W. 19th Street
Houston, TX 77008
firstsaturdayartsmarket.com

Do Some Holiday Shopping at the Fall Edition of Vintage Flea!

On Nov. 21 and 22, Vintage Flea fills Silver Street Studios with goods from vintage vendors and antiques vendors, making for a vintage lover's dream!

The flea market features more than 50 local, or Texas-based, vendors selling things like furniture, jewelry, antique kitchen items, clothing, paintings and much, much more. In addition to folks vending vintage and antique goods, food, beer and wine will be available for purchase, and several food trucks are expected to be there, too.

Since the flea market is so popular, tickets are required for entry. Tickets are $7 online and $10 at the door for those over the age of 12 and free for children under 12. Scoop up your tickets today to get in on the flea market action — it's happening only 1.5 miles from Siena at Memorial Heights!

Vintage Flea at Silver Street Studios
Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 21-22
1501 Silver Street
Houston, TX 77007
www.facebook.com/events

Treat Yourself to Fried Chicken and Doughnuts at Lee’s Fried Chicken

Peanut butter and jelly. Bagel and cream cheese. Fried chicken and doughnuts? Yes, there's a new restaurant in town specializing in just that pairing. Add Lee’s Fried Chicken to your must-eat list.

Since opening last month, Lee's has been serving up stuff like chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, chicken sandwiches, and a salad topped with chicken. Sides including macaroni salad, creamed corn and potato salad are available, too.

There are more than a half-dozen doughnuts on the menu for those looking for a sweet treat to go with savory chicken. The current doughnut menu includes apple fritters, a jam doughnut, glazed, praline bacon, and caramel icing and blueberry.

Doughnuts are available at 7 a.m. every day and chicken is available starting at 11 a.m.

Guests can enjoy their food in the restaurant or choose to bring home takeout — it's only two miles from Siena at Memorial Heights!

Lee’s Fried Chicken
601 Heights Blvd.
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 880-3550
www.leesfriedchickendonuts.com
www.yelp.com/biz/lees-fried-chicken-and-donuts-houston

Already Planning This Weekend’s Brunch? Visit Oporto Fooding House and Wine!

If you plan your entire week around where you’ll eat brunch on the weekend, you’ll definitely want to add Oporto Fooding House and Wine to your list. This popular brunch spot near Siena at Memorial Heights is a favorite among Houston foodies — it landed on Eater Houston's list of the city's best fall brunch spots — and its menu of tapas dishes and Portuguese entrees is a world away from the usual eggs Benedict and mimosas.

If you’re craving something out of the ordinary for your morning (or mid-afternoon) meal, stop in to Oporto Fooding House and Wine for curried chicken empanadas, scallop farrotto and shakshuka complete with baked Moroccan-style eggs. To finish things off, pair your meal with handcrafted cocktails with names like the We Got the Beet or the Pearadise from the full bar.

Oporto’s interior is just as impressive as its food, from the woven light fixtures hanging from the ceiling to its light, neutral color scheme and sunny outdoor patio. The restaurant also offers lunch and dinner throughout the week, so there’s always something tasty to try.

Oporto Fooding House and Wine
125 W Gray Avenue
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 528-0115
www.oportomidtown.us

Fig and Wasp Test Kitchen: Something New Every Month

Fig and Wasp Test Kitchen isn't your average Mediterranean restaurant. It just opened at the beginning of October less than a mile from Siena at Memorial Heights, offering a new type of cooking philosophy. Instead of leaving the same dishes on the menu month after month—and the same person in charge of the kitchen—Fig and Wasp introduces guest chefs every four weeks. These guest chefs are charged with designing three new dishes, the only guideline being they must be inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean. The visiting chef will teach the in-house team how to recreate their new dishes, then leave them to do so for the rest of the month.

This inventive approach to cuisine should result in something a little bit different each month, perhaps kebabs packed with tender lamb or flatbreads topped with feta and spinach. Tapas will also factor heavily into each monthly menu at Fig and Wasp, so you'll be able to sample small bites of a few different plates. What do you think of this concept?

Fig and Wasp Test Kitchen
4105 Washington Avenue
Houston, TX 77007
(346) 704-2866
figandwasp.businesscatalyst.com
www.yelp.com/biz/fig-and-wasp-test-kitchen-houston

Enjoy Specialty Cocktails and Tex-Mex Eats at EaDo’s

EaDo’s is a new spot that's quickly become known for its specialty cocktails, like the Mexican martini and spiked blueberry lemonade made from fresh squeezed juice. Those looking for drinks other than cocktails can turn to a menu of craft beers available in draft and bottled options. If you often miss out on happy hour because of work, you won't have that problem anymore — EaDo's offers happy hour every day until 7 p.m. and all day on Sunday. It's open until 2 a.m. nightly as well.

You can pair your drinks with food, too. The menu has a Tex-Mex vibe, offering dishes like street tacos, ribs, and brisket, plus a variety of smaller sharing plates for easy bar snacking, like chips, dips, and queso.

Throughout the restaurant, you will find art installations created by a number of local artists. Make the two-mile trip from Siena at Memorial Heights and check it out for yourself!

EaDo’s
2024 Rusk St.
Houston, TX 77003
(346) 980-8945
eadoshouston.com
www.yelp.com/biz/eados-houston-2

Enjoy Fresh Air and Family Fun at the 9th Annual KBR Kids Day on Buffalo Bayou

Houston parents who are in the know have been eagerly awaiting the debut of the Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play Area and Picnic Pavilion, and it's finally here. This natural playground is now open for business, and your little ones will probably love exploring its three-story tree house and boat deck, complete with climbing net, and zooming down the 33-foot slide. The perfect time to do just that? The 9th Annual KBR Kids Day on Buffalo Bayou, an event during which the new play area is just one attraction.

The fair at Buffalo Bayou Park, less than a mile from Siena at Memorial Heights, will bring together 15 different local nonprofits to entertain your little ones, so there will be plenty to see and do. You can go for a ride on the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's pontoon boat, fittingly named the Spirit of the Bayou, or rent a paddleboat and head out on the water yourself. You can also just enjoy the live music and grub from food trucks at KBR Kids Day.

9th Annual KBR Kids Day on Buffalo Bayou
The Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17
105 Sabine Street
Houston, TX 77007
buffalobayou.org/event/9th-annual-kbr-kids-day-on-buffalo-bayou
www.yelp.com/events/houston-9th-annual-kbr-kids-day-on-buffalo-bayou

Experience Art an a New Way at the Bayou City Art Festival This Weekend!

When was the last time you took time to enjoy art? If it's been too long, or even if it hasn't, make a point to attend the Bayou City Art Festival this weekend. Downtown Houston will be transformed into a sprawling art gallery with works created by more than 350 artists from all over the world.

The event is just 10 minutes from Siena at Memorial Heights, giving you a convenient opportunity to gaze at paintings and sculptures, 3D art, jewelry, photography, mixed media, and works in other mediums that will be on display, and it should come as no surprise that this event is one of the top 10 outdoor fine arts festivals in the nation. In addition to art, you'll also find food and entertainment galore!

Admission is $17 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12.

Bayou City Art Festival
Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
901 Bagby St.
Houston, TX 77002
www.eventbrite.com/e/bayou-city-art-festival-downtown-2015-tickets

Enjoy a Delicious Meal at Chef Wendell Price’s New Restaurant, Rustic Oak Gastro Pub and Wine Bar!

Only 2 1/2 miles from Siena at Memorial Heights is Rustic Oak Gastro Pub and Wine Bar, a fairly new restaurant that specializes in a mean brunch and delicious dinners. The restaurant is owned by chef Wendell Price, a staple on the Food Network, so you can expect to be served a quality meal here.

Rustic Oak Gastro Pub started out as a brunch-only restaurant, so you can be confident that it does classic brunch dishes right. The restaurant serves a prix fixe brunch buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brunch costs $30 per person and includes options like red velvet pancakes, bacon and bleu cheese quiche, pan seared salmon, crab cake benedict, braised collards, and truffled scrambled eggs.

Rustic Oak recently started serving dinner, which includes a variety of Southern-inspired plates like crab soup, barbecued oysters, barbecued prawns, grilled peach salad, jerk lamb chops, Hennessy game hen, lobster mac and cheese, and smoked turkey necks.

Make your reservation for Rustic Oak Gastro Pub and Wine Bar and enjoy a celebrity-level meal!

Rustic Oak Gastro Pub and Wine Bar
511 Richmond
Houston, TX 77006
(832) 540-3648
www.rusticoakwinebar.com
www.yelp.com/biz/rustic-oak-gastro-pub-and-wine-bar-houston

Nibble Your Way Through the Food Truck Scene at the For the Love of Food Trucks Festival!

A one-day event that will showcase the best food trucks Houston has to offer, the For the Love of Food Trucks Festival is happening just around the corner from you, about a half-mile away from Siena at Memorial Heights. More than 20 food trucks featuring all types of cuisine will be available for you and your family to try.

Cousins Maine Lobster, Heffernan BBQ, Journey Ice, Monster PBJ, and others will all be in attendance. A live band, Corey Stoot, will provide music and entertainment. Because of its great location at Rebels Houston on Washington Avenue, there will be two indoor air-conditioned facilities with covered patios, as well as space outside to enjoy. Admission is currently free if you get tickets in advance; they’ll be $5 at the door, though kids under ten are always free. Enjoy the delicious eats and start the fall off right at the For the Love of Food Trucks Festival.

For the Love of Food Trucks Festival
Saturday, Sept. 26, 5-10 p.m
Rebels Houston
5002 Washington Ave.
Houston, TX 77006
www.eventbrite.com/e/fortheloveoffoodtrucks-festival-rebels-houston-sat-sept-26th-tickets

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