St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer: Each Step Gets Researchers Closer to a Cure

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is at the forefront of finding the cure for cancer, particularly those types that tend to afflict children most frequently. If you're interested in helping its researchers find a cure, there's an easy way to help. Participate in the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer on Saturday, September 24 in Minute Maid Park. It's only $10 to sign up, but chances are you'll contribute much more than that to the cause. You can fundraise as an individual or a team to help St. Jude meet its goal of $250,000. Months before the event actually unfolds, local teams are already well on their way to crushing the fundraising goal.

Every dollar you fundraise could represent a child who beats cancer and a family who doesn't go into financial distress over the course of his or her treatment. That's because since St. Jude opened in 1962, it has never billed a family for treatments, housing, or even travel. St. Jude covers every expense and still has helped boost the childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the past five decades. Help St. Jude continue its work by being part of its Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer in September.

St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer
When: Saturday, September 24
Where: Minute Maid Park, 501 Crawford Street, Houston, TX 77002
Cost: $10
fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?fr_id=57397&pg=entry

Choose from Over 50 Available Craft Brews at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium

With a name like Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, you can be sure you've found a unique place to enjoy a couple brews. Flying Saucer is part beer bar, part restaurant with lengthy beer and food menus. The draft list here consists of more than 50 brews from Houston and beyond with a focus on select craft beers. Try one of the craft brews on draft, or, if you can't find what you're looking for, check out the lengthy bottle menu. Bottled brews include 3 Nations American Wit, Brooklyn Lager, Chimay Doree, and Stone IPA.

The food menu at Flying Saucer complements all the brews available at the bar with perfect pairings of elevated bar fare, including an array of sandwiches, salads, and classic appetizers. This excellent bar and restaurant is just over two miles from Siena at Memorial Heights, so check out this place soon.

Shop Local, Handcrafted Items at Pop Shop America Houston

Do you ever wish you could shop local artists’ products all in one place? If you have, you need to check out Pop Shop America in Houston this summer. Pop Shop America is an arts and a crafts festival that allows locals to shop products made by different artists year round. More than 25,000 people attend Pop Shop America’s festivals and events each year. Pop Shop America is located just over a mile from Siena at Memorial Heights but hold events all across the city.

Those interested in being vendors and spreading the word about their handcrafted products can do so at most Pop Shop America events. Many of the markets and events are based on themes, and almost all of them include live music, access to food and drinks, and face-time with local artisans. A list of upcoming events can be found on the Pop Shop America website. If you can’t make it out to an event, you can shop some of the products online.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science Is Home to a One-of-a-Kind Collection Near You

Inside the Houston Museum of Natural Science, there is a butterfly center, artifacts from Ancient Egypt, dinosaur bones, and much more. The fascinating museum is a popular trip for people from near and far, and residents of Siena at Memorial Heights are lucky enough to live just a few miles from the renowned museum.

There are a variety of permanent exhibits throughout the museum, including an exhibition of dinosaurs, a showcase of natural gems and minerals, and a popular exhibit of mollusks. The rotating exhibits are also fascinating. Currently, these focus on everything from jeweled treasures to studies in Amazonian culture. Tickets range in price depending on the exhibition you choose to see, but access to the permanent collection is just $25 for adults. Check out this cool museum near you this summer.

Fitzgerald’s: Enjoy a “Live and Loud” Concert

Fitzgerald’s in the Heights neighborhood of Houston is a live music venue offering “live and loud” performances since 1977. Located just over a mile from Siena at Memorial Heights, live music is just a five-minute trip away at the place that many locals refer to as “The Fitz."

There are live performances at Fitzgerald’s most nights of the week. The venue has two fully equipped stages in addition to fully stocked bars, so multiple acts can perform at Fitzgerald’s on the same night. Some of the most notable musical acts of prior decades have performed on Fitzgerald’s stage, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top, Etta James, Sonic Youth, and James Brown. Tickets to shows can be bought on the Fitzgerald’s website, where there is also a full schedule of upcoming performances. Fitzgerald’s also hosts open mic nights for local, upcoming artists.

Fitzgerald’s
2706 White Oak Drive
Houston, TX 77007
www.fitzlive.com/
www.yelp.com/biz/fitzgeralds-houston-2

Learn More About the Art of Photography at FotoFest International

Just a mile from Siena and Memorial Heights, FotoFest International is an effort and platform for museum-quality photography exhibitions to be showcased. FotoFest began in 1983 to promote this type of artwork and has since worked to provide exhibitions on artists from all over the world for the local community to see.

Each year, FotoFest brings a varying program of art exhibitions exploring different concepts to the Houston community. Programs occur at different galleries throughout the city and touch on different social issues through the use of art. As part of the 2016 Biennial, Changing Circumstances: Looking at the Future of the Planet included mixed media and educational programs that explore humanity’s relationship with the changing planet. FotoFest also provides professional development seminars in photography for artists and the local community. Those interested can learn more information and read about who will be participating in the seminars on FotoFest’s website.

FotoFest International
2000 Edwards Street, Building C, #2
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 223-5522
https://www.facebook.com/fotofest/

Rumor Has It Day Spa: Sip a Mimosa and Be Doted On

Whether you prefer to relax with a mug of hot tea or a chilled mimosa in hand, Rumor Has It Day Spa can accommodate. The Houston spa doles out complimentary drinks to its guests as soon as they arrive including tea, mimosas, and glasses of wine. Patrons seem to appreciate that Rumor Has It's staff go out of their way to really pamper them, which is why they keep coming back time and time again.

Of course, the large slate of spa services doesn't hurt, either. Rumor Has It offers both standard and lavish mani-pedis, of course, but you can also head to the day spa for a luxurious massage or a decadent facial. Add aromatherapy to your massage to leave even more relaxed. You can also rely on Rumor Has It for beautifying services such as waxing and eyelash extensions.

Rumor Has It Day Spa
1911 Taylor Street
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 426-6245
www.rhidayspa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/rumor-has-it-day-spa-houston

Drink in the View from the Deck at Platypus Brewing This Summer

Platypus Brewing owners Rachna, Sean, and Morgan have lived in both Australia and Texas, which is why many of their beers are modeled after Australian ales though their fare features local Texas-grown ingredients. Some of the brews pull from more traditional American and European processes too, so there should be something for everyone at Platypus Brewing when it officially opens this summer.

According to Eater Houston, the big debut will happen in the next few months, so keep an eye on Platypus Brewing's Facebook page for updates. Although it doesn't have a lot of details about the brewery and adjacent taproom just yet, it has recently revealed that Platypus Brewing will have a deck that looks right out over Houston. This summer, it might be the perfect place to enjoy a frosty pint of house-brewed beer.

Platypus Brewing
1902 Washington Avenue
Houston, TX 77007
(832) 985-8007
www.platypusbrewing.com
www.facebook.com/platypusbrewingllc

Sprouts Farmers Market: Local, Organic Food at Budget-Friendly Prices

The family behind Sprouts Farmers Market has long believed that fresh, organic produce and other foods should be available to everyone, not just people with enough money to pay high prices. That's why the family of grocers decided to open the very first Sprouts Farmers Market in 2002, a no-frills grocery store focused on low prices and high quality foods.

Sprouts responsibly sources its inventory from eco-friendly producers and also operates in a way that's conscious of the earth's limited resources, so you can feel good about shopping here. Its budget-friendly, earth-friendly stockpile includes rows and rows of produce bins nearly overflowing with organic and local fruits and vegetables as well as a large bulk food section with more than 200 rices, coffees, spices, and everything in between. Full deli, meat, and seafood counters as well as extensive beer and wine, frozen foods, and vitamin sections round out the floor plan at Sprouts Farmers Market.

Sprouts Farmers Market
22506 Tomball Parkway
Houston, TX 77070
(832) 698-0004
www.sprouts.com
www.yelp.com/biz/sprouts-farmers-market-houston-9

Art Car Museum: Where Autos Become Works of Art

The sphere of art extends well beyond classic paintings and sculptures, which is exactly why the Art Car Museum exists. It not only shows off a collection of art cars—that is, vehicles decked out to become true works of art—but also serves as a home for other offbeat masterpieces that wouldn't fit in at your standard museum.

If you want to know more about the art car movement, just head to the museum and ogle its resident art cars firsthand. Expect to see a classic car embellished with fiery deities and ebbing ocean waves, a station wagon decked out in glitzy holiday lights, and even a roadster almost completely obscured by an enormous (and slightly terrifying) stuffed bunny called Rex Rabbit. Check out the museum's schedule for special exhibits that will only be in town for a limited time.

Art Car Museum
140 Heights Boulevard
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 861-5526
artcarmuseum.com
www.yelp.com/biz/art-car-museum-houston

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