Barcelona Wine Bar opens, completing redevelopment of 2 historic Montrose properties
The newest location of Barcelona Wine Bar opened in late September in Montrose, completing a redevelopment effort of two 1930s-era buildings on Westheimer Road.
What happened: The effort—which targeted Barcelona's spot at 1731 Westheimer Road as well as the location of Jeni's Spelndid Ice Creams at 1719 Westheimer Road—was led by Davis Commercial Real Estate. Owner Mark Davis said in a news release that he started acquiring the properties in 2018 with hopes to preserve them and find new tenants.
Quote of note:“Being a relatively new city, Houston does not have that many older buildings, and so to be able to retain some of Houston’s history while bringing some neat tenants to the neighborhood is a real win-win,” Davis said in a statement.
On the map: With locations in 10 states and Washington, D.C., Barcelona Wine Bar offers a wide-spanning tapas menu and more than 400 wines available by the bottle. The eatery opened in a 5,000-square-foot spot in a location that opened in 1930 as Hollyfield Laundry.
Kin Dee owner debuts upscale Thai concept MaKiin in River Oaks
Upscale Thai concept MaKiin opened at the Hanover River Oaks high rise, 2651 Kipling St., Houston. Founder Lukkaew Srasrisuwan, who also owns Kin Dee in the Heights, said the restaurant's name can be translated as a high honor and an invitation to eat, which she is extending to the Houston public.
On the menu: The menu features multilayered dishes using recipes from both the northern and southern culinary regions of Thailand. Entree highlights include the Flavors of Siam, featuring seared wagyu steak glazed with palm sugar with charred eggplant, lemongrass, bird’s eye chili, grilled romaine hearts, and Thai-style sauces Pla and Yum.
Looking for a libation: Drink options include 50 wine labels and 10 handcrafted cocktails meant to pair with various menu items. The Bangkok Pad Thai drink is made with vodka, tamarind, lime juices, a dash of pad thai flavor, peanut-infused simple syrup and a dusting of chili powder, garnished with shrimp and tofu.
Throughout October, guests visiting the Houston Zoo are encouraged to wear costumes as they enjoy fall festivities—such as animal-themed carved pumpkins, autumn-based photo ops, and a pumpkin lantern tunnel between the lions and tiger exhibits. On Fridays, the zoo stays open after hours for its spooky forest and dance parties.
⏰ daily through Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
💰 From $24.70
📍 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston
👻 Spirits of the Bayou boat tour The Buffalo Bayou Association offers a series of 90-minute history boat tours that include stories of hauntings in Houston from tour guide Andrew Groocock. The tour takes attendees along Buffalo Bayou from Allen's Landing.
Want to catch up on all the latest election news in your area? Check out these local stories!
🗣️ Q&A: Hear from candidates running for Houston City Council At-large Position 3
Nine candidates are running for Houston City Council At-Large Position 3 in the upcoming Nov. 7 election. Read now.
🗳️ Find out who is running for office in Houston elections this November
Voters in the city of Houston will have more than 17 candidates to choose from when they cast their ballots for who should be the city's next mayor in the Nov. 7 election. Read here.
✅ Breaking down the 14 state propositions on your ballot this November
Texas voters will find 14 propositions to amend the state constitution on the Nov. 7 ballot. Community Impact spoke with Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, to break down each proposition. Read more.
STATEWIDE NEWS
5 things to know about the Texas House’s priority education bill
The overview: A Texas House Republican leading the effort to send public money to private schools filed a bill Oct. 19 that proposes increasing state funding for public schools in exchange for a voucher-like program called education savings accounts.
What you need to know: Here are five things to know about the House’s omnibus education bill and how it could impact Texans.
1️⃣ Public schools would receive additional funding for each student.
2️⃣ Teachers would receive one-time bonuses and other support.
3️⃣ The current public school accountability system would end in 2026.
4️⃣ The education savings account program would expand annually.
5️⃣ The proposed bill differs from the Senate’s voucher plan.
