Shop With a Purpose This Month
Celebrating its 21st year, The Holiday Shopping Card fundraiser, benefiting the American Cancer Society, takes place Thursday, October 19 through Sunday, October 29, 2017. With the purchase of The Holiday Shopping Card, shoppers not only receive a 20% discount at more than 500 participating retailers, salons and professional service companies throughout the Greater Houston area but help make a difference in the lives of those battling cancer.
Join VICTORY, a special volunteer branch of the American Cancer Society, at Madewell on Friday, October 20 from 7 - 9 PM for an official fundraiser kick-off party! Enjoy live music from The Dollie Barns Band, and complimentary wine and light bites while getting a head start on Santa with special Holiday Shopping Card savings of 20%. The card, which is available online at www.victoryhouston.org or at participating retailers for a minimum donation of $75 to the American Cancer Society, is accepted at more than 600 sites around the city and nearly a dozen CITYCENTRE tenants including Anthropologie, Elaine Turner, Eye Couture, Free People, J. Crew, Kendra Scott, Madewell, Olive & Vine, Sur La Table, and west elm from October 19 - 29.
Houstonians can purchase the 2017 Holiday Shopping Card for $75 online now at www.holidayshoppingcard.org or at participating area merchants. Over the past two decades, the women of VICTORY, a volunteer fundraising branch of the American Cancer Society, have raised more than $15 million through the sale of The Holiday Shopping Card to help the fight against cancer.
At CITYCENTRE: Anthropologie, Elaine Turner, Eye Couture & Lensology, Free People, J. Crew, Kendra Scott, Madewill, Olive & Vine, Sur La Table, West Elm
In the Memorial Area: Back Row Home; Bags & More; Blu Ivory II; Blue Willow Bookshop; Body, Mind & Soul; Body, Works & Fitness Studio; Bradley’s Art & Frame; Carter’s Pet Depot; China Baroque; Coach – Memorial City; Design House; Feliz Interiors; Fleet Feet Sports; Get Personal Too; Hanson’s Art & Frame; Houston Jewelry; Initials Gifts & Monogramming; It’s All About You; Kaleidoscope – Studio of Interior Design; Lam Bespoke; L’ occitane en Provence; MAI – Memorial Antiques & Interiors; Mark’s Clothiers; Marlo Miller Boutique; Memorial Designs; Moderno Tacos + Tex Mex; Mostly Chocolate; My Workshop Picture Framing; Paisley House; Palazzo’s Westchase; Paris Texas Apparel Co.; Parker School Uniforms; Patti’s Pet Depot; Renovato; The Shade & Drape; The Shade Tree & Accessories; Silly Silly Girls; Sweet Bambini; Tumi; Twin Oaks Cleaners
With sister locations in the Memorial District, Sweet and Tout Suite are creating bold flavors using local ingredients to the delight of customers.
Just off the plaza in CityCentre, Sweet offers up an incredible array of sweets from bite-sized to multi-tiered. Tout Suite, located near Ice Skate USA in Memorial City Mall, is a bakery and kitchen with sweet and savory options for dine-in or take-away.
Started by a group of friends, Sweet opened its doors in CityCentre in 2010 offering cupcakes, macarons, cookies, cakes and coffees. Since then they have opened the Tout Suite in Memorial City Mall and a larger Tout Suite in East Downtown, adding lunch, snack and dinner options to the menu.
Tout Suit opened July 4th weekend,2016, with a goal of bringing something new to the mall. The 360-degree space, with coffee, fresh food and indulgent treats, has something for everyone.
Marketing director Alejandro Martinez says, “We’re Houston proud. Everything’s local and you know that it’s supporting Houston.” Sweet and Tout Suite’s products are made to order and baked fresh from locally-sourced ingredients. The coffee comes from Greenway Coffee Company, and the fresh juice blends are created and produced in house.
Some treats not to be missed: the pot de crème; the gluten free brownie which tastes anything but; the strawberry cupcake; and the s’mores macaron which Martinez says is “life-changing”. The company’s macrons were recently voted #1 in Houston. Flavors for fall include all things pumpkin: cupcakes, bread loaves, macarons and spiced lattes.
Some of Tout Suite’s savory favorites include the veggie sandwich, which Martinez recommends with a side of Brussel sprouts and raspberry green tea. The pitaya and acai frozen bowls are fresh, natural, on-the-go options made from two flavorful super fruits.
One benefit of being a local business is having the freedom to experiment and bring new ideas to Houston. Sweet was one of the original bakeries to serve cronuts to the city-the croissant-donut fusion made famous in New York is still a favorite. Martinez says, “We’re always looking for the next thing.”
Stop in and visit Sweet at 801 Town & Country Blvd. Suite A120 or Tout Suite at 303 Memorial City Mall #571; or find them online: www.ilovesweet.com or www.toutsuitehtx.com.
Photo credit Tout Suite
Join former Houston Texans and Pro Bowler, Wade Smith in the plaza on Saturday, September 30 at 1:30 PM for “Reading with the Pros,” an hour of storytime dedicated to promoting children’s literacy and education. The Wade Smith Foundation has read to more than 18,000 elementary school students and public library visitors since the program began in April 2012.
Looking for a new post-work spot to unwind? Check out Live After Five at the Courtyard at CityCentre every Thursday. Starting at 5pm in the courtyard between Fellini Gelato & Caffe, Urban Outfitters and ecurie25 Supercar Club. Weather permitting, relax and unwind with live music from a range of local musicians.
Take advantage of these great Restaurant Weeks deals, dine at some of the Memorial District's best restaurants and support the Houston Food Bank! For deal details visit www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com.
CITYCENTRE restaurants include:
BRIO Tuscan Grille
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
Radio Milano
Sal y Pimienta
Seasons 52
The Capital Grille
The General Public
The Tasting Room
Memorial City restaurants include:
Churrascos
Good Co. Seafood
KUU
Liberty Kitchen at the Treehouse
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille
State Fare
Vallone’s
Join Pines Presbyterian Church in the plaza on Saturday, August 12 from 5 - 7 PM to pack school supplies into backpacks for the students of Sherwood Elementary School.
If you're not avaible on August 12 you can stil help! Bring your school supply donations to CityCentre between August 1-12 and drop them in the lobbies of West Elm, Charming Charlies or CityCentre office buildings One, Two, Three, Four or Five.
Supplies needed include:
Large Pencil Supply Box
Pkg. Ticonderoga Pencils #2 (12 ct.)
Boxes Crayola Crayons (24 ct.)
Elmer's Glue Sticks
Pkg. Expo Dry Erase Markers (Black)
Pkg. Big Pink Erasers (2 ct.)
Pocket Folders w/brads, Durable Plastic (1 red, 1 blue, 1 green)
Pencils #2 (made in USA)
Pink Bevel Erasers
Pair Scissors (5" blunt) Fiskars
Elmer's Glue Sticks
Hand Sanitizer, 8 oz.
Box Washable Coloring Markers (8 ct.)
Pkgs Notebook Paper, wide rule (200 sheets)
Pkg. Pencil Cap Erasers (24 ct.)
Pkgs. Asst. Construction Paper 12"x18" (50 ct.)
Pkg. Manila Paper 12"x18"(50 ct.)
Plastic Pocket Folder (any color)
Spiral Notebooks (70 sheets) wide rule
Boxes Facial Tissues (200 ct.)
Boxes Puffs Facial Tissues (200 ct.)
Box Crayola Thick Washable Markers (10 ct.)
Composition Notebooks (wide rule, 100 sheets)
Pkg. Gallon-size Ziploc Bags (slider zipper)
Pkg. Quart-size Ziploc Bags (slider zipper)
Pkg. Manila Paper 12"x18" (50 ct.)
Marble Composition Books
Pocket Folders w/brads (Yellow, Blue, Red, Green)
3-Ring Hardback Binder 1" w/clear cover
Box Colored Pencils
Large Zipper Supply Pouch or Box
Pencil Sharpener w/Cover
Fluorescent Highlighters (any color)
Pkg. Dividers
Fine Tip Dry Erase Markers, 4pk
Pkgs. Yellow (3x3) Post-It Notes (100 each)
Pkg. 3"x5" White ruled Index Card (100 ct)
Plastic Protractor, 6"
3" Binder with clear front cover
Ruler, 12" Standard (scaled to 118") & Metric
Graph Composition Notebooks
Sewell Cadillac and Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus present Moonlight Movies for Kids on the second Wednesday of the month, June - August. The summer movie series continues with Tangled on Wednesday, July 12.
The free night of fun starts at 8 PM with complimentary popcorn from Sewell Cadillac, with the movie beginning at 9 PM (dusk). Come early for a special appearance and photos with Rapunzel from 6 - 9 PM, provided by The Fairytale Headquarters. Save the date for Sing on August 9!
As a courtesy, no outside food or beverages are allowed. Our restaurants offer delicious menu items that can also conveniently be taken to-go.
Let The Capital Grille take care of the cooking, place your order to enjoy dinner in the plaza with the movie. Call the restaurant for details: 713.463.5051.
The July 4 weekend welcomes four nights of concerts to CITYCENTRE, and a 15 minute Independence Day fireworks spectacular you don’t want to miss*!
Saturday, July 1 from 7 - 10 PM: Pete Simple Band (Pop & Rock)
Sunday, July 2 from 7 - 10 PM: Janell McDonald & Grace Point (Inspirational)
Monday, July 3 from 7 - 10 PM: Max Flinn Band (Country)
Tuesday, July 4 from 7 - 11 PM: People’s Choice Band (Country & Rock) & 15 minute fireworks spectacular at 9:30 PM
As a courtesy, no outside food or beverages are allowed. Our restaurants offer delicious menu items that can also conveniently be taken to-go.
Parking will be $10 in all CITYCENTRE garages beginning at 4 PM. Please allow extra time for parking before and after the event due to large attendance; carpooling and ride sharing such as Uber are highly encouraged, new Uber riders can use the code CCJuly417 to receive their first ride free up to $20.
*Weather permitting
If you’re looking for a cool break from the summer heat, don’t miss a chance to visit Bowl & Barrel, CityCentre’s upscale bowling venue that brings more than entertainment to the Memorial District. Partnered with sister restaurant, The General Public, Bowl & Barrel offers up thoughtful hospitality, great ambiance, high-end fun, and flavorful food and cocktails.
Both venues were developed by parent company FreeRange Concepts founded by Kyle Noonan and Josh Sepkowitz out of Dallas where the original Bowl & Barrel was conceived. When CityCentre was hoping to add a restaurant with an entertainment component, they reached out to FreeRange and Bowl & Barrel CityCentre was created.
Bowl & Barrel’s 14-lane bowling alley has a rustic Brooklyn warehouse vibe with rich woodwork and brick accents. Each guest checks in with the host, who takes note of the bowler’s shoe size and bumper preference. Bowlers settle in on the leather benches and bowl on AMF-grade lanes. Shoes are delivered to the lane by a host as are food and drink from the full menu and well-stocked bar.
The building is infused with the warm smells of soft pretzels and hand-tossed pizza. Also not to be missed are the hot dogs, blue cheese-stuffed dates, hand pies and buffalo chicken meatballs. With a selection of draft beers and custom cocktails like the Southside-gin, fresh-squeeze lemon juice and mint- there is something for everybody. All ingredients are locally sourced when possible with an eye kept on quality.
Bowling is available by the half hour, and reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. Bowl & Barrel is also great location to host a unique party or event.
Next door, The General Public, which opened in August 2016, is serving up fresh, innovative flavors in a clean, vibrant setting. Bench and table seating surround a central bar, and the enclosed patio annex at the front of the restaurant provides additional dining space.
Don’t pass up an opportunity to indulge in the pistachio toast served with burrata, the best-selling crab hush puppies, a broad selection of whiskeys or brunch on Saturday and Sunday with $1 mimosas.
Susan Wu, General Manager of both The General Public and Bowl & Barrel, says that beyond the food, both venues place a priority on total customer service, “We are focused on hospitality, the whole hospitality experience: service, food, drinks, atmosphere, fun.”
This focus on hospitality is one reason Peter White from FreeRange Concepts notes, “We offer complimentary valet every night starting at 5pm.” Hospitality also helps the company reach its stated goal of “creating remarkable memories”; memories like the three proposals that happened at The General Public in its first year. And it's why a customer recently lamented, “I’m just disappointed we didn’t find this place sooner!”
For more information visit: Bowl & Barrel and The General Public .
Have a glass of lemonade on Sunday, June 11 from 5 - 8 PM in the plaza with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national childhood cancer foundation dedicated to raising funds for research into new treatments and cures for all children battling cancer. For more information or to donate, visit the Le Family’s Facebook event page.
With a focus on supporting local organizations, empowering employees and building a corporate culture of service, the Midway Foundation invests in its community.
The Foundation, headed by executive director Claudia Freels, was established in 2003 as a means for Midway, the real estate investment and development company behind CityCentre, to annually give back a portion of its profits. Since its creation, the Midway Foundation has gifted $4 million to local charities.
Brad Freels, Midway’s chairman, says, “For years, we gave to different things as people came and asked. In 2004, we centralized the foundation and tried to create a focus that was a little more directive. We try to focus on things that our employees are interested in ... If there’s a common thread it’s children.”
Claudia adds, “We try to empower the Midway team members to serve the underprivileged, support education, improve health and strengthen our communities.”
The Midway Foundation is an extension of the corporate culture and company initiatives present within Midway. The Foundation will match employee financial support for an organization up to $500 per employee annually. Each employee is given one day a month to give back to the charity of their choice. Employees are encouraged to find an area they are passionate about and give their time. The company also tries to organize a company-wide volunteer day once a year. Last year, they worked in teams homebuilding for Rebuilding Together Houston.
The Foundation supports school drives and holiday gift drives, the Salvation Army, Harbor Lights Choir, Casa de Esparanza, Spring Spirit, Dress for Success, and Trees for Houston among many other local organizations.
One of the Foundation’s large projects this year is a facility for Halo House. Founded in 2009 by Dr. Nathan Fowler of MD Anderson, Halo House offers reduced-cost housing for patients and families in town for blood cancer treatment.
Another avenue of income for the Midway Foundation is the b4 hand sanitizer products produced by Midway Advanced Products, a division of Midway. Concerned that slower Houston markets in the real estate recession meant charities were receiving fewer donations, Brad came up with an idea for a product that could be produced to make its own revenue, which could go back to helping others. B4 products are distributed wholesale through select travel partners. The b4 mission aims to give 50% of the proceeds from sales of its products to Midway Foundation charities.
The Midway Foundation has a vision of creating and supporting “enduring investments and remarkable places that enrich people’s lives.” Both Brad and Claudia Freels believe that employees are given many talents to make them successful in investment and commercial development that translate into success outside the office as well. They hope to encourage employees and others to take their talents and use them to serve, support and grow their communities. Chairman Freels says, “You’ve got to learn to give when you don’t have it, so you know how to give when you do.”
The encouragement is inspiring Midway employees to use their talents for new and innovative service.
For example, a Midway engineer was made aware of air conditioning problems faced by Yellowstone Academy. He inspected the Midway-owned buildings fronting I-10 that were slated for demolition and discovered the chillers were only 5 years old. He took initiative to organize sub-contractors to remove them from the old buildings and install them at Yellowstone Academy. Freels notes, “He saw a problem, figured out a solution and made the solution happen.”
The community focus headed up by the Foundation can be seen at CityCentre as well. Child Advocates holds a fun run starting from the plaza every fall; one of the fountains on the plaza is dedicated to Living Water; and a portion of all paid parking at CityCentre goes to support Memorial Assistance Ministries (MAM). Claudia says, “I just knew MAM was a great organization, so when we were changing over our meters to start charging, it just seemed logical that if we were collecting from the community, we should be giving back. MAM is a local Spring Branch charity that gives back to this community.”
Through the empowerment of employees and investment of time and profits into the community, the Midway Foundation hopes to build more than great places for families to live, work and play in the Memorial District.
Looking for a special way to celebrate this Memorial Day? Here are some events happening in the Memorial District.
Memorial City Mall
Memorial Day Program of Remembrance
9:00 am - 11:00 am @ Memorial City Mall Food Court
Join the Memorial City Gang for a morning of remembrance in the food court. Enjoy refreshments, while celebrating the traditions, history and military service in the United States.
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm @ The Square at Memorial City
Join us in celebrating Memorial Day in Memorial City at our Patriotic Party at The Square on Monday, May 29th from 3pm-6pm!
Flag Presentation ∙ Live Country Music ∙ Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs ∙ Beach Ball Drop ∙ Face Painting ∙ Balloon Art & MORE!
CityCentre
A Day of Service
Join Pines Presbyterian Church in the plaza on Sunday, May 28 from 5 - 7 PM for a service project to salute our men and women of service. A card making station will be setup to write notes of encouragement to Wounded Warriors, veterans and their families receiving support from the PTSD Foundation of America’s Camp Hope in Houston, Texas. Other activities include patriotic karaoke and face painting.
At 6:30 PM, with your help, the plaza will transform into an America flag; wear your red, white or blue to be a part of the human flag photo.
Summer Tribute Concert Series
Memorial Day weekend gets a special spotlight with four nights of music to kick off, celebrate and send off the holiday celebration. It’s not just a tribute to the country, but a tribute to some of the great bands that have shaped it. The Summer Tribute Concert Series is presented in partnership with The Memorial Buzz.
Friday, May 26 from 7 - 10 PM: Nightbird (Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks Tribute Band)
Saturday, May 27 from 7 - 10 PM: ZZ Roxx (ZZ Top Tribute Band)
Sunday, May 28 from 7 - 10 PM: Heart to Heart (Inspirational)
Monday, May 29 from 4 - 7 PM: Almost Endless Summer (Beach Boys Tribute Band)
As a courtesy, no outside food or beverages are allowed. Our restaurants offer delicious menu items that can also conveniently be taken to-go.