perfectlypairedhtx

5 steps to make your summer recipes beat this Texas heat!

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Grocery Stores, Seasonal Sips

Location: Your home!

When: Anytime you need to escape this Houston heat! A.K.A literally whenever you want this summer.

The Perfect Pair: Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad and Miraval Rosé

Summer in Texas means hot, hot, hot! Especially in Houston, you have to be able to handle this crazy summertime heat and humidity. Some love it, some hate it, but us pals know the perfect trick to make the outdoors much more bearable and enjoyable, no matter who you are or what the temp is! Whether you’re grilling on the patio or sitting by the pool, we have the perfect seasonal pair just for you. It’s quick and easy, and we can tell you in just 5 steps how to perfect your summer pair to help you fight these triple digit temps!

Take a trip to your local grocery store!

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HEB is my favorite place to go for wine. They have an amazing selection of every kind of wine you can think of, divided by type of wine or country of origin! The best part about HEB is the discount you get after buying 6 wines. If you buy 6, you are eligible for 10% off your wine purchase! I always say, “Never buy 1 bottle from HEB without buying all 6!” The discount is totally worth it, and you always have a bottle on hand at home for any event, while saving money in the long run. I’m sure we will finish any bottle long before having to worry if its gone bad. Here at PPP, we’re all about the best deal!

Head to the Rosé section and pick out your favorite bottle!

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Without a doubt, the Perfectly Paired summer wine pick is a Rosé. It is a classic, chilled wine that is incredibly refreshing on a hot day. Depending on your preference, there are both dry and sweet wines. The Miraval Cotes de Provence is a wonderful dry rose. For only $18 at HEB, it is a killer deal for seriously some of the best rosé I’ve ever had! I like to stick between the $10 – $20 range for everyday wines, so this fits right into the budget. Everywhere else I’ve looked for this wine, it has been over $25… so make sure you go to HEB first! The best part about this wine is the bottle itself – check out how cute it is!

Invest in your wine glasses!

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You’ve just gone to the store and spent a ton of money on wine, but you don’t have the right glass to compliment your new drink. It’s nearly impossible to put chilled wine in a glass and expect it to stay cold outside. And the glass sweating drives me crazy! My all time favorite outdoor wine glass is the Corkcicle wine tumbler. It is stemless, triple insulated, and keeps your wine cold for over 9 hours! It is amazing. It is perfect for sitting outside enjoying a glass of wine on the patio. If you live in a warm climate, invest in one of these amazing cups! You won’t regret it. Also check out that Perfectly Paired pink!

Make yourself a light and colorful Summer salad!

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This is a quick and easy salad that is just as light and refreshing as the Rosé you are drinking to pair with it! It consists of cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, corn, avocado, onion, lettuce, and cilantro, lime shrimp from the grill. Talk about YUM. All of these ingredients came from HEB as well, so you can get everything in one stop! Whether you’re at home by yourself or hosting a summer soiree with friends, this meal is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Feel free to use it as just the appetizer, but it is definitely a meal just in itself!

Create the Perfect Pair!

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With dinner ready, it’s always nice to pour yourself a new glass of Rosé in a regular wine glass. It makes us feel more sophisticated, right? With the shrimp only marinating in olive oil, cilantro, and lime juice, the Rosé is the perfect compliment to enable that light and refreshing taste that is not too overpowering to the meal. Summer is all about light, refreshing, and simple, and we think these two capture that feeling so well! So get yourself to the store, create the perfect pair, and enjoy a sweet Texas Summer night!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

Fine Arts and a Great Happy Hour

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour

Location: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Recommended Time of Choice: 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays

The Perfect Pair: A glass of the Cab and a stroll through the exhibits

MFAHsign For all of you out there who have binge-watched (for the millionth time) a certain show where two besties catch up and vent on the MET steps and wondered where in Houston would give you the same vibe, this post is for you (XOXO, you know you love us!). If you don’t like Gossip Girl or don’t have any idea what we’re talking about, then that’s okay because spoiler alert — we don’t live in NYC. However, like NYC, Houston has it all: restaurants, bars, shopping, nightlife, and wonderful museums. I constantly find myself thinking there’s not enough time to try everything and thinking it sure as heck is expensive to experience all Houston has to offer, but that is not always the case! So today, we’re taking a little different spin on Happy Hour.

Recently the Perfectly Paired Pals discovered Happy Hour at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and we absolutely fell in love. We went with others from our Thursday HH group, and we were floored when most everyone said they had never been to the MFAH before! As a lover of the museum myself, I caught myself wishing this wasn’t the case for any other Houstonian and began planning exactly what I was going to write in this post to make sure that doesn’t happen.

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It might sound strange suggesting an art museum for happy hour, but you better believe it is an incredible experience. On Thursdays, general admission to the MFAH is totally FREE and so is parking! All thanks to Shell for making that possible! Outside of the museum, there is a bar with beer, wine, and specialty cocktails that are inspired by the current exhibits. Glasses of wine and cans of beer are just $3 and the specialty cocktails are $9. You can grab your drink and sit around tables chatting and feeling all fancy-schmancy while listening to the DJ play in the background. Something about the atmosphere just felt so relaxing. Surrounded by people who had just stepped out of the office and rushed to hang out with friends and co-workers over a glass of wine, gave us the most wonderful feeling of camaraderie. If you’re feeling hungry, no problem! Feel free to grab a snack from the food truck on site. It changes weekly, but you just can’t go wrong with Houston food. I’m sure whatever truck shows up that day will impress.

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After you’ve had your fill of drinks, music, and food, it is time to head inside to view some art! The MFAH always has spectacular exhibits and a large array of pieces that can appeal to all audiences, even if you’re not the art expert. There is so much to see, so if you are worried about not having enough time to enjoy the museum, don’t fret! You can just come back on a different free admission and happy hour Thursday to finish up the museum. The good news is that the MFAH also has longer hours on Thursday, remaining open until 9:00 p.m. Until September 3rd, go check out Big Bambú by Mike and Doug Starn. It is spectacular! Although you have to pay for this exhibit, the experience is completely worth it. Wow is the only word we have to describe it!

After leaving the museum, we felt a new appreciation for Houston and all of its offerings. Make sure you keep up to date with all the exhibits and schedules of the MFAH here. We know we will!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

The Outdoor Bar You Don’t Want to Miss

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour

Restaurant: Heights Biergarten and Worcester’s Annex

Recommended Meal of Choice: Happy Hour

The Perfect Pair: Nduja Spread and “Fuzzy Reception” Cocktail

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Another Thursday Happy Hour favorite, Heights Biergarten is the perfect outdoor bar for any weather Houston throws our way. This relatively new spot is the perfect addition to the booming Heights neighborhood. The low-key outdoor vibe creates the perfect setting for big groups to meet up after work or to watch your favorite sports team take the field. It is mainly all outside, but they have a large structure in the middle to fend off the rain if we’re getting one of those surprise Houston downpours. Heights Biergarten is actually two bars at one location with one side boasting of fancy cocktails, called “Worcester’s Annex” and the other side with 94 taps of craft beer and a great wine menu, “Heights Biergarten.”

A typical night for our group involves starting at the cocktail side and gradually working our way over to the beer and wine side of the garden. Surprisingly enough our Perfectly Paired men LOVE the cocktails, their favorite of the huge selection is the Purple Rain. They are able to get past any embarrassment of drinking a purple cocktail because the taste is so refreshing. Some other favorites include: “Block Party”, “Fuzzy Reception”, and the “Lock and Key.” Watching the bartenders mix up these specialty cocktails is also so fun- I mean how do they remember all those ingredients! After starting with cocktails, the Pals of course switch to their classic wine. A great perk of this two in one bar is that you can start a tab at one and it carries over to the other side as well. They also have great deals during Happy Hour, Monday-Friday from 3-6pm. Cocktails and wine are half price and craft beer is $3! Can’t get much better than that.

heightsLandJ — “Fuzzy Reception” (Right) and “Purple Rain” (Left)

Now let’s talk cheese boards. As you can see the cheese board at Heights Biergarten is HUGE with lots of delicious goodies on it. The only downfall of this board is the price. It is definitely a splurge at $35, but sometimes you just gotta treat yourself. However, we are impressed by the size of the board because we can easily feed our crowd. The board has lots of meats and cheeses that you won’t find every day. If you ask your server, they will gladly explain each of the unique cheeses. One of our favorite items on the board is the dark chocolate pieces. The perfect addition to a pretty salty mix, but nothing overbearing. We have tried a lot of the other shareables, but our favorite is for sure the Nduja spread. The funny name fits perfectly with the funny looking dip, but wow it is good. Don’t let the look of it steer you away because it is for sure worth trying, and it is much more reasonably priced at $9. They also serve some delicious sandwiches and have a taco truck outside for those of you who may need a little more sustenance in your life.

They also have the cutest flower truck outside. It’s the perfect spot to grab some flowers for a last minute surprise for your girl. The Pals are still waiting for our men to get the hint on that one.

If you’re willing to brave the heat this summer, Heights Bier Garten and Worcester’s Annex is a must visit. We have loved gathering at the big tables chatting about our weeks or some crazy idea we have for the next group trip. We always leave with full stomachs and smiles on our faces.

What are some of your favorite cocktails? We would love to hear from you!

Until next week, Cheers!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

Tiny Boxwoods: A Houston Gem

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Brunch, Restaurants

Restaurant: Tiny Boxwoods

Meal of Choice: Brunch or Dinner

The Brunch Perfect Pair: Morning Cheese and Meat Board with Mimosas

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If you live in Houston and haven’t been to Tiny Boxwoods, you are doing everything wrong and NEED TO GO RIGHT NOW THIS VERY SECOND to experience all of the goodness that is this quaint, delicious, gem of a place. Built in the middle of a plant nursery in River Oaks, this restaurant is privately tucked back away from the street in a flower and greenery wonderland. You can’t even see it until you walk in through the gates, but this is one of the reasons that makes Tiny’s such a beautiful, hidden gem! With seating both indoors and outdoors, the setting is just the perfect place to pull you out of Houston for a couple of hours with friends and enjoy a delicious meal at any time of the day.

The three perfectly paired pals, of course, had to take pictures in the nursery after brunch because it truly is one of the best parts about Tiny Boxwoods. It’s always fun to walk around and look at the gorgeous plants and flowers, and better yet, they are all for sale! You can get your plant shopping and brunch in at the same place. The best!

One of our favorite things to do when you go to so many different restaurants, is to read about their stories and how they came to be. I really enjoy the Tiny Boxwoods story, as well as the mission of the restaurant. The reason why Tiny Boxwoods is so unique is because the owners made it personal from the start. To learn more about Tiny Boxwoods, click here to head to their About Page on the website. They have the cutest story – including how they would hand out free lattes for business, as well as how they came up with the name Tiny Boxwoods!

Now, Let’s Talk Food
Processed with VSCO with b5 preset As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by this cute, chalkboard menu hung up on the wall. It makes it easy to order food that’s written so beautifully! This board also gives off the farmhouse vibe as soon as you walk in.

The PPP’s ordered a little bit of everything, but we obviously had to order the Morning Cheese & Meat Board to share, containing a trio of cheeses and cured meats, honeycomb, fruits, flatbreads, rosemary hazelnuts, and jalapeno jelly. We tried Tiny’s lattes and mimosas to pair, and both were great! However, you just can’t go wrong having a mimosa with brunch.

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The board had a little bit of everything, and a lot of bread. The bread was delicious – very thin with the right amount of sea salt. However, there was not enough cheese & meat to pair with it. We had a ton of bread left over and it took up half of the board! We wish that we could have gotten a little more cheese & meat to equal out the portion sizes. At $18, this board is on the pricier side, but you definitely pay for the quality of the food. You can always count on Tiny’s to deliver the cleanest foods in your meal, and that’s one of our favorite things about this place!

Our favorite detail of the board, clearly well thought out by Tiny’s, was the rosemary hazelnuts. OMG they were to die for! The PPP’s think rosemary is the perfect addition to any board, and it paired perfectly with the crunchy hazelnuts. We couldn’t get enough.

So, Why Tiny Boxwoods? Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Do yourself a favor, grab your best girlfriends, and treat yourself to a Tiny Boxwoods meal. The experience alone will make your day just by being around flowers and pretty outdoor spaces while eating clean, yummy food! The Morning Cheese & Meat Board was delicious, but Tiny’s has so many amazing meals to offer that you really can’t go wrong with what you choose. Be sure to let us know what you think about your experience at Tiny’s in our comments below or on our PPP Instagram! We can’t wait to hear what your favorite meal is. Maybe a dinner blog is in our future…

Peace and Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals

“Wine ~ Beer ~ Eatery”

Featured by perfectlypairedhtx, posted in Happy Hour, Restaurants

Restaurant: CRISP

Recommended Meal of Choice: Happy Hour

The Perfect Pair: Baked Texas Goat Cheese and Marinara and a glass of 2012 Citra, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo from Italy

A staple in the Thursday Happy Hour rotation, CRISP is one that never disappoints. It is easily accessible in the Shady Acres neighborhood of the Heights. This cozy gem brings our busy lives to a halt as we gather around the table eating family style with a glass of wine in hand.

Crisp breat — *Baked Texas Goat Cheese and Marinara– YUM!*

As a group, we value good apps as much as we value good wine. There can be around 10 of us who go to happy hour together and we always have a hard time finding apps that satisfy all of our snacking preferences. We definitely do not have that problem at CRISP. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, it’s HALF OFF all appetizers! Over all the times we’ve been to CRISP together, we’ve ordered every single app, but there are some clear favorites. At the top of this list is the Baked Texas Goat Cheese and Marinara. It comes with killer garlic bread that is wow… just wow. It is beyond perfect. The drunken garlic bread alone is one of the best garlic breads we’ve ever had, but dipping it into the savory goat cheese and marinara is comfort food at its finest! When ordering this for a group on Wednesday or Thursday, just go ahead and order two (you can thank us later)! It will cost only $2 more than just adding the extra bread! We also love ordering the Truffle Parmesan Fries. They are a huge crowd pleaser and an easy finger food for the center of the table. The yummy pizzas are crispy crusted and delectable. You can’t go wrong with any flavor, so just plan to come back to try them all! Last, but surely not least, the Dairymaid’s Cheese board. Pros: the cheese is all so delicious and there is plenty of it, the accompaniments are the perfect addition to the board, and it is priced well. Cons: there could be definitely be more bread and each slice of meat comes at an additional cost. However, you don’t need the meat to enjoy all of the wonderful cheese already offered on the board.

crisp cheese — Dairymaid’s Cheese Board pictured with and without added meat slices

Crisp card — *Chip card for the Enomatic machine*

You bet your bottom dollar we didn’t forget about the wine! Crisp has an enomatic wine machine. A.K.A. a wine vending machine that runs off of preloaded cards that are what we like to call, “Adult Dave and Buster’s” cards. You add cash to it via your waiter whenever you want, and just whip out when you want to go and get some wine. This is awesome because you can pick your pour size and essentially try the wine out before getting a bottle for the table or just try all the kinds you want to! If it wasn’t too good to be true already, during happy hour, all the wine in the enomatic is HALF OFF! On the other hand, if your legs don’t want to move after a full day of work, you can just order off the menu instead because all glasses of wine are $2 off from 3pm to 7pm.

We’ve mentioned before that building community is one of our favorite things. If we’re able to do that while drinking and eating… praise! When it comes to this, CRISP has it in the bag. This is a place that makes friends feel like family. As our friends all order their favorite apps or pizzas and place them in the center of the table, we share stories as readily and as easily as we share the dishes themselves. Every night there are different specials and you can’t go wrong. We can’t wait to see you there!

Peace & Pinot,

The Perfectly Paired Pals