Category: 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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

Restaurant: Heights Biergarten and Worcester’s Annex

Recommended Meal of Choice: Happy Hour

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

 

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.

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

Hands down, the best day of the week is Thursday. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel with the excitement of the weekend in sight! Each Thursday night is spent around the table, at the happy hour destination of our choosing, with our “Happy Hour Crew.” Fun fact: This group of people actually became friends by attending weekly happy hours together! Although we were skeptical about how long this tradition would last with the busyness of work and life in general, we have truly been amazed by this crew – a bunch of recent college grads, all from different places, who didn’t know each other well or at all beforehand, has honestly become our little Houston family.

Each week, we explore a new happy hour destination, since Houston has so many great happy hours to find and restaurants to try. However, since we have been at this awhile, we can’t help but consistently repeat a few of our favorite local finds, and this week’s post features one of those special places: Down the Street!

Down the Street is tucked in the heart of Houston, in a neighborhood known as Cottage Grove. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you would miss this hidden gem as it is right in the middle of the neighborhood (hence the name Down the Street!). This spot is the perfect place to sit outside, enjoy the string lights, drink the best sangria, and share a cheese board with good friends. It’s the kind of place that you can spend all day and completely forget the time. Since two of the Perfectly Paired boys used to live in the neighborhood, this was a staple among our friends. The big, outdoor patio is dog friendly and has seating for groups of all sizes. They have a very “come as you are” vibe – perfect for an after work happy hour, lazy brunch, or kicking off a night on the town!

 

While Down the Street has lots of good food and drink options, a steady favorite is the Autumn Plate perfectly paired with a glass of Sangria. The plate is filled with seasonal cheeses, fruit, and delicious bread. The cheese included is manchego, burrata, and brie. Down the Street also has an option to add charcuterie to any board, which is an opportunity that we never pass up! Looking at the Autumn Plate overall, it has a significant amount of cheese for the small price you pay – just $12! If you have a large group (or are always hungry like we are), we definitely recommend adding the charcuterie. Down the Street has great appetizers in general, so even picking a different appetizer to supplement the board is a great choice. You really can’t go wrong!

 

While the Autumn Plate is definitely one of a kind, the Down the Street sangria complements the plate perfectly. It is the perfect mix of sweet and refreshing. You can get it by the glass for $5, and even better, in a carafe for only $12! Some of our other favorite treats from Down the Street include the Frozen Ruby Red Bellini, Truffle Parmesan Popcorn, and the Big Toasted Pretzel with Queso. Down the Street also offers a great brunch menu on the weekends complete with Eggs Benedict, Creme Brulee French Toast, and of course, mimosas! You won’t be able to pass it up.

If you’re in the mood to spend an evening outside in this Houston heat, or if you want to opt in for their indoor seating, Down the Street is the place to go. And who knows…you may just run into the Perfectly Paired Pals while you’re there!

 

Peace and Pinot,

Perfectly Paired Pals