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Issue no. 2 · Week of Nov 1, 2026
A walker's guide to Houston, week by week.
Nine picks every Sunday: art, literature, theater, fashion, travel, food and nightlife. Plus one long read. Curated, not just listed.
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| Editor's letter |
This week the Flâneur walks further. Starting with this issue, every Sunday brings nine picks, one for each corner of the city's cultural life, and a longer piece in The feature. It's a week of last chances. Project Row Houses at the MFAH and Uhuru at the Alley both close Sunday. Saturday belongs to the Día de los Muertos parade downtown, and on Sunday the lamps go on for Diwali. If you'd rather leave town, Wurstfest opens Friday in New Braunfels. — Mario Humberto Kazaz, editor |
| The feature |
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Recommended reading · Gagosian Quarterly
Francis Bacon's Painting
This week's long read is an essay on Francis Bacon's painting, published by Gagosian Quarterly on September 18, 2026.
Read it on Gagosian Quarterly →
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| With thanks to our sponsors |
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Sponsor
La Colombe d'Or
Hotel & restaurant · 3410 Montrose Blvd, Montrose
A Montrose hotel named for the famous inn in the south of France, with 32 suites, a sculpture garden and some 425 original artworks on its walls. Book a table in the dining room, under gilt-framed paintings.
Visit La Colombe d'Or →
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Sponsor
Casalu
Hi-fi listening café & bar · 1001 Missouri St, Montrose
Coffee by day, records and drinks by night. A Montrose room built around its sound system, with Greenway coffee in the morning and cocktails with Mediterranean flavors once the records go on.
Visit Casalu →
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| Nine picks this week |
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Art · Through Sun Nov 8 · Museum District Closing
Project Row Houses at the MFAH
Beck Building, 5601 Main St · James Bettison, Bert Long Jr., Jesse Lott, Rick Lowe, Floyd Newsum
Works on paper by five of the founders who turned a block of empty Third Ward row houses into an art space in 1993. The year-long show is in its second rotation and comes down Sunday. Afterward, drive over to see the row houses themselves on Holman Street.
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Literature · Wed Nov 4 · 6:30 PM · Rice Village
Tara Goedjen at Murder By The Book
Murder By The Book, 2342 Bissonnet St · In conversation with Abby Dunn of Crime by the Book
Goedjen talks about her new thriller, Please Enjoy Your Stay, in which a true crime podcast drags a woman back into her cousin's murder and her family's secrets at a castle in Europe. To join the signing line, buy the book from the store. Seats and parking go first come, first served.
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Theater · Through Sun Nov 8 · Downtown Closing
Uhuru at the Alley
Neuhaus Theatre, 615 Texas Ave · World premiere by Gloria Majule, directed by Shariffa Ali
A satire set on a "Tanzanian-only" climb of Kilimanjaro, where a Tanzanian-American tourist, two missionaries and their guide argue over who the mountain belongs to. Ninety minutes with no intermission, in its final week.
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Fashion · Thu–Fri Nov 5–6 · By appointment · Upper Kirby
Verdavainne trunk show at Tootsies
Tootsies, 2601 Westheimer Rd at Kirby · Spring '27 evening wear
Paris-trained couturier Cyril Verdavainne brings his Spring '27 collection for made-to-measure fittings. Visits are by appointment only, so call the studio first at +1 646-263-4445.
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Travel · Opens Fri Nov 6 · Through Nov 15 · New Braunfels
A Wurstfest weekend in New Braunfels
Landa Park, New Braunfels · About three hours west · 65th year
Sausage, polka bands and yodelers, some flown in from Germany, under tents in Landa Park. Opening night Friday starts with the biting of the sausage at 5:30. New this year is a wine garden in the old hydro plant. It's cashless, children 12 and under get in free, and the weeknights of Nov 9–12 are free for everyone.
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Culinary · Nightly 4:30–10:30 PM · Montrose
Dinner at House of Louie
1931 Fairview · From Justin Yu and Bobby Heugel
Justin Yu's new restaurant recreates one his family once ran in California, with French and Italian cooking from a modern American kitchen. Order the duck with colatura glaze and the yellowtail crudo. Book on Resy, though they hold tables for walk-ins every night.
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Nightlife · Until 2 AM Fri–Sat · Montrose
Casalu, a new listening bar
1001 Missouri St · Hi-fi sound, two turntables, rotating DJs
A room built around the sound system: German-made speakers, a hand-built rotary mixer, and DJs playing jazz, French house and disco. The cocktails draw on Palestinian and Mediterranean flavors; try the Fig & Vinyl, bourbon with caramelized figs. Reserve on SevenRooms, and pair it with dinner at House of Louie.
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International Events · Sun Nov 8 · Worldwide
Diwali, the festival of lights
Celebrate it here: ISKCON of Houston, 1320 W 34th St · 5:30–9 PM
On Sunday, homes and temples from Delhi to Sugar Land light lamps for Diwali, the main night of a five-day festival. In Houston, the ISKCON temple holds a candlelight aarti that evening. Discovery Green's free Diwali festival follows on Nov 14.
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Festivals · Sat Nov 7 · 4–10 PM · Downtown
Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival
Sam Houston Park, 1000 Bagby St · Free
Houston's largest Day of the Dead celebration, now in its sixth year. Come early for the ofrendas, food and the Catrina contest, then stay for opening ceremonies at 6:30 and the parade through downtown at 7.
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| Also this week |
| More from around the city, by subject. Most of these come from event calendars, so confirm with the organizer before you go. |
Art
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All week · Citywide
Big Walls Big Dreams 2026
Neighborhoods across Houston
Local, national and international muralists are painting more than 20 large murals around the city.
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Sat Nov 7
First Saturday Arts Market
The Heights
Houston's original outdoor art market, now in its 21st season.
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Sat Nov 7 · 11 AM–3 PM
Craft Community Day
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main St
A day of hands-on making at the craft center.
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Sun Nov 8 · 1–5 PM
MFAH Fall Festival: Harvest | Cosecha
Cullen Sculpture Garden, 5101 Montrose Blvd
Marks the garden's 40th anniversary with food, music and dance, a Lotería game using MFAH artworks, and short films from the Houston Latino Film Festival.
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Through Nov 21
Maria Gaspar: We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain
Blaffer Art Museum, University of Houston
Still on view, with two weeks left after this one.
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Through Nov 21
Singular Visions
The Silos at Sawyer Yards
Still on view in the Sawyer Yards studios.
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Literature
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Nov 1–15
Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival
Evelyn Rubenstein JCC, 5601 S Braeswood Blvd
Two weeks of author talks, open to everyone. The lineup is on the J's site.
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Plan ahead · Thu Nov 12 · 7:30 PM
Inprint: Colson Whitehead
Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series · $30, includes the book
The Pulitzer Prize winner reads from his new book, Cool Machine. Nothing is on Inprint's calendar this week.
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Theater
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Fri Nov 6 · 7:30 PM & Sun Nov 8 · 2 PM
Houston Grand Opera: Susannah
Brown Theater, Wortham Center, 501 Texas Ave
Angel Blue stars in Carlisle Floyd's opera, in its final performances.
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Sat Nov 7 · 7:30 PM
Houston Grand Opera: Faust
Brown Theater, Wortham Center, 501 Texas Ave
David McVicar's dance-filled staging, with Pretty Yende as Marguerite and Matthew Polenzani as Faust.
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Sat Nov 7
Houston Contemporary Dance Company: Fall Collection
The Hobby Center, 800 Bagby St
The company's fall program of new contemporary dance.
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Sat Nov 7 · 7:30 PM
Houston's Got Bollywood: Bombay Express
Miller Outdoor Theatre, Hermann Park · Free
A free evening of Bollywood song and dance under the stars.
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Fri Nov 6
Drunk Dracula
Emerald Theatre
A boozy comedy that retells the vampire story with plenty of pop culture.
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Fashion
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All week
Elizabeth Anthony trunk shows
Uptown Park
Designer trunk shows at the boutique every day this week.
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Sat Nov 7
After Dark 2026
Venue to be announced
A sustainable, avant-garde fashion show.
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Sun Nov 8 · 4–7:30 PM
A Night of Elegance: Fashion Show Experience
5200 Willowbend Blvd
An evening runway show.
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Travel
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Nov 6–8 weekend
Texas Renaissance Festival
Todd Mission · About an hour northwest
A day trip into the state's big Renaissance fair.
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Nov 6–8
Lone Star Rally
Galveston
The island's big motorcycle rally takes over the Strand.
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Plan ahead · Nov 13–14
Breakaway Music Festival
Shell Energy Stadium grounds, EaDo
Electronic and dance music festival next weekend.
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Culinary
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This week · The Heights
Onion Creek's 18th Annual H-Town Chili Throwdown
Onion Creek, The Heights
Taste the teams' chili and vote for the People's Choice award.
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Nov 6–8 weekend
Houston Holiday Cookie Crawl
Pitch 25
A cookie crawl to start the holiday season.
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Nov 6–8 weekend
Da Gama Diwali Celebration & Night Market
da Gama Canteen
Indo-Portuguese cooking meets Diwali, with a night market.
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Date to be confirmed
Bites & Beyond Festival
Discovery Green
A 2026 edition is announced; last year's ran on Nov 8. Check the date before you plan around it.
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Nightlife
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Thu Nov 5 · 7 PM
John Summit
Toyota Center, 1510 Polk St
The DJ's CTRL ESCAPE arena tour, with Alok and Jackie Hollander.
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Thu Nov 5
Bowling for Soup
House of Blues, 1204 Caroline St
Pop-punk with Ballyhoo! and Rosecoloredworld.
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Fri Nov 6 · 8:30 PM
MANÁ
Toyota Center, 1510 Polk St
The Vivir Sin Aire tour, with an onstage waterfall.
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Fri Nov 6 · 7 PM
Drag Bingo Houston
Downtown
Bingo called by drag queens, with a show.
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Nov 6–8
Desi Banks
Houston Improv
Stand-up across the weekend.
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Sat Nov 7 · 7:30 PM
Doja Cat
Toyota Center, 1510 Polk St
The Tour Ma Vie world tour, with Latto.
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Sat Nov 7
Sabaton
713 Music Hall
Swedish heavy metal on the Legends tour.
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Sat Nov 7 · 9 PM
Konshens: All White Afro Tech Weekend
The Encore Day and Night Beach Club
An all-white party with the dancehall star.
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Sun Nov 8
UB40
House of Blues, 1204 Caroline St
The reggae band closes out the week.
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International Events
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Wed Nov 4
Eros Ramazzotti
Smart Financial Centre, Sugar Land
The Italian pop star on tour.
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Festivals
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Sat Nov 7
13th Houston AfriFEST
The KBC Houston, 6011 W Orem Dr
A festival of African arts, culture and entertainment, with hundreds of vendors.
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Through Sun Nov 8
Houston Pumpkin Festival
Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St
The park's fall festival, in its last week.
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| Day by day |
| One more thing to do each night, Sunday Nov 1 through Saturday Nov 7. |
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Sun
1
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3–7 PM · Downtown
Día de los Muertos at Discovery Green
Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St · Free
A community ofrenda, a Catrín and Catrina parade with a costume contest, and a tribute concert as the light goes. A good warm-up for Saturday's big parade.
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Mon
2
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7:30 PM · Meyerland
An evening at the Jewish Book & Arts Festival
Evelyn Rubenstein JCC, 5601 S Braeswood Blvd
The festival's Monday night author talk, on Día de los Muertos itself. The speaker and tickets are listed on the J's site.
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Tue
3
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7:30 PM · Theater District
Las Migas
Cullen Theater, Wortham Center, 501 Texas Ave · Presented by Performing Arts Houston
The all-women flamenco group from Barcelona mixes flamenco with jazz and folk. They won the Latin Grammy for best flamenco album in 2022 and again in 2025.
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Wed
4
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7 PM · Downtown
Dinosaur Jr. with Stef Chura
House of Blues, 1204 Caroline St
J Mascis and the band bring their fall tour to Houston, with Stef Chura opening. If you'd rather sit, Tara Goedjen is at Murder By The Book the same night.
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Thu
5
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8 PM · The Heights
Paula Cole: This Fire at 30
The Heights Theater, 339 W 19th St
The singer-songwriter marks 30 years since This Fire, the 1996 album behind "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?", in one of the city's most intimate rooms.
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Fri
6
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6–10 PM · Museum District
Asia Society Night Market
Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore Blvd · Free
An all-ages market modeled on the street markets of East and Southeast Asia, with food, artisan stalls, a beer garden and games. Some indoor activities and performances cost $5.
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Sat
7
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7:30 PM · Theater District
Houston Symphony: Shostakovich's Ninth
Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St · Tickets from $29
Emmanuel Tjeknavorian conducts Shostakovich's Ninth and Borodin's Polovtsian Dances, and concertmaster Yoonshin Song plays Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto. The Día de los Muertos parade starts a few blocks away at the same hour, so choose your Saturday.
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Issue no. 2 · Week of Nov 1, 2026. Dates and hours come from the venues; check before you go. New picks arrive every Sunday.
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