Maison Chinoise has finally landed in Houston, trading its lone Dallas address for a prime spot inside River Oaks’ luxury high-rise-because dim sum apparently deserves a view. The restaurant rolls out brunch, lunch, dinner, and even tea service, offering everything from Peking duck to dan dan noodles to dim sum so fancy it practically introduces itself. Desserts go all-in on drama too, with ube Nutella bao and banana spring rolls that sound like they should come with their own fan club. And of course, the cocktail list is ready to impress, featuring drinks with enough ingredients to qualify as short stories. In short: if you’re hungry, curious, or just like saying “Mandarin fields” out loud, Maison Chinoise has you covered.

Houston’s weekend food scene is basically daring you to show up hungry, starting with Sandoitchi’s final pop-up at Norigami, where lobster rolls and Wagyu sandos sell out faster than your patience in a brunch line. Axelrad’s Radfest promises an all-day mashup of live music, tacos, beer, and good deeds-because nothing says “rock on” like raising money for the Houston Food Bank. Tapas fans can head to EaDo for a $105 “laid-back” tasting event, which proves that relaxation apparently pairs well with premium cocktails. Tikila’s is hosting a Friendsgiving with championship-level barbecue and a community fundraiser, making it the rare party where you can eat ribs and feel morally superior. And Traveler’s Cart has officially gone full-service with a globe-trotting menu, meaning you can now sit down properly before demolishing their Cha Ca and Baja Shrimp Tacos.

Austin-Bergstrom is heading into the holidays with record crowds, construction walls, and enough travel tips to fill a novella. After a brief government-shutdown meltdown, operations are back to “normal,” meaning you should still arrive absurdly early-2.5 hours for domestic flights, three for international, and even more if you enjoy standing in lines. Travelers are warned to navigate parking like a strategic sport, remember that Allegiant and Frontier fly out of the far-flung South Terminal, and prep for security with the usual 3.4-ounce nonsense. Accessibility services, from ADA shuttles to the Sunflower Program, are available for those who need extra support. And inside the terminal, an interactive map will help you find everything from tacos to your gate-assuming you haven’t aged out of your travel plans by the time you get there.

Taz Indian Cuisine marked a major milestone in Bryan, Texas, celebrating 15 years in business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony surrounded by community members and Chamber of Commerce representatives. Owner Tirumala Kudumula and his family thanked longtime supporters, with daughter Divya calling the moment “extremely humbling” after years of challenges and growth. The celebration honored customers who’ve been with them since day one, as the family reflected on their journey and their commitment to serving the community for years to come. Taz Indian Cuisine now operates three locations across College Station, Temple, and Waco.

Thanksgiving dinner may hit your wallet harder this year, with turkey prices soaring 70% above last year as disease outbreaks and reduced production tighten supply. Economists say the true cost of groceries comes from the long journey food takes through the supply chain - from farms to factories to distribution centers to retailers - with every step adding labor, fuel, and handling expenses. Even technologies used to keep food fresh add to the bill, causing prices to rise quickly and fall slowly. Retailers try to keep costs down by ordering full truckloads and offering multiple product varieties, and many lock in turkey prices months in advance to avoid market spikes. Still, by the time your bird reaches the store, those shipping and handling miles show up in the price tag - a reminder that getting food from farm to fork is a lot more complicated than it looks.

If you need cold meds, a last-minute prescription, or just remembered you’re out of allergy pills on Thanksgiving, your options in Texas are… limited. Walgreens is giving its workers the day off, with only a handful of 24-hour locations staying open. CVS, meanwhile, is keeping most stores open with regular hours, though holiday tweaks may apply - because nothing says “festive spirit” like double-checking your pharmacy’s schedule. In short: CVS is your best bet, Walgreens mostly won’t help you, and planning ahead is still the best medicine.

Dallas brunch culture has officially left “eggs and a mimosa” in the dust, evolving into a full-blown weekend sport where pancakes can be blue, cocktails come in clay cups, and soup absolutely counts as brunch if you slurp it with confidence. The city’s best spots push boundaries with mezcal-spiked espressos, empanada Benedicts, Amalfi platters big enough to count as a personality trait, and Argentine sausages sizzling in cast iron. Classic staples are still thriving, too - from banana-praline pancakes that belong in a museum to Cajun shrimp and grits that feel like a warm hug from New Orleans. And for the rule-breakers, Dallas offers dim sum feasts, bun rieu bowls, and even a place serving a chicken sandwich “from that famous spot” - on Sundays. In short: brunch in Dallas isn’t just a meal - it’s a choose-your-own-adventure that rewards hunger, curiosity, and a slightly excessive love of carbs.

Grapevine, Texas is gearing up for its signature holiday season as Santa’s North Pole Express returns on November 28, complete with 1920s railcars, caroling, cheerful elves, and plenty of Santa time. The Christmas Capital of Texas has a packed lineup, from Christmas Wine Trains and classic films at the Palace Theatre to kids’ cartoons, crafts, museum adventures, and festive events at Historic Nash Farm. Visitors can also enjoy holiday exhibits, citywide decorations, and views from the Grapevine Observation Tower. After being named the Best Christmas Town in the U.S. by Newsweek readers last year, the city is leaning fully into its title. Travelers are encouraged to book early and keep an eye on ChristmasCapitalofTexas.com for updates - holiday magic tends to sell out quickly.

Houston may be comically huge - big enough to make you consider a drink just getting from one side to the other - but at least Total Wine & More has planted enough stores across the sprawl to keep everyone hydrated. With more than a dozen locations within 100 miles, the chain wins Best Liquor Store not just for sheer volume but for actually knowing what it’s doing. These mega-shops offer massive selections, smart staff, cigar humidors, and more giftable glassware than your bar cart can handle. Basically, if someone is ranting about Houston’s size again, there’s definitely a Total Wine nearby where you can pick up something to help them calm down. In 2025, convenience - and a good bottle - are never far away.

Conchas Cafe Bakery in Humble is serving up more than just pan dulce - it’s serving a whole slice of home, thanks to owners Marisol and Jorge Cuevas and their kids, who bake together every morning like a real-life, cinnamon-scented family sitcom. Since opening in July 2024, they’ve been turning out about 1,200 pastries a day, with conchas (naturally) disappearing first, followed closely by Nutella- or cajeta-stuffed borregos and savory bolillo rellenos. The coffee menu is just as tempting, featuring iced horchata lattes, strawberry matcha, and Choco Abuelita for anyone who needs nostalgia in cup form. With self-serve pastries priced from 80 cents to $2, plus seasonal goodies like champurrado on the way, the shop has quickly become a local staple. And as they gear up to expand their dining space, it’s clear Humble’s new favorite bakery isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

With holiday shopping in full swing, Amazon is once again reminding everyone that porch pirates are basically the Grinches of modern life-and they’re not picky about whose gifts they swipe. Spokesperson Jesse Garcia says security starts with knowing what real Amazon drivers don’t do: they won’t knock or ask for a signature unless you requested it, so anyone doing that might be auditioning for a crime show. To keep packages out of sight (and out of thieves’ hands), Amazon suggests using lockers, pickup locations, or scheduling deliveries for times you’re actually home. For die-hard home-delivery fans, Garcia recommends using Ring cameras to chat with drivers and tell them where to hide your gifts like you're running a covert operation-behind the stairs, under a planter, anywhere but in plain view. He also urges shoppers to track packages, use neighbors for backup, leave lights on for drivers, and report thefts quickly to both police and Amazon.

Texas is lighting up the holidays-literally-with The Light Park, the state’s top drive-thru light show featuring millions of synchronized, over-the-top, holiday-themed LEDs blasting along to tracks from the North Pole’s alleged #1 radio station, K-GLO. This mile-long spectacle promises a glowing tunnel so long it borders on bragging rights, all synced to DJ Polar Ice’s “electric mix,” because why wouldn’t Santa have a resident DJ? Tickets are priced per car, so the more people you can cram in safely, the merrier-and the better your group looks in those Instagram Reels. For anyone wanting bright lights, loud music, and holiday chaos minus the cold, The Light Park might be the most Texas holiday celebration imaginable.

Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy just landed the biggest individual donation in its 32-year history-roof that sometimes public policy can inspire someone to open their wallet wide. The university hasn’t spilled all the details yet, but the record-setting gift signals major confidence in the institute’s research, influence, and future ambitions. For an organization built on studying big problems, this kind of funding boost is about as welcome as it gets

Marshall, Texas has flipped the switch on its 38th annual Wonderland of Lights, turning the historic courthouse into a glowing Christmas beacon visible from, presumably, several counties away. Organizers expect up to 25,000 visitors, many lured in by hot chocolate, a century-old carousel, and the kind of small-town charm you can’t bottle-though Budweiser is sending in its famous Clydesdales next month to try. Locals say the festival puts Marshall on the map, which is handy, because otherwise most people only pass through on the way to somewhere else. The event runs Thursday through Sunday evenings, free to enter-but yes, you still have to pay if you want to spin on the antique carousel or wobble around the skating rink.

Classic Chevrolet Cadillac in Denison just wrapped up its 10th annual Toys for Tots shopping spree, where the team descended on Walmart and bought roughly $10,000 worth of toys-basically turning their carts into Santa’s backup fleet. The Bryants say they do it every year because nothing screams “holiday spirit” like filling truck beds to the point of overflow. Volunteers hauled the toys back to the dealership, where even more cars were stuffed like Christmas stockings. The family insists they’re “blessed” to keep growing the event, and honestly, if joy was measured in toy-filled pickups, Denison would be the merriest place in Texas.

College Station’s City Council met this week and made one big decision every driver will definitely notice: Highway 6 is slowing down, with speed limits dropping from 70 mph to 60 mph so TXDOT crews-and the rest of us-have a better chance of surviving rush hour. Frontage roads are getting trimmed down to 40–45 mph too. The council also redefined what legally counts as a “family,” approved nearly $2 million for drainage fixes, and debated whether people should be allowed to build things that literally block flood channels (a shocking question, truly). And in classic city-meeting fashion, they wrapped it all up with a discussion on parking rules-because nothing says local government like ending the night arguing about where cars should go.

For more than two decades, sisters Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist have been quietly doing what entire city systems often can’t manage: saving hundreds of thousands of homeless dogs and cats through their nonprofit, PetSet. They’ve poured $5 million into Houston-area rescues, recently handing out another $400,000 to more than 100 groups that handle the gritty frontline work-everything from street pickups to spay-and-neuter marathons. PetSet has also become a force in pushing Texas lawmakers to treat animals like living beings rather than legal footnotes. And despite their massive impact, the sisters insist they’re nowhere near finished-apparently solving pet homelessness is just another item on their to-do list.

Thousands of North Texans kicked off Thanksgiving by doing the unthinkable: voluntarily running before eating. The annual YMCA turkey trots in Dallas and Fort Worth drew massive crowds again, with Dallas showing off perfect race weather and Fort Worth debuting a fancy new route past Bass Hall and Sundance Square-because nothing says “holiday spirit” like jogging near landmarks while wearing turkey hats. Participants ranged from seasoned runners to first-timers who simply decided that 6 a.m. workouts are “fun” now. And in true Thanksgiving spirit, every dollar raised goes straight into YMCA community programs and scholarships, making all that early-morning sweating slightly more meaningful.

The Russell family didn’t just build a truck stop off I-40 - they created a full-blown classic-car wonderland, and then made it free, because apparently they enjoy making every other roadside attraction look lazy. Emory Russell, a former truck driver turned collector of hundreds of cars and trucks, decided his growing fleet needed a proper stage, and the result is Russell’s Classic Car Museum near Endee, New Mexico. Travelers walk in expecting gas and snacks but instead discover a gleaming showroom that visitors routinely call one of the best surprises on the highway. The Russells say the whole project was a dream come true, and judging by the crowds taking photos like they’ve stumbled into a vintage-car time capsule, it seems the dream is very mutual.

Layne’s Chicken Fingers is about to blanket Texas in fried optimism, thanks to a new deal that greenlights 44 more locations across the state. The fast-growing chain - born in College Station and now apparently unstoppable - says Texas is already 90% “sold out” for franchising, leaving only El Paso and a few lonely pockets untouched. Developer Eli Cohen will spearhead the expansion into West Texas, San Antonio and the Coastal Bend, with Lubbock getting at least two new stores (because one is clearly not enough). CEO Garrett Reed called the deal a “major milestone,” celebrating Layne’s near-total domination of its home state. According to the company, their secret is a tight playbook that lets franchisees focus on execution, leadership and making sure no Texan is ever more than a short drive from chicken fingers.

Fort Worth kicked off the holiday season in peak Texas style, welcoming “Cowboy Santa” as he rolled into the Stockyards not in a sleigh, but in a vintage Cadillac Eldorado - because why fight gravity when you can cruise in chrome? Families packed the area for ice skating, photos and plenty of post-Thanksgiving merriment, turning every corner into a holiday backdrop. Visitors from Oregon to South Carolina joined Texans for the festivities, many sporting freshly purchased cowboy hats to blend in. Kids, adults and everyone in between soaked up the perfect weather and Western cheer, proving once again that in Fort Worth, even Santa knows you’ve gotta show up in style.