Goodbye Columbus: Houston removes vandalized statue from Bell Park
The city quietly removed a statue of Christopher Columbus from Bell Park on Friday. The statue will be held in storage while the city decides how to relocate it, according to the mayor’s office. Earlier this week, Houston removed two Confederate monuments from city parks, as well. In a statement issued by his office, Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “A...
San Antonio councilman wants Columbus Park renamed, statue of explorer removed
San Antonio’s Christopher Columbus Italian Society is working closely with Councilman Roberto Treviño to rename city-owned Columbus Park and remove a statue of the famed explorer. Against the backdrop of widespread protests to end systemic racism against African Americans and other minorities, Treviño called the society’s support a “major step towa...
Christopher Columbus statue in Houston latest to be vandalized across US
The Christopher Columbus statue at a park near the Museum District has been vandalized again. As in previous incidents, vandals tossed what appears to be red paint on the 7-foot-tall statue, which is located at Houston's Bell Park at 4900 Montrose. The statue also bears a cardboard sign with the message, "Rip the head from your oppressor." It's not...
Eataly is Coming to NorthPark
Eataly, the vibrant Italian marketplace with an array of restaurants, cafés, fresh counters, and to-go eateries, is pleased to announce that its first location in Texas will be in Dallas at NorthPark Center. Opening in 2020, Eataly Dallas will be the eighth North American location for the Italian company, which has 39 stores worldwide. “We are so e...
Enjoy Italian Fare and a Flower Shop at Fiori
IT’S NOT OFTEN YOU’RE GOING TO COME ACROSS a restaurant that’s also a flower shop, but that’s what Fiori is going for. “Conceptually we really want it to be more than a restaurant,” says Mimi MacDougall, director of visuals and marketing for Fiori, a regional Italian concept likely to open June 10 at the former La Villa space at 4315 Montrose Blvd....
52 Weeks of Pizza: Meatballs shine at Braza Brava Pizza Napoletana restaurant on Broadway
Sitting at the corner of Broadway and Sunset Road, Braza Brava Pizza Napoletana is a full-blown Italian restaurant. But the lineup of 21 specialty pizzas is the undeniable star of the show, thanks to the wood-fired pizza oven that was built in Italy and transported to San Antonio. Whether you like them with traditional red marinara or bianche (whit...
Patrenella's Italian restaurant permanently closed after 28 years of business
After 28 years of business, Patrenella's Italian Restaurant at 813 Jackson Hill St. has permanently closed. Owner Sammy Patrenella, 85, first opened the trattoria in his childhood home in 1992, eventually acquiring two adjacent properties and connecting them to expand the restaurant as well as add a residence. “My parents built the house in 1938. T...
Marco's Pizza Now open in Houston
One of the nation's Most Loved and Most Trusted Pizza Brand, Marco's Pizza, now has new location in Houston. Situated at 9540 S. Main St., Ste. 120, locals can expect a Primo Italian pizza experience that uses the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. The Marco's Pizza location is owned and operated by Donald Tran, a young entrepreneur who also ow...
Houston Italian Restaurant Turns to Technology to Bring Winemakers to Town — Virtually
The dining room closures spurred by COVID-19 prompted many Houston restaurateurs and wine bar owners to start thinking of new, creative ideas of what they could do to continue not only serving customers but expanding their culinary worlds and wine knowledge. In the case of ROMA — located in a historic home built in 1939 at 2347 University — owner S...
Minuti Coffee opens Katy Mills location
Minuti Coffee, purveyor of Italian style coffees and gelatos, has opened a new location near Katy Mills Mall. The shop, located at 814 Katy Fort Bend Road, also serves a selection of pastries, sandwiches and snacks. The shop offers dine-in and drive-through options. Junaid Hassan, co-owner of the new Minuti, said that what sets Minuti apart is its...
Tontitown Grape Festival canceled
The annual Grape Festival scheduled for Aug. 4-8 has been canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic, according to a news release from a festival representative. This year was to be the 122nd festival. "Due to the changing circumstances and unforeseen future due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we feel this decision must be made in order to protect the saf...
Museums Delivered — The Story Behind Bartolomeo Schedoni’s Charity
Like many of you, we miss visiting our Dallas and Fort Wort Worth museums for inspiration, or just to lose ourselves in the canvases of Rothko or Rembrandt. Many institutions had opened exhibitions shortly before the order came for us to shelter-in-place. The world-renowned Kimbell Art Museum, for example, had unveiled “Flesh and Blood: Italian Mas...