Summer 2021: Fire and Ice

The 45 spiciest dishes in the city, plus 46 great icy treats In this issue, tackle the Five-Alarm Burger Challenge, have family fun all summer long, getaway at the coolest cabins in Texas, and when it's all said and done, go to the dentist.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

On The Town

What to Do and See This Summer

Don't miss the reopening of The Children's Museum, plus a group exhibition assembled by CAMH’s Teen Council offers a revealing look into young people's inner lives through the pandemic.

06/01/2021 By Chris Gray

the festival fest

Our Dream Festival Lineup

With no fests in sight for the summer, we're thinking about who'd headline the ultimate H-Town Music Festival.

05/03/2021 By Gwendolyn Knapp Illustrations by Michael Byers

Eat & Drink

Icy Treats

46 Absolutely Mind-Numbing Frozen Treats to Try in the Bayou City

It's finally time for an ice-cold Houston summer.

06/01/2021 By Timothy Malcolm, Gwendolyn Knapp, and Joanna O'Leary

Cherry on top

Our Favorite Date-Night Desserts

What’s a night out without giving your sweetie some sugar? These end-of-meal delights may be entirely cold-hearted—frigid to the core—but at the end of the day, it’s just dessert.

06/01/2021 By Timothy Malcolm, Gwendolyn Knapp, and Joanna O'Leary

Frozen in time

Houston's Most Nostalgic Ice Creams

Ah, those halcyon summer days in the buggy yard, the grass collecting in the kiddie pool, the ice cream truck’s jingle carrying on the breeze.

05/31/2021 By Timothy Malcolm, Gwendolyn Knapp, and Joanna O'Leary

Our favorite Standbys

There's so Much More to Summer Than Ice Cream

This summer, we're giving ice pops, raspas, snow cones, and more a taste.

05/31/2021 By Gwendolyn Knapp and Timothy Malcolm

For The Gram

The Most Instagrammable Ice Cream in Houston

In a city as Insta-obsessed as ours, it’s little wonder we have so many treats that aren’t just for refreshment; they’re actual, edible works of art. Add these to your feed.

05/28/2021 By Timothy Malcolm, Gwendolyn Knapp, and Joanna O'Leary

Just a Short Drive Away

9 Road Trip-Worthy Desserts

We know. we live in our cars. But picture it: A lazy hot day. A 30-minute jaunt to a different neck of the woods for what: Lunch? A soccer game? An outlet mall? The following destinations won’t just complete the journey—they are the journey.

05/28/2021 By Timothy Malcolm and Gwendolyn Knapp

Adults Only

Spiked Treats to Cool off Your Summer Happy Hour

The following drinks bring equal parts booze and chill—do call the sitter.

05/27/2021 By Timothy Malcolm and Joanna O'Leary

News & City Life

Read the room

The New Partnership Fighting Houston's Illiteracy Problem

Thousands of adults in the city are functionally illiterate. Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint aims to address that.

06/03/2021 By Raven Wuebker

Happy Campers

14 Summer Camps Your Kids Will Love

School’s out for summer—even for virtual learners. Keep your kiddos entertained for hours or weeks at a time with summer sessions they can enjoy solo or with the whole family.

05/27/2021 By Marianella Orlando

a nickel to spare

Moving up or Pushing out? How One Massive Project Could Reshape a Community

Community leaders have long grappled with gentrification in Fifth Ward. A monumental new development, East River, stokes their worst fears.

05/26/2021 By Mike Snyder Photography by Michael Starghill

Voter Fraught

What's Happening During This Year's Texas Legislative Session?

What Texas’s restrictive voting bills could mean for Houston.

05/25/2021 By Emma Schkloven

Style & Shopping

Now Think About Your Dad

This Father's Day, Find a Local Gift for Each Type of Houston Dad

A card and mug? Again? This Father’s Day (June 20), we promise to plop only perfectly curated presents into the gift bags of our very peculiar Houston dads—you know the ones.

06/07/2021 By Catherine Wendlandt