LOCAL Houston | The City Guide December 2017 | Page 68

August
November
HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEKS–
TO RAISE MUCH-NEEDED FUNDS
FOR THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK
WORLD SERIES
CHAMPIONS
JULY
Hurricane
Harvey
CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION – The Museum of Fine Arts,
seven games from October 24 to November 1, our hometown
Houston Astros prevail over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the
113th MLB World Series. It’s the Astros’ first World
Series victory in franchise history, and also the first team
from Texas to do so. Outfielder George Springer is named as
the series MVP, and Carlos Correa proposes to former Miss
Texas Daniella Rodriguez on live TV during the post-game
show coverage. Days later, Astros pitcher Justin Verlander jets
off to Italy to marry supermodel Kate Upton.
September
Houston, breaks ground on the Nancy and Rich Kinder
Building, the second of four new buildings that will make
up the museum’s Susan and Fayez S. Sarofim Campus. To
date, more than 150 individuals, couples, corporations and
foundations have pledged $390 million toward the museum’s
campus expansion and transformation.
TILMAN SCORES – In September, billionaire Tilman
Fertitta makes it known he’s offering $2.2 billion to buy
the Houston Rockets from Les Alexander (who bought the
team for a measly $85 million in 1993). It’s a record sale
price for an NBA franchise. The deal is finalized in October.
GOLD CUP-
SOCCER GAMES–
COSTA RICA VS. CANADA
AND HONDURAS VS.
FRENCH GUIANA AT
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM
is Hurricane Harvey, a multi-day rain event that begins
August 26, eventually dropping in excess of 50 inches of rain
throughout the Houston/East Texas/Louisiana area. Harvey
is the costliest hurricane/natural disaster on record, inflicting
nearly $200 billion in damage – including the wholesale
destruction of entire neighborhoods in West Houston that
were thought impervious to flooding. At the flooding’s peak,
it is estimated that 25–30 percent of Harris County was
submerged. At the end of 2017, approximately 70,000
now-homeless Houston residents are still living in area hotels
and motels.
DISASTER STRIKES – Perhaps the biggest story of the year
HOTEL ALESSANDRA,
DOWNTOWN’S NEWEST
LUXURY HOSTELRY, OPENS
AT GREEN STREET.
LUCIENNE RESTAURANT
GETS RAVE REVIEWS.
ON TOP OF THE WORLD – In a series spanning the full
MANCHESTER CITY VS.
MANCHESTER UNITED AT
NRG STADIUM
WELCOME NEI GHBORS – Heights Mercantile, an inno-
vative retail development that includes restored bungalows
as well as new construction, opens on Heights Boulevard.
Merchants include Melange Creperie, Cloud 10 Creamery,
Local Foods, Chubbies, Lululemon, Warby Parker and a branch
of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
October
HOUSTON DYNAMO ADVANCE
TO THE FIRST LEG OF THE
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
AGAINST THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS
ON NOVEMBER 21. THE DYNAMO
ARE UNBEATEN IN THEIR LAST NINE
GAMES – SOMETHING THEY HAVE
NOT DONE SINCE 2011.
December
AFTER SO MUCH
ANTICIPATION,
EMMALINE OPENS IN THE
OLD TEALA’S SPACE ON
WEST DALLAS WITH
CHEF DIMITRI VOUTSINAS
IN THE KITCHEN.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK – Hotel ZaZa opens at
Memorial City, marking the second Houston location of
the boutique hotel property. In addition to a decadent spa
and signature restaurant, the ZaZa also features 133 luxury
apartment units on seven floors atop the hotel.
ALTUVE WINS
AL MVP 2017
NOVEMBER 16 – Astros second baseman Jose Altuve
wins the 2017 American League Most Valuable Player Award.
Altuve picked up 27 of a possible 30 first-place votes.
CHRIS PAUL DOMINATES – The Houston Rockets had
the highest-scoring first quarter in franchise history with 45
points, 41 of which were generated by Paul and James
Harden.
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