I’m not one for celebrity drama, but I’m still feeling torn by celebrated actor Sam Neill’s passing a few weeks ago. The love the “Jurassic Park” star gave me for dinosaur movies is undying, and I’m looking forward to seeing “The End of Oak Street” in August.

Speaking of dinosaurs, make sure to round out your summer with a visit to one of Texas’ claims to fame—Dinosaur Valley in Glen Rose—before it sees major potential change. If you’re thinking of planning a weekend road trip to North Texas, this is your sign.

If you can’t make it out to North Texas, the Houston Zoo’s Mythical Realms exhibit has dinosaur-adjacent beasts (animatronic dragons). I went to their last dinosaur iteration of the exhibit, and it was a blast. 

A story worth sharing with your neighbor

Houston’s skyline is set to grow and evolve over the upcoming years. (Hequals2henry/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Over the next several years, Houston’s skyline is set to expand. Tim Relyea, who serves as Cushman & Wakefield’s vice chairman, spoke with Realty News Report about a wave of new development in Houston. 

“I’d say six to 12 new buildings are going to happen,” Relyea said. As a commercial real estate expert, he has a unique advantage when it comes to making these declarations.

One of the primary driving forces behind this potential boom is the desire to create buildings designed to serve as multi-use spaces with offices, business amenities, fitness centers, and restaurants all housed within one convenient location.

Houston’s food and art news

Cafe Leonelli’s Tiramisu Tart is big enough for two to share. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

ZOA Eateries

ZOA Eateries just opened a new kitchen in Memorial City. This restaurant serves traditional Moroccan street food in a laid-back setting.

Houston Restaurant Weeks

Houston’s annual fall give-back season is around the corner. Enjoy a multi-course meal from Aug. 1 to Sept. 7 while donating to the Houston Food Bank at the same time. There are 350 participating restaurants, so pick your favorite and bon appétit.

What’s on my plate: 

A visit to the Museum of Fine Art Houston and dessert at Cafe Leonelli are the perfect combo for a Saturday afternoon. Cafe Leonelli’s Tiramisu Tart is best when enjoyed by a sunny window overlooking the museum.

Meet the people who make Houston work.

His parents’ wedding photos frame the interior of John Galvan’s shop, making the space feel like part-shop, part-home. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

John Galvan’s watch repair shop feels like a family relic. The walls inside are adorned with framed photos of his smiling parents—their wedding, their fiftieth anniversary and a photo of them in their old age. Stacked on tables throughout the shop are tools of all kinds, watch parts, antiquities, and trinkets. A small fan putters away in the corner next to a calendar marking off the hot July days.

Houston’s Wheeler Watch Clinic has stood on the same neighborhood streets for 56 years, moving only once—and only by a few blocks—in its history. I came into the shop and was greeted with a teeming glimpse into the past. Customers walked in after me, laughing, talking about how long they’d been coming to see Galvan. I quickly learned that Galvan grew up in this shop, and that it’s been in his family since before man set foot on the moon.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Anna Raj and edited by Joi Louviere.

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