Where to Get Lucky in Houston
By Kelly Howard
In March, we all benefit from the luck of the Irish, especially around St. Paddy’s Day, but turns out there is luck all around us in the Houston area. See where you might find the best of luck in the Bayou City.
Parade to Pub: Houston’s St. Patrick’s Parade, starting downtown at noon on March 12, fetes its award-winners afterward at Lucky’s Pub on St. Emanuel.
In Market Square: How lucky would it be to hear an Irish rock band named The Blaggards? They will kick off the party at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, in Market Square.
In a live music venue: McGonigel’s Mucky Duck (2425 Norfolk St.) will celebrate Celtic music on Thursday, March 17.
You’re lucky to be alive: Where else but Houston can you cruise an exhibition of caskets and classic cars? This is an eerie and eclectic combination. The National Museum of Funeral History’s Classic Car Show was postponed from Halloween due to inclement weather to March 12 for what they are now calling the Easter-ween Classic Car Show. It will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3: 00 p.m. Admission: $3 for individuals; $5 per couple or family. Proceeds are for the Star of Hope, Depelchin Children’s Center, The Shriner’s Burn Hospital, Houston Food Bank and the USO.
Where else to get “lucky” in H-town…
In a bowling lane: Head over to Lucky Strike in the heart of downtown for bowling in a chic atmosphere. It’s open all week from 11:00 a.m. and has a nightlife scene with Friday and Saturday closing times at 2:00 a.m. It closes at midnight Monday-Thursday and Sunday. If you want to get lucky at lunch, you can bowl for free when you order food Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
At the convenience store: The Texas Lottery Commission announced March 3 that a $1 million scratch-off ticket prize was claimed in Houston after being purchased at Jack’s Grocery #5, located at 7931 Southwest Freeway (at Beechnut). In January, another Houston man claimed a $2 million Powerball ticket bought at BFM Food Mart at 5825 Bellair Blvd., and another $2 million Powerball ticket was sold near Baytown at the Cove Country Store (6013 S. FM 565 Rd.). The Houston Chronicle compiled a list of the most popular Houston-area locations for buying lottery tickets.
Just Hopping Along: A bunny that keeps its own rabbit’s feet is the luckiest of all and Bunny Buddies is a Houston non-profit dedicated to rabbit rescue. They would like to suggest that people not give bunnies as pets at Easter (March 27) because those rabbits often end up in animal shelters. On March 19, you can meet foster bunnies at their regular event from 1–4 p.m. at the Petco at 2110 S. Shepherd. They are at that location on the 3rd Saturdays of each month. If you want to adopt or foster a dog, this is a good time to look at Lucky Dog Rescue, which has an adoption event on March 20 at the Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market (9:00-noon).
In a dressing room: Check out Hello-Lucky at 1025 Studewood St. They even have a “Texas-ness” clothes category. If you’re feeling thrifty, check out Twice Lucky Resale in Maplewood Mall at 5653 Beechnut St.
In your Lucky Charms: Artists Julian Esquivel and Ted Fees show their jewelry wares, including shamrock and four-leaf clover charms, at their Rice Village store (2368 Rice Blvd.)
Behind a blue door: Marfreless, the legendary River Oaks bar, known as a make-out joint, luckily reopened under new ownership in 2014 after a renovation.
On the side of the road: Bluebonnets pop up this time of year along the sides of highways, in fields, gardens, etc. “The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland…,” noted historian Jack Maquire, and you can keep up with Texas Bluebonnet Sightings on Facebook. Consider yourself lucky to be in Texas in springtime as many locales are covered in the wildflowers and celebrate them. The Hill Country is famed for them, but closer to Houston, you can take see many in the Brenham area.
A bluebonnet-viewing route recommended by Texas Less Traveled is to head west from Brenham on Highway 290 to Giddings, then head south on Highway 77 to LaGrange and turn back north on Texas 159 and 237 to return to 290 in Burton, which is west of Brenham. If you can wait until April to get really luck, Chappell Hill’s bluebonnet festival is April 9 and 10, and Burnet’s bluebonnet festival is April 8–10.
