Summer is finally here and Houston is filled with incredible experiences to enjoy with your family and friends. This time we have a little bit of everything, from surprising restaurant openings and fashion photography, to activities that transported me to my childhood like seesaws and rooms filled with candy.

Candytopia

I was invited to get a sneak peek of an immersive candy wonderland called Candytopia. My kids and I had so much fun going through this candy themed adventure! This super fun sensory experience is at Marq*E Entertainment Center and opens to the public today! You can get your tickets online at candytopia.com

MAD

If you’re looking for thrills, excitement, and to indulge during your next culinary experience in Houston, you have to go try MAD at River Oaks District which opens today. MAD stands for Madrid, where Spanish Chef Luis Roger, who is also the Chef at BCN is from. In this new restaurant, he fusions modern cuisine with traditional Spanish delicacies in a hip and contemporary space. Our adventure started with the cocktail menu where a Green Tea Gin and Tonic was beautifully served from a cute teapot into a cup. Then, we tried his very creative modern tapas which were fun and flavorful.

We had the MAD Tomato which actually is a delicious parmesan and pesto mousse and his playful foie gras “cucuruchos” with a fig compote that were exquisite. The Cigala Lobster Paella and the Solomillo with pine nuts will satisfy even the most traditional Spanish cuisine palate. For dessert we had a very pleasant surprise, a Manchego Lava Cake that was simply extraordinary. Oh! and even the ladies room is an artsy fun trip you don’t want to miss! So congrats to the Torras family, Chef Roger and all the amazing team behind this marvelous new addition to Houston’s culinary scene. I’m MAD about going back to try the rest of the menu.

Reserve here MadHouston.com

The Holocaust Museum

The Holocaust Museum in Houston opened its doors on June 22nd after a two-year renovation to show us how such a dark historical event can become a beacon of light for the hundreds of survivors. How? Through a beautiful installation of 1500 butterflies where each one represents 1000 children who died in one of the most tragic events of humanity.

Inside a building with a wonderful architecture and full of light, you will find testimonies, relics, diaries, and art Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to keep this tragic event present for generations to come and to prevent something like this from happening again. Let’s transform it from darkness to light.

Get your tickets here: HMH

FOMO

I got a chance to get a sneak peak inside the FOMO Factory at the Galleria. My daughters and I had a fantastic time taking lots of super original photos inside their 17 differently themed rooms. Colors, textures and tons of imagination! @thefomofactory will be open for a limited run so go get your tickets at thefomofactory.com

Squable

Intimate, unpretentious, and extremely flavorful are just a few words to describe Squable, the new restaurant in the Heights by Chefs Justin Yu and Bobby Heugel. Prepare yourself to have an extraordinary meal! My favorite dishes were the French Burger with raclette and pickles, the Home Stracciatella with olive oil, the Dutch Baby pancake, the pasta that was so good I even forgot to take the picture, and for dessert the extraordinary Pain de Mie which is a delicious piece of crunchy bread inside a bowl of flavorful vanilla custard that reminded me of the Catalán Natillas.

The best part about this place is that they close late so walk-ins right before 11:00 pm are welcomed. So, go try it out and tell me all about your experience with the hashtag #yomarianablog.

Reserve here: Squabletime.com

Museum of Fine Arts

Attention all fashion and photography lovers! A brand new and very exciting exhibit opened at the @mfahouston called Icons of Style: a Century of Fashion Photography. From French designer Paul Poriet’s beautiful coat, to iconic photos of David Bowie, Madonna, and Selena, this magnificent journey of fashion photography will transport you to a century of glamour and street style that have defined fashion through the work of extraordinary photographers. I had the opportunity to attend the preview and It’s definitely an exhibit you don’t want to miss!

Tickets now on sale online at mfah.com

Impulse

There’s a brand new art installation in Avenida Houston called Impulse! The installation consists of several human-powered illuminated seesaws that you can hop on over and create music while moving up and down on these super fun urban instruments! It was so great meeting @spaceycasey713, the most famous Houston astronaut, at the sneak peek party!

Find more about it here: AvenidaHouston.com

So you know, if you are looking for what to do, where to eat, and how to have fun in Houston this Summer, this is your guide!

Happy Summer!