In December, Bocca Italian Kitchen is celebrating five years since opening in Generation Park.

On the menu: Led by award-winning chef Justin Turner, the restaurant puts a contemporary twist on classic Italian dishes featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Bocca Italian Kitchen also boasts rotating seasonal menus, house-made pastas and a full bar offering cocktails and wine.

Meet the chef: Turner also serves as the culinary director for McCord Development, the developer of Generation Park. In this role, Turner oversees both Bocca Italian Kitchen and Lupo, which serves coffee, breakfast tacos and pastries in the morning and burgers for lunch and dinner.

Prior to joining McCord Development, Turner founded Bernie's Burger Bus in Houston and was named the champion of Food Network's "Chopped," per his bio. He also worked for Chef Miles McMath and served as a personal chef for former NBA player Shane Battier.

• 250 Assay St., Ste. 100, Houston

Officials with Texas-based craft jeweler James Avery Artisan Jewelry celebrated a Dec. 13 grand opening of their new Humble location, according to the business’ website.

The details: James Avery offers crafted jewelry pieces for men and women in sterling silver, 14- and 18-karat gold, bronze and gemstones. Charms, pendants, earrings, necklaces and bracelets are some of the types of pieces available.

• Opened Dec. 13
• 20426 Hwy. 59, Humble

Sonia Lopez was appointed by Harris County commissioners Dec. 11 to serve as one of the county's civil court judges to fill a vacancy as the presiding judge runs as one of the Democratic nominees for Harris County attorney.

Quote of note: Lopez, standing beside her family, told court members that she will work hard to earn the trust of Harris County residents.

“I have to thank my parents who taught me the value of hard work,” Lopez said. “They came to this country to live the American dream, and I think they have accomplished that.”

The setup: The appointment comes as presiding Civil Court Judge Audrie Lawton Evans formally entered the 2026 primary election by Texas’ Dec. 8 candidacy filing deadline. Six total races are being contested by both Democratic and Republican candidates across the March primary elections, including the Harris County attorney position.

Pending single-family sales in the Greater Houston area rose 7.2% year over year in November, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ November 2025 Housing Market Update released Dec. 10. Meanwhile, single-family home sales decreased year over year in November from 6,499 to 6,347, according to the report.

What else: In terms of home prices, the median home price decreased 1.5% to $325,000, according to the report.

Quote of note: “Houston’s housing market is setting into a balanced pace,” HAR Chair Shae Cottar with LPT Realty said via news release. “Buyers now have more time, more options and a little more breathing room to negotiate. Sellers are still attracting offers, but realistic pricing and expectations make all the difference.”